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"What's gonna happen when we graduate?"

The cast of series 19 of Taskmaster

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Y'all, Cuomo just conceded! ZOHRAN MAMDANI JUST WON THE NYC MAYORAL PRIMARY! Something good actually happened in 2025? Am I dreaming? Ahhhh!

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“National teacher shortage” is a fun way of saying that the USA has made a passion driven job so ungodly inhospitable that even people who “just care about teaching, not the money” don’t even care about teaching anymore.

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requested by anonymous bonus:

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If you see this you’re legally obligated to reblog and tag with the book you’re currently reading

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Polin's theme - a musical Polinalysis

Alright...I am very rusty with this stuff (I studied music theory ohhh 15 years ago or so) but I couldn't resist delving deeper into the subject of this post. Anyone else with more expertise in this area, I'd love to know your thoughts!

So, we hear a lovely soaring orchestral theme in the background when Colin and Penelope kiss for the first time, yes? To remind ourselves, here's the theme in full.

The actual theme starts at about the 18s mark, but I included those initial 18 seconds because what's going on in the strings at that point helps orient us in the proper key. There's a resolution to a D-flat Major chord around the 5s mark as Colin's starting to lean in. Given that, and the rest of the notes in the theme and how they relate to each other, I'm assuming we're in the key of D-flat Major. (And I'll get into why it's meaningful to know this throughout the analysis.)

The theme we hear in this scene is made up of two main musical phrases. The first goes like this:

The second starts the same but takes a slightly different path at the end. It sounds like this:

What I think is interesting about both of these phrases is that we neither start nor end on the tonic (aka the first) note of a D-flat Major scale (which is D-flat). The phrases start on A-flat and end on E-flat. Why is this interesting?

Think of the tonic note of a scale as "home." If you start a musical phrase on the tonic note, that gives you a good sense of where you are harmonically right off the bat. The phrase will always take you away from that tonic note, but what creates tension and movement in the music is that ever-present desire to return home.

The phrases in Polin's theme neither start us at home nor return us there. In fact, the last part of the first phrase descends within a D-flat Major scale from A-flat to G-flat to E-flat and then hangs there. E-flat is one note in the scale above the tonic. Musically, we desperately want to resolve from E-flat to D-flat, but the phrase suspends us in that desire. The next line, instead of giving us a nice solid D-flat, drops us back to A-flat and starts the phrase over again.

I think this is a beautiful bit of musical storytelling. Just like the music dances around the tonic note without ever grounding us there, Colin and Penelope's relationship at this point is heading into uncertain territory. And just as the tension in the melodic line builds and never quite resolves, we are left at the end of the kiss scene with a dramatic transformation having occurred in Colin and Penelope's relationship and no clarity as to what's next. (Except that we would desperately love for them to keep kissing. 😉)

Then we have Colin's dream. And in the dream, the moment his and Penelope's lips meet, we hear that theme again. But hark! Something's different...

It's subtle, but this repetition of the theme is a half-step higher than the previous iteration. Instead of being in D-flat Major, we're in D Major. I think this is cool for two reasons.

First, it sets the dream scene apart from the real kiss scene in a psychological way—by giving it a slightly higher musical tonality, it has a slightly higher emotional tone. There's a little less uncertainty, a little more freedom.

Which brings me to the second cool thing, which is that, historically, D Major was regarded as the key of triumph and victory. Composers liked to set marches in D Major. The "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's Messiah is in D Major.

And what could be more triumphant than marching into your crush's firelit garden, brazenly confessing your feelings, and having those feelings returned in a passionate kiss? You can even hear in this variation of the Polin theme that the tempo is a bit more expansive. It feels more like a confident stride with your head held high than the previous iteration, which is just a touch more frantic.

Then Colin wakes up. His world has been rocked. The next time he and Penelope see each other is in the willow scene, and just before they duck under the willow tree's cover, we hear a third variant of the Polin theme (thank you to @i-know-the-endss for pointing this out!!)...

Two things that I think are interesting about this return of the theme are 1) we're still in D Major, and 2) the end of this variation, unlike the previous variations, actually resolves down to the tonic of the key (which in this instance is a D)!

What does this mean? Personally, I think it's a fun little tease. We're hearing the tune the same way it appeared in Colin's dream... Will this first real-life meeting between Colin and Penelope since the dream play out the same way? The phrase grounds us on a D at the end rather than leaving us suspended on the note above with a desperate need to resolve that tension. Does that mean we'll see a resolution to the tension in Colin and Penelope's relationship?

And of course we do not, which is why it's a tease, but I love that the music builds the excitement at seeing Colin and Penelope interact for the first time since their kiss—for the first time since Colin's newfound emotional conflict—in this way. Like dangling a little carrot for us and then yanking it away.

Finally, later in that same episode, we hear the theme one more time at the first party Penelope attends since her self-flagellation in Whistledown.

This time, however, we're back in D-flat Major. Back to the reality of the first kiss, where things were uncertain and unsteady, instead of in the hopeful triumph of Colin's dream.

This is also the shortest iteration of the theme we hear. It abruptly ends partway through the first phrase. In this case, we are left dangling on an F, which is the third note of a D-flat Major scale. Because we are not yet "home" on the third, we still feel a lack of resolution here. However, unlike the very first iteration of this phrase, where we traveled down to the second note of the D-flat Major scale and were left with a desperate feeling of wanting to resolve just one more note down to the tonic, the third note of the scale lacks the same urgency and sense of direction. We are unresolved, but without knowing exactly where we want or need to go in order to achieve that resolution.

I think this is a great bit of musical storytelling, as well. At this point in Penelope's arc, she just wants to move on and find a suitor, and she still does not believe Colin could ever fill that role. Later in that party scene, she makes a connection with Lord Debling, and her objective for a husband is renewed. Colin, on the other hand, is starting to pine for Penelope something fierce, but he's still battling with himself about who he is and what he really wants. The outcome that will bring them both happiness, while obvious to us viewers, is not clear to either Colin or Penelope. Thus, a dangling F in a D-flat Major key without a clear path home.

A couple more notes (ba-dum-tss) about this theme... I speculate in the musical transcription at the top that the first occurrence of this theme is in 12/8 time. This is because the strings that are running underneath the main theme have a dance-y triplet-like quality to them which made me feel like each beat of the theme is actually a quick three-count. I bring this up because the first movement of Beethoven's Appassionata, which Francesca indicates is a particular favorite of hers in her conversation with Lord Petri in ep2, is also in 12/8 time. Not only that, but the second movement of the Appassionata is in D-flat Major, the same key I postulate we're in for the first occurrence of Polin's theme. Nothing profound here...I just think it's neat.

And to anyone who read all this, know that I appreciate you deeply!! And I'd love to know what you think. <3

I wrote a part 2! | and a part 3!

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Sometimes, I wish I could go back and watch Season 3 for the first time again.

This was released a year ago today!!

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Eros/Psyche Parallels in Bridgerton Season 3

The show was not subtle with the Eros/Psyche parallels this season. So I attempted to go through episode by episode and find the connections. If I miss any obvious ones, let me know and I'll edit the post.

3x01- Out of the Shadows

Starting off strong with the opening credits! You briefly see a butterfly. Not only do the Featheringtons use butterflies as often as the Bridgertons use bees, but the butterfly is a symbol of Psyche.

When Penelope opens her wardrobe to that sea of YELLOW, her butterfly dress from the first ball of season 1 is visible.

Penelope talks with Genevieve about needing to find a husband this season and then we cut directly to Gregory with a bow (sans arrow) and he's pointing it directly at Colin. The bow and arrow is a symbol of Eros/Cupid.

Penelope sheds her cloak at that ball like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.

The original Eros/Psyche myth has some jealous sisters and Prudence and Philippa, while maybe not jealous per se, are not happy to see their baby sister shining so brightly when she arrives.

And for more connection to the sisters--Psyche is the youngest of three daughters and her two older sisters are married before she is.

This one is, admittedly, a bit of a stretch but in the original myth there's some ire from Aphrodite because of all the attention Psyche is getting. And Cressida rips Penelope's dress once she is getting all the attention at the ball, specifically from Lord Debling.

Eros is sent by Aphrodite in the original story to marry Psyche off to marry someone/thing horrible (or just making sure no man wants to marry her) but Eros ends up falling for Psyche himself. Colin offers to help Penelope find a husband as a way to make up for what he said about her last year and, well, we all know where this is going!

3x02- How Bright The Moon

Edited to add (credit to @bridgertonblue)- Colin cuts his hand on the glass in the study. They flashback to this scene a few episodes later when Colin finally decides to take action with Penelope and his feelings for her. This can be a parallel to Eros getting struck with his own arrows and falling for Psyche.

Eros only visits Psyche at night. Colin comes to see Penelope at night in the garden after their scheme is exposed.

Eros accidentally struck himself with his own arrows and that's how he came to fall in love with Psyche. Colin kissed Penelope because he thought he was doing it for a friend, and he ended up awakening feelings he didn't even realize he had for her.

3x03- Forces of Nature

In the Architectural Digest Bridgerton Set Tour video, you'll see butterflies on the staircase in the entrance hall of Featherington House. It's not exclusive to this episode, I just thought I'd highlight it here since it's when we have the Eloise apology scene.

THIS ONE IS A HUGE STRETCH BUT I'LL PUT IT IN HERE ANYWAY--remember how windy it was with the balloon and Colin's arms that Penelope couldn't stop drooling over? Psyche was carried by Zephyrus-the West Wind-to her fancy new home and the godly husband she never sees.

3x04- Old Friends

Eros is tasked with marrying Psyche off, falls in love with her, and marries her instead. Colin offers to help Penelope find a husband earlier in the season, realizes he's been in love with her this whole time, and we get the iconic line, "For God's sake, Penelope Featherington! Are you going to marry me or not?"

3x05- Tick Tock

This one is another stretch, but Psyche has some jealous sisters who are not permitted to visit her at her new home (until Psyche convinces her husband to let them visit many months later). Prudence and Phillipa are being mean to Penelope over her engagement and Portia doesn't allow them to attend the engagement party. A Bridgerton engagement party, so you know that stings.

And another stretch! Psyche gets pressured by her sisters to find out her husband's true identity. Penelope gets pressured by Eloise to reveal her secret identity to Colin.

3x06- Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

Eros tells Psyche that she can never know what she looks like, which is why he only visits at night. If Psyche knows who her husband is, then eventually Aphrodite will find out and she'll be pissed. But Psyche, filled with doubt thanks to her jealous sisters, lights a candle while Eros is asleep, revealing his identity and betraying Eros.

Penelope writes/delivers her Whistledown column at night. Colin follows after her, discovers her secret identity, and feels betrayed.

3x07- The Joining of Hands

Eros leaves Psyche, feeling betrayed even though he still loves her deeply. Colin is cold and distant to Penelope in the fresh sting of his betrayal. But he still loves her and goes through with the wedding.

3x08- "Into the Light"

Eros refuses to see Psyche because he's been so hurt by her betrayal. Colin sleeps ten feet away from his wife's bedroom door (they must have had other bedrooms!) and leaves soon after she wakes up in episode 8.

Psyche has to go through some trials put forth by Aphrodite to get a chance to see her husband again. Penelope is confronted and blackmailed by Cressida when the latter learns that she is Lady Whistledown.

Psyche approaches two different goddesses to help her find Eros. Sometimes they refuse to help. Sometimes one of them points her in the direction of Aphrodite's place. Those two goddesses are Hera and Demeter. Two members of the most unlikely dream team in this episode are Portia and Eloise.

Hera is the goddess of marriage, women, and family, and she doesn't have the reputation of being an upstanding mother in mythology. She parallels Portia, mother to three ladies who she wants to see in secure marriages.

Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and agriculture. This is more of a reach, but she can parallel Eloise. In her book, her love interest Sir Phillip is experimenting in his greenhouse with peas(?) (I should probably read that book again) to increase their yield. Eloise also initially refused to get in between Penelope and Colin in the previous episode.

When Psyche goes through these trials, she's pregnant with Eros's baby. The showrunners confirmed that Colin knocked up Penelope in that mirror scene so she's in the very early stages of pregnancy here.

Psyche is indirectly helped by Eros (Zeus's eagle helps her out when they remember they owe Eros a favor). This angers Aphrodite and makes things worse for Psyche. Colin tries to save his wife by appealing to Cressida and ends up making things worse for Penelope.

Psyche's final trial involves going to the underworld. She deems this an impossible task and intends to sacrifice herself before she finds another way. Penelope decides to reveal her identity to the Queen and the ton, effectively sacrificing her reputation and potentially her marriage.

Zeus listens to Eros's pleas and grants Psyche immortality. The Queen is merciful to Penelope and doesn't punish her for Whistledown, allowing her to keep writing.

Psyche is often depicted either with butterfly wings or with a butterfly near/around her in art. Mrs. Varley releases the bugs (butterflies) directly after the Whistledown reveal.

Eros and Psyche are reunited and live a rare Happily Ever After in mythology. Penelope and Colin reconcile and go on to their own Happily Ever After.

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"How Could I Forget...?"

"Bollucks!"

Colin fingered the offending garment with distaste. Every part of him cried out in pain. And to top it all off, Apollo had taken off without him, leaving him stranded in the mud. Colin turned his head at a muffled giggle. "Is someone there?"

A small figure crept into his line of sight. She had pretty red hair and wore a yellow dress. A dress that most certainly was meant to match the yellow head covering he was still holding. "I am so terribly sorry!" the girl exclaimed, failing to disguise her mirth.

"Yes, you look it," Colin said dryly.

"No, truly!" The girl inched closer to him. "The wind swept it away. Are you quite alright?"

Colin chuckled. "Despite your attempt otherwise, I will be fine." He rose slowly and then smirked at her, slowly turning around. "Tell me. Do I have anything on my backside?"

The girl laughed. "I assure you, I see nothing."

He turned back around and stuck his dirtied hand out. "Colin Bridgerton. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, even under these muddied circumstances."

The girl placed her hand in his, shaking it daintily. "Penelope Featherington. The pleasure is mine."

"I am quite sure it is," Colin grumbled, sending Penelope into a new fit of giggles.

~*~

Colin offered to escort Penelope back to her family.

"Penelope!" A woman with hair like Penelope's yanked her away from him. "Just what do you think you are doing with that street urchin?"

Colin looked down at his mud-caked attire and chuckled. He supposed his current state did have him resembling an urchin of sorts. And he was far too delighted with his new friend to care.

"My, my bonnet..." Penelope's effort to explain his predicament was valiant, at best.

But he could not resist coming to her rescue. "I am afraid the wind swept Penelope's bonnet away and interfered with my ride. Hence..." He gestured to himself from head to toe.

"Do you not have somewhere else to be? Delivering the paper, perhaps?" Penelope's mother wrinkled her nose.

"Mama," Penelope protested. "This is—"

"There you are!" The group turned to see Colin's brothers on horseback trotting towards them. Anthony was steadily leading Colin's horse next to his own. Colin crossed towards Apollo to give him a quick nuzzle.

Benedict dismounted his horse. "What in God's name happened to you?"

Colin fought the urge the roll his eyes as he caught Penelope's mother suddenly straightening her posture. She jabbed the two other girls next to her. One wore a rather unattractive scowl, while the other was distracted by a butterfly fluttering past her.

"I was explaining my, er, situation when you two interrupted." Colin gestured for Penelope to join him. She shyly walked over. "This is Penelope Featherington. Penelope, meet my brothers. That's Anthony, and that's Benedict."

His brothers tipped their hats, and she gave a small curtsy in return.

"Brothers?" Penelope's mother piped up.

Colin gritted his teeth. He had had enough of this woman.

Anthony dismounted his horse, bowing to Penelope's mother. "Lord Anthony Bridgerton, at your service. I suppose you've already met Colin there."

"Oh!" Penelope's mother gasped. "I have heard a great deal about your family, Lord Bridgerton. All simply wonderful things, of course. You must excuse my poor Penelope. It would seem she's to blame for your brother's most unfortunate tumble off his horse."

Benedict laughed. "I like Penelope already."

"We have moved into the Featherington estate, just today. I believe that makes us neighbors," Penelope's mother said. "It appears you three will have quite the opportunity to get to know my Prudence and Philippa."

"And Penelope?" Colin asked.

Penelope's mother waved a hand. "Oh, of course, Penelope, as well, I suppose."

Penelope smiled at him in thanks.

He smiled back.

~*~

Penelope's mother decided that it would be most prudent to pay the Bridgertons a neighborly visit to formally introduce themselves. Penelope's father had already departed to White's, so it was to be just the four of them. When Penelope entered the Bridgerton estate, she was struck by a sense of cheer she had so rarely felt in her own home.

Her family was ushered upstairs to the drawing room where they were immediately accosted by a brunette girl who looked to be the same age as herself. "Which one of you is Penelope?" the small girl demanded.

"Eloise." A beautiful woman stood, sighing good-naturedly. "They have only just arrived. Give our new neighbors room to breathe, my dear."

Penelope liked the girl immediately. She stepped forward. "I am Penelope."

Her mother put a hand to her bosom. "Penelope, that is not how it is done." She curtsied to the woman. "I must apologize for my Penelope's rather uncouth behavior."

The other woman chuckled. "I believe that it was my daughter who initiated said uncouthness. And that is one thing you will learn about our family, I am afraid. Try as we might to adhere to societal norms, we often gloss over a few."

"I see," Penelope's mother said. "Well, at any rate, we have come to formally make your acquaintance. I am Lady Portia Featherington. And these are my girls: Prudence, Philippa, and you now know Penelope, of course."

Eloise squealed, grabbing Penelope's hand. "I have decided that you and I are to be the dearest of friends."

Penelope giggled. "You have only just met me!"

Eloise pulled Penelope to a sofa and plopped down unceremoniously, encouraging Penelope to do the same. "I do not think I have ever laughed as hard as I did after seeing my brother this morning. When he told me about you, I knew I would love you immediately."

Penelope looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Colin. "Where is your brother?"

"Do not trouble yourself. He is in the bath, still scraping mud off his person most likely."

"Eloise!" Eloise's mother scolded. "That information is much too private to be shared with your new friend."

"Especially concerning Colin's priv—"

"Do not finish that sentence, Benedict," Eloise's mother interrupted. "It is a pleasure to meet you and your girls, Lady Featherington. I am Lady Violet Bridgerton. And here are some of my children at present: Benedict, Daphne, Eloise, and Francesca. You are already acquainted with Anthony and Colin. And I have two little ones in the nursery."

"What are their names?" Penelope asked.

"Penelope!" Penelope's mother exclaimed.

"Forgive me, Mama. But Anthony, Benedict, Colin..." Penelope's voice wavered once she realized all eyes in the room were on her. "Daphne, Eloise, Francesca... Lady Bridgerton, the last two have names that begin with the letters G and H, do they not?"

A chortle from the doorway alerted Penelope to Colin's presence. "I told you she was clever."

"Heaven help us," Penelope's mother wailed.

Colin hastened over to Penelope, dodging an elbow from Eloise. "It is good to see you again, Penelope."

Penelope smiled shyly in response.

Lady Bridgerton offered Penelope's mother a seat and encouraged Prudence and Philippa to step in the room and make themselves comfortable. After ordering a tea service, she at last answered Penelope's burning question. "Gregory. And Hyacinth is the baby." Lady Bridgerton's eyes twinkled. "We found it orderly."

Eloise shoved Colin away from the sofa. "Your hair is still wet."

"Penelope."

Her heart fluttered involuntarily to hear Colin address her by name.

He continued, "Allow me to demonstrate the quickest way to dry hair." He swiftly shook his head directly over Eloise, emitting disgruntled squeals from his sister.

"Colin," Lady Bridgerton chastised. "It would seem you have caught us on a rather chaotic day, Lady Featherington."

"Is that not every day, Mama?" Daphne asked innocently.

Penelope already knew she was forming a strong attachment to the alphabetical Bridgertons.

To C and E, especially.

~*~

That very first night in her new home, as Penelope drifted off to sleep, she dreamed about the kindest boy she had ever met.

She dreamed, and dreamed, and dreamed.

~*~

Read the rest here:

Last summer, I wrote a series of missing moments that catalogue their entire journey from their meet-cute to the s3 epilogue. It has threads and easter eggs from the book, but it's strictly show canon.

Sharing a lil snippet in honor of Polin week and April 6th.

Happy Polin Day!! <33

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The record has officially been broken.

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a gifset for every tww episode (in no particular order): the stackhouse filibuster (2x17)

“Yes, Hoynes had us nervous with his admonishment of big oil, and yes, the President was making us nervous too, but that’s for tomorrow, ‘cause tonight I’ve seen a man with no legs stay standing, Dad, and a guy with no voice keep shouting, and if politics brings out the worst in people, then maybe people bring out the best, 'cause I’m looking at the TV right now and damned if 28 U.S. Senators haven’t just walked onto the floor to help.”

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Happy Anniversary "Mirror" Promo! (released March 27, 2024)

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(almost) every penelope featherington scenes (194/???)

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(almost) every penelope featherington scenes (193/???)

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AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.LD. (2013 - 2020) 1.20 - Nothing Personal