#driving school gloucester

[houseofbrat]

All the way back on 20 May 2024, Rebecca English attempted to give proof of life for Kate, when she published a story about Kate & "The Early Years." The general public hasn't seen Kate since her CANCER! announcement video on 22 March 2024, but Rebecca has the inside scoop on how Kate is still the "driving force" behind her Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood! [archive link]

And wouldn't you know it, Rebecca's story, which was an attempt to quell rumors of "where is Kate?", has only increased in the scrutiny!

The next day, 21 May 2024, William hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace with Peter Philips, Zara & Mike Tindall, Beatrice, and Eugenie, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. As Rebecca English noted,

During the garden party William will meet guests from a number of both his own and his wife's patronages, military affiliations and passion projects including his Homewards initiative to combat homelessness, RAF Valley (the Welsh base where the prince worked as an RAF Search and rescue pilot), Swim England and tenants across the Duchy of Cornwall sites. The inclusion of those with links to the Princess of Wales suggests that when planning for the garden party began last year it had been expected that Kate would attend. [archive link]

On the 22 May 2024, Buckingham Palace announced to the press that there would be a reduction in royal engagements due to the election on 04 July 2024. William had to cancel an engagement previously scheduled for 23 May 2024 due to the now upcoming election.

Also on 22 May 2024, El Nacional in Spain, published an article stating that Kate is lonely, home alone with her "three children," and has marriage difficulties with William.

Cut to the next day, 23 May 2024, Richard Eden of the Daily Mail has suddenly gotten info from Kate's friends about her recovery! We won't see Kate "until the autumn."

She has not undertaken any public engagements this year and friends I spoke to in the past few days suggest we might not see Catherine again until the autumn – and only then if she has recovered fully. [archive link]

Continuing on, 24 May 2024, Tom Sykes of The Daily Beast, publishes that Kate "will probably 'not appear in public for the rest of the year.'"

One source said they do not expect to see Kate back in any kind of public-facing role in the medium term, adding it was possible she would remain absent from public life for the rest of the year. The source said: “Lots of people involved in planning need to know what all the principals are doing a long way in advance. I am told that Kate’s diary for this year is empty. There is nothing planned. She may not appear in public for the rest of the year.” [...] The friend said that Kate has preferred to lean on and confide in her family rather than her and William’s circle of friends, many of whom will be at the Duke of Westminster’s wedding next month (along with her husband, who is best man). [...] The Daily Beast has been told by fellow parents at the smart private school which Kate’s children attend that she has not been seen at the sports matches and the other school events she and her husband usually attend. However, she is understood to have done occasional school runs, one parent said, but while keeping a low profile. “There have been rumors she has done drop-off, but I haven’t seen her since the video,” said one. [archive link]

Subsequently, the next week, on Monday, 27 May 2024, Rebecca English published an EXCLUSIVE! in the Daily Mail about how Kate "has been inundated with ‘tens of thousands’ of get well soon cards and gifts."

But the outpouring of support for the princess continues- and palace staff have received thousands and thousands of cards, letters and gifts from members of the public offering their support and good-wishes. The sheer volume of correspondence has at times been difficult for the team to cope with. But staff do aim to reply to all the writers, eventually. [archive link]

Amazingly, the Kensington Palace communications team decided not to film a short video--or even a photo!--visually documenting Kate with said influx of "cards, letters and gifts." How hard would have been--at Kate's leisure!--to pose for a single photo or video documenting all the "support and good-wishes" she has received? Kate apparently is unable to pose for a single photo, even with the aid of photoshop.

Then the very next day, Tuesday, 28 May 2024, Tatler (UK) posts an article about Kate being seen "out and about" via Rebecca English's (27 May) article about Kate receiving "thousands and thousands of cards, letters and gifts."

US Weekly also posts an "exclusive" article on 28 May 2024 that Kate "has been seen out and about more with her family in recent weeks" by using Rebecca English's reporting on the "get well soon cards and gifts." [archive link]

Concurrently on 28 May 2024, Katie Nicholl posts in Vanity Fair that "reports claiming that Princess Kate is unlikely to be back at work until next year are inaccurate." Yet, her statement that "reports that Kate Middleton has been seen out and about with her family in recent days," comes straight from People magazine.

People magazine's EXCLUSIVE! reporting on Kate being "spotted out with family" seemingly originates from Rebecca English's article published one day earlier, on the 27th.

The Princess of Wales, 42, has remained out of the public eye since publicly announcing her cancer diagnosis in March as she undergoes chemotherapy. However, Kate has recently been spotted out with her family and solo running errands, sources tell PEOPLE. Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has received "tens of thousands" of well-wishes for the royal via letters and gifts, the Daily Mail reports.

Not so EXCLUSIVE! was it, People?

Wednesday, 29 May 2024, Eastern Daily Press (UK), EXCLUSIVELY revealed that Will & Kate were seen shopping in Holt, England.

An eyewitness who was in the shop at the time said "it was nice to see the couple shopping together" and noted that William had purchased some chocolate.  [...] A spokeswoman from Bakers & Larners said: “We are always honoured to be visited by the Royal Family and Tuesday was no different- we look forward to seeing Their Royal Highnesses in Holt again soon." [archive link]

Oh, so Will & Kate were spotted on Tuesday?

The day after Becky English's EXCLUSIVE! story?

Convenient in that no one bothered to snap a photo of the two of them in Holt. At. All.

And where is Holt in relation to Anmer Hall, which is in Norfolk?

Continuing on, Thursday, 30 May 2024, Kensington Palace confirms Kate will not take part in the Colonel's Review on 08 June 2024.

Also on 30 May 2024, Newsweek reported:

The British royals have been urged to come up with a plan to manage press and public expectations about Princess Kate's health and return to duties if her absence continues beyond the summer and into the fall. "They're going to have to come back from the August break with a plan for how to manage public opinion," Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, told a British news show on Wednesday. [archive link]

Richard Eden reports on 31 May 2024 that Kate "could" take a role at the Royal Thames Yacht club.

Just as hearteningly, they learned that its next most senior honorary position, that of Commodore, which Charles held for 12 years while Prince of Wales, would remain unfilled — fuelling hopes that it will be taken by the Princess of Wales when her own battle with cancer is safely behind her. [...] A friend of the Princess of Wales tells me: 'Decisions about her patronages are on hold until doctors give her the green light to return to public engagements.' [archive link]

How hard would it be to give a "no" if she's not interested in that patronage altogether? It could be done very easily privately, instead of letting the Daily Mail's pearl-clutcher-in-chief drone on about Kate following in King Charles's footsteps.

Finishing out the week, on 01 June 2024, Natasha Livingstone of the Daily Mail reports that Scotland Yard still is not investigating the alleged "breach" of Kate's medical records at The London Clinic.

Staff at the prestigious hospital at the centre of a data breach over the Princess of Wales's private medical records may have had to contend with a 'decoy' trap set by managers, experts believe. The MoS can reveal that, three months on, The London Clinic remains under investigation and the case has not yet been referred to Scotland Yard, despite Health Minister Maria Caulfield stating in March that police had been asked to look at it. Bosses at the hospital launched a probe after it was claimed at least one staff member had attempted to access personal details about Kate following her planned abdominal surgery in January. [...] Now several data specialists have told this newspaper that, if the breach occurred, staff could have been caught through a 'decoy' tactic used by private hospitals that often have high-profile clients. To protect the health data of VIP patients, hospitals often store it in a file under a fake name. A 'decoy' file is then created under the celebrity's real name. This contains false information and is regularly checked by bosses to see if any wayward staff have opened it without permission. If a breach is suspected, hospitals are required to launch their own inquiry while the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) investigates whether management did anything wrong. But this process is laboriously slow. [archive link]

Looks like another round of

Because The Mirror's Russell Myers conveniently published the EXCLUSIVE! scoop about the alleged "breach" of Kate's medical records on 19 March 2024, THREE DAYS before everyone watched the video of Kate sitting on a bench saying the word "CANCER!" on 22 March 2024.

And then there was that now missing Daily Mail story from 01 April 2024 about how Kate's CANCER! video announcement "rushed out" after her diagnosis was "leaked."

The Princess of Wales’s video announcement detailing her cancer treatment was rushed out by Kensington Palace aides after her diagnosis had been leaked, the Mail can reveal. Kate Middleton confirmed she had been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing 'preventative chemotherapy’ for the disease in a video message on March 22. However, a well-placed source has revealed the timing of the video nothing to do with the speculation that would have come from her missing church on Easter morning, but instead because someone had knowledge of her health condition. Kensington Palace had been contacted about Kate’s diagnosis, leaving no option but to hurry to get ahead of the story, the insider told the Daily Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle column.  It is unclear as to whether the leak came from within The London Clinic, where the Princess underwent abdominal surgery in January, or from elsewhere.

However, given that Kate's records may not have been breached AT ALL--if the alleged violators didn't see her actual record but a fake record--then there was no real reason why KP & Kate had to "get ahead of the story." KP didn't "get ahead" of the medical records story; they leaked the story. To Russell Myers.

American media outlet, Forbes, had an article on 17 March 2024 with the headline, "Claims About BBC Being On-Alert For Kate Middleton News Remain Unconfirmed." (Kate's CANCER! announcement video was filmed by BBC Studios on 20 March 2024.) When rumors of a future announcement are circulating on social media days before a story is actually published, you aren't attempting to "get ahead" of the story. You're priming the audience and setting the stage for your announcement. That is a PR tactic. Plain and simple.

Which brings us back to this week, with US Weekly's cover story this week with this quote about Kate's future royaling career:

According to the second source, Kate’s team is “reevaluating what she’s going to be able to take on when she comes back,” noting, “She may never come back in the role that people saw her in before.”

And Will & Kate's marriage:

The reprieve is a welcome one for the couple. “The announcement that the royals won’t be able to work as much has been unexpected, but it will allow Kate and William to spend more time together,” says the second source. “They’ve been reconnecting and are closer than ever.”

But let's not forget that Tom Sykes pointed out KP's attempt to micromanage the press:

In remarks likely to displease the palace, which has sought a blackout on reporting about Kate’s health apart from official updates, the outlet added that Kate has been spotted out and about with family and on her own.

Which sounds like the press knows more than they've published so far. Wonder how long that is going to last? It probably isn't going to work out in the long run.

Everyone over at KP seems to be unaware of the phrase "Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus."

Looks like the BRF will be managing their "Charlene situation" for a long time. A "situation" that didn't begin in April or March, but early January 2024. As in, before 15 January 2024.

Or unless some other news clarifies the situation that KP has been hiding.

[thenovotnys]

Queer as Folk (US) Locations - Main Locations

This part includes Babylon, Woody's, Liberty Diner, gyms, houses, workplaces and schools. Most of these places are only for outdoor scenes. The indoor was shot on studio or other locations.

The Hangouts

1. Babylon

The entrance of the club is on Duncan Street, and the pole where Justin leans on is on the corner of Duncan Street and Nelson Street. I'm not sure if the pole still exists, and the parking lot is now a building. (from episode 101)

2. Woody's

Woody's (and Moosies in episode 413) is at 467 Church Street. (from episode 102)

3. Liberty Diner

During the show, the diner is on two locations. On season 1-2, the diner is at 894 Queen Street West. On season 3-4, the diner moves to 354 King Street East. (from episode 102 and 409)

4. The Gym

The gym is also on two locations. On season 1, the gang works out at 675 Yonge Street. Later, they work out on other gym at 258 The Esplanade. It seems that both gyms are no longer exist. (from episode 102 and 403)

The Houses

5. Brian's loft

Brian lives at 6 Church Street. (from episode 307)

6. Michael's apartment and house

Michael and Emmett, and later with Ben and Hunter lives at 7 Glen Road. On season 5, the boys move to Brooklyn Avenue. (from episode 314 and 501)

7. Melanie and Lindsay's house

During the show, the girls and Gus live in two houses. The first one, on season 1, 3-5, they live at 178 Crawford Street. On season 2, they live on Kendal Avenue. (from episode 513 and 213)

However, it seems that the second house is also where Lindsay's parents live. (from episode 207 and 213)

8. Debbie's house

Debbie's house is the most inconsistent during the show. I noticed that there are five houses and three back parts of the house.

On season 1, Debbie, Vic and later Justin live on Beatrice Street. However, I cannot locate the alleys/backyard where other scenes take place. (from episode 108, 117 and 121)

On season 2, Debbie and Vic move to 87 Crawford Street. The backyard where they rake the leaves is on Lane South Queen East Shaw. (from episode 214 and 207)

On season 4, Debbie and Emmett live in two houses. The first one is on Bellwoods Avenue. The second one is on Heward Avenue. (from episode 406 and 412)

On season 5, Debbie and Emmett live on Bertmount Avenue. (from episode 501)

9. Justin's house (and Daphne's)

On season 1, The Taylors live on Bobwhite Crescent. After they sell the house, they move to Mendota Road. (from episode 102 and 201)

Daphne lives on Bobwhite Crescent, too. Just like the OG UK version, where the teens live on the same street. (from episode 104)

10. Vic and Rodney's house

The men now get their own place on Gloucester Street. (from episode 405 and 406)

11. Other places

David and Michael live on Taylorwood Drive

The Kinneys live on Lanor Avenue

Ben lives in an apartment on St. Joseph Street, but that particular scene is on Irwin Avenue

(from episode 111, 115 and 209)

The Workplaces and Schools

12. Brian's office and Kinnetik

The show wants us to think that Brian works on Metro Hall. However, I'm not sure if both Ryder Advertising and Vangard Advertising are in there. It looks like both places are inside other actual building rather than studio. (from episode 114, 217 and 306)

Later, Brian opens his own agency, Kinnetik, on ex Bathhouse on Nicholson Lane. (from episode 403)

13. Melanie's office

Melanie and the partners' law firm is at 3 Sultan Street. (from episode 121)

14. Michael's supermarket and comic book store

Michael used to work at Big Q, which was on actual store called Zellers at 1255 The Queensway (now closed). Later, he opens his own comic book store at 607A Queen Street West. (from episode 112 and 409)

15. Other places

Emmett works at Torso, which is at 880 Queen Street West (near the Diner on season 1-2).

The source says that the classes scenes are in Seneca College. However, I cannot locate those places.

16. Justin and Daphne's school

They studied at Ursula Franklin Academy. Some scenes were taken on Evelyn Crescent. (from episode 104)

17. Hunter's school

On season 3-4, The Susquehanna High School is on Jarvis Collegiate Institute, 495 Jarvis Street. On season 5, it looks like Hunter goes to different school, which I cannot locate. (from episode 313 and 505)

Previous: Introduction

Next list: Queer as Folk Locations - Season 1

[wessexroyalfamily]

{Location: White Lodge, Winchester City}

Princess Margaret of Lancaster: I thought the Queen was in residence at the Palace, why are we driving out of the city?

Anne Spencer-Lewis, The Countess Spencer: You’ve been invited for tea at Claremont House ma’am.

Margaret: You don’t think the Queen is angry about the protesters outside of the Cathedral the other day, do you?

Anne: No at all, no one can blame you for what people think.  

Margaret: Well my mother already has. 

Anne: No offence to your mother, but she is not the Queen. 

Margaret: Exactly! If my mother was that upset, imagine how furious the Queen must be.

Anne: After the war, the Queen’s popularity took a hit, and since then she’s prefers to spend her days out of the city, to be away from the crowds of protestors.

Margaret: So?

Anne: So, you might be surprised to find aa ally in her, who understands what you are going through.

{Location: Claremont House, Hyde Park - outside of Winchester City}

Queen Anne II of Wessex: It was too soon.

Prince Christian, The Earl of Gloucester: How were any of us to know?

Anne II: We should have waited before having the two of them in a joint engagement. What was Alexander thinking?

Christian: We agreed to it. 

Anne II: His role is to advise us, with advise that will actually be helpful.  

Christian: I think he made the right call.  Now we have a chance to iron out the kinks before their tour around Dorset after the wedding.

Anne II: This  marriage was supposed to bring the country together, not have the people banging at our doors.

*knock at drawing room door.

Anne, Lady-In-Waiting: Her Royal Highness has arrived.

Margaret: Your Majesty, it is so good to see you again.

Anne II: Yes, Margaret, welcome dear.

Margaret: Thank you, thank you both, for inviting me.

Christian: Of course , now come in and sit, we have tea already ready.

Anne II: Did you get here alright?  

Margaret: Yes a car drove me straight here. It surprisingly isn't too far of a drive.

Anne II: Not at all, Hyde Park has been used as a retreat by the royal family for generations. William and his brother basically grew up in this house. I'm guessing soon you and William will have your pick of country houses in the Park soon, if you wish.  

Margaret: Thank you ma'am, but honestly I haven't thought that far.

Christian: Smart girl. How are things going at White Hall?

Margaret: We are all settling in fine. My mother and sisters love the garden. and it is nice being in the city but having additional privacy of the surrounding park land.

Anne II: Oh that's excellent to hear.  

Christian: And the press hasn't been giving you too hard of a time?

Margaret: No, security keeps the paparazzi at bay for the most part.

Christian: And the protestors?

Margaret: Luckily they aren’t allowed near the house, but I hear that a few have set up camp outside Woodstock Palace.

Anne II: Yes, Will’s staff had to increase security around the entrances.

Christian: You should know this won’t be going away anytime soon. The pressure I mean.

Anne II: But our hope is to make it easier for you. 

Christian: Yes exactly.

Anne II: We’ve arrange some engagements for you and Will to attend. The more the public see you two together, the more they’ll come around to the idea of the wedding.

Christian: And not just with you two, but you with the rest of the Royal Family. It will show the nation that you are one of us now.

Margaret: How many engagements? I was hoping to spend these last few weeks with my family as much as possible.

Anne II: I’m sure Countess Spencer can ensure there is time set aside, but it will be a bit strenuous. 

Christian: We a lot of ground to cover before the wedding in a month. 

Anne II: There’s a tree planting ceremony in Woodstock Grand Park that has been planned as a photo-op for you and William, and the royal household scheduled for you and William to tour the new library at William’s old day school, and a walk-about was scheduled outside of Woodstock Palace.

Christian: Not to mention the Courts General and Royal Wycombe in two weeks, and the luncheon at the Palace this week for the family.

Anne II: But we’ll start with a simple trip to the bridal store with me, your mother, and your sister to try on some gowns for the wedding. I think that’s all right, Christian? 

Christian: I know it sounds like a dreadful time. 

Margaret: Know I understand...just not much time left for me to spend with my family.

Christian: But you are apart of this family now, and it is important that the public understands that too.

[latibvles]

running late.

another day of playing in the vicki sandbox with @almost-a-class-act leading to … these postwar shenanigans , in which the boys go visit their pal in Loogootee and he forgoes telling them some news, of sorts. Thank Sam for some of this dialogue , too, and you can read the first piece of work with miss Vicki here.

Bob liked to accredit himself with noticing finer details of things. It helped him write, helped him find a purpose, back during the war. He certainly wasn’t blind by any means. Lew and Wilbur almost didn’t believe him, at first, but after staring at her long enough to earn one of those warning glares from Bill — they all came to the same collective conclusion.

Whether Bill planned to fess up or not, was a different matter entirely.

Taking up seats at a table in the corner of the bar, the radio crackling, stories exchanged about the drive and the traffic. About school, for those of them who went back to that sort of thing to see what they could make of themselves.

“Bet she filled out that application for you. Those big words must’ve really stumped you.” Bob shoots at Bill, who rolls his eyes, his beer bottle sweaty with condensation and his knuckles curling around the neck of it to take a sip before firing back.

“Yeah well I figured if a guy who can’t read can be a reporter then anything’s possible.” He drawls out, to Wilbur and Lew’s snickering. He doesn’t outright deny it, which is as much of a confirmation of, yeah, she might’ve had something to do with it as anything. And it’s enough for Bob, who’s gotten used to Bill’s tendency to keep things quiet. Which is ironically, why he was the last to find out about the girl staying in Bill’s house now.

It’d been one of those jokes thrown that went completely over his head back when they were doing that three-day march to Melbourne. Wilbur asked if she’d still like him with that nasty shit on his feet.

Come to find out Bill, apparently, had a red-headed ‘somebody’ in Melbourne with a camera and a sharp-tongue — a somebody that became a girlfriend, sometime between that march to Melbourne and shipping out to Gloucester. While the rest of them settled into something like civilian life, once the war was actually over, Bill went back to Melbourne and was all but radio silent for several months.

And now they’re here, in a bar in Loogootee, Bill as tight-lipped as ever about whatever the hell he’s gotten up to.

“How is Vick, anyway?” Lew asks, less inclined to coaxing what they already know out of him and more curious than anything.

“She’s fine.”

“She’s fine, he says.” Wilbur laments melodramatically. “Shit I would hope so since she looked fine. What’s she been up to?” Bill looks at Wilbur with a raised brow, almost suspicious, before dismissing it. Bob, on the other hand, has his gaze fixed on Bill’s hand.

“She’s got a job offer in Indianapolis for the Star, taking pictures.” Bob whistles, low and impressed. Her photos were all over the house — ones of what he assumed were her friends, of pretty Australian beaches, and several well-loved photos of Bill and herself in one of those frames with the different sized panels. A few newspaper clippings of photos, too, held together by a paper clip, sat on the coffee table.

“Shit Hoos, you moving out there, then?” He shakes his head.

“She likes the drive and she’s sick of apartments.” Bill’s lip curls into a grin as he says it, and Lew orders them all another round of beers. Bob can hear her say it, as quick and sharp as she was when she told them to take their shoes off so they don’t track dirt in the house. Bob takes a swig, eyeing Bill up and down with narrowed eyes.

“And Melbourne? How was that? Had us thinkin’ you were moving out there for a second.” Lew jests. There’s a few snorts at that, the thought of Bill pinkened from the heat and playing rugby on his days off. And Bill, with one of those lazy shrugs of his and glances towards the ceiling, twisting the bottle in a circle, says something that makes Bob almost want to reach across the table and strangle him.

“It was good.”

“Jesus Christ Bill, would you just say it already?! We all saw the ring!” Bob huffs. Hoosier’s brows shoot up and with Bob’s go-ahead Lew and Wilbur are also bombarding him with their own complaints — about not being the first to know, about his silence on the whole thing.

When Bob came to the door, he expected Bill to answer it. Instead, it was the pretty redhead he’d heard bits and pieces about, her hair tied up, curious expression on her face. He noticed her eyes first — a mix of green and brown, and then he noticed the ring on her finger, the gem in the middle catching the sun from her spot leaned against the doorframe. It was a simple thing, just the band and the stone and no further embellishments to take away from it. Very Hoosier.

Lew and Wilbur noticed when she got them all water from the kitchen, while they waited on Bill, and with all the concern of a bride-to-be, asked who was going to be driving. Lew volunteered with one of his grins that made her roll her eyes with an underlying affection.

“When the hell were you planning on telling us?! ‘Cause you were gonna tell us, right?!”

“When’d you even buy the goddamn thing?!”

“Quit fuckin’ shoutin’ would’ja? I actually like this place.” Bill’s warning comes out as a hiss, with another roll of his eyes. Lew takes in a breath, and then folds his arms across his chest.

“Alright, damn, at least tell us how it happened.” Bill looks at the three of them, before realizing he’s been effectively backed into a corner.

“Hell, I don’t know. I just asked her!” Bob rolls his eyes.

“Oh you asked her. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Riveting stuff, Bill.” Wilbur adds, his grin growing wider and a flush creeping up Bill’s neck in response.

“Of course you asked her.” Bob continues.

“We want details.” Wilbur finally finishes. He watches as Bill reaches up to rub the nape of his neck, letting out a huff as he looks around, like he’s trying to pluck all the details from thin air. Lew bumps Bill’s arm with his elbow, a nonverbal sign of encouragement. He sighs, brows knitting together and lips pressing into a line.

“Got off the boat, went straight to the uh… this jewelry place. Couldn’t even fuckin’ find it and got three different sets of directions—”

“You went without a ring?!” Wilbur gapes, Bob watches as Lew holds up a four to the waitress that no one else seems to notice. Bill gives Wilbur a pointed half-glare before continuing.

“Anyways I couldn’t even find it so I was runnin’ around till I did. Almost made me late, I couldn’t even catch a goddamn tram. But I bought it and just… booked. She was waitin’ at the bakery and yelled at me for barging in with a goddamn limp. Was almost midnight. Stopped hollering when I pulled out the ring, though.” His hard glare melts away a little, a bit of a smile creeping onto his face.

“You were almost late or you were late?” Bob asks. The prickly glare comes back.

“Almost, Peaches. And it was only like… ten, fifteen minutes.” In that way that’s bordering on defensive. Still, Wilbur chimes in, amused as ever, and begins to pant as though he’s just run a mile.

“Lucky, Lucky,” a hard swallow, Bob’s lip is quivering with a contained laugh at his friend’s dramatic. “Will you… will…whew, one sec,” another pause, as Runner sips from his bottle. Bob looks across at Lew, who’s got a knowing smirk on his face. Lew reaches over to ruffle Bill’s hair. Bill, who’s shoulders have gone stiff with embarrassment.

“Just messing with ya, Hoos. C’mon, round’s on me.” Their laughter is exchanged for the clinking of shot glasses, the pleasant burn of dark liquor slipping down their throats.

The next several rounds, are also on Lew, and it only takes two more for Leckie to realize what they’re doing, as Leckie slides another shot glass towards Bill.

“It’s your unofficial engagement party.” He justifies, all but sealing Bill’s fate for the rest of the night.

Luckily, they’ve all shared drinks long enough to know Bill’s drinking habits — and know that even if he looks entirely put together, he’s anything but. Between beers and occasional shots — it’s fairly late into the night when Bill’s got those half-lidded eyes and a lazy grin. Wilbur’s giddy and giggling like someone’s little sister, and it takes both Lew and Bon wrestling them into the backseat.

Bill’s muttering about how they’ve gotta take him home to his fiancée, and glancing into the rear view, Bob just grins.

“Yeah you’ve got it buddy.”

The house isn’t too far from the bar — Wilbur passed out in the backseat somewhere on the way, snoring loud. Bill’s head is slumped against the window, and Bob reaches back to stick his hand in Bill’s pocket to grab his keys as Lew pulls into the drive. Bill reaches up, weakly grabbing Bob’s wrist.

“Hands off… Lucky… I have a fiancée.” He mutters. Bob rolls his eyes as Lew begins to snicker.

“Really? Tell me about her,” he unceremoniously sticks his hand in Bill’s pocket, pulling out the house key as Bill begins to mutter incoherently. Lew lets out a small chuckle as the two get out to pull Bill out of the backseat, each of them taking an arm and yanking him out of the car. He stumbles, almost faceplants on the grass, but Lew and Bob are quick to grab him before that happens.

Getting up the short stairs and to the door is a… slightly difficult, rather loud affair — with Bill proclaiming that they need to let him go because I have a fiancée and she’s g’na get real mad at you — the accent to his voice becoming all the more prominent.

Before Bob can figure out how to open the door with half of Bill’s weight on him, the door opens.

“Great, you guys woke up my fiancée!” Bill bemoans in drunken anger. Vicki rolls her eyes, half-fond, looking to Lew.

“Got an early wedding present for you. Congratulations by the way,” he offers, and she rolls her eyes with a small smile.

“Here I was thinking you’d keep him out all night and I’d get the bed to myself,” she sighs with a grin, as Bill stares at her with knitted brows and pouty lips. “Bring him in, I’ll hold the door. Room’s upstairs.”

The two men comply, but before they can make it towards the stairs that lead  up to the bedroom, Bill’s collapsing onto the couch, cheek squished into the pillow, and Bob watches as Vicki sighs and moves to sit on the armrest closest to his head, carding her fingers through his hair for a moment and giving them a bit of a bewildered look.

“Bill, honey,” She begins, and he grunts in response. “Let’s go to bed, yeah? Up the stairs, I’ll help you.” Bob watches as he shakes his head with a drawled out whine.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Cause I have a fiancée.” He mutters, half drunk and half drowsy. Bob watches as Vicki clicks her tongue, grabbing the throw blanket and draping it over him, before moving to grab one of the throw pillows. Bill whines, muttering about how his girl will get mad if she keeps touching him like that, as Vicki props his head on the pillow.

“I assure you she isn’t nearly as jealous as you might think,” she mutters, before looking at Bob and Bill. “Give it like… five minutes. Once he’s asleep we’ll move ‘em. Yeah?”

“Yes ma’am.” Bob chuckles, as she wipes her hands on what he can assume is one of Bill’s shirts, since its too big for her anyway.

“Can I… get you anything? I’m assuming you’ve got a hotel somewhere but if you don’t… once he’s off the couch. Is Runner in the car?”

“He’ll be out for the next thirteen hours at least,” Bob quips, and she chuckles, rolling her eyes before her gaze falls back to the man on the couch, who’s begun to snore. “Congratulations. Hoos didn’t really… mention it.” Vicki shakes her head, but her smile is soft and fond.

“I told him you would’ve figured out one way or another,” she admits, leaning against one of the small dining chairs. “Y’know he was almost late that day? Only a minute to spare.” Bob looks over at Lew, who’s got one of those mischievous, bordering-on-wicked grins of his. Lew makes his way over, leaning against the back of the couch and looking at her curious.

“No actually, he didn’t mention that. How’d it go down?”

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

I choose to believe that Kate has been babysitting 6 children for an extended sleepover (even if I know it's most probably not true)

I know it's not true (not least because the Wales kids go to school in Windsor and the Tindall girls go to school in Gloucester, not least because Mike has two parents and a brother, and Zara also has a brother, who could do it instead, not least because the Tindalls literally have a nanny for this exact purpose) and yet I will believe Kate was getting up at 6am to drive two cranky girls and a toddler over to Gloucester and dropping them at school, then driving back in time to get her three to school and then doing the same to pick them all up

[southjerseyweb]

Gloucester County, NJ School Bus Driver Arrested for Driving Kids While Intoxicated

A South Jersey school bus carrying nearly two dozen students had an intoxicated driver behind the wheel on Friday morning.

[wanderinglotus7]

Postcards from VA

There's nothing like being able to go home and get a nice recharge from my typical day to day of my new life. It's kind of weird saying "my new life". I'm still figuring out if Boston feels like home; or even if I can call Boston home. Every place that you live at has its pros & cons, you just hope that wherever you reside that there's more pros than there are cons. Some things I do appreciate about living in Boston (Newton) is that most places are walkable, public transportation is easy to access, I can always find something to do, my church community at NewCity, the history, and the diversity. Some of the cons are the lack of parking, the high cost of living, the busyness of the city, difficulties of establishing new friendships along with dating, and the overt/covert racism (and other isms). There's no such thing as a perfect place unless it's in my dreams.

Thinking logistically, If I cannot longer financially support myself in MA, I began looking into other living situations. Like relocating to Rhode Island or North Carolina. North Carolina would be my first choice because it reminds me of Virginia without returning to Virginia. If I want to visit home or attend family functions, I won't be that far away from everyone. Maybe no more than a 4-to-5-hour drive at the most compared to a 9-hour drive. Like Massachusetts there are plenty of job opportunities it just depends on what I am interested in pursuing. The job opportunities in Rhode Island seem a little small however, I can still work in the same line of work I'm currently doing. Yet, the work would be more related to domestic violence and sexual violence. Not much related to trafficking. If I were to relocate to any state in the US, I can always get a job as a school social worker. I'm not permanently attached to any one job or place. I think this is becoming my catch phrase, but I'm riding the wave. I'm remaining in my stillness.

We received word on Thursday that Adelante was rewarded the OVC grant. This means that the trafficking program has funding for the next three years. This also means I have a job for three years. If I want to continue my work in the anti-trafficking field but want to change the population I'm working with, I would work with youth in a counseling or mentorship framework; no case management if I can avoid it. Or I could go another route and teach a psychology or social work course or two at a university or provide mental health services to young adults (college students). Time will tell. I know for sure that I don't want to work more jobs than necessary. My work ethic isn't based on money. My work ethic is based on my passion and interest in the work that I am doing. Either way, let's see in 2 or 3 years where I am at in my life. I may be single now, but I might find myself in a relationship next year or my financial situation may change.

Roots. Home. Gloucester will always be home. So much has changed, but so much has remain the same. I was happy to see that my dogwood tree came back to life because the last time I laid eyes on it it was on the brink of death. Spending time with Snoopy, family, and friends was comforting, but also disheartening. Some people just don't change (smh). The answer to that is it to love those from a distance if they are worth my energy in maintaining those relationships especially when it comes to family. And sometimes it's best to let those relationships dissolve for my own growth and emotional well-being. I still get emotional when I think and speak about my Grandma Shirley and my granddaddy. It hurts seeing their homes empty. It's like all the life around there has been sucked away. I did take the opportunity to visit their grave sites, but it didn't make things easier. I do know that I can still feel their presence, but they make themselves known in different ways. I wonder when the pain will settle. I wonder when the pain will become less to bare.

[lobsterbraincoroners]

SAY YES TO THE GCL

Right now, the GCL is closer than ever to moving forward after more than 20 years of planning and discussion. But what is it? And why do we need it?

A 2010 study reports that light rail systems produce 62% less greenhouse gas emissions than the average car. The Glassboro-Camden Line is a commuter rail line that would connect South Jersey to the rest of the state, which is much needed, now more than ever, due to South Jersey population growth due to the pandemic. Implementing the GCL would benefit South Jersey by protecting the environment, boosting the economy, and connecting communities.

First, the GCL would benefit South Jersey residents by connecting communities. It would increase mobility in Gloucester and Camden county communities, with improved access to destinations such as Philadelphia, New York, and Atlantic City. It would give Rowan, Rutgers, and Cooper Medical school students another option for getting to class, provide busy parents with an easy way to travel to entertainment for kids without the hassle of driving, and help people get to work. Senior Urban transportation Economist Chris Severen states, “People and firms benefit when transportation infrastructure makes commuting easier. Better transportation infrastructure can directly increase employment growth.”

Second, the GCL would benefit South Jersey residents by boosting the economy. The GCL would bring money to local South Jersey businesses and provide easy access to good jobs with big paychecks and promotes economic growth. According to a study from the Brookings Institution, more high-skilled jobs are accessible by transit than jobs in low- and middle-skill industries. This proves that trains would give people access to better jobs. Along with that, adding a train line would increase home values. A recent NAR and APTA study found that home values near transit performed 42% better than other areas. A train would make South Jersey better.

Third, the GCL would benefit South Jersey residents by protecting the environment. Cars are responsible for 30% of carbon dioxide emissions. Trains are nowhere near as harmful as cars. By implementing the GCL, many of these harmful cars would be taken off of the road, reducing highway congestion and saving the environment. The GCL is estimated to carry 16,000 riders daily by 2040; Many trips that would otherwise be made via car. Some might say that the GCL would cause noise pollution and be an annoyance for South Jersey residents. However, this is easily solved by the utilization of quiet, sustainable technology and infrastructure that is designed to minimize disruptive sound.

To sum it all up, implementing the GCL would benefit South Jersey by connecting communities, boosting the economy, and protecting the environment. Communities that invest in public transit reduce the carbon emissions in the United States by approximately 37 million metric tons each year. By supporting the GCL, you can help make progress in your community and save the environment. You should say yes to the GCL.

[toughgirlchallenges]

Nicky Button - #BlindGirlWalking - Walking from the Orkney Islands to the Scilly Isles. Solo and unsupported.

Nicky Button was born in Gloucester and grew up in Worcester. Having a very happy childhood.

Nicky was always last to be picked for any teams at school and was the most uncoordinated and non sporty child being told to go and swim after a term of tennis when she still hadn’t hit a ball. Her teens and twenties removed around horses and children , whilst she ran a yard starting and schooling young horses and teaching people to ride alongside being a foster mother. 

In 2000 with an eight year old daughter she moved to Surrey where she spotted a group of people kayaking on a local canal, she went along to the club and heard only two parts of the sentence, Wednesday nights are adults only, whitewater training and we go to the pub afterwards. Six months later she was staring at her first White water river in Wales. Several swims later and at the end of the river she was hooked. 

The kayaking totally changed her life and she soon realised that whilst she certainly wasn’t the most proficient, she had found her tribe. Through the kayaking she was invited to help on set on Midsummer Murders and the rest as they say is history, she retrained learning swift water and rope rescue, working at heights and confined spaces, with fire and setting up stunts and rigging. There then followed some incredible years where she felt that she was being paid to have the best time in life. 

In 2013 after going away skiing she returned and was unable to see her daughter across the room. Four months later she’d had her driving license removed which knocked onto no job and then no home. Her life felt as though it was falling apart. 

She moved to South Devon and stormed along the South West Coast path. A few years on and she was part of walking groups for people with Visual Impairment and encouraging people to get out walking. 

On moving to Worcester in 2021 she met an amazing group of strangers who became friends, a trip up Ben Nevis was followed by entering her first Ultra challenge a 50km over Exmoor. When she completed that she looked for her next challenge. 

During lockdown she’d dreamed she’d walked from Scotland to Devon, she decided to make this a reality and so Nicky’s most marvellous ridiculous adventure was born. Walking from the Orkney Islands to the Scilly Isles. Solo and unsupported.

  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time - Subscribe so you don’t miss out. 

You can support the Tough Girl mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media - especially in relation to adventure and physical challenge by signing up as a patron. www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Thank you. 

  Show Notes

54 year old mum of 1

Walking from the Orkney Islands to the Scilly Isles

Starting the challenge on April 1st (April fools day!)

Not being into team sports and not enjoying the outdoors

Preferring reading about adventure 

Discovering individual sports 

Her passion for horses and riding

Joining The Pony Club 

Training to be a nanny

Running away to work with horses

Teaching riding at Pony Club and Riding for the Disabled 

Bringing up her daughter

Moving to Surrey 

How joining a Canoe Club changed her life

How her views on fear changed 

The link between fear and excitement 

Starting to work in tv production

Making her career change at 38

Over coming the limiting beliefs of other people’s thoughts

Learning how to run and getting fit for search and rescue 

If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way 

How her life changed in 2013

Being diagnosed with a rare genetic eye disease called Stargardts

Now being registered as Severely Visually impaired S.V.I /blind

Losing her driving licence, her job, and her home in the space of 4 months

Dealing with the trauma 

Moving back home to Devon and spending time on the South West Coast Path

Action for Blind People - now connected to RNIB

Joining a local walking group and how that helped process her thoughts and feelings 

Getting to a place of acceptance?

How her life is different now

What she can see through her eyes

Completing her first ultra challenge 50km over Exmoor 

How it changed her self confidence 

Navigation 

The idea for - Nicky’s most marvellous ridiculous adventure

Sharing the adventure and making it a reality 

The route

Talking with people along the way about sight loss

Self funding and working on a tight budget

Hoping that people will come and join her 

Starting in the Orkney Islands

Fears and concerns before the start of the trip

Wanting to prove to herself that she can still do big thing

Having a sense of purpose 

Final words of advice for women

What do you actually want to do?

    Social Media

  Instagram: @blind.girl.walking 

Facebook: Nicky’s most marvellous, ridiculous adventure 

Just Giving: https://www.justgiving.com/page/nicky-button-16797715248 

    Check out this episode!

[movies-picks]

Best Movies of 2021

  CODA

IMDb:8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:94%| Trailer

Director: Sian Heder

Synopsis: Ruby is the only hearing member of a deaf family from Gloucester, Massachusetts. At 17, she works mornings before school to help her parents and brother keep their fishing business afloat. But in joining her high school's choir club, Ruby finds herself drawn to both her duet partner and her latent passion for singing.

Drive My Car

IMDb:7.6/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:97%| Trailer

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Synopsis: An aging, widowed actor seeks a chauffeur. The actor turns to his go-to mechanic, who ends up recommending a 20-year-old girl. Despite their initial misgivings, a very special relationship develops between the two.

Dune

IMDb:8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:83%| Trailer

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Synopsis: Paul Atreides arrives on Arrakis after his father accepts the stewardship of the dangerous planet. However, chaos ensues after a betrayal as forces clash to control melange, a precious resource.

King Richard

IMDb:7.5/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:90%| Trailer

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Synopsis: Coming from an unprivileged background, Venus Williams and Serena Williams rise to the top and dominate the world of women's tennis with the help of their ever-supporting father, Richard Williams.

Licorice Pizza

IMDb:7.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:91%| Trailer

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Synopsis: The story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.

Nightmare Alley

IMDb:7/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:81%| Trailer

Director: Todd Field

Synopsis: A grifter working his way up from low-ranking carnival worker to lauded psychic medium matches wits with a psychologist bent on exposing him.

Pig

IMDb:6.9/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:97%| Trailer

Director: Michael Sarnoski

Synopsis: A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home

IMDb:8.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:93%| Trailer

Director: Jon Watts

Synopsis: Spider-Man seeks the help of Doctor Strange to forget his exposed secret identity as Peter Parker. However, Strange's spell goes horribly wrong, leading to unwanted guests entering their universe.

The Power of the Dog

IMDb:6.8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes:94%| Trailer

Director: Jane Campion

Synopsis: A domineering rancher responds with mocking cruelty when his brother brings home a new wife and her son, until the unexpected comes to pass.

West Side Story

IMDb: 7.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 91%| Trailer

Director: Steven Spielberg

Synopsis: Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks -- two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

[drivingschoolingloucester]

[advertisingconsultant]

[dweemeister]

NOTE: Because moviegoing carries risks at this time, please remember to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by your local, regional, and national health officials.

CODA (2021)

CODA, which stands for “child of deaf adults”, is the first Academy Award winner of Best Picture to be distributed by a streaming service. Apple purchased the film for a record $25 million at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival for its Apple TV+ streaming service, barely allowing a traditional theatrical run outside of major North American cities. Does this development hasten the exodus of low- and mid-budget movies away from Hollywood’s established studios for awards season? Is CODA’s success a harbinger for low- and mid-budget movies retreating from theaters altogether, leaving them increasingly to mainstream animation and superhero movies? History will write itself with time, as the COVID-19 pandemic – which accelerated these changes in the film industry – hopefully subsides.

For CODA itself, director Siân Heder’s film contains aggressively pedestrian filmmaking inside a heartfelt story. CODA – even though it was not originally intended to appear on a streaming service – suffers on a larger screen (I saw this in a theater), its lack of interesting cinematography and ordinary editing plain to see. Nevertheless, CODA’s narrative, however predictable and unrealistic, worked its way past most of my cynical fibers, moving me multiple times throughout. A solid ensemble performance can patch up numerous, though not every, imperfection, as CODA exemplifies.

Gloucester (GLAA-stir), Massachusetts is in the state’s northeastern corner, just under an hour’s drive from Boston, and jutting out into the Atlantic. That is where we find the Rossi family: daughter Ruby (Emilia Jones), older brother Leo (Daniel Durant), and parents Frank (Troy Kotsur) and Jackie (Marlee Matlin). Ruby, the main character, is the only hearing member of the family. She wakes up daily at 3 AM to help with her family’s fishing business, balancing fishing with her high school studies. She is a senior in high school, but she does not see herself going into higher education, but will instead continue to assist her family. As the high schoolers sign up for electives, Ruby – her mind distracted by her crush, Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), as he signs up for choir – signs up for choir. No sane person has ever signed up for choir for the first time during their senior year in high school (raising questions about what semester this is and whether this high school has music programs year-round). The choir director, Bernardo “Mr. V” Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez, who acts mostly as if from another movie), quickly identifies Ruby as a natural, raw-talent singer. CODA’s primary conflict surrounds Ruby’s familial commitments and her newfound passion for music.

If you, dear reader, have seen a movie in your lifetime, you probably can predict the narrative beats as they appear. You do not need to personally know any deaf or hard-of-hearing persons to guess how Frank and Jackie receive the news that their daughter is drawing up new life plans. Heder, who wrote the screenplay, makes CODA squarely Ruby’s story. Her successes are framed too often as if they are hers and hers alone to enjoy. In this interpretation, Frank, Jackie, and Leo are obstacles to overcome. CODA too reactively positions the Rossi family as unable to partake in Ruby’s artistry for the sake of generating maximal drama, as well as unrealistically portraying them as overly dependent on the youngest child.

This dilemma of Ruby’s desires clashing with her family rears its head multiple times – something the viewer expects. But too often, this primary source of conflict arrives in situationally manufactured moments. Most notably, Ruby’s duties as her family’s interpreter seem out-of-place in two critical scenes: serving as an ad hoc legal representative during a U.S. Coast Guard hearing after an accident involving the family boat and on a day when a local television news station prepares to shoot interviews with her parents. At some point in their lives, Frankie, Jackie, and Leo all had to reckon with life’s inconveniences without an interpreter – and I imagine they did so successfully, justifiably glad that they overcame an actual or potential misunderstanding. That all three seem so helpless almost all the time makes their deafness more of a shortcoming than should be portrayed. What about actual human shortcomings? Like jealousy, possessiveness, and pride.

Despite the writing framing the Rossi parents’ deafness as an obstacle, two solid character performances from Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin patch up some – though not all – of the flaws in the parent-daughter conflict scenes. Kotsur (2008’s Universal Signs, but principally a stage actor), in particular, effuses an animated warmth even when saying the dirtiest things in the least appropriate setting. By CODA’s closing minutes, one senses Frank’s growth the most – from his initial bewildered dismissiveness of Ruby’s plans to a starry-eyed acceptance of her daughter’s growth. Matlin, too, gives a similarly animated performance, but has fewer moments of emotional epiphany than her co-star. The two veterans steady scene and tonal transitions more ably than any of their co-stars. By virtue of his considerable lack of cinematic experience compared to Matlin, Kotsur’s achievement is all the more impressive.

A lack of thematic and narrative focus also hampers CODA. Beyond the principal plotline of Ruby’s musical dreams, there are subplots aplenty – her “will they or won’t they” tug-of-war with Miles, the Rossi family spearheading a new fishing collective to counter the low prices offered by their previous collective, and insensitive schoolmates who mock Ruby for being the child of deaf adults. Too few of these subplots appear or resolve organically in respect to the remainder of the film. One can already guess what happens between Miles and Ruby, so I will not waste any further space other than to say that the character of Miles has barely any personality in Heder’s screenplay. The issues of fishing pricing collectives and coercive business practices offer a fascinating glimpse of how small-time fishers in the United States conduct their operations, perhaps allowing the audience an understanding of how coercive pricing harms these blue-collar communities. But CODA abandons this touchy subplot – central to the Rossi family’s wellbeing, as well as their fellow fishers – almost as soon as it can in favor of teenage romance and more musical moments.

It also appears that Ruby’s troubles of being The Girl with the Deaf Family are no longer a concern after she joins choir and reveals her wonderful singing voice. A lifetime of bullying that extends into one’s high school senior just does not disappear because of the revelation of a great talent. Discrimination follows her parents and brother into their adulthood, and Heder’s screenplay does the bare minimum to address this. However, the bullying that Ruby faces in the film’s opening third and in the many years before the events of the film mysteriously become a non-issue once everyone learns she is one hell of a singer. I can’t help but think there is a missed opportunity here for the film to say more about how this impacts Ruby’s life and how she responds to it.

CODA also appears to be the sort of film meant to be watched – no, consumed – on a television screen, computer, or phone (yuck!). The paint-by-the-numbers cinematography by Paul Huidboro (2014’s Million Dollar Arm) resembles the unimaginative camerawork seen in almost every television show (TV, even in the best series of the last decade, remains a writers’ medium, not so much one for visualists). With the exception of perhaps the odd shot of the Atlantic horizon, there are few shots in CODA that benefit at all on a larger screen. At times, I felt like I was watching the best-produced Disney Channel Original Movie in a theater. My apologies to those who enjoy more than a handful of Disney Channel Original Movies. The film’s almost-total lack of visual imagination means that it relies almost entirely on its acting ensemble and writing to keep interest – which the former accomplishes, just. And despite my misgivings about Heder’s screenplay, I found myself moved multiple times in CODA. Memories of high school orchestra, though not completely analogous to high school choir, flooded in. As did the general awkwardness of being a teenager once. CODA nails those basic emotions through film’s end.

Upon viewing the final product, one has to ask who is the target audience for CODA? Its intentions are genuine, its representation of deaf and heard-of-hearing people worthy from a basic need for representation. Putting just the simple fact of representation aside, CODA adopts Ruby’s story and needs – arguably coming dangerously close to otherizing her parents and older brother. I am not sure a deaf and hard-of-hearing audience is necessarily as interested in her story alone, and would rather see a more balanced family narrative among our four principal characters. CODA’s unconcentrated screenplay seems to point towards its intentions on providing a storytelling balance – especially regarding the fishing collective subplot. That balance never materializes.

There is a better, more interesting version of this film that might exist. CODA is no film to begrudge on a surface level, yet its artistic choices are without much risk. That sounds like most original films from a major streaming service, unfortunately. Elsewhere, CODA’s producers are – as of the publication of this write-up – in talks to craft a stage musical version of the film in collaboration with Deaf West Theatre (a non-profit whose productions Kotsur has starred in). If it is CODA’s legacy to inspire deaf and hard-of-hearing artists to find avenues of artistic expression in their chosen mediums, what sweet sounds they will make. Cinema would be better for it.

My rating: 7/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[phoenixspirits]

okay so. leadworth.

it’s billed as a village, right? nice typical quaint english country village in gloucestershire. gets its name from the river leadon (which means it has to be in north-west gloucestershire, as that’s where the river is located.) amy says gloucester is 30 minutes drive away. that’s all fine. 

i went through the episodes; can confirm that onscreen there is a post office, a hospital, a fire station, a primary school and a secondary school. i think we also see a hospice and a care home. there’s a castle ruins in some shots too, which makes sense for gloucestershire i guess. a church is also seen. a library and a butcher in upper leadworth.

now in a village of the type and size we see on screen, i would expect a post office, general shop (probably merged by now due to post office cuts, but would have been separate when amy and rory were growing up), maybe a couple other shops like a bakery/butcher, a chippy or a tearoom, a pub or two, a church or two, probably a village hall. a primary school for sure but not a secondary school. i would expect the local secondary school to be in the closest town, kids in the local villages would go to their own primary school and get the bus in to town for secondary. that’s normal. and if there was a hospital attached to a village of this size, which is extremely unlikely, it would only be a minor injuries unit probably, so no coma patients. and rory’s hospital badge clearly says emergency unit, so it has an A&E. 

in eleventh hour the hospital is also clearly not directly IN the village, as they need transport to get there, even in a fire engine with blues on it takes the doctor at least five minutes drive. it would be easy to say that the hospital and the secondary school are actually like 10 minutes or so up the road in the nearest town, except for their names: royal leadworth hospital and leadworth comprehensive. school name is easily ignored tbh, it’s barely visible in the episode, but hospital name is clearly visible multiple times.

so maybe we should argue that leadworth is a town and not a village. but that doesn’t work either. visually, it’s fairly obviously a village, a town would have more shops and larger roads, right? and the way people know each other is much more like a village community than a town ( a town big enough to have a hospital!) and people complain multiple times that there’s nothing in leadworth and it’s very quiet and peaceful. so no, definitely a village.

and i know this doesn’t really matter in the episodes, as leadworth features only really in 3 episodes, and disappears entirely once they move to london, but in trying to write amy and rory and mels’ childhood it’s frustrating. 

so i have decided now that for my headcanon purposes, leadworth is a village, but the hospital and secondary school are actually in the next town.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Buying Sun Myung Moon a Shiny New Rolls Royce

▲ Hyo Jin Moon with Rolls Royce

September 25, 2010

by MLP

I have a confession to make. I’m not very smart.

When Hyo Jin Moon wanted everyone to stop what they were doing and go fundraising so that we could buy “father” a new Rolls Royce, I basically accepted the explanation without much protest. You see, it was of immense providential importance that we consume several perfectly good weekends alone on street corners selling flowers. “Father” needed this Rolls Royce to restore the souls of all the people in history that had owned Rolls Royces.

Like I said, I’m not very smart. I also apparently didn’t have much else going on during weekends in high school.

I suppose if I had been something other than a complete dullard, my first question would have been: “Who f*cking cares about Rolls Royce owners?!”

After all, what possible difference could it make in a world where millions were dying of war, disease, ecological degradation, etc, etc, etc, if a few thousand of history’s well heeled were “saved”? Helping out real people that were in fact suffering (like so many of the poor members around me) would have made sense. But spending over a hundred thousand dollars on something as vain, pretentious and stupid as a car in order to “restore” a lucky few?! At the very least, I should have seriously questioned Hyo Jin’s priorities. Then again, in those times questioning Hyo Jin meant un-pleasantries better avoided, like a full hour of being screamed at and a bloody nose.    

But, if I really had any sense, I would have realized immediately that this was actually a very big deal. Gears would have turned slowly in my head and dots would have started connecting, eventually forming an awfully worrisome picture. The idea of spiritual restoration being a function of one man’s open-ended repetition of any historical act opened the door for that man to justify pretty much anything.

I remember an early member telling me a story (testimony – for those who only speak moonie) about “father” during ocean challenge. Despite being an experienced captain, he’d been unable to fully control a boat as it was docking at the base of Morning Gardens (the moon’s Vanderbilt era mansion near Gloucester, Ma) during some heavy surf. The boat was slightly damaged and “father” was furious. “Father” verbally lambasted the member with a strange anecdote. He told the member that if he were to get plastered on liquor and drive a car into a wall, that action would help “restore” millions of people who’d been drunk and driven into walls. If the member did the same thing he would have only ruined a perfectly good car.

The implication was as follows: “father” does something - anything - it has restoration value. If someone other than “father” does the same thing, well that doesn’t really count.

Take a second to think about the full ramifications of this idea. He is saying that he has the divine right to do absolutely anything under the sun and it will be of providential value. The rules that others should live by simply do not apply to him. If he eats a Twinkie, halleluiah, all Twinkie eaters are restored. All that happens if I eat a Twinkie is I get fat!

But what about something a little more…sinful? What about an act where there are injured parties? What about adultery, for instance?

Members will tell you that his adulterous affairs and illegitimate children were actually heroic acts of great sacrifice for the restoration of all adulterers of yore. Or at least that’s what the few who actually know about this stuff will say (there aren’t that many). Hmmm…by that logic can we expect “father” to at some point become a heroin addict or commit mass murder?

And what of the injured party? What do they get? Well it seems they mostly get the old shove under the rug, sort of like any prospect of a pension for my dad’s 40 years of church service. When was the last time you heard the name “Sammy Park” outside of this blog? Then again, maybe there will be some fantastic reward in heaven. I won’t hold my breath.

Unfortunately the results of this lack of answerability are all too real and anything but funny. Moon impunity, which apparently also applies to the moon kids, is probably the scariest and most troubling of any church doctrine. If every act restores something, what crime can they not commit? Why shouldn’t they be able to get away with anything? Whatever they do, no matter how stupid or wrong can be whitewashed by the magic of spiritual “restoration”. No felony is punishable, no injustice cured, and no squandered fortune is repaid. They simply do what they want, take what they want, use what they want, and we, the unwashed masses, the sinful troglodyte populace, must get on our knees, pucker up, give them our money, and thank them for their great sacrifice.

And is there any way to verify that any of these supposed restorees are in fact restored? Well…no. We have to take their word for it. No doubt due to our own appalling spiritual deficiencies we are unable see the results of their noble and gracious sacrifices.

But here is what we can see. There is a seemingly endless trail of financial ruin among their followers. While the “members” mostly just get by, the moons live like Russian oligarchs, flying around in private jets and squabbling over assets that someone else built for them. There are no arrangements made for older members, who are simply discarded when finished with. They subject those around them to a regular regimen of physical and mental abuse. And then of course there is the constant supply of platitudes, distortions, half truths and blatant lies that come from the weekly Sunday pulpit.  

According to catholic legend there are seven deadly sins – Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride. One has to commend the moons for having done pretty good work “restoring” lust, greed, wrath, envy, and pride. I wonder if we should soon expect some work on the rest (doubt it, gluttony and sloth don’t really bring in the dollars)?    

Troubled?

I wasn’t. But then again, I wasn’t very smart. I didn’t connect the dots. I didn’t appreciate the full ramifications of someone living above the rules and how it could affect me or my family down the line.  

You, dear reader, are no doubt far smarter than I was and can see right through all that.

Until next time.

MLP

_______________________________________________

Hyun Jin Preston Moon bullied a teenager at the New Yorker Hotel – MLP

Fun with Numbers – MLP

Sad Stories: The Death of David Ang – MLP

What I Really Learned From My UC Experience – MLP

My Advice on Leaving the Unification Church – MLP

[the-tactician-magician]

Here we go with more rarepairs~ But rarepairs deserve a little @flufftober2021 too, as a treat

Flufftober 2021 Day 17: Domestic Fluff

Rated G, Lorenz/Lysithea, 1448 words

Lysithea never could have imagined waking to an empty pillow beside her and the sound of sizzling breakfast in the kitchen. Then again, she never could have imagined that her future held so much domestic bliss in the first place.

She put on some long robes and a pair of slippers to follow the scent of food. It was fortunate that the two of them had moved into a smaller manor so she didn’t have to walk nearly as much to get anywhere. Lysithea didn’t even mind having less servants under their employ. Doing chores with their own two hands wasn’t all that bad, especially if it meant intimate mornings such as these.

As expected, her husband of 32 years, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, awaited her in the kitchen. It looked like he already prepped the table for breakfast, with an array of dishes and silverware, a bowl of fruit, flowers arranged in a vase, and a piping hot tea kettle. All that was left to be served was the actual meal, which Lorenz was already working on. One of his hands held a frying pan, and his other hand gripped a spatula that shoveled a freshly made pancake onto a plate.

He glanced up once he was done. Upon spotting his wife in the doorway, he offered up a wide smile. “Ah. Good morning, my love.”

“Good morning, dear.” Lysithea beamed back. “Making breakfast, are we? It’s rare for someone of your status to dirty their hands in the kitchen.”

“Hah! There’s nothing dirty about making food to enjoy. Even a nobleman such as I knows the value of spoiling his dear wife.” Lorenz’s smile didn’t abate under her joke. “Anyway, please take a seat. I will have breakfast ready in just a few minutes.”

Lysithea nodded as she did just that. Her place at the table was specially marked with a small tin that contained her medicine. She wouldn’t have forgotten to take them even if Lorenz hadn’t left them out for her, but his gentle reminder didn’t bother her in the slightest. It was just another sign that he was always thinking of her, no matter the time of day.

She consumed today’s vitamins and pills right before Lorenz arrived with food to help the medicine down. In addition to pancakes, he also came bearing slices of ham, truffles, and a fried egg. The meal itself wasn’t the fanciest thing in the world, since he only recently started cooking for the two of them, but his impeccable plating made it fit for a king. Or the lord and lady of House Gloucester, as it were.

Lysithea grabbed a nearby pitcher of maple syrup and doused her pancakes in it, drawing a sigh from Lorenz. “My love, all that syrup is going to negate the benefits of your medicine.”

“Pfft. Didn’t you just say you knew the value of spoiling your wife?”

Lysithea punctuated her retort by shoving a forkful of sticky-sweet pancakes into her mouth. At that, Lorenz simply let out another amused sigh. Both of them knew better than to let pet peeves sully a perfectly good morning. Instead, they filled the dining room with peaceful silence, occasionally broken up by an idle remark or two. It was only when Lysithea and Lorenz had polished off their breakfast and Lorenz started rifling through letters that their conversation took a more serious turn.

“Vinicio is settling into the Officer’s Academy well.” He stated while reading through familiar handwriting. “Although he still laments about not being made the Golden Deer house leader.”

Lysithea rolled her eyes at the mention of their youngest son. She loved him, like she loved all three of their children, but sometimes they proved to be quite a handful. “He should have taken the entrance exams more seriously then, and not try to coast on his natural talent and status alone.”

“Indeed.” Lorenz chuckled. “Perhaps this school year will finally teach him some humility at last.”

“I highly doubt it.” Lysithea scoffed back. “The teachers at Garreg Mach are too soft on students nowadays. Vinicio is going to drive them up the walls if they aren’t careful. Now, if this year’s leader was one of Claude’s and Byleth’s children, that would have been a different story…”

“We would never hear the end of it.” Lorenz laughed again. Apparently, there was nothing else of note to mention, as he passed their son’s letter to Lysithea after he was finished.

But the time to peruse that would come later. Lysithea eyed the remaining letters eagerly. “Any correspondence from Iacchus or Evangeline?”

Lorenz’s smirk grew wider as he shook his head. “My love, they have already written to us not so long ago. You cannot expect them to notify us of every single occurrence. They are adults now, unlike little Vinicio, with their own busy lives to lead.”

Lysithea pouted, even though her dear husband was correct. Their two eldest children, who already graduated from Garreg Mach long ago, now possess some very important jobs. Iacchus, the oldest son and acting head of House Gloucester, handled the main manor while his parents enjoyed an idyllic stay in their country manor. Meanwhile, Evangeline, the Gloucesters’ only daughter, was one of the co-founders of a magical academy on the old border between Fodlan and Almyra. That role would’ve been impressive in its own right, but there was also the matter of a certain rumor floating around…

“I’m not as needy as you assume. I just wish to be kept abreast of Evangeline’s courtship with Darius. If they become wedded, then Claude and Byleth will join our family in an official capacity.”

“Does that prospect scare you?” Lorenz smiled through a sip of his teacup.

“I’m not afraid.” Lysithea huffed. “But I should be asking you the same question.”

Lorenz placed a hand on his heart in fake offense. “You wound me! Just because Claude and I are friendly rivals doesn’t mean I would object to becoming kin with him! Besides, Evangeline is the more important issue here. If Darius can make our dear daughter happy, then the two of them can have our blessings.”

Lysithea nodded in agreement, but as overjoyed as she was about their daughter’s romantic pursuits, they brought to mind a set of fears she thought she would never have: the fear of growing old. With courtship came marriage, and with marriage came children, which meant... Lysithea might become a grandmother in the near future.

Her, a grandmother! Lysithea didn’t even think she would live long enough to have kids, much less grandkids. And now here she was, faced with that very real possibility. Such a thought sent a shiver down her spine, a feeling that did not escape Lorenz’s notice.

“Lysithea, my love?” He piped up. “Are you feeling alright?”

“I’m… fine.” She managed to say. “I was just thinking about Evangeline and Darius, if they were to have children. That would make us a pair of grandparents, and very old.”

“We are not that old.” Lorenz refuted. “And you still look as lovely as ever.”

“Thank you, dear, but I wasn’t concerned about my aging.” Lysithea smiled faintly. “As odd as it may sound, I’m actually excited about all of this. I never entertained fantasies like watching our children grow up and welcoming new members to our family before. I thought I was going to die young and all alone.

“But look at me now. Look at us. I’m alive and in good health. I even hear wedding bells for our daughter on the horizon. And it’s all thanks to you.”

Her eyes started to well up as she spoke. She didn’t mean to get sentimental during what was supposed to be an ordinary breakfast, but thinking about her family made her heart swell with pride. She really was grateful to be here, surrounded by friends and one doting husband, and nothing she could say could truly express her happiness.

Yet Lorenz understood her perfectly, and went to her side to hold her hand. “It’s also all because of you. You persevered for so long, opened your heart to us, and allowed us to help you remove your Crests. If you are blessed to have such a wonderful family, then I am blessed to have such a strong and magnificent wife.”

Lorenz leaned in closer. Sensing what he was about to do, Lysithea closed the gap between them and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I love you, my dear.” She gasped out. “Let us grow old together.”

“Yes. Let’s.” Lorenz murmured back. “But let’s also take our time with it, shall we? We still have plenty of years ahead of us yet.”