#Mary Amato

[bracketsoffear]

The Word Eater (Mary Amato) "The titular Word Eater is a worm born with eyes and the magical ability to eat words instead of dirt, named Fip. Whenever Fip eats a word, the object or subject that word was referring to vanishes, at one point accidentally erasing a recently discovered star. When used on a subject, erasure removes any ontological effects, as when used on a torturous dog training method the dogs it was used on all suddenly become docile instead of vicious. The conflict of the story comes in the fact that words are the only thing Fip can eat, so keeping anything else from being erased becomes a matter of starving him. There's also some disgruntled students who almost use him to erase their school, with the protagonist worrying that the effect could abstractly extend to the staff and students, necessitating their thwarting."

The Book of the War (Lawrence Miles et. al.) Synopsis: "The Great Houses: Immovable. Implacable. Unchanging. Old enough to pass themselves off as immortal, arrogant enough to claim ultimate authority over the Spiral Politic.

The Enemy: Not so much an army as a hostile new kind of history. So ambitious it can re-write worlds, so complex that even calling it by its name seems to underestimate it.

Faction Paradox: Renegades, ritualists, saboteurs and subterfugers, the criminal-cult to end all criminal-cults, happy to be caught in the crossfire and ready to take whatever's needed from the wreckage… assuming the other powers leave behind a universe that's habitable.

The War: A fifty-year-old dispute over the two most valuable territories in existence: "cause" and "effect."

Marking the first five decades of the conflict, THE BOOK OF THE WAR is an A to Z of a self-contained continuum and a complete guide to the Spiral Politic, from the beginning of recordable time to the fall of humanity. Part story, part history and part puzzle-box, this is a chronicle of protocol and paranoia in a War where the historians win as many battles as the soldiers and the greatest victory of all is to hold on to your own past."

Propaganda: A text which purports to be a constantly shifting and updating guide to The War, a conflict so overarching and complete that every other conflict is but a pale shadow thereof; the Time War. Of course, since it would shift retroactively with the changing timelines, there is no way to prove or disprove this claim. Notable entries include cities built from days stolen from shifting calendars, the secrets of removing yourself from history while still leaving yourself free to interfere, Grandfather Paradox, the location of the exact center of history, how to weaponize banality, and Parablox.

Oh, and there's something else in there. Something that seems to be talking to you.

[dozydawn]

Petra, November 1988.

Photographed by Paul Amato.

Model: Mary Bergman.

[frankenpagie]

💔💔

[laderniereseancedecedrique]

RED NOTICE (2021)

Il y a deux mille ans, Marc Antoine offrit à Cléopâtre trois œufs ornés de bijoux en guise de cadeau de mariage ; les œufs sont perdus au cours du temps jusqu'à ce que deux soient retrouvés en 1907.

En 2021, l'agent spécial John Hartley, un profileur du FBI, est chargé d'aider l'agent d'Interpol Urvashi Das à enquêter sur le vol potentiel d'un des œufs, exposé au musée du Château Saint-Ange à Rome, après avoir été informé qu'il pourrait même avoir déjà été volé. Alors que le chef de la sécurité dissipe leur inquiétude, l'œuf étant toujours exposé, Hartley dévoile que c'est une copie. Le voleur, Nolan Booth, rentre ensuite chez lui à Bali avec l'œuf mais Hartley, Das et une équipe d'Interpol l'arrêtent et récupèrent l'œuf. À l'insu de tous, Sarah Black, la principale concurrente de Booth connue sous le nom de "Le Fou", l'échange contre un faux. Le lendemain, Das, mise au courant que l'œuf récupéré est également une copie, emprisonne Hartley dans une prison russe avec Booth, croyant qu'il est complice du vol.

Black leur propose de travailler ensemble pour trouver le troisième œuf, Booth ayant révélé à Hartley qu'il sait où il se trouve. Hartley propose qu'ils s'unissent pour battre Black ; ils s'échappent de la prison et se rendent à Valence pour voler le deuxième œuf, propriété du marchand d'armes Sotto Voce. Ils rencontrent alors Black, qui a également l'intention de le voler. Voce appréhende les deux hommes tandis que Black révèle qu'elle travaille avec Voce.

Booth divulgue alors l'emplacement du troisième œuf et Black part pour l'Égypte où Booth prétend qu'il se trouve. Après avoir quitté Valence, Booth révèle à Hartley que l'œuf se trouve en fait en Argentine, dans un endroit connu de lui seul car inscrit sur la montre de son défunt père laquelle appartenait au conservateur d'art personnel d'Adolf Hitler ; en 1945, Zeich a fui l'Europe pour l'Argentine. Le duo trouvent le bunker secret où se trouvent d'innombrables artefacts nazis dont le troisième œuf. Black, qui n'est pas tombée dans leur piège et les a suivis, les menace d'une arme mais est interrompue par l'arrivée de Das. Hartley, Booth et Black s'échappent et, après avoir plongé d'une cascade, atterrissent dans un lac au fond. Booth découvre alors que Hartley et Black sont partenaires, qu'Hartley n'a jamais travaillé pour le FBI et qu'il est lui aussi "Le Fou". Booth, menotté à un arbre dans la forêt tropicale, leur donne alors l'œuf.

Au Caire, Hartley et Black livrent les trois œufs à un milliardaire égyptien comme cadeau de mariage de sa fille (à l'image du cadeau original de Marc Antoine à Cléopâtre). Le mariage est interrompu par un raid d'Interpol de Das. Six mois plus tard, Booth fait son apparition sur leur yacht, en Sardaigne ; il les informe qu'à la suite de ses révélations à Interpol, leur compte en banque aux îles Caïmans, sur lequel les 300 millions de dollars du milliardaire égyptien ont été versés, a été siphonné, les laissant sans argent. Booth leur offre une chance d'échapper à Interpol, sur le point de les capturer, s'ils l'aident à réaliser un nouveau braquage, au Louvre à Paris, qui nécessite trois personnes pour réussir. Alors qu'ils s'échappent, Das rédige une notice rouge à l'encontre du trio.

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Did You Hear About the Morgans? 2009

[mikesfilmtalk]

Italian Turtles: 2019 Comic book Geeks For the Win

Italian Turtles is a retro review. It is 2019 and comic book geeks are in for the win. This imaginative look at just how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles got their start in a pitch meeting is funny. Vin Nucatola writes, directs and edits this comedic look at pitching a new idea to potential buyers/producers. Timothy J Cox is the corporate head who has two sidekicks. The three listen and do not…

[thescarlettbitch]

Devotional Acts

For love or beauty deities

Skin care

Make up (or embrace your natural beauty)

Dress up a little

Paint your nails

Love letters

Self /love/ iykyk

Change your bed sheets/clean up your room/space

Listen to love songs/songs about sex/loving yourself

You know that trend of people, typically women, painting a canvas black and then painting their legs/ass/hands/boobs and making a form of silhouette art for their partners?

Read romance novels

Play Interactive romance novels/romance games (stardew valley, dream daddy, The Arcana, etc)

For war deities

Listen to angry music

Advocate for yourself

Reinforce your boundaries

Cut out the negative people in your life

Feel your anger, recognize your anger, don't force it down, but don't lash out to others. "I am angry. This thing made me angry. It's okay that I am angry, it is not okay to cause harm to those who do not deserve it." Etc etc

Read biographies or accounts of war, or dystopian novels (accounts of war like Night by Elie Weisel, dystopian like Divergent or Hunger Games)

Learn self defense

Learn about how your area was used in past wars.

Play fighting games (call of duty, mortal combat, etc)

For music/art deities

Create! Learn an instrument

Write a song

Paint for them

Listen to experimental or storytelling music. All music is art, so find a vibe for your deity.

Take pictures of nature, art is everywhere in nature, from the paintings on butterfly wings to the sunset

Read/write poetry

Read poetry books, or books about music or art (think biographies from musicians/artists, or books like Guitar Notes by Mary Amato or such) (guitar notes is a midgrade book but it's the only one I could think of the name of)

Visit galleries or local shows, support local artists

For wisdom deities

Read books, any type, but mostly classics like Sherlock Holmes or Jane Austen

Watch documentaries

Take free online courses on subjects that interest you

Visit and support your local libraries and independently owned bookstores

Find old unloved books at thrift stores

Learn a new skill

Listen to music from different time periods

Visit museums

Play strategy games (chess, supreme commander, etc)

Do puzzles

For nature deities

Raise a plant, or a garden

Listen to nature sounds, or music with nature sounds

Observe nature persevering, vines crawling up a building, dandelions in cracks in the pavement.

Read wilderness guides

Learn about your area's native flora and fauna

Visit local parks

Open windows and let the fresh air in

Scavenge/forage (in safe areas)

Play cozy games (animal crossing, etc)

For death deities

Visit local graveyards/cemeteries (don't forget to be mindful and conscious of others and the spirits there)

Listen to music by artists who have passed on, or music about death

Learn about different cultures' funeral practices

Safely move roadkill out of the road, leave a small offering if possible (again, do so SAFELY)

Read books that have death themes (like Edgar Allen Poe, Wuthering Heights, or They Both Die In The End)

Think about how you want your body to be treated in death. Do you want to be buried? Cremated?

For home/hearth deities

Read cozy books

Play cozy games (sims, animal crossing)

Make your house seem warm and inviting to visitors

Learn how to bake, either from scratch or a box, both are acceptable

Learn how to sew or knit or crochet.

Watch cozy movies

Light candles if you don't have a fireplace

Listen to soft music

Visit your friends or family and bring them baked goods

For strong parental deities

Take care of your friends

Make sure your friends eat and are drinking water, do the same for yourself

Tell the people in your life you love them, you're proud of them, they're doing a good job

Read books about found family, self help books

Listen to music that makes you feel safe and loved

Carry a figure that represents them

Take care of yourself the way that they would take care of you.

Cook for yourself. Make yourself feel safe and loved

For health deities

Carry bandaids and Tylenol and extra pads/tampons for people who may need them

Learn about the human body and how it works

Take your meds

Make art out of old pill bottles for them

Know and respect your limits

Watch documentaries about doctors or health sciences

Research holistic remedies and see if any might be of use to you (DO NOT SUBSTITUTE THEM FOR MODERN MEDICINE) be careful of misinformation, and any interactions that certain things might have with your meds

For sea/ocean/water deities

Have a small fountain in your home (you can find them at some dollar stores, or if you're mechanically savvy, make your own)

Salts in your baths

Visit local streams, creeks, rivers, or beaches.

Read about marine life / river life

Read about your local water sources, learn about the water cycle

Collect rain water

Stand in the rain, feel it on you, let it ground you

Listen to music about water/with water sounds/the ocean/the beach

Have pictures in your home/space of the ocean

If you visit the ocean, collect some water and sand and seashells (make sure you follow your own personal gratitude system) to have in your home

Don't fret if you're landlocked, you're practice is valid, you don't need to be at the ocean all the time to feel it's presence. The rain clouds blow in from hundreds of miles away. The ocean is always with you.

Drink water

Carry a small vial of water with you (could be ocean water, river water, or tap water with or without salt in it) you can keep it in your car, in your pocket, or wear it as a necklace

Carry a small vial of salt with you (could be hand harvested from the ocean, table salt, or any kind of off the shelf salt)

For sky/wind/air deities

Let the air in, open windows when possible

Let yourself be free.

Sit outside for a few minutes a day, or longer.

For traveler deities

Pick something up for them on your travels, could be a rock, could be a souvenir

Put a symbol of them in your car

Wear shoes that are good for walking

Drive/walk around to explore new places (you don't even have to leave your town)

Take backroads

Be a (respectful) tourist in every new place that you visit, don't be afraid of looking stupid.

For queer deities

Educate yourself on queer history

Express yourself truthfully

Listen to queer music

Read queer books

Embrace your identity

Read queer poetry, like that of Sappho

Keep yourself safe in spaces that are less open to identities.

Support local queer owned businesses or artists.

Queer art

Love yourself and take care of yourself.

Go to drag shows

Relish in the fact that queerness has been around since the very first civilizations

For Inventive Deities

Do a metal puzzle

Learn metalworking, or just read about it

As always, please feel free to add on, I only work with one deity so please tell me if anything is incorrect or confusing.

Blessed be <3

[occhietti]

Se ti amo?

Che lo dicano alla mia vescica, al mio stomaco, al mio intestino, ai miei polmoni... che hanno sopportato e ti hanno ceduto, rassegnati, la comodità del letto.

Che lo chieda al mio utero che è stata casa tua per un po'.

Tra le mie braccia che furono, sono e saranno il tuo conforto.

Alle mie gambe che sono state le tue e hanno sostenuto il peso.

Ai miei occhi, al mio naso, alla mia bocca, alle mie orecchie, al mio tatto... e potevo continuare ma non c'erano più sensi...

Alla mia saggia e magica intuizione che senza conoscerti sapevo, che solo guardandoti e ascoltandoti, ti avrei amato per tutta la vita.

Che lo chieda alla mia testa che ha smesso di pensare a me per pensare a te e al mio cuore che ti ha desiderato con tutta la sua forza e ti ha conservato l'angolo più bello.

Ti voglio bene?

Con tutto il mio essere, con tutto il mio corpo, con tutta me stessa.

Perché siamo stati due in uno… perché tu sei stato in me.

- Mari Carmen

Mama Bear II - ©2023 EloyBida.com

[francesca-70]

Ho sbagliato tanto nella vita.

Ho amato uomini che non mi amavano sperando di cambiarli, perché avevo letto da qualche parte che qualcuno era riuscito a trasformare un uomo normale in un supereroe. Ci ho provato anch’io. E ho fallito.

Ho desiderato uomini che non mi vedevano abbastanza, che mi tenevano in penombra. Non abbastanza in ombra da farmi arrabbiare, non abbastanza alla luce per rendermi felice. E ho imparato a mie spese che la penombra può essere eterna, vigliacca, maledetta.

Ho cercato di convincere uomini ad amarmi, mostrando la versione migliore di me. Sempre. E il sempre dopo un po’ diventa estenuante. Un’attrice che ripete solo il suo monologo migliore, come un mantra, come una cantilena, come una punizione. Ero esausta, basta, lasciatemi essere me stessa, la versione di me peggiore, la più incompleta, la più malinconica, ferita, disillusa, che a recitare poi si muore.

Ho rincorso uomini che scappavano perché un giorno ho creduto che se un uomo scappa è perché ha paura.

Poi una mattina mi sono svegliata e ho capito che chi scappa non ha paura, vuole solo andare altrove.

E ho imparato a lasciare andare. E più lasciavo andare e più nessuno si fermava, come se la rete bucata facesse correr via tutti i pesci.

Poi ho compreso che se ne va chi non vuole stare. E che la rete bucata è una benedizione.

Si lascia andare via. Non si trattiene nessuno, perché non siamo oggetti a caso da collezionare, siamo monete per terra che migliaia di passi calpestano e poi arrivano due gambe che si piegano e ci raccolgono.

Non siamo per tutti. Smettiamola di voler essere per tutti.

Mary G . Baccaglini

[broadwaydivastournament]

Audra and Bebe and Bernadette and Christine: The Good Fight

Diane Lockhart:

After slapping the shit out of Julianna Margulies in the series finale of The Good Wife, Diane Lockhart became the star of her own spin-off series The Good Fight. On the eve of her retirement, Diane finds out she's dead broke due to a series of financial schemes perpetrated by friend and client Bernadette Peters' husband (whose name I don't care enough to look up). Following this disastrous turn of events, Diane becomes a partner at a Black Chicago-based firm, and is later upgraded to named partner.

She's also a fashion icon, so jot that down.

Throughout six seasons, staunch-Democrat Diane spends her storylines addressing the social and political climate of the day. She handles cases revolving around fake news and the MeToo movement, briefly joins an underground anarchist group because Katie Finneran tells her to (understandable), gets SWAT-ed, has a few breakdowns, and enjoys the fun of microdosing. In short, she's living her best life.

Liz Reddick:

In the second season, Liz Reddick-Lawrence joins the gang at Reddick, Boseman, & Lockhart. Formerly a U.S. Attorney, and Boseman's ex-wife, she joins the firm following her father's death. Initially, she and Diane get off to a rough start with their professional and personal differences. White name partner, Black firm... You can understand why. They spend the series butting heads as often as holding hands, and when the chips are down, they'll support each other.

Liz, another fashion icon, has a young son, divorces her cop husband, has a romantic liaison with Wayne Brady, has another affair with her ex-husband (and perjures herself when asked about it in court), and fucks a workplace subordinate (a white man, which is the real crime here). She and Diane briefly put aside their fight-of-the-week to lean into the rumor that they're lesbian lovers in order to win a court case. And we didn't even get a fake dating kiss out of it, so if anyone wants to join my class action lawsuit for emotional harm, let me know.

Judge Claudia Friend:

Judges on The Good Fight, often have a fun little schtick that recurs throughout their guest appearances. Judge Claudia Friend is cursed to always preside over cases where the lawyers see fit to bicker like children the entire time. She is...so tired. (Hence why my multi-story saga about this minor character started with her getting absolutely railed over her desk by another judge--as played by Joanna Gleason).

In addition to three appearances in The Good Wife, including Audra McDonald's single guest appearance where they shared a scene, Claudia Friend presides over two episodes/cases in The Good Fight. And I, for one, would have liked more of this exhausted and exasperated judge in my life.

Lenore Rindell:

Mother of early-series protagonist Maia Rindell, Lenore is a co-conspirator of the ponzi scheme that makes Diane flat broke season one. While her husband fucks off to some island to avoid prosecution, Lenore has to stay and face the music. She's also having an affair with her brother-in-law, so there's that.

Okay, sucks for Diane and all that, but take a look at this woman and tell me you wouldn't let her do whatever she wanted? I support women's wrongs, and I really support the costume department putting Bernadette in this pretty little nightie. Anyway, Lenore is eventually prosecuted for her part in the whole financial scheme and her character is written out of the show.

Other Divas who appear on The Good Fight include: Brenda Braxton (Madeline Gilford - 16eps), Andrea Martin (Francesca Lovatelli - 6eps), Mary Testa (Amy Ann Howard - 3eps), Katrina Lenk (Naftali Amato - 3eps), Jayne Houdyshell (Renee Rampling - 2eps), LaChanze (Julius's Wife - 2eps), Carolee Carmello (Judge Eve Sebald - 2 eps), Linda Emond (Judge Leora Kuhn - 1ep), Katie Finneran (Valerie Peyser - 1ep), Judith Light (Deidre Quinn - 1ep), Joanna Gleason (Judge Carmella Romano - 1ep), Kelli O'Hara (Deirdre Kresteva - 1ep), NaTasha Yvette Williams (Juror - 1ep).

Other Divas who appear on The Good Wife include: Mary Beth Peil (Jackie Florrick - 49eps), Anika Noni Rose (Wendy Scott-Carr - 14eps), Vanessa Williams (Courtney Paige - 4eps), Joanna Gleason (Judge Carmella Romano - 3eps), Linda Emond (Judge Leora Kuhn - 3eps), Jan Maxwell (Camilla Vargas - 2eps), Debra Monk (Tracy Mintz - 1ep), Julie White (Selma Krause - 1ep), Susan Blackwell (Professor Jolie - 1ep), Tovah Feldshuh (Lena - 1ep), Karen Ziemba (Lina Banner - 1ep), Ann Harada (Isabel St. Jean -1ep), Donna Murphy (Judge Alice Adelson - 1ep), Victoria Clark (Shannon Janderman - 1ep), Jackie Hoffman (Judge Maria Felletti - 1ep).

And pretty much every other Broadway actor you can think of.

[bracketsoffear]

The Word Eater (Mary Amato) "The titular Word Eater is a worm born with eyes and the magical ability to eat words instead of dirt, named Fip. Whenever Fip eats a word, the object or subject that word was referring to vanishes, at one point accidentally erasing a recently discovered star. When used on a subject, erasure removes any ontological effects, as when used on a torturous dog training method the dogs it was used on all suddenly become docile instead of vicious. The conflict of the story comes in the fact that words are the only thing Fip can eat, so keeping anything else from being erased becomes a matter of starving him. There's also some disgruntled students who almost use him to erase their school, with the protagonist worrying that the effect could abstractly extend to the staff and students, necessitating their thwarting."

Maybe You Will Remember (Alvin Schwartz) "A girl, Rosemary, and her mother are on vacation in Paris. Rosemary's mother is ill, so Rosemary is sent to get medicine, but ultimately has her time wasted by the driver on the way back, and when she returns to the hotel, nobody recognizes her, telling her she has the wrong place. Her mother is gone, too, and when Rosemary asks to see the room they stayed in as proof they were there, the clerk shows her a completely unfamiliar setup, making Rosemary wonder what happened to her. In the appendix of the book, the scenario is explained. (see spoilers under the cut)"

Spoilers: Rosemary's mother was sick with the plague, and the doctor, recognizing it, knew she would be dead very quickly. Rosemary was put on a wild goose chase for the medicine and given a driver who would delay her, with the doctor and hotel staff working to dispose of her mother's body and re-decorate the hotel room while Rosemary was away. With Rosemary unable to verify that she was in the hotel, and unknowing that her mother died of plague, the hotel avoided any negative publicity that would have occurred if anyone were to find out a guest had the plague. The hotel's PR was saved, but Rosemary was left doubting her sanity.

[thelampisaflashlight]

Narthex

[Best described as "A ghoul goes ghost hunting", Aether travels to the US to help solve a murder with a demonic twist. This part is primarily from Aether's POV, but it will likely swap between his and Alma's moving forward. Not suitable for younger audiences.] Below the cut.

"There is a church, a smaller branch of the ministry in the United States that sits on the fringe of our control." Papa had debriefed him the night before his flight, sliding a thick manila envelope -near bursting at the seams with documents- to him, "Recently, there... Ah, it's all described in the file. Please review it on the plane."

Aether had assured the other man that he'd do his best, smiling brightly, but, now, bleary eyed and tired, the ghoul wishes he'd saved some of his earlier enthusiasm and left the documents aside until this morning.

Yawning, Aether rubs his eyes and tries to go over the details of the case in his head to distract himself from the light headache setting in, sipping his coffee.

Saint Mary's Cathedral is a deconsecrated church; Although, the file explained, the altar stone was never broken, nor its sacred artefacts removed.

Construction on the building began in the mid 1800's, but the events of the Civil War halted progress on the cathedral for nearly a decade as the people of the surrounding township attempted to return to some sense of normalcy in the wake of the war.

It was not fully completed until 1885, almost two decades after the project was initially begun.

Aether stretches, glancing out the window at the passing cars, trying desperately not to fall asleep.

In 1918, the church was used to quarantine those afflicted with influenza, with over 100 individuals passing within its walls during the span of the outbreak.

Unsurprisingly, this is often cited as a main cause of the supposed haunting taking place inside the building... however.

"You will meet with the caretaker when you arrive, her name is Alma Amato." Papa had said, handing him yet another file to read through, "She believes the haunting to be demonic."

"Demonic, huh?"

Aether leans on his palm.

"And you're sending another demon to deal with it?"

"...I can see how that might seem counterintuitive."

He snorts and returns to aimlessly flipping through the file on his lap.

Alma Amato, Age 30, Caretaker and Administrative Officer of Saint Mary's Cathedral, one of three employees -now two- who work to maintain the property.

"Ms. Amato is a diligent worker, and has been in service to the church for eleven years now. In that time, she has never lodged a single complaint about the haunting at Saint Mary's, but, after the events of last month, she is, understandably, more than a little disturbed."

Aether looks at the newspaper clipping he'd pulled from the envelope earlier and frowns.

Two Dead, One Injured During Ghost Hunting Investigation.

As the car stops for a red light, Aether flips the page over to look at the photos attached to it with a paperclip.

Four faces stare back at him; Jason Vine, age 37, a ghost hunting show host, Maxwell Kurt, age 68, an administrative officer at Saint Mary's, Howard Walker, age 51, the church's lone security guard, and lastly...

Alma Amato.

Aether shivers, something about her gaze, so forward, so focused, it feels like she's watching him through the photograph.

Her eyes are a reddish brown, her brows thin -darkened with make-up from the looks of it- and her hair a pale blonde.

She seems a dour sort, but looks can be deceiving.

"We'll be arriving in fifteen minutes." the driver says, peering back at him in the rearview mirror.

"Ah, I see, thank you." Aether tucks the files back into his backpack and returns to looking out the window.

.

.

.

Saint Mary's is... less imposing than Aether imagined.

It's not a particularly large building, but it is a rather peculiar shade of green.

Huh.

"It's serpentine." a clear, sweet voice answers his unasked question.

Aether looks towards the large, red doors at the front of the church and sees a woman in a...

A...

It's more so what she's not wearing that causes Aether to inhale sharply.

Before him stands Alma Amato, dressed in a wide brimmed black sunhat and a low cut black dress with a short skirt that Aether has to actively NOT think of how little fabric is between the hem and the swell of her ass.

She gives a little, testy huff, and Aether realizes she must have asked a question.

"Apologies, I was... I'm a bit tired, long flight." He says, then holds out his hand, "I'm Aether, the ministry sent me to assist in the investigation. I presume you're Ms. Amato, the caretaker?"

"You're earlier than expected." Amato shakes his hand, "I'm surprised."

"I took the first available flight." Aether explains, "I hope that's alright."

"Perfectly alright. You will have to make your own bed though, I hadn't gotten around to visiting the Bishop's Palace yet, that's where you'll be staying." she gestures for him to follow, turning and entering the church, her heels clicking on the stone, removing her hat.

"The Bishop's Palace?" Aether questions, "That is...?"

"It's a fancy way of saying a house that a bishop used to live in from what I've gathered, but these days the building is primarily used for storage." Amato says, "When the church contacted us that they'd be sending someone, we made sure to clear it out and moved everything down to the cellar for the time being. I hope you don't mind the idea of residing on the property during your stay?"

Aether shakes his head, "No, no, that's fine. That's preferable to wasting my money on a hotel when I'm not sure how long I'll be here... speaking of which."

"I read in the report I was given that you also live on the property, I'm not... displacing you from your home am I?"

Amato shakes her head.

"Like I said, the Bishop's Palace is mostly for storage, I live in the caretaker's cottage passed the cemetery."

Aether pauses.

"I hadn't realized how much would be out here, I was really only debriefed about the church itself..." he admits, "How big is the property?"

"I believe it's roughly 7 acres, everything is relatively spaced out, but as it shakes out... The church itself sits on 1 acre of land, the cemetery takes up about 3 acres including the out buildings, then the Bishop's Palace and the cottage take up about an acre combined, and the remaining 2 acres accounts for the gardens and miscellaneous greenspaces across the property." Amato gestures towards a display case hanging from the wall, "We have a map of the general layout here for visitors."

Aether approaches the display case, taking out his phone to snap a picture for future reference.

"We haven't been giving tours since the... I'm sure you read what happened." Amato sighs, guiding him towards a side door, "I'll let you get settled before we get into all of that."

"Right."

The Bishop's Palace is less a palace and more a simple, Cape Cod style house, but compared to living in a hotel room for an indefinite period of time, this feels a bit more.... homely?

Comfortable.

Amato gives him the tour, which takes all of ten minutes, if even that.

"It's really just three rooms, four if you count the bathroom; kitchen, living room, bedroom upstairs..." she gets him connected to the wi-fi, and shows him where the washer and dryer are, tucked away behind a curtain in the kitchen, "...Any questions?"

"I don't think so... You've been very helpful." he smiles, "I suppose, if it's alright with you, I would like to start by interviewing you about the... the incident."

Amato nods, "We can walk and talk to get you acquainted with the property better-"

.

.

.

It's just after sunset when Aether finally makes his way back to the Bishop's Palace, having conducted his interview with Amato in the morning, using the afternoon to make a run to the grocery store to pick up some necessities, he's feeling more than a little rundown.

Jetlag combined with marching back and forth across the property, the nature of his conversation with Amato, and the tedium of grocery shopping in a foreign country has, understandably, worn him out, but years of traveling have well prepared him for this sort of thing.

Glancing at his phone, Aether frowns, it's late back home, too late to call and check in on his packmates, but, then again, he doesn't think he'd be able to hold a conversation with how tired he is.

Yawning, Aether decides to call it a night... but it's not long before he feels... something.

It's the lightest shift in the mattress, something he's more than used to back home, but here...

Aether cracks an eye open, peeking through his lashes at...

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

He blinks, reaching out into the darkness to smooth the sheets, feeling his hand brush through a cold spot that makes the hair on his arm stand on end.

What.

Sitting up, Aether fumbles with the bedside lamp, hissing as he accidentally looks directly into the bulb, and looks around the room.

Again, nothing.

He wets his lips, furrowing his brow.

"Hello...?"

No reply.

Aether breathes.

"Look..." he says wearily, "If there's any... spooky bitches in this house right now, just let me sleep. You can haunt me in the morning, but if you wake me up before 7am, I can and will devour your soul and send you straight to the pit. Do we have an understanding?"

...

"That was mean, I'm sorry, I won't actually do that, just... we're cool, right?"

...

"Cool."

"I'm gonna sleep. Goodnight."

"...Good... night..." a disembodied voice responds, "Sleep... tight..."

Aether makes a noise in the back of his throat.

Oh boy.

[utronabalcone]

kevin amato: f*ck the golden years, march 8, 2012

a practicing photographer for nearly a decade, kevin amato has scattered his work across magazines including interview, flaunt and dazed & confused, but his new solo expo 'f*ck the golden years’ sees it consolidated properly for the first time – a select 40 works to be precise. opening today at the casa de costa studio gallery in nyc, the photographer has chosen to showcase images from his commercial and personal portfolios, as well as previously unseen portraits, all of which stress amato’s talent for smashing up and rearranging the worlds of fashion, art and celebrity.

dd: what's the meaning behind the title of the exhibition?

kevin amato: f*ck the golden years was something my grandmother, marie, would always say. she passed away last year. she was a tough cookie, always hustling and funny as fuck. loyal, loving, honest with the tongue of her brooklyn roots. f*ck the golden years was her way of saying embrace and live life to the fullest now. to be true to yourself and never let a day or minute pass you by.

dd: what is it about photographing people half dressed that appeals to you?

kevin amato: just a candid approach that humanises the sitter. a bit spiritual, a bit naughty. i don't plan much before shooting. but I’m conscious to incorporate elements visually beyond "half dressed". whether it’s irony, humour, emotion, a unique facial or body characteristic, selling fashion, personality and so on. i can just take a photograph of beautiful "half dressed" person. or i can take a photograph of a naked dude covering his bits with a one-off banksy bunny illustrated bowling pin...in heels...and business socks…with a broken nose. i'd go with bowling pin and business socks.

dd: who are the people in the photos?

kevin amato: friends, lovers, old friends, ex-lovers, people off the street, family, models and celebrities.

[elmleif]

Ilaria Marie Amato

Made her juuuuust in case i cave and start The Joy of Life Challenge.

[mucillo]

Guarda "Area (Luglio Agosto Settembre Nero)" su YouTube

Questo pezzo è preceduto da una poesia d’amore che fu regalata da una ragazza palestinese che era nello studio accanto al loro.

"Mio amato

Con la pace ho depositato i fiori dell’amore

davanti a te

Con la pace

con la pace ho cancellato i mari di sangue

per te

Lascia la rabbia

Lascia il dolore

Lascia le armi

Lascia le armi e vieni

Vieni e viviamo o mio amato

e la nostra coperta sarà la pace

Voglio che canti o mio caro “ occhio mio “ [luce dei miei occhi]

E il tuo canto sarà per la pace

fai sentire al mondo,

o cuore mio e di’ (a questo mondo)

Lascia la rabbia

Lascia il dolore

Lascia le armi

Lascia le armi e vieni

a vivere con la pace".

[alldancersaretalented]

Some soloists to watch this weekend:

**Means that the dancers has made the Top 25/Top 30 at Radix/TDA either this year or last year

*Means that the dancer has made the Top 10/Top 15 at Radix/TDA either this year or last year

°°Means that the dancer has made the Top 3/Top 6 at Radix/TDA either this year or last year

°Means that the dancer has won a title at Radix/TDA

JUMP Ft. Lauderdale

Dance Town:

Belle Marie Arauz (Mini), #14*

Mikaela Florez (Mini), #36

Kaitlyn Santos (Senior), #104*

Dance Unlimited

Amaya Rodriguez (Mini), #10**

Ella Venerio (Mini), #47**

Rylie Bordon (Junior), #59*

Evolve Dance Complex

Adelia Eliseo (Mini), #46

Mya Lanigan (Junior), #89°

Sam Evans (Senior), #111*

JBP Entertainment

Georgia Beth Peters (Teen), #152°°

Miami Dance Company

Emily Pina (Mini), #4

Camilla Carmona (Junior), #54*

Stars Dance Studio

Zoey Martinez (Mini), #13

Amabella Tarrago (Junior), #55*

Anita Rodriguez (Junior), #63°°

Dylan Custodio (Junior), #73°

Alyson Merino (Junior), #83.a

Sophie Garcia (Senior), #98°°

Hugo Silva (Senior), #106*

Bella Ray D'Armas (Teen), #174°°

Kylee Casares (Teen), #203°

The NINE Dance Academy

Sienna DiPietro (Mini), #39*

Vlad's

Jayden Lau (Senior), #106.a*

Angel DiMartino Palladino (Senior), #114.a*

Nuvo Meadowlands

Canadian Dance Company

Cydnee Abbott (Junior), #134

Center Stage Performing Arts Studio

Vivienne Mitchell (Teen), #50*

Stella Brinkerhoff (Mini), #93* (Showcase)

Club Dance Studio

Sylvie Szyndlar (Mini), #95°° (Showcase)

Evolve Dance Complex

Onna Williams (Teen), #12

Zoey Williams (Junior), #105

Hunterdon Hills Ballet

Elliana Quiner (Teen), #5.a

Rachel Quiner (Senior), #167°°

Joffrey Ballet School

Jakey McCullough (Teen), #1

New Level Dance Company

Reese Braga (Mini), #89

Emma Bassel (Junior), #117**

Project 21

Bristyn Scrifres (Junior), #112*

Berkeley Scifres (Junior), #126**

Stars Dance Company

Elie Rabin (Teen), #4

The Vision Dance Alliance

Julia Amato (Teen), #31

Caitlyn Polis (Teen), #53

Kennedy Anderson (Junior), #110**

Emily Polis (Junior), #129°°

Madison Polis (Senior), #174

Westside Dance Project

Izzy Howard (Senior), #168°°

West Florida Dance Company

Macey Strickland (Mini), #77

Ella Dobler (Junior), #130**