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mirorbdangamachine · 5 months ago

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Games that I finished in 2024

One of my favorite things every year is when everyone posts their top ten favorite games that came out lists and the typical end-of-year awards discussions. It’s exciting watching everyone have these analytical talks and detailing why they’ve enjoyed what that year had to offer. Something I don’t see as commonly though are people reflecting on games they’ve played that hadn’t come out that year, which I think is an incredible disservice. There are tons of gems hidden away in yesteryear that are just waiting to be discovered, and I think they deserve the time to shine.

It will be January 31 when this post goes out, so I’m running out of time for this topic to still be relevant, but I wanted to go over every game I finished in 2024, be it on my own or with my friends. To clarify, this won’t be about every game that I played, else I would be here forever, but rather ones that I had completed the main stories of. This is going to be written mostly in the order of how I completed them, at least as best as I can remember. I’ll be keeping better track of that in 2025, but for now, let’s get this show on the road.

Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion

So this game will hold a special place in my heart as being the first game my now girlfriend and I played together after first speaking to each other two weeks prior. The Nancy Drew games were ones I hadn’t really played when I was younger, and so it was fun getting to experience some of them last year with him as he took me on a trip through memory lane. This one had a very good sense of atmosphere in its short runtime, feeling very genuinely spooky at times. The puzzles were all solid, we had a blast messing around in the maze segment, and aside from one touchy tile puzzle, the game held up pretty well. Out of all the Nancy Drews we played last year, this one is probably my favorite of the bunch. I even surprised my girlfriend with a tapestry of the poem in the game when we met, so it will be near and dear to me.

Famicom Detective: The Girl Who Stands Behind

I am almost ashamed as to how long it took me to actually finish this game. I’m fairly certain it took me… Two years, roughly. As a murder mystery lover, I always felt guilty about having never picked it back up again, but now that I have finished it, I am so glad I finally did. The reason I put it down the first time was because of the command prompt system that the game utilizes to do actions. It was simple enough, but there were some points in the early and mid game that made me frustrated due to not understanding the typical workings of this style of ADV gameplay which would require me to have to repeat options or do them in particular sequences to trigger. I was much more used to how the Ace Attorney games handle it where your options are more free flowing and clearly labeled on what you hadn’t done yet, so to go to a game where that wasn’t the case, I became frustrated and took time away from it. Once I finally let myself give it another chance, I remembered why I kept trying to throw myself at a wall to try and get through it in the first place, and that was because this game was a very solid mystery, but more importantly, had an excellent grasp on making you feel for the characters within it. With this being the prequel between the original two games, this one centered on the backstory of Ayumi, and I cannot express to you enough how seeing her try and do everything she can to solve the mystery of her best friend’s death made me feel so many things for her. I didn’t want to stop because I would have felt bad about not seeing her story through, and once we finally got to the end, it was all well worth it. This game doesn’t lean that far into the horror elements that you might think it would based on the premise of everyone thinking a ghost haunting the school killed a student, but when it does choose to go that route? Oh buddy, it hits. While I prefer The Missing Heir’s actual overarching mystery more, I think this one handles its character development better. If you have the chance to play this game, please do give it a shot, and don’t feel bad about having to pull up a guide at times if you feel lost.

Return to Mysterious Island

Another one of the old computer games that my girlfriend has shown me this year, I can confidently say that upon starting Return to Mysterious Island, I couldn't have have guessed where it was going to lead. I don’t want to elaborate because it is definitely best experienced going in blind. Exploring every nook and cranny of Mysterious Island was a joy, and it definitely puts your brain to the test in trying to think of ways to use your inventory. If you’re looking for a short and fun adventure game, this would be a good one to have a romp through with some friends.

Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel

Nancy Drew winds up at an amusement park to investigate a haunted carousel and somehow causes massive property damage along the way. Sounds like an average Tuesday for Nancy! When it comes to the Nancy Drew games, the actual gameplay is the same for all these ones that came out in the 2000s, so nothing is different there. I feel like this one didn’t hit the atmosphere quite like Message in a Haunted Mansion, though there’s were some fun set pieces to go throughout it. It was another cute one to play through with my girlfriend while we were with each other in person, so grab a friend or a loved one and just have a laugh at some Nancy shenanigans.

Murders on the Yangtze River

If you were to ask any of my friends how I was when I talked about this game, they would probably say I was extremely annoying because I constantly kept recommending it to them all every chance I had. Murders on the Yangtze River is easily in my top three games I finished last year, all of which I am still juggling as to where they sit in that said ranking. As previously mentioned, being an Ace Attorney fan, any game that has a similar feeling in its investigation system is probably going to get a thumbs up from me. Playing as the very well traveled detective Shen alongside his silly yet ingenious inventor sidekick Afu made every investigation a joy to experience. The two have very fun back and forths reminiscent of the Edgeworth and Kay from the Investigations games, with Shen being more socially adjusted than Edgeworth. When it comes to any mystery story that is from the perspective of a detective who is stated to be known in-universe as extremely competent and knowledgable, you always run the risk of not meeting those expectations due to trying to stop the player from trying to get ahead of the character’s current logic, and thus making the detective seem dumber than intended. Thankfully this is not the case here, as each chapter is handled with diligent care to ensure that the player feels right next to Shen each step of the way, with neither you nor him having their intelligence downplayed. All of the crimes were very well thought out, and the cast of characters in each were all thoroughly enjoyable form beginning to end. The game also has one of the most unique systems to solving one of the overarching mysteries near the end of the game that I have seen, and for that alone I think this game would be worth experiencing. There is only one part of the game that I could mark as a negative, that being a very small horror detour that we take in the latter third, but it is not big enough of a section to make me lose any overall enjoyment. Going throughout the story, you wouldn’t think the experience of each chapter could ramp up as much as it does when all of them are as solid as they are. And if you were curious, I’ll even say that this game doesn’t suffer from “Case 3 Syndrome”, so that’s all the more reason to play it. All in all, I absolutely think this is worth every penny, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did if you try it! There is going to be a DLC case released for it sometime this year, so when that drops, you will find me right there playing immediately.

Unicorn Overlord

Something very funny occurred as I was writing this out. Before I began on the entries, I had written down all the games in as close to chronological order as I could remember, so I could go about them in the same order and try and remember details of each one better. The only game I I had forgotten to put down was Unicorn Overlord. This was not because of it being a forgettable experience, far from it. In fact, this is another one of my top three games of the year as I had mentioned in the previous entry. The reason I hadn’t listed it is because I had somehow convinced myself that this was Fire Emblem Awakening, my favorite game of all time, which I had once again replayed this year as well. The reason I confused it for that game is not just because it features a blue haired swordsman as the protagonist in a medieval fantasy setting, but rather because just as I had done with Awakening, I 100% completed Unicorn Overlord. I played every level, I recruited every character, I saw all the endings, I had unlocked every single rapport conversation available between all units, and I had even gone and watched every Rite of the Covenant scene at the end of the game with every character on my save file. For those who have played this game, you know that there are over 60 playable characters to unlock, and all but roughly five of them have rapports to view (this game’s version of Fire Emblem’s supports). Once I had started this game, I had become obsessed with it, not putting it down until I saw literally everything that there was on offer. All of this is being said before I even have mentioned the gameplay! A lovable cast will get you very far in my books, but this game also backs it up with a modern version of the Ogre Battle team combat system mixed with real time strategy in the overworld. You get to comprise multiple units for your band of merrymen to go ride into combat together, and with a bevvy of classes that all have unique properties, there are seemingly infinite combinations you can make. Sure, there will be those layouts you can create that will just utterly run through the game, but if you are someone who loves experimentation, then you are going to fall in love with this combat system. The game incentives you to watch battles play out so you can make adjustments between each one on the map so you can better tackle it and try to retain your members. This game does does have varying degrees of difficulty available, all of which have since been fine tuned by the developers in patches to make it as fitting and fair as possible, and while there is no permadeath mode to begin with, you unlock one to play on after you finish your first playthrough of the game. There is so much to love about Unicorn Overlord that it even made me log into my old Tumblr to go reblog fanart of it and actually make posts in the subreddit for the game, which I have never done on Reddit before. If you are a strategy RPG fan of any sort, or you are wanting to try and jump into the genre, then I would say this is a wonderful game to do that with if you were wanting to look beyond the usual recommendations of the Fire Emblem series.

Death Come True

This is an FMV mystery game that was the first released project by Too Kyo Games, the studio that Kazutaka Kodaka and Kotaro Uchikoshi, the creators of Danganronpa and Zero Escape respectively, founded. Centered around our protagonist waking up in a strange hotel with an unconscious woman tied up in the bathroom with no memory of how he got there, this is a wonderful and short game that you can finish in a day. The portrayal of the main character by Kanata Hongo was the highlight of the game, he really made this story come to life. As it becomes evident that this is a timeloop story, he does a great job at showing off the growing agony of the perpetual infinity. Due to this game being so short, I don’t want to go much further beyond that so as to avoid spoilers. It is well worth checking out, and I am sure if you got some friends together to go through it, you all would have a fun time. The game also comes with behind the scenes commentary and interviews, so if seeing the production of an FMV game is something that interests you, it is all there to see as well.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical

Stray Gods was crafted in a basement by a Professor Plutonium-like figure who was searching for the best form of addiction possible to hook either queer folk who were theater kids in high school, Percy Jackson fans, or the most likely scenario: Both. As you can imagine, I fall into the “both” category. The songs all were wonderful, and the fact that they change depending on how you choose to behave leading up to that point makes for a great way to encourage replayability. I do think that maybe the games leaned a bit too hard into its dating sim aspects, but then again, it never really tried to act like it wasn’t going to also be that on top of the story being told. Surprise surprise that it is rooted in another murder mystery, so if the idea of using magic and fantasy elements in mysteries is something that excites you, I think you would have a fun time with this. The worldbuilding is very solid, the idea of the gods now living among us out of sight is one you can see being real and they take some fun liberties with the concept. The cast, while not feeling particularly faithful to their original mythological counterparts, is still fun to see go about the world they find themselves in. It goes on sale on Steam somewhat often, so if you find it for 20% off or more, then I would recommend getting ahold of it yourself to go through it.

Famicom Detective: The Missing Heir

In the last Famicom Detective section I had mentioned that it was the prequel, so now we are onto the original title that spawned the series. You can definitely tell as much as this story is more focused on the protagonist rather than Ayumi, to the point that she barely features in it for the most part. You will be conducting an investigation into the Ayashiro family, whose matriarch has just passed away, though her butler seems to think that there was foul play afoot. As you look further into each member of the Ayashiros, you will come to find that all of these people are thoroughly unpleasant people to be around with the ownership of the family business at the core of the story. It is a very classic setup that finds ways to surprise the player, even if they have experienced something like this before. Like I said before, I enjoy the actual mystery that was occurring in The Missing Heir more than I did in The Girl Who Stands Behind, it is a good and meaty taler to read through with twists and turns you wouldn’t expect. If you are going to play these remakes, then I highly suggest to play them in the order of The Girl Who Stands Behind and then move into The Missing Heir, as it is going to provide some more characterization to the main character that makes this story more enjoyable to consume. I am very happy that I finally got through these, and I am currently in the middle of the new entry in the series that just came out last year, Emio: The Smiling Man. If this series continues beyond this third game, then I think these two games have established two very solid leads in the main character and Ayumi to guide us through.

Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

Fun fact, this is the only Nancy Drew game that I played a part of when I was a child. I didn’t finish it back then, and frankly after going through it last year, I am not surprised that I didn’t as there were some puzzles that even as an adult had me a bit stumped. You know when you and your friends have to bust out a guide for a Nancy Drew game that this game maybe was a bit above the mental capabilities of a five year old, hahaha. Nancy has once again found herself at the behest of a friend calling in a favor, this time investigating a seemingly haunted house on a park lake that gets attacked by - you guessed it - ghost dogs at night. Winding through the history of a gangster who once lived there and the untold riches left behind, it comes as no surprise that someone wants their grubby mitts on a piece of the pie. This was another fun adventure with Nancy, and it had a very unsettling atmosphere to it that had me freaked out as the night approached each day. I would recommend giving this one a shot, but do not feel bad by any means if you have to bust out a walkthrough.

No Case Should Remain Unsolved

This might be one of the most emotional two hours I have ever spent playing something. This is such a beautiful short story in game form that I truly think everyone should go and play. It is centered around unraveling the timeline surrounding a missing girl and her family to figure out what must have happened. The gameplay itself is relatively simple in connecting keywords across the bits of conversation with each family member to unlock new pieces of information, with the occasional question asking if you know enough to unlock a new answer. With that said, please, go take the time to experience this.

Dokapon Kingdom Connect

Have you ever seen those videos talking about “the most rare/expensive Wii games”? If you have, then you have probably Dokapon Kingdom included in a few of those. Thankfully, the game has since been rereleased on Steam as Dokapon Kingdom Connect, meaning you and your friends can all… Suffer. Suffer, forever… Okay, that’s an exaggeration. The game is genuinely an extremely fun time, as if you made a Dungeons and Dragons campaign into a board game featuring rock-paper-scissors combat. The game is heavily luck based, to the point that even if you try and plan accordingly for maximum profit in gaining the most money and towns, you can still very lose everything at the drop of a hat. Over the five months it took us to play through this game, all four of us at various points were either vastly far ahead of the rest or way behind everybody on the weekly scoreboard, and then after one chapter event, everything would be scrambled. If you go into it with no expectations and just are wanting to have a good time, you will enjoy yourself. You can sabotage the other players and steal the lead from them, constantly threatening your friendship as if this was Mario Party cranked up to eleven. The problems arise however when you get to the final three chapters of the game, where the enemies become exceedingly difficult, and the game begins to cheat against all of you. This is not an exaggeration either, as the final four boss fighters of the game do actively read what inputs you are doing to try and counter them, and it caused my friends and I to have to grind seemingly forever to stand a chance, only to then still lose all of our progress. When we finally got to the end it was pure catharsis, however, I would never want to wish going through all that nonsense on my worst enemy. Thankfully, we have since discovered that you can just have a set umber of turns to play through, so you can have much more fun and take far less time to get through it all. For anyone wishing to go through a full campaign, I wish thee luck, and may you have either the greatest friends in the world, or not mind having a bunch of computers to just try and zip through it as fast as possible.

Find Love or Die Trying

This was a tale of two halves if I have ever seen one. The first half of the game is akin to The Bachelor, where you take on the role of the lead love interest, except the twist here is if you aren’t entertaining enough and the show ratings go down, you get killed by the production crew. I thought that was a very unique premise as it is what the game is sold upon, and while it has its moments, the week that you play through is almost excruciatingly unbearable when it comes to cliche and over the top writing. The executive producer is comically evil to the point of annoyance, and outside of the outlandish date events you get, the only really interesting part is the underlying plot with the director after each day of filming. However, once you get through the week, that is when the real game truly begins, as you realize you have found yourself in a timeloop story, forced to repeat this cycle again. Normally I wouldn’t spoil that, though I found the first part of the game to potentially be painful enough for some people to put it down. Once the pretenses of the situation are dropped, the writing actually becomes very good as you and the girls you are taking go on a thriller adventure trying to uncover what is going on behind this show, all while trying to act like you are none the wiser. Beyond the first week, I thought the whole cast was really fleshed out and I found myself attached to each of them and wanting the best for them, and I am happy that I pushed myself to continue after that initial hurdle. I know everyone hates the whole “I promise it gets good after a certain amount of hours” argument, but thsi is a case where I think it is warranted. It also helps that the initial week isn’t that long to play through, perhaps two to three hours at most depending on how fast you read, so everything beyond that point is smoothing sailing.

Mindcop

By now you should expect this list to continue with the trend of mystery games. Adorably drawn and animated with a charming detective duo, Mindcop is what I would call the puzzler’s murder mystery. Combining match three and detective gameplay together worked much better than I really thought it would, with the mind surfing mechanic giving us detailed mental examinations of those we are interviewing. The set up has a Twin Peaks feeling to it, where an extremely small town faces its biggest challenge yet in one of their own having been murdered, just replace Twin Peaks with Merrilyn Crater Camp and Laura Palmer with Rebecca Goodman. Not to say that this story will eventually devolve into the paranormal, though it does share the idea of the further you, the titular Mindcop and your partner Linda, go, the more of the dark secrets of this town will be uncovered. Coupling this with the fact that the game features a time mechanic where each action takes a certain amount of time and you only have five days to catch the killer, I felt like I was racing against the clock all the way until the end to try and confirm whether my suspicions were correct. You can end the game whenever you like by arresting who you think the culprit is, but I think the fact that I got down to the final two in game hours left before I was able to make my decision with enough confidence to feel good about it is a testament to how well done this game handled its core mystery. The fact that this is a nonlinear investigation game as well greatly serves this purpose, so one playthrough is very unlikely to be like another. Even when I had finished my first run, I wanted to go back and explore so much more that I didn’t have a chance to before. Thankfully there was a free play mode after that gave me the chance to do so. While it isn’t in my top three games I played this year, I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of either match three or mystery games.

Loco Motive

Speaking of my top three, Loco Motive is the last of those titles. As someone who hadn’t ever played point and click adventure games growing up, this to me felt like I was watching a Hanna-Barbera cartoon play out on a Saturday morning, except it was based around a murder mystery on a train. Once again another very classical scenario to the mystery genre, you are playing as Arthur A. Ackerman, the estate attorney to Lady Unterwald, the head of a major railway company. With her not getting any younger, she keeps making adjustments to her will, but tonight, on the Reuss Express, she is going to finally announce who she will be granting the business to once she retires. Right when the moment of truth comes however, after passing through a dark tunnel, tragedy strikes, and Lady Unterwald is found dead! Now it is up to you and your extreme lack of qualifications to try and figure out who did it! With a very beautiful pixel art style and fully voiced dialogue, this game oozes with charm. To those who are more familiar with point and click games than me, I am sure you will find some similarities between it and popular ones of the genre like the Monkey Island series. For anyone who hasn’t experienced games like that and have wanted to try it out, then I say look no further than Loco Motive. I found myself laughing about the whole way through this title, and I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything.

Queer Man Peering Into A Rock Pool.jpg

One of my friends who I had played through Dokapon with gifted this to me for Christmas and I decided to play it that evening after he had told me it was a good short game, to which he was correct! This falls into the “walking sim” genre, and is a very metaphysical expression of living as a gay man and trying to navigate how the world acts around you while you try to make the best of your situation. That is just one potential explanation of many, as the creators intentionally left it ambiguous as to what it was all supposed to mean. If you want a game where you walk through what looks like a synthwave music video and then eventually starts pulling out The End of Evangelion references, then this is a game for you. It is another game that can be done in just under two hours, so it a fun think piece to sit with.

The Case of the Golden Idol

This was the last game I had managed to squeeze in right before New Years as the player alongside my friends. Upon opening this game up, you have a very minimalistic tutorial given to you on how to open menus and then you are off to the races and have to piece together how to proceed on your own. Normally, I would say that is a horrendous approach to the beginning of a game, however, this time the developers made it work. The Case of the Golden Idol felt like what an advanced version of an ISpy book, where you are given a scene of a tragedy and from there you are meant to fill in the blanks as to what is actually happening. You get to examine the people and environment to add keywords to your bank, where from there you try to slot them into the spaces they are meant to go in and see whether or not you were right. This process with each scene was always very entertaining and felt like a good puzzle to try and solve each time. Watching the overarching narrative unfold all centered around the aforementioned golden idol was fascinating, and my friends and I always felt like we deserved pats on the back for being able to get through some levels with how minimal the information you are given is. There is a sequel to this called The Rise of the Golden Idol, alongside two DLC stories, and us three have already said that we will definitely be checking them out sometime this year. If you are looking for a fun puzzle game to play with friends, then this is definitely the one I would recommend to you!

Games that I have watched to completion

This is going to be a much smaller section, but I wanted to still shout out these games that I watched my friends play all the way through. Seeing as I wasn’t the one holding the controller I can’t really speak for how these feel to manuver, but still experienced the entire story.

First off is a slice of life visual novel called Twofold, but to call it just that would be doing the game a huge disservice. You play as Olive Penn, a college student on the verge of failing out, who is looking for a club to join in hopes of trying to get study partners before they get given the boot. They eventually find themselves stuck between the Literature Club and the Art Club, ran by our two main love interests in Millie and Caprice respectively. Depending on whose club you choose to join will determine which path you will be on, but the two are much more intertwined than just being a route split. Navigating through Olive’s life and seeing them try to connect with the various members of the club and seeing how they are all going through their own struggles, it is a game that really pulls at your heart strings. I very rarely cry when it comes to games, but learning more and more about both Millie and Caprice really did bring me to tears on numerous occasions. For a game to be able to do that to me makes it very special in my book, and I think this is a story that you should seek out and experience all the way through on both sides. I don’t want to say too much, so please go and play it yourself, or watch a playthrough of it. You can find my friend Don’s stream VODs of it on YouTube, linked here!

Next up is a game you have probably seen floating around by now due to the explosion of popularity it receieved in Mouthwashing. It is a psychological horror game that while being light on the jumpscares, makes up for it in rich storytelling and making you reconcile with everything that you are witnessing on screen. This is truthfully a game that I would not watch a content creator go through, as the topics within it are very serious, dark, and deserve to be treated with sincerity, rather than being played through with someone trying to be entertaining. My friends and I were aware of this when we went through and it was a harrowing experience, though one that I would say is more than worth experiencing. This is another game I would try to go into as spoiler-free as you can, though again with the popularity and level of fandom it has achieved, I understand that it can be hard to avoid. I normally am someone who is not a fan of horror games due to being easily scared and not finding the adrenaline rush enjoyable, but this is a game where you will not have to worry about that. There is a segment in it that does behave like a traditional horror game that I think overstays its welcome in the maze section, but beyond that, I think this is a fantastic game.

Finally, another horror game, albeit one that doesn’t quite feel like it due to its aesthetics: MiSide. I think the premise is a fun one, where the trope of the yandere girl is subverted in how Mita doesn’t actually care about you romantically, but rather she just wants to keep you trapped for her own amusement. Going through and meeting the various Mitas was a fun concept too, and you could feel the looming presence of Crazy Mita and how she has affected all of them. Perhaps calling this a horror game isn’t quite right, as it is more of a thriller with the occasional jumpscare and spooky setdressing. All in all, it was a fun thing to go through with friends, but it wasn’t something I would have personally found interesting had I been on my own. At the time of writing, the development team is still working on the “Peaceful Mode”, which I assume will just be the continuation of the romance slice of life activities at the beginning of the game. However, with the team currently leaning into the posts that go “Oh I can fix her”, I don’t foresee it coming out and being in the spirit of the rest of the game. Maybe I will be proven wrong, time will tell.

With that, those are all the games that I had experienced last year! Looking back on it, I really didn’t imagine that my top three games of the year would actually be from 2024, let alone the fact that I would say they all rank amongst my top ten favorite games of all time. Last year was a wonderful year of gaming for me, and I hope 2025 gets to be the same! I am going to be smart about this for next time and write these entries as I actually complete them instead of all at once. At the very least, I accomplished my goal of getting this out before February, though in the spirit of me, it was at the last minute. Hopefully this article will have given you some good suggestions for games to check out, and if you do, tell me what you thought of them!

#2024 #Games I played #Games I played in 2024

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qwanderer · 11 months ago

Text

(borrowing some dialog @wordsinhaled posted in the discord for this one)

Preparing for the show, Edwin had been working harder these past weeks than he ever had in his life. But unlike his school days, he'd chosen this, and it was… everything. It was the most fun he'd ever had with anything.

He had so much to say about this restaurant, this food, these people, and the tapestry of their lives. Getting the opportunity to make an entire season of television about it was freeing. He didn't have to restrain himself to the length of one review or narrow the breadth to simply the food, or even the dining experience. He could show the audience his favorite parts, the diverse patter of languages among the kitchen staff and suppliers and regular customers, the strength of their bonds.

The planning, Edwin had thoroughly enjoyed.

The actual filming… was going to take some adjustment.

Technically speaking, he and Niko were co-directing, but she knew the process of filmmaking in much greater depth, and as the equipment, the fuzzy microphones on poles and the several different sizes and shapes of cameras and the lights and filters and reflectors of all different colors and sheens filled up every empty space in the back of the restaurant, Edwin was reminded why he'd gravitated towards a profession that meant he worked alone, and spent hours writing in his quiet haven of a flat.

At first, Niko took the lead in terms of background footage, but as things got more involved with the actual meat, as it were, of the story they were telling, he found himself deeply involved in discussions with her about what to focus on and how best to showcase it all.

Fortunately, she could take over entirely if necessary, because he found himself needing to take frequent breaks to escape the chaos of it all.

It would have been far too many people, if it weren't for the fact of who these people were. Some of his favorite people in the entire world. He'd only really known Niko in passing before, but he was increasingly aware of why exactly it was that Crystal spoke so highly of her. Her staff were similarly cheerful and professional and clearly experienced in their areas. And of course, the restaurant staff. The owners. Aadhya and Charles.

As much as it all wore on Edwin, made him feel ragged around the edges, he could never regret the decision to go forward with this project when he saw them working together, when he saw the way Charles grinned, the way he glowed in the expertly arranged lights, the way he projected the full force of his ebullient personality straight into the camera.

Charles was made for this.

—

Edwin assumed that the in-depth cooking segments would be easier. They'd be in his flat, in his kitchen, with just Charles and the film crew.

What he hadn't accounted for was how much it would change his flat to be full of the equipment, the cameras, the lights, the endless wires. He hadn't accounted for what it would all mean to have it all pointed at him, to be one of only two people carrying the load of the attention. To be cooking, and explaining, and looked at, all in a place where he was accustomed to being alone.

It was an intimidating setup, but Charles seemed to be able to tune it all out immediately, making himself at home (not for the first time, but it was a wonder every time) in Edwin's kitchen and beginning the recipe they'd decided on for the day.

Charles rolled with all of it, even when Niko or the camera operators told him to do something over, hold a bowl or a pan at a different angle, interrupt for any one of what seemed to be a thousand little reasons. Edwin told himself he knew the dish, knew how Charles made it and why, could help prepare it in his sleep, and had an immense amount to say about it. But he was horribly conscious of even the tiniest movement he made while the cameras were on him, and after the flow of his thoughts got interrupted one too many times, the lights too bright, the whole flat too full, he simply could not make himself continue.

His explanations stuttered to a halt.

And now everyone was unquestionably looking at him, Charles was looking at him, despite the curry bubbling in the pan in front of him, needing to be stirred.

Edwin swallowed. "Don't let it burn," he muttered, nudging Charles's attention back to his cooking.

Charles's gaze flicked back to the pan just for a second, then back to Edwin, then back to the pan. "Sod that," he said finally, and shut off the gas, turning fully to face Edwin, putting warm hands on his upper arms. "You all right?"

Edwin wanted nothing more than to be able to dismiss the concern, to tell Charles not to worry, that they could continue. But he simply couldn't, his muscles felt so locked up and on edge he could barely move.

He very much was not all right.

"Right," said Charles. "We'll come back to this, yeah? Start over if we have to."

"Yeah, take as long as you need," Niko agreed. "We got some good footage but we can always reset."

Edwin shuddered at the thought of having to do all that again. But he followed Charles anyway, Charles who was leading him by the hand out of his kitchen and towards the balcony doors in the main room.

"We'll just be out here getting some air," Charles said, and then there was a closed door between them and the cameras and lights and equipment and attention, it was just the breeze, and the city below them, and Charles.

Edwin sank down into his chair. Belatedly, he realized there was only one out here, but Charles seemed happy enough to settle onto the little metal table where Edwin usually set his coffee on fair mornings.

"So that was all a little much for you, I guess?" Charles asked, gesturing back in the direction of the kitchen.

"I hate to admit it," said Edwin, "but Niko was right to worry. I thought it would be easier here than in the restaurant kitchen, but this is all so focused. I can't help but be terribly aware of how many people are potentially going to see every move that I make."

"Right," said Charles, putting a hand on his shoulder and looking him in the eye with all the intensity he had in him. So much. "We do this all the time, yeah? Don't worry about explaining everything, they keep saying we're going to have to record a lot of stuff later to put overtop anyway. So just focus on me in there, right? Like we're just cooking together, just the two of us, like any other evening."

Edwin could hear the hysterical edge to the laugh that escaped him, but he couldn't possibly have stopped it. How was he supposed to explain that the lingering glances he always had for Charles when Charles wasn't looking, the way he got sidetracked watching Charles's hands as he stirred, so that he had to still his hands in their chopping lest he lose a finger to his preoccupation.

The world couldn't be allowed to see that.

"I might not be able to manage that," was all he said.

Charles sighed, and he smiled softly, squeezing Edwin's shoulder. "We can call this off, you know," he said easily. "The show. We don't need to do it. The restaurant is more than successful enough already, Mum and I are doing amazing, we can—"

"Charles, no," said Edwin.

The yearning that filled him every time he was with Charles, that was his own problem, and he refused to let it interfere with something that could do so much good for Charles, and Aadhya, and so many others.

"Why not?" Charles said steadfastly. "I already owe, like, basically everything my life is right now to you. Coming in like that when everything looked pretty fucking awful and making sure things changed, then coming back and giving us a second chance at all."

"You did the work," Edwin insisted. "You and your mother. You've built a remarkable business. You absolutely do not owe me a thing."

As he said it, it occurred to Edwin that all their closeness, all Charles's kindness, his friendly touches, his wide smiles, that could all be because Charles was… grateful. Trying to pay him back.

Oh, that sounded so awfully transactional. Edwin thought he might be sick.

"Hey," said Charles, and then he said it again, more firmly, "hey, Edwin," and Edwin thought that maybe he'd said it a few more times, too, and Edwin hadn't heard.

He looked up at Charles, whose intense brown eyes now radiated concern.

"Where did you just go?" Charles asked. "Didn't look like it was much fun."

"Ah," said Edwin, looking back helplessly. "Charles." He cleared his throat. Right now was the worst possible time to have this realization, when he'd already gotten so overloaded once today that he could still barely push out words. And these words were… dreadful.

But he had to know.

"Is this…" he gestured between them. "is it all because you believe you… owe me something?"

"No!" Charles yelped immediately, with wide eyes. "God, no, mate. Edwin." He shook Edwin's shoulder, gently, for emphasis. "I'm not gonna lose track of time at someone's house because I'm having so much fun, and then accidentally fall asleep on the couch together, because I'm trying to be, what, polite to someone who gave us a good review?" He shook his head. "You're my best mate, you know? Working with you is the most fun I've ever had in my life."

Charles grinned sunnily, but then it dimmed a little.

"And for you, this whole thing seems like it's not quite as much fun."

"It is," Edwin insisted, hating the way that smile had vanished, but after what had just happened, he had to be honest. "Most of the time. It can also be overwhelming."

"Well," said Charles, and maybe he wasn't entirely aware of the way his thumb was caressing Edwin's shoulder through his shirt, but Edwin certainly was. "Don't hurt yourself for this, please?" Charles continued. "I don't want it if it hurts you."

"Some things are worth pushing through," Edwin said.

"God, Edwin, why are you so…" Charles trailed off, biting his lip. "You keep giving away little bits of yourself for me. And maybe I'd rather you stayed whole."

Edwin had to take a moment to absorb that. Utter poetry. Tempting, beautiful poetry.

But ultimately, utter tosh. He scoffed. "Nothing of the sort," he said. "A little discomfort is well worth what this opportunity will bring to both of us." He tried his best to pin Charles with the same intensity of gaze. "And you shouldn't give up on this so easily."

"In a heartbeat," Charles returned, utterly unrepentant. "If it's hurting you."

"You're blowing this all out of proportion," Edwin insisted.

"Am I, though?" Charles squinted unhappily. "You looked pretty bad in there. You've been a little extra on edge since filming started. And I don't like seeing you like this, especially if it's for something for me that I can do without. Yeah?"

Edwin sighed. "Think about this," he said. "Think about everything this show is going to mean, not just to you and your mother, but for the sake of preserving and spreading knowledge. People are going to learn so much from this about the heritages represented in your menu, the history behind it all. And think of your employees, and your suppliers, and everyone else who will benefit just a little from the stability and growth of your business."

"Right, I get it," Charles said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not saying it's not a good thing we're trying to do here. But it doesn't have to be you," Charles told him. "Someone else can make this happen, some other time."

"But we have the opportunity, now," said Edwin. "And I would like to see it through."

"Are you sure?" Charles asked.

"I will let you know if I truly can't continue," Edwin told him.

"Can't say I'm happy with that answer," Charles said. "But if it's what you wanna do."

Edwin's chest felt full to bursting with the warmth he felt for the man beside him. He wanted to be next to Charles constantly, and especially the way he glowed when he was cooking for an audience, even if that meant enduring the audience himself.

How could he possibly live with himself if he stood in the way of the magic that was happening here? How could he not support Charles in every possible way? Charles had said himself, many times, how excited he was about the show. He'd just said it was the most fun he'd ever had.

Would Charles understand better, if he knew how Edwin felt about him? Or would he push Edwin away?

Was it fair to keep it from him, at this point? When it imperiled their shooting schedule?

He laid a hand over Charles's, where it still sat on his shoulder. "You should know," said Edwin, and then faltered. Tried again. More to the point this time. "I cannot possibly bring myself to disappoint..." The word you refused to be pushed out of his mouth. "...Aadhya."

Charles gave him a crooked smile. "Point there, mate," he said, shaking his head ruefully. "I understand that one."

Edwin let out a breath of laughter of his own.

He would manage this. Somehow.

Restaurant owner / chef Charles / Food critic Edwin AU - continued!!!

Hi everyone! I just wanted to say what an incredible experience it has been seeing the chef Charles/food critic Edwin AU be so amazingly received and to have so many incredible writers collaborating with me on this! I expected the idea to get a few notes and peter out but it has taken on a life of its own and I couldn't be happier. I may or may not have gotten quite emotional about it, actually. It is truly such a joy to see everyone's different styles, writerly voices, and insights into all the different aspects of this story come together in such a beautiful synthesis to celebrate culture, food, found family, healing, and of course, the characters. <3 I'm so so so so beyond floored and honored to be working with y'all, and seeing where it continues to go! Thank you for "yes and"-ing - you are all brills!!!

Anyway, the previous reblog chain was getting SUPER long thanks to everyone's contributions (<3) so I'm gonna start a second reblog chain for everyone to reblog from!

You can read the AU from the beginning here!

The masterpost for the AU is here!

#restaurant au #dead boy detectives #fic #little baby angst worms #payneland #au

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dgcatanisiri · 3 years ago

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I really do hate the anti-elf faction of the Dragon Age fandom, mostly because of how HOSTILE they get towards ANY attempt to discuss the elven peoples.

Like... Inquisition was NOT all about them - A plot segment featured the ancient elven culture, while the rest of the plot was, in succession, about the Mage-Templar conflict, embodied mostly in human characters, the Grey Wardens, again, embodied in human characters, and the politics of Orlais, which, by definition, are embodied in mostly human characters.

In fact, the whole series has mostly been about humans - elves were one of several factions in Dragon Age Origins, which also included the dwarves and Arl Eamon's forces of humans, as well as the mages who, yet again, mostly embodied by humans. Then we had DA2 and Kirkwall, which, hey, look at that, once again, the major players are mostly embodied by humans.

No, what happened in Inquisition is that the plot shifted focus and attention away from fantasy humans and over to the fantasy race already actively torn down by the narrative and explicitly paralleled to minority cultures in our world. And, even then, it was a negative portrayal of the "everything you know is WRONG!" variety. And yet, because attention equals favoritism, apparently, it became 'ALL ABOUT THE ELVES!'

And like, even if it had... ELVES ARE A PART OF THIS UNIVERSE. Like, what, are we supposed to just NOT spend any time on them?

Like I guess I am "pro-elf" by default, because I see the elves as a part of this tapestry just as much as any other group in the series, a faction who deserves their time in the sun like any other - and a faction who has NOT been dominating the plot of the games to this point, because the issues of the elven peoples has been consistently secondary to things related to the human Chantry throughout the series until now.

Still, I DEEPLY want the anti-elf people to shove a sock in it, because clearly they played a different set of games than I did if they think that the elves have been favored to this point.

#dg rants #dg plays dragon age #dg gets pissed

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artfoli · 6 years ago

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The Unicorn in Captivity (The Unicorn Tapestries), 1495-1505. Wool warp with wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts.

‘The Unicorn Tapestries’ are a series of tapestries considered masterpieces created during the late Middle Ages period. Within the series of seven, the tapestries weave a story in which a group of noblemen hunt a unicorn through beautifully arranged forests. Each segment depicts certain parts of the narrative; the hunt, the capture, the attack, the taming by a virgin and resurrection of the unicorn, to finally the unicorn’s captivity.

This image in particular shows the final stage in the narrative: ‘The Unicorn in Captivity.’ Housed by The Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has described the work in detail:

“In this instance, the unicorn probably represents the beloved tamed. He is tethered to a tree and constrained by a fence, but the chain is not secure and the fence is low enough to leap over: The unicorn could escape if he wished. Clearly, however, his confinement is a happy one, to which the ripe, seed-laden pomegranates in the tree—a medieval symbol of fertility and marriage—testify. The red stains on his flank do not appear to be blood, as there are no visible wounds like those in the hunting series; rather, they represent juice dripping from bursting pomegranates above. Many of the other plants represented here, such as wild orchid, bistort, and thistle, echo this theme of marriage and procreation: they were acclaimed in the Middle Ages as fertility aids for both men and women. Even the little frog, nestled among the violets at the lower right, was cited by medieval writers for its noisy mating.”

There are many mysteries surrounding the tapestries, still debated today. Such as: who is the maker? Who was the patron? What were the tapestries really designed to represent?

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popculturebuffet · 5 years ago

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Pinky and the Brain: A Pinky And the Brain Christmas Review or I Just Think Schotzie’s Neat

Christmas Continues on this blog... and getting away from one set of Christmas commissions and into another, I offered my friend Blahdiddy three commissions as a present. The other two we’ll get to eventually, but with Animaniacs on the brain, heh, due to the reboot, he selected two Pinky and the Brains and one Animaniacs for me to cover. And while I intended to cover this one sometime this month anyway, my friend’s recent and sad covid diagnosis meant i’m bumping this one all the way up to the front of the line so he has some christmas cheer during this rough time. So with that in mind let’s talk about pinky, pinky and the brain brain brain brain brain shall we? Of course we can’t really talk about pinky and the brain without talking about Animaniacs. I absolutely love the series, I grew up with it as a kid and reconnected with it as an adult when it ended up on netflix. It was smart, well animated and most importantly really fucking funny. I highly recommend checking both the original and reboot of it out some time if you have Hulu. Speaking of the reboot while I might go on in full about it at some point it’s pretty good, with some creatvie jokes, some nice updates, with Rita Anita Anrita being a great new addition to the warner side of things. It’s only real flaw is it gets a bit reptitious as for the most part there’s only really the warners and pinky and the brain with a few exceptions one of which DAMN well deserved at least two segments and we all know which one that is.

Bring.. this.. to series. The warners and pinky and the brain segments weren’t bad, but as is inevitible in a screwball comedy some just weren’t as good as others and those fell harder when you’ve already seen 2 or 3 better versions of this sort of skit in the season. They did really find their groove towards the end and if you like both Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain, or even just one or the other, it’s worth checking out. But enough about the reboot let’s talk about those labratory mice whose genes have been spliced. Thanks to wikipedia, I now know the duo were based on Eddie Fitzgerald and Tom Minton, who worked with Tom Rutgeter on Tiny Toon adventures, with menton being the one who came up with Narf, even saying it in one episode of Tiny Tunes. During the creation of animaniacs, Bruce Timm, yes THE Bruce Timm, sketched the two, and Ruetger added mouse ears and the rest was history. Maurice LaMarche was the one who added the Orson Welles to the character, as LaMarche saw the Orson Welles in Brain, ran with it and got the part and a long and storied career in voice acting as a result. In a nice and fitting bit of contrast, Rob Paulsen got the part.. because he was already on the show. Not to downplay Paulsen’s clear talent, I just find it hilarious.

That’s about what I could dig up on the behind the scenes of the show. From what I can tell it was greenlit because Animaniacs was a massive it, and Pinky and the Brain was the most popular segment, so it just made sense. The show would likewise be a massive sucess with both adults and kids, and go on for three seasons and what should legally be considered a war crime.

For those of you blissfully unaware yeah, that happened, no no one people actually LIKED from Tiny Toons was in it. And yeah if you want me to talk about it commission it otherwise not going near this one. While I do need to tackle more bad animation... I’ve successfully avoided watching an episode of this show for 22 years next wedsday, I’m not breaking the streak for free.

But some.. things aside I remembered liking the series as a kid but just never got around to seeking it out as an adult. I had nothing against the animaniacs segments and I even still have a stuffed brain doll I got at a garage sale.. the pinky is sadly missing and persumed dead. I just wasn’t as bit into it as I was the slappy bits rewatching animaniacs and didin’t really see reason to watch the show. Watching this though made me realize I was wrong and I probably watch more of it in the future This special is damn good, i’m pleased ot review it and to revive and old childhood memory. So with all the exposition out of the way let’s talk Pinky, PInky and the brain brain brain brain christmas edition after the cut.

This was indeed a special: while it was presumably produced with season one of the show and is packaged with it both on DVD and on Hulu, where I watched it, the special was aired in prime time and even put on it’s own VHS.. which I found out and of course, like with my review of the Darkwing Duck Pilot, had to use as the art for old VHS’ tapes for cartoons.. was really fucking beautiful and it’s a nice break from my traditional screencaps. So we open with a clever Christmas rendition of the theme, frequently sprinkling in bits of other christmas stuff, utterly fantastic. The intro animation is less impressive as it’s literally just the regular intro but with a stock snow effect over everything. In case you thought Ducktales doing that was a new thing. I do not blame the team however, as apparently they only had a week to get the scripts out, so I highly doubt warner was forking out more cash for the animation than they had to. They still forked out enough to make it LOOK really good mind you, something I wish they’d do more often with their DTV Movies but do do with their animated shows still with certain exceptions so good on them, i’m just saying they clearly cared more about money than having a memorable christmas opening. Given a budget to actually make one, i’m sure the animators would’ve come up with something lovely, and i’m sure the same is true of Ducktales and other shows and like i’ve said, i’m highly in favor of shows actuallly doing unique openings for the holidays, especially since Holiday episodes tend to get reaired every year as long as the show is in circulation on the network. Sometimes even if it isn’t. So it’s fully worth the effort to fork out a little extra for this as while you’ll most likely only use it once, you’ll be using the special for years. You can afford to treat yourself networks come on. It’s...

Just like Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain. But onto the episode itself after 80 years. We find Pinky writing his Christmas list to santa, complete with Narf, a gag I like. As usual for a comedy show, I will try to gloss over as much of the gags as possible, to avoid repetttion but yeah this episode is really damn funny and reminded me just how good these characters are. Maurice and Rob just have perfect chemistry. It’s like Tom and Jerry: It’s a very simple premise, that one being “Cat chases mouse and Mouse beats shit out of mouse”, and pinky and the brain of course being “Super genuis mouse and dimwitted but loveable sidekick try and takeover the world eveyr night”. But a simple premise can be used just about anywhere and adapated for anything. To me a cartoon’s premise only has to be as complicated as it needs to be to work. Sometimes you have a vast complex tapestry behind the world like She Ra, Steven Universe or Avatar with lots of planning and ins and outs and deep character stuff.. and sometimes you just have two mice who get into shenanigans because one is a would be dictator who sounds like orson welles and the other’s a loveable british weirdo/moron. Sometimes simple just works.

Anyways, Brain, noticing Pinky’s distracted and replaces himself with a horrifying poorly made doll of himself called Noodle Noggin, which is both an excellent name and not the only time they’d use the name either, as there was an animaniacs short about Brain making himself a fad to endear himself to the children of the future with the same name. It’s just an inherently funny set of words, but also shows Brain’s genius in a subtle and clever way as he never spells it out, but despite sounding kind of ridiculous for such a buttoned up intellectual like brain... he knows that’s the kind of name kids will eat up. His schemes may often fail, but he’s an objectively brilliant schemer and i’ts often either PInky’s incompetence or his own miscalculation of humanity, either over or underestimating them, that undoes Brain. Back to the plot, so Brain’s plan is to distribute noodle noggins around the world, make it the hot new toy, and as always, take over the world. Problem is naturally two Mice simply don’t have the resources to make the billions of dolls. But PInky stumbles upon the solution in the paper: a want ad for elves! Everything about that sentence except “pinky stumbles upon the solution” has not aged paticuarlly well, but point is they have a plan and we have our christmas special. This does bring me to my one problem with the special.. Brain’s weird inconsistency towards Santa. What I mean is he spends the portion doubting Santa can do anything he’s claimed to despite being proven frequently he can. That part is not all that annoying as it’s in character with him and while yes, he is a talking mouse, he’s also a man of science and reason and Santa is the opposite of that. That would be fine... IF it wasn’t for the fact that said magical bollocks weren’t constantly part of his plans. Despite Brain constantly throughought the special doubting Santa... his plans FREQUENTLY rely on everything we’ve heard about him being right. His initial plan here ENTIRELY runs on the fact Santa has a massive workforce to make the toys yet even if that’s true by Brain’s own logic, he wouldn’t be able to deliver them. Later when the boys need to escape, They hide with the Reindeer despite Brain just saying santa can’t be everywhere in one night.. which if he can’t then the odds are slim he’ll wind up at Acme Labs isn’t it? It would be fine if the special acknowledged any of this outside of one bit we’ll get to, but other than that one bit.. they don’t. IT’s just really frustrating and really sticks out since the rest of the special is perfection, so this one failing bit really grates. That being said, it dosen’t last long enough to really drag the episode down as a whole, just to annoy me a bit every so often. It speaks to the episodes quality that the bad part ONLY drags so much because everything else is so well put together. So our boys head to the north pole with the help of a kooky pilot and a santa dummy, this pilot is voiced by Tress MacNeile and is easily one of the best parts of the special. And naturally given their luck, she asks them to take the wheel so the plane instead jerks and causes them to fall out. Luckily they end up near Santa’s workshop and soon apply for temp work with local head of things and gruff type Shotzie, played by Jeff Bennett. And yes that is his name. I like Shotzie: he’s a goateed elf and Bennett just plays him well.. hard to explain honestly I may just like his name and Bennett’s voice for him, one he used before in animanaics for various bit parts and in shows after this, it’s just a voice i’ve always liked.

They get put to work in the mail room, which is the bit I mentioned: Brain earlier scoffed at Santa answering all the letters with Pinky simply suggesting that Santa had his elves go through all of them. Turns out Pinky was right... while he may be a BIT stupid, one intresting thing i’ve found about Pinky after watching the reboot that ironically the friend who comissioned this and I discussed is that he’s not ENTIRELY stupid, it’s just , much like Dan from Dan Vs his knowledge is just random.. he can not know how a lot of things work, but sometimes like in this instance Pinky generally just GETS something. It’s part of why he and Brain are such a good team despite their failures: Brain is all about planning and thought and research, Pinky is about intuition and gut instinct. He just does things and it often works out. This also makes their recently added backstories all the more brilliant as they explain this well: Pinky started life just being told to find the diffrence in cheeses and thus was taught form childhood to trust in himself and his weird brain. Brain was cruelly torturued with an experiment on learned behaviors via electroshock, and was taught to never give up control again, to always know what’s going on and to always control it. It perfectly sums up who the two are and why they are that way. Brain however quickly pivots, as the mail room ends up being the perfect location to start his plans. Since their job is to file away what each person wants Brain simply adds Noodle Noggin to it and plans to put his plans into the workshop. While Santa and Schotzie are suprised and baffled, Santa quickly adds it to the list. However things hit a snag when Schotzie gets supscious when the two try to sneak into the blueprint room to drop theirs off and he accidently yanks off their disguises leading to a REALLY fun chase scene, as the boys end up in a toy wherehouse and thus try out various toy cars: a barbie dream car that dosen’t have a working motor, a toy truck that dosen’t go very fast, and finally an rc car that while fast naturally just means Schotzie can grab it and capture them. It’s easily my faviorite scene of the episode just for how clever it is and as someone whow as a kid around the time this came out, I applaud the accuracy.. granted I didn’t have any of those personally but I had lots of friends so yeah.

So our heroes are interrogated.. and again Brain brilliantly pivots. Schotzie assumes since they have the blueprints their spies for the easter bunny or the tooth fairy or Herschel, the Hanukah Goblin. Why Herschel never got his own Hannukah special trying to stop Pinky and the Brain from using it to take over the world, I genuinely do not know and that’s something the reboot really needs to adress in the future. Seriously Hannukah needs a mascot and it’s either Herschel or the Hannukah Zombie. Kwanza already has Kwanzabot. I want to see more of Herschel the Hannukah Goblin dammit!. I love goblins. Especially this one.

And this one

And most of all this one

I likes goblins. It’s a thing. So anyway, point is Schotize has the blueprints taken in while our boys slip out and sucessfully make their way outside, though they have to find a way home to turn on the mind control device. They see Santa and brain being a dick refuses to let pinky hand in his letter.. but does as mentioned earlier have them pose as reindeer. So our heroes make their way home and in time to be able to activate the device once santa’s route’s finished!

And.. then land directly on the mind control device thing, meaning they now have to scramble to repair it. Oh and Pinky is inconsolable after realizing Santa didn’t get his letter and Brain is a HUGE dick about it. Easily the worst i’ve seen him just far more focused on his machine than his friend’s wel lbeing especially since ALL he needs from pinky is for him to throw one lousy switch.

But we then get easily the best part of the entire special. As Brain scrambles to rebuild his device while abusing his best friend we get a really nice tense sequence as Brain rebuilds while kids all over the world warmly receive noodle noggin. I mean.. it’s not the creepiest doll I’ve seen a kid enjoy.

Also Bill Clinton gets one because the series apparently really likes “Bill Clinton is stupid jokes” Oh you poor innocent dears who haven’t had to suffer through the president being revealed to be a sexual predator, the one after him being even dumber if not a predator, the one after that being easily one of the best people around, and the outgoing one being a waking nightmare whose both a preadator and dumb beyond all comprehension ina dangerous and soul crushing way.

But yeah onto the good part, Brain, for whatever reason, reads the letter.. and finds Pinky asked for nothing. He just wanted to give Brain the world at long last, recognizing his friend really and genuinely means well for it and that he’s worked hard to conquer it. And with that goal in reach, with the very thing he’s always wanted his... Brain instead uses the device to wish a merry christmas. He sees through his friend’s kindess and selflessness that he himself.. has been selfish once again turning something into a world destroying plot and being cruel to his best friend... when all his best friend wanted was to selflessly make sure he finally got what he wanted. It’s then that Brain, for all his cold and cynical logic and superiority complex, realized the true meaning of christmas, which i’ve said before and i’ll say again: it’s about giving, about giving someone something with your heart and soul just to be nice with no expectation of something in return. It’s about being selfless for once instead of selfish. I’ts about love. And Brain loves his friend too much to destroy his faviorite holiday. For once the world can wait.. and for once they all join in saying merry christmas to one another and in love and camradire. And I know not everyone celebrates christmas, there are other winter holidays and not everyone in the world would willingly do this. I know all that.. but the special has such a well meaning message, I really can’t be mad at that or get into the weeds too much> This isn’t some jackass making an entire movie, of which there have been several, saying “There’s a war on christmas” which instead equates to them just bitching about not everyone celebrating HIS holiday. It’s about a mouse for one moment truly being selfless and putting ihs loyal and faithful friend over his greatest want to give him a nice christmas and to do something nice for the world instead of trying to take it. And that.. that’s really damn heartmelting. So we end on the two exchanging presents, with it being a little extra heartwarming as Brain likely already got Pinky something meaning even before his big revelation, he really does care beneath all the dope slaps. Pinky got him a keychain of the world and rather than be frustrated like you’d think.. Brain just takes it in stride. It is christmas after all.. the world.. it can wait. For now it’s just the two of them having one moment in time, this merry christmas. Final Thoughts: If it wasn’t obvious, I loved this freaking special. It’s funny, clever and has one hell of an ending. There isn’t much more to say other than go watch it if you have Hulu.. you will not regret it and a sepcial thanks to Blah for comissioning this. it was an amazing time and is now a competitor for a spot on my best christmas special list. For now though it’s just really good and I say go check it out. Merry christmas, happy holidays and later days.

#animaniacs #pinky and the brain #warner brothers #pinky #the brain #santa claus #christmas #blahdiddy #christmas specials #reviews #animation #kids wb

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marthashlyn · 3 years ago

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<< Tips. The games. No game. >> Summation. Mind your thoughts & manners.

What happened? Organic Kinesthestic Skillset Eccentrics. All feelings, grids, 3D.

3D Feeling. Supine. No whoring.

Zeroni lakay, is this gif down below. A "basilisk" clone. Leviathan. Goop, clay that simply cannot be human. Boomie, Avatar episode of "The last airbender." On some deep, my last, my all stuff, nymph of sirenix, Godix stuff. Me. Now, what ever is going on was slimey. That's what I felt all the time around her, since I was young & by people like her. Like octopuses. Spiritually hanging, stuck, chained to them. Her. The image.

Gif : Her. AMD-L. Zeroni Lakay. Flopped goop dedicated to taking you down with her. Them. Everyone just like her too. She will never be clear. In any form, in any way. She can barely feel. Her entire life. She was a little girly & split dark (air & earth). Soft as hell. 2 & half steps out? No girly. Crazy masculine. "Thugging" things out. Full witch. Godmother as well, 3/4 witch. AMD was trapped & bound at the center of Neptune, surrounded by water, eyes closed, arms chained outside of this air bubble. The chains were attached to earth beneath her as she floated. Flopp Jesus. Upside-down cross. This is the scrap stuff, to see where she really was. There you have it.

Down below is me. Inside the bubble. Not as the top of the pyramid, but as a glowing Diamond & point of clarity. Human. 3D clarity was given. Truth & Lies were determined. One question and I will remember every motion of this maze of a sensation. It was girly. The moment & life. 2 ties. Right hand, 3-finger roast, pinky in = One red (above my head=line segment . Tangent) & "Pull out the stick," 2-finger 'roast'= One blue (at my right foot, in front of my tapestry. Large blue, masculine.) The blue tangent had a little air. It needed holy logic and feeling. Lies & smoke. So, possibly a blunt story. (Weed-Marijuana). Someone blew smoke. I wasn't there. I never dreamt it. I never sensed it then, ..whenever that story was told. It was not told by me, this lie you see. On me & DELTA, the rate of change & sorority? Cosmic forces only. You all WILL feel me. You WILL see me. It may feel a little masonic too. I have ties there apparently. Probably Ben Franklin, no production. Not organic. No conception. No Love. Only trade. Trade secrets & gossip. #Slavery.

⬆️ x2 (gifs): Me. Down to the core, slice of cake, 3D grid quadrant, quick, rapid stuff. For my person. My Earth.

Everyone with lies of rape, needs help. You lie about rape? You'll lie about anything. That's how I personally feel.

Image above = visual given about my father and my siblings with my mother. This is all about MY mom & MY dad. Not level of importance but, clear seeing. What is seen clearly. Starting at the core, ground. You (anyone). Innately. Work your way out. Earth's layers = family members in respective spiritual/whatever positions to you. Not necessarily "favorite," but, level of spiritual protection & education to you. But, USUALLY, apparently, depending on the families & this "chosen" mess, I don't know what's out there... But 1 & 4 are ground for my father. Old school & new school unity, for their thoughts & past experiences spiritually. My mother too. A culmination to both of their senses after all of this. You all DO NOT need to figure out a damn thing about my mother. Thank you. (to be continued.)

Femininity. Emotional Intelligence. 3D core feeling, all around.

Vitruvian Man : Cosmic Woman* : Haitian-American Woman

Cosmic Woman* = Higher Me. Me since birth. Purposeful. Destiny. Human. Born of Love & soulful connection.

Daughter. Angel* .. .of the kingdom. = (Divinely Protected)

I am someone's daughter. I matter. I've mattered since birth.

If you were born with gray eyes? I don't know. You either are a spirit, or You could be trapped somewhere. You are danger. Cosmic danger. Your eyes had no color. You were instantly a character. You have no soul. Choices matter in life.

You are probably of the moon. No Sailor Moon. An empty dark side.

Thick empty dark side people? Be careful. If you can feel that stuff (the thick empty dark side) & feel for those people, knowing they've lied? You could be one with them, extremely deeply.

That is scary. 😕

And that.. is what we found out here in office one today. Because of a half-step & 2 full step out spiritual geneology line segment tangent. Memory moment reveal, sensationally. Thank my 30. She's kooky, but thank her. Reverse sands of time, trapped cyclone. Tazmanian Devil. So, witchcraft. Voodoo deals. Settlements. Mathematics.

NonMinisterial-Osteopathic Owl Eyes.

You “actors” ARE NOT doctors for real. Criminal Analysis IS NOT your real career. WhoMever it was. Spiritual analysis IS NOT your real career. WORKING WITH CHILDREN, IS NOT in the stars for You. Most of you are pedophiles. Y'all really should be in jail. Most of you "actors," NEED all the help. Psychologically. I'm no therapist, but you all need one. You would actually have to be open. All solid people have had enough. Get a psychiatrist or psychologist. Psychiatrists diagnose & perscribe medicine. They barely talk. Psychologists diagnose & Talk. If they're actually listening to you. Psychiatrists too. So, yeah.

I was normal my entire life & careful. I knew NOTHING. I was fluid. I was myself.

I’ve already said I KNOW I’m no doctor. Only one-third. My background matters. You’ve all made an expert out of me. That’s not good, but.. thank you.

"Most Humble salutations 🙏🏾."

Marf at Full Capactiy. 25/8. In my sleep & awake. In & out. Revolving & evolving. Constant rate.

As of the beginning of the semester, fall 2018, everything became spiritual for me some how. A thinking period. Period of reflection. While I lived my life then. No flip flop. I was never flopped on any issue. Any decision I've made? Will be verified & clear, from this point forward just like today. That is how it usually was for me, deep down. Nothing was said to me. Nothing was clear. Only gaslight overlay anger, pick and choose bingo. You all have my memories some how. Who are you? Who were you at one point? Were you pretending to be me sexually, romantically, physically, spiritually?

..& no 😕.

#ColemanKid. Sheep, no goat. Humility. I’ve seen. I’ve felt. Covered. Protection. Selection protection. Favorable variable. A lamb. Iridescent. Solid. Iron clad. Gold. I was NEVER bound. I don't care WHAT you all know. IF I was... . the link is golden. Divine purpose. I was always positive. Girly. 🌺⛑💚✨

You all had “doctor” conversation with the wrong person. They were ears & mirrors toward=of destruction. They're never home. Their humanistic nature is bound somewhere in space. Probably Neptune. Deep sea blue, water bubble, eyes closed in a pod. "The kindergarten." -StevenUniverse.

Paradot destruction. A puppet. To your.. #/whatever deadly. Like a bunch of goopy clods. Peices of shit. Clogging the flow. (Sn: Yes. This is general.)

#GaslightOlympian - Humbly spoken. I am she. FlipJG.

Chains Broken. I had to answer questions. To myself.

I worked, on my own with Jesus. As myself.

Die with you all's version of flip me.

Summation visual of what I was doing supine. Feeling & piecing everything together. These lies. & I found several truths. #TelepathicChurch ⬇️

Point of clarity: As of summer 2020, THC Telepathics began. The pen. While asleep or while I'd watch church live, online. COVID-19. 2019 up until then, I was completely sober. That was natural autopilot kinesthetics. THC Telepathics was even better & I was normal. Cross faded me? "Please leave me alone (sass)." I was a blocked iron brick, times 2. A sponge. And I was STILL normal. I couldn't overhear things. That is not what I walked around doing. Deep deep feeling only, with a glow. Never mindless. I was never mindless.

Mindless verification = (Spiritual) : : I wasn't a puppet then. Only a pawn. Once.

(I was a puppet as a pawn, spiritually, after autopilot utilization)

Only during a vulnerable period, a mindless dark side puppet discussion amongst 3 people in the exact same moment where, as a pawn somehow, I walked into my kitchen at the time for a suicide attempt. Once. Flipped clarity, spiritual for my other half. There was a water glow feeling behind me, now that I feel & think about it. It was Jesus in another form. Elemental. Energy. My other half, whom, I am for.

EVERYONE IS AT FAULT HERE. You all made what ever THIS was.. worse. Then y'all were playing on my phone & in my face, playing. Wasting time. Wasting energy. Petty energy, trying to be mean.

Like I've said, "I'm from Broward, you can't bully me." I barely, felt you, let alone, seen you. Trust. You did not exist to me. [@ Everyone involved in THIS Bull.]

To the horrible: Stay away from me. All of your crude & rude comments and discussions, fantasies, criminal activities, calculated apolitical-obtuse-flipped-psycho brought us all here. #Truth. #Morals. #Respect. #Love. #Loyalty. #NoFruitHavingAsses. Tip me. I'm no whore. Spiritually, physically, mentally, educationally, I NEVER was. I was never obtuse. Only learning & living. Minding my business. I've always shared truth. I've never been afraid to share what I've said in anyone's absence.

I'm one with our creator. I'm blameless. I've actually had His spirit with me my whole life. & I'm grateful.

Death to the horrible. Worldwide. I thank y'all. 🌺

SN: Mind your thoughts, manners, & discussions. All of the time. Truth only. I don't weigh sins & forgiveness. Catch up to truth. Then, talk to me. Play find out.

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timespakistan · 5 years ago

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Flowers to flowers | Art & Culture | thenews.com.pk

A character in Ali Smith’s recent novel, Summer, states: “whatever age you are, you still die too young”. The comment aptly fits the passing away of Shahid Jalal who always appeared so young at heart.

A chartered accountant by training, he earned recognition and respect as one of the major artists of the country, receiving the President’s Award for Pride of Performance in the field of painting in 1994.

I recall him as a regular, often first, visitor at the annual degree shows of the National College of Arts. His was not a social appearance but one of a genuine art enthusiast’s. He spent hours looking at the works of graduating students, climbing all the cruel stairs to top floor displays — areas not visited by many guests and even shunned by some of the faculty and students.

This attention to younger, inexperienced and emerging artists remained a constant with him. Always eager to learn, he had opted for art after completing his training in accounts. He had joined the National College of Arts in 1978, spent a year, and decided to dedicate his time to painting instead of being in an art school for a full four-year course. This proved to be a blessing as he chiselled his personal vision and unique style (like a self-taught artist), which he pursued in painting after painting.

There is an overlap in art discourse on vision and style. In Jalal’s example, the two stand apart. His vision remained a person’s act of seeing — eye as a recorder of images. His paintings are not about political concerns, literary references or romancing the tradition. They are about a man’s delight in discovering the world around him: within his house, around his street, glimpses of a public garden (works from 1994) and suburban sites which mediate between city and village.

His vision evolved constantly and consistently. His early works followed the aesthetics of his mentor, Khalid Iqbal; then a different direction emerged. In a series of paintings, his fields, waterways, trees, and barren earth appear as if viewed from an aeroplane. There are almost-geometric compositions that look like maps of ordinary places, frequented and cultivated by humble folk.

It could be that painting these subjects made Shahid Jalal a down-to-earth, accessible individual. In Punjab Artists’ Association meetings, he always presented his viewpoint clearly, honestly and earnestly and was prepared for comments and criticism which he took with a smile on his face. The same pleasant, yet professional, attitude marked his conduct as a member of the selection committee of the Association’s annual exhibitions. He had a tremendous ability to discern the merits of art works and their ‘eligibility’. He was also open to hearing and accepting differing opinions.

He mostly painted landscapes. Yet he would explore something new in the subject every time. In his 1994 solo exhibition at the Frere Hall, Karachi, (to support The Citizen Foundation), Jalal painted several views of the same location (and identical compositions) with only a shift in light; morning, afternoon, evening in his The Verandah, The Dining Room, A Beehive, and Bottle Brush in Bloom. While reminding one of Claude Monet’s paintings of the same haystacks or a single cathedral in different seasons and hours, these canvases also confirm the artist’s stance that a situation can be approached in multiple modes. This is equally true of a subject for painting, a point for professional discussion and a matter of political discourse.

Along with his vision, Jalal’s style and imagery signified his art. He chose to apply paint in thick impasto. Thus a tree, a bush, a field were not purely segments of nature but also an invitation to touch. In my view, the tactile quality was not merely a formal aspect of his art but also a part of his personality. Even without shaking hands, being with him filled you with warmth and a sense of connection.

Over the years, Jalal’s loading/covering his surfaces with heavy paint yielded to a lighter treatment. Yet the transition wasn’t detectable because what he had aimed at in substantial coats, he now achieved through subtlety of chromatic control. This command over his craft is evident in his later canvases where shades, tones, and hues evoke the sensibility we associate with a tactile chunky paint.

Once at the Royal College of Art, I was in the studio of a Japanese student a year senior to me. He asked me how I felt about the work produced at the institution. “It seems everyone is in love with paint,” I remember telling him, to which he replied by asking: “Are you not?” Those words apply so well to Jalal’s canvases. His landscapes, though painted, appear real — fields one could walk on, and pebbles, twigs, and rocks one may stumble on. Enriched by thick texture, his paintings invite one to caress them with one’s eyes.

Jalal has left the world at a time when the sense of touch is dreaded and discouraged. But you don’t always need hands to touch. When we see his paintings such as The Largest Carpet of Flowers in the World (2014), we feel like strolling on that bed of flowers from Lawrence Garden, Lahore, or someplace else.

At the reference held for Shahid Jalal on August 21 at the Alhamra Art Centre, Lahore, Professor Ijazul Hassan remarked that the painter was moved by looking at the carpets of Emperor Akbar’s period in a Tehran museum. In his painting, the spread of flowers is weaved like a tapestry (in any case both a flower bed and a carpet are patches of ground — initially to step on, but barred so as not to trample on flowers or motifs).

You can’t miss flowers in Jalal’s art — on trees and bushes; in fields and parks; or in an eternal garden. With his passing away dust to dust does not sound apt; it’s rather the flower going into flowers.

Shahid Jalal passed away on August 18, at the age of 72.

The writer is an art critic based in Lahore

from Times Pakistan https://ift.tt/3lxbGsz via Daily News

#TimesPakistan #PakistanNews #DailyNews #newsgoogle #newsyahoo #newsoftheday #newstoday #newsfortoday

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researchtrendingmarket-blog · 5 years ago

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Leather Boots Market Strategic Insights and key Business Influencing Factors | Major Players – TBL Licensing LLC; WOODLAND WORLDWIDE; JACK WOLFSKIN; Wolverine World Wide, Inc..

Leather Boots Market are a type of footwear that are used to protect the user as well as for their aesthetic appeal, they are rigid and stiff in comparison to footwear of other materials and style. These boots have a specific heel that is clearly distinguished from other parts of the shoe. They mostly cover the feet till the ankle but some boots are produced to cover up till the calf.

Global Leather Boots Market is expected to grow with a steady CAGR in the forecast period of 2019-2026. The report contains data from the base year of 2018, and the historic year of 2017. This rise in market value can be attributed to the preference of leather boots due to their adoption as a status symbol.

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Few of the major competitors currently working in the leather boots market are Bata Corporation; ECCO Sko A/S; Geox S.p.a; TBL Licensing LLC; WOODLAND WORLDWIDE; JACK WOLFSKIN; Wolverine World Wide, Inc.; Crocs Retail, LLC; Hermès; Red Tape; Crockett & Jones; KERING; LVMH and Tapestry, Inc.

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In November 2018, Callaway Golf Company announced that they had agreed to acquire JACK WOLFSKIN. The acquisition is expected to be completed by first quarter of 2019. Callaway announced that they are looking to invest and strengthen JACK WOFLSKIN’s position in the market.

In July 2017, WOODLAND WORLDWIDE announced that they had collaborated with Aokang International for the retail and distribution of WOODLAND’s footwear products throughout China.

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Leather boots are a type of footwear that are used to protect the user as well as for their aesthetic appeal, they are rigid and stiff in comparison to footwear of other materials and style. These boots have a specific heel that is clearly distinguished from other parts of the shoe. They mostly cover the feet till the ankle but some boots are produced to cover up till the calf.

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pelaanthony-blog · 8 years ago

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☾Extended Project: The Case Study (Disney) ☾

To look more in-depth into art style, theories and methods, I did a case study into some of Disney’s work.

I first looked into the feature film Fantasia, which was released in the 1940s. It was one of my favourite films when I was younger due to the explosion of colour, sound and animation. It was astonishing to me as a young child to see these interesting developments of animation just based on sound created by an orchestra. "Visually, this segment provided a field day for the Disney effects department..." Finch in 1973 speaking about a scene in the feature film. Amazingly in this production, sound created visuals and visuals created sound, causing excitement on the senses and a new way of creating. Due to this, hundreds of studies were made for specific segments of Fantasia, with abstract forms used to illustrate musical ideas. (Finch, 1973). Having each team in that production relying on each other so much suggests to me that all parts of the production team had to work very closely together to create this final masterpiece. They all had to rely on each other to form their part of Fantasia’s story; the artist’s couldn’t draw without the music and the story couldn’t be written without the art. This close knit tapestry of teams would be an appropriate way of organising ourselves as a production team since our deadline is short and we all need to focus on different aspects of the game, while still keep consistency.

Fantasia: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

A key factor of Fantasia, which I think we should apply to our game, is that the artists took inspiration from relevant and cultural work at the time of making the film. For example, the section of Fantasia named, "Dance of the Hours", interpreted by the Disney artists, became a hilarious parody of classical ballet that was popular at the time of making. In our case, we could also use popular references to culture at the moment, to not only make a comment on it and express our opinions, but also create a relationship with our audience as they would also know what the game is talking about. A game which does this well is Borderlands 2, in which the game makes constant references and includes Easter eggs to pop culture, even referencing to other games! In the first ‘Rescue Claptrap’ mission, a Guardian Angel says, “Would you kindly give him a hand?” a reference to the iconic phrase in BioShock. An interesting idea for our game would be to add references and Easter eggs from some of our favourite films/games/TV shows to keep our audience entertained and connected to our game.

Fantasia: Dance of the Hours

When it came to some design inspiration for our game, I looked to the Silly Symphony posters. “In 1929, Disney launched a new series of cartoons which he called Silly Symphonies.” (Finch, 1973). The colour pallets, the eccentric fonts and the amusing characters all gave me inspiration for some in-game posters for our game. It intrigued me that in each of these Silly Symphony posters, a story was told and I thought that would be perfect for our game, to have posters in each level that add extra information to the story for the player to immerse themselves in.

Silly Symphonies Poster

As you can see above, unlike modern posters, these Silly Symphonies posters contain a lot of text and imagery. All the text explains what the poster is about, written in bold text and white font when certain information needs to stand out more. I took this concept into consideration as I wanted to be in-keeping with this old style, meaning I was able to add more information to my in-game posters that I would if they were to be set in the modern age.

Silly Symphonies Poster

I love the bold colours used in this Silly Symphonies poster above; the primary colours give the poster an interesting lease of life compared to the old style typography. When creating my in-game posters, I also wanted to use bold colours, however, because our game has gothic tones, I decided those bold colours should be purples, blues and oranges. Like I mentioned earlier and you can see clearly in the picture above, the poster shows a clear story about what is going on, in this example, the story of the Three Little Pigs.

Gwen the Witch Poster

Toy Box Poster

Gregory Ball Poster

I coudldn’t completely take inspiration from those posters as they were made in the 70s and our game is set in the 20s, however, hopefully you can see the aspects I did take inspiration from. Including bold text was a must and I copied the bold colours that were seen in the Silly Symphony posters. I also used the trick of outlining the text in a darker shade of the same colour, taken from the researched posters, to make the words stand out and look more interesting. Surprisingly, a lot of posters in today’s time are fairly minimalist and want the reader to be drawn to small bits of information at a time. Although this is useful from an advertising point of view, the ‘old-school’ posters were all about a lot of colour and a lot of fun. Due to this, on every poster I made, I included a lot of drawings and a lot of different colours to entice the audience and make them want to find out more.

I also took inspiration for these posters from a book called, Comics Sketchbooks: The Unseen World of Today’s Most Creative Talents by Heller from 2012. The images I took from this book as inspiration are a lot more modern than the Silly Symphony posters, however they still have underlining similarities.

Women Crying Poster

This ‘pop art’ piece of work gave me inspiration for my Gwen poster; creating this glamour but pouty character. Albeit not very similar drawings, the bouncy curls and sharp eyebrows appeared prominently in my interpretation of Gwen the witch.

Monsieur Buzz Poster

Selection of Posters

Just like the Silly Symphonies posters, I loved how these posters would also explain a story using characters, text and colours. Even though these posters are drawn in a different art style, I can still take the same inspiration from them.

Planete Interdite Poster

Like the Silly Symphony posters, I loved the bold titles and explosion of colour on each individual poster. Even on these posters, a story could be drawn just from the artwork alone, something I wanted to be shown through my in-game posters.

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itswallstreetpr · 5 years ago

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Luxury Stocks Could Get Rich (LVMUY, TIF, TPR, CLKA)

So much of the market is correlated with the larger economy that it becomes difficult for retail and institutional investors to find something that acts differently but still doesn’t represent a pure safety play like bonds or utilities stocks. The upside is either fully on or fully off. And the correlation becomes the game. However, there’s one space that offers an interesting angle that promises to add new dimensions to the jigsaw puzzle: Luxury goods stocks. The luxury space is highly cyclical, or so you might think. However, over the long run, this turns out not to be the case. In fact, luxury goods consumers – above a certain threshold, are almost completely immune to the standard cycle that defines the economic reality for most of us. That makes the space particularly interesting for growth, diversification, speculation, and defense. All at once. It’s a necessary piece of the investment puzzle. With that in mind, we take a look at a selection of interesting luxury goods stocks worth checking out: LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:LVMUY), Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF), Tapestry Inc (NYSE:TPR), and Clikia Corp (OTCMKTS:CLKA). LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:LVMUY) is represented in Wines and Spirits by a portfolio of brands that includes Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Krug, Ruinart, Mercier, Château d’Yquem, Domaine du Clos des Lambrays, Château Cheval Blanc, Colgin Cellars, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Belvedere, Woodinville, Volcán de Mi Tierra, Chandon, Cloudy Bay, Terrazas de los Andes, Cheval des Andes, Cape Mentelle, Newton, Bodega Numanthia, Ao Yun and Château du Galoupet. Its Fashion and Leather Goods division includes Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior Couture, Celine, Loewe, Kenzo, Givenchy, Pink Shirtmaker, Fendi, Emilio Pucci, Marc Jacobs, Berluti, Nicholas Kirkwood, Loro Piana, RIMOWA, Patou and Fenty. LVMH is present in the Perfumes and Cosmetics sector with Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, Parfums Givenchy, Kenzo Parfums, Perfumes Loewe, Benefit Cosmetics, Make Up For Ever, Acqua di Parma, Fresh, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna and Maison Francis Kurkdjian. LVMH's Watches and Jewelry division comprises Bvlgari, TAG Heuer, Chaumet, Dior Watches, Zenith, Fred and Hublot. LVMH is also active in selective retailing as well as in other activities through DFS, Sephora, Le Bon Marché, La Samaritaine, Groupe Les Echos, Cova, Le Jardin d’Acclimatation, Royal Van Lent, Belmond and Cheval Blanc hotels. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:LVMUY) recently announced that approval was given for the payment of a dividend for financial year 2019 of 4.80 Euros per share. Taking into account the 2.20 Euros paid on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, the balance of 2.60 Euros will be paid on Thursday, July 9, 2020. The last trading day with dividend rights is Monday, July 6, 2020. If you're long this stock, then you're liking how the stock has responded to the announcement. LVMUY shares have been moving higher over the past week overall, pushing about 3% to the upside on above average trading volume. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA Unsponsored ADR (OTCMKTS:LVMUY) managed to rope in revenues totaling $28.6B in overall sales during the company's most recently reported quarterly financial data -- a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of 24.7%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($6.4B against $22.6B, respectively). Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) promulgates itself as a company that, through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and retails jewelry and other items. The company offers jewelry collections, engagement rings, and wedding bands. It also sells watches, home and accessories products, and fragrances; and wholesales diamonds and earnings. The company sells its products through retail, Internet and catalog, business-to-business, and wholesale distribution channels. As of January 31, 2020, it operated 124 stores in the Americas, 91 stores in the Asia-Pacific, 58 stores in Japan, 48 stores in Europe, and 5 stores in the United Arab Emirates. Tiffany & Co. was founded in 1837 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) just reported its financial results for the three months ended April 30, 2020. Worldwide net sales as reported and on a constant-exchange-rate basis that excludes the effect of translating foreign-currency-denominated sales into U.S. dollars were below the prior year primarily as a result of the temporary closures of a substantial number of the Company’s stores around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike calendar year-end companies, the Company’s first quarter began February 1, meaning that the COVID-19 pandemic affected its entire quarter. The significant decline in net sales resulted in a net loss in the quarter. Worldwide net sales declined 45% to $556 million and comparable sales declined 44%; on a constant-exchange-rate basis, net sales declined by 44% as compared to the prior year and comparable sales declined 43%. These sales declines reflected closures of Company retail stores across all of its global markets at various times during the first quarter of 2020 due to COVID-19. Even with that news, the action hasn't really heated up in the stock, with shares moving net sideways over the past week. TIF shares have been relatively flat over the past month of action, with very little net movement during that period. Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) managed to rope in revenues totaling $555.5M in overall sales during the company's most recently reported quarterly financial data -- a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -44.6%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($1.1B against $1.3B, respectively). Tapestry Inc (NYSE:TPR) frames itself as a company that provides luxury accessories and branded lifestyle products in the United States, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Europe, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The company operates through three segments: Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman. It offers women's accessories, including handbags, such as wallets, money pieces, wristlets, and cosmetic cases; novelty accessories comprising address books, time management accessories, travel accessories, sketchbooks, and portfolios; key rings; and charms. The company sells its products to consumers through a network of Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman operated stores, including the Internet and concession shop-in-shops; and wholesale customers, as well as through independent third-party distributors. Tapestry Inc (NYSE:TPR) recently announced its partnership, through its Coach brand, with More Than A Vote, a new voting rights organization led by LeBron James and a coalition of Black athletes and entertainers aimed at combating voter suppression and misinformation that disproportionately disenfranchises communities of color. "The foundation of democracy is the right to vote," said Jide Zeitlin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry, Inc. and Interim CEO of the Coach Brand. "America cannot resolve systemic racism and inequality without ending voter suppression. We are proud to partner with More Than A Vote and to work toward equal access to the ballot box for every single eligible American." If you're long this stock, then you're liking how the stock has responded to the announcement. TPR shares have been moving higher over the past week overall, pushing about 8% to the upside on above average trading volume. TPR shares have been relatively flat over the past month of action, with very little net movement during that period. Tapestry Inc (NYSE:TPR) managed to rope in revenues totaling $1.1B in overall sales during the company's most recently reported quarterly financial data -- a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -19.4%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($898.2M against $1.1B, respectively). Clikia Corp (OTCMKTS:CLKA), while clearly a more speculative name on this list, deserves to be there as far as we can tell. The company changed hands in April, pursuant to which Mr. Anil Idnani became the controlling shareholder and sole officer and director. Following such change-in-control transaction, in May 2020, the company went on to acquire all of the assets, including the going business, of Maison Luxe, LLC, a Delaware limited liability. This model was laid out further in a Shareholder Letter put out by the company last week. The communication notes that the company’s new management and its new subsidiary have extensive experience in the “rare custom luxury goods market”, including a wide network of customers and distributors already in place: “We are already harnessing a robust network and extensive experiential assets that come with the bargain in this transition – including a great deal of experience centered in the rare custom luxury goods market. It is a peculiar niche business context with its own rules governing a unique microeconomic landscape.” Clikia Corp (OTCMKTS:CLKA) just updated its shareholders on the Company’s progress as a supplier to the Duty-Free luxury goods marketplace. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Maison Luxe, has forged relationships with four (4) individual duty-free sellers, which have already made aggregate purchases in excess of $300,000 in custom luxury timepieces from the Company. These are ongoing distribution relationships. According to the release, the sellers are located in duty-free ports in Alaska, the US Virgin Islands, and Colorado. The Company is currently in talks to expand both in terms of volume of timepieces and in product category, to include fine jewelry. Management believes the establishment of additional funding will allow the Company to expand its own inventory and widen margins through volume sourcing, where possible. This will open up access to additional duty-free sellers in ports where the Company has already established relationships and a reputation for credibility, quality, and reliability. “The idea is to grow a brand that sources retail markets with responsibly sourced and priced watches,” remarked Anil Idnani, CEO of Clikia and Founder of Maison Luxe. “That’s typically nearly impossible to find. This is now more the case than ever due to a supply shock as factories shut down or halt production of luxury goods. However, demand hasn’t dropped at all this year despite the health crisis and resulting economic turbulence. The result is rising prices on inventory we have in-house.” Clikia Corp (OTCMKTS:CLKA) is already publicly talking about being on pace for over $2M in revenues in 2020 with its new business now firing apparently on all cylinders. That suggests upcoming financial filings will represent a qualitative shift from currently available records, which refer to the pre-pivot reality for the company. Read the full article

#hennesy #LouisVuitton #luxurystocks #moet #Rihanna

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johnkobra1108 · 5 years ago

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Important characteristics of Handmade Persian rugs:

Many of you ask all kinds of questions about Persian rugs. That is why we bring you this article in which we tell you about the origins of this wonderful Handmade Persian rugs.

The history of the Persian carpet:

Persia has been the handicraft center for rugs since ancient times, making its making into an art. Carpet weaving is, without a doubt, one of the highest manifestations of Persian culture and art.

Formerly Handmade Persian Rugs were made for the Court and the Nobles. Despite the luxury that Persian rugs are associated with today, in the past, it was considered a necessary asset to protect itself from the harsh winter.

Its manufacture:

The manufacture of the rugs is manual and some tools such as looms, scissors, or combs are used.

Knotting techniques:

There are two main techniques: the asymmetric knot called the Persian knot, and the symmetrical knot, known as the Turkish knot. They are clearly differentiated since the asymmetric knot has both warps closed by a wool thread, while the other one of the warps is free.

Persian Carpet Symbology:

Regarding its symbolic function, nature is one of the greatest sources of inspiration, through the representations of trees, flowers, birds, or clouds. The Hand Knotted Persian Rugs can also have allegorical concepts such as heaven and gardens of paradise or descriptions of the Koran.

The carpet called a garden, with its interior divided into segments, emulating the Persian gardens, unfolds the Persian philosophical universe at the feet of people or on the walls of their houses.

The Persian rug-garden is a representation of paradise in the tangible world. It is an extension of life and principles at all levels and situations of life. Macrocosmic complexity is represented in an earthly object through the knots that make up the tapestry.

The central motif of this rug, usually in the form of a medallion, is the image of the divine. It evokes unity and divine light, which is related to external motifs such as the center with the circumference. It is no wonder the love of the Persians for gardens and parks, representations of paradise.

How to Professionally Clean a Persian Carpet?

Below we give you the necessary steps to treat your carpet:

- Do a deep prewash with water.

- Wash slowly and gently with a brush.

- Make in a rinse with water, in abundance.

- Dry slowly.

From time to time you should wash the carpet in this way and not only that, but we also recommend that you take it to a specialized place to prevent your carpet from wearing out.

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larryland · 6 years ago

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As a former librarian, I am almost always wont to pronounce “the book was better” or “read the book” when presented with a film or stage adaptation of a printed or published work. And like thousands of readers, I devoured E.L. Doctrow’s best seller of 1975 and extolled its virtues to anyone looking for the next best read. Something about the story of 3 American families, of white, black, and Jewish heritage, clearly resonated with a large segment of the population who kept the title on many a best seller list for many a week.

Now, having been absolutely gobsmacked by the Mac-Haydn’s premiere presentation of Ragtime: The Musical, I may be forced to revise my position on the superiority of the printed word and grant that a live theatre production quite possibly can, and in the case of the Mac’s production, does exceed the published work. Earlier this season, I predicted Sunset Boulevard would be the Crown Jewel of their season, and without taking away any of the accolades justly due that production, Ragtime has usurped the throne, and takes the crown for its own.

In any format, Ragtime is a work of epic proportion. Its dichotomous themes of rich and poor, tolerance and prejudice, reality and illusion, justice and revenge, are no less timely, thought-provoking, and occasionally may I say disturbing, today than they were in both 1975 and during the early 20th century period of America in which the work is set. Consequently any production calls for big sets, big music, and most importantly big performances. With its first-ever presentation of Ragtime, Mac-Haydn delivers on every level. With directorial skill as magical as the escapes and feats “performed” by Harry Houdini throughout the show, John Saunders has outdone himself with a production that entrances, entertains, intrigues, and even occasionally disturbs the audience.

Even without the gift of foresight or precognition, you know that as the first notes of ragtime music swirl through the theatre, the lives and fortunes of the characters are destined to collide, clash, and eventually coalesce. For just under 3 hours, the audience will watch the weaving of a tapestry that represents the melting pot of America, home to the complacent, well-off white upper class as well as including, initially on the fringes, the African American population of Harlem. This America is also a point of light shining in the distance, serving as beacon for the immigrants seeking a new and better life for the, and the children they bring with them.

“Prologue—Ragtime” presages the journey and the conflicts to come, as 3 seemingly disparate groups present themselves for our attention. With a swirling, circular rhythm, the stage fills with characters sharing the same space but not (yet) entwined and intermingled. Literally into the spotlight appear the white upper-crust and upper -class New Rochelle family of Mother, Father, Younger Brother, Grandfather and Little Boy, multiple citizens of Harlem led by the talented ragtime musician Coalhouse Walker Jr , and the Jewish immigrant Tateh and his Little Girl daughter who reach the shores of American seeking a life better than the one they left behind. Sprinkled throughout the opening are historical figures of the time: Harry Houdini..Booker T. Washington….J.P. Morgan….Emma Goldman…Henry Ford.. . Evelyn Nesbit…all of whom will enter the lives and dreams of the main characters , forcing them to connect, clash, unite and otherwise engage with each other with consequences sometimes joyful, sometimes tragic, but always mirroring the rippling movement of promise and progress sweeping the country.

And so.next, we begin to learn more about the principle players of the piece. As “Mother, “ Rachel Rhodes-Devey gives a beautiful portrayal of a woman who transforms from the dutiful, early 20th century Stepford wife shackled to home and hearth, to a woman not only discovering her place in the world–and her right to it—but defining her identity and self-worth and strength as an individual—with no man required. Fortunately for plot and character development, “Father” heads off on a expedition with Admiral Peary to the North Pole as both the show and the century begin.

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When Mother discovers a newborn black baby “buried” in her garden, she starts down the path to enlightenment as she ponders “What Kind of Woman” would deal with such a find. With a vocal performance capturing every nuance of the struggle Mother faces, Rhodes-Devey brings veracity and depth to the role, as she gives beautiful true voice to her journey . From an initial sense of panic and desperation as she struggles to cope without a husband to guide her, to the realization that she is fully capable of making the decision to take the child, and his mother Sarah, into her home and eventually her heart, Rhodes-Devey’s Mother epitomizes the “coming of age” of many a white woman of the time. Throughout the show, singular moments capture her growing awareness of both the rights and wrongs in her world —the white woman defiantly clutching a black baby literally to her heart, offering a black man not only entry to her home but sharing a glass of tea with him, sharing a conversation with an immigrant stranger to make up for her son Little Boy’s initial appalling lack of manners. She combines an almost ethereal fragility with a soon-to-be-discovered spine of steel. All Rhodes-Devey’s numbers throughout the show are strong, pure, and moving, but perhaps none more so than her paean to embracing her freedom as a free-thinking woman with the riveting “Back to Before” , delivering this ultimate declaration of independence and proclamation of emancipation with true star power, pathos and passion.

As Coalhouse Walker, Jr.–Harlem musician, father of Sarah’s baby, and passionate suitor determined to win back his Sarah, Tyrell Reggins steps onto the stage with all the majestic, dignified presence the role demands, and matches it with a voice that echoes off the rafters of the Mac’s barn-cum-theatre. The sheer joy with which he offers up “His name was Coalhouse Walker” and “Getting Ready Rag” has not only the cast but the audience stomping their feet, clapping hands, and swiveling their hips to the “new” ragtime music.

As Coalhouse pursues, persists and ultimately triumphs in his determination to attain his heart’s desire –the love of the beautiful Sarah– Reggins seems to physically grow in stature and in presence, as he swells with pride over his good fortune. “Wheels of a Dream”, his duet with Sarah, as the two reunited lovers share their hopes for their future together with their son, at the dawn of new century of promise, provides a signature moment in any production, and Reggins and Maya Cuevas make this number their own.

Sadly, that longed-for future is not be realized, and the dream is shattered too soon. Not only does Coalhouse suffer more mockery, scorn, racial injustice and derision at the hands of Emerald Isle fireman, whom he has previously encountered during his search and courting of Sarah in the virtually “white-only” neighborhood of New Rochelle, but his beloved Model T car is destroyed by the firehouse gang led and egged on by the bigoted Will Conklin. Conklin, outraged that a black man should own and drive his own car, spews a vitriolic diatribe liberally laced with “the N word” before destroying Coalhouse’s pride and joy. The loss not just of his car, but of any shred of respect and dignity to which he is humanly and humanely entitled spurs Coalhouse to his own levels of outrage, vowing to find “Justice” but alas, the system has none to offer him. Watching Reggins begin to seethe and swell with outrage for the way he, as a black man, is being mistreated and virtually denied justice or attention of any kind, is heartbreaking and chilling. His demeanor, his carriage, his facial expressions all mirror the growing anger and despair that ultimately will lead him to a violent end.

And then, as might be expected–tragedy strikes. Sarah, determined to help right the wrongs perpetrated against Coalhouse, is mistaken , by J.P. Morgan, no less, for a would-be assassin at a political campaign rally…and is beaten to death. There was more than one audible gasp from the house at the graphically-staged moment, which I chose to interpret as a sign that “they get it”– a moment the audience had total injustice and inequality and tragedy thrust upon them just as harshly and unfairly and strongly as it is for Sarah, and Coalhouse, and all the members of the Black community. As Act 1 concludes, that community mourns Sarah’s loss, and express their common grief and anger with a haunting, heart-rending “Till we reach that day” lament that leaves the audience in momentary silence as the lights fade to total darkness.

Coalhouse is left a bereaved, bitter, enraged man now bent on gaining revenge under the guise of justice for the losses he has suffered, and he resorts to violence and terror in the New Rochelle community where Mother has taken Sarah’s child into her home. Reggins brings Coalhouse’s rage to the fore with ever-increasing intensity, until a series of choices leads him to a last-ditch desperate effort to find justice for Sarah by taking over J.P. Morgan’s library. Thanks to the oratorical efforts of Booker T. Washington, played with conviction and a believable earnestness by William Taitel, Coalhouse comes to the realization that continued violence will do nothing to advance the cause of justice and equality, and moreover, is not the legacy he wants to leave his son. His final instructions to his supporters, who have joined him in his quest for revenge and justice, is “Make Them Hear you,”. Not a false note comes from this impressive performer throughout the show, but from the depths of his soul comes this final gut-wrenching plea that rivals the high bar set by Brian Stokes Mitchell, the original Coalhouse Walker in the Broadway production. As the last notes fade, Coalhouse walks out to face his fate with the same dignity and personal pride he brought to the Tempo Club in Harlem where we were first introduced.

Maya Cuevas is a Sarah entirely deserving of Coalhouse’s devotion and commitment. This is a role that demands a performer who can not only hold her own with the vocal numbers, but can bring Sarah to life with virtually no dialogue. Cuevas has the gift. While there is not a miscast role in this production, or less than fully-committed performance, in Cuevos surely we see the break-out star of the season. Her Sarah is by turns broken, poignant, desperate, heartbreaking, defiant, joyous and enraged, and she plays out each emotion with skill and subtlety. And her vocals…. Oh, her vocals ! “Your Daddy’s son” held the opening night audience in thrall, as she gave glorious voice to the anguish, pain, despair and torment of a woman forced to make a terrible choice. As previously mentioned, she matches Reggins note for note in “ Wheels of a Dream.” Audra McDonald, Broadway’s original Sarah, would be proud.

According to Cuevos’ program bio, she is “Expected” to graduate from the Hartt School in 2020, and I would expect that the ONLY possible reason she might not achieve that distinction would be if she were recruited for a regional or touring company before collecting her diploma. Let’s hope she becomes a returning artist at the Mac for many a year to come.

Mac-Haydn perennial favourite, and admittedly a personal one as well, Gabe Belyeu adds another remarkable performance to his repertoire as Tateh, the Jewish immigrant and fiercely protective father of Little Girl, whose rise from a simple seller of silhouettes to maker of movies reflects a rags to riches story dreamt of by so many immigrants as they made their way to America. Periodically crossing paths with Mother, Tateh is caught up in pivotal moments in history, experiencing labor strikes, racial injustice, violence and ultimately articulating his own American dream when he and Mother acknowledge their friendship turning to more in the lovely “Our Children.”

Belyeu always delivers solid, defined and personalized performances, taking a character and giving it his own unique style. In Ragtime, his interactions with Clementine Kline, as the Little Girl, aka Tateh’s daughter, are charming and heartfelt; he plays the fiercely protective father with aplomb and a real sense of care for the No Name child he cherishes. As the up and coming—and entirely self-created–moviemaker Baron Ashkenazy, Belyeu delights in romping through “Buffalo Nickel Photoplay Inc” , bringing a much needed touch of humor and lightness to the increasingly dark and heavy moments played out on stage.

In essential supporting roles, Steve Hassmer as Father, Julie Galorenzo as the anarchist and political activist Emma Goldman, and Kylan Ross as Younger Brother all have their moments crucial to the plot, and each perform their role with assurance and veracity. As Little Boy/Edgar, 11 year old Paxton Brownell takes the stage with the assurance of a veteran performer, and Clementine Kline plays her Little Girl role so well that you desperately want to reach out yourself and take her to a safe, warm home full of promise and love. Fortunately Tateh will ultimately provide that very dream for her.

Mac-Haydn notes that for this first-ever production of Ragtime, they have assembled the largest biggest cast ion its in-the-round stage, and without exception, this is a cast in its entirety that clearly not only recognizes the significance of the subject matters it addresses, but gives each and every moment and number the reverence and respect they deserve. Particularly effective in their roles are William Taitel as the activist Booker T. Washington, striving to bring the voice of reason into increasingly unreasonable situations, and Sarah Kawalek as Evelyn Nesbit, the “Girl on the Swing” who was thrust, or more accurately thrust herself, into notoriety following the “Crime of the Century” when her husband murdered her wealthy lover. As Harry Houdini, Andrew Burton Kelley appears in and out of the chains he magically unfetters; his connection with Little Boy adds intriguing moments of prescience and mysticism.

Sebastiano Romagnolo choreographs for Ragtime, and once again he continues to put his signature style on full and brilliant display. From the foot-stomping, jubilant ragtime musical numbers to the rally-turned riot “The Night that Emma Goldman spoke at Union Square” and everything in-between, Romagnolo puts this huge, youthful cast through their paces with precision and perfection. Every dance step, every hand gesture, every turn and movement is as sharp, as soft, as fluid, as it should be. At times the round stage pulses and pounds and throbs, almost threatening to burst or collapse from the movement, but that only adds to the authenticity of the piece, reflecting the swelling population pounding the pavements, strolling the beaches, and otherwise inserting themselves into the new family portrait of America.

Jimm Halliday has costumed the show to perfection, and with a cast as large as this, and with the almost uncountable costume changes as the ensemble doubles, triples and probably even quadruples in portraying the assortment of supporting characters, that is no mean feat. Every costume is as unique as the character who wears it, and yet Halliday creates a cohesive and authentic look for the entire production. From the opening number onward, Halliday’s deft hand with fashion and period costuming is on display in all its deserving glory. The light, ethereal, airy costuming in tones of white and softest lace and linen perfectly captures the soon-to-be shattered innocence of the New Rochelle suburbanites, while the Harlem dwellers in red and black tones personify the pulsing, tinkling notes of the new Ragtime music taking hold. The opening of Act 2 is a lovely nod, or homage, to the classic Bob Mackie style, with variations of black and white making a statement as much about the changing racial climate as about fashion choices.

On a technical side note….given the rapidity and frequency with which characters enter and exit, one can’t help but wonder how many dressers may be lurking behind the scenes to assist with the costume changes. A shout-out to those unsung heroes…

Matthew Oliver’s hair and make-up design also strikes perfect notes, again not an easy task with so many cast members requiring so many specialized looks to capture the essence of the characters.

While its themes of discrimination, prejudice, intolerance, injustice make it almost uncomfortable to watch at times, this a glorious production in every respect, and deserves the attention and the applause of a full house for every performance. It is perhaps a consummation devoutly to be wished that certain of our current national leaders and those in positions of leadership and policy could be exposed to the power of this production of Ragtime, in hopes they would learn and heed the lessons so powerfully and forcefully portrayed. Frankly, we are perhaps all the better for having our complacency a little shaken, our norms a little questioned, our darker side a little exposed, delivered in the guise of a stunning musical experience.

Ragtime with book by Terrance McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynne Aherns continues at the Mac-Haydn Theatre from July 25 through August 4. Directed by Producing Artistic Director John Saunders, choreography by Sebastiani Romagnolo, music direction by David Maglione. costumes by Jim Halliday, scenic and lighting design Andrew Gmoser. Sound design by Corbin White, hair and make-up design Matthew Oliver. CAST: Rachel Rhodes-Devey as Mother, Tyrell Reggins as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., Maya Cuevas as Sarah, Gabe Belyeu as Tateh, Kylan Ross as Younger Brother, Steve Hassmer as Father, Clementine Kline as The Little Girl, Paxton Brownell as The Little Boy, William Taitel as Booker T. Washington, Sarah Kawalek as Evelyn Nesbit, Andrew Burton Kelley as Harry Houdini, Julie Galorenzo as Emma Goldman. The show runs 2 hours and 45 minutes with 1intermission.

REVIEW: “Ragtime” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre As a former librarian, I am almost always wont to pronounce “the book was better” or “read the book” when presented with a film or stage adaptation of a printed or published work.

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mikeyd1986 · 6 years ago

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MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 137, January 2019

I’ve spent the last few days reflecting on 2018 and everything that I’ve achieved this year.

2018 has been one of the most challenging years of my life. It's been both progressive and regressive as far as my goals are concerned. I've started to embrace what it's like to be an "Aspie" or a High Functioning Autistic person, joining in several groups and social functions by Aspergers Victoria. I successfully become a participant with the NDIS and have began using my funding for services with Mentis Assist and Everyday Independence.

My fitness goals took a tumble especially in the second half of this year. It was to be expected following the change of my antidepressant medication with shifts in mood, motivation, poor sleep, high anxiety and stress levels. But this is something I am determined to work on for 2019. I want to lose weight again and maintain some healthy lifestyle habits.

I think this year I've become much more honest at times. I'm still a very sensitive person and yet I know when to cut the cord and not take any bullshit from others. I've burned a few bridges that ended up being blessings in disguise. I've learned a lot of things about self-care, forgiveness and where I should be focusing my attention. To challenge my negative thinking more and to realise that I’m stronger than I think sometimes, especially in stressful situations.

Local gigs took a back seat but my support for independent bands has never been stronger. I continue to promote and support them in my spare time. In particular, Windwaker, Reside, Ebonivory, Driven To The Verge, RESIST THE THOUGHT, Tapestry, Ocean Sleeper, Stuck Out, ÂME NOIRE, Hollow World, Greyview, Spectral Fires. Hopefully in 2019, attending local gigs will be a bigger priority for me again.

To say that 2018 was a rough year would be an understatement but I've certainty grown as a person and achieved many goals including taking on my very first civil claims case at VCAT, participating in the Men of Doveton program, beginning small group fitness classes at CinFull Fitness, attending yoga classes at Level Up Yoga, writing reviews for Behind The Scene, applying for the Disability Support Pension at Centrelink, seeing a psychiatrist for the first time (Dr. Ricardo Peralta from OPTIMIND at Nepean Specialist Group).

I used to get myself so worked up and depressed over the thought of being alone (All by myself, don't wanna be, all by myself anymore) on New Year's Eve. Or even worried that I wouldn't have any plans and have nobody invite me to their gatherings or parties. Now as a thirty-something year old, I simply don't give a shit that I don't have concrete plans for NYE straight after Christmas. I go with the flow and if a worthy opportunity comes along, then I'll take it.

Which is exactly what I did when Rhiannon Razzie Vergoz invited me out to a small intimate social gathering at her place. It was a last minute thing and I didn’t have any other plans so I figured why not. I guess I did have some concerns about whether I would click socially and get along with her friends but I feel like 2019 will be more about taking more chances in life.

I had to catch a train from Belgrave station to Camberwell station. It was then I realise that there was no services stopping at Auburn station and so I decided to walk it to Rhiannon’s place from there. My reusable bag filled with drinks, my Stephen King novel, antidepressants , a phone charger, glasses case, plastic wine flute and a jumper was heavy as but the walk through Camberwell Junction and along Riversdale Road made it worth the effort.

The houses were mostly 1920’s double brick English-styled cottages with weatherboard facades and lead-light windows. The streets were lined with towering oak trees. Once I found Rhiannon’s unit, I was greeted by their black cat named Maddy. The social awkwardness was already kicking in as I stood inside the kitchen while my friend was busy baking some spring rolls and cutting up a milo-chocolate brownie slice that she prepared earlier. Eventually I did go outside and introduced myself to Rhiannon’s friends and housemates.

This was a group of friends that I normally wouldn’t associate myself with being somebody who is quiet, shy, introverted, Gay and Autistic. Plus most of the humour was “blacker” than I’m used to, to the point where my mind questioned whether we should be laughing at those things. And yet I was willing to go with the flow. We spent the night playing Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch, playing several rounds of Cards Against Humanity, chilling outside in the back patio area, eating loads of junk food and consuming lots of alcohol. There was also many weird and disturbing conversations had, nudie runs out on the street and the loud off-key singing of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and Cher’s If I Could Turn Back Time.

We briefly gathered outside the front of the street to celebrate the New Year and overheard the fireworks going off from the city. I passed out shortly after midnight as my body and mind were both clearly exhausted. I desperately wanted to fall sleep. I found a double bed inside the bedroom at the end of the hallway and swiftly collapsed into it. My thoughts did turn dark for a moment, wondering if the crew would notice that I’d gone missing or if my disappearance had gone unnoticed.

Thankfully they did and I was found very much mentally conscious but physically passed out. I was in some weird sleep paralysis like state where my body just didn’t want to move an inch and yet I was fine with that. Shortly after, Ben was sleeping beside me and I did my best not to move too much or disturb him from sleeping. But of course having sleeping problems of my own makes that almost impossible and I ended up tossing and turning anyway once the affects of the alcohol wore off.

Speaking up in a group filled with loud, wild extroverts proved far too difficult for me tonight. I also feel like I am capable of having decent conversations but it takes me a long time to finally open up and be comfortable enough with the people I’m around to do that. I think it’s hard blending in with ANY social group so I deserve credit for giving it a crack especially when I was meeting most of these people for the first time tonight. I could have snuck out during the night but I didn’t.

On New Years Day, I got myself out of bed around 9.30am, hearing birds chirping and a light breeze rustling the leaves outside the window. I was feeling slightly hungover and very groggy. I drank about 5 beers, a Jaggerbomb, a glass of champagne and 2-3 glasses of pink mascato. Everyone else was clearly feeling worse than me. Rhiannon and Ben cooked us up a lovely breakfast including rashers of bacon, hash browns, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and toast. Talk about a great hangover cure!

We spent the morning flicking channels randomly from the CBS Today Show (featuring some painfully awful live performances of Hailee Steinfeld with backing dancers dressed up in raincoats) to the Morning Show Summer Series (featuring a highly disturbing segment with Larry Emdur trying to body roll with a group of male strippers at Sexpo) and a couple of episodes of Bondi Rescue (featuring dumb backpackers naturally!).

It certainly wasn’t a boring New Year’s that’s for sure and I was very grateful to be included within this small group of people. Did I feel uncomfortable and out of my comfort zone at times? YES! Am I glad that I spent NYE with friends rather than home alone though? YES! Sometimes risks are worth taking even if you don’t end with the desired outcomes. It was still an enjoyable adventure overall and I’m glad I went.

On Thursday morning, I decided to go for a walk around at Wilson Botanic Park Berwick. Unfortunately, it ended up being a brief stroll as my counsellor Ruth changed my appointment to an earlier time at the last minute. But instead of fretting and getting annoyed, I tried my hardest to appreciate the time I did have before 12 o’clock. I chose to walk around the lakeside track which passes by the Amphitheater and the lily pond near the entrance to the park. https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/facilities-hire/wilson-botanic-park-berwick

I only had about half an hour but it was a nice way to pass the time before my counselling session. Hopefully next week I’ll be able to plan things a bit better and have more time to spend exploring the other walking tracks and make a day of it. Plus the weather was heating up. Extreme heat always seems to have adverse effects on my ability to concentrate and function so I try not to stay outside too long when it’s 30 to 35 degrees or over. I also try to keep myself hydrated and wear a hat especially when I’m fully exposed to the sun. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/heat

On Thursday night, I did a Body Pump class with Sarah at YMCA Casey RACE in Cranbourne East. Despite how warm it was outside, I still managed to motivate myself to come down to the gym tonight as I’d rather deal with mid-20’s than the scorching 42 degrees tomorrow. Sarah put us through release number 106 which features tracks including I Am Here by Pink, Tell Me You Love Me by Galantis & Throttle, Coco’s Miracle by Fedde Le Grand & Dannic vs. Coco Star and Revenge by Pink & Eminem. https://www.siphilp.com/bodypump-106-music-track-listing.aspx

It was a very challenging workout particularly the painfully brutal lunge track with far too many lunge pulses and no breaks. And it’s not wonder as most people would be feeling the same way post-New Year’s Eve. Sore and unfit. I wisely selected and use mostly lighter weights for that reason as I didn’t want to burn out too quickly. But at least Sarah made it entertaining and highlighted her own struggles with getting back into routine again. https://www.lesmills.com.au/bodypump

“Oh, I think I've landed. Where there are miracles at work. For the thirst and for the hunger. Come the conference of birds. And say it's true. It's not what it seems. Leave your broken windows open. And in the light just streams. And you get a head. A head full of dreams. You can see the change you want to. Be what you want to be.” Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams (2016)

“And you can say what is, or fight for it. Close your mind and take a risk. You can "it's mine" and clench your fist. Or see each other as a gift. We're gonna get it, get it together I know. Gonna get it, get it together and flow. Gonna get it, get it together and go. Up and up. Fixing up a car to drive in it again. When you're in pain. When you think you've had enough. Don't ever give up.” Coldplay - Up&Up (2016)

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