#Morrison bridge

[johnhopkinsphotography]

Surviving Portland, Oregon October 2, 2024

Bridge Stairs to transit pedestrians under the I-5 offramps to the Morrison Bridge.

[moreroom4happiness]

"The Tree Farm - a 6 story retail / office building in inner-east Portland covered with 56 strawberry trees on all sides. Near the Morrison Bridge. Definitely an interesting look…"

[selfhelpradio]

right is north

[annapolisrose]

Graffiti under the SE Morrison Bridge, Portland

[cologona]

Something about the demand to hold Talia accountable~ for her actions… as if she wasn’t made into a cardboard cutout of a dragon lady.

Yeah let’s “hold her accountable”… It totally won’t look like a World War II era propaganda.

[celticculture]

​📷 hamish morrison

[romaroy]

Poster concept and info about the CBS unaired pilot for Under the Bridge, made using official photos from the show.

[codenamehazard]

.:Sun Peeks Through:.

Chapter 36: Sun Peeks Through

Hey guys! Sorry again for the long wait. Writer's block is a bitch and a half and with a new job, it's not helping any. That being said, I think I'll have to say that my slower upload speed is gonna be my new norm. But fret not! I haven't abandoned this story and I'll keep writing until the story is done!

Also, might see a familiar face if you've read @one-n-only-cedar's InFAMOUS: Equilibrium! Tell him Caper sent you! But with that being said, let's jump in!

-------

“About fucking time.”

I growl to myself as I leave the Exam room with Dr. Sims. God I hate physicals, just sitting there on the uncomfortable bastard child of a counter and a shrink's couch, answering uncomfortable questions and being poked and prodded. Silver lining is that the doc said I have a clean bill of health, so that’s good.

Ezra’s trying to explain what an Energy Read is and all the mumbo jumbo that goes into it, but I couldn’t really give a rat’s ass about how it works and why, so I’m not really paying attention. Something else, however, does catch my attention. Something much more interesting.

A Blast Core, a damn powerful one at that. I could feel it. The energy coming off of it, I’ve only felt something similar once before when I spied on Kestrel making the purified Core for that damned brickzooka.I could only guess that this is a purified Core too and we were heading straight towards it.

I can feel my teeth begin to itch and my fingers begin to twitch, I can feel my desire start to rise up inside. “Looks like this idiot’s leading you straight to a tasty little power boost.” My thoughts hiss into my head. “Bet you could crack whatever’s housing it and take it, then nuke the place afterwards.”

I do my best to suppress a growl as my logic kicks in. The Amp is still not repaired and if I blew this place skyhigh, I’d be out of a place to live and I was promised sanctuary here. So it’s better to play nice and… Ugh…. “Behave.” At least for now.

Mercifully, something else catches my attention, the muffled sound of two familiar voices. Kestrel and Pangolin. I remember Dove saying that Kes was taking her turn watching over him, so I wasn’t surprised about that… But how they were talking, it was making me curious. Whatever they were going on about sounded serious… Hmmm… Maybe I can get some details from Dr. Sunbeam over here.

“So.” I start, trying not to sound awkward. “I heard from Mako that you popped the question to Crow. How’s everything been going so far with the prenuptials?” Ezra’s face beams like a lovestruck goof as he plays with the ring on his finger. “Everything’s going great so far. We’re still in the early stages of planning, but as of right now, it’s been smooth sailing.” I let out a chuckle, trying not to let the sting of memories get in the way.

“You must be one lucky son of a bitch with the way you’re smiling.” I point out, Ezra lets out a chuckle before nodding. “Yeah, I am. She’s saved so many lives, we’ve even worked together on a few cases and I fall in love with her all over again when I watch her work her magic.” He gets a dreamy look in his eyes and I try to swallow back a bitter sting in my throat as I remember how I used to talk about Trish. Beaming with pride and love. Now’s not the time for pity parties, Cole.

“I remember that Crow’s in charge of Pangolin’s care, how’s he holding up?” I ask Cupid over here, it seems to snap him out of the love haze for a second before he compouses himself. “Thought about visiting or maybe taking a shift myself and giving the other three a break.” 

“Pangolin’s stable and conscious, but he’s still not out of the woods entirely yet.” Ezra responds, keeping a tone of professionalism. “Can’t have too many visitors right now and Kestrel’s currently visiting, so unfortunately you’ll have to wait a bit before you can pop in.” I nod in acknowledgement, but when has anyone saying “No” ever stopped me before? I’ll just have to find a way to sneak in.

I’m led into a room that's separated into two sections, one that's blocked off by a wall, a window and a door and the other that has what looks like a sitting CT scanner… Or at least that's what I think it is, there’s so much random jerry-rigged nonsense that it makes me question what it actually is!

I look at Ezra as if he's completely wacko, but as I stare, my impulses creep back in as I can feel that tempting Blast Core inside the machine. Now I know I could easily nab it, but I remind myself that I kinda need a place to live so I can get my head on straight.

“I know it looks a bit piecemeal…” Ezra's voice cuts through my thoughts. "But I can assure you it works and it's perfectly safe.” Perfectly safe? Yeah… I’ll believe it when I see it. "All you need to do is sit down and hold a midline charge and the machine will scan the energy and send it to the computer.”

"You know I don't like sitting in cramped spaces, right?” I huff while I begrudgingly start sitting down.

"I’m aware, but I promise I’ll do my best on my end to make sure you're in and out.” Ezra reassures as I sit down, a sour look on my face. "You know… This is a pretty selfless act you're doing… There's still some good in you yet, Cole." I roll my eyes hard.

"Just cut the sappy “good guy" shit and turn the damn machine on.” I snarl. Who does he think he is, my life coach?

The fucking sunbeam chuckles before apologizing and heading into that one room to start the machine. I charge up my electricity like I was prepping for a blast and hold it.

I try to be still, but with the cramped space I can’t help but feel the need to move. The machine turns on and it feels like my senses are in overdrive. The purified Core, I can feel it, it’s against my back. God, I can fucking taste it against my tongue. I can feel how flimsy the machine is. How easy it would fucking be to take this core… Especially since I’m currently holding a charge... I am hanging on by a fucking thread.

I hear the intercom fizzle to life and I hear the doctor’s voice over the speaker. “Hey Cole, I’m not getting a good read from the machine, can you increase your power a little bit? Not by much, just a little more juice and I can get a better reading.” Did he just seriously ask that? Is he a fucking dumbass?! Though come to think of it, while this might be midline for my electric abilities, it’s not my midline full on… Not anymore, not as the Beast.

If Dr. Funshine Bear wants a little more juice? I’ll give him juice. Just a little bit of Beast energy and….

I feel the energy from the Core against my back surge as Beast Energy starts to flow. I damn near SNARL from how good it feels... That is until I feel the metal start heat up. Shit… It’s about to blow!

*KRRRZZZZZTTT!!!*

I’m blasted forward as the energy wave throws me out of the chair, electricity arcing and jumping off of the machine to everything around and smoke filling the room. I think I heard Erza jump from surprise and I can’t help but to laugh. Just about forgot how fun it is to hear people get frightened. As the smoke continues to grow thicker, I lower myself onto the ground to stay out of it. An idea comes to me. Erza probably can’t see me, I dunno if he has a Pulse ability, but from the sounds of it, he’s busy with something else… Perfect time to sneak out.

With the smoke from the machine filling the room and the literal ray of goddamn sunshine busy, I army crawl out of the Scan Room and then start sneaking down the hallways, making sure that I don’t get spotted by any orderlies or anyone else that would want to stop me. Once I was out in the main hallway, I walk with purpose. People don’t tend to question you so long as you’re acting like you got business around here.

I focus on my hearing and follow the sound of the pinecone and the bird.. I got a little bit worried when I didn’t hear them, but soon enough they started chattering again. Thank god the explosion didn’t stop them from continuing with whatever they’re doing.

Once I was near the room where Pangolin was set up, I use a quick Radar Pulse to confirm the occupants before posting up nearby, leaning up against a wall near the door. I pull out my journal to act as a prop, making it look like I was a visitor waiting my turn and passing the time by reading a book.

At first the voices were muffled, but as I focus in, the voices become clearer. “... Pangolin, did you not think I was stressed too? That I wasn’t wondering what the hell went wrong myself?” I hear Kestrel mutter out, I can practically visualize her running her hands down her face, it causes a pang of… Something, but I ignore it for the time being. “Look, I understand you were stressed, but that doesn’t give you the right to use me like a goddamn emotional punching bag!” I hear a bang and a clatter, most likely from a fist slamming down on something.

I hear the woman sigh before continuing on. “Did you know your outburst had me tearing myself down again? Mako and Coyote had to knock sense into me because I was so out of it.” I bite my tongue to keep myself from letting out a growl. I hear Pangolin take a breath and I steel myself so I don’t charge in.

“There…” He begins. God, he sounds like hell. Weak and ragged… A cold chill shoots up my spine remembering what Crow said about those Blink Scorpions and their Corrodium venom. “There’s… No excuse, Kestrel.” He breathes out. “I treated you like shit; over a stupid prototype. I’m… Sorry.”

There was a heavy pause before Pangolin continues. “I’m sorry for… Everything. Pushing you so hard to the point you barely ate or slept. Holding what happened at the mines over your head and using it as justification for questioning your loyalty, even going as far as to insinuate that you lied about your estimation. Implying that the destruction of Firewall was your fault… All of it.” He sighs again and sniffs… Is he… Crying? “It’s been eating at me. I failed you, as a leader, as a friend… As a brother. I failed you by letting my emotions and pride get in the way and treating you horridly. I may hope for your forgiveness, but if you never do, I’ll understand… Hell, if you wanted to leave, I’d understand too.”

I shake my head as I try to process what I just listened to. He… He’s just spilling his guts to the bird. Truly remorseful. Ready and willing to take whatever consequences may come on the chin. Seems like my little talk with him back in Kes’s forge rattled him good.

Kestrel sighs softly and I swear I can hear her shaking her leg to calm down. She clicks her metallic teeth before speaking again. “Pangolin… Thomas… I don’t want to leave the Misfits. Outside of what recently has happened, you guys took me in, treated me like family. We are family.” She murmurs. “And even though we ain’t on good terms right now, I ain’t leaving you.” She sighs softly through her nose before continuing.

“Look… I know that I will forgive you in due time, especially now since you’ve given me an honest-to-god apology, but right now… I can’t forgive you; not yet. I still need to be pissed at you, still process the hurt and heal.” I can hear Pangolin hum in acknowledgement before I turn my thoughts inwards, the last thing I hear before I go into my head is Kestrel thanking Pangolin for saving her life.

I can’t help but to pause, any anger inside cooling. For the first time, I feel like my words actually held weight. I knew Kestrel listened to me when I spoke to her about the nature of forgiveness, but to hear that Pangolin took my words to heart when I ripped into him, even though it was more delayed… I start to feel something that I hardly ever got to feel. I feel that I wasn’t just heard… But truly listened to. They listened.

In this moment of quiet, memories started to seep in. Memories of Zeke, memories of my own journey to forgiving him for betraying me those many years ago. “I don’t call you brother because I like the way it sounds.” His words echo in my head as I remember that day we truly mended the bridge. A familiar dampness stings my eyes. “Shit…!” A voice rattles me out of my thoughts before they can consume me. “SHIT!!” Uh-oh. Looks like the doc’s back and has seen I’ve gone missing, best try to make my way back before he tears the damn hospital down.

Unfortunately for me, as I was making my way back to the room, Erza walks over to me. Stopping me mid-stride and giving me a look that reminded me of my father when he was about to drag me off by my ear to scold me. Great.

“Cole.” Ezra starts, his voice calm, but low. “You and I need to have a serious talk.” “Why.” I hiss out, becoming more agitated by his tone.

“Because I don’t think you know just how dangerous your powers truly are, Cole.”

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 161 (The Scoop of the Century!)

The Foxbury Club pulsed with the sounds of jazz and clinking champagne flutes, as well-dressed society types poured in and out of the roped-off doors.

Tonight's Simlandia Builders' Club gala brought the wealthy to Britechester - Simlandia's most famous families were considered the 'builders,' and this was their chance to pat one another on the back for all their society-building projects. This year, the Builders' Club was particularly proud of itself for the brand new, but spectacular, San Myshuno Bridge - a steel marvel, integral to helping the city recover from natural disasters that recently devastated the city.

"I read about San Myshuno's natural disasters in history class back in high school," said Lilith. "I know it's hard to believe, but I really think the story about the monster emerging from the sea is real."

Maude looked at her strangely. "Is that really the story that makes it through time? The whole city was cut off from the outside world and no one knows the truth. But monsters are just fairy tales."

Lilith was defiant. "And time travel was just science fiction. But they think the builders poured concrete into the monster's footprints to cover it up. There's a story you could research!"

Felix knew Maude would eventually make her career exposing Britechester's secret societies for everything from buying test scores to murder, and she seemed uninterested in trying to dig up concrete in San Myshuno. "Monster or not, now the builders' can say they brought the city back to life. That's what these galas are for every year."

"It does smell a bit like old money in here," chuckled Felix.

Maude glanced toward the stage, where saxophonist Miles Morrison entertained the crowds with his jazzy style. She hawkishly scanned the room, spotting a woman in a blue gown and stunning gold necklace chatting at a corner table with a man in a grey tuxedo and leather brimmed hat. The ambitious reporter gasped.

"That's Lady Ravendancer Goth and Admiral Landgraab! Rumour has it they've been having an affair for years. An anonymous tipster sent us a photo of the two of them on a beach, and they looked cozier than I've ever been with any man - even Berend! Certainly cozier than she's ever looked with her husband, and Admiral's marriage is just for show." Her big eyes burned with excitement. "My editor will have to put me on the front page if I catch them together tonight!"

"Lady Ravendancer? Isn't she a spellcaster? I didn't even know she was a real person!" said Lilith, glancing curiously in their direction.

"Most people think she's just eccentric, not a spellcaster. She released a book of spells and made a huge profit, but she doesn't need the money. She's married to Lord Samuel Goth, the founder of the Builders' Club, but he's a recluse, and she ends up hosting most of these events herself. Malcolm "Admiral" Landgraab went west to build up Simlandia and grab as much land as he could. Apparently he's out there looking for oil, using his family's money - and his wife's family's money - to build an even bigger empire."

"Sounds about right for a Landgraab," said Felix.

"Are they still wealthy and horrible in a century and a half?"

"Yes," Felix and Lilith replied in blunt unison. "Well, most of them," tempered Felix.

"Money can't buy class." Maude sighed. "I know my parents tried to make it look like it, but they were using money they didn't have to hold all those parties to find Mimsy and suitor. If I hadn't been so rebellious as a teenager, they'd have forced the same fate on me. And then maybe I'd have died in a fire set by my own husband, too."

Lilith frowned. "You really think her husband killed them both, just to have her for eternity?"

She nodded. "And if one day I can find her ghost, I'll prove it, just like I'm going to prove Lady Goth and Admiral Landgraab are having an affair."

Felix froze. The Goths and Landgraabs were well known in his day. He knew little about the necklace Heather and Spencer had seen in the jungle (and nothing of the photographs found hidden in the Goth Archives). But he did know the truth of Lady Ravendancer and Admiral Landgraab's affair was never made public and shifted nervously.

"You two stay here," said Maude. "Enjoy the music; I'm going to get my camera."

Unsure what to do, Felix danced with Lilith on the dance floor while Miles hummed his sax and singers stood before a golden microphone. Maude's large camera was an eyesore, but she told gala attendees she was taking snaps for the society pages, and no one noticed when she turned the camera toward two people who thought they'd found a quiet place inside the busy nightclub.

"If we let her publish those photos, she'll change history," said Lilith.

Felix nodded. "She'll hate us for trying to block another headline. But if I tell her she'll be fine without this story, she'll ask more questions."

Lilith sighed. "We've already told her enough to make Emit confiscate our time travel suits and the device. What if you just nudge her in the right direction, instead?"

"I think we have to try."

"Time travel is a lot less fun than it sounds," she lamented. "There's so many rules, and too much could go wrong."

"I'll always be happy enough in our own time," he said easily, spinning her out of their embrace. "The only reason I'm happy to be here is because you're with me."

Lilith smiled as Lady Ravendancer approached the stage. "Once we catch the time thief and get back, we can stay there. This adventure's been more than enough for me."

As expected, Maude was beside herself to hear this was yet another story she was not allowed to break. "Why am I even listening to you?" she cried. "I'm helping you and you're just standing in the way of the scoops of the century!"

"Maude, I swear to the Watcher, you don't need these stories," Felix insisted. "If you publish, you'll change the future. You might change Bruno's future, which might change Lilith's future, too." He could see his words softening her reaction and continued carefully. "I won't tell you what you write, but if you look into Britechester University's secret societies, you'll find the headlines that will make your career."

"Those secret societies are just a bunch of drunken goofballs!"

Lilith shrugged. "Maybe some, but how can you know there's nothing more to them if you don't look?"

"I still have work to do," Maude sneered. "When do you leave again? I hope it's soon."

"Hopefully Emit and the time thief arrive tomorrow morning."

"Good," she sniffed. "You should have never come back here."

"Yeah, we're starting to agree," admitted Lilith.

Having overstayed their welcome, Felix and Lilith headed back to the rooming house Maude helped them find, hoping to pass the night without further issue until Emit's arrival in the morning. They woke and Lilith dressed again in the inconspicuous white blouse and pleated skirt, heading to the commons outside the Laurel Library.

But when they arrived, they were surprised to find Maude waiting for them, instead. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 2.1 Summary

Gen 1 Start | Gen 1 Summary

THANK YOU for putting up with this little spin-off from the main household for this long! I promise things happening now will mean a fair bit to the main timeline. And remember Ash who hasn't been seen since (checks notes?) March 10th? One more main fam-free post centred on Felix, the Pleasants and the Blast From the Past event is scheduled for Wednesday, and then Ash will be back on Friday, I promise! (please don't judge me if I break up Wednesday into two posts and Ash doesn't return until Sunday! I promise either Friday or Sunday but the event arc is concluding this week!)

NOTE: Is Miles Morrison just Malik Morrison with different hair and a saxophone? Why yes! Judge Morrison's great-grandfather Miles was a renowned musician who performed all over Simlandia at the height of the Jazz Age!

WCIF: That functional sax comes from Necrodog's Into Music Stuff Pack cc. Pretty cool, I like that it adds variety to the instruments you can have in game, with custom sounds (but no skill building). Both Lilith and Maude are wearing different swatches of @happylifesims' 1920s Evening Dress 03, and Lilith is wearing @magnolianfarewell's Adaline headband. (Same creator who made Lady Ravendancer's Venus dress!)

Felix and Lilith are posed on the dance floor with @simmerberlin's Moments pose pack. (Since the creator is retired from pose making, I found this pose at this SFS link from her main tumblr page which houses a bunch of her old poses). And this installment shows more of the 1920s Jazz club lot by EmersedCrown on the Sims 4 Gallery/ @greatbritishsimchallenge on Tumblr.

(They're doing a really cool historical legacy challenge over there, by the way. I think the story is at the Stuarts but I found it while looking for historical cc and builds and got into it from the start. I just finished the Iron Age and I haven't read ahead, but I totally recommend it if you're itching for a legacy read with juicy drama and historical touches in short installments. But fair warning, it's a lot of death and war and famine, as historical gameplay tends to be!)

[organicmatter]

Best photo I could find of all of them labeled - feel free to image search them individually for true vibe if you aren't a portlander

[grigori77]

Val Kilmer, Rest In Peace ...

Gods ... we've lost another one, and this is another one that REALLY HURTS. He'd been going through a lot over the past few years, and he was having a really hard time of it, but he never gave up hope, he never stopped being who he was even when things were at their worst. The man was a bloody LEGEND and one of the all-time great cinematic comeback kings. We've lost one of the REAL ONES.

I first came across Val Kilmer when he was still coming up, before he really got his big break, back when he was still known mostly as a hadnsome young man with a great sense of humour in comedies like Top Secret! But it was his role as Chris Knight, the irreverant scientific genius at the heart of Martha Coolidge's criminal overlooked screwball comedy Real Genius, that I REALLY fell in love with his cocky charm. Well, this and, of course ...

MADMARTIGAN!!! Yeah, I was a kid, and I LOVED big, loud and sometimes kind of dumb fantasy action adventures, and there was SO MUCH adorable roguish swagger in this high fantasy Han Solo clone from Ron Howard's wildly imaginative cinematic adventure Willow that OF COURSE he immediately began to live rent free in my head.

And then, FINALLY, I saw Top Gun. US Naval aviator Lieutenant Tom Kazansky, better known by his extremely apt callsign "Iceman", was, quite rightly, one of THE COOLEST CHARACTERS he ever got to play. This single role QUITE RIGHTLY turned him into a bona fide SUPERSTAR, and for several years he could do no wrong, becoming one of the most rightly IN-DEMAND young superstar actors of the late 80s and the 90s.

A lot of the stuff he got was fluff, pure blockbuster pretty boy roles, but every once in a while he was land something with genuine WEIGHT, like his phenomenal lead role in Michael Apted's powerful thriller Thunderheart, in which he played an FBI agent coming to terms with his long-buried Native American heritage ...

Oliver Stone's controversial but undoubtedly impressive biopic The Doors, in which he was truly magnificent as ill-fated rock icon Jim Morrison ...

Tombstone, one of my very favourite westerns OF ALL TIME, in which he effortlessly stole the entire film in probably THE VERY BEST performance of his entire career as the complicated ailing gunfighter Doc Holliday ...

Irish engineer Colonel John Henry Patterson, the man who went to Africa to build a bridge and killed two man-eating lions in the criminally underrated, more-than-a-little historically inaccurate but still great period man-against-nature survival thriller The Ghost & the Darkness ...

A truly fucking LEGENDARY turn as troubled bank robber Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann's stone cold CLASSIC crime thriller Heat ...

And he even got to fulfill a lifelong dream of getting to play Batman ... although that didn't go QUITE how he would have liked in the end ... His career took a slump for a time in the late 90s, but by 2002 he started to see something of a renaissance as he started cherry-picking more interesting and challenging character roles in smaller, more high quality films which found particular respect for more discerning audiences.

Like retired US marine-turned-SOCOM operator/trainer John Scott in David Mamet's incendiary suspense thriller Spartan ...

Meth addict Danny Parker, caught up in the middle of an impromptu murder investigation in The Salton Sea, an early, pre-big break offering from Disturbia director DJ Caruso ...

And, best of all, the phenomenally subversive, hillariously sharp-witted role of acerbic LA private investigator "Gay" Perry Van Shrike in writer-director Shane Black's massively beloved black comedy cult classic Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

In later years, a second career slump and subsequent burgeoning health problems saw his withdrawal from the public eye once more, complications from throat cancer led to an essential forced retirement from acting. With the esception of a scattering of smaller roles and an incredibly moving and fascinating documentary entitled Val in 2021, with his son Jack Kilmer narrating his own words, his career officially came to an end in 2022 when he returned to the role of Iceman in a cameo in Joseph Kosinski's blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick. It was a fitting farewell to the character, and a powerful swansong for a mighty actor in his own right.

Legendary film critic Roger Ebert once called Kilmer "the most unsung leading man of his generation". Truer words have never been spoken. "Ice is gone", Maverick is told at one point in the sequel. Maybe so, but he'll NEVER be forgotten.

Val Edward Kilmer, December 31, 1959 - April 1, 2025. Rest in peace.

[jbaileyfansite]

If there’s anyone who has the range it’s Jonathan Bailey. The 37-year old has defined himself as one of the most versatile actors of his generation—a Shakespearean actor (he came up in The Royal Shakespeare Company) with unparalleled comedic timing and a penchant for working with female auteurs (Michaela Coel’s Chewing Gum and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Crashing), who can sing and dance (Wicked) and be a leading man (Bridgerton) now corral dinosaurs (the July 2 blockbuster Jurassic World Rebirth). So what does the man who does it all do to unwind? A Martini spritz. Bailey is the Martini Man, helming the brand’s Off Script summer campaign. We chatted about his drink of the summer, The Row flip flops, and resetting between projects.  Nicolaia Rips: Hi! Where are you right now? Jonathan Bailey: I’m in New York. It’s so hot. I am desperate for Martini Bianco spritz, too early, but this is perfect weather.  You’re also right in the middle of the Jurassic press tour. I feel like Helen Hunt in Twister. You know, when she’s in the calm, the eye of the storm. We arrived on Friday, so I’ve had a really lovely couple of days just to relax. Though, I think it’s going to be a record heat wave since 1888. So, how do you do red carpet fashion in that heat…bikinis? We’re huge fans of your The Row flip flops.  I’ve never been more sure of an outfit. You know when you wear an outfit and you’re like: This is it. Do you ever go method dressing? The Wicked press tour felt more fantastical. It depends on the world you’re inhabiting. I think Jurassic Park permeated such a massive moment in culture. The ‘90s nostalgia is such a sweet spot for me and for Emma Morrison, who’s my stylist. It’s about sort of celebrating the ‘90s—that’s what Jurassic World Rebirth is all about. It’s a love letter to those formative Spielberg films, but also a culture that’s thriving.  Tell me about going “Off Script.” Going “Off Script” to me, is about creating space to make different choices, especially when traveling or having time away from work and with friends. It’s so easy, just doing the same thing and being told what to do, that actually, when you step outside of that, where you don’t make plans, the anticipation is greater. That feeling of discovery is what “Off Script” is. I don’t know what came first, my inability to be able to make plans or the joy of being off plan, but I think I’ll always be someone who thrives in going off script. You’ve moved through so many different worlds, theater, film, television. How do you prepare yourself? There’s always that sort of deep breath you take before you start actively working on anything, before you take the perilous plunge into preparation. But it’s different for every single project, and just rotating between the three of them, the variety, is what makes things exciting. Theater, particularly, is just so demanding—bodily, mind and spirit— there’s an element of creative survival as well. It all sharpens your toolkit. My last question: How do you drink your martinis? With my mouth. No, but this is the summer of the Martini Bianco Spritz. I just had an amazing holiday after finishing the play. My friends came over, we had a few weeks together. We just drank Martini spritzes, had the best time chatting, had a little boogie. It’s all nostalgic but very present.

Source

[sunshinehaze1]

🎶I want to know what song(s) you’d include in your writing playlist and what fic they remind you of.🎶

thank you for the tag @ak-vintage 😘

THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! A number of my fics have been directly inspired by a song (I’ll let you guess which ones 👀), so some of these are a bit on the nose. And because I’m indecisive, you’re getting twofers. 🤣

I’ve also linked a spotify pl below. 🫶🏼

So Say Goodbye: Nothing Better - The Postal Service, Can I Believe You - Fleet Foxes

Needed Me: Needed Me - Rihanna, Ain’t No Sunshine - Bill Withers

Help Me: Closer - NIN, Push It - Salt-N-Pepa

Sea of Love: Sea of Love - Langhorne Slim & Jill Andrews, Biggest Part of Me - Ambrosia

About Last Night…: Darling Nikki - Prince, Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes

Savor: Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis, Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton

Sunday Spotted: Two of Hearts - Stacey Q, Just Can’t Get Enough - Depeche Mode

On the Right Track: Handle With Care - Traveling Wilburys, Slow Show - The National

consensus ad idem: Dreams - The Cranberries, Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner

So Long, Too Soon: You and Me - Penny & The Quarters, You Make Loving Fun - Fleetwood Mac

Sizzlin’: Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks & Don Henley, Beyond - Leon Bridges

Unwrapped: A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins, Swept Away - The Avett Brothers

Touch and Go: Love My Way - The Psychedelic Furs, Closer - Tegan and Sara

Under the Stars: Moondance - Van Morrison, Northern Sky - Nick Drake

Too Sexy for This: Lovesong - The Cure, I’m Too Sexy - Right Said Fred

Fuckin’ Handies, Man: The Perfect Drug - NIN, She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals

spotify

npt: @80ssong @baronessvonglitter @almostempty @probablyreadinsmut @iknowisoundcrazy @justagalwhowrites @yxtkiwiyxt @kedsandtubesocks @whocaresstillthelouvre @arcanefox207 @itsokbbygrlbutworsethistime @schnarfer @peepawispunk

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Val Kilmer, the versatile Hollywood actor who trained for Hamlet, became flying ace Iceman opposite Tom Cruise in “Top Gun,” played Batman in “Batman Forever” and singer Jim Morrison in the biopic “The Doors” known for his intense performances and iconic roles dies aged 65 💔 from pneumonia.

Kilmer, the youngest actor ever accepted to the prestigious Juilliard School at the time he attended, experienced the ups and downs of fame more dramatically than most. His break came in 1984’s spy spoof “Top Secret!” followed by the comedy “Real Genius” in 1985. Kilmer would later show his comedy chops again in films including “MacGruber” and “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.”

His career hit its zenith in the early 1990s as he made a name for himself as a dashing leading man, starring alongside Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton in 1993’s “Tombstone,” a bloody western, alongside Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton as Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp; as Elvis’ ghost in “True Romance” and as a bank-robbing demolition expert in Michael Mann’s 1995 film “Heat” with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, a contemporary urban “High Noon”-ish tale that was a vehicle for Robert De Niro as the mastermind of a heist and Al Pacino as the cop who chases him down.

Kilmer — who took part in the Method branch of Suzuki arts training — threw himself into parts. When he played Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” he filled his bed with ice for the final scene to mimic the feeling of dying from tuberculosis. To play Morrison, he wore leather pants all the time, asked castmates and crew to only refer to him as Jim Morrison and blasted The Doors for a year. In 1991, Kilmer cemented his status as a Hollywood A-lister thanks to his role as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors.

Kilmer missed out on an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Doc Holliday in Tombstone ALAMY

Over the years, he gained a reputation as a temperamental, intense, perfectionist, which was exemplified by his performance as Jim Morrison in The Doors.

Kilmer reportedly recorded an eight-minute audition tape to convince Oliver Stone to cast him. He then lost weight and spent six months training his vocals to sing in the film, going on to perform 15 of the 50 songs he rehearsed for the film.

That intensity also gave Kilmer a reputation that he was difficult to work with, something he grudgingly agreed with later in life, but always defended himself by emphasising art over commerce.

Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne / Batman: A wealthy industrialist who duly works as Gotham City's vigilante protector but now struggles with his dual identity, becoming romantically involved with Dr. Chase Meridian and questioning his act of vengeance. Kilmer replaced Michael Keaton from the first two films.

He was a co-star, billed beneath Michael Douglas, in “The Ghost and the Darkness” (1996), a period piece about lion hunting set in late 19th century a historical adventure set in Africa, where they portray an engineer and a hunter facing man-eating lions during the construction of a railway bridge. Kilmer, plays Colonel John Henry Patterson, an engineer tasked with keeping the workers on schedule and finishing the bridge's construction.

Val Kilmer, who voiced Moses in the 1998 animated film "The Prince of Egypt," waves to the crowd at a special screening of the film in Los Angeles on December 16, 1998. #AP Photo by Chris Pizzello

In “Pollock” (2000), starring Ed Harris as the painter Jackson Pollock, he was a fellow artist, Willem de Kooning. He played Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great (Colin Farrell), in Oliver Stone’s grandiose epic “Alexander” (2004).

Val Kilmer, with lofty ambitions and a combative personality rose to fame alongside Tom Cruise as his chisel-jawed wingman. The Kilmer and Cruise nostalgia hit home. Millions of people flocked to cinemas across the world and made Top Gun: Maverick a blockbuster. Emotions ran unchecked in cinemas; the box office responded. Top Gun: Maverick grossed a total of $1.496 billion (£1.160 billion) at the cinemas. It was perhaps an even bigger rage than the original.

Val Kilmer’s death comes after health struggles, documented in the 2021 film Val. Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015 and lost his voice after undergoing a tracheotomy. The actor initially kept the diagnosis private but came forward with his story to spread awareness of the disease.

Remembering Val Kilmer, Whether playing rock stars or the Caped Crusader, the late star brought dark charisma – and humour – to all his roles. Whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. You will be forever missed and never forgotten RIP Iceman.

#ValKilmer #iceman #actor #JuilliardSchool

Rest in Peace Val Kilmer 1959 - 2025 🥀 🖤

Posted 2nd April 2025

[esoteric-chaos]

A Historical and Modern Lesson on Blessings

{My post is cross-posted from The Cobalt Athenaeum aka my original post. You can find the server at the bottom of my pinned post.}

Blessings bridge the earthly and spiritual worlds, bringing comfort, protection, and abundance into people’s lives. From ancient religious rites to modern witchcraft practices, blessings have been a way for humans to connect with the sacred and harness intentions. Let’s dive into where blessings come from and how they’ve evolved in witchcraft practices.

1. The Origins of Blessings: A Historical Perspective

Early Civilizations

Civilizations like ancient Egypt, Sumer, and Greece saw blessings as essential to their religious and daily lives. Egyptians believed blessings granted divine protection to their pharaohs, symbolized through objects like the ankh—a sign for life and prosperity. In ancient Sumer, people invoked blessings from gods like Enki and Inanna to watch over their families and cities, and to bring peace and abundance (Bauer, 2018).

The Influence of Monotheistic Religions

As monotheistic religions spread, blessings became a crucial part of faith practices in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, blessings like the Birkat Kohanim call upon God’s grace and peace. The Christian tradition also uses blessings, especially through the Psalms, which include passages on seeking divine protection and favor (Harris, 2020).

Medieval European Traditions

By the medieval era in Europe, blessings were everywhere—from fields blessed for a better harvest to knights blessed before battle. These religious blessings often blended with folk customs, where charms and amulets served as protective talismans, an extension of the blessing itself (Hall, 2016).

2. Blessings in Witchcraft: Past and Present

Ancient Roots in Folk Magic

In ancient and medieval folk magic, blessings protected the home, promoted good health, and encouraged fertility. These rituals were sometimes simple whispered words or chants over an object, thought to carry the protective energies of the natural world or the guidance of ancestors (Green, 2019).

Modern Witchcraft Practices

Today, blessings in witchcraft are dynamic and can be customized to suit the practitioner’s needs. Many modern witches bless their homes, crystals, and sacred tools by lighting candles, reciting incantations, or incorporating herbs like rosemary and lavender for peace, harmony and protection. Us practitioners believe blessings focus personal energy and intentions, anchoring them to a specific outcome (Morrison, 2020).

Accessibility in Witchcraft Blessings

Blessings today can be discreet and accessible. Written blessings, blessings done with small objects, or visualized blessings are great for practitioners who need a more flexible approach, whether practicing privately or with physical limitations. This adaptability is part of a broader movement in modern witchcraft to create more inclusive practices, as it should be. (Adler, 2021).

3. Blessings as Personal Empowerment

Intentions and Personal Connection

At their core, blessings are about setting clear intentions. Whether it’s a formal prayer or a whispered affirmation, they align us with energy for growth and protection. In witchcraft, the emphasis often lies in self-empowerment—directing blessings not just toward a higher power but channelling them through personal energy, which can give strength in times of need and despair.

Creating Your Own Blessings

Making a personalized blessing is simple and can hold unique power. Writing a few lines or phrases that reflect your hopes, and maybe holding an object like a crystal or candle as you bless it, can turn the blessing into a deeply personal ritual. The object can even act as a reminder of the blessing whenever you hold or see it.

Blessing a Person or a Place

Blessings for individuals and spaces have been practiced in many cultures as a way to promote protection, well-being, and harmony. Blessing a person often involves invoking spiritual support or positive energy, traditionally done through spoken words, gestures, or even anointing with sacred oils. In Christianity, for instance, blessings are commonly used in sacraments, such as the anointing of the sick, meant to provide healing and spiritual strength (Chadwick, 2019). Similarly, in Hinduism, blessings are given through touch, such as a guru placing a hand on the disciple’s head, believed to transfer divine grace (Flood, 2020).

Blessing a place—whether a home, temple, or other significant location—aims to purify and protect the area, creating a sacred atmosphere. This practice is prevalent in many spiritual traditions, from Tibetan Buddhism’s incense offerings to cleanse and sanctify spaces, to the Jewish tradition of blessing a new home by hanging a mezuzah on the doorpost, symbolizing divine protection over the household (Eisenberg, 2018). In modern witchcraft, blessing a space often involves tools like crystals, incense, or candles, with practitioners invoking positive energies and setting intentions for harmony within that environment (Morrison, 2020).

Across history, blessings have been a way to connect to something "greater". Whether as ancient temple rituals or modern-day witchcraft practices, blessings have always offered people a moment of peace, hope, and connection to their intentions. Through witchcraft, blessings continue to be a powerful tool for personal connection with the energies around us.

References

Adler, M. (2021). The accessible witch: Adapting witchcraft for all. Llewellyn Worldwide. Bauer, S. (2018). The Oxford handbook of the ancient Near East. Oxford University Press. Green, T. (2019). Folk magic and witchcraft in early Europe. Routledge. Hall, R. (2016). Medieval religion and the magic of blessing. University of California Press. Harris, J. (2020). Biblical theology: Past and present. Zondervan. Morrison, L. (2020). The witch’s book of rituals. Sterling Ethos. Chadwick, O. (2019). Anointing in the Christian tradition. University of Chicago Press. Eisenberg, R. (2018). Jewish traditions: A comprehensive sourcebook. Schocken Books. Flood, G. (2020). The importance of blessings in Hinduism. Oxford University Press. Morrison, L. (2020). The witch’s book of rituals. Sterling Ethos.

Would you be interested in the rest of my posts? Check out the Masterpost.

[romaroy]

Justin Kirk and Jennifer Morrison in Under the Bridge | 2019 (unaired pilot)

(if anyone knows where to find this please let me know I'm desperate to watch)