#so i really only took the class for 1.5 years but then i was on the soccer team so i took yearbook instead for a semester

[cinematicnomad]

this is incredibly random but my best friend just texted me something which reminded me that for a brief shining moment in our senior year there was a genuine concern that i wouldn't graduate on time bc of fucking P.E.

[educatedsimps]

Can I pls request a boyfriend hc for Mattsun? 🥺🤲 one where it’s longterm like, highschool to waaaay into adulthood type of longterm.

≪ back to fics masterlist

mastukawa issei x f!reader

a/n: when i tell you i squealed reading this request ✋😭 THANK YOU FOR REQUESTING ANON! AND YES BAE I’M WRITING THIS just a word of warning tho, i’ve never written for mattsun before so i had to do a little research, hope i didn’t mess up his character 🤧 anyway i hope u like this! and thanku for reading :)

cw: i may or may not have gotten carried away, f!reader, timeskip spoilers, established rls, tooth-rotting fluff

how you got together:

probably met him in your first year of high school, and got together after becoming really close friends

you made friends with hanamaki first because you were classmates, then one day he invited you to study together with his friends and that's when he introduced you to mattsun

you realised you shared a lot of classes with mattsun and you just clicked once you started talking

of course, you got acquainted with oikawa and iwaizumi as well

you had a group chat with makki and mattsun, and the latter often texted you after school and after practice

you had similar interests and music tastes and stuff (and of course enjoyed teasing oikawa together)

you and mattsun also started studying together (probably tutored each other in some subjects too)

the both of you started catching feelings as you grew closer and by the time you were halfway through your second year, the two of you had FATTEST crushes on each other bUT NEITHER OF YOU DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT AHJKDHSK i swear it pissed your friends off so much

anyway, makki and oikawa made a bet with mattsun in year 2, in which mattsun would have to confess to you if they didn't make it to nationals that year

iwaizumi told them to cut it out (they didn't listen)

oikawa knew mattsun wouldn't want to jeopardise his friendship with you by confessing, so he used that as an incentive for mattsun to train more LOL oikawa's actually evil

but they lost to shiratorizawa anyway so mattsun had to confess to you

he went to your class during lunch the very next day with a small bouquet of flowers and a note

he wanted to just leave it on your table and leave before anyone saw him, but you just HAD to walk in right at that moment

"what's that?" "...it's for makki" "then why is it on my table, issei?" "...because makki likes to sit at your table" "but makki's not even in this class"

anyway he ended up with the girl of his dreams that day and now he's secretly glad seijoh lost that game lol

you graduated together after dating for 1.5 years, and took a really beautiful grad photo together (he had the absolute biggest smile on his face, even makki had never seen him smile that wide before)

there was one photo with his friends in the background cheering as he bashfully gave you a kiss on your cheek (YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE MY HEART IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE)

you also had a ton of photos photobombed by oikawa and makki in the background - and a few more taken when iwaizumi was dragging them out of the frame by their ears

dates with him:

he brought you out to dinner for your first date

he listened to oikawa's advice to take you to dinner because "girl's like the classics" and since oikawa was the only one in the team who had had a girlfriend before, mattsun decided that maybe he had a point

iwaizumi reminded him that oikawa got dumped his girlfriend but anyway-

it was a decent, slightly fancy restaurant in the city area and yes, he insisted on paying (he's been spoiling you from the very start)

he also got all dressed up for it - and i mean, suit, pants, flowers and everything

he was blushing the whole time

after that, you guys started going on different types of dates, depending on whether you're more of an extrovert or an introvert

dates include going on picnics, going to the arcade, movies, night markets and festivals, aquarium, museum, etc.

def a ton of home dates too - ordering food and doing skincare together or just cuddling

as broke highschool kids, you probably went to less expensive places, except for the occasional event, eg. after major exams, on you birthdays, your anniversary, after winning a game, etc.

lots of cheap after-school lunch dates though

milestones together:

you were each other's firsts, so you both lowkey didn't know what you were doing but you learned together

probably had your first major argument/conflict/disagreement after about half a year of dating? but you learned to resolve it in a healthy way pretty quickly

if you're not a confrontational person, then mattsun was probably the one who initiated the conversation after the argument

he probably cycled to your house in the evening just to apologise to you and talked things out

he can be a little blunt sometimes so resolving conflicts with him are usually very direct

after that, you slowly learned from each other's habits and signs and rarely get into heated arguments anymore because you know how to resolve conflicts peacefully through ✨communication✨

it was a pretty important milestone when you first met each other's families/parents, which was about a few months after dating

your parents knew you guys were friends first but had never met him until you started dating

he's a pretty nonchalant guy but meeting your parents for the first time was probably one of the most nerve-wracking moments in his life (i think it's a universal experience)

they love him tho

if you have any really young siblings or cousins, they'd probably use him as a free climbing activity

he has an older sister and a younger brother and they absolutely ADORE you

like from the moment issei introduced you to them, they were like "ISSEI WE WANT THIS ONE"

moving in together during or after college

you guys were one of the cutest campus couples like your relationship was the PEAK of all college relationships

like EVERYBODY wanted a relationship like yours and mattsun's

the little things:

he looks like his love language is gift-giving, followed by quality time but that's just my opinion

so you can expect lots of little gifts from him

he also always initiates a lot of dates because he wants to spend time with you

walks you home every chance he gets

ALSO FLOWERS

in high school he'd pick flowers from the school garden and give them to you, he'd either visit your classroom during break or give it to you when he sees you in the hallway or even between classes

probably pissed off the school gardener once for picking too many flowers but they became good friends and now mattsun always gets fresh flowers for you

idk why but this man gives "he'd get you flowers every time he passes by a flower shop bc 'why not'" vibes

mattsun would 100% match outfits with you on a date "just for the aesthetic"

mattsun in a black turtle neck, jacket, a thin silver chain, more flowers, and a fancy restaurant for a date

he'd probably make a spotify playlist for you, either of songs that remind him of you or of songs that are special to both of you

he would carry your bag for you when you go out, even if you insist that it's not heavy, doesn't matter how feminine it is, he'd gladly carry it on one side while holding your hand on the other side

you send tiktoks to each other every day (and by that i mean A LOT of tiktoks) and he watches every single one that you send him and he always replies to them. either with an emoji or a short reply, he just wants you to know he enjoys your tiktoks

will send you every "send this to the prettiest girl you know" tiktok he comes across (which is also very often)

takes candid photos of you when you're not paying attention, probably has one as his lockscreen too

post-timeskip hcs:

you're close to the seijoh 4 and hang out with them almost every time they meet up

and since you're mattsun's +1 who's been around them since high school, you're invested in the other guys' love lives too

sometimes you and mattsun try to set them up with people for your own entertainment to help them out a lil

you and mattsun are like a package deal, if you're invited to something, he's coming with and vice versa

you and mattsun would probably ditch an event together once you're tired or sick of it

you probably saved all the dried petals from all the flowers he's given to you over the years and got your wedding guests to throw them as you walked down the aisle together (you saw someone do this on tiktok and when you told him after the ceremony he actually cried)

if you guys own a car, you would probably take turns driving the car every day and drop off / pick up the other from work

if you don't then you'd meet at a bus or train station nearby and head home together every day

the two of you would 100% take naps on the bus or train together with earphones in

since he works in a funeral home, i feel like he'd have tons of flowers at his workplace, so sometimes he'll take a few home for you

either that or he knows the best flower shops in town and he'll often pick up a bouquet on the way home

also tells you stories from his work

a/n: ok i'm out of brain juice for this one but i hope you liked it! i hope i didn't write him too ooc too 😭

© educatedsimps 2024. do not repost, copy, translate or plagiarize any work from this blog on tumblr or any other platforms. if you do, the simps will hunt you down. likes and reblogs are appreciated!

[foster-the-world]

Sad News

We found out my son's 3K teacher passed away this weekend. It was the teacher who took an emergency leave after the first 1.5 week of school. Remember I thought her behavior/mood was odd. Stoic/monotone. She didn't smile when baby boy brought her a drawing. Which felt especially odd because my girls had really loved her as a science teacher.

The school has not made an announcement, yet. We got an email from our daughters 1st grade teacher letting us know. She was apologizing because she cried in front of the class. She thought she was okay after receiving the sad news. However, when she saw the kids she started crying. She apologized and said she never meant to cry in front of the students and did not expect that reaction. She worked with the teacher for 18 years. Teachers have to deal with so much. We wrote back with our condolences and to tell her her response was very understandable.

We don't know the cause of death. So sad. The teacher had two teenagers. Two weeks ago they told us they had a return date for her and that her emergency leave did provide explanation for why she seemed to be lacking the enthusiasm most prek teachers have.

She was the girls science teacher for the last few years so we will tell them tonight.

I feel bad for criticizing her behavior instead of being worried for her. I only complained to my husband, my Mom and on here but still. I should have remembered people have their own stuff going on.

Sending healing thoughts to her family and friends.

[jaybleu25]

My Heart Hears You (Part 3)

Time: HS Years; Bros are in 9th, Bowser is in 10th. Setting: Peach's Castle. 7 A.M.

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

…

Getting prepared for school the next day was a difficult challenge for Luigi. This was mainly due to his anxiety being multiplied by 10 at the thought of him having to do a presentation in front of the entire class. It wouldn't leave his mind at all. Even more so, he had to present with Bowser of all people. Who knows if Bowser would follow the script or not? Meanwhile, Mario was in quite a good mood. For his presentation, he painted a picture of the globe. His group's presentation was going to be on how recycling was important for the planet. Putting the painting in his backpack, he was about to leave, but he realized Luigi still hadn't come out of the bedroom yet. Mario wasn't going to leave without Luigi. Going back up the stairs, Mario would knock on the bedroom door. "Luigi, you ready yet??" Mario called out. "O-Oh, uhm...y-yeah..!" Mario could tell something was wrong. Luigi's voice was shaky. Quickly, Mario would open the door, only to find Luigi struggling to stand. He was using the couch as support to stand up. With swiftness, Mario rushed to his brother's aid. "Are you okay??" Mario asked. "I'm fine, j-just...a bit nervous..." Luigi stuttered. It took a few moments for Mario to remember. Whenever Luigi got nervous, sometimes he would end up getting what he called 'jelly legs', which would make it hard for him to stand. It happened a few times when Luigi was in middle school, but once high school started, it became more and more frequent. "Is it about the project?" Mario asked. Luigi would nod, responding with a nervous hum. "Hey, I'm sure yours is gonna be great, bro!" Mario reassured. "You always write really cool speeches and stuff." "I just don't like it when people are looking at me," Luigi muttered. Mario would think for a moment. "Well...maybe try focusing on me," Mario suggested. "Pretend like you're just telling me about your topic. Don't look anywhere else." "Th-That might work...I'll try that," Luigi responded. "Thanks, bro." "Of course!" Mario exclaimed. "Are you feeling a bit better now?" Luigi would nod, now standing on his own. He'd grab his backpack containing his part of the essay, as well as the trifold board he kept nearby. He'd then follow Mario out of the room, waving goodbye to Toadsworth with a cheerful smile. But that smile wouldn't last long. Thankfully for Luigi (or unthankfully, if you had asked Luigi about it before Mario had comforted him), his science class was the first class of the day. That meant he would be able to get the project over with. He wouldn't have to worry about it the rest of the day. Additionally, he wouldn't have to deal with carrying the trifold anymore, so that was also a plus. Arriving to class with his brother, Luigi was a little hesitant. He had no idea how prepared Bowser would be. During the period of the group project, the teacher had made it so all of the pairs would be sat next to each other so it would be easier to work together. Once Luigi got to his seat, he noticed Bowser reading over the last page of what he had to say. Luigi was surprised and relieved. It looked like he didn't have to worry after all. Bowser did get his script. Without saying anything as to not suddenly startle/anger the Koopa Prince, Luigi would sit down. Once Bowser finished reading, the bell rang, and he noticed Luigi was sitting next to him. "Oh, finally, you're here," Bowser said, annoyed. "You took forever." Luigi didn't want to make mention of the fact he had already been there a couple minutes prior, so he simply apologized. He was definitely not here the whole time. And so, the presentations began.

-To be continued...-

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

Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746341252448043008/my-heart-hears-you-part-1?source=share

Part 1.5: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746341378314944512/my-heart-hears-you-part-15

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746500897895514112/my-heart-hears-you-part-2

Part 3: You're already here!

Part 4: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746920665451495424/my-heart-hears-you-part-4

Part 5: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746921486930034688/my-heart-hears-you-part-5

Part 6: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746923474412568576/my-heart-hears-you-part-6

Part 7: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/746924406863020032/my-heart-hears-you-part-7

Part 8: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/747120181983281152/my-heart-hears-you-part-8

Part 9: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/747121034850975744/my-heart-hears-you-part-9

Part 10: https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/747121820844556288/my-heart-hears-you-part-10

Part 11 (END): https://www.tumblr.com/jaybleu25/747122379621269504/my-heart-hears-you-part-11

[thecolorblockcurator]

Do you really think of your art history degree as useless? I'm also no longer in the museum field but it makes me so sad to hear other arth folks dismiss their own degree. I feel like I've learned so many valuable, transferrable skills and still find a way to engage with art no matter what field I'm in. (I hope this doesn't sound judgey or like pointed toward you, its just something I hear a lot and I'm genuinely curious about what others experiences have been like!)

I really regret it. It's actually the only thing in life I regret. Every day I would come home from grad school crying because I wanted to quit but I couldn't because it would have wasted so much money. My program was awful in grad school. It was not at all what they said it was going to be. I ended up taking literally the same exact class twice because they didn't have any professors/classes - it was so poorly planned they told us we only needed to do 1.5 years instead of 2 because they couldn't find anyone to teach us. It cleared out my savings & then when I graduated I ended up making less money with less hours at the museums that I had already worked at before. I loved working at museums before my MA. I was so passionate. I worked in the education department. My area of expertise was Surrealism. I loved it - and grad school took every little joy I had and squashed it and left me so depressed - in ways that I'm still recovering after 5? years.

It absolutely could have just been the school I went to - I'm not saying this is a universal experience. I really wish I would have loved it. - I loved my undergrad. My BA in art history 100% worth it. amazing professors, they had so many connections to museums and I got a few internships and jobs they really wanted us to grow and learn.

[doberbutts]

love your posts so much!!

when i was younger (middle school) I wanted to breed huskies and learn all about dog breeds but I never even thought about/ considered some of the things you post about. it's super interesting! : )

I took Animal Biotech in High School as a free science period (since I'd completed my science requirements to graduate within the first 1.5 years of high school) and I think it was one of the best decisions I've ever made with my education. Most of it, yes, was How To Be A Farmer, which tracks since I went to a tinyass Mennonite schoolhouse for most of my schooling, but some of it was genuinely interesting.

If X pig breed needs Y amount of food to gain Z pounds but produces ABC amount of waste, vs a different pig breed needing a different amount of food to gain a different weight while producing a different amount of waste, you have this many dollars and that big of property and can only keep so many pigs, these pigs cost this much as piglets and sell for that much per pound at slaughter, etc etc those were the types of things we had to research and, occasionally, experiment with on our school's small farm.

I remember another experiment where we measured bones of horses of known origin and working conditions to draw conclusions of what the ideal horse would look like and what breed or breeds to use in order to create that horse for our specific [imaginary] farm setups. I remember one talking about the height and length of a cow's birth canal and how it determines how much assistance she may need with calving. I remember a discussion on goat hooves vs sheep hooves and how it contributed to containment methods.

Truly if I could think of a profession that would allow me to continue research in this manner, I think that would be my dream job. Sadly when I look up "animal biotechnology" a lot of it is animal experimentation in labratories, which I am very uninterested in. I don't really know what to call it other than what my school called it, but that was one of my favorite classes and I took it on a whim because it had "bio" and "animal" in it so I assumed it would be passably interesting.

[turn2tech]

what the fuck just happened

ok um sorry for posting this on tumblr out of literally anywhere else but i just got out of a really WEIRD relationship and im honestly not sure what else to do!!!

tws: possibly toxic relationships? (past) physical/emotional abuse

holy shit wow where do i even start

this all happened so fast!!!

ok me and my bf of 1.5 years have broken up!!! It was our homecoming dance i invited them as well as our mutual best friend, and when they got there they told me they thought it was going to be a date. They acted very upset throughout the entire thing brought down the mood all together. I'm not saying that they aren't allowed to express their emotions, but the thing is, they were there when i invited the best friend. After that, i broke up with them while we were waiting for our parents to pick us up (we're freshmen). We agreed to stay friends.

After all of that, i invited the best friend over to my house, mainly so i could complain about how they were kind of a manipulative asshole throughout the entire relation (dw, ill get to that later) and we got to talking, eventually coming to the conclusion they we should also stop being friends with them.

Me, being the irrational and impulsive prick that i am, told someone that max was close too! I told him the next day at school, not realizing i forgot to tell him that the confrontation itself was going to happen at a later date, and him, confused, went to class and asked my boyf what happened.

blah blah blah yada yada yada i said some stupid shit in a group chat, insulted them while trying to explain the situation, and was just kind of bitchy about the whole thing. Without hearing my side of the story, everyone immediately took max's side and kicked me. I understand it to an extent, but even to this day they refuse to get my perspective which is really concerning to me. I had someone i knew inside the group chat still, and they sent me screenshots of everyone saying how they never liked me in the first place and how AND I QUOTE "only ever talk about cartoons and video games." Like... damn. I would genuinely rather be punched in the face and have my nose broken by a complete and utter stranger on the street then to see that.

A few days after, the friend that started this all insisted that apologizing to the bf directly would fix everything. I gave a whole ass SPEECH about how i was in the wrong about the things i said, but i still felt our relationship was unhealthy for me. They didn't add me back to the group chat, nor did i ever have someone ask me for my side. Oh, and the inside friend? refuses to defend me in fear of getting kicked out as well.

The mutual best friend actually made amends with the bf so they aren't on bad terms, but in truth they are only there to report what he has said about me. He has said the following:

that i was emotionally distant

i ... smelled bad????

i didn't give them enough "physical affection" (i frequently said no to making out)

And that just got me thinking. The entire reason i was emotionally and physically distant was because of, well, physical and emotional abuse ive suffered in the past. Ive had terrible relationships, and even more terrible friends. I told them about this several times, and that it's not their fault im this way! clearly they don't care and have decided to take it personally, which is not my problem.

So you know what? ive got a couple of gripes with you too.

you never(rarely) showered and actively admitted that to me

you were a compulsive liar that lied about fucking EVERYTHING

you frequently emotionally presured me into staying with you, using the phrase "I'd probably kill myself if we ever broke up haha" frequently

you faked being scene (dressed the part, did not listen to the music LMFAO I JUST REMEBERED THEIR FAVORITE ARTIST IS MITSKI HELP)

AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST,

YOU FUCKING FAKED BEING TRANS TO DATE ME

yes, you read that last part right! the NIGHT we broke up they went to all their social media accounts and changed the flags in their pfps, as well as the pronouns in their bio, oh no, im sorry, HER BIO. I am pissed and angry and mainly sad that i didn't see the signs earlier. And hey, if you read this far, thanks.

Anyways, there's actually a lot more inbetweens to this story, including the collapse of an entire friend group, rumors, and a musical (not fucking kidding), but im tired and typing this just made me really sad. goodnight.

[sucktacular]

cw suggestive text (nothing graphic at all i dont even talk about anything to do with the use of adult toys its just the pure design/work environment ramblings) rambling about how i wish i graduated so i could go into the adult toy design industry maybe (doesnt know much about it but i have feelings)

okay first off idk too much about it cuz i was too busy being "normal" about my degree, but i think its SO BULLSHIT that theres an ENTIRE stream of industrial design we NEVER EVER touch on DESPITE IT BEING GREATLY BASED ON ERGONOMICS AND SKIN SAFE and also a stream that focusing on environmentally friendly practices would be so beneficial cuz theres so much "one and done" and disposable products in adult toys that make it so... BLEH. it has so much room to improve!!

anyway so i dont really know too much and its a bit of hopeful dreaming but ALSO its so funny cuz through learning to sketch technical drawings and the whole lot i always joked to myself and my close friends like "haha what if i made adult toys lmao" BUT NO WAIT ITS NOT A JOKE WHAT IF I DID!!!!

idk the work environment, and im sure its pure dog shit for small companies that just make whatever crap they can (not shitting on small companies just the ones that want to make products to make money and not to do anything innovative) but like i gotta think working for like funfactory or someone would be cool??

anyway i think maybe thats a field i would love to explore if i ever do consider getting back into finishing my degree (which i was only maybe 2 years from finishing - 1.5 years from graduating and another half a year cuz i didnt have the energy to do any of the side courses that didnt have anything to do with the degree but were like... mandatory compulsory courses? if thats the right word? like taking a science or humanities class or whatever that isnt taught by the main staff of the program. those courses ARE thankfully chosen well for the program - like design history and sociology and technical mathematics and shit but like... man i didnt have time for it ontop of the very heavy course load

uhm so yeah... lil tid bit about me is im very interested in adult toys and i love seeing new things and new designs and new options for people!! I think even if I wasn't sdoing anything new and innovative, at the very least if i was working with an environmentally conscious company that also really wanted to make products that people would have for years I would reallllly enjoy it.

i took my adderall today after a hot second of not taking it so thoughts are spilling out of my head and i weeded some of the garden and backyard till i was sweaty and just done with it for today ANYWAY uhm

yeah i have a lot of thoughts

[asmusdiary]

August 7th 2023, 03:14 in the morning

Hello everyone. This is a place where I will talk about the progress of my band. I’m doing this because there possibly are some people that will find it interesting to follow the progress of some small band, but I’m mostly doing this as like a diary for myself. This is inspired Ed’s Diary. Ed being Ed O’Brien from Radiohead. I apologise if these blogs are hard and annoying to read through.

I am 18, turning 19 on the 10th, and I am from Denmark. I’m on summer vacation right now but will return to school, also on the 10th, for my third and final year of gymnasium. I am very much into music. Ever since I was little I really liked it. I started having piano lessons when I was 6 years old - that was in 2010. Now I play piano, bass, guitar, drums and I try to sing.

At school I have a lot of friends that are into music. In fact, I am in a ‘music class’, where all my classmates have chosen music on a high level as a main-topic. It’s a lot of fun. I was aware that there were a lot of music people at my gymnasium before I even started. I was really hoping to meet some people that I could start a band with, and make music that I really enjoy, since music is what I want to do with my life. Though there were definitely cool talented people at my gymnasium, there weren’t anybody that I could see myself starting a band with unfortunately. Some people liked the same music as me, but I didn’t like their approach to music. At all. I found a lot of people’s approaches to music to be regressive and unauthentic, and I wouldn’t wanna be in a band with those kind of people, because they would ruin the authenticity.

Now two years later after starting at the gymnasium, I have found some people. They’re not all from my gymnasium, in fact only one of them is, and he’s a year above me. It doesn’t really matter where I know these people from, and it would take forever to explain where I know them from but they’re all perfect, and exactly what I’m looking for. Here’s a quick rundown

Daniel - bass, guitar, clarinet, keyboards, lyrics. Daniel is one of my best friends. I’ve known him for almost 3 years, and he is the sole reason that I know the music I know and love today, because he always shows me stuff. Rate Your Music guy hehe. Daniel has a really good sense of the abstract and is comfortable being experimental. He is also comfortable in lyrics, which is a skill don’t see myself learning anytime soon. Me and Daniel have actually played together in a band before called Musik 3. It was alright, but tensions were bad between the members so we broke it up. Don’t miss very much lol. But me and Daniel still wanted to do music together.

Romeo - Guitar, Piano, Synth. I haven’t even known Romeo for a year yet. I met him last fall. I met him at a music camp thing (which, fun fact, all of us went to at the same time). We were split into groups with people that we didn’t know, and we had to write a song together. I was in group with Romeo. He played guitar and I played bass. The song we made was really bad, but we enjoyed making it. I was just so amazed at Romeo’s ability to come with tasteful guitar lines on the spot. He is the only person I’ve met that has had as great relative pitch as me.

This was the song we made

And this is us playing it live

Theodor - bass, guitar, piano, synth, drums, singing, rapping, producing, lyrics. Theodor is a genius to me. I am amazed every time I see him play. He just finished his last year at the same gymnasium as me, so that’s where I know him from. I’m pretty shy, so it took me me some time to really get friends with Theodor. I’ve always thought he was a cool guy, but I was still scared to connect with him, because he was one of the older students - and because he was GOOD at music. He’s in a rap group from Roskilde which are seeing some success right now in the underground rap scene in Denmark. Other rappers are talking about them and mentioning them. But some months ago I finally got friends with him, and I asked if he wanted to make a band, and he said yes. What a blessing.

Robin - drums, synth, rapping, producing, lyrics. Robin is the one I know least well. Solely because I haven’t spoken to him as much as the other guys. But we’ve had some laughs where you really could tell we thought each other were cool, so I’m pretty sure it’ll work out. Robin is very very close friends with Theodor. He’s also part of the rap group which Theo is in. And inside the rap group, they are the ones that work together the most. They’re like me and Daniel. Theo and Robin have a lot experience, and they are so good at making really good stuff really fast, which me and Daniel can be pretty slow at. I asked Robin to join, because I heard he was a good drummer, and I really wanted a good drummer. When I asked Theo if Robin was a good drummer he said “Eh, he’s probably as good as me” and that was good enough, because Theo is a pretty alright drummer. I’m looking forward to work with Robin.

Now, the band is finally starting up, and we have our first session on the 20th. We are all 5 really excited. We are all sending pictures of our pedals, and writing demos, and fantasising about how the concerts will play out, so we’re all very excited. I will probably do another blog post before the 20th. Don’t know that it will be about.

This is all very new and exciting. It seems like us 5 guys will work out perfectly, but it’s still hard to know how it all is gonna play out..

Until next post - here’s a song I’m listening to a lot:

[micahwontbite]

✰ I N T R O D U C I N G  ✰

Age: 34

Originally From: Salem, Virginia  

Town lived in when virus hit: Pocahontas, Virginia (Prison)

Town Job: Raider

Length of time in Redwood: 1.5 years

Previous Job: Unemployed (Wink) 

Traits: ambitious, charming, pragmatic, destructive, naïve, careless

✰ musings ✰ connections ✰

Micah James Foxmen was born April 4th 2008 in Salem Virginia. Growing up, he was raised in a lower middle class household to father Amos Foxmen and his mother Naomi Foxmen. A few years after Micah was born, his parents split and Micah stayed with his mother in Salem. It was rare for Micah to see his mother, as she was working two jobs trying to keep the two of them afloat. Micah often took advantage of how often his mother was gone, and got into a lot of trouble in his adolescence, mostly petty crimes and just being a general nuisance to the city folk of Salem. Micah eventually graduated and found himself making friends with the local junkies and drug dealers. He began stealing and breaking into homes as a way to make money, selling the things he found as a way to get high.

Micah growing up averting the law had done pretty good at laying low up until he turned 25 when he was caught breaking into a home and arrested. Micah was sentenced to 5 years in prison for his crimes and was hauled off to Pocahontas Correctional Center. He lived out his prison sentence, hoping to get out early on good behavior when the news flashed across the screen of the virus outbreak. Panic was spread throughout the prison but the warden quickly locked everything down. Now Micah and the other prisoners were forced to stay in their cells all day, everyday. No one was quite sure how it started, but even the prison couldn’t escape the virus, with many outbreaks spreading through the staff and prisoners like wildfire. Eventually the prison lost power, and those yet to be affected by the virus made a break for the outside.

Micah managed to make a break for it, immediately heading to his home in Salem to check on his mother. Unfortunately Micah was too late, his family home was wrecked, windows were smashed and their personally belongings had been thrown around the home. His mother had passed, not from the virus but Micah could only assume from who ever it was that raided their home. Micah grabbed whatever was left that he could carry and hotwired a neighbors car, heading for Charleston West Virginia. Micah was able to find a small group out in Charleston, with whom he lived with until 2040. Supplies were low, and so were members of their small community, other than Micah there were only 3 others. One of the members had caught wind of a town called Redwood. Desperate for supplies the group made their way in to Redwood.

Headcanons

1. Micah’s trailer was actually apart of the junkyard, when he first came to Redwood, but as electrical engineering is his hobby, he has slowly turned the trailer into somewhat functional. 

2. Micah has little to no regard for his own life or safety, and will use that disregard to protect anyone he trusts even if that means of protecting are life threatening 

3. He has tried really hard to shake his kleptomaniac ways, but still finds himself swiping small things from town here and there 

4. Micah keeps a small hemp plant growing in his trailer, and treats it like it is his own child

[thiaschuessler]

2022 Roundup

Here we are again. And by "we" I mean just me, because not even my momma asked for this year-end summary.

Per usual, 2022 had its ups and downs:

DOWN: The commercial agent who signed me in April 2021 left the company at the end of the year to start his own. He never got me one single commercial audition in those ~9 months.

UP: Their new commercial agent decided to renew my contract in April 2022 after a zoom meeting. She got me a handful of commercial auditions within her first few months for legit clients like Estee Lauder, Forward, NBC Universal, and Kate Spade.

DOWN: In July, the agency decided to dissolve their commercial department altogether. Womp womp.*

UP: Also in July, the short film I made with my cousin Marisa in July 2021 finally premiered at home at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, and our supportive family got to come see it on the big screen with a packed audience. Being of the horror genre, it had a surge of screenings at genre festivals around Halloween both at home where it was shot and in LA where Marisa and I live. We even won BEST FILM and BEST EXPERIMENTAL at two horror fests.

Other than that, I did lots of self-taping and had a few callbacks - both on zoom and in person (which I'm mentioning for the sake of historical reference). I was cast in a feature that was then cut down to a short film, and my character was cut with it. I did get to shoot an Amazon demo for their new palm payment technology + a music video with a lifelong musician friend.

I joined an actor training group in May that I wish I had known about during the pandemic. It's all online and covers all facets of acting: the craft, the business, and the mentality.

For the second half of the year, a lot of my energy went towards my brand new camper van rental business venture. Inspired by the newfound prospect of a "free" filming location, I spent September outlining a feature film starring my new Sprinter van. Hopefully, I'll get around to shooting something in it next year.

*Since this blog is really just for me... for the sake tracking my acting career... let me just write out my history of representation:

My 1st agency out of college repped me in exchange for free labor (internship). I was with them for 2.5 years, until they dissolved their entire agency. (March 2010-Sept 2012)

My 1st manager repped me, because I sent her a blind submission email asking to meet with her. We met, and she liked me. Very straightforward. I was with her for a little over 3 years, until she decided to focus on coaching and managing her child actor clients. (Jan 2012-March 2015)

My 2nd agency repped me, because I took acting classes from the commercial agent. My manager had suggested her class to me, so I took it for 1.5 years, and she loved me. They signed me across the board. I was with them for almost 3 years, until they decided to rep only their literary clients and dissolved their entire acting division. (June 2013-Sept 2016)

My 3rd agency added me to their commercial roster because of a blind submission (one email and one phone call). I was with them for a little less than two years, until they dissolved their commercial department. (April 2021-Dec 2022)

If the business is hard for actors, it's just as hard for their reps. If I'm not making money, they're not making money.

Apparently, I went without representation for most of the years when I was producing my own work through Shy Ruby (2013-2019). My agent/manager hiatus also perfectly aligns with the moment in Hollywood when Casting Director workshops were being shut down and exposed for the cons that they were (c. 2016). From the moment I graduated from theatre school in 2009, I was signing up for 2-3 workshops per week ($50 each), to sit through about 30minutes of Q&A before performing a quick scene for a Casting Director (or more likely, a Casting Associate or Assistant). I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I got so many compliments and words of encouragement, but maybe only a handful of actual auditions from essentially paying to audition for them. Read all about the scam here.

Anyway, it's just interesting (to me) to follow that trajectory and understand why I was jaded enough to step back from Hollywood and only work on my own stuff for the latter half of the 2010s.

[eriellesudario]

My Experience in TATINOF Sydney (#TatinofSpoilers)

All photos were taken by me… unless credited other wise

Warning: there will be spoilers

On August 23 2016, I was very lucky to go to The Amazing Tour is Not on Fire by Dan and Phil and got the VIP (after screwing up for 15 mins). It was a really fun event and I had a blast and my memory is fading due to the hype and such that now is the time to document it all in a blog post.

Once again… I WILL PUT SPOILERS IN THIS POST!!!

If you want a spoiler free version, I posted a vlog about my experience in TATINOF:

Before the VIP

I was at University, sitting in my most confusing and difficult class I have ever faced in my first year life: Public Relations 101. I was looking at the time and tried to focus on the topic of public approval and it’s importance to businesses/organisations. Then 11:57 came, I immediately packed my gear and once 12:00 came, I made one more pit stop and went to my shuttle bus stop.

The train ride was long, like 1.5 hours (it’s a shuttle bus and 2 train rides) and somewhere between Parramatta and Strathfield, I fell asleep.

Then I arrived at the city where I met Hayli and her friends at Starbucks and basically we played Pokemon Go for 1 hour (because we arrived at 2pm and agreed to go to Luna Park at 3… Weird since people were waiting since 2:30). While playing Pokemon GO, we met 2-3 girls who went to TATINOF before and are wearing the shirts.

We soon arrived and there was a short line.

During VIP

Tip of advice:

Dont enter VIP early!!! 

Matyn and Cornelia came out 30 mins after we entered and I feel sooo bad that I couldnt meet them and we were not allowed to leave (which is unfair since Martyn and Cornelia were at the merch booth in USA and UK)

We basically waited and their tour manager came out setting the rules of the show. Unfortunately for VIP, only 1-2 made it to Audience Participation and the majority were from the General Admission. Then 15-30 mins later from waiting, we heard that Martyn and Cornelia were doing photos and we couldn’t leave and it sucks!

Then came the guestbook and this is what I wrote (sorry if it’s dark/bad):

https://journalsofafangirl.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/img_5136.jpg?w=665

Then their manager came out and set out the rules of the meet and greet and 5 minutes later, Dan and Phil came out and I manage to record it in HD on my camera (and it was useful since it was my only way to see them clearly).

Meeting Dan and Phil

(this part was written during the event w/ some added bits, after i met them):

So I was meeting them and I froze for around five seconds and they were all smiling and both boys were like ‘hi there’. I saw their faces and they were welcoming and smiling and waving and in my mind, I was like ‘holy crap what do I do, what do I say?’

Dan and Phil were like ‘do you want us to sign that for you’ and I hurriedly gave my ukulele. I got my camera and filmed it and phil (or dan… Cuz they sound alike) said ‘nice camera’ and I was freaking out because my mic was falling and I was really speachless. Then I captured a short video of them signing it and they said ‘beautiful ukulele’ and how it’s nice.

‘Don’t worry… It takes me one hour to take a perfect photograph’.

-Danisnotonfire to me during the Meet and Greet

We took the selfie and their arms are wrapped around me and i gave them my bracelets. First to phil then dan and they were like ‘aww they’re cute and they match our personalities’.

I then left and smiled but then when you leave… You instantly forget what happened and stuff and i freaked out cuz i couldnt do my shout out and stuff and I realised that I didnt hug them but i got the best photography advice from dan.

I had 3 mins of Dan and Phil.

Then after that, I fell to the floor because I had an existential Crisis

Before the Show

I lined up with a few friends from the Shaddy Subtweeters Group Chat and I was hungry. Luckily, a friend had some pizza and shared her food. Then we entered and I saw the stage and I was like ‘holy crap’. Then the songs that were being played, it was so cool people who are like me, singing these songs without being questioned.

Its basically Disneyland for Phandom Members.

Then the pre recorded announcement came and we all went silent and laugh due to their bants.

During the show [MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD]

So the last song ‘My Song Knows what you did in the dark‘ was playing for 1 minute then the power was cut off and the intro started with a countdown ticking while videos from their channels were being played.

Is it weird to analyse how they made the introduction to the show? As a media student who has played with editing programs, based on what I saw, I say it was created using Adobe Premier.

Then Dan and Phil came out and we just scream throughout the entire show because it was cool and amazing

I will not go on on most of the show since they have to be experienced for yourself but my favourite part is the fan fiction recreation as I manage to take a quick pic of the sexy cowboys gone camping and Dil’s appearance (I will never listen to O Fortuna the same way ever again)

After the show:

To be honest, there are multiple ways you can feel after the show. You could laugh, you could cry but I was an emotional wreck with a sore voice. When I returned to my part time job, I wasnt loud enough for registers because I lost it all during the show. The day after TATINOF, I was too depressed to do anything because I want to go back.

Luckily, my dad and I came to an agreement. I will be allowed to go to TATINOF again if it happens.

I then met some of my friends again from the Shaddy Subtweeters Group Chat for a final photo.

So what is TATINOF and what does it mean me:

“You don’t have to change just to impress others… You just have to be yourself”

In the past, I say to everyone I know in real life and online that TATINOF is like taking a religious pilgrimage because meeting Dan and Phil is rare in Australia and it’s a once in a lifetime event. But after going to the tour, it was more than just a pilgrimage. TATINOF is an event where it’s a shame-free zone. It doesn’t matter who you are, you will find a place to belong. TATINOF is also a place of where Dan and Phil will tell you in person (both on stage and in VIP) that it’s ok to be yourself and they will give you advice based on who you are and interest.

I mean look what happened to me, I wanted to take a photo using my DSLR but it screwed up and Dan gave me the best advice based on his experience. In a literal sense, it would mean me staying in a location for a long time just to take one shot and annoying the people around me. In a metaphorical sense, the message is to have patience on what I want to create, even if it takes a really long time.

TATINOF to me is an event where I can be free on who I am and a place where it’s accepting. If I go to a normal concert, most of the time, singing to the setlist is deemed shamed upon and unnatural. And at the same time, you can’t speak to the person next to you since they are mostly stuck up (I know because I went to a Taylor Swift and 1D concert in the past and you really can’t speak to the person next to you).

But in TATINOF, it’s a different experience. If one person yells ‘What Team?‘, everyone will yell ‘Wildcats‘ and if you are seen dancing, don’t worry, people will dance along with you.

And what I enjoyed about it was there was this girl who is sat at Sec 4 D-1, she follows @PhandomAus on twitter and thanked me to find someone to buy her spare VIP ticket (I just want to add this in there because this has to be my most memorable ‘thank you’ I’ve received when running the account for 11 months… along with many others).

Overall, TATINOF is a place of acceptance and happiness and where your flaws are counted as your strengths. It doesn’t matter who you since in the end, you belong with a group of people who will accept you and will have the same interest as you.

And now… I just can’t wait till I meet them again in Vidcon 2017 (USA or AUS depending on university) or TATINOF Philippines (for this, I’m ditching a week if I have to).

So Dan and Phil, if you see this… Thank you.

[kapowsandinterrobangs]

It's almost the end of August '24,

gosh how fast time flies. I'm currently 28 years, 7 months and 2 days. Sylvia sent me a Tiktok slideshow today. It was a series of illustrations showing a 5 year old version of me (aka your inner child) talking to me, asking me what I'm up to.

I think 5 year old me would find it very hard to get 28 year old me, so I think I'll talk to 16 year old me instead. -----------

Hey girl,

By 28, you would have tried smoking/e-cigarettes (one puff respectively and nothing more - you don't like the way it stays in your throat for the entire day), been on so many business trips you took the plane 18 times in a single year, joined a huge e-commerce company only to be laid off 1.5 years later, ate wagyu, and then accidentally ate pork (next time a menu says serrano sourdough crumble, believe me when I say it has NOTHING to do with bread), become a kpop stan, gone on dates (yes!! you!!), gone to fucking Europe with friends, tried salsa dancing, tried 3 different industries before delving into HR, graduated with a degree in Economics and Politics), got promoted in your job, learned to watch movies (and generally do fun stuff) alone and end up enjoying it, tried bowling, fallen in love with spin class, tried so many different restaurants you would never have thought you could afford, diversified your closet (thank u uniqlo, mango, h&m), generally wake up most days feeling good (no deperesso), and gone for 384,324 concerts. Well, not in that order of course. By 28, you would also have smashed at your O Levels but flunked your A Levels (not once but twice), discovered that the boy whom you thought was your first major crush (can you consider it a first love if he never liked you back?) turned out to be gay (and that's why he won't ever like you back), still not have a boyfriend (despite going on multiple dates), survived a very wtf friendship breakup, survived Jeap leaving for Manila, Nadja leaving for Amsterdam, and Kah Heng leaving for Perth, still have a tumultuous relationship with the demands of your religion, started going for coaching/therapy (mother issues LMAO), STILL get your attire checked by your mother before you leave for work, built a very bad habit of taking Grab rides to work, still haven't gotten your driving license yet, and have gained even more weight (LOL sorry). I think what I'm trying to say is that life has turned out fairly okay in 2024, and honestly I really am enjoying the ride. And I know you're worried sick about exam results + generally unsure who you are as a person, plus letting parents down, but... eh, you'll be fine. You will have fewer existential crises as you learn more about yourself and become surer of who you are, and what you stand for. I do want to thank you for developing a good level of optimism and generally positive outlook in life. Thanks to you, it brought me through some really shitty parts of my journey and delivered me to the other side. Some insecurities never really go away, but that's OK. Anyways, love you very much.

[steamishot]

T-2 months

it's now officially under two months until the big move. i can't wait. until then, there are three events to look forward to: my texan aunt and cousin visiting NYC, going to boston for a fancy whipipo wedding (my first ever) and seeing K again, and lastly, switzerland.

the 4 weeks of matt's jury duty flew by. by the last week, we had to really coordinate being out of the apartment at different times so that each person could get alone time. i would go to the lounge or ceramics when he was at home. when he was at jury duty, i would be home. he finally returns to the hospital tomorrow. he only has 2.5 more week shifts to go before its the end of this NYU era.

ceramics: lately, i've been trying to go to ceramics like 4-5x/week. i'm getting the hang of throwing things one day, trimming the next, and putting it to fire as soon as possible. even if the pieces are imperfect, i just throw them in there. i have received six pieces back so far and they're much bigger and more usable than the ones i made at my first japanese studio. i recently just made my first mug (wheel throwing for the body and handbuilding for the handle) using a not neutral latte cup for inspiration. hopefully it also comes out usable. ceramics friend LG is out of town for the month of july, but i'll see her for a little bit in august.

work: in the last 1.5 weeks or so, i've been spending 1-2 hours per day with the new hire A. in the beginning, i *felt* (but obviously did not show it) very frustrated and impatient because she was really slow. sometimes i would show her things one day, and she would not recognize it the next day. she would come off as overwhelmed with all the different types of trainings she did. when we went over different systems, it seemed she had no prior knowledge of it despite completing the trainings. anyway, i appreciate that this year, i get to teach instead of do. and i must say that it is rewarding once she actually gets it. this is also the MOST time i've ever spent with a colleague, so in a sense, it does help me feel more connected to my work.

NYC: i can appreciate NYC and the hustle and bustle of this city in increments, but every time i'm here for too long (after the first initial couple of years), i feel quite unhappy. there is a sense of "stuckness". one, because our apartment is very small. two, we lack community. and also in the grander scheme, i generally have little interest in the events/things that the city has to offer minus my ceramics and yoga classes. i can only eat so much, and i naturally prefer nature/less dense areas. i'd rather not deal with crowds anywhere - and they're pretty much everywhere here.

i learned that my general unhappiness has been directed towards picking fights with matt, or taking it out on him in general. i need to keep myself in check and try my best to keep myself busy with my own interests. only ~1.5 more months of being here to go!

vaca: this past weekend, matt and i went to miraval berkshires for the first time using chase points. we took a two hour train up north, and was picked up by a driver from the resort. they drove about another hour or so to arrive at lenox, MA. this is an all-inclusive experience that is similar to alila that we did last november. however, we had a much better experience here. the experience imo (coming from a stressed out place) is life-changing and healing. the weather, although very hot, was nice and relaxing. their food was healthy and nutritious. i'm going to miss their bone broth and golden milk shots.

our activities for three days included: kayaking, massage, fancy dinner, chicken keeping, hike, tennis, spa, lounge/read by the pool, and beekeeping. for each activity that was led by a miraval group leader, we had to practice "connect before content". we basically had to share our names and do an icebreaker for each. college-aged connie would have hated this, but i did appreciate hearing from other people and getting out of my comfort zone. they did a really good job at fostering a community feeling. it felt like a short summer camp for adults, and i wish we could have stayed even longer. there were so many classes we didn't get to try.

miraval also has digital free zones and encourages us to be without our devices as much as possible. the dining area is a digital free zone, so that we can connect/talk more with each other.

after this trip, i'm inspired to possibly one day chicken keep and beekeep, lol. it would be awesome to eat freshly laid eggs and honey from my own backyard. chickens may be my preferred "pet" of choice as of now. i had fun with tennis too and might pick it up in LA (if the courts are available). in the morning today, i was already dreading coming back to NYC. here i am and journaling to release some thoughts.

[redemption-of-zuko]

It’s mid-2024.

I’m just on the verge of graduating (still in clinic for 3 more weeks, but done with theory!), I’m planning my wedding in exactly a year’s time, worrying about my bach party this December, thinking about the ADEX exams, hoping my friends and family are thinking of me and haven’t forgotten me, stressing about my living situation once I’m out of México, and just, in general, going through all the emotions of being at a *very* pivotal moment in my life.

My fiancé is taking a huge portion of his licensure exam in 1.5 months, and I’m excited beyond belief for him to finally get past that hurdle! I myself took the exam and passed in April, so I know he can, too. Now that classes are over for me, I’ve been doing my best to cater to him by cooking our meals, cleaning around the house, and giving him the space to lock in. But…

Today, I just had a sort of bad day. My appointment in the morning went well, but started off horribly. I left my wax rim at home and had to RUN at 7:50am to pick it up, rushed my appointment so that my patient could get to work by 9, and then I was told by the lab that they needed certain documents from me which required me to go back to school and ask for signatures. It worked out because I needed to pick up my total case anyways, but STILL so fucking annoying.

After that, I went to Fantasias Miguel to buy some crafts for my dad. I’m making him a bouquet of beers, chips, candy, and alllllla that for his birthday. Figured I could make something nice for the man who can afford anything he wants.

So while I’m out, I ask my fiancé to order some groceries and one of the ingredients was sandwich ham which goes for like less than 70 pesos here. The shopper couldn’t find the specific one ordered and asked if we wanted a replacement with a bougie 192 pesos ham and my fiancé approved it without thinking twice. I was finally over my bad mood as soon as I got home from centro but that put me in a sour mood again, and I’m all pissy. It’s not about the ham, it’s about the fact that he didn’t bat an eyelash at spending 192 pesos on ham. Or more like, he didn’t even know and just approved it without thinking. This is a small occurrence, but I wouldn’t be feeling such strong feelings if his money spending habits weren’t so bothersome to me. Because it completely is. It’s BOTHERSOME.

I have to hold my tongue so much because we’ll never see eye to eye… and I only stop myself because he’s spending his family’s money. He gets a good allowance every two weeks for him to spend on whatever he wants. His parents never take away from his account so I know that he can choose to spend or save. There are times where he’d have to wait a while to pay me back for rent (which is fine, it’s not an issue to me or my parents who finance me atm), but it makes me think, “Hmmm, if we stopped having food delivered as much, maybe he would have had enough money?” But it’s hard because our school really gives us no time to breathe, so I understand coming home and not having the energy to cook or clean. Yet, we can game and watch movies? I don’t know. It’s all temporary bullshit, but I can’t help but feel nervous for our future. I really can’t handle a big spender as a partner when I’m very much a spend-thrift and trying to build generational wealth. I guess it’ll come to a culmination when we’re both making our own money (which is really soon…). Which is why I’m trying to nip it in the bud while we’re young?

I also just don’t have anyone to talk to. I’m lonely. I feel like I can’t reach out to friends and family because I don’t want to influence how they feel about him. He’s the love of my life, I don’t want to vent about him to people who love him and vice versa. I’m in this strange limbo, and I’m starting to feel genuinely crazy.

[theloniousbach]

RETIREMENT CHRONICLES 2.0, but actually 3.0

I am calling this one RC 3.0 to acknowledge the version I wrote as RC 1.5 in January to reflect on Winter Break really should have been 2.0. That break month was sufficiently different from the the subject of RC 1.0 I wrote in December about that first semester away from the desk job. RC 2.0 took up an interlude where I wasn’t teaching and therefore my time was more my own. RC 4.0 will be three months of the asterisk of my retirement with an asterisk will shrink. It won’t disappear as I will be preparing for fall classes, including with the help of some talented students, and working remotely to welcome the next group of Gleich Scholars. But I won’t be teaching nor going to campus.

Clearly my time remains tied to the school year and, as part of retiring TO something and not merely FROM the day job, I have continued to use the semester to define my pursuits almost as self-directed courses. The semester is long enough to see growth develop while being sufficiently circumscribed to allow assessment.

So, this is my report card.

As for the ASTERISK of my retirement with same, I found teaching two courses easy enough. It certainly helped that I had two exceptional classes, each had returnees and folks I knew through advising including Gleich Scholars. That the several new students were fully integrated and, often enough, central players was particularly rewarding. I also had help from Gleichers in the planning. Taken together, it all made possible among my more successful forays into building community and giving students the opportunity to take hold of the material on their own terms. I doubled/tripled down on student choice of projects and formats and even deadlines so that I wasn’t cop and they were responsible, albeit with some nudging, for getting it all in. My Fall class had been unusually frustrating, so these two helped make for a better year.

There were some OUT OF THE ORDINARY elements to the semester that impacted my progress on my self-assigned projects.

My sister’s DEATH, anticipated though it was, was sobering as my birth family is all gone and so I mourn her and revisit the earlier loss of my parents. I have not tried to anticipate those feelings or wrap them up too neatly by writing about them. I knew there was going to be emotional energy but I could not anticipate the emotional energy required. So I have just allowed that process to unfold (as if I could stop it).

My trip to the GALAPAGOS was a cheerier distraction. I went to many Friday afternoon class sessions in preparation where I got to see the students form research projects and discuss more recent literature on evolutionary topics. I wasn’t the teacher nor was my engagement with the reading as practically driven as the students’, but I grew very fond of them even ahead of the bonding experience of the travel. There were airline woes and I was sick enough to be hospitalized in Quito for two days, the end result that our 11 days of travel resulted in only about 5 days on the Islands, one of which, for me, was given over to laying low. But it was glorious and I’m so glad I could be part of it.

I also joined a Substack class called JOURNEY IN PLACE which provides weekly readings and thought provoking writing prompts on this topic that is at the center of my pedagogy. Janisse Ray, our instructor, comes out of nature writing and directed us to adopt a place as a reference point. Ever the contrarian, my place is the Marquette hut’s beach/lake vistas. I have to visit it in my mind but that suits my historian’s interest in memory and meaning. My responses to the prompts is often therefore at a tangent. For all my interest in natural history and ecology, it’s probably true that my approach owes even more to human geography and JB Jackson’s ideas on the vernacular landscape. Our work on place is very human centered—and I’m inclined to keep people in nature too. I’ve not read my classmates’ contributions but take some pleasure, I confess, that they are reading and “liking” mine.

On to my assigned PROJECTS:

SELF-CARE continues to be a central activity and that attention pays off. Even at my sickest, I knew that the ancillary services at PALM would speed up my recovery. I didn’t workout as such for the week before we left and two weeks after, but I am back to a new routine that is transportable (with resistance bands) up north. I have begun alternating sauna/steam with the mats as part of my exercise recovery. And, we have home versions of the mats. I bet that yoga will be closer to daily rather than 2-3 times a week as it’s been.

My FICITION writing suffered as I wrote only about 3000 words in three clearly not sustained bursts. I had a crisis of confidence that I wasn’t much of a mystery novelist—and I probably am not. I am getting back on the bicycle by thinking of myself as a historical novelist, certainly the puzzles that intrigue me is laying my Darwin/Holmes universe across historical events. I run the risk of being pedantic, particularly in this episode which does include a murder but a criminologically uninteresting one. I may not find my rhythm again until we get up north, but this writing has always been a retirement project.

Fiction READING has gone very very well. I am up to date in a British series where the hero is a PhD ecologist but a sixth book is coming. I have another contemporary one going where she’s a forensic archaeologist; I’m about halfway through that one and the books are available even electronically from the public library. I’m buying Lawrence Block’s Matthew Scudder books and am also halfway through those. I typically read all those series books in a couple of days, so I slow myself down with genre adjacent literary fiction with one more of LeCarre’s Karla trilogy to go but mostly the Patrick O’Brian Aubrey/Maturin Royal Navy books set in the early 1800s. It is interesting to step away from solving a murder and even so get my bearings in a story. I’m interested in character development and overall arc of a series, so that’s fine. It even has me thinking about 19th century novels, particularly French ones, as I risk falling off the English Major Anonymous Wagon.

Like fiction, MUSIC is two fold, doing and appreciating.

My guitar PLAYING has been steadier than my ficition writing, but not as steady as my music writing. I found myself getting a bunch of tunes in my hands (that is I know, just know, what strings to pick and how to work within the chord shapes to get a melody) in the key of D, so drop D finally makes sense. I also recovered some flatpicking tunes from previous lessons to go with the three of six fiddle tunes from my Eric Skye tutorial. I will take the bass north as I hope that there is more time for playing there and that I can make some progress. The Drop D work might help with the scales that playing a non-chordal instrument draws on. I got a blues piano tutorial that may get me off square one on that instrument, but I can’t take the piano along. So that’s for the fall.

My music WRITING continues with some interesting growth as I wrote 47 of my souvenirs of performances (many of more than one show) plus three contributions to the WGTE Jazz Spectrum blog. I don’t know if there were half again as many performances as souvenirs, but I do watch lots of music. I’ve tried to recover some of the joy of experiencing the music, rather than watching to write, particularly when I revisit regular favorites. To use a baseball analogy, my scorecard is less extensive and I’m trying just to watch the game. The JS pieces are a bit more work as I am writing for a very good editor who nonetheless trims my wings. He makes the writing better, but, like joke telling and baseball hitting, if three out of ten of my attempts at stretching things succeed, then it’s a success. I try to do my editing after writing an exuberant draft with all the stretches in there. But, those drafts are more constricted than the souvenirs.

In the three months ahead with much less time devoted to school, I want to find ways to exercise and recover from same away from Palm, write fiction regularly, keep reading, play guitar and bass in systematic ways, and watch music and write about it as I always do. I will continue to Journey in Place having journeyed to northerly places, including the Place in Marquette.

That will be the subject of RC #4.