#President Sunny Roosevelt

[apricops]

[BEGIN STREAM: 18-FEB-2069]

Folks, President Sunny Roosevelt here! It’s President’s Day, and to celebrate, I’m gonna do a reading from the Deck of Statesmen for all my loyal voters and subscribers! I’m still learning, I’ve done some practice readings and stuff, but this is my first time doing a big reading for a crowd, so be nice.

[Sunny begins shuffling a deck of cards. Stream comments: “ohhh this is gonna be good;” “LET’S FUCKING GOOOOOO;” “I want Sunny to shuffle me”]

We’re gonna do a five-card reading today. If you’ve been living under a rock and dunno what that means, you’ve got the Upper Seat on top, three Chamber cards in the middle, and the Lower Seat at the bottom.

[Sunny places five (5) cards face-down in a + (plus) shape]

So first is the Upper Seat, the one on top, and that one sets the tone for the rest of the reading.

[Sunny flips the top card to reveal a portrait of Martin van Buren (Two of Stewards). Stream comments: “Deece;” “TOPDECKING GAS BOYS;” “lol who”]

Ooh, the Two of Stewards in the Upper Seat. I’m getting… so, he’s a transitional figure, and creating something new isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes you become part of something, or create part of something, and you get swept up in it, or it gets carried away. This card is technically a lesser symbol, but it’s very… nuanced, it’s actually one of my favorite cards. Moving on, we have the Lower Seat, it’s like a balancing counterpoint to the Upper Seat, the soft power versus the hard power.

[Zachary Taylor (Five of Generals) is revealed in the Lower Seat. Stream comments: “FUCKING WHO LOL;” “he always looks like he’s holding in a fart;” “SWORDBOY CONFIRMED”]

The Five of Generals in the Lower Seat. Ooh, that’s interesting, very ‘other side of the coin’ to the Two of Stewards. Sort of falling into something, being the one left holding the bag and not knowing what to do with it. So it sounds like, a lot of tension between the structure versus the people in the structure. But obviously you know I’m on your side. I love my boys. ❤️

[Stream comments: ”WE LOVE YOU TOO;” “MOMMYYYYY;” “god all the lower Generals are exactly the same”]

Now let’s take a look at the Chamber. Starting from the left…

[The first Chamber card is Franklin Delano Roosevelt (High Steward). Stream comments: “WE’RE SAVED;” “NO RELATION LOL;” “MY MAN;” “NO RELATION LOL;” “THE BIG DICK MOTHERFUCKER HIMSELF;” “NO RELATION LOL”]

The High Steward! Help is on the way, folks, haha. No, but seriously, everyone says ‘no card is all good or all bad’ and that’s true. The High Steward is one of those figures that holds the moment in his hand and guides it. He’s strong and benevolent, but also kind of greedy. He’s a linchpin, and linchpins can be dangerous, y’know? You don’t want all your eggs in one basket. 

Especially in the Chamber. The Seats are more concrete and the Chamber is more abstract, where the Chamber is coming up with the big ideas and trying to solve everything and the Seats keep asking “okay, but how are we gonna do that?” So a High card in the Chamber is very… it implies some power-sharing, responsibilities being split. Still, it’s always good to see him! Next up…

[The middle card is flipped over, revealing John F Kennedy (Martyr of Discoursers). Stream comments: “BOOM HEADSHOT;” “JACKIE PHAT ASS;” “Reading’s looking kinda grim boys, High Steward might not be enough to save us”]

The Martyr of Discoursers. The drama! Haha. But yeah, the Martyr of Discoursers basically means drama. And in the Chamber, that could mean a lot things - it could mean big revelations or high tension, but it could also just mean distractions. It’s kind of a reminder to keep your priorities straight and not get distracted by dead ends, or not get lured in by something that’s flashy but without substance. Alright, last card…

[The final card is flipped, revealing Grover Cleveland (Three of Paragons). Stream comments: “FUCKING WHO LOL;” “always sucks when the last Statesman is cringe lol;” “why tf is this nerd a Paragon”]

Hey, the Three of Paragons isn’t cringe. None of them are – okay, very few of them are cringe, haha. And he’s a Paragon because, like I was saying, none of them are all good or all bad. Paragons are about sticking to your beliefs and principles. Sometimes that’s really important, but sometimes it means being stubborn or refusing to learn. And the Three of Paragons is - y’know how I was just talking about drama and linchpins and all that? He’s a balancing force against that. He’s very grounded.

So this is interesting. Looking at the reading as a whole, it seems like the Chamber is very diverse - you’ve got principles and drama and ambition all right next to each other, a lot of these big personalities jostling against each other, and they’re sandwiched between the Seats, who are these balancing and tempering forces trying to corral all these thoughts and ideas and build some structure. 

Yeah, that’s what I’m getting. To sum it up, the Chamber, our ideas and thoughts, they want to go big and loud and dramatic, and they’re being tempered by the Seats, who are kind of quiet and diligent. We’ve got all four classes on the board with a slight Steward majority, which says to me that.. it’s always hard to say when you’ve got a 2-1-1-1 split, because there’s technically a majority, but it’s a small majority. The Seats don’t have a figurehead grabbing everyone else and leading them forward, so right now isn’t the time for any big decisions. It’s saying nobody has all the pieces yet. As tempting as it is to charge ahead and be independent, you should really take a moment to think things through and talk with people.

[Stream comments: “AI gonna take over AGAIN at this rate lol;” “we pulled High Steward so I’m happy;” “Sunny you’re so centrist lmao”]

So, there you go! I hope you enjoyed watching my reading, I had fun doing it. Don’t forget to vote, comment, and subscribe, and check out the store! We’ve got a big President’s Day sale on everything, including a new, that’s right, a new dakimakura design, so make sure you take a look! Mmkay, bye-bye~!

[END STREAM]

[manorpunk]

1️⃣

In the White House press briefing room in the year 2069, the presidential lectern was alight for the first time in decades. On the dais, hidden behind thick blue curtains, a series of lenses came to life, powered by thrumming machines the size of cabinets. In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea, The light from the lenses reflected along an array of precision mirrors, engineered down to the nanometer, reflecting and warping the light, directing every beam to a spot just behind the lectern. A shimmering orb of color began to grow and take shape. It was a hologram, the first of its kind in quality and fidelity, but needing time to form. With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me… The hologram grew, like a multicolored egg, until it took the shape of a body - a woman’s body, thin but not too thin, tan but also pale, tall but not too tall or too short, a work of perfection as delicately engineered as the machinery that created it. The Mary Jane shoes, the pleated skirt, the puffy blouse with Juliet sleeves. The cherry-red hair with a big white bow on top. The baby blue eyes with little white five-pointed stars for pupils. For better or for worse, the USA’s decades-long interregnum was drawing to a close. As He died to make men holy… With a thrum of light, the hologram was now displaying at one-hundred percent fidelity. The first president of the American League, a rough and discordant coalition of states that had emerged from the fall of the United States federal government, newly embodied with vague and untested powers in the transition out of provisional government, was an anime girl vtuber. Let us die to make men free, While God is marching on! She smiled. It was a wide, sharp smile, like the letter v, brimming with barely-concealed pride, the smile of someone who was always up to mischief, but never too much. She turned her head, letting the cameras see it from every angle, waving and winking as the booming chorus of Glory, Glory, Hallelujah faded into the background. “And we’re back, folks!” she said. Her voice was light and airy, like a rich pastry or a strong dose of anesthetics.  “In case you’ve been living under a rock for these past few years, I’m Sunny Roosevelt: winner of Miss Vtuber North America 206X, named ‘America’s Cloth Mother’ by the GLN Worldwide Weekly, and now, your president!” The ‘living under a rock’ comment wasn’t a rhetorical gesture; a non-negligible amount of people in the former USA had spent the past few years under some form of rock, whether that was an apocalypse bunker, abandoned basement, or literal rock. “Folks, I know it’s been a rough couple decades for America. There was mass infrastructure failure, natural disasters, zombie COVID, falling real estate prices, and I’m pretty sure most of Florida’s still underwater. But that - ends - here!” she thumped her fist on the podium. “Because I love America. I love America so much I am kissing America with tongue. To all my loyal voters, followers, and subscribers, my promise to you, now that I’m here…” her eyes narrowed and slanted sharply as she gripped the podium and leaned closer. “...big things are coming.”

[itstheheebiejeebies]

A really great article about what the crew of the Just-a-Snappin' went through on the Bremen raid on October 8, 1943.

Transcript below Read More

Article found through this page on the 100th Bomb Group site

Article named: Uncommon valor

Subheading: Everett Blakely personified grace under pressure

By Dan Krieger Telegram-Tribune

Photos of the Just-a-Snappin' crashed into a tree, and one of Blakely smiling in uniform. The latter with the message "Everett 'Gopher' Blakely, right, lost his plne, 'Just-a-Snappin.' but saved his crew when he crash landed the B-17 bomber.

Pull quote in the article: 'For 3,000 feet Captain Blakely and Major Kidd fought to get that plane under control. It was only because of the superior construction of our bomber... plus the combination of two skilled pilots, that we ever even recovered from that dive. -Lt. Harry Crosby

Main article: Lt. Harry Crosby wrote to his wife, "Jean there are just two reasons why I am here today. One of them is because of Blake's superb piloting and the other is because of the skill of our gunners."

We often think of heroes as flamboyant people. More often than not, real heroes are quiet people who are doing what they believe is required of them.

Today Everett Blakely, a pilot trained in Santa Maria, says that he was "just doing what had to be done" in the war against Hitler. He was a quiet hero.

Allan G. Hancock College in Santa Maria has a long and colorful history. Long before it became a community college, the campus was known as the Hancock College of Aeronautics.

It was a private school, named after its energetic, versatile and creative founder and benefactor, Capt. Allan Hancock.

Well prior to American entry into the Second World War, Captain Hancock offered his school to the United States Army Air Corps as a flight instruction school. Between May 1939 and V-J Day, some 8,500 pilots and 1,500 aircraft mechanics were trained at Hancock College.

The commercial warehouse district just west of today's Hancock College campus includes the one-time hangers for the flight instruction aircraft. The Stearman PT-13 biplanes are gone, but the College of Aeronautics administration buildings still survive on campus.

Everett "Gopher" Blakely came to Santa Maria just out of the University of Washington at Seattle. He was convinced that America was going to get involved in the European war.

The Blitzkrieg over Poland in 1939, over Belgium and France in 1940, and the Battle of Britain had convinced Blakely that this was going to be a war where air power was essential. The United States was going to need pilots. "Gopher" Blakely had discovered his mission.

Blakely soon started flying the essentially First World War era Stearmans over the tranquil valleys of the Central Coast. He and his buddies from rainy Puget Sound loved the warm sunny climate. They thought Santa Maria was a friendly town and enjoyed a precious few weekend hours socializing at the Santa Maria Inn.

Within months, Blakely and his friends were on the damp fen lands of Norfolkshire in England's East Anglia. They had graduated from the tiny Stearmans to the "Queen of the Bombers," the four-engine, hundred-foot-winged Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress."

On July 4, 1943, the first American pilots participated with Britain's Royal Air Force in bombing raids over Germany. But as late as January 1943, Winston Churchill, en route to meet with President Roosevelt at Casablanca, wrote a secret memo to his Secretary of State for Air.

In that memo, Churchill complained that "the Americans have not yet succeeded in dropping a single bomb on Germany." What Churchill meant was that no American bombers were able to penetrate German anti-aircraft fire a sufficient distance. This was because the Americans were trained for daylight missions only. The British had bomber Berlin early in the war by flying mainly night missions,

Churchill wanted the Americans to start flying night missions also. But Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold was convinced that it would take too long to retrain air crews for night flying. That loss of time would allow the Germans to rebuild their military strength.

At Casablanca, the Americans won Churchill over to a doctrine of round-the-clock bombing which would "give Hitler no rest." The Americans would send increasingly larger waves of B-17s by day. The RAF would continue doing what it did best through nighttime assaults.

The decision at Casablanca was costly in terms of the lives of American aircrews. Daytime raids were decidedly more risky. Few of us realize that the losses to the Eight Air Force alone approach American losses in the Vietnam War.

Capt. "Gopher" Blakely became the pilot of "Just-a-Snappin," a B-17 in the 100th Bomb Group flying out of Thorpe Abbots in Norfolkshire. Blakelly and his crew were piloting their B-17s over the upper reaches of the Danube in the famous raids on Schweinfurt and Rogensburg.

On Oct. 8, 1943, the 10th Bomb Group participated in a raid on the shipbuilding and industrial center of Bremen and the nearby U-Boat building yards and pens at Vegesack.

Both of "Just-a-Snappin's" right wing engines were shot out in a running battle with German fighters over the Zuider Zee. Five of the crew were injured - Waist Giner Sgt. Lester Saunders fatally.

Lt. Harry Crosby, "Just-a-Snappin's" navigator, filed an astonishing report on the B-17's struggle to return to England:

"For 3,000 feet Captain Blakely and Major Kidd fought to get that plane under control. It was only because of the superior construction of our bomber, and its perfect maintenance, plus the combination of two skilled pilots, that we even recovered from that dive.

"If I were an expert on stress and strain analysis, or a mechanic, or even a pilot, I would dwell at length on the manner in which the plane was restored to normal flying attitude. As it is, the procedure defies my description. But I am certain it was a very great accomplishment."

Everett Blakely's description recalls, "You can lose altitude awfully fast when one engine goes sour and your controls are chewed to ribbons. We dropped for 3,000 feet before Major Kidd and I could regain control... Most of the crew were not strapped to their seats were thrown to the floor, shaken severely - but at last the ground was once more back where it ought to be, instead of standing up on one ear. Once more we were in level flight and, at least temporarily, safe."

Crosby's report states that:

"At 10,000 feet we were able to look out the windows (and) were temporarily assured to not that the ground was now in the right place. A hurried consultation was held over inter-phone to determine a plan for fighting our way back to England.

"The following facts had to be considered: We had lost all communication back of the top turret, so it was impossible to determine the extent of injury and damage. Our control wires were fraying as far back as the top turret operator could see. At least two of the crew had reported being hit immediately after we left the target.

"One engine was in such bad condition that bits and finally all of the cowling were blasted off. We were losing altitude so rapidly probably because of the condition of the elevator that any but the shortest way back was beyond contemplation. So we headed across the face of Germany for home."

Later, Harry Crosby wrote of Blakely and his co-pilot:

"The normal reaction on the part of our pilots should have been to think of their own personal safety, or in cases of extreme nobility of character perhaps they would have been thinking about the other members of the crew. But they did not, even in this crisis, forget for one minute they were the leaders of a great formation. Their first thought was of the crews behind them. In unison, as we fell into our dive, the words came over the interphone to our tail gunner, 'Signal the deputy leader to take over.'

"I can't help but to think as they fought for their lives they might have been excused for being too busy to think of their command, but such was not the case.

"By this signaling, the remainder of the formation was notified immediately that we had been hit and were aborting. This act would have prevented any planes being pulled even a few feet out of position into danger from the enemy aircraft buzzing about."

Despite the loss of the airplane's compass, Blakely and his amazing navigator, Lt. Harry Crosby, made it to landfall. They crash-landed at Ludham, Norfolk. The completely unmaneuverable aircraft, without any brakes, skidded into an ancient British oak tree.

Blakely remembers: "The tree crashed between Np. 2 engine and the pilot's compartment. That was lucky because another three inches to the right and it would have crushed the pilot and co-pilot. We had slowed to maybe 50 mph by then..."

Blakely's co-pilot for that mission, Major John B. Kidd, recalled that "someone counted over 800 separate holes in that aircraft."

"Just-a-Snappin" would never fly again.

The Bremen mission was typical of dozens of missions which penetrated deeper and deeper into German territory. Even before the Bremen raid, Blakely and his crew were piloting their B-17's over teh upper reaches of the Danube in the famous raids on Schweinfurt and Regensburg.

Today, Blakely is retired and lives with his wife, Marge, in San Luis Obispo. They are the parents of Supervisor David Blakely, who speaks with great pride of his father's contribution to the fight against Hitler.

-three stars end the article and separate a note about the author

Dan Krieger is a Cal Poly history professor and member of the County Historical Society.

-Along the bottom of the page the article is attributed to the San Luis Obispo (Calif.) Telegram-Tribune in the Saturday, February 16, 1991 edition on page 23.

[fictionadventurer]

I know I just said that we shouldn't categorize people in history, but when it comes to the presidential podcast, I do find myself sorting presidents into "good" and "garbage" piles based on how they treated their wife.

Good

Ulysses S. Grant gets top marks here. I'm not crazy about his wife, but he was, and they're cute together. She was sunny and upbeat enough to boost him through a lot of years of struggle, and he was devoted to both her and the children.

Theodore Roosevelt was a loving husband to both his wives and a ridiculously devoted father to all his children.

James Garfield starts out in the garbage pile because he married her without love and had an affair, but the way they both overcame that to fall deeply in love is a pretty beautiful redemption.

Woodrow Wilson seems to have had a pretty good relationship with his wife. I know less about them so this is a tentative classification, but she was willing to basically help run the country after his stroke, so it suggests there was something good there.

Garbage

Warren Harding reigns in the garbage can. Multiple unrepentant affairs with long-term mistresses.

FDR was already on pretty shaky ground in my mind, but once I learned he had an affair with Eleanor's secretary, and then Eleanor stayed with him through polio, and then at his death he was with this same secretary while Eleanor was away, he lost a lot of points.

Middle Ground

Lincoln and his wife had a pretty rocky relationship, but from what I can tell they tried to make it work and were planning on taking steps to improve things before his death.

Chester Arthur's wife hated that he was constantly away on political business, which gives him a lot of bad husband points, but also she did want that high-class, high-status lifestyle, and from what I can tell he did love her and had a lot of regrets after she died.

[lboogie1906]

Ted Poston (July 4, 1906 - 1974) the first African American journalist to work at a mainstream newspaper, was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. His mother, Mollie Cox, died when he was ten and he was raised mostly by his eight older siblings, while his father, Ephraim, taught at the Kentucky State Industrial College for Negroes. By fifteen, he began his career writing articles for his family’s paper, the Hopkinsville Contender. He graduated from Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial College.

He became a reporter for the Amsterdam News (1928). He became editor of the paper. He led an attempt to unionize his fellow reporters and instigated a strike. Following his dismissal, he held a series of odd jobs until he was hired by the New York Post, making him only the third African American to be hired as a reporter for a major New York City daily newspaper.

He engaged in “race work,” the effort to improve the lives of African Americans. He became part of the famed “Black Cabinet,” an informal group of African American policy advisors to President Franklin Roosevelt.

As head of the Negro News desk in the Office of War Information, he provided vital information to Black newspapers across the nation in the campaign to integrate the defense industry workforce. His efforts were partly responsible for Executive Order 8802 which banned racial discrimination in companies with government contracts.

After WWII, he wrote serialized short stories for various newspapers. He wrote a series on a 1949 rape trial of a group of young Black men in Florida which he called “Horror in the Sunny South.” The series received the George Polk Award. The series was selected by a New York University panel of Journalism professors as one of the top one hundred works of American journalism in the 20th century.

He married Miriam Rivers (1935), Marie Byrd Jackson (1941), and Ersa Hines Clinton (1957). His third wife became a leading official in the administration of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller.

In 1972 he retired from the New York Post. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[eyssant]

Mount Rushmore: A Monument of American Greatness

Perched majestically amidst the rugged terrain of the Black Hills in South Dakota, Mount Rushmore stands as a testament to American ingenuity, perseverance, and the enduring spirit of democracy. Carved into the granite face of this iconic mountain are the stoic visages of four of the nation's most revered presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Completed in 1941, this colossal sculpture is not merely a marvel of engineering and craftsmanship but also a profound symbol of national identity and unity.

History of Mount Rushmore:

The genesis of Mount Rushmore can be traced back to the early 1920s when historian Doane Robinson envisioned a grand monument in the Black Hills to attract tourists to the region. Robinson's vision gained traction when he enlisted the expertise of sculptor Gutzon Borglum, renowned for his work on several large-scale projects across the United States. Together, they selected Mount Rushmore as the ideal site for the sculpture due to its solid granite composition and its prominence within the landscape.

Work on the monument commenced in 1927 and spanned 14 years, employing hundreds of workers who labored tirelessly under dangerous conditions to bring Borglum's vision to life. Using dynamite, jackhammers, and chisels, Borglum and his team meticulously carved the 60-foot-high faces of the presidents into the mountain's surface, enduring harsh weather and logistical challenges along the way.

Importance of Mount Rushmore:

Mount Rushmore holds profound significance for Americans as a symbol of national pride, unity, and the ideals upon which the nation was founded. Each of the presidents depicted on the monument played a pivotal role in shaping the course of American history:

George Washington: As the first president of the United States and a founding father, Washington led the nation to independence during the Revolutionary War and established many of the precedents that would shape the office of the presidency.

Thomas Jefferson: A visionary statesman and author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson's presidency saw the expansion of the nation's territory through the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the size of the United States.

Theodore Roosevelt: A champion of progressive ideals and conservation efforts, Roosevelt's presidency ushered in an era of reform and activism, including the establishment of national parks and the construction of the Panama Canal.

Abraham Lincoln: Often regarded as one of America's greatest presidents, Lincoln guided the nation through the tumultuous period of the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, paving the way for the abolition of slavery.

Beyond honoring these esteemed leaders, Mount Rushmore serves as a symbol of American exceptionalism and the enduring values of democracy, freedom, and opportunity. It stands as a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who came before us and the principles that continue to define the American experience.

Keystone, The Gateway to Mount Rushmore

The quaint town of Keystone, South Dakota, serves as the gateway to Mount Rushmore, located just three miles from the monument. Despite its small size, Keystone boasts a rich history and serves as a bustling hub for tourists visiting the area. Visitors to Keystone can explore a variety of attractions, including museums, art galleries, and scenic hiking trails that offer stunning views of the surrounding Black Hills.

Overall, Keystone experiences a diverse range of weather conditions throughout the year, offering something for every season and making it an attractive destination for visitors year-round. Whether you're seeking sunny days for summer adventures or snowy slopes for winter sports, Keystone's weather ensures an unforgettable experience in the heart of the Black Hills.

In conclusion, Mount Rushmore stands as an enduring symbol of American greatness and the indomitable spirit of its people. As visitors from around the world gaze upon the monumental faces carved into the granite cliffs, they are reminded of the ideals and principles that have shaped the nation and continue to inspire generations of Americans. May Mount Rushmore forever serve as a beacon of hope, unity, and the enduring promise of a more perfect union.

[readitreviewit]

Yeehaw, saddle up pardners it's time to mosey on down to the wild, wild west with Frederic Logan Paxson's masterpiece, "History of the West". Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History, this book covers the settlement of the American West and westward expansion from 1763-1893. For a long time, there was no single volume covering the history of the West, but Paxson has got us covered with his fifty-nine chapters spanning almost 150 years. This book is a comprehensive and sweeping account of how the land mass of America was settled, starting from the English settlers in New England to the westward expansion that led to the sunny shores of California. You'll find yourself riding shotgun with American pioneers and Native Americans in conflicts during the War for Independence up until the end of the Civil War. Paxson also offers keen insight into frontier finance, the inner workings of canal and railroad corporations, and even Presidential edicts from Washington to Roosevelt. He's not just a historian, he's a time traveler that takes you on a journey through the Wild West. Paxson's literary wizardry is unparalleled, he doesn't just regurgitate quotes from secondary and source material, he makes the material a part of himself. He has taken a pragmatic view of Westward expansion instead of conforming to a social history. This book is not just a collection of facts, it's an adventure story that brings history to life. With his work, Paxson has not only filled a historical void but has become an authority on the American frontier. As President of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association with undergraduate and PhD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's from Harvard University, Paxson has won the trust of his readers with his meticulous research and engaging storytelling. Each chapter of "History of the West" is a new adventure, like a trailboss leading us to new horizons. We witness the creation of the public domain, the purchase of Louisiana, the stabilization of the frontier and even the conquest of California. Paxson covers everything from political theories of the frontier, Jacksonian democracy, and even the permanent Indian frontier from 1825-1841. The book isn't just about the politics and economics of the time, it showcases the determination and resilience of the pioneers that settled the West. We witness the struggles they faced, and how they overcame them, like the War with Mexico, the Disruption of the Tribes, and even the Panic of 1873. "History of the West" is an eye-opening read, and it's not just for history buffs, it's for anyone who loves a good adventure story. You'll be on the edge of your seat as you follow the journey of the pioneers who paved the way for us today. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand America's rich and colorful history. The book is available in paperback and weighs 1.62 pounds. The dimensions are 6 x 0.99 x 9 inches, making it the perfect size to tuck into your saddlebag for a ride through the Wild West. In conclusion, "History of the West" is a masterpiece that will make you feel like you're riding alongside pioneers, outlaws, and Native Americans through the dusty trails of the Wild West. Paxson has done an excellent job of filling the void of a single volume covering the history of the West, and with his literary wizardry, he brings history to life. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your cowboy hat, saddle up your horse, and let's ride into the sunset with Frederic Logan Paxson's "History of the West". Don't miss out on this incredible read! Purchase the book now or sign up for a 30-day free trial of audible to listen today. Start your literary adventure now and discover the magic within the pages! Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details)

[xtruss]

President William Howard Taft threw out the first ceremonial pitch on baseball's Opening Day, April 14, 1910. Taft would also throw the first pitch the following year, but missed 1912 due to the sinking of the Titanic five days prior. Photograph By Bettmann, Getty Images

How The First Pitch Became Baseball's Opening Day tradition

It’s an honor nearly as old as the major league itself—but in 1910, President William Howard Taft transformed the first pitch into the popular ceremony it is today.

— By Amy McKeever | April 7, 2023

On April 14, 1910, President William Howard Taft was among the thousands of baseball fans who had thronged to the ballpark in Washington, D.C., to watch the Washington Nationals play the Philadelphia Athletics in their first game of the season.

But Taft wasn’t just there to watch the game. He made history that day by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day—a tradition that has been carried on by every U.S. president except Jimmy Carter, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt tossed the opening ball to kick off the 1936 Major League Baseball season in Washington, D.C.'s Griffith Stadium. Photograph Courtesy The Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Players scramble for the ball pitched by President Roosevelt to start the 1937 American All-Star game. Joe Moore, the New York Giants outfielder, caught the presidential toss. Photograph Courtesy The Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Though the ceremonial first pitch is usually associated with U.S. presidents, there is a long line of politicians, celebrities, and other notable people who have thrown out first pitches at baseball games almost since it became a professional sport. In fact, one of the earliest recorded instances was in 1892, when William McKinley—then governor of Ohio and a future U.S. president—threw a pitch at a minor league baseball season opener. (Study suggests sleep preferences can predict baseball success.)

But credit for transforming the first pitch into a true baseball tradition generally goes to Taft on that sunny spring day in 1910 when he attended the season opener with his wife, Helen, and Vice President James Sherman.

Nationals manager Jimmy McAleer came up with the idea for Taft to start the game that day, according to a biography of pitcher Walter Johnson. Taft agreed—but threw in a twist of his own. “As the bell rang to start the game, the President rose in the grandstand and prepared to throw,” Johnson said. “Gabby Street was standing at home plate, waiting for the throw, but suddenly the President shifted his position and aimed at me—and his aim was very good.”

Presidents at the Park

President Woodrow Wilson throws out the first ball of opening day in 1916 during his first term. Photograph Courtesy The National Photo Company Collection, Library of Congress

President Warrern Harding shakes hands with Yankees legend Babe Ruth at a New York game in 1923. Photograph Courtesy The George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress

The next day, sportswriters described the events of the game breathlessly. “There have been many openings of baseball seasons in Washington, but none such as yesterday, when the Nationals scored a 3 to 0 victory over the Athletics,” J. Ed Grillo wrote in the Washington Post. “Every available foot of space was crowded with humanity. The stands were filled to suffocation.” The Evening Star noted that “the president was one of the best fans of them all, for he stayed to the very end of the contest, until the last Philadelphian was out, and the victory was stowed away safely in the McAleer bat bag.”

Washington Nationals pitcher Walter Johnson shows President Calvin Coolidge how he pitches a curve ball in 1924. Photograph Courtesy The National Photo Company Collection, Library of Congress

Harding throws a baseball at a game in Washington, D.C., in the early 1920s. Photograph Courtesy The Harris & Ewing Collection, Library of Congress

Taft returned to the ballpark the following year, making the presidential Opening Day pitch a tradition that would endure until the modern era—with most presidents doing so at least once in their tenure. But the tradition has changed a bit through the years. Richard Nixon became the first president to throw out the Opening Day pitch outside of Washington, D.C., in 1973, when the city temporarily lost its baseball team. In 1988, Ronald Reagan became the first president to throw an Opening Day pitch from the mound rather than the grandstands.

Only two sitting presidents have skipped Opening Day, Carter and Trump. Carter did throw out the first pitch in the last game of the 1979 World Series, though, and has since thrown out an Opening Day pitch as well. Trump threw out a pitch at a Red Sox game in 2006, but did not do so as a sitting president.

[assasin9112]

Which Earth Sign must you Absolutely Not Date.

Nothing else works. You might have read all the dating guidelines on the internet, you have got an idea of what’s holding you straight back. All you have to do is summons up your childhood nostalgia and choose the word you suppose makes essentially the most sense. Will you price the place you assume your heart lies? In 138 days, Ashton Irwin will probably be 28 years outdated. She was born in Shellharbour, Australia, on October 10, 1995. Her current age is 24 years old. ” There are so many thoughts about age and love, however the 2 don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. When all your solutions are added together, your love meter degree can be straightforward to read! Pour your whole love into your responses, and the meter will calculate your rating when you are completed. Is your love popping off the charts? Whether it was two teens who discovered love in a chaotic atmosphere or a person struggling to choose between two lovers, many individuals associated to the stories indirectly.

American Samantha Lovell found love after utilizing Saskia's service. Once you open up about your love life, we'll provde the each day horoscope that is meant for you and only you. Unless you might have a professional astrologer on pace dial like President Roosevelt, you're left with few choices for getting your personalised day by day horoscope. Sugar Daddies are rich men; millionaires mostly who've accumulated numerous 'males toys' like sports cars, luxury boats, magnificent homes and a luxurious lifestyle. After all, you are welcome to share your results simply to prove to your mates that you are, the truth is, dateable, but that is completely up to you. As you undergo this quiz, we're going to relate your love life to the stars. Which of the famous love tales best describes your life? Everyone loves an excellent love story, and some of the greatest ones were based on actual-life romances. Look, tons of individuals wish to hike, and sometimes, these folks go out on hikes with a major different, making for a reasonably good date. American actor and comedian who co-founded the sketch comedy group Good Neighbor and played Rory on HBO’s comedy collection Hello Ladies.

You possibly can kind in your birth date and get a common reading, but you are getting the same studying as everybody else who shares the same sign. You'll be able to date your husband after your marriage and nobody else. To offer an additional layer of protection, נערות ליווי בתל אביב והמרכז request that they name or textual content during the date to ensure most security. Some relationships have a definite expiration date. Don't rely on the old school way of finding out what your stars have in store. Finding out who's dating Jeremy Lin is comparatively easy, but maintaining observe of his flings, hookups, and breakups is tougher. Finding out who's dating Sunny Anderson is comparatively straightforward, but preserving monitor of her flings, hookups, and breakups is more difficult. Some internet sites have really listings for craigslist private advert marriage ceremony minded including individuals simply finding informal dating, so understand what you want and what you are getting. Love might be complicated, and it is advisable to know where you might be earlier than you may really open your coronary heart. Which zodiac sign are you most suitable with?

Like motels, there are days when eating places are absolutely booked. Within a couple days. Building an incredibly broad and different member base of respectful, relationship-minded singles from all walks of life, both all over the Los Angeles space as well as additional afield. If you are one among single athletes, rich singles or other elite people in search of romance or true love, this athlete dating site is the best choice. Whether you are currently wanting, taken or you're purposefully off the market, we expect we are able to guess the place you stand after you play Mad Libs with us. Getting ready for a date can contain numerous anxiety and preparation, however is it really necessary to provide you with an inventory of questions forward of time? Ready for a primary date? Where would you go on a first date? Please tell us if you find any information about David Alpay that is out of date. I do, but I don't allow them to know. We all know it may be hard ready for love to arrive, but don't fret, love is close; it's simply waiting for you to find it.

[yourreddancer]

Heather Cox Richardson 12/7/21

On the sunny Sunday morning of December 7, 1941, Messman Doris Miller had served breakfast aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia, stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and was collecting laundry when the first of nine Japanese torpedoes hit the ship. In the deadly confusion, Miller reported to an officer, who told him to help move the ship’s mortally wounded captain off the bridge. Unable to move him far, Miller sheltered the captain behind the ship’s conning tower. Then another officer ordered Miller to pass ammunition to him as he started up one of the two abandoned anti-aircraft guns in front of the conning tower. Miller had not been trained to use the guns because, as a Black man in the U.S. Navy, he was assigned to serve the white officers. But while the officer was distracted, Miller began to fire one of the guns. He fired it until he ran out of ammunition. Then he helped to move injured sailors to safety before he and the other survivors abandoned the West Virginia, which sank to the bottom of Pearl Harbor.That night, America declared war on Japan.

 Japan declared war on America the next day, and four days later, on December 11, 1941, Italy and Germany both declared war on America. “The powers of the steel pact, Fascist Italy and National Socialist Germany, ever closely linked, participate from today on the side of heroic Japan against the United States of America,” Italian leader Benito Mussolini said. “We shall win.” Of course they would. Mussolini and Germany’s leader, Adolf Hitler, believed the mongrel Americans had been corrupted by Jews and “Negroes,” and could never conquer their own organized military machine.The steel pact, as Mussolini called it, was the vanguard of his new political ideology. That ideology was called fascism, and he and Hitler thought it would destroy democracy once and for all.

Mussolini had been a socialist as a young man and had grown terribly frustrated at how hard it was to organize people. No matter how hard socialists tried, they seemed unable to convince ordinary people that they must rise up and take over the country’s means of production.The efficiency of World War I inspired Mussolini. He gave up on socialism and developed a new political theory that rejected the equality that defined democracy. He came to believe that a few leaders must take a nation toward progress by directing the actions of the rest. These men must organize the people as they had been organized during wartime, ruthlessly suppressing all opposition and directing the economy so that businessmen and politicians worked together. 

And, logically, that select group of leaders would elevate a single man, who would become an all-powerful dictator. To weld their followers into an efficient machine, they demonized opponents into an "other" that their followers could hate.Italy adopted fascism, and Mussolini inspired others, notably Germany's Hitler. Those leaders came to believe that their system was the ideology of the future, and they set out to destroy the messy, inefficient democracy that stood in their way.

America fought World War II to defend democracy from fascism. And while fascism preserved hierarchies in society, democracy called on all men as equals. Of the more than 16 million Americans who served in the war, more than 1.2 million were African American men and women, 500,000 were Latinos, and more than 550,000 Jews were part of the military. Among the many ethnic groups who fought, Native Americans served at a higher percentage than any other ethnic group—more than a third of able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 50 joined the service—and among those 25,000 soldiers were the men who developed the famous “Code Talk,” based in tribal languages, that codebreakers never cracked.The American president at the time, 

Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt, hammered home that the war was about the survival of democracy. Fascists insisted that they were moving their country forward fast and efficiently—claiming the trains ran on time, for example, although in reality they didn’t— but FDR constantly noted that the people in Italy and Germany were begging for food and shelter from the soldiers of democratic countries.Ultimately, the struggle between fascism and democracy was the question of equality. Were all men really created equal as the Declaration of Independence said, or were some born to lead the rest, whom they held subservient to their will?

Democracy, FDR reminded Americans again and again, was the best possible government. Thanks to armies made up of men and women from all races and ethnicities—a mongrel population—the Allies won the war against fascism, and it seemed that democracy would dominate the world forever.But as the impulse of WWII pushed Americans toward a more just and inclusive society after it, those determined not to share power warned their supporters that including people of color and women as equals in society would threaten their own liberty. Those reactionary leaders rode that fear into control of our government, and gradually they chipped away the laws that protected equality. 

Now, once again, democracy is under attack by those who believe some people are better than others.

The once-grand Republican Party has been captured by the right wing. It has lined up behind former president Donald Trump and his cronies, its true believers refusing to accept that a majority of Americans turned Trump out of office in 2020 and replaced him with a Democrat, President Joe Biden. They insist that it is not possible for a Democrat to have been legitimately elected and blame “voter fraud” for the result, although repeated recounts and inspections have proved the vote counts were accurate.

Some Republican lawmakers evidently believe the Big Lie that Trump won in 2020; others are going along with it out of opportunism or fear, but they are not speaking out to counter the lies poisoning our democracy.

 Even after January 6, when insurgents stormed the U.S. Capitol and threatened the lives of our top lawmakers, 147 Republicans voted to challenge the election results. Now, 68% of Republicans think that Democrats “stole” the 2020 election.

Now, Republican lawmakers are silent as Republican-dominated legislatures in 19 states have passed 33 laws to make it harder for Black and Brown Americans, as well as others expected to back Democrats, to vote. 

Some of those states have taken the power to certify official votes away from nonpartisan officials and given it to Republicans. Had these laws been in place in 2020, Trump would almost certainly still be in office.

As we learn more about the events of January 6, it is clear that the former president and his inner circle corrupted the Department of Justice and possibly other parts of the government, launching a coup that came perilously close to success. And, as Barton Gellman details this week in The Atlantic, they are arranging the mechanics of our democracy to make sure that next time, they won’t fail. They will put in place an autocracy in which a powerful leader and his chosen loyalists make the rules under which the rest of us must live.

Will we permit the destruction of American democracy on our watch?

When America came under attack before, people like Doris Miller refused to let that happen. For all that American democracy still discriminated against him, it gave him room to stand up for the concept of human equality—and he laid down his life for it. 

Promoted to cook after the Navy sent him on a publicity tour, Miller was assigned to a new ship, the U.S.S. Liscome Bay, which was struck by a Japanese torpedo on November 24, 1943. It sank within minutes, taking two thirds of the crew, including Miller, with it.

I hear a lot these days about how American democracy is doomed and the reactionaries will win. Maybe. But the beauty of our system is that it gives us people like Doris Miller.

Even better, it makes us people like Doris Miller.

[eleanorbloom]

Meet My MC: Eleanor Bloom

Hello! So, I’ve been wanting to do this for MONTHS. Since I started posting When You're Ready series to be exact, but I never found the perfect face claim to do a nice moodboard. That changed a few days ago thanks to a random post in Tumblr where I discovered this Queen 😍😍😍

Let me introduce you to my main Open Heart MC (I have another MC for the mini series I’m writing, but I’ll make a separate post when it’s due). This is the woman I've been building and destroying as I write the series, and despite her suffering, is the luckiest bitch on earth 😂

Edited on August 15th, 2021.

Name: Eleanor Andrea Bloom

Nicknames: Ellie, by her friends and family in general; Sunny or Sunflower by her dad; Andrew by her brother; Elle by Bryce; Ella by Keiki.

Face claim : Ivana Baquero.

Height: 5'4 (167cm)

Date of birth: December 14th, 1992.

Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

Education: Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

Family: Robert and Verónica Bloom (parents), Benjamin Bloom (younger brother, 6 years younger), Ricardo Díaz and Ofelia Velásquez, chilean maternal grandparents, Albert and Lorraine Bloom, paternal grandparents.

Love Interest: Bryce Lahela. (At first was Ethan, but he's now competely in the past.)

Personality: Eleanor is outgoing, kind, caring, and is always ready to help others; she also has a profound sense of empathy. In front of adversities she's resilient and stubborn, a total fighter for what she considers right. Unfortunately that leads to focus more on other people's needs instead of their own.

Messy overthinker.

She's clever and very intuitive. In High School she was one of the best students of her class, but she was also a bit of a troublemaker, always standing up for others and fighting for what is right.

Her passion for medicine and fighting for her ideals was inherited from Ricardo, who was President of the Medicine Students' Union while he was at college in the 60s in Chile.

Family Background:

Eleanor was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a family of parents who fell in love at the young age of 16, and that have been together ever since.

Robert works as Engineer in Construction while Verónica is Auditor in a Financial Firm.

Benjamin is studying Naval Engineering at University of Michigan.

Her paternal family is from Columbus, OH.

Her maternal grandparents are chilean and lived as exiled in USA after the Military Forces made a coup d'etat in the country (1973). Both were members of the Socialist Party and, at the risk of being arrested (and tortured) for their political tendencies, Ricardo accepted an offer to do a fellowship in pediatrics in Columbus, OH. Ofelia worked as Mid-wife in Chile but stayed at home the first years to help Verónica with the new country and the new language, and because she and Ricardo wanted more kids. After sixteen years (1974-1990), as democracy was reinstated, both returned to Chile with their two younger children, of 12 and 9 at that moment. Verónica stayed as she was studying and had plans of making family with Robert eventually, once they finished their studies.

Despite the fact that her grandparents weren't living in USA when she was born, she's very close with them and her chilean family in general. Normally The Blooms travel once a year to spend the chilean winter holidays or the national holidays in September, although the last few years have been just Verónica and Robert because of Benjamin's college schedule.

Interests.

She likes to listen to music, specially pop. Taylor Swift is her favorite artist of all times. She also listens a lot of Spanish-speaking music, like Reggeaton (mostly to dance) and chilean artists like Francisca Valenzuela, Los Bunkers, Alex Anwandter and Javiera Mena.

Eleanor is a coffee person, and is more a sweet tooth than salty, all thanks to the pastries and cakes Ofelia prepares every time she visits Chile.

She likes to cook and bake things, but she's not a fan as Sienna.

She likes to read, but above all she enjoys taking long walks and sometimes, if time allows, do some hiking.

She loves romantic movies and her favorite Christimas Movie is Love Actually.

She LOVES dancing, especially reggaeton (which she learned to dance it during her visits to Chile), but now that she has Bryce as partner she loves it even more because the boy has moves and he's the only one that can keep up with her just as she likes (and even better). Besides is a sexy activity and one of their favorites foreplay 🤭

Random facts.

Her parents called her Eleanor because during High School, her mother was obssessed with Eleanor Roosevelt, and her father just liked the name because it was a Beatles' song (Eleanor Rigby).

Her dad started calling her Sunny or Sunflower since she was 7 for her bright and caring personality. And since then the sunflower has been her favorite flower.

She's fluent in Spanish. Even thought she learned a lot during the her visits to Chile on vacations over the years, she became fluent after she spent two months in Chile before going to college.

____

Thanks for reading! I had all this information ready to be published for months, but I didn't want to post it without the face claim.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Eleanor a bit more 😊

[apricops]

Manorpunk seems really interesting! I'd love to hear more about it. ^_^

📓 Person of Interest added: President Sunny Roosevelt

President Sunny Roosevelt (real name [REDACTED]) is a VTuber, second-generation Muskling, and current head of state of the American Union. She has been a public figure since the 2044 Neo-Constitution following the American Crisis of the 2030s.

While her role is largely ceremonial and technically disconnected from the day-to-day operations of governance, she has shown a keen understanding of the soft power she wields as a pillar of the Attention Economy, and her actions will define the limits afforded to this new position.

“A living, breathing countrysona, President Sunny Roosevelt represents a new age of American politics as a willing part of a world system, rather than the quixotic, bumbling ogres of the last few decades insisting on America’s global hegemony while American cities melted. She’s also very cute.” - post-election newsletter from the Incumbent Party

“Her carefully-cultivated image as the American Union’s benign cheerleader disguises a network of nepotism and favor trading, with many of her campaign staff and former streaming associates now receiving staff positions or election support. It remains to be seen whether or not she is committed to her platform or simply seeking to build a new dynasty for her own enrichment.” - editorial opinion from the Opposition Party

“At the end of the day, Americans just want to have a friendly, supportive sister-figure that they don’t feel guilty about masturbating to.” - President Sunny Roosevelt in an off-the-record remark during an interview

[manorpunk]

When asked about the 'loneliness epidemic,' Global Logistics Network spokesperson Odo Fucklanyard stated "We've been looking very closely into the latest research regarding loneliness and social isolation, and we are very pleased with the results. Cultivating loneliness has been such an effective means of managing our human resources that we might not need to keep doing all that debt slavery. Maybe."

When asked about Fucklanyard's comments, GLN sole co-founder Meng "Harold" Jianli stated "Comments like that are unacceptable, and this is the last straw. As of today, the GLN is no longer considering Ivy League graduate candidates for upper management positions. This is the best America has to offer? Dipshit failsons who can't go five minutes without saying the quiet part out loud? You don't know how good you fucks have it, back in the 2040s I could have dropped a nuke on Virginia and the rest of the world would have thanked me, but I wanted to make amends and give you fucks a chance, and this is what you have on offer? Fucking going on camera and saying 'yeah, sure, we might abolish debt slavery'? Fuck off. I said fuck off, that's an order!"

When asked for her opinion regarding the GLN's new hiring decisions, Sunny Roosevelt stated "I don't like to get political, I'm just the president."

[lgbtkendricks]

Does Annie (1982) provide a good representation of women?

Like many PG-Rated movies of the 80s, Annie is about a young child. An orphan, to be exact. A little orphan girl named Annie. She is spritely, funny, kind, hard-working and intelligent. Even through all her hardships the beloved Annie sings and dances to her heart’s content, with a bright grin and sunny exposition, quite literally believing that no matter what happens ‘the sun will come out tomorrow’.

The 1982 film adaptation of Annie holds heart and positivity as the protagonist and her friends embark on adventures such as escaping the orphanage, visiting radio stations and the movies, tricking their spiteful and alcoholic carer Miss Hannigan and even meeting President Roosevelt. Annie is one of my favourite films of all time. In my most humble opinion, it’s a work of pure brilliance with a strong likeable ensemble and brilliant choreography. It is no wonder why it instantly became a sensation and a classic which was remade multiple times (none of which hold up to the original, although Audra MacDonald as Grace Farrell was a particularly enjoyable performance).

However, even I – who has probably watched Annie around 60 times and can recite the entire script – have to admit that there are certain faults in the adaptation. Of course, there are many questionable parts throughout: the Asian character Punjab was played by a black man and was understood to be strangely magic and only uttered about five lines throughout the entire film, and there was particularly problematic music and accompanying choreography for a Chinese man working at Oliver Warbucks’ mansion during ‘We Got Annie.’

But on a whole, the representation of women throughout Annie is both empowering and disheartening. In a way, the film is reminiscent of the wonderful 1939 film ‘The Women’, starring Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell and Norma Shearer, in which the women are entirely dominant in driving the plot forward. The only man represented in the entire film is on the back of a newspaper one of the women read in an early scene. Whilst men are talked about and fought over, we never see a single male character, which was incredibly revolutionary then and even now, 81 years later, in terms of Hollywood. The fast-paced film is told entirely through the perspectives of several women of (supposed) high-society, and it is nothing short of a marvel.

Being in an all-girls orphanage, Annie is already surrounded by young girls throughout her childhood, who all share close relationships and confide with one another. It is heart-warming to watch and highlights the importance of friendship and positivity to its equally young audience. Scenes such as Annie fighting a group of boys within the first twenty minutes do well to strengthen the empowering nature of her character and the film as a whole. Conveying Annie’s bravery proves to the target audience that they can be a strong, gallant and determined individuals who don’t give up. Unfortunately, this message is debunked a few times throughout the film. Whilst the orphans remain as genuinely admirable and understandable as possible, the three main female adults in Annie waver between aggravating and powerful.

There is Miss Hannigan, played by the extraordinary Carol Burnett, whose personality seems to waver upon hating children (specifically ‘Little Girls’ – she spends about three minutes voicing her loathing through song), yearning for a male counterpart and an alcohol addiction. Whilst her character arc is impressive, due to her sudden protectiveness over Annie after realising her brother Rooster isn’t messing about, she isn’t a particularly good example of a person. Of course, this is the point: we as an audience are supposed to hate her after seeing how frightened the orphans are of Miss Hannigan upon her first entrance into the film, alongside the way she drags Annie and her friends around throughout the musical, aiming to discipline them as harshly as possible without breaking any laws. Still, her questionable morals and decisions do not change the fact that – as a character – she is portrayed well, and her actions and arc make perfect sense once we are given insight into how she feels about her situation.

On the other end of the spectrum, there is the character of Grace Farrell, played by Ann Reinking. She is the brilliant right-hand woman to influential billionaire Oliver Warbucks, carrying three solos throughout the film - the second-most after Annie herself. Arguably, by watching how well she manages both the mansion and the song ‘I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here’ simultaneously, it is clear that Grace’s resourcefulness contributes to her position in society, portraying her as an impressive example of a woman of the 1930s. However, as the film goes on it becomes clearer that she feels she needs Oliver’s constant approval and does everything in accordance to what he decides and desires. Before miraculously singing their way through dressing up in ‘Let’s Go To The Movies’, Annie tells her new motherly figure to wear her hair down as she looks “so pretty”, to which Grace immediately replied with “oh no, Annie, I couldn’t, I just couldn’t, no, no, no!” and Annie provides an off-comment about how miss Hannigan says “a man don’t look at your brains”. Moreover, Grace seems delighted when Oliver tells her “you’re awfully pretty when you argue with me.” and nearly rushes off to get her crooked teeth fixed once Oliver points them out before he reassures her that he likes them crooked. After this, Grace sings and dances through her most energetic and impressive solo, ‘We Got Annie’, seemingly happier than ever. Of course, it’s more than understandable for someone to feel excited if their romantic interest compliments them, but after witnessing Grace’s capabilities and strong sense of self – alongside how she is Annie’s role model and thus the woman all young children watching should strive to be – it is fairly demeaning to watch Grace’s sudden incapability and giddiness when being complimented by “Oliver Warbucks the billionaire.” In fairness, it is important to remember that the actual film is set in 1933 and Grace’s reactions would have been the general consensus, and I am now reading the film in light of our Me Too era, scrutinising it just as I would anything else. Even so, at the time the film adaptation was written in the early 1980s, there had already been feminist movements such as the introduction of the washing machine for women to have the time to work weekdays as men do, and there was a slow influx of feminist books beginning to be written and published. Thus, there was no good reason for script-writer Carol Sobieski to disregard Grace’s intelligence and accomplishments in light of her sudden attraction to Oliver Warbucks – notably, Grace becomes slightly more helpless after this scene. In a way, it’s fairly ironic that the respectable Grace’s portrayal is somehow worse than Miss Hannigan’s in accordance to staying true to their characters, but I suppose that reflects somewhat the way the media currently view women: think Meghan Markle vs. Cardi B.

It’s saddening to see that even now, scriptwriters are using this trope that women can be hard-working and empowering in their chosen job, or they can be in love and focus on nothing else but their romantic interest, unable to find the balance. Whilst this is improving, there are many tv shows and films that disregard the need for change and proper accurate representation of how normal people live and balance their personal life and work ethic. To name a few that do represent this: One Day at a Time, Daddy Day Care, and How I Met Your Mother. Whilst representation of women and minorities in the media is improving, I still would like to see a wider range of films and television that further tackle and question if a character’s original motive or super-objective needs to be drastically altered for their romantic interest.

[theatheistphotographer]

Day 2 — God Bless America

God Bless America’s lyrics have a storied history — one deeply entwined with America’s ever-uneasy relationship between religion and politics.

The song was written by an immigrant. Irving Berlin arrived in New York at 5 as Israel Baline, the son of a cantor fleeing persecution of the Jews of Russia. During World War I, Berlin wrote “God Bless America.” The title was a phrase his immigrant mother fervently repeated during Berlin’s childhood, his daughter later said.

When the song finally debuted 20 years later, the backlash began almost immediately. A Jewish immigrant, critics said, should not get to celebrate this country as his. (Not to mention celebrating Christian holidays: Berlin wrote “White Christmas” and “Easter Parade,” among his massive catalogue of popular hits.)

In the newsletter of an American pro-Nazi organization, one writer expressed this vehement attitude in 1940: “[I do] not consider G-B-A a ‘patriotic’ song, in the sense of expressing the real American attitude toward his country, but consider that it smacks of the ‘How glad I am’ attitude of the refugee horde of which Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘We wish no further additions to the persons whose affection for this country is merely a species of pawnbroker patriotism — whose coming here represents nothing but the purpose to change one feeding trough for another feeding trough.'”

Others rejected Berlin’s optimistic theology in a song he himself called a prayer. Woody Guthrie began writing “This Land Is Your Land” as a parody criticizing “God Bless America” for overlooking America’s flaws. Guthrie’s original title for his song was “God Blessed America for Me.” One of the lesser-known verses of his now-famous folk song goes: “One bright sunny morning, in the shadow of the steeple  |  By the Relief Office, I saw my people.  |  As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering  |  If God blessed America for me.”

As America’s entrance into World War II drew nearer, the country embraced Berlin’s song. It was played at both the Democratic and Republican conventions in 1940, and every Brooklyn Dodgers game that year.

The song became an anthem of an array of causes. Striking garment workers and protesting subway workers sang “God Bless America” in the 1940s and ’50s. Students protesting racial segregation in Louisiana and Mississippi in the 1960s sang it. The antiabortion movement adopted the song in the 1980s.

By the 1970s, the widely employed “God Bless America” was taking on a conservative association that it retains to this day. Sheryl Kaskowitz writes in her book “God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song,” that the deep social division over the Vietnam War marked a turning point for Berlin’s melody.

“The song became a staple at pro-war rallies, and was often used as a sonic weapon in conflicts with anti-war protesters,” she writes. “If conservatives can be understood as revolutionaries reacting against the progressive social change movements of the 1960s, then “God Bless America” was their “We Shall Overcome,” used by activists expressing opposition to progressive social movements like school integration, women’s rights, and abortion.”

President Richard M. Nixon, who represented those conservatives rejecting social movements of the 1960s, frequently referenced the song and even sang it at a state dinner alongside Berlin himself, who died at 101 in 1989. President Ronald Reagan, the first embraced by the new religious right, did not just play the religious-patriotic song at his rallies. In his prior career as an actor, he starred in the 1943 movie “This Is the Army,” which was the first film to feature the song.

Others who have embraced and popularized the song continue to include, like Berlin, immigrants and admirers of this country who were not born in America. Among the most memorable renditions of the song in recent decades was Celine Dion’s version, recorded for a fundraiser album that hit No. 1  on the Billboard chart after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Although she is Canadian, Dion sings a soulful “God Bless America.”

When Hispanic singer Marc Anthony performed the song at the 2013 baseball All-Star Game, racists attacked his performance, tweeting slurs including, “C’mon MLB. How you gonna pick a Mexican to sing ‘God Bless America’?” and much more. Anthony is Puerto Rican — meaning he is American.

In other words, a century after the song was written, we are still fighting about who is entitled to proclaim blessings upon the “land that I love,” and “my home sweet home.” Berlin might answer: anyone who knows the words. 

— From The surprising history of “God Bless America,” the patriotic hymn Trump might have forgotten, by Julie Zauzmer, Washington Post, 6 June 2018.

Photo: Graffitied wall, Brooklyn, NY

[artificialqueens]

Tree House Kisses, Chapter 18 (Adorney) - Scorpio and Veronica

A/N: Click here for previous chapters. Xoxo!

Chapter Summary: Someone’s planning a super sweet sixteen, and love is in the air...

Chapter 18: Those Magic Changes

Courtney skipped into the kitchen, trilling, “Gooood morning, mommy!” and giving Karen a big, warm hug. She turned to Karen’s new boyfriend, who was struggling with the coffee maker. “Hi, Todd. Let me help you with that.”

Karen raised an eyebrow at her daughter’s sunny disposition. “Okay, what do you want?”

“Well, now that you mention it, I was thinking about my party…”

“Oh god, here we go--”

“Moooom,” Courtney whined good-naturedly. “It’s my sixteenth birthday. We’re doing it here in the backyard, that’s saving a lot of money, right? I mean, Kim’s was at the Hilton.”

“Courtney, I don’t need to remind you that both the economy and our financial situation were very different back then, right?”

Courtney smiled and put her arms around her mom’s shoulders.

“I know, mommy. That’s my point. Kimmy had a booming economy and the emotional stability of two-parent family. I mean, I’m dealing with a divorce and two wars and a terrible president. I should have a nice birthday party, don’t you think?” Courtney pouted her lip.

Karen laughed. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“So listen,” Courtney said, getting down to business, “Roy’s cousin Tomas is a DJ, and he said he’ll do it for the friends and family rate.” She placed a business card on the counter. “I found a caterer in Pasadena that has tons of vegetarian options and she gives a huge discount if you go pick the stuff up from her.” She put a printout of another business card down carefully. “And she’s like 2 blocks away from a bakery that does vegan cakes and look at this!” Courtney pulled out a picture of a black and white cake with a bright pink bow. “It’s my colors!”

Karen shook her head. “I thought we’d get a cake from Costco, honey.”

“Mother. Costco?” Courtney clutched her chest dramatically. “Omigod, this is worse than the divorce.”

Todd, who had been silent, began to laugh. “I’m pretty stoked on the vegan cake idea, Court.”

“Thank you! Oh, and Party Planet can deliver tables, chairs, lights, decor, everything, early in the morning and then pick it up the next day. They did April’s quinceañera last year, and they are AMAZING.” She put the last piece of paper down triumphantly. “I’ve been doing a lot of research and these are the best deals in town, mom.”

Karen shook her head. “Fine, I will talk to these vendors. I’m not promising anything, though.”

“Thanks, mommy! And remember, we’re also saving money since Darienne and I are doing the invitations and placecards ourselves.”

“You spent three hundred bucks at Michael’s, Courtney. I don’t know how much money that saved.”

“Mommy...have I told you how beautiful you look today?” Courtney batted her eyelashes. “And so young…”

“Go get dressed for school, Courtney.”

She kissed Karen on the cheek and departed from the kitchen, singing, “This will be the best party ever! Because I have the best mother!”

Todd shook his head. “You’re getting so played.”

“I know,” Karen sighed.

-

Adore and Willam were the last to arrive at lunch; Fame and Pearl were deep in conversation about who knows what and Violet sat across from Trinity, giving her answers to some homework that she didn’t do.

“What’s up, guys?” Adore asked, plopping down in the grass next to Violet and Trinity. Willam sat against the tree butting his way into Fame and Pearl’s conversation.

“Hey, Adore. Just trying to get this finished before class--heard Mrs. Davis is checking for correctness.” Trinity rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“And Violet's helping you. Aw, look who's being nice today,” Adore teased Violet, trying to elicit some kind of response from the girl. Violet had been ignoring Adore since the locker incident and she just wanted things to get back to normal between them. Or as normal as possible, under the circumstances.

Adore sighed when Violet stared at the paper in front of her.

“Did you read the story at all Trin? He dies at the end,” Violet grabbed pencil from Trinity, erasing her answer.

“Lenny dies?!”

“Yeah-” Adore started only to be interrupted by Violet.

“Maybe, you should have read the book. I don't even know why I'm helping you,” Violet passed the paper back.

“Because you love me and like to see me succeed in life,” Trinity flashed a smile and Violet playfully rolled her eyes.

“Never suggest such a thing.”

Adore let out a frustrated groan before flopping back onto the grass between the two girls, “Can you, like, stop acting like I don't exist.” Adore said, a pout on her lips, hazel eyes blinking at Violet.

“Fame,” Violet called over Adore.

“Yes.”

“Do you still have some grapes left?”

“Mhm,” Fame nodded, ready to toss the ziplock to Violet.

“I'll come get them,” Violet said, crawling over to the others.

Adore sat up on her elbows, watching Violet crawl away. Then looked up at Trinity who was shaking her head, “Can you talk to her?”

“I'll try, but you know how Violet is.”

-

The cast was scattered all over the place waiting their turn to get on the stage and go over blocking and lines. And Adore didn’t hesitate to find her way to where the other pink ladies sat in the back of the theater, plopping down beside Raja.  

“Hey,” Adore said softly, bright eyes admiring the beauty of the older girl.

“Sup,” Raja nodded, pulling the headphones off her ears.

“You look good,” the words left Adore’s lips before she could stop them and her face reddened in turn.

Raja was wearing a Cyndi Lauper t-shirt under a frayed jean jacket, patches sewed carefully along the sleeves and front. Her caramel skin peeked through the rips in her jeans, her long dark hair was braided back, bangs swept to one side, and battered black boots giving her more of an edge and pulling the entire look together.

“I ‘look good’?” Raja raised a brow and Adore face grew redder but she nodded, because it was true. “Thanks for the compliment but I threw this on in two minutes. You, look like you took some time getting ready this morning, though,” Raja said, putting her feet up on the seat in front of her.

Raja wasn't wrong, Adore had been spending more time in the mirror in the mornings than usual.

“Not really,” Adore lied, remembering how she kept messing up her eyeliner and nearly wanted to cry because her right eye wasn’t perfect.

The smell of weed and Raja’s perfume had Adore’s stomach doing flips as she leaned in close; the music from her headphones echoed between them.

“Well, you look good,” Raja looked over Adore, before moving to take her feet off the seat.

“Thanks.” Adore tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“Wanna go to the vending machine with me?” Raja asked.

“Yeah.” Adore hurriedly stood up, the pair making their way out of the theatre.

“Have you seen the jackets?” Raja asked as she put her money in the machine.

“No, have you?” Adore leaned against the machine as casually as possible.

“Yeah, I’m helping with the costumes. I gotta show them to you when we get a chance.” Raja said, moving closer to Adore after grabbing her pack of skittles. “Maybe try them on to make sure they fit?” Raja suggested, fingering at Adore’s jacket, brown eyes staring intently into Adore’s.

Adore’s thoughts raced with possibilities, but she only nodded in response.

“Uh, you wanna hang out later?”

“Sorry,” Raja smacked her teeth, stepping back and opening the bag of skittles. “Got work, but another time, okay?”

“Yeah,” Adore nodded.

Once back in the theatre, Raja put her headphones on Adore, going through her music seeing if the younger girl could name the songs from ear.

“You don't know this one,” Raja teased.

“Yeah, I do. Give me a sec; the song just started,” Adore smiled.

“Let me see what part it's on,” Raja leaned in, her scent filling Adore’s senses again. Raja’s hand found a spot on Adore's thigh as she leaned toward her. Raja put her ear to the outside of the headphones and the pressure on Adore’s thigh made it hard for her to concentrate on the song.

“If you haven't gotten it by now, then you're not going to get it,” Raja laughed, hand squeezing Adore’s thigh slightly. Adore turned to look at Raja, heartbeat speeding up when she noticed how close they were to each other; noses nearly touching.

“Whatever, it's all stuff from before I was born. It’s stuff from before you were born,” Adore pulled the headphones off.

“Exactly. When you come to my place… I'm going to have to get you acquainted with some real music.”

-

Courtney walked back to her seat, trying not to watch Adore’s ridiculously obvious flirting. Frankly, she found Raja to be a little bit pretentious and full of herself, but Adore seemed to think she walked on water, so she was just keeping her opinions to herself.

It wouldn’t be so bad, but she’d canceled their plans twice in the last week, which irritated Courtney to no end. She couldn’t be totally sure that the last time had to do with Raja, but Courtney had her suspicions. She sighed, approaching Roy and Darienne, who were of course dutifully studying for a US History test while everyone else in the theatre was fucking around.

“You alright, babe?” Roy asked.

Courtney looked down at him and smiled sweetly. “Mmmhmm…” She ran a hand through his thick hair and settled into his lap, demanding attention.

Roy grinned, dimples deep in his cheeks, and went in for a long, slow kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Roy, when did Teddy Roosevelt start the National--” Darienne began and then looked up, rolling her eyes. “You guys, come on...”

“Sorry, am I interrupting?” Courtney asked coyly, batting her eyelashes.

Roy laughed and sucked on her pulse point, one hand trailing down her thigh. “Yes. And don’t stop.”

“You used to be a really responsible study partner, you know!” Darienne said.

Courtney giggled as Roy buried his face in her hair, giving Darienne an apologetic shrug. “Sorry.”

“Whatever. I guess I’ll just be ruining the curve by myself now.” Darienne flipped her hair and went back to her textbook.

Roy lifted his head, eyes blazing. “Fuck you, I’m still gonna ruin the curve. I’ll get a higher grade than you without even studying.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Twenty bucks says I beat your grade on Friday without cracking this book.”

“Deal. Give me the book.”

“You don’t trust me?” Roy clutched his chest in mock dismay.

“Not as far as I can throw you, Del Rio.”

“Hmph. Well, you’re smarter than I thought.” Roy handed over his textbook, chuckling.

-

“Knock knock…” Adore said, standing at Courtney’s back door.

Courtney pulled off her headphones, sweaty after just getting back from a run, and threw open the door. “Hiya babe, come in!”

“I’m just here to hand-deliver the RSVP for the most ridiculous invitation I’ve ever received.”

Courtney clapped her hands, jumping up and down excitedly. “Did the glitter go everywhere?”

“Yes. You goddamned asshole.”

“Roy was so pissed. He was sitting on his unmade bed and now it’s like, in his sheets. And when I saw him there was even a piece of pink glitter in his eyelashes,” she doubled over laughing. “He said he’s gonna have his mom put a Santeria curse on me.”

“I’d support that.”

“Too bad she loves me!” Courtney giggled mischievously, then sat down at the table, sighing dreamily. “This party is going to be amazing. I almost feel bad for using the divorce to manipulate my parents into spending so much money…”

Adore laughed. “Almost, but not quite?”

“Well, do you remember Kimmy’s sweet sixteen party, at the Hilton?! Come on! I deserve this!” Courtney pouted.

“Of course you do, princess. So...I wanted to ask you a question about the guest list.”

“Yes, I invited Pearl and Willam and no, I did not invite Violet.”

“Noted. But, I was wondering if I could invite Raja.”

Courtney stared at her for a moment, blinking rapidly.

“I mean, you know, we’ve been hanging out, and...things are...why do you look like that?”

“Because Raja has never even said one word to me.”

“Well…” Adore bit her lip. “Maybe, she can just be my plus one.”

“This party is about me, Adore. Why would you need a plus one?” Courtney whined.

“Uh...” Adore hesitated, knowing how Courtney got when it came to her birthday. She was the most important person that day and she’d fight anyone who said otherwise.

“Whatever,” Courtney finally sighed crossing her arms in annoyance.

“Whatever? So, I can-”

“Yeah, you can invite her, I guess. But I expect your present to be the best one I open at my party. I want to be wowed and everyone else to be jealous that you’re my best friend.” Courtney raised a brow, challenging Adore.

Adore let out a nervous chuckle at her friend’s ridiculousness.

“Okay, yeah, it’ll be the best present you could ask for. I promise.” Adore leaned across the table planting a kiss on Courtney’s cheek.

-

“Pearl, if you can do the school over here, I can work on the foreground,” Sasha said.

“Sure!” Pearl settled down over by the corner as directed, arranging her brushes, chatting with Sasha about the plans for the other backdrops. She was especially excited about getting to take the lead for the drive-in, since Sasha had loved her sketches.

“Sasha! Did you know that the US History test is tomorrow?!” Shea came running around the corner in a panic. She glanced down at Pearl and tried to regain her composure. “Hey Pearl.”

Pearl flashed a coy smile and Shea returned a shy grin.

“Yeah, hon, I know. Do you wanna come over and study later?”

“Uh, yeah, duh. And can I borrow your notes too?” Shea smiled charmingly at her friend.

Sasha laughed. “Sure. I’ll go get them.” She rose from the ground and walked over to her backpack.

Pearl looked up at Shea, standing with one hip cocked, head tilted. She was just so damn cute.

“Shea, I love that dress. Where did you get it?”

“Oh, um...I made it.”

“You made it? Are you serious?” Pearl jumped up to examine it closer. “You are kidding me; this is incredible!” She ran a finger over the colorful fabric.

Shea cleared her throat. “Thanks.” She took a small step back and Pearl wondered if she’d crossed some boundary.

“You know, I heard that they need someone else to do costumes. If you’re interested, I bet Thorgy would kiss your feet.” Pearl tried to give her a friendly, non-predatory, no-homo smile.

“Cool, yeah, that’s…” Shea trailed off, looking into Pearl’s eyes, clearing her throat.

Sasha handed a red notebook to Shea, looking between them with an amused expression. “Here you go. I’ll be done here by 4:30.”

“Okay, thanks. See you later,” Shea said, quickly taking the notebook and bolting.

“Something I said?” Pearl asked.

Sasha laughed. “Don’t take it personally.”

-

“So, mother,” Courtney skipped into the kitchen, a sly smile on her face and a piece of paper in hand.

“Courtney, please don’t tell me-”

“Just a few last-minute things that I must have for my party.” She held the list out for her mom to take, but Karen only glared at the paper.

“Come on. It’s not bad, I promise,” Courtney waved the paper in front of her face, coaxing her to take it out of her hand.

With a sigh, Karen took the paper from Courtney, folding it up.

“Wait, what are you doing, look at it.”

“I will, when I have time.” Karen assured.

“What’s more important than your baby girl’s sweet sixteen?” Courtney crossed her arms.

“Courtney, don’t start,” Karen squinted at Courtney.

“Ever since you and dad finalized your divorce, it’s been like I don’t even matter,” Courtney eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered for effect.

“You know that’s not true,” Karen sighed, knowing Courtney’s tactics, but couldn’t help feeling the guilt that would eat her alive if Courtney didn’t have the birthday she wanted. “Let me see what you wrote.”

“Two cakes and an ice cream cart,” she looked up with wide eyes.

“We’re doing the vegan cake from Sweet Pea, plus I want a regular chocolate cake for everyone else and an ice cream cart for people who don’t like cakes plus it’s cute and fun and the awning matches my color scheme.” Courtney smiled and Karen rolled her eyes.

“You’ll get the vegan cake and one or the other; not both,” she said before she continued reading. “Smoke machines, strobe lights? Disco balls? Courtney--”

“They are just little add-ons to the lighting package! It’ll make the dance floor sooo much more fun, Mommy, please!”

“Balloon arch? Confetti cannons? A photographer AND videographer? Do you want a clown too?” Karen murmured under her breath, but Courtney heard her mother and only rolled her eyes.

“Mom, we need production value, and the photographer is to capture the memories, it’s going to be such a special day.”

“We can all take pictures. I have a camera, and so does your father, and Todd, plus I’ll borrow the video camera from Bonnie. And doesn’t your friend Thorgy take beautiful pictures?”

“Yeah, but that’s not as good as a professional!”

“Whatever,” her mother shook her head.

“Keep going,” Courtney waved her hand. Her mother grew silent as she continued to read the list.

“Okay, Courtney. No!” Karen slapped the paper on the counter, wanting to get it out of her hands as quick as possible causing Courtney to frown.

“What?”

“No spray tan, no teeth whitening! Even if we had that kind of money, which we don’t, that stuff is full of toxic chemicals.”

“But, mom, it’s winter and I’m so pasty, I need a tan!” she whined.

“I said NO! And I’m not hiring a professional makeup artist, or hairstylist either. Kimmy can do your hair and makeup. I don’t have the money for this stuff and you know it.”

“What about daddy?” Courtney asked. Did she know her list was a bit much, yes, but did she think it was unreasonable, no.

“Pick out three things that you really want from this and then I’ll call your father,” she slid the paper across the counter to Courtney.

“Mommy!”

“Courtney. Don’t.”

They glared at each other, before finally Courtney decided to give in.

“I’ll rewrite the list.”

“Thank you, I’ll call your dad.”

-

Fingers intertwined with Roy, Courtney made her way to her locker, going on and on about her plans for the party in a couple of weeks.

“I already have it narrowed down between three outfits that I might wear for my party. I just can’t figure out which one would be the best one,” Courtney pouted.

“You’ll look beautiful in any outfit you choose,” Roy leaned in, placing a soft kiss to her cheek.

“You haven’t even seen the outfits. How would you know?”

“That’s because you won’t let me and you’re the most beautiful girl no matter what you wear,” Roy smiled, tugging Courtney’s hand, pulling her into his chest as they walked up to Courtney’s locker.  

All Courtney had been able to talk about for the last week is party plans and Roy found it absolutely endearing how adamant she was on making sure everything was less no than perfect. His only job so far was to find the perfect birthday gift for her, which was stressful in its own right.

“Thank you,” Courtney said, stopping in front of her locker before pulling Roy into a sweet kiss, “but you’re no help right now. I just have to decide on what color I want to wear and then it’ll really narrow it down. Everyone else will be wearing black and white so that means I need to pick the perfect color to POP compared to everyone else.” Courtney continued as she unlocked her locker.

“I thought you’re wearing pink.”

“Oh my god, do you know how many shades of pink there are?” she rolled her eyes. “I mean- OHMYGOD!” Courtney squealed as she opened her locker, startling Roy.

“What!? What’s wrong?” Roy pulled the locker door open wider to see a black box decorated with glittery numbers saying “1996” sitting on top of a note. His brows furrowed in confusion as Courtney bounced on her feet in excitement.

She grabbed the box out of her locker and opened it, another squeal leaving her before she closed the box, looking up at Roy with teary green eyes. She reopened the box a big smile spreading across her face as she ran her finger over the pretty silver brush and pulled out a familiar bright red hair bow and slipped it onto her wrist.

-

Courtney sat at the table watching her mother take the cookies out of the oven, setting them aside to cool down.

“Are we going to take allll the cookies over there?” Courtney asked, blinking up at her mother, hoping that she would let her keep a few for herself; it had been her idea to bake cookies for the new neighbors instead of the lasagna Karen wanted to take over, secretly hoping that she’d get some cookies too.  

“We’ll keep a few here, since you were so helpful today,” Karen said taking her oven mitts off, “Now go wash up while the cookies cool down.”

Later, Courtney skipped down the sidewalk at her mother’s side, excited to be the first one to meet the new family out of all of her friends.

“Does the new neighbors have kids?” Courtney asked.

“Well, I saw a boy a little older than you and I saw a little girl around your age, when they were still moving yesterday.”

“I’ll ring the doorbell!” Courtney yelled, running up to the door and pressing the button, beyond excited to meet these brand-new kids.

“Just once,” Karen swatted Courtney’s hand away from the doorbell as she went to push it again.

Courtney mimicked her mother, smiling wide when the door swung open to reveal a woman with dyed curly blonde hair and a young girl hiding behind the woman’s leg.

“Hi! I’m Karen and this is my daughter, Courtney. We thought we’d welcome you to the neighborhood with some homemade cookies.” Karen held out the container.

“They’re vegan!” Courtney added, smiling up at the woman.

“Thank you! Vegan cookies, wow. Never had them before.” Bonnie gave a tight smile, taking the cookies from Karen.

“They’re really really good,” Courtney said, addressing the girl behind the woman’s leg more than the woman herself, hoping that they would like the cookies as much as she did.

“This is really appreciated. I’m Bonnie, and this is my baby girl Adore,” Bonnie said. “Do you want some coffee?”

“I’m not a baby!” Adore exclaimed, before hiding again, biting her lip.

Courtney smiled at Adore, wiggling her fingers at the dark-haired girl. She couldn’t see much of her as she peaked at Courtney from between Bonnie’s legs; but the bright red bow wrapped around the girl’s ponytail caught Courtney’s attention and she had an urge to tug it.  

Courtney was shaken from her thoughts as Karen’s hand on her shoulder guided her into the house.

“Adore, why don’t you and Courtney go play. You can show her your new bedroom,” Bonnie suggested, and headed into the kitchen, chatting with Karen along the way.

“I really like your bow. It’s so pretty, I don’t have any bows,” Courtney said reaching to tug at the bow, but Adore moved out of her reach, causing Courtney to frown for a moment until she saw a big smile spread across Adore’s face.

“Do you want to go upstairs and see my other stuff? I have so many bows,” Adore touched her own before turning to run up the stairs and Courtney followed.

-

She closed the box sitting it back in her locker and picked up the card that the box had sat on.

“Uh, so who is it from,” Roy asked even though he was ninety-nine percent sure he knew who it was from.

Courtney ignored him as she read the card:

Remember my favorite red bow I used to always wear? When we first met, you’d beg me to let you wear it. When I finally gave in, you lost it the next day. I can’t believe we stayed friends after that. :p It must be because you were the only one who had patience for my “tender-headed bullshit,” to quote my lovely mother. This is gift 1 of 10, for our 10 years of friendship. -Dory

-

Courtney watched Adore whimper, grit her teeth and stomp her feet as Bonnie detangled her hair.

“It's okay, Dory,” Courtney said softly, hating to see Adore like this. She sat in front of Adore, trying to distract her from the brush running through her hair.

When Adore let out a cry as the brush snagged on a particular knot, tears started to fall from her eyes. Courtney leaped forward, pulling Adore into a tight hug.

Bonnie shook her head, finding the whole scene adorable and over-dramatic.

“She'll be fine, Courtney.” Bonnie assured.

When the girls didn't let go of each other, Bonnie decide to send Courtney off.

“Courtney, can you be an angel and go get Adore's big red bow out of her bedroom for me.”

Courtney nodded, peeling away from Adore, running to get the bow, knowing that it was Adore's favorite and wanting to get back to her as soon as possible.

Running as fast as her little legs could carry she burst through Adore’s bedroom door, grabbing the red bow from her night table. Courtney hesitated for just a moment, admiring the brightness of it before Adore’s yelp from downstairs pulled her out of her thoughts, causing her to spring back into action.

Passing the bow to Bonnie, Courtney plopped back down in front of a crying Adore.

“Hold my hand, Dory.” Courtney said, shoving her hand towards Adore and they stayed like that until Adore’s hair was finished.

-

“Babe, are you crying?” Roy wrapped his arms around Courtney.

“No,” she sniffed, “I just really miss that red bow,” she turned around to face him.

Fuck, he thought, he completely forgot that he was going to be going up against Adore for the title of best gift. Best friend vs Boyfriend.

Around the corner, Adore watched Courtney’s emotional reaction to her gift with a satisfied smirk. Nailed it.

-

“Dory, pretty pleasssseee,” Courtney begged, hugging Adore tight.

All Courtney wanted was to wear Adore’s red bow, when her Grandma Muriel came to visit tomorrow, but Adore didn't want Courtney to wear it because it was hers.

“No,” Adore huffed.

“But I promise to bring it back,” Courtney pouted, blinking those wide green eyes.

Adore crossed her arms, red bow tight in her hand. Courtney smiled mischievously hand inching toward Adore's. She gripped the tip of the bow and tried to lightly tug it out of Adore’s hand.

“No, Courtney!” Adore yelled, hopping off the couch. Crossing her arms and turning her nose up.

“Pretty please! With cherries on top,” Courtney bottom lip quivered, her feelings hurt that Adore was being so mean to her to today. “I thought you were my best friend.”

“I am.” Adore uncrossed her arms nodding.

“No, you're not because you won't let me wear your bow.” Courtney pouted.

Hurt was evident on Adore’s face at Courtney's statement of no longer being best friends. She looked down at the red bow that she had taken off her hair earlier and contemplated her options. The red bow was hers and it was her favorite. She also liked being Courtney's best friend; they played together all the time, watched movies and did everything together.

She was scared Courtney would try to keep her bow, but she didn't want to stop being Courtney's best friend.

“Okay,” she sighed, “you can wear it.” Adore held the bow to Courtney, who squealed in delight, attacking Adore in a tight hug, sending them both to the ground.

-

“Here, hold this,” Courtney shoved the box and the card into Roy's hands. She raked her hair high above her head like she’d do on game days and wrapped the bow around her ponytail.

As Courtney fixed her hair, Roy noticed Adore moving toward them from the lockers behind them. Eyes wide in surprise that he hadn't noticed her there earlier, he moved to the side as Adore snuck up behind Courtney, wrapping her arms around his girlfriend’s waist.

“P.S. I'm still a little bitter about you losing my bow, even though your mom bought both of us replacements,” Adore snickered as Courtney squealed for the third time that day, turning around and throwing her arms around her neck.

“I didn't do it on purpose,” Courtney pouted and Roy cleared his throat. Adore immediately noticed the intimacy of their position and stepped back.

Courtney, distracted by the surprise, only turned back to the locker.

“Does it look good?” she asked straightening it out trying to look in the small locker mirror.

“Looks amazing,” Adore smiled.

“It looks perfect,” Roy nodded, before shooting Adore a quick glare, wracking his brain for the perfect gift to beat Adore’s.