#convict concerto

[ducktracy]

a short placing heavy emphasis on Hungarian Rhapsody No. II is a rite of passage for golden age cartoons. Bugs Bunny did it! Tom and Jerry did it! Daffy and Donald! but one thing Woody Woodpecker has above the competition is that he is held hostage by a group of gangsters and is forced to entertain, lest he get executed. amazing

[waterlemon-melon]

✨give it up for our clarinetist: apollo justice!✨

og text post | phoenix | miles | maya and pearl | franziska | mia

an update headcanon from the og post:

polly’s new to the orchestra!! very emotional, expressive but straightforward playing. he can be too loud sometimes (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t). there is a certain naivety to his playing during aa4-1 plot. was a student under kristoph (learning performance). wanted to learn some soloist tips from phoenix but then shit went down (aa4-1).

his go-tos:

either of these gershwin pieces is apollo’s favourite to play bc he gets be loud (rhapsody in blue is his favourite to play in a symphony (he likes to warm up with that solo clarinet opening) and the 1st prelude is his go to chamber piece). but also i chose gershwin bc it’s more jazz heavy than classical and it’s similar to the actual aa4 music (which is more jazz/blues than the trilogy music). additionally, gershwin was actually denied studying under many famous people like ravel and nadia boulanger bc he already had such a distinct style (ravel even said that he would just make gershwin into a bad ravel if he were to teach him). i think it’s kinda similar to apollo who, unlike phoenix in aa1, has a distinct personality right from his debut (game mechanics wise) and phoenix basically did not mentor apollo at all and instead used him for his own gains

interestingly, i chose a mozart piece for apollo bc mozart is fairly straightforward, simple yet has that element of improvisation. which i think matches apollo’s tendencies in court: wanting everything to be straightforward but he can improvise his way through tricky situations like the end of aa4-4 to convict kristoph (with the help of phoenix, or lack there of). but this movement is actually slow and almost has that emotional aspect? which i think apollo likes that. (also hinting that connection with lamiroir (i think she would be an opera singer here) and clarinet being the closest thing to the human voice)

i actually kinda also associate him with tchaikovsky, very passionate, very emotional (apollo cares a lot!!). but since tchaik didn’t write much for solo clarinet, i put his violin concerto here since it has a clarinet (and oboe but mostly clarinet) opening in the 2nd movement

(also hint hint for sb in particular)

[heymrstargazer]

An Unnecessarily Long Analysis on Chevalier: The Trailer

joseph bologne, otherwise known as the chevalier de saint-george/s, was, to put it in simple terms, a badass. i have done months worth of research on this man, including out-of-town trips throughout my state to obtain archived materials and the only (and outrageously expensive) book written about him (the chevalier de saint-georges: virtuoso of the sword and the bow by gabriel banat). ive been beyond excited for chevalier, a movie coming out on april 21st, which explores his life. but, the more and more i watch this trailer and think about it, the more inaccurate it's seeming to be. now, to preface, im not a critic, i havent seen the movie early, im just a person who knows an unnecessary amount about him so now im going to share (also i am going off memory alone, though i am pretty damn confident in my ability to remember everything chronologically)

to give a very short rundown, joseph, born in guadeloupe in 1745, was born to a wealthy plantation owner, his father, and his enslaved mother. after a few years, (and his fathers murder conviction, which he fled from before he could be beheaded,) his father's wife brought him and his mother to france where his father had fled to. his father enrolled him in the best schools, particularly a fencing academy where he was taught by nicolas texier de la boëssière. throughout his time there, and presumably before, he also studied and played the violin. his talent was utterly clear to anyone who watched him, whether it be fencing or playing, and he even came to surpass his fencing teachers

fencing was what originally got him in with the likes of france's higher-up society members, both fencing for and with them. this didn't turn out to be his primary passion, though. fencing, composing, and anything of the sort was what he focused most of his time on. by the age of 24 he took over gossec's concert des amateurs, and had plenty of a presence in the musical scene. despite being mixed, he was able to establish himself within many communities, including with royalty (he taught and worked with marie antoinette for a considerable amount of time). he was actually met with very little resistance because of his talent, but when it came to more sophisticated positions and opportunities, there were setbacks. most notably, he applied to lead the paris opera, to which many members said they would quit because they wouldn't work for a man "like him," to which he withdrew his application

this is not where he stops, of course. he continues on to write operas, concertos, and any other compositional piece he put his mind to (as well as fencing on the side)

with his royal connections, he also became good acquaintances with prince philippe, duke of orléans. eventually (and after a shit ton of events that i dont have time to get into), through this connection, he gets involved in the french revolution (bc of course he would). due to racist laws of the time, he was put with an an all-black legion that he lead as colonel, which is later renamed to la legion saint-georges because of his astounding leadership and skill (he was still doing concerts and shit on the side btw)

his revolution career came to an end when he was falsely accused of misappropriating funds and jailed for a period of time because of it. after that, he eventually went back to making music until he died in 1799

okay, i know that was a lot, but trust me thats just scratching the surface of his life. now, to get into the actual reason im here:

this trailer, for the movie about his life, is, from what i can see, at least partial bullshit

their biggest point, and the opening scene according to the reviews that have been published so far, is of him interrupting a mozart concert. throughout the sources that are available about him, researches are adamant that he never interacted or was in direct competition with mozart. from what i can tell, hes about 19-23 in this, meaning he hasnt taken over the concert des amateurs yet. this also means that mozart can be no older than 12 years old. yes he was a prodigy, but even in the trailer they look the same age. like how tf are you going to base your MAIN EVENT. YOUR SELLING POINT. THE FIRST THING ON SCREEN. on something completely fictional. also, if mozart is an adult by then, joseph was well established and already assisted in creating a whole new genre, one which mozart eventually took inspiration from

also, from everything else ive seen, theres a significant focus on the singular relationship we know about in his life. yes okay it was a part of his life, and yes theyre trying to make it sell, but it had nothing to do with his success

now you might be asking, so? its a movie? who gives a shit? and i see you. i understand it. no matter how much i tear it apart im still excited about it bc theyre acknowledging him at all. im literally going to see it the week it comes out. but. but, theyre claiming to be telling an untold, true story, when they're clearly dramatizing a large majority of it. listen, im not entirely stupid, i know this is how movies work, but my god is it driving my crazy that this is going to be his "reintroduction" to the modern world

listen, they didnt do everything wrong. i dont have context for a majority of it, but from what i can tell the rest of the events are more or less plausible. im also beyond happy that he is being represented in the masses for the first time since his death, and being recognized at all. im hoping this sparks more research about him, especially more attainable research (seriously the only book about him is available for no less than $300 and for what????)

also, i also understand that this is only 2 minutes of the entire movie. yes you should also know i have watched it over 30 times since it came out (hyperfixation at its finest <3), but i understand this is just barely a glimpse at it. im going to of course do a full update when the movie comes out, but for now this is what i have to say. please, if you go see (for the love of god if this has taught you anything go see it), know that the movie is probably not going to be a great representation of his true story (and hopefully look into some more research about him)

[auburniivenus]

I want the k :3

31. a kiss against a wall. @ichihero

Under the soft luminescence of the streetlights, the evening presented its clandestine narratives, and the pair wandered through the quiescent alleyways obscured in mystery. Kasuga, his concerns resembling diaphanous petals, whispered qualms that pirouetted on the winter breeze, a cautionary tale of the perils lurking in the shadows for one as radiant as Inoue. When did his heart become interlaced with hers?

Fatigued by the uninterrupted concerto of his worries, Orihime decided it was time to appease the frantic notes. A small bench, nestled against the concrete wall, caught her perceptive eye. Gently but resolutely, she beckoned Ichiban towards it. With an exquisite nudge, he found himself encased by the frigid surface, the rough texture of concrete meeting his dorsum. As she climbed onto the bench, she reclaimed her height advantage and peered down with a determined softness in her amber-colored gaze. A palm caressed his handsome visage, its touch as pleasant and balmy as the sun—HELIOS.

The ambient sounds of the metropolis receded, a mere echo in the background, as her dainty digits delicately traced his jaw, redirecting his attention from the hypothetical perils he commonly envisaged. In the luminous cocoon, she leaned in purposefully, her lips seeking his with a conviction that eclipsed mere desire. The kiss unfolded as a promise—a solemn vow to demolish the unease that clung to his thoughts. Firm yet tender, her lips communicated reassurance beyond the reach of words. The warmth of the moment surrounded them, a conjoint breath mingling in the dark hour nimbus. “Ichiban.” His alias hummed against his margins.

Orihime’s arms tightened around his neck, pulling him closer. The modest bench transformed into a vessel for the profound connection they forged. His pulsating heart reverberated beneath her fingertips, and in that singular moment, the city dissolved into OBLIVION. Disturb, menace—all collapsed into the environs, leaving only the coiled dance of two souls captured by an unexpected serenity. As the kiss intensified, he felt the weight of his apprehensions dispel, substituted by a newfound trust in the courage emanating from her. “I adore you.”

A sentinel dragon, protecting the seraph.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 3.24 (before 1960)

1199 – King Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting in France, leading to his death on April 6. 1387 – English victory over a Franco-Castilian-Flemish fleet in the Battle of Margate off the coast of Margate. 1401 – Turco-Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 – James VI of Scotland is proclaimed King James I of England and Ireland, upon the death of Elizabeth I. 1603 – Tokugawa Ieyasu is granted the title of shōgun from Emperor Go-Yōzei, and establishes the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo, Japan. 1663 – The Province of Carolina is granted by charter to eight Lords Proprietor in reward for their assistance in restoring Charles II of England to the throne. 1720 – Count Frederick of Hesse-Kassel is elected King of Sweden by the Riksdag of the Estates, after his consort Ulrika Eleonora abdicated the throne on 29 February. 1721 – Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated six concertos to Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt, now commonly called the Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046–1051. 1765 – Great Britain passes the Quartering Act, which requires the Thirteen Colonies to house British troops. 1794 – In Kraków, Tadeusz Kościuszko announces a general uprising against Imperial Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia, and assumes the powers of the Commander in Chief of all of the Polish forces. 1829 – The Parliament of the United Kingdom passes the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, allowing Catholics to serve in Parliament. 1832 – In Hiram, Ohio, a group of men beat and tar and feather Mormon leader Joseph Smith. 1854 – President José Gregorio Monagas abolishes slavery in Venezuela 1860 – Sakuradamon Incident: Japanese Chief Minister (Tairō) Ii Naosuke is assassinated by rōnin samurai outside the Sakurada Gate of Edo Castle. 1869 – The last of Tītokowaru's forces surrendered to the New Zealand government, ending his uprising. 1870 – a Chilean prospecting party led by José Díaz Gana discovers the silver ores of Caracoles in the Bolivian portion of Atacama Desert,[leading to the last of the Chilean silver rushes and a diplomatic dispute over its taxation between Chile and Bolivia. 1878 – The British frigate HMS Eurydice sinks, killing more than 300. 1882 – Robert Koch announces the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis. 1900 – Mayor of New York City Robert Anderson Van Wyck breaks ground for a new underground "Rapid Transit Railroad" that would link Manhattan and Brooklyn. 1900 – Carnegie Steel Company is formed in New Jersey; its capitalization of $160 million is the largest to date. 1921 – The 1921 Women's Olympiad began in Monte Carlo, becoming the first international women's sports event. 1927 – Nanking Incident: Foreign warships bombard Nanjing, China, in defence of the foreign citizens within the city. 1934 – The Tydings–McDuffie Act is passed by the United States Congress, allowing the Philippines to become a self-governing commonwealth. 1939 – The 1939 Liechtenstein putsch takes place; approximately 40 members of the VBDL starting from Nendeln march towards Vaduz with the intention of overthrowing the government and provoking Liechtenstein's annexation into Germany. 1944 – German troops massacre 335 Italian civilians in Rome. 1944 – World War II: In an event later dramatized in the movie The Great Escape, 76 Allied prisoners of war begin breaking out of the German camp Stalag Luft III. 1946 – A British Cabinet Mission arrives in India to discuss and plan for the transfer of power from the British Raj to Indian leadership. 1949 – Hanns Albin Rauter, a chief SS and Police Leader, in the Netherlands, is convicted and executed for crimes against humanity.

[masked-marauder]

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (1944)

Director: James Culhane

Story: Ben Hardaway, Milt Schaffer

Animation: Verne Harding, Les Kine, Emery Hawkins, Pat Matthews, Paul J. Smith, Rudy Zamora

Release Date: April 22, 1944

Ah, Woody Woodpecker. One of my favorite, yet also one of the most underachieving cartoon characters of all time.

Despite his appealing design and his fun, if a bit aggravating personality, Woody was never able to achieve fame and praise similar to the likes of Bugs Bunny or Mickey Mouse (Unless you're in Brazil), and I find that to be a great shame, as I find Woody to be a great character. However, it seemed nobody truly knew HOW to use him after the 1940s were over, as he became nicer, unfunnier, and more simple of a character, despite a few fun cartoons here and there. (Mostly 1954's CONVICT CONCERTO). It seems like they've been trying to return to his classic roots in the modern day and age, but they aren't really doing it very well, as the movie stunk and the Flash show is unbearably mediocre. So what made Woody tick anyway? Why do I find him to be such a great character? Well, look no further than The Barber of Seville.

The cartoon begins with Woody, reading the window of Tony Fig-Ay-Roo.... Figaro's barber shop. As he looks at the different haircut options, he decides to get a "V FOR VICTORY" haircut, because what can he lose with a victory cut?

As he thinks about the haircut, we get some great expressions from him.

As he goes into the barber shop, he finds that Figaro is out to get his physical. "Back soon? That's what he thinks." This cartoon shows its age very clearly with military references such as these, but I find them somewhat endearing.

Oh well. Maybe Woody can cut his own hair! He cuts his own teeth!

As he begins combing his hair, he does a dainty pose as he remarks "Looks like Harmonica Lake!"

This is a neat lil nod to the famous actress Veronica Lake. (Yeesh, check out that... creature next to her!)

Suddenly, a Native-American man walks in, unaware that Woody will be his barber. Despite the controversial nature of this whole sequence, weirdly enough, the official Woody Woodpecker youtube channel has this entire cartoon up with NO censorship. Not even a disclaimer or anything. This whole sequence is somewhat unnecessary to the cartoon, so I won't go into full detail about it.

However, one gag I DO have to bring up is one where, after Woody places a bunch of hot towels on his head, the man's war bonnet shrinks into a shuttlecock.

He takes great offense to this, viewing this as Woody "giving him the bird" (A great double entendre) as he pulls out an axe, threatening to give Woody "scalp treatment".

Woody backtracks on this, pulling out a mallet as he states "No. I give YOU scalp treatment!". He then knocks him on the head with the mallet. Just a great combo of jokes all packed into one big gag.

After this, we find a burly Italian construction worker, who goes into the shop. This is where the cartoon gets good.

As he sits down, Woody asks him what he would like. He asks for the "whole works", a decision he will most definitely come to regret.

As Woody begins the haircut, he holds down the man's helmet, the razor hitting it as both the man and Woody shake around, the razor makin a jackhammer sound effect.

"Remove the hat!.... dope."

As Woody attempts to remove it, we get another fun visual gag as Woody blow torches the man's helmet off, using his own hair as a nob controlling the fire.

Now, while all of the gags that I've mentioned are GREAT, it's all nothing compared to what you'll be seeing next. After removing the helmet, Woody begins SINGING OPERA (specifically Largo al factotum) while cutting the man's hair. He begins by slapping the man with a bunch of shaving cream.

He randomly places shaving cream on the man's shoes as well. While Woody sings, the man looks at him with an incredible expression of pure shock and horror.

He then slaps the brush for the shaving cream into the man's mouth.

He begins polishing the man's shoes with the shaving cream, which is standard barber practice.

Do I really have to say anything about this next part? He pulls out the razor as he points it at the man, resulting in the most iconic still from this cartoon. "V'e la risorsa..."

He then extends the seat to go up higher, to the point where he slams the man into the ceiling. He sticks on there for a bit due to the shaving cream.

He then falls off as a bunch of tools fly across the screen, including.. dentures? Maybe this is just an old-timey barbershop thing, I wouldn't know.

The man tries hiding from Woody in the bib, leading to a really satisfying looking gag where everytime Woody swings the razor, the man changes position, as Woody randomly phases over to that position, with no in between frames whatsoever.

As Woody swings the blade again, the man disappears. Woody begins calling out for him by saying the famous "FEE-GA-ROOOOOO.... FEE-GA-ROOOOO...." part of the song.

As he calls to him, he randomly clones himself as he looks around. A really simple yet genius gag.

As he calls out, we see the man, attempting to walk away, dressed as a stereotypical child from that era, complete with a little umbrella. He spouts "Coming, mother!" If I remember correctly, this is a radio show reference, but I don't remember which one.

As he tries running away, Woody turns like the way a bloodlusted animal turns when they hear a twig snap, dashing towards him.

This is where the cartoon reaches its peak. He begins swinging the razor at him again, now with a fencing stance, as they move across the shop.

After a RIGID haircutting session, the man finally escapes Woody's grasp, running out the shop as Woody laughs hysterically, but not before the man gets his revenge. As Woody laughs, the mangrabs him and chucks him through the window as he slams into a pole.

Now THIS is Woody Woodpecker. There's a reason he's Stanley Kubrick's favorite cartoon character. (That's entirely true by the way... look it up) And it seems many people agree on this being a great Woody cartoon, as it's usually ranked as the BEST one and was ranked #43 in the best cartoons EVER. Another huge selling point to this cartoon is that it was the first to feature Woody's design as we know it today, besides the blue neck (which I honestly prefer). Basically, what I'm trying to say is, if there's ONE Woody cartoon you should watch... it's this one. And you're in luck, because this time, instead of putting some shoddy Dailymotion link, I can send you the entire cartoon from the official Youtube channel! You can view it here!

All of the gifs used in THIS review come from animationfan69.tumblr.com. Give em' a watch!

[davidpwilson2564]

Bloglet

Friday, September 6, 2023

Note: At the Met Opera House, "Dead Man Walking." Death row and a simpathetic nun. I learn that the convict she is consoling (I do not mean to ruin it for you) dies by lethal injection.

On my rounds I run into Dan H, who is waiting to load in some equipment at Carnegie Hall. We catch up. St. Luke's orchestra is about to play a program in which four pianists complete. All will play the first movement of the Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1. Two people play, intermission, two more people play. And then, we guess, the judges vote. It's a gig.

Dan tells me show business, especially Broadway, has pretty much closed the doors on older white guys. He says he is pretty sure he'll never get another show (he has gotten into contracting). He says he is sixty eight. I realize, once again, that I am so much older than the guys I work (worked) with. My late start. Dammit.

Note: Speaker of the House up for grabs. Two contendors consider debating (on Fox). Scalise and Jordon. This could be a riot and it is realized that it could be more circus-y than edifying. They cancel. Stay tuned. (Scalise, it is said, still limps from his wound. Was shot by a crazy at that baseball game. Jordon too is a wounded man but his problem is mental.) Marjorie Taylor Greene, crazy woman from Georgia, suggested Trump as speaker of the House. But...the role can't go to someone under indictment (do I have this right?). He can be president (even from jail) but can't be the speaker. (Do I have this right?) We live in insane times.

Saturday, October 7, 2023

I try to reach my son. No luck. I try to reach Jean. Again, no luck. They must be very busy. Later: Talk to AB. He's giving me a couple of days of teaching. Also, there is supposed to be that B'lyn gig but don't know if I want to do it.

Errands. Light rain and I enjoy getting a little wet.

Ah, I am a bit successful in trying to read. This is change. Actually was able to concentrate, to pull a book off the shelf and sit with it for a while. Will try again tomorrow.

Trouble concentrating. Trouble (big time) sleeping. Ever since Covid. A long run...never quite recovering. For me, seventy to eighty is kind of a blur. Old age crept in.

[byneddiedingo]

Egon Di Mateo and Thomas Doret in The Kid With a Bike (Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, 2011)

Cast: Thomas Doret. Cécile de France, Jérémie Renier, Fabrizio Rangione, Ego Di Mateo, Olivier Gourmet, Baptiste Sornin, Samuel De Ryck, Carl Jadot. Screenplay: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne. Cinematography: Alain Marcoen. Production design: Igor Gabriel. Film editing: Marie-Hélène Dozo.

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have said that they were influenced by fairytales when they wrote and directed The Kid With a Bike. Like the Grimm brothers, the Dardenne brothers don't bother giving the backstories of the "good" and "bad" characters in the film. We don't ask how the wicked stepmothers in fairytales got to be so wicked or why the fairy godmothers are so good. In a similar fashion, we are never told what causes Guy Catoul (Jérémie Renier) to be so coldly abrupt in cutting his own son, Cyril (Thomas Doret), out of his life, to the point that he sells the boy's beloved bicycle and puts him into a group home. He provides an economic motive -- he can't afford to support the boy -- but refuses even to make contact with him. Nor do we learn what makes Samantha (Cécile de France) so willing not only to buy the boy's bike from the man Catoul sold it to but also to take the boy himself into her own life. After all, her first encounter with the enraged, belligerent child is in the waiting room of a clinic, where he clings to her for help as the attendants from the group home try to subdue him. She seems to have a settled life as a beautician with a handsome boyfriend. Why borrow such obvious trouble? I felt another literary influence at work in the film: Charles Dickens, who set his tales of rescued orphans like Oliver Twist and David Copperfield in the realistic context of 19th-century England. The Dardennes set their story about Cyril in the context of 21st-century Belgium's working-class suburbs. Like Oliver Twist, Cyril Catoul falls prey to the underworld: He is persuaded to take part in a robbery by a kind of Fagin, a gang leader who calls himself Wesker (Egon Di Mateo), after a character in the Resident Evil video game franchise. The Dardennes don't take a fully neorealist approach to the story: The Kid With the Bike is not an exposé, but rather a tribute to human kindness overcoming contemporary anomie. It is made plausible by their matter-of-fact approach, but mostly by the performances, especially that of 13-year-old Doret, who had never acted before, but brings full conviction to every scene, including his rages and his hunger to be reunited with his father, as well as his eventual acceptance of Samantha's love and authority. The directors never milk a moment for sentiment: The only non-diegetic music on the soundtrack is the occasional punctuation at the end of a scene with a few bars from Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto, which has the tantalizing effect of keeping us suspended until the rest of the adagio is performed over the end credits.

[twentythreemillionstories]

Saturday 8th October 2022, Roubaix, 11.54am.

#135,770 — A gifted pianist has to give up a brilliant concerto career to be treated in a mental hospital. Her courage in misery, her conviction in her cause, has a depth the man could never have imagined before.

[seekjust]

I feel good prank

I feel good prank movie#

I feel good prank full#

I feel good prank series#

I feel good prank tv#

Let this video be a lesson to all student musicians that if you don’t practice, you might finally push your orchestra director over the edge. In case you think giving your concertmaster a heart attack is an uncommon practice in the orchestra world, the Berlin Philharmonic pulled the same prank on their soloist in a 2013 rehearsal. Pianka took the joke in good humor but admitted that for a moment he worried about his memory. Two minutes in, Mehta stopped the orchestra and let the audience in on the joke. “The shock on the soloist’s face was noticeable, but to his credit, he regained his poise within seconds and began playing the Mendelssohn,” Mishori writes. To make matters worse for the violinist, while the Tchaikovsky concerto has an extended orchestra opening before the soloist comes in, the Mendelssohn violin entrance is almost immediate. In Smiles, Pranks and Coughs at the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, author Israel Philharmonic horn player Yaacov Mishori explains that Mehta told everyone else in the orchestra they would play the introduction to the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto instead of Tchaikovsky’s. Violinist Uri Pianka was scheduled to perform Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, but conductor Zubin Mehta decided he would play a prank on his concertmaster. If there is a musician equivalent of the common taking-a-test-you-haven’t-studied-for nightmare, it is probably what happened to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra concertmaster. Many musicians from the high school band room up to high end concert halls enjoy a great prank.In honor of April Fools’ Day, here is a list of some legendary practical jokes that fellow musicians will appreciate. An unwelcome reminder of Do Hyeon-su's past walks into his shop.By Ricky musicianship is a serious pursuit, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for practical jokes. "When a young boy accuses his father of trying to kill him, Cha Ji-won investigates. "In high-society Atlanta, staying rich means playing dirty for two affluent families caught in an outrageous feud for power, prestige and love"

I feel good prank series#

"In this moving comedy, five friends plan a series of chaotic bucket-list challenges for their annual vacation after one of them learns she has cancer."

The Girls at the Back (Season 1): Spanish dramedy.

"A Thai youth soccer team and their assistant coach are trapped within Tham Luang Cave, prompting a global rescue effort."

Thai Cave Rescue: Docudrama, limited series.

Eva wants a great artist to sing her lyrics. "Deusa's solo career puts her romance with Tadeu to the test.

Only For Love (Season 1): Brazilian romance.

"Seasoned pros participate in this cooking competition against three of Mexico's finest chefs."

Iron Chef: Mexico (Season 1): Competition.

I feel good prank tv#

"Savvy saleswomen or devious scammers? Wanna Marchi and Stefania Nobile became the undisputed queens of TV shopping in Italy - until they went too far."

Fortune Seller: A TV Scam (Season 1): Docuseries.

"For Ray and Eilyn Jimenez, marriage and business are a perfect match as their respective interior design firms remodel homes for high-end Miami clients." "Across more than a decade, 17 teenage boys and young men were murdered by convicted killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: Crime drama, a limited series starring Evan Peters.

I feel good prank movie#

Note: The movie descriptions below are from Netflix press releases and occasionally IMDb.

I feel good prank full#

You'll find highlights of new content below, as well as CNET's full list of best TV originals on Netflix. Because each week brings new series to watch, it can be tough to find the best of the bunch. Netflix has a bulging library of TV shows.

[whitherliliesbloom]

FFXIVWRITE2021 ☆ MY FILLS ☆ PROMPT LIST ☆ AO3 MIRROR (tba)

// COMPLETED! //

total word count: 52,093 words (including bonus) longest fill: fate matrix [5,241 words] shortest fill: sins of the spectator [537 words]

personal favorites: 03 scale - heartbeat concerto 05 fate - fate matrix 14 commend - lights, camera, duty commenced 17 destruct - when the light blinds 22 fluster - in the eyes of the beholder 23 soul - your voice will save me 29 debonair - all like magic to my riddled heart 31 nocturne - to the moon and back

01 FOSTER - taming the stray kayelily // post-shb // 888 words lily still remembers how kaye’s eyes had looked 7 summers ago, when it was filled with naught but distrust and contempt for the world

02 ABERRANT- style over shadow drk npcs // post-shb // 1,037 words sidurgu convinces himself that the black chunks of metal suited the warrior of light far more than pastel pink frills and flowers. rielle is more than eager to dispute that

03 SCALE - heartbeat concerto alphinaudxwol // nodame cantabile au // 2,605 words illya prays to the heavens that the man beside her does not hear the fortissimo that was her pounding heart.

04 BALEFUL - in scornful eyes wol, gaius & alisaie // post-sb // 838 words gaius van baelsar did not fear death, but it didn’t make the warrior of light’s glare, full of seething hatred and fury any less frightening

05 FATE (free) - fate matrix alphinaudxwol // fate matrix au // 5,241 words in a world where the hands of destiny are ones and zeros, at the center of the matrix was a little goddess who would soon find out that she too, isn’t immune to the pull of fate

06 AVATAR - discord-ance spud squad & alphinaud // modern au // 603 words alphinaud infiltrates the spud squad discord server and finds… what else, but chaos?

07 SPECULATE - sins of the spectator alphinaudxwol // post-hw // 537 words at what point does speculation turn into accusation… and accusation comes to cause harm?

08 ADROIT - sweetened tea and midnight ink alphinaudxwol // post-canon // 1,022 words there’s an art to deflection, one alphinaud thought it has fully mastered. unfortunately, his wife is even better at seeing through lies

09 FRIABLE - by the book tataru & alphinaud // pre-endwalker // 666 words the last time alphinaud tasted scones this unappetizing was back in old sharlayan. and though he doesn’t exactly mind, it is absolutely a problem when the one he hopes to gift his baked goods to also happens to be one of eorzea’s best culinarians and the hero of the star both

10 HEADY - fragrant sorrow implied kayelily // wozwald au // 1,805 words even after all these years, the scent of flowers brought the god of death the most amount of pain

11 PREACHING TO THE CHOIR - a house of cards alphinaudxwol // tears of themis au // 1,468 words it takes unwavering conviction, something alphinaud never once doubted stellis’ best junior attorney to possess in strides

12 WANDERLUST (free) - take me to where your heart meets mine alphinaudxwol // post-canon // 1,265 words the warrior of light’s home is often empty, but her heart will ever be full and bursting to the brim with love

13 ONEIROPHRENIA - quietus kaye & illya // wozwald au // 1,858 words in the midst of his delirious, drunken haze he saw her - he can’t tell if it was meant to be his final blessing or an eternal curse

14 COMMEND - lights, camera, duty commenced! illya, g’raha & emet // actors au // 2,263 words behind the scenes of the critically acclaimed long running tv show, final fantasy fourteen, g’raha tia is (almost) inconsolable after he reads the final act’s script

15 THUNDEROUS - if you can hear my tune alphinaudxwol // nodame cantabile au // 1,120 words on a particularly stormy night, when the angry claps of thunder would normally drown out the sounds of the piano, illya wonders if the boy next door would be able to hear the tune of her sincerity and gratitude

16 CRANE - birds of a feather illya & friends // no particular time period // 1,847 words though their species varies as much as the colors of their plumages, birds of a feather flock the warrior of light together

17 DESTRUCT - when the light blinds alphinaudxwol // major shb spoilers // 1,270 words when the light in her shines so brightly that the stars in her eyes have been blinded completely, alphinaud feared that he’d forever lose that which served as his beacon of hope during his darkest moments

18 DEVIL’S ADVOCATE - pearls of wisdom illya & kokomi // post-sb // 1,291 words it just takes a devil’s advocate clad in the form of an angelic surface dweller to convince kokomi to finally leave the coral palace behind

19 LUMINARY - to you who showed me the stars illya & kokomi // post-5.55 // 880 words the soft ripples upon the mirror like water turns the surface beneath their feet into a sparkling, luminescent stage. and in the midst of a meteor shower, a pair of girls who have had all their wishes fulfilled cast their eyes upwards at the star tide

20 PETRICHOR - river flows in you kaye & eulalie // post-canon, alt canon verse // 1,412 words mama wasn’t lying when she said thanalan was often full of unexpected surprises. heavy downpour upon a place named drybone, and an unplanned run in with one of her parents’ long standing allies being two of them

21 FECKLESS - what the heart is to the weak illya & ardbert // early shb // 1,556 words in both their worlds, victory was not decided by power, but by the strength of  convictions. for they who carry the fate of the realm upon their shoulders, conviction is something that must be hard earned with their blood and tears

22 FLUSTER - in the eyes of the beholder alphinaudxwol // post-canon // 2,042 words they say an artists always inadvertently pours their heart’s true feelings into their drawings

23 SOUL - your voice will save me alphinaudxwol // post-5.3 // 2,416 words it’s a long time coming, but alphinaud thinks he should finally tell the warrior of light the words his soul has been yearning to say for thousands of years

24 ILLUSTRIOUS - eyes fixed upon a shiny ray alphinaudxwol // aetherweave au // 2,858 words asking the star student of the most prestigious magic academy in eorzea out to the end of year prom is as daunting as it sounds

25 SILVER LINING - in a place where dreams continue alphinaudxwol // mermaid au // 1,422 words getting caught in a terrible storm and being thrown overboard may just be the worst thing that has ever happened to alphinaud - or the best

26 HEARTFELT - all that glitters alphinaudxwol // genshin impact au // 2,105 words on the first full moon of the lunar new year, liya has only a single selfish wish as she gazes up into the sea of lights

27 BENTHOS - beyond lulled waters alphinaudxwol // nagi no asukara au // 1,452 words where the sea meets the land, a promise is made between a boy and a girl who come from radically different worlds

28 BOW - towards a tomorrow illya & kirishimi // period drama au // 2,062 words kirishimi didn’t care for frilly dresses or etiquette unless it was to make a statement - so she gets lessons from the most ladylike friend she knows

29 DEBONAIR - all like magic to my riddled heart alphinaudxwol // post-canon // 2,415 words on the occasion that alphinaud feels confident enough to perfectly exude his charm, illya never fails to be swept off her feet

30 ABSTRACTED - weaving the present, illuminating the future illya & friends // streamers au // 2,849 words the spud squad announce their indefinite hiatus right after releasing their one year anniversary single, and illya cannot help but to feel just a tad bit melancholic

31 NOCTURNE - to the moon and back alphinaudxwol // pre-endwalker // 1,000 words “what do we have to fear? after all, we’ve come this far.”

[bobmccullochny]

June  History

June 21 1788 - The United States Constitution was ratified whne the ninth state, Rhode Island signed on.

1877 - The Molly Maguires, ten Irish immigrants convicted of murder, were hanged in Pennsylvania prisons, in Schuylkill County and Carbon County.

1940 - The first successful west-to-east navigation of Northwest Passage begins at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

1948 - Columbia Records introduced the long-playing record album (33 1/3 revolutions per minute) in a public demonstration at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, New York. The first was released in 1949 - ML 4001, Nathan Milstein performing the Mendelssohn violin concerto.

1990 (Earthquake) Rudbar, Iran

[dweemeister]

250th anniversary concert for Ludwig van Beethoven (originally broadcasted December 17, 2020) -- performed by the Western-Eastern Divan Orchestra under the direction of Daniel Barenboim (conducting from the piano for the first piece); hosted by Daniel Hope; special speech by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany

PROGRAM Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, op. 37 (13:55) Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67 (1:01:22)

The above video is from German public broadcasting; the orchestra is based in Spain; the orchestra members are from Egypt, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria; and the conductor is Israeli-Palestinian-Argentinian-Spanish, but the music should require no translation. This concert was broadcast from Beethoven’s birth city, Bonn.

Corona changed everything! Last year, on 16 December 2019, a grand celebratory concert was held at the Bonn Opera to kick off the Beethoven anniversary year. On 17 December 2020, on Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th baptismal anniversary, the eventful celebratory year was to come to an end with a performance of the 9th Symphony conducted by Daniel Barenboim. However, just as many events could not take place due to the Corona pandemic, the festive concert, with a modified program,  now marks the climax of a Beethoven anniversary extended until 2021. But one thing remains: at the centre of this concert is the idea that Beethoven raised his musical voice to express the confidence of peaceful and joyful human coexistence. His music is an appeal to humanity and is based on the conviction that we are all united by a moral core of togetherness. 

[3440163]

Roland Barthes

I like: salad, cinnamon, cheese, pimento, marzipan, the smell of new-cut hay (why doesn’t someone with a “nose” make such a perfume), roses, peonies, lavender, champagne, loosely held political convictions, Glenn Gould, too-cold beer, flat pillows, toast, Havana cigars, Handel, slow walks, pears, white peaches, cherries, colors, watches, all kinds of writing pens, desserts, unrefined salt, realistic novels, the piano, coffee, Pollock, Twombly, all romantic music, Sartre, Brecht, Verne, Fourier, Eisenstein, trains, Médoc wine, having change, Bouvard and Pécuchet, walking in sandals on the lanes of southwest France, the bend of the Adour seen from Doctor L.’s house, the Marx Brothers, the mountains at seven in the morning leaving Salamanca, etc.

I don’t like: white Pomeranians, women in slacks, geraniums, strawberries, the harpsichord, Miró, tautologies, animated cartoons, Arthur Rubinstein, villas, the afternoon, Satie, Bartók, Vivaldi, telephoning, children’s choruses, Chopin’s concertos, Burgundian branles and Renaissance dances, the organ, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, his trumpets and kettledrums, the politico-sexual, scenes, initiatives, fidelity, spontaneity, evenings with people I don’t know, etc.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 12.22 (before 1950)

AD 69 – Vespasian is proclaimed Emperor of Rome; his predecessor, Vitellius, attempts to abdicate but is captured and killed at the Gemonian stairs. 401 – Pope Innocent I is elected, the only pope to succeed his father in the office. 856 – Damghan earthquake: An earthquake near the Persian city of Damghan kills an estimated 200,000 people, the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history. 880 – Luoyang, eastern capital of the Tang dynasty, is captured by rebel leader Huang Chao during the reign of Emperor Xizong. 1135 – Three weeks after the death of King Henry I of England, Stephen of Blois claims the throne and is privately crowned King of England, beginning the English Anarchy. 1216 – Pope Honorius III approves the Dominican Order through the papal bull of confirmation Religiosam vitam. 1489 – The forces of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, take control of Almería from the Nasrid ruler of Granada, Muhammad XIII. 1769 – Sino-Burmese War: The war ends with the Qing dynasty withdrawing from Burma forever. 1788 – Nguyễn Huệ proclaims himself Emperor Quang Trung, in effect abolishing on his own the Lê dynasty. 1790 – The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Alexander Suvorov and his Russian armies. 1807 – The Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries, is passed by the U.S. Congress at the urging of President Thomas Jefferson. 1808 – Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto and Choral Fantasy. 1851 – India's first freight train is operated in Roorkee, to transport material for the construction of the Ganges Canal. 1851 – The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., burns. 1864 – American Civil War: Savannah, Georgia, falls to the Union's Army of the Tennessee, and General Sherman tells President Abraham Lincoln: "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah". 1885 – Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, becomes the first Prime Minister of Japan. 1888 – The Christmas Meeting of 1888, considered to be the official start of the Faroese independence movement. 1890 – Cornwallis Valley Railway begins operation between Kentville and Kingsport, Nova Scotia. 1891 – Asteroid 323 Brucia becomes the first asteroid discovered using photography. 1894 – The Dreyfus affair begins in France, when Alfred Dreyfus is wrongly convicted of treason. 1906 – An Mw  7.9 earthquake strikes Xinjiang, China, killing at least 280. 1920 – The GOELRO economic development plan is adopted by the 8th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR. 1921 – Opening of Visva-Bharati College, also known as Santiniketan College, now Visva Bharati University, India. 1937 – The Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic in New York City. 1939 – Indian Muslims observe a "Day of Deliverance" to celebrate the resignations of members of the Indian National Congress over their not having been consulted over the decision to enter World War II with the United Kingdom. 1940 – World War II: Himara is captured by the Greek army. 1942 – World War II: Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon. 1944 – World War II: Battle of the Bulge: German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!" 1944 – World War II: The People's Army of Vietnam is formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indochina, now Vietnam. 1945 – U.S. President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order giving World War II refugees precedence in visa applications under U.S. immigration quotas. 1948 – Sjafruddin Prawiranegara established the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia, PDRI) in West Sumatra.

[tea-and-procrastination]

faith, hope and gluttony

I’m so behind that at least some of these fics are going to be Berena twelve days of Christmas rather than @berenaadvent, but there you go! For advent last year I wrote a series of ficlets set in my concerto for two music teachers AU. This year I decided to do something similar, but revisiting a variety of my past AUs - a selection box of fics, if you like.

Without further ado, day one: feast is set in my Harry Potter crossover AU.

Minerva invites Bernie and Serena (with baby Harry in tow) to the Christmas feast at Hogwarts, after the war is finally over. Gluttony isn’t going to fix things – but full stomachs aren’t a bad place to start.

AO3

This time it’s Serena’s turn to be rendered speechless on setting foot inside a school hall. Christmas decorations at Beauxbatons were always elegant, but here, at Hogwarts? There’s so much greenery, so many trees, so many twinkling candles and enchanted icicles, it’s almost like the snowy forest has been brought inside.

She’s broken from her wonder by Hagrid, striding towards them between tables and students.

“Arry!’ he cries, arms outstretched.

Harry squirms, and Serena barely manages to keep hold of him as he reaches towards Hagrid. He squeals in delight as the half-giant gently takes hold of him and begins to coo, walking over to the nearest Christmas tree and letting Harry touch the shimmering decorations.

Bernie steps closer and Serena leans into her a little, glances at her to see her eyes filled with sparkling light and nostalgia.

‘Glad we accepted Min’s invitation?’ Serena asks quietly.

‘Mm,’ Bernie hums in reply.

And then Serena notices her gaze has shifted from the decorations to the long tables – tables which were bare of food just a moment ago, but are now crowded with turkeys and all the trimmings, and bowls mounded with the crispest looking roast potatoes she’s ever seen.

‘I take it this is the origin of your bottomless pit of a stomach?’ she teases.

‘Wait ‘til you taste it,’ Bernie murmurs, and Serena can see her plotting what she’s going to heap onto her golden plate first.

*

They sit with Minerva and Annie, both happy to relinquish the messy task of feeding Harry to Hagrid, who’s never looked happier than he does bouncing the toddler on his knee. Bernie looks around the hall, her gaze passing over each of the students who’s stayed at Hogwarts for the holiday. There are far more of them than usual, more than she ever remembers staying when she was as school. She wonders how many of them are orphans, like Harry, how many have nowhere else to go, how many have no family other than this. Serena lays a hand on her knee under the table, and when Bernie looks at her she knows Serena is thinking the same.

‘They’ll be alright,’ Serena says, quiet enough that no one else can hear above the hubbub of cutlery and conversation, but with such conviction that Bernie can’t help but believe her.

And then she looks along the table of staff and other guests from the Ministry, the Order, St. Mungo’s, every one of whom helped to protect these students and their community during the long war, and realises why they’re all here. It’s because that job isn’t over just because the war has ended. Because each and every one of them is determined to rebuild their world, whatever it takes.

There’s a delighted shriek from the other end of the table, and Bernie smiles to see Harry reaching wildly for an enchanted stuffed dragon Minerva is directing to fly in circles around his head.

Yes, she thinks, gripping Serena’s hand, still resting on her knee. We can build something new from this rubble.

And then she spears another potato on her fork and bites through the crisp shell.

Feasting together isn’t a bad way to start.