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longfantastic · 2 years

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Invisible emmie youtube

#Invisible emmie youtube series

Two unlikely friends, Hopper and Eni, band together to solve the mysteries at their crazy school while teaching themselves (and the reader) beginner computer coding skills. Secret Coders (book 1 of the series) by Gene Luen Yang Jordan experiences prejudice and stereotyping from both kids and faculty in a funny, heartfelt exploration of racial issues suitable to children 9+ years.įind out more about the sequel, Class Act, in our collection of the best New Graphic Novels for Tweens. Jordan Banks is a seventh grader who dreams of going to art school, instead, he finds himself at the exclusive, private Riverdale Academy Day School. Imagine switching to a private middle school where you’re one of the very few black kids there. See the sequel, Knife’s Edge: Amazon | The Book Depository Set in the 1860s, this fun, swashbuckling adventure tale shares the story of orphaned twins, Cleo and Alex, who become separated while on the run from gangsters, pirates, and the law! Age 9+ years. See the whole series: Amazon | The Book DepositoryĬompass South (book 1 of the Four Points series) by Hope Larson The Last Kids on Earth tells the hilarious story of Jack and his friends, Quint and June, as they attempt to stay alive in the aftermath of a zombie monster apocalypse – by hiding out in a super cool treehouse! One of our favourite graphic novel series. The Last Kids On Earth (book 1 of the series) by Max Brallier A great read for kids who struggle with worry and stress, and associated tummy pains.

#Invisible emmie youtube series

We are big fans of Telgemeier’s award winning series of memoirs, and in the latest installment, Guts, she shares the story of her lifelong battle with anxiety, phobias and panic attacks and their effect on her digestive system. Smile, Sistersand Guts by Raina Telgemeier Cece is trying to find ways to cope as the only deaf student in her school – a job made especially difficult thanks to the giant hearing aid strapped to Cece’s chest! The story is funny, deeply honest and a fabulous lesson in learning to accept individual differences. Grab the sequel, Best Friends: Amazon | The Book DepositoryĮl Deafo is the fabulous, semi-autobiographical story of Cece as she adjusts to life as a deaf person. It’s about making friends and losing them, about popularity and what lengths the girls will go to to be included in with the in crowd. Real Friends is a semi-autobiographical story exploring the complex nature of playground politics among primary/elementary aged girls. Age 8+ years.įind the rest of the series: Amazon | The Book Depository The series explores themes related to fitting in, popularity, loneliness, honesty and being oneself. Phoebe and Her Unicorn is the first in this series of witty, sarcastic stories about 9 year old Phoebe, a confident, happy misfit, and her absolutely self-absorbed unicorn friend, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. Phoebe and Her Unicorn (book 1 of the series) by Dana Simpson Diana makes some bad decisions that could put the whole idyllic Amazonian world in danger! Age 8+ years. Enter Mona….who may not be the best influence of Diana. When she hears the story of how she was made out of clay, Diana decides to make her own clay best friend. Diana: Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Haleġ1 year old princess, Diana (aka Wonder Woman), is the only child on an island of immortal Amazons. They are confident readers and voracious consumers of all different genres of books, so while graphic novels are great for supporting struggling readers – the visuals providing important contextual support to help the reader decipher text and meaning – they are also attractive to children and tweens across a vast range of reading levels.Ģ1 Fabulous Graphic Novels for Tweens: Ages 9-12 Year OldsĮach book included on our list is linked to both an Amazon and/or Book Depository online store page – these are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks to the recent publication of many new titles by a fabulous collection of tween/middle school focused graphic novel authors, they are also great for inviting discussion around important themes and topics relevant to the 9-12 year old age group.īoth my eight and twelve year olds are big fans of graphic novels. The inclusion of visual elements provides more opportunity for kids to interact with the text and the graphic features. For the unfamiliar, graphic novels are book length stories told with the visual support of a comic strip format. In the world of kids books, graphic novels are so hot right now. Inside: Our pick of 21 of the best graphic novels for tweens, ages 9-12 year olds.

#Invisible emmie youtube

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majorsoapfan · 3 years

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TUA Season 3 AU Fic

This is an fic idea for an AU from the end of season 2 onwards where Ben survived and travelled back with the rest of the umbrellas to the new Sparrow-infested 2019. Because there was so much potential there for an amazing fic:

Ben going ballistic at the mere appearance of his Sparrow self. Seriously he'd hate the guy. Of course Umbrella!Ben's antics and threats towards his alternate self means that Klaus is struggling to keep a straight face during their first meeting.

Oh, who am I kidding, Klaus is rolling on the ground laughing thanks to Umbrella!Ben trying (and failing) to strangle his alternate self.

And despite his brothers pleas Klaus refuses to give away that their Ben is present, going as far as to stop the rest of their siblings from mentioning his ghostly presence to Reginald.

Because, despite Klaus' appearance and most people's general in-universe assumptions of him being an idiot, the guy lived for more than ten years on the streets and for nearly a year in a war zone. You don't achieve that without being somewhat sneaky and he does have a manipulative streak to him as well. He also knows when to keep an ace up his sleeve. It's not a strategy he uses often, his personality isn’t the kind for it, but he knows now that he has too.

Reginald not knowing Ben is there as a ghost gives the Umbrellas a massive advantage against the Sparrows as Klaus is forced to explain to a very upset Ben and his confused siblings later. Because Reginald is aware of the living Umbrellas and their talents, but he was never aware of the seventh member hanging around as a ghost. Ergo, they have the perfect spy.

So Umbrella Ben goes back to the Academy and studies the Sparrows religiously. Gets to know the Sparrows as people, what makes them tick, how they fight, any weaknesses.

What nearly everyone forgets about Ben is that he's not some soft, innocent flower who never did anything wrong. Ben liked doing reckless stunts (he enjoyed the ice cream van stunt), and he could be insensitive, and kinda callous when trying to achieve a goal as well. But he is also very loyal to his family. And the Sparrows are a genuine threat to them. Probably the biggest.

For the first time possibly ever, Ben can do more to protect them than simply unleash the Horror which he hated doing and offering advice that often got ignored. He is the biggest factor that is keeping his family safe, he is their main shield by gathering information.

Of course the Sparrows have no clue just how the Umbrella's are dodging them and figuring out their plans. They've been trained their whole lives to take them down, but the opposite is happening here.

This of course would lead to infighting and suspicions as they all start to turn on each other.

But the Umbrella's are also being the Umbrella's, just because they have an advantage here doesn't mean that they aren't fucking things up for themselves, they are at times after all, their own worst enemies.

Five of course would be trying to figure out a way back to their 2019, possibly involving the Commission. Diego tags along because he's trying to find Lila. (I’m not a fan of the relationship, although I do enjoy Lila’s character, but personally I do think Diego needs some closure from the relationship)

I do see Luther and Sloane forming a cute relationship as unlike the rest of his siblings Luther would understand the Sparrows in a way his own siblings don’t as he gets the loyalty that makes you stay with Reginald even if that's not all you want out of life. (You can't tell me that all Luther wanted with his life was to stay at the Academy. The guy must have had a dream for himself once.) Whereas for Sloane, Luther's proof that it is possible for her to strike out on her own, even with nothing and build a life free of the Academy.

I do see Allison taking the lead here as unlike the others who either don't really have anyone in their timeline (Klaus, Vanya, Five) or if they had, they may already be dead, but Allison has Claire's existence at stake here and you bet that she's going to fight tooth and nail for her baby.

And maybe the Umbrella’s learning to work as a team for the first time in years. Because if they want to get home, then they’re going to have to learn to work as a team properly and trust each other.

Of course it’s not easy. Now the initial joy they had in season two that everyone is alive and safe, they still have to address the issues they have with one another. Unfortunately they don’t just disappear.

Things that should get mentioned: Vanya’s book (still kinda pissed that that was just brushed under the rug), Luther’s past treatment of his siblings (locking Vanya up, choking Klaus, threatening to drop Delores from a height), Klaus and Ben’s issues (they’ll need multiple chapters just for that), not noticing Klaus was kidnapped/tortured/killed, to name but a few.

Of course not everything is solved and hunky-dorey, there’s still massive trauma and decades of bitterness and repressed feelings but they’re exposed and have started to treat the wound properly instead of ignoring it and letting it fester.

I’m picturing a Luther/Sloane dancing scene now like Luther and Allison’s in the Day That Wasn’t (until I looked up Sloane’s actress and found out that she’s the same height as Emmy, I was picturing her to be slightly smaller. Slightly disappointed by that.)

Maybe then the Sparrows find out about her connection with the Umbrella’s and turn on her, thinking her to be the traitor?

I’m drawing a blank as to what happens after that, but for the big showdown, I’m picturing Klaus finally making Ben corpeal and the Sparrows seeing their brother/themselves as a ghost before Umbrella Ben . . . just completely knocks Sparrow Ben out with one good sucker-punch. (Maybe yelling ‘I’m the Alpha here!’ or something similar?)

Ben absolutely kicks his Sparrow counter-part while he’s down too. Hard. Whether it’s his ribs or his balls it’s up to your imagination.

Well that’s all I have. Can’t believe that something that was originally intended to be a small post spawned into this, but I don’t care. If anyone wants to use this idea or even bits of it go right ahead, God knows if it was up to me to complete this won’t be written until season 10.

#the umbrella academy #tua #ben hargreeves #klaus hargreeves #luther hargreeves #diego hargreeves #vanya hargreeves #allison hargreeves #number five #five hargreeves #the sparrow academy #marcus hargreeves #fei hargreeves #sloane hargreeves #alphonso hargreeves #jayme hargreeves #christopher the cube #reginald hargreeves

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quartergremlin · 3 years

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Big thank you to darling emmy for commissioning me!

1,2,3

My commissions are almost always open, and I currently have three spots open! You can see my prices here and here on instagram! Don’t be afraid to shoot me an order or even any questions you have!

#quartergremlin #commission #icon #process #that initial sketch was rough my dudes #sketch #reference #lineart #flat color #full color

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tactyl-ymon · 4 years

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DnD session recap - Curses and Consequences

You all know the drill by now, big session. lots of emotions, didn’t know how to format things coherently blah blah blah all add onto this being like a month late. Enjoy my literal labour of love because this one write up easily took about 20 something hours of note taking, writing, formatting and stuff.

We open with a worried trio of Whisky, Veiraen and Eridol knocking on Emmi’s door after she ran away from the assembled group outside the keep and spend the night watching Emmi drink her weight in wine and make sure she doesn’t die. Once Emmi passes out because she’s more wine than elf at this point, the group decides best not to waste the remainder and get summarily sloshed between them. Veiraen and Eridol have a deep and meaningful conversation about how mysterious Septima is and Veiraen says Septima probably can’t even do a backflip and you can’t trust someone that can’t do a backflip. Eridol wants people to trust him and not seeing any flaws in the logic,tries to do a backflip in full armor to prove he can. Which goes about as hilariously as expected of a jacked toddler in a tin can. The gnome shaped thwack is loud enough to be heard throughout the keep and the ensuing laughter breaks our dwarven wizard’s concentration from his reading. Tornur comes to ask us to keep it down because he’s trying to do some research. Eridol promises they won’t make any more noise and immediately casts silence before trying to do another backflip because he is a stubborn tiny man. Somehow he pulls it off. Veiraen, Whisky and Eridol silently celebrate before the silence is dropped and suddenly we’re not so silently celebrating anymore. We hear the telltale sounds of a disgruntled dwarven wizard stomping down the hallway and operation “oh shit, hide” begins. Eridol trips over a rug and unsuccessfully dives under Emmi’s bed, Whisky dives under the now disturbed rug, Veiraen just kind of melts behind a curtain and Emmi remains passed out in bed. Tornur boots the door open and it doesn’t take long for him to see the half of a shiny gnome sticking out from under the bed and casts web on everyone before telling everyone to be quiet and leaving us in our sticky situation. With that, everyone feebly tries to get out before realising that they can’t move and I guess it’s just impromptu nap time. While everyone is either passed out or studying, Septima decides to go for a walk to talk to some direwolves because we’re all agents of Chaos, but he’s on a different level and wouldn’t you know it, he finds some direwolves. Somehow against all odds he turns a 4v1 combat scenario into the wolves allowing him to lead them back to the keep to meet everyone else and maybe protect the lands surrounding the keep if we agreed to occasionally feed them and protect their den when needed. He asks the wolves to stay put while he brings everyone in the group out so they know what’s going on. After searching all the rooms he finds the majority of the group passed out, covered in wine and decides the best possible way to wake everyone up is by standing in the doorway and using druidcraft to make it smell like smoke and make crackling fire sound effects. Veiraen and Whisky wake up, panic and somehow knock themselves back unconscious. Eridol wakes up, smells smoke, sees the giant in the doorway and decides the best course of action is to jump out the window. After an impromptu second storey pratfall, he heads back inside and freaks out one of the guards with a frankly unnecessary head wound before saying everything’s fine and promptly passing out again. Septima asks Tornur for some help dragging the remaining members downstairs and they pick up the now bandaged and passed out Eridol on the way and wake everyone up just outside where the wolves are. The wolves take an immediate interest in Whisky and as Eridol ineffectively steps in front of her to act as a barrier, she begins petting the alpha into submission. Septima begins explaining that he’s asked the wolves if they could patrol the outskirts of the keep and in return we occasionally feed them and keep their den safe. With everyone somewhat agreeing to this deal, we all head back to the keep proper and pass out from our night of hard drinking/studying like a nerd/wolf hunting. Emmi wakes up to a trashed room and a note from Eridol to come to the training grounds just outside the keep if she wants to blow off some steam and help with something. As Emmi makes her way out to the little arena, she sees the rest of the group watching Eridol train several of the keep guards and offer a challenge to them, whichever of the guards can hit him hard enough to drop concentration on a spell will get 10 gold. A few of the guards accept the challenge as Eridol casts 2 spells on himself and beckons the guards to start. It goes on for a while before Septima feeling this is unfairly weighted in Eridols favour dispels the effects and with his magical safety net dropped, Eridol starts having to actually dodge spears and swords now. He recasts one of the spells but it doesn’t stop a guards spear from finding his abdomen. With the spell broken and a new flesh wound to deal with Eridol hands the prize off to the guard and sits on the ground to heal for a bit before asking if anyone in the party wanted to put on a bit of a sparring show for the guards still watching and takes his place in the middle of the small arena. He realizes his immediate mistake of not saying it was a one on one match when Septima, Veiraen, Whisky and Emmi all take points surrounding him and Eridol hunkers down to the inevitable arse beating he’s about to receive. Which does not come. After several rounds of almost everyone silently agreeing to stomp Veiraen, the impromptu battle ends with Emmi and Veiraen unconscious, Whisky forfeiting and Septima a very fast giant ape thanks to some meddling from an amused Tornur in the stands. Eridol gets to healing everyone as the very fast giant ape with the brain of a not very smart but very fast ape decides play time’s not over just yet and starts beating on Veiraen and things go to far before anyone can do anything to stop him. With the sight of Veiraen dying again and the necklace around his neck turning that horrifying shade of red because of it, Eridol slips back into himself, completely unresponsive. With Eridol out of commission, Tornur drops haste on Septima while Whisky and Emmi start tackling the now exhausted ape before he anything else can happen. A flurry or blows and crossbow bolts knocks our druids concentration enough to come back to himself and drop the spell as Tornur is trying to get Eridol back into reality with a thunderous slap. With the cleric being forced to act but without the materials on hand to bring Veiraen back, Eridol casts gentle repose as he yells for someone to get the bag of holding. Tornur casts haste on Whisky as she speeds back up to the keep to get the components and makes it back faster than is legally possible. Eridol shakily casts revivify to bring his friend back from the dead for a second time, the collar around Veiraen’s neck flaring back to life seconds later, immoblising the rogue long enough for the protective collar to seep back into his mind and quell the murderous intent he’s had since coming through the portal and massacring several people. Everyone except Whisky and Emmi wordlessly makes their way back to the keep as the two decide a nice stiff drink is required and set off to the nearest town to get shitfaced. After too much ale and many unsuccessful attempts to dodge Whiskys questions about why Emmi was so focused on drinking herself into an early grave, Emmi opens up about the memories she recently rediscovered. The life she thought she had was all a lie, her family, her relationships, her reasons for becoming a sailor. Everything. She thinks back on how Sharona took such an active approach to her sailing education, everything shifting under the realization that this was her mother. A mother who loved her family so much she would rather live without Emmi than see them both lost to time and the ocean in pursuit of their husband. But some things just can’t be helped as Emmi unknowingly had spent her life continuing to learn from her mother. Whisky stating that at least she has the full picture now, so at least theres that silver lining and asks if Emmi would like to go confront her mother about it which is met with the universal facial expression of that being a hard pass. They continue drinking the night away and talking until words lose meaning and have to let the horses lead them back to the keep to face the overwhelming hangover that awaits in the morning. Back with the rest of the group just after leaving the training grounds, Veiraen trails back and pins Eridol to the door frame of the building, asking for the remote to the inhibition collar around his neck. After receiving no answer from the still traumatised gnome he lets him go and Veiraen goes to sit in front of the fireplace and Eridol fights losing himself until he gets into his room. Ending up in a small crate in the corner to shut out the world. It’s about an hour later when Veiraen comes to ask Eridol for the remote again, slipping into the room and finding the hyperventilating, disassociating mess of a cleric in his panic box. Still not getting the information he wants, Veiraen decides he needs to snap Eridol out of whatever this is as gently as possible, not like Tornur slapping him back to reality. Veiraen pours a vial of oil over the shuddering gnome and retrieves his tinderbox. Fire obviously the way to get what he wants in this delicate situation. It takes a few seconds for recognition of the situation to violently rip Eridol out of his own head, with survival instincts kicking in, he puts himself out and punches Veiraen while Veiraen tries to pin him and ask about the remote again. Veiraen leaves without a word and Eridol thrown out of his episode locks the door and sets in to read and to think about where he stands with Veiraen for the remainder of the day. An hour later Veiraen tries to ask again, but finds the door locked and barricaded from the inside and not knowing when to quit he starts climbing the wall of the keep to Eridols window. A few feet from his prize, the window opens. Eridol having heard the pitons being hammered into the stonework, comes to find his traveling companion hanging from a rope. They exchange a glance before Eridol quietly gives an ultimatum. Drop whatever this is or Eridol will have to stop it and he doesn’t have the energy available to bring Veiraen back if it comes to that. Veiraen asks for the remote again and Eridol mentions he doesn’t have it anymore. Ask Septima. Eridol doesn’t wait for a response and closes the window, back to standing guard for a fight he prays doesn’t come sneaking through the window. Dawn comes and hoping to avoid Veiraen for as long as possible, Eridol takes Tornur to the main city to find some additional spells and protective measures from their new ally and sometimes adult bronze dragon, deciding to spend the night in town while Tornur copied his new spells to his book, that was definitely the only reason to stay there for now. Back at the keep, Veiraen had been having issues finding our green friend because without an actual bedroom or the need to sleep, Septima had taken to shutting down in the most inconvenient places around the keep in an attempt to scare whoever finds him, you know, for fun. Veiraen finds him early in the morning hidden in a darkened corner of the larder after a scream and string of curses from one of the kitchen workers alerts the rogue to his current hiding spot. Veiraen asks Septima for the remote and is summarily refused, Septima saying he was instructed by everyone, but by Core especially to not give it to him. Veiraen states that he just wants to find a way to disable it for a while so he can figure out how to handle the urges it suppresses for himself so he doesn’t end up hurting anyone around him and argues that it was Core that put the collar on him in the first place after he came through the portal and shouldn’t be trusted. Septima realizes that Veiraen genuinely believes this, but he won’t hand over the remote. But maybe Fulgür the sometimes dragon can help them with momentarily blocking the necklace while Veiraen does what he needs to. With that, Septima and Veiraen start meandering towards Principium, unknowingly arriving several hours after Eridol and Tornur at Fulgür’s magic shop where the dragon was still in the form of the Halfling wizard that also came through the portals with them and Septima so long ago. Before explaining why they need help, Veiraen offers up all the remaining gems that he had taken from Fulgür’s cave system unknowingly with an apology. Veiraen goes into how he knows the collar is dampening a harmful intent, when he came through the portal he felt a need to inflict violence on everyone around him, he killed so many people and felt good about. The collar held the urge in place but he needs to be able to explore it and what it means for him. After a careful inspection from Fulgür, the dragon recognizes an inkling of the same type of fey energy that hid his true self and Emmi’s memories affecting Veiraen. Fulgür agrees to help him with his experimentation and an agreement is made to head out to the cave Septima and Eridol found him digging in originally to be away from anyone. Fulgür casts fly on the two non dragons and they fly out of the city, far to the south away from prying eyes and possible victims should this go poorly. They reach the cave system and Veiraen asks that he be restrained and disarmed before they start, both Septima and Fulgür agree and through a combination of hold person and entanglement he is restrained and his weapons but under Fulgür’s foot for added security and dispel magic is cast in an effort to suppress the collar but the collar shatters from the force of the dispelling enchantment, the small bead of murderous intent flares to life as Veiraen begins trying to fight off his new urges. As Fulgür and Septima can only watch, Veiraen, as restrained as he is seems to be fighting a losing battle against the fey curse affecting his mind and causing the want to rip and tear those around him. In his mind he hears a voice, the voice of his sword cricket pleading to let her help, he just needs to hold her and she can help. Veiraen begins begging for his sword, whispered under the strain of the efforts he is taking to fight off his urges. Fulgür unsheathes it and offers it without hesitation. With sword in hand, Veiraen redoubles his efforts to fight the curse on him and sensing his control slipping under it’s fog he pins himself through his foot to the ground. With Veiraen pinned and slowly losing this mental battle a decision is made. They need divine intervention to break this like the last ones encountered. Septima shifts into a giant constrictor snake to help restrain Veiraen while Fulgür uses his mighty draconic speed to make it back to Principium to find Eridol as fast as he can. When Fulgür finds the gnome and mentions Veiraen needing help with a curse, it overwhelms whatever negative feelings the healer has for the rogue and they depart as fast as is dragonly possible. Shortly after Fulgür departs the cave, Veiraen hears the calming voice of cricket in his mind over the pulsing of blood in his ears. “This is not a fight you can win, oh bearer mine, there is something I can do that will end this. Will you accept?” With no other options Veiraen accepts this incredibly vague offer from a sword he can’t tell anyone about and for the first time since breaking the collar his mind goes quiet, the murderous intent still there but momentarily contained. Feeling him stop tensing, Septima releases him and in one smooth motion, Veiraen removes the sword from his foot, spins it around and as if by it’s own will Cricket is driven into Veiraen’s heart. As it completely disappears into his chest, Veiraen can feel the fey curse wither into nothing and for the first time since coming through the portal, with neither good or bad influencing his actions or a collar to inhibit him, Veiraen is completely himself. As he breathes, a figure appears in his mind. A humanoid woman clad in gleaming platinum armor with a shield as large as herself, she smiles and bows at her wielder before fading away, a duty willingly fulfilled. The silence that follows only broken by his raspy breathing and the pulse of his blood in his ears as an emotionally drained and slightly holey Veiraen collapses into a fitful sleep. Septima shifting into a dire wolf to help keep him warm until he wakes. It is a few hours later when Fulgür arrives with his tiny gnome shaped ball of fury who is ready to kick someones arse. Their arrival loud enough to wake the exhausted Veiraen and his wolf buddy. Veiraen starts making a heartfelt explanation of what happened and how he needed to feel like himself and how everything worked out in the end and that he’s sorry as he draws the gnome in for a hug and for the first time since they’ve known each other Eridol refuses to accept this justification. All the conflicting emotions that he has about Veiraen come boiling to the surface and Eridol yells at the rogue for his stupidity at not thinking of the possible consequences all the time, for dying, for setting him on fire, for not telling anyone his plans and for putting himself and Septima in potential harms way if this went poorly. The gnome turns and begins wordlessly making his way down the mountain rather than spend another second with his companions. With Eridols sudden outburst and departure, the remaining trio discuss what happens now, Core needs to be told obviously and the others will learn eventually. Considering the weirdness between Fulgür and Core after their last meeting, he’s out and Veiraen quietly asks if he can spend the night at Fulgür’s cave rather than go after his friend. This leaves Septima to Terminator run his way to principium because without usable lungs he can’t get exhausted. After several hours of walking silently with a death grip on his hammer, Eridol ends up in a clearing and the realization of how alone he is sets in as every emotion he was trying to push down explodes at once. He leaves a trail of destruction in his wake. Every spell and strike used as an outlet for his anger and frustration as he tries to beat the forest into submission, trees splinter as divine energy flares, rocks shatter with every hammer strike and Eridol finally comes to grips with things as tears stream down his face. It’s past dawn when he makes it back to the keep, two days of emotional exhaustion and no sleep take their toll as he oozes into bed and Eridols justifiably worried dog lies down on his gnome, because he’s a good boy like that. As Septima Forest Gumps his way across the countryside, he eventually makes it to our sorcerer companion’s home in the capital city and his internal snitch programming activates and in his calm, emotionless monotone Septima lays out exactly what happened with Veiraen and the collar and Eridol walking away and also the country is probably going to shatter in like 9 months, to the increasingly panicked caster and they begin making their way back to the keep to yell at two people specifically and everyone generally. The two slip into the keep in the early morning light and with no Veiraen in sight decide Eridol is the next best one to talk to and make their way up to his room. They discuss what happened and try not to notice the near death grip Eridol has on his hammer while clearly lying about how fine he is. Septima mentions how you shouldn’t let death scar you which is enough to trigger the saddest gnome to mention it’s a bit late for that and sheds his armor to show off more scar tissue than is legally allowed. His torso a patchwork of almost surgical scars, abrasions and a series of newer burns wrapping around his right side in a haphazard attempt to cover something. Septima just quietly looks the gnome over and begins unwinding his wrappings to show his own scarred body. Core and Eridol are faced with old husks of wood showing deep gouges and burned to char in places, whatever essence granting him life pulses and dissipates through the joints and cracks in the surface. Obviously in this sad boys body club, Septima takes the crown. Having seen enough of the body horror, Core asks if someone knows how to get in touch with Veiraen, we need to discuss what happens next with the portal and possible destruction of the country in several months. Eridol quietly mentions that he can and sends a mental text to the rogue to come and to bring Fulgur as well. Core leaves and runs into Emmi in the hallway outside, who had been woken by the noise. Seeing her still seemingly drunk from the night before, Core asks if she’s doing alright and gets a pretty hefty no before Emmi drops the equivalent of a bomb and accusingly says “How long have you known Sharona was my mother?” The silence afterwards is deafening as Core tries to process that and we end the session there

#Tactyl Ymon #Eridol #Septima #Veiraen #Whisky #Emmi #Tornur #dnd #d&d campaign

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sharky857 · 4 years

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Oc questions! I don't know them, so pick any of your oc :D 5, 25, 31, 35

(Th… Thanks for absolutely NOT notifying me of this other ask, Tumblr inbox… *COUGH!*)

Ok, since all questions but #5 are different from the last ask I answered, I’m picking the same OCs as last time. Plus a few extras I didn’t include back then.

So, this ask will be about all these guys here: https://sharky857.tumblr.com/post/189309344562

Plus the following:

5. What do they look like?

- Street Sharks:

Emily Paradigm, aka: Shade (this is pretty old and her design looks a tad different, but also the only artwork with colours I have right now ^^; Also, I swear this scene is not what it may look like! :°D)

James Murphy, aka: “Jamie” (Emily’s bestie; both picts have been commissioned to @archangelduskanddawn)

- Extreme DInosaurs

Trisha (artwork commissioned to LailaSilverwolf)

That being introduced, let’s move on with the other questions! :D

25. How do they handle being complimented?

Overall, they all take it politely, without really making a big deal about it.

Only Emily would take compliments with a lot of grains of salt at first, mainly when they come from strangers (and it goes double if said stranger is a boy in her same age range). So she might appear completely unfazed and/or nearly cold when saying her mere “thanks”.

This is because, up until the events of the regular “Street Sharks” series, she’s gone her whole life being the target of forced compliments and such, all coming from people (be them other students and/or their parents) who wanted to “make friends” with her at all costs, so that they could later brag about being “good friend with that rich folk’s daughter”.

31. Does the character worry about their place in society?

Due to the amount of OCs involved here, I’ll try to keep this one short. ^^;

- Cassie + Candice: Given what kind of shitstorm gargoyles have gone through because of humans (especially their clan): yes, sometimes they worry about it. Cassie worries even now that things seem to have settled down, because “nothing lasts forever, not even peace” reasons. Yes, she’s often told to “brighten up” by some of the others.

- Doxx + Nitro + Jewel: Their whole planet is still suffering from the aftermath of the Plutarkian war and a few Plutarkians are still roaming on Mars, along with other criminal gangs. They don’t really have time to worry about their own place in any society. :°)

- Naike: Her only worry even remotely close to “society” is finding the right team to join, so that she can keep on practicing her own sport with fair play and without being judged for that.

- Corinne: She just doesn’t give a flying f@ck of her own reputation in general. If given the chance, she would even hang out with a dangerous criminal, most certainly wanted worldwide, who goes by the name “Zantafio”.

- Natalie: Sometimes she worries a bit about her own safety, because “big brother Zanta’s shenanigans” reasons. Fortunately she has a few very trusted friends (and a husband) she can rely on for protection. One of said friends is Corinne herself.

- Emily: Being the only daughter of someone who went from brilliant geneticist (and billionaire entrepeneur) to mad scientist prone to literal bio-terrorism 24/7 is not exactly optimal, but Emily doesn’t give a damn. That’s only her father’s problem now. She unofficially disowned him and has now sided 100% with the Street Sharks. Besides, anyone trying to start anything with her is 100% guaranteed to catch some serious hands, and not just from Emily herself.

- Jamie: Being not only of mixed race but also nb, Jamie’s only worry is that sometimes they feel like there may be very little safe spaces for smol, scrawny, queer folks such as themselves. Fortunately they can rely on their own dad’s self defense classes(Mr. Murphy owns a small gym where he teaches said classes) and Emmie’s Thai-boxing skills. Besides some mutant half-shark “hunks”, of course.

- Trisha: As an intelligence-enhanced dino, her only worry is not to fall into the hands of some Area 51′s scientist who’s always trying to get her hands on those “aliens” for “study purposes”.

35.Are they very forgiving?

I think I can divide them in a few categories here:

- Forgive and (after a while) forget: Natalie, Candice

- Forgive but never forget: Jamie, Doxx, Jewel, Fubuki Bros.

- Never/Rarely forgive and never forget: Emily, Trisha

- Swinging back & forth between the latter two categories, depending on what you did to get them to hold a grudge: Naike, Cassie, Nitro, Corinne

#askbox meme #oc ask meme #sharky's replies #long post #moonless-underdog

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jena19810230-blog · 5 years

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2 Others Hurt In San Francisco

2 others hurt in san francisco In the past two decades, his father Albert Mazza said he had very little contact with his son partly because he lives in Kenly, North Carolina.. As a 6 part series, the video below demonstrates just one of these. I would be losing $750 per month. A few items went to his Australian nephews. She is an active volunteer and board member for several organizations and community and professional initiatives. Family understands that more than anybody. No one wanted to do it. The chain has thrived by continually evolving and upgrading. Cropped Cheap Fake Yeezys blazerCropped blazers are always the saviour in every lazy girl's closet. Said sustainability efforts need to be put into practice.. Would tell him to stop. In the yoga room.Drop your pants and spread your legs. The new report is based on bringing together of data and information contributed from a wide range of sources. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 the day of the show. 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If you look at Morocco's team, barely any of them were born in Morocco. There, you've got a handful of newsmakers, influencers, and media persons who are tied together in their various "filter bubbles" aka "echo chambers", who can end up with a skewed view of what the world is like.. I were the family I would sue the dispatcher for emotional distress, and the department for the training that led to this fiasco, another said, while another added: Uncaring?? Criminal is more like it. Childhood obesity and standards for the "normal" body have evolved throughout American history and have had significant social effects. Then I saw displays for new vintage style Nike running shoes. As well as understanding how the device works, the knowledge of how to maneuver around your media program is also of great importance. Coconut Grove has several dog friendly parks; the Beach has some nice locations; there's a spot on Virginia Key where dogs can swim and sunbathe; but of all the canine treats in my Miami, the mac daddy of all dog parks is in Aventura.

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shes-claws-deep · 5 years

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Blackbeard - Of Babies and Beards

Thank you for your commission, @baysian-yin and @golele5 ! Here’s your 1000 word flash fic of Blackbeard babysitting his baby niece. Disclaimer: I have 0 idea how to babysit a kid. Sorry for any inaccuracies.

“Gotta dip, Craigsy. I’ll make it up to you!” Her bearded bear of a brother doesn’t even manage to quip a retort before Jennifer Jenson is tearing down the road.

“Well.” You tilt your head. “That was…uh…”

Craig looks tired already, and he hasn’t even spent more than a minute with his baby niece in his arms. “Yeah, that’s Jenny for you.” Then he takes a big sigh and breathes in deeply, the mere motion fortifying him until he smiles at you with such fondness that you feel your heart squeeze a little in your chest. “Come on, I’ll hand Emma over and I’ll grab the basket.”

You’re shaking your head before he even completes his sentence, nodding your head at the baby who’s staring at you with wide, doe-like eyes. “Yeah…nah. I’ll grab the basket, babe, she looks comfortable where she is.” And indeed she does, her small form dwarfed by Craig’s huge arms – she looks more like a toy than a baby when she’s being held like that.

He smiles and lets you walk ahead of him to the door, his steps softer and slower than normal so as not to jostle the surprisingly docile baby. “She’s like her mom. I used to carry Jenny around when she was a kid.” Even as Craig sets her down on the play area, she just smiles up at him with that gummy smile. “A lot quieter though.”

You laugh too, setting the basket down so you can kneel by his side to extend a finger to the beaming child. “I can see that. Hello Emma~”

She squeals and waves her arms, flapping them and eventually grabbing hold of your finger. Unfortunately, she brings it to her mouth and starts sucking on it.

“Well, yes, it’s nice to meet you too.”

Craig laughs, gently pulling your finger away from his niece’s greedy mouth. “Babe, that’s what a pacifier is for.” He waves it and pops it in Emma’s mouth. “I guess you’re not used to babysitting, huh?”

“Noooo, what gave you that idea?”

He shakes his head and pats your hand, his forearm resting gently on his niece’s belly. “I got you covered.” His niece concurs, giggling and wriggling around until she rolls onto her belly to grab at the other toys lying around her. The movement draws Craig’s eye to her and he smiles a tiny smile, one hand propping his head up while the other rests on her back gently, stroking her shoulder and spine tenderly.

You, on the other hand, have to stop your heart from bursting out of your chest at the visual. Your lover, big, strong Navy SEAL Craig, lying on his side with his tiny niece sheltered by his buff body, a tender look on his face as he looks upon Emma as though she were the most precious thing he’d ever seen in his life.

Seeing as you’re this close to melting, you opt to get up and set up a little picnic area just out of the play area. You shake the blanket out and hunt down some squeeze bottles in the kitchen for the drinks; you don’t know whether Emma’s the sort to grab things, but you really don’t want to mess up Jenny’s carpet.

“Thanks, babe,” he murmurs softly, leaning up to kiss you on the lips as you feed him a small morsel of food. He sits up then, gently gathering baby Emma into his arms. “Up we go, Emmy, let’s go do a picnic.”

“Aaaabahb,” she gurgles around the pacifier, her hand landing in his beard.

“Oh Emmy, don’t-!”

Too late.

“Pull.”

Emma laughs and waves her tiny fists around, Craig’s prized beard jerking around with every movement. He winces at one particularly hard pull, his head lowering when she decides his beard looks like a tastier toy than her pacifier.

Deciding to help end his suffering, you come over and open her fists and slide the hair out of her mouth. “No, that’s uncle Craig’s beard, baby. You can’t eat that.”

Emma frowns a little, babbling at you.

“I know it’s tasty. He puts olive oil on that.” You nod and take her from him, continuing on as though Emma’s babbling was her actual spoken reply. “Did you taste the coconut oil? He’s very fond of that. Smells nice too, huh?”

Her head rocks a little, tiny hands coming up to clap gleefully. “Yes, uncle Craig’s beard does taste nice. But uncle Craig doesn’t like it when you touch it, so don’t put it into your mouth, okay?”

“Mm mmmb.”

“Good girl.”

Craig has his arms crossed, his beard askew and messy as he furrows his brow at you two. “You girls gossiping about me?”

“Noooo~” You press a kiss to Emma’s cheek. “Oh, you’re such a sweetie.” Then you whisper into her ear, “Yesss ruin his beard.” More claps.

“Ookay.” He rolls his eyes now, plopping down at the picnic area and sipping his soda with a faux sullen pout.

“Abbhbhbh,” Emma babbles again, bubbles forming on her tiny mouth as she stuffs her fist into her mouth.

“Do you feel bad for uncle Craig?” You kneel beside him just as she leans out to bat her pudgy fist on his face. “Give him some love, baby.”

Her uncle’s pout turns into a smile as she reaches out for him fully, her body already leaning towards him. He takes her, one thick arm curling under her head and back, the other pressing her securely into his chest, and motions with his head for you to join him.

Almost immediately, Emma’s eyelids start to flutter, her brow softening. Craig rumbles in his chest lowly, almost like a purr, as he murmurs a soft lullaby. His body starts to rock gently, back and forth, side to side, acting like a rocking chair for his tiny niece. It’s too deep and soft for you to really understand what he’s singing, but it’s doing its job because little Emma slips into slumber without a fuss.

Still, he continues, swaying gently with her cradled in his arms until he’s absolutely sure she’s knocked out.

“She’s out.” His speaking voice comes as a jolt after his quiet singing, his body stilling until he’s reclining against the sofa seat.

You lean over slowly, rubbing the back of one finger against her petal soft skin. “She’s so sweet. Are you sure she isn’t broken?”

“What, because she’s not crying?”

“Yeah.”

Craig suppresses his laughter, though a bright smile crosses his handsome face. “That’s because Jenny fed her before she left. And she’s tired. Just wait for an hour and you’ll feel the full force of her Jenson genes.” He gazes down at her and settles in. “She is adorable though.”

On his opposite side, you lean on his shoulder and pat his thigh. “You’ll handle her, uncle Craig. Or should I say…papa Craig?”

“Oh god, please no,” he groans. The dreaded nickname that the Germans came up with had stuck. “I’d rather stay an uncle.”

You grin toothily and bite his meaty shoulder. “Never say never, honey.”

He stills for a moment then, his arms shifting Emma’s weight slightly, and then turns to look at you with wide eyes; a tiny glimmer of something in there. “You…want to have children? With me?”

Oh shit. Uhhhh. Come on, think!

“I mean, that’s a topic for another day.” Good! Deflection. Procrastination. Great. Okay. “But, I’d think about it.”

Craig doesn’t look convinced, but then he gets this odd look on his face. It’s like something clicked for him. Luckily though, he drops it and turns his attention back to the food. “So, uh. Nice sandwiches, huh?”

Gosh, he’s even worse at deflecting than you are.

#r6s #rainbow six siege #rainbow six siege imagines #sfw #craig jenson #blackbeard #babysitting

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blackkudos · 6 years

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Audra McDonald

Audra Ann McDonald (born July 3, 1970) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas such as Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun and Porgy and Bess. With her full lyric soprano voice, she maintains an active concert and recording career performing song cycles and operas as well as in concerts throughout the U.S. She has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win all four acting categories. She starred as Dr. Naomi Bennett on the ABC television drama Private Practice.

Early life and education

McDonald was born in West Berlin, Germany, the daughter of American parents, Anna Kathryn, a university administrator, and Stanley McDonald, Jr., a high school principal. At the time of her birth, her father was stationed with the U.S. Army. McDonald was raised in Fresno, California, the elder of two daughters. McDonald graduated from the Roosevelt School of the Arts program within Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno. She got her start in acting with Dan Pessano and Good Company Players, beginning in their junior company. "I knew I wanted to be involved in theater when I had my first chance to perform with the Good Company Players Junior Company." "The people who have had the most impact on my life: Good Company director Dan Pessano and my mother." She studied classical voice as an undergraduate under Ellen Faull at the Juilliard School, graduating in 1993.

Career

Theatre

McDonald was a three-time Tony Award winner by age 28 for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, and Ragtime, placing her alongside Shirley Booth, Gwen Verdon and Zero Mostel by accomplishing this feat within five years. She was nominated for another Tony Award for her performance in Marie Christine before she won her fourth in 2004 for her role in A Raisin in the Sun, placing her in the company of then four-time winning actress Angela Lansbury. She reprised her Raisin role for a 2008 television adaptation, earning her a second Emmy Award nomination. On June 10, 2012, McDonald scored her fifth Tony Award win for her portrayal of Bess in Broadway's The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, thus tying Angela Lansbury and Julie Harris. Her 2014 performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill earned McDonald her sixth Tony award and made her the first person to win all four acting categories.

McDonald appeared as Lizzie in the Roundabout Theatre Company's 2007 revival of 110 in the Shade, directed by Lonny Price at Studio 54, for which she shared the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Musical with Donna Murphy. On April 29, 2007, while she was in previews for the show, her father was killed when an experimental aircraft he was flying crashed north of Sacramento, California.

McDonald is known for defying racial typecasting in her various Tony Award-winning and -nominated roles. Her performances as Carrie Pipperidge in Nicholas Hytner's 1996 revival of Carousel and Lizzie Curry in Lonny Price's 2007 revival of 110 in the Shade made her the first black woman to portray those (traditionally white) roles in a major Broadway production. Of her groundbreaking work in encouraging diversity in musical theatre casting, she said in an interview for The New York Times, "I refuse to be stereotyped. If I think I am right for a role I will go for it in whatever way I can. I refuse to say no to myself. I can't control what a producer will do or say but I can at least put myself out there." In a 'Talk of the Nation' interview on NPR, Asian-American actor Thom Sesma said McDonald's performance in Carousel "transcended any kind of type at all", proving her to be "more actress than African-American."

McDonald appeared in a revised version of Porgy and Bess, at the American Repertory Theatre (in Cambridge, Massachusetts) from August through September 2011, and recreated the role on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, which opened on January 12, 2012 and closed on September 23, 2012. For this role, McDonald won her fifth Tony Award and her first in a Leading Actress category. This American Repertory Theater production was "re-imagined by Suzan-Lori Parks and Diedre Murray as a musical for contemporary audiences."

She appeared at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, Massachusetts, in Eugene O'Neill's play A Moon for the Misbegotten in August 2015, co-starring with her husband Will Swenson.

In 2016, McDonald starred on Broadway as the vaudeville performer Lottie Gee in a new musical titled Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed about the making of the 1921 musical Shuffle Along. McDonald left the show on July 24, 2016 to begin maternity leave. Shuffle Along closed on July 24, 2016.

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

McDonald played Billie Holiday on Broadway in the play Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill in a limited engagement that ended on August 10, 2014. After previews that began on March 25, 2014, the play opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on April 13, 2014. Of the play, McDonald said in an interview:

It's about a woman trying to get through a concert performance, which I know something about, and she's doing it at a time when her liver was pickled and she was still doing heroin regularly...I might have been a little judgmental about Billie Holiday early on in my life, but what I’ve come to admire most about her – and what is fascinating in this show – is that there is never any self-pity. She's almost laughing at how horrible her life has been. I don’t think she sees herself as a victim. And she feels an incredible connection to her music – she can’t sing a song if she doesn’t have some emotional connection to it, which I really understand.

McDonald won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for this role, making her the first person to earn six Tony Award wins for acting (not counting honorary awards) and the first person to win a Tony Award in all four acting categories. In her acceptance speech, "she thanked her parents for encouraging her to pursue her interests as a child." She also thanked the "strong and brave and courageous" African-American women who came before her, saying in part, "I am standing on Lena Horne's shoulders. I am standing on Maya Angelou's shoulders. I am standing on Diahann Carroll and Ruby Dee, and most of all, Billie Holiday. You deserved so much more than you were given when you were on this planet. This is for you, Billie." This performance was filmed at Cafe Brasil in New Orleans and broadcast on HBO on March 12, 2016. McDonald received a 2016 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role in the broadcast.

McDonald had planned to make her West End debut as Holiday in Lady Day in June through September 2016, but after becoming pregnant she postponed these plans. She will perform in Lady Day in June 2017 through September 9, 2017 at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End.

Recordings and concerts

McDonald has maintained ties to her classical training and repertoire. She frequently performs in concert throughout the U.S. and has performed with musical organizations such as the New York Philharmonic and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Carnegie Hall commissioned the song cycle The Seven Deadly Sins: A Song Cycle for McDonald, and she performed it at Carnegie's Zankel Hall on June 2, 2004. She sang two solo one-act operas at the Houston Grand Opera in March 2006: Francis Poulenc's La voix humaine and the world premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's Send (who are you? I love you). On February 10, 2007, McDonald starred with Patti LuPone in the Los Angeles Opera production of Kurt Weill's opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny directed by John Doyle. The recording of this production of Mahagonny won two Grammy Awards, for Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Album in February 2009.

In September 2008, American composer Michael John LaChiusa was quoted in Opera News Online, as working on an adaptation of Bizet's Carmen with McDonald in mind.

McDonald has recorded five solo albums for Nonesuch Records. Her first, the 1998 Way Back to Paradise, featured songs written by a new generation of musical theatre composers who had achieved varying degrees of prominence in the 1990s, particularly LaChiusa, Adam Guettel and Jason Robert Brown.

Her next album, How Glory Goes (2000), combined both old and new works, and included composers Harold Arlen, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Kern. Her third album, Happy Songs (2002), was big band music from the 1920s through the 1940s. Her fourth album, Build a Bridge (2006), features songs from jazz and pop.

In May 2013, Audra McDonald released her first solo album in seven years, Go Back Home, with a title track from the Kander & Ebb musical The Scottsboro Boys. To coincide with the album's release, McDonald performed a concert at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City that aired on the PBS series Live from Lincoln Center titled Audra McDonald In Concert: Go Back Home.

At the 2010 BCS National Championship Game on January 7, McDonald sang America the Beautiful for the sold-out stadium fans to celebrate the final game of the college football season.

In May 2000, Audra McDonald appeared as "The Beggar Woman" in Lonny Price's concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, performed at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, New York, with the New York Philharmonic with George Hearn and Patti LuPone. She reprised the role in some performances of the March 2014 Lincoln Center concert production, again directed by Price, this time opposite Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson. She performed three concerts, titled "Audra McDonald Sings Broadway", in the Sydney Opera House in November 2015, which also included "The Facebook Song" by Kate Miller-Heidke.

Television and film

McDonald has also made many television appearances, both musical and dramatic. In 2001, she received her first Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for the HBO film Wit, starring Emma Thompson and directed by Mike Nichols. She also has appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street (1999), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000), Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999), the short-lived Mister Sterling (2003), The Bedford Diaries (2006), and Kidnapped (2006–2007), and in the 1999 television remake of Annie as Daddy Warbucks' secretary & soon-to-be wife, Miss Farrell. She sang with the New York Philharmonic in the annual New Year's Eve gala concert on December 31, 2006, featuring music from the movies; it was televised on Live from Lincoln Center by PBS. In 2013, she appeared in the HBO documentary Six by Sondheim.

McDonald appeared as Naomi Bennett in Private Practice, a spinoff of Grey's Anatomy. She replaced Merrin Dungey, who played the role in the series pilot. McDonald left Private Practice at the end of season four, but returned for the series finale at the end of season six to bring closure to Naomi's storyline.

In films, McDonald has appeared in Beauty and the Beast (2017), Ricki and the Flash (2015), Best Thief in the World (2004), It Runs in the Family (2003), Cradle Will Rock (1999), The Object of My Affection (1998), and Seven Servants by Daryush Shokof which was her film acting debut in (1996).

McDonald played Mother Abbess in the 2013 NBC live television production of The Sound of Music Live!.

Since 2012, McDonald has served as host for the PBS series Live From Lincoln Center, for which she shared an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program with the show's producers.

Personal life

McDonald married bassist Peter Donovan in September 2000. They have one daughter, Zoe Madeline Donovan, named after McDonald's close friend and Master Class co-star Zoe Caldwell. McDonald and Donovan divorced in 2009. She married Will Swenson on October 6, 2012. On October 19, 2016, they became parents to a girl, Sally James McDonald-Swenson.

McDonald attended Joan Rivers' funeral in New York on September 7, 2014, where she sang "Smile".

McDonald lives in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.

Discography

Solo recordings

Way Back to Paradise (Nonesuch, 1998)

How Glory Goes (2000)

Happy Songs (2005)

Build a Bridge (2006)

Go Back Home (2013)

Featured recordings

Dawn Upshaw Sings Rodgers & Hart – duet on "Why Can't I?" (1996)

Leonard Bernstein's New York – duet with Mandy Patinkin on "A Little Bit in Love" and "Tonight" (1996)

George and Ira Gershwin: Standards and Gems – sings "How Long Has This Been Going On?" (1998)

George Gershwin: The 100th Birthday Celebration – sings Porgy and Bess selections (1998)

Myths and Hymns – sings "Pegasus" (1999)

My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies – sings "The Webber Love Trio" (1999)

Broadway In Love – sings "You Were Meant For Me" from The Object of My Affection (2000)

Broadway Cares: Home for the Holidays – sings "White Christmas" (2001)

Bright Eyed Joy: The Songs Of Ricky Ian Gordon – sings "Daybreak in Alabama" (2001)

Zeitgeist – sings "Think Twice" (2005)

The Wonder of Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (2004)

Barbara Cook at the Met – sings "When Did I Fall In Love?" and "Blue Skies" (2006)

Jule Styne in Hollywood – sings "10,432 Sheep" (2006)

Sondheim: The Birthday Concert – sings Too Many Mornings and The Glamorous Life (2010)

Stages – duet on "If I Loved You", 2014

Cast recordings

Carousel (1994 Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (1994)

Ragtime (Original Cast Recording) (1998)

I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky by John Adams (Studio Cast Recording) (1998)

Wonderful Town (Berlin Cast Recording) (1999)

Marie Christine (Original Cast Recording) (1999)

Sweeney Todd Live at the New York Philharmonic (2000)

Dreamgirls in Concert (2001 Concert Cast Recording) (released February 2002)

Wonderful Town (Studio Recording) (2005)

110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (2007)

Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Concert Cast Recording) (2007)

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Allegro (First Complete Recording) (2009)

The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (New Broadway Cast Recording) (2012)

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2014)

Video recordings

Audra McDonald – Live at the Donmar London, VHS (1999)

My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies("The Webber Love Trio"), DVD & CD (1999)

Bernstein – Wonderful Town with Kim Criswell, Thomas Hampson, Wayne Marshall, Simon Rattle, and Berlin Philharmonic, DVD (2005)

The Wonder of Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, DVD (2005)

Weill – Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, DVD (2007)

Sondheim! The Birthday Concert, Blu-ray DVD (2010)

Audio books

Alice Walker, By The Light of My Father's Smile (1998)

Connie Briscoe, A Long Way From Home (1999)

Rita Dove, Second-Hand Man (2003)

Wikipedia

#Audra McDonald #07-03

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kaitlynabdou · 6 years

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Let me start this off by apologizing! I had intended on writing this blog ON Saturday after the Pride Festival but got into a car accident (mild fender bender!) on my way home. After that my whole evening was shot, and Sami and I opted to drop in on my parents’ house to use their hot tub (which was awesome!) to soothe our aching legs. After that, I got caught up in sewing commissions, and writing Chapter 11 of The Daffodil Witch! (It’s here, go read it!! But after you read this haha.)

ANYWAY, Boston Pride! Let me tell you all about it and how AMAZING it was!

BEFORE THE PARADE

Leading up to pride, I knew that I didn’t want to just show up, watch the parade, and be done with it! I wanted to leave an impact somehow, even if it was only on a few people. A few years ago my father took me to NYC for New York Pride while on a business trip and I had dyed a rainbow streak into my hair in anticipation of it!

This year, I wanted to do something more and really make an effort. I wanted to be involved somehow, but it was too late to organize anything big!

I ordered myself an awesome ace pride pin (which I have been wearing every day since), did my nails in the ace flag colors, and made a rainbow flower crown to start!

Was that enough? Nope! I also ordered a bunch of mini rainbow flags and a roll of 500 heart pride stickers to hand out to people! THOSE were a huge hit! You would be amazed at how excited people got over the stickers. Even on the train into the city before Pride started, I ended up hanging out stickers!

Look at Sami, isn’t she cute? That brings me to our awesome outfits. Sami is a huge Star Wars nerd and had only JUST come out as a demisexual lesbian after a long time of questioning. She decided to rock her pride and ended up buying a really awesome pin while we were there!

I went into the city with Sami and Brendan, who is part of what I refer to affectionately as my ‘game night crew,’ a tight-knit group of friends who I see weekly for games and what we deem real-talks (I’ll talk more about that in another blog post! But we talk about some pretty serious topics and are all very close.) Brendan is not queer, but he was the one who wanted most to go to Boston Pride. He’s the best sort of ally you could want!

How fabulous are we?! And yes, Brendan IS doing the same pose in both photos. He’s a great ally and a great friend, but also a huge dork. See my skirt?! I struggled at first with the decision on my skirt. I knew I would make something festive, but I originally figured I would make a rainbow skirt to be super festive! Then it dawned on me that I could actually represent MYSELF as an ace at Boston Pride instead of just going in with the classic rainbow. I took to Facebook, and overwhelmingly, my friends suggested I go with the ace colors.

You can’t tell here, but each fabric is SUPER glittery, and Sami’s fishnets are covered in rhinestones. We like to be seen from space. If you ask either of us what our favorite color is, the answer will be, without hesitation: glitter!

OKAY so, on to the parade itself!

THE PARADE

Once we got into the city, it was a sea of rainbows, pink and glitter! We really couldn’t stop smiling and looking around. Rainbows were plastered in business windows, and flags were EVERYWHERE. It was an amazing feeling for me, as someone who has been out as queer almost my entire life–a feeling of being at home, of being safe, of being loved and included: a feeling of recognition. I can’t even imagine what Sami was feeling. Up until that moment, she had really only come out to maybe one or two people, and even when she came out to me it had been with the question of “am I allowed to identify as a lesbian if I dated a guy for so long?”

We ran into lots of awesome people we know, which was great! Took plenty of selfies. The first person we saw was our friend Danielle. Danielle is a wonderful specimen who somehow manages to show up everywhere at everything, and I run into her no matter where I go–EVEN IF IT IS IN A DIFFERENT STATE. We also saw my friend Lyndsey, who was representing fabulously in a Katsuki Yuri from YURI ON ICE! cosplay. Both of them walked in the parade (which we had planned to do until we got distracted by the lure of Starbucks coffee! Whoops!) Shortly after the parade started, we were joined by my friend Emmy, her younger sister and her friend Jennifer, who twinned with her in Wonder Woman regalia! (Don’t they look great?!)

The parade was amazing, of course! There was lots of free swag! Sami even got me this AWESOME Aladdin magnet, which I adore with every fiber of my being. (In case you don’t know, Aladdin is my FAVORITE Disney movie and always has been!)

The parade itself was LONG, as to be expected. I tried to take as many photos as I possibly could (I am not a photographer, and am used to not taking photos ever at events because I get immersed in them.) My phone died after a few hours and I wasn’t able to take as many as I would have liked, but here is just a bunch of them in a slideshow for you:

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Yes, I had a BLAST. I loved the parade. I screamed so much I was sure I would lose my voice. I saw SO many flags and so much diversity… but I noticed that ONE thing was missing: I didn’t see a single ace flag in the entire parade. Did this ruin my experience? Not at all, I still had an amazing time–but it did stick with me that I didn’t see Black, Grey, White, Purple anywhere in the parade, and it made it that much more poignant that I had decided to wear my own flag to proudly represent asexuals.

REPRESENTATION

The whole day, my companions and I were inactively on the lookout for more ace flags. We saw maybe three total the whole day, and I’m sure those people bought them ahead of time and brought them with them. This is why I am so happy I wore my ace colors rather than only rainbow.

I had at least fifteen instances where someone came up to me and thanked me for wearing the ace colors, or complimented me on my skirt and pointed out that they, too, were ace! I WISH my phone had not died, for I would have taken a selfie with every one of them to share with you. Alas, all I can do is share those moments that stuck out to me the most.

One girl I had noticed was lingering with her friends behind us outside of Starbucks as we watched the parade. They weren’t standing WITH the parade onlookers, but up against the building. I had noticed a few times that they were looking at me, and thought maybe they wanted a sticker. Before I could offer one, I was distracted by friends joining us.

Maybe a half hour into the parade, one of the girls stepped over and tapped my shoulder.

“I love your skirt,” she said. Her voice was weak and quiet, and I could tell she was shy.

I offered her a big smile and thanked her. Then she showed me the small, ace-flag earrings she wore and the ace-flag nail polish she had done and smiled shyly at me. I think she was probably in her teens. She was small, shy, and intimidated looking. I told her they were awesome, gave her and all her friends stickers. Then I saw a look in her eye and knew that she was going to cry. I hugged her tightly, and she held on for a while.

Even as I’m writing this, I’m tearing up myself. I don’t think she expected to see ace representation at the parade. Asexual erasure is a real problem–with the queer AND straight community. I touched on this before in my Pride Month post. We are made to feel like we don’t exist like we aren’t valid. I hope that this moment, for her, was an eye-opener. I hope she feels valid now, because I am sure by the way she cried and was afraid at first to look me in the eye that she was not at all confident in herself.

This happened over and over throughout the day. I got hugs, I was thanked, I had people scream “I LOVE YOUR SKIRT!” over the crowds of people when they couldn’t get close enough. People showed me their small, and sometimes hidden, ace memorabilia. One girl who had to have been 13 if she was a day ran up to me with wide eyes, took my hands and said. “You are beautiful!”

I was overwhelmed by her.

Credit

Next year, I am already planning to attend pride again, but I want to REALLY make a difference this time. I want to register in the parade and form a group of asexual and demisexual people to walk with. I want us to fly our flags proudly, to wear our flags, to carry signs that remind everyone that WE EXIST and WE ARE VALID.

Sami was also inspired by pride. She wants to organize a cosplay group to walk in the parade for next year–and has even made a group on Facebook (a global group) for LGBTQ+ Cosplayers! She wanted to create a safe place for queer cosplayers to gather, network, chat and share! Check it out!

Thank you to everyone who came to me to show their appreciation for my representation. Thank you for making my Boston Pride experience so memorable!

IMPORTANT LINKS

Sami’s Links Tumblr Facebook LGBTQ+ Cosplayers

Lyndsey’s Links Website Facebook Twitter

Boston Pride Festival and Representation Let me start this off by apologizing! I had intended on writing this blog ON Saturday after the Pride Festival but got into a car accident (mild fender bender!) on my way home.

#ace #ace pride #asexual #boston pride #cosplay #lgbt #lgbtq+#lifestyle #parade #Pride #pride month #queer #queer pride

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