#dr leslie armstrong

[lulu2992]

Who is the voice of the female Deputy?

When I saw this question, I decided to try to find an answer.

I looked up all the actors listed in the credits, listened to their voices (in interviews, demo reels, or other videos), and… I’m still not sure who played the female Deputy.

While I usually find it relatively easy to recognize voice actors in French, my native language, it turns out that’s much harder for me to do in English. Also, it doesn’t help that they’re usually very good at changing their voice/accent and that, in real life, most of them don’t sound like the characters they play.

I still believe the person who played the female Deputy is also “Cult Follower Female 5” (CFF5), but it seems to me the actor used a different accent and tone so the cultist sounds a bit “villainous”. In any case, I didn’t find anyone that sounded exactly like the two characters…

According to my ears, though, the female Deputy and the female Captain from New Dawn have the same voice. Outside of cutscenes, the Deputy has 314 lines in Far Cry 5 (which you can listen to here, here, here, here, and here) and the audio files were all reused for the Captain. In cutscenes, so the “lines” that were specifically recorded for New Dawn, the character sounds exactly the same to me, which means the voice actor must have worked on both games.

I looked at the names that appeared in the credits of the two games and narrowed the list down to the 15 (+1; see below) likeliest candidates, so here are the people who, in my opinion, could potentially be the voice of the female Deputy, as well as, when the information was available, either in the game or on IMDb, which character(s) they played:

Claire Armstrong

Kailea Banka

Carolina Bartczak (Cult Follower in FC5; apparently not in FCND, but you never know)

Kimberly D. Brooks (Gun for Hire)

Nicki Burke (Cult Follower in FC5, Selene in FCND)

Lucinda Davis

Stacey DePass (Nana in FCND)

Amber Goldfarb (voice of Faith’s Priestesses, “Cult Follower Female 3”, and, I believe, Rae-Rae)*

Julianne Jain

Mara Junot (Sherri Woodhouse, “Civilian Female 6”)

Helen King

Erica Linbeck (voice of Anne, but also this and this)

Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Resistance Soldier)

Debra Wilson

Kim Yarborough

Mayko Nguyen, who plays Kim Rye, was credited a second time as a “voice talent” in Far Cry 5, which implies she may have also played one of several NPC. Since she worked on New Dawn, she too could be the female Deputy’s voice.

Again, English isn’t my first language, and after spending two days listening to all those voices, everyone started to sound the same to me :’) If you’re a native English speaker and/or have a great ear, though, maybe you’ll be able to more easily solve the mystery! We can do it!

*IMDb says Amber Goldfarb played “Noodle’s owner” (the woman who called Ms. Mable for her pet snake) but the files tell me the voice is actually “Civilian Female 6”, so Mara Junot.

And under the cut, just in case, I included all the other female voices who appear in the credits.

FAR CRY 5

MAIN CAST Beryl Bain (Tracey Lader) Sarah Booth (Tammy Barnes and, according to IMDb, a “Civilian”) Luisa D’Oliveira (Deputy Joey Hudson) Jenessa Grant (Faith Seed) Debra McGrath (Nancy) Tasya Teles (Mary May Fairgrave)

VOICE TALENTS Carolina Bartczak (Cult Follower) Lauren Jackson (Skylar Kohrs) Erin Mathews Julie Nathanson (Jess Black) Kristen Peace Murry Peeters (Grace Armstrong) Claire Rankin Cara Ricketts (Dr. Sarah Perkins in FC5, Mickey in FCND) Charlotte Rogers Paula Shaw (Ms. Wilhelmina Mable) Jane Wheeler (Adelaide Drubman)

PERFORMERS (I’m not sure they recorded voices and they apparently didn’t work on FCND) Michela Cannon Roanna Cochrane (Cult Follower) Athena Karkanis Karen Knox Janet Porter Melissa Robertson Alyssa Trask Brandi Marie Ward

FAR CRY NEW DAWN

MAIN CAST Reina Hardesty (Carmina Rye) Leslie Miller (Lou)

VOICE TALENTS Rylee Alazraqui Mary Faber (in the “Additional Thanks” section in the FC5 credits and in Lost on Mars according to IMDb) Camryn Jones Rachel Kimsey Melanie Minichino (Gina Guerra) Carolyn Ratteray Marisha Ray Nadia Verrucci

PERFORMANCE CAPTURE PERFORMERS (again, I don’t know if they recorded voices in FCND) Ava Augustin Tamara Brown Jenny Raven Ajanae Stephenson Lydia Zadel (also credited in the “Additional Thanks” section in FC5 and a voice in Lost on Mars according to IMDb)

Good luck!

[dathen]

Holmes burst out laughing. “Dr. Leslie Armstrong is certainly a man of energy and character,” said he. “I have not seen a man who, if he turned his talents that way, was more calculated to fill the gap left by the illustrious Moriarty.”

I’ve read through the end of this story already, and lowkey feel that by the end it was like

Armstrong: Are you disappointed I’m not a murderer??

Holmes, wants a rival to banter with So Bad: Well….kind of

[holmesillustrations]

Vote for your favourite, the top 9 will proceed in the bracket. Since theyre all different shapes and sizes, make sure to click into the full views!

Paget Eliminations // Other Artist Eliminations

Full captions and details for each illustration below the cut:

All Sidney Paget illustrations are for the Strand Jul 1891 - Dec 1904

"He gave a cry and dropped." Scandal in Bohemia Characters: Holmes, crowd

"He looked about him anxiously." Five Orange Pips Characters: John Openshaw

"Good-bye, and be brave." Speckled Band Characters: Holmes, Helen Stoner, Watson

"Holmes shook his head gravely." Copper Beeches Characters: Violet Hunter, Watson, Holmes

"He lifted the little child." Yellow Face Characters: Effie Munro, Grant Munro, Lucy Hebron, Holmes

"What do you make of that?" Crooked Man Characters: Watson, Holmes

"Holmes examined it critically." Naval Treaty Characters: Joseph Harrison, Holmes, Percy Phelps, Watson

"He held an old and dusty boot in one of his hands." The Hound of the Baskervilles Characters: Sir Henry, Holmes, Watson

"The Hound of the Baskervilles." The Hound of the Baskervilles Characters: Hound, Holmes, Watson

"I suppose that you are the detectives from London?" said he." Dancing Men Characters: Watson, Holmes, Stationmaster

"Exhibiting the butt of a large revolver, which projected from the inside pocket." Charles Augustus Milverton Characters: Watson, Holmes, Milverton

"He looked up with no very pleased expression upon his dour features." Missing Three-quarter Characters: Dr Leslie Armstrong, Holmes, Watson

[mariana-oconnor]

The Missing Three Quarter pt 2

Back to the rugby players.

It argues the degree in which I had lost touch with my profession that the name of Leslie Armstrong was unknown to me.

I told you Watson had forgotten all his medical knowledge. In the last story he didn't even prescribe brandy. smh

Yet even without knowing his brilliant record one could not fail to be impressed by a mere glance at the man, the square, massive face, the brooding eyes under the thatched brows, and the granite moulding of the inflexible jaw. A man of deep character, a man with an alert mind, grim, ascetic, self-contained, formidable—so I read Dr. Leslie Armstrong.

Obligatory reblog of Watson's horny descriptions. He's having a moment.

“I have heard your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and I am aware of your profession, one of which I by no means approve.”

Sorry, Watson. Looks can be deceiving. Obviously we must immediately hate him for this point of view. It is demanded.

"At the present moment, for example, I should be writing a treatise instead of conversing with you.”

Oh fuck you and your self-important nonsense. A guy is missing. You're either a pompous arsehole or you're involved. Yeah, yeah. You're renowned throughout Europe.

“He is an intimate friend of mine.” “You are aware that he has disappeared?” “Ah, indeed!” There was no change of expression in the rugged features of the doctor.

Yeah, he knows something. Look, this guy is terrible. He's just the worst. I hate him. Godfrey has some terrible friends and a terrible relative. I hope he's run off somewhere with someone who appreciates him and cares about his interests and his well-being.

A pompous butler ushered us severely to the door, and we found ourselves in the street. Holmes burst out laughing.

I agree, he is ridiculous. Also how pompous must the butler be to be described as pompous after meeting that man?

“It's been out three hours,” said Holmes; “started at half-past six, and here it is back again. That gives a radius of ten or twelve miles, and he does it once, or sometimes twice, a day.” “No unusual thing for a doctor in practice.”

Watson, let's face it, you don't know what's usual for a doctor in practice. Your carriage went out in the middle of the night and didn't return for a week. You are an anomaly and should not be counted.

"I do not know whether it came from his own innate depravity or from the promptings of his master, but he was rude enough to set a dog at me. Neither dog nor man liked the look of my stick, however, and the matter fell through. Relations were strained after that..."

Were they? How unexpected. I've made all my best friends after they've threatened to set a dog on me and I've threatened to beat them with a stick. If you can't be friends after that, how do you even make friends at all?

"...but, now that I find he keeps so keen a look-out upon anyone who may follow him on these excursions, the affair appears more important, and I shall not be satisfied until I have made the matter clear.”

Doctor Armstrong is really bad at dealing with this all. I know Holmes has made admiring comments a few times, but really the man should have shown some concern over his 'intimate friend' going missing, and he shouldn't have piqued Holmes' interest about his carriage ride. He should have just gone someone entirely mundane that it would be completely reasonable for him to go multiple times a day, and left it at that.

"You are not familiar with Cambridgeshire scenery, are you? It does not lend itself to concealment. All this country that I passed over to-night is as flat and clean as the palm of your hand..."

Can vouch for this. Have driven through Cambridgeshire on numerous occasions. Very flat.

'Meanwhile, I can inform you that no spying upon me can in any way help Mr. Godfrey Staunton, and I am convinced that the best service you can do to that gentleman is to return at once to London and to report to your employer that you are unable to trace him.'

I assume from this that Godfrey doesn't want his uncle to find him. My best bet at this moment is that he's got a girlfriend his uncle wouldn't approve of, who is ill perhaps? idk. I'm clutching at straws right now.

“No, no, my dear fellow, there is no cause for alarm. It is not upon this occasion the instrument of evil, but it will rather prove to be the key which will unlock our mystery. On this syringe I base all my hopes."

Holmes, that statement really is not as reassuring as you think it is.

When we descended I followed Holmes into the stable yard, where he opened the door of a loose-box and led out a squat, lop-eared, white-and-tan dog, something between a beagle and a foxhound.

PUPPY!

And on the side of good? Watson's not going to have to shoot this one?

Who's the best boy in this story? Such a good boy, Pompey! Such a good boy.

I caught a glimpse of Dr. Armstrong within, his shoulders bowed, his head sunk on his hands, the very image of distress.

Ah, so he does have emotions other than arrogance. How unexpected.

A woman, young and beautiful, was lying dead upon the bed. Her calm, pale face, with dim, wide-opened blue eyes, looked upward from amid a great tangle of golden hair.

So I may not have been that far off the mark with a relationship that his uncle would not approve of with a sick woman.

“You are a good fellow,” said he. “I had misjudged you. I thank Heaven that my compunction at leaving poor Staunton all alone in this plight caused me to turn my carriage back, and so to make your acquaintance."

Nope, sorry. Still don't like you. I get you were a dick to try and protect your friend, good for you. Cool motive, still an arsehole. You can still be nice to people you're lying to. You don't have to be a dick. It might even help you throw them off the scent.

...or is it worse to be nice in order to manipulate people instead of just letting them know you're being an arsehole?

I guess he's not actually a terrible friend. He's just bad at acting. He might as well have put a sign on his forehead saying 'I am suspicious'.

"A year ago Godfrey Staunton lodged in London for a time, and became passionately attached to his landlady's daughter, whom he married. She was as good as she was beautiful, and as intelligent as she was good."

I'd like to register how impressed I am that 'intelligent' makes the list of her virtues at all, even if it is third. That is probably just my cynicism talking, though.

"But at last there came a terrible blow in the shape of dangerous illness to his wife. It was consumption of the most virulent kind."

Of course it was consumption. If a beautiful, kind young woman in this era died of a terrible illness it was always consumption.

Or brain fever, I guess.

"The result was that he came straight away in a state bordering on frenzy, and has remained in the same state, kneeling at the end of her bed, until this morning death put an end to her sufferings. That is all, Mr. Holmes, and I am sure that I can rely upon your discretion and that of your friend.”

Well this is just a very tragic story. And it might not even have been a story if Holmes had just told Dr Armstrong that he wasn't working for Godfrey's uncle in the first place. Although Dr Armstrong seemed determined to dislike him from the start.

Very sad. And Godfrey can't even tell his friends on the rugby team why he wasn't there without risking his uncle finding out.

But we got to meet Pompey, so that was a good thing. I hope he got lots of treats after working so hard.

[mr-nauseam]

I read in a post that the story of "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter" is horribly underrated and I agree. 😠

It has very good moments for example for me it is the story where it is observed in a explicitly way how connected Holmes and Watson are, they literally have a gigantic dialogue after Sherlock returns from his failed expedition where Watson reads his head and anticipates every possible course of action that Holmes could take.

Watson: “Could you not follow it?”

Holmes: “Excellent, Watson! You are scintillating this evening. The idea did cross my mind... -proceeds to explain how he do that-".

I don't know people, for Holmes it was very natural that his husband predicted every one of his actions but for me it is still stunning and adorable notice this. ❤

But continuing with my complaint there is a character in that particular story who IS HORRIBLY UNDERESTIMATED AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY AND YES, I TALK ABOUT THE FANTASTIC:

DOCTOR LESLIE ARMSTRONG.

Uhh that BITCH, are you going to ignore this genius who managed to make fun of Holmes the whole case? He is very clever, very cunning and let's go if Holmes said THIS SHIT ABOUT HIM:

"I have not seen a man who, if he turned his talents that way, was more calculated to fill the gap left by the illustrious Moriarty".

YOU READ THAT?

Holmes was seeing a potential Moriarty 2.0 and he really seemed so excited at this possible rival.

Also, at least in my opinion Dr. Leslie has one of those descriptions that betrays the bisexual disaster that Watson is:

"It argues the degree in which I had lost touch with my profession that the name of Leslie Armstrong was unknown to me. Now I am aware that he is not only one of the heads of the medical school of the University, but a thinker of European reputation in more than one branch of science. Yet even without knowing his brilliant record one could not fail to be impressed by a mere glance at the man,the square, massive face, the brooding eyes under the thatched brows, and the granite moulding of the inflexible jaw. A man of deep character, a man with an alert mind, grim, ascetic, self-contained, formidable—so I read Dr. Leslie Armstrong".

The implications that in the description he makes of Dr. Leslie adds a little extra information like Watson tell us when you discovered at the end that Armstrong was not a villain, you decided to go investigate this interesting man? Suspicious. 😈 (Although he could also know that from Holmes explaining for 2 hours why that man should have dedicated to criminal life and that idea seems hilarious to me).

Speaking of hilarious things, this story has several very funny dialogues and moments such as:

Dr Leslie A. : "I have heard your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and I am aware of your profession, one of which I by no means approve".

Holmes: “In that, doctor, you will find yourself in agreement with every criminal in the country,” said my friend, quietly.

Or the whole coexistence between Holmes and Cyril Overton, begin with the telegram Cyril sent to Holmes and left him confused and thinking for a long time because he has no idea about rugby and it seemed almost that an encrypted message or Cyril collapsing because Holmes does not know who is Godfrey Stamerton or he saying that it will be the end of the world if loses their team.

[divinum-pacis]

Divinum Pacis’s  Reference Guide- UPDATED 2021

Let’s face it, schooling is expensive, and you can’t cram everything you want to know into 4+ years. It takes a lifetime (and then some). So if you’re like me and want to learn more, here’s an organized list of some books I find particularly insightful and enjoyable. NEW ADDITIONS are listed first under their respective sections. If you have any recommendations, send them in!

African Religions  🌍

African Myths & Tales: Epic Tales by Dr. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame Jnr

The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead: Prayers, Incantations, and Other Texts from the Book of the Dead by E.A. Wallis Budge

Prayer in the Religious Traditions of Africa by Aylward Shorter (a bit dated but sentimental)

The Holy Piby: The Black Man’s Bible by Shepherd Robert Athlyi Rogers

The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria by Marta Moreno Vega (autobiography of an Afro-Puerto Rican Santeria priestess)

African Religions: A Very Short Introduction by Jacob K. Olupona

Buddhism ☸

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran (collection of Buddha’s sayings)

Liquid Life: Abortion and Buddhism in Japan by William R. LaFleur 

The Tibetan Book of the Dead by John Baldock (the texts explained and illustrated)

Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield (lovely selection of Buddhist verses and stories)

Understanding Buddhism by Perry Schmidt-Leukel (great introductory text)

Essential Tibetan Buddhism by Robert Thurman (collection of select chants, prayers, and rituals in Tibetan traditions)

Christianity ✝️

The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzales

The Story of Christianity Volume 2: The Reformation to Present Day by Justo L. Gonzales

By Heart: Conversations with Martin Luther's Small Catechism by R. Guy Erwin, etc.

Introducing the New Testament by Mark Allen Powell

Who’s Who in the Bible by Jean-Pierre Isbouts (really cool book, thick with history, both Biblical and otherwise)

Synopsis of the Four Gospels (RSV) by Kurt Aland (shows the four NT gospels side by side, verse by verse for easy textual comparison)

Behold Your Mother by Tim Staples (Catholic approach to the Virgin Mary)

Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary by Miri Rubin (anthropological and historical text)

Systematic Theology by Thomas P. Rausch

Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Romazansky (Eastern Orthodox Christianity)

Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (very spiritual)

The Names of God by George W. Knight (goes through every name and reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Bible)

Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church by Alfredo Tradigo (for those who like art history AND religion)

The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God by St. John Maximovitch (the Orthodox approach to the Virgin Mary)

East Asian Religions  ☯️

Shinto: A History by Helen Hardacre

Tao Te Ching by Chad Hansen (a beautiful, illustrated translation)

The Analects by Confucius

Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell

Shinto: The Kami Way by Sokyo Ono (introductory text)

Understanding Chinese Religions by Joachim Gentz (discusses the history and development of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism in China)

Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong (pretty much everything you need to know on Taoism)

European (various)

Iliad & Odyssey by Homer, Samuel Butler, et al.

Tales of King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table by Thomas Malory, Aubrey Beardsley, et al.

Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Jeffrey Gantz

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology by Snorri Sturluson and Jesse L. Byock

Mythology by Edith Hamilton (covers Greek, Roman, & Norse mythology)

The Nature of the Gods by Cicero

Dictionary of Mythology by Bergen Evans

Gnosticism, Mysticism, & Esotericism

The Gnostic Gospels: Including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Sacred Texts) by Alan Jacobs and Vrej Nersessian

The Kybalion by the Three Initiates (Hermeticism)

The Freemasons: The Ancient Brotherhood Revealed by Michael Johnstone 

Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob (Art and symbolism in Hermeticism)

The Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity by David Brakke

What Is Gnosticism? Revised Edition by Karen L. King

The Essence of the Gnostics by Bernard Simon

The Essential Mystics: Selections from the World’s Great Wisdom Traditions by Andrew Harvey (covers Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Greek, Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions)

The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall (huge book on esoteric and occult religions)

Freemasonry for Dummies by Christopher Hodapp

Hinduism 🕉

The Ramayana by R.K. Narayan

7 Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Vishnu’s various avatars)

7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Hindu goddesses, myths and symbolism)

Hinduism by Klaus K. Klostermaier (good introductory text)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada (trans. from a religious standpoint)

The Mahabharata, parts 1 & 2 by Ramesh Menon (super long but incredibly comprehensive)

The Upanishads by Juan Mascaro (an excellent introductory translation)

In Praise of the Goddess by Devadatta Kali (the Devi Mahatmya with English & Sanskrit texts/explanations of texts)

Beyond Birth and Death by Srila Prabhupada (on death & reincarnation)

The Science of Self-Realization by Srila Prabhupada

Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God (Srimad Bhagavatam) by Edwin F. Bryant (totally gorgeous translation)

The Perfection of Yoga by Srila Prabhupada (about “actual” yoga)

Islam  ☪️

The Handy Islam Answer Book by John Renard (a comprehensive guide to all your questions)

The Illustrated Rumi by Philip Dunn, Manuela Dunn Mascetti, & R.A. Nicholson (Sufi poetry)

Islam and the Muslim World by Mir Zohair Husain (general history of Islam)

The Quran: A Contemporary Understanding by Safi Kaskas (Quran with Biblical references in the footnotes for comparison)

Essential Sufism by Fadiman & Frager (select Sufi texts)

Psychological Foundation of the Quran, parts 1, 2, & 3 by Muhammad Shoaib Shahid

Hadith by Jonathan A.C. Brown (the history of Hadith and Islam)

The Story of the Quran, 2nd ed. by Ingrid Mattson (history and development of the Quran)

The Book of Hadith by Charles Le Gai Eaton (a small selection of Hadith)

The Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali (Arabic to English translation, the only translation I’ve read cover-to-cover)

Mary and Jesus in the Quran by Abdullah Yusuf’Ali

Blessed Names and Attributes of Allah by A.R. Kidwai (small, lovely book)

Jainism & Sikhi

Understanding Jainism by Lawrence A. Babb

The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) by Paul Dundas

The Forest of Thieves and the Magic Garden: An Anthology of Medieval Jain Stories by Phyllis Granoff

A History of the Sikhs, Volume 1: 1469-1839 (Oxford India Collection) by Khushwant Singh

Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction by Eleanor Nesbitt

Judaism  ✡

Hebrew-English Tanakh by the Jewish Publication Society

Essential Judaism by George Robinson (this is THE book if you’re looking to learn about Judaism)

The Talmud: A Selection by Norman Solomon

Judaism by Dan & Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok (introductory text)

The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition by the Jewish Publication Society (great explanations of passages)

The Hebrew Goddess by Raphael Patai

Native American

God is Red: A Native View of Religion, 30th Anniversary Edition by Vine Deloria Jr. , Leslie Silko, et al. 

The Wind is My Mother by Bear Heart (Native American spirituality)

American Indian Myths and Legends by Erdoes & Ortiz

The Sacred Wisdom of the Native Americans by Larry J. Zimmerman 

Paganism, Witchcraft & Wicca

Magic in the Roman World: Pagans, Jews and Christians (Religion in the First Christian Centuries) 1st Edition by Naomi Janowitz

The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells: 2nd Edition by Hans Dieter Betz

Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice by Thea Sabin

The Path of a Christian Witch by Adelina St. Clair (the author’s personal journey)

Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by C.G. Leland

The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, & Witchcraft, 3rd ed. by Rebecca L. Stein

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Christopaganism by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Whispers of Stone by Tess Dawson (on Modern Canaanite Paganism)

Social ☮

Tears We Cannot Stop (A Sermon to White America) by Eric Michael Dyson (concerning racism)

Comparative Religious Ethics by Christine E. Gudorf 

Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson (on racism and Christianity in America)

Problems of Religious Diversity by Paul J. Griffiths

Not in God’s Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (on religious terrorism)

The Sacred and the Profane by Mircea Eliade (difficult but worthwhile read)

World Religions  🗺

Understanding World Religions by Len Woods (approaches world religions from a Biblical perspective)

Living Religions, 9th ed. by Mary Pat Fisher (introductory textbook)

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism & Daoism by Jack Miles, etc.

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Judaism, Christianity, & Islam by Jack Miles, etc.

Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Mary Boyce

The Baha’i Faith by Moojan Momen (introductory text)

Saints: The Chosen Few by Manuela Dunn-Mascetti (illustrated; covers saints from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and more)

The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong (the evolutionary history of some of the world’s greatest religions)

Roman Catholics and Shi’i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, and Politics by James A. Bill (a comparison of the similarities between Catholicism & Shi’a Islam)

God: A Human History by Reza Aslan (discusses the evolution of religion, specifically Abrahamic and ancient Middle Eastern traditions)

A History of God by Karen Armstrong (similar to Aslan’s book but much more extensive)

The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions by Keith Crim

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Retrospective Review - Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

So I am looking forward to seeing Death on the Nile later today so I felt like rewatching Murder on the Orient Express in preparation. I am a sucker for detective stories and I have read a lot of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes growing up. So I am a sucker for these types of movies. Murder on the Orient Express also ranks as my favorite Hercule Poirot story along with Hercule Poirot's Christmas. So I was really looking forward to the movie, especially with a very well recognized and stellar cast. Upon initial watch and rewatch, this movie feels like a mixed bag, though leaning slightly positive.

I think part of the problem of watching an adaptation of a murder mystery that I have already read is that I know the culprit and I basically judge by how they hide the signs of who the culprit is. As is stands, it felt to me that the movie made it a little bit too obvious about the final culprit because they unveil the various connections to the Armstrong murder one by one and they lay some very obvious seeds, so even someone with no knowledge of the story can figure out the murderer. What works for the film is the style and the setting of the film. Confined space mysteries just have a unique charm of their own and the Orient Express is a really good set. The snowed in setting also was a great setting done by Christie and is well realized by Branaugh.

The murder mystery itself is interesting from the source material. And the cast is so top notch that you are immediately drawn to all these characters. The film does make a few changes such as merging a couple of character into a composite character like Dr. Arbuthnot, and Antonio Foscarelli is replaced with Biniamino Marquez, but otherwise the movie is relatively faithful to the source material. There is some additional dramatics added to the movie like a bit of an action scene with Poirot and Macqueen and when Dr Arbuthnot shoots Poirot and that very dramatic final explanation. Some of it is a little too over the top and feels like they don't have enough faith in the investigative elements of the story.

However, it is the charm of the story, the setting, and the stellar cast that carries the movie through. The film never overstays its welcome at under 2 hours. Kenneth Branaugh, doing double duty as director and lead, does a tremendous job as Poirot. He's got a childlike glee to him, as well as a sternness when things get serious. He's cocky but he's also likable. There is a massive ensemble at play here. Daisy Ridley stands out as Mary Debenham. Josh Gad is also pretty good as MacQueen. There are some stalwarts like Dafoe, Coleman, and Dench who are not stretched at all but deliver what is required very well. Pfeiffer gets a showy role and is wonderful. Tom Bateman, Penelope Cruz, Leslie Odom Jr., and Johnny Depp as the victim are other standouts.

Overall, its not a home run but it was a solid adaptation. So I look forward to Death on the Nile. Hopefully it can better Murder on the Orient Express. This is roughly a 6.5/10

[oots-digitalmedia]

Queer Rep in The Pilgrimage Saga

Title: The Pilgrimage Saga

    Status: Hiatus between seasons

    Creator, writer, director and producer: Francesca Mylod-Ford

Cast: Sena Bryer, James Oliva, Stacey Cotham, Courtney Perdue, Emily Curtis, Rosie Curry

    Queer Creators: Yes

    Accessibility: Content warnings are in episode descriptions, and scripts are linked in the episode description, and are available on their website here.

Summary: Welcome aboard the R.I.N. Starstrider. This is your captain speaking. You are listening to an audio drama about five humans and an AI trying to find home. Captain Harris is here to complete her mission and keep her crew in one piece. First Mate Casana is here because it sounds like an adventure and hey, why not? Dr. Armstrong is here because… well, don’t ask her or she might rip your head off. Gabriel Grey is here because he likes machines a lot more than people. Darcey Eldridge is here because [REDACTED]. Saph is just… here. The Pilgrimage Saga is a podcast by Turpentine Productions.

Tags: queer and trans character, gay character,

More details under the break

Check out our other queer podcast recommendations here.

ID tags: Harris: queer and trans, Leslie Armstrong: gay

Check out our other queer podcast recommendations here.

[greaterstokesawareness]

Collection: Brian Stokes Mitchell, Interviews on Podcasts & TV

[A collection of Brian Stokes Mitchell on tv, virtual, and podcast interviews through the years.]

talking "Ragtime" on Charlie Rose, 1998 (x)

talking "Ragtime" on CBS This Morning, 1998 (x)

on the American Theatre Wing's "Working in the Theatre" forum, 1998 (x)

on the American Theatre Wing's "Working in the Theatre" forum, 2003 (x) (x)

on the ATW-Downstage Center Podcast, 2006 (x) (x)

on WGTD's Morning Show with Greg Berg, 2010 (x)

backstage interview at Armstrong Auditorium, 2011 (x)

interview promoting "Do You Hear The People Sing" presented at the America Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, 2012 (x)

talking to Seth Rudetsky on "Obsessed!" from Playbill.com, 2013 (x)

on CBS New York talking "Much Ado About Nothing," 2014 (x)

"From the Dressing Room" interview by NY City Center, 2014 (x)

after getting his 2nd Tony award, 2016 (x)

talking his first Tony Award on Broadway.com, 2017 (x)

on Broadway.com #LiveatFive, 2017 (x)

on "What Makes New York New York" from The Museum of the City of New York, 2018 (x)

interviewed on Good Morning San Diego, 2018 (x)

interviewed by Leslie Uggams on "Crossovers," 2018 (x) (x) *only available with subscription to Broadway on Demand

on on WGTD's Morning Show with Greg Berg, 2019 (x) (x)

on "New York Live" talking about new album "Plays With Music," 2019 (x)

on "Baring It All with Call Me Adam" podcast talking about his upcoming shows at 54 Below, 2019 (x) (x)

on "Personally Speaking" podcast with Msgr. Jim Lisante, March 2020 (x) (x)

on "The Fabulous Invalid" podcast talking about the Actor's Fund, March 2020 (x) (x)

on Tamsen Fadal's "Broadway Profiles" podcast talking about having and recovering from COVID-19, April 2020 (x) (x)

on CBS Evening News segment about singing out his window during the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020 (x)

on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace segment about singing out his window during the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020 (x) (x)

on VOA News talking about singing out his window for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, May 2020 (x)

on Broadway.com #LiveatFive: Home Edition, May 2020 (x)

on the "Variety Stagecraft" podcast with Gordon Cox, May 2020 (x) (x)

on "Pop Culture Weekly" with Kyle McMahon talking about his appearance on PBS' A Capitol Fourth, July 2020 (x) (x) (x)

interview on "The Producer's Perspective," August 2020 (x)

on "Broadway to Main Street" radio show, lots of songs played from all parts of Stokes' career, August 2020 (x)

interviewed by Amanda Sewell on Interlochen Public Radio, cool conversations about interpreting songs including "The Impossible Dream," songs played during the show too, August 2020 (x)

on "Just for Variety" podcast with Marc Malkin, January 2021 (x) (x) (x)

on "Entertaining Insights" podcast with Dr. Nancy Berk, January 2021 (x) (x) (x)

interview with Judy Shields on The Hollywood Times, January 2021 (x) (x)

a conversation with Michael Kaiser of Great Lakes Center for the Arts, February 2021 (x)

on Broadway.com "Backstage Live with Richard Ridge," February 2021 (x)

on Metro Focus talking about the return of Broadway and his Lincoln Center Restart Stages concert series, July 2021 (x)

interview with Broadway World ahead of Lesher Center concert, February 2022 (x)

on Morning Joe talking about Ragtime reunion concert, March 30, 2023 (x)

on the "Up Here" Down Low podcast, April 14, 2023 (x) (x)

[holmesillustrations]

Vote for your favourite, the top 9 will proceed in the bracket. Since theyre all different shapes and sizes, make sure to click into the full views!

Paget Eliminations // Other Artist Eliminations

Full captions and details for each illustration below the cut:

[‘28’ painted on the Ferrer's ceiling] Charles Doyle, Study in Scarlet (1888 Ward, Lock & Co. Novel) Characters: John Ferrer

[Moriarty at 221b] Harry C. Edwards, Final Problem (McClure’s) Characters: Holmes, Moriarty

Collier’s Cover FD Steele, Priory School (Collier’s) Characters: Holmes

"Dr. Leslie Armstrong" FD Steele, Missing Three-quarter (Collier’s) Characters: Dr. Leslie Armstrong

"The tall and portly form of Mycroft Holmes was ushered into the room." Arthur Twidle, Bruce-Partington Plans (The Strand) Characters: Holmes, Watson, Mycroft

"Holmes half drew a revolver from his pocket." Alec Ball, Lady Frances Carfax (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Holmes, Schlessinger

"You think, then, definitely, that Barker and Mrs. Douglas are guilty of the murder?" Frank Wiles, Valley of Fear (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Holmes

"Holding either arm, the two friends walked him very slowly down the garden path." Alfred Gilbert, His Last Bow (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Von Bork, Holmes

"The Professor spat out some atrocious word at me and hurried on down the staircase." HK Elcock, Creeping Man (The Strand) Characters: Prof. Presbury

"There was a crash as Holmes' pistol came down on the man's head." HK Elcock, Three Garridebs (The Strand) Characters: Evans, Holmes, Watson

[Holmes writing] FD Steele, Blanched Soldier (Liberty) Characters: Holmes

[Lion] FD Steele, Veiled Lodger (Liberty) Characters: Lion

[johannadc]

The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter

Rather a boring story, which is surprising, since it’s about sport! “The best and soundest thing in England,” as Holmes calls it. But Sherlock is about as interested as I am in all this (”football does not come within my horizon”), which may be why it all falls so flat. (You can read it here. The art below is by Sidney Paget from the 1904 Strand Magazine.)

The handsome rugby player who shows up to tell Holmes and Watson about his missing teammate is very white-boy-center-of-the-world, as he assumes everyone is as interested in this super-important Oxford vs. Cambridge match as he is, and that people speak his language. He also disappears from the story once setting up the situation and getting the pair to Cambridge. 

There’s no crime and really, no deductions, just trying to trail people and tricking clerks into revealing telegram contents. (”I daresay it may have come to your notice that if you walk into a post-office and demand to see the counterfoil of another man’s message, there may be some disinclination on the part of the officials to oblige you. There is so much red tape in these matters!” Yeah, privacy sucks, Sherlock.) Basically, Holmes takes the concerns of a friend and uses them to insert himself into a tragedy. 

But there’s a comedy miser uncle and an angry doctor who outsmarts Holmes trying to follow him (on bicycle!) and a dog, Pompey, “something between a beagle and a foxhound.” This story has never been adapted in video form, as far as I can tell. Those elements would make for nice visuals, but there’s not much to the plot. Particularly when you consider that the doctor (not Watson, the angry Dr. Leslie Armstrong) wanted to keep the knowledge that a man’s secret wife was dying from him so the man could go win a rugby game. 

There is a nice note from Watson about trying to keep Holmes mentally interested. “For years, I had gradually weaned him from that drug mania which had threatened once to check his remarkable career.” But that’s also rose-colored nostalgia and a timeline mess, as it couldn’t have been years according to a number of Sherlockians. 

So, no cool pictures of this story being adapted, and not much to recommend here. Other than Holmes basically reacting, “psh, football, whatever.”

[libertine-lioness]

54✨May 8, 2020

If Quarantine is forcing you to handle your shit and get your life together, then you know the mood of these songs... This particular playlist is called “ the plague”. It’s a compilation of my feelings, expressed better than I could ever even attempt.

The Plague

Althea- Grateful Dead

The Game- Milky Chance

Mad Hatter- Higher Education

The Lioness- Frank Turner

Honey- Moose Blood

A Change of Heart- The 1975

Perfect World- Sublime

Above The Storm- Stick Figure

Sister Golden Hair- America

Coffee- Arkells

I Think We’re Alone Now- Billie Joe Armstrong

Lie To Me- Bumpin Uglies

Somebody’s Crying- Chris Isaak

I Need A Doctor- Dr. Dre and Eminem

Thanks For The Memories-Fall Out Boy

Perfect Situation- Weezer

Clint Eastwood- Gorillaz

Power In The Words- The Green

Warning- Green Day

Nightmare- Halsey

Someone New- Hozier

Turn Around- Iration

David Wooderson- Joey Harkum

Out Of The Blue- Julian Casablancas

Shallow- Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Sinner- Leilani Wolffgram

Bleed It Out- LINKIN Park

The Spins- Mac Miller

Kiss And Say Goodbye- The Manhattans

Memories- Maroon 5

Three Cheers For Five Years- Mayday Parade

Helena- My Chemical Romance

Dangerous- My American Heart

Slow Hands- Nial Horan

Just Give Me A Reason- P!nk

The Ballad of Mona Lisa- Panic At The Disco!

Sick Boys- Pasadena

Invisible- Passafire

Small Talk- Unified Highway

Lost For Words- Pink Floyd

Running- Rebelution

Young Turks- Rod Stuart 

More Than This- Roxy Music

Time Stands Still- Rush

Fly Like An Eagle- Seal

If It Makes You Happy- Sheryl Crow

All Star- Smash Mouth

Not Done Yet- SOJA

Me!- Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie

Everything Is Easy- Third Eye Blind

Borderline- Tove Styrke

Cutting My Fingers Off- Turnover

Level Of Concern- Twenty One Pilots

Jack’s Obsession- Danny Elfman

Family Tree- Sol Seed

Wildwood Flower- June Carter

Owner Of A Lonely Heart- Yes

What’s Up?- 4 Non Blondes

Tidal Waves- All Time Low and Mark Hoppus

Bat Country- Avenged Sevenfold

One In A Million- Ballyhoo!

Girl- Beck

Nights On Broadway- Bee Gees

All Of This- Blink 182 and Robert Smith

Got To Move- Cake

Call It In The Air- The Cinema

Overkill- Colin Hay

Stoned- Dido

Return To The Moon- EL VY

Suspicious Minds- Elvis Presley

Return To Innocence- Enigma

My Father’s Eyes- Eric Clapton

Landslide- Stevie Nicks

Where’d You Go- Fort Minor

Build Me Up Buttercup- Frank Turner

Spinning- Grouplove

Here In Your Arms- Hellogoodbye

It Was A Good Day- Ice Cube

Somewhere Over The Rainbow-Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

How Sweet It Is (to be loved by You)- James Taylor

Never On The Day You Leave- John Mayer

Better Man- Judah&The Lion

Bones- The Killers

High By The Beach- Lana Del Rey

Goin’ To California- Lef Zeppelin

That’s The Way Boys Are- Leslie Gore

Don’t Tell Me- Modonna

Dear Future Husband- Meghan Trainor

Haven’t Met You Yet- Michael Bublé

Torn- Natalie Imbruglia

I’m Like A Bird- Nelly Furtado

Yvette What You Give- New Radicals

I’ll Be Missin’ You- P Diddy

Rainy Monday- Shiny Toy Guns

The End Of The World- Skeeter Davis

Ashtrays And Heart Breaks- Snoop Lion and Miley Cyrus

Ball And Chain- Social Distortion

In Too Deep- Sun 41

Stuck In A Moment- U2

Stitches- State Champs

[strangeandunusualtrading]

V I D E O S

——————————————————————————

Dear Evan Hansen | June 2018

Taylor Trensch (Evan Hansen), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphey), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Asa Somers (u/s Larry Murphy), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Phoenix Best (Alana Beck)

Waitress | May 2018

Katherine McPhee (Jenna), Drew Gehling (Dr. Pomatter), Christopher Fitzgerald (Ogie), Caitlin Houlahan (Dawn), NaTasha Yvette Williams (Becky), Benny Allege, Steve Vinovich, Ben Thompson, Keri Rene Fuller, Matt DeAngelis, Tiffany Mann, Stephanie Torns, Victoria Collett, Katie Grober, Kayla Davion, Law Terrell Dunford

The Play That Goes Wrong | May 2018

Akron Watson, Mark Evans, Quinn Van Antwerp, Preston Truman Boyd, Harrison Unger, Amelia McClain, Alex Mandell, Ashley Bryant 

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory 1NT | 10/2/19

Noah Weisberg (Willy Wonka) Collin Jeffery (Charlie Bucket) Daniel Quadrino (Mike TeeVee) Madeleine Doherty (Mrs TeeVee) Matt Wood (Augustus Gloop) Kathy Fitzgerald (Mrs Gloop) Brynn Williams (Violet Beauregarde) David Samuel (Mr Beauregarde) Jessica Cohen (Veruca Salt) Nathaniel Hackman (Mr Salt) Amanda Rose (Mrs Bucket) James Young (Grandpa Joe)

The Phantom of The Opera | September 2018

Ben Crawford, Ali Ewoldt, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Raquel Suarez Groen, Laird Mackintosh, Craig Bennett, Maree Johnson, Ted Keegan (u/s), Polly Baird, Carrington Vilmont, Jason Forbach, Jim Weitzer (u/s), Kenneth Kantor, Richard Poole, Jeremy Stolle, Justin Peck, Kfir, Katharine Heaton, Chris Georgette, Patricia Phillips, Satomi Hofmann, Elizabeth Welch, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Janinah Burnett, Paul A. Schefer, Giselle O. Alvarez, Jessica Bishop, Ashlee Dupre, Jolina Javier, Carly Blake Sebouhian, Erica Wong, Joelle Gates

Newsies | August 23rd 2014

Corey Cott (Jack Kelly), Liana Hunt (Katherine), Ben Fankhauser (Davey), Andy Richardson (Crutchie), John Dossett (Joseph Pulitzer), Capathia Jenkins (Medda), Zachary Unger (Les)

Newsies | July 29th 2013

Jeremy Jordan (Jack Kelly), Ben Fankhauser (Davey Jacobs), Kara Lindsay (Katherine Plumber), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Crutchie), John Dossett (Joseph Pulitzer), Capathia Jenkins (Medda Larkin), Matthew Schechter (Les Jacobs)

Spongebob Squarepants | 8/29/18

Ethan Slater (Spongebob Squarepants), Danny Skinner (Patrick Star), Christina Sajous (Sandy Cheeks), Gavin Lee (Squidward Tentacles), Brian Ray Norris (Eugene Krabs), Wesley Taylor (Sheldon Plankton), Jai'len Christine Li Josey (Pearl), Brandon Espinoza (Patchy the Pirate), Kelvin Moon Loh (Perch Perkins), Catherine Ricafort (Karen)

Beetlejuice | March 2018 (Previews)

Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Sophia Anne Caruso (Lydia), Kerry Butler (Barbara), Rob McClure (Adam), Adam Dannheisser (Charles), Leslie Kritzer (Delia), Jill Abramovitz (Maxine Dean/Juno), Kelvin Moon Loh (Otho), Danny Rutigliano (Maxie Dean), Dana Steingold (Girl Scout), Tessa Alves (Ensemble), Gilbert L. Bailey II (Ensemble), Johnny Brantley III (Ensemble), Ryan Breslin (Ensemble), Abe Goldfarb (Ensemble), Eric Anthony Johnson (Ensemble), Elliott Mattox (Ensemble), Mateo Melendez (Ensemble), Ramone Owens (Ensemble)

Beetlejuice | July 27th, 2019

Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Sophia Anne Caruso (Lydia Deetz), Kerry Butler (Barbara Maitland), Rob McClure (Adam Maitland), Leslie Kritzer (Delia Deetz), Adam Dannheisser (Charles Deetz), Kelvin Moon Loh (Otho), Jill Abramovitz (Maxine Dean/Juno), Danny Rutigliano (Maxie Dean), Dana Steingold (Girl Scout)

Hello Dolly! (Revival, Unknown Date)

Bette Midler (Dolly Gallagher Levi), David Hyde Pierce (Horace Vandergelder), Kate Baldwin (Irene Molloy), Christian Dante White (u/s Cornelius Hackl), Taylor Trensch (Barnaby Tucker), Beanie Feldstein (Minnie Faye), Will Burton (Ambrose Kemper), Melanie Moore (Ermengarde), Jennifer Simard (Ernestina)

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory | April 20th, 2017

Christian Borle (Willy Wonka), Ryan Foust (Charlie Bucket), John Rubinstein (Grandpa Joe), Emily Padgett (Mrs. Bucket), Ben Crawford (Mr. Salt), Kathy Fitzgerald (Mrs. Gloop), Alan H. Green (Mr. Beauregarde), Jackie Hoffman (Mrs. Teavee), Trista Dollison (Violet Beauregarde), F. Michael Haynie (Augustus Gloop), Emma Pfaeffle (Veruca Salt), Michael Wartella (Mike Teavee)

Please direct ALL inquires to strangeandunusaltrading@aol.com. Any messages sent to this tumblr WILL NOT be opened.

Wants, Ratios & Pricing are located at the bottom of the page and will be reblogged occasionally ⇩

[holliswoodny]

The Changing Seasons, February 2020

It has been a dreary February. To be fair, February is usually dreary, though it normally gets more snow. We didn’t get any snow in either January or February which is a record for the past 100 years. We did, however, get a lot of rain, so at least we won’t run out of water anytime soon.

An indoor garden

I didn’t get out much. It was dreary, dull, gray, and wet. Inside, I could take pictures of birds and flowers and my brand new quilt cover. I’m pretty sure I took other pictures, too, but I’m not sure what they were.

Macro Orchid

So first, let’s get to the orchids which have been blooming very well and there is suddenly a second branch with a lot more buds. Maybe this will be a long blooming period. Hope so!

Moving along, let’s take a look at the birds. This has been the month of Goldfinches. Red Finches too and the periodic visit by Nuthatches, Chickadees, woodpeckers of three varieties, Doves, Flying Squirrels, regular non-flying squirrels.

Now, a few cactus blooms …

Wider shot

My exciting new bedroom:

The new bedroom

And of course the concert we went to see with Ron and Cherrie, conducted by Dr. Anton Armstrong, Garry’s baby brother. It was a brilliant concert — and Anton was amazing.

Photo: Owen Kraus

Brothers!

And then we were on the road, to and from Ellin and Tom’s place in Connecticut.

Still too many cars

Meanwhile, guess what Garry is working on?

What does this mean?

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge where bloggers around the world share what’s been happening in their month.

If you would like to join in, here are the guidelines:

The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):

Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month

Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.

Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them.

The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):

Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month

Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!

Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.

If you do a ping-back to this post, Su-Leslie can update it with links to the other posts.

THE CHANGING SEASONS, FEBRUARY 2020 – Marilyn Armstrong The Changing Seasons, February 2020 It has been a dreary February. To be fair, February is usually dreary, though it normally gets more snow.

[digitalmarketingforbeginners]

Creative Branding Techniques for Introverts

Introverts are people who live on the quiet side of life, who would rather sit at home and draw or read than go to a party. They're not the ones who readily schmooze a meeting, shaking hands and nudging shoulders with everyone or squeeze their way into a huddle of strangers at a business conference.

Instead, introverts thrive by making the most of their talents, such as creativity. Whether this is visual or verbal creativity, it means developing catchy concepts that attract the attention, interest and engagement of perfect clients. When used on the Web, in printed promotions and in publicity materials, these creative elements work their magnetism without requiring introverts to become an outgoing pretender. They create a delightful, memorable business image by packing a little pizazz around a kernel of truth.

Here are seven creative branding tools that can fit the bill for introverts. Of course, extroverts are free to use them as well!

Seven Creative Branding Tools

1. Moniker. Concoct an imaginative name for yourself, one that's fun to encounter, easy to remember and dramatizes a talent you have or the value you deliver to customers. Examples: Patrick Snow, the Dean of Destiny; Diane Armstrong, Queen of Plan Be; Lynda Falkenstein, Dr. Niche; David Leonhardt, the Happy Guy; Carolyn Scarborough, the Book Whisperer.

2. Creative job title. Saying you're an accountant or an interior designer can make people's eyes glaze over, because they think they already know what such a professional does. On the other hand, if you introduce yourself as a sales-from-the-podium expert (Lisa Sasevich), a soul mate magician (Catherine Behan) or a belief change alchemist (Tad Hargrave), you'll see people lean toward you and want to know more.

3. Promise or claim. What you do, phrased as a pledge or a vow, can capture people's imagination. Two instances of this that have caught my eye are Suzanne Falter-Barns' "Get Known Now" and Chris Guillebeau's "I write, travel, and help people take over the world."

4. Signature photo. An eye-catching photograph can not only attract interest but also convey a quality that belongs to your essence. Holistic psychologist Dr. Holistic Doris Jeanette, who teaches people how to be grounded and emotionally balanced, has an astonishing yet characteristic photo of herself carrying her groceries home from the supermarket on her head. Sean D'Souza introduces himself online in a full-body, off-kilter pose, which summarizes his irreverent attitude toward marketing and presentations.

5. Photo caption. Sometimes the arresting quality of a photo lies in a clever caption. For example, on its Contact page, the Hawaii Web Group shows someone surfing, accompanied by this: "" If we don't get back to you right away, we're probably in an important board meeting and will contact you when we get out. "(" Board meeting "is a pun … Surfboard, get it?)

6. Slogan or rallying cry. Arouse customers with an inspiring, exciting or stirring statement. Leslie Irish Evans does this with "Mommy Martyrs No More!" My favorite example is actually the phrase on New Hampshire license plates, "Live Free or Die."

7. Proverb or quote. You can make someone else's saying or a legendary adage your own, when it summarizes the philosophy underlying your enterprise. John Hutson, who helps present and defend insurance claims, prominently uses a quote by John F. Kennedy, "The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." Diana Schneidman named her business of helping freelancers launch themselves and thrive after a Japanese proverb, "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."

Naturally such branding techniques serve you well only when all the other aspects of your business take great care of customers. As history's greatest showman, PT Barnum, put it, "Large stores, gilt signs, flaming advertisements will all prove unavailing if you or your employees treat your patrons abruptly." Introverts also should heed his point.