#Girl Most In Need Of Therapy Award winner

[twink-with-an-agenda]

Someone probably already did this but that won't stop me

[thunderon]

alright more pre-crash yellowjackets thoughts! this time: shitty high school jobs they had! (i worked 5 different shitty minimum wage jobs between the ages of 15-18 and have thought about the concept with more gravity than it deserves sorry)

shauna: was a tutor during the school year for literally every subject. she was the only reason jeff and randy passed their junior year. even though she could use the money, shauna never charged any of her teammates if they needed some help. when school was out during the summers, she had a seasonal job at the concession stand at the local concert venue. pretty easy money and she liked listening to the bands play

jackie: unemployed. being the coolest girl in school is a full time job, after all! note: tried to get a job with shauna at the concession stand. it was a complete and utter disaster. she lasted a week, and only made it that long because of how much shauna covered for her. after that didn’t pan out, when shauna worked weekends, jackie would always buy a concert ticket… just to hang out by the concession stand and talk with shauna for the whole show

nat: her first job was working at the local pizza parlor. was employed there for 6 months until it got shut down because, as it turns out, the whole thing was a money laundering front for the mob (which explains why nat never got fired despite being actually kinda bad at making pizzas). after that, she goes to work the 6pm-midnight shift at the grimiest gas station in wiskayok. except for the occasional stick up, it was a quiet job where no one bothered her and she could buy her own cigarettes. however she was constantly sleep-deprived having to get up for school in the mornings. definitely created energy drink concoctions that would send most people into cardiac arrest. van and the other yellowjackets would always stop by to see her on shifts and nat always gives them free slurpees

van: started working at the movie theater in the mall when she was 14 (the owner needed the help and did not ask enough questions). van is the rare sort of person that is absolutely beloved by both customers and her fellow employees and no one was surprised when she became a manager. she has the best customer service and will help out all the other employees with whatever they need. to this day she still holds the record for most Employee of the Month awards. also i just know van was the ultimate hookup and snuck her friends into shows and definitely took home the leftover popcorn after her shift. if she knew nat was on shift at the gas station, she’d stop by on her way home and give her some

taissa: never worked during the school year because she took way too many classes and extracurriculars (she was a 3-sport athlete: cross country in the fall, basketball in the winter, soccer in the spring. also did debate team AND student gov). her parents actually tried to talk her out of getting a summer job, but taissa has never relaxed a day in her life. she took a job at a clothing store in the mall and claimed she chose it for the employee discounts. the fact the store was located in the same mall as the movie theater was unrelated to anything whatsoever (tho taissa and van’s break schedules coincidentally always lined up and they’d hang out and go to the arcade where they’d have competitions… loser had to buy the winner food from the food court afterwards).

anyways tai would have been a perfect employee… if she didn’t have the world’s worst customer service (“for the fifth and final time, i am not going to give you a goddamned refund if you don’t have the RECEIPT and if you try putting that ugly ass blouse in my face again i will shove it up your-”) …had to have routine talks with HR throughout her tenure there. her manager gently suggested therapy, once.

lottie: didn’t need the money but definitely got a job out of boredom. decided to lifeguard as a summer job. it was basically getting paid to tan and tell kids to stop running. she had a sixth sense for when it’s about to start storming. her coworkers stopped questioning it after a few months and now when lottie says to get everyone out of the pool, they get everyone out of the pool. from lifeguarding lottie actually learned enough about pool maintenance to do the work and check the chemical balances on the pool at her own house. her father thinks the whole thing is ridiculous, her mother thinks it’s nice she has a hobby

laura lee: didn’t work a paid job but volunteered. she played piano for the local church services and on weekdays she worked evenings at the local food bank. if she sees anyone from school show up, it stays between her and God. she has managed to rope each of the yellowjackets into volunteering with her at least once

mari: worked at a local restaurant. tried to be a waitress, but on her very first day she got three different customer complaints about her attitude and so the owner put her in the kitchen where she became a linecook. she had more healthcode violations in her 1.5 years of working there than every other employee combined. the manager fired her on a weekly basis but she always just showed up to work the next day like nothing happened and the boss always took her back because mari is the best damn linecook he ever had

akilah: she’s a baby and was too young to work an actual job but definitely did babysitting (mostly for family). definitely was the kid-whisperer. had plans to work at library once she turned 16

misty: volunteered at the local retirement home and developed a love-hate relationship with an 85yo named Ethel (and by love-hate i mean: misty loved ethel, ethel hated misty)

[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

Today was the award ceremony thing for the writing contest (one winner per age group in four schools). Some highlights include:

Me, carrying on my family's legacy of running late paired with absolute confusion, coming 15 minutes late and missing most of the event, if not the actual "getting a certificate thing and the book of compiled texts" part. In my defence, I had somehow convinced myself it would start 15 minutes later than it did so I would have been on time. Also I had a class where we were still discussing trains and stuff for a trip. I was technically excused but my brain neither here nor there (maybe also because I slept 4 and a half hours but shhhh)

The girl sitting next to me, who kept staring at me/my glove thingy and spiked bracelet etc for the entire 15 minutes remaining, it was kinda cute, let's hope I inspired something

Half of my family (everyone I've talked to since) being really pissed off that I didn't get to read (some of) my text out loud

Me managing to act cool and feel genuinely unfazed by my running WAY late and having to walk to a free seat in the front even though I would have died two years ago at just the thought (growth! yay!)

On that note my friend pointed out I'd certainly gotten myself an Image TM like this and my only reaction was to gesture at literally all of my style. I do not give a shit anymore and it's wonderful.

Some of the texts in that book are concerning though. These generations are NOT fine! At least three children in here probably need therapy. It's SUPER exciting to see all the different takes on friendship, though, and fascinating how much effort some put into their texts. Like at least one gal spent weeks thinking about the topic, writing and rewriting stuff, meanwhile I blacked out for a little over an hour late in the evening and sent it off without proofreading more than once. I think it's funny.

[ear-worthy]

iHeartPodcast Award Nominees Announced: Indie Podcasts Mostly Ignored

iHeartMedia has announced the nominees for the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards presented by The Hartford live at SXSW. The awards, which claim to honor the very best in podcasting from 2023 and celebrate the most innovative talent and content creators in the industry, will feature 29 categories spanning podcast genres.

Independent podcasters -- the backbone of podcasting -- are again underrepresented in the award process. Most of the nominees are TV personalities.

In the United Kingdom on October 31, 2023, the first-ever Independent Podcast Award ceremony was held in London.

The Independent Podcast Awards were set up by whynow Media and the Verbal Diorama podcast team to help uncover the talent that they have in the UK, but that doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

The awards, which were also sponsored by companies including Captivate, Adelicious and Pirate, were launched last year to celebrate the independent podcasting sector.

Perhaps, a similar event will take shape in the U.S.

This year, iHeartMedia teamed up with South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals to host the live and in-person ceremony in Austin, Texas at the Fairmont Hotel on Monday, March 11 at 8 p.m. CT.

“As the podcast industry continues to rapidly grow, this past year has clearly proven that podcasters are always innovating in the audio space and finding new ways to reach and engage new audiences,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia’s Digital Audio Group. “The nominees for the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards reflect the results of honing that creativity, and we’re thrilled to celebrate and once again empower these creators and elevate the podcast industry together live in person at SXSW.”

No word from Mr. Byrne about independent podcasters.

Each year, podcast fans help decide the winner of the Podcast of the Year by voting online at iHeartPodcastAwards.com from February 5 through February 18.

Last year, the virtual 2023 iHeartPodcast Awards were hosted by actor and comedian Brian Baumgartner, and featured a variety of appearances by celebrities who mostly found fame and success on TV.

Maybe this year, the award ceremony will include people who are born and bred in podcasting.

The full 2024 category nominees are:

Podcast of the Year presented by The Hartford:Crime Junkie The Daily My Favorite Murder New Heights Normal Gossip On Purpose with Jay Shetty The Retrievals Scamanda SmartLess Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Best Business & Finance:Direct Deposit How I Built This MoneyWatch with Jill Schlesinger Networth & Chill with Your Rich BFF Planet Money

Best Comedy:Baby, This is Keke Palmer Handsome SmartLess This Is Important Why Won't You Date Me

Best Crime:Crime Junkie The Girlfriends The Retrievals Scamanda Something Was Wrong

Best Pop Culture:Las Culturistas I've Had It Just B with Bethenny Frankel Search Engine Watch What Crappens

Best Food Podcast Award Presented by Planet Oat:Cereal Killers Hungry for History Recipe Club The Splendid Table Sporkful

Best Wellness & Fitness:Huberman Lab Maintenance Phase The Mel Robbins Podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty Therapy For Black Girls

Best History:Mobituaries with Mo Rocca Revisionist History Slow Burn Throughline You're Wrong About

Best Kids & Family:Good Inside with Dr. Becky Kids Short Stories with Mr. Jim Sound Detectives Story Pirates The Suga

Best Music:Disgraceland Million Dollaz Worth of Game Popcast Questlove Supreme Song Exploder

Best News:The Daily Pivot Pod Save America Today Explained Up First

Best Fiction:Ad Lucem Full Body Chills The Mantawauk Caves Radio Rental The Space Within

Best Sports:Around The NFL Club Shay Shay The Dan Le Batard Show New Heights Pardon My Take

Best Science:Hidden Brain Inner Cosmos Ologies Radio Lab StarTalk

Best Technology:All-In Hard Fork Lex Fridman Podcast TED Radio Hour Vergecast

Best Ad Read:Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend Heavyweight How Did This Get Made? Say More with Dr. Sheila SmartLess

Best Overall Host:Joe Budden (The Joe Budden Podcast) Jonathan Goldstein (Heavyweight) Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Wiser Than Me) Laci Mosley (Scam Goddess) Nicole Byer (Why Won’t You Date Me?)

Best Overall Ensemble:The 85 South Show Handsome New Heights SmartLess Today, Explained

Best Political:The Ben Shapiro Show CNN Inside Politics Countdown with Keith Olbermann NPR Politics Podcast Pod Save America

Best TV & Film:Drama Queens Films to be Buried With Give Them Lala w/ Lala Kent How Did This Get Made? Pop Culture Happy Hour

Best Spanish Language:La Brega Cassettes Duolingo Spanish Leyendas Legendarias Transportista: Who Murdered Captain Coral? (Spanish version)

Best Advice / Inspirational:Getting Curious Dear Chelsea Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast This Keeps Happening with Vienna Pharaon We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle

Best Beauty & Fashion:Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak Articles of Interest Fool Coverage with Manny MUA and Laura Lee The Goop Pursuit: Healing in a Sick Society Lipstick On The Rim

Best Travel:As Told By Nomads Atlas Obscura The Travel Hacking Mom Show Travel With Rick Steves Women Who Travel

Best Green:Climate of Change Discarded Living on Earth TED Climate Sea Change

Best Spirituality & Religion:The Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz The Bible Recap Elevation with Steve Furtick On Being with Krista Tippett Women Evolve

Best Branded Podcast: Crimson Hearts Collide (Hallmark Media) Love In Gravity (ViiV Healthcare) Mind the Business (Intuit Quickbooks) Symptomatic (Novartis) Townsizing (HGTV)

Best Emerging:Classy Handsome How to Destroy Everything I’ve Had It The Really Good Podcast with Bobbi Althoff

Best International:CTV Question Period with Vassy Kapelos (Canada) Dichosa Sexualidad (Mexico) The Fold (New Zealand) The Imperfects (Australia) Rocio Cordova (Mexico)

I think it's sad that iHeart has not carved out award categories for independent podcasters like The Life Shift, Multispective, The Nightingale Of Iran, Murder Sheet, Double Take, Infernal Communication, EarBuds Podcast Collective, and many other deserving indie podcasts and podcasters.

For more information about the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards, click HERE. If you do click, ask iHeart why indie podcasts do not have a more prominent role in these awards. After all, iHeart didn't invent podcasting or participate in its growth in the early, formative years. Independent podcasters did that.

[snowwhitelass]

Just received this in DM today from a very nice person, who I will not share her real name with on this post out of anonymity, but I will just call her “Dahlia.” She wanted me to see what nasty Cait stan, Castlemaine123, said about Sam and how she always puts Sam down on everything. I have known this about Castlemaine for a long time. Dahlia calls Castlemaine a “troll” and I agree! If the real Caitriona Balfe and friend to Sam knew some of the things that castlemaine has said about Sam then I believe she would be appalled by it. That includes most of CRT’s mean girls’ group as well. None of them hesitate to lie, make up conspiracy theories, or spread false claims about Sam and those close to him.

Ok, first of all, I entered this fandom because I love everything about Outlander and still do. I love all of DG’s Outlander books. I love Sam and Cait equally, and so do others I follow here on tumblr. We also love the rest of the cast members of Outlander, and respect them. That means not trashing their character and questioning their integrity.

Referring to all Sam fans as “Horney Grannies” is false. I am not a wife, a mother, or a grandmother because I’ve never been married and I don’t have any children. I am a couple years older than Sam. Most Sam fans range in all ages from 19 years old and up. Although, I do know there are some very young fans of Sam, as in kids, who adore Sam. The same with Cait.

How I and others spend our money by supporting Sam is our business and should not be mocked. By the way, Cait is supported too by me and others. Sam’s whisky 💛🥇🥃 is gold and an award winner!!! No one can take that away from Sam, not even trash talk by castlemaine or her mean group buddies.

Castlemaine123 is lying when she says Sam isn’t living an authentic life. She is delusional. Sam’s relationships with women and prior girlfriends have been real because he is a heterosexual man, “duh!” I actually blame her and others she associates with for causing the targeted harassment and bullying he has received. Including, those close to him and family members.

I also know Castlemaine123 has trashed p-redux and her sources because I have seen prior comments stating as such on other posts. Well, Castlemaine isn’t even half the decent woman that Purv is, so castlemaine will always be irrelevant when it comes to the truth in this fandom.

I could go on with a much longer list of her bullshit lies and grievances about Sam but frankly I am worn out. All I can add is that Castlemaine123 is a spiteful, unscrupulous person who should not be trusted. Someone that needs therapy for her hatred and distain towards Sam. She doesn’t represent Cait well as a fan but I also know she is a minority and there are other Cait fans who don’t speak or wish ill of Sam. I appreciate that Dahlia showed me how awful these comments about Sam are and that’s why I decided to post them so others could see the cruelty in them!

[loxare]

A crap guide to KH characters

that I made instead of studying psychology, enjoy!

Sora – precious bab. Will fuk you up if you mess with his friends. Has been suppressing his emotions since 2002 and honestly really needs a hug and probably a good cry. Sunshine boi. People really need to stop being mean to him, or trying to unravel who he is as a person i s2g i will cut a bitch. Has sacrificed himself to save his friends way too many times. Honestly, he's just a good boy who went on an adventure to save his friends and went through a lot of crap, but still manages to keep an upbeat outlook.

Riku – 2edgy4u. Will also fuk you up if you mess with his friends. Went through probably the best redemption arc since Zuko. Also needs a hug. Has tried to sacrifice himself to save his friends several times but his friends say he's not allowed. A good boy who's been trying to make up for his mistakes since 2002 and honestly he's doing a great job.

Kairi – Sunshine girl. Hasn't fucked anyone up for messing with her friends yet but damn if she isn't trying. Tired of playing damsel in distress, more tired of waiting for her boys to come home. Probably would sacrifice herself for her friends but hasn't had the opportunity. Ready to fist fight a damn werewolf to avoid being sidelined again. I need a game dedicated to her stat.

Roxas – 3edgy5u. Started out a happy kiddo, then some bad shit happened and now he's just mad at everyone. Identity crises every second Wednesday. All he wants is to eat ice cream with his friends, roll around town on his skateboard and disassemble the government, is that too much to ask?

Axel/Lea – The absolute worst person ever turned lovable asshole once he discovered parenting. Seriously, he was terrible in CoM. But honestly, understandable considering he was forced to join a cult that spent a solid decade telling him he had no emotions and hey, please be an assassin for us. Needs to pick a name. Currently fighting Aqua for the Best Team Parent Award (and losing, sorry Lea, Aqua is just that good).

Xion – precious daughter. Seriously needs a hug. Identity crises all day all night all the time. Most Forgettable Character Award (I'm so sorry). All she wants is to eat ice cream with her friends, go to the beach and scream trans rights at the worlds, is that too much to ask? Had so much bad shit happen to her. Inherited her self-sacrificial streak from Sora. Someone get this girl a better role model. No, not Lea, he did some self-sacrifice bs too, someone else. No, not Aqua either.

Terra – himbo xtreme. So good and trusting he trusted the wrongest person. Sorry, two wrongest persons. Terra no. He's just a terrafic dude (I'm not sorry). Stronk. Dumb. Kind. Would possess his own empty armor to protect his friends and sit in a wasteland for over a decade. What strength. What willpower. Someone get this man into the Green Lantern Corps, stat. I need him and Kronk to meet because they're both so dumb I love them. Terra's great.

Aqua – Light of my life. Willingly jumped into hell to save her friend. Jewelry maker. Will fuk you up if you mess with her friends. Did I mention that she jumped into hell to save her friend? Who was actually her friend being possessed by the bad guy? And that she stayed there for over a decade? Such strength. Someone get this woman a hug. And therapy. Current holder of the Best Team Parent Award. Her friend group has five brain cells and she holds four of them.

Ven – Literal sunshine boy. Don't look too long, you'll go blind. Will fuk you up if you even look at his friends. Shady past that he absolutely does not remember. Winner of the Rip Van Winkle Award for longest nap. Kind of a brat at first but damn does he grow up fast. Has the worst evil twin ever. Holds the last brain cell.

Vanitas – The evil twin. The worst, I love him. Seriously needs to get some therapy. And a redemption arc, I need one so bad. Makes his own pets out of sadness. SHady past he might remember. Sees himself as the monster when the real monster was Doctor Franken- I mean. Xehanort. Really needs a hug, but maybe be prepared to run if you're giving it.

Namine – Perennial damsel in distress. Literal self insert character. Ends up going from one bad situation to another. When she finally gets her freedom, she vanishes. No one understands her powers and honestly that's fine. All she wants is to help. Someone tell her it's ok to want things for herself too.

Repliku – this guy is just an identity crisis put into a person. Doesn't even have his own name yet. So incredibly angry at everything he's gone through but has ended up in a sort of acceptance. The only person who didn't get a happy ending and I can and will revolt. Spent most of his life confused and angry and honestly relatable.

[theexistentiallyqueer]

I would like to hear what you have to say about p5r

Oof so like–bearing in mind that I can’t understand Japanese, did not watch most of the livestream, and very much believe we all need to calm our takes down until the English release comes out so we have a better understanding of what is actually happening yadda yadda yadda–

I’m excited. I’m very excited. It looks really really good. They really dug into the meat of Goro’s character and served us a supreme fucking feast in that respect, and I’m very glad for that. His confidant is amazing, from what we can get from reading @lokiarsene‘s translations. His very central role in third trimester arc is excellent. The way Kasumire and Takuto are integrated into the stories of the existing cast rather than dominating them, a la Marie from P4G (also bearing in mind I haven’t played P4G but that’s the general impression I’ve gotten of the game), is also excellent. Additions should comment on what is already there.

I’m disappointed Atlus seems to be going for a Big Tease about whether Goro survives in the end. I know exactly why they’re doing it–so they can string us along and hype up Scramble–but I hate that they’re doing it. I get that they claim Scramble is a direct sequel but like….is it? Is it really? My money is on Goro and Sumire being DLC characters for that game.

When I say “shuake canon now,” I’m saying it with the exact same degree of belief as when I say that I personally am a Hugo award winner because I have fanfiction posted on AO3. Shuake is unfortunately not canon, because Atlus are a bunch of cowards. I haven’t played Catherine so I can’t speak to how well they handle Vincent’s relationship with Rin in that game, but the fact that they let players date Rin, a crossdresser, in Catherine, but don’t let you date any of the guys in Royal is….not a good look for Atlus. We’ve been very clearly and very successfully queerbaited, and I can both acknowledge that and make fun of Atlus for accidentally coding Akira’s relationship with Goro as so heavily romantic that you really can compare it to Shinji and Kaworu or Utena and Anthy or Madoka and Homura, but at the end of the day if Atlus were allies (and they’re not), they’d have cut those gross predatory gay men who hit on Akira and Ryuji on not just one but TWO occasions.

I will not give Atlus credit that Atlus categorically does not deserve.

I’m seeing a lot of valid criticism of the game as well. The addition of cognitive Shiho in a bunny costume to Kamoshida’s boss fight is fucking disgusting and I want to personally destroy the career of whatever jackass came up with that idea and also whatever other jackass approved it. Ryuji still gets beat up by the girls after Shido’s palace collapses, because haha, female on male violence is harmless and funny. You can still be an absolute dick to Mishima. 

Most frustrating for me is that Haru remains criminally underdeveloped and it looks like hers and Futaba’s feelings about Goro aren’t really explored with remotely any degree of what I would personally consider nuance (and believe me, as someone whose father was murdered, I have a very low bar where that’s concerned because nuance on that subject is not a thing most media is capable of). There also doesn’t seem to be much direct acknowledgement from Goro (going off of what @lokiarsene has already translated and posted and also told me while she’s working on future translations) of the very personal hell he put Futaba and Haru through, which I would again stress–I have a low bar where that’s concerned.

What I’m most interested in is how the third trimester arc is focused on mental health, specifically mental health care, a thing for which Japan is famously garbage at managing. Given that the Persona franchise is one of the few examples of overt Japanese counter-culture we get access to in the West (in that the games are openly critical of some pretty major aspects of Japanese society), I’m curious to see the extent to which Maruki’s arc critiques the Japanese mental health system. Is it just going to be about shitty malpractice? Is it going to comment on how mental illness and neurodivergency are just covered up and shut away? Is it going to talk about how when people do go to doctors, they usually just get prescribed medication as a band-aid but therapy is basically nonexistent in any meaningful widespread form?

Given the Persona series’s track record, Royal seems to be pretty par for the course: a flawed mixed bag with some really solid writing and some really glaring blind spots, if not abject failures. From what I’ve seen of Royal, I think the solid bits weigh out the not so solid bits, at least for me personally. I look forward to engaging with the finished product in a language I can understand and then picking it all to pieces with everyone else on here, come March.

[trans-advice]

this article has been copied & pasted in its entirety in case there’s a paywall. however, please try to read the article from the link first so that the journalist & newspaper staff get their wages. thank you. Stephanie Case May 8, 2019

The Western States Endurance Run (WSER) lottery draw is one of the most highly anticipated in the ultrarunning community. Every year in early December, runners from around the world hope to snag one of the 369 available spots in the historic California 100-miler. The race has a less than a 5 percent acceptance rate, so the entry process is heavily scrutinized. The names of runners who have completed a qualifying race are listed for all to view in the weeks leading up to the draw. And from that list, WSER runners are selected by members of the audience at a public lottery draw, which is streamed live online.

After the 2019 lottery, WSER race director Craig Thornley learned that Grace Fisher, a 38-year-old transgender woman, had been selected for the race. With a recent 100-mile win and a previous top-five race finish at the Vermont 100 Endurance Run under her belt, the WSER board of directors felt that Fisher could earn a top-ten podium finish at the race. To preempt any possible controversy regarding her participation as a woman, the board decided to adopt an official policy for the inclusion of transgender athletes. According to Diana Fitzpatrick, a member of the board, the motivations were twofold: “We wanted to send a message of inclusivity to Grace and other trans runners while also addressing any concerns about competitive fairness that might come up.”

In developing the specifics of the new policy, the board looked at those of other relevant sports organizations for guidance. It decided to follow the approach taken by USA Track and Field (USATF) and the Boston Marathon in allowing runners to compete as their self-identified gender, which would be taken “at face value” and protected from challenge unless an award was at stake. In those cases—which for Western States means top-ten male and female finishers and age-group winners—trans women could be required to show documentation certifying one year of hormone therapy (trans men may compete with no restrictions).

The WSER board was careful, however, not to follow a cookie-cutter model. There are no other prominent examples of similar policies in the ultrarunning community, so they had to assess whether certain rules from other sports organizations would make sense in the context of WSER. The Board opted not to impose the standard set by the International Olympic Committee(IOC), followed by many other sports organizations (including the USATF and Boston Marathon), that requires trans women to reach certain specified hormone levels in addition to the year of therapy. As Fitzpatrick explained, “We felt that this was overly intrusive and unnecessary for our event, and there’s a fair amount of controversy over what is the appropriate hormone level to require.”

The response in the ultrarunning community to Western States’ announcement in February was largely positive, and both cisgender and transgender athletes expressed support for the organization’s inclusive approach. Perhaps inevitably though, there was some online backlash, mainly in the comments on the race’s Facebook page. Some questioned the need for such a policy at all. “Born a guy, you are a guy. Born a girl you are a girl! Nothing else need be said!” one man, Ed Walsh, wrote. Another, Trey McCain, added: “I get what you’re trying to do but fair competition is competing with your natural body… True sport and sportsmanship is using the body you were born with.” The negative response was mainly directed at the participation of trans women in the race and in competitive sports in general. A number of people—male and female—expressed concern that trans women would have an unfair advantage against cisgender women. Some online commenters even suggested that the WSER board had failed to spend adequate time and research crafting the policy and urged it to reconsider.

But in reality, the committee tasked with developing the WSER policy spent two months working on it, learning about the evolving science, medicine, and privacy issues its members needed to consider to create a fair set of rules. And as the committee discovered, there is no research that consistently and reliably shows that trans women have any advantage over cisgender women in sports. In fact, some research has shown that after a year of testosterone suppression, trans women lose strength, speed, and athletic ability. Fitzpatrick added, “We felt there was sufficient medical and scientific research to support the standard of one year of continuous hormone therapy as sufficient to take away any competitive advantage that might otherwise exist for trans female athletes.”

And before unveiling the new rules, the board asked medical physicist and ultrarunner Joanna Harper to review the policy to ensure inclusivity. Harper, a trans woman herself, previously advised the IOC on its own transgender policy. (When Harper reviewed the WSER policy, she didn’t recommend any changes.)

Still, not everyone believes the WSER policy is perfect. “Any policy about trans people should start and end with accepting self-identification,” says Aurora Borin, a trans-rights activist. In her view, having to provide documentation “tends to feel like a scarlet letter.” But Angela Quinton, a trans woman and ultrarunner, disagrees. “I don’t think that’s an unreasonable burden in the face of what elite cis athletes face,” she says in reference to standard protocols like drug testing.

Of course, transgender athletes are not new to the ultrarunning scene. But race directors have been slow to address their participation. As Quinton says, “The lack of a visible policy is likely to be a huge source of anxiety for trans athletes. The mystery of whether I am welcome at a given event acts as a deterrent.” As one of the most prominent and well-respected races in the sport, Western States is raising the bar in ultrarunning—to a place where it should have been all along.

[betweencolors-blog1]

So a few months ago

So a few months ago, I called my dermatologist and asked him about HairFree to get rid of the hair off my legs, once and for all. Short legs are good for this, he explained, simply because there's less real estate.Are you searching for a Cross Dressing Guide review, and you wish to learn how to cross dress successfully? It is natural if a man wants to experiment his feminine attributes with himself, but it is important that it is done in a realistic and natural way. Men who wish to cross dress have not had their curiosity suppressed while they are still a child, so it is important that cross dressing be done correctly if they choose to do so.Among the 'Hormone-fed Tomatoes' candidates this year were well-known institutions, associations, and famous people like actor Kadır Inanır (whom you mustn't ask) and singer/actor Alişan -- who tries to forget the gay role with rape scene that he once played), the Şişli Police (with their robocops), as well as writer/actor Selahattin Duman (with his Mykonos newspaper articles). [See the full list of homophobic award candidates in 4 categories: The Press, Entertainment, Politics, and Institutions and photos of some of the more famous candidates at our 'Turkish Gay Pride' web page (link further below). Also, find pictorial English-language biographies of more than 100 Turkish celebrities (including most of the above-named) via our "Who's Who in Turkey" Index page.]The problem for crossdressers, shemales, trannies, transsexuals, is that we all have coarse hair and that shaving only keeps our legs smooth for a day, at best there is 5 o'clock shadow for to deal with, unfortunately. The day after shaving, your legs are as scratchy as Brillo, and if you try to shave them again before the hair has grown out a little, you'll get an angry red rash!

Lady boys are much louder than real Thai girls and they can be a bit raunchy and extremely pushy. If you're still having a hard time determining the sex of someone you're talking to in the bar, you can check out their feet and hands, which are larger as well as their shoulders which are broader. You will also notice that they are usually taller and may have an Adam's apple. If you're still stumped, just ask! There are very few people in bars in Thailand who would be offended by such a question.This year's Homophobia Award Winners (for people or organizations that acted negatively toward LGBTT between July 2005 and June 2006) were determined by the voting on Lambdaistanbul's website.Envision more changes. Feel free to change whatever you have always wanted to change. Here, it will be easy. Here, you are at the source of your being, directly inserting your love and care. Give yourself the time and attention you need. Gaze at the beauty of this light, your light, and send the next thoughts of change into its heart. Watch the dance of beauty it causes in the stream of light. The colors, the glow, the warmth, and the beauty, all swirling and dancing joyfully. Take your time. What else do you desire for yourself? Give yourself beautiful eyes, healthy knees, strong muscles, flowing hair, and soft skin. Bless yourself with the strength of gratefulness and the beauty of independence. Send your energy into the light and watch it transform.For the few that acknowledge their transgender status at an early age, support and guidance is available. Gender therapy can be a great help in making sense of all that is going on. The internet also acts as a very valuable resource, enabling young cross dressers from around the world to help and support each other.

Most men who have this fetish also have a fetish for panties. Wearing them is sometimes not sufficient. Such men are attracted to the look of panties on women as well as the texture and smell of them when used.If you are old fashioned and prefer to use a single blade razor to deal with the same, all I can say is good luck. Do make sure to have a few tissues handy for you will need it when the blood starts to flow and it will, given your preference for the ancient razors. You are bound to cut yourself up even with the most safe-styled razors that Gillette can come out with. Shaving your body is not the same as shaving your face, for one, you will need to determine the angle and position for shaving your ankles and determine the safe way to deal with your arms, with elbows tucked in. Sure, you can go the painzine route and try out the wax. If it is your first time with the wax, your scream should be good enough to knock the socks of the likes of Metallica. However, if you are on the lookout for painless yet effective cross dressing techniques, you definitely need to take a look at the 'world's best cross dressing guide'.Winners of the Homophobia Awards this year were invited to the awards ceremony which took place in Istanbul on July 1st during Gay Pride Week (Escinsel Onur Haftası) -- but none were available to attend...If you are able to treat yourself, there are increasingly more make-over services providing a one-stop shop for a head to toe feminization treatment. You will be given advice on hair, make-up, underwear, clothes and shoes to go away and experiment with, giving you greater confidence to explore your feminine self.

[trashynoona]

The boy from the convenience stall

It was a warm summer night when I first met him.

‘Sleepless night?’

The beautiful stranger asked as he began slurping up his ramyun.

‘Yeah... you?’ You asked.

‘Same... late night hunger pangs...’ he raised his noodle cup to gesture.

He was a beautiful stranger. He has a face with gentle features; you’d like to liken his features to the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar.

‘I notice you come here pretty often?’ The stranger’s words nudge me out of my daze.

‘Hmm? Yeah. Haven’t been sleeping too well, and I generally take aimless strolls when I can’t get to bed. Somehow, I tend to end up here...’ I quietly laughed at my own insomnic woes as I wondered why am I even explaining any of these to the stranger.

‘I see... well my strolls are a lot more with an end goal in mind. To fill my tummy before I head to bed. I’m sewoon by the way.’ He said as he took a sip of his banana milk.

‘Why don’t you just stock up your fridge with food if you tend to get hungry at some ungodly hour?’ I asked as I sipped on my strawberry milk.

‘I don’t know, there’s something poetic about taking a nightly stroll to the convenience stall I guess. Some fresh air probably helps too.’ Sewoon replied as he casually stretched out his legs and stared into the dark soulless sky.

‘I guess it does help clear your head a bit with late night strolls... oh, and I’m Eunji by the way.’ I turned to introduce yourself and found myself staring at the beautiful stranger. He has his eyes shut as he quietly hummed a song to himself in this still summer night.

There was something enchanting about this stranger. He was calm and romantic; he saw the beauty in things that I fail to see. While he took these strolls with an intention to enjoy the night air, you pretty much had to force yourself to take these strolls before your head exploded with all the useless late night thoughts. You have always been a panicky person by nature, it felt comforting next to someone who felt like serenity.

‘Well it’s getting pretty late, I should get going.’ I stood up from the edge of the pavement and dusted my pajamas pants.

‘It was nice to have finally spoken to you, Eunji. I hope I’ll see you around?’ He smiled as he looked up at me from below.

‘You probably will if you continue with your late night supper regiment.’ I attempted to appear as unflustered as possible before heading back towards the direction I came from.

Sewoon smiled at himself. He had noticed you for awhile now. It was hard not to have noticed you. Afterall, there weren’t many people patronising the convenience shop in the middle of the night. Furthermore a girl his age who’s always in some strange cutesy pajamas. Who even wears pajamas with characters like Disney princesses and snoopy in their late teens?! But there was something alluring about you. Despite dorning these cheerful cutesy pajamas, you had always worn a sullen expression, almost like you’re in pain. Unknowingly, sewoon began looking forward to seeing you. He wondered what was on your mind. Despite being calm by nature, it took him awhile to reach out to you. Afterall, you always appeared to be deep in thoughts, sewoon wasn’t sure how you would respond. However, he was glad he did reach out to you, because, he thought you had the most beautiful smile in the world.

‘Hi stranger.’ I spoke.

‘Hey there, back for your pit stop in the midst of your midnight stroll?’ Sewoon asked as he took out his earphones.

‘Unfortunately So...’ I sighed as I poked the straw into my strawberry milk.

‘Have a listen to this.’ Sewoon place one of his ear buds into my ear.

It was a recording of a soft acoustic guitar number. It was pretty much what I’d imagine sewoon to be if he was a melody.

‘What do you think?’ He asked.

‘It’s calming. It reminds me of you.’ I answered.

‘It reminds you of me? Haha, I hope that’s a good thing?’ He responded.

‘It is. You have this... I don’t know, calming disposition. It’s like as if you’re never nervous about anything. And the music you just showed me kinda reflects that, it brings a sense of ease to my heart.’ I explained.

‘I assume you liked it then?’ He asked as he took a sip from his banana milk.

I nodded.

‘Good. Because it’s a present from me to you!’ Sewoon smiled.

‘You mean you wrote it?! And why would you give it to me?’ I was pretty dumbfounded, afterall, who dedicates a hand written song to a person he barely knows?

‘Yeah... I am kinda like a struggling song writer? And to be honest, these late night walks are kinda like inspirational walks... I wrote this melody after I spoke to you the other day, it’s not perfect yet, but I don’t know, I guess I’m a little to excited to share it with you.’ Sewoon admitted sheepishly as he stroke the back of his neck.

‘I think it’s perfect this way. Since you have gifted the song to me, do I get royalties if your song gets famous?’ I teased.

‘Definitely, if that day ever comes...’ sewoon noticed the mischievous twinkle in your eye. Once again, he was enchanted by your smile.

‘What’s the title to this song?’ I asked.

‘I’ll give you the honour to name it.’ He quipped.

‘Really?! No taking back okay?!’ You were glowing like a child seeing her favourite ice cream.

‘Yes, no regrets.’ Sewoon laughed.

‘It shall be called “The boy from the convenience shop” then.’ I answered smugly.

‘I think I’m beginning to regret my decision now...’ sewoon half laughed at the name I had came up with.

‘Hey! You said no backsies!’ I gently nudged sewoon on his arm. This was the first actual physical contact we shared, and it left me strangely flustered.

‘Yes yes, I’m a man of his words. This shall officially be known as “the boy from the convenience shop” from now on.’ Sewoon was laughing.

‘Here’s to the success of “the boy from the convenience shop” !’ I raised my bottle of strawberry milk and sewoon joined me with his banana milk.

It eventually became a nightly ritual for sewoon and I to meet at the convenience stall half past 2 every night. Who ever who reached first would get the other a bottle of milk, and we would just sit by the curb and talk about anything under the sky. We talked about useless things like the shape of the milk bottles, to deeper stuff like our hopes and dreams. sewoon was incredibly easy to talk to, he has made late nights a little less dreadful.

‘You know, I really dreaded nightfall in the past...’ I shared with sewoon one day.

‘Why so?’ He asked.

‘I don’t know... the darkness kinda enlarges the emptiness of my life. Like, it scares me. What if this is it? What if, I die tomorrow and I have literally achieved nothing in this entire lifetime?’ I said.

‘Well for starters... you did name a song... that has been selected for a local competition if that helps?’ Sewoon answered quietly.

‘Oh my god?! Are you serious?! I knew “the boy from the convenience shop” was going to make it big!’ I was glowing again as I reached out to pull sewoon into a hug.

He was warm, and comforting. Just like his song. It was only after our body came into contact that I realised I had initiated skinship with sewoon. I quickly pulled back but sewoon’s arms pulled me closer and tighter.

‘Just ten more seconds Eunji ah.’ He quietly said.

The thought that sewoon appreciated my hug alone was able to push me to overdrive. It was undeniable that I obviously have some sort of crush on my night time buddy. It felt strange, almost like a dream. It seemed like I knew him but I dont at the same time. We were two strangers who’s lives had crossed path when we happened to decide to take a break at the same rest stop. will this bond still be real when day breaks? Because every time when it comes to daylight, we seem to be our own individuals, only to come back to the comfort of one another’s company at the darkest of nightfall.

Days passed and we continued with our nightly ritual.

‘Eunji ah, this is going to be the last night of our convenience store ritual. I have been shortlisted as one of the finalist for the song writing competition. If all goes well, I might be awarded a contract with a recording company.’ Sewoon spoke. He sounded conflicted, this has been his dream all along, to be able to record his music one day. But somewhere along the way, you became part of his dream as well.

‘I’m so proud of you sewoonie! I know you’re going to smash it without a doubt! I named the song afterall!’ I spoke with bittersweet tears forming in my eyes. I knew this was all sewoon has dreamt about. But a part of me was sad to see him go. He has provided solace to my anxious heart. Somehow, he was able to calm the storm in my chest that no medicine or therapy could stop.

Sewoon pulled me in for a hug.

‘Thank you Eunji ah.’ He said as he did pulled away. Our faces were still close to one another as we quietly tried to take in as much of each other’s feature as possible. Afterall, we weren’t sure when we would see each other again.

‘Can I... Can I kiss you?’ Sewoon asked.

I nodded and he gently placed his soft lips on mine. It tasted like banana milk. It felt warm and soothing. Just like his music and personality. I knew I was going to miss him as a single tear escaped from my eye and came into contact with sewoon’s cheeks. Sewoon pushed me closer into his embrace as he deepened the kiss. His tongue gently swept along the edge of my lip as his tongue did a little dance with mine. The kiss felt poetic.

That was both sewoon’s and your first real kiss. It went away as naturally as it came. We both knew the future was uncertain. No words were needed to be exchanged. We both understood that we were in love, but we could not pursue this growing feeling we share right now.

‘I’d make sure to buy at least 10 copies when your album comes out.’ I quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

‘Make sure you thank me. I did help afterall.’ I teased.

We both laughed as we tried our best to keep our tears from falling.

6 months have passed and Sewoon did eventually emerge as the winner of the song writing competition. His album was due in 1 day, and I was ecstatic. We haven’t talked much since he had left. I wasn’t sure if he had met a better girl along the way. A girl who perhaps does not have to take late night strolls to her local convenience stall because she is too anxious to sleep. Perhaps he had taken a liking for a girl other than me, someone less broken.

I rushed to the nearest CD shop the very next day in order to purchase the 10 albums I had promised sewoon. I regretted my promise. Music albums aren’t cheap these days. Especially when music companies come up with these ‘mini albums’ which consist of about 5 songs while still charging the same price of a regular album.

I casually flipped through the photobook as I listened to sewoon’s album. He was still as handsome as ever. Possibly a little skinnier from the stress. But he still looked like serenity, like a quiet melody from an acoustic guitar. A sad smile crept onto my face as I remineinced the times we shared outside the convenience shop.

As I flipped to the acknowledgement section, I saw; ‘to the girl from the convenience stall’. It warmth my heart. Somehow, I still had a place in sewoon’s heart, and that was enough.

Another month has passed, sewoon was going to hold his first fanmeeting. I made sure to get a ticket for myself. I wasn’t sure if I would embarrass myself, we haven’t spoken in 7 months afterall. But I knew I had to go regardless. Sewoon was doing a collaboration stage with one of the up and coming female singer song writer. She was incredibly beautiful, and her voice was soft and silky. Sewoon and her looked incredible together. Perhaps they are already dating, I thought to myself.

‘Here’s all the banana milks sent to you Sewoon. Should I place them in the refrigerator for you?’ Sewoon’s manager asked as they sorted out his fan gifts.

Sewoon looked around, it was surreal to know that he has so many adoring fans who enjoy his music. To him, he was still the same kid who wrote melodies in his bedroom and took trips to the convenience shop in the middle of the night. You were still constantly in his mind. He misses the time you shared in the stale summer nights, outside an unassuming convenience shop, as two young adults, dreaming of what is to come.

‘Somebody is obviously not really your fan. Everyone knows you love banana milk and not strawberry milk....’ sewoon’s manager scoffed as he picked up the lone strawberry milk seated amongst the sea banana milks.

‘Hold on, don’t throw it away. Can I have it please?’ Sewoon picked up the strawberry milk, only to spot a little note scribbled on the bottle.

‘Milk bottles are strange. Here’s a bottle of milk from the original convenience stall ;)’

Sewoon knew immediately it was you. It warmed his heart and he knew he had to see you soon.

While on my nightly stroll to the convenience shop, I noticed a familiar humming and the faint strumming of a guitar.

‘Sewoonie?’ I called out.

‘You’re late!’ He quipped.

‘Oh my god, you’re back?!’ I half yelled as I ran towards my beautiful boy.

‘I’ve missed you, girl from the convenience shop.’ Sewoon confessed before pulling me into his arms. His lips connected to mine and the same warmth was back. My serenity was back.

[bringinbackpod]

Interview with Eliot Bronson

We had the pleasure of interviewing Eliot Bronson over Zoom video!

Over the course of five albums, indie folksinger Eliot Bronson has created his own brand of acclaimed Americana. He's an award winner. A road warrior. An internationally-renowned musician with a voice that swoons and sweeps, making fans out of everyone from his hometown newspaper, The Baltimore Sun — who championed Bronson from the very start, hailing him as "a folk singing wunderkind" back when he was still playing local coffeeshops — to Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, whose work on 2014's Eliot Bronson and 2017's James placed Bronson on the same client roster as Jason Isbell, Chris Stapleton, and other heartfelt songwriters. 

Bronson turns a new page with Empty Spaces. Written during a period of tumult — including the breakup of a 10-year relationship, the end of an engagement, and a move from his adopted home of Atlanta to his current headquarters in Nashville — it's an album about loss, redemption, the places we leave, and the homes we make for ourselves. More importantly, it's an album about starting again. Like the soundtrack to a rainy day whose skies steadily give way to sunshine, the music itself is gorgeous and moodily atmospheric, splashed with watercolor streaks of electric guitar, vocal harmonies, strings, Mellotron, and Bronson's sharpest songwriting to date.

Ever since his teenage years in working-class Baltimore, music has been a source of therapy for Bronson. Back then, he felt like a prisoner in his own home — a home filled with volatility and unpredictability, overseen by parents whose identities were equally (and, perhaps, paradoxically) informed by the Church and 1960s counterculture. Outside the front door loomed the Pentecostal Church where his father and grandfather once preached to  congregants who spoke in tongues. It was an odd refuge for a child, and Bronson found his own sort of escape in his father's record collection, drawn to LPs by Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and the trailblazing blues duo of Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry. Inspired, he began writing his own music as a teenager, eventually those songwriting skills into a career — and, with it, a ticket out of town. 

Relocating to Atlanta, he found a regional audience as a member of popular folk-rock duo The Brilliant Inventions and became a regular performer at Eddie's Attic, where acts like John Mayer and the Indigo Girls once honed their own craft. His subsequent solo career attracted even more attention, not to mention high-profile awards like a first-place finish in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. When a longtime relationship with his fiancé came to a halt, though, Bronson found himself leaning upon songwriting once again — not only for a living, but also for personal stability. 

"I began writing the kind of songs I needed to hear," he explains. "Empty Spaces was the best healing work I could've ever done. I had a weird, challenging childhood, and I originally turned to music because I didn't have anywhere else to go in the house, physically. I made my own little world that made me feel safe and understood. This time, I really needed to find that space again and come full-circle. I made this record for the same reason that I wrote my first song. It wasn't for anybody else; it was for me. Hearing the right words at the right moment can be the most magical elixir you can possibly take. It can heal you."

To fully heal, though, Bronson needed to make some changes. He left Atlanta and moved to Nashville. He made the conscious decision to escape the shadow of his influences, too, writing a new batch of songs that sounded not like Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, or Tom Waits, but like Eliot Bronson. He sank more time into his daily meditation practice, allowing creativity to enter his life in waves. And after recording his two previous albums with renowned producer Dave Cobb, he also decided to co-produce the new record with longtime bandmate Will Robertson, setting up in Robertson's basement studio and tracking Empty Spaces' 10 songs in a series of live, full-band performances. The result? An album that's emotive, pensive, melancholy, and wholly moving. This isn't just a record about empty spaces, after all. It's a record about the new discoveries that can fill that emptiness. 

Bronson stacks his voice into layers of harmony on the breezy, beautiful "Good For You," a song that pines for a distant lover who's moved across the country. Songs like the Lyle Lovett-worthy "She Loves the Mountains" and "Montana" address that physical divide, too, with Bronson — who calls the latter track "a 'Jolene' song, directed at a state rather than a person" — both scolding and singing the praises of a place whose beauty has stolen his partner's affection. During the album's opener, "Visitor," his melodies melt into a woozy landscape of acoustic guitar and pedal steel, while the anthemic "With Somebody" finds him mixing his folk roots with epic bursts of heartland pop/rock. 

Perhaps nowhere is Empty Space's unique punch better delivered than on the title track, where Bronson sings about coming to terms with the void left by his ex's departure. It's a breakup song for realists — a song that neither wallows in its own misery nor celebrates a sense of newfound freedom. Instead, Bronson sings about the complicated feelings that exist somewhere between those two polarities, painting his song not with black-and-white extremes, but with greyscale colors that are far more relatable. 

"I can't tell if it's a sad song or if it's a hopeful song," he admits. "I really like it that way, because that's life — we rarely have simple, unmixed feelings about anything. Being able to find those weird places where those emotions mix together, and express them, is exciting to me. It gives language to things that are universal. We don't have a word for that color or that emotion, but it exists, and by pointing it out, it gives you permission to feel it."

We want to hear from you! Please email Tera@BringinitBackwards.com.

www.BringinitBackwards.com

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source https://bringin-it-backwards.simplecast.com/episodes/interview-with-eliot-bronson-lKaSN9vc

[riilsports]

Rogers’ Martin selected to receive NFHS National High School Heart of the Arts Award

      The Rhode Island Interscholastic League congratulates Rogers High School senior Cailin Martin, who has been selected the 2020 national recipient of the “National High School Heart of the Arts Award” by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). She will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

      Now in its sixth year, the National High School Heart of the Arts Award was created by the NFHS to recognize those individuals “who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts that represent the core mission of education-based activities.”

      This is the second time in three years that a Rhode Island student has been selected as the national award recipient. Cecelia Egan of Bay View was honored in 2018.

       Here is more about Martin and the Heart of the Arts Award provided in a press release from the NFHS:

      From the time she was in fifth grade at Thompson Middle School in Newport, Rhode Island, Cailin Martin’s artistic talents stood out among her peers, as did her willingness to go the extra mile. After showcasing knowledge far beyond her years during class, she was often seen eagerly cleaning up students’ messes regardless of who made them.

     Now a senior at Rogers High School in Newport, Martin has used course offerings and independent studies to develop her expertise in a variety of creative disciplines and has evolved her service mindset to address the needs of both her school and community.

     In addition to the murals and props she has painted for each of the last three yearly musicals at Rogers, Martin adorned one of the school’s hallways this past summer for her senior project. That mural, which takes up more than eight feet of wall space, bears the words of civil rights activist Dolores Huerta – “Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk” – and serves to inspire those walking by.

    During the same summer, Martin dedicated even more of her free time to be a digital art tutor for a seventh-grade girl in the area. Both girls enjoyed the interaction so much that they have continued their working relationship into the fall, obliging Martin to simultaneously balance a class schedule loaded with Advanced Placement (AP) courses. To this point, the 2019 AP Scholar Award winner has handled that challenge with relative ease, as her grade-point average ranks third in the senior class.

     Martin’s most notable contribution came as a part of “Project Playhouse,” an initiative formed by a management class at nearby Bryant University to provide custom-built playhouses for children with serious and life-threatening illnesses. Martin’s role in the project was to depict a Transformers theme on one of the 9-foot by 9-foot by 9-foot structures, a task that required more than 21 hours of labor.

     In addition to her work with Project Playhouse, Martin volunteered with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall in 2019 and the Norman Bird Sanctuary Harvest Festival in 2018 and 2019, and she has worked as a performer and set painter for the Rogers Theatre Company for the past five years.

     Pieces of her artwork have also been included in community showcases, including the Irish History Exhibition at the Museum of Newport in 2017 and the Newport Yacht Club Art Show, where she received Best in Show First Runner-Up in 2019.

About the Award

     Along with the selection of Cailin Martin as the national award recipient, the NFHS National High School Heart of the Arts Award Selection Committee chose an additional six individuals and one group for section awards. Following are the 2020 National High School Heart of the Arts section winners:

Section 1 – Cailin Martin, student, Newport (Rhode Island) Rogers High School

Section 2 – Kyla Goldsby, student, Leesburg (Virginia) Heritage High School

Goldsby stands as a tremendous example of personal growth and empowerment through activities participation. Suffering from a challenging medical situation and severe self-esteem issues, Goldsby found a way to express herself and connect with others as a member of Heritage’s forensics team. Her first original oratory piece – “Sometimes It’s A Zebra” – started her down a path to self-confidence and has allowed her to become a champion and community voice for the various medical obstacles in her life.

Section 3 – Winnsboro (South Carolina) Fairfield Central High School Theatre Tech Team (T3)

Along with a variety of school-related projects, the Fairfield Central High School Theatre Tech Team (T3) has been involved in helping create public-service announcement short films on topics including mental health, serving students with special needs and animal rescue. The T3 Team played a critical role in the creation of “A Pony and His Boy,” the story of an eight-year-old boy with Down syndrome who has a life-changing experience when he meets a rescued pony. The T3 Team assisted the film’s creative team with critical input on the current practices of serving students with special needs, and, after seeing the success of equine therapy on the main character, eventually had therapy sessions set up for students with special needs at FCHS. The FCHS sessions were equally as beneficial, which inspired the T3 Team to organize a showing of the film for students, parents and invited guests. Afterward, many of the viewers were able to connect with the film’s main character via social media.

Section 4 – Carter Schott, student, Orland Park (Illinois) Carl Sandburg High School

Born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Schott has not allowed his physical limitations to impede his involvement or passion for the performing arts. A participant in seven activities and a member of the Carl Sandburg bass fishing team that finished second at the Illinois High School Association Bass Fishing Unified Division competition, Schott serves as an inspiration to his school community. These effects may have been most prominent this fall when Schott marched with the marching band for the first time, a feat that required him to play his instrument with both hands and operate his chair with his right forearm, all while staying in sync with the rest of the formation.

Section 5 – Sara Given, theatre teacher, Mexico (Missouri) High School

Given, an awarding-winning, multi-discipline theatre teacher with 26 years of experience, has been highly successful in increasing competitive opportunities for special needs students through the creation of two specially designed programs. The first – Readers Theatre – was launched in 2013 using a script from The Jellybean Conspiracy Foundation, an organization that sponsors theatre shows that include students with and without disabilities. Following the “Jellybean” students’ second-place finish at the district tournament that year, Given started the Jellybean Olympics, which is similar in format to a speech festival. Starting with just two teams and 11 performers in year one, Given has grown the program every year since, and now travels around the state leading workshops for interested schools.

Section 6 – Ashley Ledezma, student, Tulsa (Oklahoma) Edison Preparatory High School

From a very young age, Ledezma had been completely deaf, legally blind and stricken with a rare auto-immune disease but decided to pursue music anyway. Against tall odds, she rose to become flute section leader in both her middle school and high school bands and also learned to play the alto saxophone and percussion instruments. While many feared for her safety, Ledezma courageously marched with the marching band starting in her sophomore year, and, with the help of a sign language interpreter, became skilled enough to be the band’s second drum major as a junior. Tragically, Ledezma contracted an illness midway through her senior year and passed away November 17 as a result of complications with her pre-existing condition.

Section 7 – Howard Summers, band director, Lehi (Utah) Skyridge High School

In a matter of four years, Summers has grown the Skyridge band program into one of the state’s powerhouses through exemplary student-focused leadership. The 2019 Skyridge High School Teacher of the Year has increased marching band membership from 99 members to 130 in that span, and leads concert bands that consistently register Superior ratings at festivals. Summers is also known for his inclusivity. He is a heavy promoter of involvement from all students, including those with significant disabilities, and has also been known to make accommodations for those with extenuating circumstances. In one example involving a Skyridge student musician who had suffered a broken leg, Summers found a way for him to compete with the band as a member of the percussion section.

Section 8 – Shelbey Colt, student, Gresham (Oregon) Centennial High School

A multi-faceted leader on Gresham Centennial’s speech and debate team, Colt is the quintessential team captain. In addition to producing excellence in her own work, she plays an integral role in preparing team materials for events, keeps a great pulse on the well-being of her teammates and has even used her own funds to purchase scripts well-suited for her peers. Colt has performed these leadership duties through a great deal of adversity in her own life, as she has endured occasional stretches of homelessness and oftentimes must play the role of adult for her sister with special needs. In the classroom, she maintains a 3.7 grade-point average and takes several Advanced Placement and college-level courses.    

     Nominations for this award were generated through NFHS member state associations and reviewed by the NFHS National High School Heart of the Arts Award Selection Committee composed of state association staff members. While the national winner will be recognized June 29 at the NFHS Summer Meeting in Denver, Colorado, the section winners will be recognized within their respective states and will receive awards before the end of the current school year.

     The National High School Heart of the Arts Award was started in 2014. Including this year, seven individuals, one band and one theatre group have been chosen national award recipients.

Previous award recipients:

2014 – Leia Schwartz, student-athlete/performing arts student, Miami (Florida) Coral Reef High School

2015 – Ethan Gray, performing arts student, Chicago (Illinois) St. Rita of Cascia High School

2016 – Midland City (Alabama) Dale County High School Marching Band and Band Director Sherri Miller

2017 – Josephine Ross, student, St. Paul (Minnesota) Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School

2018 – Cecelia Egan, student, Riverside (Rhode Island) St. Mary Academy-Bay

2019 – LaRaine Fess, drama teacher at Beaufort (South Carolina) High School and the Beaufort High School Theatre Department

[biandlesbianliterature]

[image description: a graphic with a collage of the book covers listed below. The text reads “Lesbian & Bi Books: New In May!”]

Riptide Summer by Lisa Freeman (YA)

The year is 1973, and Nani is firmly established as one of the top girls in the State Beach lineup. She’s looking forward to a long, relaxing summer of days spent in the sun with her surfer boyfriend, and to secret nights with Rox, the lineup’s queen supreme. But when surf god Nigel breaks her heart, and Rox reveals a secret that tears their friendship—and the lineup—apart, Nani is left to pick up the pieces. If she can’t recruit new Honey Girls to the lineup, the friends will lose their reputation as the beach’s top babes. With the summer spiraling out of control, Nani starts to question everything she’s always believed about how to rule the beach. Maybe it’s time to leave the rules behind, starting with the most important one: Girls don’t surf. 

What the Mouth Wants: A Memoir of Food, Love and Belonging by Monica Meneghetti (Memoir)

The redefinition of family values as seen from the eyes of a polyamorous, queer Italian Canadian obsessed with food. This mouthwatering, intimate, and sensual memoir traces Monica Meneghetti's unique life journey through her relationship with food, family and love. As the youngest child of a traditional Italian-Catholic immigrant family, Monica learns the intimacy of the dinner table and the ritual of meals, along with the requirements of conformity both at the table and in life. Monica is thirteen when her mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoes a mastectomy. When her mother dies three years later, Monica considers the existence of her own breasts and her emerging sexuality in the context of grief and the disintegration of her sense of family. As Monica becomes an adult, she discovers a part of her self that rebels against the rigours of her traditional upbringing. And as the layers of her sexuality are revealed she begins to understand that like herbs infusing a sauce with flavour; her differences add a delicious complexity to her life. But in coming to terms with her place in the margins of the margins, Monica must also face the challenge of coming out while living in a small town, years before same-sex marriage and amendments to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms created safer spaces for queers. Through risk, courage and heartbreak, she ultimately redefines and recreates family and identity according to her own alternative vision.

The Gift by Barbara Browning (Literary Fiction)

In the midst of Occupy, Barbara Andersen begins spamming people indiscriminately with ukulele covers of sentimental songs. A series of inappropriate intimacies ensues, including an erotically charged correspondence and then collaboration with an extraordinarily gifted and troubled musician living in Germany.

Large Animals: Stories by Jess Arndt (Short Stories)

JESS ARNDT’s striking debut collection confronts what it means to have a body. Boldly straddling the line between the imagined and the real, the masculine and the feminine, the knowable and the impossible, these twelve stories are an exhilarating and profoundly original expression of voice. In “Jeff,” Lily Tomlin confuses Jess for Jeff, instigating a dark and hilarious identity crisis. In “Together,” a couple battles a mysterious STD that slowly undoes their relationship, while outside a ferocious weed colonizes their urban garden. And in “Contrails,” a character on the precipice of a seismic change goes on a tour of past lovers, confronting their own reluctance to move on. Arndt’s subjects are canny observers even while they remain dangerously blind to their own truest impulses. Often unnamed, these narrators challenge the limits of language―collectively, their voices create a transgressive new formal space that makes room for the queer, the nonconforming, the undefined. And yet, while they crave connection, love, and understanding, they are constantly at risk of destroying themselves. Large Animals pitches toward the heart, pushing at all our most tender parts―our sex organs, our geography, our words, and the tendons and nerves of our culture.

Tremontaine (Tremontaine Season One) created by Ellen Kushner (Fantasy)

Welcome to Tremontaine, the prequel to Ellen Kushner’s beloved Riverside series that began with Swordspoint! A Duchess whose beauty is matched only by her cunning; her husband’s dangerous affair with a handsome scholar; a foreigner in a playground of swordplay and secrets; and a mathematical genius on the brink of revolution—when long-buried lies threaten to come to light, betrayal and treachery know no bounds with stakes this high. Mind your manners and enjoy the chocolate in a dance of sparkling wit and political intrigue. Originally presented serially in 13 episodes by Serial Box, this omnibus collects all installments of Tremontaine Season One into one edition.

Things to Do When You're Goth in the Country: And Other Stories by Chavisa Woods (Short Stories)

Things to Do When You're Goth in the Country paints a vivid image of the bizarre characters that live on the fringes in America’s heartland. They don't do what you expect them to do. These aren't typical stories of triumph over adversity, but something completely other. It's "Murakami meets the meth heads" says National Book Foundation award winner Samantha Hunt. "Reader, you have never before seen anything like this." The eight stories in this literary collection present a brilliantly surreal and sardonic landscape and language, and offer a periscope into the heart of the rural poor. Among the singular characters, you'll meet: a “zombie” who secretly resides in a local cemetery; a queer teen goth who is facing ostracism from her small town evangelical church; a woman who leaves New York City once a year to visit her little brothers in the backwoods Midwest, only to discover they’ve been having trouble with some meth dealers and UFOs that trouble the area. In the backdrop of all the stories are the endless American wars and occupations, overshadowed, for these characters, by the many early deaths of their friends and family, that occur regularly for a whole host of reasons.

Pride & Joy: LGBTQ Artists, Icons and Everyday Heroes by Kathleen Archambeau

Stories of success, happiness and hope from the LGBT community Stories that comprise the best of LGBT history ─ Pride and Joy: LGBTQ Artists, Icons and Everyday Heroes tells the stories of queer citizens of the world living OUT and proud happy, fulfilling, successful lives. Diverse and global. Famous and unsung. There is a story here for everyone in the LGBT community who has ever questioned their sexual orientation or gender identity, or discovered it.

Award-winning writer and longtime LGBTQ activist Kathleen Archambeau tells the untold stories from diverse LGBT community voices around the corner or around the world. Not like the depressing, sinister, shadowy stories of the past, this book highlights queer people living open, happy, fulfilling and successful lives.

The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julie Ember (Fantasy YA)

Having long wondered what lives beyond the ice shelf, nineteen-year-old mermaid Ersel learns of the life she wants when she rescues and befriends Ragna, a shield-maiden stranded on the merfolk's fortress. But when Ersel's childhood friend and suitor catches them together, he gives Ersel a choice: Say goodbye to Ragna or face justice at the hands of the glacier's brutal king.

Determined to forge a different fate, Ersel seeks help from the divine Loki. But such deals are never straightforward, and the outcome sees her exiled from the only home and protection she's known. To save herself from perishing in the barren, underwater wasteland and be reunited with the human she's come to love, Ersel must try to outsmart the God of Lies.

[Warning for Seafarer’s Kiss: the villain (the God of Lies) is nonbinary and is the only nonbinary representation in the book.]

How To Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake (YA)

    Grace, tough and wise, has nearly given up on wishes, thanks to a childhood spent with her unpredictable, larger-than-life mother. But this summer, Grace meets Eva, a girl who believes in dreams, despite her own difficult circumstances.      One fateful evening, Eva climbs through a window in Grace’s room, setting off a chain of stolen nights on the beach. When Eva tells Grace that she likes girls, Grace’s world opens up and she begins to believe in happiness again.      How to Make a Wish is an emotionally charged portrait of a mother and daughter’s relationship and a heartfelt story about two girls who find each other at the exact right time.

Nico & Tucker by Rachel Gold (Fiction, NA)

The decision can’t be put off any longer. A medical crisis turns Nico’s body into a battleground, crushing Nico under conflicting family pressures. Having lived genderqueer for years, Nico is used to getting strong reactions (and uninvited opinions!) from everyone, but it is Tucker’s reaction that hurts the most. Jess Tucker didn’t mean to hurt Nico, but she panicked. And after the worst year of her life, she’s hanging on by a thread. Forget recovery time and therapy, she needs to put the past behind her and be normal again. But when her relationship with Nico becomes more than she can handle, she cuts and runs. In this riveting sequel to Just Girls, comes a love story about bodies, healing, and knowing who you really are.

Witches, Princesses, and Women at Arms: Erotic Lesbian Fairy Tales edited by Sacchi Green (Erotica)

In this sexy anthology of fantastical short stories, women are no longer just damsels in distress. Instead, strong, passionate females race to the rescue of their female lovers in this new collection of erotic fantasy.

The stories within Witches, Princesses, and Women at Arms are masterfully crafted to lead your mind down unexpected paths to your favorite fantasy adventure, from the classic fairy-tales of Little Red Riding Hood to Rapunzel to the modern marvel of Game of Thrones. They will wash over you in an epic sea of words meant to entice and embolden your inner princess, heroine, or both.

Enter a time where you may be abducted by bandits or seduced by witches one second and find your heart spellbound by a dryad the next. But be warned, gentle traveler! With this new, provocative collection edited by Sacchi Green, the stories may begin with “Once upon a time”, but they will leave you coming back, time and time again.

Rough Patch by Nicole Markotic (YA)

When fifteen-year-old Keira starts high school, she almost wishes she could write "Hi, my name is Keira, and I'm bisexual!" on her nametag. Needless to say, she's actually terrified to announce—let alone fully explore—her sexuality. Quirky but shy, loyal yet a bit zany, Keira navigates her growing interest in kissing both girls and boys while not alienating her BFF, boy-crazy Sita. As the two acclimate to their new high school, they manage to find lunch tablemates and make lists of the school's cutest boys. But Keira is caught "in between"—unable to fully participate, yet too scared to come clean.

She's also feeling the pressure of family: parents who married too young and have differing parenting styles; a younger sister in a wheelchair from whom adults expect either too little or too much; and her popular older brother who takes pleasure in taunting Keira. She finds solace in preparing for the regional finals of figure skating, a hobby she knows is geeky and "het girl" yet instills her with confidence. But when she meets a girl named Jayne who seems perfect for her, she isn't so confident she can pull off her charade any longer.

Rough Patch is an honest, heart-wrenching novel about finding your place in the world, and about how to pick yourself up after taking a spill.

Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin (Fiction)

Set in the post-martial-law era of late-1980s Taipei, Notes of a Crocodile is a coming-of-age story of queer misfits discovering love, friendship, and artistic affinity while hardly studying at Taiwan’s most prestigious university. Told through the eyes of an anonymous lesbian narrator nicknamed Lazi, this cult classic is a postmodern pastiche of diaries, vignettes, mash notes, aphorisms, exegesis, and satire by an incisive prose stylist and major countercultural figure. Afflicted by her fatalistic attraction to Shui Ling, an older woman, Lazi turns for support to a circle of friends that includes a rich kid turned criminal and his troubled, self-destructive gay lover, as well as a bored, mischievous overachiever and her alluring slacker artist girlfriend. Illustrating a process of liberation from the strictures of gender through radical self-inquiry, Notes of a Crocodile is a poignant masterpiece of social defiance by a singular voice in contemporary Chinese literature.

Birdy Flynn by Helen Donohoe (YA)

Birdy Flynn carries secrets. There is the secret of Birdy’s dead grandmother’s cat. How the boys tortured it and Birdy had to drown it in the river to stop it from suffer-ing. There’s the secret of Mrs. Cope, the teacher who touched Birdy. The secret of the gypsy girl at school who Birdy likes. But she can’t tell anyone about any of these secrets. Because Birdy’s other secret is that while she fights as good as the boys, she is a girl, and she doesn’t always feel like a girl is supposed to. So Birdy holds on to her secrets and tries to become what others want, even it if means losing herself. BIRDY FLYNN is a beautifully nuanced and deeply felt portrayal of a girl growing up amid an imperfect family, and an imperfect world, to become the person she was meant to be.

Not One Day by Anne Garréta (Fiction)

Not One Day begins with a maxim: “Not one day without a woman.” What follows is an intimate, erotic, and sometimes bitter recounting of loves and lovers past, breathtakingly written, exploring the interplay between memory, fantasy, and desire.

“For life is too short to submit to reading poorly written books and sleeping with women one does not love.”

Anne Garréta, author of the groundbreaking novel Sphinx (Deep Vellum, 2015), is a member of the renowned Oulipo literary group. Not One Day won the Prix Médicis in 2002, recognizing Garréta as an author “whose fame does not yet match their talent.”

Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman (Romance) (only $1.99!)

Small-batch independent yarn dyer Clara Ziegler is eager to brainstorm new color combinations--if only she could come up with ideas she likes as much as last time! When she sees Danielle Solomon's paintings of Florida wildlife by chance at a neighborhood gallery, she finds her source of inspiration. Outspoken, passionate, and complicated, Danielle herself soon proves even more captivating than her artwork... Fluffy Jewish f/f contemporary set in the author's childhood home of South Florida.

Queer Women Books Out This Month!

See more lesbian and bi women new releases at Women in Words, or more queer new releases at Lambda Literary.

If you liked this post, consider supporting FYLL and the Lesbrary on Patreon at $2 or more a month to be entered to win a lesbian/queer women book every month, as well as getting exclusive Lesbian Literature 101 updates! 

Or buy us a coffee on ko-fi as a one-time donation!

[womenofcolor15]

BACK ON! Common Says Therapy Helped Him Get Back Together With Angela Rye As She Opens Up About Freezing Her Eggs

Common and Angela Rye are back together. And the rapper-turned-actor credits therapy for their reunion. More inside...

#BlackLove gets a second chance.

Rapper Common and CNN political analyst Angela Rye started dating in summer of 2017, but the couple ended up calling it quits in March 2018 after fans noticed he didn't have her on his arm for the 2018 Academy Awards. The split wasn't messy and they issued a statement saying they would "always be friends."

We found that statement to be true when the Oscar winner brought his ex-girlfriend to his 5th Annual "Toast to the Arts" pre-Oscar dinner party in February 2019. Nothing coupledom like, just friends. They both spoke highly about one another following the split, so it wasn't that much of a surprise to see her at his event. 

Just recently, rumors started circulating that the "Glory" rapper had reunited with another one of his exes, Erykah Badu, after they performed "The Light" together at this year's Black Girls Rock! event. However, that's not the case. 

While promoting his upcoming album Let Love, Common sat down with Power 105 radio personality Angie Martinez to confirm he's most definitely in a relationship with an ex, but it isn't Erykah Badu.

“We’re still really close and I got a lot of love for her, but I’m dating somebody," the 47-year-old rapper/actor said.

Oh?

While he said Ms. Badu will always have important place in his life, he confirmed he and Angela Rye are BACK ON. He said Erykah is someone he has a connection with and that she's "like family to me at this point,”

"But all that being said, it’s great. I’m happy in the relationship. You’ve got to be able to balance things and know like, okay I love this person, but this ain’t the person for my relationship life.”

"The Chi" actor opened up about how therapy helped him become a better man, which resulted in him being a better partner.

“I think being able to go through situations where I didn’t do good in relationships, some of that was my responsibility, and after repeating that, being like ‘What am I doing wrong?’ and working on self, I’m able to come to a relationship more like whole. This is where I am with it, this is what I’m looking for. If things change, then let’s communicate. I’m real honest with myself. Therapy helped me to do that. It helped me to be like, some of the stuff I’m putting on this person is really stuff from my childhood; baggage I’m carrying. This ain’t that person. [It also helped me] to be able to say the things that I really want and communicate those things; and also to be able to take a situation where I’m stressed about something and not make it about them. They might not even be doing anything wrong, but you can take the stresses of your day and put that on the relationship.”

He said he had to get himself together first before pursuing a relationship with Angela again. And we're sure Angela let him know up front that she was not with the BS. So it seems he leveled up to get his woman back.

“We dated and then I had to get myself together and she was doing some work,” he said. “She’s a strong cookie, but she’s good people and really a good balance and fun, too. I need a partner who is fun because we go out there and do the work and constantly, I’m living out the things I’m passionate about. But so many times I’m talking about the things that are going on in the world, serious things in life, so I just need somebody that’s like, we can just talk and have fun.”

Aww! Good for them.

Peep his interview at the 7-minute mark below:

  If y’all haven’t noticed, I’m geeked to have my new album Let Love out on Friday. To celebrate, tune in tomorrow at 5 PM PST/8 PM EST for a special album listening experience from the @YouTubeSpaceNY here: https://t.co/QCeYq8dY9P #LetLove pic.twitter.com/PdZxMCVEkq

— COMMON (@common) August 29, 2019

  Common's new album Let Love drops tomorrow, August 30th and he's currently on tour.

Meanwhile...

  I will be appearing on the premiere of #BlackWomenOWN the Conversation with 100 Black women for a transformative conversation about Motherhood, brought to you by @owntv and @ozy. Follow @BlackWomenOWN for updates and be sure to tune in to OWN on Aug 31 at 10/9c! pic.twitter.com/0HoX3oILTm

— A N G E L A | R Y E (@angela_rye) August 25, 2019

  An an upcoming episode of “OWN Spotlight: Black Women OWN The Conversation,” Angela Rye opens up about how she was in the process freezing her eggs when she and Common broke up.

“I went through a breakup that was life-shaking for me a year ago,” she shared. “At the same time I was going through the breakup, I was going through the process of freezing my eggs.”

Angela said the breakup made her question if motherhood and marriage was for her, but then she had a change of heart.

“For a moment, as soon as I froze my eggs, I was like, ‘I’m good. I don’t need these fools at all," she explained.

“After my godson’s moved in, I was like, ‘This might actually be more rewarding than any speech I’ve ever given, than any book I could ever write, than any opportunity to mentor anyone,'” Rye explained. “I feel like just them being around, I’ve grown as a person. I think that is truly a lesson you can only learn on a motherhood journey.”

Check out the first look below: 

See the full episode with Angela, actress Ryan Michelle Bathe, the California Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, and comedian Dulcé Sloan when it premeires August 31st at 10/9c on OWN.

    Photo: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2019/08/29/back-on-common-says-therapy-helped-him-get-back-together-with-angela-rye

[bloojayoolie]

Adam Sandler, Alive, and Animals: Johnny Boy 'limbo', Marston Arthur More Organ Holland Hoseas Before Broseas swagalicious crunchy outside, self-deprecating chewy center - "how many licks does it take the squad's favorite disaster scrappy damsel squares up at a moment's notice can never seem to get their shit together to get to the center of my depression" goth jock dropout just wants to settle down - - dumbest smart person alive - denies being moe - "wanna know how I got these scars- wait where are you going" - makes 50+ post twitter threads nobody reads just needs a break - "Actually, correlation is not causation" - thinks they're charming, is actually charming - constantly forgets their age - "back in my day - only one who knows what the fuck they're talking about incredible artist, thinks their stuff is 'okay' still needs to shut the fuck up - one shot, one kill - "once I go viral it's over for you hoes" - has a 'Home Is Where The Heart Is' welcome mat-liked by practically everybody - productive procrastinator can never hold down a relationship - Instant Uncle, Just Add Baby suffers from chronic pushover syndrome "no questions, dammit, no questions" - jokes hit too close to home - Good bad influence - weed friend Make It Work Guy Fieri Will Billiamson Bad Santa -always knows what to play at a party - adopts everyone on sight - great with kids, great with animals, wants to hold your baby - scientific evidence good girls want bad boys - tsundere - burns salads - "have you eaten today" - owns etsy account, too busy to make anything - punches self for fun - professional alcoholic - always needs to borrow money - terrible drunk, never remembers what happened that night walks around the house in their underwear gives great hugs needs seven showers group's unexpected therapist patronus is secondhand embarrassment just wants to be part of the family "MCDONALD'S! MCDONALD'S! MCDONALD'S!"* is the party cultured, well-traveled and stylish; made for Instagram - *gestures to all of you* "we need to do something about this" - always starts drama, yet always seems to avoid it bad taste in literally everything, banned from recommending outings - will always have squad's back iron constitution, never gets sick - "say that to my fucking face" - may seem Mad, is actually Sad petty *pulls up in drive-thru, orders single starts the day with horoscope readings - Chaotic Loyal black coffee, leaves t" FUCKS.EXE STOPPED WORKING 'mSorry Ms. Jackson tOh) Bastard Millennial Green Hat McGuy "join team chat" - fashionable at all times, even when going to the grocery store can't do crime if you ain't cute -only dates fictional men won't leave the house for days need lives on cow tales and TVTropes says they can hold their liquor regularly tells squad to hydrate can't actually hold their liquor too nice for own good living boke and tsukkomi routine to shut up yesterday social interaction, naps for ten years it's basic hygiene and laying beneath the stars -"please stop talking" exhausted after two minutes of maybe they're born with it, maybe soft spot for animals, slow dancing cooler than you . living proof the scariest people frat brotryhard nerd gem fusion come in the nicest packages graceful loser, even more graceful winner - "what day is it again" nobody sees clapbacks coming until it's never learned how to drive every day is roast session day - "I'll roast you, I'll roast them, I'll roast me fuckin' self" - Has never completed No Nut November sings in the shower - adores Linkin Park late - "are you ready yet" "almost" - allergic to idiots Adam Sandler Regina O'George Let Me Speak To Your Manager - retired mom friend, back from retirement ages every time someone references a vine instead of responding normally - smokes sixty packs a day Goof Troop social norms are for dweebs just wants to play videogames - No Drama? No ProblemTM -"Local Mean Girl Refuses To Be Toppled From Throne" - loses shit over small things -THIS close to cutting someone and snack in peace shoves people in lockers to show affection forgets not to swear in front of other never forgets a birthday shaped like a friend only one in squad who can cook only one in squad who can drive people's children the queen of throwing down "fuck, sorry about that" given up on romance savwy businessowner resident gossip big problems are Whatever - needs therapy - Favorite Songs Are 'Find Me Somebody- smells amazing To Love' And 'Before He Cheats' common sense frequently left on read - hasn't seen most popular movies - a matryoshka of pain - wishes you didn't look like a dump truck knows Wicked by heart - only one in squad who does taxes Songs Are unforgiveable weeb - villain origin story is that stubborn chin hair that keeps growing back - always says 'gg' after every game incredible skin care regimen - "just drink more water" award winning sailor mouth - Big Hair, Don't Care "What's My Age Again" by Blink 182 World's Saddest Violin Bullshit Magician Expletive Noises Looks like a million dollars, is probably worth a million dollars - family person, loves everybody keeps Twitter on private - meows back at their cat - extroverted introvert -feels guilty for not logging into Animal Crossing for nine months thinks existence is kind of funny invented the word 'dapper - the living embodiment of when you try your best but you don't succeed' - just wants to be loved and cherished -great with animals, never scratched the life of the party, when they're not launching into drunken diatribes -smartest smart person alive -stays up until three in the morning thinking about the meaning of life - an essential addition to any squad - reads at 10,000 miles per hour wants to stab Banksy hates stan culture hoards comfort food beneath their desk gets sentimental over their Neopets used to hoard Beanie Babies - hates answering the phone - silently lurks in Twitch chatrooms - needs more friends - stylish drunk with two hollow legs - never fails to speak their mind great at impressions -not-so-secretly depressed - regularly confuses main for private "just forget I said that haha" preserves their right hook for justice - stared into the void, got bored quotes movies when provoked - "That's just, like, your opinion, man." the most perfect teeth Baby Boy...Baby Talk Shit, Get Hit Mr. Krabs A Dog - soft outside, softer inside - never ashamed to cry - weak spot for pups, needs to pet every dog they see -only one of the squad that's been punched squad's resident cheapskate needs to seriously reconsider things trolling game out of control A dog - never seems to accumulate debt, also never tips the waiter took college prep in high school - can't fight to save their life - surprisingly terrifying comebacks - multilingual gg ez clap" oves Bon Iver, Death Grips and Beyonce equally - Kappa Kappa KappaRoss CoolStoryBob workplace's local kissass likes to give gifts to sad friends living embodiment of a flower crown talks during movies home life is a mess - needs a vacation, too self-conscious - doesn't flush toilets in public bathrooms to take one - adopted by everybody - "Oh, I won't report you...yet" believes they were born in the wrong era - has never yelled once - in love with the smell of old books - wishes on stars when no one's looking leaves breadcrumbs in butter a well-rounded tool - nobody knows why they keep getting invited"Poverty is a state of mind." champagnesuperhoeva: red dead redemption 2 tag yourself masterpost now all in one spot for your convenient bullshit needs tag your chronic pain, tag your panic attacks, tag your existential crisis  I am all of these yet none of them at the same time

[vileart]

Shit I'm in Love with Dramaturgy: Rachelle Elie @ Edfringe 2017

Bawdy Romp through Life, Love and Family with Cheeky Songs About Sex

Rachelle Elie can tell you more about love and relationships than Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Katy Perry could ever do – and she’s laying it all on the line.

The Outstanding Canadian Comedy Award winner is bringing her critically acclaimed one-woman show Shit I’m in Love With You Again (SIILWYA) to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time. Packed with witty observations, tales of embarrassment plus cheeky songs about sex it’s a joyfully bawdy romp through the ups and downs of her life that covers teenage lust, family, marriage, parenthood and therapy.

What was the inspiration for this performance?

For the last 15 years I have been creating and touring one-woman comedy character shows such as Joe: The Perfect Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry. After years of marital distress, my obstetrician/gynaecologist husband and I managed to rescue our love from the cliff’s edge, a recovery that inspired my own story. 

I realised I knew more about love and relationships than Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Katy Perry could ever know. So six years ago I decided to strip away the characters, get on stage in stand up clubs and find my own voice, a decision that led to Shit I’m in Love With You Again. The show is my life, including my time spent in Kenya where my husband worked in a hospital and I taught art to HIV positive adults shunned by society. 

Medical politics forced my husband to resign his post just as I, after making sacrifices and overcoming doubts to accompany him, found my niche and was making a real difference to people’s lives. The rest is history – a history laid bare for all to see on stage. Shit I’m in love With You Again is my first autobiographical show and this is me laying it all on the line.    

Is performance still a good space for the public discussion of ideas? 

I feel theatre is still one of the best ways to share ideas. What I love about theatre is it is an art form that requires an audience. As a performer I get immediate feedback about whether my idea is being understood and it affects my performance.  

With so much social media and texting, face-to-face communication is harder to get but theatre is an old fashioned art form that offers modern present day idea sharing and expression.  

How did you become interested in making performance?

From a very early age I would do silly characters to make my siblings laugh. My brother always pushed me to do the characters for others to make them laugh. We would be driving through Florida and he got me to walk up to strangers and do my characters. I got addicted to the laughs. 

Those were early performances. By being weird I realised I could affect a stranger’s day. I failed Grade 8 and at that time a guidance counsellor encouraged me to audition for a high school of the arts. I didn’t know it but I was an artist. I got into the art and dance program and thrived.  At 16 I was working as a professional model and at a Ralph Lauren show we were told to completely ignore the audience. 

This was impossible to me and that realisation led me to persuing a degree in acting at Bishop’s University. Making performance was something I gravitated towards but as I got older the type of performance I was meant to do became clearer. I went to theatre school to be a serious actress but my true calling has always been to be a clown and to do comedy.

Is there any particular approach to the making of the show?

Every show I have created has had a slightly different approach but most of the time it involves collaboration with clown experts. I have worked with Philippe Gaulier, Sue Morrison, Mike Kennard, James Keylon, Francine Cote, Adam Lazarus, David Shiner and others. T

hese people are masters of clown and physical comedy. When starting a new project I often get in a room with one of these people and start jamming. They help me get clearer with my ideas. I also get on stage as much as I can because the audience will immediately let me know if something is working. I am not a linear thinker so I often work with dramaturges or directors to shape the show. 

Once I feel I have at least an hour of strong material I will schedule previews so the show can further develop in front of an audience. I will video those previews and make major cuts at that point.  Friends and family feedback also influences my work. 

Does the show fit with your usual productions?

In the past my work has been theatre based and the shows have revolved around over the top characters. This show was developed in front of audiences in stand-up clubs, cabarets and bars. It became clear after hundreds of 5-30 min sets that a new show was in development but I was to be the central figure. 

Many comedians will say it takes years to really find your VOICE, after six years of consistent performances and feeling like my comedic voice was surfacing it became clear that I needed to create a new piece. I knew I wanted to perform it in theatres so I returned to my usual approach; to shows which involved several collaborators and mentors. 

What do you hope that the audience will experience?

More and more people need to laugh. As a comedian my favourite part of my work is doing just that and I believe this show provides some comic relief. I am also a trained clown. Clowns go too far, push boundaries and talk about things people are usually hesitant to discuss. 

I hope audiences jump on board with me when I go into the good the bad and the rauchy experiences of life. My specialty is “being too much” and “going too far” I hope audiences will enjoy my unique brand of comedy developed over the last twenty years that involves storytelling, stand up, clown, characters and acting.  

Near the end of the show, when we get more into the crisis of my relationship audiences get to see the worst of me. It is very intimate. I try to always come back to the light of it which is fun because things get crazy and then we laugh about how ugly things got. I had a friend who went through a nasty divorce and at the end of the show he was teary and said he wished he saw the show before they broke up. 

Another elderly overweight gentleman said he wished he had "fucked first" in his first marriage. Maybe it would of saved it! I tell the truth about love and relationships and the shows message is that even if a relationship appears to be shit it may be fixable. I hope audiences will laugh and when conflict part of the show comes up that people will relate to my struggle and to my universal message about love.

What strategies did you consider towards shaping this audience experience?

A few years back I discovered Aristotle's “Fryetag's Pyramid". Exposition, Rising action, Climax, Falling action & Resolution. I am not by nature a linear thinker and this tried and true triangle for story development is a strategy that helped me shape my chaotic ideas. Also I perform as much as I can in front of a live audience so that I can ensure my writing and performance are consistently funny for all types of audiences. 

Lastly and most importantly as a performer doing what I have to do before a show, to be in the moment with the audience that is in front of me, is crucial to shaping an audiences experience. There is a magical place, a five star place, between an audience and a performer on stage and when I access that place the audience and I have the ultimate experience. I am getting better and better at stepping into that place and it is the part of theatre that is like skydiving: life and death.

The show was a sing and shout-along success across Canada. Mums empathise with the “Ring of Fire” scene where Elie discusses that unforgettable sensation during childbirth, just before the baby arrives. 

And we can all learn from the Fuck First ditty and its core message about going to bed together before, rather than after, a romantic restaurant curry. 

SIILWYA rips through every key moment from Elie’s fall out with Jesus and enthusiastic embrace of sexual freedom, to true love and a marriage that came within an inch of divorce.

Described by legendary French master clown Philippe Gaulier as “fucking funny”, Elie has won bucket loads of praise. Critics delight at the energy and charm with which she delivers this autobiographical tale. Elie’s comedy can switch in an instant from naivety to raunch and then into the pathos of the realisation that she “loves everything about her husband – even the things that she hates”.

Elie treats universal themes in unexpected ways. She says: “It’s all there from splitting up with Jesus to the need for patience, tolerance and blow jobs in saving your marriage. I know more about long-term relationships than Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Katy Perry combined. I’ve been in the trenches of love for 20 years with my husband. We’re raising two boys together. I talk about the things most people are afraid to discuss.”

The songs are co-written with Luke Jackson, who provides live musical accompaniment.

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