#spivey hall

[d-criss-news]

Via Jaquel Spivey's Instagram Story (February 6th, 2024)

[muldoonlives]

[itzmoss]

the mathletes can and will sing the entirety of The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny any chance they get

thank you for coming to my ted talk

[classicprowrestling]

American Starship vs Billy Graham & The Barbarian - 1985

[negative-speedforce]

Alright, your turn! If YOUR OCs starred in a movie, who would you pick to play them?

(I know you have a ton of OCs, feel free to just do the ones you can come up with a good answer for - I struggled to pick people for this and I have like half the OCs you do lol)

Alright so some of these people aren't actors or anything but they're definitely who I imagine the characters looking like-

Siv: Romy Flores, 100%. She's got the face, the nose, the "don't give a fuck" attitude. All she'd really need is gray contact lenses and either a haircut or a short wig.

Hailey: Lynk Lee isn't 100% perfect for Hailey, since Hailey has a more stocky, muscular build, but in the hypothetical movie, if she were to do some weight training, she could definitely do Hailey justice. Also, she'd need green/blue contacts for Hailey's post-death heterochromatic eyes.

Jay: Elliot Fletcher is the closest I can get to how I imagine Jay looking, though I would hypothetically want to cast someone who was both transmasc and physically disabled, since Jay is both.

Cassandra: Halle is absolutely perfect for Cassandra- though if she were to play the role, she'd need violet contacts for Cassandra's magic-corrupted eyes.

Arya: Cayley Spivey, 100%! This, but with elf ears and a shaggy mullet! (fun fact: Spivey was the fancast for Siv's original design)

Esme: Ava Max is my current fancast for her. She's got the bleach blonde hair, the "party girl" vibe and the angular yet cutesy face.

Gina: Ilianna Ayala Garcia would make a pretty good Gina, imo, though she's a little older than the actual Gina was when she died, what movie doesn't have a 20-something playing a teen?

Ember: Marina Summers, a queen who starred in S1 of Drag Race Philippines, is absolutely perfect for Ember!

Cat: Even though she doesn't necessarily look entirely like Cat, I've never been able to imagine anyone but Anna Cathcart as her. I think its just the vibes lol.

Kyle: This random-ass hockey player from Minnesota, Ryan Johnson, has been my faceclaim for Kyle since I first created the character.

Max: Heng Sokvisal makes a pretty good Max, just slap on a pair of glasses and we're good to go!

Khalil: Shameik Moore makes the perfect Khalil imo. No comments, just vibes. (though since Khalil works as a makeup artist I'd definitely give him some gold eyeliner or something)

Reggie: Winnie Harlow's pretty much perfect for Reggie, though she'd need blue contacts because Reggie has xer dad's eyes.

Ameerah: Amandla Stenberg makes an absolutely amazing Ameerah, I'd definitely want her to have the light blonde hair like in the picture, and she'd need pink contacts to match Ameerah's description.

Rania: Denise Bidot, 10000000%. She's been my faceclaim for her for like, FOREVER.

Director Hawke: Julianne Moore, specifically in her "President Coin" look. Director Hawke was loosely based on President Coin, so I've always imagined her looking somewhat like her.

Meredith: Rachel Zegler, but with glasses and lighter brown hair.

Onnie: Same as Siv lol it's her multiversal variant

Jessi: Same as Esme, multiversal variant

Pippa: Veondre Mitchell is the perfect Pippa! She was actually the one who I initially based Pippa's appearance off of.

Hyun-Ki: Park Sung-Hoon is a pretty good Hyun-Ki. From his dramatic looks to his honestly kinda gorgeous voice. I don't doubt he'd make a great Hyun-Ki

Thalia: Teyonah Parris is Thalia, there's no doubt about it. Ever since I watched Wandavision and saw her as Monica Rambeau, I knew that she'd be perfect to play Thalia in her hypothetical movie.

Reyna: K-Pop soloist AleXa is a pretty good fancast for her, though she'd need some pretty good SFX makeup or CGI due to Reyna being a near-human felid species.

Athena: Alaqua Cox (AKA Echo from Hawkeye) is how I imagine Athena looks, but with a white streak in the front of her hair (and a lot more seductive of an aesthetic)

Laila: Youtuber Beth Crowley is my faceclaim for Laila, though as Laila I'd want her to either don a short bob or a short wig, and amber contacts.

Marie: Mayu Maeshima is a great faceclaim for Marie, though she'd need SFX makeup for Marie's Romulan features and her Borg implants.

Qiara: Due to Qiara's nature as a being of pure energy, she doesn't necessarily take the same form at all times. However, the one she frequents the most could very well be portrayed by Chiquis Rivera.

Liah: Raquel Rodriguez would make a great Liah, she has the right height and build for her, she would just need SFX makeup for Liah's Cardassian features, and hazel contacts.

Samira: Desiree Akhavan would make a pretty good Samira. She definitely fits how I imagine Samira to look, and she's got the right vibe to play her as well.

Sohelia: Golshifteh Farahani is a pretty good faceclaim for Sohelia, though she'd need some light makeup to make her skin more ashy, due to Sohelia being half-vampire.

Vanessa: Storm Reid is absolutely perfect for Vanessa, though for most of the movie she'd be replaced with either a puppet or CGI double for her monster form.

Dolores: Diane Guerrero is perfect for Dolores. She'd just need some minor makeup in order to look more like a vampire, i.e. ashy skin, red eyes, fangs, etc.

I don't have faceclaims for Eric, Jacob, Antonio, Cory, Soraya, Aldrich, Matt, or Victorie yet.

[abbatoirablaze]

Back To You, Chapter 3

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: implied sex, angst

“Victor…wh-“

But he cut off your questions with his lips slamming into yours, his weight pushing you past the entryway and against the hall’s length.  You sighed, both relaxing into his grasp and returning the same hunger and passion that he’d attacked you with. 

The soft fabric of his grey t-shirt felt soft beneath your fingertips.  One hand slid beneath his shirt and into his jeans, while the other slipped around his neck. 

He moaned into your mouth, breaking the kiss. 

With hooded eyes, you looked up at him.  His lips were parted as he watched your every move.  He was like a tiger watching his prey, figuring out when the best chance to pounce was. 

“Beth-“

“We don’t have to talk, Victor…I-I don’t want to talk about whatever it is you came to say…” you trailed off, the words leaving your lips before you had time to process it, “we both know why you came over…”

“Beth…”

“Make love to me Victor!”

You stroked his hardening length and he hissed, his eyes shutting as he instinctively bucked towards you.  He groaned, pushing his body towards yours, pushing you back against the wall.  His hands reached down, pulling yours away from his cock. 

He shook his head, swallowing down the anxiety of being around you in the vulnerable state that he was currently in, “I need to feel you, baby.”

“Victor-“ 

“I need to feel safe again!” he all but begged, “I need to be inside you, Bethany!”

The words nearly broke your heart, and you couldn’t help but feel the tears instantly pricking at your eyes. 

Victor Tan, despite everything was as safe as you’d ever felt.  Being with him was like being home, wrapped up in your coziest sweater, tucked away all warm and safe from the rest of the world. 

“Please…” he begged softly. 

You nodded, sniffling away the tears, and you pulled him towards your own body once more, pressing your lips to his. 

Victor didn’t want to leave. 

After everything that had gone down with Buck, he just felt like he needed to be wrapped up in your arms for the rest of eternity. 

The mission in itself had been a nightmare.  And you were the only person that came to the forefront of his mind when all was said and done.  So, after the crew broke apart for the evening, his first reaction was to drive to your house.

To be with you in the only way that made sense. 

The only way that he truly ever felt safe and loved and wanted.

But now he had to go back to reality, despite how much his heart begged him to just lay in bed until the end of time with you.  Not just because you were the only woman that he ever truly loved, but because his reality had become far too harsh in the past twelve hours.

He didn’t know what his team was about to go through. 

He didn’t know what his team leader was about to go through. 

But he had a vague idea.

They all did.

No one wanted to be in Buck Spivey’s position.

An innocent bystander was shot in the fray of their mission not even twelve hours ago.  Not just that, but an innocent, black kid.  No doubt the press would eat the story up.  Tensions were already crazy in the city, but Buck was a middle-aged white male, and he shot a black seventeen-year-old. 

Victor knew that the morning ahead would be a rocky one. 

Knew that in just a few hours he’d be in HQ and his whole squad would probably be in dress blues and Mumford would take over the case.  That much Deacon was sure about. 

Deacon. 

If anything happened to Spivey, he knew that Deacon would be next in command, shifting everyone up.  Deacon would lead 20 squad and Hondo would be his second. That would be a rough change in itself, losing Buck. 

“Victor…”

His head snapped in your direction.  And suddenly the guilt gnawed at him. 

He’d allowed himself to get lost in the past few hours with you, allowed himself to feel every single emotion he’d pushed away for the past eight years, only to be brought back to the light in the culmination of the evening’s events.

You had every right to turn him away. 

Hell, he knew that you had every right to not even answer the door. 

But you’d accepted him as though he’d never done anything wrong to you.  Accepted him as though you two were still together.  He knew that you could read him like a picture book.  And he knew that you would know he’d had a day he couldn’t talk about, couldn’t process. 

But those few hours had allowed him the time to process…to feel guilty about what he’d just done.  How he broke every rule he’d had in his head, telling himself that he was going to never burden you again. 

His throat ached, and he instantly pushed back the tears that wanted to fall when you called for him. 

He’d been changed and dressed, standing in front of your bed for the past few minutes.  He didn’t want to leave.

“Hey…”

“You’re leaving…aren’t you?” you asked gently, sitting up in your bed.  You wrapped the blankets around your naked form, suddenly feeling your own insecurities creeping back into your relationship, or lack thereof.

“Beth…”

“I knew I shouldn’t have answered…” you murmured, your heart breaking as you looked at his stoney face.  You bit your bottom lip, and he knew that you were holding back your own tears.  He gave no reaction to how he felt, and you pulled your blankets tighter, “what?  Were you just standing there waiting for my reaction?  Wanted to make sure that I saw you leave?”

“Bethany, that’s not-“

“You’re unbelievable,” you scoffed, a lone tear streaking down your face as you pointed towards the door, “Jus-just get it over with and leave then Victor…”

“Beth, I-“

“I don’t want to hear your excuses Victor,” you frowned, “the only time we ever see each other is when something happens with your job, and you come over.  All you’ve ever done is use me when you feel low.  I’ve been in love with you since we were children, and you’re the one that broke that up.  You’re the one that always runs away…but I’m the idiot who opens the door when you come running back.”

“You’re not an idiot, Beth-“ he began, stepping forward until he was at the foot of the bed. 

“Stop!” you whispered, cutting him off, “just stop, Victor.  I don’t want to hear it…jus-just get out, Victor…and do us both a favor…don’t come back.  Next time something bad happens…just don’t come back.”

“Beth-“

“I said get out, Victor,” you cried, “Please…just leave!”

Chapter 4

[kudosmyhero]

Legends of the Dark Knight (vol. 1) #66: Going Sane, part 2: Swimming Lessons

Read Date: April 19, 2023 Cover Date: December 1994 ● Writer: J.M. DeMatteis ● Penciler: Joe Staton ● Inker: Steve Mitchell ● Colorist: (Digital Chameleon) ● Letterer: Willie Schubert ● Editor: Archie Goodwin ◦ Jim Spivey ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers

Reactions As I Read: ● ugh, Joker kissing on the cover. despite Harley Quinn and all that, I always feel a little weird seeing Joker kissing someone. he seems like such a deeply unsexual being to me. ● has it been three weeks-ish since the end of the last issue?? ● my heart! poor Alfred looks so lost! ● carrying the groceries to her place is one thing. coming inside and putting the groceries away for her is way overstepping, considering you two literally just met ● unless Alfred is using all his skills to make excuses, surely Bruce Wayne’s absence has been noticed. well… the man does leave the country often enough. maybe Alfred just has to say that he’s in the Alps again or something. ● the Bat-signal goes unanswered… ● this B-story with Rebecca and Joseph is sweet. too sweet to last… ● Joseph Kerr… ● gah, I wanna give Alfred a hug!

● I wanna give Gordon a hug, too. Bat-signal unanswered yet again. ● Batman returns! the smile of Alfred’s face <3 ● the art style still isn’t my favorite, otherwise it might have been a 5-clapper ● 👏👏👏👏

Synopsis: Three weeks have passed since the Joker kidnapped Councilwoman Elizabeth Kenner. Captain Gordon is in his office watching the news. Reports of a brutally beaten and strangled body being fished out of Gotham Bay are followed by Kenner making comments about Captain Gordon, taking him to task about not apprehending the Joker as well as the unknown fate of Batman. While looking at a picture of Joker on the Batcomputer, Alfred also wonders if Joker indeed killed him.

Joker has been living in an apartment in Park Ridge, the very same site as his bombing, since his last encounter with Batman. He has deluded himself into inventing a generic name for himself, Joseph Kerr, and that he just moved to Gotham City from someplace he cannot seem to remember. He has himself believe that he just lost his parents, his apartment paid for by an inheritance from their deaths, supposedly has a job working for an accounting firm, and is taking medication for his skin condition, living life as an average everyday guy. He immediately bumps into a pretty young woman from across the hall named Rebecca Brown and the two are instantly attracted to one another.

Weeks pass and Alfred still wonders if indeed Batman is dead, while Gordon continues to hear Kenner's harsh comments towards him and Batman's fate, as well as keeping the faith by having the Bat-Signal lit. Joseph and Rebecca have become a happy couple who enjoy the same things such as old comedic reels and radio shows from the 1930s and 1940s. However, kinks start to appear in the sanity of Joseph as he suffers from horrible nightmares and comes across various links to his former life as Joker.

The body in the bay is identified as Dr. Elias Bruckner; a plastic surgeon who specialized in new faces for criminals. His being seen for the last time with the Joker right after the Comedia Theater was destroyed further fuels rumors of Joker still being at large in the city as well as Batman being dead. On the television news, the tension between Gordon and Kenner becomes white-hot, while Alfred tries his best to tend to the manor. Joseph is watching this same newscast, which causes him to become angry, almost hitting Rebecca in the process. He is able to stop himself from going through with it, but runs out of the apartment and into the elevator, giving in a little to his former persona. Gordon finally turns off the Bat Signal one night.

More weeks pass and Rebecca wakes up to a room of flowers and a happy Joseph, who proposes marriage to her. An ecstatic Rebecca accepts his proposal. Unable to sleep, Alfred descends into the Batcave when suddenly a familiar voice calls his name. He turns to see Batman who proclaims his return.

(https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Batman:_Legends_of_the_Dark_Knight_Vol_1_66)

Fan Art: The Joker's Calling Card by No-Sign-of-Sanity

Accompanying Podcast: ● Batbooks for Beginners - episode 12

[siansfashion]

Music in the 1920s 

The 1920s was the beginning of the modern music era.

Popular Dance Bands:

Paul Whiteman

Nat Shilkret

Ben Bernie

Ben Selvin

Isham Jones

Fletcher Henderson

Leo Reisman

Ted Lewis

Rudy Vallee

Vincent Lopez

Jazz music was very popular in the 1920s. Jazz music was very important because it influenced fashion, dances, accepted moral standards, youth culture and race relations. Jazz was the defining sound and style of the 1920s and has continued to be a popular art form that has a constantly changing musical landscape.

Popular Jazz Musicians:

Louis Armstrong

Duke Ellington

Jelly Roll Morton

Red Hot Poppers

Bix Beiderbecke

Benny Goodman

Fats Waller

Marion Harris

Adelaide Hall

Count Basie

King Oliver

Blues music likely originated in the African American communities in the Deep Southern states of the US. It's characterised by repeating chords and 1920s blues focused on a twelve bar structure. Blues has remained popular since the 1920s and has changed and evolved with its own trends over time.

Popular Blues Musicians:

Mamie Smith

Ma Rainey

Bessie Smith

Lonnie Johnson

Blind Lemon Jefferson

Jimmie Rodgers

Victoria Spivey

Sara Martin

By 1923, synchronised sound in films was making great strides in the development of the technology and the first short films with synchronised sound were being created. By the mid to late 1920s the first full-length talking moves ("talkies"), were being created and commercialised. With the advert of talking movies, the next natural step would be musicals. Prior to the creation of talking films, musicals were often originated in the theatrical Broadway area of New York City. Broadway became a place where talented performers, composers, writers and musicians gathered to create new art together. When musical films were not directly taken from stage musicals, they often took Broadway as a subject and a back drop, taking place in the world of the stage.

Popular Broadway Stars

Eddie Cantor

Sophie Tucker

Fanny Brice

Helen Morgan

Ethel Waters

Florence Mills

Marilyn Miller

Al Jolson

Harvard Referencing

THE PEOPLE HISTORY. (N/A) 1920s Music History Including Twenties Styles, Brands and Artists. [Online] Available from: https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/20smusic.html. [Accessed: 8th December 2022].

Fig 1. TENNANT, A. (N/A) 1920s Radios and Music in America. [Photograph] Available from: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/1920s-radio-music-america. [Accessed: 9th December 2022].

[femme-fatale-sasuke]

Kenyon Glover to be Honored with His Own Day during special ‘Hall of Honor’ recognition during Neville High School’s 2022 Homecoming Festivities

Kenyon Glover, Author, Actor, Filmmaker, Athlete, Motivational Speaker, Minister and Businessman is set to be honored in a Homecoming Celebration in his native Monroe, Louisiana.

 On Oct. 7, 2022, the former NBA basketball player will be visiting Monroe to be honored by the city for his achievements. Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis will confer an honorary proclamation citing Oct. 7 as Kenyon Glover Day in his hometown.  

 Glover is also set to receive Hall of Honor recognition for demonstrated excellence in personal accomplishment, professional achievement, humanitarian service and for being a star student during his time at Neville High School. He will be honored at Neville during the Homecoming festivities beginning at 7:45 a.m. in the school auditorium.

 “I am deeply honored. This is such a dream come true. To receive this recognition on behalf of Neville where some of my fondest life lessons were taught is truly incredible. And to be receiving my own day in a place where I was born and raised is epic,” Glover said.

 Glover, a former Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball player, was involved as a student athlete at Neville. "We are always glad to spotlight our alumni. We're looking forward to having Mr. Glover back home at Neville and honoring him," said Dana Jefferson, the Executive Director at Neville Alumni and Friends Association.

 Following the Homecoming Pep Rally where he will be recognized, Glover is expected to speak to The Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Saturday, Oct. 8, Glover will make service contributions as part of a “Give Back Saturday'' campaign where he will be partnering with Neville Junior High School’s athletic department to host basketball try-outs beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the school gymnasium.

 The former Lee Junior High Middle School turned Neville Junior High Middle School graduate will be speaking with the athletes during a media day press event beginning at 2:30 p.m. on the campus. Shelton Spivey, the Head Coach at Neville Junior High, said “I know Kenyon well. He was my classmate. I look forward to having him come and speak with our students and working with him on this outreach project for our young athletes.”

 Glover is heavily involved in many other philanthropic and community projects. In the past, he has partnered with other schools, universities and nonprofit organizations to reach back, which is a huge part of his platform consisting of mentoring and making a difference in the community.

 “I’m glad to have an opportunity to partner with Coach Spivey and Monroe City Schools in any way possible that I can help to drive change and bring focus to topics that will inspire and motivate students,” said Glover.

 Under his leadership, Glover has been at the forefront of spreading positive, encouraging, and empowering messages across social media and in person visits around the world.

 Glover is the CEO of Faithful & Focused Ministries, a Christian foundation based in the United States. He recently launched a Podcast on Spotify bearing the same name, and hopes to teach teens and others about the warning signs of depression, suicide awareness and prevention, and empower others to live out their dreams.

 The successful businessman has also developed a media empire, KG Films, a full scale media and film company that produces high quality content for film and television. Through his production company, he showcases faith-based messages and actively works in partnership with the entertainment community to launch traditional and new media projects.

 In addition to his leadership role as an entrepreneur, Glover is also a current Fitness Trainer, with past accomplishments in the martial arts. He created the brand “Fitness Beats Depression” and has been using his fitness talents to reach a new audience as he champions mental health awareness. His initiatives are an ongoing effort to reduce the stigma around mental illness and mental health, focused on social well-being, by sharing his own personal experiences.

 Glover is also an award-winning author. His latest book “RESPIRE: The Black Male Anthology: Stories of Black Men Who Recovered Hope, Courage, and Strength after a Time of Difficulty'' is a testament to Glover's life and how he has used his gifts and talents to turn tragedy into triumph.  

 For more information on the Oct. 7 event contact Lynda McMahan with The City of Monroe at 318-329-2227 or Lynda.McMahan@ci.monroe.la.us. The event will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/c/NevilleTigerNetwork.

 For more information on Kenyon Glover visit https://www.kenyonglover.net

 The City of Monroe

Lynda McMahan

318-329-2227

Lynda.McMahan@ci.monroe.la.us

United States

[ultraheydudemestuff]

Karamu House

2355 E. 89th St.

Cleveland, OH

Karamu House at 2355 East 89th Street, in Cleveland, Ohio, in the Fairfax neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland was built in 1952, was designed by Small, Smith, Reeb, Draz, architects, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest producing Black Theatre in the United States opening in 1915. Many of Langston Hughes's plays were developed and premiered at the theater.

In 1915, Russell and Rowena Woodham Jelliffe, graduates of Oberlin College in nearby Oberlin, Ohio, founded what was then called The Neighborhood Association at 2239 E. 38th St.; establishing it as a place where people of all races, creeds, and religions could find common ground. The Jelliffes discovered in their early years, that the arts provided the common ground, and in 1917 plays at the "Playhouse Settlement" began.

The early twenties saw a large number of African Americans move into an area in Cleveland, from the Southern United States. Resisting pressure to exclude their new neighbors, the Jelliffes insisted that all races were welcome. They used the United States Constitution; "all men are created equal." What was then called the Playhouse Settlement quickly became a magnet for some of the best African American artists of the day. Actors, dancers, print makers, and writers all found a place where they could practice their crafts. Karamu was also a contributor to the Harlem Renaissance, and Langston Hughes roamed the halls.

Reflecting the strength of the Black influence on its development, the Playhouse Settlement was officially renamed Karamu House in 1941. Karamu is a word in the Kiswahili language meaning "a place of joyful gathering." Karamu House had developed a reputation for nurturing black actors having carried on the mission of the Gilpin Players, a black acting troupe whose heyday predated Karamu. Directors such as John Kenley, of the Kenley Players, and John Price, of Musicarnival— a music "tent" theater located in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb — recruited black actors for their professional productions.

In 1931, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston were negotiating with the Jelliffes to produce Mule Bone, their two act collaboration, when the two writers "fell out." A series of conversations between the Hughes and Hurston estates, the Ethel Barrymore Theatre presented the world premiere of Mule Bone on Broadway in 1991. Finally, sixty-five years after the production was originally proposed, Karamu House presented Mule Bone (The Bone Of Contention) as the 1996–1997 season finale. Karamu's production, directed by Sarah May, played to standing room only audiences in the Proscenium (Jelliffe) Theatre. The by-line in The Plain Dealer, as the Cleveland theatre season came to its end read: "Karamu returns to Harlem Renaissance status." Critic Marianne Evett shared Karamu's success story as the theatre began to recover from past hardships. The revival Karamu House needed so desperately had arrived. During this time, playwright and two time Emmy nominee Margaret Ford-Taylor held the position of executive director, and Sarah May, Director in Residence.

The Karamu House Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 17, 1982. From October 2003 to March 2016, Terrence Spivey served as Karamu's artistic director. Tony F. Sias currently serves as CEO + President, Aseelah Shareef serves as COO + Vice President. In 2017, a major renovation of the facility was undertaken. The architect Robert P. Madison International, Ohio's first African American-owned architectural firm, founded by Cleveland architect Robert P. Madison, lead the 14.5 million dollar renovation. This included a new streetscape, bistro, patio, and enclosed outdoor stage; as well as updates to the Arena Theater, lobby, and dressing rooms.

[verdiprati]

Notes on Sarah Connolly’s recital at Spivey Hall

I am in the middle of a music marathon month, traveling every weekend in March to hear live music. Between the travel, travel preparations, travel recovery (read: laundry), general domestic upkeep, and working full time on the weekdays, I have not had much time to sit and write down my reflections on the music I’ve heard. I managed to write some personal notes on Dead Man Walking only because I sacrificed half a night of sleep, writing between midnight and 3:00 a.m. after getting back from Washington.

Anyway, here is my first attempt to catch up and write down some thoughts on my music adventures before they fade completely.

I am so glad I went to Sarah Connolly’s recital with Joseph Middleton at Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia on March 11 of this year. (I put a curtain call pic here and another on Twitter if you want to go find it—I won’t link to my real-name Twitter account from Tumblr.) Sarah is always magnificent in recital but I personally would rate this as my favorite recital—by any artists—that I’ve ever yet attended. 

I think it was my favorite partly because of the frame of mind I was in. Before the recital, my husband and I went to a pre-concert talk on Copland’s Emily Dickinson songs by Clayton State music professor Kurt-Alexander Zeller. It was the perfect pre-concert talk for an art song recital: nothing terribly abstruse nor musicologically groundbreaking, but very informative for a general audience and attentive to the relationship between words and music. Prof. Zeller spoke about Copland’s biography and Dickinson’s, then nicely explicated a couple of the songs. I particularly remember him illustrating on the piano how, in “Nature, the gentlest mother,” the piano part represents the sounds and activities of the natural world while the voice acts more like the restraining maternal hand. 

Even though the talk focused on the Emily Dickinson songs, I think it really primed my brain for picking up on the relationship between music and poetry throughout the different repertoire choices of the whole recital. I could almost picture little flashes of light inside my head, like the glowing spots on a brain scan, as I had tiny little “aha” moments one after another.

It was also probably my favorite ever recital for emotional impact and connection with the singer. Sarah Connolly is always wonderful at engaging with her audience: “She WILL look you in the eye,” I told some friends ahead of Sarah’s recital at Park Avenue Armory. But since the Spivey Hall recital was (regrettably, due to Clayton State’s spring break and a competing choral event) rather sparsely attended, and since I was sitting in the center of Row E on a raked floor with an empty seat in front of me, I got even more eye contact than usual from Sarah. I actually had trouble keeping my eyes on her during the long piano coda for "Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan" because she was looking right at me for the first part of it and silently telegraphing pain so intensely that it was hard to be on the receiving end of it. After a couple of quick glances away, though, I locked my eyes on hers and mentally opened myself up as an empathetic receiver of the emotion for several seconds (that felt very long) until she shifted her gaze. I felt the sadness so much that when the piano music ended and it came time to applaud, I had trouble bringing my face back from what I am sure must have been a very grim look, even though Sarah herself had broken the “Frauenliebe” character and was smiling for her bows.

Now THAT is something you don't get from listening to an album or even a live radio broadcast. I feel so lucky to have the means to attend great recitals from time to time. 

A few other memories that stand out from the Spivey Hall recital:

I think my response to Frauenliebe und -leben was uniquely shaped this time by the fact that I have had my wedding since the last time I heard Frauenliebe in recital. As Sarah sang "Helft mir, ihr Schwestern, Freundlich mich schmücken" I could not help but think of how, for the dancing at my wedding reception, I changed out of my long-trained wedding gown and into a more danceable dress that had been given to me by a good friend. Even though I didn’t have a gaggle of Schwestern beautifying me for my wedding, I had that freundlich gift, and I loved it. 

In the Dickinson songs, I especially remember my brain lighting up for “The Chariot.” I had heard Sarah Connolly sing the same selection of Dickinson songs at Alice Tully Hall two years ago, and “The Chariot” was a revelation to me then, but I still got an exciting new take on it this time around. 

For whatever reason, different aspects of the music came to my attention this time. I noticed the slow-ambling clip-clop rhythm in the piano part as played by Joseph Middleton, and that made me suddenly get a new view of the poem as a nineteenth-century courting ritual. The clip-clop reminded me of certain passages in a historic personal diary that I worked on a few years ago. The diary recorded (among many other episodes) the story of the writer’s courtship with his future wife in a small southern U.S. city in the 1880s. He had hardly any money and was struggling to establish a law career; his beloved, the “belle of the town,” was the daughter of a wealthy man who was less than enthusiastic about his daughter’s romance with the impecunious upstart lawyer. To evade the glowering patriarch’s scrutiny, the diarist used to hire an inexpensive horse-drawn cart for the afternoon and pick up his “belle” for long drives. It was on one such drive that he made a momentous confession of his love to her and she accepted it in return, effectively changing the course of their lives towards marriage. It was a scene of such great importance in the diary that he referred back to it decades later. Well, for some reason, even though I had studied Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death” (a.k.a. “The Chariot”) in some depth in college, it had never occurred to me to imagine the poem’s situation as a courtship scene, but suddenly while listening to Copland’s musical setting of Dickinson’s drive with death, it linked up in my mind with this diarist’s courting drives, giving me a new understanding of the poem. 

Copland’s setting of “The Chariot” ends with a very long-held note for the singer. I wrote about this note in my Alice Tully recital impressions, but it wasn’t until I heard it at Spivey Hall, where Sarah Connolly sustained it for an impossible-seeming two or three seconds beyond the silencing of the piano, that I suddenly clued in to the way the final syllable in eternity is held for a seeming eternity. Duh. It seems like a really basic and obvious point about the construction of the song, but I had previously noticed the general mood of the note in Sarah’s singing of it, not its relationship to the text. One can always learn something new!

[just-little-fsc-things]

FSC Gothic

·       Everywhere you go, someone waves at you. That’s a perk of a small campus, I guess. But who are these people? Where are their faces?

·       Your roommate always asks you if you want to go to one of the events this weekend. The weekend never comes.

·       “What’d you get on The Exam this morning?” they asked. There was no exam this morning. You don’t have class with this person. A few weeks later, you see you got an A.

·       Mocsie was found dead in Miami. A new one takes his place before the day is over. No one notices the difference.

·       You pass the water dome at night and try to ignore Frank Lloyd Wright, staring at you from the watery abyss.

·       Everyone ends up on top of Polk Science eventually.

·       Spivey Jr. pushed you down the stairs. You don’t even live in JR. How did you get here?

·       Your reflection in the Meditation Garden pool is not always the right person. Don’t think too hard about it.

·       Ignore the noises from the greenhouses. Whatever you do, don’t let them out.

[boobie-fem-x]

Women in Music: 1920s

Ive been reading a lot about important women in music and have decided to make a series of articles about important women in music. If anyone likes reading this, please let me know what musical eras you’d like to see next! Im putting this under a read more as it will be a longer post.

First up is Victoria Spivey. (1906-1976)

Victoria was a blues singer, composer, pianist, and songwriter. Her first recording was ‘Black Snake Blues’ in 1926. She also starred in the film Hallelujah (1929) and became more popular as a result. She started her own label in 1961 called Spivey Records to produce her own music. She recorded with Bob Dylan.

Mamie Smith (1883-1946)

Mamie Smith was the first black female to record the blues. In 1920, she recorded ”Crazy Blues,” which is considered to be the first ever blues recording. It was widely successful and sold around 75,000 copies. She was performed on stage and in film as well as musically.

Ma Rainey 1886-1939

Ma Rainey, also known as the ‘Mother of the Blues,’ was a popular entertainer and singer. She was massively popular in the 1920’s blues craze. Daphane Harrison wrote that, "Her ability to capture the mood and essence of Black rural southern life of the 1920s quickly endeared her to throngs of followers throughout the South." She befriended Bessie Smith while they both performed with the Moses Stokes Troupe in 1912, but had little influence on her singing style. In 1916 after seperating from her husband, she toured with her own band (Madame Gertrude Ma Rainey and her Georgia Smart Sets). In 1923 she recorded for Paramount label. She was known as a shrewd businesswoman during the five-year period she recorded for that label. Her music dealt with topics such as promiscuity, work, travel, heartbreak, and other things.

Bessie Smith (1894-1937)

Bessie Smith, known as the ‘Empress of the Blues.’ Her first public appearance was made at age 8 or 9. She began her singing career at a very young age and was one of if not the most popular blues singer of the 1920’s. She signed to Columbia records in 1923 and began recording with some of the greatest jazz musicians of the time, including Louis Armstrong. Her fame faded in the late 1920’s with the start of the Great Depression. The only known recorded video footage of Smith is St Louis Blues (1929) which is a film based on her song. She looked down on using microphones, and was known for her contralto voice and a deep intense emotional style. She died in an automobile accident, and is said that if she were white she would have been given medical treatment that would save her life. She has been inducted in the Rock and Roll hall of fame and the Blues hall of fame.

sources cited:

(1) tshaonline.org

(2) blackpast.org

(3) biography.com

(4) britannica.com

[duggardata]

The Next 6 Months:  April—September 2021

Here we go again...  It’s this month’s installment of the Next 6 Months!  Coming up—

What happened in March / Early April 2021?  Was it early, late, or what?

Did anyone miss a deadline in March?  Who?  For what?

What’s expected to happen from now through September 2021?

Latest Events—

Jed Duggar + Katey Nakatsu got married in Arkansas on April 3, 2021, after a short engagement, even by Duggar standards.  Sounds like they been together for ~1 Year, but their Courtposal Date isn’t known.

Denver Bontrager + Praise Helferich got married in Iowa on March 20, 2021.  They’d been courting since June 2020, engaged in November.

Jana Duggar + Stephen Wissmann are widely believed to be courting, or at least in some kind of relationship.  Neither Jana, Stephen, nor their families has confirmed this; however, there’s evidence that Stephen was at both Justin and Jed’s Weddings, and that Jana celebrated Christmas 2020 with Stephen’s Family.

Just Missed A Deadline—

Esther (Keller) + John Shrader were due to announce Pregnancy #13 on March 31, 2021, but they didn’t.  They are next due to announce on May 21, 2021 (+0.5 SD).

Already ‘late’ for Pregnancy #2, Si + Lauren (Swanson) Duggar didn’t announce on their +1.0 SD Date (March 26, 2021), either.  They’re now expected to announce on June 4, 2021 (+1.5 SDs).

Like Si + Lauren, Sierra + Mark Dominguez also missed another ‘due date’ on March 25, 2021, when they failed to announce Pregnancy #8.  They’re next due to announce on June 2, 2021 (+2.0 SDs).

What’s Next (April—September 2021)—

04–09–21   Jesse + Anna (Craig) Maxwell announce Pregnancy #1.  (0.5 SDs Late!)

04–23–21   Travis Clark proposes to Katie Bates.  (1.0 SD Late!)

04–26–21   Carlin (Bates) + Evan Stewart announce Pregnancy #2.  (1.5 SD Late!)

04–30–21   Mary Carol Maxwell starts courting.  (0.5 SD Late!)

05–17–21   Helferich #1 born to Allison (Bontrager) + Jeremiah Helferich.  (Note—This is extremely speculative.  Allison hasn’t shared much about her Due Date...  Not even which month it’s in.)

05–18–21   Kaylee Rodrigues starts courting.  (0.5 SD Late!)

05–19–21   Courtney + Christopher Rogers announce Pregnancy #12.

05–21–21   Esther (Keller) + John Shrader announce Pregnancy #13.  (0.5 SD Late!)

05–22–21   Caldwell #9 born to Paul + Christina (Hamrick) Caldwell.

05–29–21   Trace Bates starting courting.  (0.5 SD Late!)

05–29–21   Chelsy (Bontrager) + John Maxwell announce Pregnancy #3.

06–02–21   Sierra + Mark Dominguez announce Pregnancy #8.  (2.0 SDs Late!)

06–04–21   Josiah + Lauren (Swanson) Duggar announce Pregnancy #2.  (1.5 SDs Late!)

06–12–21   Smith #3 (Charlotte Raine) born to Tori (Bates) + Bobby Smith.

06–13–21   John + Abbie (Burnett) Duggar announce Pregnancy #2.

06–16–21   Nathan + Nurie (Rodrigues) Keller do a Sex Reveal for Keller–Rodrigues #1.

06–17–21   Stephen Wissmann proposes to Jana Duggar.  (Note—This is based on a Courtposal Date of Christmas 2020, which is just a very, very rough estimate.  We honestly have no idea when they started courting, if they indeed are courting.  Maybe they aren’t!  We don’t know!)

06–17–21   Kristen + Justin Young announce Pregnancy #4.

06–18–21   Bates–Perkins #4 (Jayden Carl) born to Zach + Whitney (Perkins) Bates.

06–18–21   Lauren Caldwell marries Titus Hall.  (Note—Since the families haven’t mentioned the pair in months, it’s pretty doubtful that his is going to happen, at this point.  But, who knows, right?)

06–22–21   Nathan Bates proposes to Esther Keyes.

06–22–21   Balka #2* (Hazel Sloane) born to Josie (Bates) + Kelton Balka.

07–07–21   Josh + Anna (Keller) Duggar announce Pregnancy #7.

07–15–21   Seewald #4* born to Jessa (Duggar) + Ben Seewald.  (Note—Again, this is pretty speculative.  She hasn’t revealed her due date.)

08–04–21   Meagan (Forsyth) + Bobby Ballinger announce Pregnancy #4.

08–06–21   Priscilla (Keller) + David Waller announce Pregnancy #6.

08–13–21   Joy (Duggar) + Austin Forsyth announce Pregnancy #3.

08–27–21   Katie Bates + Travis Clark get married.

08–28–21   Josh + Cassidy (Bowers) Bontrager announce Pregnancy #3.

08–31–21   Justin + Claire (Spivey) Duggar announce Pregnancy #1.

08–31–21   Renee Rodrigues starts courting.

09–03–21   Lauren (Caldwell) + Titus Hall announce Pregnancy #1.

09–09–21   Mary Carol Maxwell gets engaged.

09–17–21   Karissa + Mandrae Collins announce Pregnancy #10.

09–18–21   Jana Duggar marries Stephen Wissmann.  (Yes, really!)

09–22–21   Stewart #2 born to Carlin (Bates) + Evan Stewart.

Nothing New For—

Here’s the list of individuals and couples who are actively part of the Predictor, but nothing is forecast for the Next 6 Months—

Bateses   Lawson + Tiffany, Alyssa + John, Jackson to Jeb

Bontragers   Mitchell + Bryn, Carson + Carolina, Denver + Praise, Taylor to Rebecca

Caldwells   Kendra + Joe, Micah to Isaiah    

Duggars   JingJer, Joe + Kendra, Jed + Katey, Jer to James, Jackson to Josie

Kellers   Nathan + Nurie

Maxwells   Joseph + Elissa, Anna Elizabeth

Rodriguii   Nurie + Nathan, Timothy, Phillip to Janessa

... and, the following individuals or couples are not subject to active prediction for a variety of reasons from presumed infertility or non–marriage, to illness, to birth control use, to not being quiverfull (QF)—

Bateses   Gil + Kelly Jo, Michaela (Bates) + Brandon Keilen, Erin (Bates) + Chad Paine

Bontragers   Marlin + Becky

Duggars   Jim Bob + Michelle, Jill + Derick

Kellers   Mike + Suzette, Rebekah, Daniel, Susanna, David

Maxwells   Steve + Teri, Nathan + Melanie, Chris + Anna Marie, Sarah

Rodriguii   J–Rod + David

[fundieinfoplace]

The Duggar Family

James Robert Duggar was born July 18 1965

Michelle Annette Ruark was born Sept 13 1966. They married July 21 1984 and had 19 children.

.

1. Joshua James was born Mar 3 1988

00. Caleb Ryan Jan 1989

2. Jana Marie was born Jan 12 1990

3. John David was born Jan 12 1990

4. Jill Michelle was born May 17 1991

5. Jessa Lauren was born Nov 4 1992

6. Jinger Nicole was born Dec 21 1993

7. Joseph Garrett was born Jan 20 1995

8. Josiah Matthew was born Aug 28 1996

9. Joy Anna was born Oct 28 1997

10. Jedidiah Robert was born Dec 31 1998

11. Jeremiah Robert was born Dec 31 1998

12. Jason Michael was born April 21 2000

13. James Andrew was born July 7 2001

14. Justin Samuel was born Nov 15 2002

15. Jackson Levi was born May 23 2004

16. Johannah Faith was born Oct 11 2005

17. Jennifer Danielle was born Aug 2 2007

18. Jordyn Grace was born Dec 18 2008

19. Josie Brooklyn was born Dec 10 2009

00. Jubilee Shalom Dec 2011

.

Josh married Anna Renee Keller Sept 26 2008

1. Mackynzie Renee Oct 8 2009

00. Baby Duggar 2010

2. Michael James June 15 2011

3. Marcus Anthony June 2 2013

4. Meredith Grace July 16 2015

5. Mason Garrett Sept 12 2017

6. Maryella Hope Nov 27 2019

7. Madyson Lily Oct 23 2021

.

Jana married Stephen Wissmann Aug 15 2024

.

John married Abbie Grace Burnett Nov 3 2018

1. Grace Annette Jan 7 2020

2. Charles John Sept ? 2022

.

Jill married Derick Michael Dillard June 21 2014

1. Israel David April 6 2015

2. Samuel Scott July 8 2017

00. River Bliss Oct 2021

3. Frederick Michael July 7 2022

00. Isla Marie stillbirth April 2024

.

Jessa married Benjamin Michael Seewald Nov 1 2014

1. Spurgeon Elliott Nov 5 2015

2. Henry Wilberforce Feb 6 2017

3. Ivy Jane May 26 2019

00. Baby Seewald miscarriage 2020

4. Fern Elliana July 18 2021

00. Baby Seewald miscarriage Dec 2022

5. George Augustine Dec 19 2023

.

Jinger married Jeremy Joseph Vuolo Nov 5 2016.

1. Felicity Nicole July 19 2018

00. Halleli Grace Nov 2019

2. Evangeline Jo Nov 22 2020

.

Joseph married Kendra Renee Caldwell Sept 8 2017

1. Garrett David June 8 2018

2. Addison Renee Nov 2 2019

3. Brooklyn Praise Feb 19 2021

4. Justus Gene May 2022

.

Josiah married Lauren Milagro Swanson June 30 2018

00. Asa Matthew Oct 2018

1. Bella Milagro Nov 8 2019

00. Baby C miscarriage

2. Daisy Marie April 2022

3. Ezra Matthew May 2023

.

Joy married Austin Martyn Forsyth May 26 2017

1. Gideon Martyn Feb 23 2018

00. Annabell Elise June 2019

2. Evelyn Mae Aug 21 2020

3. Gunner James May 17 2023

.

Jed married Katelyn Koryn Nakatsu April 3 2021

1. Truett Oliver May 2 2022

2. Nora Kate May 24 2023

3. Baby twin A due Jan 2025

4. Baby twin B due Jan 2025

.

Jer married Hannah Marlys Wissmann Mar 26 2022

1. Brynley Noelle Dec 25 2022

2. Brielle Grace Feb (23) 2024

.

Jason is engaged to Maddie Jones

.

Justin married Claire Yvonne Spivey Feb 26 2021

[nonus-cinaedus]

@chineseprophet​ This answer became so absurdly long I made it a separate post. Here it is.

Anyway, so glad you asked.

Frankly, the Etruscans are so under-covered that there’s not really any single “go-to” source for learning about them. Here’s a brief overview of what’s good though, feel free to ask further or message me more (this offer extends to anyone who’s interested).

If by any chance you have a Great Courses Plus membership (or can figure out how to pirate their content), they have a series called The Mysterious Etruscans which gives a very good overview on their history. As far as documentaries go, that’s about all. Apparently there’s a documentary available on Amazon Prime but it doesn’t have good reviews. There might be some good YouTube videos but I’ve never really looked. For a subject that has as little public knowledge as this, you can’t always trust the layman to have done their proper research. A book published as recently as the 70s makes an incorrect assertion concerning Etruscan provenance, despite the fact that Pallottino disproved it in his book 30 years prior (this is possibly due to the main language of Etruscology not being English, but rather Italian, French, and German, primarily (a roadblock which de Thomson discusses in her intro to Religion of the Etruscans, listed below)).

I have a lot more book recommendations though. The Etruscans by Massimo Pallottino is one of the formative works in Etruscology, and despite being nearly 80 years old a lot of it holds up. It’s a pretty good read, and the translation I read (published by Penguin) was very interesting and not at all dry (as some academic texts can be). Religion of the Etruscans, ed. de Grummond and Simon, is a really good and thorough overview of Etruscan religion, with each chapter written by an expert in the field. Has a lot of great pictures too, I would highly rate this book. Etruscan Italy, ed. Hall, is a sweeping overview of the influence of Etruscan culture on various aspects of society throughout time. I’ve only read a couple of essays in that book and skimmed a few others but they’re fascinating (the sections addressing the influence of the Etruscans on various aspects of Rome do require a good bit of knowledge about Rome already though, lol). This next book is an absolute beast and because of that fact I haven’t really gotten to it yet, but Etruscology, ed. Naso, is a colossal (1800 pages) collection of what looks to be every aspect of Etruscan society we know about. Looking over its table of contents is making me want to start it now, hahah. For any project this big the information is sure to be correct, but you’ll probably have a range when it comes to engaging writing. It happens. Etruscan Art by Spivey is another one I’ve been meaning to get to. It’s mentioned on a lot of 101 college course syllabi. A skim shows it a decent, engaging read. Etruscan Civilization by Haynes is meant to be a good starting point, but I haven’t been able to get my hands on a digital (read: pirated) version so I can’t give my two cents.

This isn’t an educational book, but Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria by George Dennis and Etruscan Places by D. H. Lawrence are very interesting firsthand accounts of the writers visiting Etruscan sites in the mid-1800s and early 1900s, respectively. George Dennis was one of the first modern Etruscologists and one of the first to write a book about the Etruscan sites, and D. H. Lawrence is, well, D. H. Lawrence. Dennis’ is definitely lacking in historical accuracy but reading about him visiting the sites in person, with commentary about rural Italian innkeepers and guides and whatnot sprinkled in, is quite fun. Lawrence makes no real attempt at giving a history lesson and is just a very engaging writer to read. You won’t learn a lot from these two, but I think they’re fun, as someone who has never been to Italy but very much wants to go.

If you want history in general, my other big area of interest is the Aegean Bronze Age (the Minoans, Myceneans, and Ancient Cretans), and Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age, ed. Shelmerdine, is a great read (dry in the first chapter or two but very interesting, and the engagement gets better) and a good introduction to that period. A book that may only be interesting to me, the guy who wrote it, and about five other people is Ecology of the Ancient Greek World by Sallares, which, while very wordy and academic, is actually genuinely fascinating to me. In a very broad sense, it addresses the relationship between the Ancient Greeks and their land, and as someone who has more than a passing interest in ecology, agriculture, and environmentalism, I enjoyed it (even though there were parts of it I admittedly did not fully understand). Not quite history but tangential to it, Gantz’s Early Greek Myth is a really in-depth survey of the history of Greek myths (such as when figures are first mentioned and how they develop and change (though, sadly, he doesn’t so much cover the “why”)). The development of mythology is one of my major points of interest, so I loved this book.

I’ll also take this time to shout out Anne Carson’s An Oresteia – a brilliant translation of three plays, from which hails the now-Tumblr famous “Not for me, not if it’s you” line, the only pleasant line in Carson’s translation of Orestes – and Athanassakis’ translation of Hesiod’s Theogony and Works and Days. Great translations of great Greek works. Would recommend.

Sorry to put two long rambling posts on my blog (and everyone’s dash) almost back-to-back but this is literally the subject I’m going to be spending 30k to study. I kind of like it.