#convent garden

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Some women retailers were so well established that they issued their own coins – trade tokens to use as small change during the constant shortage of official coinage. Six trade tokens struck by women dating from 1660-70 have survived.

"Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History" - Philippa Gregory

[newyorkthegoldenage]

The second Madison Square Garden, which actually was in Madison Square, on January 17, 1924. It was preparing for the Democratic National Convention in June (and July. There were 103 ballots). Its seating capacity was normally 13,000, but was increased to 20,000 for the convention.

Photo: Associated Press

[dolphin1812]

Mabeuf!!!

Mabeuf is hilarious. He's apolitical, although he respects those who are not, but he also happens to be growing the most political fruit in 1830s France: the pear. Although the connection to Louis-Philippe isn't made here, it does suggest that as much as one may want to remain distanced from politics, circumstances determine how much a person is able to maintain that distance, not the person themself. Mabeuf may have no political opinions, but that doesn't mean that politics don't affect him, or that others can't read politics into his actions (as I just did; he doesn't mean anything with those pears, but I can't see a pear without thinking of Louis-Philippe). More importantly to Mabeuf, only the truly fortunate can really escape politics:

"The Revolution of July brought a crisis to publishing. In a period of embarrassment, the first thing which does not sell is a Flora. The Flora of the Environs of Cauteretz stopped short. Weeks passed by without a single purchaser."

Mabeuf is poor in a similar way to Marius, where he's able to get by and even pay for some "luxuries" (as in, some simple enjoyments and/or a hobby), but his financial stability could disappear very quickly. The publishing crisis after the July Revolution caused just that. Without income from publishing, his situation became much more precarious, and while he still seems content and didn't suddenly become political, the consequences of politics on his life demonstrate the challenges of that position. It's nice that he's not prejudiced in the way Gillenormand is because of his "neutrality," but he's also not advocating for himself when these changes really do affect him. In a way, he's similar to Bishop Myriel, whose community efforts were great in every respect except the political. Mabeuf doesn't have that level of authority, but he shares many sentiments with the bishop: love of people (it's why he goes to church), respect for nature and knowledge, and a generally kind attitude. His lack of political beliefs hurts him more than it hurts his community, but it's still interesting to see this "flaw" repeated in a different way.

It's intriguing how Mabeuf's apolitical stance is linked to his distaste for violence as well. For instance, while he's friendly with several Bonapartists because he won't condemn their opinions, he's also extremely uncomfortable living at "Austerlitz," which shares the name of a famous battle during the Napoleonic Wars. Additionally, he flinches at all violence, with the example given being linked to the French Revolution. Weapons from the Invalides were used to storm the Bastille, so while Mabeuf is just avoiding a place because he dislikes cannons, he's also overlooking the way that politics is all around him because he detests violence. His stance on violence isn't wrong - we see a variety of justifiable positions on violence in the novel, with Valjean falling in the "no violence at all" camp as well - but the (a)political framing of his nonviolence is telling. It may be that he dislikes politics because he sees it as inherently violent (which is fair, given that he's lived through many violent moments in French history), which says as much about his experiences with politics as it does his personal feelings.

Even though Mabeuf's avoidance of politics is definitely a bad thing in a book with a very political message, I really love his character. He just loves books and plants! That's great for him, and it would be a pretty ideal way of life if he lived in a system that didn't place his livelihood at constant risk. He also has what is probably the best response to being asked about relationships that I've read:

"However, he had never succeeded in loving any woman as much as a tulip bulb, nor any man as much as an Elzevir. He had long passed sixty, when, one day, some one asked him: “Have you never been married?” “I have forgotten,” said he. When it sometimes happened to him—and to whom does it not happen?—to say: “Oh! if I were only rich!” it was not when ogling a pretty girl, as was the case with Father Gillenormand, but when contemplating an old book."

"I've forgotten" is definitely the funniest way to answer that question, and I love that books are his main motivation in everything. Hugo's a bit crueler about Mother Plutarque's similar avoidance of relationships, saying "None of her dreams had ever proceeded as far as man. She had never been able to get further than her cat." "Proceeded" implies that love of a man would be better than love for her cat, which also suggests that she should have gotten married. Granted, this is only implied here, but it does seem to be another instance of the strange tension between there being a lot of unmarried, somewhat sympathetic women in this book and Hugo thinking that marriage/motherhood is the ultimate goal for women. Mother Plutarque seems quite content with her cat, though, so if it weren't for the issue of poverty, she and Mabeuf would have been pretty happy with their very bookish lives.

[catboyriot]

Hiiiii!!!! I’m gonna be at GSFTW next weekend! :D It’s a brand new con so if you’re in the NJ/NY area please come support everyone! ALSO IT’S DINER THEMED WHICH IS CUTE AS HELL!

[humunanunga]

I am back from San Japan, and I've had some rest, which means I can start going through the pics I'd taken or pics taken of me! I was very excited to have made it, because this was the first con for the team of the already exceptional Danganronpa-inspired game they're developing, @proj-edens-garden! The prologue is already available to play, and they had a Chapter 1 demo available to play at their booth.

It was so nice meeting you all, I had so much fun!

[catonatrain]

everytime i go and try to take product photos of my knb charms i end up not liking it and im like... damn... i need the epic product photos setup secrets...

[goatsandgangsters]

the good news is that I finished a book and it got me out of my reading slump where I would start things, not finish, switch to something else, not finish

the bad news is that "yes daddy" by jonathan parks-ramage is one of the worst written books I've read in a whiiiile. bland expositiony prose, flat characters, a bunch of weird plot detours. Written like a 200-page Wikipedia summary instead of an actual book

the worst news is that it has such intensely favorable gushing reviews on goodreads, and the people who hated it mostly hated it for a different reason, and so I'm left alone like oKAY BUT THE PROSE WAS SHIT, HOW DO YOU NOT SEE THIS

[lakelewisia]

This weekend, Lewisia will host the annual Northwest Regional Carnivorous Plant Show, which will bring together professional and amateur enthusiasts of a variety of carnivorous plants from around the world to educate and share with the public. New show categories this year include Pescetarian (fresh- and saltwater), Youth Division (as competitor), and Youth Division (as food source). While not eligible to show, vendors will also be selling several types of homicidal plants, which do not consume their victims but nonetheless prove popular with those who favor the more blood-thirsty members of the plant kingdom.

[boyinchainz]

Went to Garden State Fur the Weekend today. So many awesome fursuits, and I saw a few therians there too. There's no real message or point to this post, I just felt like saying something about how cool it is that I'm actually not the only alterhuman in my state.

[motherofsephy]

My haul from Garden State Anime Fest. My prized treasure was the Korean Pokemon cards. Not only is the packaging Eternatus, but I got Cufant!! That was Chairman Rose’s first Pokemon. 🪑🧔🏾‍♂️🌹

[lesmisscraper]

Valjean and Cosette's official introduction to the Petit-Picpus convent.

Clips from <Il cuore di Cosette>.

[newyorkthegoldenage]

June 26, 1924: Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers the nominating speech for Alfred E. Smith at the Democratic Convention at Madison Square Garden. The speech is considered FDR's first major gesture of re-entry into national politics after recovering from the onset of polio. The convention, which lasted 16 days, eventually nominated John W. Davis on the 103rd ballot. He lost the general election to Calvin Coolidge.

Photo: FDR Presidential Library & Museum via Wikimedia

[adobodemon]

forgot where I wrote down my year goal progress check

[sidhewrites]

Thinking about Sun under soil again. I haven’t touched that in at least a year but suddenly I miss my little nun terribly. She’s so very small and frightened but she’ll do whatever it takes for the people she loves.

[mariniacipher]

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