#we support lin-manuel miranda on this blog

[purpleshadow-star]

Lin-Manuel Miramds as Heremes!!!

Also confirmed sightings of Hermes in season 1? More backstory on Luke!!!

And it seems like Annabath, Percy, and Grover (or at least Percy and Annabeth) will interact with Luke in season 1.

At first, I was thinking he'd just appear in Luke's flashbacks or dreams or something, or maybe Percy has a dream of something from Luke's past, like his quest that got him his scar, but it seems like Hermes will actually meet and interact with them, too.

Very excited to get to know these characters better and for future casting news!

Go read Rick's blog for more information!

[bristefreelanceservice]

Exploring the Enchanting World of Disney's "Encanto"

Introduction: In the world of animated films, Disney has a knack for creating enchanting universes that captivate audiences of all ages. With "Encanto," Disney once again weaves its magic, transporting viewers to a vibrant world filled with music, family, and a touch of the extraordinary. Released in late 2021, "Encanto" has already won the hearts of many with its heartwarming story, breathtaking animation, and unforgettable songs. In this blog post, we'll dive into the enchanting world of "Encanto" and uncover what makes it a truly special addition to the Disney animated legacy. A Magical Setting: "Encanto" takes place in a picturesque Colombian village nestled in the mountains, where every member of the Madrigal family possesses a unique magical gift. However, the film's protagonist, Mirabel, is an exception—she's the only member without a magical ability. The village itself is a vibrant and colorful oasis, bursting with life and culture. From the intricately designed homes to the lush landscapes, the attention to detail in the animation brings the setting to life, making it a character in its own right. The Power of Family: At its core, "Encanto" is a heartwarming tale about the importance of family bonds. Mirabel's journey is one of self-discovery, as she navigates her place within a family of extraordinary individuals. The film beautifully explores the dynamics of family relationships, showcasing both their strengths and vulnerabilities. Through its characters, "Encanto" reminds us that family is not defined solely by individual talents, but by the love and support that bind us together. Unforgettable Characters: The Madrigal family is a tapestry of diverse and memorable characters, each with their own unique magical gifts. From the superhuman strength of Luisa to the ability to manipulate plants by Isabela, and the gift of healing by Julieta, the characters' powers are not just visually captivating but also deeply symbolic. These abilities reflect the personalities of the characters and the roles they play within the family and the village. Music that Resonates: No Disney film is complete without its share of unforgettable songs, and "Encanto" is no exception. The film's music, composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, weaves a vibrant tapestry of Colombian rhythms and melodies. From the catchy "We Don't Talk About Bruno" to the emotional ballad "Surface Pressure," the songs not only add depth to the narrative but also celebrate the rich musical heritage of Colombia. Embracing Uniqueness: One of the most powerful messages of "Encanto" is the celebration of individuality. Mirabel's lack of a magical gift initially makes her feel out of place, but as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that her uniqueness is her greatest strength. This resonates with audiences of all ages, encouraging them to embrace their own differences and recognize the value they bring to the world. Conclusion: "Encanto" is more than just an animated film; it's a journey into a world of magic, family, and self-discovery. With its captivating setting, relatable characters, and resonant themes, the film has earned its place among Disney's classics. As we follow Mirabel's adventure, we're reminded that love, acceptance, and the celebration of our individuality are the true sources of enchantment in our lives. Whether you're young or young at heart, "Encanto" is a cinematic experience that will leave you humming its tunes and carrying its lessons long after the credits roll. Read the full article

[hunxi-guilai]

whats up I was going thru your LQR tag bc i have a lot of thoughts about cql LQR (are these thoughts coherent? pending) and I'm thinking about the end of the scene in ep. 27 when he tells off LWJ and like. there are /tears/ in his eyes...even in a pretty sidelined and somewhat antagonistic character, the depictions of generational trauma in this show are something else. Anyway, do you know of anyone who's done a visual analysis of that scene? I'd love to read it or hear your thoughts. 1/2

okay, first of all, let me just say that "are these thoughts coherent? pending” is SUCH a mood. my brain, 90% of the time

second of all, I must also direct you to this excellent post by @dying-redshirt-noises and @hqfeels if we’re planning to have Lan Qiren feels on this blog right now

so I’ve been sneaking “JUSTICE FOR SHUFU” into my tags lately, which is a battle cry I’ve picked up from @pumpkinpaix, because I believe that Lan Qiren is a complex figure who really just wanted the best for his nephews. Unfortunately, he’s also an extremely convenient character for folks to latch onto and deploy as a token antagonistic figure in fics if the story needs a person in a position of authority, close at home, to oppose wangxian’s relationship. It helps that he’s also the sole Lan elder we’re introduced to, and the Lan elders often get dismissed as a faceless, vilified mass who really only exist to grumble conservatively and oppose our protagonists.

I get it. It’s convenient. And it’s got some amount of canonical support, what with Lan Qiren and Wei Wuxian butting heads in Gusu summer school, and Lan Qiren’s repeated exhortations to Lan Wangji to stay away from Wei Wuxian, etc, etc. But Lan Qiren, for me, has always numbered among the tragic and traumatized characters that we both love and forgive over the course of the narrative.

It’s hard for me to extricate Lan Qiren from the relationship that’s examined over and over again in this text: that of the relationship between siblings. The ways the elder siblings make countless sacrifices to protect the younger. The golden core transfer. Wen Qing and Wen Ning. Nie Mingjue’s... everything.

And one of the scariest things in CQL is how often that sacrifice falls short -- after everything they’ve sacrificed, after the prices they paid, the younger sibling is tasked with the impossibility of living on. The long version, in the translated words of Zbigniew Herbert:

The rest is not silence but belongs to me

you chose the easier part of an elegant thrust

but what is heroic death compared with eternal watching

with a cold apple in one’s hand on a narrow chair

with a view of the ant-hill and the clock’s dial

- “The Elegy of Fortinbras”

The short version, in the words of Lin-Manuel Miranda via George Washington:

“Dying is easy, young man -- living is harder.”

The younger siblings in CQL are almost always the ones who have to step up -- Jiang Cheng, in rebuilding and leading Yunmeng Jiang; Nie Huaisang, leading the Nie Sect and avenging his brother’s death; Lan Wangji, taking over the position of Chief Cultivator and a certain amount of Lan Sect Leader duties. Overwhelmingly, these moments happen offscreen, in timeskips, left to the imagination. They’re not glorious or dramatic; they’re tedious, mind-numbing, soul-crushing, especially when considered in context with the monsters of their separate griefs.

So, Lan Qiren. The narrative parallels drawn between the generations, from Lan Qiren’s to Lan Wangji’s to Lan Sizhui’s, could probably fill a research paper. If we regard Jiang Cheng with any sympathy, then we should absolutely extend that sympathy to Lan Qiren as well -- both of them are younger brothers who picked up the slack, who tried their best to honor the best part of the legacies of those who came before, who were saddled with the responsibility of parenting their nephews before they even married themselves, who had to set their own needs aside in order to lead others, who had both the courage and the endurance to live on despite everything. 

Again, we don’t know the details of what happened with Qingheng-jun and Mama Lan, but I think it’s safe to say that it happened fast. Qingheng-jun met Mama Lan, fell in love at first sight, married her secretly, locked them both away in seclusion, abdicated his position as sect leader, and after that storm, Lan Qiren was the one left to pick up the pieces. Suddenly, Lan Qiren had to assume the mantle of a sect leadership that his brother was groomed for; Lan Qiren had to take responsibility for the care and education of his nephews despite having no experience himself.

And you know what? Lan Qiren does a pretty kick-ass job. By the time we reach the maturation of the next generation, the Gusu Lan sect has a reputation so sterling that other sects send their heirs to study there. Lan Qiren is accorded more respect and authority on the basis of his reputation and accomplishment in inter-sect affairs. He raises the Twin Jades, trains them in swordsmanship, nurtures their cultivation and aptitude until they’re both held up as the ideal young masters.

Lan Qiren was saddled with responsibilities he did not expect and did not ask for, and executes them well.

But what of his own scars and self-doubt, his own grief and anxiety? What about all the nights he stayed up past curfew, eyes gritty with exhaustion, deciphering ledgers and untangling sect politics that his brother understood better? What about Lan Qiren’s resentment of Qingheng-jun, for discarding the responsibilities he held for his sect for the survival of a single person; what about Lan Qiren’s fears, that his nephews might follow their father down the same path, might dash themselves to pieces against the shoals of what it means for a Lan to fall in love?

You asked about this moment, in episode 27 -- after Wei Wuxian steals away the Wen refugees at Qiongqi Dao, Lan Qiren admonishes Lan Wangji for his actions: sneaking into the forbidden section of the Gusu Lan archives, letting Wei Wuxian and the refugees go. Lan Qiren is frustrated, yes, angry, even -- but more than anything, he’s profoundly afraid. The obsession Lan Wangji has with Wei Wuxian, to the exclusion of all else, of everyone else, reminds Lan Qiren of his brother. And so Lan Qiren tries to snap Lan Wangji out of it through discipline, the evocation of all the morals and ideals he was raised with as a child. Lan Qiren grounds Lan Wangji in Cloud Recesses in episode 24, hammers home the fifty-second principle of Gusu Lan -- do not befriend the traitorous and evil. The fifty-second principle is more than a simple rule deployed to get in the way of wangxian’s relationship; it’s a prescriptive that carries with it the tragedy of the Twin Jades’ parents, the suggestion that, had Qingheng-jun not befriended the traitorous and evil, so much pain, and heartbreak, and grief could have been avoided.

(when Lan Qiren reminds Lan Wangji of this, Lan Wangji protests -- his mother wasn’t -- and Lan Qiren cuts him off. Whether or not Mama Lan was truly, inherently evil is not the question here, nor is Wei Wuxian’s character being discussed. This isn’t about Mama Lan, or Wei Wuxian -- this is about Qingheng-jun, and Lan Wangji, and the fact that their personal preferences and prejudices do not occur in a vacuum. Their actions have consequences, and Lan Qiren knows this because he has borne his brothers’.)

Lan Qiren, of all people, knows that no matter how lofty and unsullied a person’s reputation might be, no matter how pure their moral character or righteous their conduct, all it takes is a single moment to fall in love, to make them shatter, to reduce them to a shadow of their former selves, to reject all of the responsibilities they held before and leave their loved ones reeling in the wake of such a sudden and complete devastation.

So Lan Qiren rises, moves towards Lan Wangji’s kneeling form, and there’s a moment -- blink and you’ll miss it -- where he hesitates, trying to decide if he should walk towards Lan Wangji, to raise him to his feet, or lay a hand on his shoulder. Lan Qiren hesitates, then decides not to -- he chooses instead to appeal to his nephew through carefully-reasoned words rather than physical demonstration of love, to remind Lan Wangji of his discipline and education.

Lan Qiren paces the room, reminding Lan Wangji of his family, his life with the Lan Sect, everything he stands to lose if he throws it all to the wind for Wei Wuxian. Lan Qiren confesses -- all his harshness and strictness came out of his fear that Lan Wangji would follow in his father’s footsteps.

We get this moment in the middle of those lines, when the camera snaps from here:

to here:

a jarring cut, primarily because it violates the 180-degree rule. It places Lan Qiren on the right side of the screen, where before he had been on the left.

For me, this does two things, visually -- by placing both Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji on the same side of the screen, it calls back to the fact that Lan Qiren and Lan Wangji are both the younger siblings, emphasizing the potential parallels between their lives that hinge on the decisions Lan Wangji will make. The second shot also removes Lan Wangji from the frame, unbalancing the composition. Now, there’s an absence of a figure to Lan Qiren’s left, gesturing at the absence of Qingheng-jun throughout this entire story, throughout the Twin Jades’ lives. That absence is why Lan Qiren is the way he is -- strict, unforgiving, disciplined, afraid.  Lan Qiren has spent so much of his life adhering to the rules of Gusu Lan and denying any selfish wants because he saw what happened to his brother the moment he deviated from the rules, and he’s terrified the same will happen to Lan Wangji.

So... yeah. We most often see Lan Qiren in opposition to our favorite characters -- he’s the boring old fuddy-duddy who throws a scroll at Wei Wuxian, who continually discourages Lan Wangji from reaching out to Wei Wuxian, who is often taken as a stand-in for conservatism and tradition in the show. At the same time, he is the man who raised his nephews with both love and a profound terror that they would suffer the same way he and his brother did; he is the man who sent Lan Xichen away when the Wen Sect attacked, and did not expect to survive the burning of Cloud Recesses. He is lauded, for his authority and his knowledge; he is delightfully petty, throwing jabs at Wei Wuxian at the Burial Mounds (why don’t you ask him?). In short, Lan Qiren is a person, with all of his flaws and virtues, trauma and weaknesses, and we don’t give him enough credit for everything he did.

[eurynome827]

Eury's 2K Challenge

To prepare for this challenge, I polled some friends and asked them to name one or two things that they associate with me. There were many mentions of Sweet Space Husband and Government Bureaucrat Daddy and 40s Bucky, Soft Trumpet Boy and Daddy Andy, and that I'm Always On My Charles Blackwood Bullshit ™ - but mostly I was touched and inspired by their thoughts of friendship, kindness and of how they look at my idiosyncrasies and see someone worthy of their support.

The prompts were inspired by their answers.

I really never thought I'd reach this milestone. I'm happy to share this with my friends and followers and readers, who inspire me every day. THANK YOU for following me and for playing with me!

This challenge is open to anyone! You don't have to be following me (but it's nice ❤️)

My blogs are 18+ spaces always, so you must be 18+ to participate

Characters accepted: any Sebastian Stan/Chris Evans character, any MCU characters - please no RPF. Crackships welcome! Reader insert or OC!

Smut/fluff/angst/any combo thereof - please no underage, incest, noncon/dubcon, gore etc - if you have questions please ask 💕

Deadline to be included on masterlist: April 12, 2021

Please use #Eury2kchallenge and tag me when you post! If I haven't reblogged your fic, send me a DM

To request a prompt, please send me an ask. One person per prompt - if we run out I'll add more!

Prompts Under The Cut

Aesthetic:

Daisies @ikaris-whore

Lingerie @nano--raptor

Stockings @uncafeavecbarnes

Library @daytonsferrari

Friendship @drabblewithfrannybarnes

Vintage black&white photos @meracles

A well-dressed man - suit, tie and watch @book-dragon-13

Red lipstick @angrythingstarlight

Sharing Reese's Peanut Butter Cups @ladyfallonavenger

Hailing a cab in Manhattan

Pearl Necklace (literally or figuratively 😏)

Opening Lines:

In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had. (The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald) @happygowriting

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. (Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen) @theycallmebecca

It’s hard being left behind. I wait for (him), not knowing where he is, wondering if he’s okay. It’s hard to be the one who stays. (The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger)

Wine/Cocktails:

A glass of chilled white by the seaside @constantwriter85

A glass of red by the fireplace @buckybarnes101

A glass of red by candlelight in a cozy Italian restaurant @gigglygiddybarnes

An Old Fashioned in an oak-paneled, dimly lit bar @definitelybarnes

A cosmopolitan on girl's night (A Cheeseburger, Large Fries & A Cosmopolitan - a series posting on @laurencouldnthelpbutwonder) @a-little-counter-esperanto

Sangria in a pitcher outside on a warm, sunny day @jewels2876

Mimosas and Bloody Marys at brunch @divine-mistake

A Glass of Rosé By The Pool @navybrat817

Tequila on the rocks in a lipstick-stained glass

Broadway:

"It was like she was someone you'd always known

It was like you were holding the world when you held her

Like yours were the arms that the whole world was in"

Hadestown by Anais Mitchell @godofplumsandthunder

"Love doesn't discriminate

Between the sinners and the saints

It takes and it takes and it takes

And we keep loving anyway

We laugh and we cry and we break

And we make our mistakes"

Hamilton by Lin Manuel Miranda @marvelgirl7

"But he's never really there

So you want him even more

And you drown inside the eyes...

I could look at him forever"

Sunday In The Park With George by Stephen Sondheim @whisperlullaby

"I've been waiting, for a lifetime

For someone simply

To look and see me

The way that I see you"

Violet by Brian Crawley & Jeanine Tesori @jobean12-blog

You can build me up, you can tear me down

You can try but I'm unbreakable

You can do your best, but I'll stand the test

You'll find that I'm unshakeable

Six The Musical by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss

@sweetkingdomstarlight-blog

[mcufandomhatespeopleofcolor]

Sorry if this gets long, but I'm just so sick of the performative outrage and enthusiasm in the fandom. I feel awful for saying it because I don't want to come across like I want to discourage people from talking up poc-led projects and calling out industry racism, but it's become so clear that people are perfectly happy reblogging posts that are, like, complaining about T'Challa not being given hardly as much promo as Carter, or posts encouraging people to support Legend of The Ten Rings, but when it actually comes down to it people don't put any energy into actually supporting poc-led projects.

Like, after the Carter episode of What If there were tons and tons of text posts, gifs, memes, fanarts, etc. of the (all white!) characters from that episode, with 1000+ notes. But if you search T'Challa's tag or the Star Lord Tag or the What If tag it doesn't take long before you run out of new content for T'Challa's episode. And so many of those posts A) are about other characters played by white actors (Thaons mainly) or B) hardly have more than, like, 200 notes. Bless everyone who made content for T'Challa after the episode, honestly, y'all are so talented and deserve more notes than that. And I just get this horrible sinking feeling that the same thing is going to happen for Shang-Chi.

tl;dr people are perfectly happy reblogging posts that talk about supporting poc, but the (lack of) evidence for them actually following through with showing their support... speaks for itself.

You know I've tried answering this several times since you sent it in and every response seems hollow so I'm just gonna say I know exactly what you mean.  read under the read more for some rambling.

mod laina

 I used to think that the reason PoC led projects had such little notes/attention/fanworks was because fans of color are generally too busy calling out fandom racism and just don't have the energy to deal with making fanworks. but then I noticed that those who were loudest calling out the fandom racism or racism in the media itself tended to get burned out quickly. and I know for a fact that many fans of color have had to leave fandom altogether because of the virulent hate they get. Like there's been so many that just disappear you know? Its hard because I wish more people were protected from the anon hate like this blog. (for those of you that don't know this blog only has 2k followers and like we hardly ever get hate but I know that our sister blog fhpoc had to turn off anon because they were getting too much hate ofc they have 8k followers). 

I think that tumblr in particular is a very toxic place and the ability for anyone to interact with a post or a blog can be v taxing.  I do think that discord and dreamwidth have the potential for being protected safe spaces but old habits die hard. (I have a dreamwidth but I haven’t joined more than two communities) yet I’ve been on tumblr for over a decade. 

however the solution isn’t fans of color need to create more fanworks they’re trying and often their attention is divided between media criticism and calling out fandom racism with whatever energy they have left for fanworks.  as a whole we’re talking about white fans picking up the slack calling each other out for fandom racism and boosting our call outs but also actually creating fan works for characters of color.  like the resources are here already for white people and PoC to write with diversity. just check out writing with color and do your research. get some sensitivity readers... its just exhausting that white people even if they seem aware of their privilege and try to not be racist don’t actually know how to be anti racist. they’re far more scared of getting it wrong and are invested in keeping up the status quo than interested in actually helping us PoC succeed.  

like I’ll give you an example.  my best friend from highschool/college went on to study and major in anthropology. despite this I still have to deal with tirades about how mean afrolatinx people were being to lin manuel miranda about In the Heights.  and like I tried (albeit over text so it was extra hard) to properly explain how lmm managed to lightwash/whitewash dominican americans and make the majority of the actors in the movie nonblack latinx.  eventually for the sake of getting out of the roundabout we seemed to be stuck in I just gave up and changed the subject.  she also happened to be v angry about how the internet treated kelly marie tran but like... its extra hard to get white people to understand the harm they do PoC in any sphere they share space. 

sorry I’m just rambling and venting at this point.

[vincentspork]

Do you know anything about hackers? Can you jam with the console cowboys in cyberspace? ever read Neuromancer? ever experience the new wave? next wave? dream wave? vaporwave? seapunk? witch house? blog house? deep house? Chicago house? you like chicago deep dish pizza? you like a stuffed crust? a thin crust? you a crust punk? a cyberpunk? cypherpunk? steampunk? you wear like a top hat? you watch top cat? you know choo choo, benny the ball, officer dibble? are you a cop? you gotta tell me if youre a cop. are you jump street? are you johnny depp? are you literally Edward Scissorhands. you need hands to type, Ed. what is your words per minute strictly speaking? you excel knowledge? whats the last cms you used? where do you see yourself in 5 years? can you start on Monday? you wanna carpool? what kinda tunes are we listening to. new wave? next wave? dream wave? vaporwave? is that dream pop, that shu gaze, that nu gaze, is this chillwave? this a lo fi hip-hop beats 247 to study and relax to? is this a real slow version of an old electro song? is this shit like a wonderswan title song played backwards? you into them chiptunes? them showtunes? you seen hamilton have you SEEN Hamilton? you ever seen that episode of how i met your mother where lin manuel miranda is rapping on a bus? you ever even been on a bus? do you support public transit? you ever hacked the subway from a payphone? you ever, you ever even seen a payphone? are you a phone freaker? you ever call freddy freaker? you ever played freddy pharkas frontier pharmacist? you ever been to a pharmacist? you ever take an over the counter seasonal allergy medicine? do you have seasonal affective disorder? you feel better in the spring? can you imagine a world without spring? you gotta case spring fever? you ever watch the 2005 movie fever pitch? Cus first you get the fever. then you get the flavor. then you get the fever for the flavor of Pringles. can you even eat potato chips? do you like chiptunes? showtunes? itunes? Napster? audiogalaxy? you ever downloaded an aiff file of the Knight Rider theme off of irc and then play that shit for 30 minutes? I didn't think so. I'll handle the hacker stories

[an-american-experiment]

Yes, I have reason for shame but I have not committed treason and sullied my good name. As you can see I have done nothing to provoke legal action. Are my answers to your satisfaction? My God. Gentlemen, let’s go. So? The people won’t know what we know. Burr! How do I know you won’t use this against me the next time we go toe to toe? Alexander, rumors only grow. And we both know what we know.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Hamilton was related to Maria Reynolds because she was Eliza’s third cousin - this is yet another reason to support the theory that Hamilton did engage in the speculation rather than an affair. When Maria Reynolds was confronted by Monroe and others, she produced “several letters, in a disguised handwriting, which she claimed were from Alexander to her husband and proved that Alexander was giving James [Reynolds] money” (Mazzeo 164). This again, points to the speculation. 

Again, these men - Monroe, Venable, Burr, and Muhlenberg were invited to Hamilton’s house - it would be surprising if they could have met in the living room without Eliza’s notice. Hamilton handed over letters and receipts which showed he had given money to Reynolds, but the letters (as this blog has previously argued) were forged by Hamilton himself. Basically, he told them he had an affair with Maria and paid off her husband, here was the proof, did they really need more information. Because this would have been considered a ‘gentlemanly’ thing to do, the men left. 

Monroe recorded the event, “Last night we waited on Colo. H. when he informed us of a particular connection with Mrs. R. - the period of its commencement and circumstances attending it… the frequent supplies of money to her and her husband and on that account…. To support this, he shewed a great number of letters from Reynolds and herself, commencing early in 1791. - He acknowledged all the letters… in our possession, to be his [these being the receipts for the money paid to Reynolds]. We left him under an impression our suspicions were removed.”

Rumors continued in 1792 to be spreading around the capital. The question was perpetually, whether to believe Hamilton, who said the affair was what happened, or Maria, who said the affair did not. Monroe, clearly, did not believe Hamilton. 

The story would not stay quiet. 

Sources: the following sources were used - the collected letters/writings of Alexander Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton the Revolution, Ron Chernow’s biography of Hamilton, The Intimate Life of Alexander Hamilton by Allan McLane Hamilton, Hamilton by Richard Syllia, and Charles Cerami’s book called Young Patriots. In addition, War of Two by John Sedgwick and Washington and Hamilton by Tony Williams were used throughout. Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton by Tilar J. Mazzeo was used too.

Follow us at @an-american-experiment where we are historically analyzing the lyrics of Hamilton with a new post every day!

[desirableendings]

Cancel culture

I’m so upset right now. I’m gonna try to put my thoughts in a coherent form but I’m afraid I won’t be completely capable.

This is about cancel culture and about how unhealthy and toxic it is both in the realm of cancelling people and cancelling works of fiction.

This is about in particular two situations that triggered this reaction on me that I consider both really dangerous, and though both probably came from an initial place of worry and accountability what they both achieved was the opposite.

I also come to tumblr, where probably almost no one will read me, but where I know cancel culture it’s more in hype. This is why I want this text to be on my blog, for anyone that follows me and anyone that might come after to see.

I’ll start with the problem of cancelling fiction. Because there’s a difference between being critic and wanting something to disappear from the face of the earth and fall into oblivion. You might think I’m exaggerating or using hyperbole to establish an argument, but I’m not. Cancel culture fueled by rage doesn’t look for reparation, doesn’t look for growth, doesn’t look for real accountability it looks to burn and destroy. Cancel culture it’s fueled by shame because those who foment it cannot stand something problematic to exist, but even worse cannot stand that to exist within them. Now tell me, how is this not close to burning books, something most conservative cultures have done several times when disagreeing with a particular posture or when fearful of the reaches of fiction to critical and open minded thinking. 

Fiction is not there to paint you pretty worlds in which every single character it’s perfect for you, fiction it’s not there to be morally acceptable to you, fiction is not there to rewrite history and tell you an unproblematic version of it. Fiction is there to be read critically, to be interpreted, to be questioned and to question as well, that’s why it is highly feared by dictatorships and extreme governments. You read something (and by this I mean book, tv show, movie, audio, ANY type of fiction that its read when its interpreted) and you can point its flaws, see its blind spots, learn from its characters and then maybe get inspired and write something that speaks more closely to you. What cancel culture does, though, is not even read it critically, but just throw it to the fire pit and watch it burn while warning anyone else to not ever read it again, not form your own opinions, not create new critics, NOT held it accountable, because how can someone hold something accountable without having the chance of reading it? No, just ignore it, forget it, burn it, because it’s problematic.

My example for this is Hamilton. I’ve been hearing for ages that it has become problematic and thus it should be canceled, but until now I haven’t been able to reach the arguments behind it. But of course with the whole release from Disney everything exploded, and by everything I mean a weird mixture between the people that want to cancel Lin Manuel Miranda and the ones that want to cancel Hamilton, and the ones that mix both and conclude the best way of doing it it’s canceling Hamilton first. For the sake of this argument I will focus only in the canceling of Hamilton which gets based in four principal arguments: 1. It portrays as main characters problematic people who were real life slavers, and shows them instead as the heroes founding fathers of the USA, without addressing their problems one by one. 2. Lin Manuel Miranda’s relationship with Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico’s policies and the way he brought Hamilton to Puerto Rico. 3. Some well done critical articles that don’t cancel either, but rather present what happened and what both Lin Manuel Miranda and Hamilton should be held accountable critically, but instead are used to cancel both of them. 4. The fact that Alexander Hamilton, the real figure, it’s portrayed free of charge of also engaging in problematic behaviors specially those related to slavery and the creation of banks and kind of the capitalist culture of the US.

Now, in the sake of criticism and holding things accountable but NOT cancelling them, let’s address each one by one: 1. Hamilton its based in real people that were problematic, and slavers and racist, BUT that also coincidentally fought for the independence of the US and were the founding fathers, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can cancel them and want to forget they existed but the truth is that the US it’s what it is because of them and their actions, and actually most of today’s issues with race and capitalism are because of that history, and until we all accept the US comes from that we wont be able to change it and move on, REMEMBERING were it came from. Believe me, being a person of color that comes from colonialism and that had to come to the hard truth that I am what I am because of the people that came and killed and raped and stole, and that I even carry part of their blood because most latin American population is mixed race, and that just is what it is, I understand how hard but necessary this process is. Do I think Christopher Colombus should be praised each year and celebrated in statues all across the world? HELL NO, do I think we should all kill him in our memories forever and cancel him? HELL NO, because I come from that, it’s part of who I am, and I’ll remember him, but holding him accountable for the genocide and exploitation of the land and people of America, and for in the end forming part of the mixed race I belong to. Denying or canceling this or him would be canceling a part of myself that I HAVE TO LIVE WITH FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. So, yes. The founding fathers were problematic, hell yeah, they were racist as well, but the musical Hamilton addresses this in some ways that the story Lin Manuel Miranda is trying to tell allows, without only focusing on it because that’s one of its flaws we have to hold the musical accountable for even if its out of the reach of the musical. What the musical actually DOES is that it casts people of color in their roles as a criticism and a way of saying that the US of now is not the white US they were trying to make back then, and that the power should shift, and OF COURSE he is criticizing slavery not only by the verses in the Cabinet Battle that everyone seemed to conveniently forget, but also in this subversion of casting and the way he decided to tell this very traditional part of history through RAP, a genre that comes and its largely belonging to black culture. This is actually a clever way of holding a history you cannot change, accountable for its previous violences, and also calling out current violences that people will only come to notice by watching the musical and questioning themselves about why they expect other cast, music and history, and that’s all in the nuances you can only get from READING through it. 

While we are at it let’s address point 4: I don’t know which musical these people has been seeing but Hamilton is hardly a saint, neither presented as one, in the musical, he is a tragic character at best, he has a lot of qualities but these same qualities are the ones that condemn him to disgrace and ultimately early death. But he is mostly shown as a human, and I honestly don’t know in which part of cancel culture “human” started being equivalent to pure and free of charge but that’s far from it. Human means conscious, capable of mistakes and capable of causing hurt, but also capable of growing and reparation that heals oneself and others. Do I wished the musical would have been more critical of the way Hamilton introduced a capitalist culture as the best one and the way he criticized slavery but did nothing about it personally... yes, but the only way I can make this criticism and hold it accountable is because I watch and listened to it, took the good and identified the bad, and recognized both.

The second and third point have absolutely nothing to do with the musical whatsoever, but with its creator and the poor interpretation of proper criticism. And thus is that what should be held accountable, Lin Manuel Miranda as a person, and the situations that happened related to him and his decisions. Now, about the link of profit and “supporting” Hamilton, by all means don’t do this if you think him and the people involved (because a musical it’s never done by just one person), doesn’t deserve it. I, for one, I’m certain that Disney does not need or deserve a single dollar more, they are quite rich already. But not watching Hamilton when its eventually published in Disney + is miles away from erasing Hamilton from existing, not listening to its songs and forgetting about it because it is problematic. These last things are the equivalent of burning it, and I recommend listening to the song Burn from the same musical to learn about what fire does to words.

Now, the problem of cancelling people. If in fiction cancelling it’s equivalent to burning books in human beings its equivalent to murder, and I’m not exaggerating here either, because it is. And again here there’s a difference between holding people accountable for their mistakes and just erasing them from the face of the earth because they fucked up. And here the same problem as before stands, if you cancel them you are also taking away the opportunity of holding them accountable, because if there’s no one there to listen, then why would they even bother saying sorry and trying to fix their wrongs. Basically, cancelling people not only murders them but also gives them a free pass to be someone else and not repair those they hurt with their problematic behavior before. Like, what the fuck do you think happens in peace treaties after wars and process of reparation and restitution are in place? THE OPPOSITE OF CANCEL CULTURE. In reparation processes after a lot of violence has been done to victims, the process is to listen and hear words of repentance, that help victims heal and forgive, so BOTH parts can continue living a better life. Because turns out in the end we are all human beings that want to live and continue to live and we only get ONE life to do so, and if you take the chance for a person to live their lives, then how is that not taking also their lives away? How is not giving the possibility of growth and forgiveness not burning them alive, as if you get to choose over their future??

My example for this case is Jenna Marbles, and how ridiculous and upsetting is that people really wanted to cancel her from mistakes she made AGES ago, that she clearly grew from, as it’s evident from the person she is now and her everyday current actions, and also from the way she is clearly ashamed and upset about it, as it’s clear from the fact she had private the offensive videos so people didn’t reach them and get hurt by them. Jenna is a human being, that’s also clearly hurt by what she did but mostly from the fact that no matter what you do, how you repair, how you grow, the internet is fixated in letting you drown in your mistakes forever, and I’m sorry but how is that not killing someone and not letting them live their life to be a better person? How is that not as problematic as the so judged original behaviors?

In the end I just want for all of us to stop being so hypocritical at aiming judgements and cancelations at everyone else before looking at ourselves, our own violences and problems and understanding if we could grow and be critical of them to continue living, then so can others.

How about we let them do so.

[skynsemi]

Raise a Glass to Freedom

Seeing the musical Hamilton was an amazing experience.

It’s trite, but it is true. It was probably one of the greatest live entertainment experiences I’ve ever had. More than that, though, it rekindled loves I’ve had for a long time.

As a kid, I always loved Broadway musicals. (Nah, no signals I might be gay.) There was a part of me that wanted to run off and try to make my go on the stage. Instead, I stayed and watched a lot of television and ate a lot of Doritos instead.

The day I learned I was going to see Hamilton on Broadway was the same day I saw Hamilton on Broadway. My amazing friend Curtis messaged me; he had gotten the lotto tickets for the day for the showing that evening. “Would you like to go?” I’m sitting there shuffling through spreadsheets at work, but basically drop everything, take the afternoon off, and start prepping to head to NYC at the last minute.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. The only other show I saw in NYC before was Cabaret at Studio 54 many years ago as part of a work function. I threw my tie and jacket on and bolted out the door. Soon I was on the train, meeting Curtis in Bridgeport.

“I wonder what the seats will be like?” I wondered to myself. When we arrived, we were ushered to the front row center, which is where the lotto ticket people are seated. Front row. Center. Hamilton.

As I watched the show, I was in complete awe. The music was simply amazing, and ignited by interest in modern shows again as well as making me wonder more about the hip-hop genre, which I admit I hadn’t had a lot of exposure to.

The cast was simply amazing, both the main cast and the support. I remember watching the backup cast dancing and thinking, “if only I could move my body like that…” which started making me think more about my fitness journey itself; that wouldn’t come back around for a few more years.

The juxtoposition of the primarily BIPOC cast with roles of men who had been slaveholders was captivating. More than that, like most people I never knew a lot about Alexander Hamilton, and while the show wasn’t true 100% to his history (which I researched more later) it was a reasonably accurate portrayal of his life.

For better or worse, I felt some comraderie with Alexander Hamilton. Someone who wrote a lot, read a lot, and wanted to better his lot in life? Sounded familiar to me. This blog, my other blog… getting back to these this year was sort of inspired by a re-listening of the cast recording.

Part of my mind works non-stop, and after researching Hamilton more certain I am he was on the Autism spectrum because he worked non-stop. ADHD has slowed me down, but recently I’ve realized how much I need to do more writing, more research, and more understanding of the world around me.

One song in particular stuck out to me and made me smile, and honestly from my memory brought a tear to my eyes. That song, One Last Time, talked about George Washington stepping down from the Presidency and handing off the reigns of the country.

It included a portion of George Washington’s Farewell Address recited.

Throughout the show, King George will occassionally show up and sing about how we owns the colonies and how they will eventually return.

When I found out they were going to be releasing a filmed version of the Broadway show I was excited for two reasons. The first was that they filmed the show at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and didn’t try to adapt it as a “movie”. As Lindsay Ellis has proclaimed in multiple videos, filmmakers just don’t do a good job of capturing musicals on screen. (Also, See Cats. I mean as an example, don’t actually see Cats.)

The second reason, and more importantly, is that I will have the opportunity to see Hamilton again, with the original cast (I did not see Lin Manuel Miranda at the showing I went to) and can do so multiple times without it costing me a kidney and my first born. (I mean, once I became straight, found a mate, got married, had a child, provided said first child to the Demon of Broadway Ticketing, and then divorced my wife because of my suppressed homosexuality and now it’s costing me even more in alimony.)

So I was excited. Then I learned it was coming to Disney+, Disney’s attempt to out-Netflix Netflix with their massive back catalog save for the really racist. (Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah!)

Side Note: When I was in chorale in school, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah was one of the favorite songs of our chorale director… along with some other questionable choices I didn’t realize were quite so questionable until later than life because I grew up in Racismtown, otherwise known at then 99% Norwood, Ohio.

Then because COVID and everyone is miserable, Disney in it’s unwavering grace decided to release it early. Oh, and because COVID-19 forced the shutdowns of multiple productions and they need content to keep up the subscriptions to Disney+ because Disney isn’t your uncle and they don’t actually love you more than money.

So on July 3, 2020, Hamilton the Musical will be streaming on Disney+. I’m so excited to see it again, and let’s be honest… probably singing along on the second or third watching because I’ve listened to the cast recording so many times i could probably provide an off-key understudy position to the stage show. From the trailers alone, I am looking forward to seeing up close details, new angles, and new perspectives from a show I so vividly remember from that one showing in New York City.

May you always be satisfied.

[gomjabbar]

do you know anything about hackers? can you jam with the console cowboys in cyberspace?

ever read neuromancer? ever experienced the new wave? next wave? dreamwave? the vaporwave?

*bweep-beep*

seapunk? witch house? blog house? deep house? chicago house? you like chicago deep dish pizza? you like a stuffed crust? a thin crust? you a crust punk?

a cyber punk? cipher punk? steampunk? you wear, like a-- a tophat? you watch top cat? you know choo-choo? benny the ball, officer dibble.

a-are you a cop? you gotta tell me if you’re a cop. are you jump street? are you johnny depp? are you literally edward scissorhands. you need hands to type, ed.

what’s your words-per-minute, mavis bacon? you know excel? what was the last CMS you used? where do you see yourself in 5 years? can you start on monday?

you wanna carpool? what kinda tunes we listening to? new wave, next wave, dreamwave... vaporwave... this that dreampop?

that shoegaze, that new gaze? is this chillwave? is this lo-fi hip hop beats 24/7 to study and relax to?

is this a real slow version of an old electric song? is this shit like a-- like a wonderswan title song played backwards? you into them chiptunes? them showtunes?

you seen hamilton-- have you seen hamilton? you ever see that episode of “how i met your mother” where lin manuel miranda is rapping on the bus? ... you ever even been on a bus? do you support public transit?

you ever hacked the subway from a payphone? have you ever seen a payphone? are you a phone freaker? you ever call freddy freaker?

you ever played “freddy farkus frontier pharmacist”? you ever been to a pharmacist? you ever taken over-the-counter seasonal allergy medicine? do you have seasonal effective disorder?

y-- you feel better in the spring? could you imagine a world without springs? got a case of spring fever? you ever watch the 2005 movie “fever pitch”?

‘cuz first you get the fever, then you get the flavor, then you get the fever for the flavor for pringles.

d-- d-do you even eat potato chips? do you like chip tunes? showtunes? itunes, napster? audiogalaxy?

you ever downloaded an aiff file of the “night rider” theme off IRC and then played that shit for like 30 minutes?

*whiplash sound* didn’t think so.

[just-another-busy-fangirl-writes]

About Me

Hello Everyone!  I’m Laura.  Welcome to my tumblr.  

~My original tumblr was @just-another-busy-fangirl, which has been terminated by staff.  I am still working to get it back, but in the meantime am beginning to rebuild here.  Bear with me while I upload all my old content / keep your fingers crossed that I get my old blog back!~

Here you will see many things that interest me, including but not limited to the following:

Supernatural (All encompassing: show, cast, crew, conventions, music - Louden Swain and Jason Manns, shipping, all positive, no hate!)

My Cats and Dog (really any and all animals will show up here and there, especially cats, dogs, and sloths)

Harry Potter (again, the books, movies, actors, jo, cursed child, fantastic beasts….anything and everything)

Musicals or Stage Performers

TV Shows I like: Agent Carter, Agents of Shield, Angel, Arrow, Bones, Buffy, Flash, Doctor Who, Dollhouse, Firefly, Gilmore Girls, Merlin, Smallville, Stranger Things, Supergirl, Who’s Line

Movies I like: The MCU, Disney, LOTR, Serenity, Star Trek, Star Wars, Ten Inch Hero

People I like: Alan Tudyk, Alexis Denisof, Amy Acker, Bradley James, Chris-cubed, David Tennant, Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Grant Gustin, Hayley Atwell, Ian McKellen, John Barrowman, Jonathan Groff, Joss Whedon, Julie Andrews, Lin Manuel Miranda, Melissa Benoist, Nathan Fillion, NPH, Sebastian Stan, Stephen Amell, Tom Felton

Writing Tips and Advice and Help

Knitting Projects, patterns, items I like and might make someday

Artist Boosts

Introvert Things

Music Things (I am a choir director, after all…)

Teacher Things

If you want to know more about me…

I’m a 27 year old self-employed piano and voice teacher and live in Texas with my husband and two cats (Jake and Elwood) and puppy (Luna).  I’ve been on tumblr for a few years, but have only been posting my SPN writing since August 2016.  Pre-tumblr I lived on fanfiction.net in the HP universe…reading, writing, beta-ing.

My masterlist is HERE

@atc74 has deemed me the Empress of Erotica, so hopefully I keep up with that title! :)

My requests are semi-open.  I will take requests for my bingo cards and Kink List, if you want to visit those via my masterlist.

I am available to beta, if you want me to.  Please email me at justanotherbusyfangirl @ gmail . com (take out the spaces) if you want me to beta.  GoogleDocs makes that super easy.

Like my writing?  Leave me a tip!

If you are a writer, please tag me!  I love finding new people, and compile a weekly fic rec list that I am always wanting to find fresh people to include on.

I also have my “currently reading” page, where you can find all of the fanfictions that I am reading.  I made the page to help myself keep up with everything, but I know many of you guys like to see what’s there as well.  It’s extensive, so beware!

Want to join my tag team?  Fill out the google form HERE

I used to co-run @spnfamilybirthdays along with @katymacsupernatural and @atc74. :)  We have retired the blog after a little over two years, and are thankful to everyone who supported us with that project!

I am a mod on @supernaturaltropecelebration, @spnkinkbingo, @spnabobingo, @spnpolybingo, @deanandcasbingo, @samwinchesterbingo, @deanandsambingo, @spnluciferbingo, @castiel-bingo, @spnrareshipbingo, @heavenandhellbingo, @swansongbingo

And here’s my Unpopular Opinion.  (And more Unpopular Opinions.) :)

[kittywildegrrl]

MAMA CAT AND THE VERY HARD SLOG

In Which MamaCat Gets Her SAG-AFTRA Card and It Makes Her Start Blogging Again

“Why do you write like you're running out of time?

Write day and night like you're running out of time?

Ev'ry day you fight, like you're running out of time

Keep on fighting”

-- Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Non-Stop,” HAMILTON, Act 2

Oh, look, I’m back.

The agent looked at me with clear confusion. “Diana,” the agent asked, “How do you DO it?”

The agent in question, here in Minneapolis, is a good friend of many years, a responsible person with spouse and family, mortgage, all the Adulting, if you will. Also, a really wonderful actor as well. So, somebody I was glad to answer honestly. And if you’re taking the time to read my little bloggety blog, then I shall extend the same courtesy to you.

The agent was asking how, essentially, how does it happen that I seem to be always heading off to or getting back from New York, when I don’t seem to have a whole lot of money. I have heard friends say things like, “But you have agents in New York, don’t you?”; “I wish I could do that”; “New York must be so fun!” The answers are, (a) it seems that way because I often am on my way there or back here; (b) no I do not; (c) you could, if that were your priority; and (d) yes, it is, but I’m not going for fun - I just happen to have fun while I’m there.

There comes a time in your life when you just know that THIS IS IT, this is the thing I am going to do with my life, with the time I’ve got left. It may come to you as a child, or it may come to you in something that looks to others like you’ve had a complete crackup from your midlife crisis. It may come at any time, and it may change your life if you let it. It may come back after detours of many years, and tap you on the shoulder, and say, “Hey, did we want to Actualize or what?” Parts of it may suck. Parts of it will definitely be much harder than you had anticipated. Parts of it will amaze you. All of it will require risk and courage (cue “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”).

Five summers ago, I was doing a season at Allenberry Playhouse in south-central Pennsylvania. It was the summer I grew up, at the ripe old age of 56. I made a few lifelong friends, did some delightful work, took some hikes, enjoyed some bananas Foster, got some nice reviews, had a nervous breakdown when I saw the rehearsal & production photos and realized what my body actually looked like after years of sitting… you know, the usual.  

Among the lifelong friendships that were born that summer, is that which blossomed with the lovely and talented Shannon Haddock, actor, blogger, wife, singer, in no particular order. My pal. My sister from another mother. She offered to all and sundry at Allenberry a safe place to crash in the Bronx, on their couch (hers and her hubby’s). I guess I was the only one to take her up on it. And I have done so again and again. I have also accepted invitations to sleep on April & Andy’s couch, and Bethany & Adam’s couch. At a time of life when most of my peers are either already retired or just about to retire, I am couch-surfing like a college student. AND LOVING IT.

If you’re a Facebook friend of mine, you’ve seen a lot of photos uploaded from New York… but few seem to notice that you don’t really see me doing a lot of spendy things. Or touristy things. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Welcome to New York, now spend your money and go home! Two baseball clubs, every kind of cuisine, Fashion Week, FLEET WEEK!!! Have a blast! But my path is a little less Vacation-y and a lot more Focus-y.

I may check into the restaurant on Facebook, so my husband knows where I’m eating and whatnot, but the odds are pretty good that it’s not a famous or trendy place, & there aren’t any fab pictures of fancy, expensive meals. Maybe one cocktail. Maybe I’m splitting something with a friend whom I couldn’t make time to see otherwise. What you don’t see is the two bags of groceries I carry home after I get off the train, to pitch in for meals with my benefactors (or, one bag of groceries & another with a bottle of wine in it. Let’s get real.). Or me shopping at the dollar store on Upper Broadway instead of, say, Bergdorf’s.

Sure, I’ve seen this show and that show… but some of them only because a dear friend sprung for tickets (thank you Fern!!!!!). Most of what I’ve seen on Broadway, I’ve seen because I could grab $39 nosebleeds, or I hit a Lottery deal. Quite a few trips go by without me seeing anything on Broadway at all, except the tourists in the streets. Some of the shows I’m fortunate enough to have seen have been Off-Broadway & Off-Off-Broadway; not just because that’s the surest way to catch fresh work, but also because that’s usually where I’ll be able to see my friends performing, and the tickets are much cheaper Off-Off (so are the bars).

I see folks waxing rhapsodic on the Social about their trips to the City, the amazing things they’ve seen and done and eaten, and it looks and sounds great! But it’s a version of the City I never see. And I am just fine with that. One thing I can confirm about New York: there is literally something for everyone.

I go on the cheapest flights at the most annoying flight times. My last trip back, for example: from the apartment in the Bronx to my husband’s arms in Minneapolis took well over 12 hours, but it was barely $125 including meals. Leave the Bronx on a train to go get on a bus to Boston. From there, take a train into Logan to catch a flight back into NYC. Change planes for a flight to MSP. Yes. That’s how Mama rolls.

I live like the other actors live while I’m there; $25 - $50 for some class is CHEAP AF, but the same $25 - $50 is WAY the hell too expensive for a meal. The train may only be $2.75/trip (less when you’re savvy about your MetroCard refills), but look here, there’s time walk between at least two or three of these appointments and I can get cardio while saving almost enough to afford the lunch special at that place in the Garment District where they always have a 1/2 sandwich with a cup of soup for $10 if you go at the right time of day. If a friend is taking a dance or improv or acting class on the regular, that allows one free drop-in session, you can bet your bagels I’ve gone with her and taken the free drop-in.

It’s a freaky weird choice of lifestyle, but I’m committed. Many people have suggested that I should be committed – but I think they were thinking of something else. Perhaps in later installments I’ll tell you tales of what I’ve sacrificed to pull it off, regale you with fascinating (or boring) vignettes, detail some of the moments and connect the dots. It’s the best possible way to work things out in a world in which we can’t pick up and move to New York, but in which I need to be there for karmic and professional reasons.

But six weeks ago, I got the break. A really cool one. It may or may not lead to Really Exciting Stuff; no one can predict the future, but it was most definitely something cool. And it goes directly to these efforts over these five years. And it’s supported by the friends & husband who have helped me suck up the sacrifices, live through the tears, and learn to go without the shiny things in order to earn the greater things.

“Diana,” the agent asked, “How do you DO it?”

I do it on the cheap, babe. I do it on the 1 Train. Just like Lin-Manuel.

Meow, darlings.

[havekiddoswilltravel]

Hamilton Musical Review – Wow, Just Wow!

A creative review of Hamilton – by a travel blogging mom.

Burr I’d rather be divisive than indecisive. Drop the niceties.

Hamilton, “A Farmer Refuted”

Watching Hamilton Musical live has been on the top of my personal family bucket list for years. I’ve researched ticket prices many times and was ecstatic when I found out that they would be coming to The Bushnell Center of the Performing Arts in Hartford this December. We are big Bushnell supporters and tend to enjoy a minimum of four shows there each season. I was determined to get tickets. I set reminders on my phone calendar with ticket release dates and went as far as bringing my laptop to the kid’s taekwondo team practice on the morning of the first wave of ticket releases. After 1 hour of refreshing the browser, I scored four reasonable tickets for December 30th. What a perfect Christmas gift for our wanderlust family.

You can write rhymes but you can’t write mine.

Take A Break – Hamilton Musical

 I had taken the kids this summer to watch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights (a musical about a Dominican bodega owner in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan) and had prepared them for the music, dancing and writing style that would be depicted in Hamilton. As we only had four tickets, we decided to take our two girls and leave the boys behind this time. One more reason for me to watch it again, because honestly, I can’t get enough.  This is not a review that will be focused on whether Hamilton Musical is historically accurate, appropriate, misrepresented history, left a marginalized group out, minimized the evils of slavery or any other overly serious analysis of Mr. Miranda’s intent in writing this musical. I’m pretty sure that Mr. Miranda did not intend his interpretation of Alexander Hamilton to be an all-inclusive, historically accurate depiction of the founding father. Hamilton is not intended to be all things to all people. I come to this review from the perspective of a history, travel, music, dance, culture and entertainment loving travel blogger, wife and mami of four brown kids whom are exposed to a variety of art and theater. Theater often full of casts, music and culture that does not represent them. For this reason alone, Hamilton rocked. #representationmatters. It’s for the same reason that I was moved to tears by In The Heights musical. Mr. Miranda understands the cultural nuances, references, experiences, dance moves, dictation, beats and music that speak to the deepest parts of my Dominican immigrant soul. Let’s dive in. What I loved about Hamilton and how much I wished that I could get inside the heads of all of the white people sitting around us in Hartford, Connecticut watching this art form. If you were one of them and are willing to share, what were your thoughts?

I am the one thing in life I can control. I am inimitable, I am an original.

Burr, “Wait for It”

 Talk less, smile more. Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for.

Burr – “Aaron Burr, Sir

 -          Lin-Manuel Miranda is puro Latino. I can relate to everything he stands for in a way that at times is difficult for me to explain to my mainland born and raised children. Bringing them to experience Mr. Miranda’s work like In The Heights and Hamilton, provided a window to our shared culture, history and traditions. He’s a Boricua, born in Washington Heights and raised in a prominent Latino community that closely resembles the one that I was raised in. Like me, he came of age in a bilingual, bicultural home, where music, traditions and food were the norm, but were rarely reflected in the mainstream pop culture. Mr. Miranda has succeeded in creating Broadway characters who manage to erase the invisibility that I’ve often felt as a lover of all things art and theater. I got goosebumps as a sat and watched characters who spoke like my family and friends, danced with the same passion, sabor and vigor and shared the same cultural nuances that bring a sense of nostalgia to this Dominican woman.

-          As I sat in the fancy theater watching the opening number, I was left breathless as the realization hit me that I was watching artists in every shade of brown, wearing traditional colonial garb (minus the wigs), telling the story of a forgotten forefather immigrant who rose from nothing, I saw myself. I shared this same story and I was unable to contain the emotions. I could care less (must put my wokeness aside for the sake of entertainment and rest) about whether our founding fathers were white, sexists, racist, slave owning men, I was taken by the artistry of Hamilton and was able to see myself in Mr. Miranda’s delivery in ways that I’m seldom able to. What a beautiful gift to give our young children. For so long, our narrative and stories have been left out of the arts. With Hamilton, Mr. Miranda placed my parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and friends into the center of the narrative. The bold and unapologetic fashion in which he did so is mind blowing. I lol when Hamilton and Lafayette yelled: “Immigrants, we get the job done.” I was tempted to respond: Asi es. Tu lo sabes. Thank you, Mr. Miranda for allowing me to share this musical with my children and have them see, feel and experience Latinos in a way that is beyond what the main stream media portrays. We know who we are, but it was extremely emotional to have us portrayed outside of the typical narrative of slaves and low-wage workers. Gracias.

We’re finally on the field, we’ve had quite a run. Immigrants: we get the job done.

Hamilton and Lafayette, “Yorktown”

 -          Miranda boldly took on the old minstrel American tradition of black face on stage and reversed it. Oh my goodness, let’s process that one for a minute. I’m cognizant of how this fact and the psychological and social implications of the affect of this when I read negative mainstream reviews of the musical. All of a sudden, those of us usually in the fringes are now put center stage in “The Room Where It Happens” and those usually in the mainstream are left researching, attempting to understand the dictation, body language and music. Wow. That’s genius.

There’s a million things I haven’t done, just you wait

Alexander Hamilton

 Hamilton left me pondering so much about my history, my story and daily life. It was meant to be that our family took in the last show of the year in Hartford on December, 30th. I find myself in a reflective mood during the last week of each year. Since starting my blog 1 ½  years ago, I’ve tried to be consistent in writing, sharing and transparency. Hamilton reminded me of the reasons why I started Have Kiddos Will Travel and it has inspired me to start 2019 “writing like I’m running out of time!”

Why do you write like you’re writing out of time?

Non Stop

 But when you’re gone, who remembers your name? Who keeps your flame?

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

 The final song of Hamilton left me inspired to continue my blog as an avenue to share my unique and personal story. Life as a work from home, homeschooling mother of four can be isolating at times. This is the primary reason why I started Have Kiddos Will Travel. The blog allows me to document and write my own narrative and by doing so inspire and relate to other women in similar situations as mine. Blogging is risky, as it can leave one vulnerable to other’s not so kosher intentions. I want full control of my story; the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s mine to tell.

Pin for later:

Below are some of the other favorite lines from Hamilton. Do share yours.

Dying is easy, young man, living is harder.

George Washington – “Right Hand Man

 America, you great unfinished symphony, you sent for me. You let me make a difference. A place where even orphan immigrants can leave their fingerprints and rise up.

Hamilton, The World Was Wide Enough

 Your debts are paid cuz you don’t pay for labor, “We plant seeds in the South. We create.” Yeah, keep ranting. We know who’s really doing the planting.

Alexander Hamilton, Cabinet Battle #1

 I’m just like my country—I’m young, scrappy, and hungry, and I am not throwing away my shot.

Hamilton, “My Shot”

 know that we can win, I know that greatness lies in you. But remember from here on in, history has its eyes on you….

History Has Its Eyes On You

Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.

Alexander Hamilton, The World Was Wide Enough

[doomonfilm]

Awards : 78th Golden Globes Nominees (2021)

2020 was certainly a strange year for awards shows, but luckily, the 77th Annual Golden Globes ceremony was able to conduct business as usual based on their scheduling so early in the year.  With the shadow of COVID-19 extending into 2021, the ceremony has been delayed until late February, and a location has been named (The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills), but I will be curious to see if any adaptation will be made base on social distancing regulations.  After five years of hosting duties being handled by Ricky Gervais, the dynamic duo of Amy Poehler and Tina Fey have been brought back into the fold, marking their fourth assignment at the job.

The impact of streaming services has been a gradual one when it comes to the award show circuit, but due to the circumstances of 2020, many of the streaming services kicked the doors down in terms of garnering nominations.  The presence of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and even Shudder can be felt in nearly every film-related category, with many categories finding the services placed in direct opposition against one another.  Seeing Mank in so many categories is no surprise as well, and while the film does stand to have a successful night, the competition is definitely stiff.  A lot of my predictions manifested, specifically the numerous Mank nominations, the Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis nominations and the presence of Soul in several categories, but I am a bit sad to see that Evan Rachel Wood did not garner a nomination for Kajillionaire. 

As per usual, there are a lot of holes present in regards to films I’ve seen versus films nominated, but I will still go down the list and provide thoughts where I feel they are valid.  I will make an attempt to catch up on some of the missing films as well, so be on the lookout for reviews and blog entries about some of the films nominated.

NOMINATIONS

Best Motion Picture – Drama The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) Mank (Netflix) Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) Thoughts : This feels like Mank’s award to lose.  I’ve heard great things about Nomadland as well as Promising Young Woman, but Hollywood likes to award films about Hollywood (as well as posthumous redemption stories), and Gary Oldman is a beast in the lead role (as per usual), so if I was a betting man, I’m betting the farm on Mank. 

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios) Hamilton (Walt Disney Pictures) Palm Springs (Neon) Music (Vertical Entertainment) The Prom (Netflix) Thoughts : This one feels like Hamilton’s award hands down, but seeing as Borat is the only other film I’ve seen in this category, I’m a bit ill-informed.  Seeing multiple nominations for Palm Springs does have me intrigued, and I will have to get around to seeing that one, but I don’t know if it has the firepower to stand up to Hamilton. 

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language Another Round (Samuel Goldwyn Films) La Llorona (Shudder) The Life Ahead (Netflix) Minari (A24) Two of Us (Magnolia Pictures) Thoughts : I do not have a dog in this fight, but after seeing Mista GG eviscerate most every version of the La Llorona film except for the one up for nomination, I’m going to cheer that one on (go Shudder!).

Best Motion Picture – Animated The Croods: A New Age (Universal Pictures) Onward (Walt Disney Pictures) Over the Moon (Netflix) Soul (Walt Disney Pictures) Wolfwalkers (Cartoon Saloon) Thoughts : Soul, plain and simple.  This one is easy.  I have heard good things about Wolfwalkers, and since Over the Moon is on Netflix I may give it a peep, but if Soul doesn’t win this award I will be wholly surprised.

Best Director – Motion Picture Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) David Fincher, Mank (Netflix) Regina King, One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios) Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) Chloé Zhao, Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) Thoughts : I’d like to see Regina King win for One Night in Miami, but it’s going to be hard to beat David Fincher for Mank. 

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) Kate Hudson (Music) Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot) Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma) Thoughts : Possibly the most surprising nomination in this category for me is the one actress I got to see nominated, and that would be Maria Bakalova from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.  Emma is on my too-see list, so we will see if Anya Taylor-Joy can potentially have multiple projects that garner her wins.  I was REALLY hoping to see Evan Rachel Wood in this category, but I’ve been wrong before, so I’ll get over it.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) James Corden (The Prom) Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) Dev Patel (The Personal History of David Copperfield) Andy Samberg (Palm Springs) Thoughts : Andy Samberg and James Corden get to split my surprise award for this category, with Sacha Baron Cohen hot on their tail.  In all honesty, this is another category I have no vested interest in.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) Frances McDormand (Nomadland) Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) Thoughts : On the page, this looks like the toughest category to call.  If I was betting, my bet would be on either Frances McDormand or Carey Mulligan, if not split between the two of them.  Viola Davis gave a powerful performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and it’s nice to see the uber-talented Andra Day get nominated for her portrayal of Billie Holiday, but the Hollywood hype machine seems to be in the favor of either McDormand or Mulligan walking away with this one.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) Anthony Hopkins (The Father) Gary Oldman (Mank) Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian) Thoughts : It would be very easy to say that Gary Oldman is the favorite in this category, but the buzz behind Sound of Metal may enhance Riz Ahmed’s chances at victory.  At the risk of sounding sentimental, I’d personally like to see Chadwick Boseman win this award, but I also fear that the entire posthumous nature of this nomination may work against him rather than in his favor.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) Olivia Colman (The Father) Jodie Foster (The Mauritanian) Amanda Seyfried (Mank) Helena Zengel (News of the World) Thoughts : The only one of these performances I’ve seen (unfortunately) is Amanda Seyfried’s, which was impressive, but with names like Glenn Close, Olivia Colman (fresh off of a recent Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture win) and Jodie Foster in the hunt, this will be another tough competition.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7) Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) Jared Leto (The Little Things) Bill Murray (On the Rocks) Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night in Miami) Thoughts : The buzz behind Judas and the Black Messiah has me wondering if this is Daniel Kaluuya’s category to lose, but this is another category where the competition is incredibly fierce.  Sacha Baron Cohen was strong in his portrayal of Abbie Hoffman, Leslie Odom, Jr. gave us a new look at Sam Cooke, and Jared Leto was palatable in his subtle unhinged performance for The Little Things.  I did not see Bill Murray’s performance, but his clout alone always makes him a contender.

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Promising Young Woman (Focus Features) Mank (Netflix) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) The Father (Sony Pictures Classics) Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) Thoughts : It would be ironic if Mank did not win this category, as the film focuses on a screenwriter, but stranger things have happened. 

Best Original Score – Motion Picture The Midnight Sky (Netflix) – Alexandre Desplat Tenet (Warner Bros.) – Ludwig Göransson News of the World (Universal Pictures) – James Newton Howard Mank (Netflix) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross Soul (Pixar) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste Thoughts : It’s got to be a win for Trent Reznor and Atticus Rose in this round.  Be in their period-specific and ear-fooling Mank score, or their incredibly jazzy and heartfelt offering for Soul, these two are a formidable duo who will likely dominate this category for years to come.

Best Original Song – Motion Picture Fight for You from Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.) – H.E.R., Dernst Emile II, Tiara Thomas Hear My Voice from The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) – Daniel Pemberton, Celeste Io Si (Seen) from The Life Ahead (Netflix) – Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi Speak Now from One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios) – Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth Tigress & Tweed from The United States vs. Billie Holliday (Hulu) – Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq Thoughts : Unfortunately, I do not have enough knowledge of any of these songs to pick a winner... I may go Spotify them for a base guess, but I would more so like to hear them in the context of the films they are connected to.

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Normal People (Hulu/BBC) The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) Small Axe (Amazon Studios/BBC) The Undoing (HBO) Unorthodox (Netflix) Thoughts : Small Axe feels like the possible underdog winner in this category, especially with the recent race-related turmoil that has left a dark cloud over an already dark year.  That being said, with a handful of record-breaking achievements under its belt, my money is on The Queen’s Gambit winning here. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Cate Blanchett (Mrs. America) Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) Shira Haas (Unorthodox) Nicole Kidman (The Undoing) Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) Thoughts : I believe that the power behind The Queen’s Gambit will carry Anya Taylor-Joy to victory in this category.  Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett are certainly stiff competition, but 2020 belonged to Anya Taylor-Joy, and I believe this will be reflected by the Golden Globes.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Bryan Cranston (Your Honor) Jeff Daniels (The Comey Rule) Hugh Grant (The Undoing) Ethan Hawke (The Good Lord Bird) Mark Ruffalo (I Know This Much Is True) Thoughts : Sadly, I missed everything nominated for this category, so as impressive as this list of names is, I am terribly ill-informed and cannot hazard an educated guess for who will win.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Gillian Anderson (The Crown) Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown) Julia Garner (Ozark) Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek) Cynthia Nixon (Ratched) Thoughts : While the names Gillian Anderson and Helena Bonham Carter immediately pop from this list, the dual nominations for The Crown may harm more than it helps.  Ratched also had a bit of early buzz behind it, but Schitt’s Creek has been a monumental fan favorite, so I think Annie Murphy may be walking away with this one.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television John Boyega (Small Axe) Brendan Gleeson (The Comey Rule) Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek) Jim Parsons (Hollywood) Donald Sutherland (The Undoing) Thoughts : If Small Axe can’t garner a win as a series, then it may have a decent chance at getting John Boyega a victory for his performance.  I’m also realizing that I need to look into The Undoing before the Golden Globes takes place, as it has appeared several times on the list of nominations.

We’ll see you on February 28, 2021 for the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards on your local NBC affiliate! 

[deejstudies]

college list as of dec 2017

i haven’t posted original content in a while because life and school and all that stuff has been really getting in the way. but, i made this studyblr to keep me motivated so what better way to remind myself that i have a studyblr than to share with the internet the thing that has been on my mind since the summer: college11!!1!!11 i am a junior (currently surviving, not thriving) but i am in a weird way excited to start my college applications and to see where i will and won’t get accepted to??? this is my finalized list and all the schools that i plan on applying to my senior year. i am so excited and anxious to start applying and i hope to make blogging apart of the college process to have it be a stress reliever of sorts??? idk we will figure it out as time goes on but without further ado here is my college list as of dec 2017 & the reasons why i am applying to these schools!

Harvard

why? my major in all likelihood will be poli-sci so why not apply to the best school in the country for it? also, i always said i was going to go there when i was just a little cherub so why not apply to the school. i also fell in love with massachusetts and the school when i visited.

Columbia

why? nyc is my ideal location so when i learned that there was an ivy in the area, i knew right then that i had to apply to the school. columbia blue is also a very pretty color

Yale

why? another childhood fever dream of mine. the drama and english department there are superb and to me it seems like a school that actually cares about it’s diversity

Cornell

why? GO BIG RED!!!!! that is all

Dartmouth

why? i was a little weary of the school at first but then i learned who keggy the keg was and knew that i had to try and go there

Brown

why? possibly my favorite ivy, holistically speaking at least????? from what i have read, the environment brown has created where you get to be an intellectual without all the hypercompetitiveness is all that i have ever really wanted tbh. i know i would fit well here and would have lots of fun at this school.

Princeton

why? this will be the third, and probably not the last time, that i have mentioned my childhood but i remember doing a summer program here in the 3’rd grade and i always envisioned princeton when thinking of what a university should be.

UPenn

why? my brother might attend a school in philly (we are twins so we see how that will go) and i have hella family in philly as well as the fact that this seems like one of the “fun” ivy leagues

Howard

why? the capstone of black education. everyday is black history at this legendary HBCU and i hope to join the numbers of dope black people that have graduated from howard

Spelman

why? i have had the longest running fascination about this school than i have about any other college on this list. i have fantasized about going here for the LONGEST and living and learning in the unique environment that Spelman provides. i am getting goosebumps from just thinking about it omggg

Barnard

why? there is something about the environment of barnard that makes me love everything about it. from its’ origin story, location, and relationship with columbia i can envision myself studying and thriving at this school

Mount Holyoke

why? i think i just have a thing for pretty massachusetts schools at this point. also this environment is ideal

Wesleyan

why? what turned into jokingly looking at the school because lin-manuel miranda graduated from here turned into a genuine love for the unique brainiacs that call wesleyan home

Marymount Manhattan

why? this school couldn’t get more nyc if it tried and that’s what makes me love it so much

Stanford

why? my great aunt went here and from her stories about the school i just knew i had to apply bc of the work hard, play hard mentality as well as the supportive professors. also, these kids are just good at like everything????

Kenyon

why? another admiration turned into love story

Tulane

why? i want to see why it is rated #1 party school for science purposes. also, crawfish and mardi gras.

Brandeis

why? social justice is important to me and this school has a legacy of fighting for it and promoting it in its campus

Pace

why? nyc and a lot of my friends are applying here. it also is a pretty good school

Syracuse

why? the school spirit is unprecedented and the campus is gorgeous and not too far from nyc

now some of you might be looking at this list and saying that 20 schools is entirely too much and that this list doesn’t have the “normal structure” of college application lists that everyone tells you to build. it’s not structured in the normal way because i am an abnormal student in an extraordinary family. the past 16 years of my life has shaped this list. i know i would be ecstatic to go to any of the colleges on this list and that i would fit in at any one of these places, i built my list not on what other people said but on my own personal interests. my advice to anyone on this journey about finding out what colleges to apply to is to have fun with it and really try and picture yourself at the school you are looking at.