#>London

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Doctor Who, but Chronologically: 53

So, we go from 1996 to 2005, which is wild, because 1941 got three different fucking episodes but apparently the Millennium went unmarked by Doctor Who. This is also the span of time the show was off air, actually. Late 80s to 2005, with one return for the film in 1996. Hmm.

Anyway! GET READY FOR ROSE

This, back in 2005, was our first episode of new Doctor Who since its cancellation - the first episode of what I now call the Welsh series, after RTD forcibly moved production to Cardiff and thus created an industry that substantially increased Welsh GDP. Let me tell you, lads, we watched this one and we were EXCITED. It was new!!! It had modern special effects!!! It looked so impressive and shiny and high status!!!

Hilarious watching it now, two decades later, and going "Why was this filmed through a thin layer of vasoline?"

(Also hilarious seeing Cardiff pretending to be London on streets and buildings that very much do not look like that anymore. Queens Arcade! The street by the cinema with the eyebrows! Howells! What a difference 20 years makes. Such a nostalgic episode. BUT I DIGRESS)

So plot-wise we get a fairly simple episode. Autons like Rory the Roman have arrived on Earth and want to take over, but they're simply inert shop mannequins unless the Nestene Consciousness - a big vat of living plastic with a sort of lumpy face - transmits a telepathic signal to them. The Doctor is looking for this vat of plastic so he can preferably tell them to leave for a less killy planet, and if that fails, to tip a lurid blue test tube of what appears to be Panda Pop but we're assured is "anti-plastic" into the vat to... melt it more. But! He cannot find the vat, because he is failing to trace the signal.

But STORY-WISE we get, apparently, the introduction of Rose!

Long-time readers of these posts will know that I have strong opinions on how companions should be used. If they cannot pass the Sexy Lamp Test - if replacing them with a sexy lamp would literally not change the story - then the writer has utterly fucked it and needs to reconsider their career. For my money, Tumblrs, companions serve three varying purposes, to whit:

Providing fun chemistry with the Doctor so we can enjoy the pairing

Being the point-of-view human character for the audience, i.e. asking the questions or posing the theories that will make the story make sense according to our understanding

Providing the emotional connection to the other characters that mean we get fully fleshed out stories rather than boring plot points. The Doctor is plot, the companion is story

Bringing the Basic Common Sense to the proceedings to counter the Doctor's Wild Scientific Knowledge and Schemes

Each does these in different ways of course, but what's brilliant here is that Rose has all four in absolute spades. They're meeting for the first time here and he's super grumpy, but they make each other laugh almost immediately. As the Doctor strides about self-importantly, a cannon ball of purpose and curt non-explanations, it's Rose who pushes him to explain what's going on in terms she (and we) will understand, paring the plot down for us to follow. In this story, Eccleston's Doctor is the most aloof and stand-offish and Above The Petty Affairs Of Humans as we've ever seen him (except Capaldi); he cares deeply about trying to save everyone, but once an individual human is dead, he simply puts them out of his mind and moves on. It's Rose, grieving the possible loss of Mickey, who reminds us that these are people that are being lost. And, ultimately, Rose actually provides most of the final solutions - firstly by listening to the Doctor wittering on about how scientifically the Nestene MUST be using a big round circle for transmissions and going "That's the London Eye, here's the access hatch," and secondly by literally saving the Doctor's life.

And lol, yeah, she does save his life. She gets a great lil speech: "Got no A Levels, no job, no future," she says, grabbing a hanging rope while the Doctor is menaced by Autons. "But I tell you what I have got. Jericho Street Junior School under 7s gymnastics team. I got the bronze."

And she fucking. Just Tarzan swings. Right into the Autons who are holding the anti-plastic Panda Pop, knocking them right into the big vat. Incredible. What a babe.

Three last things before I wrap up!

Firstly, Christ, we get so much information about who Rose is. We're shown her messy bedroom, her useless boyfriend (side note he is SUPER USELESS in this. He was not this bad on a spaceship with Madame de Pompadour. My god, he's got some development coming), her job, her mam, her thoughts about the future. She left school for a boy, and now regrets it. She wants to make something of herself, but doesn't know how. After her job is blown up by the Doctor at the start, her mam Jackie (we've met her! We saw her recently, in Father's Day) suggests she try getting a job in a local business.

"Oh great," Rose says sarcastically. "The butchers."

"Well, maybe it'll do you good," Jackie says back. "That shop was giving you airs and graces."

... and in those two lines - in that one exchange - we know everything we need to about these people. God, it's the sort of character writing that you dream of managing. The simple mundanity of it, and what it tells you about them both; their position in society, what they think of it, what they want and aspire to and believe. Impeccable. Rose is a working class girl who dreams of more, who wants a life that's more than this. Jackie is a loving mother who's firmly in the crab bucket, and feels shame about her own life when she sees Rose reach up. God it's good.

Also, Rose has a GREAT reaction to seeing the TARDIS for the first time.

Secondly! This is seemingly an introduction of sorts for this Doctor as well! At one point, he looks in a mirror and remarks that this face is "not bad, but look at the ears", which is interesting, because we later find out he's had it a while. An internet nutter has the world's worst photoshopped prop showing Eccleston at the Kennedy Assassination (presumably he was there sorting out the Silver Nemesis) among other historical points, so the lad's been about. But alone, and avoiding mirrors.

We are also shown some super powers! He can read a book in the time it takes to flick from front to back, and he can feel planetary rotation, and he can speak Liquid Plastic. Exciting.

But also, he's constantly referencing a war here, which I suspect is going to be hell on our question list. The Nestenes lost their protein planets in the war, so they want Earth. He almost cries at the vat, telling it he tried to save their world, but he couldn't. Lots of references, but alas, once again, no answer as to which damn war this is. In theory, the episode after an introduction would explain that of course :) Presumably we'll get those answers next episode :) Surely this watch order would make us wait until, like, the year Five Billion to find out :) Ho ho ho

Finally, some absolute iconic moments in this one, but my particular favourites are: the look of Plastic Mickey and his glitching speech, with Rose literally not noticing a difference (says a lot about the quality of Mickey); Rose trying to google the word "Doctor" and expecting it to work; and my absolute favourite, which is Rose and the Doctor trying to fight a plastic arm in the living room while Jackie turns a hairdryer on for her COMPLETELY BONE DRY HAIR to give a reason as to why she misses the action. Campy fun, 10/10.

SO! Let's update the board!

“She” (an unknown person) is returning (Suspects: River, Missy, Me, Clara)

There is something on Donna’s back

An entire planet, Pyrovilia, just… disappeared, somehow. (Maybe because the TARDIS is exploding??? Saturnine was also lost, and that WAS because of the TARDIS exploding. The lion man’s planet was also lost but he was a bit of a knob about it if I’m honest. The Thijarian planet was destroyed by some sort of impact). Is this the Flux?

The TARDIS is sort of melting because it’s corrupted, but it’s fine again. NOPE, back to not working.

The Doctor has employed(?) Nardole

(And Nardole was “reassembled???” Nardole had glass nipples and invisible hair?? He used to be blue, and could apparently go back to it??? He’s some sort of helplessly criminal con-artist??? WHAT THE FUCK IS HE)

There’s an immortal Viking girl now. Her name is Me and she’s now looking after the people the Doctor abandons

Why was Rory entirely unconcerned by the entire world suddenly going silent when that is Not Normal and should have been, at the very least, extremely disconcerting?

What did the Doctor do to Queen Lizzie One?

Why is Amy seeing a one-eyed woman in a vanishing window? (She’s with the Silents, but we don’t know why Amy saw her)

Why is Amy’s pregnancy inconclusive? (Maybe because the baby had Time Lord DNA?) She’s deffo pregnant and the baby becomes River, but why inconclusive?

Who is Sarah-Jane Smith?

How is the Doctor Bill’s teacher and why/where does he have an office?

What is going on with the Cyber War and the Cyberium???

What happened with the Other Cyber War? Were either of these Cyber wars affected by the Doctor blowing them up with Nemesis?

What happened with the Third War that deleted the void?

Why does Rose seem particularly important?

What order do these Doctors go in? (Eccleston, Tennant, uncertain, Smith, Capaldi, Whittaker)

Which companion just… forgot the Doctor, and how?

Yaz and Vinder are about to die as Mori/Mwri/Muuri (Not anymore, somehow)

There is a Lupari shield around Earth.

What’s a Time War? Did this destroy the Doctor’s planet and/or family? NEW INFO: did this destroy the Auton world?

What’s the Rift?

What’s Bad Wolf? Gwyneth saw “the Big Bad Wolf” in Rose’s mind, and it was on a 1987 poster as graffiti

In which war did the Doctor become a war criminal, and how?

Is Rory plastic or not? Yeah, must be, he couldn’t possibly remember being plastic otherwise

Why is the Doctor sulking on a cloud?

How exactly does the Doctor have a cloud?

What exactly happened with Strax to, uh, tame him?

Which friend killed Strax?

Which friend brought Strax back?

Where did this lesbian lizard and human couple come from?

What happened with Clara as Souffle Girl and the Daleks?

How does Clara actually join?

Why so many Claras? A psychic midwife says she’s just normal human

Why is Missy apparently in robo-heaven? Is this because she’s now dead?

Why is probably!Missy pushing Clara and the Doctor together?

What is Trensilor and what happened there?

Who is Handles?

The Doctor is about to be dissolved by a beautiful geode man

The universe is being crushed by the Flux

Will the Doctor open the fobwatch? Is it actually just a pager?

Sontarans are invading Earth again

Who is Kate?

Who is Osgood? Another name of Clara’s again?

The fuck is the deal with the Grand Serpent

Does Martha get to go to an ice cream planet with 12-fingered massage aliens?

How did the Doctor forget Clara?

Who is Bill’s puddle girlfriend Heather? This is presumably the star-eyed water faerie

How did Nardole die?

When does the Doctor shrink and enter a Dalek called Rusty?

Whittaker is falling to her death rn

Was that ring relevant?

Does anyone know the Doctor’s name? Missy says it’s “Who”

When did Yaz talk to Dan about fancying the Doctor?

When did Dan talk to the Doctor about fancying Yaz?

What’s happening with the bees?

What happened with Donna’s ex and a giant spider?

What war wiped out the Daleks, and is it one of the ones already mentioned?

What did the Doctor mean when he said “The (Daleks) always live, while I lose everything?”

If Dalek Caan is the last Dalek left why are there more now?

How did the rest of the Time Lords die?

How and why did Amy melt?

What’s the question that will make silence fall?

Why do the Silents… want silence to fall?

How and why are Silents at war with the Doctor when he… hasn’t even heard of them?

How does Hitler get out of the cupboard?

What’s the significance of fish fingers and custard?

Why does the Doctor feel guilt about Rose, Martha and Donna?

What happened with the space whale?

How does the Doctor survive River? He doesn’t, apparently

How does he erase himself from history

Did Captain Jack lose his memories to the same people as the Doctor? What did he lose?

When did the Doctor send the Daleks into a void to save the universe?

Why do Amy and Rory think the Doctor is dead? Is it because of River as an astronaut?

Is Matt Smith’s Doctor a tree racist?

Why is the beautiful geode woman stealing people into a Passenger form?

River says she’ll die one day when the Doctor doesn’t remember her, let’s hope she doesn’t mean it

Why doesn’t the TARDIS like Clara?

When was the Master Prime Minister?

How do Amy and Rory rejoin the Doctor given that they haven’t died yet in 1950s Manhattan?

[jesterday00]

Reunion

Bonus spoiler warning just in case

A clock ticked quietly and creating a peaceful melody with the crackle of a fire; snow fell gently outside, glittering through the window panes. Theodore Layton sat lost in thought, tea warming his hands as he lounged on his couch. Something was keeping him awake, and he was sifting through his memories like an archaeological dig.

Of course, because of recent events, he was regularly brought back to the Triton family - though he’d come to terms with their move long before Luke had told him, so he knew his restlessness was tied to something else.

Perhaps it was Flora, then? She’d been quite upset at the professor for not telling her sooner that Luke was moving away, and he’d admitted he’d never found the right time or words. It hurt so deeply to realize he’d given her no time to process the fact that he was leaving. He doubted that was the problem though, as they were making good strides in their conversations about processing these feelings.

The thought of Claire came up for a moment, but after a gentle squeeze of the heart, the thought passed. She was gone now, he knew for sure, and he had come to terms with that not long ago.

Then, finally, another face graced his mind.

It had been a year, maybe longer, since he’d been seen. The days seemed to have slipped by after that event, what with Saint Mystere and the Molentary Express, and just recently Future London. That letter still sat in his desk, the words burned into his heart.

“I will return to you someday, hopefully soon. But for now, I must take my leave. Stay strong, Teddy.”

He gripped the cup tighter as its warmth faded, then took a sip. Perhaps this…

As the clock struck midnight, he decided it would be better to speculate in bed. At least if he fell asleep mid thought, he wouldn’t be stiff in the morning. Swinging his legs down, he grabbed the blanket to fold it back up-

A knock, quiet but firm. Someone who knew the hour but wanted to be heard. One of the neighbors, perhaps?

He stood, then, setting the half-full teacup on the table and approached the door. He undid the deadbolt and lock quietly, then slowly opened the door.

Standing on his doorstep, damp coat in hand, was Hershel.

In the span of a heartbeat, Theo took in the details of his brother’s appearance - he’d trimmed his hair again recently, and it looked more gray than before; he looked well rested, though the late hour was beginning to show. When he glanced up from the doormat, Theo noted shame, then relief, then tears.

Without warning, his knees gave out as he crossed the threshold, and Hershel caught him in a hug. Body trembling, he could only whisper, “Hershel..!” Tears burned down his cheeks and he found himself clutching his brother’s shirt tightly. He didn’t want to let go, couldn’t bear the thought of losing him again.

“I’m so sorry,” Hershel said, his own voice cracking with emotion, “I’m so sorry for leaving… after all we went through…” Theo felt his brother’s grip tighten on his own jumper. All he could hope was that this meant they would be staying together from here on out.

[youryurigoddess]

A nightingale sang in the London Blitz

When exactly was that certain night, the night Aziraphale and Crowley met — and spoke for the first time in 79 years in the midst of the London Blitz?

And what’s the deal with the nightingale’s song, really?

Grab something to drink and we’ll look for some Clues below.

The night they met

The Blitz, short for Blitzkrieg (literally: flash war) was a German aerial bombing campaign on British cities in the WW2, spanning between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941. The Luftwaffe attacks were carried out almost non stop, with great intensity meant to force a capitulation and similarly strong impact on British life and culture at the time.

Starting on 7 September 1940, London as the capital city was bombed for nearly 60 consecutive nights. More than one million London houses were destroyed or damaged, and more than 20,000 civilians were killed, half of the total victims of this campaign.

The night of 29 December 1940 saw the most ferocity, becoming what is now known as the Second Great Fire of London. The opening shot of the S2 1941 minisode is a direct reference to recordings of that event, with the miraculously saved St Paul’s Cathedral in the upper left corner.

The actual raid lasted between 06:15 and 09:45 PM, but its aftermath continued for days. The old and dense architecture of this particular part of the city turned into a flaming inferno larger than the Great Fire of 1666. Multiple buildings, including churches, were destroyed in just one night by over 100,000 bombs.

Incendiary bombs fell also on St Dunstan-in-the-East church that night, the real-life location of this scene as intended by Neil. It was gutted and again claimed by fire in one of the last air rides on 10 May, when the bomb destroyed the nave and roof and blew out the stained glass windows. The ruins survived to this day as a memorial park to the Blitz.

Such a delightfully Crowley thing to do: saving a bag of books with a demonic miracle adding to the biggest catastrophe for the publishing and book trade in years. 5 million volumes were lost, multiple bookshops and publishing houses destroyed in the December 29th raid alone.

Even without this context, judging by the seemingly unending night, overwhelming cold and darkness, broken heating at the theatre, and seasonal clothing (like Aziraphale and Crowley’s extremely nice winter coats), it’s rather clear that it was the very beginning of the year 1941.

Everything suggests that Aziraphale and Crowley’s Blitz reunion happened exactly 1900 years after their meeting in Rome — which, according to the script book, took place between 1 and 24 January 41 (Crowley was right: emperor Caligula was a mad tyrant and didn't need any additional tempting; there's a reason why he was murdered by his closest advisors, including members of his Praetorian Guard, on 24 January 41).

Interestingly, both events involved a role reversal in their otherwise stable dynamic, with Aziraphale spontaneously taking the lead instead of letting the demon be the one to do all the tempting and saving, and ended with a toast.

The S2 Easter Egg with the nuns of the Chattering Order of St Beryl playing table tennis at the theatre suggests that the Blitz meeting happened on a Tuesday afternoon, which doesn’t match any of the above mentioned days, but sets the in-universe date for 7 January 1941 or later.

The Chattering Order of Saint Beryl is under a vow to emulate Saint Beryl at all times, except on Tuesday afternoons, for half an hour, when the nuns are permitted to shut up, and, if they wish, to play table tennis.

The nightingale

January means one thing: absolutely no migratory birds in Europe yet. They’re blissfully wintering in the warm sun of Northern Africa at the time. But, ironically, when the real nightingales flew off, a certain song about them suddenly gained popularity in the West End of London.

It might be a shock, but A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square wasn’t a hit from the start — even though its creators, Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin, were certainly established in their work at this point. The song was written in the then-small French fishing village of Le Lavandou shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War with first performance in the summer of 1939 in a local bar, where the melody was played on piano by the composer Manning Sherwin with the help of the resident saxophonist. Maschwitz sang his lyrics while holding a glass of wine, but nobody seemed impressed. It took time and a small miracle to change that.

Next year, the 23-year-old actress Judy Campbell had planned to perform a monologue of Dorothy Parker’s in the upcoming Eric Maschwitz revue „New Faces”. But somehow the script had been mislaid and, much to her horror, replaced with the song A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. She had never professed to be a singer but even so, she gathered her courage and went out onto the moonlit set dressed in a white ball gown. Her heartfelt rendition of the now evocative ballad captured the audience’s imagination and catapulted her West End career to stardom.

It was precisely 11 April 1940 at the Comedy Theatre in Panton Street and the revue itself proved to be a great success — not only it kept playing two performances nightly through the Blitz, but also returned the next year. And the still operating Comedy Theatre is mere five minutes on foot from the Windmill Theatre, where Aziraphale performed in 1941, and not much longer from his bookshop.

Now, most Good Omens meta analyses focus on Vera Lynn’s version of the song from 5 June 1940, but it didn’t get much attention until autumn, specifically 15 November, when Glenn Miller and his orchestra published another recording. And Glenn Miller himself is a huge point of reference in Good Omens 2.

According to the official commentary the infamous credits scene is establishing Aziraphale and Crowley’s final resolve for the next season using the same narrative device The Glenn Miller Story (1954) does in its most crucial scene. It starts with the tune (and audio in general) totally flat, then adds a piano on one side, and gradually becomes fully multidimensional. The Good Omens credits not only emulate the same sound effect, but bring it to the visual side of the narrative by literally combining the individual perspectives of the two characters together. Even though they’re physically apart, their resolve — and love to each other — brings them even closer than before. Aziraphale smiles not because he’s being brainwashed, but because he knows exactly what to do next.

Some of you might have noticed that Tori Amos’s performance for Good Omens is actually a slightly shortened version of Miller’s recording — much less sorrowful than Vera Lynn’s full lyrics that include i.a. this bridge:

The dawn came stealing up

All gold and blue

To interrupt our rendez-vous

I still remember how you smiled and said

Was that a dream or was it true?

Which is a huge hint when it comes to what we can expect from the main romantic plot line in the Good Omens series. The original song introduces an element of the doubt — it seems like there was no nightingale at all, only the mirage woven by the singer clearly intoxicated with love, much like Aziraphale and Crowley for the length of the last six episodes. Crowley’s comment in the season finale might allude to that interpretation, stating that there are no nightingales — never have been. It was all a dream. But the version we’re working with here is short and sweet, and devoid of that doubt. In the Good Omens universe angels were actually dining at the Ritz, the streets were truly paved with stars (or will be shown as such in the next season), and a nightingale really sang in Berkeley Square, as the omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent narrator, God Herself, had shown us.

All in all, it’s not an accident that the “modern” swing ballad activating Aziraphale’s memory and opening the 1941 minisode is the Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller. It’s a track naturally associated with A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square when it comes to music style and the sentiment in the lyrics.

But why the sudden popularity? In the great uncertainty and hardship of the Blitz, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square provided solace and escapism for listeners, offering a glimpse of hope and love amidst the darkness of war. It became a universal anthem of resilience and a reminder of the power of love transcending difficulties. By January 1941 the whole city knew this tune by heart, including a certain West End aficionado with a cabinet full of theatre programs in his bookshop. Thanks to Maggie’s grandmother, he most probably had a record at hand to play during his spontaneous wine night with Crowley. We can only suspect the details, but it was was mutually established as their song exactly at that time or soon afterwards. Pretty sure we will see a third installment of that minisode for many, many reasons, but especially because of this “several days in 1941” answer by Neil:

The Man Hunt

In 1941 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square gained even more popularity as the romantic theme of the Fritz Lang’s newest film Man Hunt. The 1939 story by Geoffrey Household first appeared under the title “Rogue Male” as a serial in the Atlantic Monthly Magazine where it received widespread comment, soon becoming a world-wide phenomenon in novel form. Its premise criticizes Britain's pre-war policy of appeasement with Germany, ready to sacrifice its own innocent citizens to the tentative status quo. Sounds a bit like Heaven's politics, right?

Yes, I'm trying to make you watch old movies again — like all the other classics, Man Hunt (1941) is easily available on YouTube and other streaming websites.

The next part will include spoilers, so scroll down to the next picture if you prefer to avoid them.

The plot of the movie seems simple enough: the tall, dark, and handsome Alan Thorndike, who nearly assassinates Hitler, narrowly escapes Germany and back in London continues to evade the Nazi agents sent after him with the help of a young trench-clad “seamstress” named Jerry, bridging the class divide and becoming unlikely friends-partners-romantic interests. It doesn’t end well though.

Jerry's small London apartment serves as a hideout for Alan when he was being followed by Nazis, similarly to how Aziraphale's bookshop is a safe haven for both Crowley and Gabriel in S2. She helps the man navigate the streets and eventually out of London — by sacrificing herself and getting forcefully separated from him by a patrolling policeman. The last time they see each other, Alan watches Jerry look back at him yearningly and disappear in the fog, followed by the elderly officer.

Unfortunately in the next scene we learn that the latter is a Nazi collaborator and helps the agents apprehend Jerry in her own flat. Staying loyal to her love and uncooperative, she’s ultimately thrown out of a window to her death, but posthumously saves Alan once again — through the arrow-shaped hatpin he gifted her earlier that is presented to him as the evidence of her off-screen fate.

Long story short, thanks to Jerry’s sacrifice Alan not only survives, but is able to join the war that broke out in the meantime and go back to Germany, armed with a rifle and a final resolve to end what he started, no matter how long will it take. The justice will be served and the dictator will pay with his life for his sins.

I wouldn’t be myself without mentioning that the main villain has a Roman chariot statue similar to the one in Aziraphale’s bookshop, an antique sculpture of St Sebastian (well-known as the gayest Catholic Saint) foreshadowing his demise, and a chess set symbolizing the titular manhunt/game of tag with the protagonist.

Aziraphale’s song

Will Aziraphale sacrifice himself as well? Or has he already? If his coin magic trick can be any indicator, we should expect at least a shadow of a danger touching the angel’s wings soon.

Let’s sum up the 1941 events from Aziraphale’s perspective: the very first time they’ve interacted after almost a century, Crowley actively sabotaged his entire existence twice by stepping onto a holy ground and by being outed by agents of Hell, both on the very same night and both because of his undying dedication to the angel. That’s enough of a reason not only for performing an apology dance, but also maintaining a careful distance for Crowley’s sake for the next 26 years. Only when he heard that his idiot was planning to rob a church, he gave up since he “can't have him risking his life”.

That’s when Crowley, sitting in a car parked right under his bookshop, offered him a ride. It wasn’t even subtle anymore. It was supposed to be a date, this time both of them understood it. But Aziraphale wouldn’t risk Crowley’s safety for his own happiness, especially not when he can name his feelings towards him and knows that they are reciprocated — the biggest lesson he learnt back in 1941.

So he did what he’s best at, he cut Crowley off again, but this time with a promise of catching up to his speed at some point. Buddy Holly’s Everyday, which was originally planned to play afterwards instead of the Good Omens theme, adds additional context here:

No, thank you. Oh, don’t look so disappointed. Perhaps one day we could... I don't know… Go for a picnic. Dine at the Ritz.

Aziraphale, carefully looking around and feeling observed through the whole conversation in the Bentley, consciously used the “Dine at the Ritz” line from A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, from their song, as a code only the two of them understand. Not as a suggestion to go out for a meal, but a promise. A hope for the privilege of being openly in love and together — maybe someday, not now, when it’s too dangerous — even if it leads to a bad ending.

Fast forward to 2023 when for one dreadful moment Crowley’s “No nightingales” robbed Aziraphale even of that semblance of hope. He looked away, unable to stop his tears anymore. Only their kiss helped him pull himself together and make sure that a nightingale did sing the last time he turned — just like in their song — this time without a smile, as a goodbye.

[whencyclopedia]

Sydney Harbour Bridge Construction

The Sydney Harbour Bridge – affectionately known as The Coathanger by Australians – was opened to great fanfare and a touch of scandal on 19 March 1932 and was the longest steel arch bridge in the world at the time, with a span of 503 metres (1,650 ft) and standing at 134 metres (440 ft) above Sydney harbour.

Sydney Harbour Bridge During Construction

State Library of New South Wales (Public Domain)

Before the bridge was constructed, there were two Sydneys – the north side, with a population of around 300,000, and the south side and central business district, with 600,000 people. A regular and reliable ferry service took passengers across the harbour, carrying 13 million annually by 1908. There was also a land route from the south to the north shore, which was a time-consuming journey known as the 'five bridges' – horses and cars crossed a series of bridges over the Parramatta River, a detour that added 20-30 kilometres (12-19 mi) to the trip.

As Sydney's population grew and up to 75 ferries crisscrossed the harbour, often in dangerous and foggy conditions, the need for a bridge to connect the northern and southern shores gained momentum. One extraordinary man, Dr John Job Crew Bradfield (1867-1943), envisioned a structure that would unite Sydney – a minimalist, sweeping steel structure embodying modernist design aesthetics, breaking free from the city's convict-era agrarian roots.

Early Designs

Charles Darwin's grandfather, Dr Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802), was inspired by reports of the NSW colony and mentioned the vision of a 'proud arch' in his poem Visit of Hope to Sydney Cove, near Botany Bay, published in 1789. However, the first person to seriously propose a harbour bridge was the emancipated convict and New South Wales (NSW) government architect Francis Greenway (1777-1837). In an 1815 report to Governor Macquarie (1762-1824), Greenway raised the idea and also wrote to the editor of The Australian newspaper, which published Greenway's letter on 28 April 1825:

Thus in the event of the Bridge being thrown across from Dawes Battery to the North Shore, a town would be built on that shore, and would have formed with these buildings a grand whole, that would have indeed surprised anyone entering the harbour; and would have given an idea of strength and magnificence that would have reflected credit and glory on the colony and the Mother Country.

(The Australian, Letter to the Editor)

Greenway's vision was never adopted. The engineering skills and steel technology to span the harbour were not yet available, and the NSW colony was focused on agricultural production and settlement.

The next proposal was put forward in 1857 when English-trained engineer Peter Henderson designed a bridge from Dawes Battery (now Dawes Point on the south side) to Milsons Point. Henderson had worked with Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), the renowned and groundbreaking 19th-century engineer who designed London's Paddington Station, the Great Western Railway linking London with the west of England and South Wales, and various steamships.

Sketch of Proposed Sydney Harbour Bridge

P. E. Henderson (Public Domain)

Henderson's sketch for a cast iron bridge supported by two pylons on either side of the harbour is the oldest existing practical plan. The population and economic activity on the northside in 1857 were not significant enough to convince the colonial government. It is also likely that engineering knowledge at the time would have resulted in a bridge that may have fallen into the harbour. Cast or wrought iron, which is not as strong as steel, might not have been capable of withstanding the stresses of a large span in a harbour with strong tides and a city frequently buffeted by high winds.

By the turn of the century, north shore residents had formed the Sydney and North Shore Junction League, championing a bridge inspired by the vision of Sir Henry Parkes (1815-1896), a local politician and five-time premier of NSW. Parkes had called for a bridge to improve transportation and promote urban development. This resulted in Minister for Works E. W. O'Sullivan (1846-1910), announcing a design competition in January 1900. Submissions were received from local and international engineers.

Continue reading...

[book--brackets]

Young Wizards by Diana Duane (1983-2016)

Nita Callahan is at the end of her rope because of the bullies who've been hounding her at school... until she discovers a mysterious library book that promises her the chance to become a wizard. But she has no idea of the difference that taking the Wizard's Oath is going to make in her life. Shortly, in company with fellow beginner-wizard Kit Rodriguez, Nita's catapulted into what will be the adventure of a lifetime—if she and Kit can both live through it. For every wizard's career starts with an Ordeal in which he or she must challenge the one power in the universe that hates wizardry more than anything else: the Lone Power that invented death and turned it loose in the worlds. Plunged into a dark and deadly alternate New York full of the Lone One's creatures, Kit and Nita must venture into the very heart of darkness to find the stolen, legendary Book of Night with Moon. Only with the dangerous power of the wizardly Book do they have a chance to save not just their own lives, but their world...

Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage by Mercedes Lackey (1989-1990)

Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wasn't no part in such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard.

Yet such talent as his, if left untrained, may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the fame Herald-Mages of Valdemar.

But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil cannot master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land.

And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin'a'in Adept, Vanyel's wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone's ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and Valdemar itself in desperate peril.

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (2016-2018)

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most... including herself.

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (2008-2014)

Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.

Myth Adventures by Robert Lyn Asprin (1978-2002)

Skeeve was a magician's apprentice--until an assassin struck and his master was killed. Now, with a purple-tongued demon named Aahz as a companion, he's on a quest to get even.

The Land of Elyon by Patrick Carman (2003-2008)

Alexa is curious about what lies beyond the massive ramparts that surround the city and the walled roads that link Bridewell to nearby towns; soon after town leader Thomas Warvold passes away, Alexa finds herself outside the walls, acquires a stone with remarkable powers, and discovers that she's meant to stop a potential war from occurring.

The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy (1974-2018)

Mildred Hubble is a trainee witch at Miss Cackle's Academy, and she's making an awful mess of it. She's always getting her spells wrong and she can't even ride a broomstick without crashing it. Will she ever make a real witch?

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (2020-2023)

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn't get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan's search for her father begins with her mother's possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan's. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke (2021)

When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it’s an opportunity to start over with her three daughters–Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she’s frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.

Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she’s initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers–except she’s still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she’ll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn’t realize just how much the truth will change her.

Reckless by Cornelia Funke (2010-2020)

Jacob has uncovered the doorway to another world, hidden behind a mirror. It is a place of dark magic and enchanted objects, scheming dwarves and fearsome ogres, fairies born from water and men born from stone.Here, he hunts for treasure and seeks adventure in the company of Fox - a beautiful, shape-shifting girl, who guides and guards him.But now Jacob's younger brother has followed him into the mirrored world, and all that was freedom has turned to fear. Because a deadly curse has been spoken; and Jacob must risk his life to reverse it, before his brother is turned to stone forever...

[theblurbwitchproject]

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Published: February 2, 2023 Publisher: HarperCollins

The Author

Emilia Hart is a British-Australian writer. She was born in Sydney and studied English Literature and Law at the University of New South Wales before working as a lawyer in Sydney and London. She is a graduate of Curtis Brown Creative’s Three Month Online Novel Writing Course and was Highly Commended in the 2021 Caledonia Novel Award. Her short fiction has been published in Australia and the UK. Weyward is her debut novel. She lives in London.

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Story

In Weyward, the narrative intertwines the lives of three women spanning five centuries. In 2019, Kate seeks solace in Weyward Cottage, escaping from London and her abusive partner. She slowly unravels a mystery hidden within the cottage's history, hinting at secrets from her great aunt's past and the 17th-century witch hunts. In 1619, Altha faces trial for a murder she didn't commit, relying on her unconventional nature magic to defend herself against accusations of witchcraft. Meanwhile, in 1942, Violet feels trapped by societal constraints and the prison of her family's estate, yearning for freedom and the memory of her mother, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only remnants of her mother's existence are a locket marked with a mysterious "W" and the word "weyward" etched into the bedroom's baseboard. This novel masterfully weaves these women's tales together, revealing a compelling narrative of strength across generations and the transformative influence of the natural world.

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Vibe: family lineage, nature magic, self discovery, witch trials, feminine strength, betrayal, forging your own path

The Style: historical fiction, magical realism, multiple povs, part epistolary, part narration, emotive

Trigger Warnings: imprisonment, domestic abuse, spousal rape, car accident death, entrapment by pregnancy, emotional abuse, suidical ideation, mention of stillbirth, “hysteria”, hysterectomy, abortion, misogyny

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Review

I picked Weyward up on a whim and am so pleased that I did. Historical fiction mixed with magical realism and a dash of incredibly rich writing made it a real pleasure to read. The narrative weaves between three women across five centuries, deftly showcasing the myriad ways in which women demonstrate resilience and bravery under difficult circumstances.

Being totally honest, I often struggle with split narrative timelines in novels. I can’t be the only one who has found themselves bored with one section of a book, willing the boring chapters to end in order to get back to the characters I am invested in… right? Thankfully, Weyward’s leading ladies are all so fabulous and their stories so engaging, that I was invested in each timeline equally. This actually sped up my reading as the story progressed, as I wanted to find out how each character was doing in their timeline more and more desperately. If you want to read a moving story with wonderful characters that emphasizes the transformative power of nature, please pick this up!

Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent, drips from the tongue as thick and black as tar. We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men, a word that brings power to those who speak it, not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses.

One thing I will say before really digging in to the review, is that there are a lot of trigger warnings for this novel (see above for a summary). Reading through the list, it may seem that this is a tome of sheer doom and gloom, but it actually didn’t feel that way to me. Obviously, a lot of the trigger warnings may be Hard Nos for some people, and that’s totally fair, however I found this story so engaging and the characters so strong, that the TWs didn’t beat me down as much as they could have. Being set across five centuries, this book explores a number of methods by which patriarchal societies abuse women.  From the outright cruelties of the 17th Century to the more insidious offences of modern society, there is a lot of violence and misogyny at work here. It can get difficult in parts, but I found myself uplifted by the women’s strength in the end.

Now, I’ve discussed how strong the characters are; let me properly introduce them to you! Kate, living in her 2019 timeline, wants to escape a violent partner and discover the truth about her family. Violet, in 1942 and the midst of the Second World War, wants to escape the societal confines and expectations of femininity and live a life she chooses. Altha in 1619 just wants to survive. I loved them all. I cared about them all. I may have even shed a tear or two over them (and books don’t make me cry super often). I particularly loved Violet and her sheer determination to live her own life. I really appreciated seeing her as a teen from her own perspective, as well as from Kate’s perspective looking back at Violet as an old woman. (I want grow up to be an eccentric old lady with the witchiest house in the world just like her!) The interlacing of their stories is so well conceived, it really feels like you’re seeing a cohesive timeline rather than random sections plonked together.

Perhaps one day, she said, there would be a safer time. When women could walk the earth, shining bright with power, and yet live.

There is so much witchcraft detail in this book, dropped in so sneakily and creatively, I just loved it! All the leading ladies have Witch Marks (which definitely need to be used in witchy stories more frequently), but they’re not overly emphasized… they’re just there and mentioned in passing in various subtle ways. The way the Familiars work is also super cool; not every animal can be a familiar, and they aren’t necessarily easily controlled, but they provide emotional support and do their witches’ bidding when needed. I especially loved the constant presence of the crows, which at first seem wild and dangerous, but eventually become as important to the plot as the leading characters as symbols of power. And I love, love, love how the magic stems so much from the witches’ connection to the natural world. It just felt so right to me.

One notable factor in Weyward for me was how deftly Emilia Hart wove historical facts into the narrative. From the Lancashire Assizes to the Pendle Witch Trials and King James I and his obsession with Witch Hunts, Altha’s timeline felt so based in history as to be almost visceral. This sort of thing really happened to living women. I was especially impressed by the use of the Great Comet of 1618; Hart definitely did her research in order to place her story firmly in the real world, with an additional magical touch.

There was something about us – the Weyward women – that bonded us more tightly with the natural world. We can feel it, she said, the same way we feel rage, sorrow or joy. The animals, the birds, the plants – they let us in, recognising us as one of their own. That is why roots and leaves yield so easily under our fingers, to form tonics that bring comfort and healing. That is why animals welcome our embrace. Why the crows – the ones who carry the sign – watch over us and do our bidding, why their touch brings our abilities into sharpest relief.

Weyward has become one of my favourite reads for 2024, and has 100% got a solid seat in my Top Ten of the Year. It is endlessly impressive to me that is was Emilia Hart’s DEBUT NOVEL. Seriously, my hat is off to her for creating a story that felt so real and so magical at the same time. I will definitely be reading more of her work as it is published. If my recommendation isn’t enough, Weyward also won Goodreads’ Best Historical Fiction title in 2023. And if you buy a physical copy of the book, you get a neat little flip book of a crow flying in the page corners. If all that doesn’t sell it to you, I don’t know what will.

[shit-talk-turner]

I agree, their concerts are pretty vapid and soulless, they literally played the same setlist throughout a year and a half span tour + zero interaction with audience, I know I’d be nailed to a cross for saying that but Al is annoyingly self-indulgent….it seems as though he’s there to do the job and get the cash and leave //

I largely agree with what you've said. The band started the tour strong, but something seemed to shift during their Australian leg. From then on, they fell into a monotonous routine, avoiding new album tracks in favour of older songs, often rearranged in a style that matched the new album. This really irked me, as many of their energetic songs were toned down to a soft, almost lounge-like style, more suited for an intimate theatre audience. Frankly they made a poor choice of venues; their current sound is better suited to indoor spaces like sports arenas, not vast football stadiums like the one in London. I hesitate to say it, but Alex seems a bit too full of himself these days. I'd like to see him come down to earth a bit, more like he was in 2018-2019. The fact that he wasn't even present in the recent interviews, leaving others to fill the void, really shows his lack of interest. He seemed eager to wrap things up and return to his London flat

^

[scotianostra]

September 2nd 1834 saw the death of Sir Thomas Telford, the pioneering engineer, road, bridge and canal builder.

Telford was the Scotsman who laid the foundations of industrial Britain, the Colossus of Roads, the godfather of civil engineering, Thomas Telford even had a town named after him, albeit an English one!

Born at Glendinning, Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire, on 9 August 1757, Thomas Telford never knew his shepherd father. He dies four months after the boy is born. His single mother can’t afford to raise him so relatives do. But such is Thomas’s vitality that he’s soon known as ‘Laughing Tam’.

Thomas leaves school and aged 14, he apprentices to a stonemason. He helps build new roads and a farmhouse on the estate of a local duke. Despite the nature of his day job, with its intensive long hours, Thomas studies at night to learn all there is about construction. By 25, he’s worked in Edinburgh and is off to London. He meets with two Scottish architects, one of whom, Sir William Chambers is building Somerset House. Telford secures work there.

And so began his long career seeing him build everything from canals to bridges, roads to harbours, Thomas Telford – the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers – worked or advised on hundreds of important civil engineering projects in his lifetime .His expertise was so renowned that people from all over the world – including the Swedish and Russian governments – consulted him for their major civil engineering projects.

Telford’s most famous canal works include the 60-mile Caledonian Canal (1804-1822) and Ellesmere Canal.

In the Highlands of Scotland, Telford was responsible or about 1,200 miles of new or improved roads.

His main achievements in road-making were the London to Holyhead and Bangor to Chester roads. The road in North Wales has been designated a ‘Historic Route’.

Bridges also played a large part in Telford’s career, with the Menai wrought iron suspension bridge over the Menai Straits in Wales being one of his most famous designs.With an unprecedented span of nearly 580ft, it was considered the most outstanding bridge development of the early 19th century.

In 1783, he first started working for William Pulteney, the first Earl of Bath and MP for Shrewsbury, restoring Sudborough Rectory in Northamptonshire.

Pulteney was a strong influence on Telford’s career, and helped establish him as an engineer.

Telford worked on a number of infrastructure projects in Shropshire after being invited there by Pulteney to restore Shrewsbury Castle in 1786.

He worked on local church restorations, private houses, improved streets and drainage.

After he restored the castle in a Gothic style, Telford lived in and practised as an architect from the castle.

When Pulteney became director of British Fisheries Society in 1790, Telford advised on the improvement of numerous harbours in northern Scotland. The largest was Pulteneytown at Wick.

He also helped spread the use of Roman cement in facing, pointing and brick-jointing mortars to stop water penetration.

The aluminous hydraulic cement, patented by James Parker, set to a “very considerable extent” in about 20 minutes.

Telford’s civil engineering career started to take off from 1793 when he was appointed as general agent, surveyor, engineer, architect and overlooker to the Ellesmere Canal. The standout structure on the canal is the Pontcysyllte cast iron aqueduct over the Dee.

In terms of road construction, Telford’s roads were well-drained and had a hand-pitched stone foundation under a layer of conventional road metal.

Although they were more expensive to build, their higher quality meant that maintenance costs were lower.

Telford planned, built or advised on several thousand masonry bridges throughout his lifetime.

His first major bridge was over the Severn at Montford from 1790 to 1792, using convict labour.

Other infrastructure Telford worked on included drainage of the Fens in eastern England, the improvement of more than 100 harbours, docks or piers, and water supply schemes such as a piped supply to Liverpool from springs at Bootle.

Telford was invited by the King of Sweden to be the consulting engineer for the Trollhatte Canal’s eastwards extension to the Baltic at Soderkoping.

He was also consulted by the Russian government, and North American canal schemes.

For his achievements in civil engineering, Telford has been dubbed the ‘Colossus of Roads’ and ‘Pontifex Maximus’.

A liver problem, referred to as a “bilious derangement”, caused his death on this day 1834. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

[samkerrworshipper]

This is ungodly long and I’m so sorry in advance 😭 I’m also ridiculous late sending you this, but I still thought you deserved to hear it.

I was initially a little hesitant about reading “beautiful girl”, just because I’m not really a Leah/Jordan reader usually, but I adore your works so I figured I would give it a try!

RIGHT from the first three paragraphs of the first part, I already was ready to cry. I knew this was going to seriously test my emotions in the best way (and I did end up being correct!)

“Babies learnt to self soothe by being left to cry, teenagers learnt to self soothe through pain” like nope I can’t deal, you absolutely knocked it out of the park with that 😭

R’s whole thought process in the first chapter is equal parts heartbreaking and fascinating at the same time. The way you chronically the descent into a deeper addiction is SO well done, having her go from getting high at night to doing it during the day, and how that all spirals within the span of just a few paragraphs needs to be STUDIED!

“Hoping the patting [of the towel] would somehow strip the pain that was painted across your skin, it didn’t” from part two my LORDDD. The whole conversation between r and Jordan in that part is genuinely so heartbreaking. It’s clear that Jordan still loves her daughter, but everything has just fallen apart to the point where it doesn’t feel like it can be fixed. R being unable to see Jordan’s care because of the fact that she’s completely fallen through the cracks, on top of having this huge mental spiral is perfect into continuing to introduce the reader into the story.

Leah finding out about the weed in part three, and r’s kinda trying to deny but not really had my interest piqued. As though she kind of wants Leah to find out about it, a cry for help, even if she’s not admitting it to herself in the narrative SO fascinating. How you write addiction is so raw and poignant because you don’t shy away from the difficult shit, you simply leave it to fester further and further and the story is so charged and has so much more emotion because of it.

“It took you back to a time when you’d made Leah check under your bed everynight for the monsters under your bed, now though she was looking for the monsters in your head, the monsters that had turned her little perfect girl into whatever you were now” I WAS GAGGED I don’t even have words I…like I truly don’t know what to say other than I’m obsessed with these one liners you’re dropping like bombs throughout the story!

Listening to so long London during part four was quite possibly too much for me to bear? And then I listened to it as I read the rest and I was like what if I’m just ready to end it all? Right now?

Maya’s relationship with r is incredibly twisted and convoluted especially in part four, really showcasing this idea of love even in the worst forms. The way that she completely invalidates r’s fears and pressures her while r still manages to cling to this idea that Maya does love her is so artfully constructed. Its clear Maya is so deeply engrossed in all of this her entire perspective on life is flipped around (including her perception of love), and it’s both incredibly sad for her personally while still very dangerous for r. The theme of love in this is so strong and I was continually intrigued as I read to see how you choose to discuss love, both overall and from r’s perspective specifically.

I DONT THINK I CAN EVER SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT PART FOUR ISTG 😭 The speech r gives to Leah and Jordan over the phone? The whole praise aspect of it that r has been craving for SO long, and the explanation about how the breakup was the catalyst for all of this? The TOY analogy at the end? Jesus fucking Christ what a knife to the heart.

Also I’m sorry I shouldn’t have laughed at “miss dump and run awakens” but the thought of a nurse actually saying that to a first time patient had me choking on my water 😭

The beginning of part five is so aching, the way r is still trying to run, has worked herself down to feeling nothing but panic and fear?And then Leah and Jordan come in and they just want her to be okay and are so worried about her? But still the fact that r feels as though she has to perform in order to be worthy of this love absolutely broke me. As I said before, your portrayal of addiction is amazing and so easily digestible, despite how heavy the topic is.

“Love to you, was a privilege, not something that everyone had extra of” 😀😀😀😀

The moment of shift in the conversation r has with Leah toward the end of part 5 is pulled off PERFECTLY, the dialogue between them back and forth is genuinely done so well. Your ability to write this mix of dialogue interspersed with r’s thoughts is executed masterfully, and leaves the story feeling whole and complete in the best way possible, even as you drag our hearts through unimaginable pain (it’s just too good not to read though 😫)

Part six is just…so fucking healing. Genuinely, again with the interspersing of dialogue with what has been happening the two month break is complete perfection. Even in just a single chapter you show this immense progress, the stopping of poor habits and thoughts and the shift toward something healthier, but still raw and real. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s progress above all else.

The call back throughout the story of “beautiful girl” and really just the use of the word “beautiful” is a perfect motif, and every single time I saw it used I was like “YES!” because you knew exactly where to put it! This awesome balance of not adding it in there too much, but allowing it to ground the story when necessary.

Anyways…this is ridiculously long and I’m so sorry, but I couldn’t find it in me to delete any of it! Even if I’m a little late I wanted to be sure to let you know that I’m a big, big fan, and I wanted to thank you so much for writing it! Absolutely fabulous work as per usual for you ����

AHHH THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY

you’ve read like every part of my mind lol

i still have so much love for that series, it was my whole heart and soul for like two weeks and literally all i thought about and if i could i would write a hundred parts to it

this has actually made my day so much better and you are the sweetest and i love you and oh my gosh

[rabbitcruiser]

World Bear Day

Advocating for the preservation of wild habitats to protect these magnificent creatures and the delicate balance of nature they represent.

Show some love, along with tons of respect, for these fluffy, strong animals who are so iconic – and also just enormous!

World Bear Day brings attention to how cool these mammals are, but the day is also meant to raise awareness for the ways that their habitats may be at risk and reminding people how they can help.

History of World Bear Day

World Bear Day has been celebrated for more than three decades since it was first established in 1992. Starting out small, this day has grown in scope and popularity over the years as it shows appreciation for these spectacular furry creatures.

Other than Australia and Antarctica, every continent has a bear that is native to its lands. But with six of the eight species of bears on the threatened or endangered list, bears face some difficult circumstances.

Because these are solitary animals that require a great deal of space to live and hunt, the places where bears live have been severely limited over the past several decades. Due to the expansion of logging, agriculture and climate change, as well as human encroachment, bear populations are declining.

Celebrate World Bear Day to show support and raise awareness about the needs of these marvelous creatures!

How to Celebrate World Bear Day

Get on board and have loads of fun by sharing in the excitement of World Bear Day. Celebrate by getting started with some of these ideas:

Learn Fun Facts About Bears

Perhaps one enjoyable way to get involved with World Bear Day might be to learn some interesting bits of trivia about them and then share with friends, family members and more. Certainly, parents and teachers will find that children benefit from sharing the excitement about and interest in this fascinating beast.

Consider some of these amazing facts about bears in honor of World Bear Day:

While they can usually only survive for around 25 years in the wild, when kept in captivity a bear’s life span may last up to twice that – up to 50 years!

Even though they are big, bears are also super fast. Depending on the species, a bear may be able to run upwards of forty miles per hour.

When a bear hibernates in the winter, it can spend up to 100 days or more than three months without waking up

Make a Charitable Donation

Many of the world’s non-profit organizations are dedicated to helping various animals by protecting their habitats.

World Bear Day would be an ideal time to show support by making a small donation on behalf of the bears. A quick online search will reveal a wide range of different bear charities, including the American Bear Association, the Grizzly Bear Foundation, the Great Bear Foundation and many more.

World Bear Day FAQs

What unusual laws exist about bears around the world?

Some U.S. states have quirky laws about bears. In Alaska, it’s illegal to wake a sleeping bear to take its photo.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, it’s unlawful to feed bears, as it can lead to dangerous habituation. These laws protect both people and wildlife.

Are there ancient myths about bears that influenced human culture?

Norse mythology revered bears as sacred. The god Odin was often associated with bears, symbolizing wisdom and strength.

In Ancient Greece, Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, was linked to bears, and her temple at Brauron featured a bear-worshipping ritual for young girls.

What is the connection between bears and constellations?

Bears have inspired celestial names. The Ursa Major (Great Bear) and Ursa Minor (Little Bear) constellations were named by ancient Greeks.

They believed Zeus placed them in the sky to honor a bear-shaped nymph named Callisto.

How have bears influenced modern literature and media?

Bears appear in iconic stories. A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh depicts a friendly, honey-loving bear inspired by a real black bear at the London Zoo.

Baloo from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book represents wisdom and mentorship, reflecting cultural perceptions of bears as noble protectors.

How do indigenous people incorporate bears into their traditions?

The Ainu of Japan view bears as deities. Their Iyomante ceremony honors bears with songs, dances, and offerings.

North American Indigenous tribes often regard bears as spiritual guides, using their imagery in art and storytelling.

What are some fascinating bear behaviors beyond hibernation?

Bears can mimic human postures, sometimes sitting like people. Sloth bears carry their cubs on their backs, a rare behavior among bears. Grizzly bears also use tools, flipping over rocks with sticks to find insects.

How are bears featured in global art and crafts?

Russian Matryoshka dolls often depict bears, reflecting their cultural symbolism of strength.

Inuit artists carve polar bears from soapstone, showcasing their deep connection with Arctic wildlife. These crafts preserve traditions and honor bears

What unusual foods do bears eat in the wild?

Bears have eclectic diets. Black bears eat ants, termites, and even carrion.

Grizzlies devour moths, sometimes consuming 40,000 in a day. Pandas, although primarily bamboo eaters, occasionally eat eggs and small animals.

What are some strange bear-related superstitions?

In medieval Europe, people believed carrying a bear tooth could ward off illness. In Finland, mentioning bears by name was taboo, so euphemisms like “honey eater” were used to avoid bad luck.

What are some quirky traditions involving bears in sports?

The Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders have a bear mascot named Ralph.

During games, fans toss bear-themed items, including stuffed animals, for charity drives. The tradition combines fun and philanthropy.

Source

[ak0bt]

Hi sorry I haven't been posting I've sadly been hit with no motivation to draw BUT I HAVE TODAY!

However with my autism it's... difficult. It's gotten so bad I hate a certain paper ones that feel like wallpaper. I like the smooth paper the ones that won't smudge so easily!

I'm in the middle of drawing Eadth 117 Batman (reblog and like if you want his story) and I was thinking I can't ask reddit because I get 0 results and unlike some I keep my money in check (though not many times. See I go to London and I spend lots of money in a comic store. I plan to get many comics) so I thought "Hey, tumblr has hood people to ask!"

So yes my dear tumblr heads I need advice!

What is the best drawing tablet you'd reccomend for a beginner with a screen of course. I can't look at my laptop and my tablet, my attention span isn't as fried as some and also my laptop is over 4 years old and runs like a potato, however it's still good to keep.

In terms of money I'm thinking... below £150 I don't wanna go loco coco but I'll accept tablets near 200.

Sorry if this is different. I promise I'm in the middle of personal stuff and so on.

Anyways enjoy this Batman video I recorded on my SSKTJL playthrough. (I have a strong opinion about WW in this, so stay tuned)

[te-pu-si-ti]

Mystery vs Word of Mouth

I'm not even joking when I say one of the things that contributed to the downfall of The Burnt City was that you couldn't take mask selfies.

It's a small point, it sounds silly, vapid, but it's true.

The mask is so iconic, it's basically a secondary logo for Punchdrunk. It's another, silent character in every show.

London had not had a mask show in eight years, but people still remember. People who saw The Drowned Man, or Faust, or heard people raving about them, they remember the masks. They have friends who went to New York, or Shanghai, and returned with these haunting masks.

Browse the #sleepnomore tag on any social media and you will see masks upon masks upon masks. Follow the SNM instagram and you will see the nightly parade of stories of visitors excitedly taking photos of their masks, the one tangible memento after the dream has faded.

(and SNM has hit its own troubles, perhaps the challenges of rising running costs and shrinking discretionary incomes are insurmountable. But it did still run for 13 years. And completely sell out the 6 months after its closure announcement. No small feat!)

We respond to visuals. And we want something to hold on to, with something as ephemeral as theatre. I can't capture the performance of a play, but I'm always snapping photos of the marquee or curtain call - I want the proof that I was there.

And I want to share it. I want to show everybody: look, here I am, doing things, enjoying things, experiencing.

And that passive exposure is worth a lot. If 100 people show their 100 followers, that's 10,000 people reached. And not every one of those will come to the show, but enough people will be intrigued to dig deeper, especially if they're seeing those masks all over the place. It will awaken the dormant memories of previous shows.

(and that's the difference between the masks and the neon sign - the mask is a connection to a legacy spanning back 20+ years.)

An air of mystery is very intriguing, and it will build hardcore fans. When you feel yourself part of some secret club, a select few, you gain a strong emotional connection... But a show needs more than a few hardcore fans, it needs a constant stream of new visitors. People need to know about the damn thing.

Punchdrunk, and Emursive, have relied on mystery as marketing for a long, long time. And it's served them well over the years. But you can balance that with being upfront and clear about the product you're selling, and making it easier for word of mouth to spread. In this day and age, you need to.

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … October 28

1466 – Erasmus was a Dutch humanist and theologian, who merits serious consideration by queer people of faith. Born Gerrit Gerritszoon, he became far better known as Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam: Erasmus was his saint's name, after St. Erasmus of Formiae; Rotterdam, for the place of his birth (although he never lived there after the first few years of early childhood; and "Desiderius" a name he gave himself - "the one who is desired".

He left a legacy as a scholar and church reformer. His career spanned the years leading up to, and after, Martin Luther's break with the Catholic Church that became the Protestant Reformation. Prior to the split, Erasmus had himself been fiercely critical of the Church, arguing forcefully for reform of the many and manifold abuses. He had close relationships with Luther and many other leading members of the Reformation movement, which his ideas strongly influenced. However, when the break came, he chose to remain formally inside the church structures, and not outside of it.

Some LGBT activists have hailed Erasmus as a gay icon from history. Circa Club for instance has no doubt, using that precise term and including Erasmus in it's collection of historical gay icons. The primary basis of the claim is a series of passionate love letters he wrote to a young monk Servatius Rogerus. While at the Augustinian monastery at Stein near Gouda around 1487, Erasmus wrote passionate letters of friendship to the fellow monk, whom he called "half my soul", writing, "I have wooed you both unhappily and relentlessly"; this correspondence contrasts sharply with the generally detached and much more restrained attitude he showed in his later life.There were also allegations of improper advances made to the young Thomas Grey, later Marquis of Dorset, while employed as his tutor.

Erasmus's best-known work was The Praise of Folly, a satirical attack on the traditions of the Catholic Church and popular superstitions, written in 1509, published in 1511 and dedicated to his friend, Sir Thomas More.

1754 – John Laurens (d.1782) was an American soldier and statesman from South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. He gained approval by the Continental Congress in 1779 to recruit a regiment of 3000 slaves by promising them freedom in return for fighting. He died in 1782, but his father manumitted their slaves as he had intended.

Laurens was born in Charleston, South Carolina. After tutoring at home and the death of his mother, John and his two younger brothers were taken by their father to England. John completed his education in Europe, first in London, then in Geneva. As a youth, he yielded to his father's wish that he study law in London. In late 1776, John was obliged, "out of pity," to marry Martha Manning, the daughter of one of his father's London agents, and in December he sailed for Charleston. He left his wife behind, pregnant with a daughter who he would never see.

In the summer of 1777, he accompanied his father, Henry Laurens, on the trip to Philadelphia where Henry was to serve in the Continental Congress and where in spite of his father's strong objections, John continued on to Washington's camp as a volunteer.

Laurens joined the main army of the Continental Army and within a month, following the Battle of Brandywine, was made officially an aide-de-camp to General Washington with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He became very good friends with his fellow aides, Alexander Hamilton, and with the Marquis de Lafayette. He also gave the first demonstrations of his tendency to reckless courage at the Battles of Brandywine, Germantown in which he was wounded, and Monmouth where his horse was shot out from under him.

As the British stepped up operations in the South, Laurens, who had long argued that "We Americans at least in the Southern Colonies, cannot contend with a good Grace, for Liberty, until we shall have enfranchised our Slaves," promoted the idea of arming slaves and granting them freedom in return for their service, and in early 1778 requested, as a start, 40 slaves from his father, which Henry, now President of the Continental Congress, granted but with such serious reservations about the practicality that John temporarily relinquished the project. In March 1779 Congress approved this idea, commissioned him Lieutenant Colonel, and sent him south to implement a regiment of 3000. He won election to the South Carolina House of Representatives, and introduced his black regiment plan in 1779 and 1780 (and again in 1782) only to meet overwhelming rejection each time. His belief that blacks shared a similar nature with whites and could aspire to freedom in a republican society set Laurens apart from other leaders in revolutionary South Carolina.

There is evidence of Laurens enjoying a sexual and loving relationship with Alexander Hamilton. These reports are based upon letters Hamilton wrote Laurens during a period in which Laurens was absent from the camp. In preparing a biography, Hamilton's family actually crossed out parts of letters they each sent one another. Suspiciously enough many of Laurens letters to Hamilton are missing. But the language in Hamilton's letters reveal a profound love for Laurens. Indeed Hamilton was never as emotionally open with any other man in his lifetime, and the depths of sentiment are equaled only in letters he wrote to his wife Eliza. Hamilton wrote:

"Cold in my professions, warm in my friendships, I wish, my Dear Laurens, it might be in my power, by action rather than words, to convince you that I love you."

In September 1779, gently chiding Laurens for not corresponding as often as he would have liked, Hamilton wrote, "like a jealous lover, when I thought you slighted my caresses, my affection was alarmed and my vanity piqued."

Looking beyond the successful conclusion of the war, Hamilton suggested that both of them should be members of the congress of the new country. "We have fought side by side to make America free, let us hand in hand struggle to make her happy," he wrote in a letter ending, "Yours forever."

Laurens probably never read this letter as he was killed in a skirmish a few days after it was written.

1824 - French historian Astolphe de Custine is beaten by soldiers he solicited. He reluctantly files charges against them.

1903 – British poet and novelist Evelyn Waugh was born on this date (d.1996). The English writer is best known for such satirical and darkly humorous novels as Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies, Scoop, A Handful of Dust and The Loved One, as well as for broader and more personal works, such as Brideshead Revisited and the Sword of Honor trilogy, that are influenced by his own experiences and his conservative and Catholic viewpoints. Many of Waugh's novels depict British aristocracy and high society, which he satirizes but to which, paradoxically, he was also strongly attracted. In addition, he wrote short stories, three biographies, and the first volume of an unfinished autobiography. His travel writings and his extensive diaries and correspondence have also been published.

The overt homosexuality of his brother Alec Waugh may have caused Evelyn to hide his own tendencies behind two marriages and seven children. Alec Waugh, like their father, publisher Arthur Waugh, had gone to school at Sherborne, and it was assumed that Evelyn would follow. However, in 1915 Alec was asked to leave, after a homosexual relationship came to light. He departed for military training, and while waiting for his commission to be confirmed wrote a novel of school life, The Loom of Youth, which was published by Chapman and Hall. The novel, which alluded to homosexual friendships in what was recognisably Sherborne, caused a public sensation and offended the school sufficiently to make it impossible for Evelyn to go there. Much to his annoyance he was sent in May 1917 to Lancing, in his view a decidedly inferior establishment. He later went to Oxford.

He arrived in Oxford in January 1922; in October 1922 the arrival of the sophisticated Etonians Harold Acton and Brian Howard changed Waugh's Oxford life. Acton and Howard rapidly became the centre of an avant-garde circle known as the Hypocrites, whose artistic, social and homosexual values Waugh adopted enthusiastically; he later wrote: "It was the stamping ground of half my Oxford life". He began drinking heavily, and embarked on the first of several homosexual relationships, the most lasting of which were with Richard Pares and Alastair Graham.

After gallantly protecting T. S. Eliot from "the specious assumption that he was homosexual," T.S. Matthews in Great Tom, suddenly became viciously ungallant: "It is peppery, glaring little men like Evelyn Waugh who are sexually suspect - as his diaries bear witness."

Indeed, his diaries do clearly reveal him as a Gay man. But then so do his novels, particularly Brideshead Revisited, in which the friendship of Charles and Sebastian, despite the limitations of what he was allowed to write in the early 1940s, is magnificently drawn.

Francis Bacon  Self-portrait 1972

1909 – The Anglo-Irish born painter Francis Bacon (d.1992) was a descendant of the Elizabethan philosopher Francis Bacon. His artwork is well known for its bold, austere, and often grotesque or nightmarish imagery. Bacon's painterly but abstract figures typically appear isolated in glass or steel geometrical cages set against flat, nondescript backgrounds. He began painting during his early 20s and worked only sporadically until his mid 30s. Before this time he drifted, earning his living as an interior decorator and designer of furniture and rugs

Bacon early discovered that he attracted a certain type of rich man, an attraction he was quick to take advantage of, having developed a taste for good food and wine. One of the men was an ex-army friend of his father, another breeder of race-horses, named Harcourt-Smith. Bacon later claimed that his father had asked this friend to take him 'in-hand' and 'make a man of him'. Francis had a difficult relationship with his father, once admitting to being sexually attracted to him. Doubtless, Eddy Bacon was aware of his friend's reputation for virility, but not of his penchant for young men. In the early Spring of 1927 Bacon was taken by Harcourt-Smith to the opulent, decadent, "wide open" Berlin of the Weimar Republic, staying together at the Hotel Adlon.

His visit to a 1927 exhibition of 106 drawings by Picasso at the Galerie Paul Rosenberg, Paris, aroused his artistic interest, and he often took the train to Paris five or more times a week to see shows and art exhibitions.

In 1929 he met Eric Hall at the Bath Club, Dover Street, London, where Bacon was working at the telephone exchange. Hall (who was general manager of Peter Jones) was to be both patron and lover to Bacon, in an often torturous relationship.

In 1964, Bacon began a relationship with 39-year-old Eastender George Dyer, whom he met, he claimed, while the latter was burgling his apartment. A petty criminal with a history of juvenile detention and prison, Dyer was a somewhat tortured individual, insecure, alcoholic, appearance obsessed and never really fitting in within the bohemian set surrounding Francis. The relationship was stormy and in 1971, on the eve of Bacon's major retrospective at the Paris Grand Palais, Dyer committed suicide in the hotel room they were sharing, overdosing on barbiturates. The event was recorded in Bacon's 1973 masterpiece Triptych, May-June 1973.

In 1974, Bacon met John Edwards, a young, illiterate, handsome Eastender with whom he formed one of his most enduring friendships, eventually bequeathing his £11m fortune to Edwards after his death.

Bacon died of a sudden heart attack on April 28, 1992, in Madrid, Spain. Bacon bequeathed his entire estate (then valued at eleven million pounds) to John Edwards after his death. Edwards, in turn, donated the contents of Francis Bacon's chaotic studio in South Kensington, to the Hugh Lane gallery in Dublin. Bacon's studio contents were moved and the studio carefully reconstructed in the gallery. Additionally draft materials, perhaps intended for destruction, were according to Canadian Barry Joule bequeathed to Joule who later forwarded most of the materials to create the Barry Joule Archive in Dublin with other parts of the collection given later to the Tate museum.

Bacon's Soho life was portrayed by John Maybury, with Derek Jacobi as Bacon and Daniel Craig as George Dyer (with some lovely frontal nudity on Craig's part) and with Tilda Swinton as Muriel Belcher, in the film Love is the Devil (1998), based on Daniel Farson's 1993 biography The Gilded Gutter Life of Francis Bacon.

1949 – Caitlyn Jenner (born William Bruce Jenner), known as Bruce Jenner until 2015, is an American television personality and former track and field athlete.

A former college football player, Jenner came to international attention as a decathlete, winning the gold medal in the men's decathlon event at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and setting a world record not beaten until 1980. With the unofficial title of "world's greatest athlete" for the Olympic decathlon win, he was also an American cult hero winning an event dominated by Soviet Union athletes during the Cold War. He leveraged his celebrity status to endorse products and subsequently starred in numerous movies and television specials including several made-for-TV movies, and was briefly Erik Estrada's replacement on the TV series CHiPs.

Jenner was married for 23 years to Kris Jenner (née Houghton; formerly Kardashian); the couple and their children appeared beginning in 2007 on the television reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Following their divorce in 2015, Jenner came out in a television interview as a trans woman, initially preferring masculine pronouns until his transition was more complete. In June 2015, Jenner revealed her new name, Caitlyn, and a preference for being referred to using feminine pronouns. Many news sources have described her as the most famous openly transgender person in the world.

Bruce Jenner that was.

Jenner is a professed Christian, leans politically conservative, and is a Republican. Prior to her public gender transition, she had been married three times. Her first marriage was to Chrystie Scott (née Crownover) from 1972 to 1981. They have two children, son Burton and daughter Cassandra, known as Burt and Casey. Jenner and Scott's divorce was finalized the first week of January 1981. The same week, on January 5, 1981, Jenner married actress Linda Thompson, in Hawaii. By February 1986, Jenner and Thompson had separated, and they subsequently divorced. They have two sons together, Brandon and Sam Brody, known as Brody. The two sons starred on the reality show The Princes of Malibu and Brody Jenner was also on the reality show The Hills.

Jenner's third marriage, to Kris Kardashian (née Houghton), occurred on April 21, 1991, after five months of dating. They have two daughters, Kendall and Kylie. While married, Jenner was also the step-parent to Kris's four children from her previous marriage to the late lawyer Robert Kardashian: Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Rob. The couple announced their separation in October 2013, though they had actually separated a year earlier. Kris filed for divorce in September 2014, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce terms were finalized in December 2014 and went into effect on March 23, 2015, because of a six-month state legal requirement.

In an April 2015, 20/20 interview with Diane Sawyer, Jenner came out as a trans woman saying she had dealt with gender dysphoria since her youth, and that, for all intents and purposes, "I’m a woman." Jenner cross dressed for many years and did hormone replacement therapy but stopped after the romance with Kris Kardashian in the early 1990s became more serious. Caitlyn recounts having permission to explore her gender identity on her own travels but not when they were coupled, and that not knowing the best way to talk about the many issues contributed to the deterioration of the 22-year-long marriage which formally ended in 2013.

1987 – Frank Ocean (born Christopher Breaux) is an American singer-songwriter and rapper. Ocean started his career as a ghostwriter for artists such as Brandy, Justin Bieber, and John Legend. In 2010, he became a member of alternative hip hop collective OFWGKTA also known as Odd Future, and his debut mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, was released to critical acclaim in 2011. The singles "Novacane" and "Swim Good" both achieved chart success.

His debut studio album, Channel Orange, was released in July 2012, promoted with three charting singles: "Thinkin Bout You", "Pyramids", and "Sweet Life".

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Ocean's hometown of New Orleans and his recording facility was destroyed by floodwater and looting. To continue recording music, he moved to Los Angeles and intended to stay for just six weeks but decided to stay longer and develop his music career after establishing contact with people in the music industry. He recorded some demos at a friend's studio and shopped them around Los Angeles.

After getting a songwriting deal, he started working with other record producers and wrote songs for artists such as Justin Bieber, John Legend, Brandy, and Beyoncé. Ocean later said of his work at the time, "There was a point where I was composing for other people, and it might have been comfy to continue to do that and enjoy that income stream and the anonymity. But that's not why I moved away from school and away from family."

Ocean became one of the first major African-American music artists to announce that he had once fallen in love with someone of the same sex, notable because that music scene is known for homophobia.Ocean wrote an open letter, initially intended for the liner notes on Channel Orange, that would preemptively address speculation about his same-sex attraction. Instead, on July 4, 2012, he published an open letter on his Tumblr blog recounting unrequited feelings he had for another young man when he was 19 years old, citing it as his first true love. He used the blog to thank the man for his influence, and also thanked his mother and other friends, saying "I don't know what happens now, and that's alrite. I don't have any secrets I need kept anymore … I feel like a free man."

Members of the hip hop industry generally responded positively to the announcement. Russell Simmons, a business magnate in the hip hop industry, wrote a congratulatory article in Global Grind saying "Your decision to go public about your sexual orientation gives hope and light to so many young people still living in fear." Other artists who expressed their support included Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

1990 – Placido Domingo and Andre Watts raised $1.5 million at a fundraiser for the Gay Men's Health Crisis.

1998 – On this date Welsh secretary Ron Davies resigned from Tony Blair's Labour Party government after British tabloids reported he was robbed at knife-point in a London park while looking for a male sexual companion. Although he subsequently came out as Bisexual, Davies referred to the incident as his "moment of madness."

In 1999 Davies was successfully elected on 6 May 1999 as Member of the Welsh Assembly in the Caerphilly Constituency, and chaired the Economic Development Committee after Alun Michael refused to appoint him to his Cabinet. Shortly before the 2003 assembly elections, "The Sun" revealed that Davies had been visiting a well-known cruising spot near a motorway lay-by (rest stop). When challenged as to what he had been doing there, Davies initially denied being there, then told reporters that he had been going for a short walk, adding: "I have actually been there when I have been watching badgers." Davies was forced to stand down as Labour candidate in the election.

2009 – President Barack Obama signed the The Matthew Shepard Act (officially the "Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act") into law. The Act expanded the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. It was finally passed after almost two decades of attempts to pass it through Congress and over stiff opposition by members of the Republican party. During debate in the House of Representatives, Republican Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina called the "hate crime" labeling of Shepard's murder a "hoax."

[honourablejester]

Ranking Doskvol’s Districts (Blades in the Dark)

Basically just, for my own amusement, going through the twelve districts of Duskwall in order of the least interesting to the most interesting to me personally. This is not remotely objective, this is a matter of my favourite tropes and personal interests. But. Why not? Let’s go through my least to most favourite districts.

Again, going from least interesting to most interesting:

12. Brightstone. Rich person central. Obviously Brightstone makes an excellent target district in a heist game, but it feels like it doesn’t have a lot of inherent interest in and of itself? There’s not a lot here besides, well, noble houses and luxury shops to rob. Couple of items of interest in the Skovlan war memorial (if your gang has Skovlander sympathies and wants a high profile target to deface), and then Bowmore Bridge itself, the only bridge link across to Whitecrown, a covered and inhabited bridge a-la London Bridge, and the largest bridge in the Empire. A gleaming white span representing all the wealth and power of the Empire, and the physical barrier to the ruling island of Whitecrown.

11. Charhollow. Going from one end of the wealth spectrum to the other, Charhollow is a working class residential district, and it feels just sort of wrong to operate there? It’s mostly just working people trying to stick together. I do like the street layout, all the twisting stone stairs and alleys, and there is some interest there with the brewing Skovlander revolution, but it’s not a place I’d want to run scores or draw heat down on.

10. Dunslough. Dunslough is honestly just depressing? It’s grim, between the prison and the labour camps and the ghetto and the quarry. But there are certain sorts of stories to be set here, and some of the tenser sorts of scores too. The Mire being a meteor impact site is also interesting, as is the strong presence of Deathlands scavengers.

9. Crow’s Foot. I feel a bit bad for not liking Crow’s Foot more, as its explicitly intended to be a good baseline district to operate in, and it’s clearly taking a lot of notes from The Barrel from Six of Crows, which is an excellent inspiration. I just. I’m not vibing with it? Not sure why. I do, however, really enjoy Tangletown, the floating shanty town and neutral ground built up around the hull of a sunken leviathan hunter in the river. Shades of Rivet City. Deeply approve of that.

8. Barrowcleft. On the surface, Barrowcleft isn’t really that interesting, and I’m not sure what’s pulling it higher than Dunslough or Charhollow for me, except that I just find the radiant farms really fascinating? Farming using the light of alchemically-bred glowing plants and animals. They’re the lifeblood of the city, so they’re heavily guarded, and I really just wanna steal a glowing plant. Though, granted, this is probably better done in Brightstone, as the nobles have gardens with radiant plants, and I’d feel better robbing them than the farms that feed the city. But. The image of the glowing fields is still a pull for me. Also, as smugglers are one of my favourite crew types, I feel like Barrow Bridge and the river fishermen around it, plus the proximity of the Old North Port, would make it a pretty decent base.

7. Whitecrown. Whitecrown should have all the same problems as Brightstone. It’s the centre of power, the home of the governor, it should just be another rich person central. Two things prevent this, and make Whitecrown significantly more interesting to me. One is North Hook Lighthouse, and the other is Doskvol Academy. The lighthouse is just … it’s a massive electro-plasmic navigation beacon whose light spans hundreds of miles, and I want to make a Cult crew and do something occult up there and bring the fucking leviathans down on Duskwall. I just. I really want that. And the leviathan hunter bloody training college beside it would also fit very neatly into that plot. Whitecrown Island, the Void Sea looming to the north beyond its lightning barriers, the massive beam of the North Hook Lighthouse sweeping its shores, is just such an image for me.

6. Nightmarket. Nightmarket and Silkshore are kind of neck-and-neck for me, having similar sorts of vibes. They’re the market districts, the commerce districts, with all the attendant shadiness attached. Nightmarket is richer and more … nouveau-riche respectable, attached as it is to Gaddoc rail station and the newfangled electro-rail connection out to the rest of the Empire. But. Gaddoc rail station is a fantastic draw all by its lonesome, the lure of the electro-rail itself, and then the looming deathlands out across the water. Nightmarket feels jangly and sort of cyberpunk. A great base for a Hawkers crew.

5. Silkshore. Silkshore, by contrast, is the older of the two, the red light district, with a slightly shabbier and more … dignified? Sort of vibe. It’s very Venice-meets-Montmartre, and give the proximity of Barrowcleft and the farms, it would not at all surprise me if there was a red windmill-themed brothel somewhere on Fogcrest hill. I just enjoy the canals-and-flophouses vibe it has. Again, great place for hawkers or smugglers, and I feel like canal-hauntings and interactions with the Gondoliers would be fun. (If you are noticing a theme, and that theme is boats and me preferring locations that are good for them … you are not incorrect).

4. Six Towers. A once-wealthy district gone to seed, old money turned to decay. Maybe it’s just the amount of Call of Cthulhu I’ve been watching (and my fondness for classic ghost stories), but Six Towers feels like such a good district to get in trouble trying to rob haunted houses in. The fact that the Lost District is just across the river absolutely doesn’t hurt either, and the little detail that Mistshore Park is where lovers go to commit suicide together is a nice cherry on top. If you want to get involved in the haunted end of the setting, Six Towers feels very much like the district to do it in. Also, a decaying mansion lair for your crew never went astray either.

3. Charterhall. Into my top three districts, and we’ll start with the seat of government (or at least civil service). And why, you ask, would that be in my top three? Well, aside from the fact that I actually have a fondness for paper-pusher type characters, Charterhall actually has a lot going on. Between the University as the base of the Sparkwrights, Bellweather Crematorium as one of the bases of the Spirit Wardens and the centre of death processing in the city, the Archive of Echoes as the base of the Path of Echoes, the artist colonies and the remnants of the first lightning barrier on the old walls, and the inherent heist-related draw of all the paperwork here, this is genuinely one of the most interesting districts to interact with. The little detail of the eldritch trees in Jayan Park that are alive and growing without daylight or radiant energy also doesn’t hurt at all. Heh. I wouldn’t necessarily base here, but as hunting grounds? Hell yeah.

2. Coalridge. If Six Towers is genteel urban decay, then Coalridge is rude, industrial urban decay, the original industrial heart of the city, centred around the coal mine, and it carries all the evidence of the cycle of industry. The coal mine waxed and waned in operation, the Old Rail Yard was once the industrial and cargo hub of the city until Gaddoc was built across the channel from it. Coalridge is a study in contrasts, the furious operation of the factories and the ship works vs the dwindling mine operations and the abandoned tracks and rusted rail cars of the greatly reduced operations in the old yard. Coalridge is a district of industrial horror and union agitators and hard men and women, the secrets of ship construction, the secrets of the old mines and the origins of Duskwall itself, as well as the lure of raised tracks and abandoned rail cars. I love it. Would totally base bravos or assassins here, or shadows. It’s less overtly haunted than other districts, but the mine is right there. And the tracks. Plenty of room for ghosts, or older, more eldritch things.

1. The Docks. Is anyone surprised? Probably not, especially given my kneejerk first instincts for character and crew creation. Honestly, though, the docks are almost always one of my favourite areas of any fictional city, and Duskwall doesn’t hurt itself in this department at all, what with the looming spectres of the massive leviathan hunter ships out in the channel, the raised streets teetering out over the underground docks and canals, the smugglers and sailors and tattoo artists and journalists knocking around. I absolutely adore the decision to put the printers lane, the home of the press, in the Docks, because it’s tattoo central and they both need ink. Spectacular. The Docks, as a district, just really feels like something out of a noir film? All newshawks and smugglers and fog and chiaroscuro. Also, a bit like something out of Sunless Sea, given Duskwall’s everything, the Void Sea, the leviathans, demon blood, and it’s all centred here. Where the sea and the city interact. No other district was going to be my favourite. It had to be here. Heh.

This is a great city, you know? I do enjoy a good haunted noir city by the sea.

[mickimoo1409]

It's Complicated

Chapter 11 - Anger

Pairing - Chris Evans x Female Reader

Summary - Y/N Downey-Junior is the younger sister of Robert Downey-Junior. Due to their large age gap they spent most of her childhood apart and Y/N ended up moving to London for her entire adult life before finally moving back to LA in her mid twenties. Robert offers her the job of a lifetime working as his assistant PA while he films the newest avengers movie in an attempt to help her out and spend more time with her. His only rule - don't date any of his costars. A rule that seemed simple enough to follow, until she met Chris Evans and her world turned upside down.

Full Series Masterlist Here (28 Chapters)

Word count - 2018

Warnings - 18+ only! Enter at your own risk. Talks of adult themes in all chapters.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Chris and I arrived at the party around an hour later than it started.

The bar was modern and dimly lit, with glass tables and leather seats lining the outskirts of the room. A wooden dancefloor lay dead centre and a long wooden bar spanned the length of one side. 

Chris placed his hand on my back as we entered and we both said a string of hellos as we made our way to Roy. 

"Happy birthday!" I shouted as I placed both arms around his neck to hug him. His hands slipped around my waist, pulling me in tightly.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come." Roy admitted as he pulled away. 

"Well, you should know me by now. Any excuse to get drunk." I said playfully with a wink and he smiled back at me, raking his eyes over my body.

"Happy birthday." Said Chris, pulling Roy's gaze away from me as he shook his hand. 

"Thanks Pal." Roy returned before casting his gaze back over me again. 

Chris must have noticed as he quickly placed his hand on my back and pushed me towards the bar. 

"Jeez Chris what was that for?" I asked as we reached the bar. 

"You were flirting." He said sternly. 

"Yeah flirting is allowed Chris. Just no sex remember." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. 

My eyes scanned the room and spotted Sebastian and Mackie sat at a table on the other side of the room just as the bartender asked what we wanted.

"3 tequilas and 1 sambuca please." I shouted, turning to Chris with a devilish smirk. 

"What the fuck is Sambuca?" Chris asked with an eyebrow raised. 

"The most disgusting and strong shot I could think of." I replied with my tongue ghosting over my lip.

"Why do I get the feeling you aren't the one drinking that shot?" He asked, rolling his eyes. 

The bartender returned with the shots on a tray and I winked at Chris before heading over to where I'd seen the boys, with Chris following behind me. 

"Hey!" I shouted excitedly, throwing my arms around Mackie and then Seb. 

"Hey. You look amazing!" Sebastian shouted with a smile. 

"I know." I teased, "Got us all a round of tequilas. Here." I said placing the drinks in front of everyone as I sunk into the chair opposite Seb and in-between Chris and Mackie. I made sure to pass the different drink to Sebastian, having carefully made a note on which one it was, although to the others it just looked the same. Chris raised an eyebrow in my direction with a small inconspicuous smirk. 

We lifted the shots to the middle of the table and clinked them together before throwing them down our mouths. I watched Seb intently as the liquid hit his tongue and he jolted in his seat as he almost spat the liquid out. He swallowed it deeply, pulling a very displeased face as a little of the liquid dribbled from his lips.

"Fuck! What the fuck was that?" He shouted, glancing round as Chris burst out laughing. Mackie was chuckling at his friends reaction, although he didn't know why he reacted like that. I sat back in my seat, crossing my arms with a devious smile on my face. He finally made eye contact with me, his face dropping into a pout as he realised I had something to do with it.

"Y/N you bitch, you are gonna fucking get it." Seb grunted as he tried not to smile.

"Oooo I hope so." I winked. Chris shot me a stern look.

"What?" I yelled, "I obviously don't mean it." 

"What's going on?" Mackie asked.

"Nothing. Apparently I brought my brother with me." I groaned, rolling my eyes.

"I thought you wanted my help." Chris replied sternly.

"Yes I want your help to not let me leave with someone, I don't need you controlling my every move." I moaned as he gazed at me with his lips pressed together. 

"Okay, fine. Do what you want." He said grumpily as he turned away from me. 

"You should go flirt with Roy." Mackie teased, pushing my arm playfully.

"What why?" I asked.

Sebastian and Mackie looked at each other and started laughing, making my confusion grow even more.

"Roy likes you." Sebastian said over the music. "He was asking Mackie and I if we thought you'd go on a date with him." 

"I don't date." I said sternly.

"Maybe it's time you tried it." Sebastian said, smiling at me. 

Chris glanced at me from the corner of his eye, his shoulders looked tense. It was annoying the hell out of me. Yes I wanted his help, but he was being way to overprotective. Some innocent flirting never hurt anyone. I thought about what Seb said, maybe it was time to see if I could be around a man without it leading to sex. What better way to test the theory than with Roy.

"Well, I best go see if I can get myself that date then." I teased with a wink as I pushed myself away from the table and made my way to where Roy was stood, talking to Chris Pratt.

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

As I approached, Roy whispered something to Chris and he walked off, just in time for me to arrive. 

"Are you enjoying your birthday?" I asked with a smile as I stopped in front of him. 

"I am. More so now." He said confidently as he sucked his lower lip into his mouth. 

I laughed lightly, holding back all my normal urges to picture him naked. 

"So, how are you enjoying working with Robert?" He asked.

"Yeah it's good. Besides the fact that he likes to torture me." I joked. He laughed and looked at the ground before gazing back up, chewing on his lip again. 

"So I heard a rumour that you weren't allowed to date guys from work." He said with an eyebrow raised.

"No, not exactly." I replied with a chuckle, "Co-stars are a no no, everyone else is fair game." 

"So I have a chance then." He said confidently.

"Yep." I said shyly, nodding my head. 

Why was the prospect of going on a date making me so god damn nervous? 

"Good, because I was thinking maybe I could take you out sometime. If you want?" He said with a flirtatious glint in his eye. 

"Yeah, I'd like that." I responded with a smile. 

"Awesome." He smiled widely, "So do you want to get a drink or maybe dance?" 

"A drink sounds good. I just need to use the bathroom and then I'll be back." I replied. 

Roy nodded and bit his lip as he watched me make my way across the room, to the direction of the bathroom.

I released the pressure in my bladder quickly and then briefly checked over myself in the mirror before heading back out into the room. When I entered I saw Chris stood talking to Roy, an angry look appearing on his face as he caught eye contact with me. 

He smiled at Roy before walking away and storming straight up to me, gripping my forearm as he pulled me back into the quiet hallway between the bathrooms. 

"Chris! What the fuck!" I yelled as he finally let go of me. 

Chris was pacing a little, his palm clutching at his face, his other hand on his hip. He looked really fucking mad.

"Are you gonna tell me why you're so pissed?" I demanded. 

He turned to face me, his eyes wide and dark as he brought the second hand to his other hip.

"When are you going to stop acting like such a slut?" He shouted at me furiously, causing my eyes to glaze over as I stayed silent. "You can't keep throwing yourself at men like that."

"I didn't..." I mumbled, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"So why did he just come up to me bragging about how you were basically a done deal and he was certain you'd end up going home with him." Chris shouted. "I can't keep watching you do this to yourself." 

"Chris...I didn't..." I stuttered as a tear slipped down my cheek.

"Oh come on Y/N. Don't turn on the water works now. I'm trying to fucking help you. When are you going to realise you aren't just some fucking easy lay!" He spat angrily.

My heart was pounding heavily and a lump stuck in my throat as the tears fell down quicker.

"I didn't do anything." I sobbed, "I thought he wanted to go on a date. I thought he actually like me. Why am I so fucking stupid? Of course he didn't actually want me." 

Chris didn't stop staring at me as I balled, his hands unclenched and his nostrils slowly relaxed as he finally listened to what I said. 

"You didn't throw yourself at him?" He asked sternly, bringing one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"No of course I fucking didn't! I can't believe you have such little faith in me, you think I'd run and take home the first guy that showed interest!" I spat angrily. "This just proves my fucking point. No one will ever see me as more. This is what I am to people. Maybe you should just accept it like I have." 

I glared up at him through misty eyes, the tension between us incredibly thick. A few seconds passed where we were just staring at each other, both of us breathing heavily when all of a sudden Chris crashed his lips onto mine. His hand took hold of my head, clutching me to him tightly and his other arm held me tightly around the waist. 

The kiss was fast, hungry and full of unspoken emotion. I stupidly let myself fall into the kiss, parting my lips for him as our tongues worked against each other and my hands gripped his shirt. A knot tensed in my stomach as we made out relentlessly for at least a few minutes. 

My mind began racing, panicking about what the kiss meant and now everything was going to go wrong. There was no forgetting this time, he'd only had one drink, as had I. There was no playing this one off. I pulled myself away from the kiss and pressed my forehead to his shoulder, panting heavily as I felt his chest rising and falling vigorously and he kept his grip tightly on me. 

"I'm sorry." I whimpered. "I can't do this with you. I can't lose you. You're too important to me." 

I pushed myself free from his grasp and made my way to the door. 

"Y/N you aren't going to lose me." He said as I reached the door. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, I couldn't even breath. Instead I stayed silent and stepped through the door. Making my way through the crowd and past Roy as he shouted my name. I stepped out into the cold air and hailed a cab. One stopped immediately and as I slipped into the seat and slammed the door I looked up to see Chris running through the door. 

The cab sped off into the distance before he had a chance to get to it and it sped hurriedly towards Chris' house. I stormed straight in and up to my room, locking my door behind me and I let myself go, sobbing into my pillow. 

An hour passed before there was commotion on the ground floor, quickly followed by footsteps on the stairs and then knocking on my bedroom door.

"Y/N. We need to talk. Please let me in." Chris called from behind the door.

I lay silently, desperately wishing that tonight would end. I wished I could rewind time. The door knob started rattling frantically.

"Y/N please." Chris begged.

I stayed silent once more, tears trickling down my face. After a few more minutes I heard stomping footsteps leading away from the room and then Chris' bedroom door slammed shut loudly.

[luxury-residences]

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