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the-monkey-ruler · 1 year

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I know and you know that JTTW is fully a Chinese story, but why isn't characters like Princess Iron Fan and Golden Cicada are almost never depicted as Indian?Like a good chunk of the book takes place in India

Let me start off by saying that I do think a 'good chuck' is in India as while that is the destination I think only the last trail being the Jade Rabbit Arc and MAYBE the Kings of Protection Arc as in the outskirts of India as they get closer to the Thunder Clap Monastery. I could be wrong and maybe they are in the outskirts of India much easier but that is when I recall signs that the journey is coming to an end. I think it is vague on purpose to each adventure be seamless without a real staged location.

Also I think you answered your own question in that this is a Chinese story. Hence why people would assume most if not all these characters with Chinese lore and backgrounds as these are legends surrounding a tale of a monk trying to get to India.

If you are asking why modern interpretations don't have more Indian influence that could be because out of the 600+ media works I have only two have had Indian film crews take part in their making.

2016 Xuan Zang 大唐玄奘 and 2017 Buddies in India 大闹天竺.

One being more of a documentary and the other being a reimagining with a modern take on the story. That being said there isn't a lot of collaboration of Indian film crews but that could be an interesting take for future adaptions.

But as to the specific characters you were talking about then you should also consider that these are also connected to Buddist lore and aren't just subjected to a single region as Buddism is very ingrained within the novel before they get to India. Princess Iron Fan is described as a Rakshasa within the novel but she has other legends around her about being a Toaist Goddess as and coming to earth after having a disagreement with the Queen Mother. Similar to why Red Boy is connected to becoming Shancai despite them having different backstories as well. It isn't meant to be an exact one-to-one with other legends of these characters but rather crafted better to fit the narrative of the story. It not trying to take away from their legends but rather have the character more connected to the overarching themes within the story as well.

Buddism lore isn't just grounded in a single region as Xiyouji is heavily influenced by its allegories and philosophy and the pilgrims meet monks in different kingdoms all throughout their jounrey. Western Heaven is presented as a separate force from Eastern Heaven but they are both to be respected in the same light. This could explain why to Golden Cicada never gets a background before he become a disciple either so there really be a for or against reason to say he is only from a single region. China still has Buddhist scriptures they are just incomplete and a message in Xiyouji is that anyone can be a Buddha (even a monkey) so it wouldn't be too out there that the Golden Cicada could only be from one region when there are other regions that he could have came from. From there he was reincarnated into Tang Saznag and usually in move tv/movie adaptions it is a common trope to use the same actor in reincarnations. There isn't a lot of depictions of the Golden Cicada but what little there is the actor usually goes on to be Tang Sanzang hence that would influence the casting choice. Like they don’t want to hire another actors to play a past life to better transition to show it’s the same person in the next life?

But also I’m not a director so that just an idea.

Source: https://www.duhoctrungquoc.vn/wiki/en/Princess_Iron_Fan

#anonymous #anon #anon ask #jttw #journey to the west #ask

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atalana · 3 years

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[copied over from my cr blog, also this is gonna get long, i’d apologise but im not sorry]

okay, so

this is a rant probably about 7 years in the making, bc when i first watched lok i had not done any music study, i had not done any composing of my own, my knowledge of music theory was at a primary school level and i still thought tv soundtracks were just made by one person composing a whole cache of music and then the audio editors pick and choose what track to place where

(spoiler alert that’s not how film and tv scoring works, i have now done a music composition course where we had to score a short film, among other things, and i have so much more respect for tv composers jesus christ)

but this one stuck out to me even way back then, bc me barely knowing what a leitmotif was was like “hey this one little refrain keeps popping up whenever bolin does lavabending, and i like it, i’m gonna see if it’s on the soundtrack”

it was not, and that’s sort of where i left it back in 2014, but i actually did a rewatch of lok pretty recently out of nostalgia, and then noticed it even more

and to explain why (and this is also a little bit why five’s stuck out to me in tua, i’ll get to that in another ask), let’s cover, leitmotifs, and tv scoring in general

so a leitmotif is basically just a short musical idea that represents something in a piece of music. when i studied motivic development we were encouraged to make that motif four notes or less, and then develop it into something longer (aka a theme), because if you can constantly come back to a really short idea while keeping the piece moving, that’s what makes a piece of music memorable

(you can ignore those rules on purpose but that’s a different essay)

so the most common way that a leitmotif shows up in soundtracks is to represent a character or a location - you play the motif when that character shows up or when you’re in that location and boom, the audience associates that motif with that person place or thing, and you can then use this to tell the audience things without actually telling them. for example, star wars playing the imperial march whenever someone does something darth vader related - darth vader isn’t on screen, but you can feel his presence, because his music is playing

and if we were a film score, where we have two hours to show one particular character’s development, great! we give them a simple motif, and then as they grow as a person we change their motif to reflect what is happening to them, until we end up with something that communicates on a subconscious level how much they’ve grown. we toss in as much symbolism as we can, and we have a really great soundtrack that’s instantly memorable

tv scoring, is harder. partially because of time constraints (have you ever composed half an hour of original music a week, and had to make sure it fits perfectly with every beat of what’s happening on screen? these guys have), partially because there’s a much larger focus on ensemble casts

so what atla and lok do, for the most part, is not score individual character motifs for everyone. this is fairly common in tv soundtracks, instead we score ideas, concepts, and feelings - these’ll come up a lot more and give you more information than just “oh hey this character’s on screen”

the avatar state, for example, has the strongest and most recognisable theme across both shows. i’m linking an atla track in here because it has the best example but you’ll know this shows up with korra too - and with particularly important moments for wan, for kyoshi, etc. they also appear in the opening of both shows, four strong notes that start and end on the same note (in the case of what i’m linking, it’s an F#)

youtube

the first part of this track is the more uncertain, pensive theme that comes up when both avatars are feeling doubt/worry/sadness, but then it transitions into the more recognisable four. worth noting though, those are both basically the same motif. if i write them out back to back, you’ll notice they both have four notes and start and end on F#. if i had to guess, four notes four elements, and it comes back to the start because the avatar is a cycle.

korra has a theme for when she’s fighting, but not an individual character theme. the airbenders as a concept have a theme, republic city has thematic instruments, as do some big name characters, like iroh and his tsungi horn (this is also a cross-series thing, he’s always playing it in atla, it shows up when zuko has to make big moral decisions, and when we first meet iroh in the spirit world in lok, it shows up there too, to let the audience know who this is before we properly see him)

so, if korra doesn’t get a single theme and instead has several for different aspects of her life, and mako and asami follow along with the mood of the story like all the other characters, the fact that bolin has a personal leitmotif at all, let alone a solid, developing one, is pretty remarkable!

now, granted, it mostly starts with book 3, before then he was like every other character, but it has clear symbolism through those last two books! and, initially i thought it was related only to his lavabending, since that’s most of when it shows up, but since my rewatch, i’ve started calling it his hero theme

see, when people wanna criticise mako and bolin, usually the comments they get are that bolin’s too immature and mako’s too serious/uptight. but like, that’s how they work, you can’t analyse either of them without the context of the other. since they were little kids on the streets, bolin chases his heart and mako makes sure they don’t die from it, that is their entire childhood. and neither would have got here on their own because mako wouldn’t take the necessary risks and bolin wouldn’t take the necessary precautions. (like. remove either one from the equation and they’d still be working for the triple threats bc s1 and their flashback miniseries make pretty clear that bolin got them out and mako kept them out)

and then book 2 proves it! because it splits team avatar up, and what happens? bolin is totally taken advantage of by varrick and used as a pawn in his evil plan and mako ends up in jail

so what’s book 3, to them? it’s, being able to find themselves without having that codependency. mako no longer has someone to protect, which is what he’s based his whole life around so far - bolin’s doing fine and he’s no longer dating either korra or asami. and bolin’s trying his hand at some of that responsibility (look at how he immediately adopts kai who is explicitly them but younger because he wants to be the older brother for once). most importantly, they find the rest of their family, and stop being defined by being orphans. they don’t have to be that singular piece of a puzzle, they can just be themselves. and that’s where bolin’s character really starts to shine, because that’s when they bring in the bending plot, and bending, perhaps more than any other character, really gets to the heart of who bolin is

if you want more of my thoughts on that i have an essay here, but tl;dr: bolin’s an extremely powerful earthbender, but he’s not a metalbender because metalbending requires you to double down on the earth characteristics and think like an earthbender, and bolin doesn’t, he’s too fluid for that, which is one of his major strengths, so of course he can lavabend

and finally - to his motif itself! (as a note, i’ve put all of these in the same key to show where it repeats, but there’s a variety of keys used in the show)

as far as i can find, it first shows up in s3e8, when bolin stuns p’li with this well placed shot

[Edit: it first showed up in the s2 finale, but again in a simplified version and again with him doing something heroic with earthbending, so we can still start the analysis here]

mako volunteers bolin for that job, because he knew bolin was capable of it. why? because bolin landed an identical shot earlier in the episode, after trying to metalbend, getting frustrated he can’t, and cheating with some extremely well aimed earthbending. it’s just a short refrain and you barely notice it, but it’s the first connection of this motif with the theme of bolin’s bending

it looks like this, and it’s always played on a trumpet, which is part of why i call it the hero theme, because, if you’re looking at music from a western perspective, trumpets were used to herald kings, and then used to represent military glory, and then when superhero themes started happening, they used trumpets too - it’s basically western music shorthand for hero these days

(it’s also symmetrical so that helps with the good vibes)

and he’s saving everyone here, so it’s linked to his bending, but it’s also linked to his heroism

it ties the two together, and they are tied together.

when’s the next time it shows up? episode 10, when the brothers are in prison in ba sing se, and bolin tries to metalbend them out. again, he’s doing this to save people, and this motif gets a few notes added on to the end in a raising pattern - they’re inspiring, but they don’t go anywhere. which is exactly what happens in the scene, because he’s trying to go about this in the wrong way. mako believes in him, but it won’t (and doesn’t) work

it appears in episode 12 when bolin saves everyone from ghazan destroying the temple, in a more fancy orchestral remake of the first version - it’s impressive, but it hasn’t actually developed yet, it’s just his discovery of it

the book 3 finale already has its own fucking amazing soundtrack, i love that entire episode’s score, but it gets its own moment there too, and the first real development!

because what we hear is not what we’ve heard before. we know it’s the same theme, because it’s using those signature trumpets, but it’s the second part of this phrase, the answer to the question supplied by the first one. why? because bolin’s figured out who he is and he’s starting to use it. it still hasn’t settled yet though, it’s early days and he’s still just turning ghazan’s lava back on him, so again, it raises, leaving it on a question mark

it doesn’t appear in s4e7 when he lavabends as a warning against the escaped prisoners, because he’s using it as a threat, not to help people. but it does later in the episode when he uses lavabending to save them from kuvira. and that’s when we get the first full phrase, question and answer

it keeps the first motif identical, takes out the first note of the second, and ties them together - except now it’s not open ended, now it knows where it’s going - it’s been three years, at this point bolin is confident in both himself and his bending

and then that phrase appears all over the place in the finale, because all bolin does is save people - everyone from the exploding building, he slows the giant mecha with lavabending, he saves opal, he slows the giant mecha again by collapsing a building on it, and most importantly, he’s the one rescuing his brother this time, instead of the other way around (though that one doesn’t get a motif appearance bc admittedly a fuck ton of other things are happening in the soundtrack at the time)

so to that question asked in book three - who is bolin when not next to someone else? well, funnily enough, we saw it in book two as well, just in a warped way, playing nuktuk. it just wasn’t truly him because it was created by varrick, and he needed to get away from varrick too. the question put forward by the narrative is who is bolin, and the answer given by the music is, he is a hero. and i don’t know why bolin is the only one to get a theme like this, but i think it may have something to do with the fact that, while everyone in team avatar has been a hero and saved people, he is the only one who has, from the start, solely been motivated by wanting to help people. he follows his heart, and his heart cares, about everyone. it’s been the driving force behind almost everything he’s ever done. and i love him so much

#so yeah those are my thoughts on bolin go forth and cry with me about five notes on a trumpet #legend of korra #lok #bolin #music

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thanatophobia-thoughts · 4 years

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“Anyone else remember those so-called science documentaries we had to watch in school that were really just Creationist propaganda? Just me?”

Okay…let’s talk Surviving Death on Netflix. The tl;dr: this series is afterlife propaganda wrapped up in bad science, with no opposing opinions presented at all. It made me think of those terrible films I had to watch in various science classes about the beginnings of life and whatnot.

This is going to be a long one, so I’m putting it under a cut.

The first episode was the one I had the most hope for. It discusses Near Death Experiences, and introduces various people who have had them, and then some scientists and doctors who have dealt with these people, this phenomena, or looked into it. This is, unfortunately, where it goes wrong – it brings in no dissenting voices. Every sceptic is a former sceptic. They lay out their reasons for why, of course, but there’s something about it that feels incomplete.

It tries to offer up some compelling evidence, of course. It indicates what people share in common – a warm, bright light, a feeling of being loved, and the sense of time distorting – feeling eternity in a second. These are shared across the board.

Then they bring up how some patients can indicate what was happening in the room when they would have had no brain activity. Such as what words were said, what actions were taken, things they couldn’t have known due to the lack of consciousness. Is that compelling? In some respects, yes. It’s a wonder how they knew this, and it’s unclear what anyone would get by falsifying this, as I doubt most end up doing TV interviews and getting paid for it – not to mention what the doctors and others who confirm their stories, get for this.

Do I have an answer for that? No, not at all.

It could be fraud.

It could yet be some aspect of a dying body that we don’t understand, and I am inclined towards that. That leaves open room for, yes, an aspect of a soul, consciousness, or something other. It also leaves room for a hyperawareness in the last moments.

However, how quickly they seem to think the brain stops having activity does give me pause. We know plenty about the brain, and brain activity is measured, but we also know cells and processes don’t stop all at once. I’m not convinced that the Warm Light, Time Distortion, Loving Feeling aren’t caused by this process. In fact, I’m fairly certain they are, because DMT is released as you die – the very same thing that is released when you dream.

Here is just one article on it, which admittedly has a low amount of participants:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01424/full

I cannot explain how patients know about things happening around them, so that I will accept right now as something of a mystery until we understand it better. That’s what science is about: understanding things.

The next two episodes are about mediums, which, I’ll say it: they’re con-artists. I have been to enough Spirit-Mind-Body fairs (and still enjoy going to them for reasons outside of Mediums), have gotten enough readings, and watched my mom test enough people, to be fairly certain of this.

Mediums claim they can access the deceased person and provide messages to them, from the living, thus confirming an afterlife experience. Cold readers use obvious tricks: Use common names or no names, use things like ‘father figure’ or ‘masculine energy’ coming through, consider the age of the person you’re speaking with (when I was in my early teens and 20s, they always wanted to talk about my romantic life because young girls are always thinking about that, right?), and then they can usually draw the person they’re speaking with into giving them enough information that it seems like they know what they are saying.

There are also hot readings, where the medium has time to gather information on the person beforehand and can thus make it seem like they know a lot.

The show also did a séance with a “physical medium” – but the séance itself can’t be recorded, because of course, the ectoplasm that the medium would produce to create the physical sensations is sensitive to light. And did we mention the medium is in total darkness, and put away in a cabinet – tied to the chair, mind – but in a cabinet, out of sight, for the duration of the séance? Yeah, that’s not fishy at all. (And later they show her doing a non-physical mediumship and she’s not convincing, it’s very cold reading scenario).

Her Physical Mediumship was also questionable. She reached out to one of the people, Aman, and said there was someone on the other side for him that she couldn’t understand – she used the Hindi word for ‘Son’, beta. Aman then spoke to his father in Hindi, but RIGHT AFTER THIS, the medium suddenly knew exactly what his father was saying and gave the message without attempting to say it phonetically to the son. And the son believed this.

Also note, this man was signed up to take classes and such with her. She had time to research him and why he was there, so it is probable she looked up that one word to make a connection.

It also shows a medium speaking with a mother who lost her daughter – and of course, the message is to be expected for a grieving mother – “don’t blame yourself” “you couldn’t have done anything”. No details about how they died are offered, although they seem to know she “has an object” on her that’s important.

The following episode is then about signs, and how the dead communicate with the living – like sending a cardinal to them, leaving behind particular coins, having butterflies in weird locations, and things like that.

Basically, coincidences.

Of course, they all say you don’t know the difference until you experience it yourself. Here’s the thing: I have.

My cat passed away in in 2016, in the fall. A little after her death, there was a dead dove right besides the driver’s side door of my car. I had a pet dove once upon a time. This very cat got to the dove, in her locked cage, and killed her. There was a part of me that desperately wanted to believe, and clung to that feeling for a bit, but I know, the likelihood is it was an odd coincidence, a poor bird that hit the side of the garage my car is parked by, and slid down it to that position.

Signs are only just that – coincidences.

The next episode continues into the theme of paranormal investigators. It shows a duo going into the Morris-Jumel mansion, setting up recording devices, white noise makers, and motion sensors, and trying to communicate with the dead. They use the white noise makers because APPARENTLY the dead need background noise to be heard.

They APPARENTLY reach Aaron Burr. They only get his name, and then his footsteps. I’ll be honest – I didn’t hear ‘Aaron Burr’ at all in the recording, I think they just wanted it to be Aaron Burr. I’m also not convinced cat toy motion detectors are the best route. Those things light up for, literally, no reason.

It then goes into discussion of a polaroid camera, that took photos of light, that then became words and messages – which of course they can no longer replicate because the particular film doesn’t exist any longer. I don’t know enough about photography or photomanipulation, but my mother loves this stuff, and I know there are ways even polaroids can be manipulated to come out certain ways, so no, I’m not buying that, either.

The last thing it touches on are apparitions, like when you go out to look for someone, or think of someone, and at that same time they’d just killed themselves. That intuition that none of us really have a way to describe. It could be mere coincidence, though I imagine anyone with a mother who had that maternal instinct suspects it’s something more. I don’t have an answer for it, though, beyond mere coincidence. I am not convinced it happens often enough to be something supernatural.

Finally, we get to the last episode, which talks about reincarnation.

It looks mostly at children who believe they are reincarnated people, such as Marty Martyn in one case, and in “pre-internet” ages, or before they could reasonably know this information.

Their answers are compared and contrasted with the reality of those they believe they were reincarnated from, but in all the cases looked at, they begin to forget this other life’s existence around the age of 7. Some things stick, but not much.

This is another of those things I don’t have a good answer for – it’d be terrible to say it’s fraud on the parents’ part, coaching their kid on these things. It’s also hard to figure how the children, or even the parents, knew some of these things that line up fairly well.

I have my curiosities about Organ Memory. There is the possibility that if enough of the same material came together to form someone, theoretically, it could provide specific memories, but I doubt this entirely.

Some of it could be that the child was, somehow, exposed to a lot of this. Perhaps there was a documentary left on about the subject that they claim as their other life, perhaps they really are that good at googling at a young age – I’m still better than my parents at this, after all.

This is what the show fails to present, however: opposing views. It leads you in one direction, and even directly INSULTS those who don’t buy into this view. Do I know enough to answer these questions? No, I don’t. I’m able to say that.

I can suspect things like fraud or access to information. I can suspect coincidence, or even information we don’t yet have. I can hope there will be another series that focuses on the non-believer’s side, so that we get a fuller story.

Why do I think it’s important?

Because some of these quotes came from the series:

“For the believer, no proof is necessary. For the sceptic, no proof is possible.” (Attributed to someone else, but used as “proof”).

“I wanted to believe so I believed.” – a father grieving his daughter

“Sometimes we may not be able to say something here, but we’ll be able to say it somewhere else.” – a near death experience between a son and a father.

I find these quotes to be damaging. The last one in particular, because it tries to say it’s okay not to make these connections in life, it’s okay to wait until the next one. Please. Please don’t do this. Don’t believe this – and even if you do, don’t live like that. It’s not fair to those around you. It’s not fair to yourself.

The one who wanted to believe, well…that says it all, doesn’t it? He was looking for this, for comfort, and now he tries to see it. He’s living for a lie, and working his life around that. He has spent MONEY on learning how to contact the dead, on contacting the dead, and he lives his life around looking for particular signs. He has been scammed.

The first one is honestly just nonsense, though I can see why it gets to going around, especially in this time of COVID-19. It is hard to convince some people of things, and they will cling to their beliefs no matter what. I am not without bias – you can see I’m arguing this even with these so-called proofs presented to me, that there is no afterlife.

That said, that quote is just one of giving up.

They also do not say ALL about subjects, such as Franek Kluski, who supposedly made ectoplasmic wax hands, in environments where he could have easily hidden the wax hands already made, and where he’d been caught in a lie that involved “wax buttocks” when he was asked to have an ectoplasm face created (his own butt was burned), and who may have confessed to the fraud (this seems to be debated).

Overall, the Netflix series has an agenda, which is inherent in the title: it is here to convince you there is an afterlife. However, it’s science is questionable, and I think it could have done better by including actual opposition, not “former sceptics”.

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jnlnyaface · 5 years

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The Rise of Skywalker...Thoughts...

I finally bit the bullet and saw “The Rise of Skywalker” in theaters. I have some thoughts...

Spoilers Obviously!!!!!

My general review is that the whole time I was in the theater all I could think about was how much better it would’ve been if this movie and “The Last Jedi” were combined and divided in two. By that I mean, there were so many things in this movie that would’ve worked better if they were done in the 2nd movie and then built upon in this one. There were things in the 2nd movie that I thought would’ve worked great in this one.

Have you ever taken a creative writing class and the teacher gives you a sentence to start a story and 2 mins to write. When your time is up you pass the paper back and continue the story the person in front of you wrote on their paper. And you keep going until everybody in your row has written a piece of each story. Do you remember reading that story and how one kid turned it into a fairytale and then the next into a horror show? And the last kid was left to try to put a bow on it and call it one cohesive story?That’s what this trilogy felt like.

Here are some quick thoughts before we dive in:

1. Finn being force sensitive *chef’s kiss*

2. Poe-Finn-Rey relationship = actual gold

3. I can now understand why people ship Poe and Finn

4. Even though the story was all over the place the effects with Rey and the Emperor were creepy in a good way

5. Overall I wasn’t as disappointed as I thought I would be but there’s so much that could have been done to make it better.

More under the cut!

Ok guys! Here’s where we do the deep dive. I’m pretty much going to outline all the problems I had with the film, why and what I think they could have done to make it better.

1. The whole Rey Palpatine thing - even though I (and many other people) wasn’t the biggest fan of “The Last Jedi” (because it was just one long car chase where nothing really happened) I did like the idea that Rey didn’t come for a force sensitive family.

I thought it would be cool if the stronger Kylo got on the dark side, Rey got equally as strong on the light side to keep balance in the force. (Like the force itself chose someone to keep balance, someone random) I didn’t like the way it was handled, him just saying it in an offhand way, but I thought it was a good choice. To backtrack and have her be Palpatine’s granddaughter was more than a little ridiculous and way too rushed. If they would’ve introduced this possibly in one of the last two movies that would’ve been fine. But a third movie plot twist? Why?

2. Finn - There are some topics in my life that I feel like I could literally write a college level dissertation on and the treatment of Finn is this trilogy is definitely one of them. Finn was teased so heavily before “The Force Awakens” and ended up being a misdirect for Rey being the real hero/chosen one. I was ok with that because Rey and Finn were so intent on being together. That meant, to me, that throughout the trilogy they would be with each other. They became each other’s family and they weren’t going to let the other go. Then TLJ happened and they were seperated for most of the movie. Why would you separate characters with such great chemistry? (They actually separated all three of the main trio in their own storylines. The problem with this? They never got a chance to be all together and build up their bond (as a trio) before they’re separated.)

This would’ve been fine (ish) if Finn’s storyline wasn’t a side quest of epic proportions. He’s one of the MAIN CHARACTERS and he went to a planet to get a thing for reasons. WTF?! (I will concede he did have some ok character development but it didn’t happen until the very end of the movie) Then they hint that he’s force sensitive and do nothing with it. I’m with the group that believes he moved the rocks at the end of TLJ when he ran to Rey and that was the first hint of his force sensitivity. I was hoping he would be training with her by the time the 3rd movie started (it was a long shot but one can dream). It’s obviously more explicit in TROS but nothing comes of it. He doesn’t have some big moment where he uses his powers and saves someone. He doesn’t have some confusing moment where he’s wondering what’s happening to him. Nothing! He just senses some stuff and exists.

He really doesn’t even add much to the plot of the movie itself. He’s once again benched but they give him busy work to make it seem like he’s actually contributing. John Boyega is an excellent actor and their underuse of him is criminal.

3. The Knights of Ren - Soooooo..... What’s up guys? In the first movie they talk about Kylo and his Knights of Ren being amazing then in the second movie they are never mentioned. Now in TROS they are there lurking in the shadows and....doing nothing. They seemed like they would be these fierce badasses but they get beat while by Kylo while he pretty much has one hand tied behind his back. Wha...

4. Kylo and Rey - I have very many problems with Kylo and Rey. Like so so so many. My biggest one is the kiss. Not necessarily that it happened just that it made zero sense. Yes they had a connection throughout the trilogy but why would that have to translate to romance? Why is it that when a female hero tries to redeem a male villain (or anti-hero) it means she wants to smash? Rey should have been allowed to want to save Kylo/Ben without having to fall for him. I asked a question on here a while back (when I was still contemplating whether or not I wanted to go see the movie).

I asked why people ship/started shipping Reylo. None of the answers I got gave me an “aha” type moment. You know that moment when you’re like “oh I get it now” (not that it changes your mind about the couple just that you understand why that person likes them so much). I didn’t get that at all for the answers I got. Some people said “because of their connection through the force” and I’m like ok...and? Why does that mean romance?

I have never seen him as anything more that a homicidal villain. I always thought their connection was a way for the audience and Rey to get to know Kylo so he wouldn’t be some one dimensional villain. I never saw them in a romantic light. In my opinion that final kiss could’ve been a hug and it would’ve had the same effect. (Or he could’ve just died. I would’ve been fine with that too)

5. Kylo Redemption - My problem with his “redemption” arc is that he didn’t earn it. He literally started the movie taking out an entire battalion by himself to get the pyramid thing. In the first movie he ordered his troops to destroy a whole village of innocent people. After killing Snoke he didn’t disband the first order he just took over and reaffirmed his commitment to the dark side. He killed his father, tortured Rey and Poe and the only reason why he wanted to help Palpatine was to get the fleet he was offering. But then in the 3rd(?) act Leia dies, Rey almost kills him, he has a conversation with the ghost/memory of his dad and suddenly he wants to be a good person again? Kylo is dead and Ben is just back?

The thing is (in my opinion) every great redemption story starts with the person admitting they were wrong and asking for forgiveness. Then putting in the work to earn that forgiveness. Or at least acknowledging they were wrong and dying for the greater good. But Kylo/Ben never acknowledge the mistakes he made, he never asked for forgiveness, he didn’t do anything the showed he should be redeemed. (But he didn’t shoot on Leia’s ship in TLJ and he and Rey fought together on Snoke’s ship) wow he did one not terrible thing and fought with Rey so he could take over the first order. I’m not seeing how that creates a redemption arc for him.

I’m going to expand on this more in my next point but I think if he just fully embraced his villainy it would’ve been better. If he killed Palpatine and became the final boss I think that would’ve been more interesting than a last minute turn as a good guy then dying.

6. Finnrey - When I said I was going to expand on that what I meant was: I’m going to tell you what I think should’ve happened in regards to FinnRey and how they should’ve been handled. In no other movie/book/tv show/short story/play will you see the main female actress and the main male actor not get together. It was so heavily hinted that Finn and Rey had/were going to have romantic feelings for each other (they were supposed to be our Han and Leia) and this was just forgotten about so abruptly.

Even in the second movie, the first thing Finn thinks about is Rey when he wakes up. He wants to get the beacon as far away from the resistance’s ships as possible so when she gets back she won’t be in danger with the rest of the fleet. And Rey talking to Chewie before she goes onto the ship “tell him I said...” what did Chewie say? Who speaks wookie? This movie was such a great opportunity to expand on that relationship and what do we get? Nothing...again. They didn’t even have one full conversation. Ok but why though? Don’t even get me started on the whole quicksand incident. Why wouldn’t he be telling her he loved her? Why is that such an absurd possibility? This is what has been hinted at for 2 movies and now...? Sensing a theme when it comes to hints involving Finn? Yeah me too.

There was a comment or article that I read somewhere that talked about Finn getting knocked out in the first movie during the final battle. This person said it was unfair because of the bait and switch in regards to the trailers teasing Finn vs Rey being the force sensitive in the movie. And I thought “wouldn’t it be cool if Finn and Rey fought Kylo together?”. I don’t just mean that one battle I mean throughout the whole trilogy. Wouldn’t it have been interesting if Kylo and Rey were connected because they were the equals in the dark and light sides of the force and if Rey and Finn were connected because they were a force dyad? That way if Kylo was going to be the ultimate final boss Finn and Rey could train/fight/work together to beat him once and for all. I thought that would be much more compelling. They didn’t even necessarily have to become a romantic pairing.

I’m ok with subverting the, every series ends with a romance trope (even though it seems like the only time this trope is subverted is when a character of color is involved) but in this last movie Finn did little more than follow Rey around the galaxy and call her name when crap was going down. At least if you have force sensitive Finn, who has trained with and is connected to Rey he can actually help her instead of standing around staring the whole time. I, of course am a FinnRey shipper so I was disappointed when they didn’t get together but I’ve had plenty of other ships disappoint me in the past so this was nothing. I just wish they would have communicated for longer than two collective minutes in the 2.5 hour movie. They had such a great relationship/friendship. It was one of the best things about the first movie and it just evaporated in this movie with no real explanation.

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These were some of my thoughts about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. I didn’t write this to offend anyone so if I did I’m sorry. I just needed to get this off my chest. I really got into the Stars Wars fandom with TFA and it has been a rollercoaster ride ever since. I try to reserve judgement on a series until it is over, since middle movies can be kind of boring because they’re trying to move the plot forward. I like to wait until the story is done before I say whether or not I liked it and this well...I’m still not sure.

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yossariandawn · 4 years

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Alirght. Dusk for the ask. I think I know the answers but well see.

my favorite female character: Kate Fuller - Kate is such an interesting character to me. I think she is very unique, both in how she is written as an individual and how she is worked into the broader themes of the the show. I understand she may not be for everyone, but she works so well for me it’s hard to put into words. Long story short, I really like that she is a genuinely good person who cares about people, and who still does selfish things. And she pays for the mistakes she makes too, she’s not bulletproof because she’s nice and has good intentions, bad things happen to her. She has so much agency in the show, and the choices she makes really matter, not just in what happens to her, but in how it effects everyone else too. She may be a symbol of light and love forgiveness, but she is also so much more than that, she’s a person with flaws too, and her flaws are one of the things I love best about her since it highlights the good in her. I’m not someone who believes people who are without the urge to sin are good people, I think that overcoming your darker nature is what makes you good. And the last season may not feature a lot of Kate as herself, but she is still a huge driving force in how it plays out, both in the impact she had on other people, and who she still is underneath Amaru’s control. Plus her faith in God is one of the more honest and nuanced portrayals of someone with a deep faith I’ve ever seen on tv, so that’s pretty neat.

my favorite male character: Seth Gecko - Seth is the perfect embodiment of his type of character, the asshole with the heart of gold. Because the show really does let him be an asshole! He pokes at people, he says stuff he knows will piss people off, he can be intimidating and controlling and bullheaded. But he loves deeply, and really does care not just about the people he loves (who are few) but also about people he sees as innocent, as needing protection. His view of right and wrong is screwed up, but it’s there and it’s strong and it motivates him. And as much as he scoffs at the idea of salvation and redemption, his belief that he is himself damned proves the lie there. He feels deeply responsible (which is one sure indicator of if a character is going to be my favorite, I love characters who feel a deep sense of responsibility) and he really does struggle with how to deal with that, and while sometimes he runs or screws up, he ultimate learns and grows and becomes a big hero who is willing to do the selfless thing when it counts.

my favorite book/season/etc: Season 3 - I think season 3 has the strongest episodes, best pacing overall, and the most interesting character setups and payoffs of the show. The first two seasons were good, but I think the show really hit it’s stride in season 3. Sure, there are still some plot holes and missteps, but they are minor. I wish overall they had more episodes so they could do more with some characters but with only 10 episodes I think they really did a great job keeping it moving towards the big finale, and paid off a lot of Dusks main themes in new and interesting ways. The monster of the week format gave us a lot of new cool mythology, and most of character growth felt earned and like a natural progression of what we’d seen so far. Plus, the Western Genre is a favorite of mine, so the two parter at the end was just so delightful to me.

my favorite episode (if its a tv show) La Llorona - Best monster design, amazing atmosphere, and some really excellent character interactions. Not only do we get the obviously great Seth, Kate and SethKate stuff, but we learn a lot more about who Amaru during the interrogation scene, and see her at her creepiest and most effective as a foil to the characters. Amaru works best for me as a villain for how she corrupts and manipulates people, and we really get to see that first hand this episode. Plus, great Burt backstory, sets up Freddie's arc for the end of the season in a cool way, Richie figuring out how to use his connections to the supernatural to help, and Brandon Soohoo gets some much needed spotlight as Scott gets tortured with his past choices in a very moving way.

my favorite cast member: DJ Cotrona - A lot of the cast seems really great, and like they really like and respect each other, but DJ does stand out as my fave due to his sense of humor, his intense love of film making and character development and just general geeking out about stuff makes him seem so charming. He just seems like a really neat passionate person, who puts a lot of thought into his performance. Plus, he is real easy on the eyes, which doesn’t hurt lol.

my favorite ship: SethKate - Someday soon I hope to finish my ship history meme, and there will be more on this ship, and why I love it so. The chemistry feels natural, and the ship deals with a lot of my favorite themes to explore in fiction, like: how identity intersects with responsibility, the power of love and forgiveness to effect change in ourselves and others, and how loving someone doesn’t make you right, or bulletproof, but it can make you stronger than you thought was possible, strong enough to do the right thing. When I think of Kate and Seth standing at the gate to Hell and drawing enough strength from each other to do the hard thing, the thing that will cost them the most, and smiling at each other so softly and lovingly. That’s the most freaking romantic thing I can think of, honestly.

a character I’d die defending: Scott Fuller - Scott holds a very special place in my heart, and I think he sometimes gets judged more harshly than he should be. Yes, he does a lot of awful things during the course of the show that result in long lasting damage (or death) to other people, but he also starts out as an angry and lost teenager still figuring out who is he, and then given and extraordinary ability to do damage in a world he is just not prepared for. He tries so hard to find a place to belong, and to define himself. Trusts the wrong people at the wrong times, and makes so many mistakes. He learns a ton of very hard lessons along the way, and while he still has a long road to travel, I really love his journey, and want so badly to see what he does next and the man he becomes.

a character I just can’t sympathize with: Sex Machine - Biggest misstep of the show for me, hands down. And it’s not the actual character (or the actor, who plays him really well) so much as how the narrative treats him like he’s comic relief. His treatment in season three as just one of the gang just bugs the crap out of me. I get the show is about morally grey characters, but c’mon man. Did they really need his “expert” advice so much that they could overlook that he was actively preying on his students? He was clearly turning them because he wanted to have sex with them, which is so gross. What layers are there to this man beyond predatory blowhard? Ok I’m going to stop there because I’m probably preaching to the choir, but ugh.

a character I grew to love: Richie Gecko - Richie is the character that grew on me the most throughout the show. He started as someone who was just so unsettling and disturbing, and by the end I really grew to view him as... not that? It’s hard to describe, because truthfully I don’t think Richie had a lot of character growth throughout the show, and he doesn’t really change so much as my view of him shifts, both as we learn more about who he was before season 1, and why he was so uniquely vulnerable to Kisa’s manipulations. But being a culebra actually does balance him a bit more, since him becoming an actual predator makes his story is less about a human wrestling with a very real darkness inside him, and more someone who has embraced that darkness trying to find his humanity. Plus, Zane plays him so perfectly. My favorite Richie is the horchata loving lighter side of him, the part that loves his brother and wants to be viewed as capable, that wants to prove himself and just isn’t very good with people or small talk or social cues.

my anti otp: Freddie/Ximena - They had some cute stuff, and good chemistry, but the romance felt very rushed to me, and just not needed. And they were so doomed from the start! I appreciate that Ximena knew and even vocalized it, but I would have much rather seen a platonic partnership develop where they were both navigating what a Peacekeeper and a culebra working together would have looked like. So, mark me down as anti there. (I’m answering this with canon ships, but I know there are people who ship Kate/Richie, I am just not one of them. I view an actual romantic relationship between them as out of character, and just not supported by what interactions we did get. I do like the dynamic they have in the show though, and would like to see it explored more if the show ever came back. And Seth/Richie seems like a fringe ship but since it does exist out there that’s also a big nope for me. double for Seth/Kate/Richie as an OT3)

Thanks for the ask! 🥰

#ask #so long sorry!#all mistakes and opinions are my own #answered #asks

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the-desolated-quill · 5 years

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BBC’s The War Of The Worlds blog - Episode 1

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. If you haven’t seen this episode yet, you may want to before reading this review)

I was very much looking forward to the BBC’s adaptation of the H.G. Wells sci-fi classic. How could I not? It’s the definitive alien invasion story that jump-started an entire genre of science fiction Not to mention this is the first adaptation made by a British film company and actually set in the time period it was written. I was very excited. Nothing could possibly dampen my spirits... until I learned who was writing it.

Peter Harness is a writer I’ve been less than kind to in the past. For those who don’t know, he wrote some of the worst episodes of Doctor Who. Remember that stupid story about the moon being an egg? Yeah, that was him. He also has a penchant for writing painfully forced and thinly veiled allegories with all the grace and subtlety of a ballet dancing rhino in a glow in the dark tutu. Kill The Moon, for example, was a pro life metaphor that portrayed the other side as being irrational baby killers, and his Zygon two parter was about Muslim immigration and integration, with the slimy repulsive Zygons being used as stand-ins for Muslims and non-white immigrants.

Harness’ ability to write allegorical stories about sensitive topics is... under-developed, to say the least. So naturally he’s the perfect candidate to adapt one of the most beloved sci-fi stories ever written. I mean, why not? The BBC have already ruined Sherlock Holmes, courtesy of Steven Moffat. Why stop there?

In all seriousness, while I wasn’t excited about the prospect of Harness getting his grubby mitts on War Of The Worlds, part of me hoped that maybe he could pull something out of the bag. You may recall I held a very similar negative view toward Chris Chibnall, and his first series as showrunner of Doctor Who was an extremely pleasant surprise. Maybe Harness could achieve his own metamorphosis.

He doesn’t.

The first episode of War Of The Worlds was fucking tedious to sit through. It actually looked quite promising initially. We get some nice moody shots of the surface of Mars as Eleanor Tomlinson recites the famous opening lines of the book. But then just after the opening titles, it all goes downhill.

I was sceptical when it was announced that this would be a three parter because that just seemed too much. A feature length film you could do. Maybe a two parter, at a push. But three episodes? Each an hour long? That’s going to require a lot of padding, and that’s exactly what Episode 1 is. We see the Martian cylinders launch from the planet at the beginning of the episode and it’s not until the forty minute mark where we get our first proper glimpse of the Tripods or the heat rays. So what do we get in the mean time? Mostly pointless shit.

The original War Of The Worlds book isn’t exactly remembered for its characterisation. Outside of the astronomer Ogilvy, none of the characters even have names, but to be fair to Wells, the characters themselves weren’t really the driving force of the narrative. The Martians were. The narrator, a journalist, was merely there to relay and facilitate the plot, giving us a first hand account of the subjugation of Earth. Fine for a book, but somewhat harder to get away with in a film or TV series, which is why most don’t even try. Every single adaptation of War Of The Worlds attempts to expand on the central characters to varying degrees of success, and the BBC version is no exception. But where Harness really miscalculates is in anticipating how much the audience is going to care about the characters, to which the answer is ‘not that much.’ We don’t want them to die obviously, but we’re not so interested in who they are or where they come from because they’re not the main focus. The Martians are. So to have a significant chunk of the episode focusing on their day to day lives is quite baffling. Not to mention unbelievably boring.

George, played by Rafe Spall, is living out of wedlock with Amy, played by Eleanor Tomlinson, which causes their neighbours’ tongues to clack and net curtains to twitch. The only person supporting their union is Ogilvy, played by Robert Carlysle, which is how they learn about the mysterious goings on the surface of Mars. This is all established in the first five minutes, but as I said, the Martians don’t properly show up until the forty minute mark. Until then we’re subjected to painfully forced and tediously dull ‘right on’ posturing and irrelevant social commentary that adds nothing to the core narrative.

Here’s the thing. I’ve got nothing against the idea of expanding the characters. I definitely have no problem with giving the narrator’s wife from the book more development and screen time. In fact I’m all in favour of it. What I do have a problem with, however, is when that expansion and development comes at the expense of the plot.

A man and a woman shacked up together in defiance of society is all well and good, but what does any of this have to do with War Of The Worlds? It’s not even as if Harness tries to connect this back to the story’s main themes of imperialism and colonialism. It’s mentioned that Amy was born and raised in India. Maybe if she was an Indian woman, it could have been more thematically relevant, but no. Once again we have a period drama with no people of colour because, as we all know, non-white people weren’t invented until 1962. Also, while I get that society at the time was very strict, I’m not entirely convinced George and Amy’s relationship would have been that scandalous to the point where it would have affected his career as a journalist. That just seems like a step too far and is merely there to add some artificial tension... in a story about Martians invading the Earth.

In the end it all comes down to this. Why the fuck should I care? What’s the bloody point of this? Yes it expands the characters, but it doesn’t contribute anything to the narrative. It just wastes time. Again, I must stress, we don’t get our first Martian until forty minutes into an hour long episode. Previous adaptations never felt the need to bore the audience to death with pointless shit because they knew what audiences came to see. Martians blowing shit up. Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of War Of The Worlds from 2005 didn’t piss about giving us needless exposition about Tom Cruise and his family. We’re given the basic info about the characters and their relationships within the first ten minutes before the Tripods emerge and the action gets going. The BBC version, in contrast, is just painfully slow, dictating every tiny thing about these characters even when it’s not relevant to the plot.

And the thing is, once we actually get to the bits from the actual book (you know? The bits people actually want to see?), it’s actually pretty good. The Tripod looks incredible, as was the scene in Horsell Common where we saw people getting killed by the heat ray. Unfortunately we have to slog through all this other crap before we can get to the good stuff.

Eleanor Tomlinson probably gives the strongest performance as Amy. It’s just a pity the character is so utterly uninteresting. Like I said, I’ve got nothing against giving her a bigger role than she had in the book, but it feels like Harness is more interested in showing off his feminist credentials than actually telling a story or creating a believable or likeable character. Her being an assistant to Ogilvy I think is a great idea, but it soon becomes clear that this was only done so other male scientists could comment on how unusual it is to have a woman digging up a crashed cylinder, which is kind of ridiculous because I’m pretty sure female scientists did exist back then and you don’t exactly need a penis to use a fucking shovel. Then things turn really stupid when George’s brother, played by Rupert Graves, starts blaming her for the Martian invasion, saying that everything was going fine until she came along. Exploring 19th century sexism is one thing, but this is just daft. There’s no interest in actually exploring the root causes of sexism back then. Instead Harness seems content with portraying men as being the equivalent of cartoon caricatures foaming at the mouth.

George, meanwhile, goes from being a fairly boring character to a downright hateful one when it’s revealed that he and Amy aren’t just living out of wedlock, but that he cheated on his missus because she was infertile. So not only do I not care about him, I now straight up want him to die because what the actual fuck?! And this is not helped by Rafe Spall’s incredibly wooden performance. Seriously, I’ve seen corpses with more life in them. When the Tripod first emerges, we see him stare at it in what I assume was supposed to be shock, but instead he just looked gormless. It’s honest to God one of the worst performances I think I’ve ever seen. There’s no emotional range to him whatsoever. He just blunders around wearing a confused frown on his face. It’s as if he had just wandered onto the set by mistake.

The biggest problem with this first episode is that Harness is focusing on all the wrong areas. A large segment is dedicated to George investigating the Dogger Bank incident, which seems to be an attempt at making a parallel between the UK’s tenuous relationship with Russia then and now. What this has to do with War Of The Worlds, I don’t know. There’s so far been no attempt at exploring the themes of the source material as we’re too busy with this shitty romance. There’s even a moment where we see the characters dig up the cylinder and take a photo only for the same exact scene to happen five minutes later. I mean for fuck sake!

And then there’s the pointless plot twists. First we get the cliched pregnancy reveal, then it’s revealed that the scenes we thought were on Mars turned out to actually be a post apocalyptic Earth with Amy and a seven year old kid who is presumably her son. Wait, how long has this fucking invasion been going on for?! It only lasted a couple of weeks in the book! What happened? Did the Martians get vaccinated? This just highlights to me how inept Harness is as a writer. He can’t just do a straight adaptation of War Of The Worlds. He has to engineer these pointless and utterly idiotic cliffhangers to get people to keep watching because the story and characters clearly aren’t doing that.

If I wasn’t committed to reviewing this mini-series, I honestly wouldn’t watch the rest of this. This first episode is legitimately terrible. Boring, poorly thought out and utterly, utterly clueless. Just like everything else Peter Harness has ever written. I don’t understand why he was chosen to adapt War Of The Worlds and I don’t understand why he chose to adapt it in this way. Why so much focus on pointless exposition? Why over-complicate the lives of the main characters? Why can’t they just be a normal married couple living a life of privilege until the Martians come and trample all over it? It makes no sense! Some could defend this saying it was building tension until the Martians emerged, but there’s a significant difference between making an audience nervously anticipate the Tripods arrival and making them wait impatiently for something, anything, interesting to happen.

#the war of the worlds #hg wells #peter harness #bbc #review #spoilers

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fan-think · 6 years

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SKAM FRANCE PROJECTION - Q&A RECAP

I wasn’t sure I wanted to write a description of the Skam France projection in Paris because I knew it would be so long ; but we were so privileged with all those informations that I though I needed to share with you some of it. And also for myself, so that I don’t forget this day. I’m just gonna keep a few details to respect the kindness and sincerity they had for our little audience, and I don’t feel confortable repeating to hundreds (or thousands) without their consent. Important note : I didn’t take notes, I’m not a machine so I don’t remember everything, I don’t remember what they said word by word, so, I’m sorry if some quotes or meanings are a bit inaccurate. I tried my best, please don’t hold it against me.... :) Now, lets begin this VERY LONG recap. I’M SORRY !!

We arrived a bit before 5pm, and people were waiting in line outside. The movie theater didn’t open before 5. Somehow, while waiting peacefully, we saw the cast and crew arriving just in front of the theater, greeting each other and talking together, like a reunion. That was nice. Marilyn came to us and greeted some people waiting as well. Then we went in the theater, were handed a flyer/postal card (see at the end) of the Skam cast, and headed to the cinema. The crew and actors were already seated. We all sat, then David (the director) came on stage with some people from the production, France TV and Niels Rahou (main screenwriter). Him and David had a cute moment sharing the mic and saying I love you to each other/declaring their flames haha. What a pair ! David thanked all of them, the cast as well, we applauded (of course). Then David said : Are you ready to see Lucas and Eliott fall in love ?? We applauded loudly again, then he sat down and we started watching the first episode. We laughed a lot reacting to the funny scene or lines, and when FINALLY we saw Eliott for the first time on screen, everyone screamed and clapped. So I took a look at Maxence reaction, he has his face in his hand, kind of hiding but was smiling like crazy, that was adorable. From there, almost every time Eliott was on screen, we could here reaction in the cinema. When the episode ended, we applauded loudly. We waited 2 minutes, and the second one started. It was nice to hear people react to the jokes, we really felt connected. When Eliott appeared at the bus stop, same thing everyone screamed a bit and the next 15 minutes were intense ! I tried to take a look at Maxence pretty often during those big moments, he was smiling like crazy and hiding himself at the same time. He deserves everything. When the screen went black, we clapped, whistled and screamed a lot more, because... HEY what an experience to live ! And because we’re so grateful for everything they did obviously. Then, the whole cast and David came on stage, David expressed his big though for Axel who couldn’t be here because he was filming a movie. Big clap for him too! Then he opened the Q&A part. Since it lasted quite a while, I’m gonna proceed with bullet points from what I remember. • The first question was for the whole cast but more for Maxence and it was how does it feel to see yourself on screen. He answered it was kind of weird (chelou) since it’s his first role mostly... • When ask what was their common points with their characters. Marilyn said she was a bit “motherly” like Manon. She has the tendency to tell people to be careful about what their eat, they do etc. They all agreed it was weird to speak about themselves like that, then she took the mic when Edouard (Mika) started talking and started praising him for his acting because he is the opposite of Mika, she saw him acting a couple years back and said she was so impressed that when she understood he was in Skam as well, she was really impressed and afraid to play with him. It was so nice, we applauded a lot. (The joke was that she actually added him on facebook 6 or 7 years back and he never accepted her request before Skam hahaa) For this same question, Maxence said he his a solitary/lonely person like Eliott. Lula is a workaholic, very invested in what she does and make people laugh without intending to. Assa is very similar to Imane, even if she might not have a temper as strong as Imane (but pretty much). And Léo (Yann) said he is pretty open (minded), and chill about things, people (I think.. not sure on this one) • Maxence and David explained how he was cast. David said that when they started the casting, they wanted to feel and know from the moment the actor would enter the room that it was him. But unfortunately, this feeling never came, for months... Then, the cast director called David and said she may have seen someone that could fit (at a “representation”). But she warned him that this actor had broken his ankle in the morning, so... for the “walk in the room and we know it’s him” it was a bit compromised because of the crutches. So David and Maxence just sat down and talked, the feeling was there though, and this is how it started. Maxence then added : when he was called for the first casting interview, he didn’t want to go because he just finished his acting studies and wanted to go in vacation basically haha But then he convinced himself it would be just an exercice, so why not. Obviously it went well. Was called back for a second try, and a third try with Axel. He was in vacation when David told him he had the role. The moment he picked up the phone, a thunderbolt fell right next to him(Maxence) and David added at the theater “it was a prediction from what was about to happen” because “thunderbolt” is “foudre” in french, and when people fall in love at first sight we call it “coup de foudre” (coup = a stoke/a blow of thunderbolt)..... ❤ • During the casting call, Axel and Maxence did a scene but they incorporated the crutches situation in the scene, and it went very well. Also There was no weirdness between the two from the beginning even if Maxence said something to Axel that could have offended him. But he wasn’t and from that point, Maxence knew it was all good with Axel. He said they were lucky (I think?) that they had a such a good chemistry. • A question was about the boys gang. Niels took the mic and made a big point on that. Saying that their reaction is normal. Here, they are teenage boys who know Lucas as there straight friend, they can not imagine or understand why he is acting now, what he has in his mind. They’ve been raised in a environment were masculinity is toxic, like any-elsewhere and we must not hold it against them because it’s reality. We (Skam viewers and lgbtq+ community) are well educated on the subject, but this is reality. • Anne-Sophie (Chloé), David AND Niels especially made a big point on how Chloé is essential and must not be hated. She is a girl in love that is being fooled by Lucas. The only thing she does wrong in the og is outing Lucas like that, but apart from that, there is no reason to hate her. They were pretty passionate about that point. • A recurring theme/question was about a fifth season... with (most likely from the person asking the question) Daphné. David, the head of production and a France TV representative, they all took the mic to speak about it, and the main thought was : they would love to do it because they love Skam so much BUT because of legal reasons, of the views on Season 3 and 4, and so much more things, there is NOTHING planned on that yet... Somehow, they emphasized on how much we -the audience- matter for this kind of future. If we talk about Skam to people, if we raise the views, express how much we love it on social media etc, it might help.... So... talk about Skam France to everyone you know, and maybe, only MAYBE, we might have a change for more seasons... • Same thing with how homosexuality is usually shown in french TV. He said something like “If you’re expecting the usual kiss and then, a fade to black... No, that’s not gonna happen. We talked with France TV (the diffuser), they told us “no, you can give us all you want, we want to show a lot more”, so... since we had the images, a lot of images, we went thoroughly on that. Don’t worry for that, really ! There might be some bloopers/BTS too...” • Maxence hadn’t seen the Skam og or anything before shooting (apart from the toilet scene) because he wanted to be just like his character : he didn’t know anyone or anything of what was happening. Also, from what he saw in the toilet scene, he said he didn’t want to be like Even, it felt too “”“pushy””” and this wasn’t him or who he wanted Eliott to be. After shooting the season, he “binge-watched” everything in two days. • Now... If you are still afraid of the chemistry and the “intimate” scene. Just know that David made sure it would be realistic... that all I’m gonna say on that. • They only had 35 days to film the two seasons!! It is extremely short. The other remakes shoot one season at a time. David emphasized on the few hours of sleep him and some of the crew had. Also, they shot around 15 minutes per day of images. It is HUGE. The work they put into the last 2 seasons is enormous. • Before staring, David thanked his wife for taking care of the kids 6 months during the year while he is filming (we clapped a LOT) • The first kiss scene was taken in one shot (correct me if I’m wrong) • Lula never wears jeans or pants, only skirts and dresses. In real life, but also on the show. • Basile falling was an improvisation from Paul, they shot it twice (I think...) • Axel doesn't play the piano, he just learned this piece for the scene (Maxence told us) and they shot the scene multiple times. • Marilyn complimented Michel on the common points questions. • Alex’ bisexuality was a random suggestion from Coline just before shooting the scene when we know about it. Easy peasy. • David and the whole team were frustrated for season 1 and 2 that they had to follow exactly the original script and lines. Even more frustrated when they saw the other remakes... • Niels was wearing a unicorn shirt, perfect ❤ • Philippine (Emma) and Coline (Alex) told us 2 jokes. • Lula (Daphné) is the most likely to laugh on set • They all see all your reactions, all you comments, the bad ones as well, they knew all the bad comments from season 1 and 2, knew all the pressure for season 3 and 4, so they just hope you’ll like it because they fucking love it ! :) • The journalists only saw episode 1 to 4 and the reviews are good, even if, according to Niels, they havent seen anything yet.................... so, we kind of know what to expect. Or not. Seriously, I think we’re not prepared at all. • Neither are we for season 4 apparently... Warnings from David. Then everyone started to leave but... not really haha. The room stayed pretty full for a good 30 minutes. Personally I stayed close to David who was answering questions in a corner. I can tell you : he is SO PASSIONATE about this season, about Eliott and Lucas, his actors, it is SO heartwarming ; but above all, it confirms to me that this season has an intense depth that - in my opinion - we are NOT ready for. Outside, everyone was talking with the actors, especially Maxence, obviously... I talked with Edouard (Mika) and with Niels (the screenwriter) mostly. I just stopped Maxence who just finished talking and taking pictures with everyone to thank him, and let me just say he is an adorable sunshine. I barely started to say something, he was hugging me and he made the pictures I took with him adorable. He was jumping all around, a real ray of sunshine and kindness. Then he ran to hug David and it was the cutest thing I’ve witness that night. He must have seen me grinning like crazy at him and David, but I don’t care. It was WAY too heartwarming. They are all absolutely ADORABLE. ADORABLE !! THANK YOU SKAM FRANCE !!!

PS : If he agrees, I’m letting David tell the story about his child name and their request :) You’ll melt and be happy about our future. PS 2 : Thank you to Manon et Laura who helped me remember a few things. Twitter : @lau_helder

#skam france #skam #skam projection #skamfr #skam season 3 #elu #lucas x eliott #skam q&a #skam translation

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dylanjonferguson-blog · 6 years

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S01E01: “Smoke”: Stop! Sit! And Think

The first shot in the first episode of The Littlest Hobo is a furious wall of flames. The orange inferno is frighteningly close to the viewer, and it roars on the soundtrack. The forest is combusting into smoke. “Smoke” is in fact the title of the episode, as we’ve already learnt. The engulfed, beyond-helping trees tremble and groan and keel over. This is intercut with a tracking shot of men digging a ditch to contain the flames. Curiously, young saplings can be seen in these shots, perilously close to the desperately plunging shovel spades. Is this the future of the forest they’re fighting for? Or are these vulnerable young trees in the shovels’ way a counterpoint to the angry, towering fire the men are fixated on: the unnoticed fragility of the seemingly-indomitable Nature they're sweatily straining to delimit? We know of course that fires are good for young trees’ growth. It might be crucial to “Smoke” that we're never told whether the forest fire that resonates throughout the episode was started by people, or by purely natural forces. Or maybe it doesn’t matter at all. “Nature is a myth,” Steven J. Gould said. It's fitting how a show that interrogates the liminal space between human and not-human would begin with an episode about the combustible struggle to live with, and apart from, Nature.

Of course, the fire isn’t exactly the first thing we see, as it comes after the intro titles. “Maybe Tomorrow,” the iconic theme song that kicks everything off, is now what most people retain about the show. (But what is the voice that keeps on calling him? We will discuss the theme song, and how it might help us understand the show’s central questions, in a future post). The Littlest Hobo is a Canadian TV series that aired on CTV from October 11, 1979, to March 7, 1985. It was a revival or remake of an earlier series of 1963-1965, which was itself based on a 1958 American feature film. What makes TLH stand out from other Hero Dog stories like Lassie and Rin Tin Tin is the concept of a an “ownerless dog,” as well as (in the newer series under discussion) more adult subject matter, free of pandering or cloying material. The connecting tissue that joins the different Hobo iterations together is the clever dogs trained by the fascinating Charles “Chuck” P. Eisenmann.

The opening credits of TLH announce the series as “Starring London,” a reference to the dog actor from the original ’58 Hobo film. In fact, multiple dogs were used (older dogs for serious acting, younger dogs for athletic stunts). But they were all trained by Chuck Eisenmann, trainer of the original London, and they were all “reverse-mask” German Shepherds who, at least in many cases, could trace their lineage back to Chuck’s original star pupil. Eisenmann’s peculiar training methods involved entirely verbal directions, and he believed his dogs could understand spoken instructions about as well as an eight-year-old human. He taught his dogs English, German, and French. Some of his eccentric training books include “A Dog’s Day in Court,” which imagines training from the dog’s perspective, and “Stop! Sit! And Think.”

“Smoke” is the name that our human hero this episode, Ray, a park ranger played by Monte Markham, gives to the dog he encounters. This is because, “that’s how he appeared, in a puff of smoke.” In his very first appearance in the series, the otherwise-nameless Hobo is immediately associated with the forest's combustion, with the billowing outcome of the conflicted border between men and wild. This fiery spectacle, the ranger’s dialogue makes clear, has seemingly produced this figure, somehow caused him to “appear,” as if burst out of the burning soil the way Ancient Greeks once thought worms and mice could be spontaneously produced by the interaction of the elements.

It’s worth pointing out, as a parenthetical, that the name “Smoke” will not stick beyond this episode, nor will any other name. Like the hero in a spaghetti Western, The Hobo will bear many nicknames, but will never have a “true” name. Which is interesting in the context of our relationship with dogs. For people (especially children) naming a dog is essential to the process of binding the dog to us, becoming its owner. Hacking (easily) into the dog’s innate (because it was bred that way) need to rely on one person or small group of people to satisfy its servile impulses to cultivate endless love, and a sense of meaning in the defense of, and identification with, this “master,” having the dog answer to a name we have chosen is the beginning of the dog’s identity as our property, and the end of its free life as its own independent creature. It’s a process not without cruelty, and maybe totally built of cruelty, and this is something that should be discussed more in relation to other episodes. But it’s important to highlight here that The Hobo, the “ownerless dog,” has no “slave name” that would bind him to a master. In dog terms, he is radically free.

This burning forest manifests no divine voice, but rather a voiceless dog carrying, in its mouth, a young cougar cub. Then another cougar cub. The dog, now named “Smoke,” has presented the cubs to Ray. Perhaps to see his work through, Smoke accompanies Ray back to his station. A bond has been instantly formed between the resolutely good human, and the benevolent Smoke, who, as an obviously domesticated animal, straddles the line between the world of humans and that of natural forces.

We meet the villain of the piece, Cal Rooker, a provisioner who is selling animal traps and rat poison to the citizens of this small town (a town which may be located within a national park, or just otherwise deep in the woods). It seems that the fire has sent the confused and newly-homeless creatures of the forest wandering into town. Rooker has been preying on the paranoia of the townsfolks who are afraid these wild animals will endanger their household pets, their livestock, or even their children. He‘s making a brisk sale in death.

What is nature to these hale Canadians who live among it? Probably different things at different times, but when its active participants inch into their ordered sense of humanity, it becomes something they mistrust and fear. A mouse is cute in a photograph, but when you see one scurrying across your hardwood floor, unreally fast and with beady eyes betraying a life lived in constant, horrible stress... the thing is loathsome and ruins your sleep. The solid walls of our homes, made of straight lines unlike anything in the wild, reveal themselves as our defenses at these times, defenses psychological as much as physical, built upon thousands of generations of separating our conception of Us from our surroundings.

Rooker’s profiteering begins to bend sinister in a couple of ways. First, we see a cougar with its leg caught in a trap. The ranger instantly surmises, while saving the frightened beast, that it must be the mother of the two cubs Smoke rescued from the flames.

But the cat in the trap was merely a prelude to the true crisis. Dastardly Rooker has chosen to bait his own store, placing raw hamburger laced with rat poison in a dog bowl outside his door. Will it be Smoke who ingests the deadly meal? We’re teased with the possibility, but no. A small child toddles into frame and pokes some tainted beef in his unsuspecting mealy maw.

Every attempt to attack Nature ends up as an attack on ourselves. As our planet shows us, in a thousand tragic ways, we have been pathetically unable to control our effects on this world we would tame. And as the globe becomes poisoned, we’ve been forced to confront the fact that we are still living on it, still among the brambles and beasts, we remain inseparable from Nature, and we have poisoned ourselves. The death Rooker dealt has come for a human child.

Or has it? While there’s no antidote in town, and the bridge to the hospital has naturally been burned down, there might just be a solution. Ray takes off in a small aircraft, with Smoke at his side, to retrieve the nearest doctor with the antidote. A storm lays in, perhaps provoked by the smoke’s effect on the sky. “Of all the rotten luck,” Ray snarls. With the airstrip invisible, Ray asks the doctor if he can fly the plane while he (Ray) parachutes into town. No luck; the useless doctor has never flown. Ray decides he has no choice but to entrust Smoke with parachuting down, with the antidote tied to the dog’s throat. But he doesn’t seem worried, as he can sense the abnormally intelligent creature’s confidence and capability, while strapping him into the parachute.

Maybe the only thing wrong with having The Hobo parachute out of an airplane in the opening episode, is that you wonder how future episodes could possibly top it. It’s pretty fucking cool. You also wonder how Hobo pulled the cord, but presumably he managed to do it with his mouth.

Smoke doesn’t fail, the child is saved, and Rooker repents. The cougar cubs are in good health. Ray proposes marriage to his girlfriend.

As Smoke wanders off, our hero’s motives and thoughts remain inscrutable. It will be our task for the rest of the series to try and decipher this radically free (or is he?) non-human's intentions and desires. The Hobo wanders back into the woods among the beasts, but we must suspect that the voice that is always calling him speaks in a human tongue. Until tomorrow.

3.5 stars

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usernamingishard · 6 years

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Life is a montage: atleast mine is

As a child I had a strong connection to film, stories, books and cartoons. But first, let me take a moment to describe that any matter, any entity, any item or concept, any notion or instrument is but a branch, with many branching leaves or sometimes further branches. A computer is not just a computer, it's also what that computer can do, it's also what that computer is made of, it's also a single technological advancement amid a timeline of others, it's also a conversation about the gadgets available for the youth. So when I say I had a strong connection to film, stories, books and cartoons, I don't mean just the narration of other's lives through whatever media available whether that media is a book or TV show. What I mean is, I am interested in the concept of three act structure, I am interested in the concept of reocurring themes, I am interested in the power and effect of framing, I am interested in the expression of emotion through facial expressions in movies, and sound effects in cartoons. I spent my childhood delving into stories of heroes, of villains turned good guys, of Romance, of the friendship between a boy and his dog, of how people go through heartache, of how High school is going to be, of what bullies look like and how to stand up to them. I see Movie, Books and cartoons (I'll call Media for short) in every day life, and I see every aspect of my life in Media. This could be called natural, everyone has had their head wrapped around something as a child, but Media is different in that it is an expression of life itself, so in these 50 years since the first product of film, and thousands since the first written word, every part of life has been incorporated atleast once. It'll be very hard to remember a concept or matter or life event that hasn't been mentioned in one way or another in a movie, let alone books. Technologies' effects on life? Black mirror is a single example. Hitler or pearl harbor? Inglorious bastards and a movie of the same name. Coffee? I think you can take a few minutes to find a movie where a character invites to have coffe or drinks. Standing up to bullies? I guess all/most of the superhero movies? However, when Media express them, they express them in such dramatic and impactful way, and I learned that, and incorporated it into my expectations. each wink furthers or enhances the plot, each misstep or stutter is exposition about the character, each door opening scene is suspense. Naturally, the way the plot moves also becomes of the things that I expect in life. There's a happy ending for every plot and subplot, the main character (easily known to be me) gets the love of his life, and there's a solution and reason to this emptiness I feel inside me.

But real life? It's nothing like that. Many times a family member may make me doubt myself without even them actually being toxic, nor should I leave them, nor do we solve their attitude, either by talking or actual effort, unlike any of the movies I've watched. I've never had a relationship no matter the efforts I've payed into the few crushes that I've had the past few years, even though that's how all books end. And the personal flaws in the main character have been with me since childhood, unlike any of the comic book characters I've read grow over them. And worst? Music doesn't play whenever something important happens. Life feels unscripted, random, inconsiderate, unfeeling. I feel out of place so often that I don’t consider myself to be a normal neurotypical, even though I most probably am. However, none of this compares to the aftermath of my last crush. For reasons I shan't delve into, I very vigorously wished to accomplish having her by my side, and as such, turned her standards into my own goals, and became obsessed with bursting through limits not set for me. All through that period, and a few months after rejection, I was left clueless. I had a line to success that I was not on, neither at the failing side nor at the successful side. I felt out of tune. I knew I wasn't a man, and I knew I wasn't human. because I set my whole world on that scale that I was not even in league with. I wasn't under her standards nor was I above, I was her friend. A different zone, you could say. She appreciated and loved me without the hope of being her lover, but I didn't acknowledge that. During that year, nothing made sense, everything I've ever seen in a movie or a book or a TV show was far from applicable to my life. There were no happy endings, no retribution, no closure infact, no good music, no starry skies, no good times with good friends, no family bonding moments. I spent that period just attending school and sleeping. A lifeless robot going through the norms. Meanwhile, inside me was something heavy crushing against my ribs, that although heavy, was empty.

So, I learned to not think about it. This was a very hard lesson that I learned to master. I cut off from my crush for a while, got busy in friends, in anytime I had outside, in any small accomplishments I can consider. Slowly I started to acknowledge the good little things, such as that one positive friend, listening to a good song without interruption, and having lunch with the family after being too hungry at school. I acknowledged throughout that whole time that a girl wasn’t and couldn’t have been the reason behind the way I feel. It’s just that life didn’t go my way for the millionth time, and that was just my last straw. I accepted that life has no absolutely no algorithms, artistic cycles or patterns, in other words no set series of events and experiences, reocurring themes or chronological set of circumstances and changes. As I said, I started to appreciate the little things, and accepted that this is all there is to life. No big event or shocking marriage or solution to a world problem, just a good cup of coffee every once in a while, and a new gift from a good considerate friend every other.

There's a drug in Egypt called Hash. I suspect that it's nothing more than a less intense version of weed, and those who I know tried both have said the same, but that’s not scientific evidence so I can’t say anything for sure. Basically, a high means any train of thought is 1. Unstopped, you can get to as deep a level as you’d like in thinking about something, and 2. It feels right. No matter what’s the issue you’re thinking about, you’re right to think about it now, you have the solution to it, it doesn’t feel out of place, and you’re accepted. But the train of thought can be anything. That’s why my friends who are there for the laughs can joke with each other and laugh for hours, while I can literally watch a movie and feel so ingrained into it. Mind you, not a movie on TV, a movie through my eyes. And that was my high, but lemme start from the beginning.

I was with a friend, and another called us, told us he has some stuff to try, so I told him to come. It wasn’t a blunt, it was a pure piece of the stuff, that we could put in a cup, hang a cigarette between the walls of the cup, and burn the Hash. You close the cup with a wallet or anything really, and when there is enough gas collected in there, u remove the wallet and inhale. We did that, playing nothing else matters by Metalica. A friend was laughing in silence, and the other was having red eyes and staring into the wilderness, and I was completely sane and normal. when the hash was snuffed out, they fished out the cigarette and gave it to me. I smoked it, when for some reason the latter half of the cigarette fell. I looked at it, and in a single moment I felt like I didn’t have within me the energy to pick it up in a million years. Thankfully my friend did, and gave me ashtray and told me to snuff the cigarette out, it’s done. I did as commanded, laid my back to the chair’s back, and everything cut to black.

What I thought being on drugs would feel like, was exactly what I felt. Although I have zero memories of this time and instantly woke up to people trying to wake me up, I remembered later feeling absolutely enthralled and impressed at every thought, and the sheer force of final solution that I had reached. I didn't have a single speck of trouble finding the solution to anything I thought, and I was so accurate. Nothing else matters, who does it represent to me? Of course my best friend from high school. Why? Well easily because when the singer says "never cared for what they do, ... what they know" we had a conversation that was just like that. And of course it makes sense that in this moment of high, I'd think of him, because he's the type of best friend I'd wanna show this feeling to, and because his moral compass might challenge the idea of smoking anyway, and indeed I felt like I did not at any moment question if this is right or wrong and just jumped into it. So it's natural that that thought would affect the next one.

What you just heard was flawless argument. There was no pressure to find the right thing to say, no wait process, and not a single moment of loss where something feels out of place or is the wrong answer. After I woke up from the black, I found that I was crying my balls out, and my two friends were trying to wake me to see what's up. They took me to the bathroom to wash my face. You know that dramatic scene in a movie where you look in a mirror and stare real hard so you start to regain control? I did that. My friend said salty things wake you up, so he brought us a sandwich. You know the after credits of The Avengers, how after all the thrill and action of the fight, the next scene to contrast that was the Shawerma scene? That's exactly what I saw, one friend munching in silence as he looked at the ground, the other contemplating god knows what in the sky. To almost make me regain consciousness the friend who brought the stuff went "what y'all just went through, that's trippin'", kinda like how a mafia guy goes "it's alright you have nothing to worry about all you need to do is etc, etc." And that's exactly what I was describing in the beginning. Every single breath these guys took, every single moment of silence, every chat was something out of a movie, and I was having the goddamn time of a lifetime. I was giggling like a lunatic, and at one point raised my hand and made a frame as if I'm filming them, zooming with my eye at the person who's speaking. Everything about a movie, I was so in control and comprehension of. For example, I once was sitting with some people at a pool. I'd look at the pool, the green, blue aqua lights, together with the waves of water would feel so serene and calm and beach like. I'd feel alone, relaxed, sleepy, everything you ever heard about looking at the beach. Then I'd flip my head 20 degrees to the left, and I'd see my friends. Even though we're still at the pool, the scenery changes so strongly, I'd suddenly feel more awake, feel a crowd of people even though there's only four others, feel socially awkward as I usually am around people. Feel the colours change towards orangy red. Look back to the pool, get sleepy, serene, quiet, look to the friends, feel awake, hyper, attentive, awkward. I also did that a couple of times because I was so amazed at how strange everything that was.

I smoked a whole bunch of times since then. I can't put the things in words that would do it justice.

Now, returning to my normal life, something quite strange started to take place. The thing that was lacking in my life, those scenic moments, those expectations, they started to somehow come alive. I started to learn things and change in personality, it felt as though every trip to the beach came at the right time and so I appreciated it more, I

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who-has-done-the-thing · 6 years

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|| Read from the beginning || || Go to previous post ||

"I see, this place is delicious," Takei Toshihiko said, stuffing a hamburger into his mouth. "Have you never eaten at McDonald's before?" "Nope. I've always totally disregarded places like this." "That's what we call being an idiot." "Ouch," Takei said, smiling. Compared to when he was drunk, his image was completely different. He gave the impression of a super first-rate businessman, and wore a suit that Ayumi could tell at a glance was even more top-class than her father's. The two sat at a table on the second floor of the hamburger shop. Ayumi let her vision wander to Ariga Yuuichirou, who was sitting a short ways away. When he noticed her, he gave her a wink. "Takei-san, you work for Masuguchi-san's company?" "Yep. It's a pretty comfy position in the hotel division." "And you were going after the CEO's daughter?" "I mean—— From your perspective it might look a certain way. But I swear I didn't have any ulterior motives getting to know her. I don't know if you'll believe me though." "Assuming I do, please continue your story." "Yoshiko and I were engaged. About one year ago already. There wasn't any kind of pressure from the boss, nor was I specifically targetting her. We just happened to meet at various parties and tennis outings, one thing led to another, and… Well, it wasn't a super passionate love, but it was enough to propose to." "Did the parents resist?" "Masuguchi-san? No, not at all. I can say with confidance that Masuguchi-san likes me a lot. There was no possible way he'd be less than overjoyed to see me engaged to Yoshiko." "That's only what you think, correct?" "Sure, but that man's not the best at keeping these things inside. If something displeases him, it'll surely show on his face. ——I've worked under him for several years now. I understand that much at least." "I see," Ayumi said, slurping a milkshake. "So then why call the engagement off?" "Suddenly, for no reason," said Takei with a slight shrug. "No reason?" "In June, Masuguchi-san assigned me to observe European hotel chains to see if they'd be good candidates for partnering up. So in mid-June I left Japan and went all over Europe, to places like France, Germany, Spain, Italy…" "On the company's money? I'm jealous!" Ayumi sighed with longing. "It was still work. Plenty of stress to go around," said Takei, smiling. "Facilities, service, dining, location… I had to check every single point and list them out. I also spoke to the hotel managers. ——It was real tough, but I guess it was also kind of a fun two months." "Were you alone?" "Of course. ——So by the time I returned, it was later than August 20th. Except…" Takei trailed off. "——Except?" "I'd sent her a letter, but Yoshiko was nowhere to be found once I arrived in Narita. I figured she was just busy though, so I didn't worry too much and went straight to the company building. ——When I entered the CEO's office, Masuguchi-san was beaming at me, thanking me for my hard work. And then… he introduced me to the man standing there, Yoshiko's fiancee." "Tamura-san." "Yes. ——I'm sure you can understand my shock." "I've never experienced such a thing, but I can imagine," Ayumi said sympathetically. "So, what was Masuguchi-san's explanation?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "Yep. Nothing. Of course I have my pride, but Yoshiko's fiancee himself was standing right there, so I didn't want to argue with Masuguchi-san. So I hid my distress and greeted this Tamura fellow. Later, when the two of us were alone, I went to ask what the hell was going on. But before I could say anything, Masuguchi-san said 'Don't ask questions' and patted my shoulder. 'It really is a shame. But there was no other way' he said." No other way…. Those words repeated in Ayumi's mind. "So, you didn't ask anything else?" "Nope. Naturally, I assumed Yoshiko changed her mind. That's safe to assume, right?" "I suppose so." "And it wouldn't be manly to dwell on that. With that in mind, I kept my mouth shut. Only, if she really did change her mind, why would she decide to get married again so fast?" "And that's why you drowned your sorrows at the reception?" "Yeah, I'm sorry I said all those mean things to you, so please forgive me." "I'll think about it." Ayumi didn't recall him saying anything all that rude, since she'd slapped him before he could. "I did get an opportunity to meet Tamura-kun afterwards though, and I have to say, I have no idea why Yoshiko chose to marry him so quick." "Me neither." "Oh? You neither?" Takei stared at Ayumi. "What do you mean by that?" "I meant like… She doesn't seem his type…. It's not like I knew Tamura-san super well, and I know it's impossible to judge a relationship from the outside, but… it just doesn't add up. Even if he was in love, it's hard to imagine Tamura-san wanting such an extravagant wedding." Ayumi shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't really explain it that well…" "No, I get it," Takei assured. "I also thought he was a good guy. At first I thought he was a dick, but when I actually talked to him, I couldn't hate the guy. I even kinda thought, it's no wonder he stole my girl." For the first time, Ayumi saw the man in front of her in a positive light. ——He is quite understanding, isn't he. Suddenly, Ayumi wondered if she should tell him. Tell him about those puzzling words Tamura whispered to her. "To tell you the truth, me inviting you here today…" Takei continued, "was because I got a weird phone call." "Go on…" "It was the night before yesterday——" Takei started to say, but he was interrupted by a strange whistle noise, like a broken flute. "Ohp. That's my beeper." Takei reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, stopped the sound, then said "I need to take this. One sec." He then got up and exited down the stairs to the first floor. Ariga got up and came over. "What a tool, amirite?" "But he doesn't seem like a bad person. Thanks for coming on such short notice, though." "Well your carelessness is scary. That guy was totally about to bring you off to some hotel." "Oh stop," Ayumi smiled. "Also, I'm quite worried about Tamura's wedding. It's something he told me, that makes me feel this way." "Worried? "Yes…. A bit." Ayumi could absolutely trust Ariga with Tamura's words. "Anyway, we've got time, so I'll just sit here." "What, no. What are you trying to——" Ayumi began, when a huge boom cut her off and the ground shook. The glasses on the tables made noise as they shook. "What was that?" she half rose to her feet. "Kyaah!" "Somebody!" "Help!" Screams rose from the lower floor. Ayumi flew down the stairs in a single bound. Ariga frantically followed. "——This is awful!" When she reached the first floor, Ayumi was momentarily petrified. Facing the street, this floor had a glass wall. There was now a small pickup truck crashed through it. The glass totally demolished, the body of the truck was most of the way inside the store. One of the tall tables was overturned and some injured children were crying. "——Ariga-kun! We have to help them!" "R, right." Ayumi and Ariga lifted the injured children and carried them to the back of the store. Once the stupefied store clerks came to their senses, they dialed the police and started bringing out the medkits. "Who the heck was driving it?" Ariga said angrily. "That's right. Where's the driver? They might be hurt." "Let's see." Ariga opened the truck door. "——Well?" "There's no one there." "No way!" "See for yourself," Ariga said, beckoning Ayumi over. Indeed, the driver's seat was empty. "Then how did it crash?" "Dunno. How could this have happened?" Ayumi suddenly remembered about Takei. That's right. He should be making a phone call. "Takei-san! ——Takei-san!" called Ayumi. "Wait, is that——" Ariga said, tugging Ayumi's arm. "Huh?" Looking in the direction Ariga indicated, Ayumi was in shock. The telephone booth had been knocked over, and underneath, a hand was sticking out holding the reciever. "We need to pull him out! Hurry!" Ayumi and Ariga ran over as fast as they could.

"——Goodness gracious, it's always something with you," Ayumi's mom Kiyomi said when she spread out Ayumi's clothes and looked at them. "They're filthy, and there's even blood on these." "I couldn't avoid it. I was helping people," Ayumi said, reclined on the sofa. "Is it really true, your story?" Kiyomi said. "What do you mean?" "Maybe you were actually… taken and raped somewhere?" "You say some amazing things, Mom!" Ayumi was shocked. "Watch the news! They'll show it on TV" she snarled. "Alright, alright." Kiyomi shrugged. "So, that guy you were with, did he die?" "Takei-san? No, he miraculously escaped with only light wounds. He's in the hospital for the time being." "Hmm… So what did he want?" "Oh, uh… nothing important." Ayumi was saved by the doorbell. Upon going to the entranceway and opening the door, her father flew inside. "Idiot! Answer the door faster!" he said, flinging off his shoes and charging into the living room. "What's wrong?" When Ayumi followed him, he turned on the TV while panting "The train was late. I barely made it in time!" An anime program aimed at little girls started playing, and the theme song filled the room.

——In her room on the second floor, Ayumi was surprisingly(?) studying, when she got a call. "It's Ariga-san," said her mother's voice. She knew Ariga. "——Yo, did you see the news?" Ariga started as soon as he was connected. "No I haven't. My father has authority over the remote in this house." "Ah, I see." "So what's up?" "About the incident. I just saw on NHK, they even got you on film." "Did I look pretty?" Ayumi joked. "More importantly, according to the police investigation, whoever was driving the truck crashed it on purpose." "On purpose?" "The owner of the vehicle was eating at a nearby soba place when it happened. The engine was entirely off and the hand brake applied. They're thinking maybe someone hijacked the truck." "That's horrible! Do they not know who did it?" "They're looking for witnesses, but it seems they don't have many leads." "But… is that really all they're going on?" "Well, it most likely isn't just a mean-spirited prank. There was probably a specific target…" "Is that what the police said?" "No, that's my own reasoning." "What the heck." "Don't just say what the heck." "Sorry, sorry. ——I mean, Takei-san might have been the target." "It's possible. But the only others injured were in middle or high school." "I see. ——The telephone booth was facing the glass. The car crashed right in front of it, right?" "We could definitely see the phone from the front of the building." "Then… was Takei-san actually being targeted?" "I don't know, but, well, we probably shouldn't get involved, don't you think?" Ayumi pondered for a moment, then said "Thanks for the advice" and hung up. Tamura's words, and Yoshiko's former fiancee Takei being targeted…. Additionally, the mystery of why Yoshiko suddenly switched from Takei to Tamura. "Something's going on…" the novel and TV drama-loving Ayumi muttered with excitement in her breath. "The news, the news!" Ayumi flew out of her room with the determination to make her dad watch the news by any means necessary.

To be continued in chapter 3...

#The Busy Bride #translation

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surveys-at-your-service · 7 years

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Survey #121

“it’s the rich man’s war, but it’s the poor that fight.”

Does your refrigerator have an ice maker or do you use ice cube trays? Trays. Have you ever been searched by the cops? No. Do you draw your name in the sand at the beach? I never have just because... why? Are any of your great-grandparents still alive? No. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? I'd rather sleep with Sara any night. Did your parents try to push you into a certain degree or career path? No. I was blessed with parents who seriously did encourage me to do what I wanted. What’s your favorite film genre? Horror. Would you ever dye your hair silver? It's on my to-do list. What color is your refrigerator? Black. What was the last thing you sent in the mail? My closure letter to Jason. What cuisine is your favorite restaurant? Italian. Have you ever visited hot springs? No, but I'd love to. Who was the last person/thing to lick you? My dog. If you had the chance to live anywhere in Europe, where would it be? Germany. Do you have a favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle? No, I never watched it. Do you like candy canes? Yeah. Do you prefer pads, tampons or something else? Tampons. Pads feel like bloody diapers. Have you ever visited someone in prison? No. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to eat? Sashimi. Are you the type of person to take naps, even if you’ve slept plenty? If I'm sad, stressed, or unbelievably bored, I sometimes will. Have you ever had casual sex? No, never would. Do you think it’s attractive for a man to wear eyeliner? I'm a sucker for that shit. Are you the kind of person who does not like talking about their past? Nah, I'm open about the dark parts now. Have you ever taken a ride in a convertible? Yeah, my brother had one. What size bed do you sleep on? Queen. What sort of music did you listen to when you were in high school? The same I do now, though I went through a more screamo phase. When was the last time you made out with somebody? Years ago. What month of the year was your mother born? August. Would you rather travel to Japan or Scotland? SCOTLAND. Does your house have a porch/balcony? We have a small front porch and a really big back one. Do you share a middle name with any of your siblings? Nicole that I know of, idk about Katie. Have there ever been any bushfires/wildfires in your area? No, but we've been a few hours away from some that were so large the smoke traveled here. Do you think age matters in friendship? Nope. One of my closest friends is in his early 30s. Do you enjoy clubs? If so, which club do you enjoy going to the most? I've never been to one and I'm really not interested in going. I can just imagine it being too loud and crowded. Do you take good care of your skin? Apparently not considering it's dry as fuck. Do you play any PC games? What is your favorite? Not currently. I loved WoW, but I'm not paying for the subscription when I could spend money on better things. What have you done to your room to make it cozy? Fill it with personal things. What is your favorite seasonal candy? (only available at certain times): Hm... candy canes. Are there any television shows you own in entirety on DVD or VHS? "Meerkat Manor." How far away from your house is the nearest gas station? Like two minutes. Have you ever been to SeaWorld? As a kid, yes. I never would as an adult because I don't support it. You can't keep whales in a damn pool. How long did your last relationship last? If you're talking about the last one that ended, like four months. Last person you watched a movie with? Sara. Have you ever touched a cow? Maybe? Do you call the ice cream topping “jimmies” or “sprinkles”? Sprinkles. Do you like the idea of promise rings in relationships? No real opinion. If you're not ready for engagement but know you will be one day, sure, give one if you mean it. Do you plan on dressing up for Halloween this year? Hopefully. Have you ever been on a subway? No. What do you usually buy for snacks when you go to the cinema? Popcorn and a soda. Look to your left and name five things you can see. Water bottle, medicine basket, Illidan poster, crashed ship lamp, and my Silent Hill 3 poster. Do you like having your lip softly bitten when you’re kissing? Yes. Have you ever been on a boat? Yep. Do you have or want any piercings? I have five, but I want my right nostril and collarbones pierced, plus loads more in my ears. Have you ever set foot in a tanning bed? Nope, never will. Skin cancer doesn't sound fun, nor does having to keep exposing myself to one to maintain a tan. Do you trust a lot of people? No. Do you have both a loud side and a quiet side? Yes. If you had to save one thing from your burning house, what would it be? Assuming Mom and Nicole are already out, my dog. What would you want your last words to be if you could choose them? I don't know, haven't thought of it. Guessing my family's there, in that case I'd want them to be "I love you so much." Can you sleep with the light on? Only if I'm seriously tired. Would you ever have a bird as a pet? Realistically, nah. I wouldn't be able to handle to likely noise. Do you know someone who’s been cremated? Not to my knowledge. Do you like canopy beds? YESSSSS. What is your favorite animated movie? Probably "The Lion King." Have you ever been 'violated'? I felt violated when Girt tried to make out with me when I in no way wanted it. He for a second tried following me as I pulled away, and that's when I really felt violated. Have you ever put gum on the bottom of your desk/chair? No, disgusting. There's trashcans for a reason. Would you rather open a used clothing store or an antique store? An antique store would be cool. Magenta, aqua, or coral? Coral. Would you rather be a wedding photographer or a nature photographer? Honestly, nature, but for income's sake, I'm aiming to be a wedding photographer. I'd love both, though. Have you ever had an ulcer? No. Have you ever felt like you were going to throw up while you were at school? In kindergarten, I was running for the trashcan and threw up on the floor. Whoops. What is your favorite type of donut? Cake and glazed. Have you ever walked through a labyrinth? No. Do you like avocado? EW. What is your favorite kind of bear? Pandas. If you have any piercings or tattoos, do you remember the name of the person who did them? June Bugg did one of my tattoos. I don't remember the others. Do you do that typical girl thing out in public where you have to have someone come into the bathroom with you? No, I'll go alone. What does your dad look like? Super tan, black hair that's mostly gray by now, connected beard and mustache, brown eyes, tall. Do you like chicken soup? Not really. Do you like deviled eggs? NO EW. Do you keep your fingers on the home keys when you type? Yes. What would you name your future son? Probably Severin. When was the last time you used a regular telephone? Been yeeeaaars.Do you like the moon or sun more? The moon. Do you think dimples are ugly? Personally think they're real cute. Has your boyfriend/girlfriend ever stayed up with you all night? Not my current girlfriend, but an ex. Are you a paranoid person? Yup. Have you ever been in an inflatable bouncy house? Yeah. Have you ever seen a nun in public? No. Who was the last person to kiss you on the cheek? Sara. Have you ever played in a waterfall? No. What job would you NEVER take, even as a last resort? Prostitution, for one. Who was the last person you sat beside at a restaurant? Sara. Have you used Limewire before? Ha ha yeah. Is the taste of alcohol appealing to you? Noooo. If I ever drink, it has to be fruity and cover the taste well. What’d you last look up on YouTube? A KittyKatGaming video because I knew Mark was in it lmao. Would you ever get a tattoo sleeve? FUCK YES I WOULD. I'm already planning on dedicating my entire right arm to things that relate to my recovery, so I could kinda design it into a sleeve. Do you have appreciation for graffiti? It can be gorgeous and super creative. Personally don't mind graffiti if it's not vandalizing a public-public place and isn't offensive. If you could learn a superpower in exchange for your memory would you do it? Definitely not. Do you know any TV shows’ theme songs by heart? Which ones? "That '70s Show" and "Supernatural." Have you ever gotten stitches? Twice. What’s your favorite music video at the moment? "Cool Patrol" by NSP will always be the answer to this. Your take on one-night stands? Are they okay? It's a no from me. Have you ever had sex outside? No. Have you ever needed to call the police? No. How do you feel about kettle cooked chips? Ew. What strange food combinations do you thoroughly enjoy? My dad loves waffles with peanut butter and syrup, so I tried it when I was young. It's AMAZING. Would you considered yourself to be well-exposed to life or sheltered? Too exposed. If you’re in a relationship, how long have you been dating? Six months. Have you ever played the game Halo? No. Have you ever had to learn lines for a play/skit/movie? Not that I remember. Can any of your friends sing very well? Sara has a gorgeous voice. Have you ever been attacked by an animal? No. Who did you dance with last? Colleen. Can you speak in different accents? British. Has anyone ever aimed a gun at you? No. Have you ever been through a natural disaster? Hurricanes. Have you ever been in a parade? No. Have you ever had a dream where you could understand a foreign language? No. Have you ever owned a beanbag chair? Maybe? Are you a fan of retro things? YES. Have you ever used pastels? Yes. Who was the last person you flipped off? Probably Colleen or Chelsea playfully. Would you consider yourself to be loyal? Very. Who was the last person you shared a bed with? Sara. Do you know anyone who has been abused? Yes. What is your brother’s name? Robert/Bobby. Did you ever go to daycare as a kid? VERY briefly. One of the adults hit me simply for going into the wrong room. Have you ever experienced a medical emergency? Yes, when I passed out and got a concussion plus a deep wound in my chin. And when I overdosed. Do you know anyone who has been to prison? I don't think so. Do you have one of those removable hand-held shower heads? Yes. How many burners does your stove have? Four. When you go to a restaurant, do you prefer to sit at a booth or a table? Booth. What’s something you think everyone should do/experience at least once in their life? A different country. Working towards that. What is the last compliment you received? That my singing was pretty. /v\ Do you shower facing the water or away from it? Away. Do you wash your body or hair first? Hair. Do you put your name on your food coverings? No. What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done? Fly alone. Have you ever given to any charities? Yes. What have you created that you are most proud of? Some, imo, interesting OCs that I love like chilren. Who was your favorite Disney princess as a child? Ariel. When did you do your first illegal activity? When I was in middle school, downloading music. When did you lose your virginity? I don't remember the age because at the time I didn't consider my virginity lost. I'd guess 17-18. Do you like your boyfriend/girlfriend’s parents? I LOVE THEM. Are you taller than your mom? She's less than an inch taller than me. Where did you get your last bruise/cut from? Bruise from working out on the floor, cut, idk. Is anyone over-protective over you? Not really. Mom's pretty protective, but not overly, I'd say. Have you ever had to call the cops on someone? No. Are your parents divorced? Yes. Who do you think is the most attractive actor? Johnny Depp. Are you good at wrapping presents? NOOOOOO. Who were the last two boys to text you? Dad and Girt. Are there certain things that can’t be joked about with you? Yep. Have you ever read the Hunger Games series? I read the first book. Are your lips soft? Everyone who's kissed me has told me so, yet I think they're dry as fuck?? Your thoughts of long distance relationship? Being in one, they're definitely hard, but SO damn worth it for when you actually see the person. I think it's true that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Do you drink regular or diet sodas? Regular, diet gives me a headache.

#survey #quiz #questions

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chadbourn · 7 years

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One Simple Rule To Sell Your Writing

Writing for a living is filled with many amazing moments. Seeing your book on the shelves. Your name in the credits of a film or TV show. Cash in the bank account. Paid! For doing something you love so much you’d do it for free. What a world to live in.

There are hard times too. Those rejections. They never stop, even when you’re a professional. Sometimes you feel like that’s all there is.

Some people make it even harder for themselves by not applying brutal logic to what they’re doing.

Pop quiz. What’s the essential nature of a publishing company? Most people say publishing books. They’d be wrong. The essential nature of a publishing company is the same as every other business: making a profit for shareholders. Publishing books is just the way they’ve chosen to do it.

It’s the same answer for film and TV production companies, and for agents. It’s a simple notion, but for many writers it comes as a revelation. They spend their lives immersed in art so that in the end that’s all they can see.

RULE # 3: If you want to get paid, remember it’s a business.

Ram that idea deep into your mind: everybody who might buy your work wants to make a profit for their shareholders, and allow all the editors and commissioners to keep their jobs and put food on the tables for their loved ones. They’re not going to turn down an opportunity to do that. They’re just not. And you need to run that rule over everything you do: will this idea connect with enough people for the publisher/TV/film company to make money out of it?

Here’s the thing: nobody in the creative industries cares about you. Nobody cares if you live or die. Nobody needs to publish your work – they’ll get along just fine with all the thousands of other ideas that cross their desk every year. They don’t have to give you a chance. They don’t need to try ‘new stuff’. They don’t need to push back boundaries. The publishing or film and TV industries don’t owe you a living. They don’t need to change their business practices, however much you rant about ‘gatekeepers’, because: You. Don’t. Matter. Your art doesn’t matter. Your great, world-changing idea doesn’t matter.

But persuade them that your idea can reach an audience and make a profit for their shareholders and they’ll be all over you. Because that’s their business.

Writers hate to hear this. They absolutely hate it. They think it puts them on a par with, you know, people who do actual jobs. Money is grubby. Writing for cash makes you a hack.

(The truth is, they’re just patsies for big business. There’s nothing the sharp-suited sharks like more than creative people saying I do this for art…while they do the profit.

Do both.

In fact, you owe it to every other writer to try to get cash. The more you perpetuate the idea that art is it’s own reward, the easier you make it for business predators to depress earnings across the industries.)

Then those whining writers disappear down the rabbit hole of reasons why their work isn’t getting bought. Most people find it psychologically hard to accept that their genius is being rejected – there has to be some explanation, some massive failure in the system. So here’s a little psychological salve: in the end there’s really only one reason. The people doing the buying don’t think they can get good returns on their investment.

That’s quite liberating, in a way. Seeing it as all about cold cash means it’s not about you personally and that it’s simply about finding the idea and style that convinces.

How you change perceptions of the commerciality of broader cultural issues is a totally separate post. Why did Marvel break with long-standing movie tradition that only a predominantly all-white cast finds an audience? Black Panther blew that one out of the water. The short answer there is that it’s not down to the individual writer or director or producer. Society itself does the heavy lifting to change minds on the earnings potential of creators, subjects and markets. What we’re focusing on here is what the individual can do.

If you have only one idea, you’re not a writer. All writers have multiple ideas so they can sift and discard and then decide which one they want to devote the hours of their life to. So the first thing you need to consider if you want to make a living out of writing is, can someone make money out of this? Is it a pale copy of something else? If so, people will always buy the original. Does it have themes and subjects that reach into the lives of a majority of people? If yes, there’s an audience. If it’s niche appeal, there’s likely no audience. Is it original? If yes, then people like to invest in new experiences, new information or a new way of seeing. Is it so original that you can’t explain it to friends without spending ages setting up the context? Your idea won’t reach people if it needs a rulebook.

It means pulling out of the story, and the idea, and looking at it objectively. Which is exactly what the ones buying it will do. Do the art thinking, and the business thinking.

If you want to sell your work, all of these are questions you should ask yourself very early on in the process. There are no real surprises there. The only really surprising thing is that a great many people think the rules of business don’t apply to something where money changes hands.

All of the glamour industries are businesses, and they operate by the rules of business. Don’t like that, don’t work for them. Give your stuff away for free. But if you do want to get paid, you have to play by their rules. You have to accept you’re playing by their rules. Because they won’t change. The only choice lies with you – do it or not.

via WordPress http://ift.tt/2oP7FDI

#IFTTT #WordPress

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desertsolitaire1-blog · 6 years

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Capstone Process Blog 02/19/19

Keenan Hursh

EDPX - 3990

Research and Inspiration:

N/A for this past week. I have been developing and polishing my assets.

Progress and process:

I Have written and implemented a narrative into my film:

I wanted to open with the portrayal of our current situation as a species and then address exactly why the Mycelium Collective exists and what we plan to do to address said situation. I want this video to be short, sweet, and to the point. It should highlight and communicate exactly what we do in a simple and effective manner

(each bullet point is an individual scene)

As a species and planet, we currently face a growing and imminent threat.

Earth’s climate is warming and changing faster and more unpredictably than ever before.

Our planet, the only home we have ever known, is on a grave and deteriorating path.

If we stand any chance of saving our world and all of Its beauty

We need to act now!

We need to collaborate and innovate together!

The Mycelium Collective is a brand-new platform that connects and supports our worlds creators.

We support any medium of creation that is themed around environmental sustainability or the outdoor world.

If you have a story to tell or a perspective to share, please reach out!

We’re looking for as many artists and activists as possible to address our collective future.

The Mycelium Collective (all white logo)

Connecting and Supporting our Worlds Creators

example of closing scene with the all-white logo and our slogan.

I have also started reaching out to potential collaborators within my immediate social circle. I plan to build the base platform and develop credibility utilizing my own personal connections before expand outwards and beyond to other artists. The first creator I plan to collaborate with is my friend Josh Bennett who is an avid photographer and photojournalist. He takes beautiful photos of natural environments and does an exceptional job of telling his own story of a place. Josh has a unique perspective and eye, and I believe he will make an excellent collaborator who will produce intriguing and beautiful content.

Here is a link to his website:

http://joshbennettphoto.com/new-cover-page-2

Here are some screenshots of his work:

I have also updated and simplified the website based on feedback from last weeks critique. I agree that I was spread to wide and thin, and need to focus and expand on fewer, more essential aspects of the platform. I removed the “shop/support” page as well as the “public/blog” page. These could potentially be avenues to explore in the future but for now I agree that they are distractions from the purpose of this platform.

Reflection:

Over the past week I have been refining and simplifying the website. I removed a couple of unnecessary sections/pages that are more or less distractions at this point. I need to simplify the website and strengthen the few sections that are currently there. In order to do this I have began reaching out to potential collaborators within my social network. I have reached out to a couple photographers and videographers and have one confirmed collaborator. I plan to continue to find artists so that I can not only fill the platform/website with assets but also support like-minded individuals.

Feedback from Last Week:

Laleh and Cherish:

right now the website is a big mix of things. Need to simplify and unify.

Get rid of the shop section, it is too much and takes away form your concept and legitimacy

Need to more clearly communicate your mission and goal. Need to clarify what the collective is themed around or is focusing on

Get rid of the public/blog section. It is also too much right now. Not necessary at this point and is kind of distracting

Some of your shots and text have too long of a run time. Need to shorten some stuff so that the video doesn't drag on.

Keep the text but also add narration/audio as well. This adds a human element

Maybe add your face to the video to make it more personal

Need a human element, looks too corporate right now. Too basic

The shots I have are effective and work well. Keep moving in the same general direction

Class Feedback:

I think the font might look a little too stretched for the logo (stretched is fine, but it is obvious here). I am also wondering what your intention behind using the Yin / Yang symbols is. I would just be careful because it can be a very culturally significant symbol, and if you're not using it right, it might come off the wrong way.

Your website is very clean and has lots of different aspects to it. I would maybe consider lessening all the tabs you have and instead focus on adding more to the tabs you have left. I like that you are trying to create a cohesive website for artists to be able to use, share, and experience. The video you have for your website, is it connected to the overall website or is it more of just an example of a video that can be on it? I think it would be really cool if you created more of an abstract video about the environment to really display your EDP skills. Another idea for the final would be to display your website on a tv screen so everyone can see it and scroll through it. Or maybe find a way that people can interact with the website itself and see other people interact with it during the final.

I feel like the headings are too big right now. Once more content is included I think they should be minimized so that the user is not scrolling through a huge image before reaching the actual content.

I really enjoyed the drone shots in the intro video. I'm wondering if you should have a whole tab dedicated to talking about the copyright involved on this site. A lot of photo-sharing sites like Unsplash completely rip the rights from the photographer, but I think for your purposes you should really address valuing the artists work and what copyright would look like on this kind of platform.

Your website is looking really good so far, my recommendation is to showcase your skills from EDP in an abstract video that represents the environment.

The layout of the website is very pleasing to the eye. I think you’re really starting to do well making a brand for it. I really wanna see some promotion like lots of twitter and Facebook stuff and to get the word out there.

I think your greatest obstacle is something you actually can't control: interaction of other artists and engagement from the public. How are you going to incentivize artists to join your collective? How are you going to gain public awareness/prestige? These are questions that need answers, and honestly I don't even know how to begin answering them, not being a business person. The "success" of your capstone project very much depends on factors only other people (the other artists, the public) can control...and to me that strikes me as really risky. I really liked your company's logo, the graphic design there is nice, but right now you have that large white chunk around it at the top of your homepage...that didn't strike me as impactful. I think you might be better off with a natural image at the top of your page (since your focus is on climate art) with the logo floating on top, maybe on a white circle so it stands out. I also liked your video...but in the section of it you showed there was actually a minor text error. It should be "Earth's," not "earths." Definitely have your stuff proof-checked for things like that - we all make mistakes! Finally, personal opinion here, but I think you're kind of missing the mark by having a slightly dated meme as your motif for your sticker/advertising. "Lost in the Sauce" was funny, sure, but I think it has little to nothing to do with your aims as a company, and seeing a meme as your only product will kind of lower people's interpretation of your professionalism and the sophistication of your brand.

I think your website is professional and contained lots of the information. I like your introduction video. The drone shot is very cool. I think lessening the tabs could help the viewers reaching the actual content in a shorter time.

I think your website is a good start but i think you can definitely push the boundaries of Squarespace to make a more unique looking aesthetic. It just feels a little generic (obviously you're going for a minimalistic look, but i think you can make it a little more individual beyond your logo). There were also just generally too many words in the video, the sentences felt a little clunky.

Your website template looks like an inviting design, easy to read, clear layout, but still intriguing enough to want to know more. For the logo, I like the different concepts you incorporated and it’s a really cool design, but I’m not sold on the color choice. It looks nice but is there a reason you choose those blues and purples. I know its been done so much, but you are talking a lot about the world and the environment, and purple doesn’t normally have that connotation but green does, or even a darker blue. For the video I thought it was really well shot, I think audio/narration like Laleh said would help a lot, and in a couple shots be careful where you place the white text cause it was moderately difficult to see against some backgrounds.

So far, I love the design of the website, but I agree with Laleh on the critiques she gave about different sections. What I would suggest is that you revisit the video/videos as well as the pictures and think about how their design could be more indicative of the nature of your collective. It's a collective of environmentally-conscious artists, but the videos and photos don't read that way to me. They're very simplistic nature shots which are beautiful, but not reflective of an artist collective. It'd be nice to see more interesting and dynamic videos, photos, and other projects on your page!

I like that I’m finally getting to see this collective come together. Your piece is more of a business idea than an artwork, so it’s cool to see that perspective. However, I think that in pursuing the business side of things, you’ve lost your artistry. In the video, if the collective is about artists and their artwork, show some artwork—even if its your own, or from EDP students. I agree that a voiceover will help, and having a face to the brand will also help. I also agree with Laleh in that the website has too much going on, and that you should narrow it down. Remember that you can always add things later after you get it off the ground. There’s something about the text in the logo that looks strange to me, like it’s too puffed up or something, I’m not sure, but maybe take a look at editing the design. I think something like a logo should really reflect your brand, and right now it reads like a logo from a website that is just getting started—and you don’t want that. I think you’re at the point where you should start contacting artists about featuring them on your site. You can message people through their websites, their Vimeo, etc. I think having actual artwork there will help.

I think you have a really strong concept for your project! I love the idea of creating a collective. The website has a clean & professional design layout. I think the logo looked balanced in white/black but felt a little chaotic in colors. I wonder if changing gray scale instead of color would have a stronger impact on the logo (maybe not just a thought)

Your website looks great. You have so much information available and it has a great personal quality. This being said I think the colors of your logo are out of place. The entire look of the website is so fresh and clean, but the logo has a cheesy 80s vibe. I love it, but it just doesn't work with everything else especially since this is such a hip company!

I think the color choice you have incorporated into your website fits perfectly with the concept of the collective. I think the submissions for art on your site is an exceptional idea for so many people have no clue where to put their artwork. Of course there is red bubble and etsy, but no where specific to nature and sustainability, at least that I know of. I really liked the video you composed for the website as well. I did agree with some that it kind of looks like a welcome to Colorado video, specifically. It would be amazing if you could somehow get some beach shots or even go to a reservoir to get that kind of aesthetic.

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xeford2020 · 4 years

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Walt Disney and His Creation of Disneyland

Postcard, “Disneyland,” 1975. THF 207872

Welcome to Disneyland!

Disneyland was created from a combination of Walt Disney’s innovative vision, the creative efforts and technical genius of the team he put together, and the deep emotional connection the park elicits with guests when they visit there. Walt Disney himself claimed, “There is nothing like it in the entire world. I know because I’ve looked. That’s why it can be great: because it will be unique.” Here’s the story of how Walt created Disneyland, the first true theme park. Souvenir Book, “Disneyland,” 1955. THF 205151

Disneyland is much like Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida, but it’s smaller and more intimate. To me, it seems more “authentic.” It’s like you can almost feel the presence of Walt Disney everywhere because he had a personal hand in things. Walt Disney posing the Greenfield Village Tintype Studio, 1940. THF 109756

In creating Disneyland, Walt Disney challenged many rules of traditional amusement parks. We’ll see how. But first…since he insisted that everyone he met call him by his first name, that’s what we’ll do. From now on, I’ll be referring to him as Walt! Souvenir Book, “Disneyland,” 1955. THF 205155

DISNEY INSIDER TRIVIA: Do you know where Walt Disney’s inspiration for Main Street, USA, came from? ANSWER: Born in 1901, Walt loved the bustling Main Street of his boyhood home in Marceline, Missouri. Marceline later provided the inspiration for Disneyland’s Main Street, USA. Map and guide, “Hollywood Movie Capital of the World,” circa 1942. THF 209523

After trying different animated film techniques in Kansas City, Walt left to seek his fortune in Hollywood. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Valentine, 1938. THF 335750

There, he made a name for himself with Mickey Mouse (1927) and—10 years later—the first full-length animated feature film, Snow White. Walt innately understood what appealed to the American public and later brought this to Disneyland. Handkerchief, circa 1935. THF 128151

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: Here’s how Mickey Mouse looked on a child’s handkerchief in the 1930s.

“Merry-Go-Round-Waltz,” 1949. THF 255058

Walt claimed the idea of Disneyland came to him while watching his two daughters ride the carousel in L.A.’s Griffith Park. There, he began to imagine a clean, safe, friendly place where parents and children could have fun together!

Herschell-Spillman Carousel. THF 5584

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: That carousel in Griffith Park was built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company—a later name for the Herschell-Spillman Company, the company that made the carousel now in our own Greenfield Village in 1913! Here’s what ours looks like.

Coney Island, New York, circa 1905 – THF 241449 DISNEY INSIDER INFO: For more on the evolution of American amusement parks, see my blog post, “From Dreamland to Disneyland: American Amusement Parks.” 1958 Edsel Bermuda Station Wagon Advertisement, “Dramatic Edsel Styling is Here to Stay.” THF 124600

The decline of these older amusement parks ironically coincided with the rapid growth of suburbs, freeways, car ownership, and an unprecedented baby boom—a market primed for pleasure travel and family fun! Young Girl Seated on a Carousel Horse, circa 1955. THF 105688

Some amusement parks added “kiddie” rides and, in some places, whole new “kiddie parks” appeared. But that’s not what Walt had in mind. Adults still sat back and watched their kids have all the fun. Chicago Railroad Fair Official Guidebook, 1948. THF 285987

Walt’s vision for his family park also came from his lifelong love of steam railroads. In 1948, he and animator/fellow train buff Ward Kimball visited the Chicago Railroad Fair and had a ball. Check out the homage to old steam trains in this program. Tintype of Walt and Ward. THF 109757

After the Railroad Fair, Walt and Ward visited our own Greenfield Village, where they enjoyed the small-town atmosphere during a special tour. At the Tintype Studio, they had their portrait taken while dressed up as old-time railroad engineers. Walt Disney and Artist Herb Ryman with illustration proposals for the Ford Pavilion, 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair. THF 114467

DISNEY INSIDER TRIVIA: Walt Disney used the word Imagineers to describe the people who helped him give shape to what would become Disneyland. What two words did he combine to create this new word?

ANSWER: Walt hand-picked a group of studio staff and other artists to help him create his new family park. He later referred to them as Imagineers—combining the words imagination and engineering. This image shows Walt with Herb Ryman—one of his favorite artists.

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: For a deeper dive on an early female Imagineer, see my blog post, “The Exuberant Artistry of Mary Blair.” Postcard viewbook of Los Angeles, California. THF 7376

Walt continually looked for new ideas and inspiration for his park, including places around Los Angeles, like Knott’s Berry Farm, the Spanish colonial-style shops on Olvera Street, and the bustling Farmer’s Market—one of Walt’s favorite hangouts. Times Square – Looking North – New York City, August 7, 1948. THF 8840

Walt also worried about how people got fatigued in large and crowded environments. So, he studied pathways, traffic flow, and entrances and exits at places like fairs, circuses, carnivals, national parks, museums, and even the streets of New York City. Souvenir Book, “Disneyland,” 1955. THF 205154

Studying these led to Walt’s first break from traditional amusement parks: the single entrance. Amusement park operators argued this would create congestion, but Walt wanted visitors to experience a cohesive “story”—like walking through scenes of a movie. Souvenir Book, “Disneyland,” 1955. THF 205152

Another new idea in Walt’s design was the central “hub,” that led to the park’s four realms, or lands, like spokes of a wheel. Walt felt that this oriented people and saved steps. Check out the circular hub in front of the castle on this map. Disneyland cup & saucer set, 1955-1960. THF 150182

A third rule-challenging idea in Walt’s plan was the attractor, or “weenie” for each land—in other words, an eye-catching central feature that drew people toward a goal. The main attractor was, of course, Sleeping Beauty Castle.

To establish cohesive stories for each land, Walt insisted that the elements in them fit harmoniously together—from buildings to signs to trash cans. This idea—later called “theming”—was Walt’s greatest and most unique contribution. Halsam Products, “Walt Disney’s Frontierland Logs,” 1955-1962. THF 173562

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: This Lincoln Logs set reinforced the look and theming of Frontierland in Disneyland. Woman’s Home Companion, March 1951. THF 5540

DISNEY INSIDER TRIVIA: Which came first, Disneyland the park, or Disneyland the TV show?

ANSWER: To build his park, Walt lacked one important thing—money! So, he took a risk on the new medium of TV. While most Hollywood moviemakers saw TV as a fad or as the competition, Walt saw it as “my way of going direct to the public.” Disneyland the TV show premiered October 27, 1954—with weekly features relating to one of the four lands and glimpses of Disneyland the park being built. Child’s coonskin cap, 1958-1960. THF 8168

The TV show was a hit, but never more than when three Davy Crockett episodes aired in late 1954 and early 1955. Souvenir Book, “Disneyland,” 1955. THF 205153

Disneyland, the park, opened July 17, 1955, to special guests and the media. So many things went wrong that day that it came to be called “Black Sunday.” But Walt was determined to fix the glitches and soon turned things around.

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: For more on “Black Sunday” and the creation of Disneyland, see my blog post, “Happy Anniversary, Disneyland.” Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom guidebook, 1988. THF 134722

Today, themed environments from theme parks to restaurants to retail stores owe a debt to Walt Disney. Sadly, Walt Disney passed away in 1966. It was his brother Roy who made Walt Disney World in Florida a reality, beginning with Magic Kingdom in 1971. Torch Lake steam locomotive pulling passenger cars in Greenfield Village, August 1972. THF 112228

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: In an ironic twist, a steam railroad was added to the perimeter of Greenfield Village for the first time during a late 1960s expansion—an attempt to be more like Disneyland! Marty Sklar speaking at symposium for “Behind the Magic” at Henry Ford Museum, November 11, 1995. THF 12415

In 2005, The Henry Ford celebrated Disneyland’s 50th anniversary with a special exhibit, “Behind the Magic: 50 Years of Disneyland.” The amazing and talented Marty Sklar, then head of Walt Disney Imagineering, made that possible.

DISNEY INSIDER INFO: Check out this blog post I wrote to honor Marty’s memory when he passed away in 2017. During these unprecedented times, Disneyland has begun its phased reopening. When you feel safe and comfortable going there, I suggest adding it to your must-visit (or must-return) list. When you're there, you can look around for Walt Disney's influences, just like I do.

Donna Braden is Curator of Public Life at The Henry Ford.

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cover2covermom · 5 years

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Goodbye June & hello July!

I cannot believe we are officially in the second half of 2019! Where did the first half of the year go? I’m going to need time to slow down a bit because I am thoroughly enjoying my summer and am not ready for the craziness of the fall yet.

Let’s see what I read in June…

June was a decent reading month for me. I managed to finish 11 books, which sounds like a lot, but 3 of these books were shorter children’s chapter books I listened to via audiobook with my daughter… I also didn’t accomplish much on the blog front, but I did take 2 weeks off during my vacation & the aftermath of getting back to reality. I hope to get more accomplished both reading & blogging wise this month.

» Matilda by Roald Dahl

This was actually my first time reading Matilda and I loved every moment! I grew up watching the film adaptation, so I was familiar with the storyline. I can now really appreciate how well done the movie adaptation really is. Reading this definitely gave me all the nostalgia feels.

» My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

This book was listed in The Read-Aloud Handbook as a good book to read-aloud with younger children, so I gave it a go via audiobook with my 5-year-old. This was a cute story that was simple enough for younger children to understand. If your children enjoy picture books like The Gruffalo with lots of clever trickery by the main character, and want to attempt simple chapter books, this is a good place to start!

» With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

I adored Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel, The Poet X, so I was very excited to read her next book. I listened to her first book via audiobook, and fell in love with the author’s narration. I chose to listen to Fire on High via audiobook as well. I loved this one just as much as her first! Elizabeth Acevedo has a beautiful way with words & I adore her characters & plotlines. I typically stray away from YA contemporary, but I’ll read anything Acevedo writes!

» Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and and the Bond of Reading by Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone

*3.5 Stars*

This was a very interesting little book about a husband & wife team that run book clubs for parents & their children. The Goldstone team breaks down books into their elements: characters (protagonist vs antagonist), setting, themes, etc. to really dig into what the author was trying to convey with the books. The authors talk about a few of the books they frequently utilize in their bookclubs in detail, so if you do not want to be spoiled for these books, you might not want to pick this up.

» Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I know this book has very mixed reviews due to its format, but I LOVED this book. Since Daisy Jones and the Six is told in interview format from many different characters, many people were turned off. Since I knew this was the format going into the book, this read like a classic rock band documentary playing out in my mind. This book was meant for TV or film adaptation.

» Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Dark Matter blew my mind. I think Blake Crouch did a wonderful job taking such a complex theory and constructing a story accessible to all different kinds of readers. Dark Matter would appeal to a wide variety of readers: science fiction, thriller, romance etc. I read this book with one of my book clubs and it made for an excellent discussion.

» Amelia Bedelia (Audio Collection) by Peggy Parish

I listened to this audiobook collection with my 5-year-old daughter. We really enjoyed listening to this collection of stories about Amelia Bedelia. Actually, Amelia reminded me a bit of Anne from Anne of Green Gables. Since these stories were first published in the 60’s and 70’s, it was a bit dated, which made it a bit more challenging for my daughter to totally understand all of Amelia’s misunderstandings, but it was a great opportunity to talk to her about words & phrases with multiple meanings.

» The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

*3.5 Stars*

I picked up The Night Tiger after discovering that it was set in Malaya in the 1930. I love historical fiction, especially one with a touch of magic realism. I think the author nailed the setting here, which was the best part of the book for me. It really felt authentic and I also liked that the author really showcased what it was like for a woman in Malaya in the 30s. I also enjoyed the magic realism elements and the Malayan folklore & superstitions. On the flip side, the length of the book was far too long and the pacing was too slow, particularly in the middle, so it took me a long time to trudge through this story. I also did not care for the romance… to be honest, it was off-putting. In my opinion, the book would have been much stronger without it.

» A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

A Spark of Light was classic Jodi Picoult. I respect that Jodi tackled such a hot button issue like abortion, despite the fact that it must have had an impact on her career. Is there a topic she won’t address? Unfortunately when you are dealing with the abortion debate, most people are firmly pro-life or pro-choice. There isn’t much of a gray area. I think Picoult did a wonderful job of showing the perspective of women that choose to have an abortion and that it isn’t typically an easy decision for most. Picoult addresses many issues in the abortion debate that are very relevant right now.

I had a hunch about one of the twists, but the other took me completely by surprise.

» The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

This book will definitely be one of my top reads of 2019! What bookworm doesn’t love a story about books, bookstores, and the people that love books? The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry was heartwarming, funny, and emotional. I’d recommend this book to fans of quirky characters & fans of books like A Man Called Ove.

This made for an excellent book club discussion with the moral dilemmas in the story.

» Beezus and Ramona (Ramona #1) by Beverly Cleary

I remember a teacher reading us this series as a kid, so I decided to give the audiobook a go with my daughter. Despite the fact that this was originally published in 1955, I was surprised how timeless it felt. Sure, there were definitely some parts that dated it, but overall it still felt relevant. Beezus and Ramona captures the complexities of sibling relationships perfectly, especially siblings with a significant age gap.

Goodreads Challenge Update:

#YARC2019 Update: 13 books!

Year of Asian Reading Challenge TBR + Progress Tracker #YARC2019

I read 1 book in June for #YARC2019, bringing my total up to 13 books for the year. This month I read The Night Tiger.

2019 Goals Update:

» 80% NetGalley feedback ratio = 15 backlist ARCs ⇒ 7/15 ARCs

So technically I did “read” one NetGalley ARC in June. I ended up DNFing it at 30%, but it totally counts because I wrote my review on NetGalley explaining why I wasn’t going to finish it. My NetGalley feedback ratio is now up to 68%.

» 30 physical TBR books ⇒ 13/30 books

I read 2 books off my physical TBR in June. I read Dark Matter & A Spark of Light.

» No buying new books ⇒ Fail!

Yeah I bought a few books… BUT only 9… ((facepalm))

» Read long books I’ve been putting off ⇒ 0/3

Still no progress on this goal HOWEVER one of these books is actually on my July TBR, so that is progress right?

May 2019 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

June 2019 TBR

Most Anticipated Books of 2019 (July – December)

My Iron Tome-A-Thon TBR #IronTomeAThon

Mini Book Reviews: June 2019 (Part 1)

» Normal People by Sally Rooney

At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer team while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers—one they are determined to conceal.

A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.

Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.

» Keeper of the Lost Cities Collection (#1-5) by Shannon Messenger

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

» Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes and the will to change it.

» The Read-Aloud Handbook (7th Edition) by Jim Trelease

Recommended by “Dear Abby”, The New York Times and The Washington Post, for three decades, millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic to help countless children become avid readers through awakening their imaginations and improving their language skills. Now this new edition of The Read-Aloud Handbook imparts the benefits, rewards, and importance of reading aloud to children of a new generation. Supported by delightful anecdotes as well as the latest research, The Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven techniques and strategies—and the reasoning behind them—for helping children discover the pleasures of reading and setting them on the road to becoming lifelong readers.

» Creating Room to Read by John Wood

The inspirational story of a former Microsoft executive’s quest to build libraries around the world and share the love of books

What’s happened since John Wood left Microsoft to change the world? Just ask six million kids in the poorest regions of Asia and Africa. In 1999, at the age of thirty-five, Wood quit a lucrative career to found the nonprofit Room to Read. Described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “the Andrew Carnegie of the developing world,” he strived to bring the lessons of the corporate world to the nonprofit sector—and succeeded spectacularly.

In his acclaimed first book, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, Wood explained his vision and the story of his start-up. Now, he tackles the organization’s next steps and its latest challenges—from managing expansion to raising money in a collapsing economy to publishing books for children who literally have no books in their native language. At its heart, Creating Room to Read shares moving stories of the people Room to Read works to help: impoverished children whose schools and villages have been swept away by war or natural disaster and girls whose educations would otherwise be ignored.

People at the highest levels of finance, government, and philanthropy will embrace the opportunity to learn Wood’s inspiring business model and blueprint for doing good. And general readers will love Creating Room to Read for its spellbinding story of one man’s mission to put books within every child’s reach.

» Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

*ARC sent for review – Available October 2019*

Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching—and ultimately uplifting—novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh grader Mila, it starts with an unwanted hug on the school blacktop.

The next day, it’s another hug. A smirk. Comments. It all feels…weird. According to her friend Zara, Mila is being immature, overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like?

But it keeps happening, despite Mila’s protests. On the bus, in the halls. Even during band practice-the one time Mila could always escape to her “blue-sky” feeling. It seems like the boys are EVERYWHERE. And it doesn’t feel like flirting–so what is it?

Mila starts to gain confidence when she enrolls in karate class. But her friends still don’t understand why Mila is making such a big deal about the boys’ attention. When Mila is finally pushed too far, she realizes she can’t battle this on her own–and finds help in some unexpected places.

From the author of STAR-CROSSED, HALFWAY NORMAL and EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT YOU comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.

Which books did you read in June?

Have you read any of the books I read or hauled this month? If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books? If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

June 2019 #Reading & #Blogging Wrap-Up! How many #books did you #read in June? #BookBlogger #Bibliophile #AmReading #Reading #Bookworm #BookTalk Goodbye June & hello July! I cannot believe we are officially in the second half of 2019!

#Am Reading #Bibliophile #book blog #book blogger #Book Nerd #Book Talk #Book Worm #Bookish #Books #Bookworm #Reading #Wrap Up

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