#meanwhile in france

[victusinveritas]

Clotilde d'Arc, direct descendant of Saint Joan of Arc's brother (Pierre d'Arc) dressed as the Saint for the annual celebrations of the Siege of Orleans (1429)

#meanwhile in france #joan of arc #saints #arms and armor

[dnickels]

Messimy having fervently stamped out Michel’s heresy of the defensive, did his best, as War Minister, to equip the army to fight a successful offensive but was in his turn frustrated in his most-cherished prospect—the need to reform the French uniform. The British had adopted khaki after the Boer War, and the Germans were about to make the change from Prussian blue to field-gray. But in 1912 French soldiers still wore the same blue coats, red kepi, and red trousers they had worn in 1830 when rifle fire carried only two hundred paces and when armies, fighting at these close quarters, had no need for concealment. Visiting the Balkan front in 1912, Messimy saw the advantages gained by the dull-colored Bulgarians and came home determined to make the French soldier less visible. His project to clothe him in gray-blue or gray-green raised a howl of protest. Army pride was as intransigent about giving up its red trousers as it was about adopting heavy guns. Army prestige was once again felt to be at stake. To clothe the French soldier in some muddy, inglorious color, declared the army’s champions, would be to realize the fondest hopes of Dreyfusards and Freemasons. To banish “all that is colorful, all that gives the soldier his vivid aspect,” wrote the Echo de Paris, “is to go contrary both to French taste and military function.” Messimy pointed out that the two might no longer be synonymous, but his opponents proved immmovable. At a parliamentary hearing a former War Minister, M. Etienne, spoke for France.

“Eliminate the red trousers?” he cried. “Never! Le pantalon rouge c’est la France!”

“That blind and imbecile attachment to the most visible of all colors,” wrote Messimy afterward, “was to have cruel consequences.”

Barbara Tuchman, The Guns of August

#meanwhile in France

[butactuallywhatsgoingon]

it is so important to remember to install your filter as you master another language

Woman I’ve just met, talking to a teenage girl with short hair: you know, most boys prefer girls with longer hair

Me, 0.1 seconds later in my second language: well who the fuck cares what they think

#meanwhile in france

[workersforanotsafeparadise]

Paris, district 18. (Photograph posted by Natti Miller and assumed to be by him)

#meanwhile in france

[werewolves-are-real]

Time Travel Temeraire snippet

At first, Laurence assumes he's dead.

It's a natural conclusion. He remembers dying, after all.

He and Tenzing were at a function hosted by Wellesley. They were mostly there to support the dragons. Temeraire had long abandoned them to quarrel with Perscitia in the courtyard, with half a dozen ferals watching like it were a jousting match. Wellesley had laid out his grounds to allow room for dragons and men to mingle, but a good portion of the guests retreated inside to avoid the raised voices of the dragons.

Laurence wonders how Temeraire felt about that, later. About not seeing.

He was stabbed. He barely remembers it – just a quick pulse of pain in his chest, looking down. Red blooming over his coat.

Then he was on the floor. People screamed. Tenzing appeared, grappling with a tall and finely-dressed man; he used a dinner-knife to punch a hole in the stranger's throat, in a fantastic spray of blood, and dropped the body at once to kneel by Laurence's side.

He remembers Wellesley barking orders – bandages, water, a hot knife. Have to cauterize it, he'd shouted. Keep pressure -

But Tenzing never spoke. Just pressed down on Laurence's chest, over the wound, without particular panic. Laurence still remembers the grim resignation on his face; Tenzing knew what was coming. Laurence was glad to have him there when he died.

Then Laurence woke up.

The world sways in a familiar way, a rhythmic motion that Laurence registers on a soul-deep level. He's on a ship. But why? Where is Tenzing, Temeraire? Why would they put him on a ship?

“I think the fever's breaking,” says a voice. A naval doctor, disheveled and salt-stained, with long scars down his bared arms. “Oh, and awake too!”

“Well thank Christ,” says another man. One Laurence recognizes.

It's Captain Gerry Stuart – but he looks different, younger than the last time Laurence saw him, with smooth skin and dark curly hair.

Gerry died two years ago.

“Well, Lieutenant! You gave us a scare – how are you feeling?” Gerry asks.

“It's Admiral,” Laurence corrects rather than all the other things he does not dare ask. He hates the title foisted upon him; but it's at least more comprehensible than Lieutenant, and he clings to that rather than demand where did you come from.

Stuart throws back his head to cackle, though the concern doesn't leave his face. “Still perhaps a bit feverish, I think!”

“That might be the laudanum,” says the doctor, also amused. “Why don't you sleep a bit more, Lieutenant?”

“But where is Temeraire? Or Tenzing?”

“I can only assume you had some very vivid dreams,” Stuart chuckles. “You were babbling and babbling for Temeraire – isn't that a ship?”

“Perhaps the flagship of his fleet,” suggests the doctor, and Stuart laughs again. “Get some rest, Mr. Laurence. Holler if you need me.”

They both exit the sick-berth. Laurence stares blankly at the door.

What?

Laurence pats his chest. No wound. He looks down, startled by the pale thinness of his fingers, his youth-soft skin.

Well; not soft. Callouses cover his hands. But even these patterns are different – hard skin in places where he would hold a sword, or pulls ropes. His hands should be more wrinkled, yes; but these callouses faded years ago.

“Where am I?” he asks when the doctor returns. “And what is the year?”

“The year? 1793. You don't remember?”

1793. Laurence was 19 in 1793. A lieutenant for two years, on the Shorewise.

The doctor narrows his eyes. “What's my name, lad?”

Laurence swallows. His stomach churns; for the life of him he can't remember.

The doctor rushes off to retrieve the captain.

_____________________________

Laurence is diagnosed with brain fever, and partial amnesia. Gerry is horribly guilty about laughing, earlier; Laurence could not care less. He is given strict orders to stay on bed-rest for another week, in hope his strength will recover – and his mind.

Laurence doesn't think he'll have any issues working – he's forgotten many of the people around him, true, but he may never forget the way to run a ship. He's far more concerned with learning what happened.

From all appearances, it is indeed 1793. France is undergoing riots, and declared war against Britain in February. Temeraire has not hatched. Napoleon is probably a corporal or general himself, at this point. If he exists at all. God knows, perhaps Laurence is only mad.

But he doesn't feel mad. His memories are too vivid to be mere fever-dreams. A man cannot dream up twenty years of life!

But neither can a man go back to his youth, and live it all again.

I have a dragon, he thinks of saying. There is no war, because I captured Napoleon – an unknown man who makes himself emperor.

Mad. It sounds mad even to Laurence himself. But to imagine that Temeraire was a fever-ridden dream... Tenzing and Granby and China, all of it...

Laurence doesn't share his turmoil with anyone – not even with Gerry, who checks on him fretfully. After a week the doctor declares him well enough, physically. He's paired always with another lieutenant for the first few days on duty, and his shipmates watch him carefully for signs of permanent debilitation; but aside from a moment or two of hesitance, Laurence competently resumes his duties. The oversight lessens.

Laurence thinks about writing letters.

He thinks about writing to Tharkay's late father, who ought to still be alive, inquiring after his son. He thinks of writing to Prince Mianning, asking about the health of Lung Tien Qian. He thinks of writing to young Midshipman Granby, his unwed brother, his dead father...

Not all of them would reply. But he could ask questions. Could verify the truth of things. Unless this, instead, is the delusion.

Is he in 1793, imagining the future? Is he in the future, imagining the past? Or maybe he is already dead, and this is the reality of hell. He came here burning with fever, and now he burns with fear. Surely that is it's own form of torture.

Laurence is ironically given the task of tutoring the midshipman and lieutenant-hopefuls more than any other duty as the weeks pass; his crewmates still look askance, and the more eager of the midshipman become protective. Laurence remains perfectly capable of command; it is only that he can't help but be absent-minded, sometimes, staring at all the crewmen that pass him like they are nothing but moving paintings. Images of a world that no longer matters.

One evening the midshipmen drag him away to a meal with the other officers. It's a noisy crowd; Laurence would find the friendly bustle comforting in another life.

One of the senior officers, Lieutenant Moore, waves him down as Laurence enters. Evidently they used to be friends, given his notably concerned behavior of late. Laurence can't remember the man, and has a sneaking suspicion he died too soon to make a lasting impression.Moore jostles him when Laurence sits at the long table. “Will! Did you get any letters with the last batch?”

A patrolling gunboat brought a satchel of letters just this morning. “I did not,” Laurence says. He's grateful for the fact. He'd found a few pieces of correspondence in his quarters that he dutifully sent on; he cannot imagine writing a letter now, in this confused state.

“Then you've had no news! Robespierre has gone mad. Madder than before, I suppose.”

“Robespierre?” asks Laurence blankly.

Lieutenant Moore double-takes, as does everyone else around them. “Good lord, Will, please tell me you remember Robespierre?”

Right... Robespierre's reign was brief, but this is when he led France. Some of the things the papers published...

Well, at least Laurence has a well-worn excuse for his ignorance. He plays up his malady: “Yes. I think I recall he was... French?”

Groans of horror mixed with amusement echo around the table. “...Well you aren't wrong,” says Moore, looking pained. “He has styled himself the 'President' of their Assembly, which is some stupid way of being king; the French are all mad about removing and adding words right now. I don't know how they expect anyone to hold a conversation.”

“We should... probably educate Mr. Laurence about the war at some point,” some midshipman mutters. Laurence doesn't recall his name.

Moore sighs again. “Anyway. Robespierre is a tyrant, of course. But he's elected someone else to rule France! Barely more than a boy, too.”

Laurence frowns; he doesn't remember what Moore's talking about. “Why would he do that? Did they capture one of the Bourbons?” Declaring himself regent of a child-prince would at least make sense.

“Well, at least you remember them. No; it is some nobody, a young soldier. Not even French! I cannot fathom it.”

It feels like Laurence has been dunked in ice.

For a moment he can't respond. “What was his name? The soldier.”

“Napoleon Bonaparte. He has been chosen as head of their new heresy, the 'Cult of the Supreme Being,' they're calling it; and now de facto head of the government, too. Must be a priest? I don't know, nothing the French are doing makes sense. I expect his little group will be as short-lived as everything else about these riots.”

But Laurence doesn't think so. “...Excuse me; I'm feeling a bit poorly,” he says, rising on wavering legs.

“Yes, you look it! Go on, we'll tell you about the war later...”

Laurence flees.

#posting bc i have no idea where this is going or if I'll do anything with it #it's just a funny stupid idea #Laurence travelling in time: I have gone mad. I am plagued by visions. God is punishing me for my Sins. This is purgatory. #Why is this happening? What moral course of action can I take under these circumstances? #Napoleon travelling through time: No idea how this happened. Neat. Time to hijack a cult and rule my country even earlier. #basic concept is Laurence has an ongoing existential crisis about his Place In The Universe #but also he is determined to stop Napoleon #who is delighted and fascinated they BOTH came back and sort of indulgently lets him try #basically resulting in Laurence becoming Napoleon's unwilling advisor frantically trying to do damage control in between bouts #of philosophical dread and despair #“Poor Mr Laurence was loyal before the brain fever we swear” #meanwhile Laurence is in France just trying desperately to make Napoleon Stop #etc etc #Temeraire

[elderwisp]

My personal favorite sibling duo...

#bro: literally has the most emotionally turbulent night #also bro: carries his sister to bed because she passed out on the couch waiting for him #meanwhile atlas and frances are like that video of cats fighting #tessellate: extras

[racewinner]

Tadej Pogačar in Tour de France: Unchained, episode 4

#tadej pogacar #cycling #tour de france: unchained #this whole episode being tadej depicted as the big boss to beat and tadej suffering #meanwhile me going hiiii best friend every time he showed up on screen #anyway i'm actually enjoying unchained so far? so if u don't watch cycling but are the tiniest bit curious i encourage u to check it out 👀 #*gifs

[jormvngandrr]

One thing that drives Arthur absolutely insane is Francis cutting in lines or pushing through to get on/off public transport. This man loves a good queue and he just cannot stand Francis being an animal just to get on the metro

#he rly will be apologising to go through meanwhile francis be like #white chicks voice MOVE BITCH #he pulls Francis to keep him from doing That #calls him out for being uncivilised LMAO #sometimes Francis pushes thru and Arthur doesn’t manage to get on 😭 #they re meet at the next station or just flat out at their destination #bye hoe #hws england #hws france #aph england #aph france #aph #hws #hcs

[xekstrin]

Need to commission art of the “never been kissed ever/expecting a kiss with tongue” meme with Malia and Brooke

#malia has been kissed before but the mental image is too funny #frances said the meme works better with Braylon and Quinn and she’s SO right #meanwhile desmond and braylon are both expecting tongue. who said that #forage friends

[miketownsends]

07.03.23 | 07.04.23 -> sea @ sf

closer Paul Sewald joins the victory dance after giving up 3 runs but managing to hold off the Giants | starting pitcher Logan Gilbert joins the victory dance for the first time after pitching a complete game shutout

#mlb #seattle mariners #paul sewald #logan gilbert #julio rodriguez #jp crawford #eugenio suarez #cal raleigh #ty france #kolten wong #mike ford #tom murphy #i'm still fucking laughing about this #paul looks like he just avoided being hit by a truck #but he's done the dance a million times so he does it perfectly #meanwhile logan is like vibrating excitedly #but has NO idea what he's doing #julio hopping up behind him is so cute! love this team #god i hope the Vibes are shifting #they deserve to be happy!

[victusinveritas]

Tall ship L'Hermione (2014, French Navy) during construction and after.

#meanwhile in france #sailing #tall ship #age of sail #ships #how its made

[acrossthewavesoftime]

...If there is one rule in British TV series of the late 1960s to early 1980s, it is that if your series contains a character by the illustrious appellation of "Prince George", that character must

be of noble stock, and foreign(-ish) parentage.

be distinguishable from the rest of the cast by his fashionable attire of pastel colours garnished with the star of the Garter.

wear a blond wig of essentially period-appropriate, yet somehow irritating proportions and (suspected) powers; it is left for the viewer to decide whether the wig long ago devoured the Prince's brains, being a sentient creature in its own right, or whether it insulates the Prince's brain so well against matters beyond the tip of his own nose that he speaks ineloquently to the point of being perceived as being not quite the brightest candle on the royal wedding cake by all around him.

for the above reason be somewhat annoying at all times when he opens his mouth.

...And for every Prince George, there is a somewhat less tall, soberly-attired dark-haired man in a black coat who, though inferior by birth, manages to obtain a certain standing in the world by way of a ruthless personality and razor-sharp wit, whom Prince George can turn to and accept as the actual brains of the operation.

The First Churchills aired in 1969, the third season of Blackadder in 1983. If this is a coincidence, I will tell you for the affordable price of one of Baldrick's turnips. ;-)

#can i please have a crossover? the georges get on like two kids on a playdate #meanwhile william iii and blackadder devise a cunning plan together #maybe how to destroy france for good but the plan fails because the georges ruin it #history humour #utter nonsense #the first churchills #blackadder #george of denmark #william of orange #william iii #george iv #prince regent #prinny #tv series #1970s #1980s #hugh laurie #rowan atkinson #alan rowe #roger mutton

[oldtvandcomics]

Guys, guys, GUYS! (gender neutral)

There is this new movie on Netflix, Runs In The Family (2023). GO WATCH IT.

It's a South African dramedy about a transgender boy and his single father who go on a road trip to break his birthmother out of a hospital. Then the protagonist's drag partner hurts their foot, and THE FATHER JUMPS IN AND DOES A DUAL DRAG NUMBER WITH HIS SON.

It's this beautifully messy family story, with a wonderful father-son relationship at its heart. From South Africa. Also, it's in English, you don't even need subtitles.

Feels like something Tumblr would appreciate.

#my life improved 110% when I started watching foreign queer movies #as in 'actually foreign' France and Germany don't count #obviously #you just get the most beautifully human stories delivered in beautiful movie format to you from all corners of the world #so glad to see more from Africa too #India meanwhile is obviously the best but they also have the biggest movie industry so it's not really surprising #anyway go watch foreign queer movies #queer cinema #african cinema #South African cinema #movie rec #netflix movie

[7kylian]

I can’t believe I finally have a smart son

#meanwhile kylian choking in his comfort zone #in France + his mommy’s arms #can’t believe the documentary shit either #LIKE ABOUT WHAT?? #uber eats??😂

[layzeal]

everyday for the past two months it's been waking up in the morning to the most horrifying war crimes being committed by a fascist colonial power run by a death cult, followed by said power fabricating the most offensive and easily debunked lies to excuse said war crimes, then the entire fucking world media believing them and waving around their pathetic little crocodile tears as i pass by the news that the soldiers of that world power shot an old woman in the entrance of a hospital and used her as bait to shoot any medic who tried helping her, followed by a video of parents looking through the charred remains of children's limbs and scalps trying to recognize their own. and then i go to brazilian TV and find the news that a brazilian palestinian has finally been able to leave Gaza and all the reporters wanna focus on is how they're probably a terrorist because of these posts from 2015 where they condemn israel's actions. and then i look at the presidents of the only few nations who have the power to stop this genocide with a single phone call and how they entirely refuse to do shit about it, just to be told on tumblr dot com that praying for the dismantlement of the state of israel is evil and inconsiderate because don't you know they suffered really really badly in the past (but also please don't google the rates of poverty of holocaust survivors and how they're treated by the government of the country that was supposed to be a safe haven. well at least george from pennsylvania can move and have a beautiful view of the burned olive tress from the multigenerational house he stole in the west bank, and isn't THAT what really matters)

#anyways today's lie was the israeli government posting a picture of a kurdish woman who had been raped and killed in may 2023 #claiming it is a israeli woman from oct 7 #meanwhile they ravage Al Shifa hospital because there are terrorist bases there guys trust us!!!!! #they're right behind these premature babies suffocating because the incubators have no more energy!!!!! #just one more group of terrorist guys and we'll be fine and have peace forever!!!!!! #god what a bunch of ghouls #and western powers are gladly funding this shit #but nooooo don't call for a free palestine don't u know it's actually a call for genocide 🥺 unlike whatever we are doing in gaza #godddd #fuck the US fuck France fuck Germany fuck Russia and FUCK ISRAEL 🖕🖕🖕 #''right to defend itself'' babygirl you don't even have a right to exist. your PEOPLE have a right to exist and feel safe like all others #but no nation state has rights and especially none that prioritize its own existence over indigenous people's lives

[reaperlight]

Eddie: Frances, what do you want for Christmas?

Frances: Revenge.

Eddie: What practical thing do you want for Christmas?

Frances: Instruments of torture.

Eddie: What harmless thing do you want for Christmas?

Frances: ...Novelty Cushions.

#meanwhile Cletus already has request 1 & 2 covered #eddie is so done #venom let there be carnage #eddie & frances #venom #eddie brock #frances barrison #shriek #carnage #shriekingcarnage+eddie #incorrect quotes #incorrect venom quotes #venom crack #source: tumblr