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littlemuoi · 6 months

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Prince Philip: 'A capacity for unbridled kindness but intolerant of faff' - my memories of the duke by Alastair Bruce (April 12th 2021)

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The Duke of Edinburgh was a motivator, an impatient moderniser, but he could be abrupt.

Prince Philip had a directness of manner that seemed to alarm many people and even horrified some. But he was capable of unbridled kindness, with the capacity for huge affirmation, support and encouragement.

People of his generation who knew him well said his character was forged from the rather challenging circumstances of his upbringing. Yes, he was royal: a grandson of the King of the Hellenes but, in truth, not really Greek.

The duke's blond good looks came from his Danish ancestry

The throne of Greece was given to a Danish prince in 1863 and this accounted for his blonde Viking good looks. But Greece was never entirely at ease under its monarchy and this put many pressures on Prince Philip's family; added to which, his parents did not enjoy an easy marriage.

Whatever the circumstances of his childhood, Prince Philip was conditioned to be independent, capable, determined and pretty intolerant of faff.

Learning about his rather unconventional start in life, from the vantage of today's social understanding perhaps it's easy to grasp why.

But I want to underscore the frequent kindness he showed to me and invested in many people I know.

Letters about mallard ducks and sturgeon pie

In what has been a remarkable life, he occasionally found time to contact me, often out of the blue, to tell me about things he thought might be of interest.

For instance, in my constant quest to find out the provenance behind strange British customs, he would often share things he had discovered while travelling the country with the Queen. After all, most of his life had been spent living among, colliding with or regulated by the oddities of British life.

The Queen and the duke in July 1947 in Edinburgh, four months before they wed

One letter he wrote to me concerned mallard ducks with gilded beaks.

It had amused him when the Queen, as Duke of Normandy, was presented with two of them on arrival in the Channel Islands, in order to fulfil a feudal due.

Another told me about a pie that had arrived at Balmoral, cooked from a sturgeon, which tradition stipulates must be offered up to the monarch. Both are full of facts, a smattering of humour, but no reference to the weather, how I might be or any other tittle-tattle.

When Prince Philip became the Queen's consort, the change in his life was seismic

It is difficult to understand why he bothered to do this. But I think he was amused to find someone genuinely engrossed in surprising or esoteric interests.

In fact, he was like this with everyone. Or maybe it was his own fascination and passion to fully understand the obscure and how things worked that, seeing it in another, added to his avuncular intrigue.

"This is Alastair... Bungy's grandson"

Not everyone's life had Prince Philip in it. So, perhaps it's worth explaining how he came to overlap with mine.

In 1950, the Duke of Edinburgh took command of HMS Magpie in Malta GC.

For any officer in the Armed Forces, unit command is the tops! It is where your leadership qualities are fully tested and it's where the possibilities for the rest of your career can be broadly set.

Prince Philip (in sunglasses) relinquishes control of HMS Magpie in Malta in July 1951. Pic: AP

It just so happened that HMS Magpie was part of the Destroyer squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet, which was then commanded by my grandfather, Admiral Sir Peveril William-Powlett.

Grandpa was better known as "Bungy", because, as fly-half for the English rugby team in 1922, he had seemed entirely elastic. Every time he was tackled, while at full pelt towards the try line, he seemed to bounce straight up again and run on.

He was also a keen polo player and, here again, the Royal Navy polo team brought Admiral William-Powlett and Prince Philip together.

One of my favourite photographs of them both shows their exhaustion after a fiery chukka under the Mediterranean sun: the youthful and handsome prince beside his balding boss with cups in hand. Their faces convey the joy and satisfaction of a win - probably against the Army.

The Royal Navy polo team brought Philip and Admiral William-Powlett together

Maybe this professional bond between the spirited and able naval destroyer captain and his Admiral made the Duke of Edinburgh, a generation later, hold his avuncular eye out for me.

It certainly meant a great deal to me that, when the duke introduced me to people of his own naval generation, he would say: "This is Alastair... Bungy's grandson."

"Well, get on with it!" - One of the most influential retorts of my life

When I wrote a book about the United Kingdom's coronation ritual, aged 28, I mentioned to Prince Philip that one day I hoped to make a television documentary about the role of ceremony in national life.

In what possibly proved to be one of the most influential retorts of my life, in that it was probably the catalyst to my career heading where it has, he eyeballed me and said: "Well, get on with it!"

With this, he got up and went. And so did I. To do what he suggested.

The day of the coronation - the duke's words spurred Alastair to make his programme. Pic: AP

In fact, within a few months and a great deal of work, I found someone willing to produce the film and it was commissioned by ITV.

Hearing about this, Prince Philip called me into Buckingham Palace for dinner to hear how the project was going. He also invited the film producer, Lord Brabourne; they were cousins by marriage, through the prince's uncle, Lord Mountbatten.

They bookended me at a heavily polished table in a small dining room overlooking the central quadrangle and listened as I explained the litany of refusals and hesitations our production faced from organisations that viewed cameras as invasive, back in 1992.

One by one, they suggested ways that might help me out. But, make no mistake, it was for me to do the legwork, not them.

When one of the solutions these two champions had plotted for me went horribly wrong (I mean, horribly!) Prince Philip tenaciously engaged with the matter, until a solution was found.

The duke maintained close links with the military all his life. Pic: AP

During this spat, there was a big parade for my regiment, the Scots Guards, at Holyrood in Scotland.

The duke, who was for many years the Senior Colonel of the Household Division, attended this and, afterwards, he spotted me across the throng. Striding over, he delved straight into the precise details on what had happened.

His escorting officers, all of whom were much senior to me, listened while the prince and I forensically unpicked what might solve the problem.

The trick was to bite the cat back - respectfully

The duke also had the measure of my often unbridled tenacity too and, when I made an office call to discuss something or other, he greeted me with: "So who have you infuriated today?"

His staff often berated me, probably with good reason, but I never felt this was at the direction of the prince. Actually, I sensed he rather appreciated a "why not" attitude, wherever he found it.

In fact, he loved to hear about the conflicts I had with organisations, which deemed my requests for filming access inappropriate. Perhaps this was because it reminded him of the challenges he faced, as the young consort of a new monarch inheriting a world of fixed attitudes in 1952 set by his late father-in-law's courtiers.

But Prince Philip was no rabble-rouser and, if he judged the defeat I faced as justified, he freely added his reproach, or added criticism.

Prince Philip could be blunt in his criticism but admired a robust response

To get the best from Prince Philip it was vital you girded yourself for his directness of speech, some blunt criticism and refreshingly ruthless cross-examination.

For some, this cat-plays-with-mouse treatment was daunting. But I learnt quite fast that the trick was to bite the cat back, respectfully, of course. Prince Philip admired a robust response.

Occasionally, he would ask for an absolutely truthful view. You knew this moment in his eyes. When it came to this moment, I would like to think the prince knew I gave it straight. And, assuming you could prove a point that countered his, he accepted with implicit respect.

The duke's extraordinary 'Chamber of Horrors'

On one occasion, the prince took me into a room at Buckingham Palace that I think he called his "Chamber of Horrors".

Here he had gathered an extraordinary array of the presents he had been given during a lifetime of public service, openings and anniversaries.

"What do you think that is?", he asked, while handing me a rough lump of worn and rusted metal mounted on a wooden base. My fingers felt the dedication label and instinctively, I was moving it towards my eyes. "No, don't read the inscription - think! Guess?"

Well, my suggestion was way off the mark. "It's one of the teeth from the machine that dug out the Channel Tunnel," he revealed

It was clear he was interested in the object, what it had done, but I could see why it had not been put on display.

A forgotten meeting and remarkable patience

The duke was a masterful and timely letter writer, never wordy and always to the point. He typed most of them himself, adding his splendid, powerful but minimal signature "Philip" by hand.

While his staff used paper embossed with his heraldic badge in black, the prince himself had it printed in his chosen livery of green. If you sent him a letter, you could be certain that the postman would be back at your door within three days, with a special delivery reply. He dealt with everything with the discipline and efficiency of a wartime naval officer.

A painting of Prince Philip in 2017, the year he retired, by artist Ralph Heimans

On one occasion, I can't think why or how, I completely forgot an office call I had booked with Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace. But then, I am and have always been horrifyingly forgetful.

I remembered with a jolt when the prince's military equerry rang to ask where I was. I admitted that I was in Hampshire. In a voice that sounded barely muffled by a hand, I could hear: "He's in Hampshire, Sir."

There was a short pause, the sound of the telephone being grasped and then: "You're a bloody idiot!" from the prince. Then, with probably as much surprise that I had achieved this particular forgetfulness, he added by way of instant forgiveness: "You had better sort out a new time. I'm here a lot next week."

Indeed, the prince was remarkably tolerant of my inefficiency considering he was the personification of the efficient. One story fully bears this patience out - particularly, as I did not deserve it.

The duke (at Trooping the Colour in 2017) pulled some strings to secure a last-minute message. Pic: AP

I have already referred to the Duke of Edinburgh being Senior Colonel of the Household Division, which included my regiment. When I wrote a book with the photographer Julian Calder on the Queen's Birthday Parade, Trooping the Colour, we wanted a foreword from the senior colonel.

His private secretary asked when the book was to be published. Next week, I replied.

"Next week?!"

Sure enough, within seven days a message of eloquence was ours to print and it made all the difference.

"You're a bloody idiot! Nobody will be interested!"

Within the last few years, we were at someone's house for dinner and, afterwards, while coffee circulated, Prince Philip came and sat beside me on a sofa. He told me how he had been flicking through the TV channels, probably looking for a documentary on nature. "And there you were talking a lot of nonsense about me!"

Well, inevitably, he thought the programme was "jibberish" but, as if, in fact, affirming what I had been saying in the programme, he took up the points I had been making and explained precisely what had been his view of the situation.

Prince Philip broke a heart-shaped chocolate in half and gave it to Alastair's newly-engaged parents

In this way, Prince Philip was endlessly robust, consistently gave zero quarter but would readily square up and be open about facts he knew, if faced by genuine interest.

I think my favourite story about him is not even a memory of mine but one that my mother and father told me once.

The night they announced their engagement, in Malta in 1950, Prince Philip shared a taxi home with them to the road where the two families, my mother's and the Edinburghs', lived.

On the way, a box of chocolates was passed along the line and the prince picked the strawberry-flavoured heart, broke it and gave them each a half.

He came to their wedding, where everyone was in white because this was the naval uniform at the time. This adds a magic to the black and white photographs, some of which include the dashingly Viking chisel-cheeked duke enthralled in conversation.

I still have the clock on my mantelpiece that he and Princess Elizabeth gave as their present, complete with the message of goodwill inside, handwritten and signed by them both.

Within a year, she was our Queen and he her loyal, robust and supporting consort.

A clock presented to Alastair Bruce's family by the Queen and Prince Philip

This change in the duke's life was seismic.

He must always have known it was coming but the suddenness was stark, especially for a capable naval commander whose upwards career was now set by the annual reports he earned from my grandfather's judgement.

From even the small knowledge I have of this titan in British public life, who took such a generous interest from time to time in what I was up to, I can be fairly certain of what he would say to me, after reading this.

"You're a bloody idiot! What a lot of nonsense. Nobody will be interested in this!"

#brf #an extremely moving tribute #royal anecdote #prince philip #duke of edinburgh #alastair bruce series

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blueiskewl · 2 years

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2000-Year-Old Ancient Greek ‘Graduate School Yearbook’ Carved in Stone Found

Historians have discovered that an ancient Greek inscription on a marble slab in the collection of the National Museums of Scotland is a rare, previously unknown “graduate school yearbook” type list of names.

The carved letters on this marble are a list of ephebic friends, and close friends, who passed through the ephebate in Athens, a year of rigorous military and civil training during the reign of Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54).

An ephebus was a youth in ancient Greece who had reached the age of puberty. Ephebi (the plural of “ephebus”) aged 18 or 19 were at one time required to undergo two years of stringent military training, but the requirement became less compulsory and the training less rigorous and militaristic over time. The youthfulness of the ephebi inspired the adjective “ephebic”.

Ephebic training became a requirement for all young males eligible for admission as Attic citizens in the 4th century B.C. If they were 18 years old of Attic parentage on both sides, the youths would be de jure citizens, but to actually exercise those rights (vote, be a party to a lawsuit, attend the assembly), first, they had to sign up for two years of military studies. The requirement was ultimately dropped, and by the 2nd century B.C., ephebic training was open to foreigners and the study of literature and philosophy was added to the curriculum. From roughly 39 A.D., everyone who had completed an ephebic training was considered an Attic citizen.

It lists a group of 31 friends who went through the Athenian ephebate together during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54) and was intended to commemorate the close relationships they had formed.

When they read heard about it, experts assumed it was a replica of a similar list in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, but when they examined it, they realized that was not the case.

Because inscriptions from this time period are uncommon, scholars say it’s even more remarkable that the newly discovered ephebic list dates from the same year and cohort as the Ashmolean’s inscription.

Dr. Peter Liddel, professor of Greek history and epigraphy at the University of Manchester, who led the discovery, said: “Because of lockdown we were not able to travel to the museum until July 2021, and on seeing it we realized that this was not a copy of an already known inscription but it was a completely unique new discovery which had been in the storerooms of the NMS for a very long time, since the 1880s, and it listed a group of young men who called themselves co-ephebes or co-cadets and friends.

“It turned out to be a list of the cadets for one particular year during the period 41-54 AD, the reign of Claudius, and it gives us new names, names we’d never come across before in ancient Greek, and it also gives us among the earliest evidence for non-citizens taking part in the ephebate in this period.

The top of the plaque is peaked and a worn relief believed to depict a small oil amphora of the type ephebes would have used in the school gymnasium. It is not known where the list was displayed but it is thought it could have been put up somewhere such as the gymnasium where the young men trained.

In the archonship of Metrodoros, when the superintendent was Dionysodoros (son of Dionysodoros) of Phlya, Attikos son of Philippos, having inscribed his own fellow ephebes (and) friends, dedicated (this).

The 31 names are inscribed in two columns under the dedication. Attikos’ select bros in the ephebate were Aiolion, Dionysas, Anthos, Herakon, Theogas, Charopeinos, Tryphon, Dorion, Phidias, Symmachos, Athenion, Antipas, Euodos, Metrobios, Hypsigonos, Apollonides, Hermas, Theophas, (H?)elis, Atlas, Zopyros, Euthiktos, Mousais, Aneiketos, Sekoundos, Zosimos, Primos, Dionys, Eisigenes, Sotas and Androneikos.

By Leman Altuntaş.

#2000-Year-Old Ancient Greek ‘Graduate School Yearbook’ Carved in Stone Found #archeology #archeolgst #marble carving #ancient artifacts #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #ancient greece #greek history

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codywanweekspotlight · 6 months

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Weekly Spotlight

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tipsycad147 · 5 months

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Hecate: Goddess Symbols, Correspondences, Myth & Offerings

Written by Francisco Huanaco Posted on June 8, 2021

A mysterious Greek deity, Hecate lives in the corners of the Greek mythos. A goddess of crossroads, magic, poison, and the undead, Hecate was also the daughter of the Titan Perses and the nymph Asteria, according to Hesiod.

Hecate’s name (Greek: Hekate, Latin: Hecate) means far-reaching one, and hints at this goddess’s wide influence over a variety of earthly and supernatural affairs. Some scholars suggest that this name ties her closely with the goddess Artemis, and that Hecate might actually be a shadowy aspect of Artemis.

Who is Hecate?

Hecate belongs to a group of deities known as protectors of the oikos, or household. She had good company in this regard, with other protective deities being Zeus, ruler of the gods, and Hermes, the herald of the gods. Her association with boundaries such as walls and doors give her a quality of between-ness.

Hecate mediates between realms: inside the city and outside, the realm of life and the underworld, the household and the world. Hecate’s mediating presence led many followers to ask that bad fortune or malevolent spirits be kept from their household, and Hecate had the power to either rebuff or admit spirits into a home.

Hecate is heavily associated with the crossroads, the place where multiple paths intersect. She, along with Hermes, is responsible for fate that travelers meet on the road, therefor it would be wise for any traveler to make offerings to the goddess in hopes of a safe journey.

Hecate: Goddess Facts

The ancient Greek poet Hesiod noted that Hecate received much praise from Zeus, the King of Mount Olympus. Zeus often showered Hecate with gifts, and the other immortal deities of the Greek pantheon honor her as well in their various ways. Hesiod even goes so far as to say that when a human makes a sacrifice, that human invokes the power of Hecate herself and it is her decision whether to bestow fortune and happiness upon that person.

The goddess Hecate watches battles and determines whom she will grant the glory of victory to. Athletes, as well, operate under the auspices of Hecate for they also want the glory of victory. Among others that Hecate takes a keen interest in are horsemen, sailors and fishers, and children.

The goddess was also known for her closeness to both medicines and poisons. She taught other mythological figures such as the witch Medea how to work with Magic. Those who practiced the Eleusinian Mysteries (the most famous of the secret religious rites of ancient Greece) paid homage to Hecate, and psychoactive and hallucinogenic plants were unsurprisingly associated with her as well. Many magical and esoteric practices occurred at the Eleusinian Mysteries. Hecate’s presence as a goddess of the Mysteries imply that she played a significant part in moving from a normal state of consciousness into the state of ecstatic madness that the Mysteries became famous for.

Working with Hecate

The best way to connect with Hecate, like any goddess or god, is through the mythology, epithets and symbols. Here’s a summary of the most important tales featuring the goddess Hecate, and how to worship Her in your personal pagan practice.

Myth of Hecate

Hecate and Persephone

Hecate as Goddess of the Underworld

Greek Goddess of Magic

Symbols of Hecate

Titles and Epithets of Hecate

How to Worship Hecate as a Goddess

Hecate Correspondences

Hecate Offerings

Invocations & Prayers

Hecate Spells

Hecate Ritual

Further Reading

Theoi.com, “Hecate“

Hekate Liminal Rites: A Study of the Rituals, Magic and Symbols by Sorita d’Este, David Rankine

Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction To Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen

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celluloidrainbow · 2 years

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Ο ΆΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ ΜΕ ΤΙΣ ΑΠΑΝΤΉΣΕΙΣ | THE MAN WITH THE ANSWERS (2021) dir. Stelios Kammitsis Victor is a twenty-something ex-diving champion now working in a furniture factory and living with his sick grandmother in a seaside town in Greece. Distraught after her death, he decides to dust off her old car and travel to Germany to visit his estranged mother. On the ferry to Italy, he meets Matthias, a talkative, inquisitive young German who is on his way home. Matthias persuades Victor to take him along and as they drive north, Victor's uptight, repressive personality clashes with the more free-spirited Matthias. But they soon find common emotional ground as their summer road trip takes unexpected turns. (link in title)

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angelahmonroe · 22 days

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How do you stay motivated to keep writing when you have no inspiration??

How I Stay Motivated

Staying motivated to write takes a lot of work. Motivation to write will come and go. For example:

The Kingdom of Misfortune (TKOM): It took me 6 years to write this book, mostly because I wasn't motivated. I was in high school, then college, suffering through an illness and losing an entire organ in my digestive tract. But I now know tips that would've saved me so much more time if I had just followed them.

The Whispers of Eternity (TWOE): It took me a year to fully finish this book.

The new secret series: The first book took me three months.

So, I have some tricks I've learned since 2021, when I released TKOM, which I will happily share.

Outlining.

When I wrote TKOM, I did it entirely off the dome. At the time, I didn't see a problem with that, but I experimented with some outlining with TWOE and learned that it really does wonders. It does more than I thought it would. Outlining sets an expectation. It allows me to know where this chapter will start, what it will contain, and where it will end. Of course, sometimes my characters throw me a curveball, and we go off the outline. That is okay because outlines can be adjusted. Another thing outlining really helps me with is if you go a few days without writing and need help remembering precisely what a character says, you don't have to go hunt for what chapter it's in. In my outline, I give a brief one-sentence description of a conversation. "They talked about his childhood," for example. That tells me if I need to remember what was said, that is the chapter I need to reread. It saves me so much time. You just need to be good at summarizing the entire chapter within one short paragraph.

Set Goals.

You can set goals that you want to meet and hold yourself to it. Could you start with small goals that you want to accomplish each day? This could be as simple as writing 3,000 words a day. Could you give yourself a time limit each day to achieve these goals? I set harsh deadlines for myself to follow with TWOE. I wanted the first rough draft completed within five months. I accomplished that even though I wasn't motivated each day because I stuck to my goals. Do not set yourself up for failure by setting unreasonable goals. You know yourself better than anyone else. What works for some people will not work for you, which is okay. Just because I wrote the first draft of a book in three months does not mean that's reasonable for you. This is my third one, after all.

Take Breaks.

Taking breaks is essential. It keeps you from getting burnt out on your ideas. Sometimes, you cannot force writing. It's okay to put a project down for a little bit. You must be confident in your ability to shelve something to work on something else. For example, I shelved book 3 of The Western World Chronicles for an entirely new series. I knew I wasn't in the right place to write it. Don't force it. Return when your mind is fresh and ready to continue. Breaks don't have to be long, either. Short breaks are just as helpful. Days, weeks, months. They're all valid.

Avoid Distractions.

Sometimes, you just need to lock yourself in a quiet room with no TV, music, or anything else. I can't write if my husband is in the room. He's my biggest distraction, and multiple times, I have had to lock him out of the room. Of course, this requires money, but some people work best if they travel to a remote place specifically to write. I would love to be able to afford to travel to the places where my new series takes place. It has multiple settings all over the US and even the rest of the world. I'd love to write these chapters in these places and experience what life is like there. Greece and Dubai are two areas directly mentioned in the new series. I've never been to either.

Reward Yourself.

Each time you meet one of your goals, reward yourself. Go get ice cream! Order a new book! Set up a gold star chart for yourself like they do kindergartens. Do whatever will make you feel accomplished.

Write Everyday.

I don't mean to write your story every day. Just write something every day. There are multiple places to go to get free writing prompts. Do one every day. Make it a habit and stick to it.

Enter Writing Contests.

Shockingly, I still do this. Reedsy, for example, has writing contests. You do have to pay to enter for a chance at a prize, but if you just want to enter a story for others to read but not to be judged or do the prompt, it is entirely free. You can enter hundreds of other contests; you just have to find them.

Find Inspiration.

Sometimes, inspiration doesn't flow. In the writing space, there is no such thing as a completely original idea. There are too many books and authors for that. If you've drawn inspiration from something for your current project, please feel free to soak it up. Each time you're feeling unmotivated, return to it. You can also look for similar titles in the same genre and check them out. Do not copy, though. Copying and taking inspiration from are two different things.

Take Care of Yourself.

My most important tip is that you should ALWAYS take care of yourself. Make sure you've eatenand drink water or another liquid while you write. Take care of your body. Take a shower. Go to the gym. These things help you not only physically but also mentally.

There are more tips. I am sure I could come up with another five, but these are the ones I use daily. I think they are the most important ones to follow.

I hope this helps :D

-Angela

#books #writing #creative writing #writing tips

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grandmaster-anne · 1 year

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The Duke of Edinburgh 10 June 1921-9 April 2021

Horse & Hound | Published 15 April 2021

THE contribution of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to equestrianism was profound. He was not content only with enjoying horse sports as a keen competitor, but also gave back a huge amount of time and commitment in leadership and management, which had great impact on competitive riding and driving throughout the latter part of the 20th century.

His innovative 22-year term as president of the FEI, his work in developing the sport of driving trials and his impact on English polo all complemented royalty’s traditional involvement in racing and hunting, augmented by The Queen’s lifelong interest in breeding horses and ponies. Prince Philip was therefore a mainstay in the royal family’s patronage of British equestrianism throughout the post-war years and into the new millennium. He firmly encouraged his children to ride and took great pleasure in the achievements of the Prince of Wales in polo and the hunting field and the Princess Royal in horse trials and racing.

The Queen’s consort brought a fresh approach to the horseworld, with the same energy he devoted to so many other interests, ranging from conservation management to sailing. In the horseworld, as in every other aspect of an extraordinarily varied life, Prince Philip exercised a sharp wit and ironic humour, sometimes understood and appreciated, sometimes not. He was an extremely entertaining companion, especially at dinner after a day’s sporting activity.

The early years

IT is easy to forget that Prince Philip’s background and early childhood were far removed from the environment in which he became prominent as a leader of British horsemanship.

His birthplace was the royal palace of Mon Repos on the Greek island of Corfu on 10 June 1921, but he was not to remain there long. Philip left Greece as a baby, travelling in a hastily improvised cot of orange boxes when he was only a year old. He left so unceremoniously because his parents, Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg, were exiled by the Greek government after Prince Andrew became the scapegoat for his country’s military disasters in Turkey.

As a result, Prince Philip had a cosmopolitan childhood and teenage years of wandering, much of it spent at the homes of his four elder sisters, all of whom married into the German nobility. He spoke several languages. His father’s ancestry was not Greek, but essentially Danish, and some said Prince Philip’s appearance owed much to his Viking ancestry. His early schooling was in Paris before prep school at Cheam and then Gordonstoun and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, which launched his naval career.

His mother was often unwell and his father died in 1944. His mother’s brother, Admiral of the Fleet Earl Mountbatten of Burma, known to the royal family as Uncle Dickie, had most influence on Philip’s early life.

Mountbatten, a distinguished wartime naval officer and post-war international statesman, was one of the most persuasive, active and distinctive personalities in public life, and his influence on Prince Philip – and later Prince Charles – was profound. No one was more bereaved by Mountbatten’s assassination in 1979 than his royal nephew.

“The greatest game of all”

UNCLE DICKIE was renowned as a keen polo player, author of the standard work,An Introduction to Poloby “Marco”. He steered his nephew towards playing polo and, it was said, helped somewhat to steer him in the direction of marrying the future Queen of England on 20 November 1947. Anyone who knew Prince Philip could not have doubted he was always his own man in making major decisions.

His love of polo was born in Malta during his life in the Royal Navy. The Queen and Prince Philip lived in married quarters on the island soon after their marriage when the Prince commanded a frigate in the Mediterranean fleet.

From 1952, when The Queen succeeded to the throne, Prince Philip found “relaxation” from royal duties in hectic polo played at Cowdray Park, often being invited to ride Lord Cowdray’s polo ponies.

In his bookMen, Machines and Sacred Cows, Prince Philip recalled his polo-playing years with much affection: “Hot, tired and frequently hurting, you make your way back to the pony lines, thank the grooms, pat the ponies which did well and make friends again with the ponies who did not. Then for a shower, a change, almost the best moment of all, a cooling and refreshing drink with friends and kindred spirits to whom polo is not just a game, but the greatest game of all.”

Lord Cowdray was instrumental in helping to revive polo in post-war Britain on his West Sussex estate. Noticing how many Household Cavalry and Household Brigade officers were playing, Prince Philip provided the impetus for the formation of the Household Brigade Polo Club (now Guards) at Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, in 1955. Smith’s Lawn was to become a focus for much of the royal family’s leisure time.

The Queen was a frequent spectator and Prince Charles remembers Windsor Park as an early influence in watching the game – and wanting to take part. Prince Philip became one of the top eight players in Britain in the 1960s, achieving a highest handicap of five.

He summed up his attitude to polo: “I suppose every games player thinks his particular game is better than any other. I am no exception. I have no objection whatsoever to others enjoying their particular game, but give me polo every time.”

Polo buffs reported that the Prince had received some domestic advice on the tendency for some polo team members to use expletives during moments of stress in the game, some of which wafted over to the spectator area, including the royal pavilion where The Queen poured out the tea at après-polo tea parties on a Saturday afternoon. He wrote inThe Horseman’s Year: “Wives have been known to have very firm views about the way both their husbands and other players conduct themselves on the ground.”

Prince Philip captained teams at Windsor throughout the 1950s and 60s. He knew people throughout the sport and visited many of the smaller clubs, such as Toulston, Cheshire, Tidworth and Kirtlington, remarking: “Whenever I have managed to get away to play on some of these grounds, I have a wonderful time... the hospitality offered to visiting teams does nothing to improve the standard of play.”

The royal Duke, aided by Lord Mountbatten, was a firm mentor of Prince Charles in playing the game. Prince Charles, aged 15, received from his father his first polo pony, named San Quinina. He remembered later: “My father was a very good instructor and he gave me the basic techniques.”

Press photographers snatched pictures of Prince Philip giving his son “a serious talking to” in his coaching capacity after his early matches at Smith’s Lawn. In April 1967, Prince Philip played in the Windsor Park team with Prince Charles, Gerard Leigh and William Loyd. It was Prince Charles’s first success in tournament polo, playing for the Combermere Cup. Prince Philip and his son both scored in the final, with The Queen watching.

When The Queen came to present the cup, Prince Philip presented Prince Charles to The Queen with the remark: “This is one of my team-mates, I believe you know him...”

It was typical of Prince Philip that he made a firm decision to give up playing polo in 1971, with the remark: “I reckoned 50 was quite old enough for that game.”

A new discipline

PRINCE PHILIP was increasingly suffering from arthritis in his wrist, but he was soon keen to develop another equestrian interest – competition carriage driving. He took up the sport soon after retiring from polo, using five Cleveland Bays from the Royal Mews, with the keen co-operation of the crown equerry, Lt Col Sir John Miller, a natural horseman and a great hunting man and carriage driver.

Prince Philip said he largely trained himself in carriage driving, through practising hard on the long paths across the Sandringham estate, with help from Major Walter “Tommy” Thompson, former riding master of the Household Cavalry.

Soon Prince Philip excelled as a four-in-hand driver and he plunged into international contest. He was perfectly at home with the great many characters in the sport, from all sorts of backgrounds, and with them he would argue into the night – tactics and the best use of vehicles and harness.

George Bowman, the great Cumbrian whip, and many other driving experts from all over the world, were warmly welcomed by the Prince at Windsor, and various German cousins would be seen as passengers on his driving vehicles. As well as competition carriage driving, Prince Philip was an active member of the Coaching Club, which helped to ensure jolly drives, accompanied by ladies and gentlemen as guests, at royal venues such as Hampton Court and Sandringham. Prince Philip would drive a carriage from the Royal Mews at Windsor to polo at Smith’s Lawn with The Queen as passenger beside him.

He virtually invented the modern competitive driving sport, as president of the FEI from 1964 to 1986. With help from Col Sir Mike Ansell, Prince Philip drew up rules for “combined driving”, including the exciting marathon phase across country and the fiendishly difficult obstacle course.

After “a bit of arm twisting”, as he put it, Prince Philip ensured that competition carriage driving was firmly attached to the Royal Windsor Horse Show from 1971. He took part in the European Championships at Windsor in 1973 and was disappointed, but not discouraged, when he had to retire with a bent axle in the last hazard of the marathon. He completed one of only three clear rounds of the obstacle course to finish second in that phase.

Vehicles crashing or overturning were a regular feature of the marathon phase, and the royal whip seemed to relish the risks. He represented Britain in three European Championships and six World Championships. In the 1982 World Championships in the Netherlands, he finished sixth overall out of 39 entries; the same year he was the overall winner at Windsor. The Royal Mews, formerly the preserve for ceremonial work of the Cleveland Bay, Britain’s only true native carriage horse, saw the arrival of horses crossed with Oldenburgs, which Prince Philip believed had “probably the best paces of any of the carriage breeds”, which he deemed best for competition work.

Rather like Uncle Dickie, Prince Philip produced a worthwhile handbook on his sport, which has stood the test of time. The excellentCompetition Carriage Driving,published in 1982, reveals the Prince’s love of mechanical detail. He gives the fullest explanations of the construction of carriages and harness and reveals his own innovative approach. He gained some advice and help from British Aerospace in building a strong, but lightweight, metal, dual-purpose carriage for the presentation and dressage phase, as well as the marathon.

Prince Philip provided some merriment for the equestrian press when he was explaining in detail his views on such technical matters as swingletrees, at a press conference in the Royal Mews to launch his book. Suddenly, he received a question about details of the forthcoming marriage of Prince Andrew. It came from a tabloid reporter, who had infiltrated the gathering.

The affable Prince gave way to a very annoyed royal personage.

“I am certainly not here today to discuss trivia,” he said sternly. He instructed his aides: “Get that man out of here!”

In 1986, Prince Philip, aged 65, gave up driving horses in harness and switched to driving teams of home-bred Fells, which were otherwise used for stalking at Balmoral. He continued competition driving with teams of ponies, often just as hectic and hazardous as the horse competition, throughout his sixties and seventies, and clearly continued to gain great enjoyment from the sport.

He declared: “I find the pony teams class rather more light-hearted, and it has provided me with a great deal of fun. Furthermore, most of the other pony team drivers are considerably more glamorous than our colleagues in the horse teams.”

The modern horseworld

AS FEI president, Prince Philip brought his energies to bear on frequent attempts not always successful, to upgrade existing sports by rewriting their rules, causing many a pursed lip and puzzled frown to some officials. He threw himself into reforming the ramifications of horse passports – and veterinary controls – to enable competition horses to pass frontiers more easily.

Although he described himself as a “neutral chairman between the different factions in showjumping, dressage and horse trials”, he inevitably became embroiled in the post-war Olympics professional-vs-amateur debates.

Controversially, he encouraged the setting up of a category of professional riders who received advantages in terms of taxation, but were debarred from riding in the Games. The problem was that although a number of leading British showjumpers voluntarily took on professional status, too many leading jump riders on the Continent, especially the Germans, declined to do so, although their professional remuneration from the sport in various ways was just as obvious. They thereby continued to ride in the Games. This problem persisted until the International Olympic Committee abandoned the pro-am distinction for all sports competitors, but by then there had been a dearth of showjumping medals for Britain at the Olympics, and some of the former “professionals” were past their peak.

Another burning controversy, in which Prince Philip was ready to engage, was the use of phenylbutazone, or bute, on competition horses. He would tap his painful wrist, saying: “Well, I take bute – and it has done a lot for me.”

Under Prince Philip the FEI set up a system of proportional use of bute, but testing and measuring horses worldwide to ensure only the allowed percentage of the drug was present proved to be difficult and expensive. There were arguments about the results of such tests.

Eventually, the FEI had to revert to a complete ban on its use, whichH&Hargued was the only practical solution – and much easier to test.

At a line-up at the South of England show, the Prince rounded on me as the then editor ofH&Hsaying: “You got it wrong in the paper on the drugs again last week!”

A lively discussion ensued and I suggested the Prince write a “Letter to the Editor” on the subject and, to his great credit, Prince Philip did so. It was published without any special presentation as just another letter and was never picked up by the national press.

The Prince once debated the pro-am issue over lunch in an outspoken argument with Harvey Smith and other leading showjumpers. The general view afterwards was: “We may not always agree with him, but he’s a jolly good bloke.”

The controversies were part of the growing pains of the horseworld and Prince Philip left the FEI and horse sports in a far better state overall, in terms of meeting modern conditions, when he retired as president in 1986. He was succeeded by the Princess Royal, who continued her father’s work for the next eight testing years.

Prince Philip memorably described the horse as “the great leveller”. Certainly, it was one of many ways in which he reached people across a wide spectrum. He was as enthusiastic about the Prince Philip Cup for the Pony Club – having founded the mounted games competition in 1957 – as he was about the highest levels of adult sport, and would often appear at Wembley to present the prizes, as well as taking a close interest in the qualifiers.

Prince Philip’s special legacy to horsemen in Britain – and everywhere else – is seldom quantified, but it is immense, and everyone who enjoys horses and ponies is in his debt as a great enthusiast and innovator. Royal patronage was not just a duty; it was a role carried out enthusiastically and energetically by The Queen’s consort.

In his own words: “Some optimists tend to assume that, once you have learnt the lesson that horses bite at one end and kick at the other, there is nothing further to worry about – no such luck, I am afraid. That is only lesson one in a learning process that goes on as long as you are mug enough to continue to associate with horses.”

Pictures by Robin Jones/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images, Mark Cuthbert and United Press International. Pictures by Odhams Press Agency, David Levenson/Getty Images, Sports & General Press Agency and Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty. Pictures by Tim Graham/Getty, PA Wire/PA Images, Press Association Ltd, Slim Aarons/Getty and Central Press/AFP via Getty

#prince philip #duke of edinburgh #horse &hound #tribute #article

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gemsofgreece · 1 year

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I posted 1,265 times in 2022

That's 43 more posts than 2021!

842 posts created (67%)

423 posts reblogged (33%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@alatismeni-theitsa

@gemsofgreece

@purple-amaranthe

@wordsmithic

I tagged 1,198 of my posts in 2022

Only 5% of my posts had no tags

#greece - 596 posts

#anon - 331 posts

#travel - 241 posts

#mail - 218 posts

#mainland - 214 posts

#greek facts - 183 posts

#europe - 174 posts

#ask - 166 posts

#greek islands - 142 posts

#greek culture - 141 posts

Longest Tag: 94 characters

#εμένα η πιο ευχάριστη ήταν για μια πάθηση των πουλιών με ένα σύμπτωμα που το είχα πάθει κι εγώ

My Top Posts in 2022:

When Poseidon pisses Zeus off...

Genesis thunderstorm looming over the Temple of Poseidon, Greece. Photo by @leva_alex on Instagram.

1,745 notes - Posted July 16, 2022

Claimed chapel in Ios island, Greece by @traveliara_psychi on Instagram.

1,937 notes - Posted June 30, 2022

Somewhere in Tzoumerka (Athamanian mountains), Epirus, Greece. Photo by giotisr on Instagram.

2,378 notes - Posted October 20, 2022

Festive costume from Thasos island, Macedonia, Greece, c.1900.

Source: www.texmedindigitalibrary.eu

2,502 notes - Posted July 28, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Cretan Greek traditional dress from the region of Sfakiá, created by Maria Skoula.

4,000 notes - Posted January 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #my tag though #gemsofgreece #about the blog

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annarellix · 5 months

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REBELLION by Simon Scarrow (EAGLES OF EMPIRE 22)

AD.60 and Brittania is in chaos. Boudica has had a taste of victory against the formidable veterans in Camulodunum and she won’t stop now. How will Roman heroes Macro and Cato fare against the notorious Queen of the Britons?

A quick response to the rapidly advancing rebel forces, Governor Suetonius takes command leading his army to the besieged Londinium with prefect Cato and a mounted escort in tow. The grim reality of Britannia slipping deeper into chaos and hysteria becomes unmistakable as tribal warriors continue to swell the ranks of Boudica’s forces. Both Cato and Suetonius confront the sobering truth that minimal preparations have been made to confront a full-scale insurrection.

Meanwhile, in Londinium, a heart-wrenching revelation unfolds. Centurion Macro is among those missing following the Camulodunum massacre. Has Cato's loyal comrade, who has faced countless battles, met his ultimate challenge? As disaster looms, Cato readies himself for the next strategic move. Can he dare to hope that Macro, marked by battle and unflinching courage, has managed to evade these bloodthirsty rebels? In this pivotal military campaign, Cato knows that only one man he trusts stands beside him, and the fate of the Empire in Britannia hangs in the balance.

Book page: https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/simon-scarrow/rebellion-eagles-of-empire-22/9781472287076/

My Review: Note: you can read this book as a stand-alone but I think it’s a sort of follow-up to Death to the Emperor, the previous novel in this long series. Boudica’s rebellion is described in a lot of books but I think this one that describe is it could have been. It was gory, violent, sometime very cruel insurrection, a sort of guerrilla that nearly defeated Rome. The author did a good job in described the sense of confusion, the excitement, the violence. This age is not known for any type of Geneva treaty or piety, the Roman pietas is the sense of loyalty not any type of kindness The novel is fast paced, action packed, with some heartbreaking moments. There’s a lot violence and some scenes are a graphic description of what it was described by the historian so you’d better skip them if you are squeamish. I was happy to catch up with Cato and Marco, felt for them and hope to read soon their new story as the aftermath of the rebellion won’t be easy. This story kept me reading till late in the night as I wanted to be sure that my favourite characters were going to survive. The storytelling is excellent and it’s well researched. There’s a lot of attention to the details. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: Simon Scarrow is a Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author with several million copies of his books sold worldwide. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher, before becoming a full-time writer. His Roman soldier heroes Cato and Macro made their debut in 2000 in UNDER THE EAGLE and have subsequently appeared in many bestsellers in the Eagles of the Empire series, including CENTURION, INVICTUS and DAY OF THE CAESARS. Many of the series have been Sunday Times bestsellers. REBELLION marks no.22 of Simon’s Eagles of the Empire Novels.

Simon Scarrow is also the author of a quartet of novels about the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, YOUNG BLOODS, THE GENERALS, FIRE AND SWORD and THE FIELDS OF DEATH; a novel about the 1565 Siege of Malta, SWORD & SCIMITAR; HEARTS OF STONE, set in Greece during the Second World War; and PLAYING WITH DEATH, a contemporary thriller written with Lee Francis. He also wrote the novels ARENA and INVADER with T. J. Andrews. His first Berlin thriller, BLACKOUT set in WW2 Berlin and first published in 2021 was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick with DEAD OF NIGHT following to critical acclaim earlier in 2023.

Simon and ‘Eagle of the Empire’ series: Simon’s inspiration for the "Eagle of the Empire" series stems from a fascination with the Roman Empire's military and political intricacies. Scarrow's meticulous research and dedication to historical accuracy are evident in his works, where he skillfully weaves narratives around real historical events and figures. Simon has been inspired by his own life and experiences and sees himself in both his main characters Cato and Marco - Cato being who he was as a student and Marco who he has grown up to be. He has a knack for immersing readers in the ancient world and through his novels, he invites readers to embark on those journeys back in time, where empires clash in battles that have shaped the course of human history but encourages us to draw parallels to the political now through his stories of the then.

Website: https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimonScarrow

#blogtour #historical fiction #ancient rome #netgalley #review

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ausetkmt · 10 months

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International Organization for Migration recorded 3,789 deaths last year along land and sea routes in the MENA region – an 11 percent surge from 2021.

Last year was one of the deadliest for migrants using travel routes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with nearly 3,800 deaths reported.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded 3,789 deaths in 2022 along sea and land routes in the MENA region, including crossings in the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea.

“This alarming death toll on migration routes within and from the MENA region demands immediate attention and concerted efforts to enhance the safety and protection of migrants,” Othman Belbeisi, IOM regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement.

“IOM urges increased international and regional cooperation as well as resources to address this humanitarian crisis and prevent further loss of lives.”

The report said the death toll – 11 percent higher than recorded in 2021 and the highest since the 4,255 documented six years ago – was likely much greater because of scant official data and limited access to migration routes for civil society and international organisations.

“Our data shows that 92 percent of people dying on this route remain unidentified,” Koko Warner, director of the Global Data Institute, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The tragic loss of life on dangerous migration routes highlights the importance of data and analysis in driving action.”

On sea routes from the region to Europe, IOM recorded an increase in deadly incidents that involved boats travelling to Greece and Italy from Lebanon.

IOM said the highest number of deaths on land routes in the region last year was recorded in war-torn Yemen, where the agency said violence against migrants increased.

At least 795 people, mostly Ethiopians, died on a route between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the IOM said. Most of the deaths occurred in Yemen’s northern province of Saada. Libya recorded 117 deaths and there were 54 fatalities in neighbouring Algeria.

#Migrant death toll nearly 3 #800 for Middle East #North Africa #african #immigration #racism #european racism

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niallandtommo · 1 year

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end of 2022 post

this year was an emotional rollercoaster but overall i would say it was a good year (especially compared to 2020 and 2021) and i wanna focus on the good things and be grateful for the all the amazing things that i got to do this year.

i spent a lot of time with my family which is the most important thing to me. my family is absolutely amazing and even though i feel lonely and unlovable all the damn time i know these people love me and that is something that keeps me going every day. their love and support means everything to me. i wouldn’t have made it to the end of the year without them. they give me so much strength and support me in every way. i don’t know what i did to deserve such an amazing family but i’m so fucking grateful. at the end of the day i will always have my family and that is more important than anything else. i love them so so much.

i went to 3 countries this year and every trip was amazing. i went to amsterdam (without you hehe i had to), greece and portugal. i cried a little when i was flying to the netherlands because i was so happy to be back on an airplane. i missed that feeling so much. i love travelling (a very expensive hobby unfortunately lol) and i’m so glad that i got to see a new city and two places that i love very much (it was my second time in portugal and my 5th time in greece).

i went to 6 concerts this year which is crazy because at the beginning of 2022 i wasn’t sure if i could ever go to a concert again. my covid anxiety was very bad and i just couldn’t imagine feeling comfortable at a concert (i did get covid after my second louis show in amsterdam lol). i saw louis (twice), harry, 5sos, sunrise avenue and mark forster. it felt so good to go to these shows and i enjoyed every second.

i’ve had lots of amazing small moments. weekend trips, wonderful afternoons, dinner dates with friends and family, lots of time outside. i can’t name every single one but i really tried to push myself to do more stuff this year. especially in summer. even if it was just a long walk or dancing like an idiot in my apartment. it really helped to do one small thing every day to improve my mental health. and i pushed myself to do something even on the really bad days. and i am proud of myself.

i spent a lot of time with one of my best friends. we’ve been friends for over 14 years now and we have always been close but this year brought us even closer together. she is that one friend that i can always count on. she knows more about me than any other friend and she is definitely the most supportive friend that i have. we see each other at least once a week and we really tried to spend as much time as possible together this year. my trip to crete with her was so so amazing and i think about it all the time. it was one of my favorite trips ever. i love this girl so much. she means the world to me.

i finally FINALLY quit my job. this was definitely the hardest part of 2022. my job made me fucking miserable. i hated every second that i had to spend there. and now i’m finally free. i found a new job and i am very nervous about it but hopefully it’s gonna be better than my last. i love that i can leave this job in 2022 and i never have to look back.

i found out that i really really love reading books. i always loved reading (i’ve been reading fanfics for years) but reading books and spending hours in the bookstore feels different. i love that i can just put my phone away and turn off the tv and just get lost in a book. i have read 80 books this year and i think that is amazing. especially because i spend way too much time on my phone and this is a great way to unplug.

last but not least i am very grateful for all the people on here that supported me this year. your replies and messages (anon or not) mean the world to me. i know i overshare a lot on here and this blog is basically my diary and i don’t expect anyone to read any of my posts but i’m so grateful that so many people on here constantly send me so much love. i love you all very much.

idk if anyone made it this far but if anyone is still reading, happy new year! i wish you all the best for the next year. i hope 2023 will be a good year. i’m sending you all lots of love <333

#see you all next year hehe #i love you all so much <3

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writing-corner-of-my-quill · 1 year

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10 first lines

Rules: Share the first line of your ten most recent fic (or however many you wrote, if it's less than 10), game taken from @terresdebrume in this post and it looked fun. It’s been a bit since then, but hey, better late than never amirite?

I’ve only ever published 10 fics on Ao3! So this is essentially everything I’ve put out onto the internet haha.

Organized from oldest to newest by the day I updated it.

Zoom Call (Hetalia - 2020):

The world meeting was decided sporadically. America set it up, so — Canada shook his head, berating himself for chuckling — it was going to be a disaster. How did Matthew know it was going to be a disaster? Multiple reasons actually.

^ Oh my gosh I was a child when I posted this LOL what a blast from the past

After the Computer Lab: Early Fall Mornings (Hetalia - 2021):

“Fuck. This.”

We'll Wait for Dawn (Hetalia - 2021):

The sky wavered between navy blue and black when Lithuania arrived at Greece's place. Greece sat and smoked outside his porch when the other immortal nation representative arrived. Most people who came to world meetings flew in by plane, but the Baltic country drove his old secondhand car down to Athens. Now, he decided to park it on the side of the street. He got out of the car, his keys rattling in his hands as he shut the door down.

If We Go Down, We Go Down Together (Unprepared Casters - 2022):

The treacherous path they traveled was near its end.

At least, that was what Beryl Hatebad thought to herself. The wind howled in her ears, and she was unbelievably cold. But she couldn’t help but admire the giant towers of Glaceria from afar. Now, if they could just last through this challenge, they would make it.

Start It Off With A Bang (Unprepared Casters - 2022):

BANG.

The sound, piercing fast and loud, halted Helga Hatebad in her tracks.

Escape (My Hero Academia - 2021 to ‘23):

Izuku felt the sensation of getting lifted off his feet by a pair of strong, secure arms. Wind rushed through his hair as he was carried upwards.

“Wha—?” He managed to gasp out.

“I am here!”

^ This is on permanent hiatus now. I know. I miss it too, just kinda got too much for me to handle and I didn’t even ship the pairing it’s for.

The World Orbula Cup (Unprepared Casters 2022- ‘23):

“Ace?”

At the sound of their name, Ace looked up.

“Ace!”

^ On hiatus. Turns out writing about death is difficult, who knew?

The Final Charge Tonight (Do You Have Anyone You Love?) (Unprepared Casters 2023):

Suds loved putting himself into Scenda.

You're the Boss (Unprepared Casters 2023):

Soft moonlight trickles through the windows and pulled curtains of The Last Stop, a functioning bar and also the unofficial headquarters of the revolution.

Be Better, Batters (Unprepared Casters 2023):

“Hey—”

Bishop and Marigold said the greeting at the same time. Both stopped abruptly when they realized their voices clashing against the other’s.

Tagging: Nobody because I’m lazy, but hey if you see this feel free to play the game

#writing game #game #igniting-quill #Quill Writes #ao3 #fanfiction #fanfic #10 first lines #writing corner of my quill

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codywanweekspotlight · 6 months

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Weekly Spotlight

✨Art

@ymeisli // Art // dancer/musician/theater au // 2023

Link: Tumblr

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@autumnalfallingleaves // Art // flimsiwork and tea // 2023

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@dontbelasagnax // Art // dancer/musician/theater au // 2023

Link: Tumblr

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@wrennette // Art // flimsiwork and tea // 2023

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@autumnalfallingleaves // Art // force bond // 2023

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@nhyhu // Art // -- // 2023

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@three-fold-symmetry // Art // light and dark // 2023

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@zyphnn // Art // hands & sitting vigil/injury // 2023

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@zyphnn // Art // sleeping & forehead touch/keldabe kiss // 2023

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@theposeknowsart // Art // ancient greece/rome/egypt // 2023

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✨Fics

@pencildragons // Fic // lightsaber // 2022

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@legogirl22 // Fic // purge trooper cody // 2022

Link: AO3

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@milfmisspiggy // Fic // time travel // 2022

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@yellowisharo // Fic // modern // 2022

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@bean-bean-8 // Fic // sith // 2020

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@dontbelasagnax // Fic // time travel // 2022

Link: AO3

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@willowworkswithwords // Fic // au // 2021

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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@GemmaRose // Fic // time travel // 2022

Link: AO3

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@morethansky // Fic // order 66 // 2021

Link: AO3

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@the-writing-mill // Fic // lightsaber // 2021

Links: Tumblr and AO3

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✨Please give our creators a reblog and a comment!

#codywan #codywan weekly spotlight #codywan art #codywan fic #weekly spotlight #codywan fic recs

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see-out-there · 11 months

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Hello guys, here´s how we explored the island of Samos in Greece during our vacation in September 2021. 00:00 Arriving Samos, Samos Bay Hotel room tour, Samos Central Square 00:47 Livadaki beach, Pythagoreio, Blue street 02:31 shipyard Malagari, Kokkari, Tsabou beach, Saloon Cafe 10:00 lazy day at Gagou beach 11:56 CorTo, Eupalinus tunnel, Potokaki beach, Balos beach 15:07 Kaladakia beach and cave, John the Merciful, Kallithea, Votsalakia beach 20:38 Temple of Hera, Maradeus beach bar, Pythagoras Cave, Megali Panagia Monastery, Psili Ammos by Tonggo Traveller

#IFTTT #YouTube #travel #adventure #travel vlog

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firsttarotreader · 2 years

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So in a certain forum someone took the time to make a “timeline” full of fantasy and inaccuracies to convince people p and sm are ringing the wedding bells by now. However, they left some key moments out that do not fit their love story and that are gathered in this list below. Enjoy!

- Pedro and SM like each other’s pics since 2015 on Instagram.

- They are longtime friends and met at the NYU

- January 2021 Pedro starts to promote SM’s book. Sm was in Argentina until March as he always does. He was not in Italy in December or January. Pedro was in Switzerland.

- April 2021 SM goes to London and shows up at the BAFTAS, wearing regular clothes. The next day he hangs out with some female friends of his and takes Pedro and Maria B., who look like outsiders with sm and his friends.

- These same friends visit SM in Tuscany in July 2021.

- Pedro goes to Chile in May 2021, SM stays home.

- Pedro goes to sm’s event in Milan on end of May as any friend could do.

- Pedro goes to Canada to film TLOU.

- Sm stays home, travels with friends in Italy, does his thing. Travels to the Dolomites or the Swiss Alps and fandom goes crazy thinking it was Canada but it wasn’t.

- December 2021, sm goes to Argentina and stays there until March as he always does.

- He and Pedro meet in Colombia after the Holidays for a quick friends trip. Pedro sees his longtime friend Cristina and goes to San Andres with sm and other friends, a place he has been with several of his friends, men and women, and his rumoured boyfriend BA.

- They spent the Holidays apart when they could have definitely spent it together.

- Pedro spends his bday in LA with family and friends in April and SM spends his with his family in Argentina.

- May 2021, Sm goes visit Pedro in LA and goes to his TUWOMT premiere along with several of other Pedro’s longtime friends and family like Grace R., Robin T, and his father. Then he visits Calgary because he is already there, right? But goes just for a few days

- Sm doesn’t go to the premiere in NYC or the SXSW event, but goes to LA and every other that has the big wigs.

- Pedro wraps filming on TLOU in June and goes straight home to LA and stays there chilling with friends for the entire month of June and part of July. Sm stays in Italy.

- Pedro goes to Madrid in July for a week to start the Almodovar movie, then goes to Lisbon for another week to visit other friends. Then returns to Madrid and works on the movie

- Sm spends his time in Tuscany with the same female friends from London, the ones he visited in April 2021. This time, they visit him in Italy.

- Sm goes to Greece for 2 weeks and follows and gets followed by a lot of hot guys, and posts pics at the same places as them. Stays at the beach chilling. Then he returns home and stays put.

- Sm shows up at the Venice Film Festival as a guest along with Javiera and Pedro and other people who worked at Javiera’s movie: No media outlets talk about them, they act like regular friends.

- After 2 months of Pedro in Spain, they meet at the festival in Venice that is literally near Milan, where sm lives.

- Sm goes to Madrid, but right when Pedro leaves. Pedro goes to LA and sm stays in Europe.

- Except for Colombia, all their meet ups were on event occasions. They could have met many times along the year but chose not to.

- Sm is a writer and could stay longer anywhere since he can work from home, yet stays in Milan.

Omg, anon! 🤯🤯 after all this work you had I couldn’t not post it! And yeah, it’s hard to not notice everything you pointed out! 😛😛😛

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onthecuterside · 2 years

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Who... are... you..?

🎤 You're not the one 🎤 I fell in love with, baby 🎻🎻. OK, sorry, got carried away there... Thanks @whysojiminimnida for tagging me in a game where we voluntarily reveal information that could allow terrible people to identify us!

name: Can't go there, but my parents used to call me KJ, my friends call me K, and I'm quite fond of my handle.

sign: Taurus. I'm mostly placid but can be tormented into a rage.

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fav band/artist: BTS is in a class of experience all of its own. But on the normal fan level, I'm eclectic: Joni Mitchell, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Nina Simone, David Bowie, Billie Eilish, Beastie Boys, Björk, Beatles, Brahms. Lots of Bs, apparently.

last movie: House of Gucci, watched it on the plane yesterday. (spoiler alert) How did I know already that Tom Ford became Gucci's designer but not that Patrizia Gucci murdered her husband??? Priorities.

last show: Umbrella Academy and Stranger Things (with my family). Heart Stopper and Our Beloved Summer (with my daughter). I rarely get to watch things for myself (although I should count BTS content there lmao - currently making my way through BV3).

when you created this blog: September 2021. I was desperate for adult conversation about JKK.

what you post: mostly reblogs of BTS beauty / thirst posts so I can find them later, a few posts where I notice something or have a thought that I haven't seen expressed in my Tumblr circle. I made 2 gifs but it’s hard to make everything work and I don’t have the right software :(

other blogs: Nope! I'm totally new to this whole thing.

followers: 49, which is 49 more than I expected. I only created the account so that I could send asks.

do you get asks: option not switched on. I've been doing my job 18 years and I still don't feel like an expert. No way I can take on that role after 16 months in the fandom.

average hrs of sleep: 4-6 hours. It's never enough. F*cking hormones.

instruments: Violin (passable), piano (mediocre), guitar (basic). Voice!

what i’m wearing: strappy summer frock. Half my wardrobe is summer dresses even though winter is ~8 months long where I live. They are so cute and easy to buy and I am possibly in denial. Mismatching underwear with a molded wire-free bra because BEST DISCOVERY of the pandemic, I am never going back.

dream job: I'm doing it! Professor - I get to hang out with smart people all day and talk about interesting things.

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Perhaps novelist as an alternative? If writer's block was not a thing.

dream trip: South Korea, Ecuador, Greece. I love travelling and have done a fair bit of it but in my more apocalyptic moments I know we should probably drastically reduce air travel emissions and concentrate on dream tripping closer to home. Astral travel instead?

favorite songs: Favourites are hard. It's so mood dependent. In BTS, those that pull me in the most: Black Swan, Louder Than Bombs, What Am I to You, Pied Piper, Ddaeng, House of Cards, anything by Agust D. In non BTS, Massive Attack - Teardrop, Beatles - I Want You (She's So Heavy), Nick Cave - Red Right Hand, Joni Mitchell - Case of You, Billie Eilish - When the Party's Over, Your Power, No Time to Die, Lovely... I seem to be on a Billie trip atm).

Tagging @rantingravingliving @ffjj5 @jmdbjk @chikooritajjk @spankpjm b/c I'm curious!

#getting to know bloggers

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