#Seton Home

[thepoppedbb]

1921, aboard the SS Demeter: The reformed playboy and banking heir Nathaniel Seton IV returns home to New York with his newlywed bearer, the former Albert Napier, to prepare for the birth of their first son. The pair left on a combined extended honeymoon and business trip that took them across Europe and Asia Minor for over seven months.

[otherworlds-inside-my-mind]

Xenofiction (& similar) Media Masterpost

Editable Google Doc Link here

PS. This list is for keeping track only. This is not a recommendation list and I won't be advocating for any Work, Author or Company listed. There will be footnotes about a work/author for undesirable behaviour or themes if necessary.

This is a WIP and will be updated whenever I have the time to. Feel free to recommend works or inform me about an author so I can update the post. Be Aware works on this list might have been cancelled or on indifinitive Hiatus and not all works are available on English.

Sections:

Literature

Comic Books & Graphics Novels

Picture Books

Indie Written Works

Webcomics

Manga

Animated Series

Live-Action & Hybrid shows

Webseries

Short Films

Animated Films

Live Action & CGI Assisted Movies

Documentary

Theather

Videogames

Online Browser Games

Table Top Games

Music

Other Online Projects

Youtubers

Gen. Videos

Worlds

Franchises

To search is Ctrl + F (Windows) or Command-F (MacOS), on phone browser you have "Find in page" (Drop menu at top right)

Literature

A

Age of Fire - E. E. Knight

Adventure Lit their Star - Kenneth Allsop

Alien in a Small Town - Jim Cleaveland

Alien Chronicles (Literature) - Deborah Chester

Animal Farm - George Orwell

Animorphs - K. A. Applegate

Am an Owl - Martin Hocke

At Winters End - Robert Silverberg

Avonoa - H.R.B. Collotzi

Astrid and Cerulean: A Parrot Fantasy - Parasol Marshall-Crowley

A Wolf for a Spell - Karah Sutton

The African Painted Wolf Novels - Alexander Kendziorski

The Alchemist's Cat - Robin Jarvis

The Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents - Terry Pratchet

The Amity Incident - C. M. Weller

The Ancient Solitary Reign - Martin Hocke

The Animals of Farthing Wood series - Colin Dann

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

The Author of Acacia Seeds and Other Extracts from the Journal of Therolinguistics - Ursula K. Le Guin

A Magical Cat Named Kayla: Whiskers of Enchantment -Carlos Juárez [AI Cover]*

The Animal Story Book - Various Authors [Editor: Andrew Lang]

Abenteuer im Korallenriff - Antonia Michaelis [DE]

B

Bambi: A life in the forest & Bambi Children - Felix Salten

Bamboo Kingdom series - Erin Hunter

Bazil Broketail - Christopher Rowley

Beak of the Moon & Dark of the Moon - Philip Temple

Bears of the Ice series - Kathryn Lasky

Beasts of New York - Jon Evans

Beautiful Joe - Margaret Marshall Saunders

Beyond Acacia Ridge - Amy Clare Fontaine

Birddom - Clive Woodall

Bird Brain - Guy Kennaway

Black Beauty - Anna Sewell

Blitzcat - Robert Westall

Blizzard Winds - Paul Koch

Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells

Braver: A Wombat's Tale - Suzanne Selfors & Walker Ranson

Bravelands series- Erin Hunter

Broken Fang - Rutherford Montgomery

Bunnicula series - Deborah Howe & James Howe

Burning Stars - Rurik Redwolf

A Black Fox Running - Brian Carter

A Blue So Loud - Tuesday

The Ballard of The Belstone Fox - David Rook

The Bear - James Curwood

The Bees - Laline Paull

The Biography of a Silver Fox - Ernest Thompson Seton

The Blue Cat of Castle Town - Catherine Cate Coblentz

The Book Of Chameleons - José Eduardo Agualusa

The Book of the Dun Cow - Walter Wangerin Jr.

The Book of Night with Moon - Diane Duane

The Books of the Named series - Clare Bell

The Bug Wars - Robert Asprin

The Builders - Daniel Polansky

C

Call of the wild - Jack London

Callanish - William Horwood

Catwings - Ursula K. Le Guin

Cat Diaries: Secret Writings of the MEOW Society - Betsy Byars, Betsy Duffey & Laurie Myers

Cat House - Michael Peak

Cat Pack - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Cats in the city of Plague - A.L Marlow

Celestial Heir series - Chester Young

Charlotte's Web - E. B. White

Chet and Bernie mysteries - Spencer Quinn

Chia The Wildcat - Joyce stranger

Child of the Wolves - Elizabeth Hall

Clarice the Brave - Lisa McMann

Cry of the Wild - Charles Foster

Coyote's Wild Home - Barbara Kingsolver; Lily Kingsolver & Paul Mirocha

Coyote Series - Michael Bergey

Crocuta - Katelyn Rushe

Coorinna: A Novel of the Tasmanian Uplands - Erle Wilson

Cujo - Steven King

The Calatians Series - Tim Susman

The Cats of Roxville station - Jean Craighead Georde

The Chanur Novels - C. J. Cherryh

The Cold Moons - Aeron Clement

The Color of Distance || Through Alien Eyes - Amy Thomson

The Conquerors - Timothy Zahn

The Council of Cats - R. J. F.

The Cricket in Times Square - George Selden

The Crimson Torch - Angela Holder

The Crossbreed - Allan Eckert

The Crucible of Time - John Brunner

D

Darkeye series - Lydia West

Deadlands: The Hunted - Skye Melki-Wegner

Demon of Undoing - Andrea I. Alton

Desert Dog - Jim Kjelgaard

Dinotopia - James Gurney, Alan Dean Foster

Doglands - Tim Willocks

Dimwood Forest series - Avi

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray - Ann M. Martin

A Dog's Porpoise Duology - M. C. Ross

Dogs of the Drowned City - Dayna Lorentz

A Dog's Purpose series - W. Bruce Cameron

Dolphin Way: Rise of the Guardians - Mark Caney

Domino - Kia Heavey

Douglas' Diary - Andrew John

DragonFire series - Lewis Jones Davies

Dragon Fires Rising - Marc Secchia

Dragon Hoard and Other Tales of Faerie - Cathleen Townsend

Dragons and Skylines series - Rowan Silver

Dragon Prayers - M.J. McPike

Dragons of Mother Stone series - Melissa McShane

Dragon Girls Series - Maddy Mara

The Deptford Mice series - Robin Jarvis

The Dogs of the Spires series - Ethan Summers

The Dragons of Solunas series - H. Leighton Dickson

The Duncton Chronicles - William Horwood

The Destiny of Dragons - J.F.R. Coates

The Diary Of A House Cat - Ileana Dorobantu

Dogtown - Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko

Die schwarze Tigerin - Peer Martin [DE]

Die weiße Wölfin - Vanessa Walder [DE]

Die Wilden Hunde Von Pompeii - Helmut Krausser [DE]

Das wilde Mäh - Vanessa Walder [DE]

E

The Eyes and the Impossible - Dave Eggers

Eclosión - Arturo Balseiro [ES]

Ein Seehund findet nach Hause - Antonia Michaelis [DE]

F

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Roald Dahl

Faithful Ruslan - Georgi Vladimov

Feather and Bone: The Crow Chronicles - Clem Martini

Feathers & Flames series - John Bailey

Felidae series (1) - Akif Pirinçci

Fifteen Rabbits - Felix Salten

Fire, Bed & Bone - Henrietta Branford

Fire of the Phoenix - Azariah Jade

Fluke - James Herbert

Firefall series - Peter Watts

Firebringer - David Clement-Davies

Flush: A Biography Book - Virginia Woolf

Fox - Glyn Frewer

Foxcraft series - Inbali Iserles

Frightful’s Mountain - Jeanie Craighead George

Frost dancers: A story of hares - Garry Kilworth

The Familiars series - Adam Jay Epstein

The Fifth - Saylor Ferguson

The Firebringer series - Meredith Ann Pierce

The Fox and The Hound - Daniel P. Mannix

The Forges of Dawn - E. Kinsey

Freundschaft im Regenwald - Peer Martin [DE]

(1) Felidae's Author - Akif Pirinçci - is known to be a Xenophobic, Anti-muslim, Anti-Lgbt and Extreme Right-Wing guy (A N4zi by his on words). Won't be going onto details just know he has a non-fiction work called "Germany Gone Mad: The Crazy Cult around Women, Homosexuals and Immigrants." His works has been out of print ever since.

G

Guardian Cats and the lost books of Alexandria - Rahma Krambo

Guardians of Ga'Hoole series - Kathryn Lasky

Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Griffin Quest - Sophie Torro

Gryphon Insurrection series - K. Vale Nagle

The Ghost and It's Shadow - Shaun Hick

The Golden Eagle - Robert Murphy

The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker

The Good Dog - Newbery Medalist

The Guardian Herd series - Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

The Goodbye Cat - Hiro Arikawa

The Great Timbers - James A. Kane

H

Haunt Fox - Jim Kjelgaard

Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure - Megan Wagner Lloyd

Heavenly Horse series - Mary Stanton

Hive - Ischade Bradean

Horses of Dawn series - Kathryn Lasky

House of Tribes - Garry Kilworth

Hunter's Moon/Foxes of First dark - Garry Kilworth

Hunters Universe series - Abigail Hilton

A Hare at Dark Hollow - Joyce Stranger

The Hundred and One Dalmatians & The Starlight Barking - Dodie Smith

The Hunt for Elsewhere - Beatrice Vine

Hollow Kingdom Duology - Kira Jane Buxton

I

I am a Cat - Natsume Sōseki

I, Scheherezade: Memoirs of a Siamese Cat - Douglass Parhirst

In the Long Dark - Brian Carter

The Incredible Journey - Sheila Burnford

Im Reich der Geparde - Kira Gembri [DE]

J

Joe Grey series - Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach & Russell Munson

Julie of the Wolves - Jeanie Craighead George

The Jungle Book - Rudyard Kipling

Journey to the West - Wu Cheng'en

K

Kävik the Wolf Dog - Walt Morey

Kazan duology - James Curwood

Kine Saga - Alan Lloyd

Kona's Song - Louise Searl

The Killers - Daniel P. Mannix

Kindred of the Wild - Charles G.D Roberts

König der Bären - Vanessa Walder [DE]

L

Lassie Come-Home - Eric Knight

Last of the Curlews - Fred Bodsworth

Lazy Scales - D.M. Gilmore

Legends of Blood series - Ethan Summers

A Legend of Wolf Song - George Stone

Luna the Lone Wolf - Forest Wells

Lupus Rex - John Carter Cash

Lutapolii: White Dragon of the South - Deryn Pittar

The Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle

The Labrador Pact & The Last Family in England - Matt Haig

The Last Dogs - Christopher Holt

The Last Eagle - Daniel P. Mannix

The Last Great Auk - Allan Eckert

The Last Monster on Earth - L.J. Davies

The Life Story of a Fox - J. C. Tregarthen

The Lost Rainforest series - Eliot Schrefer & Emilia Dziubak

The Lost Domain - Martin Hocke

The Last Whales: A Novel - Lloyd Abbey

M

Mammoth Trilogy - Stephen Baxter

Manxmouse: The Mouse Who Knew No Fear - Paul Gallico

Marney the Fox - Scott Goodall & John Stokes

Mattie: The story of a hedgehog - Norman Adams, & G.D. Griffiths

Matriarch: Elephant vs. T-Rex - Roz Gibson

Midnight's Sun - Garry Kilworth

Migon - P.C. Keeler

Minado The Devil - Dog - Erle Wilson

Monkey Wars - Richard Kurti

Mouseheart Series - Lisa Fiedler

The Mistmantle chronicles - M.I. McAllister

The Mountain Lion - Robert Murphy

The Mouse Butcher - Dick King-Smith

The Mouse Protectors Series - Olly Barrett

Maru - Die Reise der Elefanten - Kira Gembri [DE]

N

New Springtime series - Robert Silverberg

Nightshade Chronicles - Hilary Wagner

Nugly - M. C. Ross

Nuru und Lela - Das Wunder der Wildnis - Kira Gembri [DE]

O

Old One-Toe - Michel-Aimé Baudouy

Of Birds and Branches - Frances Pauli

Outlaw Red - Jim Kjelgaard

The Old Stag - Henry Williamson

The One and Only Ivan - Katherine Applegate

P

Painted Flowers - Caitlin Grizzle

Pax & Pax: Journey Home - Sara Pennypacker

Petrichor - C.E. Wright

The Plague Dogs - Richard Adams

The Pit - Elaine Ramsay

Pride Wars Series - Matt Laney

A Pup Called Trouble - Bobbie Pyron

The Peregryne Falcon - Robert Murphy

Pork and Others - Cris Freddi

Q

Queen in the Mud - Maari

Quill and Claw series - Kathryn Brown

R

Rak: The story of an Urban Fox - Jonathon Guy

Ramblefoot by Ken Kaufman

Rats of Nimh series - Robert C. O'Brien

Raven Quest - Sharon Stewart

Ravenspell Series - David Farland

Raptor Red - Robert T. Bakker

Red Fox - Charles G. D. Roberts

Redwall series - Brian Jacques

Rose in a Storm - Jon Katz

Rufus - Rutherford Montgomery

Run With the Wind series - Tom McCaughren

Runt - Marion Dane Baeur

Rustle in the Grass - Robin Hawdon

Rusty - Joyce Stranger

The Remembered War series - Robert Vane

The Rescuers series - Margery Sharp

The Red Stranger - David Stephen

The River Singers & The Rising - Tom Moorhouse

The Road Not Taken - Harry Turtledove,

The Running Foxes - Joyce Stranger

Revier der Raben - Vanessa Walder [DE]

S

Salar the Salmon - Henry Williamson

Scary Stories for Young Foxes Duology - Christian McKay Heidicker

Scaleshifter series - Shelby Hailstone Law

Shadow Walkers - Russ Chenoweth

Scream of the White Bears - David Clement-Davies

Seekers saga - Erin Hunter

Serpentia Series - Frances Pauli

Shadows in the Sky - Pete Cross

Shark Wars Series - EJ Altbacker

Silverwing series - Kenneth Oppel

Silver Brumby series - Elyne Mitchell

Sirius - Olaf Stapledon

SkyTalons Series - Sophie Torro

Solo's Journey - Joy Aiken Smith

Sky Hawk - Gill Lewis

Snow Dog - Jim Kjelgaard

Song of the River - Soinbhe Lally

Spirit of the West series - Kathleen Duey

Survivors series - Erin Hunter

Stray - A.N Wilson

String Lug the Fox - David Stephen

Swashbuckling Cats: Nine Lives on the Seven Seas - Rhonda Parrish & Co.

Swordbird series - Nancy Yi Fan

The Sheep-Pig - Dick King-Smith

The Sight & Fell - David Clement-Davies

The Silent Sky - Allan Eckert

The Silver Claw - Garry Kilworth

The Stoner Eagles - William Horwood

The Stink Files - Jennifer L. Holm & Jonathan Hamel

The Snowcat Prince - Dina Norlund

The Story Of A Seagull And The Cat Who Taught Her To Fly - Luis Sepúlveda

The Story of a Snail Who Discovered the Importance of Being Slow - Luis Sepúlveda

The Story of a dog called Leal - Luis Sepúlveda

The Story of a Red Deer - John Fortescue

The Summer King Chronicles - Jess E. Owen

Schogul, Rächer der Tiere - Birgit Laqua [DE]

Stadt der Füchse - Vanessa Walder [DE]

T

Tailchaser's Song - Tad Williams

Tarka the Otter - Henry Williamson

Three Bags Full - Leonnie Swann

Thy Servant a Dog - Rudyard Kipling

Tomorrow's Sphinx - Clare Bell

Torn Ear - Geoffrey Malone

Thor - Wayne Smith

Trickster -  Tom Moorhouse

Two Dogs and a Horse - Jim Kjelgaard

The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo

The Travelling Cat Chronicles - Hiro Arikawa

The Trilogy of the Ants - Bernard Werber

The Trumpet of the Swan - E. B. White

The Tusk That Did the Damage - Tania James

The Tygrine cat - Inbali Iserles

U

Ultimate Dragon Saga - Graham Edwards

Under the Skin - Michel Faber

V

Varjak Paw duology - S.F Said

Vainqueur the Dragon series - Maxime J. Durand

W

War Bunny series - Christopher St. Jhon

War Horse - Michael Morpurgo

War Queen - Illthylian

Warrior Cats series - Erin Hunter

Watership Down/Tales of Watership Down - Richard Adams

Ways of Wood Folk - William J. Long

Welkin Weasels series - Garry Kilworth

West of Eden - Harry Harrison

Whalesong Trilogy - Robert Siegel

Whale - Jeremy Lucas

Whispers in the Forest - Barbara Coultry

White Wolf - Henrietta Branford

White Fang - Jack London

White Fox Series - Jiatong Chen

Wings trilogy - Don Conroy

Wild Lone - Denys Watkins-Pitchford

Wild Animals I Have Known - Ernest Thompson Seton

Willow Tree Wood Series - J. S. Betts

Wings of Fire series - Tui T. Sutherland

Winterset Hollow - Jonathan Edward Durham

Wolf: The Journey Home | Hungry for Home: A Wolf Odyssey - Asta Bowen

Wolf Brother series - Michelle Paver

Wolf Chronicles - Dorothy Hearst

Wolves of the Beyond Series - Kathryn Lasky

Woodstock Saga - Michael Tod

A Whale of the Wild - Rosanne Parry

A Wolf Called Wander - Rosanne Parry

The Waters of Nyra - Kelly Michelle Baker

The Wolves of Elementa series - Sophie Torro

The Wolves of Time - William Horwood

The Wolf Chronicles Series - Teng Rong

The Way of Kings - Louise Searl

The White Bone - Barbara Gowdy

The White Fox/Singing Tree - Brian Parvin

The White Puma - Ronald Lawrence

The Wild Road & The Golden Cat - Gabriel King

The Wildings & The Thousand names of darkness - Nilanjana Roy

The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

The Wind Protect You - Pat Murphy

The Wolves of Paris - Daniel P. Mannix

Y

Yellow eyes - Rutherford Montgomery

The Year Of The Dinosaur - Edwin H. Colbert

Z

Zones of Thought series - Vernor Vinge

Z-Verse series by R.H

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

Animosity - Marguerite Bennett

Age of Reptiles - Ricardo Delgado

Legend - Samuel Sattin Koehler

Mouse Guard - David Petersen

Pride of Baghdad - Brian K. Vaughan & Niko Henrichon

Rover Red Charlie - Garth Ennis & Michael Dipascale

Stray Dogs - Tony Fleecs & Trish Forstner

We3 - Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely

Beasts of Burden - Evan Dorkin & Jill Thompson

LOBO: Canine Crusader of the Metal Wasteland - Macs-World-Ent

The Sandman: Dream of a Thousand Cats - Neil Gaiman

Animal Castle - Xavier Dorison & Felix Delep

Blacksad Series - Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido

Scurry - Mac Smith

The Snowcat Prince - Dina Norlund

Rankless - Maggie Lightheart

Animal Pound - Tom King & Peter Gross

Animal Castle - Xavier Dorison & Felix Delep

BlackSad - Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido

Picture Books

Steve the Dung Beetle: On a Roll - Susan R. Stoltz & Melissa Bailey

Hot Dog - Doug Salati

The Rock from the Sky - Jon Klassen

Whoever Heard of a Flying Bird? - David Cunliffe & Ivan Barrera

A Cat Named Whiskers - Shana Gorian

Ocean Tales Children's Books Series - Sarah Cullen & Zuzana Sbodová

Jake the Growling Dog - Samantha Shannon

Indie Written Works

Fins Above Series - MIROYMON

Journey of Atlas - Journey of Atlas

Webcomics

A

Africa - Arven92

After Honour - genstaelens

Awka - Nothofagus-obliqua

Arax - Azany

Amarith - Eredhys

The Apple's Echo - Helianthanas

Alone - Magpeyes

B

The Blackblood Alliance - KayFedewa

The Betrothed - Kibisca

Black Tyrant - Zapp-BEAST

Blue - HunterBeingHunted

Beast Tags - TheRoomPet

Spy - Utahraptor93

Be Reflected in my Eyes - Aquene-lupetta

C

Carry your voice - TacoBella

Caelum Sky - ALRadeck

Crescent Wing - Mikaley

Crescent Moonlight - AnimalCrispy

City of Trees - SanjanaIndica

Corpse - doeprince/ratt

D

Darbi - Sherard Jackson

The Devils Demons - Therbis

Doe of Deadwood - Songdogx

Dyten - Therbis

Desperation - PracticelImagination

E

Equus Siderae - Dalgeor

Empyrean - Leonine-Skies

Enchantment - FeralWolf1234

F

Fox Fires - Pipilia

Forget me Not - Nitteh

Fjeld - Dachiia

Felinia - Rainy-bleu

G

Golden Shrike - doeprince/ratt

Ghost of the Gulag - David Derrick Jr.

H

Horse Age - BUGHS-22

Hiraeth - AFlameThatNeverDies

Half-Blood - majkaria

Horns of Light - ThatMoonySky

I

I Hope So - Detective Calico

The Ivory Walk - TacoBella

I'm not Ready - Wolfkingdom372

J

Jet and Harley - doeprince

K

Kestrel Island - Silverphoenix

Kin - Fienduredraws

KuroMonody - IrisBdz

Krystal - Nitteh

The King of Eyes - CloverTailedFox09

L

Legend of Murk - Azany

LouptaOmbra - Loupta Ombra (OngakuK, MlleNugget & joeypony)

Leopards bring rain - Kyriuar

M

Mazes of Filth - petitecanine

Minimal All You Are - mike-princeofstars

N

Nine Riders - SpiriMuse

No Man's Land - TacoBella

Never seen the Day - R3dk3y

Norra - shadowmirku

O

Obsidian Fire - SolinaBright

Oren's Forge - teagangavet

Off-White - Akreon

Out Of Time - IndiWolf

R

Rabbit on the Moon - Songdogx & Nitteh

The Rabbit Hole - Detrah

RunningWolf Mirari - Mirella Menciassi

Raptor - ElenPanter

Redriver - FireTheWolf777

Repeat - Songdogx

The Rabbit's Foot - riri_arts

S

Scurry - Mac Smith

Simbol - Zoba22

Spirit Lock - Animal Crispy

The Sylcoe - Denece-the-sylcoe

Sunder - Aurosoul

T

Tainted Hearts - Therbis

Taxicat - owlburrow

That's Freedom Guyra - Nothofagus-obliqua

Three Corners: A Kitten's Story - Lara Frizzell

Tofauti Sawa - TheCynicalHound

Two of a Kind - ProjectNao

To Catch a Star - SleepySundae

U

Under the Ash Tree - ChevreLune

Uninvited - Nothofagus-obliqua

W

Water Wolves - LuckyStarhun

What Lurks Beneath - ArualMeow

Water Wolves - LuckyStarhun

Wild Wolves - Lombarsi

White Tail - SleepySundae

What's your damage? - FrostedCanid

The Wolves of Chena - Yamis-Art

Waves Always Crash - Hellhunde

The Whale's Heart - Possumteeeth [Warriors Fancomic]

Manga

A Centaur's Life - Murayama Kei

Beastars - Paru Itagaki

Chi's Sweet Home - Kanata Konami

Ginga Series [Silverfang] - Yoshihiro Takahashi

Gon - Masashi Tanaka

Houseki no Kuni | Land of the Lustrous - Haruko Ichikawa

Inugami-Kai - Masaya Hokazono

The Jungle Emperor - Osamu Tezuka

My roommate is a cat - Minatsuki & Asu Futatsuya

Crimsons – The Scarlet Navigators of the Ocean - Kanno Takanori

Rooster Fighter - Shū Sakuratani

Simoun - Shō Aikawa

The Fox & Little Tanuki - Mi Tagawa

Yuria 100 Shiki - Nobuto Hagio

Massugu ni Ikou - Kira

Cat Soup

The Amazing 3

Cat + Gamer - Wataru Nadatani

Animated Series

#

101 Dalmatians: The series & 101 Dalmatian Street

A

A Polar Bear in Love

B

Baja no Studio

Bagi: Monster of Mighty Nature

Bannertail: The Story of Gray Squirrel

Bluey

C

Centaurworld (2021)

Chirin's Bell

Chironup no Kitsune

D

Dokkun Dokkun

E

F

G

Gamba no Bouken

H

Hazbin Hotel

I

Invader ZIM

Inu to Neko Docchi mo Katteru to Mainichi Tanoshii

J

K

King Fang

Koisuru Shirokuma

Kemushi no Boro

Kewang Lantian

Konglong Baobei: Shiluo De Wenming

L

Little Polar Bear

M

Manxmouse's Great Activity

Mitsubachi Maya no Bouken

Mikan Enikki

Massugu ni Ikou -

My Life as a Teenage Robot

Mikan Enikki

N

O

Ore, Tsushima

Okashi na Sabaku no Suna to Manu

P

Primal

Polar Bear Cafe

Q

R

Robotboy (2005)

S

Seton Doubutsuki: Risu no Banner

Simoun

T

The Amazing 3

Tottoko Hamtarou

The Adventure of Qiqi and Keke

Tama & Friends: Third Street Story

U

V

W

Watership Down (2018) & Watership Down (1999)

What's Michael?

Wolf's Rain

Wonder Pets

X

Y

Live-Action/Hybrid show

Fantasy High

A Crown of Candy 

Burrow's End

Good Omens

Webseries

Dinosauria - Dead Sound

My Pride - tribbleofdoom

Whitefall - Chylk

The Stolen Hope - Galemtido

Dragon's Blood - FluffyGinger

Helluva Boss -

Murder Drones -

Short Films

A

Alone a wolf's winter

B

Baja's Studio

Beautiful Name

Burrow

C

Cat Piano

Cat Soup

Chicken Little

D

E

F

Far From the Tree

Ferdinand the Bull

Frypan Jiisan

G

Genji Fantasy: The Cat Fell in Love With Hikaru Genji

Gaitou to Neko

H

Hao Mao Mimi

Houzi Dian Bianpao

I

J

Je T'aime

K

Kitbull

L

Lava

Lambert the sheepish lion

Laoshu Jia Nu

M

Mahoutsukai no Melody

Monmon the Water Spider

Mushroom - Nakagawa Sawako

N

O

Of Mice and Clockworks

Osaru no Tairyou

P

Piper

Q

R

Robin Robin

Rusuban

S

Sauria - Dead Sound

Smash and Grab

Street of Crocodiles

She and Her Cat

Space Neko Theater

Shiroi Zou | White Elephant

Shi | Food

Sugar, With a Story

Straw-saurus NEO

T

The Chair

The Blue Umbrella

The Shell Shocked Egg

The Dog Door

The Dog In The Alley

That's Why They Were Made

U

Ushigaeru

V

W

With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun

X

Y

Z

Zhui Shu

Animated Films

#

101 Dalmatians duology

A

A Monkey's Tale (1999)

All Dogs go to Heaven

The Adventures of Lolo the Penguin

Alpha and Omega saga

An American Tail

The Aristocats

Antz

Animals United

Annabelle's Wish (1997)

Alakazam the great (1960)

B

Back Outback

Balto

Bambi / Bambi II

Bolt

Brother Bear / Brother Bear II

A Bug's Life

The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales

Bee Movie

The Brave Little Toaster

Birds of a Feather

Back to the Forest

C

Cars

Chance

Chicken Run

D

Dinosaur

Speckles: The Tarbosaurus || Dino King: Journey to Fire Mountain

Dumbo

DC League of Super-Pets

E

Elemental

F

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Planet

Felidae

The Fox and the Hound

Finding Nemo/Finding Dory

Free Birds

The Fearless Four

G

The Good Dinosaur

Ghost in the Shell

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

H

Happy Feet/Happy Feet Two

Help! I'm a Fish

Home on the Range

Hoero! Bun Bun Movie

Hokkyoku no Muushika Miishika

I

Ice Age Franchise

Isle of Dogs

I Am T-Rex

J

Jungledyret Hugo

K

Koati

The King of Tibetan Antelope

Kuma no Gakkou trilogy

L

Lady and the Tramp

The Land Before time Franchise

The Last Unicorn

Leafy, A Hen in the wild

Little Big Panda

The Lion King Franchise

Lucky and Zorba

Lilo & Stitch

Luca

Last Day of the Dinosaurs

M

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Marona's Fantastic Tale

Millionaire Dogs

My Friend Tyranno

Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants || Minuscule - Mandibles from Far Away

Mouse and His Child

N

Nezumi Monogatari: George to Gerald no Bouken

O

Oliver & Company

One Stormy Night

Over the Edge

P

Padak

The Plague Dogs

Pompoko

Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro

Pipi Tobenai Hotaru

R

Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure

Rango

Ratatouille

Raven the Little Rascal

Reynard the Fox (1989)

Rio

Robots

Rock a Doodle

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1998)

The Rabbi’s Cat

S

Samson and Sally

Sahara

The Secret of Nihm

The Secret Life of Pets/The Secret Life of Pets II

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Sheep & Wolves

The Seventh Brother

A Stork's Journey

Stowaways on the Ark

T

A Turtle's Tale

The One and Only Ivan

Toy Story

Twilight of the Cockroaches (1987)

The Trumpet of the Swan

The Enchanted Journey

U

Unico

Underdog

V

Vuk the Little Fox

W

WALL·E

Watership Down (1978)

White Fang

Wizards

The Wild

Wolf Children

Wolfwalkers

X

Y

You Are Umasou

Z

Zootopia

Live Action/CGI Assisted Movies

Au Hasard Balthazar

Beverly Hills Chihuahua franchise

Cats & Dogs franchise

Charlotte's Web

EO

Fluke (1995) - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Homeward Bound duology (1963 & 1996) - Disney

The Legend of Lobo (1962) - Disney

Strays (2023) - Universal Pictures

Pride (2024) - BBC

101 Dalmatians duology (1996 & 2000)

Documentary

March of the Penguins

Meerkat Manor

Lemur Street

Gangs of Lemur Island

Orangutan Island

Prairie Dog Dynasty

Chimp Empire

Monkey Thieves

Monkey Kingdom

Theather

Cats

Videogames

Animalia Survival - High Brazil Studio

Cattails - Falcon Development

Endling: Extinction is Forever

Gibbon: Beyond the trees - Broken Rules

The Lonesome Fog - Might and Delight

Meadow - Might and Delight

Niche - Stray Fawn Studio

Shelter / Shelter 2/ Shelter 3 - Might and Delight

Paws - Might and Delight

Stray - BlueTwelve Studio

The WILDS - Gluten Free Games

Wolf Quest - eduweb

Golden Treasure: The Great Green - Dreaming Door Studios

Spirit of the North - Infuse Studio

Ōkami - Clover Studio

Rain World - Videocult

Feather - Samurai Punk

Eagle Flight - Ubisoft Montreal Studio

Copoka - Inaccurate Interactive

Untitled Goose Game - House House

PaRappa - NanaOn-Sha

Night in the Woods - Infinite Fall & Secret Lab

Monster Prom - Beautiful Glitch

Them's Fightin' Herds - Mane6

Toontown

E.V.O.: Search for Eden - Givro Corporation

(Pretty much most of Might and Delight games)

Online Browser Games

Lioden

Wolvden

Flight Rising

Lorwolf

Table Top Games

Bunnies & Burrows

Chronicles of Darkness

Wanderhome

Mage: The Awakening

Werewolf: The Apocalypse

Pugmire

Three Raccoons in a Trench Coat

World Tree (RPG)

Pawpocalypse

Heckin' Good Doggos

Humblewood

Dungeons & Dragons (Depends on the GM)

Music

In My Eyes You're a Giant - Sonata Arctica

It Won't Fade - Unia

The Cage - Winterheart's Guild

Other Online Projects

Youtubers

Cardinal West

Xenofiction Reviews

Gen. Videos

Trope Talk: Small Mammal on a Big Adventure by Overly Sarcastic Productions

Worlds

Mirolapye - Varverine

Franchises

Sonic the Hedgehog

My little pony

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Hamtaro

Pokemon

Digimon

Kirby

Monter High

Tom & Jerry

Baldur’s Gate

Maya the Bee

The Little Polar Bear

[antiqueanimals]

Home Life of a Bear Family. From Life-Histories of Northern Animals: an Account of the Mammals of Manitoba. Written and illustrated by Ernest Thompson Seton. 1909.

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

The crown princess is now the first Australian-born Denmark Queen consort, from the Commonwealth with Scottish roots 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Australia’s Mary Donaldson went from commoner to Danish Queen 🇩🇰

An unconventional journey from Australia’s middle class to European royalty began in an unremarkable bar in Sydney in 2000. Twenty-three years later, in what has been called a “real-life fairytale”, Mary Donaldson, becomes the queen of Denmark 🇩🇰 Queen Mary, not only of Denmark, but of the Inuit in Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Mary Donaldson was born in Tasmania an island state of Australia in a Hobart’s Hospital in 1972 to Scottish parents. John Dalgleish Donaldson, and Henrietta Donaldson (Henrietta Clark Horne). The daughter of a mathematics professor and an executive assistant who had emigrated to Australia from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Her father was born in the town of Cockenzie and Port Seton - (Scots: Cockennie [koˈkɪni]; Scottish Gaelic: Cùil Choinnich, meaning "cove of Kenneth") is a unified town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is on the coast of the Firth of Forth, four miles east of Musselburgh, and her mother was born in Edinburgh.

Mary grew up in a middle-class suburban home alongside her siblings, Jane, Patricia and John. After her graduating with a degree in law and commerce from the University of Tasmania, She moved to Melbourne and Sydney, Mary had a high-flying career in advertising and then worked in luxury real estate. She worked during three months in Edinburgh as an account manager at an advertising agency.

But it was a chance encounter in a busy pub that would ultimately turn her life upside down. The Crown Prince sat alongside his cousin, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, his brother, Prince Prince Joachim, and Princess Martha of Norway at the “Slip Inn” in Sussex Street in Sidney as Australia celebrated Ian Thorpe's first Olympic gold.

Princess Mary and her father John Dalgleish Donaldson at her wedding in Copenhagen Cathedral on 14th May 2004.

The wedding of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, and Mary Donaldson took place on 14 May 2004 in the Copenhagen Cathedral. Mary’s mother Henrietta ‘Etta’ Donaldson died from a heart condition two years before Mary married into royalty.

The Danish Folketing (parliament) passed a special law (Mary's Law) giving Donaldson Danish citizenship upon her marriage, a standard procedure for new foreign members of the royal family. She was previously a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom. Ahead of the wedding, Mary had to give up her Australian citizenship and join Denmark's Lutheran Evangelical Church.

The new Danish queen consort is of Scottish descent. Scotland's and Scandinavia's histories have long been intertwined with smatterings of Old Norse in the language, Viking and Norse settlement in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Her father, John Dalgliesh Donaldson, stressed her Scottish roots in his speech at her wedding — and claimed his own clan had once helped eject the Norse from the Hebrides.

Check out the video below and listen her father's speech: “In the 12th century, after much savage fighting, the marauding Vikings were driven out of Scotland by a band of men led by the grandfather of the first Donald, the founder of the clan MacDonald. And for those of you who are not aware, I’m wearing tonight, the dress MacDonald tartan, which is the ancient MacDonald”.

“Donald’s great-grandfather would have wondered why he went to such trouble when, some eight centuries later, we take account of today’s union between the Viking Frederick and Mary of the MacDonald clan.”

Loving words from Mary's father.

Margrethe II reigned as Queen of Denmark from 1972 until her abdication in 2024. Having reigned for 52 years, she is the longest-serving female monarch in Danish history.

The Queen of Denmark made the announcement in her New Year's Eve speech. She formally hand over the throne in a Council of State today 14th January, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., when she signed the Declaration of Abdication. From that moment on, her son became King Frederick X.

The Crown Princess Mary was crowned Queen consort alongside her husband, the new King Frederik of Denmark. It was a historic moment, for which she wore a historic outfit by the Danish designer Soeren Le Schmidt.

🎥 credit #dnk.royalty.with.dominik

#MaryDonaldson #Australia #commoner #DanishQueenMary #Queen#Scottishroots #Scotland #Hobart #CockenzieandPortSeton #HenriettaDonaldson #John Dalgleish Donaldson #VikingandNorse #Denmark #Greenland #FaroeIslands #Frederik #KingFrederikX #Tasmania #islandstate

[catholichousehold]

Embracing Homeschooling on a Single Income: Our Journey with The Good and the Beautiful Curriculum

Hello, dear readers! Today, I want to share our story and how we have successfully embraced homeschooling despite living on a very low single income. If you're a low-income family considering homeschooling, I hope our journey with The Good and the Beautiful free curriculum will inspire and encourage you.

Our Homeschooling Journey

Life has not always been easy for us. With a single income, managing finances and providing for our family of seven has been a challenge. However, one thing my husband and I have always been passionate about is giving our children the best education possible. We believe in the value of personalized learning and the nurturing environment that homeschooling provides.

When we first started homeschooling, we were overwhelmed by the costs associated with various curriculums. Initially, our two eldest children were enrolled in Seton Home Study, which provided a very strong foundation in our Catholic faith. We are incredibly grateful to Seton for this, as it helped instill values and knowledge that continue to benefit our family today. However, as money became so tight, we had to stop enrolling them in Seton Home Study.

That's when we discovered The Good and the Beautiful curriculum, and it has been a true blessing for our family. The curriculum covers essential subjects like language arts, math, science, history, and art, with materials that are engaging and well-structured. It aligns with our values and provides a rich, character-based education that nurtures our children's minds and hearts. Despite using The Good and the Beautiful curriculum, we continue to use Seton materials, especially for Reading and Catholic Religion subjects. Thanks to our homeschooling friends here in the Philippines, who have shared their Seton materials with us, we can still incorporate these valuable resources. They are one of the many blessings we receive.

Success Stories: Our Two Older Kids

I am proud to share that our two older kids, who were homeschooled using The Good and the Beautiful curriculum, are now attending senior high school in a regular school setting. The transition was smooth, and they are thriving academically and socially. Their strong foundation in critical thinking, reading, and writing has set them up for success, and I credit much of that to the quality education they received through our homeschooling journey.

Continuing the Journey: Our Three Younger Kids

Currently, we have three children who are still homeschooling: a preschooler, a kindergartner, and a seventh-grader. Each of them benefits from the tailored approach of The Good and The Beautiful Currculum.

Our Preschooler: Learning through play and exploration, our little one is developing a love for learning from a young age. The curriculum's focus on character development and foundational skills  is perfect for this stage.

Our Kindergartner: The engaging lessons and hands-on activities keep our kindergartner excited about school each day. The phonics-based approach to reading is helping build strong literacy skills.

Our Seventh-Grader: The rigorous and in-depth materials challenge our seventh-grader while fostering independence and critical thinking. The curriculum's integration of art and geography makes learning a joy.

Encouragement for Low-Income Families

I know firsthand how daunting the idea of homeschooling can be, especially when finances are tight. But I want to encourage you: it is possible. The Good and the Beautiful curriculum has provided our family with an invaluable resource, allowing us to educate our children at home without financial burden. Additionally, the strong foundation provided by Seton Home Study, which we continue to use in key subjects, has been invaluable.

Here are a few tips to make homeschooling on a low income work for your family:

Utilize Free Resources: Take advantage of free curriculum options like The Good and the Beautiful. There are also many online resources, libraries, and educational websites that offer free or low-cost materials.

Join a Support Group: Connect with other homeschooling families for support and resource-sharing. Many communities have co-ops, Facebook groups, or local meet-ups.

Be Flexible: Adapt your homeschooling schedule and methods to fit your family's unique needs. Remember, homeschooling allows for flexibility, so find what works best for you and your children.

Stay Positive: Focus on the benefits of homeschooling and the precious time spent with your children. Celebrate the small victories and progress along the way.

Final Thoughts

Homeschooling on a low income is not only possible but can be incredibly rewarding. With dedication, creativity, and the right resources, you can provide your children with a rich and meaningful education. The Good and the Beautiful curriculum has been a lifeline for our family, and the strong foundation from Seton Home Study continues to guide us. I hope our story inspires you to take the leap and embrace homeschooling, no matter your financial situation.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Together, we can support and uplift each other as we navigate the beautiful world of homeschooling.

Disclosure: I do not receive any monetary compensation or other benefits from The Good and the Beautiful for writing this blog post. The opinions and experiences shared are entirely my own and based on my personal journey with homeschooling my children. My intent is to provide encouragement and support to other families who may be in similar situations.

[ettawritesnstudies]

#12/31

12. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

The first person born in the US to become a saint! Founder of the parochial school system! Champion of girl's education!

St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley was born in NYC to parents who were part of the Church of England and taught her the first lessons in charity and social ministry. She had a rough home life, losing two mothers - one to childbirth and the other to a messy divorce, but she was well educated and ended up marrying a wealthy buisnessman. They had five children together before their shipping company went bankrupt during the war of 1812 and her husband died of tuberculous. As a widow, she started a girls school, but soon after became Catholic, and a lot of her students withdrew. Facing money problems and a decaying social life, she accepted an invitation from Sulpician monks to move to Emmitsburg Maryland with her family, and found the first Catholic seminary in the united states. While she was living there, she also established St. Joseph's Academy for young girls, and a new convent called the Sisters of Charity, which founded hospitals as far west as Cincinnati. She was involved in education until she died, and her charitable work helped shape early America and touched the lives of countless students!

31. St. Thomas Moore

We all clown on King Henry the Eighth for being so horny and egotistical he splintered the church to divorce and murder five wives before finally kicking the bucket, but there's a lot more to the backstory than his own buffoonery.

St. Thomas Moore was the Lord High Chancellor under the king, as well as an accomplished scholar, philosopher, and good father who gave his daughters the same classical educations as his sons, which was uncommon at that time. This even set an example for other noble families. He refused to support King Henry when he decided to break from the Church, and wrote extensively against the protestant reformation, and his clash with the king eventually ended him in the Tower of London, and eventually his beheading as a martyr. His final statement was that he was "The king's good servant, but God's first." He's now the patron saint of lawyers, and there's a catholic society dedicated to him!

All Hallows Ask Game

[scotianostra]

The Four Mary's Linlithgow.

On way to Edinburgh so here's a wee bit history for you all while I sit on the bus.

The inside of the Pub is like a museum with lots of historical artefacts, don't expect to see the footie though, it doesn't have a television.

Some of you may know the song of the same name, which has been covered by many artists including The Corries, Joan Baez and Steelye Span, but the story behind the song dates back to the 16th century and centres on Mary Queen of Scots.

The Four Marys pub was named after the four ladies in waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was born over the road in Linlithgow Palace.

They were Mary Seton, Mary Beaton, Mary Fleming and Mary Livingston. Mary Fleming was also a relative of Mary Queen of Scots, as Fleming’s mother was the illegitimate half-sister of Mary Queen of Scots’ late father King James V. The other ladies were of noble and high birth.

Although Mary Queen of Scots’ connection to France started at a young age, it wasn’t always certain that France would become her home. King Henry VIII first attempted to marry his son Prince Edward to the young Scottish Queen. Although some of the Queen of Scots’ nobles supported an English alliance, Marie de Guise and other nobles pushed for the Auld Alliance.

In 1548, the four Marys joined their Queen at Inchmahome Priory in preparation for their journey to France. The journey to France from Scotland was a rough sea voyage. It is recorded that during the journey, all of the ladies came down with sea sickness.

Upon their arrival in France, the station of Mary Queen of Scots and that of her ladies-in-waiting could not have been made clearer, as Mary was to join the Valois royal children whilst her ladies were initially separated from her. This could appear as a cruel move by the French King Henri II, however it was for the young Scottish Queen’s benefit. First of all, if she were to marry the Dauphin, she would need to learn to speak French and be associate with the Valois Princesses, Elisabeth and Claude. Secondly, by making her closest companions Henri’s daughters he could secure her loyalty and ensure she was surrounded by women of noble birth and of respectable character.

The four Marys were initially sent away to be educated by Dominican nuns. However their time in France was not to be for as long as anticipated, as although Mary Queen of Scots married Francis, they ruled France together for only a year before the young King died in 1560.

By this time, Marie de Guise, who had once decided her daughter’s future in France whilst protecting her realm in Scotland, had died. This left Mary no choice but to return to her country as queen. The four Marys returned with her to Scotland. Scotland would be the place where the four Marys would seek their own husbands, as their now widowed Queen would also seek out another.

Mary Queen of Scots married her cousin Lord Darnley in 1565. Her ladies also married, all except Mary Seton who remained in the Queen’s service until 1585 when she left the Queen’s household to join the house of God and become a nun. Mary Beaton married Alexander Ogilvy in April 1566.

Mary Beaton had a son James with her husband in 1568. Two years earlier, she had been there to support Mary Queen of Scots as she gave birth to her son and heir James, who would become James VI of Scotland and eventually, James I of England.

Mary Beaton lived a long life, dying at the age of fifty-five in 1598. Mary Beaton has been depicted in history as a model lady in waiting and one who was well educated. It is recorded that Mary Beaton’s own handwriting was very similar to that of Mary Queen of Scots.

Mary Livingston married her husband John Sempill in the same year that Mary Queen of Scots married Lord Darnley. Both Mary Livingston and her husband’s characters were not considered to be honourable and respectful, unlike those of her ladies Seton and Beaton. The Scottish Reformer John Knox wrote that Livingston was “lusty” and her husband was a “dancer”. He even rumoured that Livingston had conceived her child before the marriage and therefore was of unworthy character to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen. These remarks by Knox were ignored by Mary Queen of Scots who granted wealth and land to her lady and her husband. Mary Livingston was even awarded some of the Queen of Scots’ jewels in her will. However she and her husband were ordered some years later to return them to the crown. Her husband John Sempill was arrested for refusing to return them. Livingston died in 1579.

Mary Fleming married a man who was many years older than her, Sir William Maitland. Maitland was the Queen’s royal secretary. There were rumours that their marriage was an unhappy one, but this has been largely disregarded by history and evidence proves otherwise. Their marriage took place after three years of courtship and therefore, they had time to get to know one another well before the marriage. In 1573 they were captured at Edinburgh Castle. Mary’s husband died shortly after their capture and she herself was kept a prisoner. Mary Fleming was forced to give up her belongings and her estate was not returned to her until 1581/2 by the then King James VI, the son of her former Queen and mistress.

There is a dispute over whether Fleming remarried but it is commonly believed that she did not. She had two children, James and Margaret. In 1581 the Queen of Scots tried to set up a meeting with Mary Fleming, but there is no evidence that this ever took place. Fleming died that same year.

The lives of the ladies-in-waiting of Mary Queen of Scots were very different, despite their common experiences and Dominican education in France; three married and only one lady actually returned to a life in a nunnery.

[period-dramallama]

"Katherine is also considered one of the greatest examples of a historical-fiction love story ever written. In a poll conducted in the 1990s by Ladies' Home Journal, the novel ranked among the top-ten all-time best love stories.

Weir was inspired by Katherine to become an author of historical fiction,[8][9] and the novel would also later inspire her non-fiction study, Katherine Swynford: The Story of John of Gaunt and his Scandalous Duchess (2008) (U.S. title, Mistress of the Monarchy, The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster). It examines Seton's novel in historiographic terms and, while praising its general historical accuracy, categorizes it as primarily a feminist romance."

I disagree with the idea that Katherine is a feminist romance. For me, Feminism 101 is Girl Power: celebrating women being good at masculine things- Girls Can Do What Boys Can Do. (Feminism 102 is celebrating women being good at feminine things AND masculine things- Girls Can Do What Boys Can Do And What Girls Were Doing Was Already Valuable).

As I said in my review of Katherine:

“Inclination and good taste” prevent Katherine from interfering in politics. It’s “men’s business” and she’s framed as better than that meddling realm-ruiner Alice Perrers (boo!hiss!)

That's not feminist. Anya Seton has failed Feminism 101.

Yes, it was published in 1954, but Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain was published in 1953 and was markedly more feminist, having a healthy respect for Elizabeth's intelligence and her political acumen. Her taking the throne is a Good Thing.

In the top 10 best love stories? One of the best historical-fiction love stories?

Nah. The love story isn't as much of a focus in the book as you'd expect. It needed more development and I think it was hindered by the un-feminist choice to make Katherine apolitical. If Katherine had more agency, if she was involved in the duke's business, if she was like his consigliere, then the relationship would be better fleshed out. And Katherine's lack of personality doesn't help the romance either. A truly great romantic novel is where the characters are great together, but they have personalities as stand alone characters. Katherine pales in comparison to Elizabeth Bennet or Jane Eyre.

[the-rewatch-rewind]

Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn make their first appearances!

Script below the break

Hello and welcome back to the Rewatch Rewind, the podcast where I count down my top 40 most rewatched movies. My name is Jane and today I will be talking about number 33 on my list: Columbia Pictures’ 1938 romantic comedy Holiday, directed by George Cukor, written by Donald Ogden Stewart and Sidney Buchman adapted from the play by Philip Barry, and starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn.

Johnny Case (Cary Grant) has just returned home to New York City from a trip to Lake Placid where he met, fell in love with, and got engaged to Julia Seton (Doris Nolan). When he shows up at the address she gave him, he is surprised to find that it’s a giant mansion, and that she lives there with her family, whom she previously neglected to mention is extremely wealthy. Both her lively sister Linda (Katharine Hepburn) and her depressed alcoholic brother Ned (Lew Ayers) immediately approve of Johnny. Her father, banker Edward Seton (Henry Kolker), is initially shocked that his daughter is engaged to someone he’s never heard of, but he is ultimately won over by Johnny’s impressive work history. However, when Johnny reveals his plans to quit working for a while to seek the meaning of life, both Edward and Julia are appalled, while Linda enthusiastically approves, and it becomes apparent that Johnny is engaged to the wrong sister.

There are many things I love about this movie, but the main reason it’s on this list is because of who stars in it. If you’ve listened to the Mary Poppins episode, you may recall me saying that Julie Andrews is one of four actors to appear in at least four of my top 40 movies. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn are two of the others. Katharine Hepburn will be making a total of five appearances, and Cary Grant will be making ten, so if you really hate him, you’re probably not going to like much of the rest of this podcast. I don’t exactly remember why or how he became my number one fave, and it’s kind of a chicken-or-egg situation – do I love so many of his films because he’s in them, or do I love him because he’s in so many of my favorite films? I have no idea, and at this point it doesn’t really matter. I just know that I love watching him on screen, somehow both suave and goofy simultaneously, and listening to that unique voice that truly mastered the fake transatlantic accent like none other. And I also know that he was a very convenient explanation for why I had no interest in dating anyone in my teens or 20s. “There just aren’t any men out there like Cary Grant,” I’d lament, which was true, but the implication that I wanted there to be was misleading, though even I didn’t understand that for a very long time. There were a few other Old Hollywood actors I would sometimes also claim to find attractive, using the same excuse that nobody in real life was like them. I was aware that it was weird to only have “crushes” on movie stars who were old enough to be my great-grandparents, but that still felt less weird than admitting the truth – I didn’t understand what a crush was and I was too scared to ask, since everyone else seemed to instinctively know. It wasn’t until I was around 30 that I finally asked myself, if I met a Cary Grant clone who was my age, with his exact appearance and mannerisms and voice, without his traumatic childhood, would I want to date him? Or sleep with him? And I had to admit that the answer was no. What I feel for Cary Grant is appreciation for his work, and perhaps some aesthetic attraction, but nothing romantic or sexual. He’s still my number one fave, and I still celebrate his birthday every year with a multi-day marathon of his work, which explains why so many of his movies made it into my top 40. Since Katharine Hepburn is another actor whose birthday I celebrate every year (although not quite as enthusiastically), and Holiday is also a perfect New Year’s Eve movie, I have many occasions to revisit this one. I can’t remember if I’d seen it before I started keeping track, but I watched it once in 2003, once in 2006, once in 2008, once in 2009, once in 2011, twice in 2012, once in 2014, once in 2016, twice in 2018, twice in 2019, and once in each year since.

One viewing in particular stands out to me. It was January of 2012. I was in college and I had a lot of intense family stuff going on, and then a snowstorm hit on a Tuesday night, which happened to be the night before Cary Grant’s birthday. Classes ended up getting cancelled for the rest of the week, and I used that time almost exclusively to consume Cary Grant movies. On his actual birthday, I managed to convince some friends to watch one with me, so I went to one of their dorm rooms and we ended up watching Holiday. I want to say that overall it was a good time and most of them really enjoyed it, but I honestly don’t remember for sure. What I do remember is that there was one person in that group of friends who didn’t want to join us, declaring that she refused to watch any movie made before 1990, but then kept coming into the room after we started the movie to make comments like, “Ugh, I can’t believe you’re watching this!” “Ew, it’s in black and white!” and such. I should have just let it go – after all, it was her loss to miss out on great movies due to some arbitrary date cutoff – but I got very upset about it. The disrespect! On Cary Grant’s birthday of all days! I didn’t really know that person very well, and we haven’t kept in touch, but I hope she has forgiven and long forgotten any angry comments I may have directed toward her that day.

To a certain extent, I understand her attitude. Old movies portray outdated ideas and ways of living that can feel strange and even offensive to watch. But they also tell us a lot about the history of our society. Holiday in particular still feels extremely relevant. It’s set during the Great Depression, a time when there were a few very rich people and many very poor people, which sounds a lot like today. It’s about a wealthy family with one child who takes their privilege for granted, one child who is dissatisfied and abuses substances to cope, and one child who actively tries to rebel against the idea that money makes their family inherently superior. And when the entitled head of the family and the child who is most like him hear about a working-class person who has saved up enough money to spend some time enjoying himself instead of working, they scoff at that idea. Doesn’t that sound like it could take place right now?

Modern audiences might find the lack of action in this movie a bit tedious – it’s very apparent that it was based on a play, as it’s dialogue-heavy and almost the entire movie takes place in a few areas of the Seton house. But the wittiness of the lines and the punch of their delivery more than make up for the lack of action, at least in my opinion. I do wish the movie started a little earlier in the story, so that we got to see Johnny and Julia at Lake Placid. Apparently scenes were actually filmed for this, but George Cukor, the director, didn’t like the footage and decided to cut it all. Julia just seems so completely wrong for Johnny in every way that I really want to see how she behaved when they first met to convince him otherwise. From the very first scene when Johnny goes to their house, it is clear that Julia neither shares nor appreciates Johnny’s sense of humor, while Linda is swapping jokes with him as soon as they meet. I don’t necessarily think that means Johnny and Linda need to get together (although of course they will, because it’s a rom com and they’re the stars), but I do feel like it demonstrates that Johnny and Julia would not have had a functional marriage. I’ve never been able to understand what he saw in her, although a possible explanation is vaguely addressed by her brother Ned’s perceptive line, spoken to their sister Linda: “You know, most people, including Johnny and yourself, make a big mistake about Julia. They're taken in by her looks. At bottom, she's a very dull girl and the life she pictures for herself is the life she belongs in.” In other words, Johnny saw a beautiful woman and imposed his ideals onto her. When he finally learns that the woman he’s attracted to – and believes he’s in love with – neither shares nor supports his point of view on life, he has to decide how much of himself he’s willing to compromise.

It would have been so easy to let this story deteriorate into a two-sisters-fighting-over-the-same-man love triangle scenario, but it doesn’t. Linda has no desire to interfere with Johnny and Julia’s relationship, even when she is finally able to admit to herself and Ned that she’s fallen for Johnny. Linda actively tries to repair the rift that forms between Johnny and Julia when they discover they have different values. It’s only after Julia tells her that she doesn’t care about Johnny and is relieved that he’s decided to leave on his holiday without her that Linda decides to go with him. As Ned observed, Linda, like Johnny, has always imposed her own values on Julia, so it takes her just as long as it takes Johnny to realize that he and Julia are completely unsuited for each other. And I love the way that’s portrayed. Too often, sacrificing other relationships for the sake of romantic love is glorified. But Linda is willing to sacrifice romance when she thinks pursuing it would hurt her sister, which I appreciate. There is a part of me that would like to see a version where Linda and Johnny realize that their love is actually platonic and decide to go on an adventure as friends – and who knows? That could happen. The movie ends with them kissing, but afterwards they might decide they don’t feel those kind of feelings for each other and it was just amatonormativity convincing them they did. But that feels like a major stretch. It does seem clear that if they do get married, theirs would not be a particularly conventional marriage, especially for the time, so they’re definitely still rebelling against some societal norms.

That’s really what this movie is about: questioning the things that society tells you should be important. American capitalist society says pile up as much money as you can, and if it’s not much, you’re doing something wrong. Johnny Case says, “Wait a minute. That can’t be all there is” and decides to find different goals for himself. But the movie also portrays how difficult it is to break away from the norms. Ned desperately wants to get away, but his father has a very tight hold on him and won’t let him out of the banking business that Ned despises, so he drinks excessively because he sees no other way out. Linda finds it a little easier to question and rebel against things, but is rarely taken seriously by her father and sister, who patronizingly dismiss her ideas as silly little trifles and assume that she, along with everyone else who is being “difficult” in their eyes, will come around eventually. We get the impression that this is a frequent source of tension in the household, but the main example in the movie is when Linda desperately wants to throw a fun, intimate little New Year’s Eve party to celebrate Johnny and Julia’s engagement, but Mr. Seton insists on throwing an enormous fancy gala instead. Linda protests by staying in the small playroom, where she is joined by Ned along with Johnny’s friends, Nick and Susan Potter, played by the wonderful character actors Edward Everett Horton and Jean Dixon, who feel incredibly out of place at the main party. It’s a delightful scene that contrasts the coziness and warmth of the playroom with the stiffness and formality of the rest of the house. At this point, Johnny has started to conform to the “proper” life Julia wants for him, and he initially enters the playroom to convince Linda to be reasonable and join the big party to keep from embarrassing the family. But he soon realizes that the smaller party is much more his style. And it’s soon after that when he learns that an important deal has come through which has made him enough money to quit his job (why an important business deal would be going through at 11:45 pm on New Year’s Eve has never made sense to me, but oh well), and that’s when he tells Julia and Mr. Seton about his holiday plans and they flip out because he’s challenging the status quo. Eventually, after taking some time to clear his head, Johnny tells them he’s willing to compromise and try the life Julia wants, agreeing to work for Mr. Seton’s company for a year or so and then go on holiday if he still wants to. Julia and Mr. Seton are delighted, making it clear that they believe that once he starts this life, he’ll change his mind completely and give up on what they view as his foolish fancy. But traveling to find the meaning of life is even more important to Johnny than the party was to Linda, and he decides he can’t compromise. He has to live his life the way he chooses, even if most people think it’s foolish. And that message still feels incredibly profound and necessary today.

I think that’s the main reason this movie has resonated with me so much. As someone who has always felt like the things I find important are often dismissed as trivial by mainstream society, while the things mainstream society deems important have never made much sense to me, it feels incredibly validating and encouraging for a Cary Grant character to confidently declare that he doesn’t want the life he’s “supposed” to want, and ultimately decide not to back down even when people he cares about just as confidently scoff and tell him he’s wrong. Not that I would ever have the courage or self-assurance to just drop everything and leave on a trip with no plan other than “find the meaning of life” – that sounds terrifying. But when you’re aroace – and I imagine this is similar for other queer identities as well – you’re constantly bombarded with the message that the “correct” life path is something that doesn’t feel right, and that the life you do want is not only incorrect, but shameful. Of course, a movie made in 1938 would never have dreamed of addressing LGBTQIA+ issues directly, but somehow, even with its straight romances, Holiday almost feels queer. That might be taking things too far, but the film is certainly about living as your true and authentic self and not letting anyone convince you to be someone you’re not for the sake of “respectability,” which feels like basically the same thing as saying “queer rights,” at least to me.

Much as I love the message of the story, I do want to emphasize that ultimately this is a comedy, and a big part of its appeal is just getting to see Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn being silly together. The way their characters meet and instantly establish an easy rapport feels so natural and authentic. Whether they’re disagreeing about the difference between goat and sheep noises, trying to invent a fancy pedigree for Johnny, or actually being real with each other, they are such a delight to watch. Nick and Susan Potter are also very fun characters, and their friendship with Johnny – and later Linda – is beautifully portrayed. I would love to see a sequel of the four of them traveling the world together. However, that was not to be, partly because despite receiving critical acclaim, this movie was a box office failure. It’s been speculated that perhaps Great Depression audiences who would have done anything to find jobs did not sympathize with Johnny’s plans to quit his. At the time, Katharine Hepburn was deemed “box office poison” because audiences thought she was past her prime, so that didn’t help either. After this movie, Hepburn left Hollywood for Broadway, where she starred in a new play that Philip Barry – who also wrote the play this movie was based on – had written specifically for her, which she then took back to Hollywood and used to turn her career around…but more on that in a future episode.

A few more fun facts about Holiday that I need to share: in the original Broadway production of the play, Katharine Hepburn understudied the role of Linda, and she performed a scene from the play in her first screen test, which led to her first film. The role of Nick Potter was originally played on Broadway by Donald Ogden Stewart, who co-wrote this screenplay, and then was played by Edward Everett Horton in both a 1930 film adaptation and this 1938 remake. This was the final feature film appearance of Jean Dixon, who played Susan Potter, although she continued to act on stage and television, and she will be making another appearance on this podcast for an earlier film. And finally, this movie provided Cary Grant an opportunity to show off the tumbling skills he learned while touring with an acrobatic troupe as a teenager, as Johnny likes to use acrobatics to calm himself when he’s nervous. It kind of looks to me like at one point they may have used a stunt double, but for most of the flips you can clearly see his face, and I think it's so cool that he was able to do at least most of his own stunts. What a performer.

Thank you for listening to me chat about another of my most-rewatched movies. Be sure to subscribe or follow for more, and leave a rating or review to let me know how you’re enjoying this project. Next week I will be joined by another guest, and as always, I will leave you with a quote from the movie we’ll be discussing then: “Yeah, he was here, but he put an egg in his shoe and beat it.”

[prettyvintageafternoon]

So, I saw this story circulating online and I wanted to center it because it's important.

A woman who was denied an abortion in the abortion-prohibitive state of Texas died in 2022, and her story is just now beginning to circulate in the media.

(Link to Article)

This woman's name was Yeniifer Alvarez-Estrada Glick, and she was an undocumented, uninsured woman who passed away from pregnancy complications after Texas passed S.B. 8, which banned abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

Note for Context: This law was passed before Roe v Wade was overturned.

Texas was already woefully underprepared to serve pregnant women in their state because they were a maternal healthcare desert, meaning there was not a single OB-GYN or certified midwife available.

Yeniifer also had a history of illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure and she developed a condition called pulmonary edema after she got sick during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is when the lungs fill with fluid and put a strain on the heart and can be fatal to the patient. So, when Yeniifer became pregnant, she was considered high-risk.

In January of 2022, Yeniifer raced to the E.R. after she started experiencing - in her words to her husband Andrew over text, "Slight breathing problems." While her blood pressure was extremely high, the fetus growing within her appeared to be growing normally.

Doctors did not even bring up the possibility of terminating a pregnancy with her because the hospital that Yeniifer went to was a part of Ascension Seton, a network of Catholic hospitals.

As the costs of her hospital stay continued to compound and Yeniifer was losing time at work because she had to be admitted to the hospital for her hypertension, which prompted her to file for government-funded healthcare - though she received no response after she applied.

Yeniifer continued to see her doctor as her pregnancy progressed, doing her best to take her perscribed medications. She missed one appointment with her maternal-fetal specialist because the house where her client lived had bad cell service (for context, Yeniffer worked as a personal care aid for disabled patients).

As Yeniifer's pregnancy progressed further, she visited the hospital again on May 9th due to shortness of breath. Her blood pressure was 205/129 and she was 22 weeks and six days pregnant. This is when doctors determined that her pulmonary edema returned.

Due to bad weather, a helicopter could not take Yeniifer to a larger hospital where high-risk pregnancy cases could be better treated, so she was sent to Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin, which was 29 miles further away than the hospital she was originally intended to go to.

By the time Yeniifer was transported to the Austin hospital, she was "high risk for clinical decomposition/death" but her fetus was almost viable. In the following days, under the care of Celeste Sheppard, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, Yeniifer's condition improved and her pulmonary edema calmed down. Four days after admission, she was disacharged with hypertension medication and a diuretic.

However, Yeniifer's condition at home was not great, as she was losing color in her skin and it was physically tiring for her to do daily tasks like go to work - with her tiredness becoming a chronic condition all the way into late May. Because the costs to see the medical professional she needed continued to climb, she did not see the OB-GYN again -- but her breathing problems persisted.

At 5 A.M. on July 10th, Yeniifer's breathing problems persisted so badly that emergency services had to be called and by this time, Yeniifer's BP was 213/146 - which is alarmingly high. Because acute pulmonary edema can cause patients to panic - which Yeniifer was, she was given sedation meds that were suggested by Dr. Willis, the Luling E.R. doctor who the paradmic called while she was in the ambulance.

By the time the paramedics made it to the E.R., Yeniifer had no pulse and she was pronounced dead (along with her fetus, who she named Selene) after paramedics unsuccessfully tried to administer CPR.

When Stephanie Taladrid, the author who wrote this article reached out to Yeniifer's husband, Andrew, for comment, he did not respond.

However, he did email her Yeniifer's autopsy report, which reads:

So yeah, this is what happens when abortion bans are in place and fetuses take precedence over the person who is pregnant. Yeniifer should not have died over this and it is incredibly sad that she did.

I encourage everyone to read this article, because it shares far more details regarding Yeniifer's story.

[byneddiedingo]

James Cagney in The Crowd Roars (Howard Hawks, 1932)

Cast: James Cagney, Ann Dvorak, Joan Blondell, Eric Linden, Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee. Screenplay: John Bright, Niven Busch, Kubec Glasmon, based on a story by Howard Hawks and Seton I. Miller. Cinematography: Sidney Hickox, John Stumar. Film editing: Thomas Pratt.

The "Hawksian woman," able to crack wise and exhibit grace under pressure as well as any man, is one of the glories of Hollywood movies. In Howard Hawks's movies, actresses as various as Katharine Hepburn, Jean Arthur, Rosalind Russell, Lauren Bacall, Joanne Dru, and Angie Dickinson held their own with domineering males like Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. So when I saw that TCM had scheduled a Howard Hawks film I hadn't seen starring James Cagney and Joan Blondell, I thought if anyone could take down a peg the Cagney who became famous for abusing Mae Clarke with half a grapefruit in The Public Enemy (William A. Wellman, 1931) it would be Blondell, Warners' likable tough girl. (Blondell was in The Public Enemy, but she was linked up with Edward Woods instead of Cagney.) Well, here's another missed opportunity: Though Blondell gets top billing with Cagney, he's paired with Ann Dvorak; Blondell gets the forgettable (and forgotten) juvenile Eric Linden instead. And Dvorak's character is no Hawksian woman: Instead of toughing it out with a wisecrack when Cagney's character dumps her, she goes into hysterics. Instead of the witty battle of the sexes we have come to expect from Hawks, in The Crowd Roars we get a passable and sometimes exciting action movie about race car drivers, with a little romantic entanglement thrown in to bridge the well-shot and well-staged racing scenes. Cagney's Joe Greer is a champion race car driver -- he's won at Indianapolis three times -- who goes home to find that his kid brother, Eddie (Linden), wants to follow in his footsteps. So Joe takes Eddie back to L.A. with him, where he's been living without benefit of wedlock -- this is a pre-Code film -- with Lee Merrick (Dvorak). Initially he tries to hide his relationship with Lee to protect the younger man's morals -- to "keep him off of booze and women," as he puts it -- but truth will out. When he decides to break up with Lee, she enlists her friend Anne (Blondell) in a revenge plot: Anne will frustrate Joe's puritanical scheme by seducing Eddie. This doesn't work out: Anne and Eddie fall in love. Meanwhile, Joe and Eddie compete in a race in which Joe's sidekick Spud (Frank McHugh) is killed in a flaming crash -- there's a remarkable series of scenes in which drivers, including Joe, drop out of the race because they're nauseated by having to repeatedly pass the crash site with its smell of burning flesh. Eddie wins the race and goes on to become the star driver that Joe was, while Joe hits the bottle and the skids. Redemption and reconciliation of course ensue. None of this is new and all of it is predictable, but Hawks knows how to pump up the action when everything gets soppy. As for the Hawksian woman, she will have to wait until 1934 and Twentieth Century for Carole Lombard to give her the first satisfactory outing.

[bagheerita]

First lines meme

Rules: Share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able and see if there are any patterns!

Thank you for the tag @chaniis-atlantis ❤

1. "Jade": Jade has never known anything but the hive.

2. "Regina Donum": She is nine summers, and she is unhappy that they are leaving home.

3. "Mushroom Hunting": The forest on M8A-C26 was cool, the air heavy with the scent of recent rain, and fallen leaves rustled under their boots as they walked away from the Stargate.

4. "Where I Fit in the Picture": Ned Seton was relatively sober as the clock chimed 3:00 but was not planning to stay that way.

5. "Sunlight": The sun was a comfort on her skin as Teyla lay back in her chair, relaxing for the first time in what felt like ages, soaking in the warmth.

6. "Of the Navigation of the Complex, Immaterial Bonds that Join Us Together": "They called you Sheppard."

7. "Since We've No Place to Go": PS4-987 is a nice enough planet when they first arrive.

8. "Moments Shared": The first time I saw him was in the ruins of the library on Hoff.

9. "Feast": Todd's eyes glow.

10. "All the Tender Sweetness": Todd reached out and selected one of the branches of the corculum plant, carefully cutting the end of it and placing the cutting in the container a masked warrior held ready for him.

lol I feel like I've written a lot of experimental stuff lately so I'm not sure about patterns... but I would say that I like to establish the narrator or the setting right away. I pretty much always write in present tense, though lately I've been toying with past tense on occasion. Also, I write about Todd a lot. ;b

[pennyserenade]

trick or treat!! 👻

trick or treat writer's ask

Here is a little something I'm writing for a fic of mine called Fade Into You:

tw: mention of children, infidelity

Mr. Seton confesses to Mariella over a cup of coffee that he loves her. His classroom is just across the hall from hers and he seems to be her only friend these days. They’ve bonded over many things: music, old movies, the fact that they’ve both got busy, active partners and that they are the youngest on the roster this school year. Henry has so many friends, and seems to make a new one every week, despite the fact that his job is rather isolated. It makes Mari nervous, like there’s something wrong with her. When Mr. Seton – who she calls Adam when there are no children around – tells her he loves her, she feels betrayed. You were my friend, she wants to tell him, in the same tone she uses to tell a student she is disappointed in them. 

When she gets home, she tells Henry. He is upset—not at her, he makes sure to clarify—but at Adam. He asks her all kinds of questions about him, and though they are said in a gentle tone, she knows: Henry is upset at her, even if he says he’s not. It’s an undercurrent, his anger, his frustration. 

“He knows I’m married,” she adds hopefully, as if it will help. But she has wondered all day if maybe she hasn’t been doing a good job at showing how married she is–wondering if maybe somewhere along the way Adam had figured out something she hadn’t. When Henry asks, “And Adam’s wife? Does he not think of her?” she knows the questions are meant for her, at least in part. And Mariella’s husband? Does she not think of him? 

Henry loves Mariella more than he has ever loved anyone. If this divide, this limbo, they’re in is because of children then he won’t ever ask about them again. He hadn’t even meant to. He’d gotten a little tipsy that night and it had slipped out, but it doesn’t matter to him. Not this much. He’ll do anything if it means that goddamn teacher won’t tell Mariella things like that again. Next time he sees her, tomorrow, Mr. Seton will know Mariella is too goddamn in love–that it will be pointless and embarrassing to confess something like that. Their love is invincible and this is just a kink because they married young. Everyone said they’d go through rough patches, and this is one of them. How dare that man think his confession could come to anything? 

“Mr. Seton, love your own wife,” Henry can imagine himself saying to the bespeckled, wannabe homewrecker. He is nothing if not equable, even to those who threaten his domain, his life. “You’re going through a rough patch, and my wife will not be your garden of Eden. She loves me. She tells me what you said. Your secrets are her stories because she loves me.” 

Maybe not so equable, then, not in his own mind. Not to Mr. Seton. Not to fucking Adam.  

Later Henry fingers Mariella on the staircase. They don’t make it to the bedroom because they can’t; it's needy and desperate. It feels like before, like she is twenty and he is twenty-two and this is that shitty apartment they rented together their second summer as a couple. It feels like that until he asks her to say she loves him. She does, and he asks again, over and over and over, and he swallows the words in his mouth along with her moans. They go down like stones, hard and sharp. The words are true–she does love him–but they are also just words, yet to be eroded by meaning. He asks to hear them for all the wrong reasons and she gives them to him for those same reasons.

Mr. Seton loves her, but Henry loves her more.

She loves me, she loves me not. Henry thinks, after it's over.

God, they married so young.

[lilymarsworld]

st. patrick’s cathedral

seven hundred and nine miles away

i see st. paul’s in the stain glass

i see christ the king in the gilded altar

i see a robin i once knew in the veils and rosaries

i hear UK collage in the blaring pipes of the organ and chamber in the wailing of the choir

every time i zone out i am transported back to seton catholic

i’m ten years old and father john’s pulled out his bag of gifts in hopes that us kids might listen to his homily

for just that moment, the pounding in my heart stops and i can breath again

the gothic architecture

the smell of incense

the sore knees from the much too hard kneeler

i am seven hundred and nine miles away, yet i am at home

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 5.9

Holidays

Aso ote Tala Lei (Gospel Day; Tuvalu)

Birth Control Pill Day

Cameltoe Day

Damita Jo Day (Auton, Texas)

Dianetics Day

Earls Court Day (IA, KS, MN, VA, WY)

Europe Day (Schuman Declaration; EU)

Goku Day (Japan)

Hanswijk Procession (Mechelen, Belgium) [Sunday before Ascension Thursday]

Hurray for Buttons Day

John Brown Day

Lawn Mower Day

Liberation Day (Guernsey, Jersey)

Lost Sock Memorial Day

Make Believe Day

Marukh’s Day (Elder Scrolls)

Muppets Day

National Alphabet Magnet Day

National Childhood Depression Awareness Day

National Day (Alderney)

National Home Front Heroes Day

National Sleepover Day

National Teacher Appreciation Day

Ode to Joy Day

Peter Pan Day

Piccolo Day (Dragon Ball Z)

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Fairies Foundation Day

Schuman Day

Sophie Scholl Day

State Flag and Emblem Day (Belarus)

Tear the Tags Off the Mattresses Day

Vast Wasteland Day

Victory and Peace Day (Armenia)

Victory Day (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan)

Victory Day Over Nazism in World War II (Ukraine)

Webcomic Day

Xotira va Qadirlash Kuni (Day of Remembrance and Honors; Uzbekistan)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Butterscotch Brownie Day

Lawn Mower Beer Day

National Bake Sale Day

National Cookie Dough Day

National Foodies Day

National Moscato Day

Punch's Birthday (London, England) [Sunday closest to May 9]

2nd Tuesday in May

Childhood Depression Awareness Day (a.k.a. Green Ribbon Day) [Tuesday of 1st Full Week]

National Slow Down Move Over Day (Canada) [2nd Tuesday]

Independence Days

Romania (from Ottoman Empire, 1877)

Feast Days

Beatus of Lungern (Christian; Saint)

Beatus of Vendome (Christian; Saint)

Brynoth I, Bishop of Scara, Sweden (Christian; Saint)

Christopher (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Fabricius (Positivist; Saint)

George Preca (Christian; Saint)

Gerontius of Cervia (Christian; Saint)

Gina’s Blot (Pagan)

Gregory of Nazianzen (The Episcopal Church (US) and traditional Roman Catholic calendar)

Hermas (Christian; Saint)

Kermit the Frog (Muppetism)

Lemuralia, Day 1 (Ancient Rome; Dedicated to Eradicating Malevolent Spirits of the Dead)

Lost Sock Memorial Day (Pastafarian)

Medea Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Nicholas Albergati (Christian; Saint)

Nicolaus Zinzendorf (Lutheran)

Oedipus Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Olympieia (Zeus Festival; Ancient Greece)

Pachomius the Great (Christian; Saint)

Remembrance for Gudrod of Gudbrandsdal (Slavic Pagan/Asatru)

Tudy of Landevennec (Christian; Saint)

Wear Odd Socks Day Day (Pastafarian)

Yom Yerushalayim begins (Jerusalem Day; Israel) [Iyar 28]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Lemuria (Day 1of 3; Ancient Rome) [Unlucky to Marry.]

Premieres

Ant Pasted (WB LT Cartoon; 1953)

A Burnt-Out Case, by Graham Greene (Novel; 1961)

Down with Love (Film; 2003)

The Draft Horse (WB MM Cartoon; 1942

The Fall (Film; 2008)

The Fifth Element (Film; 1997)

For Whom the Bulls Toil (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Friday the 13th (Film; 1980)

A Good Time for a Dime (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Hey There Delilah, by Plain White T’s (Song; 2006)

Hot Rod and Reel! (WB LT Cartoon; 1959)

In the Jungle of Cities, by Bertolt Brecht (Play; 1923)

Kojak Variety, by Elvis Costello (Album; 1995)

Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return (Animated Film; 2014)

A Mighty Wind (Film; 2003)

Neighbors (Film; 2014)

Short Circuit (Film; 1986)

Sleepy Time Donald (Disney Cartoon; 1947)

Speed Racer (Film; 2008)

Vertigo (Film; 1958)

The Winthrop Woman, by Anya Seton (Novel; 1958)

Today’s Name Days

Beatus, Caroline, Volkmar (Austria)

Beata, Dionizije, Izaija, Mirna (Croatia)

Ctibor (Czech Republic)

Caspar (Denmark)

Kahru, Ott, Otto (Estonia)

Timi, Timo (Finland)

Pacôme (France)

Beat, Caroline, Theresia, Volkmar (Germany)

Christoforos, Essaias, Isaias (Greece)

Gergely (Hungary)

Beato, Duillio, Gregorio, Luminosa (Italy)

Einārs, Ervīns, Klāvs, Rebeka (Latvia)

Austėja, Edita, Grigalius, Mingailas (Lithuania)

Jesper, Kasper (Norway)

Beatus, Bożydar, Grzegorz, Job, Karolina, Mikołaj (Poland)

Isaia, Nicolae (România)

Roland (Slovakia)

Gregorio, Isaías (Spain)

Reidar, Reidun (Sweden)

Christopher (Ukraine)

Casandra, Cassandra, Grizelda, Kasandra, Kassandra, Zelda (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 129 of 2024; 236 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 19 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Saille (Willow) [Day 24 of 28]

Chinese: Month 3 (Bing-Chen), Day 20 (Ding-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 18 Iyar 5783

Islamic: 18 Shawwal 1444

J Cal: 8 Bīja; Oneday [8 of 30]

Julian: 26 April 2023

Moon: 82%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 16 Caesar (5th Month) [Camillus]

Runic Half Month: Lagu (Flowing Water) [Day 15 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 51 of 90)

Zodiac: Taurus (Day 20 of 30)

[quotes-by-dilanka]

Living Like Weasels by Annie Dillard

A weasel is wild.

Who knows what he thinks?

He sleeps in his underground den, his tail draped over his nose.

Sometimes he lives in his den for two days without leaving.

Outside, he stalks rabbits, mice, muskrats, and birds, killing more bodies than he can eat warm, and often dragging the carcasses home.

Obedient to instinct, he bites his prey at the neck, either splitting the jugular vein at the throat or crunching the brain at the base of the skull, and he does not let go.

One naturalist refused to kill a weasel who was socketed into his hand deeply as a rattlesnake.

The man could in no way pry the tiny weasel off, and he had to walk half a mile to water, the weasel dangling from his palm, and soak him off like a stubborn label.

And once, says Ernest Thompson Seton--once, a man shot an eagle out of the sky.

He examined the eagle and found the dry skull of a weasel fixed by the jaws to his throat.

The supposition is that the eagle had pounced on the weasel and the weasel swiveled and bit as instinct taught him, tooth to neck, and nearly won.

I would like to have seen that eagle from the air a few weeks or months before he was shot: was the whole weasel still attached to his feathered throat, a fur pendant?

Or did the eagle eat what he could reach, gutting the living weasel with his talons before his breast, bending his beak, cleaning the beautiful airborne bones?

I have been reading about weasels because I saw one last week.

I startled a weasel who startled me, and we exchanged a long glance.

Twenty minutes from my house, through the woods by the quarry and across the highway, is Hollins Pond, a remarkable piece of shallowness, where I like to go at sunset and sit on a tree trunk.

Hollins Pond is also called Murray's Pond; it covers two acres of bottomland near Tinker Creek with six inches of water and six thousand lily pads. In winter, brown-and-white steers stand in the middle of it, merely dampening their hooves; from the distant shore they look like miracle itself, complete with miracle's nonchalance.

Now, in summer, the steers are gone. The water lilies have blossomed and spread to a green horizontal plane that is terra firma to plodding blackbirds, and tremulous ceiling to black leeches, crayfish, and carp.

This is, mind you, suburbia. It is a five-minute walk in three directions to rows of houses, though none is visible here.

There's a 55-mph highway at one end of the pond, and a nesting pair of wood ducks at the other. Under every bush is a muskrat hole or a beer can.

The far end is an alternating series of fields and woods, fields and woods, threaded everywhere with motorcycle tracks--in whose bare clay wild turtles lay eggs.

So, I had crossed the highway, stepped over two low barbed-wire fences, and traced the motorcycle path in all gratitude through the wild rose and poison ivy of the pond's shoreline up into high grassy fields.

Then I cut down through the woods to the mossy fallen tree where I sit. This tree is excellent. It makes a dry, upholstered bench at the upper, marshy end of the pond, a plush jetty raised from the thorny shore between a shallow blue body of water and a deep blue body of sky.

The sun had just set. I was relaxed on the tree trunk, ensconced in the lap of lichen, watching the lily pads at my feet tremble and part dreamily over the thrusting path of a carp.

A yellow bird appeared to my right and flew behind me. It caught my eye; I swiveled around—and the next instant, inexplicably, I was looking down at a weasel, who was looking up at me.

Weasel! I'd never seen one wild before.

He was ten inches long, thin as a curve, a muscled ribbon, brown as fruitwood, soft-furred, alert. His face was fierce, small and pointed as a lizard's; he would have made a good arrowhead.

There was just a dot of chin, maybe two brown hairs' worth, and then the pure white fur began that spread down his underside.

He had two black eyes I didn't see, any more than you see a window.

The weasel was stunned into stillness as he was emerging from beneath an enormous shaggy wild rose bush four feet away.

I was stunned into stillness twisted backward on the tree trunk.

Our eyes locked, and someone threw away the key.

Our look was as if two lovers, or deadly enemies, met unexpectedly on an overgrown path when each had been thinking of something else: a clearing blow to the gut.

It was also a bright blow to the brain, or a sudden beating of brains, with all the charge and intimate grate of rubbed balloons. It emptied our lungs.

It felled the forest, moved the fields, and drained the pond; the world dismantled and tumbled into that black hole of eyes. If you and I looked at each other that way, our skulls would split and drop to our shoulders.

But we don't. We keep our skulls. So.

He disappeared.

This was only last week, and already I don't remember what shattered the enchantment.

I think I blinked, I think I retrieved my brain from the weasel's brain, and tried to memorize what I was seeing, and the weasel felt the yank of separation, the careening splash-down into real life and the urgent current of instinct.

He vanished under the wild rose. I waited motionless, my mind suddenly full of data and my spirit with pleadings, but he didn't return.

Please do not tell me about "approach-avoidance conflicts." I tell you I've been in that weasel's brain for sixty seconds, and he was in mine.

Brains are private places, muttering through unique and secret tapes-but the weasel and I both plugged into another tape simultaneously, for a sweet and shocking time.

Can I help it if it was a blank?

What goes on in his brain the rest of the time? What does a weasel think about?

He won't say. His journal is tracks in clay, a spray of feathers, mouse blood and bone: uncollected, unconnected, loose leaf, and blown.

I would like to learn, or remember, how to live. I come to Hollins Pond not so much to learn how to live as, frankly, to forget about it.

That is, I don't think I can learn from a wild animal how to live in particular--shall I suck warm blood, hold my tail high, walk with my footprints precisely over the prints of my hands?--but I might learn something of mindlessness, something of the purity of living in the physical sense and the dignity of living without bias or motive.

The weasel lives in necessity and we live in choice, hating necessity and dying at the last ignobly in its talons. I would like to live as I should, as the weasel lives as he should.

QAnd I suspect that for me the way is like the weasel's: open to time and death painlessly, noticing everything, remembering nothing, choosing the given with a fierce and pointed will.

I missed my chance. I should have gone for the throat. I should have lunged for that streak of white under the weasel's chin and held on, held on through mud and into the wild rose, held on for a dearer life.

We could live under the wild rose wild as weasels, mute and uncomprehending. I could very calmly go wild. I could live two days in the den, curled, leaning on mouse fur, sniffing bird bones, blinking, licking, breathing musk, my hair tangled in the roots of grasses.

Down is a good place to go, where the mind is single. Down is out, out of your ever-loving mind and back to your careless senses. I remember muteness as a prolonged and giddy fast, where every moment is a feast of utterance received.

Time and events are merely poured, unremarked, and ingested directly, like blood pulsed into my gut through a jugular vein.

Could two live that way? Could two live under the wild rose, and explore by the pond, so that the smooth mind of each is as everywhere present to the other, and as received and as unchallenged, as falling snow?

We could, you know.

We can live any way we want.

People take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience--even of silence--by choice. The thing is to stalk your calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live spot and plug into that pulse.

This is yielding, not fighting.

A weasel doesn't "attack" anything; a weasel lives as he's meant to, yielding at every moment to the perfect freedom of single necessity.

I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you.

Then even death, where you're going no matter how you live, cannot you part. Seize it and let it seize you up aloft even, till your eyes burn out and drop; let your musky flesh fall off in shreds, and let your very bones unhinge and scatter, loosened over fields, over fields and woods, lightly, thoughtless, from any height at all, from as high as eagles.

We could, you know. We can live any way we want.

People take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience--even of silence--by choice.

The thing is to stalk your calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live spot and plug into that pulse.

This is yielding, not fighting.

A weasel doesn't "attack" anything; a weasel lives as he's meant to, yielding at every moment to the perfect freedom of single necessity.

I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you.

Then even death, where you're going no matter how you live, cannot you part.

Seize it and let it seize you up aloft even, till your eyes burn out and drop; let your musky flesh fall off in shreds, and let your very bones unhinge and scatter, loosened over fields, over fields and woods, lightly, thoughtless, from any height at all, from as high as eagles.