#lisa blum

[cultfaction]

Savage: The Bigfoot Legend…Lives

BayView Entertainment will be releasing the sasquatch horror Savage: The Bigfoot Legend…Lives on EST/VOD/SVOD Digital platforms such as Vudu, Tubi, Hoopla, Flix Fling and Amazon Prime Video on 28th November 2023. Savage: The Bigfoot Legend…Lives will also be available to view on AVOD from 1st January 2024. It was directed by Jordan Blum and stars Martin Kove (Karate Kid, Cobra Kai), Lisa Wilcox…

[anarchic-miscellany]

Gundam SEED: A Dubbing Journey

More fun physical media tales! "Gundam SEED"

It's not the best Gundam series, but it's good fun and the first iteration of "Gundam" which I watched. Hence I have a sense of nostalgia for it, despite its flaws (looking at you 48 episode length...).

Anime is already a fairly niche field, despite the hilarious jokes and mainstream creep us filthy degenerates are making into modern society. The age old "debate" I guess, between those of us who have never seen the sun, seems to be between watching in the original language with subtitles, or watching it dubbed.

My personal thoughts go towards the dub. Aside from the fact that there are dozens and dozens of brilliant actors in this field who make the material fantastic and more accessible (Tara Platt, Yuri Lowenthal, Colleen Clinkenbeard, my homie Kirk Thornton, Steve Blum, Michelle Ruff, Wendee Lee, Kari Wahlgren, Todd Haberkon, Joel McDonald, so, so, so, so many others) to simply ignore the dub through snobbery is to disregard the hours and hours of effort and work put in by hard working, under-appreciated actors across the field. Voice actors are my jam.

So, "Gundam SEED" came out in 2002/2003 but was dubbed by the Ocean Group with Bandai in 2004, released by Beez on DVD. It's a good dub: No "Baccano!" or "Cowboy Bebop" but then again, what is? There are some great actors in this (Andrew Drummond's brother Brian plays the best character: Andrew Waltfeld THE DESERT TIGER, Lisa Ann Beley is the ship's captain, Trevor Devall from "Cowboy Bebop" and "Team America" as Mu La Flaga, Samuel Vincent as one of the two leads and, for some god-damned reason Brad "Light Yagami" Swaile as one of the best characters) as well as some lesser known names in the industry but also great in their parts. Chantal Strand is a standout as Lacus Clyne.

The dub was an excellent work, and my first exposure to the series, it's great.

The series was released on DVD, but had a rather short run: the always excellent Beez released it in the ever delightful format of five episodes per disc and one disc per box, their usual M.O.

I am going somewhere with this, bear with me.

So far so good.

In 2014 the series was re-released in HD, fine. Excellent! More of Beez's back catalogue coming out again and to the forefront is always a good thing.

However.

The dub was redone.

The actors, for the most part, were completely replaced from the top down. Gone were Matt Hill and Samuel Vincent as Kira and Athrun, gone were Drummond and Swaile. Everybody has been changed, right down to the lesser known actors playing some major parts in the series.

And they are the people who I want to talk about.

Bill Switzer, Sarah Johns and Lisa Ann Beley are not ever going to be household names, nor ever known truly amongst the clique-like cult who follow weaboo shit. But I am going to focus on these three people for a moment.

Respectively, in the Ocean Dub, they play Sai Argyle, Lt. Badgiruel and Captain Murrue Ramius, all fairly major characters in the series.

And they were replaced.

Bye, so long, farewell, hope that you got something out of the experience.

This isn't about rambling about how "the new dub sucks" or "Grrrr, change is bad" (well, maybe the latter a little) because, in all honesty, I haven't watched it. Heck, maybe it's fantastic!

But on a more philosophical level, I guess, consider this:

Mr Switzer, Ms Johns and Ms Beley have put a lot of work, time and effort into those parts, they're actors underappreciated, underpaid and glossed over in an already niche field, and then the one big piece of art they get to do, the one big part they have to be remembered and loved, is forgotten, soon to be washed away by the new dub. Sounds dramatic, sure, but now in future should Gundam SEED be sought out by people hoping to catch up on Gundam (though, why you'd start with "Gundam SEED" like a moron when the fantabulously gay "Gundam Wing" exists I shall never know) or just picked up and watched it's more likely that one will watch the remastered dub, and Mr Switzer and co will be banished and forgotten by history.

I guess what I wanted to say was simple:

Remember forgotten art, remember obscure actors, writers, producers and the like. All art has meaning, be it terrible, great or forgotten. Every piece of art has effort and love put into it by some people.

Don't let Bill Switzer and Sarah Johns and Lisa Ann Beley be mere forgotten footnotes.

Buy a DVD of something obscure and forgotten. Remember the effort put into it.

[andromedavwrites]

Sorry if I’m yapping I’m just obsessed - sorry what ok continuing

Idk if you’re waiting reveal it or something but can you please say you’re fancasts (is it considered a fancast if you’re literally the creator? Or the half creator since it’s a reboot?) for your reboot?

I love eah fancasts / just fancasts in general and the way you’ve mentioned some of them in other posts makes me so curious

!!!!!

i never talk about my cast but here’s the list!!(i probably fucked up names on this, i have like five times)

these aren’t set in stone obv, and one of them is a joke bc i thought it would be funny if a certain someone played Rumplestiltskin-

Raven Queen played by Callie Haverda

Apple White played by Mckenna Grace

Madeline Hatter played by Momona Tamada

Briar Beauty played by Kyleigh Curran

Cedar Wood played by Maliah Baker

Ashlynn Ella played by Trinity Likins

C. A. Cupid played by Sarah Dorothy Little

Blondie Lockes played by Ava Kolker

Ginger Breadhouse played by Iman Vellani

Duchess Swan played by Rina Johnson

Darling Charming played by Clementine Lea Spieser

Farah Goodfairy played by Cheyenne Hinojosa

Cerise Hood played by Ashley Sarmentio

Daring Charming played by Tait Blum

Dexter Charming played by Jacob Tremblay

Sparrow Hood played by Dallas Young

Hunter Huntsman played by Mateo Gallegos

Humphrey Dumpty played by Issiah Russel-Bailey

Kitty Cheshire played by Miya Cech

Lizzie Hearts played by Sofia Chicorelli Serna

Alastair Wonderland played by Walker Bryant

Bunny Blanc played by Xochtil Gomez

Chase Redford played by Parker Bates

Courtly Jester played by Trixie Hyde

Meeshell Mermaid played by Sophie Grace

Jillian Beanstalk played by Brianni Walker

Hopper Croakington II played by Jentzen Ramirez

Melody Piper played by Oona O’Brian

Ramona Badwolf played by Symonne Harrison

She played by Izabella Rose

Poppy O’Hair played by Anais Lee

Holly O’Hair played by Mirabelle Lee

Brooke Page played by Pixie Davies

Gus Crumb played by Jace Chapman

Helga Crumb played by Camron Seely

Travis Thumb played by Amari O’Neil

Prudence Step played by Lilo Baier

Charlotte Step played by Ava Ro

Lily Bo-Peep played by Lotus Blossom

Zypherus Wynd played by Camren Conerly

Aquilona Wynd played by Trinitee Stokes

Charity Charming played by Kaylin Hayman

Clara Lear played by Scarlet Spencer

Mahlee Black played by Daria Johns

Coral Witch played by Michela Luci

Nathan Nutcracker played by Finn Little

Justine Dancer played by Priah Ferguson

Witchy Brew played by Pilot Saraceno

Nina Thumbell played by Ella Noel

Felix Princely played by Jackson Dollinger

Tucker Merry played by Miguel Cazarez Mora

Marsha King played by Alexa Nisenson

Jackie Frost played by Anya Taylor-Joy

Northwind Frost played by Logan Lerman

Milton Grimm played by Frank Whaley

Giles Grimm played by Kieran Mulroney

Baba Yaga played by Olga Kurylenko

Rumplestiltskin played by Danny DeVito

Pied Piper played by Collin Donell

Mad Hatter played by Paul Wesley or Alex Hefner

The White Queen played by Kate Winslet

Mr. Badwolf played by Con O’Neil

Momma Bear played by Nathalie Boltt

Papa Bear played by William Baldwin

Coach Gingerbread played by Hill Harper

Snowelle White played by Alison Brie

Elvira Queen played by Clemence Poesy

Good King played by Matt Lanter

Snow Queen played by Lisa Kudro

Snow King played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Lance Charming played by Dan Stevens

Bryce Frost played by Shailene Woodley

Pie played by ?

Butternut played by ?

Cheshire Cat played by Stephanie Hsu

Queen of Hearts played by Meghan Ory

White Rabbit played by Joe Arquette

Cook played by Olivia Hack

i have spent… so long thinking about my cast for this i would DIE if i got even half of these actors to play the characters in the reboot!!

[sarthak2405]

Unveiling Nightmares: The top 10 most Anticipated Horror Movies of 2024

Greetings from a spine-tingling voyage into the future of terror, horror enthusiasts! The horror genre threatens to unleash a tsunami of fear unlike anything seen before as we approach 2024. The list for this year is sure to have you on the edge of your seat, with titles ranging from otherworldly horror to psychological thrillers. Let's explore the most anticipated horror films that will make you shudder in 2024 as we go deeper into the shadows.

1- Lisa Frankenstein(Release date 9th February 2024)

Kathryn Newton and Cole Sprouse star in this horror comedy about a misunderstood adolescent goth girl who uses a broken tanning machine in her garage to reanimate a handsome Victorian corpse during a lightning storm and begins to rebuild him into the man of her dreams. The amorous couple undergoes a hilariously horrifying transformation before setting out on a homicidal quest to discover real love, happiness, and a few missing body parts.

source - Universal Pictures

2-Imaginary (Release date: 8th March 2024)

The forthcoming supernatural horror film Imaginary is an American production that was written, produced, and directed by Jeff Wadlow, together with Greg Erb and Jason Oremland. DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcón, and Betty Buckley are among the movie's stars. It was produced by Jason Blum under the names Blumhouse Productions and Tower of Babble, and Lionsgate is set to release it on March 8, 2024.

source Youtube.com

3-A Quiet Place: Day One (Release date: June 28th 2024)

The planned American post-apocalyptic horror movie A Quiet Place: Day One is written and directed by Michael Sarnoski and is based on an original story by Sarnoski and John Krasinski. It is meant to be the third full film in the A Quiet Place film series as well as a spin-off prequel. On June 28, 2024, the movie is slated for theatrical release.

source Warner Bros

4- Speak No Evil (Release Date: August 9th 2024)

James Watkins is the writer and director of the upcoming psychological horror-thriller Speak No Evil in the United States. It is a reimagining of the Danish movie of the same name from 2022. James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy are the film's main stars. Producer Jason Blum operates under the Blumhouse Productions name.

Source - Blumhouse Productions

5- The Watchers (Release Date: June 7th,2024)

Artist Mina, 28, becomes lost in a vast, uninhabited forest in western Ireland. After taking cover, she unintentionally finds herself stuck with three strangers who are being followed and observed by enigmatic beings every night.

Warner Bros

6- Saw XI (this film is expected to be released in September 2024)

John Kramer goes to Mexico for a dangerous and experimental medical treatment in the hopes of receiving a miracle cure. However, he finds out that the entire procedure is a hoax designed to deceive the most vulnerable. Equipped with a renewed determination, the notorious serial murderer employs bizarre and clever traps to subvert the scam artists.

Source - Lionsgate

7- Beetlejuice (Release date September 6th 2024)

Beetlejuice 2 is an upcoming American fantasy horror comedy film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by the writing team of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on a story by Seth Grahame-Smith.

Source-Warner Bros

8 Alien:Romulus (Release Date: August 16th 2024)

An upcoming science fiction horror movie in the United States titled Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone entry in the Alien franchise that takes place in between the events of Alien and Aliens. Fede Álvarez, who co-wrote it with Rodo Sayagues, is the director.

Source - 20th century productions

9-Nosferatu(Release Date: December 25th 2024)

Nosferatu will arguably be one of the biggest releases of 2024, horror or not. Written and directed by Robert Eggers, the film stars Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Nicholas Hoult, and serves as a remake of the 1922 film of the same name. Fans of Eggers' previous films—including The Northman, The Lighthouse, and The VVitch—should be in for another treat

Source Universal studios

10 The Crow (This film is expected to be released in 2024)

Bill Skarsgård will also star in a reboot of The Crow, alongside musician FKA Twigs. The film follows a murdered musician who is resurrected to avenge his death and his fiancée's.

Source- Lionsgate

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/02/20/corporate-diversity-job-cuts/

As DEI gets more divisive, companies are ditching their teams

Zoom and Snap are among companies that have cut roles in recent weeks

By: Taylor Telford

Published: Feb 18, 2024

After George Floyd’s murder in 2020, companies made big pledges about racial equity, hiring teams dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion. Now corporate America is pulling back — cutting DEI jobs and outsourcing the work to consultants.

DEI jobs peaked in early 2023 before falling 5 percent that year and shrinking by 8 percent so far in 2024, according to Revelio Labs data shared with The Washington Post. The attrition rate for DEI roles has been about double that of non-DEI jobs, says Revelio, which tracks workforce dynamics.

In recent weeks, Zoom axed its internal DEI team amid broader layoffs, and Snap cut workers who worked on retention and engagement efforts for employees from underrepresented groups. Meta, Tesla, DoorDash, Lyft, Home Depot, Wayfair and X were among major corporations making steep cuts in 2023, slashing the size of their DEI teams by 50 percent or more, Revelio’s data shows.

“The overall number of DEI officers has decreased,” said Lisa Simon, Revelio’s senior economist, “but it’s not enough to destroy all the strides that happened after 2020.”

At Zoom, chief operating officer Aparna Bawa told employees that the company would replace its internal DEI team with DEI consultants who would “champion inclusion by embedding our values … directly into our people programs rather than as a separate initiative,” according to a Jan. 29 memo seen by The Post.

Colleen Rodriguez, the company’s head of global corporate communications, said Zoom “remains committed” to DEI work.

Snap made a similar decision in February, according to reporting from Business Insider. Snap did not respond to a request for comment.

Corporate America’s retreat from DEI has coincided with increased legal risk and political animosity toward systemic efforts to boost racial equity. State legislators have introduced at least 65 anti-DEI bills since 2023, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. The resignation of Claudine Gay, Harvard University’s first Black president, amid plagiarism allegations in January was billed as “the beginning of the end for DEI in America’s institutions” by the conservative activist who led the campaign to oust her. Mentions of DEI on corporate earnings calls have plunged in the past year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

For companies that were never really committed, “this is the perfect air cover for backing off diversity,” said Joelle Emerson, CEO of DEI consultancy Paradigm.

Not all companies downsizing teams are giving up on the work, Emerson said, noting that some employers overhired when they established their DEI teams.

“I don’t know that it ever made sense to have a 25-person diversity team sitting to the side of a core business function,” Emerson said. “Companies should be able to say, ‘We’ve tried this, it didn’t have an impact, we’re going to try something different.’”

The recalibration is happening under serious legal pressure. Last year, when the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, the decision didn’t apply directly to employers. But the ruling kicked off an effort, driven largely by conservative activists, to dismantle race-conscious policies in other domains of American life.

In July, 13 Republican attorneys general sent a letter urging Microsoft and other Fortune 100 companies to reexamine their DEI policies in response to the ruling. America First Legal, a group backed by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, has filed legal complaints over diversity practices at scores of companies, including United Airlines, Kellogg’s, Nike, and organizations such as the FBI, National Football League and Major League Baseball.

Edward Blum, the conservative activist behind the lawsuits that toppled affirmative action in college admissions, is suing venture capital firm Fearless Fund over its grant program for early-stage businesses owned by Black women. Blum’s group has also found success targeting major law firms over their diversity fellowships: Three big law firms — Perkins Coie, Morrison Foerster and Winston & Strawn — opened their fellowships for students of color to applicants of all races and backgrounds after being sued. A fourth law firm, Adams and Reese, ended its diversity fellowship after receiving an Oct. 9 letter threatening litigation.

Even before the tide turned last summer, DEI work was an uphill battle. As companies’ commitments have wavered, DEI professionals have had their work challenged.

“Any time I’d raise something with the word ‘equity’ … I was told it scares people away,” said a former head of DEI for a gaming start-up, who was laid off in January. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid violating his separation agreement.

After stepping into the role in 2020, he said he was disheartened by resistance from executives to pay-transparency policies and employee resource groups. The DEI budget kept facing cuts, he said, and he was constantly under pressure to show a “return on investment.”

When it comes to DEI, businesses are “interested until they’re not,” he said. “These positions are going away every day.”

Some groups have been imploring companies to maintain their DEI focus. On Monday, the executive board of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus sent a letter to CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, inquiring about efforts to improve Asian American diversity and encouraging them to stay the course amid growing attacks on DEI. The group noted that Asian Americans remain “severely underrepresented at the senior-most levels of the largest U.S. corporations.”

“Without executive leadership representation at Fortune 100 companies, AANHPI employees have fewer role models and fewer internal champions to guide and mentor them,” the letter reads. “Corporate leaders also have fewer internal resources to guide them in fully understanding the needs and aspirations of AANHPI consumers.”

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a similar letter in December to acting labor secretary Julie Su, inquiring about tech layoffs that were disproportionately affecting Black workers.

“Tech companies who previously agreed to address bias and discrimination and create greater opportunities in the workforce are now quietly defunding diversity pledges,” the letter reads, according to TheGrio.

Some companies are bucking the trend. J.M. Smucker, Victoria’s Secret, Michaels, Moderna, Prudential and ConocoPhillips were among big corporations that expanded their DEI teams by 50 percent or more in 2023, according to Revelio’s data. Packaged-food giant Conagra Brands and NASA both doubled the size oftheir DEI teams.

With 30 years’ experience in diversity work, Cristina Jimenez, head of DEI at RHR International, a leadership consulting firm, says she has “watched the pendulum swing back and forth” between support and resistance. But this moment seems particularly fraught, she said. Her clients feel like “they’re in a battle zone all the time.”

“They’re not sure what to do next,” Jimenez said, “but they understand if they don’t do something, their talent strategies, their culture, their ability to succeed is all at risk.”

==

Many of the organizations that took on DEI ideology did so as True Believers. Disney is infested with it from top to bottom, resulting in billions lost at both the box-office and in stock price, and vandalized franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel where fans have gone from annoyed to no longer caring. Your paying customers no longer caring is worse than them being angry.

But many more took it on either as a "wokescreen" - to cover and distract from their far greater sins, such as Disney thanking a concentration camp in the credits for Mulan. Or as a form of Woke Passover, painting DEI blood over the door and hoping the activist plagues will pass over them and attack someone else.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Snake Eyes chapter 11: The Ultimate Fusion (originally published on November 6, 2023)

AN: Happy tenth anniversary to Steven Universe. For my anniversary present, I bestow upon thee the penultimate chapter of not just Steven Universe: Snake Eyes, but also the entirety of Steven Universe: Alternate Future. It truly is a pain to let this story go after three years, but as a wise man once said, all good things must come to an end. With the plotline involving the development and redemption of Black Rutile now come full circle, it's time we finally address Steven's relationship with the Diamonds before they go off and save the universe from a planet-eating snake demon. It's going to take an awful lot of work to forgive beings as powerful as the Diamonds, but if Steven was able to accept Black Rutile's apology, then anything is possible, right?

Synopsis: In a last-ditch effort to save all reality, the Diamonds must fuse together in order to stand a chance. However, Steven still has some baggage with the other Diamonds to deal with.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven

Patti LuPone as Yellow Diamond

Lisa Hannigan as Blue Diamond

Christine Ebersole as White Diamond, Gem

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Samantha Newark as The Lapidarist

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Grace Rolek as Connie

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Kimberly Brooks as Jasper

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Matthew Moy as Lars

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Atticus Shaffer as Peedee

Ron Perlman as Inner Steven

Aurelio Voltaire as King Cobralan Jormagundr

Jason Marsden as Prince Nosiop Jormagundr

Shirley Millner as Queen Constricta Jormagundr

Cissy Jones as Princess Naja Jormagundr

Keith David as Pyth

Henry Rollins as Captain Boa

Kari Wahlgren as Envyrno

Nicole Sullivan as Sylvia Spectre

Peter Cullen as Titanium

Steve Blum as Sheriff Spiegel

Dominic Armato as Captain Gearfeet

Wally Wingert as Rigby Starglow

Ray Porter as Squamata

Tim Curry as Velhallen Beo

Featuring Elton John as Stars

Weird Al Yankovic as Stevaldo

And Jack Black as Rutilated Quartz

--

Steven was still processing what he had heard earlier. Him fusing with the Diamonds? Perish the thought! Sure, he was always up for helping others, even former enemies. Still, after all that the Diamonds had done to him, his family, and most of the known universe, it was way more challenging for Steven to accept that they were coming to him for help rather than him coming to them. He needed some time to think about this while everyone was preparing for the final battle with Squamata.

"So now they want my help after all they've done to me?" Steven angrily muttered to himself while pacing around the throne room. "Oh sure, I've allowed Black Rutile to repent, but it's going to take more than just saying sorry to make up for thousands of years' worth of genocide!"

"Problems, Steven?" Inner Steven asked from within Steven's mind. "Frankly, I'm quite surprised that those Diamonds are asking you for help for once instead of you asking them. And they couldn't have picked a worse time to do it, too."

"And now I have to fuse with them in order to save the universe!" Steven agreed with his darker half. "While I'm more than happy to find a way to stop Squamata once and for all, I'm not sure how this can work, given all my baggage!"

"Worst case scenario, the fusion fails astronomically, and we all die." Inner Steven proclaimed. "Just being realistic here. But then again, no one ever listens to the darker impulses of the self. And speak of the devil. Look who it is!"

Just then, Black Rutile stepped into the throne room, obviously still adjusting to her reforming into a Crystal Gem after sacrificing herself to protect Steven. In addition to the blank spot where her diamond symbol once was now being filled by the star of a Crystal Gem, Black Rutile's cape was now replaced with an all-white trenchcoat with pink details and a star on the back, dark gray trousers, and her original green visor to replace her red one.

"Hello again, Steven." Black Rutile awkwardly greeted. "It's me again, Black Rutile. I always come back and all that. Something the matter?"

"Go ahead; I'm sure you can trust her now." Inner Steven advised while figuratively shoving Steven towards his former enemy. "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

"So, Black Rutile, how are you adjusting to things?" Steven asked Black Rutile.

"I'm slow to adjust, like always." Black Rutile replied. "Love the new look, though. So, you have to fuse with the Diamonds to save reality, huh?"

"Exactly." Steven added sourly. "You know how fusions must involve total cooperation between its components to stay fused? Yeah, I don't think that's possible between me and the Diamonds."

"I can totally understand where you're coming from." Black Rutile stated. "I felt utterly betrayed by the Diamonds, too, but if they could give me a second chance, then surely you can do the same to them!"

"But you're different!" Steven exclaimed to his now-former enemy. "You were at least able to recognize that you hurt me and are working to make amends for that. They're focusing more on everybody else they hurt and always act like they've been friends with me from the beginning!"

"You're kind of vindicating one of the reasons I hated you right now." Black Rutile snarked. "The universe doesn't have to revolve around you, you know! You have to consider everyone else in this world, too!"

"Yeah, maybe I can be selfish, but at least I don't have an entire planet forced to worship me, or else they'll die!" Steven argued. "Why can't they just focus on what they did to me for once?!"

"Because it's not as simple as you think, Steven." Black Rutile stated with her arms folded. "This kind of stuff gets messy, and everybody's got issues, especially the Diamonds." She then looked down at where her diamond symbol used to be, nostalgically reminiscing on her time as a member of White Diamond's court. "And sometimes, they screw up. But that doesn't mean they won't just pretend like it didn't happen." Black Rutile offered a tender pat on Steven's shoulder. "Try to cut the Diamonds some slack. They may not always get it right, but they're trying. That's more important than you think."

"Wait, I think I got an idea!" Steven exclaimed in realization while he ignored Black Rutile. "What if I don't need to fuse with the Diamonds to save us all?!"

"You have got to be kidding me." Black Rutile grumbled with a facepalm. "Okay, fine, let's see whatever harebrained scheme you have, I guess."

--

"I admire that you made me take time out of my schedule to bring me here, Steven, but what is this for?" the Lapidarist asked as she sat in front of Steven, Black Rutile, Lars, and Ronaldo at the abandoned Ouraborium. "Whatever you have planned, please make this quick. We are preparing for war."

"Listen, Miss Lapidarist, I know we don't have much time, but I want to show you some alternatives to fusing with the Diamonds." Steven announced.

"It's his way of saying he's not ready to fuse with them yet because of his leftover baggage." Black Rutile snarked before Steven pushed her aside and then turned to Lars.

"She raises a good point, you know." Lars agreed with Black Rutile. "You can't just ignore your feelings about someone like that!"

"No, no, I bet people have wanted to see this for a while." Ronaldo said as Steven took Lars's hand and the two fused into a tall, pink-skinned man with crazy, 1970s-styled hair and dressed like he was the leader of a lonely hearts club.

"Oh, my stars!" the newly formed fusion of Steven and Lars gasped in amazement with a British accent. "Hey, that sounds like a pretty good name! That reminds me, I wanna test something." With a loud yell, Stars created a portal he jumped into, with another allowing him to land on the Lapidarist's shoulder. "Pretty impressive how I'm thinking with portals, eh?" He then summoned a large bass guitar from his hair to swing through the air like a sword before crashing down onto the ground with a big 'TWANG!'

"So cool!" Ronaldo cheered. "Do me next, do me next!"

"Okay, love, don't get so impatient." Stars laughed before un-fusing into Lars and Steven, who gave Ronaldo a high-five before the two merged into an equally tall man who was very bizarrely dressed, fitting Ronaldo's eclectic interests, with outrageously curly hair.

"Whoa, I look so stupid!" the fusion of Steven and Ronaldo laughed jokingly. "Wait, I am Stevaldo! I dare to be stupid!"

"Guys, where are you?" Peedee called for Steven and Ronaldo as he entered the arena. "The Gems want everybody together to stop the Lapidarist. Don't keep us-"He stopped himself immediately upon seeing Stevaldo in front of him with a big goofy grin as he began playing the accordion. "What just happened?"

"Check it out, Peedee, it's me, Ronaldo!" Stevaldo eagerly said. "I fused with Steven, and it feels super cool! Check out what I can do!" With his fingers to his temples, Stevaldo manipulated the rocks beneath him and used them to form a message saying, 'I AM STEVALDO!' "Pretty cool, huh?!"

"So when are you going to fuse with me?" Peedee asked.

"Maybe when he realizes he's using fusion to get out of making amends with the Diamonds." Black Rutile answered with a smirk. "But what do I know?"

"Is this true, Steven?" the Lapidarist wondered as Steven un-fused with Ronaldo. "Are you that uncomfortable around the Diamonds?"

"Yes, you got me, I am uncomfortable." Steven confessed. "I'm happy that we were able to convince them to heal all the corrupted Gems, a little easier than I thought, but that still doesn't distract from the fact that they were this way because of the Diamonds to begin with! And that's not even getting into how their treatment of Pink led to the rebellion, which led to so many lives being ended over thousands of years!"

Steven resisted the urge to cry as he poured his feelings out until the Lapidarist patted him on the head with her giant hand. "There there, Steven." She calmed him down. "Forgiveness and compassion shall always take time. So until the time comes for everyone to apologize, it's best to remain optimistic. In the meantime, you should be helping your friends save the universe."

"You're right." Steven sighed in resignation. "I can't dance around this any longer."

--

"Okay, everyone, double time, we ain't got much left to do here!" Amethyst yelled as she gave orders to all the members of the army of Gems, humans, Slytherophidians, Metals, and other assorted creatures from across the universe, all vastly different but still united against a familiar foe who desired nothing more than to destroy everything he saw. Friends, families, planets, and even entire galaxies were all in danger of being consumed by this mad god and his heralds. "Come on people, let's go go go!"

"Already got all the Gems ready!" Lapis declared with the Little Homeworld Gems behind her. "You ready, guys?!"

"YEAH!" the Little Homeworld Gems all cheered in reply.

"So this is it." Envyrno proclaimed. "These are the end times."

"At least we all had fun while we lasted." Sylvia Spectre answered sweetly as she contacted her superiors at the Coalition of Galaxies to assist in the final battle. "Now then, are you ready to help others for once?"

"Guess I got no other choice." Envyrno responded with a smirk.

"In any war, there are calms between storms. There will be days when we lose faith." Titanium gave a rousing speech to the other Metals. "But there are also days when a few brave souls unite to save the universe. We can be heroes in our own lives, every one of us, if we only have the courage to try. Now, we must take strength in kindred spirits, not of our species, all true warriors. If not in body, then in spirit. I am Titanium of the Metals, and I send this to the fearsome Squamata. Leave this universe alone. Because we're coming for you."

"Rigby, it's been an honor meeting you." Captain Gearfeet said to Rigby Starglow with a grin. "Say, can you sign my arm? I want to prove to my crew that I was lucky enough to meet you!"

"Okay, you got me." Rigby smirked as he took out a pen and wrote his signature on Gearfeet's cybernetic arm. "Who knows? Maybe we'll run into each other again someday."

"One last call before the apocalypse, everyone!" Sheriff Spiegel said while passing around a flask of alcohol to Deputy Edward, Monty, S-L1M3, Lady Imagineer, the Decimator, Earthos, and Michelle Angelon. "Anybody care for a sip?"

"I'm good." Jasper said as she turned to White Topaz. "Now, are you sure you're comfortable having to work alongside you-know-who again, dear? If you want, I can poof her again."

"No, don't be such a worrywart, honey." White Topaz said before kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. "If she says she wants to change, I trust her with all my heart. Besides, if it weren't for her, I wouldn't be wearing this sick number." She did a twirl to show off her new reformed outfit, now a black wrestling singlet with a big white star on her chest. "You like it?"

"Really fits you." Jasper said before she saw Steven and Black Rutile reunite with the others. "Steven! I've been wondering where you ran off to."

"Is everything alright?" Pearl asked. "We know you're a little uncomfortable around the Diamonds, but we're also aware that you really don't have a choice in the matter. If you're ready to talk with them, we'll make sure that they have enough time to- "

"You're too late, Steven." Garnet bluntly stated. "The Diamonds are already shipping out with the Jormagundrs to face Nosiop." As Garnet concluded her sentence, Steven turned to see the Diamonds, along with Spinel, Hessonite, Citrine, and the royal family, flying off in a big warship outside the castle walls. "Tough break."

"Doesn't matter, as long as all of us are still together." Steven declared. "The Diamonds can wait; we got a universe to save!"

"You got that right." Black Rutile said as she drew her sword and stood alongside the Rutile Rebels, both past and present. "Buckle up, Lucent Gems, today's the day we make a change!"

--

Within an hour or so, more warships began arriving from Alethinophidia, carrying the defenders of Serpentes toward the final battle with Squamata. One ship housed the Crystal Gems, the Rutile Rebels, now dubbed the Lucent Gems, Lars and the Off-Colors, the various competitors in the Contest of Champions, Bialyoom & Meinerr, Aescul, and the Fryman brothers. Another carried the Diamonds, Spinel, Hessonite, the Jormagundr royal family, the Universal Lords, Captain Boa, Flipso, and the Black Pearl Brigade. Finally, a third ship was transporting the Metals into battle.

Squamata and his heralds all turned to discover the three ships in the distance as they descended to the ground and their respective passengers disembarked for the final battle. Meanwhile, the Lapidarist appeared from above in a flash of light to lead the resistance against Squamata.

"So, you finally show yourself, my dear creator." Squamata sneered with a hiss. "What can one speck of light illuminate within the dark abyss that is I, Squamata? Countless stars. Countless worlds. Countless lives. All fell to me, all brought to nothing, and all because of you." With an ominous glow in his eyes, the god of snakes summoned an unstoppable army of darkness to aid in his destruction of the universe. "You and your kind have tried so hard to keep your sins hidden away that you had no idea that there would be souls of darkness who wanted to unleash my wrath upon the universe. You simply could not live with your own failures, and where did that bring you? Back to me."

"You will find that mortals are far more resilient than you believe, Squamata." The Lapidarist declared with a speech of her own. "Look at these people, these mortal beings. Consider their potential! They have done so many amazing things with the short time they have in the universe, yet they always made the most to ensure a brighter future for all! And that future involves you dying once and for all!" She raised her arm to the sky. "CHARGE!"

With that, the Lapidarist's armies raced into battle for the fate of all reality. In the process, Lapis and Jasper fused into Malachite, Cat's Eye and Holly Blue fused into Chrome Chalcedony, Cinnabar and her crew combined into Painite, Black Rutile, and White Topaz fused into Lepidolite, Aquamarine, and Eyeball fused into Bluebird Azurite, and Steven and Lars fused into Stars.

"Okay, just gotta tell the Diamonds I'm not interested!" Stars muttered to himself as he tried running over to Yellow Diamond. "Uh, hey, Yellow, can we talk?"

"Not now, Steven, saving the universe here!" Yellow exclaimed while repelling an army of shadow creatures with a wave of her hand. "Blue, back me up here!"

"Already on it!" Blue replied while firing lasers from her palms. Disappointed that he couldn't talk to the Diamonds yet again, Stars instead focused on helping the other Crystal Gems against Squamata's heralds.

"Hey Steven, neat new fusion!" Peridot complimented Stars's look.

"Thanks, love." Stars replied before summoning his star-shaped bass to fight off the invading army.

"Wait, Steven can fuse with humans other than him and Greg?" White Topaz asked while she and the Lapides held up a water shield to help defend the Metals.

"I guess so." Connie replied. "Bismuth, on your left!"

"Got it!" Bismuth yelled while smacking Velhallen Beo away with a hammer fist.

"Blast you, Gem scum!" Velhallen snarled before lunging at Garnet like a predator. "I've waited centuries to kill a Gem! And you have the honor of being the first!"

"Not quite." Garnet smirked in response. "Malachite, now!" Malachite then took Beo by surprise by snatching him from midair with a water claw and tossing him straight at Torius Vosania.

"Playing hardball, eh?" Beo smirked while firing a giant purple energy beam from his hands that White deflected with her laser eyes, prompting a beam struggle between the two.

Meanwhile, Cobralan, Constricta, Naja, and Boa all stood face to face with Nosiop, Pyth, Mr. Manco, and Torius, the royal family ready to free their son and brother from the Serpent Society's clutches and be a normal family again. "Nosiop, I know you're still in there, my boy." Cobralan reached out to his son. "Please, let your old man into your heart and listen to him."

"Me listen to you?!" Nosiop yelled angrily. "You never listened to what I had to say, so why should I do the same? I legitimately wanted to change our society for the better, but you were so stuck in your traditional ways that you never noticed your own family's feelings!"

"You know, father, he raises a good point." Naja stated.

"And that's why I wanted to talk to you, Nosiop." Cobralan added. "A human told me that I wasn't the best parent towards you. He knows from experience, for he is a father much like me, a father who also debated with himself on whether he was a good parent to his son. But at the end of the day, he accepted that no matter how much he treasured his child, he still needed to grow and change as a man himself. So please, my boy, let me try to be a good parent, and maybe we can work things out. Let us slay Squamata, and together, we can work towards a brighter future for our people."

Nosiop's face dropped as he gazed at his father, now repenting for his past problematic treatment of his son. He finally acknowledged his ignorance of his son's wants and now wanted to make amends. It almost brought a tear to Nosiop's eye and made him want to drop his weapon and return to his family with open arms. But unfortunately, destiny had other plans.

"I believe you've talked with your boy long enough." Pyth smirked while grabbing Nosiop by the shoulder. "Perhaps before you two are reunited, he should slip into something more comfortable. Oh, Squamata! I got a new vessel for you!"

"Excellent, my priest!" Squamata grinned eagerly before he zoomed straight into Nosiop's body through his mouth, forcing his spirit into the young prince and possessing him like the demon he was. As Nosiop was now possessed, his original self was locked away within his mind, and Squamata took control, allowing his new body to grow exponentially in size. With a sadistic grin, Squamatia took his body for a spin by laying waste to the rebellion surrounding him, smacking his tail around and firing lasers from his mouth. "Oh, this is most excellent!"

"Nosiop, sweetie!" Constricta yelled in horror before running for cover.

Before Squamata could cause any more harm to the rebellion, one fusion was brave enough to stand up and defend his friends from harm. Steven immediately un-fused with Lars and fused with Ronaldo so Stevaldo could summon a giant shield to protect them. "Stay away from my friends, Squamata!" Stevaldo announced. "I am the terror that flaps in the night. I am the one character in a superhero comic who is genuinely skilled in his own right yet is useless compared to the gods he surrounds himself with! I am Stevaldo, ally to good and nightmare to you!"

"Oh, another fusion with a human?" Squamata smirked in Nosiop's body. "I must admire your creativity, Steven Universe, but it shall not be enough! Bring me the ultimate fusion!"

"Now is your chance, Diamonds, become Gem!" Squamata urged Steven and the Diamonds. "Of course, there is something you need to address first."

"Right." Stevaldo said before un-fusing as Steven continued holding up the shield. "I know you've heard this way too many times before, but the reason why I'm so uncomfortable around you guys is that even though you're trying to make a change, you still don't understand what you've put me through with how you treated Pink and what you did to all those species through covering up what you did!"

"We don't understand? Are you kidding? Us? Of course, we understand. I mean, do you call this a war, this funny little thing?" Yellow declared, snapping Steven out of his funk. "This is only a small scuffle compared to what we endured!"

"We did worse things than you could ever imagine! And when I close my eyes, I hear nothing but the screams of the Gems who gave their lives for us!" Blue added worriedly.

"And you know what you do with all that pain? Shall I tell you where you put it?" White added, clenching her hand for extra emphasis. "You hold it tight till it burns your hand! And you say that no one else will ever have to live like this! No one else will ever have to feel this pain! Not on my watch! So go on, hate us all you like, but that won't change the fact that you would never exist without us! We need you as much as you need us! We're sorry for abusing you for what Pink did! Please forgive us!"

"That's all I needed to hear." Steven smirked in acceptance as he held out his hand to finally make amends with the Diamonds. The other three Diamonds each placed their finger on the hand, and in a brilliant flash of white, yellow, blue, and pink light, Gem was finally reborn after thousands of years.

"I-I'm whole again." Gem gasped while gazing at her massive hands and her surroundings. "I know what I must do." Without even thinking first, Gem zoomed towards Squamata with speed rivaling that of the speeds of light and sound combined before grabbing the possessed prince of Serpentes by the tail and spinning him around in the air before slamming him to the ground. "TAKE THIS!"

"Ah, the original Gem, long have I waited to see you!" Squamata snarled in joy before charging at Gem and attempting to bite her in the forearm, but Gem thought quickly and slapped him away. "Yes, this is just the fight I wanted!"

"It's time for you to surrender, Squamata!" Gem boomed while preparing another. "Let Nosiop go, or we will make you pay the price!"

"However, there is but one mistake you Gems fail to notice." Squamata smirked. "You never know when you'll be taken by surprise." At that moment, Squamata seemed to disappear, and in the next moment, the Lapidarist let out a loud shriek of agony as she keeled over while poison began to spread through her body. "Let us see how you fare without your god to save you!"

"Oh no, Rebeugar!" Gem yelled as she raced back to where the Lapidarist had fallen and un-fused into Steven and the Diamonds to try and save her.

"Thank goodness you got here in time." Captain Boa stated. "I don't think she has much time left after an attack like that took her by surprise."

"Hold on, I can fix this!" Steven exclaimed as he tried using his healing spit to cure Rebeugar of the poison, but to his shock; it didn't seem to work. "Oh no, what's happening? My spit isn't working!"

"That's because Squamata's poison is so lethal; not even your spit can stop it from killing its victims." Cobralan said remorsefully as he laid the Lapidarist to rest. "You can rest now, milady. We'll take it from here."

"I do not know what'll happen after I die. But I know that you are reality's last hope." The Lapidarist said weakly while gazing at Steven and Black Rutile one last time as the poison began killing her. "I was wrong. You two shall make the ultimate fusion that will save us all. My time is short, but I shall leave you with one final message. Everyone, I urge you all, one final time. Believe in Steven."

As the Lapidarist finally died in a flash of light, Steven and Black Rutile looked at each other, knowing exactly what to do. "Are you ready?" Steven asked while offering Black Rutile his hand. "Do you trust me?"

"I do." Black Rutile answered before taking Steven's hand, and the two danced together, glowing so intensely that the light could be seen for miles. The two began to fuse, something neither of them ever thought would've been possible in the past, and the result was an androgynous figure dressed in a conventional superhero costume with intense pink skin and large, curly hair. Could this be it? Could they be the ultimate fusion thousands of years in the making that will destroy Squamata once and for all? Whatever the case, the newly formed Rutilated Quartz had only one thing to say.

"Awesome."

--

Dear god, this chapter was a massive undertaking, but it was all worth it in honor of the show that changed my writing career forever. Well, that along with Gravity Falls and FLCL. Happy anniversary Steven, hope it's a good one. Next chapter will be the final chapter of Snake Eyes, and as I stated earlier, the long-awaited finale of Steven Universe: Alternate Future. Until we meet again for one last adventure, let's see how far we've come and how far we'll go.

[tracichee]

A THOUSAND STEPS INTO NIGHT is on the 2022 National Book Award Longlist for Young People's Literature! 🌠 Thank you so much to the judges for recognizing this goofy, demony, second-world fantasy road trip in all its patriarchy-smashing ferocity. 👹 And HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to all the longlisters! 🎉

Kelly Barnhill, The Ogress and the Orphans

Isaac Blum, The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen

Traci Chee, A Thousand Steps into Night

Johnnie Christmas, Swim Team

Anna-Marie McLemore, Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix

Sonora Reyes, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School

Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist For Justice

Sabaa Tahir, All My Rage

Sherri Winston, Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution

Lisa Yee, Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

[booksandwords]

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

Read time: 2 Days Rating: 3/5 Stars

The Quote: Though Kurt and Jimmy were not "family," I invited them to be, and that invitation can sometimes be even more intimate than the connection to any blood relative. There was no biological obligation here; we were bonded for other reasons: our parallel spirits, our love of music, and our musical appreciation. You cannot choose family, and when you lose family, there is a biological imperative that implies a built-in type of mourning. But with friends, you design your own relationship, which in turn designs your grief, which can be felt even deeper when they are gone. Those can be roots that are much harder to pull. — (p.187)

Warnings: Drug use, references to death. Neither are particularly graphic and the drug of note is weed.

Rather than writing The Storyteller as a linear timeline of his life Dave Grohl has written this as a series of short stories I guess tied together by theme. It is a good writing style to use allowing for events impacting each other over time to be discussed together. Such as the chapter He's Dead which discusses the deaths of two influential men in Dave's life, Kurt Cobain and Jimmy Swanson despite them happening over a decade apart. Others such as Bedtime Stories with Joan Jett tell the story of a limited event in this case introducing Violet and Harper to Joan Jett, at first her as an inspiration than her in person. It does glance over some of the more darker/ negative moments in Grohl's life but I'm okay with that if I'm honest. There is nothing but love from him when it comes to the 5 most important women in his life, his Mother Virginia Grohl, his wife Jordyn Blum and his daughters Violet, Harper and Ophelia Grohl these are also the women to whom the book is dedicated. You can feel Dave's love for his mother on the page to the point where she is the last person he talks about, to in the epilogue.

Changing my review style for this one a bit, something that I will think about doing for biographies in the future too. It is my opinion that it is not the place of readers to judge the experiences of an individual it is our place to read and enjoy their presentation to us. So I've decided to make this review a series of dot points moments that made me laugh, quotes I want to comment on or just note-worthy things. • In a way similar to Kimi Raikonnon's biography Dave Grohl's first wife, Jennifer Youngblood, isn't mentioned. The only time he comes close is in referring to their 1997 divorce in relation to another event. More surprising is his not referring to his older sister, Lisa, by name at all. Though I know nothing of their relationship.

• The man and his injuries... the ones he talked about floored me. One of them is the infamous "I think I just broke my leg" moment from a concert in Ullevi Gothenburg. It is just one of the moments you see exactly how much he will do for his fans. There is an interview with Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins and Johan Sampson from Sweedish tv filmed in 2017 that just made me laugh. Another of the injuries tells you exactly how much Virginia Grohl went through, Dave describes being hit so hard in the head (accidentally) by a golf club that he split his skull open.

• Having no true musical training, I didn't refer to the sound as "notes on paper; it became shapes that I could see in my head as I listened intently to the multiple layers of instruments. Like colorful building blocks stacked upon each other, music became something I could "see," a neurological condition known as synesthesia, where one sense is activated (hearing) and another unrelated sense (vision) is activated at the same time. — I like this description of synesthesia, it is accessible not all of the ones I've seen are. He explains later it as seeing LEGO bricks, each part of a song is a LEGO brick that needs to be clicked into place. (p.65)

• or hiding small chunks of hash in Skeeter's dreadlocks so that we'd all have something to smoke on the long drives between shows (nothing like watching our bassist play with the drug dog on the border, knowing full well that his tangled mop was filled with ounces of spicy hash), we did what we had to do to get by. But not without a few close calls along the way. — I don't know why this is so funny to me. But I couldn't not include it. (p.121)

• "David... I know that you love your friends, but sometimes you have to put your needs ahead of others'. You have to take care of yourself." — This is Virginia's advice to Dave when he has to make the decision between staying with his friends at Scream and joining Nirvana. We all know what he chose. (p.130)

• It's appealing to see a different side of Kurt Cobain, seeing the man rather than the muso. There is a particular section I like... "At the end of the couch sat an old table where Kurt kept a pet turtle in a putrid terrarium. A true lover of animals, Kurt had an intriguing, perhaps metaphorical appreciation for turtles, as their wheels, the thing that most protected them, were actually quite sensitive. "Like having your spine on the outside of your body," he once said. But as beautiful and anatomically correct poetic as the sentiment may have been, it eventually made no difference to me, as this goddamned reptile kept me awake every night by tapping its head against the glass for hours on end in an attempt to escape our shared den of filth. I couldn't blame the poor thing. I often felt the same." (p.134) On this sentiment even while being courted by record labels, hard, the early days of Nirvana were hard as balls. It was fairly obvious they would be but it's more than I realised. Their fame and potential to better their circumstances was astronomical.

• I never knew the import of Smells Like Teen Spirit to Nirvana's story. Not the release of it but the writing and creation of it. The story of the M/V is fantastic. • The chapter He's Gone is heavy. It starts with the lines... ""He's gone, Dave" My knees gave out and I dropped the phone as I fell to my bedroom floor, covering my face with my hands I began to cry. He was gone. The shy young man who had offered me an apple upon our first introduction at the Seattle airport was gone. My quiet, introverted roommate who I'd shared a tiny apartment with in Olympia was gone. The loving father who played with his beautiful daughter backstage every night before each show was gone." (p.181). This is not actually from Cobain's death, it's from his March 3rd OD. This severely impacted his ability to grieve his suicide 5 weeks later.

• I had no idea where the Foo Fighter's name came from. Or that Dave Grohl was a UFO nut. Has an interesting take on spirituality.

• Taylor and I had become practically inseparable since he had joined the bad the year before, becoming devious partners in crime from day one. During his stint as Alanis Morissette's drummer, long before he became a Foo Fighter, we would bump into each other at festivals all over the world, and our chemistry was so obvious that even Alanis herself once asked him, "What are you going to do when Dave asks you to be his drummer?" Part Beavis and Butthead, part Dumb and Dumber, we were a hyperactive blur of Parliament Lights and air drumming wherever we went, so there was no one I would rather have shared this psychopathic safari with than Taylor. — It was this moment that made me realise that Taylor Hawkin's memorial might rival Chester Bennington's for star power. It's also a fantastic description of the relationship between Taylor and Dave. (p.213)

• There they were, wandering about like us mere mortals. And in the light of day, no less! I had always imagined (hoped) that these dark figures only came out at night after hanging upside down like bats in their mausoleums, nocturnal creatures refusing the sun, just waiting to terrorize us all with their evil anthems beneath a full moon. To my dismay, I think a few of them in shorts holding soda pops but whatever. Metal lives. — This is talking about the legends of metal performing at Ozzfest. Honestly I just think the man has a way with works, this made me laugh because it is a helluva visual. (p.215)

• The whole Down Under DUI chapter is fun. I barely remember it, but I do remember it. Getting a DUI shouldn't be funny but it kinda is when that is how you achieve it. I'm glad that Dave Grohl recognises that they are not as chaotic as Blink-182 but those two in the same room? 🤣

• Our secret was mostly safe, though Paul somehow knew, because well, he is the all-knowing, all-seeing, omniscient and omnipotent Paul McCartney. — Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney have a really interesting relationship. They have a long relationship that led to Paul playing drums on a Foo Fighters song (on which Taylor sings) Dave has performed multiple Beatles songs including with Violet. (p.300)

• There was no way that I could possibly repay this roomful of icons for the years of inspiration that they had given me, but if I could make them smile, dance, and feel the joy of music, as they had done for me my entire life, I was making a small dent in my debt. — This is about a room full of some of the most influential people in Dave's life including Paul McCartney and AC/DC. (p.302)

• Inspired Yet Again is a smart chapter. It is a few people he's met that had an impact on him in varying degrees. It does end with an ending. Dave is a gifted orator (perks of being the son of a speechwriter as well as a songwriter) he's spoken at multiple inductions are ceremonies over the years, but this ending was a funeral, Motörhead's Lemmy.

• For in a world full of Barbies, every girl needs a Joan Jett. — The whole chapter with Joan Jett Violet and Harper is just gorgeous and I'm so pleased that it was included. If you know a little girl without a strong female role model... find it, provide it. Especially now in the social media generation. To me, this is a chapter for his girls and daughters everywhere. (p.331)

• I love the idea of the Daddy-Daughter Dance, especially in an area with so many workaholic dads. This chapter has an insane story of travelling 40 hours return just to keep both his fans and daughters happy.

• WTF... KFC and champagne? Can someone who drinks tell me if that actually works?

• It is fantastic to read a person so trusting in their own instincts. Leaving school to make music his life, giving up the opportunity to join Tom Petty, performing Blackbird at the Oscars.

To me, this is a book that needs to be read to be appreciated. You do not need to be a fan of Dave Grohl's music to appreciate this, in disclosure, I am not a fan of Scream, Nirvana or The Foo Fighters. I read this because it was acclaimed, I quite like biographies and Dave Grohl has the reputation that made with appealing. Usually, the high praise of a book would put me off it but it's different for biographies I judge them differently and have different expectations from them. I firmly believe this deserves the praise that was heaped upon it in the wake of its publishing. Dave Grohl has lived a helluva life from being raised by a strong single mother, Virginia and breaking so many bones to being in immensely popular bands and living surreal moments with famous and finally raising three beautiful and talented girls he would move the world for.

[rainbow-filmnerd]

TMNT Fan Cast (using mostly voice actors)

This was just something I thought of for fun, but I thought of writing this fan cast of different TMNT characters. This isn't for any particular project or anything, but it's kinda fun to imagine what/who you'd want to hear as a certain character. Without further Ado, here's my fan cast list:

Zeno Robinson as Leonardo

Aleks Le as Donatello

Jerry Jewell as Raphael

Jessie James Grelle as Michelangelo

J. Michael Tatum as Splinter

Brina Palencia as April O'Neil

Todd Haberkorn as Casey Jones

Eric Bauza as Shredder

David Wald as Bebop

Justin Cook as Rocksteady

Elizabeth Maxwell as Karai

Sean Schemmel as Hun

Erica Mendez as Mona Lisa

Christopher Sabat as Leatherhead

Keith Silverstein as Slash

Kyle Phillips as Mondo Gecko

Monica Rial as Renet Tilley

Rob Paulsen as Fugitoid

Eric Vale as Usagi (I know he's technically not a TMNT character, but he's appeared a lot throughout the franchise)

Patrick Seitz as Tiger Claw

Grey Griffin-DeLisle as Shinigami

Colleen Clinkenbeard as Alopex

Luci Christian as Lita

Tara Strong as Irma

Trina Nishimura as Jennika

Ian Sinclair as Vernon Fenwick

Tom Kenny as Baxter Stockman

Micah Solusod as Mutagen Man

Steve Blum as Bishop

Maurice LaMarche as Muckman (and Joe Eyeball)

Kelly Hu as Tang Shen

Jason Liebrecht as Lord Dregg

Jarrod Greene as Rahzar

Jessica Gee George as Tokka (I know Tokka is typically a male character, but in 2012, Tokka was a female character, and we honestly need more of those in the franchise)

[therapy-recycle-and-exorcise]

tHERAPY x @berlinfashionwe 🖤 BONUS TRACK 🖤 @noa.mff tt WEARS LEOTARD @dstm_ / VINYL OVERKNIE ALIEN BOOTS @therapy_berlin @therapy_argentina / Photos 1 + 2 + 3 by @andreas.rentz / Getty Images for @newest.berlin 2023 VORN FASHION SHOW ROLE MODELS January 17, 2023 NEWEST BERLIN CONCEPT & CREATIVE DIRECTION: VORN -The Berlin Fashion Hub @vornfashionhub, studio MM04 @studiomm04 FASHION CURATION & STYLING: Julius Forgo & Tanja Forgo-Mettler @juliusforgo @untilfull_ @basicsberlin STYLING ASSISTANTS: Johanna Rill @rilljohanna, Jana Gamerith @janaselinaa, Miriam Kafafi @mimimiiiri, Emma Xander @emmaaxander SOUND: David Kurt Karl Roth @davidkurtkarlroth, Noa Moff att @noa.mff tt, Paolo Vallejo @_paolovallejo, Daschkey @Daschkey_ PHOTOGRAPHY: Joachim Baldauf @joachimbaldauf SHOW PRODUCTION: Anna Franke @dressoclock CASTING & CHOREOGRAPHY: Regina Murtazina @rmberlin HAIR & MAKE-UP: La Biosthetique @labiosthetiqueparis_pro GUEST MANAGEMENT: Müller PR & consulting @muellerpr A SPECIAL THANKS TO Prof. Nicole Timm and the fashion students from BSP Business School Berlin: Jana Gamerith, Miriam Kafafi , Emma Xander, Janina Albecker, Alina Krick, Catherina Morawietz, Lisa Morawietz, Lilli Blum, Anton Daschkey, Hannah Meschede, Hannah Weber, Ina Gersuny, Clara Kühl, Louisa Stiller, Anna Luca Popp, Luise Schwager, Maggie Krisch, Mats Binder, Jonas Roscher, Tim Naumann VORN The Berlin Fashion Hub @vornfashionhub Senatsverwaltung für WiEnBe @senwienbe Fashion Council Germany @fashioncouncilgermany Berlin Fashion Week @berlinfashionwe #berlin #berlinfashionweek #upcycling #upcyclingfashion #therapyupcycling (hier: Kant-Garagen) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnj2XZUL6fs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tff500]

Transformers X Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL AU Voice Cast

This is a Crossover AU between Transformers Yu-Gi-Oh ZEXAL, here is the Voice cast, it also serves as a Sequel Series to the Transformers: Zone Cartoon.Autobots Allied with Yuma:

Bumblebee (Michael Sinterniklaas)

Arcee (Lisa Ortiz)

Ligtfoot/Hot Shot (Wayne Grayson)

Rodimus (Jason Griffith)

Smokescreen (Sean Schemmel)

Autobots who appear to Battle the Eleven Decepticon Barian Emperors to free Yuma's Friends from Megatron's Control:

Dai Atlas (Robert Pattinson)

Star Saber (Steve Blum)

Victory Leo (Jason Griffith)

Prowl (Tom Wayland)

Landmine (Marc Thompson)

Silverbolt (Scott McNeil)

Sideswipe (Billy Bob Thompson)

Hound (Ted Lewis)

The Autobot revived by Ena to Free Yuma's friends from Megatron's Control

Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen)

Autobots Revived by the Numeron Code:

Brawn (Mike Pollock)

Red Alert (Sean Schemmel)

Huffer (Wallace Shaun)

Sixknight (Scott McNeil)

Prowl (Jason Griffith)

Windcharger (Mike Lauer)

Trailbreaker (Frank Welker)

Hoist (Michael Sinterniklaas)

Beachcomber (Darren Dunstan)

Wheeljack (Tom Kenny)

Mirage (Sam Riegel)

Ironhide (Peter Cullen)

Ratchet (Dan Green)

Eleven Decepticon Barian Emperors: (Note: this is my Idea what Happened to Yuma's Allies after their Souls were sent to the Barian World, Trey, Quattro and Quinton's Decepticon Barian names are after stars Polaris, Yildun and Pherkad from the Little Dipper, the Bronk, Roku, Dextra, Nistro, Nelson, Anna and Kaze's Decepticon Barian Names are after stars from the Ursa Minor and Orion Constellations.)

Megatron (Dan Green)

Trey/Polaris (Nicholas Corda)

Quattro/Yildun (Michael Smith)

Quinton/Pherkad (Jamal Najum Khan)

Bronk Stone/Epsilon (Sean Schemmel)

Roku/Alnilam (Mike Lauer)

Anna Kaboom/Denebola (Suzy Myers)

Dextra/Bellatrix (Eva Christensen)

Nistro/Alnitak (Jason Griffith)

Nelson Andrews/Saiph (Wayne Grayson)

Kaze/Rigel (Sean Schemmel)

As a bonus here are their Over-Hundred Number Cards

Number 108: Unicron Maximus (Megatron's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 109: Barian Atlandis (Trey's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 110: Infurnicus Puppet (Quattro's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 111: Fire Jetstorm (Quinton's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 112: Devastation Maximum (Bronk's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 113: Crimson Luster Vehicon (Roku's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 114: Astro Maximus (Anna's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 115: Predacons Papilloperative (Dextra's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 116: Decepticon Champion - Bruticus (Nistro's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 117: Terror Hawk (Nelson's Over-Hundred Number)

Number 118: Cyber Armor Ninja (Kaze's Over-Hundred Number)

Decepticons Loyal to the Eleven Decepticon Barian Emperors:

Scourge (David Willis)

Cyclonus (Don Brown; Voice of Armada Cyclonus)

Crumplezone (Marc Thompson)

Ransack (Billy Bob Thompson)

Decepticons Revived by the Eleven Decepticon Barian Emperors:

Barricade (Scott McNeil)

Shockwave (Dan Green)

Acid Storm (Scott McNeil)

Others:

Starscream (Sam Riegel)

Demolishor (Marc Thompson)

[dollycas]

2023 Reading Challenges - It's A Wrap!

2023 Reading Challenges - It's A Wrap!

I am jumping the gun a little bit by posting this today. So, I have included the two books I will complete by the end of the week. I am thrilled that I actually completed all, even exceeded some of the reading challenges I committed to this year. It's amazing what you can accomplish when your body stays reasonably healthy. Hopefully, I can do the same in 2024. I reviewed most of the books and each one listed is linked to my review. There were a few I read from my personal bookshelf so didn't write reviews. Those books are linked to Amazon. 2023 Reading Challenge

LORI has completed her goal of reading 175 books in 2023! hide 202 of 175 (100%) view books

A. Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews  B. Bookclubbed to Death by V.M. Burns C. Canter With A Killer by Amber Camp D. Dial M for Meow by Ruth J. Hartman E. Engagingly Dead by Michele Scott F. Four Leaf Cleaver by Maddie Day G. The Game is a Footnote by Vicki Delany  H. Hidden in the Pines by Victoria Houston I. The Ivy Tree by Carolyn Brown J. Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli K. Killer Cupid by Laurien Berenson L. Lemon Curd Killer by Laura Childs M. Murder at Wedgefield Manor by Erica Ruth Neubauer N. The Name of the Rosé by Christine E. Blum O. Of Mushrooms and Matrimony by Amy Patricia Meade P. Pruning the Dead by Julia Henry  Q. Dairy Dairy Quite Contrary by Amy Lillard R. Rivalry Gone Wrong by L.C. Turner S. A Streetcar Named Murder by T.G. Herren T. Tilling the Truth by Julia Henry U. An Unholy Death by Leslie Budewitz V. Viviana Valentine Get Her Man by Emily J. Edwards W. Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay X. Madame X by Niobia Bryant Y. Your Time is Up by Kat Jorgensen Z. Miss Zukas and the Raven's Dance by Jo Dereske Complete 12/1/2023 Mini- Challenges January - Seasons - Winter's End by Paige Shelton February - Kitchen -  Four Leaf Cleaver by Maddie Day  March - Girl/Lady/Woman - The Girl With the Dragonfruit Tattoo by Carrie Doyle April -  Flower - Digging Up Daisy by Sherry Lynn May - Royalty -  Earl Grey and the Shattered Graves by Victoria Tait June - Position - Hidden Beneath by Barbara Ross  July - Baseball -  Dame Alice Hits Hollywood by Allie Mahoney August - Sky - The Solace of Stars by Kathleen Ernst September - Territory - Anxious in Nevada by Diana Xarissa October - I Spy -  Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay November - Compound Word -Bulletproof Barista by Cleo Coyle December - Christmas - Christmas, Criminals and Campers by Tonya Kappes

A. Amy Patricia Meade - Of Mushrooms and Matrimony B. Laurien Berenson - Killer Cupid by Laurien Berenson C. Amber Camp - Canter With A Killer D. Vicki Delaney - The Game is a Footnote  E. Erica Ruth Neubauer - Murder at Wedgefield Manor  F. Sarah Fox - Six Sweets Under G. Emily George - A Half-Baked Murder H. T. G. Herren - A Streetcar Named Murder I. Ian Moore - Death and Croissants J. Jenn McKinlay - Word to the Wise K. Michelle Hillen Klump - Murder Served Neat L. Laura Scott - Dogged by Death M. Maddie Day - Four Leaf Cleaver by Maddie Day  N. Nancy J. Cohen - Star Tangled Banner O. Olivia Matthews - Against the Currant  P. Paige Shelton - Winter's End Q. Mindy Quigley - Ashes to Ashes Crust to Crust R. Ruth J. Hartman - Dial M for Meow S. Michele Scott - Engagingly Dead T. L.C. Turner - Rivalry Gone Wrong U. Lisa Unger - All My Deepest Impulses V. V.M. Burns - Bookclubbed to Death W. Michele Pariza Wacek - Murder Among Friends X. Diana Xarissa - Anxious in Nevada Y.  Samara Yew - Murder at the Seashore Z. Chad Zunker All He Had Left Complete - 10/5/2023

Alabama - Read the full article

[horrorpatch]

SAVAGE The Bigfoot Legend… Lives Is Now Available On Demand!

Bayview Entertainment has released the new horror film, SAVAGE The Bigfoot Legend…Lives! The movie from director Jordan Blum is now available to stream on most VOD platforms. Watch the official trailer along with more info on the movie down below. From The Press Release SAVAGE The Bigfoot Legend… Lives from director Jordan Blum and starring Martin Kove (Karate Kid, Cobra Kai), Lisa Wilcox (A…

[g1rlp1lled]

the books i have read since i got back into reading again in april:

spring

death in her hands, ottessa moshfehg

1q84, haruki murakami

summer

the vegetarian, han kang

the little friend, donna tart

the change, kirsten miller

east of eden, john stienbeck

animal, lisa taddeo

started reading my dark vanessa by kate elizabeth russell and ABANDONED IT bc it was so gross and weird

fall (currently reading)

mosaic man, ronald sukenick (haven't finished yet, put it down bc it was hard to get through)

ghost wall, sarah moss

how to love your daughter, hila blum (also haven't finished yet bc i've been too busy reading stuff for class to finish! i only have like 50 pages left)

dracula, bram stoker (currently reading it for class but i'm enjoying it so it counts)

frankenstein in baghdad, ahmed saadawi (also currently reading for class but also enjoying it)

[daikenkki]

Pokémon Horizons: The Series - First Trailer

Featuring the voices of: Alejandra Reynoso, Anjali Kunapaneni, Crispin Freeman, Daman Mills, Faye Mata, Xanthe Huynh, Steve Blum, Marc Thompson, Kira Buckland, Zeno Robinson, Sarah Natochenny, Lisa Ortiz and Billy Bob Thompson

[mystlnewsonline]

Missouri Governor Grants 26 Pardons for April 2023

Missouri Governor Mike Parson grants 26 pardons for April 2023 JEFFERSON CITY, MO (STL.News) For the month of April 2023, Missouri Governor Mike Parson granted 26 pardons pursuant to Article IV, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Missouri.  Official documents have been filed with the appropriate government agencies and have been sent to the individuals.  Families have been or are in the process of being notified. Governor Parson has instructed his legal team to continue reviewing clemency files and working to eliminate the backlog inherited by his administration. Pardons: 1.  Heather Stokes 2.  Mark Skaggs 3.  Francis Mesaros 4.  Anthony Blakey 5.  Timothy Blozvich 6.  William Blum 7.  Norma Bratton-Poindexter 8. Sharon Brodie-Starks 9.  Michael Roberts 10.  Crystal Channell 11.  Nicholas Kirkwood 12.  Dave Lucas 13.  Brian Raymond 14.  Celestine Chambers 15.  Ricky Lowry 16.  Michelle Webb-Deatherage 17.  Keith Robinson 18.  James Jackson 19.  Danny Martin 20.  Sarah Haller-Huffman 21. Macia Jackson-Latimer 22.  Lorin Tracy 23.  William Grindstaff 24.  Lisa Williamson-Fuqua 25.  Ronald Mullin 26.  Robert Yuille Read the full article