#mica's legacy lives on

[rileys-battlecats]

ohohoho ideas in brain >:) now this is just a potential idea because I think it could be fun, but I also don’t know how well it would mesh with current mudlore. ANYWAY.

Basically, the idea is that the original clans (pre-micaclan's formation) each had a patron spirit to like. sponsor the first leaders with their nine lives or whatever. And they have to be old spirits, with deep connections to the grounds the clans make their territory. And this is how starclan kinda forms, with the backing of this Extra Strong Ghost that kinda rallies their spirits in the beginning before finally passing on. Maybe the only ghosts that can be this type of patron spirit are the ones who feel as though they can't pass on without leaving a legacy?? idk yet I'm still Thinking.

So a lack of Strong Ghost Friend is stopping Mica from having a legitimate entry into leadership with the nine lives and such, and no starclan for her and her clan(?? still thinking about this). Maybe a healer from one of the other clans defects/gets kicked out, and they explain this all to Mica after joining her little not-yet-an-actual-clan. So mica is like, where do you even find an old ghost. how am i gonna get one of those. And one of her friends is like "well they say everything further upstream of the river is Super Cursed and my friend's mom's cousin told me it's because of an ancient ghost there that hates everyone and everything" and Mica goes "PERFECT I'll go talk to them!!" ignoring how Healer is like "THAT PLACE IS CURSED FOR A REASON DO NOT GO THERE"

So Mica goes upstream with a couple of her buddies, until she finds the river's source. And there she meets Ancient Angry Ghost, who turns out to be the ghost of a smilodon. It pops up out of the water and it's not saying any words but it's basically radiating 'you're gonna die' energy. And Mica just starts talking to them. Like she's definitely freaking out and terrified but she's SO good at playing cool. And maybe she leaves after they get too angry, but she comes back the next day. And then next. And the next. And she eventually manages to wear down this angry prehistoric ghost into being her friend.

Maybe it turns out they stuck around so long because they were the last of their kind, and they never got closure for the loneliness they felt in life. They come to like Mica for her brash spirit, unwavering courage, and surprisingly sharp cunning. When Mica offers them friendship, offers them a group to carry on their way of life in the present day, they agree to be the clan's patron spirit.

This is all because I think it would be cool for Micastar to have this giant ghost warrior of Ye Olden Days following her around like "YOU MUST BE WILLING TO KILL TO PROTECT YOUR OWN. YOU MUST TREAT YOUR ENEMIES AS THE DUST BENEATH YOUR PAWS. DEFEND YOUR FAMILY AGAINST ANY WHO WOULD ENDANGER IT" and Mica being like "it don't bite :)" and the other clans being like "YES IT DO—"

[abwwia]

Artist Rosa Bonheur, born Marie-Rosalie Bonheur (16 Mar 1822 – 25 May 1899),

was a French artist, mostly a painter of animals (animalière) but also a sculptor, in a realist style.

Her best-known paintings are Ploughing in the Nivernais, first exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1848, and now at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, and The Horse Fair (in French: Le marché aux chevaux), which was exhibited at the Salon of 1853 (finished in 1855) and is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City.

Bonheur was widely considered to be the most famous female painter of the nineteenth century.

Personal life and legacy

Women were often only reluctantly educated as artists in Bonheur's day, and by becoming such a successful artist she helped to open doors to the #womenartists that followed her.

Bonheur can be viewed as a " #NewWoman " of the 19th century; she was known for wearing men's clothing, but she attributed her choice of trousers to their practicality for working with animals (see Rational dress).

Photo: Rosa Bonheur, c. 1889

In her romantic life, she was fairly openly a #lesbian; she lived with her first partner, #NathalieMicas, for over 40 years until Micas' death,

Photo: Rosa Bonheur & Natalie Micas, Nice, 1882

and later began a relationship with the #Americanpainter #AnnaElizabethKlumpke.

Artwork: Portrait of Bonheur by Anna Elizabeth Klumpke.

At a time when #lesbiansex – particularly tribadism – was regarded as animalistic and deranged by most French officials, Bonheur's outspokenness about her personal life was groundbreaking.

.

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#RosaBonheur #MarieRosalieBonheur #Frenchartist #painterofanimals #animalière #sculptor #realiststyle #TheHorseFair #Lemarchéauxchevaux #MetropolitanMuseumofArt #MuséedOrsay #Bonheur #famousfemalepainter #nineteenthcentury #realism #womensart #artbywomen #PalianShow

[therecordconnection]

46, 69, 88, 91!

#46: "El Dorado" by Magdalena Bay

One of the first Mag Bay songs I ever fell in love with. This one reminds me of old synth tracks from the late 80s. The best comparison I can draw is that it sounds like a modern version of "Island Sunrise" by Software to me. Singer Mica Tenenbaum switching between Spanish and English on a dime always makes me think of how Sarah Bonito does that with Japanese and English in Kero Kero Bonito songs. It's one of those things where you forget she's bilingual until she decides to start spitting in Spanish.

#69 (heh heh): "A BOY IS A GUN*" by Tyler, the Creator

I still don't think Tyler gets enough credit as a music video director. He makes absolutely gorgeous stuff and the video for this song is no exception. While IGOR isn't really my favorite Tyler album, I think there are a good handful of tracks that really stand out, this one especially. You can hear a lot of Kanye influence in song, especially with the sample he used for this ("Bound" by the Ponderosa Twins Plus One). I love the vulnerability in the central line, "Don't, don't shoot me down." I think the song allows you to feel something that a lot of people don't want to talk about much: When you're invested in someone more than they're invested in you and inside you're begging them to not shoot you down. A boy is a gun at point blank range when he tells you he doesn't want you and it hurts in ways that I don't think many want to talk about these days. It sucks to get rejected and you get upset, no matter how mature you handle it.

#88: "Give It to Me Baby" by Rick James

The best comment I ever read about Rick James was that he's what you get when you play Grand Theft Auto with all the cheat codes on. He's a larger than life figure and his music was the same way. He was an early 80s funk icon and pioneer that was monumental in shaping how the decade would play out. He was one of those guys where his wild lifestyle caught up to him real fast and as a result it hurt him and wiped away a good deal of his legacy. That, and I think Dave Chappelle unintentionally did a lot of damage to him by turning him into a caricature so hard that there's a whole generation of people who think "Rick James" is a guy Dave made up. He did just as much for 80s funk that Prince did and Rick deserves more love than he got.

Also, Quincey Jones shamelessly and very obviously ripped off the bassline from this song for Michael Jackson's "Thriller." I think of it every time I listen to this.

#91: "Is There Someone Else? - Live" by The Weeknd

I listened to a lot of the Weeknd this year. I've been a casual fan and I've followed the guy since he really blew up with Beauty Behind the Madness back in 2015. I thought it was really cool that he released a live album for the After Hours Til Dawn tour AND a concert film for it too. I think 2023 really saw a return of the concert film (this, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense had a theatrical re-run, The Eras Tour film, etc.) and that makes me really happy. This was one of my favorite songs from Dawn FM to hear played live.

I've always really loved the dark synth-pop world of the Weeknd's music (when it ISN'T a part of The Idol...) and the thing that I liked about the So-Fi Stadium album was how his setlist is full of transitions and connections that keep the songs going. It reminds me of how Daft Punk would mix and present their music in a live environment. It's a really good show and I recommend the film and the album if you're looking for some cool mainstream pop to enjoy.

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Thank you so much for submitting numbers!!!

If you'd like to submit a number, please do. :)

[byneddiedingo]

Natalie Portman and Billy Crudup in Jackie (Pablo Larraín, 2016)

Cast: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt, Richard E. Grant, Caspar Phillipson, John Carroll Lynch, Beth Grant, Max Casella. Screenplay: Noah Oppenheim. Cinematography: Stéphane Fontaine. Production design: Jean Rabasse. Costume design: Madeline Fontaine. Music: Mica Levi.

I will give the benefit of the doubt to director Pablo Larraín (born in Chile in 1976) and screenwriter Noah Oppenheim (born in 1978) and assume that they didn't know what a thudding sentimental cliché ending Jackie with a reprise of the title song from Lerner and Loewe's musical Camelot would seem to those of us who actually lived through the Kennedy years and experienced the assassination and extended period of mourning that followed. Back then, you couldn't avoid Camelot allusions, even when we were fully aware of the shortcomings of JFK and the Cold War mentality, especially that of his "best and brightest" who were about to lead us into the Vietnam quagmire. Even as early as June 1964, reporter Tom Wicker was trying to evoke a less sentimental vision in his Esquire piece titled "Kennedy Without Tears." This absence of real historical context is a blemish on a well-meaning and sometimes very good film. The very good part is the heroic effort of Natalie Portman to bring together a coherent portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy, a woman undone by grief but struggling to keep a family and a legacy together. The best scenes in the film are those in which Jackie, briefly obsessed with the history of American political assassination, waffles between giving JFK a funeral that would rival Abraham Lincoln's and her fears that her husband's assassination might be part of a larger plot. She chooses a grand procession in which she, members of the administration, and foreign dignitaries would walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the church. Then, when Lee Harvey Oswald is gunned down, she calls the procession off and rages at her brother-in-law Bobby (Peter Sarsgaard) for having kept the news of Oswald's murder from her while she and her two small children were making a vulnerable public appearance.  But then she changes her mind again, after LBJ's assistant, Jack Valenti (Max Casella), has already informed the foreign dignitaries, including the very difficult Charles De Gaulle, that there will be a motorcade instead of a walk. "I will march with Jack, alone if necessary," she tells Valenti. If the rest of Jackie were as good as these scenes, it would be a major achievement. Unfortunately, it's blurred by an unnecessary frame story in which she is interviewed by a journalist (Billy Crudup) and exercises an iron-willed control over what he will print, even as she spills the most intimate details of her experiences to him -- a way of launching flashbacks. There are too many lugubrious moments, scenes of Jackie wandering alone through the White House. There's also a rather sententious conversation with a priest (John Hurt) in which he and Jackie flirt with existentialist concepts of the meaning of life and death -- even Hurt, in one of his last film appearances, can't quite bring this one off. There's some miscasting, especially Sarsgaard as Bobby Kennedy, whom he neither looks nor acts like. But throughout it all, Portman skillfully evokes Jackie Kennedy in voice and manner without mimicry. I have to credit the producers for making a film with a powerful lead role for a woman, but Jackie Kennedy was a more interesting person than this segment of her life suggests. I'd like to see a fuller biopic, perhaps a TV miniseries, that takes in her reaction to her husband's well-known infidelities and carries her through the controversial marriage to Aristotle Onassis and the rest of the Kennedy tragedies. I'll bet Portman could play the hell out of the rest of Jackie Kennedy's life.

[dilawarmughal980]

Mica Miller Obituary: A Tribute to Her Passionate and Courageous Life

Mica Miller Obituary has left a hole in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. Her obituary tells the story of a woman who lived with passion and courage, leaving a lasting impact on those around her. Mica’s contagious energy and unwavering faith touched the lives of many, especially her husband and stepchildren, whom she loved dearly.

The world lost a shining light on April 27, 2024, with the passing of Mica Acacia Miller. Her sudden death at the age of 30 has left her family, friends, and community in Myrtle Beach, SC, reeling with shock and grief. Mica was a woman of many talents and passions, known for her infectious energy, unwavering faith, and love for others. Her legacy will continue through the lives she touched and the memories she leaves behind.

Who Is Mica Miller?

Mica Acacia Miller, born March 7, 1994, in Wichita, Kansas, was a beacon of joy and faith. At the time of her passing, Mica Miller was just 30 years old. Her story is one of love, dedication, and adventure. Who is Mica Miller? She’s remembered as a vibrant soul. Mica Mille life in Myrtle Beach, SC, was filled with laughter, love, and service.

Mica Miller’s Early Life and Career

Born in Wichita, Kansas, Mica Acacia Miller’s journey was noteworthy. From an early age, Mica exuded energy and creativity. She moved to Myrtle Miller South Carolina, where she became a cherished community figure. Mica’s career was as multifaceted as her interests. Besides her impactful work at the church, she explored various avenues that showcased her talents.

Mica Miller’s Death

Mica Miller’s tragic passing on April 27, 2024, shocked many. Her vibrant presence, once a beacon in Myrtle Beach, SC, ceased suddenly. The news of Mica Miller dead spread quickly, leaving a void in the community. Her final moments were heartbreakingly captured in a Mica Miller 911 call. This call detailed her intentions, causing immense sorrow.

Conclusion About Mica Miller Obituary

In closing, the tragic story of Mica Miller, marked by her untimely demise, profoundly resonates. Mica Miller’s death, shrouded in sorrow, leaves behind a legacy celebrated in every Mica Miller obituary in South Carolina. Mica, at her youthful Mica Miller age, embraced life with vigor. Her adventures, shared with Mica Miller husband, inspired many. Mica’s profound love for her Mica Miller kids showcased her boundless heart Read More

[mycreativeknowledge]

Marble & Granites

India is known for its rich cultural legacy and architectural marvels and has also established a strong presence in the worldwide granite and marble sector. Blessed with rich quantities of high-quality natural stones, the country has emerged as a prominent player in the global market. In recent years, the granite and marble industries in India have grown dramatically, contributing significantly to the economy while highlighting the country's cultural and artistic heritage.

Marble

Marble is a timeless and exquisite natural stone that has been used in architecture and interior design for ages, and it is popular among home builders. Its sumptuous appearance and distinctive veining patterns make it an excellent choice for individuals looking for luxury in their homes.

Benefits of marble: 

Its natural veining lends character and individuality to every environment. Whether you choose marble countertops, flooring, or a bathroom vanity top, it will immediately improve the aesthetics of your home.

High resale value: Marble is a timeless material that many homebuyers choose. Investing in marble surfaces can boost the resale value of your home, making it a desirable alternative for those planning to sell in the future.

Natural cooling properties: Marble is known among home builders for its ability to keep cool, making it a great choice for hot areas. This natural cooling characteristic is especially useful for kitchen surfaces, where hot equipment may be placed.

Granite

Granite is one of the oldest stones and has been utilized as a construction material since antiquity. It is one of the most durable natural stones available and will outlast the building in which it is installed, making it a popular choice for construction projects. It adds value to properties over time and does not depreciate. Regardless matter the polish, granite exudes elegance right away.  

Granite is supplied in slabs and tiles. It is most typically used for kitchen countertops, bar tops, and vanities, but it can also be used on walls, floors, fireplace surrounds, window sills, and even building fascia. Granite is mostly made up of feldspar, quartz, and mica. Elanza is the most abundant rock on the earth, and it is found in granite in the form of white crystalline grains. Granite's flake-like veins are made up of biotite or black mica, while the light gray, glass-like veins are made up of quartz.

Benefits of Granite:

Exceptional durability: It is one of the toughest natural stones, making it extremely resistant to scratches, dents, and heat. It can resist the demands of normal kitchen use.

Color patterns: Every granite block is unique, with distinct patterns and colors. This inherent variety ensures that your granite surface is unique.

Heat resistance: Granite is heat and scratch-resistant, making it perfect for kitchen countertops where hot pots and pans are routinely placed.  

Conclusion

The granite and marble industries in India have become an important element of the country's economic progress and cultural legacy. With its plentiful natural resources, experienced craftspeople, technical innovations, and devotion to sustainability, the sector has thrived and gained international recognition. Granite and marble continue to contribute to India's wealth and expand its worldwide footprint while enhancing its beauty for centuries to come.

Choosing the best material for your home requires careful consideration of your budget, style choices, and upkeep needs. Finally, the decision should be consistent with your lifestyle and design vision. Consult with our specialists and experts to make an informed decision that will improve the appearance and functionality of your living areas for years to come. Whether you choose the timeless luxury of marble, the versatility of tile, or the enduring strength of granite, your house will reflect your style and personality.

Meta description

Try incorporating some marble pieces into your home to improve your home look more adorable while also adding flair!

Frequently asked questions

1. Is granite pricier than marble?

Marble and granite are both inexpensive, but they can come in more pricey versions. Marble can, on occasion, be less expensive than granite.

2. How does granite vary from marble?

Granite is a tougher stone than marble. It's also stain, heat, and scratch-resistant. It is also water-resistant.

3. How should I maintain and care for marble and granite surfaces?

Regular washing with a light detergent and water can help keep them in good condition. Surfaces can also be protected from stains and etching by sealing them regularly. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleansers, as these might ruin the stone's unique beauty.

4. Are Indian marbles and granites acceptable for indoor and outdoor use?

Yes, many Indian marbles and granites are versatile and suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. To ensure longevity and function, choose Elanza exports for the correct material depending on variables such as weather resistance and porosity.

[uroveneer-world]

Uro Veneer World: Your One-Stop Shop for Veneer, Laminates, and Plywood in Bangalore

Introduction:

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A Legacy of Quality and Variety:

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Veneer: The Epitome of Elegance:

Exquisite Selection: Uro Veneer World boasts an extensive collection of natural veneers sourced from around the world. Each piece is a testament to the beauty of nature, with unique patterns and textures that add a touch of luxury to your interiors.

Custom Solutions: Understanding that every project is unique, Uro Veneer World offers customization services, ensuring that the veneer perfectly complements your vision for your living spaces. Click Here

Laminates: Fusion of Durability and Aesthetics:

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For premium Veneers, laminates and Plywood  options and competitive pricing in Bangalore, visit Uro Veneer World.

[taenuviel]

Ooh are you doing an ask game? 22 and 28 please 💕

OUCH sorry mica this ask must have slipped somewhere i didn't see it. if i'm not mistaken this one is for something music related and makes me happy, right? so this CD is it! one of the prettiest cd design i've ever seen, really this photo doesn't even give it justice. as a physical media supremacist this makes me SOOO happy. shinee coming back after 3 year military hiatus with an album so beautiful, literally bop after bop. i really miss that shinee style harmonizations and strong vocal delivery at the chorus and this album makes my wish come true. i like almost all songs in this, once i really want you plays mental ilness PAUSED!! we jamming. my faves are i really want you (!!!!!!), area, don't call me, body rythm, atlantis (and the MV is so pretty!), attention, heart attack, and kind (the live small desk concert-ish version is even better). so this got long i'm putting the love gushing under:

anyway shinee never slacks on the vocals they sounds so good back in 2008 and they have grown so much on that department. jinki have always been a golden vocalist™ but this year he sounds even better, which i thought wasnt possible before. straight up heavenly. kibum is serving absolute cunt harder than ever and he doesn't seem to ever run out of his youthful energy even now that he's 30 (not that 30 is old but he literally doesn't ever look tired even in 3 hour long concert, which is baffling). i'm also LOOOOVE the fake reality design he did, it's a shame that they didn't include it in the MV. minho my ming FINALLY get some lower notes, seems like they start paying attention to baritones. ming also wrote area and it got greenlighted without editing, a fact which makes me so happy. taemin's vocal transformation is probably the most dramatic and satisfying in the entire industry from having 0 lines at the debut and now he's strong enough to cover jonghyun's legendary high notes and he shows it so well in this album. someone said that taemin is probably jonghyun's greatest legacy, and ngl that makes me tear up a bit. jonghyun really did raise that kid well. i'm not very sure what jonghyun did in this album but he did spectacularly, as always. aside from that i love how they honor him, like making space for him in the choreography and giving them 5-gated entries at music shows.

also this just in: the album is nominated for album of the year, the only boygroup (manband?) album in the list (4 others are female soloists that i also like, this is what i mean when shinee is a honorary girlgroup. because girlgroups never slacks on the music and shinee is one of the few boygroup that also does). in short, i love shinee <3 can't wait for them to be back <3 <3 <3

[nochiquinn]

campaign 2 wrapup: it was all a mistake

sam don't tell them to hit you they'll take you literally

not ONE rebecca black reference

do we get another animated intro?? we deserve one

matt invented Welcome Back

"the universe is paused"

what is the tattoo incident. it's not just that you got tattoos, it wouldn't be an Incident

"I'm not dissing alignment but fuck alignment"

"fuck! .....unless?"

travis using his enormous hands to block the logos on his drinks is still my favorite thing

travis knows nothing about nothing, look at his playlists

The Old Notes

such a well-oiled machine

yasha is me cutting off all contact with the outside world every six months

"I'd ignore my texts too"

would they have gotten a house in shady creek instead of the xhorhouse

(what happened to the xhorhouse)

"I don't know anything about dungeons and dragons"

sam's just a low-level telepathist

Thanks Pandemic

oh, that's why no brian, brian do other thing

oh he names things the way I do

[types the first three letters and rearranges the rest until it looks right]

pop-up video~

it takes two to derail a d&d campaign, TRAVIS

kiri as a musical-themed serial killer

mala: the real biggest cr miracle is the fact sam still lives

til laura was in labor for two days

uko'toaaaaaaaa

entity

pirate one shot piratE ONE SHOT

DIRT WIZARD

"like a nickname in high school, it just sticks" or you have an lj name that your friends call you and that's how your girlfriend knows you and then she introduces you to EVERYONE like that so when you break up everyone still knows you by that name and your legal name is a distant afterthought

not that anything like that has ever happened to me

nila rose

aw, that's cute

ashly burch my beloved

mala: oh they're holding her hostage in the basement

the cracked glasses were very cute

keg's legacy. kegacy.

cosplayers' vision is based on movement

matt's going to murder them all

essek is me playing among us

"you made him float, man, what were we supposed to do"

[shoves my inner widojest shipper back in the closet with a broom]

"don't you make eyes at her! she's mine now!"

"inspired but confused" is caduceus' whole aesthetic

HERE'S HOW WIDOFJORD CAN STI

caleb is that ancient quiznos ad

"I'm not doing that again, that burned"

(I am very enamored with the narrative track of keeping essek at arm's length or considering him "off-limits" bc he was so like astrid and eadwulf and caleb was hurt so badly and so deeply)

liam vs matt's unexpected npcs

essek: shadowhand

verin: shadowhimbo

laura just gave the whole table psychic damage

brian stop saying undisputed I'm having LABN flashbacks

"EDIBLES!"

trent that's gross don't do that

(trent can't do ANYTHING anymore muwahahaha)

laura ur vex is showing

"that's the traveler" "you need more sleep"

taliesin practicing for percy

(or leftover percy if they already filmed it)

where's the art, I know y'all are already on it

"it's awful, but let's encourage it"

SPILL

remember my early theory that yasha and zuala had kids and yasha was the Orphan Maker bc she killed zuala and then ran

ORPHAN TAKER

"role play zoning"

this feels like what happened between ATLA and Korra with the post-war restructuring and building republic city

"into a literal volcano"

mica!!

every so often she does a certain expression or turns her head a certain way and I'm like "oh right her dad's levar burton"

reani: a gay sunflower

matt: the hag is no longer under the spell laura: but she still loves jester, right? matt: laura: she still loves jester, right???

frienisis

laura: WHO LOVES WHO AND WHY >:[

sitting down and aggressively interrogating an emotion bc Why Is It Doing That is relateable

"I am always entertaining the idea of leaving the group"

I just remember laura at one point going "MATT he's gonna KILL HER" about sam being reckless with nott bc none of them trust sam even a little bit anymore

"let's talk about time travel" let's not

"caleb would have to fight astrid and eadwulf and their bodies would replaces his parents'" HEY LIAM???

"because somebody abused him" say it louder for the people who haven't heard it for a hundred fucking episodes

laura put that eyebrow back

samuel

hearing casual confirmation of polyam does my heart so much good

(he's trying very hard to impress the difference between physical familiarity and intimacy and sexual relationships and laura and sam are just. here. being like that.)

(blumentrio had BOTH but they weren't always the same thing) (physical and emotional closeness and intimacy from a survival situation translating into sexual intimacy is my SHIT) (or also just platonic physical intimacy)

(liam o'brien was put on this earth to hurt me and he's doing GREAT so far)

that was crazy town and I hate that I know that

"in kraghammer it's like 4"

.....the crabgrass dynasty being the only living thing in the spot where molly died

they had a batman list!!

on a scale of one to skynet

that's very on-brand

adventures of jester and artagan comic (and inevitable animated adaptation)

"on buildings you don't own and have not gotten permission to paint"

DICK SHIV

"that would have been really bad"

astrid beck my beloved

Thanks Moonweaver

also someone go kick trent in the head one more time for good measure

"also his anus"

"in my brain we killed him because I hate him so much"

travis and laura sitting up and looking at each other

"dani's losing it"

"hackneyed maybe, but I don't give a shit" me writing

allura's a cheat answer, we knew that one

awwwWWWW

I knew at least one VM member was on it or matt wouldn't have been so cagey about it

something something vex as kenny omega as the collector something

PIRATE ONESHOT

beaurebar franchise on darktow

matt: all of this was a mistake

[cursed-moon-blossom]

Everyone knew that the Thornes were cursed. It was said that Death themself stalked the family's every step after one of their ancestors cheated them. They were danger magnets, accidents happened around them all the time. Everytime they survived something that ought to have killed them they were marked with a white streak in their hair, another slight against Death. If you valued your safety you stayed away from them, the curse wasn't above taking bystanders in the process of claiming another Thorne.

On September 1st, 1984 another Thorne arrives at Hogwarts.

"Thorne, Belladonna!" McGongall called from the sorting roster and the Great Hall went quiet as all eyes fell on the tiny eleven year old witch who stepped forward. Thick, deep black hair cascaded over her shoulders, marred by no less than six streaks of snow white. Whispers broke out as she took her seat on the stool.

"That much white already!"

"And look how small and frail she looks..."

"I'm calling it now, she'll be dead before her fifth year."

Belladonna's jaw tightened as the Sorting hat slipped down over her eyes, trying to ignore them all. They didn't know anything, she'd show them.

'My, aren't you an interesting one... Even your brother didn't have this much fire at his Sorting...' The Hat's voice spoke into her mind. 'You have guts no doubt, and a sharp mind. Your family's heavy legacy hasn't weighed you down yet, despite your own ill luck. With Courage like this, perhaps Gryffindor could be where you find your home... And yet, I hesitate...'

More whispers drifted through the Hall, more speculation on how long she'd live, each estimate shorter than the last. She clenched her fists in the fabric of her robes. She was going to prove them all wrong.

'Such determination, and, dare I say, Ambition?'

Whatever it took she was going to prove them wrong. She would not die young.

'Whatever it takes, hmm? Are you committed to that?'

Yes. Yes she was. She'd do anything to survive. It didn't matter what it took, she was going to live.

'Yes... Yes, I can see it well... And as Cunning as you are I believe you'll have no problems achieving your goals... Well, then, it'll have to be-'

"SLYTHERIN!" The Hat yelled for all the Hall to hear, stunning them all into silence for a moment. It seemed they'd been so involved in their hushed speculation that they'd all but forgotten about the actual Sorting. The Hat was lifted off her head and she slid off the stool, making her way the the table decked out in green and silver.

"Oh, in that dank and dreary common room under the Lake she'll catch her death of cold before the year is out... Poor thing..."

She bit her tongue as she took her seat, no use in snapping at anyone now. They'd see in time, she'd show them all.

~☆~

Introducing my new HPHM OC Belladonna "Bells" Thorne! She doesn't have a personal investment in the Cursed Vaults, her older brother, Mica, is still safely enrolled at Hogwarts, but she does end up befriending my Cursebreakers and helping them out a bit! Here's a quick doodle of the girl, though she's a bit older tgan 11 here:

[bookofjin]

Annals of Taizu of Later Wei, Part 4

[From WS002. Covers 399 - 400.

Tuobai Gui campaigns against the Gaoche, builds a hunting park, worries about omens and lectures on history.]

[Tianxing 2, 22 February 399 – 10 February 400]

2nd Year, Spring, 1st Month, jiazi [28 February], first worshipped the High Deity at the Southern Suburb, using Shizu, August Emperor Shenyuan to pair with him, descended the altar and inspected the burning, completed the rites and turned around.

On yichou [1 March], an irregular amnesty for the Imperial City. First arranged the rules for the Three Carriages.

On gengqwu [6 March], the Chariot Drove on a northern tour. Separately instructed the various generals of a great assault on the Gaoche. The Great General and King of Changshan, Zun, and outhers with the Three Armies, to follow the eastern road and set out for Changchuan. The General who Garrisons the North, the King of Gaoliang, Lezhen, with the the Seven Armies, to follow the western road and set out for Niuchuan. The Chariot to Drive and personally direct the Six Armies following the middle road north-west from Boran River.

2nd Month, dinghai [23 March], New Moon, the various armies assembled together, and routed the Gaoche's more than 30 sections of diverse kinds. Captured more than 70 000 people, more than 300 000 horses, and more than 1 400 000 cattle and sheep.

The Great General of Agile Cavalry, the King of Wey, Yi, directed 30 000 cavalry to separately follow to the north-west and cut across the desert for more than 1 000 li. He routed 7 sections of their cast away and dispersed, captured more than 20 000 people, more than 50 000 horses, more than 200 000 cattle and sheep, more than 200 000 tall chariots, and also clothes, curios and various things.

Turned back to stay at Niuchuan. On reaching Bo Mountain also carved in the stone a record of the achievements. Distributed and bestowed the accompanying subjects each proportionally.

On gengxu [15 April], the General who Conquers the Caitiffs, Yu Yue, routed Zhang Chao in Bohai. Chao fled to Pingyuan and was killed by his partisans.

Used the captured Gaoche multitudes to erect a deer park, to the south it followed Taiyin, to the north it reached Changcheng, to the east it included Baideng, and it linked up to the western mountains, its breadth and length was several tens of li. Dug out a channel to guide the Wuchuan river and pour it out within the park, spread it apart into three ditches, to separately flow inside and outside of the palace walls. Also dug out a swan-goose pool.

3rd Month, jiwei [24 April], the Chariot Drove to arrive from the northern invasion.

On jiazi [29 April], began order the group of books of the Five Classics each to set up a Broad Scholar. Added to the Grand School of the Sons of State's teachers a staff of 3 000 people.

This Month [22 April – 20 May], Li Bian, a native of the Di, rebelled against Murong De, and requested aid from Ye. The Master of Writing of the Acting Tribunal, He Ba. Ba went with light cavalry to respond to him, he overcame Huatai, he gathered De's palace people and office stores. He also routed De's King of Guilin, Zhen, and gentlemen, magistrates, generals and soldiers, more than 1 000 people.

On bingzi [11 May], dispatched the General who Establishes Righteousness, Yu Zhen, and the Colonel of Outriders,Xi Jin, to chastise the Kudi's section's leader Yeyigan, and the Youlian section's leader Douyuni at Taihunchuan. They routed them. Kudi Qinzhi's son Tayigan [?] led his section groups to adhere to the interior. Zhen and others advanced to rout the Houmochen section, and captured more than 100 000 horses, cattle and sheep. They pursued and exterminated the cast away and dispersed, and entered Da'e Valley.

The Grand Warden of Zhongshan, Chouru, absconded to hide in Zhao commandery. He pushed forward Zhao Zhun from the crowd of bandits to be the ruler, with the title Envoy Holding the Tally, Great General who Conquers the West, Shepherd of Ji and Qing province, and Duke of Julu. Chouru became Zhun's Senior Clerk. They assembled partisans to fan confusion. Decreed the Army Leader of the Centre, Zhangsun Fei, to chastise and pacify them.

Summer, 4th Month [21 May – 19 June], the former Grand Warden of Qinghe, Fu Shi, assembled more than 1 000 families of partisans, titling himself General who Consoles the Army.

5th Month, guihai [27 June], the General who Conquers the Caitiffs, Yu Yue, routed and chastised him.

Autumn, 7th Month [18 August – 15 September], erected the Heavenly Splendour Hall.

On xinyou [24 August], a great hunt at the Deer Park. Hosted and bestowed to each proportionally-

Refugees from Chen and Henan, more than 10 000 people migrated inside. Dispatched messengers to look after and reassure them.

Yao Xing dispatched a multitude to besiege Luoyang, Sima Dezong's general Xin Gongjing requested aid.

8th Month [16 September – 15 October], dispatched the Grand Commandant, Mu Chong, to lead 6 000 cavalry to go and hurry to him

Added and began the Imperial City's twelve gates. Build the Western Military Arsenal. Removed half of the province and commandery population's rents and taxes.

On xinhai [13 October], decreed the rites officials to prepare an compile the multitudes' rites, and publish them with the new orders.

Lu Pu, a native of Fanyang, assembled multitudes at the sea shore, and declared himself Envoy Holding the Tally, Great General who Conquers the North, and Inspector of You province. He attacked and robbed the commanderies and counties, and killed the Inspector of You province, Feng Tagan.

Murong Sheng's Grand Warden of Liaoxi, Li Lang, raised up the commandery to belong to the interior. A leader of the Xihe Hu, Hunuoyu, a leader of the Dingling, Ditong, and a leader of the Shu, Han Long, all lead each other to adhere to the interior.

Winter, 10th Month [15 November – 13 December], the Great Temple was completed. Moved August Emperors Shenyuan, Pingwen, Zhaocheng, and Xianming's spirit tablets to the Grand Temple.

12th Month, jiawu [24 January], Murong Sheng's General who Conquers the Caitiffs and Grand Warden of Yan commandery, Gao Hu led 3 000 households to belong to the interior.

On xinhai [10 February], decreed the General of Gifted Officials, He Tuo to chastise Lu Pu.

The Heavenly Splendour Hall was completed.

This Year, Lü Guang established his son Shao as Heavenly King, and declared himself Grand High August. Guang died, his concubine son Zuan killed Shao and usurped the establishment. Tufa Wugu died. His younger brother Lilugu was established in replacement, he dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

[Tianxing 3, 11 February 400 – 29 January 401]

3rd Year, Spring, 1st Month, wuwu [17 January], He Tuo routed Lu Pu in Liaoxi. He captured Pu and his son Huan live, and transmitted and sent them off to the Imperial City. Tore them asunder.

On guihai [22 February], had affairs at the northern suburbs. Separately instructed various officials to travel and inspect the provinces and commanderies, to observe the people's manners and customs, and examine and expose the unlawful. Bestowed on the crowd of subjects cloth and silk each proportionally.

2nd Month, dinghai [17 March], decreed to have the minsters sacrifice daily at the eastern suburbs. Started to plough the sacred field.

On renyin [1 April], imperial son Cong passed away.

3rd Month, wuwu [17 April], established August Empress Ms. Murong.

This Month [10 April – 9 May], pierced the southern wall for a channel to pass through to within the city, and built the Eastern and Western Fish Pools.

Summer, 4th Month [10 May – 7 June], Yao Xing dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

5th Month, wuchen [26 June], decreed the Supervisor of Visitors, Zhang Ji, to envoy to Yao Xing.

On jisi [27 June], the Chariot Drove on an eastern tour. Thereupon favoured Zhuolu. Dispatched envoys to use a grand animal sacrifice to sacrifice at the Temples of Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun. Went west to favour Mayi and observed source of Lei.

Autumn, 7th Month, renzi [9 August], the Chariot Drove to return to the palace. Raised the Middle Heavens Throne-Hall, the Mica Fore-Hall, and the Golden Splendour Room.

11th Month [2 December – 31 December], the Gaoche's separate leader Chilijian led more than 900 groups to belong to the interior.

12th Month, yiwei [19 January], a decree said:

For generations it has been custom to say Gao of Han rose up in cloth clothes and yet had Under Heaven, this is to not have insight into its reasons. As for the Liu inheriting Yao's government, and for extensive generation continued with virtue, there were the summons of snakes and dragons, the coming of the bright hue cloud's response, the Five Wefts above assembled, the Heavenly Persons united together and clarifying the master of the modified instructions, the great rotation being rung. They cannot be considered not to to anticipate and beseech.

As such, the followers of the crazy and crafty, by means of those who stumble at the top yet do not stop, were truly misled by the explanation of the chasing the deer, and bewildered by Heaven's instructions. For that reason they are following the tracks of turning over the chariot, stamping the path of hostility and confrontation. Those whose poison are considerable overflow the provinces and commanderies, those whose damage are small wither in the districts and villages. Arriving therefore at a person dying with his name crumbling, misfortune reaches the nine clans, accompanying chaos and following the flow. To die with no remorse, how is not anguishing!

The righteousness of the Spring and Autumn is the beauty of the great unified command. Wu and Chu usurped titles, and after a long time were inflicted on execution and sundering. The lordly master belittles their bogus fame, and compares it to dust and dirt. To not oneself maintain the sagely and carry virtue, when the Heavenly persons combine and assemble, the legacy of emperors and kings, is it not useless to respond. As successively seen past and present, those who are not righteous yet seek with no anticipation, the followers lose their way of protecting the family, and submit to execution by blade and saw.

There are states and there are families. To truly be able to have the appointed time for pushing forward discarding and rising up, to scrutinize the unchangeable of Heaven's instructions, to notice the hidden conferral of a summoned response, to stop the perverse words of the competing contenders, cutting off the presumptuous indulgence of the opposing and outstanding, to ponder the many blessings of stopping when sufficient, then it is near to divine wisdom. If it is like this, then it can be considered to protect the glorious blessings for the Heaven [appointed] years, the flowing the remaining felicity to later generations. And so as such, if the reasons for calamity are contrary to having no chance then to live, how are troops and armour the causes then for rising up? In all their coming generations, [if you] do everything indeed to caution them, can [they] be unheeding!

At the time the Grand Scribe frequently memorialised the Heavenly Patterns were disorderly and chaotic. The Emperor personally inspected the classics on divinations, and often talked of changing the kings and altering he government, for that reason he several times modified the officials' titles. Firstly he wished to guard against and restrain the fell and crafty, secondly he wished to dispel the calamity in response to the mischance. Soon he worried about the crowd of subordinates being suspicious and confused, in their hearts vilifying and in their bellies criticizing.

On bingshen [20 January], then decreed, saying:

In the government of high antiquity, they placed above virtue and put down fame, they had duties yet had no feudal ranks, it was easy to govern and affairs were in order. For that reason perverse plans were put to an end, and did not rise up, the offending depravities were put to an end and did not flourish.

At the end of the Ji [clan] of Zhou, the subordinates transgressed and the sovereign declined. They used titles to settle themselves, and used ranks to arrange the blessings. The ministers for generations [had] their offices, the grandees carried out affairs, yang's potency was impeded, they discussed sending out families to accompany. For that reason covenant carried out like this rose up, war carried out like this flourished.

The ruin of Qin and Han was to let go of virtue and esteem extravagance. The able and not mixed and blended, the worthy and stupid were disturbing each other. The numerous officials were out of sequence and trusted not their people. Hence the way of the loyal and righteous being put to rest, the steadfastness of upright and shameful being discarded, the wind of withdrawing and yielding being cut of, the righteousness of blame and praise flourishing could not but to follow from the noble putting above fame and rank, yet calamity and defeat caught up with them.

In the past set up the Three Excellencies, the duties were great and the worries were heavy, for that reason it was said “there waited punishment for stewards and chancellors”. They wanted appointments and assignments to do their duties successfully, not empty favour and blessing. Yet the customs of the present generation in all instances consider assisting in government glorious and prestigious, they tiptoe with yearning and request it.

As for these postings as Ministers, they are assigned by the ruler of men, that is all. If he employs them, they are weighty, if he let them go, they are light-weight. As such, if officials are without regular fame, and rely on it being settled and divided. Thus if those who are worthy arrive, [they] can take away the empty designations of the honoured ministers [?].

As for Jie [of Xia] and Zhou [of Yin], they were facing south, but though exalted, they can be scorned. Ji Dan [the Duke of Zhou] was a subordinates, but though humble, he can be venerated. One official can be considered a model for wisdom, a wicker gate can be considered hanging down the law.

Regardless, considering the Way and the Virtue as fact, the worthy at overturning the cauldron, veils the house. Formerly, those who measured themselves, when brought to an end, then were righteously maintained. Those who braved to profit [?], when they were lost in person, then their fame was wiped out. The gains in fame from profit are the are the blemished disputes of praise and blame. The gains in virtue from the Way are the family treasure of godly understanding.

Thus for these reasons the Way and righteousness are the foundation of government. Fame and ranks are the end of government. Fame does not originate with the Way, and cannot be considered suitable. Ranks have no improvement for the times, and cannot be be considered usable. To make use of and not forbid is to be deeply ill. One who is able to control his mischances and not lose his propriety, is he alone a sage?

If those who come truly think of the reasons for success or failure, examine the causes of order and chaos, reflect on mistakes of Yin and Zhou, and strip off the evils of Qin and Han, then they are near to the government.

This Year, Qifu Qiangui was routed by Yao Xing. Li Gao privately appointed [himself] Shepherd of Linag province and Duke of Liang.

[ourforeverboy-cambaby]

Long Live the Legacy of Cameron Mica Boyce!

Hello 👋 everyone! My name is Zoë, I’m 21, from Charlotte, North Carolina, and run this blog for all things Cameron Mica Boyce related. although I didn’t know Cameron personally I considered him an idol, and a friend. I didn’t grow up with many close friends so I had the Disney Channel show “Jessie” to look forward to every week. I won’t lie Cameron and Skai were the only reason I really liked watching the program, because they made me feel like I was their family and friend, too. Cameron was a radiant, talented, genius individual. He would’ve really gone far in his career... Although I am sad about his passing it does not take away from the beautiful memories I have of watching Jessie, seeing interviews, or even watching Cameron’s YouTube channel videos of him and his friends from XMOB! His memory and legacy will live on for all of eternity. He will always be in my heart ♥️ forever. Cameron Mica Boyce “May 28th, 1999 to July 6th, 2019” 20 beautiful, fun filled years.

[thenatureofnarrative]

The Gloss and Glamour of Grief: Why We Need Jackie (2016)

Much of my life and vocation has involved grief counseling and offering support to those confronted by death; maybe that’s why I find Pablo Larrain’s masterpiece, Jackie (2016), so meaningful, and sadly, so underappreciated.  Jackie is the single greatest exploration of grief I have ever encountered in the history of cinema.

But that might be overstating it.

The film begins in darkness and discorded strings.  Mica Levi’s Oscar-nominated score grips us within seconds and ingrains within us a sense of disillusionment.  Throughout the runtime (a sharp and succinct 100-minutes), it’s the music that maintains our emotional imbalance.  We walk and we wander with the widowed, Jacqueline Kennedy, in the days that immediately proceed her husband’s death. Stephane Fontaine’s stunning 16mm cinematography, along with Larrain’s direction and unrelenting close-ups, place us in the middle of our protagonist’s pain; rarely are we given enough space or distance to catch our breath.

This film is, for me, an essential experience, even though I recognize that it may not be enjoyable for some.  We live in a society that glosses over grief.  We apply a bit of powder, share a few photographs, and try to keep our personal feelings private.  We don’t know how to sit with loss or sit with anyone burdened by loss.  We prefer to keep busy or turn our attention to escapism, and of course, those instincts are not wrong, there’s plenty of reason for escapist art and entertainment, but these options are, sadly, overdone and our default.  

Which is why a film like, Jackie, is invaluable; because it fixes our focus and never lets us escape the experience of a grieving wife and woman, we thought we knew.  We are compelled by the talent and splendour on screen to sit quietly and endure it alongside her.  And the truth is, when it comes to that talent, it’s hard to imagine any other actress fulfilling this role.  Natalie Portman is perfect.  She carries for us, in close up, the inhumanity of celebrity, the chaos of grief, and the uncertainty of one’s legacy.

Throughout the film Portman sits across from Billy Crudup, playing a journalist who has come to interview the First Lady.  As the exchange and conversation unfolds, effectively narrating the events for us, Portman’s Jackie presents herself as both guarded and, on the attack, never allowing the public narrative to escape her grasp.  We cut back, to a sequence of Jackie stumbling through the White House, drunk and distraught, and flash forward, to a poised and private Mrs. Kennedy, editing her own words as she speaks.  It’s both empathetic and evocative.  A compassionate portrayal and ponderous.

Then we come to the end and the appearance of the late-great John Hurt as the consoling clergy.  At first, Hurt’s priest appears to be out of his element; elderly and overwhelmed.  But then we begin to see that he is mirroring our shared sense of loss and disillusionment.  Rather than comfort, he offers the First Lady a confession, saying: “There comes a time…when one realizes that there are no answers…every night when I climb into bed…I wonder, “is this all there is?” Every soul [wonders this]…But then when morning comes, we all wake up and make the coffee…[because] God in his infinite wisdom has made sure it is just enough for us.”

It is just enough for us.  It is just enough for us to sit together and to wonder.  To sit together and to weep.  To sit together and to know, we will never be alone.  

[diversegaminglists]

Games where you can play as nobility and royalty

If a game appears on more than one list, it’s because there are multiple protagonists or a choice of protagonists.

Emperors/Empresses:

Breath of Fire IV (You switch between two protagonists, one of which is an Emperor)

Civilisation Franchise

Dishonored 2

Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom

Empress of the Deep Franchise

Reigning Kings:

Civilisation Franchise

Crusader Kings Franchise

Dragonsphere

Final Fantasy VI (Edgar)

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King

Kingdom & Kingdom: New Lands

Little King’s Story

Medieval: Total War

No King No Kingdom

Pharaoh and Cleopatra

Reigns

The Sims Medieval (Monarch)

Reigning Queens:

Civilisation Franchise

Coconut Queen

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord

Guenevere

Kingdom & Kingdom: New Lands

Moonchild

Pharaoh and Cleopatra

Queendom (VR)

The Sims Medieval (Monarch)

Summoner 2 (Maia)

Queen Consort:

Reigns Her Majesty

Princes:

Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse

Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan

Bloody Bride

Deadly Towers

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

Divinity: Dragon Commander

Divinity: Original Sin 2 (The Red Prince)

Dragon Age: Origins (Dwarf Noble Origin)

Dragon Warrior II

Fable III (becoming King/Queen is one of the main plots of the game)

Final Fantasy IV (Cecil is technically the Crown Prince)

Final Fantasy XV (Noctis)

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (Marth)

Fire Emblem Fates

Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776

Katamari Franchise

King's Bounty: Warriors of the North

The Lost Heir: The Fall of Daria

Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest

Odin Sphere

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Franchise

Ramayana

Scarlet Nightfall

Skeleton Warriors

Suikoden V

Super Smash Bros

Valhalla Franchise

Your Royal Gayness

Princesses:

Achievement Hunter: Princess

Amazing Princess Sarah

Awakening Franchise (Sophia)

Battle Fantasia (Olivia)

Battle Princess Madelyn

The Charming Empire

Child of Light

Chop Chop Princess!

Chronotopia

Cinderella Phenomenon

Dark Cloud 2 (Monica)

Dead or Alive (Kasumi)

Destiny's Princess: A War Story, A Love Story

Disney’s Brave

Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey

Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure

Disney’s Tangled

Dragon Age: Origins (Dwarf Noble Origin)

Fable III (becoming King/Queen is one of the main plots of the game)

Final Fantasy V (Several)

Final Fantasy IX (Garnet)

Final Fantasy XII (Ashe)

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Fire Emblem Fates

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Giants: Citizen Kabuto (Delphi)

Gladius (Ursula)

Golden Axe Franchise

Hyrule Warriors

IKEMEN Royal Palace ～Midnight Cinderella～

King’s Bounty: Armoured Princess

King's Bounty: Crossworlds

King's Quest IV: The Perils Of Rosella

King’s Quest VII: The Princeless Bride

The Knife of the Traitor

Lads in Distress

Libra of the Vampire Princess

Long Live the Queen!

The Lost Heir: The Fall of Daria

Magical Otoge Ciel

Mica: Apoptosis

Miranda’s Choice

Mortal Kombat (Kitana, Mileena)

Mushihimesama

My World, My Way

Oceanic Hearts

Odin Sphere

Panel de Pon

Pairs (Lek Noiya)

Piggy Princess

Princess Arthur

Princess Battles

A Princess’ Tale

The Princess’ Heart

Princess Isabella Franchise

Princess Kaguya: Legend of the Moon Warrior

Princess Natasha: Student Secret Agent Princess

Princess in Love aka It’s a Girl Thing! Princess in Love

Queen at Arms

Queen’s Crown

Princess Edge - Dragonstone

Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt

Pyrite Heart

The Second Reproduction

Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem

Shall we date?: Sengoku Darling -Choose your Destination-

Soul Calibur (Hilde von Krone)

Skullgirls (Parasoul)

Street Fighter (Elena)

Super Smash Bros

Super Princess Peach

Valkyrie Profile 2 (Alicia)

Without a Voice

Yggdra Union (Yggdra)

Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon

Zelda's Adventure

General Nobility:

Agarest: Generations of War

Assassin’s Creed 2, Brotherhood, & Revelations

Blackguards

Castle Crashers

Crusader Kings Franchise

Darkest Dungeon

Dracula: Love Kills

Dragon Age: Origins (Human Noble Origin)

Dungeon Defenders

Final Fantasy Tactics (Ramza)

Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade

Fire Emblem: The Blinding Blaze

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Gemfire

The Grand Ball

King’s Bounty: The Legend

The Last Story

My Lady

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows

Masques and Murder!

Patrician Franchise

Regency Solitaire

Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood

Rome: Total War

Tales of Graces

Sacred/Sacred Gold (Vampiress)

Serafina’s Crown

Shovel Knight

Suikoden III

Suikoden IV

Trine Franchise (The Knight)

Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption

Games where you can become nobility/royalty:

Affairs of the Court: Choice of Romance

Celestian Tales Franchise

Cute Knight & Cute Knight: Kingdom

Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age 2

Dragon Quest III

Fable II

Fire Emblem Awakening (if you marry into it)

For Honor

The Guild Franchise

Hero of the Kingdom II

Jade Empire

King’s Quest Franchise

Lords of the Realm

Neverwinter Nights 2

Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen

Prince of Persia (The original 2D ones)

Princess Debut

Princess Maker Franchise

Princess of Tavern

Quest for Glory Franchise

Tears to Tiara Franchise

Adults Only:

Age of Barbarian

A Dance of Rogues (NWN Modules)

Eiyu*Senki - The World Conquest

Katahane

Kuro no Tsuki ~ Darkness of the Moon

Mamatoto ~A Record of War~

Melty’s Quest

Words Worth

Needs More Research:

Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor

Touhou

[parulsheth1]

The Sheths

Ohmigod, look at this cute scarf…and these sunglasses! WOW!

Exclamation, exuberance and wonder filled the room as we looked through “Mummy’s” (Surekhaben, the mother in law) stuff. Exquisite trinkets that told stories of her travels to exotic foreign lands…oh yes, she was an intrepid traveller. Hand-painted artwork with matching wooden bowls from Peru, a delicately embroidered purse from Japan, a small, gold-plated intricately carved antique silver frieze from Ladakh, innumerable crystal pieces, Lladro, Svarowski, Waterford, Bulgarian, Austrian and the like, some collected with love and others, gifted to her. This exclusive collection was her pride. And if she was gifted something which did not make the cut (and this has happened to me several times!), she would take it politely and consign it to the dark depths of her many cupboards, never to be seen again!!

Sifting through this treasure brought to life the vibrance of the life Papa and Mummy had led…the stylish photographs from a cruise in Alaska, fashionable group pictures with their “hip” friends, the sassy pictures from their childhood, and the stunning landscapes from their various sojourns across the globe; Europe with Raj travels (for a “Pratishtha” in London), Hongkong (and god knows where else) with Nirumasi, Vail with Ketu, regular weekend treks with their gang in Lonavala, Matheran, several trips with Surabhi masi and then of course, annual trips with all their grandchildren.

A life well lived.

These are the lives we celebrate.

Of Papa and Mummy.

Stories from old times flew around.

Vinodbhai, and his chutzpah to live well!

Let me begin with his passion for quality from fruits, where appearance was important, size (of course!) and colour, for mangoes in particular, they had to be the biggest, to the quality of paper for his letterheads (beautiful thick alabaster paper with simple gold lettering). This desire for excellence had made him the market leader for the fabrics which they produced.

The food at his parties would be from the “best caterer” and the menu would be lavish. Going out for a meal with Vinodbhai would be a grand affair where how would order more, never “over order” but it always felt like “a lot”. An often repeated story by all who went out with him: After a full meal he would ask on the table, what dessert shall we order? The polite response would be no, no, we have eaten too much... and as if he hadn’t heard this, he would go on to promptly order enough dessert for all to share, which would be polished off!

That was Papa, showing his warmth with food, humour and abundance.

His sense of fairness, practicality and honesty made him much sought after by all, for advice on family as well as work matters.

His ability to create lifelong friends, with strong bonds giving support, stability and comfort, some of which have lasted after him, was a legacy carried on by Ketu.

And his big heart, which had enough and more for everyone-from his family to his staff, to anyone who extended their hand towards him for help. He gave generously, and anonymously to hospitals, medical schools, various organizations and all. His philanthropy was truly altruistic.

His faith in Agas Ashram was wholehearted. This spirituality and understanding of values was his strength. He gave to the Ashram with his tan, man and dhan, with his full devotion.

Staying with him, I learned how to give.

Surekhaben, and her passion for élan, classy and one-of-a-kind stuff.

The Saris, sourced directly from weavers, were exclusive and of course, expensive. She would order 5 of each kind, (One for herself, 2 for her daughters and the potential daughter–in–law(ahem), and more often than not, one for Surabhi masi, or gifting(!!) Bandhanis, Patolas, Chanderis, Ashavalis, Paithanis…! I have heard tales of sari vendors coming to our house to sell their wares, the most famous one being the legendary Umeshbhai.

And her Diamonds, of the highest quality first, and size mattered too, but the shine and sparkle were more important. Her jewellery was like her- dignified, dainty, and classic.

She was into “aesthetic” before it became a thing!!

Staying with her, I learned about the “good stuff”. Flowers, curios, appearance, entertaining, and all with panache.

Ketu, and his affluent yet non-pretentious life-style.

That was just he was brought up. As a rich kid! Ketu was a spoilt brat, spoilt by “Baa”- who was given everything and more. Yes, we found evidence- a photograph that showed that he had an electric toothbrush wayyyy back in 1982. I mean, who had even heard of it then???

His love for music was expressed in a big grand way, with a massive collection of CDs, definitively curated over time. He chose to do his post-graduation in Scranton so that he could travel to New York for every music concert, from those in Central Park to the big ones in Madison Square Garden. Not to be forgotten was his music equipment, from Bose speakers, to an amp and a pre-amp (is that even a real thing?) and even a “CD washer”(!!). These gadgets occupied a place of pride in our room (a LOT of place!).

His signature style in clothes, jeans and khakhis with a classic Polo shirt, Tshirt and his full sleeved striped sweatshirts, all branded, was simple.

Ketu lived by his beliefs and followed his dreams. Loyalty was paramount to him.

Staying with him, I learned to to be true and how discover my passion.

These are the remarkable people whom I have spent most of my adult life with.

The Sheths.

Of course, things were not always rosy, but I have smiled more than shed tears.

That is all that counts.                                                         

It’s been a wonderful life.

I am grateful for my memories.

‘Life is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won’t happen. We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.’

                                                                                         ~ Quindlen

[wildseedculturalgroup]

SIR Rebekkah Holylove : A Funk Lesson in Solitude

At sixteen Luther Vandross founded and served as the official president of a famous diva’s fan club. I can see him now, watching her seasoned shoulder bounce and measuring the funk in the black church two-step she makes across soul music platforms. He’s standing stage left, holding onto the curtain for balance. He’s lip syncing every song, calculating the mastery of her diction and phrasing. He’s studying her like a text; setting the stage for his own practice—one that would place him at microphones behind David Bowie, Chaka Khan, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler and Donna Summer. He was Twenty Feet from Stardom and rising. Luther Vandross, the teenage boy, understood how Patricia Holt-Edwards from Philadelphia, became the legendary kick-your-shoes-off and snatch-your-own-wig when the tension builds between audience, music and voice; Luther Vandross presided over the fan club of Queen Motha Patti Labelle.

Strange things happen when an artist is moved to a new depth by another; we become fanatical about the fantastical beings who place us deeper into the abyss of craft. The management of details of who these artists are and how they come to being becomes a rite of passage. We obsess over the decisions they make to bring an album to fruition and take pride in knowing all things, from the major to the mundane; collaborations, music video direction, hair color, shoe size, inspiration behind the lyrics.  We fancy ourselves experts of our muses. And when it comes to black music, the stakes are higher—people stay questioning our responses to the brilliance of black artists; reading them as tribal reactions, as opposed to a focused study of mastery. But no. I’m from the school of Luther—committed to scholarship, research questions and methodology when pursuing the legends.

 There’s a strong chance that I became the unofficial president of Joi’s fan club twenty-five years ago. For twenty-five years, I’ve paid attention to her musical movement. Today, I feel confident that if asked to build a theoretical framework around the genius of her crunk-funk sound, I’d have my fucking PhD. Dr. DJ Lynnée Denise.

She’s a beast.

Joi occupies space in the lineage of artists who thrive across genre lines. How is that possible? Ask Prince, Ask Aretha, Ask Nina. Ask Stevie. Black people live hyphenated lives, so it’s fair to say our musicians embody and shift the context of what DuBois called “Double Consciousness,” musical cross pollination made available to the Souls of Black Folk. 

The three of us—Joi, DuBois and myself—have something in common: Nashville.

I saw Joi for the first time while I was sitting in the living room with a group of artists I met during my freshmen year at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She was in a straightjacket hanging on a meat hook in a blue lit walk-in meat refrigerator squirming with hopes of being released. The video was for the song “Sunshine in the Rain,” her first single. I’ve not turned away since.

DuBois graduated from Fisk in 1888, 109 years before me. Joi is the daughter of legendary NFL football player Joe Gilliam. She was a legacy student at the historically black public university Tennessee State on Nashville’s Jefferson Street. The intersections of our lives and the black excellence it carries spans centuries.

The artists in the room knew who she was and dismissed my awe with, “oh that’s Joi.” I was in her hometown. She was their hero. “Joi from down here” they said with regional pride from blunt stained lips, “she been on that different shit for years.” I took that to mean Joi was ahead of her time and an inspiration to the folks who watched her take shape.

I copped her debut album The Pendulum Vibe (1993) and listened to it nonstop for a good year. It filled the void created by LaFace’s TLC and the Sean Puffy girl group hip-hop soul phase. Don’t get me wrong, I fucked with Mary J Blige from day one and still do, but had real questions about the war on originality that was creeping into the black musical lexicon in a Bad Boy kinda way.

The Pendulum Vibe, ironically produced by the mind behind TLC—Dallas Austin, was a game changer, a call to arms for folks looking for sophisticated melodies and enough lyrical depth to drown in. Songs like Fatal Lovesick Journey had me pondering co-dependent relationships while puffing Black & Milds and drinking Alizé. There was well-placed wailing, playful and unapologetic sexual confidence and a genre defying southern rooted sound. Anti-formulaic, the music from this album spoke to my heart and gave me hope that Black America had something to compare to the brilliant UK Soul coming out of London and coming from my speakers. Though raunchier in her approach, Joi was in the Mica Paris and Caron Wheeler category for me. My ears recognized her as a kindred spirit. After the fiftieth listen of the Pendulum Vibe I sat myself down and said with all honesty, "this a bad bitch and the masses ain’t gon’ understand," hence her long-term relationship with the abstract term, the underground.

I'm torn.

Ever since I can remember I’ve been one of those people who rolls my eyes when I hear my favorite song from a new album I'm spending time with being played on the radio. I'm suspicious of what becomes widely accepted; afraid to see the artists I love hand over their authenticity to the police of mediocrity guarding the door of pop music in America. And yeah, everybody gotta eat, but why eating gotta equate to contractual agreements that alter your purpose? Prince’s decision to pen the word slave on his face in the 90s gave us an idea of what can happen when sitting down at the negotiating table with corporations who measure your worth by your marketability to an underdeveloped and musically ahistorical masses. I wanted to keep Joi underground where she was protected from the fuckery—following her own north star to musical freedom.

Her performances embodied all the funkiness my little soul had been waiting for at a time when black radio was pinned under the thumb of payola. She’s cut from the same cloth as Hendrix. Betty Davis. Vanity. One minute she gives you seasoned performer on a FunkJazzKafe stage alongside Too Short; then range and multi-dimensionality on stage with FishBone and De La Soul the next. Embedded in her vocal chords is a deep knowledge of Funkentelechy and Parliamentarian Cosmology, a heavy load of legacy to carry, but she’s bout it and lives inside the mashup.

Between 1996 and 2006, Joi recorded three more studio albums Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome (1997), a highly desired cult classic shelved before release due to the collapse of Universal Records.  It can now be purchased through her website, a gift for fans who were diggin’ through the crates in search of a copy. She produced the next two albums Star Kitty’s Revenge (2002) and Tennessee Slim is the Bomb (2006) independently.

Joi had a major hand in shaping the Atlanta Dungeon Family/Organized Noize sound; she sang background on Goodie Mob’s classic first album Soul Food; she worked closely with many artists, among them George Clinton, Sleepy Brown, Big Krit, 2 Chainz, Queen Latifah, and Tricky from London; she collaborated with Raphael Sadiq’s on his Lucy Pearl project; she joined Outkast on their final tour in 2014; and became a backing vocal for D’Angelo during his Black Messiah Tour in 2015. And still, with curriculum vitaé in hand, Joi found time to help, as she would say, “wipe down,” a few aspiring singers through her artist development business.

Upon moving to Los Angeles, after a twenty-year stint in Atlanta, she sat her ass down in a studio and pulled diamonds from a year of solitude to create a new gem of an album. S.I.R. Rebekkah Holylove. But don’t call it a comeback.

There’s a white-supremacist-mean-spirited-anti-intellectual-creamsicle-looking-fuckboy in the white house. I applaud anyone who can navigate this political shit show and turn away from social media long enough to concentrate on their respective practices. I live for the kind of high art that can offer the world a break from this reality fiction, and for these reasons and more Joi came through.  The journey of the album begins with three words that pushes us to the other side.

“Bitch I’m Free”

S.I.R. Rebekkah Holylove is what happens when anticipation meets expectations. Noteworthy is that this album, too, was produced independently in the spirit of Prince. He was one of the first artists to sell an album exclusively through a website because “Record company people are shady.”

Living liner notes are positioned between each track giving us poetic reflections that contextualize the song that follows or precedes it. Everything we need to move through the world of this album is provided, including a video for “Stare at Me” produced by Bruce Coles (Passerine Productions) and a cinematic vignette directed by Rahsaan Patterson. 

Joi’s is the only voice on the album. Don’t be fooled into thinking that there are three fellow bad bitches in the studio making it happen. It’s just her. She writes all the album’s lyrics, arranges all its vocals, and produces some of the tracks. She uses very little of the vocal compressor, an effect that most contemporary singers rely on, creating distance between authenticity and the voices you think you love.

I had a chance to spend some time with Joi in her studio, a live/work space she calls “The Funky Jewelry Box.” Inspirational posters and album covers drape the walls from Dolly Pardon to Led Zepplin and Natalie Cole to Minnie Ripperton. It’s an incubator for critical artistic thought up in there.

As I settled and began to think about questions that would unlock the door to the mysteries of this project, she was unwrapping a detox products from Dr. Sebi. “It’s a perfect time to fast,” she says, while removing the bubble wrap from a dark brown bottle of bodily goodness. She’s sitting at her recording station in an electric blue velvet cushioned vintage chair, “a rare find from a spot in LA,” she brags “undiscovered by hipsters and still affordable in its dealings.” The chair is perfect for the matriarchal themed nature of this album. Above her is a classic studio microphone that looks committed to its job and familiar with the racy nature of her spirit. There’s an intimacy between the two. We agree to listen to the album. She presses play and guides me through the sonic journey—joint in hand, ears on guard.

 “Ruler,” the album’s opening track sets an important tone. It’s a theme song straight out of The Wiz; a Glinda the Good witch anthem for women who understand the magic they walk with; Not Black Girl Magic, but Black Magic Women and their dominion over the proverbial Oz. Mind the distinction. Produced by Brook D’ Leux, Joi describes the song as a “declaration and celebration of the historical facts, a firm reminder of the greatness of women.” It’s a timely tune given the national dialogue concerning the crumbling of patriarchal-powered privilege. At the same time “Ruler” avoids being reactionary and trendy, there are no hashtags connected to this reckoning. The chorus is a command: “It's a never-ending, pitch black, goddess situation/Pussy power, life giving, matriarchy, salvation.” Period.

Joi takes the lead production credit in the song “Berlin,” and invites us inside the mind of a wanderluster fantasizing about a life alongside the people of Germany. While many artists fixate on cities like Paris and London, Joi paints a different kind of dance with a country rarely explored as a destination for aspiring Black American expatriates. “I’m on my way to Berlin, I hear it’s my kind of town.” She places herself under the light of a Berlin moon drinking a vintage glass of wine, but like a true gypsy spirit never commits to the place. “I want to call it home sometimes.” The song was written while Joi was getting her bearings in California. She uses the lyrics to negotiate a plan of action giving herself two years to make it happen, and when it does, the people of Berlin will know she’s arrived as an ATLien “Givin the Deutschland something they’ve never seen…High Priestess Funk Supreme.” Bopping her head from the blue chair she says “Berlin is one of my landing pads on the planet, it’s still on my mind and manifesting itself. The song is a call out to a future site.”

Joi’s racy songs have a long-standing history. On previous albums “Narcissica Cutie Pie” (Pendulum Vibe), explores sexual fluidity and bright dark fantasies about the spectrum of desire, while songs like “Lick” (Star Kitty’s Revenge) and “Dirty Mind” (Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome) help us hold the power of sex as a powerful tool that embodies Uses of the Erotic.  Sir Rebekah HolyLove builds on Joi’s collection of sex positive cantatas with “The Edge” produced and arranged by Joi with additional editing by Brook D’ Leux. A bass heavy funk monster that promises listeners a key to cities where “We can fuck until the dawn, making love til cherries gone”. I mean, yeah you’re married boo, but this is a acomplicated situation, the song implies. Cheating could become an option if good dick [or fill in the blank] is involved, and not many of us are willing to share that kind of ethical vulnerability on wax. And I don’t mean no disrespect to your official union, she asserts, but “you fuck me right and you’re mine tonight.” We never once forget that Joi is a human being dealing with the most undesirable and the most pleasurably outrageous scenarios that life asks us to consider; infidelity, heartbreak, orgasmic accomplishments. But the appeal is that she’s aware of the costs; “I’m standing on the edge with you/so if I jump will I fall or fly?”

In the song “Kush,” Featuring 2 Chainz and produced by Joi and Organized Noize we get another low bass banger. This time about a woman and her healing smokable herb, and what it means to pass one with a person you know good-and-well you’ll be taking home that night. Smoking as a form of foreplay is under-discussed. High sex deserves a love song and she delivers.

Far from insane to the membrane Cypress Hill or Snoop Dog indo smoke antics, we get reminded of the overlooked relationship that women have with a strain of weed that finds home in our exhale. Both Joi and Rihanna manage to pull off their relationships to weed well. It’s tastefully performative, radically unladylike and part of the pleasure in her solitude.

“Kingless” is a soundtrack for heart work and not surprisingly, the last song. Reflective and heavy with confession, admission and surrender. Produced by Joi, it gives us space to imagine what it might feel like to return home alone with all your matriarchal musings, global adventures and funk fantasies without a mate to share it with.  What does partnership look like for a rooted rock star? How does confidence read to potential companions who may or may not have received the necessary training one might need to be the queen’s match? Nevertheless, the desire (without desperation) to walk through the world with a lover is palpable. “Kingless” is the album’s only song that can be categorized as a ballad, should you feel compelled to pin it down to a style. But I heard it as a place of departure, a new turn on an old road. A shift in the spirit of the project, a bookend to a shelf of emotional intelligence in song. And she asks very simply who can match my royalty? My peer in love? My friend? Her answer; “Not a prince half grown”.

The song “Stare at Me” produced by Joi and Brook D’ Leau enjoyed an early release as a music video, but it strikes an important chord. I hear the song as a public health announcement about the egoist and narcissist nature of social media. She describes the song’s intent as representing “The multi-layeredness of wanting to be seen and of wanting to be left the fuck alone, also wanting to control the way you’re seen.” Social Media has created a kind of “hand-held seduction, hijacking my point of view.” Everybody’s watching she says “and I wish I didn’t care, I want to care less, but I want to be on your mind.” The video and the music do the song justice, there’s a visual narrative reinforcing selfie culture and the unwillingness to think through the nuances of big issues that’s shaping how we all relate. Instead, we get our opinions “hijacked” and find ourselves following the wave of the crowd. Musically, “Stare at Me” is so well constructed. The pauses and spaces, the kick drums and lyrics that dance through the bars.

 S.I.R. Rebekkah Holylove is a tribute to an album culture long forgotten. With the push for iTunes singles and music streaming culture, the intimate relating of album between artist and audience has been compromised. The album also holds its own up against a culture that produces albums at a rate impossible to enjoy, I’ll be listening to S.I.R. Rebekkah Holylove for years to come and “The Pendulum Vibe” brought me here.  Joi says she drew from various experiences to produce this album and she’s continued to work on other major projects (both in television and music), without compromising the integrity of her solo work. In her words “I have one of the most peaceful lives than anyone I know, but I recognize that solitude and peace is something I earned and it was necessary for this particular juncture.” 

Writing this piece felt like that time when Patti Labelle, and a fully established Grammy awarded Luther Vandross, shared a stage one glorious night in 1985. It’s that moment when student, fan, and gatekeeper of the musical masters graduate into a league of their own with a platform to articulate the many ways they’ve been shaped, artists marked by the legends.  And because Joi’s work has been canonized by a global community my work to unpack her work is really a citational practice. S.I.R. Rebekkah Holylove, is on a Black Atlantic continuum—a fantastic voyage will be had.