#interdisciplinary fabulousness

[k00288091]

Artist Research - Günther Förg

(Link to gallery I looked at online)

Günther Förg was a German artist from Allgaü, Germany. Throughout his work, he heavily rejected the idea of modernism, which was big in Germany during the 1980s. He had a keen interest in fragmentation and the political climate of his era in Germany.

He studied in the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, and focused heavily on abstract and minimalist work throughout his career.

During my tutorial, as I was showing Eoin my sketchbook, he mentioned Förg, as his Spot Paintings (Tupfenbilder), seem very similar to the way I work in my sketchbook when I'm figuring out colour swatches and texture.

In the article I read, it was written that Förg's paintings were "a full circle arrival at painting as a synthesis of experimentation", I found this really interesting as I think this sentence relates to my project in a way. Of course, I in no way regard myself as as skilled and meticulous as Förg, but it was interesting to find little similarities in our work.

My project is based all around circular rotation and moving in circles, something this artist has done in his spot paintings and something I am trying to achieve in experimentation through the different electives. I hope my work reflects this idea of coming full circle through the interdisciplinary effort to combine paint, print and photography in these sketchbook pages.

His spot paintings, as shown above some of my sketchbook pages, were deeply inspired by seeing Francis Bacon's studio, as Bacon would work out the value of colour by dabbing pigment from his brush to paper and cloth.

Förg is a fabulous painter, and a true testament to how abstract and minimalist art is not as simple as it may seem on the surface.

#artist research #günther förg #spotpaintings #movement project #rotation and circular movements #painting #photography #print

[secondlifep]

Ebun Sodipo makes work for those who will come after: the black trans people of the future. Her interdisciplinary practice narrates her construction of a black trans-feminine self after slavery and colonialism. Through a process of fragmentation, collage, and fabulation, she devises softer, other-wise ways of imagining and speaking about the body, desire, archives, and the past.

[argroupofedu5]

Unlocking Opportunities: Pursuing MBBS in Nepal

Embarking on the journey to get to be a specialist is a desire shared by numerous, driven by the crave to mend and serve humanity. In later years, Nepal has risen as a signal of trust for trying medical experts, advertising an interesting mix of quality education, social inundation, and reasonableness. In this web journal, we dig into the charm of studying MBBS in Nepal, exploring through the complexities of fees, and revealing the finest medical colleges within the country.

Studying MBBS in Nepal: A Gateway to Excellence

Nepal, with its breathtaking landscapes and rich social legacy, gives a conducive environment for scholarly development and individual advancement. Choosing to think about MBBS in Nepal opens entryways to world-class restorative instruction whereas inundating oneself within the country's dynamic embroidered artwork of conventions and values. Renowned for its inviting air and regarded staff, Nepalese medical universities cultivate an environment where students thrive academically and socially.

One of the most compelling reasons to seek after MBBS in Nepal is the reasonableness calculated. Compared to numerous Western nations, the toll of therapeutic instruction in Nepal, counting tuition expenses and living costs, is essentially lower, making it an alluring option for students from different socio-economic foundations. Besides, the educational programs are outlined to meet international benchmarks, guaranteeing that graduates are well-prepared to practise medicine globally.

MBBS Fees in Nepal: Making Dreams Available

The reasonableness of medical instruction in Nepal could be a key driving constraint behind its ubiquity among aspiring specialists. The MBBS expenses in Nepal change depending on the college and may incorporate tuition expenses, convenience, nourishment, and other various costs. Normally, the total cost of pursuing MBBS in Nepal ranges from [mention specific range], making it a cost-effective choice compared to many other countries.

Moreover, a few universities in Nepal offer grants and monetary help to deserving students, facilitating the financial burden. These grants may be based on scholarly justify, financial need, or specific criteria set by the university. By making medical education accessible to a wider pool of students, Nepal demonstrates its commitment to nurturing the following era of healthcare experts.

Best Medical Universities in Nepal: Pinnacles of Excellence

Choosing the right medical university is vital in forming one's scholarly and proficient travel. In Nepal, a few teachers stand out for their commitment to excellence and commitment to medical instruction. Here are a few of the finest medical colleges in Nepal:

Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine (TU-IOM): 

As the oldest and most esteemed medical institution in Nepal, TU-IOM brags a wealthy legacy of scholarly fabulousness and development. With state-of-the-art offices and experienced workforce individuals, the college offers a comprehensive MBBS program that prepares understudies with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in their restorative careers.

Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS): 

Eminent for its student-centric approach and accentuation on inquire about, KUSMS isa head goal for trying doctors. The university's present day framework and interdisciplinary curriculum give understudies with adequate openings for hands-on learning and proficient advancement.

B.P. Koirala Institute of Wellbeing Sciences (BPKIHS): 

Settled in the serene town of Dharan, BPKIHS is synonymous with brilliance in medical instruction and healthcare. The university's community-oriented approach and centre on country healthcare make it a favoured choice for understudies trying to form a difference in underserved communities.

Nepal Medical College (NMC): 

Situated in the heart of Kathmandu, NMC is known for its rigorous scholastic educational modules and commitment to producing competent healthcare experts. The university's collaborative learning environment and emphasis on clinical exposure guarantee that graduates are well-prepared to meet the challenges of modern healthcare.

Nobel Medical College: 

With a vision to supply quality therapeutic instruction and foster advancement, Nobel Restorative College stands as a testament to Nepal's commitment to fabulousness in healthcare. The college's holistic approach to restorative instruction and focus on research make it a favoured choice for yearning specialists seeking to make a meaningful impact in the field of pharmaceuticals.

Conclusion: A Journey of Discovery and Growth

Considering MBBS in Nepal offers a unique opportunity to set out on a transformative educational journey established in academic greatness and cultural immersion. With reasonable fees, world-class universities, and a wealthy tapestry of traditions, Nepal beckons aspiring specialists from around the globe to realise their dreams of becoming compassionate and competent healthcare experts. As you embark on this remarkable journey, keep in mind that your choice to study MBBS in Nepal isn't close to obtaining information but too about embracing a new way of life, one filled with sympathy, judgement, and a relentless interest of brilliance.

#MBBS in Nepal #Study mbbs in Nepal #MBBS fees in Nepal #Best medical university in Nepal #MBBS admission in Nepal

[webionaire]

https://www.ideelart.com/magazine/girls-rule-contemporary-abstraction

Ej Hauser

Discovery is EJ Hauser in the WINDOW on Walker Street in Tribeca and the off-the-grid gallery in downtown LA. Brooklyn-based artist, EJ Hauser, syncs her drawing and painting practice. Her previous digi-beasts disappeared, leaving simplified traces of her own mark-making language that combines art, nature, the origins of technology and subconscious emotion. The tension between spiritual satisfaction through nature and a technological takeover, illustrated in cleverly analogous visual language, speaks to the juxtaposition of contemporary life. Mountain peaks and waves are so subtly represented through marks, one can see intention through repetitive, layered abstraction. Orchard Thinking, 2022, is a show-stopper with CMYK pink and cyan blue punch.

Lucy Mu Li

Like Hauser, Lucy Mu Li from Southern California is interdisciplinary, combining photography and painting. Playing on the elements of water, earth, and sky Li’s philosophical paintings are metaphors for that which embodies life itself. She has an obsession with infinity as one painting extends to the next continuing the metaphysical narrative, “time is the artist, water is the hand that paints, stone is the traveler”. Moving are references to love, family, elders, aging and how time transforms stones (humans) into sand. So inspired by one of her titles, to age is to unearth, I jotted it down as a reminder. In response, unearthing exceptional female emerging artists is the intent. If I could only express in two words Li’s work, like a condensed haiku, it would be moving movement.

Jadé Fadojutimi

Drawing on her eclectic interests in Japanese anime and sounds, like the Crown soundtrack, one can imagine the atmosphere of Fadojutimi’s South London studio. The bold energy of her vibrant colors, brushstrokes and large-scale canvases create excitement and a feeling of awe and wonder as if you’ve had an epiphany about what life should be if you were living it properly. Fadojutimi’s world sparks an urge to dance, sing without shame, walk the red carpet wearing something fabulous while running through an English floral garden. Too much? Maybe not, she expressed, “It is heartbreakingly beautiful just to exist. I mean those two words literally. Life is really fucking beautiful. It just means accepting everything that comes with it, spilling into the time that we have; one of the many definitions of ‘love’”. Abstract girls rule in part because they love to express love.

Heather Day

Another California abstract artist, Heather Day, deconstructs compositions and reinvents through a rearrangement of disrupted composition. The freshness lies in its deconstruction and yet she achieves a harmonious flow from one panel of canvas to the next. Blue Prism No. 1 and Rose Prism No. 1 are like cut-up Frankenthalers repurposed and defaced with mixed media. Giving geometry to stained canvas and blended paint may seem irreverent, but it’s the deconstruction of preciousness and reimaging Abstract Expressionism that is au courant. Almost juvenile marks of finger-smudged color add a precocious yet intentional flair. Day’s work is more purely abstract and when her titles become verbs, the paintings take on a simplistic, mysterious identity.

[musicofdoom]

Xiu Xiu: Uniting Dark Lyrics and Avant-Garde Sounds in a Stirring Musical Journey

In the vast and diverse realm of experimental music, few bands have dared to push the boundaries of sound and emotion like Xiu Xiu. Founded in 2002 by singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu has consistently challenged conventional notions of music, delivering a unique blend of haunting melodies, dissonant textures, and introspective lyrics. With their uncompromising artistic vision and willingness to confront uncomfortable themes, Xiu Xiu has carved a distinctive niche for themselves in the alternative music landscape.

Xiu Xiu's music defies easy categorization, as they effortlessly blend elements of noise, post-punk, art pop, and experimental rock. Their sonic palette is as diverse as it is daring, incorporating unconventional instruments, electronic manipulations, and unconventional song structures. From cacophonous walls of noise to delicate, minimalist arrangements, Xiu Xiu creates a multifaceted soundscape that captivates and challenges listeners in equal measure.

One of the defining characteristics of Xiu Xiu's music is their unflinching exploration of raw and often uncomfortable emotions. Jamie Stewart's deeply personal and introspective lyrics lay bare his own experiences with topics such as mental illness, sexuality, grief, and alienation. Through their music, Xiu Xiu invites listeners to confront these difficult themes and engage with the complexity of the human condition. This willingness to delve into the darkest corners of the psyche is what Throughout their career, Xiu Xiu has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, further expanding their creative boundaries. From fellow musicians and visual artists to dancers and filmmakers, Xiu Xiu seeks out collaborations that enhance and challenge their artistic vision. This interdisciplinary approach has resulted in projects like "Plays the Music of Twin Peaks," where they reimagined the iconic soundtrack of David Lynch's cult TV series, and "Xiu Xiu: The Air Force," a collaboration with renowned artist Danh Vo. These collaborations not only showcase Xiu Xiu's versatility but also create unique and unforgettable experiences for their audience.

Xiu Xiu's live performances are renowned for their intensity and vulnerability. Jamie Stewart's passionate and fearless stage presence, coupled with the band's dynamic musicianship, creates an atmosphere that oscillates between catharsis and discomfort. Their shows are immersive and unpredictable, often incorporating visual projections, performance art, and unconventional stage setups. Xiu Xiu's ability to connect deeply with their audience makes each live performance a transformative experience.

Cult Status and Critical Acclaim: While Xiu Xiu's music may not be mainstream, their fearless exploration of the fringes has earned them a dedicated following and critical acclaim. Their discography spans over a dozen albums, each one a testament to their unwavering artistic integrity. Releases like "A Promise," "Fabulous Muscles," and "Forget" have become touchstones for fans of experimental and alternative music, while critics have praised their willingness to push boundaries and defy expectations.

Xiu Xiu is a band that defies easy categorization, exploring the furthest reaches of sound and emotion with unflinching honesty and artistic bravery. With their eclectic and boundary-pushing music, Xiu Xiu has created a sonic universe that challenges listeners to confront their deepest fears, desires, and vulnerabilities. Their commitment to experimentation and collaboration has made them a distinctive presence in the alternative music scene. As Xiu Xiu continues to evolve and explore new sonic territories, their uncompromising spirit will undoubtedly inspire and captivate audiences

#xiu xiu #musicofdoom

[tiredolddog]

Hey hey hey! My official actual introduction post. Call me Rhys! I'm 33, a nonbinary femme, polyam, pan, a pagan, & disabled. (That'll be its own post later.) I use the pronouns She/her & They/them interchangeably. My 'sona is a Newfoundland dog. I'm a fluffy/chonk of a human being, & my fursona absolutely matches that. I'm currently a university student & bartender, as an English major with minors in both interdisciplinary educational studies & graphic design. While up until a few months ago I had planned to become an English teacher, I am now switching gears & moving towards the publishing industry. I have 3 fabulous romantic partners, who will be referred to as Buhr, Beir, & Beefy, unless I get their permission to be discussed in a particular story. This fantabulous ref sheet is by Candy of Pleasefeedthebear.com <3

#furries #furry fandom #fursona #furry art

[writemarcus]

Heartbeat Opera Announces 2021-2022 Season

Highlights include MESSY MESSIAH, FIDELIO, and more.

by Chloe Rabinowitz

Aug. 10, 2021  

HEARTBEAT OPERA will return to the in-person stage for its eighth season this year. Heartbeat's 2021-22 season kicks off in September with a free outdoor screening of BREATHING FREE, their visual album that connects Beethoven's Fidelio with the work of Black composers and lyricists such as Harry T. Burleigh, Langston Hughes, and Anthony Davis to manifest a dream of justice, equity, and breathing free. BREATHING FREE builds on Heartbeat's 2018 work with incarcerated singers and prison choirs, and continues its exploration of race and the American prison system. Then in December, Heartbeat's beloved annual drag extravaganza, MESSY MESSIAH, returns after six years of Halloween shenanigans for a new Christmas special. Looking ahead to winter 2022, Heartbeat plans to go on its first-ever tour, remounting its production of FIDELIO, which Joshua Barone of The New York Times called "urgent, powerful, and poignant," for seven performances across four cities, kicking off at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Heartbeat will later present its pilot production of NO EVIL projects, QUANDO, ossia Project "0," which is co-produced with Long Beach Opera and refashions music from Verdi's operas La Traviata and Don Carlo and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice into a 25-minute short film. Heartbeat also continues to work on its first-ever commission, THE EXTINCTIONIST, an opera by Heartbeat Co-Music Director Daniel Schlosberg, librettist Amanda Quaid, and Heartbeat Co-Founder & Resident Director Louisa Proske. The Extinctionist wrestles with climate catastrophe and with one woman's unorthodox choice, with the goal of presenting its world premiere in winter 2023.

At the helm are Artistic Director Ethan Heard, Associate Artistic Director Derrell Acon, Co-Music Directors Jacob Ashworth and Daniel Schlosberg, and Managing Director Annie Middleton. Heartbeat Opera was founded in 2014 and has since grown from an indie "start up" into an internationally recognized player, consistently hailed as a leader in envisioning the future of opera.

The 2021-22 Season

BREATHING FREE, a visual album

September 18 at Pier 63, Hudson River Park Trust At dusk A free outdoor screening with live performances (Additional future screenings TBA)

Focusing on Black empowerment in the arts

Featuring excerpts from Beethoven's Fidelio, Negro Spirituals, and songs by

Harry T. Burleigh,

Florence Price

,

Langston Hughes

,

Anthony Davis

,

Thulani Davis

Director:

Ethan Heard

Filmmaker: Anaiis Cisco

Creative Producer: Ras Dia

Co-Music Directors: Jacob Ashworth & Daniel Schlosberg

Movement Director: Emma Jaster

Watch Breathing Free Trailer

2021 Drama League Award Nominee for Outstanding Digital Concert Production

In 2018, Heartbeat collaborated with 100 incarcerated singers in six prison choirs to create a contemporary American Fidelio told through the lens of Black Lives Matter. In 2020-the year of George Floyd's murder, a pandemic which ravages our prison population, and the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth-they curated a song cycle, brought to life in vivid music videos, mingling excerpts from Fidelio with Negro Spirituals and songs by Black composers and lyricists, which together manifest a dream of justice, equity... and breathing free.

Jamilyn Manning-White in DRAGUS MAXIMUS, photo by Andrew Boyle

MESSY MESSIAH

December 16 at 8pm and December 17 at 7 and 9:30pm at Roulette in Brooklyn

Directed by

Ethan Heard

Music Directed by Jacob Ashworth

Arranged by Daniel Schlosberg

Watch WNET's ALL ARTS feature on Heartbeat's drag extravaganzas

Heartbeat's beloved annual drag opera extravaganza returns in all its glory this December. Over the past seven years, Heartbeat has presented six fabulous extravaganzas at venues across Brooklyn: Hot Mama: Singing Gays Saving Gaia; Dragus Maximus: a homersexual opera odyssey; All the World's a Drag! Shakespeare in love...with opera; Queens of the Night: Mozart in Space; Miss Handel; and Purcell's The Fairy Queen. These interdisciplinary celebrations playfully mix opera classics with pop culture and drag to create an otherworldly experience that encourages audience members to embrace opera in new ways.

This year, the show moves to December-just in time for Christmas. Featuring familiar tunes by Handel, Tchaikovsky, Berlin, and many more, this naughty pageant celebrates the holidays with wit and warmth. Expect tradition...with a peppermint twist.

Kelly Griffin in FIDELIO, photo by Russ Rowland

FIDELIO

Heartbeat's first tour

February 10, 12 & 14, 2022 at Met Live Arts, New York City February 19 at The Mondavi Center, UC Davis, California February 22 at The Scottsdale Performing Arts Center, Arizona February 26 & 27 at The Broad Stage, Santa Monica, California

Music by Ludwig van Beethoven Original libretto by Joseph Sonnleithner & Georg Friedrich Sonnleithner Adapted & Directed by Ethan Heard Arranged & Music Directed by Daniel Schlosberg New English Dialogue Co-Written by Marcus Scott & Ethan Heard Featuring Derrell Acon (Roc), Curtis Bannister (Stan), Kelly Griffin (Leah), Victoria Lawal (Marcy), Tim Mix (Pizarro) and more than 100 incarcerated singers in six prison choirs

Heartbeat was planning to take its Fidelio on tour in 2020, the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Then the pandemic hit, affecting incarcerated people especially and forcing them to postpone the tour. Then George Floyd was murdered, sparking a much-needed racial reckoning. Now, with humility and a renewed sense of purpose, Heartbeat has the opportunity to bring the tour back and even expand it. The story of their Fidelio is more urgent and timely than ever:

A Black activist is wrongfully incarcerated. His wife, Leah, disguises herself to infiltrate the system and free him. But when injustice reigns, one woman's grit may not be enough to save her love. Featuring the voices of imprisoned people, this daring adaptation pits corruption against courage, hate against hope.

Heartbeat is thrilled to continue its work on this Fidelio, updating the libretto for our current moment, deepening the company's commitment to anti-racism in all that they do, collaborating more with their prison choir partners, sharing the production, and sparking important conversations. This tour is Heartbeat's largest and most ambitious venture yet. They have the opportunity to reach thousands of new audience members, including hundreds of young people, in four cities across the country.

QUANDO, ossia Project "0"

In-person screenings w/live performances in NY and Long Beach, April 2022 A co-production with Long Beach Opera The pilot production of NO EVIL Projects

Creative Produced by Derrell Acon Music Directed and Arranged by Daniel Schlosberg In-person screenings with live performances in New York and Long Beach in April 2022 (dates TBC)

Some of the most beautiful and famous music from the operatic canon becomes the landscape for this fierce social satire of sex, activism, and the performance of everyday life. Music from Verdi's operas La Traviata and Don Carlo and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice are repurposed and refashioned into a 25-minute short film that follows a starry-eyed young couple as their night on the town unravels into a surrealist swirl of decadence, intrigue, and ultimately, vengeful justice.

The short film, a co-production with Long Beach Opera and produced by Heartbeat's newly-appointed Associate Artistic Director Derrell Acon, will be screened as is, and then followed by a second presentation that features live composer-performers actively disrupting and reconstituting the music from the score for a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience. No two performances will be the same, as the ending will change with each iteration of the live performances, and audiences will be challenged to re-examine their perceptions of art and its role in societal transformation.NO EVIL is an initiative meant to create a self-replenishing fund of seed money for new projects in the opera field by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color) creators. Acon is in conversation with OPERA America, the Sphinx Foundation, and other industry colleagues about the full structure of NO EVIL Projects, which has an anticipated launch of 2022.Says Acon: "As Arts Equity Specialist for the OPERA America New Works Forum, I had the opportunity to facilitate all-BIPOC adjudication panels for granting, and was deeply impressed by the nuance of perspective and intentionality centered in those discussions. I am convinced that the financial barriers experienced by marginalized creators in the field require even more attention and action-and, frankly, MONEY!"

THE EXTINCTIONIST

A new one act opera

Music by Daniel Schlosberg

Libretto by

Amanda Quaid

, based on her play

Directed, Conceived, and Developed by

Louisa Proske

Music Directed by Jacob Ashworth

World Premiere Production Coming in Winter 2023

During the 2020-21 season, Heartbeat Opera commissioned its first-ever opera, The Extinctionist, a one-act work that grapples with the catastrophic effects of climate change and one woman's unorthodox choice to sterilize herself to save the planet and become the very first "Extinctionist." The dark comedy turns one woman's body into the battlefield of our political anguish, conflicting desires, and individual responsibility.

This past May, The Exctintionist was featured in The New York Times, which chronicled Heartbeat's longtime commitment to reimagining classic works and its new expansion into commissioning. A semi-staged production of the opera was presented in May 2021 at PS21 in Chatham, New York, and the world premiere is slated for Winter 2023.

#heartbeat opera #fidelio #Beethoven #ludwig van beethoven #marcus scott #marcusscott #write marcus #writemarcus #Met Live Arts #MetLiveArts #The Mondavi Center #TheMondaviCenter #Mondavi Center #MondaviCenter #The Scottsdale Performing Arts Center #TheScottsdalePerformingArtsCenter #Scottsdale Performing Arts Center #ScottsdalePerformingArtsCenter #The Broad Stage #Broad Stage #TheBroadStage #BroadStage #UC Davis #UCDavis #Daniel Schlosberg #DanielSchlosberg

[lismusart]

Great anticipations. #daskleinesymposion 2021 You are welcome to participate in creating with the fabulous snim musicians, the premiere of my “Reside in/Resolve out” 16.10.21 20:00 Echoraum, Vienna For more: @snim * * * * * Link to more #elisabethkelvin details in profile. Peace. #music #newmusic #Experimente #kunst #kulturinwien #wien #austria #contemporarymusic #contemporaryart #experimentalmusic #lismusart #vienna #buymeacoffee #improvfreedom #graphicscore #improvisation #interdisciplinary #sax #clarinet #bassclarinet #woodwind #gigs #concert #livemusuc #audience #commission #composer #artist https://www.instagram.com/p/CVAaU06gmkv/?utm_medium=tumblr

#daskleinesymposion #elisabethkelvin #music #newmusic #experimente #kunst #kulturinwien #wien #austria #contemporarymusic #contemporaryart #experimentalmusic #lismusart #vienna #buymeacoffee #improvfreedom #graphicscore #improvisation #interdisciplinary #sax #clarinet #bassclarinet #woodwind #gigs #concert #livemusuc #audience #commission #composer #artist

[ugisfeelings]

“Rather than pursuing a revisionist history that would aim to correct dominant narratives by making them more comprehensive or inclusive, we might instead reflect upon the possibilities and limits of the historical archive, and explore alternatives in the face of what the archive does not yield. We often refer to collected papers as archives, but the ‘archive’ is also a way to refer to the parameters for knowledge, or how we read, find evidence, and make legible the complex conditions of the past. Yet in the interdisciplinary humanities, we quickly encounter the limits of archives that authorize knowledge about the histories of nations and empires in terms of explicit interests – those of ruling elites, slave owners, and colonial administrators in the settler nation or imperial state – denying Indigenous, enslaved, laboring and colonized people the humanity accorded to free liberal persons.

[...] an interdisciplinary humanities also attends to the limits of the archive – what collections of evidence may privilege or omit, regulate or negate – and it innovates new methods for understanding the past, imagining and speculating, engaging in what Saidiya Hartman has called ‘critical fabulation’ (Hartman, 2008) or David Kazanjian terms ‘scenes of speculation’ (Kazanjian, 2015). However painful the confrontation with denials of Indigenous, enslaved, racialized and colonized humanity, it is also an occasion to query under what conditions, and in relation to what materials, the conditions of ‘other humanities’ might be examined. We can conceptualize this as a conditional temporality of ‘what could have been’, the opening of a space for a different kind of thinking and speculation, with a twofold attention that encompasses at once both the positive objects and methods of history and social science, and the matters absent, entangled and unavailable by its methods (Lowe, 2015).”

38-39, “Comparative Global Humanities After Man: Alternatives to the Coloniality of Knowledge”

#readings #saidiya hartman #david kazanjian #i havent read any of the latter's work #tagging both of them so i can find this one day again #humanities

[avenuecanyons]

Living/Working/Learning by Example: Visiting Bauhaus, ‎Dessau, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany I nearly missed the train departing Berlin Südkreuz at 9:30am for Leizpig. Once I was aboard and had caught my breath I could calm down and appreciate the countryside, flat open pastures, framed by rows of deciduous forest and small grain silos. It felt exotic to me, and so picturesque. The clouds over Berlin have been huge billowing cumulonimbus. Each day at 4/ 5pm they gather and grow dark until they violently rain over the city. It felt incredibly humid today and the sun blazed and it was difficult to imagine the impending storm that was brewing. I arrived in Dessau-Roßlau at 11am and made my way through the quiet streets toward the university campus. It’s quite modest as far as campuses go. What struck me was the open space around the structure that gave it a certain gravitas/breathing space from the traditional housing surrounding it. The building appears as a series of grids operating at different scales and on different axes. It’s definitely not a foreign idea, as it has been employed in design and still is to this day. It gives the starkness of the building a familiarity. The iconic lattice of windows has a fabulous translucent effect, allowing light to pass through, whilst students can their exhibit work. They strike me as performing like the gills of a fish, filtering air, light, sound and information in different directions. The building appears a lot lighter than anticipated, in feeling but also with the use of windows and rough plaster texture on the walls. There is a crafted quality and softness to the building that makes it feel warm and humane. This is accentuated by the exposed utilities like central heating radiators and noticing re-bar in structural concrete elements. This contradicts my prejudice around modernism, and the more I explore the campus more is revealed. These designers are inventers on all levels and their notion of design is all encompassing. The use of materials and attention to detail feels modest and humble. The school incorporated tangential practices of what we would call product/industrial design today. It contained flexible use spaces for textiles, furniture design and many more interdisciplinary fields. This kind of fusion of thinking is what really calls it a renaissance and its something that I see us struggling with today. As job titles change and fragment we become specialists within our fields to produce the most effective and streamlined design. However I think there is weakness in that, because we lose oversight for direction. I think about international design movements that were sweeping the western world in the early 20th centaury as a response to industrialization and mass production, the Arts and Crafts Movement for example. These Bauhaus modernists were apart of that but in the within the context of the German identity and the effects of the Great Depression and WW1. I can only ponder what the cultural climate might have been like, I imagine they would have been very resourceful, problem solvers, hence the stripped back/compositional aesthetics. And then to see beauty in that? Was that something one learned/unlearned (to deconstruction the ornate) or was that the progressive trait of the new generation of designers and thinkers? The two upper stories of the main building have clear programs, studio space and staff offices. The two portions of the structure are connected by a cantilevered walkway. It could be mistaken as just another wing of the building, as it contains classrooms, the director’s and administrative offices. I find the use of cobalt blue on certain surfaces interesting, as it symbolizes the use of color beyond a functional purpose. I wonder if it’s to highlight what they consider ‘compositionally aesthetic’ or if it does serve some kind of way finding requirement. This is seen throughout some of the rooms, balconies and stairwells in the Master’s Houses located nearby. All designs were by Gropius and they were testing the same principals and thinking as the main campus building. The rigidity of these designs feels more evident, as they are residences, not institutional spaces. Your attention is drawn to color and geometry. In the Kandinsky residence, the walls are painted exquisite colors as opposed to white/grey that dominates the other domiciles. Some of these structures were bombed/destroyed during the war, after the whole Bauhaus school had been shut down by the Nazi regime in 1933. I read a locale new paper article from the time, saying that the Dessau community regarded the housing with suspicion, observing its strangely shaped windows and building façades, it appeared as an alien spaceship or spy residence. After visiting the master’s houses I go to explore some of downtown Dessau-Roßlau. I don’t want to stray too far from the train station but I walk down to Stadtpark and observe the vastly different master planning. Buildings seem to frame the outside of city blocks, creating small, contained cell-like forms with green gardens in the middle. I cant quite fathom the differences this has with Los Angeles (where I have been working these past few years), where private built spaces encompass the entirety of the block and public space is squeezed out to the periphery of the side walk. I see a few Bauhaus/modernist buildings and admire them. I can tell they are built later, with different technology and maybe a little less inspiration, but seeing them through a slightly different lens.

#Bauhaus #walter gropius #design #architecture #landscape architecture #master planning #urban planning #university #campus #campus design #bauhaus architecture #modernism #minimalism #dessau #dessau-roßlau #german architecture #ww2 #the great depression #mies van der rohe

[pafacareers]

Grad Cafe posting of funded MFA programs

Funded MFA programs

Source: grad cafe website: https://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/70211-mfa-programs-with-fullpartial-funding/

Some one posted this information from a 2012 posting and I thought it was too important to have buried.  I have made changes reflecting my own understanding but it would be to crowdsourcing an update this.

West

- UCSD (full ride + teaching stipend)

- UC Irvine (I believe there is good funding here, but unsure of details)

- UCLA (both DMA and the regular arts program give up to 100+% funding with teaching)

- USC (many admits get full tuition funding)

- UCSB (full finding + excellent stipend and teaching)

- Stanford (full ride + excellent stipend and teaching)

- UC Berkeley (full ride tuition for instate peeps, out of staters pay difference)

- Mills (not always, but I have heard of 50+% funding here)

- UC Davis (50-70% funding)

- UOregon (full ride + teaching stipend)

- UW (full ride)

- ASU (Arizona State) (full ride) + (50% tuition + Merit Scholarsihps: for International Students)

Midwest

- UIowa (I believe there is full funding avail here)

- Indiana (full ride, I believe)

- UChicago (75% tuition funding + teaching stipend) - KEEP an eye on this program. They are dumping a TON of money into the arts here (esp. with their fabulous Logan Arts Center. A "hidden gem" of a program)

- UI-C (I have heard of good funding here)

- Northwestern (full ride + excellent stipend and teaching)

- SAIC (I hear of one full ride and one half ride per department)

- SIUC (Southern Illinois) (full ride + stipend)

- UMichigan (full ride, first year travel funding, free computer, + stipend)

- Ohio (both state and university) (full rides + stipend to both universities)

(I'm sure there are others in the M-W…)

South

- UGA (Georgia) (excellent funding)

- LSU (Louisiana) (excellent funding)

- UF (Florida) (full funding)

-University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a fantastic program with amazing funding!! Small, interdisciplinary, with extraordinary faculty.Summer trip abroad to Venice, Berlin, or Mexico City fully funded in-between the two years...with Graduate Teaching Assistantships (first year) and teaching opportunities (second year).I was hunting on this forum two years ago to find the right MFA program and I am so thrilled that I decided to attend UNCG. So if you are still researching options, go check out their instagram @uncgmfa

- UTex-Austin (50% or more funding, I have heard of)

- Georgia Tech (MS in Digital Media is a full ride)

- Georgia State Welch School of Art MFA -http://artdesign.gsu.edu/graduate/admissions/masters-of-fine-arts-in-studio/ 

East

- Alfred (full ride + stipend)

- University of Delaware offers full tuition for both years, $18,000 stipend for 2nd years in good standing and most first years get a half stipend...there are also extra fellowships available and for the next few years donors have committed to funding the 2nd years having an exhibition and traveling in Berlin, Germany. Deadline is February 15th.

- RPI / iEAR (half the admits get full finding)

- Carnegie-Mellon (70+% funding)

- RISD (Pres. Scholarships range 40K, 20K and 10K, but most pay)

- Rutgers ( full funding)

- SUNY Buffalo (heard of good-to-full funding here)

- Tyler/Temple (sometimes they do offer full funding + stipend to some first year MFAs, but 2nd yr seems to get best funding)

- SFMA (has been known to dish out some decent money, but not all the time)

- Yale (if you are low income, along with your parents (regardless of your age, they ask for your parent's financials), you can qualify for excellent funding. If not, you will pay)

- MIT / ACT (I have heard of around 50% funding)

- Univ of Maryland (full ride + teaching stipend)

- VCU (70+% funding)

- Cornell (full ride + teaching stipend)

- MICA (25-50% tuition for some)

- Bard (heard of there being up to 50% funding)

- Montclair State (heard of excellent funding here)

-SUNY Purchase (everyone gets some funding, a few get nearly complete funding)

Also from Grad Cafe:

Some international information:

All German MFA equivalent programs are tuition free and students can apply for government sponsored DAAD studentships that cover cost of living (something like 750 euro per month) regardless of wether the student is foreign or local. Quite a few German schools have excellent reputations.

RMIT (Melbourne) offers stipend and tuition to Australasian MFA students, and have a number of studentships for internationals.

TNUA (Taipei) has a joint studentship program with the government for international students which covers fees and stipend. Last I heard they were also running a joint program with Aalto (Helsinki), though not sure if the studentship would cover the exchange semesters in Finland.

CAFA (Beijing) I believe has a similar govt. scholarship arrangement.

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[hovercraft79]

Circle in the Sand

3rd in the Hecate’ Summer Playlist series

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 12,656 Fandom: The Worst Witch (TV 2017) Rating: General/Teen  Warnings: Some violence, someone being drugged without their knowledge (to comedic effect), injuries. Summary: A long weekend at the beach sounds like the perfect setting for a Cackle’s staff retreat. Unfortunately, nothing goes to plan and nothing is as it seems.

Notes:

This story continues Hecate’s adventures from weeks 1&2. Again, it’s helpful, but not necessary, to have read those. This one is a bit of a departure from those; I thought I’d give Hecate a break from having so many feelings this week. The title, of course, is from Belinda Carlisle’s classic ‘90s song.

As you know, I’ve been following my own extremely loose version of the Hackle Summer Trope Challenge (foundational, life-altering friendship, not romance), but the Hicsqueak is starting to assert itself so I’m not going to tag it that way anymore. I’m still using the prompts and following the trope-a-week schedule to motivate my entry into writing fan fiction for tumblr. Thanks to cosmic-llin for her advice and encouragement.

Again, thanks to Sparky, who is still editing my fics. She really wishes I would write something shorter.

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               Hecate silenced her buzzing alarm spell and flung her arm over her eyes. She wondered if she could possibly convince Ada that she was too worn out from last weekend’s family retreat to leave for the annual staff planning retreat.

               Each year, once Selection Day passed, the entire faculty would gather at the Cackle family beach house to plan for the upcoming school year. The incoming First-Years’ skills and weaknesses would be evaluated and appropriate curricula developed. Each level of students would receive the same evaluations and lessons would be adjusted accordingly. The retreat allowed the teachers a set block of time to work out their own plans in a new, more pleasant environment, as well as pair up for interdisciplinary lessons. Most importantly, as far as Ada was concerned anyway, the retreat allowed the teachers to spend time together in a less formal, child-free environment.

               Hecate sighed and threw the sheets off to the side. Ada wanted them all together. That was all the reason Hecate needed to be there. Besides, she thought, there are worse things than being forced to spend a week in a beachside cottage. She sat up, smiling at the framed picture on her nightstand – two small witches, one dark and one light - standing with their arms linked in front of Miss Amulet’s Academy.

               Making her way to the bathroom, Hecate ghosted her fingertips across the petals of the flowers in the vase beside it, smiling. A new bouquet appeared every week, no card, no comment included - not that she needed one. The flowers began arriving shortly after the Spelling Bee and each time the primary color of the bouquet had been pink -  not much mystery there. She opened the bathroom door and stopped short. A brightly colored, cross-stitched thing had been hung from the side of the mirror. Since their reconciliation Pippa had also taken to leaving bright, frivolous things in her rooms to ‘give them a little color.’ Hecate still didn’t know how she managed to get them in past her wards, but she suspected Pippa may have enlisted Ada’s help on that front. The large stitching read You look so FABULOUS today darling… Hecate smiled and leaned forward so she could read the smaller stitching below …that I just had to stab something 10,000 times! Hecate laughed out loud; after all these years she’d not forgotten how weird Pippa’s sense of humor could be. She summoned her maglet and sent a quick thank you before getting on with her morning routine.

               An hour later, she was still smiling, even in the middle of the noise and disorganization of five people getting ready to fly out to the cottage.  “Are we all ready?” Ada asked, double checking Pendell’s carrier. Receiving a full set of agreements, Ada nodded at Miss Drill. “All right then, Dimity, we’ll follow you.”

               “All right you lot, there’s a spot of weather to the south, so we’ll head out on a bit of a northern route. Flying should be good, and we should be landing in about forty-five minutes.” 

               Dimity brought them down in the front garden of the buttery yellow cottage exactly forty-nine minutes later. “You’re slipping, Miss Drill,” Hecate drawled.

               “It’s not my fault Miss Bat kept falling asleep and drifting off course. Maybe you should brew up some Wide-Awake potion, and we can start slipping it into her morning tea.”

               “Ada said no,” she said with a shrug. They turned to face Ada, who had stepped onto the porch and set the starfish-shaped windchimes to ringing.

               “Welcome, friends, to this year’s planning party! As always, I hope you will make yourselves at home and enjoy the cottage as if it were your own.” Her expression sobered. “Unfortunately, things will be a bit different this year.” She paused, looking down as she began wringing her hands together. Hecate stepped closer and placed a comforting hand on her arm. “Thank you, dear,” she murmured, offering a tight smile before straightening her shoulders and continuing on. “As you know, we at Cackle’s have encountered a few…difficulties over the past couple of years.”

               “That’s an understatement,” Dimity muttered under her breath.

               Ada shot her a look and continued. “As a result, the Council feels that some supervision is necessary, at least for the time being.” She held up her hands, hoping to forestall any protests. “They also want to see us incorporate explicit lessons on the Witches Code into all of our subject areas.”

               “You mean that pompous toad Hellibore is going to be interfering with our curriculum?”

               “I’m afraid so, Algie.” She shot Hecate an apologetic look. “I’m afraid I’ve also had to adjust our usual rooming assignments. My mother is here and will, of course, be in the master. I’ll share with her. We must leave one room free for our…guest that will be arriving late tomorrow. I’m afraid that Hecate and Dimity will have to make do with Agatha’s and my old room.” If Ada had suddenly dropped a rotting fish out of her handbag, Dimity and Hecate couldn’t have looked more horrified. Ada refused to make any eye contact whatsoever. “Algie and Gwen, you have the same room as last year.” At least at the retreat, no one bothered to pretend that those two weren’t basically living together. “Now, I’ll let you get settled. Shall we meet in the living room in…thirty minutes? Then I’ll tell you more about what’s going on.”

                  Within fifteen minutes everyone had gathered in the living room, tense and wary. Much like Ada’s office, knickknacks covered most surfaces, instead of cats and owls, though, seashells and colorful fish dominated. Only the Cackles had yet to arrive. Unable to sit, Hecate stood rigidly in the corner, the only movement her thumbs rubbing across her fingertips. Dimity sat on the sofa, knee bouncing nervously, while Gwen and Algie sat on the loveseat, hands clasped in support. They looked wholly out of place in the cheery environment. Finally, Ada entered, followed by Alma.

               “I see you’re all eager to get down to it. Very well.” She gestured for Hecate to take a seat and waited for her to settle stiffly next to Dimity. “As I said, the Council feels we may be in need of…monitoring. Now, nothing has been formalized yet, and I’m quite optimistic that, after spending time with us during our planning sessions, the Council will be satisfied and the matter dropped.” Even Ada could hear how forced her optimism sounded. “We shall carry on as we normally do, with…a few… small…accommodations for our guest. Tiny ones, I’m sure.”

               “Who is this guest?” Algie interrupted. “You seem to be avoiding giving us a name. Is it Doomstone again?”

               Ada shook her head. “No. This time it’s Wilbur Birdsong.”

               Algie leapt to his feet. “That strutting peacock? He wouldn’t know quality teaching if it crawled up his robes!”

               “Who’s Wilbur Birdsong?” Dimity asked.

               “I’ll tell you who Wilbur Birdsong is – he’s the one that prances around schools telling teachers how they should teach and how they should grade, criticizing everything that isn’t done just the way those fools on the Council want it.” Algie crossed his arms and flopped back into the loveseat with a huff.

                “You mean…like a School in Need of Improved Pedagogical Expertise?” Dimity looked back and forth between Ada and Hecate. “Are they saying we’re a bloody SNIPE school? Our comparable scores haven’t slipped that much, have they?” Not even Wormwood had ever been a SNIPE school.

               “They most certainly have not,” Hecate said, finally speaking up. “Ada, I can’t believe you would allow this…wizard…to come in and interfere with our academy.”

               “Our academy, Miss Hardbroom?” Alma Cackle stepped into the middle of the room, staring them all down. “I don’t believe it’s your name on the school letterhead. It’s mine and Ada’s names which are being tarnished by this infernal monitoring. Now, I don’t know what all you lot have been up to for the past two years, but it certainly doesn’t look like student discipline has been a priority. Fires, student feuds, the theft of the Founding Stone? It looks like those girls are running amuck. Now, Deputy Headmistress, I believe you are charged with school discipline, are you not?”

               Hecate sat, frozen, while her mind struggled to formulate any sort of response. Her mind failed, but she could feel her body responding – her cheeks burned so hot she knew her face had to be flaming red, and she could feel tears flooding her eyes. Before she could even think about it, her fingers had spasmed and she transferred away.

                  Dimity closed the door of their shared room as softly as she could. Hecate was lying face down on one of the twin beds, breath coming ragged and unsteady. Oh my broom, she thought, is Hecate Hardbroom crying? She knew the potions teacher’s tough-as-dragonhide exterior was all a façade, but these were uncharted waters indeed. However, she told herself, desperate times and all that… Dimity took a deep breath and forged ahead. “Hecate?” The woman on the bed went rigid. So far, so good, she thought, she wasn’t vanished or turned into a toad. Yet. Dimity stepped forward and nudged Hecate’s hips. “Budge up, Hecate. We need to talk.”

               “I don’t want to.” Hecate’s voice was muffled by the pillow, but her petulant tone still rang through, loud and clear.

               Dimity pushed harder, until Hecate grudgingly rolled over enough for her to sit down. She kept one hand firmly on Hecate’s hip in case the older witch decided to transfer away again. She summoned her blue teddy bear to her hand and held it out to Hecate. “Mr. Monkey wants to say hello – he missed you.”

               Hecate looked at the stuffed animal and sniffed. “I’m not a child, Miss Drill.” Dimity simply raised her eyebrows and wiggled Mr. Monkey in Hecate’s face. After a moment, she rolled her eyes and took the toy, snuggling him to her chest. “Thank you, Dimity.”

               “Any time, HB.” She waited for Hecate’s breathing to even out before continuing. “Mrs. Cackle had no right to say those things to you.” The older woman said nothing, but Dimity could feel the tension increasing in her muscles. She flicked her fingers towards the window centered between the bunks, raising the sash to let in the sea breeze and sound of the waves. She hoped it Hecate would find it soothing. “It’s been a pretty eventful summer for you, yeah?” Hecate shrugged. “C’mon now – those book signings and lectures, making friends with Mildred’s mum and that retreat last weekend? For someone who likes to be a hermit during the summer, you’ve barely been home. And now this? Even you are allowed to be overwhelmed.” She patted Hecate’s hip. “If you promise to stay here and talk to me instead of disappearing, I’ll let go.” Hecate nodded, and Dimity moved her hand. Instantly, Hecate disappeared. “Dammit, Hecate Hard-“

               Hecate rematerialized, sitting primly next to Dimity on the bed, Mr. Monkey in her lap. She was trying, unsuccessfully, to keep a smug grin off her lips.

               “You’re an arsehole, HB,” Dimity said, bumping her with her shoulder.

               “You aren’t the first to say so.” She looked a bit embarrassed. “I just needed to burn off a bit of magic so I can settle. What did you want to talk about?”

               “This whole SNIPE, but not SNIPE thing. It all sounds fishy to me. Look, I know you don’t think I take things seriously enough and that I teach something frivolous…”

               “I don’t.” Hecate looked as surprised as Dimity when she disagreed. “The girls need to be fit – stronger witches are better able to use their magic. And look what happened when the Founding Stone failed – a forced march into the village? No, Miss Drill, you serve them well.” She turned and stared out the window, eyes focused on the whitecaps breaking just offshore. “As for the rest, it’s true that you are opposite me in most ways, but I can’t look at the state I’m in now and honestly say that’s a bad thing.”

               “Thanks.” Dimity reached out and patted Hecate’s knee. “So, now that we’ve sorted the mushy stuff, back to business. Cackle’s is on the ropes – again, and I think Ada is too punch-drunk to come out swinging the way she needs to. We need a plan.”

               Hecate looked at her blankly. “You’re using sports metaphors, aren’t you? I haven’t a clue what you just said.”

               Dimity shook her head. “I know you’ve been watching the Harry Potter movies with the Hubbles. How about you spend an evening watching Rocky with me sometime?” She didn’t give Hecate a chance to answer. “It means that we are under attack. I’m not sure what kind or where it’s coming from, but it feels like we are. And we’re losing. I’m telling you, HB, this whole thing stinks like my old gym shoes. If the Council still had concerns after you and Pentangle proved the scroll Ursula Hallow used to remove Ada had been faked…well, why didn’t they leave Pentangle in charge then? Or appoint someone else? Or assign this Birdsong git then? The Great Wizard was satisfied with restoring Ada to her position.” She leaned in and lowered her voice. “What made him change his mind, Hecate?”

               The potions mistress’ brows furrowed together. Dimity had a point. “It does seem odd…What does ‘punch-drunk’ mean? Ada hasn’t been drinking.”

               “It means she’s…taken so many hits she can’t think properly,” Dimity answered, sadly.

               Hecate’s black lacquered fingernail traced the outline of one of the seahorses printed on her bedcovers. She wanted to disagree, but… “I fear that assessment is fair.”

               “Why else would she have called in her mother? You and Ada have handled every situation so far.”

               Hecate snorted. “Mildred Hubble has handled every situation of late. We’ve scarcely been more than her hapless assistants.”

               “And I’m not above asking for her help – or anyone else’s for that matter. I’ve bloody well had enough of being a punching bag. Sorry, sports metaphor.”

               “I think I understand that one. What’s your plan?”

               “Well, that’s what I need you for, isn’t it?” Dimity winked. “The way I see it, we’ve got two problems. The first one is this Birdsong fellow and his meddling that are going on right now. The second is finding out who’s behind it all. And. Making. It. Stop. Now,” Dimity stood and began pacing in the narrow space between the twin beds, barely missing Hecate’s toes. “Who do we think can help us? I don’t think we can expect Miss Cackle to do anything but…be here? Be her usual self? But what about Mrs. Cackle?”

               “I don’t know. I don’t understand why she’s here. After tonight, I doubt she’ll want to have anything to do with me.” Hecate’s shoulders slumped the tiniest bit.

               “Then she’s a fool,” Dimity spat. The other woman’s shock was almost comical. “I don’t care, Hecate, she had no right, none, to attack you that way. I’m not too proud to admit that Cackle’s would have fallen apart long ago if not for you.” She noticed Hecate’s shoulders straighten again. “Unfortunately, I think we need to know her motivations. Job one for you then is to find that out. If Ada will tell anyone, she’ll tell you. Otherwise, you’ll have to go straight to the source. If anyone’s got a brass broomstick big enough to ask Mrs. Cackle, it’s you.”

               Hecate’s eyebrows arched, but she still looked rather pleased with Dimity’s assessment of her… broomstick. “I’ll do my best.” Her tiny smile faded away. “I do suppose we need to address our weakest link…”

               “Miss Bat,” Dimity provided. Hecate nodded. “She certainly knows her material. She’s Esper Vespertilio for heaven’s sake. Not to mention that she’s forgotten more witchory than most people know.”

               “That’s because she was there for most of it,” Hecate said drily.

               “Careful, HB, I might get the impression that you’ve got a sense of humor.”

               “I’ll deny it to the bitter end.” She subtly maneuvered Mr. Monkey’s arms into a rude gesture.

               “Oy! Don’t be teaching him bad habits!” She chuckled a moment before turning serious again. “I know Miss Cackle said no Wide-Awake potion for Miss Bat, but she meant at school, during the term, right?” She sat on her own bed, facing Hecate.

               “Strictly speaking, I suppose.” She didn’t feel comfortable with the direction Dimity seemed to be going.

               “I think we need to abide by the letter of the law here, HB, not the spirit. If Miss Bat falls asleep while Birdsong is here…” She left the threat hanging in the air between them. “I know you use Wide- Awake potion,” she held out her hand between them. “Give it over. If I’ve got it, then you can honestly say you didn’t dose her.”

               “The letter, rather than the spirit, Miss Drill?” After a brief hesitation she shook her head and summoned a small vial and handed it over. “Two drops, no more, at breakfast and lunch. Nothing after that. We simply want her more alert, not an insomniac. What about Mr. Rowan-Webb?”

               “Dunno, he might be a bit too…jumpy…to help out.” She looked at Hecate, grinning expectantly.

               Hecate sighed. “Isn’t the council punishing us enough? Must we endure your vile puns as well?”

               Dimity laughed, warm and friendly. “We’ll play him by ear, I guess. I think it’s up to us, HB. Maybe that’s why Ada put us together? So we can plot?”

               Hecate stroked the fur on Mr. Monkey’s head. “Perhaps.” She looked up to see Dimity chewing her bottom lip, looking at her. “Out with it, Miss Drill. You’ve never been afraid of me before.”

               “No. Me mum’s too fond of you. Anyone she likes that much can’t be that bad.”

               “She was very kind to me when I first arrived at Cackle’s.” A tiny bit of warmth flickered in her heart. “Just say what you want to say.”

               “I was only thinking that you – and I – are going to have to be less ourselves while Birdsong is here. You can’t insult him or roll your eyes and mutter under your breath, no matter how ridiculous he is. Certainly, I think we have to expect that we’ll be told we’re doing everything wrong.”

               “That will be…difficult.”

               “Tell me about it. I have to be serious and responsible – basically, I have to be you!” She wrinkled her nose in mock disgust.

               “Such a burden.”

               They were interrupted by a knock on the door which was opened immediately by Alma Cackle. “It’s time for dinner.”

               “On our way!” Dimity said, hopping to her feet. As soon as Mrs. Cackle snapped the door closed she bent down and said, just loud enough for Hecate to hear her. “I hope she’s not popping into Gwen and Algie’s room that way. She could wind up with quite the eyeful.” She added a clarifying hand gesture or two.

               “Thank you, Miss Drill, for that lovely image that I’ll never be able to scrub from my brain.”

               “Yeah, well, your bed’s the one up against the wall adjoining their room.”

               Hecate leapt off the bed as though it had burst into flames.

                  Dinner was quiet, conversation stilted. Ada tried gamely to keep up a constant stream of chatter, but it only served to emphasize how quiet everyone else was. Finally, dessert was served and the group was dismissed. Unlike most years, no one stayed around to chat.

               By eight pm, the twins’ bedroom looked like a command center. Papers outlining different possible motives and outcomes were scattered across both beds and the dresser. Dimity was having a heated hand-mirror chat with her mother about the crisis, and Hecate had just made the connection to Pippa Pentangle on the vanity mirror.

               “Hello, darling, you do look fabulous today!” Pippa glanced at the sports witch pacing behind Hecate. Her bright smile dimmed ever so slightly. “I see we have a guest tonight. Hello, Dimity!” She waved a greeting, and Dimity waved back. “Is it just splendid to be at the beach? I can’t tell you how envious I am.” She finally noticed the grim set to Hecate’s features. “Hiccup? What’s wrong?”

               Like a dam bursting, Hecate told her everything. Unable to stop once she’d begun, she told Pip about Birdsong, Alma Cackle’s harsh words, Dimity’s suspicions and even the guilt she felt about secretly dosing Miss Bat with the Wide-Awake potion. She didn’t even notice that Dimity had finished her mirror call and was now standing behind her.

               “Oh, Hiccup! What a horrible situation! What do you need from me? Do you want me to come?” Her hand reached up and stroked the star brooch she wore on her lapel. “I can be there in an instant.”

               Hecate smiled and reached for her own crescent moon pin, her half of a Twin Pin set that would always let one wearer instantly be transported to whoever possessed the other half. She’d worn it ever since Pippa had gifted it to her, even pinning it to her night dress. The only time it was ever off was when she was in the shower or bath. “As much as I’d love to say yes, Pipsqueak, I think now is not the time. I do need your help, though. We can’t work out how this got started. I’ve not seen our ratings yet, but I find it hard to believe that Cackle’s could possibly be a SNIPE school.”

               “Quite right,” Pippa said, summoning a scroll and her reading glasses. “The ratings only came out today, so I’ll admit that I’m quite curious how it could already have been decided that you need a monitor.” She opened the scroll and put on her glasses, following her finger as she skimmed through the information.

               Hecate stared, mesmerized. How the woman managed to make reading glasses look…sexy, Hecate had no idea, but she was bewitched every time Pippa wore them.

               “Down girl,” Dimity murmured in her ear. “We’ve got work to do.”

               “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Hecate insisted, desperate to ignore the blush she felt rising from her chest onto her cheeks.

               “Whatever you say…Hiccup.” Dimity knew she was dancing along the edge of being mollusked, but she didn’t care.

               “Oh, here it is, darling.” She glanced up long enough to catch the knowing smirk on Dimity’s face, and the rising blush on Hecate’s. She winked over the top of her readers at Dimity and gave Hecate a tiny shrug before continuing. “Only Amulet’s is rated higher than Cackle’s.” Her finger edged sideways across the page. “Your raw accountability score is two points higher than Pentangle’s score. If you are in danger of becoming a SNIPE school, then we surely would be as well. Instead, I received a congratulatory maglet message from the Great Wizard. Ada should have as well.”

               “That’s why none of this makes any sense, Pip.”

               “I’ll see what I can find out. I don’t usually attend many events during the summer, but I’ll make the rounds. Ummm…you might also get in touch with Julie. Hubble.”

               “Why on earth…Do you think she knows about the political machinations of the witching world?” Hecate caught the barest frown on Pippa’s face. “I’m sorry, Pipsqueak, that came out wrong.” She sighed and rubbed the space between her eyebrows with her thumb. “What do you want me to ask her?”

               “It’s all right, darling. I know you’re under a lot of stress. I wish you’d…” She glanced back at Dimity and shrugged again. “I wish you’d let me visit, just for a bit, though I understand why now is not a good time.” She sighed, wondering when it would ever be a good time for them to just…be. “I think you need to ask Julie to let you know what sort of messages Mildred is getting on her maglet. Remember last week, when she said that Ethel had somehow found out that Julie wasn’t being allowed to attend the retreat? She couldn’t resist taunting Mildred about it. Ursula Hallow talks and Ethel tends to repeat it if she thinks she can get some sort of advantage from it. She may do it again if she hears any talk about Ada – or you. Don’t forget the roles you and I played in discrediting her mother.”

               “That makes sense.” She looked at Dimity. “I do not want to involve Mildred Hubble in this, however. That girl has endangered herself enough on our behalf.”

               “Agreed.” Pippa pressed her hand against the mirror, their usual signal that she was getting ready to sign off. Hecate looked back at Dimity, who jerked her chin toward the mirror. With a tiny smile Hecate leaned forward and pressed her hand against Pippa’s. “Promise me that the two of you will be careful, Hiccup. Dimity’s right, I don’t like the way this smells at all. Tell me you’ll have each other’s backs.”              

               “We’ll be careful,” Hecate assured her.

               “You don’t need to worry about…us.” Dimity said, grinning broadly.

               “Thank you, Miss Drill,” Pippa said, coloring slightly.

               “Please be careful as well, Pip, I don’t think we have the full picture of what’s going on.” She brought her hand away from the mirror just long enough to kiss her fingertips and put it back. “Sleep well, Pipsqueak.”

               “You too, Hiccup.” Pippa blew her a quick kiss, and the mirror swirled back to Hecate’s reflection.

               She met Dimity’s eyes in a challenge. “Not a word, Miss Drill.”

               “Not even congratulations?” She watched the smile flitter across Hecate’s features. “You two deserve whatever happiness you can get. Now,” she pointed at the mirror, “Julie Hubble, before it gets too late.” Hecate summoned her cell phone and started tapping in her code to unlock it. “I still can’t believe you have one of those.”

               “Julie made me. She said she needed a way to contact me since she can’t start a mirror call.” She opened the phone and tried to remember where to find Julie’s number. “Ummm…” She looked up at Dimity, confused. “Julie explained, but…”

               “Not used to it yet, huh?” She sat on her bed and patted the space next to her. “C’mon, I’ll give you a refresher.”

                  Julie Hubble was up to her elbows in oven cleaner when she heard her phone chime. She’d just sent Mildred to take her bath, so she couldn’t get her to check it for her. She decided to ignore it, but then it chimed again, and again. “Bleedin’…” She yanked her gloves off and snatched up the phone, glaring at the texts.  Hecate. She glanced at the messages.

               “Juoiwe.”

               “JuLiee. I hewd to tak”

               “yolu. Ptobstrly”

               Julie threw her head back and laughed, a deep belly laugh, harder than she had in…since the slumber party. Say what you would about Hecate Hardbroom, that dour witch could make her laugh. She checked the living room mirror to make sure that Hecate wasn’t on the other side. When she saw she wasn’t, she headed to her bedroom. Success. “Having a little trouble with the keyboard?” She asked, waving her phone at the frazzled looking woman in the mirror. “Hello, Miss Drill!”

               “Well met, Ms. Hubble! We’ve been practicing texting.”

               “My nails make it difficult,” Hecate ground out.

               “Why didn’t you just shorten them, like when we were bowling?” The gobsmacked look on Hecate’s face was Julie’s first clue that the idea had not even crossed the witch’s mind. She decided to just let that one go. “Did you need me or Mildred?”

               “You. Please don’t let Mildred hear this conversation.” The smile slipped from Julie’s face, and she stepped away to close her bedroom door. “Thank you,” Hecate said when she returned. “I don’t exactly know where to begin…”

               “We think somebody is trying to mess with Cackle’s again, but we don’t know why,” Dimity supplied. Hecate scooted over and magicked up a second chair so Dimity could join her in front of the vanity. “There’s nothing concrete, but…something feels hinky.”

               “What do you need from me?”

               “Nothing,” Hecate said quickly. “I don’t want to involve you in this, and I certainly don’t want to involve Mildred. All we’re asking is for you to pay attention to any messages Mildred may get from her friends or, Ethel Hallow. She seemed to have access to information she shouldn’t earlier, if she makes any comments that seem to involve the school, let me know.” An idea struck her. “Also, try to read Felicity Foxglove’s gossip column. I don’t know where she gets her information, but she often has knowledge that she really shouldn’t.”

               “I can do that. I’ll start reading through the Witching Weekly as well.” She shrugged. “Mildred wanted to start taking it during the breaks. I’ll see if anything looks odd,” she chuckled softly, “odder than the rest of it, I mean.”

               “That’s brilliant, Ms. H.” Dimity high-fived the mirror. “Brilliant.” Julie preened under the praise.

               “Whatever you do, Julie, don’t let Mildred know what you’re doing. We both know she can be…” Hecate searched for the right word. “Impulsive. And prone to acting without thinking things through. I don’t know what the undercurrents are to this, and I don’t know if there is danger or not.”

               “I won’t. I know how she can be. You be careful, too, Hecate. I don’t fancy having to find Mildred another magic mum.” She looked at Dimity. “Both of you.”

               “We will. Pippa’s helping as well, so if you have any questions…” Julie nodded. “By the way, since you mentioned it, I…um…I filed the paperwork yesterday. Everything is in order.” She sucked in a lungful of air trying to calm the bats that took flight in her belly every time she thought about this new role she would have in Mildred’s world.

               “So… you’re officially her magic mum then? That’s wonderful, Hecate.” She started tearing up, fluttering her hands in front of her eyes until the feeling passed. “I’m so pleased it all worked out. We’ll tell her about it together, next week. We’ll have a nice dinner and do it properly. Just the three of us, or with Pippa and Ada – a real family dinner.” Julie scrubbed a tear off her cheek. “I hear Mildred getting out of the bath. Don’t you go getting yourself hurt, Hecate Hardbroom.”

               “I won’t. We won’t.” She ended the mirror call but didn’t move away. She’d told Julie it was done. That felt more official than filing the paperwork had. Realer. Another flicker of warmth spread through her chest.

               “Magic mum?”

               Hecate released an aggrieved sigh. “An adult that would be…responsible for Mildred in the magic world, a guardian of sorts. A way to keep her here if something should happen to Julie.”

               “You have had an eventful summer, haven’t you HB?” The older woman nodded. “Good for you.”

               “That’s it? No jokes? No teasing?”

               “I meant what I said before, Hecate. You deserve every happiness that comes your way. I just hope that one of these days you’ll believe that.”

                  The morning planning session proved just as hideous as Hecate feared. By 9:15 she was certain she would rather be back in the woods, cooking gritty eggy toast on top of a tin can. She’d asked Ada if she’d seen their accountability ratings, but Ada changed the subject, wandering away to offer the staff tea and biscuits. Each time Hecate tried to speak with her the same thing happened. Finally, she resigned herself to analyzing the errors of the First-Years’ potion-making test and plotting out the range of lessons she hoped to cover. All the while Alma Cackle stalked from person to person criticizing their plans, their teaching strategies and, in the case of Mr. Rowan-Webb, the state of his beard.

               Hecate had already adjusted her plans three times and still Alma Cackle wasn’t satisfied. “Are you certain the Second-Years might not want to duplicate cheese this term as well, Miss Hardbroom?”

               By lunchtime everyone was tense and irritable. Miss Bat skipped eating altogether and instead chose to have a lie down in her room. Algie made himself a plate and followed along behind her, stroking his beard and muttering to himself as he left. Hecate tried to sit with Ada but, no sooner had she pulled out her chair, than Alma called her daughter into the kitchen. Voices were just starting to rise when a silencing spell slammed down, muffling the words, but not the noise.

               Alone, Dimity and Hecate forced themselves to eat. Hecate couldn’t even do that properly until she’d transferred herself to their room and back twice.

               “You know, I always thought you did that to be flashy,” Dimity said between mouthfuls. “Just that much more drama for the girls to be afraid of. It never occurred to me that you had so much magic that you had to burn it off.” She pointed at Hecate with her fork. “Should have though, you don’t really do things to be flashy on purpose. How far can you transfer?”

               “I don’t know, really. I know I can transfer to Pentangles and London. I’m not sure if I could transfer to Cackle’s from here, but I think I might.”

               “That’s pretty amazing, HB. I could maybe go from Cackle’s to the village, and then I’d have to sit down a bit I think.”

               “Luckily, you’re the Star of the Sky.” Hecate checked her maglet. “I’ve not heard anything from Pippa or Julie.”

               “It’s a bit early, though-“

               The kitchen door swung open with a bang and Alma Cackle marched to her chair at the head of the table. Ada followed, head down. She made her way back to her seat, and Hecate could swear that she felt Ada’s hand trail across her shoulders as she passed, but when she looked Ada gave no sign of it. Still, she thought, Ada was in there somewhere. Punch-drunk, indeed.

               After lunch, Alma gathered them all into the living room. “We’re going to take a break from whatever it is you think you’ve been doing,” Alma glared at all of them, daring someone to argue, “and we shall now discuss the new curricula the Council wishes for us to incorporate: Lessons on the Craft and Code.”

               Here, at least, Hecate felt confident. Her knowledge of the Code was perfect and her respect for the Craft immeasurable. Then Alma kept talking.

               “Clearly, the standards at Cackle’s have fallen.” She ignored the strangled noise that escaped Hecate. “It’s true and you know it. I can’t say I fully blame you all of course. It all comes down to a failure in leadership.” She looked scathingly at Ada.

               Hecate couldn’t bear it another second. “How dare you?” She jumped to her feet. Everyone flinched when a ceramic dolphin on the side table exploded. “How dare you say Ada is a failure! Ada has kept this school running under impossible circumstances and you’re blaming her? She has been cleaning up a mess that you made fifty years ago! If you hadn’t tried to hide Agatha’s problems or…or ship her away, then perhaps she could have been helped or stopped before she became what she did.” A shell-encrusted lamp cracked, and the lights flickered. “Don’t stand there judging us when the blame for our problems lies squarely at your feet!”

               The only noise was the crackle of the electricity and Hecate’s gasping breaths. All at once the reality of where she was and who she was talking to crashed down around her. Ten wide eyes were staring at her as she transferred away.

                  The sea churned before her, spraying foam until it hung like mist in the air as dozens of angry seabirds swirled above, almost entirely blocking out the sun. Sand rippled across the beach like water in a pond after a stone had been thrown in.  Hecate stood in the middle of it all, arms wrapped around herself, shoulders hunched, static electricity crackling in the air around her.

               Alma kept herself well back, waiting patiently for the magic storm emanating from Hecate to pass. In a few moments it eased, at least enough for her to feel safe in approaching. She transferred to just behind Hecate and walked slowly into her field of vision. Alma watched, fascinated as the younger witch slowly opened and closed her hands, keeping time with her breathing. Hecate didn’t look at her, but the sea and sand both calmed and the birds drifted mostly away.

               Hecate straightened her shoulders and dropped her arms to her sides but otherwise gave no indication that she’d seen Alma. “Have you come to relieve me of my duties or my position?” She wasn’t prepared for Alma’s soft chuckle.

               “Are you kidding? I don’t fancy having a Section 7 with Ada for trying either of those. It’s bad enough I owe her fifty quid.” She took a few steps closer.

               “I’m afraid I don’t see the humor in all of this.”

               Alma took another step closer. “No, dear, I don’t suppose you would. It really isn’t funny, just a bit of gallows humor on my part, I suppose.” Finally – finally – Hecate’s eyes flickered her way. “My job yesterday and today was to get you lot ready for that Birdsong man. To poke you and prod you so that, if anyone was going to lose their cool, it would be with me. Frankly, Ada thought Mr. Rowan-Webb would be the first to crack, but I told her it would be you and that I knew just what buttons to push. Told her I’d have you lose your stack by lunchtime or I’d owe her fifty pounds – a hundred if you didn’t snap at all. After me, I think that Mr. Birdsong won’t be much trouble to ignore, do you?”

               Hecate was quiet for a long time. She didn’t know whether to be angry or hurt or how she should feel. “Is Ada all right?”

               “She’s angry. I was here to test her, too. I don’t know what the Council’s game is here, but I intend for us to win it.”

               “As do I, Mrs. Cackle.” Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Hecate turned and looked back at the waves rushing against the sand. “I’m sorry about the things I said. I had no right.”

               “Hecate, you are as dear to me as either of my daughters – in fact, I’d say quite a bit dearer than one of them. Of course, you have the right. Let’s not kid ourselves…what did you say that was actually untrue?”

               “Mother?” Both women turned to see Ada standing behind them, hands stuffed in the pockets of her pink jumper. “I told you I’d give you five minutes to settle things up with Hecate. It’s been seven. I’d like a few words myself, if you please.”

               “Certainly, daughter.” Alma slipped an arm across Hecate’s shoulders, ignoring the way she stiffened at the touch. “I’m very proud of you, Hecate Hardbroom. You are a credit to Cackle’s Academy and a blessing for Ada.” She transferred away before Hecate could reply.

               Ada looked at her Deputy, silently asking permission to come closer, nearly stumbling in her haste when Hecate held out a hand to her. As soon as their hands touched, Ada pulled Hecate into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry about today, Hecate, but I…I can’t tell you how it felt to hear you stand up for me this time.”

               “I’ll always stand up for you, Ada.” She squeezed a little harder before letting her friend go. “Walk with me?” She asked, linking their arms together.

               “Gladly.” They walked silently, arms linked, up the beach. After a bit, they reached a little tide pool. Hecate waded in to gather a few shells that were useful in potion-making.

               Finally feeling settled, she decided to broach what she knew about their accountability ratings, shocked to discover that Ada already knew.

               “Yes, Hecate, that’s why I’ve had mother giving everyone such a hard time. I fear this visit from Mr. Birdsong is meant to do one of two things: intimidate us into following whatever the Magic Council wants us to do or to provoke us into failing this meeting and allowing the Council to take us over anyway. I don’t know why just yet.”

               Hecate debated telling Ada what she and Dimity were up to, but finally decided not to, all her reasoning coming down to two words: plausible deniability. If there was any risk to be had from their activities, it would fall on Hecate. “What time is Birdsong scheduled to arrive?”

               “Around five. In time for dinner, of course.” Ada grumbled. “I suppose we should be making our way back, then.” She threaded her arm through Hecate’s again. “How are you and Dimity getting on in your shared space?”

               Hecate couldn’t check her smile. “Better than I would have thought, actually. Still, I much prefer my regular roommate at these events.”

               “As do I, my dear, as do I. Mother’s snoring is even worse, if you can believe it.  I could hardly sleep last night.”

               “That is…hard to imagine.” If Ada Cackle couldn’t sleep through it, Hecate hated to think how bad it was. “I…I… talked to Julie Hubble last night. She wants to have a family dinner when we tell Mildred about my…new status. I hope you’ll join us.”

               “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, dear.”

               By the time they returned to the cabin, Wilbur Birdsong had arrived. A roly-poly little wizard with glasses and a wheezy laugh, he was the last person to look like he was up to no good. Hecate was immediately suspicious. She and Dimity crawled into their twin beds with no news at all from Julie. Pippa did report that she had wrangled an invitation to a garden party at the Hellibore’s and hoped that she would have more to share the following night. Hecate fell asleep listening to the rise and fall of the ocean, thankful that Dimity did not snore.

                  “Wake up girls, wake up!” Miss Bat flipped on the lights as Hecate bolted upright in bed, desperately trying to shield her eyes from the light. Disoriented, she heard Dimity shout something rude, quickly followed by a loud thunk as she rolled off her ridiculously narrow twin bed onto the floor. “It’s only two hours until breakfast! I can’t believe you girls are being such lay-abouts.” Gwen spun on her heel and was gone before Hecate was even able to focus her eyes.

               “I’m sure I specified only one or two…” A huge yawn nearly doubled her over. “Drops. How many did you use?”

               Dimity pushed herself off the floor and slumped halfway onto her bed. “It was two. I swear. I put them in her mug last night.” They both jumped as Gwen banged on the door again. Dimity groaned into the mattress. Clearly, they were up for the day.

  Hecate schooled her features into a blandly pleasant expression and forced herself to nod every few seconds, her hands folded serenely in her lap. She told herself that she would not be consumed by this fresh new hell. Repeatedly. Birdsong had paired them into ‘shoulder partners.’ Hecate had hoped to be paired with Ada, or at least Dimity. Instead, she was relegated to vain attempts to rein in a manic Miss Bat.

“Our objective, as you know, is to enhance performance-driven proficiencies within our professional learning community. Let’s begin by sharing our norms with our shoulder partners.” Hecate continued to smile and nod. By Merlin’s beard she would do so even if she burst into flames. She turned to find Gwen gone. Suddenly, she heard a loud crash from the kitchen. A moment later, Alma Cackle called Hecate over.

“I think I may have done something…ill-advised,” Alma said, a sheepish expression on her face. “I’m afraid I may have given Miss Bat some Wide-Awake potion.” They both glanced at Gwen, who was a blur of motion as she prepared a tray of sweets. “Too much apparently, though it was only a couple of drops in her orange juice.”

Four drops, Hecate thought, weighing the effects of the potion. “That should be…okay…” She heard Mr. Birdsong ask for her and hurried back to the living room, summoning her Lessons Table for the First-Years, handing it over to him as she passed. Sitting patiently while he looked over her plans, she mentally shuffled through her prepared responses for today’s tortures.

“These are very thorough, Miss Hardbroom, but…I wonder if you might be open to some suggestions?” Hecate widened her dead-eyed smile and tilted her head. “I’d like to see more discovery learning taking place in smaller collaborative groups during potions.”

“D-discovery learning? Do you mean we should just let the girls…mix ingredients all willy-nilly and…see what happens?” He nodded enthusiastically. “That is a unique approach.” She tried to picture how that would work. Practically every scenario ended with her potions lab in ruins. Even so, she dutifully made the requested changes, certain this man had never brewed a potion in his life.

Miss Bat rushed through the room, foisting sweets on everyone as she passed. She made the rounds twice before scurrying away. Hecate spotted Ada looking at Gwen with a worried expression – and a guilty one as well. She caught Ada’s eye and arched a brow. How many drops? She mouthed. Caught out, Ada held up one finger. Five drops, Hecate waggled her head. Fresh hell, indeed.

At last, the lunch break neared, but just as they thought they would be set free, Birdsong announced that he had one more ‘quick’ item to cover. And thus, they were forced to sit through a motivational film on encouraging the students to have ‘grit.’ All it did for Hecate was cause her to grit her teeth. A faint ping sounded, but she ignored it – as she did the second and third time. A wadded-up paper struck her cheek and bounced into her lap. Straightening, she looked sharply around, surprised to see Dimity scowling at her. The sports witch pursed her lips and jerked her head at the wad of paper, flashing her eyes at Hecate until she picked it up.

Smoothing the paper open in her lap, Hecate could just make out the words in the dim lighting. Dimity has terrible handwriting, she thought, before turning her attention to the message. That pinging sound is your phone – answer it, you bloody Luddite!  Hecate wadded the paper up again and threw it back at Dimity, earning a stern throat-clearing from Ada. With as much discretion as she could muster, Hecate summoned her phone and pushed the home button, unwittingly bathing herself in bright blue light. Dimity tried and failed to camouflage her bark of laughter as a coughing fit.

The instant the video finished and the lights flickered up, Hecate checked the messages. All were from Julie Hubble and she wanted to talk to them – now. “Ada, Miss Drill and I will be a few moments late for lunch. I have something I need to attend to, and I require her assistance.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Do try to get Miss Bat to drink some chamomile tea.”

Without another word Hecate transferred them both to their room, they mirrored Julie straight away. “Oy! What took you so long? I can’t keep coming up with jobs to keep Millie out of earshot forever now can I?”

“We were watching a film about grit,” Hecate drawled. “What have you found out?”

“Well it was a bit of brilliant telling me to look through Felicity’s blog. I don’t know where she gets her information, but she’s spot on. She had an article about the school accountability ratings as well as a mention that, in spite of the fact that Cackle’s came in as the number one non-fee-paying school and number two over all, you lot are still in danger of being a, a…a SNIPE school and are under monitoring. She even mentions that Birdsong man by name.”

“We already know all this…” Hecate was losing her patience.

“Yeah, well, keep your skirts on, Catey, because I haven’t told you the most interesting bit yet.” She set the maglet aside and reached for a copy of Witching Weekly. “Way back in the local section of last week’s newspaper for you lot, there’s a tiny article about an Education Minister winning a trip ‘round the world. Now, who do you think that Minister was?”

“Wilbur Birdsong.” Hecate couldn’t deny she was impressed. “Well done, Julie Hubble. So much so I’ll overlook ‘Catey’ just this once.”

“Does it say when he left on holiday?” Dimity asked.

“It would have been the day after the article ran.” Julie cocked her head, listening. “That’s Millie back from getting the washing. This is all skeevier that I thought it would be. You two be careful or I will kill you myself. Dimity,” she nodded. “Catey.” She cracked a wicked grin and ended the connection.

“So, Catey, you know what this means?”

“Call me that again, and I will hex you where you stand.” She called up just enough magic to turn her irises red.  “It means that man down there is most likely not Wilbur Birdsong.”

“You’re creepy when you do that. You know that, right? What do we do now?”

“I say some investigating is in order. Mr. Birdsong, or whoever he is, should still be at lunch, correct?” Dimity nodded. “Very well, come with me. You can be the lookout.”

They tiptoed down the hallway and crept into Birdsong’s room. Dimity stayed by the doorway. If she leaned just a little, she could see the staircase and could warn Hecate with enough time for her to transfer them away. Meanwhile, Hecate studied the room. At least he’s tidy, she thought. She thumbed through a portfolio on the nightstand, hoping it had some sort of identification in it. No luck.

She had just opened a drawer when Dimity grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her away. “He transferred to the second floor, lazy sod. We don’t have – quick, get in here.” She flung the cupboard door open, stunned to find Ada Cackle already hiding inside. “Bloody hell,” she whispered, nudging Ada aside and shoving Hecate in before squeezing in herself. She magicked the drawer shut and closed the cupboard door just as Birdsong walked into the room. Hecate grabbed both their hands, ready to transfer them away. “Wait,” Dimity breathed, “let’s see what he’s up to.”

Hecate kept her grip on both their hands but angled her head so she could see through the crack of the door. Humming to himself, Birdsong puttered around his dressing table, straightening his tie, combing his hair, cleaning his glasses.

“I suppose,” Ada whispered, “that it would be hypocritical of me to say I’m disappointed in you two?”

“I should think so.” Even in a whisper Hecate’s voice managed to drip sarcasm. Hecate pressed her eye up to the crack again. Birdsong had pulled out what looked to be a bottle of mouthwash. He gave it a quick shake and took a generous swig straight from the bottle. Hecate hissed – loud enough for Birdsong to pause and look around. After a moment he screwed the cap back on and set it back on the table before looking around one last time and heading out the door.

Hecate counted all of twenty seconds before bolting from the closet, Ada and Dimity trailing behind her. By the time they had crossed the room, Hecate was already sniffing the bottle’s contents. “Pondweed…grimly grass…bat drool used as an amplifier…” Hecate looked at her companions. “This is a Switching Potion – a powerful one.”

“Too bad it doesn’t tell us who he’s switched with,” Dimity complained. Three heads swiveled as footsteps lumbered up the stairs. “Time to go, HB.” She grabbed both Hecate’s and Ada’s hands and let Hecate transfer them into their own room. They’d no sooner materialized when Mr. Rowan-Webb poked his head in the door.

“Forgive my intrusion, ladies, but, I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Hecate sighed and rubbed that space between her eyebrows again. “How many drops did you use, Algie?”

“Three – but not all at once.”

“Great Merlin’s beard, am I the only person who hasn’t drugged Miss Bat today?” Hecate glared at the lot of them. At least they had the decency to look embarrassed. “Does anyone have some sleeping potion?”

“I do. I brought some since I would be sharing a room with Mother.” Hecate held her hand out. “Really? Are you sure?” She gazed up at her over the top of her glasses, eyes pleading. “Please, Hecate, you don’t know what it’s like. Mother’s snoring would peel the hide off a dragon.”

Hecate arched one eyebrow. “I believe there’s a sports metaphor I’ve heard Miss Drill use before, Ada. Something about taking one for the team?” Ada slumped in defeat and summoned the potion, handing it over with a heavy sigh. Hecate took it at once and held it out to Algie. “Put…five drops in a cup of chamomile tea. Make her drink it, if you must. I’m surprised she isn’t emitting sparks with that much potion in her. You, Mr. Rowan-Webb, shall be in charge of administering any further doses of Wide-Awake potion.” She looked at Ada. “Tell Alma that no one else is to give Miss Bat anything.”

The four of them traipsed back down to lunch. Hecate and Dimity did their best to try to draw Mr. Birdsong into conversation but had little success. It wasn’t until a somewhat calmer Miss Bat asked him if he thought the new coursework on the Craft and Code should be a stand-alone course or a part of Witchory that he finally spoke up.

“For now, it may be that it has to be incorporated into Witchory. I know you’re down a staff member since you lost Mari Mould. It will be difficult to fill two positions.” He thought for a moment. “I suppose it could also replace a section of Chanting.”

“Replace Chanting?” Miss Bat sounded positively scandalized.

“Certainly chanting has a long history within the Witching World, but how are we adding value to the curriculum in order to establish a growth mindset that will allow your girls to develop Twenty-first Century witching skills?”

Miss Bat stared at him, glazed eyes blinking furiously. Hecate wondered if anyone would notice if she stabbed herself in the leg with a fork. It would surely be more pleasant than listening to educational jargon.

  “I’m sorry, Hiccup, I don’t feel like I found out anything that would be particularly helpful.” Their mirror call was later than usual and Pippa was already in her night dress - a pale pink gown made of a shimmery fabric that Hecate desperately wanted to touch. “I spoke with a couple of other Heads or Deputy Heads, and Hellibore sent out the same form letter of congratulations to everyone that wasn’t a SNIPE school.” She pulled out a white cloth and started removing her make-up. Hecate suddenly felt very parched. She started unpinning her bun just to give her hands something to do.

“As far as Wilbur Birdsong goes,” Pippa continued, “he simply seems to be a mediocre wizard from a mediocre wizarding family - exactly the sort you’d think would have his job. One odd thing, though, the witches in his family are very powerful, at least compared to the wizards. A few centuries ago there was even a Narvilla Birdsong that was the Great Witch. I’ve not heard much about them lately, though. Do you suppose the weaker wizards are diluting the line?”

“Possibly. I know it’s why some of the older, more traditional families still arrange marriages – to be sure their magic is preserved.” Families like mine, she thought with a shudder. Finally, the last pin was gone and she could rake her fingers through her loose hair, scratching her scalp and generally relaxing. She looked up to see Pippa staring at her, pupils wide, teeth chewing at her bottom lip.

“You are so lovely with your hair down, Hiccup.”

“Oy! Roommate present!” Dimity reminded them.

“And it’s lovely to see you today, Miss Drill.” Pippa leaned around Hecate and waved. “Anyway… Hiccup?” She snapped her fingers at Hecate, who sat, playing with a strand of her hair and staring at the mirror - shy smile on her lips and a flaming blush coloring her cheeks. “Hiccup!” She knocked on the mirror, startling Hecate back into the present. “As I was saying,” she winked and colored a bit herself. “There doesn’t seem to be much of note about your Mr. Birdsong, personally or professionally. He certainly wouldn’t fare well in a Section 7 with you, darling.”

“Which would be good news – if this was actually Wilbur Birdsong.” She filled Pippa in on all the details, calling Dimity over to make sure nothing was forgotten.

“I like this less and less, Hiccup. Tell me you’re spelling your door and taking every precaution.” Hecate nodded, as did Dimity behind her. “I do wish you’d let me come. I hate being here when you could be in danger.”

Hecate smiled. “I would hate for you to be in danger even more, Pipsqueak.” She kissed her fingertips and placed her hand on the glass, doggedly ignoring Dimity behind her. Pippa did the same before pressing her hand against Hecate’s. They hadn’t kissed since that night at the retreat, but these mirror chat goodbyes felt every bit as intimate, maybe even more so. “Please don’t worry, Pip. Sleep well.���

“I always worry, Hiccup, have done for the last thirty years. Have beautiful dreams, my love.” The mirror faded back to normal.

Dimity gave her a moment to settle before resting a hand on Hecate’s shoulder. “You two need to go on an actual date – soon.” She squeezed a bit. “You make me need to take a cold shower.”

“Leave it to you to make things tawdry.” She patted Dimity’s hand. “I’d just like to be in the same building for a little while.”

A gentle knock sounded at the door. Dimity stepped away to open it. It was Ada, wondering if Hecate might care for a walk along the beach again.

“That would be lovely. May I transfer us? I’ve got some energy I need to burn off.”

“I bet you do,” sniggered Dimity. She just managed to dodge the pillow that flew towards her head as Hecate and Ada faded away.

  Again, the night was lovely. Clouds rippled like dragon scales across the sky, reflecting the light of the nearly full moon. The breeze had picked up, washing them in the clean, salty air of the sea. Hecate felt invigorated just from breathing it in. She noticed that Ada seemed a bit distant so she linked their arms and dragged them down to the beach, summoning a blanket so they could sit and listen to the night.

“How’s Gwen?” Hecate asked, leaning back on her hands to watch the clouds drift past.

“Finally settling down. It turned out she’d taken a dose of Wide-Awake herself.” She vanished her shoes and dug her toes into the sand. “This is lovely,” she breathed.

“Good Goddess,” Hecate ran through the various doses. “That means she took ten drops of the potion today, Ada. She’s lucky her brain didn’t…short circuit. I can’t imagine the state I’d be in if I took that much.” She snuck a glance at Ada out of the corner of her eye.  “How are you holding up?”

“Oh, well enough under the circumstances, I suppose.”

“Ada…”

“Very well. I’m tired of playing the fool in all of Agatha’s maneuvering. I’m tired of children undermining the safety of the school – its very existence for heaven’s sake. And I’m tired of it being children who are pulling us out of one scrape after another – no matter how remarkable Mildred Hubble may be. Mostly, I suppose, I’m dreadfully tired of myself always, always, giving second chances to people who turn around and use it against me. It makes me wonder if the Council wasn’t correct when it removed me as Cackle’s Headmistress.”

Hecate jerked upright, grabbing Ada and spinning her around until they were facing each other, both hands on the older woman’s shoulders. “Of course, they were wrong, Ada! That’s why they reinstated you as soon as Ursula Hallow’s lies were exposed. It’s not your fault that Agatha is the way she is – you’ve tried to help her change and given her every opportunity to do so – but never knowingly at the expense of the school. It’s not your fault that the one thing Ethel Hallow needs – consequences for her actions – is the one thing you have been forbidden from providing. Well,” she smirked, “she needs that and a fit mother.”

“You’re being kind, Hecate.” Ada pulled away and stared out at the ocean. Hecate shifted so she could still see her face.

“I’m being honest, Ada. May I remind you that one of those people you gave so many second chances to was me? Where would I be without you? Who would I be without you?” She slipped a hand around Ada’s arm. “I would also remind you that the remarkable Mildred Hubble is someone else who’s benefitted from your kindness and second chances. And if I’m not worth all the heartache that comes from being let down, that girl surely is.”

“As are you, dear. You know, I can ask you the same questions. Where would I be without you? Still a snail, probably.”

“You would still be exactly what you are: the finest Headmistress I’ve ever known.”

Ada reached up and squeezed her hand. “That’s high praise considering who you’re keeping company with these days.”

Hecate blushed. She was really starting to get annoyed with how her face responds like it’s only fifteen instead of fifty.

“When do you think we might actually start seeing more of Miss Pentangle? You know she’s welcome anytime. You don’t have to keep her a secret.”

“I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m doing. With everything that’s going on, now doesn’t seem like the time.” She pulled her knees up and rested her chin against them. With her free hand she started drawing random shapes in the sand.

“Surely you two have put things off long enough.” Ada’s voice is kind, but Hecate still feels the ache those missing thirty years cause her every time she thinks about them. “Besides, there’s always time for love, Hecate. I know that I, for one, am looking forward to meeting Hiccup and Pipsqueak.”

Hecate stopped drawing, her other hand dropped away from Ada’s arm. Something was writhing around in her brain, trying to get her attention. Ada started to speak, but Hecate raised her hands to stop her. “What did you just say? Say it again!” Her eyes were closed, and her hands clutched the side of her head as if she could will the writhing idea into stillness.

“I said I wanted to meet Hiccup. And Pipsqueak. Those are your nicknames for each other, yes?”

“That’s it!” They both ignored the small plume of water that shot up from behind Hecate as she leapt to her feet. “That’s where Birdsong made his mistake. During lunch today, he talked about Miss Mould, except he didn’t call her Miss Mould. He didn’t even call her Marigold; he called her Mari – a nickname. Did she ever introduce herself as Mari or go by Mari that you know of? Dimity will know.”

“You think Birdsong knows Miss Mould?”

“Why else would he call her Mari? Marigold was in Agatha’s coven. Do you ever recall anyone named Birdsong that would have known Agatha?”

“No, I don’t think so…wait!” Agatha slapped her forehead. “Rolando was a Birdsong. I believe she may have dated a Rolando Birdsong while she was at Wormwood’s, maybe some after as well.” She held out an arm and waited for Hecate to pull her to her feet.

“That’s two connections, then. So, what is their plan?” Hecate paced back and forth along the beach, kicking up sand as she marched. “Just to close the school? It’s possible, I suppose. We know Agatha has an ‘if I can’t have it, nobody can’ sort of attitude, but that wouldn’t matter to anyone but Agatha.”

“If you were a wizarding family whose powers are weakening… You might attach yourself to a powerful witch with a low regard for the Code. Someone who could and would use an Extraction Spell to take another’s powers. But…” Suddenly, Ada grabbed Hecate’s arm. “The wards, Hecate, he was after the wards!”

“Tell me you don’t mean what I think you mean.” What little color Hecate had drained from her face.

“As a monitor, Birdsong gets total access to the school. Literally and magically speaking, he has the keys to the castle. That can only mean one thing…”

“THE PHOTOGRAPH!” They shouted.

Ada turned and started running for the cottage. It took Hecate a moment to realize what was happening, but she broke into a run as well, catching up with Ada in a few long strides. “We’re witches, Ada,” she shouted as she grabbed her hand. “We don’t have to run!” She swished her fingers in the air and transported them back to the cottage.

Birdsong was still there, sitting in the living room with Algernon. Hecate froze, but Ada recovered quickly. She held on to Hecate’s hand and pulled her into the living room.

“What do you say, Hecate? Let’s go see if Dimity wants to join us for a midnight swim. I haven’t been skinny dipping in ages!” Ada kept her grip on her Deputy’s hand and pulled her up the stairs.  As soon as the door closed behind them, Ada and Hecate filled Dimity in on their new theory.

“We need to get that picture – pronto. You said you thought you could transfer from here to Cackle’s. Are you sure, Hecate?” Dimity asked.

“I’m not positive.”

“And she’s not transferring into an unknown situation alone. Mr. Birdsong’s role in all of this may be to keep us here while others go to Cackle’s. Get your brooms, take the fastest two and fly as far as you need to before Hecate can transfer you both straight in. Get the photo and get out. I’ll keep Birdsong distracted.”

Hecate waved a hand, and her narrow dress changed into a black button-up blouse and a pair of black jeans. “Let’s go,” she said, checking to be sure her pocket watch and her moon pin were in place. Satisfied, she transferred them to the porch and grabbed her broom, Dimity right behind her.

“Ok, HB, you set the pace, we’ll-“

“Just go, Dimity. I’ll keep up.” She ignored the look of surprise on Dimity’s face when she mounted her broom in the racing position – astride it, leaned all the way forward with her feet against the bristles. She shot forward, not bothering to wait for her partner, assuming that Dimity would catch up.

She did, but it took her longer than Hecate expected - and Hecate wasn’t too proud to admit that pleased her. As she pulled alongside, Dimity took a good look at the reserved Miss Hardbroom. Her hair, still loose from before, streamed behind her; a full-on grin was plastered across her face. Dimity eased closer and shouted. “You never stop surprising me, HB!”

“I feel like I’m sixteen again! Come on!”

They flew. After ten minutes Hecate thought she could transfer them both to Cackle’s. After fifteen, she knew she could. She stretched out a bit further, eking out just enough speed to catch up with Dimity. “Time to go!” She shouted, grabbing her arm.

  They explode back into substance, hurtling over the rooftop of Cackle’s, both of them pulling up into a messy, tumbling stop. Dimity had to bite her tongue to keep from shouting. Hecate pushed herself upright, gasping and smiling, wild hair blowing every direction. Witchiest witch indeed, Dimity thought. For a moment, she was actually jealous of Pippa Pentangle. “Let’s put down on the roof.”

As soon as they landed, Hecate extended her power. “Can you feel the wards?” she asked. “It all feels normal to me.”

Dimity felt along the edges of the grounds, the outer walls and finally the wards surrounding Ada’s office. “I don’t feel anything strange, but if they’ve got the charms from Birdsong, we might not know, right?”

“I’m afraid that’s true. What do you suggest?”

Wow, thought Dimity, Hecate Hardbroom is asking my advice – after riding a broomstick like she could have been a Star of the Sky. In a pair of jeans. “I say we head straight in. Pop us into the office, grab the picture, and pop us back out.”

“In and out in thirty seconds, right.” Hecate reached up and magicked her hair smooth and back into its customary I-mean-business bun. She held a hand out for Dimity and transferred them away.

They knew the instant they reappeared in Ada’s office that they were in trouble. People were there. Luckily, they’d startled the intruders as much as they’d been startled themselves. A yellow ball of energy careened towards them. Hecate was barely able to deflect it. A second one screamed past her, grazing Dimity on the leg. With her wits collected, Hecate fired back, sending her own green balls of lightning as fast as she could. Her eyes darted behind her, looking for Dimity. Finally, she spotted her. Dimity had dragged herself behind Ada’s overturned tea table and, even on the floor, was sending her own shots at the intruders.

The fighting was fierce. Whoever the intruders were, they used both light and dark magic. The air sizzled with it. A dark bolt slipped past Hecate’s defenses, passing so close that it burned a hole in her blouse, pain seared her side, just below her ribcage. One more scar to join the others, she thought, at least this one would have a good story to go with it. Carefully, she edged her way back, until she finally got close enough to Dimity. “Grab my leg!” Hecate threw as many bolts as she could, as fast as she could, hoping to clear enough time for them to transfer.

Just as they were about to disappear, they were yanked back - like a giant hand was slamming them to the floor. Hecate screamed, certain she had dislocated her shoulder. It was all she could do to block the fireballs flying towards them. It occurred to her that they were losing this fight, that her home was under attack, and she was failing to defend it. That she never got the chance to tell Pippa that she loved her – had always loved her. She ignored the tears streaming down her face and kept blocking everything she could.

Suddenly, there was a clap like thunder and Pippa Pentangle was standing in front of her, swinging a shiny gold Wizard’s Staff like a battle axe. Sweeping it in front of her, Pippa channeled a slice of white lightning across the intruders, catching one in the chest and sending him howling away. When another threw a dark, oily orb her way, Pippa used her staff like a cricket bat, swatting it back at its caster. “Hello, darling!” She calls over her shoulder, sounding like she was having altogether too much fun.

Hecate tried to stand but got knocked off her feet again, white-hot pain flaring in her shoulder as it was knocked back into place. She felt like she might throw up, but at least her arm was usable again. She pulled herself to her knees and adds her own fireballs to Pippa’s. Under the noise of the battle, Hecate could hear Dimity chanting behind her. Realizing what’s coming, she pulled Pippa down just as Dimity yelled “DUCK!”

A second later a wave of blue energy rolled through the air above them, blowing the glass out of the windows and sending the last of the intruders fleeing into the night. For a moment, everything was quiet, save for the sound of their own ragged breathing.

“Are you lot okay?” Dimity called. She’d collapsed again, back behind the tea table.

Hecate and Pippa looked at each other. Both were disheveled and dirty. Half of Hecate’s bun had come loose, but they nodded. “We’re okay,” Hecate rasped.

Pippa lifted a shaking hand to brush a strand of hair from Hecate’s face, cupping her cheek. Before Hecate could think about it, she crushed Pippa’s lips in kisses, whispering ‘I love you’ every time she needed to breathe.

“You’re kissing, aren’t you?” Dimity called from behind the table. “That’s great! I am literally over here bleeding but you two keep on snogging. Bloody repressed lesbians – don’t you worry about ol’ Dimity. You just take your time. Have a right proper shag while you’re at it.” She looked up to see them both staring down at her, hands tangled together, practically glowing.

Pippa quirked an eyebrow at her. “That all seems a bit dramatic, don’t you think, Hiccup?”

“I agree, Pipsqueak. Quite unbecoming in a witch.”

Carefully, they helped her to her feet, quickly righting one of Ada’s chairs when it’s clear she can’t stand. Her leg would need medical attention, as would Hecate’s side. “Look at all this destruction. For a picture.” Hecate gestured at what was left of the office. “And for naught – the picture is gone.”

“I don’t know, darling. If you two hadn’t figured this out, they could have come and stolen the photograph and replaced it with a duplicate. We’d never know. At least this way we know to be on the alert.” Pippa pulled Hecate against her, careful of both her side and her shoulder.

“We, Pipsqueak?”

“We, Hiccup. There is no me without you. Surely you must know that by now.”

Hecate rested her head against Pippa’s. “Is that how you knew to come?”

“It was the Twin Pins. I was in bed reading when all of a sudden the pin jumped like it was trying to connect, but then nothing happened. I’d never heard of anything like that so…I grabbed my staff and here I am.” Dimity hissed as she tried to shift into a more comfortable position. “I think we need to get back to the cottage.”

“Can you ride, Dimity?” Hecate summoned their brooms from the rooftop. No reason not to go through the windows now, she thought.

“I think, if we use my staff, that we can transfer back,” Pippa said, pulling them over to stand where Dimity could grab the staff and they could support her on either side. “If everyone hangs on and puts their transference energy into the staff, that should be plenty of juice to get us to the cottage. Will you steer, Hecate?” She nodded and off they went.

  Dimity screamed when they landed in Ada’s living room, the rough landing jarring them all.

“We need a mediwitch!” Pippa wheezed. “We’ve got injured!” She turned to look at Ada, anger warring with sorrow in her eyes. “Cackle’s has been breached.”

For a heartbeat everyone was frozen; then everything seemed to happen at once. Dimity collapsed - only Algernon’s quick reflexes kept her from hitting the floor. Alma summoned the healing kit. Miss Bat set forth a stream of profanities that would send the swarthiest of sailors running for church as she hurried to call for medical help. No one commented on why or how Pippa Pentangle happened to be there, holding Hecate’s hand and keeping the potions mistress on her feet.

Ada tore her eyes away from the raw and blistered skin visible through Hecate’s shredded shirt. “I’ll summon the Great Wizard.”

As Ada moved past her, Hecate reached out and grabbed her hand, wincing as her shoulder and side protested the movement. “The photograph, Ada. It’s gone.”

“So is Mr. Birdsong, dear, whoever he is.”

#hicsqueak #hecate hardbroom #pippa pentangle #the summer trope challenge without the hackle #hecate's summer playlist #ada ships hicsqueak harder than any of us #even witches hate teacher inservice days

[cancerbiophd]

hey I'm a rising junior and I really want to go to grad school right after I graduate. I wanna do research but I'm not sure of the exact field yet. I know I like molecular biology and genetics and the current lab I'm in works on developmental biology and that's pretty interesting to me too. Anyway I just wanted some advice. When do you think would be a good time to take the GRE? Also how did you choose a program?

Hi there! Aahhh I’m so glad to hear you have a plan for grad school! one of us! one of us!

That’s ok that you don’t know exactly what you want to study. Many schools offer degrees in just biology, with more specific tracks depending on your interests and research (for example, Boston University has a PhD in Biology with tracks in Cell & Molecular Biology; Neurobiology; and Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, & Marine Biology). You can often determine your tracks or research focus after being accepted and going through a few lab rotations. Also keep in mind that it is absolutely ok to have undergrad research experience in a different focus than your graduate school dissertation project. No one expects you to find your calling in the first lab you work in. The research experiences garnered before grad school are more so to show you know what you’re getting yourself into (ie. the specific physical, mental, and emotional demands of laboratory research). 

If you’re going for a PhD, you’ll have a chance to rotate through 3 or 4 labs before deciding on a specific research focus. Like you can be in a Biology PhD program, but your research could be on developmental biology. If you’re going for a Masters however, oftentimes you will have to pick a lab from the get-go (or even before the university accepts you). 

Lots of PhD programs are doing “umbrella acceptance programs”. You apply to and get accepted into an umbrella biology program, which is comprised of multiple departments that specialize in different tracks (eg. Mol & Cell Bio, Pharmacology, Cancer Biology, etc), and after your lab rotations and first round of classes, you choose a home department (and dissertation lab) in the Spring. Here’s an example of the umbrella biology program from the University of Arizona that I applied for because I was undecided between choosing Immunobiology and Cancer Biology (the latter being what I ultimately chose after rotations and the first semester of classes). 

As for the general concept of choosing a program (aside from these umbrella programs, which are fantastic imo), it’s going to take a lot of research (online and in-person) to see what’s out there and what ultimately piques your interest. It may sometimes boil down to a single lab you are absolutely enamored by. I ultimately settled on Cancer Biology at my university because a) it’s super fascinating, b) good job prospects in industry companies like Roche (I do not plan on staying in academia), and c) I absolutely loved the program–the research, the people and culture, the resources, and the funding (philanthropists looooove donating to cancer research, which the fairness of is a discussion for another day). 

Lastly, keep in mind that science is extremely interdisciplinary. Just because you choose to study developmental biology during grad school doesn’t mean you’ll never get another chance to do research in molecular biology, or genetics, or even dabble in some bioinformatics through a future collaborator. No field exists in its own bubble; we’re all giant blobby venn-diagrams upon venn-diagrams constantly learning about and participating in other fields. And it’s great!! So don’t feel like you’re pigeon-holing yourself permanently into anything because of what your degree says. 

So now, for the GRE! When to take it depends on your study schedule and how confident you are in whether you may need to retake the test or not. It think a good general timeline to follow will be to give yourself at least 6 months to study for the 1st test, and then give yourself another 2-3 months to study for a retake if necessary. The Princeton Review has a fabulous grad app timeline (including when to take the GRE) here. 

I have a Applying to Grad School Masterpost with lots of info culled from mine and others’ posts, including GRE tips and a link to a link to a GRE Study Plan. 

Hope that helped! Let me know if there’s anything else you’ll like to learn more about. Good luck, awesome scientist!

#advice #gradblr #ht-studies #grad advice

[kelemengabi]

Interdisciplinary connections - Consonantal Sonicity

Abstract:The need to understand the natural cyclicities and harmonic rhythms, from the macrocosmic scale, then found in the biosphere in the chain of trophic cycles, and finally in the animal plant species, where the harmonic rhythm is revealed from the social dynamics, to the individual, system, organ and finally at the intimate level of the dynamics of metabolism and cell division intimately orchestrated by the mysterious score of the genetic code. The laws of harmonic proportions based on recurring strings and positive / negative feedback loops seen as open stationary systems undoubtedly operate throughout this morphodynamic dimensional range.

Keywords: Cosmos, harmony, resonance, morphogenesis, acoustic, Chladni figures, sonicity, biostructure, vortex, standing waves, faraday crispation, nonlinear dynamics, cybernetics, kymatik, cymatics, static waves, natural computing,

The principles of sonicity based on the theory of the same name developed by the                      illustrious Romanian scientist, inventor and brilliant engineer George Constantinesco in the early twentieth century remains one of the lines of research insufficiently studied on the one hand by the unusual sonicity theory on the other hand related to technological supremacy in the turbulent context of the First World War. Sonicity thus remains a forgotten and very interesting source of current research in the research of the complex, nonlinear dynamics of the interaction of acoustic vibration (dissonant-consonant) with fluid matter, a theory based on rules related to musical harmony on the one hand, which in turn is under the auspices of the mysterious golden number, as well as on the other hand, of the quantification and modulation of fluid dynamics. 

Thus the sonicity seen excessively through the prism of technological utilitarianism, in the sense of applied sciences loses precisely from its deep and unsuspected side, as a true and fertile source of research, frontier science, unique in its way by the still insufficiently explored depth of the relationship between vibration, resonance, the laws of harmony, the subtle nature of life and matter.

At the same time, along with the principles of sonicity based essentially on the complex  dynamics of standing waves, corroborated with the harmonic cyclicity of the semi-open feedback loops postulated in cybernetic theory belonging to the illustrious scientist, pioneer in the field of  biological automata, Dr. Ștefan Odobleja in The consonantist psychology, an exhaustive pioneering scientific work of a philosophical nature, with unsuspected implications and insufficiently or superficially understood.

Sonicity and cybernetics in the early stages remain sources and tools of great importance in the fertile exploration of the borders of the unknown, with fabulous theoretical implications.

Based on these considerations, the experimental use of devices that use acoustic lenses meant to modulate and that lead the train from condensed-dissipated sound waves (similar to the luminous flux from classical optics) as a result of which they are obtained in one-static fluids interfering, unique and intriguing in their own way, with a biomorphic appearance. Thus, as an interdisciplinary symbiotic corollary, the conformation of static waves made in liquids is based on the continuity inspired by the forerunners of these  complex sciences, namely sonicity / cybernetics, cybernetics that otherwise follows medical phonoscopy (La Phonoscopie - Nouvelle Methode D'exploration Clinique, Paris 1935), elaborated in the 30s by Dr. Șt. Odobleja, of course, the research directions of the two scientists are of different orientation, however through experiment have created the fusion between sonicity and certain consonant laws deduced from cybernetics that are  fully found, in an indissoluble fusion, at levels -static waves established in fluids, seen as quasi-stationary dissipative systems in an open loop, like living organisms…  

The attempt to find bridges of truth, of style and scientific probity, between static waves with biological aspect and the morphology of the living, lead without a doubt to the studies of an impeccable academic form elaborated within the theory of biostructure by the Romanian scientist Eugen Macovschi in the well-known work Biostructura, 1969, or Natura și structura materiei vii, 1972.  

Thus the triumvirate of these theories in chronological order sonicity then cybernetics and finally biostructure represent the basic core of the theory and experiments that build the theoretical premises and levers of the Universality of the vortex sphere principle, theory based on experimental empiricism and the close connection between living and non-living nature, stationary cyclicity thus seen as a common archetypal binder over the entire macro-meso-microcosmic dimensional range.

Internationally, as related fields we have the studies of musical acoustics,  elaborated in the XVIII century by Ernst Chladni who studies the impact of sound on quartz sand powders, or lycopodium powder arranged on various metal plates of triangular, square, circular or cylindrical geometry, generically called Chladni's Figures, a rigorous study that highlights networks of bellies and nodes with complex geometric arrangement, thus visualizing the sound, later in the XIX century illustrious British scientist Michael Faraday studies the impact of sound on viscous fluids, in particular on various types of mineral oils, showing the relationship between frequency and sound intensity, corroborated by the viscosity index of the liquid, known in the literature as the generic name Faraday crispation, to the wavy surface of the vibrating liquid.

With the twentieth century, new confluence surveys are brought, covering forms of esoteric mysticism under the auspices of theosophy, anthroposophy, combined with experimental phenomenology based on the probity and rigor of Cartesian science under the name of Cymatics, founded by the Swiss anthroposophist Dr. Hans Jenny in 60. Last but not least are the secretive and sometimes overly mystified studies that belong to the charismatic self-taught engineer, the father of the vortex, Viktor Schauberger, a misunderstood and tumultuous visionary, who studies and realizes a series of inventions and innovations based on remarkable observations with meticulousness and genius in nature.

Thus described, the interdisciplinary maneuvering territory covers the network of connections extracted from the vast scope of nonlinear dynamics, rheology and complex relationships with stationary waves based on the fragile boundary between turbulence and the harmonious order of circular stationary cybernetic rhythms.

Viewed, in the light of these converging domains and directions, biological organisms, from the smallest cells, to social animals, to trophic cycles, are in fact open harmonic systems of                 consonant poly-stationary type, interdependently hierarchical, starting from at the biochemical,       cellular, systemic and cerebral level, cognitive, biosphere, all superimposed synergistically,                  following from small to large and vice versa, the circular cybernetic laws in semi-open, stationary and synchronous loops, thus unequivocally demonstrating the cybernetic link stationary entanglement of the phenotype with the phenotype.

Timișoara 2021

References:  

[1] Ernst Florens F. Chladni,  Die Akustik, Breitkopf & Härtel, Leipzig, 1802

[2] Michael Faraday, On a peculiar class of acoustical figures; and on certain forms assumed by a group of  particles  upon  vibrating  elastic  surfaces,  Philosophical  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society,  London, vol. 121, 1831, pp 299–318  

[3] Constantinesco, George, Theory of Sonics, A Treatise on Transmission of Power by Vibrations, Publisher, The Admiralty, London, 1918

[4] Odobleja Stefan, Psyhologie consonantiste (The Consonantist Psychology), Librairie Maloine, vol. I, 1938; vol. II, Paris, 1939

[5] Schauberger Viktor, Die zykloide Spiralraumkurve. Salzburg, 1948

[6] Matila C Ghyka,  Philosophie et mystique du nombre, Published by Payot, Paris, 1952

[7] Jenny Hans, Kymatik(Cymatics), Wellenphänomene und Schwingungen, Pub. Heinz Moos, München,1967

[8] Macovschi, Eugen,  Biostructura, Editura Academiei R.S.R., București, 1969

#natural computing #morphogenesis #chladni figure #cybernetics #Archetypal Geometry of Cosmos #standing wave #resonance #kymatik #cymatics #Static Waves

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Unlocked Book of the Month: Weaving Narrative

Each month we’re highlighting a book available through PSU Press Unlocked, an open access initiative featuring scholarly digital books and journals in the humanities and social sciences.

About our February pick:

Enide’s tattered dress and Erec’s fabulous coronation robe; Yvain’s nudity in the forest, which prevents maidens who know him well clothed from identifying him; Lanval’s fairy-lady parading about in the Arthurian court, scantily dressed, for all to observe: just why is clothing so important in twelfth-century French romance? This interdisciplinary book explores how writers of this era used clothing as a signifier with multiple meanings for many narrative purposes. Clothing figured prominently in twelfth-century France, where exotic fabrics and furs came to define a social elite. Monica Wright shows that representations of clothing are not mere embellishments to the text; they help form the textual weave of the romances in which they appear. This book is about how these descriptions are constructed, what they mean, and how clothing becomes an active part of romance composition—the ways in which writers use it to develop and elaborate character, to advance or stall the plot, and to structure the narrative generally.

Read more & access the book here: https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-03565-9.html

See the full list of Unlocked titles here: https://www.psupress.org/unlocked/unlocked_gallery.html

#Weaving #French Romance #Clothing #Fashion #Narrative #PSU Press #PSU Press Unlocked #PSUP Unlocked #Penn State University Press