#isle of light music fest

[andthenlightningstrikes]

[tristayranambrosio]

Day 1 for May DWC 2024 (HoT Fest)

The Tenacity Isle after four days of celebration and the endless cheers and music, art, and storytelling was at last silent. The wee hours of the night winked stary and dark over the grass and tiles of stage and field alike, catching twin moonlights from the disks above, casting the whole space in the comforting hues of blue-grey, and Lilac-white. I smiled at the thought, imagining how even with the Pair of Hosts having retired for much needed relaxation and rest, they still seemed to suffuse their space with the presence of their Music, their movement, their charisma and their selfless support and love… Like true muses. I wondered if they realized that they had the unprecedented ability to inspire art with a simple nod or smile of encouragement to those like me. I wondered if they knew that if it weren’t for their help and patience that so many less would even know they could reach for their potential and seize it… I wondered if the Hearts of Tenacity would ever truly know that they made the world so much richer for sharing it with the likes of me.

There was something bittersweet about the space being empty after being so full, bodies pressed together and moving as one with the lights flashing, smoke, mirrors, ropes, and any number of stage props and illusions all now spirited away leaving only the stage and floor in its marriage of geometric-cosmos offset by the overgrown infusion of the natural spill of grass and vines. It was like the two of them in the best way, every inch from shore to steep cliff peak… the Isle -was- Tal and Kon. It felt like home. I have one of those now, but had I not I could see myself escaping to this space because it was the sort of place I wished had born me… an excuse to claim I came from an island that carried every ounce of love and expression of two souls that could inspire art from nothing… I scaled the cliffs, caution be damned, because I wanted to look down at the space from its highest point… and it would mean my impulse would take root out of the way and not disrupt their stage. I’d waited for all attendees to leave, just to bask in the melancholy that followed the high of sharing the parts of my soul that were too intimate and raw for any other crowd… this audience understood. They always did. For that alone I owe the community they’ve fostered everything. When I finally pushed myself up to the peak… I was breathing raggedly and had to lay on my back to catch up. I placed a hand over my little star and gazed up at the night sky and decided it was probably good that I wasn’t a month further along… I wasn’t sure I could have made it up otherwise. When I rose I noticed the faintest hints of the night drawing closer to an end and begrudgingly accepted I had to head home, leave this strange pocket of reality where it was melodies that ran in my veins, and dance that powered my every movement… I swear to you the place was magical in all the ways I once dreamed a place could be. Like the very soil under my feet drank in our arts absorbing it and committing those emotions to its eternal memory. I scanned the cliff for the right space and smiled when I found it… a simple space that overlooked the stage from behind, a view that saw both the show… and the backstage where we drank the levels of caffeine and hangover cures to make it through to next evening’s rave or performance… where we all stored train conductor hats and so many fireworks we could be considered an explosives threat…  Perfect. I retrieved the pair of rosebuds I had brought and set to work, One a deep Navy and Blue Grey the other a Pale Lilac and white. When the first bloomed it would be with blue fire and comet trails, petals almost feathered and patterned with the plums of a show-man… the other it’s mate would bloom in constellations and patterns, and flow with the traces of arcane ley-lines between the starlight. I never managed to have one bloom without the other and that was as it should be. In my garden it took me almost half a year to get them to propagate, but here… their roots basically leapt from their stems to bury deep in the performance saturated and music rich soil. Like they belonged. I sang softly one more melody to the space this year and sure enough… they bloomed in full color, vines spilling down the overlook, dramatic and extra in all the ways the two I had grown them for were. “A million dreams for the world You’re gonna make” Once the roses bloomed I trusted that the two Muses in residence here would appreciate them… because I suspected that removing them would be harder than just ignoring them. The gift was not enough to show them how much they meant to me, after all, how could I show how much their approval and support meant… How could any of us? It was a start. And I left for home with the Tenacity Isle perfumed with Comet Trails, Feathers, Starlight, and Arcane bursts.

@daily-writing-challenge @konietzko-sylvoran @talthorn-sylvoran (Love you guys thanks for hosting this year as always!)

[brookston]

Holidays 6.20

Holidays

Bald Eagle Day (a.k.a. American Eagle Day)

Brownie 620 Day

Clean Air Day (EU)

Datsun 620 Day

Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Ossentian Genocide (South Ossetia)

Flag Day (Argentina)

Gas Sector Day (Azerbaijan)

Guru Rinpoche Day (Bhutan)

Hike with a Geek Day

International Asteroid Day

International Day of Nikkei

International Horseshoe Crab Day

International Nystagmus Awareness Day

International Tennis Day

Loch Ness Day

Martyrs’ Day (Eritrea)

Naked Hiking Day

National Celluma Light Therapy Day

National eGiving Day

National Goat Day

National Heroes’ Day (Bermuda)

National Hike with a Geek Day

National Jimmy Day

National Kissing Day (UK)

National Neuroscience Nurses Day (Canada)

National Public Display of Affection Day

National Seashell Day

National Surveillance Camera Day (UK)

National Yard Games Day

New Identity Day

Nystagmus Awareness Day (a.k.a. Wobbly Wednesday)

Oat Day (French Republic)

Oxford Charter Day

Ratha Yathra (a.k.a. Kang; Manipur, Odisha; India)

Sack of Baltimore (Ireland)

Sea Serpent Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts)

620 Day

Tall Girl Appreciation Day

Toad Hollow Day of Thank You

Vitamin Discovery Day

World Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Day

World Peace & Prayer Day

World Productivity Day

World Psychedelics Day

World Refugee Day (UN)

World Wi-Fi Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Drink Chenin Blanc Day

Dunkin Iced Coffee Day

Flitch of Bacon Day (UK)

Ice Cream Soda Day

National Kouign Amann Day

Plain Yogurt Day

Vanilla Milkshake Day

Vinegar Day

Independence & Related Days

Aedeland (a.k.a. Republic of Aedeland, Declared, 943) [unrecognized]

Nixland (Declared, 2014) [unrecognized]

West Virginia Statehood Day (#35; 1863)

3rd Thursday in June

Dump the Pump Day [3rd Thursday]

International Knock Knock Day [3rd Thursday]

Recess At Work Day [3rd Thursday]

Social Mobility Awareness Day (UK) [3rd Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

World Kidney Cancer Day [3rd Thursday]

World Tapas Day [3rd Thursday]

Weekly Holidays beginning June 20 (3rd Full Week)

World Refugee Week (Australia) [week including 6.20]

Festivals Beginning June 20, 2024

Barefoot Country Music Festival (Wildwood, New Jersey) [thru 6.23]

Bartender Spirits Awards (San Francisco, California)

Belgrade Beer Fest (Belgrade, Serbia) [thru 6.23]

CiderFeast East Coast Tour (Haverhill, Massachusetts)

Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) [thru 6.23]

Cranberry Blossom Festival (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) [thru 6.23]

Encounters South African International Documentary Festival (Cape Town, South Africa) [thru 6.30]

Farmington Dew Days (Farmington, Minnesota) [thru 6.23]

Haubstadt Sommerfest (Haubstadt, Indiana) [thru 6.22]

Herb Society of America Educational Conference (Malvern, Pennsylvania) [thru 6.21]

International Diaghilev Festival (Perm, Russia) [thru 6.29]

Isle of Wight Festival (Newport, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom) [thru 6.23]

JazzAscona [Ascona Jazz Festival] (Ascona, Switzerland) [thru 6.29]

London Strawberry Festival (London, Ohio) [thru 6.22]

National Arts Festival (Grahamstown, South Africa) [thru 6.30]

Pittston Fair (Pittston, Maine) [thru 6.23]

Placer County Fair (Roseville, California) [thru 6.23]

Quahog Day (Cataumet, Massachusetts)

Sommeliers Choice Awards (Chicago, Illinois)

Stilldream Festival (Wilseyville, California) [thru 6.24]

Summerfest (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) [thru 7.6]

Taste of Tippecanoe (Lafayette, Indiana)

Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Telluride, Colorado) [thru 6.23]

Feast Days

Adalbert of Magdeburg (Christian; Saint)

Bain, Bishop of Terouanne (a.k.a. Bagnus; Christian; Saint)

Carista (Day of Peace in the Family; Pagan)

Day of Cerridwen (Welsh Goddess of Barley)

Day of the Purification of All Things (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of the Irish Martyrs

Festival of Saint Joan begins (Spain)

Festival of Summanus (Ancient Roman god of the night sky & nocturnal thunder)

Festival of the New Knee (Shamanism)

Florentina (Christian; Saint)

Georges Dufrénoy (Artology)

Gobain (Christian; Martyr)

Idaberga (a.k.a. Edburge) of Merica (Christian; Saint)

Iron Skegge’s Day (Vikings)

Jacques Saly (Artology)

John of Matera (Christian; Saint)

Josephine Winslow Johnson (Writerism)

Joseph Smith Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Kubik (Muppetism)

Kurt Schwitters (Artology)

Magdalena Abakanowicz (Artology)

Margareta Ebner (Christian; Blessed)

Methodius of Olympus (Christian; Saint)

Michelina of Pesaro (Christian; Saint)

Omer (Christian; Saint)

Otho the Great (Positivist; Saint)

Paul Muldoon (Writerism)

Scira (a.k.a. Skirophoria; Festival for Demeter; Ancient Greece)

Silverius, Pope (Christian; Martyr)

Solstice [1st Day of Summer in Northern Hemisphere] (a.k.a. ... 

Acophony (G’BroagFran of Anti-Music; Church of the SubGenius)

Alban Hefin (a.k.a. Litha or Midsummer; Celtic, Pagan) [4 of 8 Festivals of the Natural Year]

Aimless Wandering Day

Anne and Samantha Day

Aymara New Year (Año Nuevo Aymara; Bolivia)

Cuckoo Warning Day (it will be a wet summer if the cuckoo is heard today)

Daylight Appreciation Day

Day of Private Reflection

Day of the Martyrs (Togo)

Feast of the Great Spirit (Native American)

Fête de la Musique

Finally Summer Day/Finally Winter Day

Hump Day (Tasmania)

Indigenous New Year (We Tripantu; Año Nuevo Indígena; Chile)

International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice

Into Raymi (Incan Sun God Festival; Sacsayhuamán Andes Mountain Natives)

Jaanipäev (Estonia)

Jāņi (Latvia)

Juhannus Day (Finland)

Kupala (fertility rite)

Kupala Night (Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Russia)

Litha (Wiccan/Pagan; northern hemisphere)

Midnight Sun Festival (Nome, Alaska)

Midsomarsblog (Norse celebration of fishing, trading & raiding)

Midsummer

Midsummer Baal (Celtic)

National Celluma Light Therapy Day

National Daylight Appreciation Day

National Day of Greenland

National Energy Shopping Day

Polar Bear Swim (Nome, Alaska)

Saint Jonas' Festival (Lithuania)

Solsticio de Invierno (Bolivia)

Sommar Börjar (Sweden)

Summer Saucestice (Pastafarian)

Tall Girl Appreciation Day

Tiregān (Iran)

Wadjet (Ancient Egypt)

We Tripantu (winter solstice festival in the southern hemisphere; Chile)

Wianki (Poland)

Willkakuti (Andean-Amazonic New Year; Aymara)

World Humanist Day

World Peace and Prayer Day

Yule (Wiccan/Pagan; southern hemisphere)

Takekiri Eshiki Matsuri (Bamboo Cutting Festival; Japan)

Watching the Ferns Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

World Juggling Day (Pastafarian)

Islamic Lunar Holidays

Eid al-Adha, Day 5 [Muslim Feast of Sacrifice] (a.k.a. ... 

Al Adha (Egypt)

Eid al Adha (Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Yemen)

Eid ul-Ad’haa (Maldives)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Yellow Day [Happiest day of the year.]

Premieres

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Film; 2012)

The Palm-Wine Drinkard, by Amos Tutuola (Novel; 1952)

Batman & Robin (Film; 1997)

Blonde on Blonde, by Bob Dylan (Album; 1966)

The Blue Lagoon (Film; 1980)

The Blues Brothers (Film & Soundtrack Album; 1980)

The Blue Train (Le Train Bleu), by Darius Milhaud (Ballet; 1924)

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London (Novel; 1902)

Carry On Camping (Film; 1969)

Chinatown (Film; 1974)

Clown of the Jungle (Disney Cartoon; 1947)

Count on the Saint, by Graham Weaver (Short Stories; 1980) [Saint #49]

Dangerously in Love, by Beyoncé (Album; 2003)

Don’t Be Cruel, by Bobby Brown (Album; 1988)

Double Vision, by Foreigner (Album; 1978)

Extinct Pink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1969)

Fastest Tongue in the West (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

Father’s Week-End (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Friend or Phony (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1952)

Get Smart (Film; 2008)

Happy Scouts (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1938)

Hare Trimmed (WB MM Cartoon; 1953)

Heart Break, by New Edition (Album; 1988)

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, by Michael Jackson (Album; 1995)

Hulk (Film; 2003)

Independence Day: Resurgence (Film; 2016)

Jaws (Film; 1975)

The Last of the Just, by Andre Schwarz-Bart (Novel; 1961)

A Leap in the Deep (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1605)

Mickey’s Rival (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

Moving Day (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

My Best Friend’s Wedding (Film; 1997)

The Nifty Nineties (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Nurse-Mates (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1940)

One, by George Jones and Tammy Wynette (Album; 1995)

Picnic Panic (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1946)

The Reluctant Dragon (Disney Animated Film; 1941)

Rippling Romance (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1945)

Rommel, The Desert Fox, by Desmond Young (Biography; 1951)

Shanghaied Shipmates (WB LT Cartoon; 1936)

Superman: Brainiac Attacks (WB Animated Film; 2006)

Teenage Idol, recorded by Rick Nelson (Song; 1962)

Them, by Joyce Carol Oates (Novel; 1969)

To Hell and Back, by Audie Murphy (Memoir; 1949)

Tonight’s the Night, by Neil Young (Album; 1975)

A Touch of Class (Film; 1973)

The Trooper, by Iron Maiden (Song; 1983)

Unsafe at Any Speed, by Ralph Nader (Book; 1966)

Very Good, Jeeves! P.G. Wodehouse (Short Stories; 1930) [Jeeves #4]

Wee-Willie Wildcat, featuring Barney bear (MGM Cartoon; 1953)

A Wet Knight (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1932)

Yellowstone (TV Series; 2018)

Yesterday and Today (a.k.a. The Butcher Cover), by The Beatles (Album; 1966)

Today’s Name Days

Adalbert, Florentina (Austria)

Margareta, Naum (Croatia)

Květa (Czech Republic)

Sylverius (Denmark)

Kaari, Karlotte, Karola, Karoliine, Karolin, Lota (Estonia)

Into (Finland)

Silvère (France)

Adalbert, Florentina, Margot (Germany)

Methodios (Greece)

Rafael (Hungary)

Ettore, Silverio (Italy)

Imula, Maira, Rasa, Rasma (Latvia)

Silverijus, Žadvainas, Žintautė (Lithuania)

Salve, Sølve, Sølvi (Norway)

Bogna, Bogumiła, Bożena, Florentyna, Franciszek, Michał, Rafaela, Rafał, Sylwery (Poland)

Metodie (România)

Maria, Valeria (Russia)

Valéria (Slovakia)

Florentina, Silverio (Spain)

Flora, Linda (Sweden)

Earl, Earline, Errol, Fatima, Ofelia, Omar, Omarion, Ophelia (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 172 of 2024; 194 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 25 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 12 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 15 (Yi-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 14 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 13 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 22 Blue; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 7 June 2024

Moon: 97%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 3 Charlemagne (7th Month) [Otho the Great]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 1 of 94)

Week: 3rd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 31 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Summer [Season 3 of 4; thru 9.22]

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.20

Holidays

Bald Eagle Day (a.k.a. American Eagle Day)

Brownie 620 Day

Clean Air Day (EU)

Datsun 620 Day

Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Ossentian Genocide (South Ossetia)

Flag Day (Argentina)

Gas Sector Day (Azerbaijan)

Guru Rinpoche Day (Bhutan)

Hike with a Geek Day

International Asteroid Day

International Day of Nikkei

International Horseshoe Crab Day

International Nystagmus Awareness Day

International Tennis Day

Loch Ness Day

Martyrs’ Day (Eritrea)

Naked Hiking Day

National Celluma Light Therapy Day

National eGiving Day

National Goat Day

National Heroes’ Day (Bermuda)

National Hike with a Geek Day

National Jimmy Day

National Kissing Day (UK)

National Neuroscience Nurses Day (Canada)

National Public Display of Affection Day

National Seashell Day

National Surveillance Camera Day (UK)

National Yard Games Day

New Identity Day

Nystagmus Awareness Day (a.k.a. Wobbly Wednesday)

Oat Day (French Republic)

Oxford Charter Day

Ratha Yathra (a.k.a. Kang; Manipur, Odisha; India)

Sack of Baltimore (Ireland)

Sea Serpent Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts)

620 Day

Tall Girl Appreciation Day

Toad Hollow Day of Thank You

Vitamin Discovery Day

World Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Day

World Peace & Prayer Day

World Productivity Day

World Psychedelics Day

World Refugee Day (UN)

World Wi-Fi Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Drink Chenin Blanc Day

Dunkin Iced Coffee Day

Flitch of Bacon Day (UK)

Ice Cream Soda Day

National Kouign Amann Day

Plain Yogurt Day

Vanilla Milkshake Day

Vinegar Day

Independence & Related Days

Aedeland (a.k.a. Republic of Aedeland, Declared, 943) [unrecognized]

Nixland (Declared, 2014) [unrecognized]

West Virginia Statehood Day (#35; 1863)

3rd Thursday in June

Dump the Pump Day [3rd Thursday]

International Knock Knock Day [3rd Thursday]

Recess At Work Day [3rd Thursday]

Social Mobility Awareness Day (UK) [3rd Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

World Kidney Cancer Day [3rd Thursday]

World Tapas Day [3rd Thursday]

Weekly Holidays beginning June 20 (3rd Full Week)

World Refugee Week (Australia) [week including 6.20]

Festivals Beginning June 20, 2024

Barefoot Country Music Festival (Wildwood, New Jersey) [thru 6.23]

Bartender Spirits Awards (San Francisco, California)

Belgrade Beer Fest (Belgrade, Serbia) [thru 6.23]

CiderFeast East Coast Tour (Haverhill, Massachusetts)

Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) [thru 6.23]

Cranberry Blossom Festival (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) [thru 6.23]

Encounters South African International Documentary Festival (Cape Town, South Africa) [thru 6.30]

Farmington Dew Days (Farmington, Minnesota) [thru 6.23]

Haubstadt Sommerfest (Haubstadt, Indiana) [thru 6.22]

Herb Society of America Educational Conference (Malvern, Pennsylvania) [thru 6.21]

International Diaghilev Festival (Perm, Russia) [thru 6.29]

Isle of Wight Festival (Newport, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom) [thru 6.23]

JazzAscona [Ascona Jazz Festival] (Ascona, Switzerland) [thru 6.29]

London Strawberry Festival (London, Ohio) [thru 6.22]

National Arts Festival (Grahamstown, South Africa) [thru 6.30]

Pittston Fair (Pittston, Maine) [thru 6.23]

Placer County Fair (Roseville, California) [thru 6.23]

Quahog Day (Cataumet, Massachusetts)

Sommeliers Choice Awards (Chicago, Illinois)

Stilldream Festival (Wilseyville, California) [thru 6.24]

Summerfest (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) [thru 7.6]

Taste of Tippecanoe (Lafayette, Indiana)

Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Telluride, Colorado) [thru 6.23]

Feast Days

Adalbert of Magdeburg (Christian; Saint)

Bain, Bishop of Terouanne (a.k.a. Bagnus; Christian; Saint)

Carista (Day of Peace in the Family; Pagan)

Day of Cerridwen (Welsh Goddess of Barley)

Day of the Purification of All Things (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of the Irish Martyrs

Festival of Saint Joan begins (Spain)

Festival of Summanus (Ancient Roman god of the night sky & nocturnal thunder)

Festival of the New Knee (Shamanism)

Florentina (Christian; Saint)

Georges Dufrénoy (Artology)

Gobain (Christian; Martyr)

Idaberga (a.k.a. Edburge) of Merica (Christian; Saint)

Iron Skegge’s Day (Vikings)

Jacques Saly (Artology)

John of Matera (Christian; Saint)

Josephine Winslow Johnson (Writerism)

Joseph Smith Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Kubik (Muppetism)

Kurt Schwitters (Artology)

Magdalena Abakanowicz (Artology)

Margareta Ebner (Christian; Blessed)

Methodius of Olympus (Christian; Saint)

Michelina of Pesaro (Christian; Saint)

Omer (Christian; Saint)

Otho the Great (Positivist; Saint)

Paul Muldoon (Writerism)

Scira (a.k.a. Skirophoria; Festival for Demeter; Ancient Greece)

Silverius, Pope (Christian; Martyr)

Solstice [1st Day of Summer in Northern Hemisphere] (a.k.a. ... 

Acophony (G’BroagFran of Anti-Music; Church of the SubGenius)

Alban Hefin (a.k.a. Litha or Midsummer; Celtic, Pagan) [4 of 8 Festivals of the Natural Year]

Aimless Wandering Day

Anne and Samantha Day

Aymara New Year (Año Nuevo Aymara; Bolivia)

Cuckoo Warning Day (it will be a wet summer if the cuckoo is heard today)

Daylight Appreciation Day

Day of Private Reflection

Day of the Martyrs (Togo)

Feast of the Great Spirit (Native American)

Fête de la Musique

Finally Summer Day/Finally Winter Day

Hump Day (Tasmania)

Indigenous New Year (We Tripantu; Año Nuevo Indígena; Chile)

International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice

Into Raymi (Incan Sun God Festival; Sacsayhuamán Andes Mountain Natives)

Jaanipäev (Estonia)

Jāņi (Latvia)

Juhannus Day (Finland)

Kupala (fertility rite)

Kupala Night (Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Russia)

Litha (Wiccan/Pagan; northern hemisphere)

Midnight Sun Festival (Nome, Alaska)

Midsomarsblog (Norse celebration of fishing, trading & raiding)

Midsummer

Midsummer Baal (Celtic)

National Celluma Light Therapy Day

National Daylight Appreciation Day

National Day of Greenland

National Energy Shopping Day

Polar Bear Swim (Nome, Alaska)

Saint Jonas' Festival (Lithuania)

Solsticio de Invierno (Bolivia)

Sommar Börjar (Sweden)

Summer Saucestice (Pastafarian)

Tall Girl Appreciation Day

Tiregān (Iran)

Wadjet (Ancient Egypt)

We Tripantu (winter solstice festival in the southern hemisphere; Chile)

Wianki (Poland)

Willkakuti (Andean-Amazonic New Year; Aymara)

World Humanist Day

World Peace and Prayer Day

Yule (Wiccan/Pagan; southern hemisphere)

Takekiri Eshiki Matsuri (Bamboo Cutting Festival; Japan)

Watching the Ferns Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

World Juggling Day (Pastafarian)

Islamic Lunar Holidays

Eid al-Adha, Day 5 [Muslim Feast of Sacrifice] (a.k.a. ... 

Al Adha (Egypt)

Eid al Adha (Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Yemen)

Eid ul-Ad’haa (Maldives)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Yellow Day [Happiest day of the year.]

Premieres

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Film; 2012)

The Palm-Wine Drinkard, by Amos Tutuola (Novel; 1952)

Batman & Robin (Film; 1997)

Blonde on Blonde, by Bob Dylan (Album; 1966)

The Blue Lagoon (Film; 1980)

The Blues Brothers (Film & Soundtrack Album; 1980)

The Blue Train (Le Train Bleu), by Darius Milhaud (Ballet; 1924)

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London (Novel; 1902)

Carry On Camping (Film; 1969)

Chinatown (Film; 1974)

Clown of the Jungle (Disney Cartoon; 1947)

Count on the Saint, by Graham Weaver (Short Stories; 1980) [Saint #49]

Dangerously in Love, by Beyoncé (Album; 2003)

Don’t Be Cruel, by Bobby Brown (Album; 1988)

Double Vision, by Foreigner (Album; 1978)

Extinct Pink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1969)

Fastest Tongue in the West (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

Father’s Week-End (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Friend or Phony (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1952)

Get Smart (Film; 2008)

Happy Scouts (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1938)

Hare Trimmed (WB MM Cartoon; 1953)

Heart Break, by New Edition (Album; 1988)

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, by Michael Jackson (Album; 1995)

Hulk (Film; 2003)

Independence Day: Resurgence (Film; 2016)

Jaws (Film; 1975)

The Last of the Just, by Andre Schwarz-Bart (Novel; 1961)

A Leap in the Deep (Tijuana Toads Cartoon; 1971)

The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1605)

Mickey’s Rival (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

Moving Day (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

My Best Friend’s Wedding (Film; 1997)

The Nifty Nineties (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

Nurse-Mates (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1940)

One, by George Jones and Tammy Wynette (Album; 1995)

Picnic Panic (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1946)

The Reluctant Dragon (Disney Animated Film; 1941)

Rippling Romance (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1945)

Rommel, The Desert Fox, by Desmond Young (Biography; 1951)

Shanghaied Shipmates (WB LT Cartoon; 1936)

Superman: Brainiac Attacks (WB Animated Film; 2006)

Teenage Idol, recorded by Rick Nelson (Song; 1962)

Them, by Joyce Carol Oates (Novel; 1969)

To Hell and Back, by Audie Murphy (Memoir; 1949)

Tonight’s the Night, by Neil Young (Album; 1975)

A Touch of Class (Film; 1973)

The Trooper, by Iron Maiden (Song; 1983)

Unsafe at Any Speed, by Ralph Nader (Book; 1966)

Very Good, Jeeves! P.G. Wodehouse (Short Stories; 1930) [Jeeves #4]

Wee-Willie Wildcat, featuring Barney bear (MGM Cartoon; 1953)

A Wet Knight (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1932)

Yellowstone (TV Series; 2018)

Yesterday and Today (a.k.a. The Butcher Cover), by The Beatles (Album; 1966)

Today’s Name Days

Adalbert, Florentina (Austria)

Margareta, Naum (Croatia)

Květa (Czech Republic)

Sylverius (Denmark)

Kaari, Karlotte, Karola, Karoliine, Karolin, Lota (Estonia)

Into (Finland)

Silvère (France)

Adalbert, Florentina, Margot (Germany)

Methodios (Greece)

Rafael (Hungary)

Ettore, Silverio (Italy)

Imula, Maira, Rasa, Rasma (Latvia)

Silverijus, Žadvainas, Žintautė (Lithuania)

Salve, Sølve, Sølvi (Norway)

Bogna, Bogumiła, Bożena, Florentyna, Franciszek, Michał, Rafaela, Rafał, Sylwery (Poland)

Metodie (România)

Maria, Valeria (Russia)

Valéria (Slovakia)

Florentina, Silverio (Spain)

Flora, Linda (Sweden)

Earl, Earline, Errol, Fatima, Ofelia, Omar, Omarion, Ophelia (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 172 of 2024; 194 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 25 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 12 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Geng-Wu), Day 15 (Yi-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 14 Sivan 5784

Islamic: 13 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445

J Cal: 22 Blue; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 7 June 2024

Moon: 97%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 3 Charlemagne (7th Month) [Otho the Great]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 12 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 1 of 94)

Week: 3rd Full Week of June)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 31 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Summer [Season 3 of 4; thru 9.22]

[monthlychallenges4all]

Fest & Fire

Name/Link: Fest & Fire

Fandom: Harry Potter

Challenge(s): Ship; Garden; Set; SS

Ship & Team:  Lunar Lion (Luna Lovegood/Harry Potter)

List (Prompt): FaMic2 (Candle); FaMed1 (Courting/Wooing; Admiring the View); FaBig (Feast); SuBig (Bonfire) || Daphne Special (Eye Shadow)

Space Address (Prompt): Ship [2D] (Public Declaration)

Word Count: 489

Warning(s): Firework

“Oh, moon and stars,” Luna moaned around the bite of falafel that xe had just taken. “This tastes so good!”

It was a good thing that Harini was so good at translating Dudley when he talked with his mouth full because otherwise there was no way she would have understood that declaration. Not that Harini blamed Luna for xyr lack of manners. She had a small paper basket of her own samosa that she was eating with just as much relish as Luna was xyr basket. Street food was not this good back in England, not even at any of the pubs that other of their friends swore by.

Visiting the Punjab had been an inspired idea. Harini loved everything she had learned and experienced so far. She had been a bit wary about Luna choosing the location for xyr birthday trip just because of the fact that Harini was going to be xyr travel companion and it was her first trip out of the Isles, but Luna seemed to be enjoying xemself just as much as Harini was, if not more. Not to mention that Luna’s forthright and direct manner had proven helpful as xe did not have any problem with bluntly asking for clarification and elucidation on things where Harini still had an instinctive urge to duck a blow from Aunt Petunia’s frying pan for considering asking questions.

Coming in late October and staying into November as they had meant they were there for Diwali, the festival of lights. That meant there was a festive mood over the entire city. Everywhere they went, there was music and dancing. Luna managed to convince a trio of old women to teach them how to make rangoli in the park’s pavilion.

Now they were farther into the park, where there was a series of food vendors and craft stalls lining the wide sidewalk. After finishing their food, they threw out their trash and continued down the path. At the end of the avenue they were on, the sidewalk widened to a wide plaza. The town they were in had organized a carnival with several rides and boardwalk game stalls. Dotted among them were even more artisans and craftspeople selling their goods.

“Do you think Teddy will like this?” Harini asked after examining a stuffed octopus knitted with crimson yarn shot through with strands of gold. It was beautiful and very soft. Even if her godchild was too young to really appreciate it now, she thought that Remus would probably appreciate the gift. Dora might make jokes about indoctrinating the baby early, but Harini didn’t see anything in Hufflepuff colors to balance things.

“I think Teddy will love it,” Luna agreed. Xe grinned before reaching into a basket on the craft table and presenting a rattle made from a pale yellow wood with swirls of black on it.

“Perfect,” Harini said before buy both souvenirs for Teddy from the knitting booth-runner.

[ccsambassadors]

2018-19 Student Ambassador Profile

Name: Allison (Allie) Runyan

Senior: Fine Arts/ Art Education

Why CCS?

I chose CCS because of the environment. First of all I like that the

campus is in the heart of Midtown, Detroit. It is a great place for the

uprise in Detroit and I find it easy for aspiring artists to get involved

with the art community. I also personally enjoy the tight-knit

community that CCS has to offer. The school is small and therefore it

makes it really easy to get to know everyone around and make a lot of

connections. Because the school is on the smaller size, the class sizes

are also rather small, making the one on one access from teacher to

student easily accessible. Lastly the facilities are intriguing. In fine Art

especially, we have access to printmaking facilities that are not

common for most schools. We also have our own senior and junior

studio spaces that are granted specifically to us, another aspect that is

not generally received at most colleges.

Why Tours?

When I first was deciding to come to CCS, I went on a personal tour

myself. The student tour guide was very inspiring and exciting and

overall was a large reason that made me seriously consider the

school. She had helped me feel comfortable and welcome here at the

school and that is my goal when giving tours to prospective students.

I am a very involved student in many aspects of the school and I love

to talk, so my goal is to spread my energy to others that I encounter

during my time here.

What drives you to create?

Creating to me is just part of my everyday life. It is in what I do on a

day to day basis. From writing, to making music to making physical 2d

and 3d works, it is all around me. Other than being a way of

expression, creating is a way to speak in various forms. It is a way to

invoke change and ideals in yourself and the viewer. Creating enforces

an intimate connection between yourself and the physical work and

then again the work to the viewer and that relationship alone is

enough to make me want to create something new and challenge the

ideals of what a relationship can do.

Favorite thing about Campus?

Fine Art Junior and Senior Studios. Large spaces for us to work 24 hours. Great studio spaces with plenty of access of materials and machinery. Real life studio space experience. Other that that my favorite thing about the campus other than the facilities for our

use is the golden hour in the oval. On the Ford Campus there is a grass

oval that is filled with sculptures. When it is nice outside there are

always tons of people playing games, laying in hammocks, relaxing,

picnicking and so on. It is like a large community in a garden. But the

best part is at the golden hour. When the sun start to set everything

in that area falls under the gold shine created from the sun hitting the

buildings around us and it is one of the most beautiful things I have

ever seen. You can be stressed out but as soon as you see that golden

shine, almost everything stops for a moment and it almost feels like a

surreal moment.

Favorite thing about going to school here?

Small classes, better connections with professors. Treat us like artists in a profession rather than a student. Networking opportunities.  Detroit is a great scene for up and coming artists.

Must-sees in Detroit:

This is a hard one because Detroit is amazing and there are tons of

things to do here. But to name a few;

EVENTS: Noel Night, Dally in the Alley, Campus Martius Tree Lighting Ceremony,

Dlectricity, Eastern Market After Dark, Murals in the Market, Jazz Fest

PLACES TO GO: Baker’s Keyboard Lounge (Jazz Bar), DIA, Detroit Public

Library, Eastern Market (especially saturday mornings), Red Bull

House of Art, MOCAD, Detroit Artist Market, The Magic Stick (for

concert events and glow bowling), Detroit Symphony Orchestra, The

Little Caesars Arena (Hockey and basketball), Commerica Park

(baseball), Russell Industrial Center (CAVE openings), The Peacock

Room, Frida, Simone DeSusa Gallery, Belle Isle (beach and nature

reserve), Hamtramck Disney Land, The Jar House and the Power

House (in Hamtramck).

PLACES TO EAT: Ally Taco, Detroit Pizza Company, Common Pub, Hop

Cat, Stach International, Supino Pizzeria, Treat Dreams, Socratea,

Great Lakes Coffee, Seva, Cass Cafe, Jonny Noodle King, Kuzzos

Chicken & Waffles, Rose’s Fine Food, Detroit Vegan Soul, Avalon

International Breads, The Farmers Hand, Mudgie’s, Green Dot

Stables, Taqueria El Rey, The Bronx Bar.

ART GALLERIES: (openings every weekend) CAVE at the Russell, Simone Desusa Gallery, Public Pool, Holding House, Pops Packing, MOCAD, Detroit Artist Market, N’Namdi Gallery, Hidden Gate Gallery, DIA, Detroit Film Theatre 

[felixvictorinodonfelix]

“Isle Of Light Music Fest” el festival que combina música, luces y buena vibra

“Isle Of Light Music Fest” el festival que combina música, luces y buena vibra

Este próximo sábado 12 de marzo regresará al Faro de Punta Torrecilla, en Sansoucí, el “Isle of Lights Fest” (Festival Isla de Luces), un evento lleno de luces, arte, gastronomía que combina y la buena vibra de quienes sean parte de esta fiesta. La cartelera la componen 18 artistas, tanto locales como internacionales, pertenecientes a distintos géneros que van desde música electrónica y…

[floradevereaux]

Shoveling Feelings || Dani/Flora

Who: Dani & Flora When: August 8th-9th, 2018 Where: Convenience Store/Flora’s Home Summary: Flora and Dani run into each other at a convenience store, grabbing snacks for a late night snack fest. They decided to enjoy a night of Food, Music, and accidental feels. Warnings: A lot of triggering things mentioned in this para; Mentions of Domestic Abuse, abuse, religion, drugs, alcohol, depression, food.

Flora was mentally exhausted after those questions, she thought it would be better to get them out- she was wrong. She felt so much worse and she didn’t know how to shake the feelings she was currently in the middle of. Closing the Tumblr tab, she walked over to the freezer and opened it, “Great,” she was out of ice cream,” Sighing she walked to her snack cabinet and found it was also bare. “Double damn,” She debated on just sleeping but decided against it, her brain wouldn’t shut off even if she wanted it to. “Okay, store it is.” It took her about fifteen minutes to find her keys, they were hidden under the mail. Locking up, she got into the car and drove off to the closest 24hr mart.

Dani was seriously turning into a full blown insomniac. While normally sleeping on a couch was preferred, the damage it was doing to her body when she managed to sleep made it almost worth the nightmares that came with sleeping in a bed. However, this particular night was restless, no matter where she tried to sleep. If she’d been in New York she would have found a bar. However, in Lima, this was probably not in her favor, mostly because she wasn’t even sure where one was, nor how she’d get back. Grabbing her pocket knife from where it was buried in her suitcase, she slipped on her boots and a hoodie. Even with the heat it made her feel more comfortable about the fact she was about to walk to a store in the middle of the night for no other reason than to get away from her own head.

Arriving at the nearest 24hr mart she stuffed the knife deep in her pocket and flipped the hood down on her hoodie, running a hand through her hair. She wasn’t sure what her plans were but she needed something that would take the edge off, whether it was sweets or alcohol or cheese, it didn’t entirely matter anyone. Singing quietly to herself, the only real way she was staying sane, running lines of the song she’d been writing on repeat trying to get them to flow the right way, she made her way down an aisle, eyes scanning the shelves blankly.

Flora pulled into the parking lot of the mart, getting as close to the door as she could. Not many people were here this late but the usual, a few night shift guys and the assorted customers that also worked nights from the superstore across the street. The guy behind the counter smiled when Flora walked in, giving her a wave. “Hi, Pete,” She made her way to her usual isle, grabbing her favorite cookies, snacks, and plopped them in the little arm basket. “Hello, double chocolate fudge-” She needed an extra rich experience and that meant chocolate on chocolate. She made her way around the store, seeing if she needed anything else.  She was half paying attention when she bumped right into a person, “I’m sorry, I was- Dani?”

Dani had managed to grab very little of anything, instead using it as an opportunity to think than actually consider getting anything. She had grabbed some cookies, or more like three different kinds, and a box of Swiss Rolls. So, chocolate was the name of the game, apparently, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. She had headed into the cracker aisle cause she seriously wanted Goldfish and maybe she’d pick up saltines to go with peanut butter. At some point she’d managed to zone out that even she didn’t see the woman that bumped into her. Instinctively, her hand reached into her pocket, blinking a few times when she heard her own name. Looking at the woman she tilted her head. “Flora?” Flora couldn’t believe it, Dani was here and in Lima- what were the odds? She let a smile break on her face and tilted her head with Dani before straightening her neck out. She put her basket down and looked to her right, grabbing a box of Cheese-itz and smiled. “And the very last box of pepperjack, lucky me.” She dropped it into the basket. “So this is where you were dragged off too.” It was good to see Dani in person, so far they had only interacted over the internet. “Another sleepless night by the look of your haul?”

Dani shook her head, laughing a bit at Flora’s response to the box of Cheese-Itz. “See, I like the white cheddar ones.” She commented, actually grabbing a box, she might as well. When looking to eat your feelings it was best to have a variety. “Yeah, something like that. When your best friend is scared you won’t stay safe if left alone, you get brought places.” Dani tried to joke, but it was half hearted and almost sad. “Yeah, something like that. You too?”

Flora nodded, “White cheddar are my second favorite,” Flora knew about having friends that worried, she was glad Dani had someone to care about her. “I have a few friends like that, they practically drag me out of the house. And yes, my brain is on full steam ahead. Two cats just rootin’ around in my head and causing chaos.” She took a breath and decided anymore time spent in this aisle she might buy more. “Didn’t see many cars out there, did you walk here?”

Dani laughed at Flora’s comparison. “I feel that. The hamster that runs my brain has taken off and hired a cat that only runs if someone isn’t paying attention to it. Which is horrible when you want to get things done. Like sleep.” She sighed a bit. “Yeah. We flew in from New York so I’m kinda without car access. The walk does me good, usually, so it’s not like I mind, but it ain’t the best thing to be doin in an unfamiliar town.” Dani knew it was dangerous. She knew it was probably on the list of stupidest things she’d ever done and she’d gotten on a roof while drunk, holding fireworks. Part of her blamed the depression, her lack of care for her own state of being. The rest of her didn’t care.

Flora nodded at Dani’s own comparison and chuckled, “Well it is certainly not safe for you to be walking around here at night. I live close by, why don’t you come over and we can have a feast? You can even crash there if you’d like, if not I can give you a ride back to your friends place?” She did not like the idea of Dani walking back the dimly lit streets, or sometimes not lit streets of Lima. Bars would be letting out soon and that is when all the crazies would be on the road. “I got a guest room and everything, get yourself a comfy bed for the night?” She shrugged.

Dani smiled a bit a Flora. “That’s what the knife in my pocket is for and I certainly know how to use it, but I’d rather not and walkin back with my hands full…” She sighed a bit, not sure what her answer actually was. It’d been a long time since she’d actually slept in a bed, properly. Even months before she left Mississippi for good she’d slept on the couch in her own home, not wanting to be plagued by the memory of Angela on her and next to her. Shaking her head a bit, she realized she’d almost ended up in a darker place than she already was. “That would be nice, get away for a bit, have some company that gets where my brain gets off too. Maybe run this song runnin my head with you.” She nodded a bit.

Flora could see that Dani’s brain was running, she let her process and was glad when Dani didn’t need to be pulled back out. “Great, come on,” She grabbed her basket and led them both up to the counter. “Give me two number seven’s tonight, Pete, I’m feeling lucky.” The kid laughed and grabbed the scratch tickets and place them on the counter. While Pete rang up everything she scratched.

It was good she wouldn’t be alone tonight, she would only get lost in her own thoughts. It was way too late to call Iris or Nancy and Judy was still in New York with Quinn. “I won ten,” She grinned and nodded, “I think Dani is my good luck charm, first time I won since moving here.”

Dani smiled a bit and followed Flora to the front, laughing a bit as the woman made the comment about Dani being a good luck charm. It was weird, the idea of going home with this woman she barely knew but also knowing far more about her than one would think. “It’s that southern woman thing, we’re more powerful together.” She said with a wink as she set her small collection of things on the counter. Once she paid, she turned to Flora. “We ready?”

Flora chuckled and grabbed her bags, “I like the sound of that,” She headed for the door and nodded, “Let’s get out of here, have a good night Pete.” She held the door open for Dani before walking over to the backseat and opening it, putting the junk food on the floor. Getting into the driver seat she buckled up, “Safety first,” She wouldn’t be moving the car until all buckles were in place. She started the car to get the air going before opening a bottle of water she bought. Once Dani was buckled, she took off towards her house.

Pulling into the driveway, she smiled over at Dani. “Home sweet home,” It wasn’t a bad little house, it wasn’t fancy or anything like her home in Louisiana but it was just right for her. “I actually cleaned up a bit, so-” She unlocked the door and flicked on the light.

Dani nodded a bit, following Flora out after bidding the young man a good night. She got in the car and smiled a bit. It’d been so long since she’d heard someone tell er to buckle up. It was such a mother thing, wasn’t it? That level of care. She buckled up, leaning her head against the window, watching the world pass by.

When they arrived, Dani couldn’t help but smile. Looking up at the house she nodded a bit. It reminded her of the house she’d rented in Mississippi. Simple and homey. She liked it. “I certainly feel special, then.” She laughed a little, fully sincere in her statement. Dani knew what it was like to not want to clean up. To not do anything. “Not that I’d mind a messy home, of course.”

Flora brought her things into the kitchen, making sure the ice cream got inside the freezer. “Well you would have loved it yesterday, especially before I picked up the cake wrappers all over the place.” She normally ate right out of the tub and she wondered if Dani did the same? She put the rest of her snacks out on the coffee table and went back into the kitchen to grab her ice cream. “Little shovel or big shovel?” She smirked and tapped the draw where the spoons were in.

Dani smiled, laughing a bit. “Can’t beat the time I’d been stress cooking and my kitchen and dining room looked like my flour canister exploded multiple times and I was finding flour everywhere for weeks. Almost worse than the time I made glitter packages to drop off for people I was angry at.” Both events had actually taken place in the same month and Dani was honestly surprised she wasn’t still finding glitter, though exploded flour was a lot more common. She followed Flora into the kitchen and grinned. “Why in the hell would anyone use a small one? Are we eating feelings or are we pretending to be ladies? Cause you can’t eat feelings in small doses. It don’t work.”

Flora couldn’t believe it, “How on earth did you manage to get flour everywhere? I mean that happened once to me but it was the dogs fault. Bruce got excited, knocked into me and the bowl of flour, egg, and butter went all over. Spooked him and he was running off like his butt was on fire.” She chuckled and grabbed two big spoons from the draw. She handed one off to Dani and took the container of ice cream to the couch. “Some days I use little spoons with big spoon sized bites- depends on if the dishes were done.” Flora opened the container and used the spoon to scrape the lid.

Dani laughed a bit but then sighed. “The reason I was stress cookin showed up, drunk off her ass. Twice.�� That’s when it had been bad. A long weekend, which wasn’t unusual for Angela to get trashed during, but Dani had been avoiding her. Phone turned off, music up, doing everything she could to ignore the world and the situation she’d gotten herself into. Cooking was easiest and there was reason to be doing so much, but maybe not as much reason as Dani had wanted. Angela had shown up that Friday evening, angry at Dani for one thing for another, like she always was by that point. That’s when the dining room met its match with the flour. Sunday would see the kitchen. Shaking her head, Dani accepted the spoon and followed Flora to the couch. She really hoped she could get out of her head, because it honestly was too dark a place to be at times. “Only acceptable reason to be eatin ones feelings with a small spoon.” Dani said as she pulled her feet up under her on the couch with her ice cream.

Flora wondered what exactly happened but she figure Dani didn’t want to relive it. No one wants to relive those dark times, she could relate. She turned to face Dani and dug into her ice cream, “Mmm, just what I needed.” She ate a few more bites, wondering what kind of conversations they should have? She didn’t want to be pushy, she didn’t want to force conversation. They were both in the same situation, yet two different people. Flora had been stuck in her situation for twenty-five years, she met Russell before she was even eighteen. They dated secretly but being good christians, nothing ever came out of it. They just took walks, got ice cream, shared stories- so many lies he told. “What kind did you get?” She snapped herself out it and smiled over at Dani.

Dani took a bite of her ice cream as she sat there, not really sure what was going to come of this night. The older woman knew her pain. They shared similar yet very different stories. The fact they were two southern women who’d ended up in abusive relationships was odd as it were. Them having found each other online and ended up in the same place? It just seemed like fate. Much like Abel moving into her old apartment. Or Drew somehow finding her tumblr and mentioning writing a song about their parents, if you wanted to call them such, while she actually was writing a song about their parents. “Tonight Dough. I needed the extra cookie dough over my usual Half-Baked. Yourself?”

Flora enjoyed cookie dough on every other given night but tonight she needed to drown her sorrows in a chocolate haze. “Chocolate ice cream, with chocolate swirls and brownie pieces. This is the heavy duty decadence I needed. The storm up here,” She pointed to her head and then pointed to her stomach. “And the storm brewing in here, I’m counting the years til menopause.” She took another bite of her ice cream, which would eventually turn into soup if she didn’t continue to devour it. Which she liked about half way, that way she could just drink it. “You know, I never ate a lot of sweets like this. Besides the home baked kind of sweets but I had those in moderation.” Her face fell slightly, “A proper lady always watches her figure.” and with annoyance she took another bite.

Dani nodded a bit as Flora spoke, emphasizing the motion by also shaking her spoon a bit. “Excellent choice. If chocolate, WD-40, or duct tape can’t fix it, hope and pray booze, music, or a home cooked meal can. After that… you probably need professional help of some kind.” She said with a half laugh and a shrug. At Flora’s statement, Dani rolled her eyes. “A lady doesn’t talk back Danielle, how are you ever going to find a husband with an attitude like that,” she mimicked her mother’s voice the best she could remember it, disgusted look on her face as she took another bite of ice cream. “Guess I was never meant to be a proper lady, now was I?” She laughed a bit.

Flora was told since she was a child just how a lady should be. It was easy for her to follow because it was all she ever knew, she never knew any other way. “Even as a child I was expected to act like a lady, it never bothered me- because I knew that was expected. My dad wanted me and my sister to be ladies but he wasn’t cruel about it. He let me and my sister run around the farm as kids, get our hands dirty if we wanted too. However, church was proper time and we had to be our best.” Flora loved her dad but he was just as old school as his dad, it seemed to continue. However, he loved his kids and didn’t raise his hand- not unless he had too. He never hit Flora or Rosie but he was rough with her brothers when they weren’t acting as men should. “I remember some of the parents from the church, they were hard on their kids. The slightest noise made or a single sign of boredom, they would get taken to the back and paddled. Those kids grew up to be assholes-” She clapped her hand over her mouth and sighed, “well seems you also bring out the cussin’ in me too- not just the luck.” She chuckled.

Dani nodded a bit as Flora spoke, that she understood, she’d just never been good at following rules. “I was expected to, but I rarely did. I was good at breakin rules, not followin them. Mother was the one you had to look out for, most of the time. Father was a strong hand when needed, but mother had a tongue on her. Said things a certain way, y’know? Guess it’s where Drew and I got it from.” Dani could remember the verbal lashings she’d gotten as a child. They were far more numerous than the physical ones, though those happened too. She’d been surprised when her parents put her into roller derby. It was a violent sport and far from wholesome sport. Drew was a football star, your all American guy, really. Then you had Dani. Perhaps by that point they’d simply give up trying to control her, she’d never actually know. A smirk crossed her face at Flora cussing. “I mean, you ain’t wrong, though. It wasn’t as common, but there were definitely those around. Just goes to show that it ain’t the best method of punishment.” She shrugged. “What kinda church you grow up in?”

Flora couldn’t imagine the emotional abuse that Dani suffered. What was worse, it came from the two people who were supposed to protect her. Parents should protect not destroy, “Must have been hard for you, having your parents talk to you that way?” She leaned against the couch, her spoon swirling the now chocolate soup in her container. “A Baptist church that was run out of a pastor's house, he might have been a fake for all my family knew. When the congregation grew, we moved with them out to Shreveport from New Orleans. They had rules, strict rules, every family needed to follow. My family eventually switches churches and I never asked why.”

Dani shrugged. “I mean, I gave it just as much as I got it. I’m still convinced Drew and I had all’a Houston convinced we actually hated each other. But, in a way I didn’t realize how bad it all was until Angela. When I’d let her say stuff to me and everyone looked at me like I shoulda been runnin for the hills.” It was true. While her and her brother had used it as a coping strategy, keep people from realizing how close they were, given their parents favor, as an adult, especially with Angela, she’d resorted back. To firing off at the mouth whenever it was done to her but never leaving. Never quite standing up for herself. It was a game. How far below the belt could you land a blow. Except with Angela the support in private never came, like it had with her older brother. No, in private was the physical. The punches, the sex, alcohol and drugs. “Y’know, I always wondered if there existed other churches people actually went to that weren’t Baptist in the south. Like, I’m sure they exist, I’ve seen ‘em, but almost every southerner I know was raised Baptist.” Dani shook her head a bit, chuckling.

Flora’s spoon was long forgotten at this point, she was just sipping out of the carton now. “Doesn’t mean it was right, you shouldn’t have to fight back like that. No against anyone,” She tapped Dani’s knee, much like she would do with her own kids. “This Angela certainly sounds like bad news to me, I’m glad you got away from her.” Just what she heard from Dani, she never wanted to meet this Angela person- she sounded worse than Russell. “Russell always acted so nice in front of others, putting up this fake persona. Everyone thought he was the perfect husband, loving, but quite the opposite. He always had a drink in his hand, no matter the time of day- unless we were at church. Soon as we got home, he would expect a drink and I would have no choice but to serve him.” She sighed and took another long drink from her chocolate soup ice cream. Flora smiled when Dani joked about everyone in the south being baptist, “It certainly seemed like the more popular option.”

Dani had somehow managed to eat a good 90% of the carton before it became too melted and had also taken to sipping it out of the container. “Nah, I know. I look back sometimes and wonder what my relationship with my older brother woulda been like if we hadn’t been so… I guess the word is antagonistic towards each other in public, but… it never feels right.” She shrugged a bit, her bottom lip getting caught between her teeth at the tap to her knee. It was odd. For the last seven years she’d been alone, no real parents to speak off, and even as a child she’d never had their favor. The way Flora was acting, it ached in the same way interacting with Abel’s parents did. Like she’d been missing something. “She certainly was. After Santana goin back to Brittany, I was lookin for somethin, I don’t know what, but I thought I’d found it in her. Thought I’d found the woman I’d marry, spend the rest of my life with. Glad I never got that far.” She sighed a bit, listening to Flora speak. “That’s the ‘good Christian man’ in him,” she said, using air quotes. “A stained glass masquerade, but the worst kind.” Dani finished off the carton and stuck the lid back on it. She settled a little further back on the couch, moving so her knees were up to her chest, arms resting on her knees. “I feel like it was the whole thing about separation, y’know? Like, I could remember I went to this church camp and it was on a college campus and there was a line down the middle of the road you couldn’t cross past a certain hour. There was no dancing. I mean… it was, I don’t even have words for it. ‘Cept that was also where I realized I was gay.”

Flora could relate about church and separation, because it was that way through most religions. “I know exactly what you mean, our church was that way. Everything was separate and if anyone was caught violating the rules they were disciplined. The pastor was very strict about it and the more I think about it, the more I remember of how much of a creep he was. I’m really glad that my parents switched churches,” She wondered what would have happened if her parents didn’t switch churches? What would he life be like now, would she have found Russell? Probably not, she would probably married to one of the church boys from the congregation. “Good thing my family found a much better church, which was much more reasonable.” Flora drink more of the soup ice cream and finished it off. Putting the container aside and reaching for her water. She would offer the girl wine but something told her to keep the wine corked. She looked over at Dani and smiled, seeing all the girls tattoos. “Tell me about them, I’ve always been curious.”

Dani nodded a bit as Flora spoke. Church was weird. Religion was weird. It was all weird and man-made, but spirituality, faith, that wasn’t. Faith is what mattered. She took off her hoodie, having gotten a little too warm. She looked down at their arms when Flora pointed out her tattoos. “The cross on my hand was my the first one I got. I later got the lion head. Both are kind of tied into my faith. I’ve got ‘let go’ and ‘let God’ on my feet. The faith and the birds is again, more of supportive, well, faith based tattoo.” She held up her arms to show Flora her inner arms. “I got stay strong the year I stopped self harming. The rose covers a tattoo I’d gotten on a bad night.” She thought for a moment, trying to think if she had any others. “I’ve got a green feather or leaf or something behind one of my ears, it was my first tattoo.” Dani shrugged a bit. “I have my next one planned, but I don’t really know when I’ll get it. Probably after I finish the song I’m working on.”

Flora liked the tattoos that Dani had on her body, they looked interesting and they had meaning. She never thought about tattoos when she was younger, she decided they weren’t for her. That god would not approve but as she got older, she found herself becoming more and more curious. “I’ve been thinking about getting one,” She wanted to give it a try, even if it was just one. “Been looking at tattoos online but I keep chickening out.” She opened the gallery in her phone and showed her a few options she was deciding on. “This one is my favorite. What do you think?”

Dani smiled a bit. She loved when people talked tattoos with her. It always made her happy. Her eyes lit up when Flora said she was looking into getting one. Looking at the image she nodded a bit. “I like it. It suits you.” She nodded a bit, pulling up her own phone and opened the notes app and opening a file. Holding offering the phone to Flora she smiled sheepishly. “It’s the lyrics for the song I’m currently working on. It’s mostly finished, but I can’t figure out if it flows right or not.”

Flora nodded, “Guess I should look into getting that. Now where to get it, that’s the question? I don’t know if i’d want to put it on display for everyone to see. Or, keep it just for me?” She accepted the phone from Dani and took a look at the lyrics she had, “A story never told…” She trailed off and read what lyrics that Dani had, bit and pieces of a story this girl wanted to get out but couldn’t yet. All the pain and the truth, I wear like a...Battle wound?” Flora wasn’t sure if that would go but it was something. She took Dani’s hand and placed the phone in it, “You certainly have something there, something deep, profound, you’ll get those lyrics out. When you do we’ll go get those tattoos together.” She nodded.

Dani tapped her chin a bit. “I mean, if it’s a reminder to yourself if might be easier getting it on your inner arms, like my stay strong. But ultimately it’s up to you.” She shrugged a bit. Her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she watched Flora read the lyrics. Only Abel had even gotten close to seeing those lyrics. They combined so much of her life. It was predominantly about her parents but it also had tied in pieces about Angela, things that had multiple meanings. She slowly started singing it to herself, she’d need a piano to actually get the proper timing down but sitting there actually vocalizing it she found herself nodding. It didn’t sound bad and as the phone was placed back in her hand, she smiled. “Thanks, and I just need a piano and I think I’ll have it. I’ll be in Lima til the 17th, maybe we’ll get lucky and we can get em before I leave.”

Flora had gone through a lot of choices, trying to decide where. She figured it was going to hurt either way but she came to the conclusion- nothing would hurt as bad as Russell’s fists. “I was thinking on my ribcage but people say its not the best place for your first time.” She smiled when Dani said she was looking for a piano, “Well, I don’t have a piano but-” Getting up she walked to her hall closet and pulled out a keyboard. “I’ve been trying to pick up a hobby here and there and I always wanted to play piano. So, I went to the music store and asked them about keyboard’s and they gave me this. I was talking to a guy online a little while ago and he mentioned it was never too late to learn.”

Dani laughed a bit, nodding. “Yeah no. Over bones, on the neck, and on the top of the feet or hands are more likely to hurt. It’s all about pain tolerance, really. I’m not a good judge of tattoo pain, cause I like pain, but anything that’s more fat or muscle than skin and bone is always a good place. I think faith is the one that hurt most, because it’s so close to the elbow.” Dani tilted her head as Flora spoke, watching as she pulled a keyboard out of the closet, a smile spreading across her face. “It’s a good instrument to learn and a keyboard is certainly close enough. Do you have a stand or at least a counter at a decent height?” Admittedly, Dani hadn’t touched her own keyboard in ages, so much of her music lending itself more to one of her guitars, it’d be nice to play again.

Flora nodded, “That is what I heard, so I’m not sure I’m ready but I think it’s where I want it. I’m not a fan of pain but I’ve been pretty numb-” Flora pulled out a stand from the closet and smiled, “The guys saw I was a sucker and got me to buy one of these. It’s adjustable,” She set the stand up and plugged in the keyboard, “here you go, take it away maestro.” She headed back to the couch and dug into her Cheese-itz, giving Dani her creative space that she might need. “Need anything else?”

Dani nodded a bit as Flora spoke, she knew that feeling, being numb. It was what had driven her to self harm as a teen, it was why she was so close to that edge again. Being numb was dangerous. Tattoos, admittedly, helped with that. “It’s useful, for sure.” She laughed a bit, adjusting the stand just a bit as she set her phone face up on the edge of it. “Uh, honestly, not that I know of. Feedback is always appreciated, though.”

Humming for a moment she started to test keys, trying to find a starting point, once she found it, she started singing, occasionally starting over when her voice and the keys she played didn’t match up the way she wanted. Her hands eventually started to move on autopilot, her entire body getting into it as she hit what felt like the fifteenth start over. While it didn’t sound entirely right, it was getting there. It was so close and she kept going, ignoring the tears that had started to form in her eyes as she played, the way her voice tried to catch in her throat. As the song finished the sob caught in her throat and she could feel the way her body had started to shake.

Flora laid back and closed her eyes as she listened to Dani play, the music was rough to start but soon Dani found her way.  Slowly, Flora sat up and looked over to see Dani working through the song. Her voice was rough and sad, both in a good and bad way. Emotion is what made a song great, it’s something that Flora was learning. She wanted to go over there and wrap her arms around Dani, telling her that everything would be okay. Yet, Flora knew that she might not want that comfort.

When she was done, Flora made her way over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, it’s all okay,” She couldn’t help but take her into that hug, she just hoped this is what Dani needed. She hoped hugging her wouldn’t push her away, “If you want me to let go, you just tell me and I will. Okay?” She rubbed her back and held on and would until Dani told her to stop.

Dani barely moved at first, trying to keep her breathing steady, to keep from giving in to the tears. Tears she should have cried years ago, pain she shouldn’t have held onto. And then Flora was talking and she found herself pulled into a hug and for the first time in a while, she let it happen. She let herself be hugged and comforted by someone who wasn’t Abel. And she cried. It was all she could do in that moment, her body shaking arms eventually moving to hug Flora back, if only to make sure she stayed on her feet. Her hands curled into fabric, the way those of a child might. For the first time in over seven years she truly felt like she wasn’t as unwanted as her parents had made her feel. That someone gave a shit about her and it made her cry harder, unable to catch her breath long enough to stop.

Flora knew all she could do was be there for her, holding on tight and not letting her go. “Here we go,” She moved them over to the couch, a mama bear strength she normally reserved. She settled them in and just held her close, rubbing her back as she cried. “You let it out, suga, let it out.” She held on as if she was holding on to one of her own kids. Giving all the comfort and care she could in one simple squeeze. This girl had been thoroughly broken and that started with the two people who should have raised her up. Left a girl to defend for herself all because of who she was, it pissed her off. No child should be tossed away because of who they love, “Try and catch your breath, follow my breaths.” She breathed slow, allowing Dani to feel her chest rise and fall.

Dani found herself curling as far as she could into Flora’s hold, as if trying to make herself as small as possible. As if it wouldn’t all ache so much if she was smaller. As if the years of pain wouldn’t feel like they were tearing her apart if she was condensed herself against it. Listening to Flora’s words, she did her best to try and match the breathing. At first it just left her breathing sporadic but eventually things calmed and she seemed to go almost limp against Flora. God she was so tired and she felt like a young girl again, back before the relationship she had with her mother exploded, when she could go to her mother for anything. Her breath tried to catch in her throat again and she breathed through it, eventually pulling back from Flora, ever so slightly, wiping at her eyes with the heels of her hands. “Thank you.” Her voice sounded as small as she felt, insecure and scared. Everything she’d done her best not to feel.

Flora held on as Dani found her breathing, it took several minutes for her to catch her breath. She felt Dani go limp against her as she continue to hold on, “You’re welcome,” She smiled and reached out to cup her cheek, rubbing the last stray tear away. She didn’t know if this would help Dani in the long run but it helped her now and that is what mattered. It mattered because she let it out, she let her emotions spill out instead of holding them in to explode. She reached onto the table and handed her some water, “Small sips,” She had a break down a few years back, she remembered being curled up in her mother’s arms and just shaking- Dani didn’t have the option to do that and Flora felt deeply for this girl. “The song is amazing, Dani, I felt every word.” She reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze.

Dani smiled sheepishly, running a hand through her hair. She accepted the water and did as instructed, feeling the weight of emotional exhaustion settle in on top of the regular exhaustion she’d been feeling lately. It made her so tired that it took her a few moments to wrap her brain around what Flora had said. She nodded a bit. “Thank you. It’s not all about them, but them and Angela and how that all connects for me. I guess.” Her words were starting to slur from the exhaustion, only made worse by just how thick her accent came out. She yawned, having to shake herself a bit. “I haven’t been this tired in… I don’t even know.”

Flora reached out and cupped her chin, “Maybe you can try and get some shut-eye? I got that comfy bed I was talking about earlier, a guest bed that has not been used yet. You can be the first one to christen it and try to sleep?” It had been an emotional night for the both of them, they talked, got to know each other more, and Flora helped Dani with her music. She hoped with the weight lifted off her would be enough to get her into bed. “Come on, I’ll tuck you in and everything.” She smiled.

Dani nodded ever so slightly as Flora spoke. She was so tired and she had a feeling she’d sleep deeply enough to not be bothered by the nightmares that typically plagued her. Flora’s words had a small but sad smile smile crossing her face. “I’d like that very much.” She sounded like a little girl again, the one who hadn’t yet learned what her tongue could do, who didn’t know what it was like to be hurt by those who were supposed to love her. That hadn’t been afraid of the monsters in her own head.

Flora nodded her head and helped Dani up to her feet, “Come on suge, let’s tuck you in.” She smiled and brought her into the bedroom, sitting her down on the end of the bed. She folded down the blankets and tossed the throw pillows onto the chair. “I got the ac here, a fan- little remotes here turn them on.” She placed them on the side table and helped Dani under the covers. It was nice to have this again, to be able to take care of someone- even if it was just temporary. Dani needed her in this moment and Flora went on autopilot, “Here we are,” She tucked her in and left to get a quick glass of water and placed it beside her. “Need anything else?”

Dani let herself be led to the bedroom, hoodie in one hand, knowing she’d likely forget it in the morning if she didn’t, and also cause it acted as a security blanket at times. She emptied her pockets, wallet, pocket knife, and phone, all stacked one on top of each other on the side table. She folded the hoodie and set it at the foot of the bed, just so she knew where it was, in case she needed it. Dani had nodded slightly as Flora spoke and curled herself up under the covers. It was strange, being in a bed again, particularly being alone in a bed again. She’d tried, on more than one occasion, to share Abel’s bed with him. It hadn’t gone well and neither really slept. In truth, she hadn’t slept in a bed, and actually been comfortable, since before she left Mississippi. It had been that long. “No ma’am, I think I’m good. Thank you.”

Flora smirked, “No need for the ma’am’s but it’s mighty appreciated.” She didn’t mind being called ma’am, it was a sign of respect but it wasn’t necessary. “If you need anything, I’m right next door.” She knew what it was like to be alone, she wasn’t sure how this night would go- would either of them sleep? At this point, Dani would have a better chance at sleeping. Flora would be sitting up for a while, she was sure. One last tuck she leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Good night.” She smiled and headed out, leaving the door open a crack.

Dani simply nodded, a smile on her face. “Okay.” She wasn’t sure she’d sleep, but she’d try and hope the nightmares didn’t catch up with her, because she really wanted them both to sleep. To not wake Flora like that. Her eyes fluttered shut at the kiss to her forehead, a small almost dopey smile crossing her face. “G’night, mama,” the last word nothing more than a breath as the door closed.

[moodring89]

CH.01 Down the Rabbit Hole

Pairing: Jeongguk x Reader / Side Yoonseok Chapter Rated: PG-13 (Future rating will change to M) Genre: Fantasy, Hybrid AU (Prince Bunkook. Sue me.), Royal AU, Cinderella / Labyrinth feels Summary: Yoongi's sister buys two tickets to the Autumn ball held at the Meadows, a notorious city known for its hybrid inhabitants, where she hopes to meet a certain bunny princeling. Chapters: 01, 02, 03, 04

“I’m sorry, what ���?”

Yoongi held up a piece of mail, “Autumn Ball to be held at the Meadows in celebration of Prince Jeon Jeongguk’s Coming of Age?” The envelope was ripped at the top from where he’d opened it, being all sorts of casual about incriminating himself. “There’s no way in hell that our father is going to allow you to attend. You know this and yet you spent money on a ticket.”

“On two tickets,” she said, as she snatched the envelope from his fingers. “And why not?”

He didn’t know how to not sound like a prejudiced asshole, but he went for it anyway. “Because there are hybrids living in the Meadows and there’s still a ton o’ shit that we don’t know about them yet.”

“This is the first social gathering where hybrids and humans will be allowed to mingle and co-exist with one another, and like, in a party setting, which is just a bonus. It’s fascinating. No – it’s historic and you can bet your uptight, manhwa loving ass that I’d love to be there.” The blonde lowered his eyes at her, pouting resolutely when she continued, “I spoke with our father and you know what he said? ‘Get one for your brother, too.’”

He sighed, passively, “Well, I wasn’t expecting that. I was just rather hoping he’d do that thing where he beats on his chest and roars his short response of ‘fuck’ and ‘no’ from atop the highest mountain.”

She patted his shoulder with mock sincerity, “There, there, take the loss as it comes, swiftly and sweetly. Do you even own a proper suit and tie?”

“I have about as many suits as you do ball gowns.”

“So, zero then? ‘Kay, sounds good. We’re real ahead of this thing.”

Yoongi grabbed for his car keys, wanting to get it over with. “Let’s hit the stores now, before I decide to go in my pajamas. You know that I would, too.” When it comes to his sister, Yoongi tended to cave in, perhaps too easily. Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, and most of the time – even things she could do living without, but he decided that she didn’t have to, like a new phone, or a bag.

They’d split up once they were inside the store, headed in two completely separate directions. She hadn’t expected half the town to be at this particular dress shop. Royal ball doesn’t exactly scream, ‘Let’s go to the local Mom-and-Pop boutique.’

The obnoxious text tone of Naruto’s catchphrase, ‘Believe it’ that she’d associated with Yoongi went off. She stared down at her phone.

Yoonji Unnie --------------------- It’s a fucking sausage fest here. 3:54pm

To: Yoonji Unnie --------------------- Funny, since it’s a clam-fam reunion over here, too. Any hopes of looking original have successfully gone out the window. 3:54pm

Yoonji Unnie --------------------- Unless we go with my pajama idea? 3:54pm

To: Yoonji Unnie --------------------- I’m not meeting the Prince of the Meadows in a camisole. 3:55pm

Yoonji Unnie --------------------- Gross. See you in the parking lot. 3:57pm

Yoongi was already inside the car, a plastic bag thrown carelessly into the backseat. She shut her door with a huff, somewhat affronted by it. “You were able to find a suit? I thought it was Wang city, far too many hand-to-gland casualities for you to possibly stay long enough to find something suitable.”

“Yeah, unlike you, I don’t care if I’m wearing the same shit as someone else, especially a fucking suit.” He started up the car and turned onto the main road, driving around idly, until they decided on their next stop. “Again, I would have gone in my striped pajamas without a single fuck to be spared. I like keeping my fucks to myself. However, something tells me that there is a dress code we have to adhere to...”

“Of course there is.”

Yoongi was scowling, as he tended to do so very naturally. “I would really hate to piss off the woodland creatures with our subpar fashion choices, so start calling out shops, and we’ll swing by to see if it’s packed.”

“Hybrids are people, not creatures,” she said, turning somewhat dejectedly to stare out the window. “Why do I have to remind you? You’re the intelligent one and yet you say the most asinine things.”

“What are you hoping to achieve by seeing the Prince? He will not favor you, as you do him.” It was such a sad anomaly, something that shouldn’t have happened, but it did, and it was too late. His sister had fallen in love through mere stories of the bunny princeling. What if the tales weren’t true? Don’t meet your heroes, wasn’t that the saying? The treaty between hybrids and humans had practically been forced, guns aimed at each other’s heads in a stalemate between two stubborn kings. It turned out that the two species needed to sustain each other, whether it was for the oil, the crops, or other various cargos: The union was not wanted, but it was necessary.

The thought that their father had even agreed to put them in some slight form of potential danger was preposterous to him. Although, it was possible that his darling sister was lying to him, right to his own fucking face. At least he could later credit himself for not being entirely blindsided by it. No one jukes Min Yoongi.  

“I don’t even expect to be allowed to speak with the Prince, so what does it matter?” They were stopped at a light. For a long moment, the silence played with the tension, thus swallowing the siblings up whole. She sighed, finding it be unbearable, “I only wish to look upon him, to take glimpse of his true nature for myself, instead by word of mouth.”

“Alright, enough. You can stop with the poetic shit. I get it…” Yoongi felt frustrated, stopping in front of a shopping mall. It didn’t appear to be as busy as all the other stores they had passed along the way, probably due to an even lower standard in quality. He surrendered his card as a form of an apology, which she graciously accepted. “Don’t make it long.”

She’d made it especially fucking long.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The tickets were a simple white cotton paper with speckled gold and elegant cursive. She half-mourned over the fact that she’d have to hand it over at the castle gates in order to get in. The girl kept the envelope, tucking it away inside the top drawer of her vanity. Tonight she would finally get to meet the Prince. After hearing so many stories of his time on the battlefield, of the scar which adorned his face along his cheek, how he’d spared a human General’s life.

Prince Jeongguk was an advocate for equality, a symbol of peace, and hope. He’d visited the Isles of Lunar and fed the sun to the poor. He did not leave, until all were healthy, and full. She’d heard that he’d brought in environmental scientists to study the moon enriched lands and that they’d found ways to sustain and harvest crops. That was how he’d inherited the nickname, ‘Lunar Prince’.

There were no photographs allowed to be taken of the Prince. However, the news articles were free to state as many details as they so desired. She’d tried to envision what he would look like given the various descriptions, tall and broad it had read, only one or two inches away from standing at six foot tall. Two velveteen rabbit ears sat atop a silky crown of raven black hair, pure white in color, and responsive to the change in his mood. One columnist in particular went on and on about the Prince’s dark eyes, how large, and doe-like they had appeared, despite their depth, and warmth. She’d rather enjoyed that bit.

For tonight, she’d wanted to dress in tears of silk and netted fabrics. The Meadows was said to be the pinnacle of nature itself, the homeland of the fae, and hybrid kind. Magic would exist in her world for only one night, but that was already more than what she could ever hope for. Her dress was a warm pigment of peach and was scattered with blossoms. Her hair was pinned up, save for a wavy strand here and there. Her skin would be devoid of any eye-catching jewelry and her makeup would be natural.

She would not pretend as though she belonged, because she didn’t. Yoongi stood in the doorway, wearing his suit more convincingly than she did her dress. Her brother should be more confident. Perhaps after tonight, he would be.

“I look ridiculous.”

She placed the tickets inside her clutch, “Oh, I’m very certain that we both look amazing. The word spiffy is still a thing and we are the definition.”

“Yeah, you should probably refrain from using that as a compliment.”

She laughed at his obvious discomfort, “I’ll be sure to use it at least three times tonight just to spite you.”

“Please do,” Yoongi said, twirling his keys in his hand impatiently. “Make sure to use it on your prince. He’ll then know for sure that you’re an ancient.”

“You wound me, brother.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes, wondering if he’d ever stop rolling them for the duration of the evening. The Meadows was almost an hour by car. They made the most of it by listening to whatever music Yoongi decided to put on, rapping along to old CDs that she’d been forced to listen to time and time again, and for as long as she could remember. His voice was perfect for it, which was why she encouraged him to continue making music, even if their father disapproved of it.

He’d threatened Yoongi with a florist position. It could be done rather easily, since the shop was run by family. Luckily, their father was currently away on business and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. If he’d been home tonight, she had no idea as to what would have happened. A huge argument, wasted money, and a solitude evening listening to the muddled sounds of Yoongi’s piano.

The Meadows was no longer a guarded territory and for the first time ever, humans were being granted free passage. The new lands held such a dark enchantment, a beauty that was so drastically different from what they’ve ever known that they’d spent the rest of the drive in a state of silent enrapt. They followed the cars in front of them to the castle, which was at the heart of the city. It was a citadel surrounded by forest and closed in by tall gates. Parking was easy enough, as Yoongi handed over his keys to the valet.

“You good? Do you need me to piggyback you?” Yoongi asked, watching as his sister hesitated, stumbling more so than walking. It was a sign that her nerves were getting the best of her. “We didn’t come all this way, dressed up like assholes for nothing, princess. Remember why you wanted to come here. To partake in a historic event, wasn’t it?” It seemed to be working, when he heard her laugh. “Plus, I’m all famished and in dire need of eating sweets off of doilies, or whatever the fuck they serve royals. Let’s at least get some food in our systems.”

She caught his arm, holding onto him for her own stability, “What if I lose my mind in there?”

“Then I’ll find it for you.”

Would it really be that simple?

[sci-fantasy]

The Annotated “Playback”

Tomorrow, Friday October 20, begins OVFF 33, the annual Ohio Valley Filk Fest, the biggest filk convention (certainly in stature; probably in people too?).

I am thus pleased to announce that after months of on-again-off-again work, and the assistance of several friends including @animatedamerican​ and @jchance4d4​, I have finished the project envisioned here, and annotated all of the references in Andrew Ross’s “Playback.”

(Well, as much as I could. One or two were not identifiable fully.)

A lot of people commented approving of this idea when @seananmcguire​ reblogged this, so I hope you see the fruits of our labor.

Song above the cut; references below.

“Playback” to the tune of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” filk lyrics by Andrew Ross

Mary Shelley, HG Wells, people meeting at hotels Rudyard Kipling, people singing ditties at the bar Gilbert, Sullivan, rounds of Young Man Mulligan Poul and Karen Anderson, songs in Key of R Martha Keller, Tolkein, songs of worlds as yet unseen TH White’s Arthurians, Frederick Pohl’s Futurians Tom Lehrer, Mondegreens, Slan Shacks, fanzines Music circles, Reprints, Jacobs has a misprint! We shouted “MacIntyre!” It’s our cry of battle for the Old Dun Cattle We shouted “MacIntyre!” And we haven’t parted since the circle started Amazing Stories Annuals, Pelz’s Filksong Manuals Dr. Demento tunes, Callahan’s Crosstime Saloons Hope Eyrie, Leslie Fish, bounced potatoes off the dish Robert Aspirin, Gwen Zak, Dawson’s Christian, Captain Jack Off Centaur, Teri Lee, making love in zero-G Filthy Pierre, Longcor, black market Tullamore Juanita Coulson, Red Lions, badges marked with Dandelions Dorsai have a Fan Club! Jello in the bathtub! Don’t set the cat on fire It will only fight it if you try to light it Don’t set the cat on fire And we haven’t parted since the circle started Peter Beagle, Consonance, chili cursed with sentience HOPSFA, NESFA, ConChord, and the Pegasus Award PFNEN, Ose, Amway, Talk Like a Pirate Day Dandelion Digitals, Julia Ecklar and the gulls Bob Laurent, Asimov, Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff Rocky Horror Muppet Shows, Frank Hayes feeling indisposed Bill Sutton DIY, Marischiello goodbye Challenger! Final tour! What else must we all endure? We saw the sky on fire While the world was staring, we were Jordin Karing We saw the sky on fire And we haven’t parted since the circle started Kathy Mar, Next Gen, Tullamore is back again Steve Macdonald, Elfquest, Interfilk funds a guest Tom Smith, 307 Ale, Lee Gold, Heather Dale Phoenyx, Keepers of the Flame, Filkontario’s Hall of Fame Echo’s Children, Bab-5, need a fool to feed the drive Hamlet done by John Woo, Marilisa Valtazanou GaFilk, Urban Tapestry, lives rich in fantasy Airwalls down at Orycon! Firebells at Baycon! We didn’t start a fire We were all but deafened, and began Kanefin’ We didn’t start a fire And we haven’t parted since the circle started Blake Hodgetts, Proteins, Vixy, Tony, Thirteen Stone Dragons, Moxie, Zander, Heather into Alexander Bill and Gretchen, dead mouse, alligators in the house ConFlikt, Judi Filksign, Tragedy at East Hill Mine Mary Crowell, Faerieworlds, brony boys and Wicked Girls Britain’s Talis Kimberly, Seanan’s Kellis-Amberlee Doubleclicks! Browncoats! Cats! FuMP! Toy Boat! Release the Cello! Sasquon! Thor! Pass another Tullamore! We didn’t start the choir It’s been so cathartic for the longest bardic We didn’t start the choir But when our turns have gone, it will still go on and on until the dawn…

Mary Shelley: As in, the writer of the first science fiction novel, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus.

HG Wells: Wrote The Time Machine and War of the Worlds and, along with Jules Verne, is considered one of the fathers of science fiction by people who don’t count Mary. (Jules pioneered “hard” SF, where he justified as much as he could with science; HG was busy making social metaphors.)

People meeting at hotels: AKA “conventions.” The first SF con was (debatably) Philcon in 1936, when ten people from the New York SF club went down to Philly to meet those guys. They called it a convention because the Democratic and Republican National Conventions had both been in Philly earlier that year, so it was a joke, see. The first World Science Fiction Convention was in New York in 1939.

Rudyard Kipling: English poet and journalist, famously a representation of British imperialism, but a lot of his stuff got set to music by Leslie Fish (for whom see more later).

People singing ditties at the bar: AKA filk. Or karaoke. Or any other sort of thing that happens when people who sing are near people who sing.

Gilbert, Sullivan: Light operettists famous for patter. They get refilked a lot.

Rounds of Young Man Mulligan: "Old Man Mulligan” was a 1940 story from Astounding Science Fiction by P. Schuyler Miller; as far as I can tell it was a pretty standard adventure story but it featured the titular Old Man who’d been around forever. “Young Man Mulligan” is an SFnal version of "The Great Historical Bum” (aka “I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago” or “The Bragging Song”; lyrics here); it opens “I was born about ten thousand years from now,” so you can see how it’ll go from that. It was one of the original “everybody keeps writing new verses” songs; Bruce Pelz published almost 70 in an early filkbook and many many more have been written since. (The Pelz lyrics do not appear to be available online.)

Poul and Karen Anderson: Poul was a Golden Age writing legend, one of the Grand Masters of SFWA, maybe one rung down from Asimov and Heinlein (maybe). Karen, his widow and sometimes co-writer, is among many other significant things the first person to deliberately use the term “filk music” in print. They both wrote their fair share of filk, and were inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2003.

Songs in the Key of R: Another way to say “off key.” See this folk song (lyrics here) of...disputed provenance (I have found a few different claims of authorship).

Martha Keller: Poet and balladeer, born 1902, died 1971. A number of her poems from Brady’s Bend and Other Ballads were put to music by Juanita Coulson (see below) in 1984 on “Rifles & Rhymes” by Off Centaur Publications (see below).

Tolkien: Do I really need to? Fine. Wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and basically created the modern fantasy genre on accident while he was busy with constructed languages and mythologies.

Songs of worlds as yet unseen: AKA “filk.” See also “Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain’t Even Been Yet,” by Leslie Fish (see below), which was the first commercially published filk album.

TH White’s Arthurians: White’s The Once and Future King is a distillation and to some extent modernization of the King Arthur legend; the first part was The Sword in the Stone and yes, that’s what the Disney movie was adapted from. And yes, there have been plenty of Arthurian filk songs over the years.

Frederick Pohl’s Futurians: An early group of SF fans, specifically New York area fans (several of them were part of the 1936 Philcon mentioned above). Famously, several politically-minded Futurians were arguably-banned (whether it was really a “ban” still gets debated today) from the first Worldcon in ‘39 for handing out political flyers; Pohl was one of those.

Tom Lehrer: He’s a retired mathematics professor who “hangs out” at UC Santa Cruz, but in the ‘50s-’60s he was an active mathematics professor and also a fairly popular political satirist. Despite having no love for folk music (see his songs “The Folk Song Army,” lyrics here, and even moreso “The Irish Ballad,” lyrics here, wherein he calls the folk song “the particular form of permissible idiocy of the intellectual fringe”), his stuff gets sung a lot in filk circles.

Mondegreens: Misheard lyrics, like the famous “‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy” (for “Kiss the Sky,” by Jimi Hendrix). Named by Sylvia Wright in 1954 after her own mishearing of the ballad “The Bonnie Earl o’Moray; the line was “They hae slain the Earl o' Moray/And laid him on the green,” and she heard “and Lady Mondegreen.” The term caught on, and it and/or some individual mondegreens have been the inspiration for no small number of filk songs and at least one filk band.

Slan Shacks: Early term for an SF clubhouse or house filled with fans; named for A.E. van Vogt’s 1940 novel Slan which was an early version of the persecuted-superior-race-of-beings story (think X-Men). Fans in the ‘40s-50s picked up the phrase “Fans are Slans” in yet another example of the weird ostracism/superiority cycle that pervades fandom to this day.

Fanzines: The internet before the internet. When fans wanted to communicate over long distances and all they had was printed paper, they printed papers. They made little bound fan-made magazines (hence, fanzines, or just zines) of their songs, stories, jokes, and opinions and mailed them to each other. A lot of early filk was in the pages of fanzines.

Music circles: How filk typically happens--people sit in a circle and sing. They usually take turns. See below for “bardic” and “chaos.”

Reprints: Printings again. A lot of filk didn’t necessarily get them, but some did, including some early albums, some early filkbooks like the NESFA Hymnal, see below, or the Westerfilk Collection.

Jacobs has a misprint!: While Karen Anderson (see above) was the first person to deliberately use the word “filk” in print, the first use of the word at all was a typo in Lee Jacobs’s essay, which ended up being called “The Influence of Science Fiction on Modern American Filk Music.” It spread in conversation as a funny typo for a while before Karen fixed it in a tangible medium of expression.

We shouted “MacIntyre!” (and the rest of that chorus): “When the Old Dun Cow Caught Fire” or “The Old Dun Cow” or “Macintyre!” is a very classic music hall song (written 1893) that gets performed by basically every folk or filk group that aims for that “British Isles drinking song” feel. See here for pedigree, lyrics, and recording.

Amazing Stories Annuals: In 1927, Hugo Gernsback published Amazing Stories Annual, a pulp magazine of “scientifiction” (the term “science fiction” hadn’t been coined yet). It sold so well he made it quarterly almost immediately; he lost the rights a few years later and the magazine ended up falling to the 800-pound gorilla that was Astounding Science Fiction. But it was arguably where all this started.

Pelz’s Filksong Manuals: Bruce Pelz, a legend of California fandom, was among other things one of the first creators of bound, organized, and published filkbooks (complete with sheet music!), which were titled the Filksong Manuals. (He’s mentioned under the “Young Man Mulligan” entry; it was one of the Manuals that had those 70ish verses to “Mulligan.”) Pelz was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame posthumously in 2007.

Dr. Demento tunes: Barry Hansen, AKA “Dr. Demento,” was a DJ in 1970 when he realized that “novelty” tunes lit up the phone banks more than rock and roll, and created the “Dr. Demento” persona for a syndicated radio show of novelty, comedy, and otherwise unusual music. It was on the radio weekly until 2010 and is now produced weekly online. He’s played a fair amount of filk over the years, reintroduced Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones to a grateful world, and both inspired and launched “Weird Al” Yankovic’s career.

Callahan’s Crosstime Saloons: Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson and the various “Callahan’s Place” stories that followed had more than a few filk songs among the lyrics (Robinson is a songwriter himself), and at one point a couple of filkers (Jordin and Mary Kay Kare, see below) appear as characters to sing their filk song about Callahan’s.

Hope Eyrie: Listen here. Considered by many to be the “anthem” of filk, or possibly of science fiction fandom (inasmuch as it’s possible). Written by…

Leslie Fish: One of the most significant filkers in history; not only did she write “Hope Eyrie,” she also wrote the infamous-beyond-infamy “Banned from Argo,” created the subgenre of “Kipplefish”  by setting Rudyard Kipling’s (see above) poetry to music, had the first commercial filk album (see above), helped to popularize filk music, wrote some of the earliest Kirk/Spock slash fiction...she’s pretty important, is what I’m saying. When the Filk Hall of Fame was founded in 1995, she was one of the first three inductees.

Bounced potatoes off the dish: At Westercon XIX in San Diego in 1966, the hotel was legendarily bad. Most notably, the Guest of Honor banquet featured completely inedible food, prompting Poul Anderson (see above) to set a filk to the tune of “Waltzing Matilda,” entitled “Bouncing Potatoes.”

Robert Aspirin: SF writer active from the late 70s until his death in 2008, Bob was also the founder of the Dorsai Irregulars (see below), and one of the people who brought early filk from private hotel rooms into public spaces, by (among others) holding a bit all-night filksing in celebration of the Irregulars’ formation in 1974. He was another of the first Filk Hall of Fame inductees in 1995.

Gwen Zak: One of the more spiritually-focused filkers, Gwen is a Pegasus Award (see below) winner for “Circles” and nominee for “I Am Lord” (cowritten with Leslie Fish).

Dawson’s Christian: A filksong by Duane Elms, written 1987, about a ghost ship. It’s been refilked more than a few times itself, including “Dawson’s Concom” (where it’s about ghost...convention runners).

Captain Jack: Not Pirates (probably), not Torchwood (probably), but the titular character of Meg Davis’s 1975 song “Captain Jack and the Mermaid.”

Off Centaur: The first filk music publishing house, Off Centaur Publications produced much of the early commercially-released filk albums, thus making filk available outside of a convention/fandom setting for the first time. They were the third of the three initial 1995 inductees into the Filk Hall of Fame. OCP was founded by Jordin Kare, Catherine Cook, and...

Teri Lee: Who went on to found Firebird Arts & Music, one of the more active filk publishers working today.

Making love in zero-G: A recurring topic in filk songs, including “Home on LaGrange,” and most notably, “A Reconsideration Of Anatomical Docking Maneuvers In A Zero-Gravity Environment, or The Zero-G Sex Song,” the latter being the most direct reference given its first line.

Filthy Pierre: Erwin “Filthy Pierre” Strauss was one of the prime movers in early filk on the East Coast of the US in the 1970s, creating some of the first songbooks, lists of top songs to know, and a lot of filk evangelism. To this day his melodica is a recurring feature at larger East Coast and world-level conventions. Pierre was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1998.

Longcor: Michael “Moonwulf” Longcor has been a major figure in Midwestern filk since the 1970s; he has no fewer than ten published music albums, was twice King of the Middle Kingdom of the SCA, and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2014.

Black market Tullamore: Tullamore Dew, a brand of Irish whiskey, was Bob Asprin’s preferred drink (because it was cheap, or so the story goes), a preference that he passed on to the Dorsai Irregulars and filk community both. “Tully” is a commonly mentioned in songs about the DI, about filk itself, or about alcohol.

Juanita Coulson: Filker since the 1950s and still going strong, Juanita was one of the earliest filk encouragers, welcoming and encouraging new people to filk circles. She had several early OCP albums, brought Martha Keller’s (see above) poetry to the attention of many filkers, and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1996.

Red Lions: Red Lion Hotels (now bought and owned by Doubletree) were the sites of many filk conventions, especially in the Pacific Northwest.

Badges marked with Dandelions: Kathy Mar (see below) and Lindy Sears founded the “Dandelion Conspiracy” to encourage general SF conventions to be filk-friendly and to push back against the somewhat unsavory reputation of filkers among conrunners. In Kathy’s words:  “In taking the dandelion as the filker's symbol, I hope to convey, as gently as the flower-power movement did, that filk is almost impossible to root out. If disturbed, it tends to proliferate. It can be beneficial at times, and it can even be beautiful in spite of its weedy reputation.”

Dorsai have a Fan Club!: At the Worldcon in Toronto in 1973, various security-type duties were the purview of local rent-a-cops, who...did not mesh well with fan culture, and more critically, did not understand fan valuation. This especially manifested in their Art Show duties; a very valuable Kelly Freas painting was swiped from the show because the rent-a-cop checking receipts didn’t know enough about the painting to realize that the receipt he was being shown did not nearly cover the value of the painting the thief was claiming to have bought. Bob Aspirin (see above) decided that Something Must Be Done, and formed an organization by fans, for fans, and of fans to do various convention-running duties on a by-contract basis. He named them the Dorsai Irregulars, a reference to the Childe Cycle of boks by Gordon R. Dickson about a planet of mercenaries, the Dorsai. (The joke being, if the “regular” Dorsai were off fighting in battles, doing con security was definitely a job for the “Irregular” Dorsai.) As mentioned above, the celebration of the Dorsai’s establishment was a watershed moment for filk, and to this day many Dorsai veterans are Midwestern filkers and vice versa.

Jello in the bathtub!: At the 1974 Worldcon in DC, Joe Haldeman (presumably, hopefully, jokingly) remarked that his ultimate sexual fantasy involved a bathtub full of green jello. By the end of the con, his bathtub had been jello-ed, with a couple of naked girls for, ahem, flavor. (Or perhaps texture.) The incident got inevitably filked about, though not many of those appear to be available online.

Don’t set the cat on fire (and the rest of the chorus): A four-line version of Frank Hayes’s (see below) “Never Set the Cat on Fire” (lyrics here).

Peter Beagle: Writer of The Last Unicorn (novel and screenplay) and numerous other works; also a filker himself, with an album (cassette, of course) of his live performance at Baycon 1986.

Consonance: Bay Area filk convention since at least 1992, probably longer.

Chili cursed with sentience: Beware of the Sentient Chili by Chris Weber (lyrics here).

HOPSFA: The Johns Hopkins SF club. They put out a filkbook, the HOPSFA Hymnal, in the 70s.

NESFA: The New England Science Fiction Association. They put out the NESFA Hymnal in the 70s, too.

ConChord: A filk convention held in the LA area starting in the early 80s, and closing its doors in the 2010s due to low attendance.

The Pegasus Award: The main community award (think the Hugo Award equivalent) for filkers, given out annually at the Ohio Valley Filk Fest (OVFF) every fall since the late ‘80s.

PFNEN: A fanzine (see above) called Philk-Fee-Nom-Ee-Nom, published by Paul Willett in the ‘80s. It was nominated for a Hugo in 1984.

Ose: A common musical style of filk, for sad, depressing stuff. The joke being it’s “ose, ose, and more ose!” (As in, “morose.”) Since a lot of the folk music tradition is similarly depressing, it was inevitable.

Amway: OK, I’ll admit, I’m not 100% on this one. I suspect it’s how “Amway salesman” could be considered one of the most mundane of mundanities, as in Roberta Rogow’s song “A Use for ‘Argo,’” but that’s all I got.

Talk Like a Pirate Day: The “holiday” on September 19 every year, wherein people, well, talk like pirates. Tom Smith, see below, wrote the official Talk Like a Pirate Day Song in 2003 see here.

Dandelion Digitals: Since the Dandelion Conspiracy (see above) was a thing, it’s no shock that a label called Dandelion Digital would spring up. They put out some of the first filk CDs in the ‘90s.

Julia Ecklar and the gulls: Julia Ecklar is a very well-known filker, one of Off Centaur’s (see above) most prolific artists; she has nine Pegasus Awards (see above) and also won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1991. By all accounts, she has a fondness for birds--if I’m reading this right she works at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. Beyond that, I’m not sure about the gulls.

Bob Laurent: Californian filker and fan; he founded Wail Songs in the ‘80s to distribute tapes of live convention recordings, and also founded Consonance (see above) and Interfilk (see below). He was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1996.

Asimov: Isaac Asimov, to be precise, one of the Golden Age of Science Fiction’s most famous writers. He didn’t coin the word “robot” but you’d believe he had. He also, inevitably, wrote a couple of filksongs himself back in the day.

Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff: Californian musicians and filkers with a half dozen albums (see here), a recording setup to help other filkers record quality albums, a couple of Pegasus Awards--and Maya’s an SF writer in her own right with an impressively long bibliography.

Rocky Horror Muppet Shows: There really are no words. Just a link. Written by Tom Smith (see below) and performed a couple of time, originally in 1987 and twice more in the 2010s

Frank Hayes feeling indisposed: Frank Hayes is yet another leading light of filk. He wrote the infectiously upbeat “Never Set the Cat on Fire” (see above) as well as many other songs, but he’s most known for Frank Hayes Disease: that is, forgetting his words. And causing other filkers to forget theirs. (It’s been known to happen that someone will borrow his guitar and suddenly forget lyrics they’ve had cold for decades.) Frank was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2009 and is married to Teri Lee (see above).

Bill Sutton DIY: Bill Sutton is a filker from Indiana; he and his wife Brenda have a couple of albums. Bill’s most famous song is “Do It Yourself,” which he describes as “a vintage song about vintage computing.” (“You can build a mainframe from the things you find at home,” it proclaims.)

Marischiello goodbye: Bill Marischiello was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1996...but had died in 1986. (I’m sure it’s this because this is chronological, as see…)

Challenger!: Space Shuttle Challenger, as you’re probably aware, broke apart on liftoff in January 1986. The song “Fire in the Sky” by Jordin Kare (see below) is largely about that and the other successes and failures of the Space Program.

Final tour! What else must we all endure?: This reads like fluff that rhymes, to me.

We saw the sky on fire (and the rest of the chorus): As mentioned above, this is all based on Jordin Kare’s “Fire in the Sky.”  (Link is to the version on the album To Touch the Stars.)

Kathy Mar: Cofounder of the Dandelion Conspiracy (see above), part of the second annual induction into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1996, winner of seven Pegasus Awards, and yet another of Those Names.

Next Gen: As established, this is chronological, so we’re into the late ‘80s. Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in 1987.

Tullamore is back again: I can’t find confirmation of this, but I seem to recall hearing that Tully was hard to find for a few years in the ‘80s thanks to the Troubles.

Steve Macdonald: “Smac,” as he is affectionately known, is a member of the Dorsai Irregulars (see above), a 2006 inductee in the Filk Hall of Fame, winner of six Pegasus Awards, once administrator of the same to great effect, and is known as Gallamor the Bard at Renaissance Faires.

Elfquest: The legendary long-running comic book fantasy epic is one of those properties that filkers seem to really be fond of. There’s been an album of Elfquest filk, a songbook of filk about Elfquest, and, well, see for yourself.

Interfilk funds a guest: Interfilk, founded in 1992, is an organization dedicated to the cross-pollenation of filk, by paying to send filkers to conventions in other regions. They are a registered nonprofit, and most filk cons do an auction of donated goods (rare music, songbooks, knick-knacks, food, drink…) to raise money.

Tom Smith: The World’s Fastest Filker, fourteen-time Pegasus Award winner (and 34-time nominee), 2005 inductee into the Filk Hall of Fame. Along with “Rocket Ride,” his paean to the Golden Age of Science Fiction, his most famous song is...

307 Ale: ...the story of a few MIT geeks who managed to brew beer inside of a tesseract and got a liquid that’s 153.5% alcohol--that is, it has a proof of 307. (He saw 307 ALE on a license plate and ran with it.)

Lee Gold: California SF fandom, publisher of the filk zine (see above) Xenofilkia since 1988 (and still going). Inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 1997 and publisher of several posthumous filk collections (that is, collections of deceased filkers’ work; she’s still alive).

Heather Dale: Filk by way of the SCA, officially a Celtic bard-style performer with something like 20 albums to her name. She’s been at numerous filk conventions, won four Pegasus Awards, been nominated for another four.

Phoenyx, Keepers of the Flame: Celtic fusion rock band Phoenyx, founded by Heather Alexander (see below), had one album, “Keepers of the Flame.” Long out of print.

Filkontario’s Hall of Fame: The Filk Hall of Fame, mentioned extensively here; inductions happen at FilkOntario (FKO), an annual filk con--guess where.

Echo’s Children: Filk duo Echo’s Children, Cat Faber and Callie Hills, four-time nominees for Pegasus Awards for performance; Cat won seven times for writing/composing or individual songs. In addition to several songs about various tabletop RPGs they were in, and a few about other media, a lot of their songs are about…

Bab-5: Babylon 5, the TV show created by J. Michael Straczynski, which was doing long-form arc storytelling in the mid-90s in syndication. Besides Echo’s Children, a few other filkers have done songs about it; Tom Smith (see above) did a whole-show summary to the tune of Barenaked Ladies’ “One Week.”

Need a fool to feed the drive: “Fool to Feed the Drive” by Jordin Kare (see above) is a refilk of “Fuel to Feed the Drive” by Cynthia McQuillin--McQuillin being a multiple-Pegasus award winner herself and 1998 Filk Hall of Fame inductee. “Fuel,” the original, is a sad elegy about a spaceship that runs out of fuel in deep space, doomed. “Fool” points out that fusion drives use water, and humans are mostly water…

Hamlet done by John Woo: Oh, Andrew...this is a bit of self-promotion from the writer of this song, Andrew Ross. Andrew was nominated for a 2011 Pegasus Award for his song “Crispy Danish,” which is, well, a retelling of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark as a John Woo film, set to “Sheep Marketing Ploy” by Tom Smith (see above).

Marilisa Valtazanou: Oh, that’s why--he needed something to rhyme! Marilisa has been nominated for over a dozen Pegasus awards, alone or as part of a group, and helps run the annual UK Filk Convention.

GaFilk: The start of the filking New Year, GAFilk is held the first full weekend of the year in Atlanta, GA (hence the name). One of the more well established filk cons.

Urban Tapestry: Canadian filk trio of Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Allison Durno, and Jodi Krangle; they’ve won two Pegasus Awards and released three albums, and were inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2011.

Lives rich in fantasy: “Rich Fantasy Lives,” by Tom Smith (see above) and Rob Balder, is in contention for “Filk anthem” with “Hope Eyrie” (see above) and its ilk. It celebrates the joy of having more worlds than one to visit on occasion. Best sung in a crowd.

Airwalls down at Orycon!: OK, this one I can only go off of what @jenroses said: “The Airwalls at Orycon was one of those legendary disasters that ended up sparking the best filk circle I’ve ever been at.”

Firebells at Baycon!: This one got filked by Bob Kanefsky (see below): it’s the mostly-true story of a massive problem at Baycon in 2002. The fire alarms kept going off. Every five minutes or so.

All night.

We didn’t start a fire (and the rest of that chorus): See above. “Kanefin’” refers to Bob Kanefsky, considered one of the grandmasters of the refilk. 2007 Pegasus Award winner for Writer/Composer and nominee for specific songs, Bob has a legendary habit of taking one song by a singer, and rewriting the lyrics (often to make it another song by that same singer)...and then convincing the original singer to sing the filk--he got verbed. To Kanef is to sing your mashup-filk parody of a specific filker’s work at said filker. He has several albums of just that. One of the greatest parodists in filk.

Blake Hodgetts, Proteins: Filker Blake Hodgetts, two-time Pegasus Award nominee for writing, has a song called “Proteins” which is a sci-fi version of one of those cowboy ballads about a cowboy who meets a Mexican girl, they get together briefly, share no language, spend the night, then they part...in his version, it’s an alien, and our lonely singer remembers too late that biochemistry mismatches can lead to anaphylactic shock...

Vixy, Tony, Thirteen: Filk duo Vixy and Tony from the Pacific Northwest, two-time Pegasus winners; their first album was “Thirteen,” and at time of writing was their only album. (Their second came out in 2016.)

Stone Dragons: Canadian filk duo of Tom and Sue Jeffers. Tom was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2012.

Moxie: Play it with Moxie is the nine-member “house band” at GAFilk (see above), which plays the annual GAFilk Banquet.

NOTE: These next two pieces discuss trans individuals, and use their “deadnames”--the names they went by before transition. In both cases, the individuals are public about their transitions and former names, so I am given to understand that this is not considered a breach of etiquette.

If it is, I apologize and will edit the post.

Zander: Zanda Myrande describes herself as “still recovering from the trauma of being Zander Nyrond for several decades,” but still gives “ house room to Zander and the rest of the deadbeats who populate her head.” Zanda is a UK filker, two-time Pegasus Award winner, and writer of the song that UK filk has claimed as their own anthem, “Sam’s Song.”

Heather into Alexander: Celtic musician and filker Alexander James Adams, the Faerie Tale Minstrel, describes himself as “the Heir to Heather Alexander,” who went to the lands of Faerie (thus invoking the “Changeling Child” tale). He has a handful of Pegasus Awards, and wrote the archetypal song of battle, “March of Cambreadth.”

Bill and Gretchen, dead mouse: Bill and Gretchen Roper, filkers from the Midwest, literally own the domain filker.com. Bill has three Pegasus Awards, one with Gretchen; that one is for “My Husband, the Filker,” and includes a snippet about a dead mouse to the tune of “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash.

Alligators in the house: Filk about exactly what it sounds like. Written by Betsy Tinney (see below) and performed by Betsy, Alexander James Adams (see above), and S.J. Tucker as Tricky Pixie.

ConFlikt: A relatively new filk convention in the Pacific Northwest, foudned 2007.

Judi Filksign: Judi Miller is a talented filker, singer, and musician in her own right, but is primarily known in filk as an ASL translator. Many filk concerts see her at the side of the stage, signing the songs. She won the Pegasus Award for Best Performer in 2006 and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2007.

Tragedy at East Hill Mine: “The Wreck of the Crash of the Easthill Mining Disaster” by Brooke Abbey (formerly Brooke Lunderville), a Canadian pharmacist and filker.

Mary Crowell: That’s Dr. Mary Crowell to you, punk! Dr. Crowell is a piano, composition, music theory, and music appreciation professor from Alabama, a four-time Pegasus winner (including once with Play It with Moxie, see above) with another dozen-plus nominations, has two albums and major parts on several more, and is one of filk’s roving accompanists; she can provide a piano backing on the fly.

Faerieworlds: A music festival in Oregon, which has featured a number of filk musicians, including S.J. Tucker and Alexander James Adams (see above) both individually and as Tricky Pixie (also see above).

Brony boys: A lot of fandom subcultures develop their own filk; Harry Potter has Wizard Rock, Doctor Who has Time Lord Rock, and yes, My Little Pony has its own filk. (Note: This was written before “Brony” stopped being considered anything except a warning sign of the Sad Puppies and the like. Look that one up yourself if you want, this is long enough as is.)

Wicked Girls: The fourth album of filker and author Seanan McGuire, six-time Pegasus Award winner. Wicked Girls was the first single-artist filk album to be nominated for a Hugo Award (To Touch the Stars, see above, did it earlier but was multi-artist), for Best Related Work in 2012. “Wicked Girls Saving Ourselves,” shortened to “Wicked Girls,” is also the central track of the album.

Britain’s Talis Kimberley: Talis Kimberley, UK filker and activist, has been nominated for 32 Pegasus Awards and won 9, released over a dozen albums, and was inducted into the Filk Hall of Fame in 2014.

Seanan’s Kellis-Amberlee: Under her open pseudonym of Mira Grant, Seanan McGuire (see above) wrote the Newsflesh series, in which a manmade virus called Kellis-Amberlee causes zombification upon death.  (The similarity to the sound of Talis’s name is a coincidence.)

Doubleclicks: A nerd-rock duo--they they don’t self-identify as filkers, but they’re well regarded and friends with many Pacific Northwest filkers.

Browncoats: The organized fandom for Firefly, densely populated with filkers.

Cats: One of the most common subjects of filksongs that aren’t actually about fantasy or science fiction.

FuMP: The Funny Music Project, a loose affiliation of comedy musicians that has considerable overlap with the filk community (including Tom Smith and the Great Luke Ski, among others).

Toy Boat: Toyboat, a hard-rock filk band from the Midwest.

Release the Cello: An album by filker and cellist Betsy Tinney (see above).

Sasquon: Sasquan, the 2015 World Science Fiction Convention, which was the current con when this song was written.

Thor: The God of Thunder, Mighty Thor! This probably refers more to the Leslie Fish song, though--she was doing that sort of thing before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made that version a household name.

Pass another Tullamore: Tullamore Dew (see above).

for the longest bardic: At filksings, “bardic” refers to a style of turn-taking in which the opportunity to sing and/or play (or, in some variations, request a song of someone else) progresses around the circle in order.  This contrasts with “chaotic”, a style in which there are no set turns and anybody can request to perform next.

[garudabluffs]

Millpond.Live | Easthampton Irish Fest 

Saturday, September 14, 2019   6:00- 10:00 pm                                               Millside Park 2 Ferry Street Easthampton, MA   Price:Free                                                                                                                                                      Easthampton Irish Fest returns with new faces from near and far: Arise & Go kick off the evening with an energetic blend of Irish, Scottish, and French Canadian inspired tunes on guitar, fiddle, and uilleann pipes. Multi-instrumentalist, Mick Mcauley, best known for his tenure with the Irish supergroup Solas, pushes the boundaries of traditional music with his own songwriting and balladeering style. The evening culminates with Karan Casey, one of the most innovative, provocative and imitated voices in Irish traditional music today. Bring a woolen blanket and prepare to be transported to the Emerald Isle.

5PM - GATES OPEN for picnicking 6PM - MUSIC STARTS

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING

3-9PM Millpond Live Pop-Up Shop! During the afternoon, Speed and Sprocket Cycle Works will on hand to perform bicycle basic maintenance and tune-ups. Feel like riding to the show but need to buy a light to ride home in the dark? They've got you covered.

Need a safe place to park your bike during the concert? MassBike PV will be set up again this year to offer free valet parking for bikes for the entire series.

Enjoy delectable food from Caravan Kitchen, Little Trúc, Corsello Butcheria, Hearth + Timber Pizza, Caravan Kitchen, and Ginger Love Cafe. Wash it down with a pint from New City Brewery or Abandoned Building Brewery. Crooked Stick Pops will offer delicious seasonal fruit pops for dessert.

The series is made possible by River Valley Co-op and our generous media partners, New England Public Radio and The Valley Advocate. Special thanks to the Easthampton Cultural Council and CitySpace for their support  

+   The Duffy Academy of Irish Dance                                                                                                                                                              

[songbyrddc-blog]

SONGBYRD ARTISTS STORM FESTIVAL SEASON!

Festival season is here! And while the Fyre Fest dumpster “fyre” and general consolidation and proliferation of music festivals has caused many to ask if we have reached “peak festival”, there’s a reason that these weekend- or week(s)-long events are basically more popular than ever—they tend to be a fun and value-packed opportunity to see a raft of great artists in unique settings.

Without delving too much into the topic of festival politics, we here at Songbyrd still love a great festival, especially the ones that retain their local mission and flavor and contribute to cultural and economic wellness in the place they reside. Our favorites include Milwaukee’s Summerfest, which has been a stalwart of cultural and economic ignition in the American Midwest, New Orleans’ Jazz and Heritage Fest, which has a local economic impact of over $300M and uses proceeds for year-round programs in education, economic development and cultural enrichment and, locally, Broccoli City Festival, which has featured and engaged artists and residents from traditionally under-served parts of the District of Columbia and has a stated mission of building thriving urban communities to sustain future generations by mobilizing and educating urban millennials through social impact campaigns and major events.

****

But whatever your personal leanings (or travel budget!) dictate, our motto this year at The Byrd has been “We’ll Bring the Festival to You”! And to those ends, we take the opportunity to share and get you excited about all the major festival acts you’ll be seeing at Songbyrd Music House during Spring and Summer 2017:

Tkay Maidza (Wednesday, May 24th): Tkay Maidza played every festival in Australia worth mentioning and now a phenomenal performance at South by Southwest has put 21-year-old Adelaide rapper Tkay Maidza on the cusp of global stardom.  Tkay’s date at Songbyrd is sandwiched right between her dates at Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama and Governor’s Ball in NYC.

Featured Track: “Glorius”

Blossoms (Saturday, June 3rd): Blossoms have been nominated for both 'Best Breakthrough Act' at the BRIT Awards and 'Best New Act' at the VO5 NME Awards this year. After its stint on the 'NME Awards Tour' in March 2017, Blossoms headed to North America for a tour this April as well as appearances at this year's Coachella Festival in California, Firefly in Delaware, Bonnaroo in Tennessee, Governor's Ball in New York City and Chicago’s Lollapalooza before heading back across the pond for Reading and Leeds Fest and Bestival. These boys are staying busy this Summer!

Featured Track: “This Moment”

Lauv (Tuesday, June 6th)

One of the biggest up and comers at the momet, alt-pop singer Lauv is never one to shy away from utterly revelatory work. He previously peeled back the layers of pop's true potential with 2015's unforgettable and mighty Lost in the Light EP -- named one of Popdust's 22 Best EPs of the entire year -- and he continues pushing the envelope with his brand new singles "Breathe" and “I Like Me Better, which was just featured in Time Magazine.  Lauv hits Milwaukee’s Summerfest in late June.

Featured Track: “I Like Me Better”

Jessie Reyes (Friday, June 9th): "I told you I'm a loco Colombian, now" Toronto-raised Jessie Reyez proclaims on "Fuck It," the opening track of her new EP, Kiddo. Never lacking on boldness, this soulful hip-hopper joins Tkay Maidza and Blossoms at Governor’s Ball just before heading to DC.

Featured Track: “Figures”

Hamish Anderson  (Wednesday, June 14th): “I started playing guitar when I was 12,” notes Melbourne-raised, LA-based Hamish Anderson. With “Trouble,” the raw, chunky opening cut and title track of his debut full-length studio CD, a couple of things become clear toute de suite: 1) The affable young Australian is intimate with a six-string, and 2) His music belies his youth. This child of the ’90s, raised on his dad’s classic rock vinyl, has roots that go deeper than you’d guess.  The word is out on Hamish, which is why you’ll be seeing him at Firefly and Summerfest just after his date at Songbyrd.

Featured Track: “Working Blues”

RAY BLK (Thursday, June 15th): Rita Ekwere, better known under her stage name of RAY BLK, is a British singer and songwriter who was born in Nigeria, and grew up in Catford in London. She won the BBC's Sound Of 2017.  After her U.S. Tour, including the date in DC, Ray Blk also heads back across the pond with Blossoms to play Reading and Leeds Fest and Bestival.

Featured Track: “Patience”

Alvarez Kings (Saturday, June 17th): Four lads from South Yorkshire, UK who gleefully share their moniker with an infamous old school South American gang, Alvarez Kings summon pop power through timeless analog synth and guitar magic.  BBC Radio proclaimed “No Resolve” the “Single of the Year,” while they impressed audiences at Isle of Wight and O2 Wireless Festival in addition to show-stopping stints on the Vans Warped Tour in 2013 and 2015 and again this year.  In addition, boys will also be at Summerfest.

Featured Track: “Cold Conscience”

Chastity Belt (Friday, June 23rd): This June marks the release of I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone, their third and finest full-length to date. Recorded live in July of 2016, it’s a dark and uncommonly beautiful set of moody post-punk that finds the Seattle outfit’s feelings in full view, unobscured by humor.  Chastity Belt hits Bestival along with Blossoms and Ray Blk later this summer.

Featured Track: “Different Now”

Tank and the Bangas (Friday, July 21st): The 2017 NPR Tiny Desk Concert contest winners are on a rocketship right now with their one-of-a-kind soul, funk party sounds. They are on the Bonnaroo roster and don’t be surprised if they start getting a lot more festival invites.

Featured Track: “Quick”

****

In addition to all of these featured artists, other Songbyrd upcoming artist and alums representing at this year’s festivals include:

Bonnaroo: Walter Lukens (6/19), Ella Vos (6/13), Kevin Abstract (alum)

Summerfest: Jamila Woods (7/29), Hey Violet (alum), Ish Darr (alum), Saba (alum), Shaed (alum), Big Thief (alum)

Firefly: Salt Cathedral (alum), Taylor Bennett (alum), Kevin Garrett (alum), 888 (alum)

Reading and Leeds: Loyle Carner (alum), Sundara Karma (alum)

Lollapalooza: Lady Pills (alum), Gibbz (alum), Michael Blume (alum; also at Governor’s Ball)

The High and Mighty Festival: Katastro & Pacific Dub (6/4)

****

So this festival season, plan to treat Songbyrd Music House as that cool festival stage that you and your friends sneak off to in the heart of Adams Morgan!

[savetopnow]

2018-04-03 13 MOVIE now

MOVIE

Birth. Movies. Death.

SXSW 2018 Review: TAKE YOUR PILLS Shines A Light On An Alarming Problem

Is Denis Villeneuve Still Making a DUNE Movie? Nope! Now He’s Making TWO Of Them

FIRST MATCH Trailer Takes A Girl’s Troubles To The Mat

Wes Anderson And Bill Murray: A Cinematic Rapport

Book Review: S. Craig Zahler’s HUG CHICKENPENNY Is A Touching Gothic Parable

CineVue

Film Review: A Quiet Place

Criterion Review: La Cage Aux Folles

DVD Review: Score: A Film Music Documentary

Film Review: The Island and the Whales

Film Review: Midnight Sun

Cinema Blend

How The Good Doctor Will Be Different In Season 2

Fortnite Now Available For Apple Devices

How Legends Of Tomorrow Finally Unleashed Mallus

SpyParty On Its Way To Steam Early Access

Niantic Settles Lawsuit Over Pokemon Go Fest For More Than $1.5 Million

Cinema Scope

Cinema Scope 74 Contents

The Work (Jairus McLeary & Gethin Aldous, US)

Global Discoveries on DVD: A Few Peripheral Matters

Canadiana | Hometown Horror: Robin Aubert’s Les affamés

Exploded View: Bruce Conner’s Crossroads

Comicboook.com

Star Wars: Rian Johnson Says 90 Percent of 'The Last Jedi' Feedback He Receives is Positive

Nicolas Cage Says Original 'Ghost Rider' Script Was R-Rated

'Venom': Brisk Potentially Reveals First Look at Tom Hardy's Symbiote

'Black Panther' Crosses $650 Million at Domestic Box Office

'Avengers: Infinity War' Directors Say 'Avengers 4' Title Will Scare You

Film Comment Magazine

ND/NF Interview: Valérie Massadian

Interview: Ishmael Reed

Film of the Week: Ready Player One

ND/NF Interview: Stephen Loveridge

Deep Focus: Gemini

Film Inquiry

Staff Inquiry: I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying

KEEP THE CHANGE: A Breakthrough For Disability Films

JOURNEYMAN: A Treacly & Unengaging Disability Drama

THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS Trailer

ALL I WISH: A Strong Stone Can’t Save This Film From Mediocrity

Film School Rejects

The Tracy Morganaissance Has Begun

‘Silver Bullet’ Is New to Blu-ray and Remains a Fun Ride Into Toothy Terror

5 Marvel Characters That John Boyega Could Play

Pixar’s ‘Bao’ is Further Evidence That Profit Awaits the Culturally Conscious

‘Ready Player One’ is Steven Spielberg’s Most Crowd-Pleasing Hit in Over a Decade

Reddit Movies

Paul Thomas Anderson Admits Feuding With Burt Reynolds Made ‘Boogie Nights’ A Stronger Movie

Anyone else getting tired of amateur video essays?

Spielberg reveals in this interview that he owns the Rosebud sled from Citizen Kane. Is this the greatest movie memento ever? How can anyone beat that?

Tracy Morgan Joins Taraji P. Henson in ‘What Men Want’, a gender-swapped remake of 'What Women Want'

[YMS] Quickie: Isle of Dogs

Roger Ebert

In Tribute To the Late, Beloved Roger Ebert, A ‘Day for Empathy’ Established In Chicago

The Unloved, Part 52: "Annihilation"

“Far Cry 5” and American Violence in Video Games

“Minding the Gap,” “The King,” “Devil’s Freedom” Among Highlights at DOC10 2018

Your Roger Stories: The Critics

Screen Rant

10 Things Zack Snyder Got Right About Superman (And 10 Things He Didn’t)

17 Forgettable ’00s Sci-Fi Movies Only Superfans Remember

15 Crazy Secrets Behind The Making Of Legally Blonde

Nicolas Cage Wants an R-Rated Ghost Rider Movie – But Not With Him

15 Jokes Kids Completely Missed In The Toy Story Movies

Slash Film

Superhero Bits: All DC Shows Renewed at The CW, Leaked Venom Art, ‘The Death of Superman’ & More

Daily Podcast: Is Ready Player One Spielberg’s Worst Movie? Magic in NYC, Rad, Lost in Space & More

‘Hilarity for Charity’ Trailer: Seth Rogen and His Famous Friends Come Together for a Good Cause

New ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ TV Spot: The Avengers Are Running Out of Time

Zack Snyder Explains ‘Batman v Superman’ Knightmare Scene, Teasing a Version of Events That Probably Won’t Happen

[ricsur]

I have never

We all know that times have changed the big music festivals

V

Reading

Leeds

Glastonbury (which is have a gap year in 2018) ]

isle of Wight

I could list them all but that would be boring. There are still the Stadium rockers such as U2, but most of your popular bands today will be at the Music festivals however although i would indeed like to go one day, maybe if Queen appear, or the killers or…

[networkingdefinition]

Noodles Quotes

Official Website: Noodles Quotes

<span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push();

• 3 years ago I was stocking shelves at Target, living on Ramen noodles, and crashing at Billy’s house. Now I’m on tour – Benji Madden • A lot of people in this country are obese because of a form of malnutrition. One thing I’d like to do is to help people understand the correlation between a steady diet of empty calories – though you may not experience hunger pangs, you can’t really function well if all you’re eating are things like ramen noodles, or chips, cookies, and sodas, things that are quite typically inexpensive and affordable because of the way we subsidize the ingredients that go into them. – Lori Silverbush • A professional player is smarter than a college man. He uses his noodle. He knows what to do and when to do it. He rarely goes up in the air as is the case with most of our college players when they get in a tight place. – Red Grange • All the dreamers in all the world are dizzy in the noodle! – Edie Adams • Almost anything can be stretched to serve more people by being added to a white sauce or canned gravy or undiluted or very slightly diluted canned soup and served over noodles or rice. With chops or chocolate eclairs, however, the only solution is to claim you don’t like them. – Jo Coudert • And what have I done?” What? WHAT?…You’ve stolen them.” With that, Cornelia fled, but Buttercup understood; she knew who “them” was. The boys. The beef-witted featherbrained rattledskulled clodpated dim-domed noodle-noggined sapheaded lunk-knobbed BOYS. – William Goldman • As a musician and a guitar player, I can noodle as well as anybody. But from my background as a session musician, I always try to play what is called for by the lyric and listening to the song. As a writer, that’s what I do, too. – Richie Sambora

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Noodle', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_noodle').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_noodle img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Because real thoughts come from outside and travel with us like the noodle soup we take to work; in other words, inquisitors burn books in vain. If a book has anything to say, it burns with a quiet laugh, because any book worth its salt points up and out of itself. – Bohumil Hrabal

• But I couldn’t draw as fast as she requested. Thus, I tried to create the worst abomination of a comic that I could, so as to make her not want comics anymore. That abomination, my friends, was Happy Noodle Boy. – Jhonen Vasquez

[clickbank-storefront-bestselling]

• Can’t make chicken salad out of chicken noodle – Mike Ditka • Carbohydrates, and especially refined ones like sugar, make you produce lots of extra insulin. I’ve been keeping my intake really low ever since I discovered this. I’ve cut out all starch such as potatoes, noodles, rice, bread and pasta. – Cynthia Kenyon • Censure is a limp noodle across the wrist of the president. I think the way we vote on the articles will express the way we feel stronger than any censure vote. – Larry Craig • Even now, when I do a slide show of the Geek Squad story, the first slide is a photo of ramen noodles. Because for me, ramen noodles are the international symbol for struggle. – Robert Stephens • He’s smaller than me, did you see him? He looked like a noodle next to me. – Adrien Broner • I can make things, but I don’t cook them, exactly. Like salmon, I can stick that in a pan. Or the other day I made noodles, but they were hard. It never occurred to me to check them; I just stopped cooking them when I felt they were ready. Really, I’m too absentminded. – Paula Poundstone • I cook everything. I love Mediterranean cooking, I love Asian cooking. I do lots of Japanese noodles. – Ted Allen • I don’t put cream in any pasta noodles ever. I would use a little butter, but I don’t ever use cream. – Mario Batali • I hate to admit this but I don’t even know how to make a cup of tea or coffee. I can boil a kettle for a pot noodle and I’ve been known to warm up some food in the microwave. – Michael Owen • I have a rescue dog named Fideo, which means ‘noodle’ in Spanish, and a cat named Hutch. – Ana Ortiz • I love Chinese food, like steamed dim sum, and I can have noodles morning, noon and night, hot or cold. I like food that’s very simple on the digestive system – I tend to keep it light. I love Japanese food too – sushi, sashimi and miso soup. – Shilpa Shetty • I remember when I couldn’t afford to eat like this. It was ramen noodles and the San Francisco Treat [Rice-A-Roni]. Dessert? Get you a honey bun and put a slice of cheese on it. Put it in the microwave for 45 seconds and you had the gift of a lifetime. – Rick Ross • I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘cooking’ but I can make noodles. That means I can boil water, put the pasta in and wait until it’s done. – Devon Werkheiser • I’m not as good as a man as you are, Sundown. I find it hard to give an enemy my back under any circumstance.” – Ren “Oh, I didn’t say I was giving her my back. I’m not lacking all my noodle sense. But I’m not holding a grudge neither. Sometimes you just got to let the rattlesnake lay in the sun.” – Sundown “Men? You do know I’m standing in this little box with you and can hear every word?” – Abigail “We know. I merely don’t care.” – Ren – Sherrilyn Kenyon • If it’s possible, I will have some noodles in the morning and start talking to people, start to think about a few things in my head – the project or a few ideas which are not finished or if there are possible directions and what will lead into another game. It’s always like setting up some kind of game you can continuously play. – Ai Weiwei • If you think you can lead your flock of sheeple and peeps to some glorified noodle fest on the mall, you got another thing coming, mister. – Stephen Colbert • I’m Italian. I love to cook Italian food, so I learned from my dad how to make sauce and meatballs and all that stuff. With my wife and kids, I started making homemade pasta. The very first time, I didn’t have a pasta maker, so I had to cut it with a knife, the old-school way! The noodles were all jacked up, but it was fun. – Joey Fatone • I’m layering away: sauce, noodles, I belong to you, cheese, sauce, my heart is yours, noodles, cheese, I hear your soul in your music, cheese, cheese, CHEESE. – Jandy Nelson • I’m not the kind of guy who sits around at home and writes songs. Once in a while I’ll pick up a guitar and noodle around, but it’s rare. – Scott Ian • Instructions for Adam Look after no one except yourself. Go to university and make lots of friends and get drunk. Forget your door keyes. Laugh. Eat pot-noodles for breakfast. Miss lectures. Be irresponsible. – Jenny Downham • It turns out that Molly wasn’t her mother’s daughter in that respect. Charity was like the MacGuyver of the kitchen. She could whip up a five-course meal for twelve from an egg, two spaghetti noodles, some household chemicals, and a stick of chewing gum. Molly … Molly once burned my egg. My boiled egg. I don’t know how. – Jim Butcher • Life was so much simpler in pre-video days when everyone refused invitations because the ‘Forsyte Saga’ was on. Now we all just have a long list of unwatched shows, all of which, it seems, our friends are raving about. I feel as outdated as if I wore a Fair Isle sweater, ate Pot Noodle and had a two-bar electric fire in the sitting room. – Simon Hoggart • Memory, in my opinion, is a complete noodle. It hangs on the silliest things but forgets the stuff that really matters. – Ellen Potter • My grandmother was a kind of Scarsdale, New York, society woman, best known in her day as the author of the 1959 book ‘Growing Your Own Way: An Informal Guide for Teen-Agers’ – this despite being a person whose parenting style made Joan Crawford’s wire hangers look like pool noodles. – Sloane Crosley • My mom cooked pot roast with noodles and frozen vegetables. Or she’d make spaghetti or hot dogs, or heat up TV dinners. Before I started modeling at age 19, I was 5’8″ and weighed 165 pounds. – Carol Alt • Noodles are not only amusing but delicious. – Julia Child • OH KYO KUN! Isn’t it said that eating pink noodles turns you into a horny pervert?! – Natsuki Takaya • Once you’ve started a film you don’t become a wet noodle. You must have that conflictual interface because you don’t know, and they don’t know. It’s through conflict that you come out with something that might be different, better than either of you thought to begin with. – Jack Nicholson • Peace will come to the world when the people have enough noodles to eat. – Momofuku Ando • Ramen is a dish that’s very high in calories and sodium. One way to make it slightly healthier is to leave the soup and just eat the noodles. – Masaharu Morimoto • Sam was starting to feel anxious. Nutella and noodles were fine. Great in fact. Miraculous. But he’d been hoping for more food more water more medicine something. It was absurdly like Christmas morning when he was little: hoping for something he couldn’t even put a name to. A game changer. Something…amazing. – Michael Grant

• She led him past the engine room, which looked like a very dangerous, mechanized jungle gym, with pipes and pistons and tubes jutting from a central bronze sphere. Cables resembling giant metal noodles snaked across the floor and ran up the walls. “How does that thing even work?” Percy asked. “No idea,” Annabeth said. “And I’m the only one besides Leo who can operate it.” “That’s reassuring.” “It should be fine. It’s only threatened to blow up once.” “You’re kidding, I hope.” She smiled. “Come on. – Rick Riordan • Since I’ve been on my own, I’ve been eating a lot of popcorn, cereal, instant noodles, and snack bars. I have a hot plate in my bedroom, a microwave, and a small fridge. That’s the kind of kitchen I know how to get around in. – Karen Marie Moning • Spaghetti… I can’t eat spaghetti, there’s too many of them. No matter how hungry I am, 1,000 of something is too many. I’ll have 1,000 pieces of noodles. – Mitch Hedberg • ‘Tampopo’ is a deeply odd film about Japan, ramen noodles, love and sex. It made me very hungry and desperate to travel to Japan. It started my love affair with this amazing country, its culture, its food, its cinema and made me buy my first ticket to the land of the rising sun. – Jamie Cullum • The boys. The village boys. The beef-witted featherbrained rattleskulled clodpated dimdomed noodle-noggined sapheaded lunk-knobbed boys. How could anybody accuse her of stealing them? Why would anybody want them anyway? – William Goldman • There’s a Polar Bear In our Frigidaire– He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there. With his seat in the meat And his face in the fish And his big hairy paws In the buttery dish, He’s nibbling the noodles, And munching the rice, He’s slurping the soda, He’s licking the ice. And he lets out a roar If you open the door. And it gives me a scare To know he’s in there– That Polary Bear In our Fridgitydaire. – Shel Silverstein • There’s only one rule in photography – never develop colour film in chicken noodle soup. – Freeman Patterson • We can do anything. It’s not because our hearts are large, they’re not, it’s what we struggle with. The attempt to say Come over. Bring your friends. It’s a potluck, I’m making pork chops, I’m making those long noodles you love so much. – Richard Siken • When beetles fight these battles in a bottle with their paddles and the bottle’s on a poodle and the poodle’s eating noodles… …they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle bottle paddle battle. – Dr. Seuss • When I would feel down…I’d have some noodles father prepared, and all the worries I had that day…Poof! They would all disappear. – Kim Young-kwang • Yes, but I’ve already made my fortune in other things. (Solin) Such as? (Geary) Viagra. My brother learned to take a personal problem and profit by it. (Arik) It’s true. It pained me to see a man as young as Arik stricken with impotency. Therefore I had to do something to help the poor soul. But alas, there’s nothing to be done for it. He’s as flaccid as a wet noodle. (Solin) How creative of you to project your problem onto me. But then, they say celibacy is enough to make a man lose all reason. Guess you’re living proof, huh? (Arik) – Sherrilyn Kenyon • You can’t be wishy-washy. That’s the most boring thing in the world, to be a middle-of-the-road wet noodle. That’s my greatest fear, to be like, “Oh, whatever.” That’s just not who I am. – Chris Black • You have to find a group that really desperately cares about what it is you have to say. Talk to them. They have something I call otaku. It’s a great Japanese word. It describes the desire of someone who’s obsessed to, say, drive across Tokyo to try a new Ramen noodle place ’cause that’s what they do, they get obsessed with it. – Seth Godin • You noodle around with tempo and sound until you get the perfect fit for that particular song, and then, so long as you can sustain it, God is on your side and everything comes easily and even the waiters smile. – Wilfrid Sheed • Zen is to religion what a Japanese “rock garden” is to a garden. Zen knows no god, no afterlife, no good and no evil, as the rock-garden knows no flowers, herbs or shrubs. It has no doctrine or holy writ: its teaching is transmitted mainly in the form of parables as ambiguous as the pebbles in the rock-garden which symbolise now a mountain, now a fleeting tiger. When a disciple asks “What is Zen?”, the master’s traditional answer is “Three pounds of flax” or “A decaying noodle” or “A toilet stick” or a whack on the pupil’s head. – Arthur Koestler • Zerts’ are what I call desserts. ‘Trée-trées’ are entrées. I call sandwiches ‘sammies,’ ‘sandoozles,’ or ‘Adam Sandlers.’ Air conditioners are ‘cool blasterz’ with a ‘z’ – I don’t know where that came from. I call cakes ‘big ol’ cookies.’ I call noodles ‘long-ass rice.’ Fried chicken is ‘fry-fry chicky-chick.’ Chicken parm is ‘chicky-chicky-parm-parm.’ Chicken cacciatore? ‘Chicky-cacc.’ I call eggs ‘pre-birds,’ or ‘future birds.’ Root beer is ‘super water.’ Tortillas are ‘bean blankets.’ And I call forks ‘food rakes.’ – Aziz Ansari

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[equitiesstocks]

Noodles Quotes

Official Website: Noodles Quotes

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• 3 years ago I was stocking shelves at Target, living on Ramen noodles, and crashing at Billy’s house. Now I’m on tour – Benji Madden • A lot of people in this country are obese because of a form of malnutrition. One thing I’d like to do is to help people understand the correlation between a steady diet of empty calories – though you may not experience hunger pangs, you can’t really function well if all you’re eating are things like ramen noodles, or chips, cookies, and sodas, things that are quite typically inexpensive and affordable because of the way we subsidize the ingredients that go into them. – Lori Silverbush • A professional player is smarter than a college man. He uses his noodle. He knows what to do and when to do it. He rarely goes up in the air as is the case with most of our college players when they get in a tight place. – Red Grange • All the dreamers in all the world are dizzy in the noodle! – Edie Adams • Almost anything can be stretched to serve more people by being added to a white sauce or canned gravy or undiluted or very slightly diluted canned soup and served over noodles or rice. With chops or chocolate eclairs, however, the only solution is to claim you don’t like them. – Jo Coudert • And what have I done?” What? WHAT?…You’ve stolen them.” With that, Cornelia fled, but Buttercup understood; she knew who “them” was. The boys. The beef-witted featherbrained rattledskulled clodpated dim-domed noodle-noggined sapheaded lunk-knobbed BOYS. – William Goldman • As a musician and a guitar player, I can noodle as well as anybody. But from my background as a session musician, I always try to play what is called for by the lyric and listening to the song. As a writer, that’s what I do, too. – Richie Sambora

jQuery(document).ready(function($) var data = action: 'polyxgo_products_search', type: 'Product', keywords: 'Noodle', orderby: 'rand', order: 'DESC', template: '1', limit: '68', columns: '4', viewall:'Shop All', ; jQuery.post(spyr_params.ajaxurl,data, function(response) var obj = jQuery.parseJSON(response); jQuery('#thelovesof_noodle').html(obj); jQuery('#thelovesof_noodle img.swiper-lazy:not(.swiper-lazy-loaded)' ).each(function () var img = jQuery(this); img.attr("src",img.data('src')); img.addClass( 'swiper-lazy-loaded' ); img.removeAttr('data-src'); ); ); ); • Because real thoughts come from outside and travel with us like the noodle soup we take to work; in other words, inquisitors burn books in vain. If a book has anything to say, it burns with a quiet laugh, because any book worth its salt points up and out of itself. – Bohumil Hrabal

• But I couldn’t draw as fast as she requested. Thus, I tried to create the worst abomination of a comic that I could, so as to make her not want comics anymore. That abomination, my friends, was Happy Noodle Boy. – Jhonen Vasquez

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• Can’t make chicken salad out of chicken noodle – Mike Ditka • Carbohydrates, and especially refined ones like sugar, make you produce lots of extra insulin. I’ve been keeping my intake really low ever since I discovered this. I’ve cut out all starch such as potatoes, noodles, rice, bread and pasta. – Cynthia Kenyon • Censure is a limp noodle across the wrist of the president. I think the way we vote on the articles will express the way we feel stronger than any censure vote. – Larry Craig • Even now, when I do a slide show of the Geek Squad story, the first slide is a photo of ramen noodles. Because for me, ramen noodles are the international symbol for struggle. – Robert Stephens • He’s smaller than me, did you see him? He looked like a noodle next to me. – Adrien Broner • I can make things, but I don’t cook them, exactly. Like salmon, I can stick that in a pan. Or the other day I made noodles, but they were hard. It never occurred to me to check them; I just stopped cooking them when I felt they were ready. Really, I’m too absentminded. – Paula Poundstone • I cook everything. I love Mediterranean cooking, I love Asian cooking. I do lots of Japanese noodles. – Ted Allen • I don’t put cream in any pasta noodles ever. I would use a little butter, but I don’t ever use cream. – Mario Batali • I hate to admit this but I don’t even know how to make a cup of tea or coffee. I can boil a kettle for a pot noodle and I’ve been known to warm up some food in the microwave. – Michael Owen • I have a rescue dog named Fideo, which means ‘noodle’ in Spanish, and a cat named Hutch. – Ana Ortiz • I love Chinese food, like steamed dim sum, and I can have noodles morning, noon and night, hot or cold. I like food that’s very simple on the digestive system – I tend to keep it light. I love Japanese food too – sushi, sashimi and miso soup. – Shilpa Shetty • I remember when I couldn’t afford to eat like this. It was ramen noodles and the San Francisco Treat [Rice-A-Roni]. Dessert? Get you a honey bun and put a slice of cheese on it. Put it in the microwave for 45 seconds and you had the gift of a lifetime. – Rick Ross • I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘cooking’ but I can make noodles. That means I can boil water, put the pasta in and wait until it’s done. – Devon Werkheiser • I’m not as good as a man as you are, Sundown. I find it hard to give an enemy my back under any circumstance.” – Ren “Oh, I didn’t say I was giving her my back. I’m not lacking all my noodle sense. But I’m not holding a grudge neither. Sometimes you just got to let the rattlesnake lay in the sun.” – Sundown “Men? You do know I’m standing in this little box with you and can hear every word?” – Abigail “We know. I merely don’t care.” – Ren – Sherrilyn Kenyon • If it’s possible, I will have some noodles in the morning and start talking to people, start to think about a few things in my head – the project or a few ideas which are not finished or if there are possible directions and what will lead into another game. It’s always like setting up some kind of game you can continuously play. – Ai Weiwei • If you think you can lead your flock of sheeple and peeps to some glorified noodle fest on the mall, you got another thing coming, mister. – Stephen Colbert • I’m Italian. I love to cook Italian food, so I learned from my dad how to make sauce and meatballs and all that stuff. With my wife and kids, I started making homemade pasta. The very first time, I didn’t have a pasta maker, so I had to cut it with a knife, the old-school way! The noodles were all jacked up, but it was fun. – Joey Fatone • I’m layering away: sauce, noodles, I belong to you, cheese, sauce, my heart is yours, noodles, cheese, I hear your soul in your music, cheese, cheese, CHEESE. – Jandy Nelson • I’m not the kind of guy who sits around at home and writes songs. Once in a while I’ll pick up a guitar and noodle around, but it’s rare. – Scott Ian • Instructions for Adam Look after no one except yourself. Go to university and make lots of friends and get drunk. Forget your door keyes. Laugh. Eat pot-noodles for breakfast. Miss lectures. Be irresponsible. – Jenny Downham • It turns out that Molly wasn’t her mother’s daughter in that respect. Charity was like the MacGuyver of the kitchen. She could whip up a five-course meal for twelve from an egg, two spaghetti noodles, some household chemicals, and a stick of chewing gum. Molly … Molly once burned my egg. My boiled egg. I don’t know how. – Jim Butcher • Life was so much simpler in pre-video days when everyone refused invitations because the ‘Forsyte Saga’ was on. Now we all just have a long list of unwatched shows, all of which, it seems, our friends are raving about. I feel as outdated as if I wore a Fair Isle sweater, ate Pot Noodle and had a two-bar electric fire in the sitting room. – Simon Hoggart • Memory, in my opinion, is a complete noodle. It hangs on the silliest things but forgets the stuff that really matters. – Ellen Potter • My grandmother was a kind of Scarsdale, New York, society woman, best known in her day as the author of the 1959 book ‘Growing Your Own Way: An Informal Guide for Teen-Agers’ – this despite being a person whose parenting style made Joan Crawford’s wire hangers look like pool noodles. – Sloane Crosley • My mom cooked pot roast with noodles and frozen vegetables. Or she’d make spaghetti or hot dogs, or heat up TV dinners. Before I started modeling at age 19, I was 5’8″ and weighed 165 pounds. – Carol Alt • Noodles are not only amusing but delicious. – Julia Child • OH KYO KUN! Isn’t it said that eating pink noodles turns you into a horny pervert?! – Natsuki Takaya • Once you’ve started a film you don’t become a wet noodle. You must have that conflictual interface because you don’t know, and they don’t know. It’s through conflict that you come out with something that might be different, better than either of you thought to begin with. – Jack Nicholson • Peace will come to the world when the people have enough noodles to eat. – Momofuku Ando • Ramen is a dish that’s very high in calories and sodium. One way to make it slightly healthier is to leave the soup and just eat the noodles. – Masaharu Morimoto • Sam was starting to feel anxious. Nutella and noodles were fine. Great in fact. Miraculous. But he’d been hoping for more food more water more medicine something. It was absurdly like Christmas morning when he was little: hoping for something he couldn’t even put a name to. A game changer. Something…amazing. – Michael Grant

• She led him past the engine room, which looked like a very dangerous, mechanized jungle gym, with pipes and pistons and tubes jutting from a central bronze sphere. Cables resembling giant metal noodles snaked across the floor and ran up the walls. “How does that thing even work?” Percy asked. “No idea,” Annabeth said. “And I’m the only one besides Leo who can operate it.” “That’s reassuring.” “It should be fine. It’s only threatened to blow up once.” “You’re kidding, I hope.” She smiled. “Come on. – Rick Riordan • Since I’ve been on my own, I’ve been eating a lot of popcorn, cereal, instant noodles, and snack bars. I have a hot plate in my bedroom, a microwave, and a small fridge. That’s the kind of kitchen I know how to get around in. – Karen Marie Moning • Spaghetti… I can’t eat spaghetti, there’s too many of them. No matter how hungry I am, 1,000 of something is too many. I’ll have 1,000 pieces of noodles. – Mitch Hedberg • ‘Tampopo’ is a deeply odd film about Japan, ramen noodles, love and sex. It made me very hungry and desperate to travel to Japan. It started my love affair with this amazing country, its culture, its food, its cinema and made me buy my first ticket to the land of the rising sun. – Jamie Cullum • The boys. The village boys. The beef-witted featherbrained rattleskulled clodpated dimdomed noodle-noggined sapheaded lunk-knobbed boys. How could anybody accuse her of stealing them? Why would anybody want them anyway? – William Goldman • There’s a Polar Bear In our Frigidaire– He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there. With his seat in the meat And his face in the fish And his big hairy paws In the buttery dish, He’s nibbling the noodles, And munching the rice, He’s slurping the soda, He’s licking the ice. And he lets out a roar If you open the door. And it gives me a scare To know he’s in there– That Polary Bear In our Fridgitydaire. – Shel Silverstein • There’s only one rule in photography – never develop colour film in chicken noodle soup. – Freeman Patterson • We can do anything. It’s not because our hearts are large, they’re not, it’s what we struggle with. The attempt to say Come over. Bring your friends. It’s a potluck, I’m making pork chops, I’m making those long noodles you love so much. – Richard Siken • When beetles fight these battles in a bottle with their paddles and the bottle’s on a poodle and the poodle’s eating noodles… …they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle bottle paddle battle. – Dr. Seuss • When I would feel down…I’d have some noodles father prepared, and all the worries I had that day…Poof! They would all disappear. – Kim Young-kwang • Yes, but I’ve already made my fortune in other things. (Solin) Such as? (Geary) Viagra. My brother learned to take a personal problem and profit by it. (Arik) It’s true. It pained me to see a man as young as Arik stricken with impotency. Therefore I had to do something to help the poor soul. But alas, there’s nothing to be done for it. He’s as flaccid as a wet noodle. (Solin) How creative of you to project your problem onto me. But then, they say celibacy is enough to make a man lose all reason. Guess you’re living proof, huh? (Arik) – Sherrilyn Kenyon • You can’t be wishy-washy. That’s the most boring thing in the world, to be a middle-of-the-road wet noodle. That’s my greatest fear, to be like, “Oh, whatever.” That’s just not who I am. – Chris Black • You have to find a group that really desperately cares about what it is you have to say. Talk to them. They have something I call otaku. It’s a great Japanese word. It describes the desire of someone who’s obsessed to, say, drive across Tokyo to try a new Ramen noodle place ’cause that’s what they do, they get obsessed with it. – Seth Godin • You noodle around with tempo and sound until you get the perfect fit for that particular song, and then, so long as you can sustain it, God is on your side and everything comes easily and even the waiters smile. – Wilfrid Sheed • Zen is to religion what a Japanese “rock garden” is to a garden. Zen knows no god, no afterlife, no good and no evil, as the rock-garden knows no flowers, herbs or shrubs. It has no doctrine or holy writ: its teaching is transmitted mainly in the form of parables as ambiguous as the pebbles in the rock-garden which symbolise now a mountain, now a fleeting tiger. When a disciple asks “What is Zen?”, the master’s traditional answer is “Three pounds of flax” or “A decaying noodle” or “A toilet stick” or a whack on the pupil’s head. – Arthur Koestler • Zerts’ are what I call desserts. ‘Trée-trées’ are entrées. I call sandwiches ‘sammies,’ ‘sandoozles,’ or ‘Adam Sandlers.’ Air conditioners are ‘cool blasterz’ with a ‘z’ – I don’t know where that came from. I call cakes ‘big ol’ cookies.’ I call noodles ‘long-ass rice.’ Fried chicken is ‘fry-fry chicky-chick.’ Chicken parm is ‘chicky-chicky-parm-parm.’ Chicken cacciatore? ‘Chicky-cacc.’ I call eggs ‘pre-birds,’ or ‘future birds.’ Root beer is ‘super water.’ Tortillas are ‘bean blankets.’ And I call forks ‘food rakes.’ – Aziz Ansari

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