#michael stahler

[parf-fan]

This blog is still in a coma (as opposed to dead) for an indeterminate amount of time, but I need to make this one post.  If you don't feel like reading it all, just go look through the links at the end.  It's about a piece of theatre that is being streamed just this weekend.

There is precedent for me shouting excitedly on here about non-Faire theatre done by Faire actors, with particular precedent for the non-Faire theatre of Michael Stahler (Horace Tanningrove c.2019).  There is also precedent for me mentioning that I am Autistic, albeit possibly not in so precise a term, at least not outside of tags.  There is not, however, precedent for combining those two things in one post.  But there will be now.

I cannot say as much about this as I'd like, for making words is exceptionally mentally taxing for me right now, and I'm also thoroughly out of practice at writing.  But I'll do my best.

I am Autistic.  Amongst other things, this is what enabled me to so keenly observe and so thoughtfully analyze and so deeply keep track of so many things about PARF, allowing me, in turn, to make so many informed and understanding memes, jokes, headcanons, analysis, and occasional fics about the characters and events of PARF: it was my primary Special Interest for several years, and remains an ongoing dormant one now.  (The shifting of Special Interests is, conversely, also part of what rendered this blog so barren of late, but we won't go into that.) Being Autistic is more than only having Special Interests, of course, but that's the part that relates directly to this blog, and thus directly to you.  Being Autistic is a bigger part of my life and more important to me than can ever be stated, for I would quite literally be a fundamentally different person, with a different personality, if I were allistic (not Autistic).

Michael Stahler is also Autistic, and would be a fundamentally different (probably less interesting, in my opinion) person if he were allistic.  And while he has sometimes coded some of the characters he plays as Autistic, he has never before the last few months had the opportunity to play a role explicitly written as Autistic.  This is in part because so few examples of characters intentionally written as Autistic are remotely accurate or respectful; and even factoring in the poor examples, there are just so few.

From the 17th of May through the 4th of June, Michael starred in the world premier of playwright Juliette Dunn's “The Puzzle” at Hedgerow Theatre (don't worry, the title does not refer to Michael's character; in fact, as one of the articles I'll be linking below states, his role is “the most whole character in the story”). I had the immense privilege and joy of attending it twice.  I cannot do it justice in my current state of writing, and I frankly will not try.  Rather, I will link some of the many pieces of news coverage about the show below, and plead and entreat you to read at least some of them.  What I will say is that it was the most incredible play I've ever witnessed, and might even be the most amazing theatrical experience I've ever had – including all things Renn Faire and Theatre In the Mansion, which is no small feat.  I wanted to shout excitedly about it on this platform back before and during the run, but I didn't have it in me at the time to make the words, not even in writing. As established, I still only kind of have it in me to make words, but I seem to have hit the point at which I'm willing to make words even though it is costing disproportionate spoons and the words are sub-par.

For those of you who missed the show entirely (which is most of you), and those who wish to witness the show again, you have one more chance.  Thanks to the League of Live Stream Theater (which I did not realize was a thing that exists, and am delighted to be informed is), you can stream a performance of “The Puzzle” on June 16th (7:30pm EST), 17th (7:30pm EST), and 18th (2pm EST).  That's this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, respectively. In each case, the stream starts at the indicated time, and is available on-demand for twenty hours after the performance ends. Tickets are $44 (that's the regular $35 ticket plus $9 for the platform fee).

If the antics of Horace Tanningrove ever brought a smile to your face or laughter to your lips; if PARF-fan's posts have ever enhanced your life; if you enjoyed the performance of sundry other Autistic actors at PARF, both Bacchanalian and Blackfryar (none of whom I can specify, as I did not ask their permission to namedrop them and their Autism on here), then I ask, I beg, indeed, I charge you to stream this show if it is in your budget.  Hell, have some friends or family over and split the ticket cost.  You will not be disappointed.  You will be treated to an astounding piece of theatre, a story about human connection and communication, and you will walk away from it wiser and a more developed person.

Here is the link to the show on Hedgerow Theatre's website.

Here is the streaming link.

Here is the link to view or download the program.  Even if you read nothing else from it, you really need to read the playwright's note (page three, four if you include the cover) before seeing the play, for context and definitions (particularly if you know little about Autism, but it's still important even if you're already informed).

The photos in one of the “artist spotlight” posts from Hedgerow's facebook page include pictures of the display that the audience had to walk past in the theatre to get to the house (put together by the dramaturg).  As with the playwright's note, it is very important to read this display for further context and explanations, particularly if you know little about Autism (and you'll likely learn something new even if you're already informed; I certainly did).  I am having difficulty making the “embed post” thing work, so I have instead attached the pictures I took of that same display (the text is more readable in these ones, anyway).  While I received permission to photograph the display, I did not ask about posting the pictures, and will remove them if Hedgerow asks.  The first five images are closeups of (most of) the relevant text (hence being more readable).  The remaining four are wider shots, intended to showcase the display more than the text.

And here are the many pieces of news coverage which do a far batter job than I currently can of describing the show and why you should see it.

Broadway World's initial article, a well-rounded introduction to the play.

Broadway World's followup article about the extended run and the streaming option. Much directly from the first article.

NBC10 Phillidelphia's video reporting on the show.  It's 2:37 long.  Good supplement to the well-rounded Broadway World article.

NPR and PBS WHYY: Mostly a behind-the-scenes angle, about the acting and the writing of it.  Definitely worth a read.

Li'l interview with Michael on KYW news radio.

Delco Culture Vultures: A review that provides a more detailed look at the content of the story and somewhat at the setup of the show.  Contains traces of info about the plot, and is thus to be avoided if you are as neurotic about anything that could be considered a spoiler as I am (so probably literally everybody will be fine to read it).

Broad Street Review: Discusses the title, takes us on a bit of a journey with the writer to go see the show, brings in additional perspective. Contains very detailed description of the flavour of the play, relates more events within the play than any other article.  Very good article, definitely worth a read if you're at all concerned about the content of the play, or otherwise unsure whether or not you want to see it.

Delco Times article.  Looks to be mostly rehashing of parts of the Broadway World article, but not wholly identical.  Has an audio option.

Philadelphia Inquirer's “The thing of the week” blurb.  The blurb is about halfway down the page.

The interview with the playwright referenced in the “Thing of the week” blurb; only available to paid subscribers (I thus have been unable to vet it or describe the contents), but it's not impossible that some followers here fall into that category.

Two short videos about a couple different aspect of the show, one from each of Michael's co-stars:

Daniel Passer

David Shiner

A wonderful post-show interview from WPPM with all three cast members.  There's enough detail about the events within the play that I would recommend listening to this after seeing the show.  Either way, you should definitely listen to it.  The link actually opens part-way through the interview, but you will need a free Soundcloud account to pull it back to the start of the interview (37:33).  If you don't, you will miss nothing about the show itself, but you will miss hearing Michael calmly and eloquently go off about the necessity of streaming theatre for accessibility.

-----------------------------------------------------

The Puzzle display (text closeups):

The Puzzle display (wide shots):

#behold! a content #kinda #this blog will absolutely go right back to being inactive for a while after this #please for the love of all that is good in this world: stream this play #michael stahler #horace tanningrove #actuallyautistic #actually autistic #new play #new theatre #philadelphia theatre #hedgerow theatre #autism in media #autism in theatre #autism #autistic #autistic joy #tbh i rather hope someone wholly uninvolved with parf will find this via one of the autism tags and end up streaming it #how bloody cool would that be? #parf #parf 2019 #pa ren faire #pa renn faire #pennsylvania renaissance faire

[freddycarterus]

I am posting this for notes purposes, because we are going to be contacting many of these companies to pitch SIX Of Crows! ;)

The following companies are looking for new TV pitches for development & production.

Campaign - Production Companies

20th Century Fox Television

20th TV, Fox and MyNetworkTV

2C Media

3 BALL PRODUCTIONS

3 Ball Productions/Eyeworks USA

3 Ring Circus

360Production

40 Partners

720 PR

8790 Pictures,Inc.

ABC Cable Networks

ABC Entertainment

ABC Studios

Abrams Artists Agency

Adept Entertainment

Alan David Group

Alchemy Television

Alchemy Television Group

Alcon Entertainment

Allan McKeown Presents Ltd

Allan R. Smith Productions

Ambush Entertainment

American Media Television

Anne Carlucci Productions, Inc.

APA

Arclight Films

Arjay Entertainment Television

Artist International

Asylum Entertainment

AT IT Productions

Atlas Media Corp

Automatic Pictures

Avalon Television USA

Axelson-Weintraub Entertainment

Banner-Caswell Productions

BBC Worldwide

BCII

Beth Grossbard Productions

Big Cattle Productions

Big Hill Pictures

Boulevard Pictures

Boxing Cats Productions

Boz Productions

Brian Graden Media

Broken Lizard Industries

Buck Productions

Buck Productions Inc.

CAA

Cakehouse Media

Capestany Films

CartoonNetwork

Cataland Films

Cavelight Films

CBS

CBS Entertainment

CBS Films

CBS Interactive

CBS Paramount

CBS Paramount Network Television

CBS Studios International

CBS Television Distribution

CBS Television Studios

Central Artists

Champion Entertainment

Clear Pictures Entertainment

Codeblack Entertainment

Codeblack Films/Lionsgate

Collins Avenue

CoLours TV

cosmic pictures

Creative Chaos Inc.

Creative Convergence

DASH Networks

DatsEntertainment

De Line Pictures

Digital Alchemy Entertainment Inc.

Disney Channel

diverse talent group

Dragonfly Film and TV

E'lan Productions

Echelon Studios

Echo Lake Productions

Echo Production Company, Inc

Edmonds Entertainment

Edward Saxon Productions

Electric Entertainment

Elkins Entertainment

Ellman Entertainment

Enchanted Rock Pictures/MTS Entertainment

Endemol USA

Endgame Entertainment

Ensemble Entertainment

Entertainment Studios, Inc

Epic Level Entertainment

Epiphany Pictures

Espiritus Productions

Evatopia

Eventime Productions

Evolution Entertainment

Eyeworks Belgium NV

Fauci Productions, Inc.

Faultline Films ltd

Film 44

Film Garden Entertainment

Firehorse Pictures

Fireworks Enterprises

Fisher Entertainment Group

Forward Entertainment, llc

Fox Broadcasting

Fox Interactive Media

Fox International Channels

Fox Searchlight Pictures

FOX Sports

Fox Television Studios

Frontlot Productions

FX Network

Generate

Goliath

Grand Productions Inc

GRB Entertainment

Greene & Associates Talent Agency

Greenspan Kohan Mgt.

Handmade Films

Harper Winslow Productions

HBO

HDNet

Here Media

Homerun Entertainment

Honest Engine Films

Hope Enterprises, Inc.

Ideas Unlimited - TV (Denmark)

Idiomatic Entertainment

IKA Collective

Imbroglio Pictures Inc. / Scott & Cooper Entertainment Ventures

Innovative Artists

insomnia media group

Inspire Films and Television

International Creative Management

Intuitive Entertainment

IWV Media Group, Inc.

Jackamo Television Ltd

Jane Street Entertainment

Jeff Ross Entertainment

Jupiter Entertainment

Just SInger Entertainment

Kaplan-Stahler Agency

Ken Ehrlich Productions

Kickstart Productions, Inc.

Kingfish Productions

klasky csupo, inc.

KoldCast TV

Komixx Entertainment

Konigsberg Company

Kritzer Levine Wilkins Griffin Entertainment

Laika Entertainment

Legion Entertainment LLC

Lionsgate

Lionsgate Television

Little Dog Productions

LITTLE STUDIO FILMS

Litton TV

Lucky 8 TV

M Creative Group, Inc.

Madeline Films

Madhouse Entertainment

Madison Road Entertainment

Magical Elves

Magnet Management

Magnolia Entertainment

Mandeville Films Inc

Mandt Bros. Productions

Mango Tree Films

Manville Media

Mark Yellen Productions

Mashaal Media Corp.

Mass Hysteria Entertainment

Matrixx Prod.

Mayhem Pictures

Media 8 Entertainment

MGM

Michael Berk Productions

Michael Grais Prods.

Michael Levy Enterprises

Microsoft Corporation

Moniker Entertainment

Moxie Pictures

MPH Entertainment, Inc.

Mpower Pictures

Mt. Vernon Entertainment

myriad pictures

National Geographic Digital Media

National Lampoon/ Comedy Cocktail

NBC/Universal | Mun2

Neon Television

Network Entertainment Inc.

New Wave Entertainment

Noble Savages

Nu Image

Nu Image / Millennium Films

Nu Image/Millennium Films

Oceanside Entertainment

Ocular Production Inc.

One Entertainment

PalmStar Entertainment

Panic Productions, Inc.

Paradigm Agency

Paramount Digital Entertainment

Paramount Network

Paul Schiff Productions

Paulist Productions

Phoenix Pictures

Pie Town productions

Planet Grande Pictures

Planet Pictures

Playboy Entertainment Group

Plymouth Rock Entertainment, Inc.

Pogo Pictures

Popular Arts Entertainment

Porchlight Entertainment

Port Magee Pictures, Inc.

PorterGeller Entertainment

POW! Entertainment

preferred artists

Principal Entertainment

Principato Young

Principato-Young Entertainment

PrizmHead Pictures

Rain Management Group

Rainstorm Entertainment

RDF USA

RDS FILM

Red Baron Films

Reel Entertainment

Reid Media Group, Inc.

Revelations Entertainment

Reyes Entertainment

Right Brain Media

ROAR

Rob Gallagher Literary Management

ROBBINS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Rudolph Films Inc

S.L Entertainment

SB Productions Inc.

Scream Films (UK Based)

Shatner Universe

ShineReveille International

ShootersTV

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Sigh Griffin Management

Slate of Eight Productions

Smash Media

Smoke and Mirrors Creative / Pandemonium Films

Solar Films Inc

Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures International TV

Sony Pictures Television

Sony Pictures Television International

Sony Pictures TV

Sony Television

SPEED Channel

Sports Branded Media

Starz

Starz Media

State Street Pictures

Station3

Storytime Films

Stowaway Films

Telecast productions

Tell Tale Productions

test

The Corsa Agency

THE GERLER AGENCY

The Gersh Agency

The Gersh Agency, L.A.

THE MAK COMPANY

The Sterling/Winters Production Studios

The Televisionaries

The Terminal

The Wolper Organization

The Wolper Organization / WBTV

Thousand Hills Productions

ThunderBall Films, LLC

Touchdown Television

Trevino Enterprises

Trilogy Entertainment Group

TV Guide Network

Twentieth Century Fox Television

Twentieth Television

Underground Films

Underground Films and Management

Union Entertainment

United Talent Agency

Universal Studios

UTA

Valencia Corp

Venture IAB

ViacomCBS

VPR Media

Walt Disney Company

Walt Disney Studios

Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production

Washington Square Films

Wayans Brothers Prod.

Weller/Grossman Productions

Wide Angle Productions Group, Inc.

Wildbrain Entertainment

William Morris Endeavor

Wolf Moon Films

Zero gravity

Zero Gravity Management

Zilo Networks Inc.,

Zucker Productions

#six of crows #shadow and bone #campaign

[byneddiedingo]

Le Mans (Lee H. Katzin, 1971)

Cast: Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Fred Haltiner, Luc Merenda, Christopher Waite, Louise Edlund. Screenplay: Harry Kleiner. Cinematography: René Guissart Jr., Robert B. Hauser. Production design: Phil Abramson. Film editing: Ferris Webster Ghislaine Desjonquères, Donald W. Ernst, John Woodcock. Music: Michel Legrand. 

The real antagonists of Le Mans are Porsche and Ferrari, not Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen) and Erich Stahler (Siegfried Rauch). And the real directors of the film are not Lee H. Katzin and John Sturges (who quit or was fired from the film, depending on whose story you believe) so much as the cameramen who shot the actual 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1970 -- one of whom, David Piper, was seriously injured during the shoot -- and the editors who put together their footage. Which is to say that the movie is as much about technology as it is about human beings. Granted, the docudrama tries to dramatize the human element more than it documents the actual race. You don't cast an actor like Steve McQueen unless you want to bring out something of human toughness in the face of the perils of a race like Le Mans and to soften it with a romantic element. Delaney has previously been involved in a crash that killed his opponent, and wouldn't you know it, the beautiful widow, Lisa (Elga Andersen), shows up at Le Mans, giving McQueen a chance to show Delaney's guilt and to deal with the attraction that blossoms between him and Lisa -- lots of poignant gazes. There's also a subplot about a driver who tells his wife he's going to give up racing and settle down, which only signals to the savvy moviegoer that he's about to get in a crash. But the thing that lingers with the viewer after the film is over is the cars, zooming around turns, skidding on rain slicks, and coming apart spectacularly and sometimes pyrotechnically when they crash. The substance of the drama is really the rivalry of two corporations and their designers, engineers, and pit crew mechanics. The drivers are skilled, of course, but they're at the mercy of their machines and those who create and maintain them. The rivalry even took place behind the scenes of the film. Enzo Ferrari refused to supply cars for the film when he learned that Porsche was going to be depicted as the winner, so the producers had to borrow them from a Belgian distributor. Le Mans is an exciting film, but I'm tempted to ask Lisa's question, "What is so important about driving faster than anyone else?" And to find my answer in Delaney's description of racing as "a professional blood sport."   

#Le Mans #Lee H. Katzin

[furryalligator]

(via CSotD: $trangling the newspaper The Daily Cartoonist)

The de Adder de Bacle highlights how newspapers have been committing suicide for the past three decades. Three credits towards your MBA for reading today's CSotD, w/@deAdder @varvel @guybadeaux @AAEC_Cartoonist @wuerker @claytoonz and many more:https://t.co/XGTwSRt2Z7 pic.twitter.com/ciUpfsqG2I

— Mike Peterson (@ComicStripOTD) July 1, 2019

#Matt Wuerker #Mike Ramirez #Henry Payne #de adder #michael de Adder #CSotD #editorial cartoon #@claytoonz #@deAdder #@varvel #@guybadeaux #Jeff Stahler

[ritchiepage2001newaccount]

#HailCaesar #BirtherInChief #CorpMedia #Idiocracy #Oligarchs #MegaBanks vs #Union #Occupy #NoDAPL #BLM #SDF #DACA #MeToo #Humanity #DemExit

#WriteInBernie

Stop the aggressions against the Zapatistas! - Manifesto signed by Noam Chomsky, Boaventura De Sousa, Raúl Zibechi, Enzo Traverso, Gilberto López y Rivas and more.

Today those who defend the environment are slaughtered every day. At a time like the one that the planet lives in which the protection of those who defend it is required, the opposite happens. Those who have resisted this destruction by the powerful have not stopped saying NO, they have always done so, although the current administration does not want to have memory.

The murder in the community of Amilcingo, Morelos of Samir Flores, a member of the resistance against the Comprehensive Plan Morelos, its gas pipeline and thermoelectric plants that put the life and territory of Nahua communities in Puebla and Morelos at risk; the massacre of 15 Ikoot indigenous people in San Mateo del Mar, Oaxaca, one of the regions that has opposed the Trans-isthmian Corridor projects; the growing paramilitary violence in Chiapas, with 56 attacks in the municipality of Aldama alone, and the kidnapping in February of members of the National Indigenous Council (CNI) of the municipality of Chenalhó are proof that the war continues.

Now the violence is becoming more and more explicit against the Zapatista communities. The growth of the activity of paramilitary groups such as “Los Chinchulines” or the Regional Organization of Coffee Growers of Ocosingo (ORCAO), as well as the appearance of new groups, is exacerbating tension in the region. The theft and burning of warehouses and houses of the Moisés Ghandi community, of the Autonomous Rebel Zapatista Municipality “Lucio Cabañas”, (in the official municipality of Ocosingo), show the increase in the intensity of the aggressions and provocations against the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. The EZLN has respected the ceasefire for years and has focused on strengthening its autonomous organizational processes with schools, clinics, and justice systems. It is serious that one of the ethical references of resistance and construction of concrete and viable alternatives for the planet continues to be under siege, and it is even more serious that the response of those who seek to “transform Mexico” is complicity or oblivion in the face of these extermination attempts. .

It is extremely worrying that this occurs in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, that there are those who seek to take advantage of the vulnerability in which everyone finds themselves to fuel their ambitions for money and power. It is more worrisome when those who are supposedly in charge of preventing such abuses allow and therefore favor them.

Beyond the erroneous or successful changes of the executive power, which shows this escalation of violence in indigenous areas, and the worsening of paramilitary attacks in the Zapatista territory in Chiapas, is the continuity of the racist, colonial and paternalistic vision of the governments. liberals and conservatives, left and right. Projects such as the Mayan Train show the idea of ​​bringing "development" to indigenous peoples by turning them into cheap labor and contributing only the folkloric image of the Mexican indigenous.

The violence and dispossession of indigenous territories that megaprojects such as the Trans-isthmian Corridor or the Mayan Train imply and require are the ethical breaking point of the current Mexican government, it is where the moral stature that President López Obrador has awarded in front of its predecessors begins to collapse.

Those of us who signed this letter are watching carefully what is happening in Mexico, what is happening in the Zapatista communities that for decades have been a benchmark for other ways of living, health, education, justice, politics. We will not allow the extermination of indigenous peoples with the recurring excuse of development.

International firms

Noam Chomsky (USA)

Saskia Sassen (USA)

Raúl Zibechi (Uruguay)

Marcos Roitman (Spanish State)

Oscar Olivera (Bolivia)

Hugo Blanco Galdos (Peru)

Boaventura De Sousa Santos (Portugal)

Michael Hardt (USA)

Yvon Le Bot (France)

Philippe Corcuff (France)

Jaime Pastor (Spanish State)

Manuel Garí Ramos. Economist. Member of Anticapitalistas (Spanish State)

Juan Wahren (Argentina)

Sabrina Melenotte (France)

Daniel Mato (Argentina)

John Gibler (USA)

José Angel Quintero Weir - Wainjirawa Indigenous Organization (Venezuela)

Roberto Ojeda Escalante (Cusco, Peru)

Pepe Mejía, journalist, social activist, Correspondent for Indigenous Struggle in Europe

Pierluigi Sullo (Italy)

Enzo Traverso (Italy)

Derly Constanza Cuetia Dagua (Nasa People, Colombia)

Vilma Rocío Almendra (Colombia)

Manuel Rozental (Colombia)

Raúl Camargo. Former deputy of Madrid. Spokesperson for Anticapitalistas (Spanish State)

Genaro Raboso Saelices. Unionist of Workers' Commissions (Spanish State)

Ana María Gordaliza Fernández. Psychoanalyst. (Spanish state)

Ana Barba. Pharmaceutical (Spanish State)

Marià Delás Briefcase. Journalist (Spanish State)

Lurdes Lucia. Editor Feminist. (Spanish state)

José Vicente Barcia. Ecologist (Spanish State)

Rocío Van Der Heide García. Anti-capitalists. Social worker (Spanish State)

Patri Amaya. Feminist. LGTBI Movement (Spanish State)

Fernando Cabrerizo. Multimedia Technician (Spanish State)

Pablo Pérez Garfonina. Member of Adelante Andalucía (Spanish State)

Ramon Gorriz Vitalla, union member of Workers' Commissions (Spanish State)

Roberto Montoya Batiz. Journalist (Spanish State)

Laura Lucía Pérez Ruano. Jurist. Teacher. Former deputy of Navarra (Spanish State)

Carmen San José Pérez. Family doctor. Unionist of the Assembly Movement of Health Workers (MATS) (Spanish State)

Juan Hernández Zubizarreta. College professor. Member of the Observatory of Multinationals of Latin America. (Spanish state)

Lorena Garrón Rincón. Councilor of the Cádiz City Council. (Spanish state)

Alicia López Hernando. Feminist Movement (Spanish State)

Ángela Aguilera Clavijo, deputy spokesperson of the Adelante Andalucía group in the Andalusian Parliament (Spanish State)

Demetrio Quirós. Councilor of the Cádiz City Council (Spanish State)

Jorge Riechmann Fernández. Professor at the Autonomous University of

Madrid and writer (Spanish State)

Mónica Rocha Medina, Bolivian Center for Popular Studies (Bolivia)

Huáscar Salazar Lohman, Bolivian Center for Popular Studies (Bolivia)

Patrick Silberstein (France)

Tomas Astelarra, journalist (Argentina)

Mexican firms

Paul Hersch Martinez

Alicia Castellanos Guerrero, UAM-I

Gilberto López y Rivas, INAH- Morelos

Juan Carlos Rulfo. Filmmaker. Mexico City.

Margara Millán, professor, UNAM

Fernanda Navarro

Paul Leduc

Magdalena Gomez

Francisco Barrios "El Cress"

Eduardo Almeida Acosta

Maria Eugenia Sánchez Díaz de Rivera

Graciela Mijares López

Alexander Varas

Volga De Pina, defender of Human Rights.

Marta De Cea. Cultural Promoter. Mexico

Mariana Mora, CIESAS CDMX and Red de Feminismos Descoloniales

Bruno Baronnet, Universidad Veracruzana

Isidoro Moreno. Emeritus Professor of Anthropology. Sevilla University. Andalusia

Francisco Morfin Otero. Instituto Superior Intercultural Ayuuk ISIA

Kathia Núñez Patiño Faculty of Social Sciences C-III. A CH

Richard Stahler-Sholk Eastern Michigan University, USA

Jean Robert Architect, Professor at La Salle University

Sylvia Marcos, Network of decolonial Feminisms, Professor at the Ibero-American University

Servando Gaja, Cinematographer

Inés Durán Matute, sociologist.

Mariana favela

Barbara Zamora

Susana Vázquez Vidal, PhD at CIESAS Occidente.

Orb Larisa

Antonio Sarmiento

Hector Zetina

Raúl Romero, sociologist, Mexico.

Raúl Gutiérrez Narváez, Intercultural Inductive Education Network and CIESAS, Chiapas

Sergio Tischler

Fernando Matamoros Ponce, Research Professor, Postgraduate in Sociology (ICSyH-BUAP)

Joaquín Osorio G. ITESO

Rubén Martin, freelance journalist, Guadalajara

Lucia Linsalata

Ana Maria Vera

Isis Samaniego-Poet

Bertha Melendez «Yuhcatla»

Maria Luisa Arroyo Rodriguez

Epifanio Flores and Manzola

Amparo Seville

J. Jesus Maria Serna Moreno

Sergio Hernández / Uci, Zautla, Puebla

Paulino Alvarado

Erika Sánchez Cruz, professor at BUAP

Irma Zentle Colotl, Social Economist

Wullfrano Ramírez, Dr. Artificial Intelligence

Mirna Valdés, Poet

Horacio Torres de Ita

Alejandra Jiménez, Rural Teacher

Ana Melissa Valenzuela, Educator

Zitlalli López Mendoza, Educator

Cristian Añorve, Student

Roxana Bolio

Jose Meza Rosas

Luis Saracho de María y Campos

Florina Mendoza Jimenez

Leonel Lopez

María de Lourdes Mejía, Mother of Carlos Sinuhé Cuevas Mejía

Angel Benhumea Salazar

Roberto Rodríguez Contreras "Cat"

Isabel Maldonado Hernandez

Omar Abrego Torres

Alfredo Velarde Saracho, professor at the Faculty of Economics

Ana Laura Suarez Lima

Azael Soriano Sanchez

Cecilia Zeledon

Diana Patricia González Ferreira, ICSYH Sociology Teacher

Organizations

Colectivo La Resistencia (Los Angeles, USA)

Solidarity with the Mexican people - Málaga (Spanish State)

Union Communiste libertaire (Marseille, France)

Union syndicale Solidaires, (France)

Vocesenlucha - Popular Communication (Spanish State)

Collectif Paris-Ayotzinapa (France)

Towns in Camino (Colombia)

Éditions Syllepse (France)

Network of Brotherhood and Solidarity with Colombia (Colombia)

International Commission of the People's Congress (Colombia)

Network Against Repression and for Solidarity (RvsR)

Human Rights Node (NODHO)

Errant Etcetera

Labor and Socialist Unity (UníoS!)

Union of Neighbors and Victims "September 19" (UVyd-19)

Community Communication Research Center A.C. (CICC A.C.)

Popular Indigenous Council of Oaxaca Ricardo Flores Magón (CIPO-RFM)

Indigenous and Popular Council of Guerrero - Emiliano Zapata (CIPOG-EZ)

Guardians and Guardians of the Metlapanapa River

Otomí Indigenous Community residing in CDMX

Support network for the CNI-CIG Ibero Puebla

Xalapa Resistance and Rebellion Network

2140/5000 Resistance and Rebellion Network in support of the CNI-CIG of the Port of Veracruz

La Otra Tuxtla Resistance and Rebellion Network

Network of Rebellion and Resistrenzas-Puebla

Metropolitan, Anticapitalist and Antipatriarchal Coordination with the CIG

Network of decolonial feminisms

Paper picnic area

Compas Arriba !, Xalapa, Veracruz.

Mexicali Resists

Binational Network of Women Who Fight

Nativitas Zacapan for the Defense of the Land and Water.

Radio Tlanixco

The Collective Against Torture and Impunity

Colectivo Feminista Cihuatlahtolli A.C.

The Voice of the Anahuac.

Autonomous Student Renovation Collective

Coordinator of Students and Collectives of the FD-UNAM

Zapatista Neza Collective, Café "Zapata Vive"

Radio Regeneration

UPREZ Benito Juárez

Collective Aequus.- Promotion and defense of Human Rights

Coordination of Relatives of Students Victims of Violence

Voices of the Wind

Poetry and Singing

Collective Las Sureñas in resistance and rebellion

Popular Free Media Laboratory

Stomping Free Media

Plantón for 43

La Ceiba Collective

Zapatista Pantitlán Health Brigade

Sector of Workers Adhering to the Sixth Declaration

Front of Workers for the Right to Health and Social Security

Women who Fight, Resist and Organize

Rebel Bazaar

Community Dentistry Collective Sowing Smiles

Otomí Autonomous School

Residents of the Honorable National Student House.

Community Radio Totopo de Juchitán, Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca

Green Tide High Mountains

Circle of Marxist Studies, Mexico City

The Other Juaritox

Collective ADA

Karuzo Cultural Forum

They are from the Máiz

Sixth Theater

El Torito Collective

Collective of Profes in the Sixth

Xochitlanezi Community

Tlanezi Calli Community

Compass Red

Zapatista Coffee Table of the UAM-Iztapalapa Below and to the Left of Building E

Gavilanas Collective

Collective Common Notebook

Iztapalapa Sexta Support Network

Colectivos del Sur Adherent to the Sixth

University of the Earth in Puebla (UnitierraPuebla)

Collective Utopia Puebla

The Zenzontle

House of the Peoples-Mexico

Autonomous Brigades of Mutual Support

[itsdailyshane]

Shane joins ‘Gossamer Folds’

Great news fellow Westaholics – Shane has joined the cast of ‘Gossamer Folds‘ which has already began production in Baton Rouge (and we are also so excited that Shane is finally getting the chance to film a movie in his home state after working in the business for 20+ years!)  – you can read the press release from Deadline.com below where it shares some information on the plot and also Shane’s character.

I personally am looking forward to this project so much and I am also so excited to see Shane take on new and interesting characters.

EXCLUSIVE: Yeardley Smith and Ben Cornwell’s Paperclip Ltd and Mill House Motion Pictures announced today that their forthcoming drama Gossamer Folds starring Alexandra Grey (Transparent, When We Rise) and Jackson Robert Scott (It) has begun production. The Lisa Donato-directed film written by Bridget Flanery has also added Sprague Grayden, Shane West, Ethan Suplee, and Franklin Ojeda Smith.

Yeardley Smith will also appear along with Brenda Currin (In Cold Blood, The World According to Garp) and Jen Richards (Mrs. Fletcher, Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City). Ava Benjamin Shorr (Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, Baja Come Down) serves as DP.

The film is set in 1986 and tells the story of ten-year-old Tate (Scott) who is uprooted from the big city and unceremoniously moved to a small town where he is forced to spend a lonely summer bearing witness to his parents’ disintegrating marriage (West and Grayden). Tate ends up befriending his new next-door neighbors, recently retired English professor, Edward Bryant (Ojeda Smith) and his transgender daughter, Gossamer, (Grey). Despite his father’s knee-jerk transphobia and his mother’s misplaced protectiveness, Tate forms a deep friendship with fellow misfit, Gossamer that changes his life and the lives of their families.

The announcement of the project continues Hollywood’s slow and steady campaign for authentic representation and narratives of marginalized communities. In the case of Gossamer Folds, its transgender representation with Tate and LGBTQ advocate Donato behind the camera as director. Nick Adams, Director of Transgender Media & Representation at GLAAD, advised the project during pre-production. Paperclip reached out to GLAAD after reading the TRANSform Hollywood guide created by GLAAD and 5050by2020, a project of Time’s Up. These resources are designed to help content creators who are telling stories that include transgender characters.

Gossamer Folds is financed by Paperclip Ltd. Smith and Cornwell of Paperclip will produce alongside Jordan Foley and Jonathan Rosenthal of Mill House Motion Pictures and Adam Carl. The project is the third collaboration between Paperclip and Mill House. The two worked on All Square, which won the Audience Award at SXSW 2018. They also worked on the John Hyams thriller Alone which is slated for a 2019 release.

Grayden is represented by Untitled Entertainment and AKA Talent Agency. Franklin Ojeda Smith is represented by Headline Talent Agency and Bohemia Group.

Alexandra Grey is repped by GVA Talent Agency and Zero Gravity Management. Jackson Robert Scott is repped by Coast to Coast Talent Group and Artistic Endeavors. Shane West is repped by Paradigm and Management 360. Sprague Grayden is repped by Untitled Entertainment and AKA Talent Agency. Franklin Ojeda Smith is repped by Headline Talent Agency and Bohemia Group. Lisa Donato is Repped by Michael Kolodny at Kaplan Stahler and managed by Mainstay Entertainment. – Source: Deadline.com

#shane west #gossamer folds #casting news #film

[learningsimplify]

3 Biometric Techniques You Will Want to Use in the Future

Time to forget about what fingerprint reader and voice control and let's believe the companies behind these biometric options. We learn to be in safe hands in the future. Your Ears Remember to pull back your hair and let a camera scan your ears when shopping something in the future. It must be long-term, but in fact, a lot of progress has been made when it comes to the ears in combination with biometrics. Ears are unique. They are stable and lasting, which means they change very little over a lifetime. It's also true when it comes to fingerprints, but less true when talking about facial recognition, says Michael Boczek, director of Descartes Biometrics, to Wired. Japanese NEC is one of the companies that focus on technology. Sound waves are used to read ears, in a process that takes less than a second and has the accuracy of more than 99 percent, if we believe the NEC itself. Your heartbeat "Let my heart be me," sang Sony Hedenbratt in the TV series of the same name in the happy seventies. Almost fifty years later, it may prove more appropriate than ever, at least if we are talking biometric logins. Sensors of various kinds read from our hearts have seen several examples already, but in the future, we can use our heart to log in to our internet bank. South Korea's Korea Internet & Security Agency develop a biometric technology that combines fingerprints, heartbeats, and ECGs. According to the company, technology must be a much safer form of login that is offered today. Your friends This technique is probably closer than you think. Already this year, a UK supermarket became the first to let its customers pay with the help of their friends at their fingertips. The British company Stahler invests heavily in technology through its Fingopay product - and is in the middle of discussions with several business chains around the UK. Simon Binns, Commercial Manager at Stahler, believes that the technology makes it very easy for customers to pay. They do not need to carry either money or cards. They do not need to remember any pin code. You only take with yourself. It is the safest form of biometry. There are no known incidents when this technique where this technology has been broken. When you place your finger on the scanner it looks if you live, it looks for a pulse, and it looks for hemoglobin. Your friend code is secure because it is stored in a database in encrypted forms, such as binary numbers. Read the full article

#artificialintelligence #Fingopay #Technology

[yesilovehorses-blog1]

Grade 2 Winner Come On Flip Euthanized

New Post has been published on http://lovehorses.net/grade-2-winner-come-on-flip-euthanized/

Grade 2 Winner Come On Flip Euthanized

Come On Flip

Photo: Laura Battles

Come On Flip, winner of the 1996 Grade 2 Hawthorne Cup Handicap, has died.

The 26-year-old gelding, who resided at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, was euthanized Aug. 31 due to chronic laminitis.

Bred in Florida by Jacarie Farm, Come On Flip (Commemorate—Phillippe Dancer, Sovereign Dancer) broke his maiden as a 2-year-old in his first start at Arlington Park, near Chicago, Illinois. He made 54 lifetime starts from 1993 to 2000, finishing with eight wins, 24 on-the-board finishes, and $535,547 in earnings.

Come On Flip had victories at numerous tracks, including Arlington; Gulfstream Park, in Hallandale Beach, Florida; and Calder Race Course (now Gulfstream Park West), in Miami Gardens, Florida; and he also captured the Cicero Mile Handicap at Sportsman's Park, in Illinois.

In 1996 he captured his greatest career victory, scoring an upset win in the Grade 2 Hawthorne Cup Handicap over favorite Mt. Sassafras for trainers Mickey and Lou Goldfine and owners Seymour Sommer and Robert Ackerman.

In 2000 Come On Flip retired to the Thoroughbred rehoming program ReRun, where he was adopted by Teresa and Bud Stahler of Versailles, Kentucky. He was donated to Old Friends in 2014 with his companion, the late Do One Dance, when the Stahlers sold their farm.

"He had a lovely retirement on our farm and an even lovelier retirement at Old Friends," said Teresa Stahler.

At Old Friends Flip was cared for often by supporter Val Nicholson, MD, MHA, FACEP, FAAEM, and her husband Brent.

"Come On Flip taught us so much about patience and love," said Val Nicholson. "He was a perpetual 5-year-old boy, sometimes stubborn, always loving, who enjoyed his clover until the very end."

Old Friends President and Founder Michael Blowen added, "It was a privilege having Come On Flip with us these last years. He was a warrior horse who gave his all on the racetrack, and showed us his lively spirit until the end."

[parf-fan]

(Check out Michael Ulrich’s photography!)

#incidentally this is exactly how i join -- and indeed begin -- conversations myself #to be clear i don't think i ever witnessed horace unscriptedly diving haphazardly into conversations #but everything about him indicates that he does #horace tanningrove #michael stahler #missives from last night #parf 2019 #parf #pa ren faire #pa renn faire #pa renaissance faire #pennsylvania renaissance faire #renaissance faire #renn faire #ren faire #faire #renfest #ren fest #renaissance festival

[parf-fan]

Uncle Vanya. But without. You know. Uncle Vanya. An existentialist take on Chekhov’s classic work, where Astrov, Sonia & Yelena are left figuring out the story on their own. Created with scenes from the original text, woven together with letters between he & his muse, Olga Knipper of the Moscow Art Theatre, and new content from Philadelphia playwright, Alice Hakvaag.

I promise we’ll be back to the strictly PARF stuff tomorrow (I even have a post lined up), but this is the other show I mentioned that Michael Stahler (Horace Tanningrove, 2019) is in this Philly Theatre Week.  Granted, that week is almost over; you’ve got two days (I believe) to watch this, but um GOOD GOLLY you should.  You ever been annoyed with how canon was written and convinced that a little tweaking would make for a much more interesting story? (of course you have, you’re on tumblr)  You like playing with narrative, fourth-wall breaking, and characters aware of their status as characters?  You like all that but still in a serious context?  This is for you.  I can attest that it can be thoroughly enjoyed with zero knowledge of the original Uncle Vanya; and though I cannot say from experience, going by the context clues it’s a safe bet that it will also be enjoyable with knowledge of the same.

The production is pay-what-you-can, with a runtime of eighty minutes.  Unlike Business Casual, this show does not use the remote aspect as a framing device at all.  Here, the remote aspect is neither feature nor bug, but the performances are so seamless and such a high quality that one hardly even realizes that they are remote.  Y’all, it’s good.  I sorely regret not getting around to watching it sooner.

#if you're literally only interested for michael fear not there are only three characters and i'd say they all have equal stagetime #so there's plenty of michael in this show #i'm too dang tired right now to provide near as eloquent and informative description as i did for business casual #and for that i apologize #more to the people involved in the production than to the followers of this blog quite frankly #i had to pause the show and make a meme in the middle of it because the show inspired a meme and it would've plagued my thoughts otherwise #that's not particularly relevant to anything but it's mildly funny and also i'm tired and therefore more prone to stream-of-consciousness #michael stahler #theatre #independent theatre #philly theatre week #aporia artists collective #anton chekhov #uncle vanya #chekhov #chekhov's plays #anton chekhov's uncle vanya

[parf-fan]

OKAY so y'all remember Michael Stahler (Horace Tanningrove, 2019)?  You should, his character was extremely popular and I've been recently screaming at you to read the story I wrote about said character.  Well, he's in a couple projects for Philly Theatre Week (the actor, not the character), which is a thing I now know exists.  As of this moment, I can only vouch for the one I've seen, a series of four short workplace comedies called "Business Casual".  They're extremely cool for several reasons, one of which is that the remote aspect is a feature, not a bug, with the Zoom stuff as blocking.  Each of the four short plays demonstrates a different variation of absurdist humor, and I'd honestly love to write a whole-ass essay analyzing those different variations, but they're only available to watch yet for two days, so that is absolutely not happening.  These short plays -- WHICH ARE FULLY CAPTIONED, BY THE WAY, but not automatically, so you have options -- total at about 50 minutes altogether, and are free to view.  Should you desire to help the performers eat, you can donate whatever amount you want through the company's gofundme.  Failing that, here is the streaming link.  I definitely recommend these li'l shows, they're quite funny.

#go support a faire actor and see some funny shows #michael stahler #philly theatre week #workplace comedy #business casual #we're trying up here! entertainment #not specifically parf #the connection is one actor and frankly that's good enough for me but i'm biased 'cause he's one of my favorites #that's what ya get when there's only really one name in the fandom #y'all do realize you have the power to fix that too like i'm not stopping you from making parf fandom content #in fact i'll prolly reblog most of y'all's parf fandom content if you make some #but anyway go watch the things they're great #theatre #independent theatre

[parf-fan]

(Screenshot of PARF Performers [formerly wavking]’s Heroes of the Realm Disasterpiece video.)

(Lettering by the incomparable Shitpost Calligrapher, whom everybody should go commission.)

#if you did not love horace tanningrove i genuinely don't think we can be friends #horace tanningrove #michael stahler #missives from last night #disasterpiece theatre #disasterpiece theatre 2019 #heroes of the realm disasterpiece theatre #heroes of the realm disasterpiece theatre 2019 #parf 2019 #parf #pa ren faire #pa renn faire #pa renaissance faire #pennsylvania renaissance faire #renaissance faire #renn faire #ren faire #faire #renfest #ren fest #renaissance festival #here's a health to the queuempany #i am pun-stoppable

[parf-fan]

I can’t stop thinking about that one time at Queen’s Court when Horace just fucking. had grapes.  Just held a bunch of grapes in his hand the entire time.  Why, Horace.  What the fuck.

#that was a while back #week three i think #i'm still so confused about it #horace tanningrove #michael stahler #grapes #queen's court #queen's court 2019 #parf 2019 #parf #pa ren faire #pa renn faire #pa renaissance faire #pennsylvania renaissance faire #renaissance faire #renn faire #ren faire #faire #renfest #ren fest #renaissance festival

[parf-fan]

One year ago, Rob Condas posted in celebration of Shakespeare’s birthday.  A year later, I finally finished writing the fic that post (and comments thereupon) inspired.  This is the first Faire fic I’ve ever finished, and would reeeealllly like some feedback on it, please.  In addition to the ao3 link, the text of the fic is below the read-more.

Title: The More, the Marrier Words: 6,705 Chapters: 1/1 Pairings: Horace Tanningrove & William Shakespeare, Horace Tanningrove / John Hopfield Warnings: drunkenness, drunken shenanigans, canon-typical implied/referenced dubious consent (very mild though, if you were okay with the bender subsubsubplot of Myths and Legends 2019, you should be okay here)

Summary: "Happy Birthday Shakespeare ❤️ I hope you and Horace are painting the town tonight"  –Rob "Oh, if you thought Horace and Shakespeare went hard in the summer and fall of 1558, just WAIT till you see what they'll do for Will's birthday"  –Michael Having relocated the previous autumn when the R and J play was picked up by a producer in London, Will now celebrates his natal day by returning to visit his hometown of Mount Hope.  Much of the first day of this visit is, of course, spent in the company of Horace Tanningrove.   As the two become progressively drunker, they engage in shenanigans of sundry disaster variations.  In the morning, both are hellaciously hungover, and the night is a blur, at best.

Opening notes: This fic is dedicated in equal measure to Rob Condas and Michael Stahler, with thanks to the same for inspiring it through a Facebook post and comments on said post, respectively.  And, obviously, for partially creating and fully rendering such lovable and memorable characters, with such an exquisite dynamic and rapport.  The admiration I hold for you defies description.

Thanks to kaythehawk for the title, for proofreading and feedback, and for lowkey holding my hand through the posting process; and to my mom for assistance in devising phrases and combating lethologica.

To anybody unfamiliar with the 2019 season of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire: First, what series of events in you life led you to this fic?  Second, you are quite welcome to read it, but you will undoubtedly be quite confused on many points.

This is a fanwork created out of love and admiration for the source material and those who brought it about.  Characters and setting belong to Zeno Creative Group PRF Productions.

The More, the Marrier

April 24th , mid-morning:

Will cracked an eyelid and his skull promptly split. Though he hastily undid the first, the second diminished but slightly. He cast about for words to describe it. “Uuhhhurrgh,” he eventually settled upon.

His eloquent critique was answered in kind from nearby, and Will decided that his desire for information would lend him the fortitude to bear the suffering. He opened his eyes – both this time, and all the way – albeit slowly. Only one of them appeared to work, but he filed that away as a problem for later. Instead, he took in his surroundings. Locks and bars and but the tiniest of windows. Wooden benches, pallets of straw. On some of the straw —

“Horace?” Will's voice rasped like a file, and it occurred to him that he was very thirsty.

Horace opened his eyes, promptly shut them, and said. “Prithee, extinguish the sun. Temporarily.”

“Would that I could, friend.”

Horace gave eyesight another try, amid much blurring and face-rubbing. At length, he got enough of a handle on it to look over to Will. “That garland is most becoming on thee,” he said. “Quite a jaunty angle.”

Will put a hand to his head and, feeling rapidly-wilting blossoms, found the cause of his partial blindness in the form of a flower-crown that had slipped over one eye. He gingerly adjusted it. “Thou lookst not o'er shabby in thine,” he observed.

Horace reached up and likewise discovered a ring of flowers encircling his brow, though his had not slipped. He considered it, then left it as it was.

Having solved the mystery of the halved eyesight, Will turned his intellect toward discerning their surroundings. In a moment, he'd concocted an ingenious scheme to that end. “Where thinkst thou we are?” he asked.

Horace, who'd been looking around despite the excruciating pain in his head and how damn bright the world was, answered, “I should fain think we be in the jailhouse.”

“The jailhouse? Nay!”

“Aye, there's bars and everything.”

A voice blared from out of eyeshot at a volume surely far higher necessary. “Well reasoned, master Tanningrove. I should consider thee for the position of deputy with detective brilliance like that.”

Horace, who'd pressed his hands to his ears and yet could hear every decibel with painful clarity, said, “Oh, well, that's very kind of thee, Sheriff Perry, but I fear I should find such work dreadfully boring.”

“It was a jest. I was makin' fun of thee.”

“Oh.”

By now, Will and Horace had both gotten themselves turned so as to see the sheriff standing near what was, upon slight inspection, the door to their cell.

“Good morrow, Sheriff!” said Will in as perky a voice as he could muster, for surely manners were paramount in such a situation as they found themselves.

“It is a good morrow, indeed,” agreed the sheriff. “It is not so good a morrow as it might have been if thou hadst not managed to lock the deputy in a cell and toss the key down a well, but it is a good morrow nonetheless.”

Will paled. “We erm, we stole the keys?”

“Aye, but Douglas had the spare set, so all was well. Of course, he insisted I release him a day or so early in exchange, but that is no great matter.”

“Oh.”

A silence followed, perhaps awkward for those who kept track of such things. At length, Will asked, “So, erm, are we locked in here for stealing from law enforcement?”

“Nay, nay, nah, thou are in 'ere for public drunkenness, possible debauchery, and general annoyance.”

“Ah.”

“But I be letting thee out now.”

“Oh! 'Tis generous of thee.”

Horace chimed in. “Be there a– a fine, or aught?”

The sheriff mucked about with his keys in an overly-loud manner. “Well,” he said, “if there were a fine, then it could be considered paid had young Will here had several pieces of jewelry upon his person last e'entide which have since vanished for reasons indiscernible.

Both men were interrupted in parsing that statement by the cell door swinging open with a din surely worthy of Typhon stirring beneath Mount Aetna. Horace clamped his eyes shut, his hands over his ears once more, grinding his teeth in spite of himself. At length, he managed to comprehend the words “...and thank thee so much for that glorious surprise thou didst leave stuffed in my seat cushion. There is nothing I like better when sitting down after locking up troublemakers at dawn than to find that I have crushed a mess of grapes of questionable freshness, and that the sour-yet-unfermented juice of said grapes is rapidly soaking my trousers. Truly appreciated that.”

“Ah. Yes. Well.” said Horace, glancing at Will. “That would likely have been, I am sure, mine idea.”

“It was mine.” interjected Will abruptly and vehemently – far too vehement for a muddled and hungover mind to be sure of.

Sheriff Perry gestured them out of the cell. As they struggled to their feet, he said, “I shall perceive it as Horace's idea nonetheless, for if it were, then I would consider it pardoned on account of him later turning himself in.”

Horace stared.

Will, whose headache was exacerbated somewhat less by the light and noise that Horace's, took his friend by the elbow and guided him from the cell. The touch on his arm caused Horace to look down, whereupon he realized he was in his shirtsleeves.

“Sheriff, I shudder to ask, but did I come here thus? or is my doublet somewhere hereabout?”

“Oh, aye!” answered the sheriff, clearly remembering. “I put it in the chimney, at thy request.”

Horace stared, this time with his mouth slightly agape, before finding words. “Where on Earth for would I ask such a thing of thee?”

The sheriff was messing about in the chimney. “You grinned and said 'This will confuse me so much on the morrow'.” He removed his arm from the chimney. “It would seem that drunk Horace doth enjoy playing pranks upon sober Horace.”

Horace caught the rather dusty doublet the sheriff tossed him. “That....explaineth so very much.” He gave the doublet a shake, instantly regretted the jolt to his headache, and shrugged into it regardless.

They had just made it outside the jailhouse and were dealing with the assault of the sunlight upon their very beings when Sheriff Perry stuck his head out the door and called after them. “Oh, Miles stopped by earlier. He asked me to tell thee that he'd done a little research and learned that the thing you hired him for is, in fact, entirely legal, and will thus cost double if thou art still interested.”

* * *

April 23 rd :

Memory was delicate and uncooperative, skittering out of reach like Tantalus's fruit if approached directly. A blur of celebration, an echo of good company, a haze of extensive alcohol. Quite likely they had begun sometime after midday, celebrating Will's visit home from London. Day had turned to evening, and as evening wore on, their revelry had perhaps bordered on debauchery, and they were presumably cast from whichever alehouse they'd been ensconced in. Now past wisdom, they had undoubtedly raided the Tanningrove winecellar. As evening faded into night, they had roamed the streets with no real goal besides pleasant existence and mutual company.

This was the state in which they found themselves investigating little sounds from the secondary structure of the forge.

Will gave a small gasp. “Is this true love? I finally found it after all these years.” A dusty grey kitten rubbed its face into his hand. “I would die for thee!” He picked the cat up and scratched its cheek. It gave a disconcerted squeal as it left the ground, but began purring once Will cradled it. “Horace, look!”

Horace's eyes widened and he reached out to pet the kitten, who seemed quite pleased with the additional attention. “Hath it a name?”

Will thought for a moment before saying, “Honeybee, for 'tis buzzing.”

“Mayhap Honey for short?”

“Aye.”

More meowing rose from near their feet. “There yet are more!” cried Will, as he passed Honey to Horace and knelt back down. This time, he reached toward a vaguely striped brown cat, who regarded him with ambivalence before allowing itself to be petted. “By Christ's calluses, I would bloody die for thee.”

Horace, whose shoulder was being kneaded by Honey, said, “That one doth look like a Priscilla.”

Will nodded, then winced as Priscilla lightly bit him. “Priscilla the Scylla,” he amended.

Horace frowned, thinking. “That, that's the whirlpool? The one Odsendus – Osdysa – the Odd guy went near?”

Will struggled with thought and word. “Mayhap? There were six heads.”

“But Priscilla hath one head only.”

“Aye, but she bites. Scylla did to chomp sailors.” He deposited the indifferent cat in Horace's arms with the first, and knelt again, holding his hand out to the final kitten. The final kitten – curled into a shape reminiscent of a turkey leg, and Will instantly named it accordingly – reacted not at all, so he tentatively placed his hand on the fluff's head. It let out a small squeak. Will's eyes were large and shining, his face aglow. “Thou art my muse,” he proclaimed. “I– I would live for thee.”

Horace repositioned Honey to allow for Priscilla climbing his shoulder. “Thou should write that down,” he muttered. “Such a declaration of love I ne'er have heard.”

Will did not seem to hear him. A look of pain was passing over his face. He looked up suddenly at Horace and said in a choked tone, “We cannot leave them here! This place be dustful and lonesome and– and there be sharplisome things about! What if one were to stab itself?”

Horace nodded gravely. “'Twould make the tragedy of Indigo's Investigations seem as unto a children's pageant by comparison.”

“We must save them!” Will stood swiftly, garnering a startled yowl from Legg. Horace was adjusting Honey and Priscilla. “As soon as I open the door, we run and we do not stop until we reach your home.”

“Aye.” Horace steeled himself. Will unlatched the little gate, or tried to. Either he could not open it one-handed, or it was twisting and writhing so as to sabotage his problem-solving. Or because he was drunk, he was vaguely aware of that as a possibility.

At length, he turned to Horace in defeat. “'Tis no use,” he declared. “We shall have to climb over the counter. Prithee, hold Legg.” He deposited the jet fluff in Horace's arms with the others before setting himself on the counter and swinging his legs over. Horace passed him the kittens, then hopped over in kind.

“Where are we running?” asked Will, as he handed Honey and Priscilla back to Horace.

“My house, I thought thou did say.”

“I said that?” asked Will. “I be quite clever, I suppose.”

“Thou hast thy moments.”

Yet scarce had they gone a dozen steps when they felt themselves joined by an unmistakable Presence. Almost without intending to, they slowed their steps to a standstill, and were at length able to make out the form of a cat darker than the blackened steel of an anvil. This cat that was not a cat looked upon them and spoke in human tongue.

“Inebriated mortals. Seek thou not to abduct these young ones. They yet are but kittens – babes, to thee – and are not yet ready to leave the care of my familiars at the forge.”

Will's voice was tremblesome and broken, yet he spoke. “But.... But there are sharp things there.”

If a cat could facepalm – and indeed, who is to say that a cat sìth cannot? – this one would've. “The humans of the forge make it their business to foster my mundane brethren until they may be taken in by ordinary humans as any other cat. Rest assured that their area is safe for them.”

The Being stepped closer. “Return the younglings to the forge, and I give you assurance that when the time comes, my familiars shall consider thee for their adoption. Otherwise,” and now the Being began to grow, “risk my wrath upon thee. Know that I can restore the dead to life; what thinkst thou, then, I can do to the living?”

Will stood mute in fear and anguish, but Horace had wit or sense slightly more. Holding all three kittens, he bowed respectfully to the cat sìth, then hastily retraced his steps to the forge, where the gate sprang open before him. He deposited the small fluffs as near their initial positions as he could gauge, then hastened back to his friend. The felinesque Presence dissipated as he returned, as did the force of terror holding Will.

* * *

April 24th , mid-morning:

The assault of the sun troubled Horace greatly, and he kept his eyes as closed as possible. The surrounding din was likewise torment. He stumbled somewhat over a chicken he couldn't see.

Will absently steadied him, but his focus was on the chicken. “That chicken hath a five upon its back,” he observed.

“How wondrous for it,” said Horace glumly, his eyes still mostly shut. Will's attention returned to his friend, and he realized that Horace was suffering from the light and noise even more than himself. On sudden inspiration, he reached up and adjusted Horace's flower-crown so it partially obscured his eyes.

Both men took one look at the Hellhill and decided that a longer walk would not be amiss. The streets were shadier and quieter along the Grove and Glen in any case.

After a while, Horace broke the silence. “What, precisely, was all that about, then?”

“Well, it would appear that we both got incredibly drunken last e'entide.”

“Clearly, but I was thinking more of that convoluted speech the sheriff gave about vanishing jewelry.”

A voice rang from somewhat off the street. “I'd be less worried about the sheriff and more worried about Bernadette Albright. She be on the warpath.”

Will and Horace turned to see Eskarina Nutter lounging against a tree. Will frowned slightly. “Wherefore?”

“Oh, something about getting married several times over without consulting her even once.”

“Will and I got married?” Horace asked.

Eskarina stopped propping up the tree and began ambling over to them. “Not to each other, at least by my witness. You may well have done, but I didn't officiate it. Here.”

Horace and Will looked blankly at the small proffered bottles.

“Meadowsweet, woundwort, elfin thyme, and roseroot, boiled in nettle tea. Unless thou would prefer to retain the sensation of thy skulls splitting.”

Will took both bottles with thanks and handed one to Horace.

Eskarina continued. “I also recommend hefty quantities of boiled water. I'd eat something as well, were I thee.” The wise woman started off.

“Hold a mome', who did we wed, then?”

Eskarina called back, “Oh, thou wilt run into them soon enough,” and was gone.

They stood a moment, then Horace spoke. “Will?”

“Aye?”

“Wherefore do we still do this on thy natal day?”

“In truth, friend, I know not.”

* * *

April 23rd , nighttime:

Will sobbed into Horace's shoulder as Horace patted his back.

“I shall never see Honey and Priscilla and Legg again. My only loves, and they are gone.”

Horace cast about for comfort words. What were those? He thought there there was supposed to be good for something, but he passed it by. It's alright to cry? He was fairly sure Will already knew that. I know not what thou art going through, yet I am here for thee? But he did know, though to a lesser extent, it seemed, and it was obvious that he was there for Will.

Giving comfort words up as a bad job, he sought instead for cheering words. “Will,” he said, “I promise to spend the rest of the night, if need be, in finding thee a pet.”

Will sniffed. “Really?”

“Aye, verily!”

Will considered for a moment, then his face crumpled anew. “'Twill be of no use, we cannot replace Honey and Priscilla and Legg.”

“Nay, we shall not be replacing them,” Horace insisted, talking with his hands despite being in the midst of a hug. “We shall be seeking thee an additional companion, one to keep thee company until Honey and Priscilla and Legg might join thee.”

Will gave this some thought, eventually straightening up and looking Horace in the face. “Thou meanst it?”

“Aye, of course!”

Will's face split into a grin. “Oh, Horace, thou art the truest of friends!” he cried out as he hugged him again. After drawing away, he said, “Now, where are we to search for such a companion?”

Horace reflected, then his face lit up. “I believe I've an idea.”

* * *

April 24th , mid-morning:

They had hoped to make it quietly back to the Tanningrove homestead to at least recover, if not piece together what they might of the night before, but they hadn't gone more than a few paces before Douglas Johnson trotted up.

“Morrow to thee,” he called. “Much obliged for springing me a few days early like that. Shan't have to miss the next guild meeting now.”

Horace, still making faces over the less-than-savory taste of Eskarina's hangover antidote, said in a degree off from sarcasm, “Oh, aye, glad we could help.”

Douglas peered at Will for a moment. “You, er, I'm guessing that you don't remember. To be expected, I suppose. Well, you were clearly drunk at the time, so I don't think it would count anyway, I, er, I bid thee good day.” He hurried off.

“What on Earth?” began Will.

“I do believe you may have married Douglas last night,” said Horace.

Will was silent for a moment. “Ah.” he said at last. “Well, that is to say, I mean, I'm sure he's right, it likely counts not. I'm going to.... ” He gestured vaguely to continue walking.

* * *

April 23rd , nighttime:

Within an enclosure lay many small white hillocks. As they climbed the wall, Will took in the sight and murmured, “Who hath been unhooking the clouds without my permission to put them in the pasture in the guise of snow?”

Horace laughed. “Nay, good Will, these be not snow, but the fluffiest earthbound of God's creatures: Sheep!”

Will gazed upon the critters, then strode over to one and tentatively petted it. His face lit up. “'Tis the softest thing I e'er have touched!”

Horace grinned. “Unhooked clouds indeed.”

Will buried his face in the sheep, which gave a small bleat. “'Tis so fluffsome I believe I shall perish!” He tore himself away and darted to another sheep. “But thou art also so fluffsome as to beget my death!” Then another. “And thee! They're all.... How am I to decide?”

“Which one hath the best name?”

Will deliberated, then shook his head, blinked at the unexpected dizziness, and stopped. “I cannot discern their names here. We must take them to better lighting that I may see them more clearly.”

Horace thought for a moment. “The village lantern, perhaps?”

“Aye, that's it! We shall take them to the lantern.”

Horace nudged a sheep experimentally. It gave a bit of a bleat, and eventually began moving. Between the two of them, they managed to direct the three sheep to the gate, which they had completely missed on their way in and were, after some fumbling, able to open. Once all were through and the gate closed, they set about clumsily herding the sheep to the village proper.

After some time, Horace remarked, “Ought we have some means of telling them apart until we get there?”

Will thought a moment, then said, “We shall number them.” He drew from his pouch a bottle of ink. Using his fingers, for quills are hardly suited to write on wool unwoven, he rather unsteadily traced a '1' on the back of the first sheep he'd seen. He stood for a moment, apparently lost in thought. Horace eventually nudged him, and Will started and returned to his task, daubing a '3' and a '4' on the backs of the other sheep. Wiping his hand on the side of sheep number four, he resealed the bottle with some difficulty and replaced it in his pouch.

They successfully guided the sheep some distance more, within the village itself, before the animals spotted a flowerbed laden with green things fit for grazing. There they stopped and there they chomped, and neither Will nor Horace had the heart to move them on.

Will sighed and announced that he clearly was not meant to have so fluffsome a companion.

Horace was not deterred. “We shall take a few moments to collect ourselves,” he said, opening a bottle and passing it to Will, “then we shall set out once more. I've a notion near as fluffy and perhaps more interesting than sheep.”

***************

“Young Will, thou didst tell me there was a fire in the square.”

“Aye, mistress O'Bales, 'tis just there!”

“William, that be a lantern.”

“I– what?”

Emily pinched the bridge of her nose. “A lantern, Will. One of the village lanterns, what be lit all night? that folk might find their way despite the darkness?”

“....Oh. But there's burning.”

“I be goin' back to bed now.” She turned to leave.

A call sounded from across the square. “Will, I got them! It'll be sour grapes for th— good Lord, the square's aflame!”

Emily blinked, then dashed the contents of her bucket upon the miscreants before her. “I bid thee good night, good masters.”

***************

Horace wasn't overly sure that stopping in the stables was wise, not with Will pining after an animal companion as he was. Even in his state of dubious clarity, Horace had the wit to know that stealing a horse was foolish, with dangerous consequences, even for them, even drunk. But Will had insisted, and did not thus far appear in imminent peril of emotional distress. He was petting a dappled grey belonging to goodness knows whom, telling it that it was such a good horse, such a beautiful horsey, so smooth and wonderful, yes you are.

The beast Horace had sought to pet unequivocally wanted nothing to do with him, so he cast about for something with which to occupy himself. A saddle and assorted tack hung on the door to the stall before him, and he began idly examining it. He accidentally unhooked it after a moment, spent several minutes investigating how he'd done such a thing, and sought to hang it back up. But it refused to hang, or perhaps he lacked the necessary dexterity. Needing somewhere else to leave it, he unhooked a different set of tack, and placed the first where the second had been. Then he stared in confusion at this new mess of leather and buckles unexpectedly in his hands. What was to be done but shift a third to make room for this one? Yet even then, he was still left with a rogue saddle.

By the time Will had finished cooing over the grey, every set of tack in the stable had changed position, and Horace still stared at a set stubbornly in his hands. Fortunately, Will was better able to convince it to settle onto the remaining hook, and they left the stable in perfect order, so far as they could tell.

* * *

April 24th , mid-late morning:

Amy Cooper was looking with mild curiosity at a pig with the number '3' on its back rooting around a flowerbed when she caught sight of the bearers of the flower-crowns. Instantly, she marched up to them, and, pausing only for breath, launched into speech.

“In O'Malley's last e'entide, the both of thee did sort of say vaguely marriage-type vows at me. That is, I think they were marriage-ish. They were somewhat difficult to understand. The words were intelligible enough, but they had not much substance in the strung-togetherness of them. Thou,” and here she gestured to Horace, “did proclaim me the most creative practical-thinker, least ineloquent non-wordsmith, and most enthusiastic non-changeling thou e'er did meet; and Will here did declare of me that he could not wish for a better verbal-sparring partner with whom to maintain an unmalicious bitter rivalry, which at any rate I can agree with. I am here to clarify that unsolicited vows do not a wedding make, and that I be willing to pretend none of it happened.”

“Oh. We, erm—”

“Most well, never happened. I shall be on my way, I've some new square prototypes to build.” She turned and sped off steadily, leaving Will and Horace both some lesser version of gobsmacked.

“Well,” said Horace after a time. “At least we paid her sincere compliments.”

* * *

April 23rd , nighttime:

“Where are we bound?”

“Wherefore ought I know? I be following thee?”

“Thou art?”

“Aye, thou did speak of a new idea since the sheep and chickens and rats did not work out.”

“I.... I was following thee. I must have forgot.”

There was a silence as they pondered the implications of this, then—

“Then I believe we are lost.”

Will thought on that, and said, “Then we shall have to use our wits and become unlost. We are both intelligent enough folk, are we not?”

“Decidedly,” replied Horace.

Will began to pace. “There be no buildings, nor firelight; thus we must be outside the village proper a good bit.”

“Indeed.”

“There be trees all about us. Mayhap we strayed into the forest?”

Horace considered this, then shook his head, frowned, and quickly stopped. “Nay, for look, the sky be too visible. The trees be not near enough one another.”

“Ohhhhhh.”

“What, what's the thing where there's trees and they're tame and orderly and they grow things and someone looks after them?” Horace spoke with his hands, waggling his fingers as though he could grasp the truant term from the air.

Will mulled it over for some time, then said, “Orchid.”

“Aye, that's it! We must be in an orchid.”

Will thought some more, then moved toward one of the trees, and promptly slipped and fell.

Horace did not immediately see where he had gone. “Will? Will! Where art thou?”

“Merely fallen, but I have the answer. The ground be covered in apples. We be in an apple orchid.”

Horace considered that, then remarked, “Agnes's land be not far from some of mine own. I could more easily get my bearings there.” He held out a hand, and Will hoisted himself up.

“Let us skirt the fence until we find a path.”

They walked for several minutes, working their way toward what they hoped was a fence. The wind rattled the budding branches above their heads and close by their faces. At length, Horace said, “Will, it be thy natal day, aye?”

“Aye.”

“And thy natal day be in April.”

“Last that I did to make note.”

“Most well. But the last I did to note, apples grow not in these early months. Nor should they remain on the ground unrotted through all the winter.”

“Yet what I slipped upon was certes an apple, and as fresh and finely-formed as any e'er I saw.”

They slowly turned and looked back into the shadows of the orchard. The full moon cast twisted echoes of the branches, warping the ground into an unknowable writhing latticework. Suddenly, a sharp giggling cry pierced the air, and a glint as though of fangs caught their eyes from the foot of the tree under which Will had fallen. Both men started, calling out in alarm, then turned and fled as swift as their staggering steps might take them.

***************

“I hardly realized cows were so morose.”

“Moo.”

“See what I mean? Didst thou hear what she said, Will? She believes life is pointless.”

Will was across the field a way, in a different pasture entirely. “This one over here is despondent, but only because she cannot be with the love of her life. It's so sad, Horace, it's like R and J but worse.”

“Moo.”

“That is what I say, friend, 'tis not fair.”

By this time, Horace had joined Will, which included tripping over a fence. “What be her name?”

Will thought a moment. “This one be Ariadne. Her love, to whom you were just speaking,” he gestured, “is Meredith.”

Horace considered the prospect. “Were we to unite them, Meredith would stop being so morose.”

“We shall! 'Tis what they deserve.”

The two stumbled to the fence, where they puzzled over the ingeniously-constructed beams. It took at least ten minutes to divine how the beams connected and how to remove a few. These they tossed to the side, along the rest of the fence.

“Go, Ariadne!” Will called triumphantly. “Go meet thy love!”

Ariadne considered him, then turned around and continued sleeping.

Will nodded understandingly. “She wants her beauty sleep first, of course.”

“But once she's slept, she will join Meredith?”

“Of course. And A and M shall be united, and 'twill be most beauteous.”

“Moo,” said Meredith.

“Thou hast the right of it.”

* * *

April 24th , mid-late morning:

They did not cross paths with Theresa Ratchet until they'd passed by most of the shops and into the more residential area. She sat outside her little hut, the spic-and-spanness of which juxtaposed almost harshly with her appearance, repairing a trap. When she caught sight of the bedraggled duo, she smiled broadly and waved, calling out, “Good morrow to thee, good masters! And twice o'er to thee, Will!”

Will returned the wave. “God save, Theresa. I don't suppose I married thee last night, by any chance?”

Theresa's smile, if possible, widened. Several more gaps showed. “Aye, that thou did, good sir!”

“Ah,” he said, barely fazed at this point. “Sorry about that.”

Theresa waved it off. “Nay, 'tis most well. 'Tweren't more than vows, for thou wert clearly – what be that modern phrase? – drunk off thine arse.”

Will made to respond, but Horace hustled him along. “Best not hang about long enough for her to notice that we sprang some of her traps,” he muttered.

“Oh! Aye, not that I recall doing such a thing, nor indeed see how thou could recall it; but aye.” In a loud voice, he added, “Well, if there's no harm done, we shall be on our way. Eskarina suggested something called 'hydration'? We be on our way to try it out. Anon!”

The ratcatcher gave another wave and returned her attention to her traps.

* * *

April 23rd , nighttime:

After much struggle, Horace succeeded in undoing the shutters of his storeroom window, and he and Will climbed in. Climbed is a generous term, of course, for it was more akin to stumbling and staggering and even falling; but the point is, they made it through the window.

After some more fumbling, Horace declared, “The lamp hath vanished.”

Will, who was admittedly less familiar with the room, but had spent enough time there to have at least a working knowledge of it, added, “I believe the door hath moved, as well.”

“First my keys and now this.” Horace felt the walls. “Why is there so much dust? And what are these, chisels?”

Will snapped his fingers. “I have it! We be in the wrong building.”

Horace pondered this for a long moment. At last, he replied. “That....would rather explain wherefore none of my keys fit the door.”

Will's eyes had by now adjusted somewhat, and by the light of the moon shining through the casement, he managed to find a lamp. Several attempts with flint and steel later, they had it burning. Its light revealed shelves covered in tools, dust, rock fragments, and half-formed figures. Horace stared long an hard at a mallet before finally declaring, “I fancy we be in Millicent Goodenstone's workshop.”

Will did not seem to hear him. His eyes, wide and shining once more, rested on an unshaped stone somewhat smaller than his fist, which the lamplight had caught. He drew near it almost unconsciously.

“... had best leave a note and withdraw the way we arrived,” Horace was saying. “What're you....”

Will slowly touched the rock, then picked it up. “This.... This is it,” he whispered reverently. “My new companion, to tend mine heart until Honey and Priscilla and Legg may join me.” He gently caressed the stone. “What thinkst thou of Petra? Obvious, I know, yet it suits them.”

Horace had by this time joined him. “Petra the pet rock,” he said experimentally. “Know you, I believe that suits them delightfully.”

Will broke into a delighted grin. “We've done it! You did it! You found me the perfect pet!” And threw his arms once more around Horace, who gasped in pain when Petra whacked him in the side.

***************

“What in God's name dost thou think thou art doing!??!!!” The bellow awoke Horace with a start. In the pale light of barely-dawn, he could make out the form of Rosalind Anne Uxbridge towering over him, clutching a rake and quivering with rage.

“Knowst thou how long I have spent caring for these blossoms? The ones thou seemst to have mistaken for a mattress?”

Horace looked about and began to piece things together. He'd clearly passed out in a flowerbed, one of Rosalind's many prized patches. He cast about for Will but saw him not. “Where, what hast thou done with Will?” he asked.

“Change not the subject!”

The gravity of the situation downed on Horace. He was without ally in the midst of a garden he'd ruined, with naught betwixt him and the gardener's fury save his own wit. And just that moment, he felt he hadn't an ounce of wit to his name.

He struggled to his feet, desperately playing for time. “Now, erm, see here Rosalind, er, this is clearly a– a mistake of some sort, and if thou will but give me a mome', or several, I can explain myself and the context of this whole affair most succinctly. Or somewhat succinctly. I do not feel overly succinct at this particular moment. What must be understood...” He was standing, he'd more or less gotten his bearings, and he'd pieced together a plan. Without warning, he shot off, ducking the blow of the rake, and ran as fast as his shaking legs would carry him to the jailhouse, where he pounded the door, yelling, “Sheriff! I must report an incident of public drunkenness, accidental trespassing, and general bad behavior!”

* * *

April 24th , late morning:

At long last, Horace and Will made it to the Tanningrove homestead. Jack was out front, ostensibly weeding the small vegetable garden, but more probably waiting for them to put in an appearance. Sure enough, when he saw them approaching, he looked at his father and simply said “Why.” before turning and leaving, weeding abandoned.

Well, it was a reasonable enough reaction to their understanding of how the boy's father had spent his night. They made no move to stay his departure, instead continuing into the blessed dimness of the indoors.

At a table in the parlor sat John Hopfield, a cup of something in front of him. Upon hearing their entry, he looked up, and then beamed.

Horace stopped in his tracks. The color drained from his face.

“Oh.” he said.

Will looked from Horace to John several times, his mouth slightly agape, his sodden-but-drying mind working furiously. Finally, it clicked. “Oh my God,” he said quietly.

“Hello, Horace!” Had he not been sitting, John would've been bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Horace swallowed nervously and suddenly wished he had a hat to twist about in his hands. “Did– that is– erm, good morrow John. I.... ” And now his face was flushed as red as any of his wines.

John's face fell almost imperceptibly, but in a manner more resigned than disappointed. “You don't remember.”

“Erm, quite frankly no, I do not; but I can see it plain enough now, for all my fogged mind.” His hands, desperate to fidget, found their way to his flower-crown and began idly shredding a bloom.

John nodded. “Well, I know not that Eskarina's officiation be technically binding, so.... ” He trailed off.

“That's, erm.” Horace fiddled with the petals he'd pulled from his crown, seven in all. “That's probably for the best, I suppose.”

“Aye.”

There was a long silence. Will looked from John to Horace to the door, torn between fascination and social discomfort at the scene unfolding before him.

Horace shifted his weight. “I mean, it isn't that I'm strictly opposed to the notion, per se,” he semi burst out at length. “I'm not. But, I mean, I wasn't planning on it. At least not yet.”

Now even John was fidgeting, tracing the edge of the cup in front of him. “We– there wasn't, erm, that is — it weren't binding in the eyes of anyone, if thou takest my meaning,” he said awkwardly, blushing. “Thou wert clearly drunk, of course there wouldn't be....”

Horace took some time to process that. “I don't think I would have thought there was, had I known of this before now and thus had time to consider the possibility,” he said at length, now idly crumpling the petals in his hands, “yet I thank thee for, er, for clarifying it.”

Another silence, possibly even more awkward than the first, hovered between them. Making up his mind, Will carefully asked, “Horace, doest thou want me here just now?”

Horace started, reminded of his friend's presence. “Quite possibly not.”

“Most well.” Will nodded despite his splitting skull and turned immediately for the door. “I shall meet back up with thee perhaps around suppertime, then? To piece together, erm,” he glanced at John, “what remains to piece together.”

Horace waved vaguely in confirmation as Will hastened out the door, then looked back at John, still crumpling petals.

After a beat, John said, “As far as piecing together thine evening goeth, there be one or two other things thou likely ought to hear. In fact, I think mayhap thou had best sit for this.”

Several expressions crossed Horace's face, most notably steely resignation and dread. He slowly pulled a stool over and lowered himself onto it. “Yes?”

“When we, erm.... When thou didst marry me, thou also did to marry Stella.”

Horace relaxed. “I was honestly expecting far worse.”

“And then Sherry was jealous, so Stella and I married her after you left.”

Horace's face remained unchanged but for the widening of his eyes and his color draining once more. “Oh God.”

John spoke again, this time more hastily. “And, well, thou knowst well what Sherry be like, and while I suppose I technically know not for certain, I think she mayhap be taking it seriously.”

“Oh God.”

“Indeed.”

Horace passed his hands over his eyes and remained thus a long silent moment, cobbling together words that would suffice. At last, a long, deliberate breath. “John, 'tis clear that we must needs discuss some things. I am like to be obliged to put my part through writing so as to hone my meaning.”

John gave a brief tender smile at that.

Horace removed his head from his hands and stood, slowly and carefully. “I swear I am not avoiding thee, and shall face this anon; but now I am going to find something to eat, and I am going to drink some cleaned water, and I am going to bed, for I be in no fit state just now to cope with much of anything, least of all our, erm, situation.”

***************

Will had so often trod the path from the Tanningrove homestead back to his own house – more accurately simply his parents house, now that he'd moved to London – that his feet steered him thus without conscious thought. When he did finally notice, he pressed on, for he truly needed sustenance 'ere he did aught else. Still, he reflected, he had best make his meal quick, for he had another matter to attend to as soon as he might; though he was yet uncertain whether he looked to it in apprehension, or in anticipation.

He glanced down at his wrist and the initials freshly written thereon. He hadn't even known the noble was in the area. He would've expected him to still be in Hunsdon this time of year.

End notes: (.....The More the Marrier geddit like 'marry'?)

Thanks so friggin' much for reading!  This, the first PARF fic I ever finished, was incredibly difficult to write.  Not only was it a different style and tone to anything I've ever written before, but I began it after not writing anything (beyond journaling and approximately five textposts) for six months.  Thus, my first draft was the shittiest shitty first draft I e'er have made, the writing clunky and ill-fitting and excruciatingly slow.  There's a reason it took me a year.

Please, please, please leave a comment!  A line you really liked, a weak phrase, a character voice I absolutely nailed, typos and other corrections, something you found funny.  Reactions, impressions.  I cannot become a better writer without feedback.  At least leave kudos if you enjoyed it.

I'll be recording a podfic of this work over the next who-knows-how-many days, and will link it here when it's done.  Please note that I have zero notion of a timeline for that project.

In the meantime, notes on the content of this fic.

Much of the style and tone of this piece was inspired by the Storytime: Voltron is (Basically) a Disaster series by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle.  The scene with the forge kittens was based line-for-line on Basically Under Arrest (Part 1).

I have never been drunk or hungover, nor witnessed the same firsthand for any extended time.  This is based on other media representations of drunkenness.

The astute reader will notice that I mingle more modern methods of speech with the more Elizabethan dialogue.  This was intended to mimic the manner in which the actors do exactly that, particularly in interactions.

The notion of Sheriff Perry taking valuables from an arrested Will was derived from streetwork in week one, in which a rumor went around that the sheriff was taking money from his prisoners.  The wording of the rumor was ambiguous, and could've meant either stealing or accepting bribes.

Will abruptly and ardently claiming credit for pranking the sheriff  was inspired by Trial and Dunke closing weekend, when Will flung himself enthusiastically at punishment in Horace's stead.  I like the idea of Will recklessly throwing himself in potential harm's way for people he cares about, particularly for things of low consequence that everybody treats as though they are serious.

The idea of someone's drunk self pranking their sober self came from a Text From Last Night I have saved somewhere on my external hard-drive and cannot currently be bothered to find.

Streetwork on closing day indicated that the R and J play had been picked up by a producer in London, and that Will would be relocating there shortly.

To be clear, yes, I know the difference between Scylla (six heads, monch monch) and Charybdis (whoosh whoosh, motherfucker).  Horace and Will are drunk.

For folk not present at PARF 2017, the cat sìth is explained in this Myths and Legends Finale.

I am neither herbalist nor doctor.  I decided on Eskarina's hangover antidote by googling “herbal hangover remedy” or something like that, and selected some plants that I think would've been available in England at the time.  I know not if they can be safely mixed, nor even if they would taste foul if they were.  I also cannot vouch for their effectiveness.

You will note that I spelled the fire brigade's name as “Emily O'Bales” although it is spelled as “Emily O. Bales” in the program.  I altered the spelling thus because I frequently heard her referred to as “mistress O'Bales”, but cannot recall ever hearing he called “mistress Bales”.  If the cast made a mistake, I fear it was made to such an extent as to eclipse the technically-correct version.

Are village lanterns a thing?  I've heard the term and it makes sense as a thing, so I went with it.

The notion of our Amy Cooper building square barrels came from an episode of QuaranTeatime in which it was mentioned that Amy was expanding her trade into crate-making.  She would totally call them square barrels, though.

Speaking of QuaranTeatime.  Numbered animals with one creature less than the highest number were brought up in a QuaranTeatime episode as something that was happening in Mount Hope.  However, I had planned it into the story before they brought it up.

To be clear, yes, I know the difference between 'orchard' and 'orchid', as you will gather if you note that I spelled it correctly the one time it was in narration and not speech.  Will and Horace are drunk.

If you never heard the tale of the wereapple, I'm sorry, idk how to help you.

Horace and Will are in no danger of being mistaken for burglars or anything when they break into Millicent Goodenstone's studio.  Streetwork on closing day revealed that Millie was going to travel to Bath to further train and become a real master stonecarver, so this particular home would have been unoccupied at the time.

I am confident that I captured the voices of almost all the characters herein.  The exception is  Rosalind Anne Uxbridge, whose voice I had great trouble summoning to my mind.  I hope I did her justice, and apologize profusely if I did not.

“...it weren't binding in the eyes of anyone, if thou takest my meaning”.  The meaning here, of course, is, “It wasn't binding in the eyes of the law because we didn't go through the proper channels, and it wasn't binding in the eyes of God because we didn't fuck.”  (The notion that marriage must involve genital muckery in order to be recognized by the Divine is, of course, rubbish, but the idea was prevalent at the time.)

A note on Tanninghop.  I both do and do not ship it.  If I may be allowed to quote one of my posts: “Whether deliberately or incidentally, the actors subtly play the dynamic [between Horace and John] just a little bit differently every day.  Some days, they are as they appear in the plot’s basic premise: two individuals caught in baseless inherited hatred. But sometimes, it seems they were childhood friends before becoming caught in that inherited hatred.  Some days, they are exes, the animosity between them potentially beginning with their breakup.  A few times, it has seemed that the feud began with the two of them over some petty squabble in like third grade, and merely expanded from there.  Once or twice, they inherited the hatred, but each harbors a repressed attraction to the other.  Occasionally, they’ve even been secret lovers in the midst of the feud.  Watching their interaction has become my favorite part of Queen’s Court, and I always look forward to divining what their exact relationship is on any given day.”  Historically, I have always been trash for a unified canon, a specific continuity (or as much of one as is possible in repeated improvised interactive theatre).  But in 2019, I fell deeply in love with the kaleidoscope of  subtle differences in day-to-day dynamics.  Not just in love with each individual dynamic, but in love with the kaleidoscope as a whole, and with the very notion of that kaleidoscope.  I thus have no set headcanon about their relationship through which I interpret their story: I have a dozen.   That being said, John and Horace are totally in romantic-love in this fic.  However, this fic is not canon to my interpretation.

#parf fanfiction #parf fanfic #parf fic #horace tanningrove #will shakespeare (parf 2019) #john hopfield #horace tanningrove & will shakespeare #horace tanningrove / john hopfield #alcohol mention #drunken shenanigans #faire fanfiction #faire fanfic #faire fic #renaissance faire fanfiction #renaissance faire fanfic #renaissance faire fic #parf 2019 #parf #pa ren faire #pa renn faire #pa renaissance faire #pennsylvania renaissance faire #renaissance faire #renn faire #ren faire #faire #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #parf-fan writes things

[furryalligator]

(via CSotD: Things We Should Already Know The Daily Cartoonist)

#editorial cartoon #@DailyCartoonist #CSotD #editorial cartoon immigration #@kaltoons #Melting Pot #Bill Bramhall #Clay Jones #@claytoonz #Matt Davies #@MatttDavies #Steve Brodner #Michael de Adder #steve Sack #Jeff Stahler

[parf-fan]

Unsolicited and incomplete list of highlights from Improv Technology’s May 23rd show

In little-to-no particular order.

“I thought we weren’t doing a musical”

Alexis transforming herself into Don Alonso.

Davis Handle

Michael Stahler doing a live Animal Planet special with Hoagie and Milo.

“Which Brady Bunch am I??”

Jonathan's entire hotel experience.

“I wanna be entirely clear, visible, vulnerable, perhaps supple, and maybe even emotionally contemplative with the press.”

Alex's face immediately after Chat Roulette.

Alexis loudly bursting into a vaguely Scottishy-piratey accent.

Michael getting to do a quick science talk during Objection.

Jonathan's ASMR persona stabbing themself in the eye with their glasses.

Joe's genuinely brilliant hosting.

“Who among us has not slapped through Jonathan before?”

Most likely to start an improv show eight minutes late.

“What number show is this for you guys?”

“I can hear you as clearly as I can hear your sins!”

“We doin' a show y'all?”

“I will say that my dog just leaped off of an— anyway.”

“Holy bananas.”

“No. This is just a personal Alexis-to-Jonathan threat.”

Michael trying to start a joke three times in One-Eighty-Five before managing it.

Michael's video freezing in the middle of the joke.

Michael patterspeaking to make up for it.

Alex in Press Conference as Batman changing his superhero name to Bearman.

Everybody's reactions to hearing that prompt.

This is the second time Alex has been Batman in an Improv Technology show.

the crimes that you kermitted

“You the bitch Satan lookin' for.” “I am the bitch Satan's looking for!”

Katelyn tapping on Weston

“Yo, you were just possessed there for a moment, that was beautiful.”

The gross Zoom incompetency of this show.  Literally, I was crying from laughter.  This must be what Disasterpiece is like in-universe.

“...facebook dot com, you know, the website?”

“Not you, though.  You are the worst child I've ever read to.”

Joe's description of Alexis completely fitting Michael, too.

“ComPLaINtS??? WE've gotten WRitTeN COmpLAiNts!!!!”

“Church had gotten boring.”

“In honor of Adam Shepley:” *dramatically opens carbonated drink*

“I have to stop a disaster, one second, my dog's about to jump on my cat, one second.”

Everybody's faces at that.

“Yeah, I can make up some references to a show I haven't seen.”

Alexis's little grin when Haley brings up otters.

Michael quietly threatening the audience to coerce them into donating.

“Mike, stop talking to them.” “I—I– I wasn't! I wasn't.”

Michael continuing to quietly threaten.

“Is the dog back? Are you okay?” “No, my family's at the door.”

“Christians are weird.”

The false start on Michael’s press conference

“What I sound like doesn't matter at all, and I've forgotten the accent since the last time I saw you.”

“Good Cop, Bad Cop; otherwise known as Here's A Glass Of Milk, Gimme That Glass Of Milk.”

Their faces at that.

An objection being called at that alternate name.

Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.

“I'm.....Walt?”

grrrrounded

Arc Hamm

“Oh. Shocker.  Another play where half the cast is dead before the end of Act One.”

The beard reveal ™.

Jonathan's reaction.

Michael putting sunglasses atop his regular glasses to be the bad cop.

“Get the heckin' heck out of here!”

Michael's nyooming onscreen entrance as bad cop.

Ailey Karlson

Weston and Hoagie helping close out the show

“Uhh, guys?”

“Oh, huntey, you bein' hunted?”

nocableinmychildhood.com

Michael: *foghorn sounds* “Correct the record.”

“I am insulted at the idea that I am three times the size of Shrek.”

Alexis slipping up and dropping the f-bomb.

Michael Stahler (Horace Tanningrove) unveiling a beer.

Once Michael realizes that he's meant to be marketing beer, he starts sounding like a middle schooler writing an essay on a book he didn't read, and I think that's beautiful.

“I guess Jeff is definitely gonna have to control this game.”

“Let's see what Christian Mingle in this part of Georgia has to offer.”

Michael pulling a hairbrush out of nowhere as a visual aid

“Remember CD-roms?”

Michael: “You [Haley and Alexis] are better at facial hair than I am!”

“So you hiding from Satan and looking for vampires?” “Yes.” “Girl, you need help.”

Alex breaking the fourth wall to tell all men to get rid of cargo pants, and Michael promptly standing up and grabbing a pair of cargo pants from off camera to throw them somewhere else off camera.

Joe's absurdly beautiful origin story.

“ 'Aye aye Captain' is damn right.”

Michael quickly starting to analyze everybody's facial/skeletal structures before remembering that Alex literally played a snake.

Michael himself then briefly becoming a snek.

Alex saying his address over the internet while Alexis hastily tries to prevent it.

Jonathan apparently not having writing implements at the beach?

“I could honestly watch this for the full hour.” “I could not. Please.”

“That would've been a good one, but no.”

“Are you colourblind?” “Yes.”

“Can I let my cat out of the room?”

“Please donate to our Venmo so we can take improv classes.”

“Children can't drink beer.” “Not with that attitude, they can't.”

Porous Tanningrove

“Thought has occurred.”

“Well at least I can drink my name-brand soda without having to hide it.”

“Also here, my little sister, in some cases, not really, she's not adopted, we just say things sometimes.”

“Objection! As long as your cells are able to metastasize[?], you have a life.”

“Sshould I write any of that down?”

“I'm a sexy boi.” –Alexis, quite rightly

“How did you know how moist I was?”

Katelyn deadass namedropping her persona in Press Conference and not realizing that's who she is.

“Oh my god I almost lost my mother's place in a book!”

“I'm ready to get crusty with it. I regret saying that.”

“Why do you get so close to the screen”

“We stan David.”

Michael petting his dog while everyone else discusses the prompt.

“Are you a specific pirate?” “What?” “Are you specific?  Or AtlanticHAHAHA!”

Everybody hivemindedly putting on cockney accents of various degrees of dreadfulness upon hearing the phrase “a new brew” and just. not stopping.

Seriously, what was up with that, it was insane.

Hilarious, but insane.

Michael correcting Jonathan's misuse of “objective” vs. “subjective”.

Everybody's faces immediately after.

“Objection! I sent you a foot pic a mere two weeks ago.” “That's true.”

“Ah swear, Ah'll goe out an' find yer entire family and gut ye liyke a fish!”

Hoagie waving goodbye.

“Oh, if you look upon these, they're not just simply rubber ducks: one of them is wearing a leather harness.”

#less than two minutes into the show i knew i'd have to do a highlights post #next time i should just leave 'em in the order they happened #this was ridiculous #and it just occurred to me that probably a significant number of y'all may not be aware of improv technology #tumblr and facebook do not have the biggest ven diagram overlap after all #so uh i guess i'll make a post about that tomorrow #for now just know that folk from the improv track use zoom to perform and stream imporv shows on saturdays now #improv technology #improv #improv track #parf improv track #parf #pa ren faire #pa renn faire #pa renaissance faire #pennsylvania renaissance faire #perhaps only tangentially but that's why we have this group so it goes under that tag regardless