#tricki-woo records

[thepermanentrainpress]

UNDER THE RADAR: NOVEMBER 2022

It’s been a hectic couple of months, but Under the Radar is never far from reach. Enjoy these tunes from VOX REA, Riun Garner, Miles Away and Danni Carra, Noca Project, American Lips, and NOLLE.

1) VOX REA - “Julia”

We’ve covered sisters Kate and Lauren Kurdyak since 2015, and their enchanting sensibilities haven’t waned. “Julia” (604 Records) is one for the hopeless romantics and daydreamers.

“The smell of your perfume / turns me the happy kind of blue.” They explore the nonsensical thoughts of infatuation and continuing to return to a toxic relationship. A push and pull where it’s easy to fall back into and justify old habits – the reckless highs are to “die for.” It has a silky and electric feel, subtle with a sweet aftertaste. While they’re best known for their darker noir pop, a dreamy essence isn’t new to the duo, instead taken up a melodic notch in their newest effort. To be enamoured is to be in danger, foolproof flaws at any corner. Drawn in by loyalty and fantasy, “Julia” does not err on the side of caution in its foolish play but coolly delivers in every aspect.

Written by: Chloe Hoy

2) Riun Garner - “Hasn’t Gotten Easier”

“Hasn’t Gotten Easier” was penned in a heartbreak state of mind. Its hushed, halcyon tones speak to the listener. Indie folk guitar strums and keys meet Garner’s yearning vocals – more determined with time as he attempts to fill the space between his empty hands and heart. Garner carries the weight of change with charm; attentive notes; hoping the smiles will one day come as they used to.

“It’s not like this is the first time / but it still hasn’t gotten easier.”

Riun Garner is a singer-songwriter and actor based in Vancouver. His debut EP All We Know and All We Forget was released in 2020.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

3) Miles Away and Danni Carra - “Back to Sleep”

“When the sky turns upside down / I’ll fade into you, like I always do.”

It’s very poetic, delicate in how it approaches the escapism we can feel in dreams. Producer Miles Away and vocalist Danni Carra create a soothing aesthetic, but one that excites; synths and samples breathing emotions of remorse and reprieve. Yet, there’s also a notion of being clouded in fantasy versus reality—it fits with ease and solves our problems, why wouldn’t we choose to stay?

Carra has a longing and desperation in her voice, adorned by production less bass heavy than Miles Away’s usual repertoire; wandering vibrations that are airy and reassuring in nature. Hopeful regret can lead to the most well-intentioned dreams and false security, chased down with purpose in “Back to Sleep.”

Written by: Chloe Hoy

4) Noca Project - “Here Before”

Noca Project is the creative endeavor of Japanese singer-songwriter Norika Yue, alongside Jeff Oman (drums) and Malcolm Strasdin (bass). “Here Before” is a melancholy and textured effort akin to the (sandwich) filling of their 3-track EP, Silent Tragedies. It muses on the end of a relationship – coming to terms with what you already know: “All the sounds are dying down in waiting / I wished I loved you hard enough to say it.” This emotional vulnerability diffuses into its shoegaze instrumentals. In poetic control despite the somber subject matter, "Here Before” is a song I wouldn’t mind getting lost in live.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

5) American Lips - “Labor of Hate”

Los Angeles/Montreal-based trio American Lips have released a new maxi-single, including “Labor of Hate.” The song paints a bitter atmosphere: standing on a beach, reflecting on your mundane job and “blaming your predicament on the neighborhood punk rocker who made fun of you for loving Tom Jones' cover of "Kiss" when you were 9 years old.” Oddly specific but rhythmically catchy. American Lips features Adrian Popovich (Tricky Woo) on vocals/guitar, Jessica Bruzzese on bass/vocals, and Sebastien Grainger (Death From Above 1979) on drums. Brassy horn samples add vibrance to the song’s dystopian feel. Their sound is explicit and engaging, with no signs of wiping out.

Waste of Crime is out now on Ancient Fashion Records.

Written by: Natalie Hoy

6) NOLLE - “tuesdays”

"Tuesdays” is a trip into the dark side of the music industry and a cryptic reference to the infamous ‘27 Club.’ Inspired by the “insecurities and societal expectations” faced, NOLLE (Nicole Hylton) has a raw and unnerving spark as she muses about fame and its toll. We want going at a dream as an independent artist to be glamorous – hard work, dedication, music that speaks to our soul making it to the big stage, but it can be the opposite, a proverbial nightmare (“You only become unusually famous / from your grave therefrom”).  

It’s elaborate and torments the mind. The distressing tone flows throughout; distorted vocals, electric guitar and drums that feel both combative and desperate. Her voice, a gritty drawl that I loved, exploring the detachment in a matter and goal so personal to her. A clandestine message to others, “Tuesdays” documents power and vicious cycles, standing by a style true to herself. 

Written by: Chloe Hoy

#Under the Radar #Music #new music #Canadian Music #Vancouver #yvr #Vancouver Music #Riun Garner #NOLLE #Nicole Hylton #Chloe #Noca Project #Norika Yue #Miles Away #Devin Belanger #Danni Carra #No Rules PR #American Lips #604 Records #Lauren Kurdyak #Kate Kurdyak

[kpoplrcfiles]

[Mini Album] xikers (싸이커스) - HOUSE OF TRICKY : Trial And Error

[Mini Album] xikers (싸이커스) - HOUSE OF TRICKY : Trial And Error "ERROR DETECTED!" xikers continues to bring their HOUSE OF TRICKY series with third mini-album Trial And Error! Min Jae, Jun Min, Su Min, Jin Sik, Hyun Woo, Jung Hoon, Se Eun, Yu Jun, Hunter

xikers (싸이커스) – HOUSE OF TRICKY : Trial And ErrorRelease Date: 2024.03.08Genre: DanceLanguage: Korean“ERROR DETECTED!” xikers continues to bring their HOUSE OF TRICKY series with third mini-album Trial And Error! Min Jae, Jun Min, Su Min, Jin Sik, Hyun Woo, Jung Hoon, Se Eun, Yu Jun, Hunter and Ye Chan welcome their first debut anniversary with their new record. Track List:1. Trial And Error…

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#jpop #k-pop #kpop #kpop lrc #kpop lyrics #kpop ost lrc #lrc #music #xikers

[9ecommerce]

8 Must Use WooCommerce Security Tips to Protect Your Online Store

Who does not know that running an online business is not as easy as ABC. It surely requires a lot of tasks and handling magnanimous work. Whether it is creating a store or managing it, your eCommerce store requires all the things to be taken care of starting from adding the products, fixing the bugs to strategizing marketing activities. And, among all these headaches, you will be most worried about is your site’s security. No doubt, online theft and hacking are on the rise.

Usually, many businesses use the WooCommerce store to build their primary online shop. Surprisingly, as per the records, more than 52% of online market shops are built on the WooCommerce platform leveraging the potential of expert WooCommerce web designers and developers. And as a fact, the more the market value the more the chances of being hacked. Therefore, strengthening the security of Woocommerce stores is most crucial. 

Want to build your WooCommerce store? Check this How to Build Your Store Guide

If you already have a WooCommerce web store, then let’s walk through the series of security measures that can help you protect and secure your WooCommerce store. No doubt, an excellent WooCommerce website design can always be complemented with a strong security system for good returns. 

Table of Contents

Install Secure SSL Certificates

Take Multiple Backups

Keep Your Site Updated

Imply Security Plugins

Go for A Secure Hosting

Limit Login Attempts

Use Strong Passwords

Important to Protect wp-config.php File

Install Secure SSL Certificates

Although Woocommerce comes with security, add an SSL security system to your WooCommerce, which is quite necessary. Specifically, this security is required on your site’s checkout, account login and account creation pages. This information is quite vital and too sensitive, therefore, to and fro of this information from the user to the website, needs to travel through an encrypted medium. 

Also, remember that Google browser now has also started marking Non-SSL sites as Not-Secure websites. Adding SSL on your website may seem to be complicated to you, but with expert WooCommerce developers, the task is easier and can be done quickly. 

Take Multiple Backups

Usually, entrepreneurs, businessmen and developers ignore the importance of keeping multiple backups. However, keeping multiple backups of your WooCommerce website is the most viable option when it comes to security.  It not only gives you a good night’s sleep but also helps you to easily restore your virus-free website instantly. 

If you are unsure how to handle this, then Woocommerce development services can easily handle this tricky task for you. Hence, keeping multiple backups of your website should be one of your top priorities.

Keep Your Site Updated

Website owners normally miss updating their Woo-commerce store with respect to new updates brought by the WordPress developers’ community. WordPress brings version updates occasionally along with regular security fixes to overcome the loopholes and vulnerabilities detected in the existing core. An efficient WooCommerce web developer can able to easily upgrade your store for version updates.

However, it is not crucial to upgrade your website for every single version release of WordPress. For example, if you are currently using WordPress 4.3.x and WordPress 4.4 is released, it is not mandatory to update your website to the latest version. On the contrary, if there is a major version update then it is ought to be compulsory to get the update done for major security reasons. 

Imply Security Plugins

WordPress is the most secure open-source platform in the world of online platforms. There are multiple WordPress security plugins offered for the Woocommerce websites that help a lot in securing your online store. You can pick up anyone secure system plugin from WordPress for your website as adding too many security plugins may break your site. 

Some of the top WooCommerce security plugins are 

All In One WP Security & Firewall

iThemes Security

MalCare Security Solution

Sucuri Security

Wordfence

Your Woocommerce web developer can easily install this plugin and help to secure the website for numerous online transactions. 

Go for A Secure Hosting

Just adding a security plugin to your WordPress site is not enough. It is also crucial to protect your hosting server to protect against malign viruses. Protecting with firewalls, using a strong SSH username and password and changing permissions on the paramount files are some of the things to take care of. 

If you are hosting your eCommerce store on a third-party hosting provider, then ensure that your host is implying server-level security. And, check that all the communication and transaction between and the hosted servers are encrypted. If you are unsure of the hosting servers, you can always rely on a Woocommerce development company in India to help you secure your hosting server whether internal or third party. 

Limit Login Attempts

With the help of new technologies like machine learning and AI, hackers can easily break through the weak passwords and drain out the important information from your website or hack your users’ credit card details. However, changing your user account login details with a strong password is not foolproof. Therefore, limiting the user login attempts is the best option. 

Implying the solution to limit login attempts from particular IP addresses, can help to protect against insecure activities. Setting a limit for how many attempts that specific address is viable. This will automatically block the force attacks by hackers against your online store and protects it against viruses, malicious bots and attackers.

Use Strong Passwords

Attackers can easily attack and pull out the details when your user password is too weak. Normally, a Brute force attack implies a method to simply use the combination of passwords to crack the security. Passwords like your or family member names, girlfriends or wife’s names, birthdays, anniversary dates, company names are some of the weak passwords and are quite easy to break. 

Therefore, it is always recommended to create strong passwords for strong security. Interestingly, for stronger passwords, WordPress comes with a built-in feature “Better Passwords” that help generate a powerful and more secure password for its users.

Important to Protect wp-config.php File

Under your entire WordPress site system, one of the most crucial files is the wp-config.php file. This file is important as it carries a gigantic amount of sensitive and important information about your site. It is holding items like your WordPress site’s security keys as well as the details of your database connection. In case, anyone gets hold of this file, then the damage caused to your online web store would be unbelievable and incalculable.

Therefore, the first step is of protecting your wp-config.php file. And, to do so, deny access to everyone except you. Alternatively, you can create a duplicate config.php file and trash all the sensitive data from the main wp-config.php file.

So, if you are still skeptical about the security of your website and in a quandary about how to fix the security issues of your online store. Then it is time to check the most trusted and reliable WooCommerce development company in India. 

#Woocommerce development services #Woocommerce development company in India #Woocommerce website design #Woocommerce web developer #Woocommerce web designer #Hire woocommerce developer in India #Wordpress to woocommerce integration

[rich4a1]

Larkin Poe An Acoustic Companion

Larkin Poe An Acoustic Companion Tricki-Woo Records       When sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell lead the roots and blues rockers Larkin Poe, they inject their Southern Gothic-bred songs with high octane-addictive, modern pop gas. But around the time of the pandemic, the sisters flooded social media with videos of themselves as an acoustic duo in glorious vocal harmony, Rebecca deftly…

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#americana #blues #blues rock #indie Blues #making a Scene #Rock #roots #roots rock

[desertislandcloud]

Feelings of glorious 80s discovery

Feelings of glorious 80s discovery --- #musicblog #music #newmusic #musicblogger #musician #musicislife #hiphop #musicvideo #musiclife #musiclover #blog #rap #musicindustry #hiphopmusic #musicproducer #instamusic #spotify #musiclovers #explorepage

Los Angeles and Montreal-based trio, American Lips, have just announced the release of their latest 3-song maxi-single Waste of Crime on Ancient Fashion Records. American Lips features Death From Above 1979 drummer Sebastien Grainger and prolific producer Adrian Popovich, also known for his time in the legendary Canadian rock act Tricky Woo. In explaining their newest offering the bands’ latest…

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#alternative #indie #music #newmusic

[dankalbumart]

The Enemy Is Real by Tricky Woo Sonic Unyon Records 1998 Garage Punk / Rock & Roll / Garage Rock / Punk Rock / Alternative Rock

#garage punk #punk #punk rock #garage rock #rock & roll #rock and roll #rock #alternative rock #alternative #alternative music #alt rock #alt #alt music #music #90s #90s music #90's #90's music

[plungermusic]

Any Larkin Poe fans keen to get under the covers ...

... probably weren’t thinking of this. Larkin Poe became a bit of an internet sensation with their regular YouTube cover version sessions, so with shows cancelled and time on their hands it was only natural that the result would be a full album of the same, Kindred Spirits.

Recorded “live and raw” with just the two of them, it’s a pretty eclectic selection, spanning almost 100 years, from the early days of recorded blues to 21st century rap, all stripped back to varying degrees. An amuse geuele of a single verse of Robert Johnson’s Hellhound On My Trail has an appropriate backwoods porch flavour; Bo Diddley’s standard Who Do You Love is a fun, proficient (if largely undistinguished) back-stage jam, while Derek & The Dominoes’ Bell Bottom Blues lives up to its billing a bit more than Eric’s!

The sparse arrangements mean that Lenny Kravitz’s Fly Away has a darker mood (more “I wish I could”, than “I’m going to”); In The Air Tonight is delivered as moody South Central foreboding, with its menacing chordal slide and (drum machine or boot heel?) beats and claps taking the place of Phil Collins’ thunderous drums; and another moody cinematic number comes in Take What You Want by rapper Post Malone (no, I had no idea either, but I’ve checked and this one IS better) topped with a fluid, searing slide break.

To Plunger’s ears the two-hander set up doesn’t work equally well for everything: Nights In White Satin sees the original’s lush overblown melodrama and anguish replaced by a hushed resigned melancholia, with the breathier vox underplaying the emotion (particularly in the major-shifting chorus) leaving the slide to express the passion of the Moody Blues’ version* and Elton John’s frenetic purple heart-jive Crocodile Rock is turned into wistful ‘ludes-laced nostalgia with lazy drawled vocals and a dreamy slide fade out.

As big Allmans’ fans plunger were poised to fulminate at a cover of Ramblin’ Man, but fair’s fair, the sisters’ take highlights the underlying countryness of the brothers’ song: changing the original’s sophisticated bustle to a homespun hoedown two-step and adding a proper country ending works well, and they do include a lovely two guitar harmony hook.

There’s more invention brought to (You’re The) Devil In Disguise: Elvis’ lighthearted romp has the latin influences turned up to Once, with Mexicali spice introducing a borderland desertscape torch song complete with rattlesnake tambourine, venomous slide and surprise minor shifts in the chorus. Plunger’s favourite track (and the longest on the album) Rockin’ In The Free World does what the best covers do, as Rebecca and Megan use haunting steel swells and tremulous bittersweet harmonies to transform Neil Young’s 4/4 polemic into a waltz-time country lament.

The core Larkin Poe attractions shine out throughout: Rebecca’s voice is as beguiling as ever, Megan’s slide sharp and piquant: while we’re not certain this collection would have made the jump from YouTube novelty to record without the pandemic (there’s a hint of lockdown boredom-beating “What can we do nooooow?!?” about it) and it’s probably not the introduction to Larkin Poe for the uninitiated, it’s a definite must for their fans who want to get up close and personal.

Kindred Spirits is released on Tricki-Woo Records on 20th November

* (but Justin Hayward loves it apparently, so chacun a son whatsit and all that)

#larkin poe #tricki-woo records #kindred spirits #cover versions

[vinylfromthevault]

“A Fistful of Rock N’Roll Vol. 4″ Tee Pee Records, 2000. A comp of 90′s garage punks including some of my favorites like Murder City Devils, Tricky Woo and Quadrajets culled from a variety of indie labels like Estrus, Sub Pop and Get Hip Recordings, plus some previously unreleased tracks. 

Side A starts off with the always awesome Quadrajets playing “Fireball” (from When the World’s on Fire!) followed by the best-of-the-garage-punks Murder City Devils’ “I Want A Lot Now” (from Empty Bottles Broken Hearts). The next track is pretty good, Pulpit Red’s “Zero Nights” (from Lurk). “The Ballad of Rachel & Candi” by Three Years Down (previously unreleased) is just OK and while I generally like Black Halos (I’m pretty sure we saw them open for Murder City Devils in ‘99 at a show in Madison), I'm not crazy about “For You” (from The Black Halos). American Heartbreak’s “White Girl” (from Postcards From Hell) is hard-rocking emopunk played by ex-members of Bay City Rollers, Jet Boy and Exodus followed by a punked-up rockabilly goes girl-group track by Graveyard School, “Life’s Crazy” (previously unreleased). 

Side B starts off with the heavily Stooges/MC5 influenced “Mr. White” by Lovemasters (from Pusherman of Love). Next up is Spitfires’ “Something For Nothing” (unreleased) which is very Murder City Devilish and excellent followed by hardcore punk-speed DGeneration’s “Prohibition” (also previously unreleased). Then comes one of my all-time favorite songs of the 90′s by Canada’s Tricky Woo “Fly the Orient”  (from Sometimes I Cry). We literally had to go to Canada to find that CD by those guys back in the early 2000′s (not sure if vinyl was ever available). I’m not familiar with the next two bands on the comp, High School Sweethearts (crunchy and melodic girl punk) with “She’s Something” (from Passing Notes) and Stilleto Boys’ “Rockets & Bombs” (Rockets & Bombs) which is snotty punk à la The Ramones. Concluding the comp are Texas punks The Reds on “Zero” (from the 7″ single) and Canada’s Von Zippers’ “Bad Generation” (Bad Generation). 

#a fistful of rock and roll #garage punk #compilation #estrus records #sub pop #tee pee records #murder city devils #quadrajets #black halos #tricky woo #vinyl #von zippers

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE CHARACTER SONG Tower Records Tokuten Drama CD ”The Sakamaki’s Commemorative General Hospital・24 hours ~The Emergency and Critical Sucking* Center of Love and Trust~

Original title: 密着！逆巻記念総合病院・24時～愛と信頼の究明吸求センター～

Source: DDIABOLIK LOVERS MORE CHARACTER SONG Tower Records Tokuten Drama CD ”The Sakamaki’s Commemorative General Hospital・24 hours ~The Emergency and Critical Sucking* Center of Love and Trust~” [CD not owned by me]

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Katsuyuki Konishi, Midorikawa Hikaru, Hirakawa Daisuke, Kondou Takashi & Tatsuhisa Suzuki

Translator’s note: This has to be the most difficult drama CD I’ve translated since the birth of this blog back in 2019. Carla’s dialogue can be tricky because he uses a lot of big & facy words but since I had a Classical Japanese course at university, I can somewhat handle it. Meanwhile this CD just bombards you with a bunch of medical terms which I barely even know what they mean in English (or my native language), let alone in Japanese. :’’) The concept of the CD is pretty funny but it was a bit difficult to enjoy the humor when I had to pause every 10 seconds to look up a bunch of different words. I tried my best though so I hope you guys will enjoy the end result. Also if any of you fellow translators have any suggestions/feedback, hit me up! I might even revisit this one in the future to see if there’s certain parts I can fix or improve on, but for now I’m done with these crazy doctors. xD

→  LIKE MY TRANSLATIONS? SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI!

*WEE WOO ・WEE WOO・WEE WOO*

Subaru: You suddenly collapsed and by the time you regained consciousness, you found yourself in an ambulance, huh? ...Heh. Seems like you can still come up with excuses. Let’s see...’Level of consciousness: good’...

*Scribble*

Subaru: ーー Ah! Who cares ‘bout this crap! Let’s just get goin’ already!

They push the stretcher towards the hospital.

*SCENE SHIFT*

Reiji: ...Excuse me! You intern over there! Has the emergency case patient still not arrived? 

Ayato: Aah...? Not my problem! I could hear an ambulance earlier so I’m sure they’ll get here sooner or later. ーー Anyway, I have a proper name being ‘Ayato-sama’, you know? Don’t go around callin’ me shit like ‘you intern’...! You Four-Eyes!

Reiji: ...! I cannot believe you would use such a tone against me, who is not only your instructor but also the supervisor of this Emergency and Critical Care Center (1)! You might end up regretting that decision later.

Subaru enters the room with the stretcher.

Subaru: Oi! I’ve got an emergency case! Imma leave her here, ‘kay? Now she’s your problem!

*Thud*

Ayato: ...!? Oi! What kind of caregiver crashes the stretcher with the patient still on it against the wall like that!? You bastard!

Subaru: Ah!? Like I care! It’s not my fault you’re not even competent enough to catch it in time! You useless intern!

Ayato: Aah...!? Say that one more time!? 

Reiji: ...!? You two! When an emergency case patient arrives, your first priority should be to call me, the doctor! How many times do I have to tell you that!? 

Subaru: Shut up! I actually went through the trouble to take her all the way here, so you should be thankful!

Reiji: ...Excuse me, miss! Are you okay? My apologies for the immediate turmoil. As their supervisor, my subordinates’ inappropriate behavior is my responsibility. I am surgeon Sakamaki of this Emergency Care Center. 

Now that I have been assigned as your physician in charge, you can rest assured. All you need to do is remain on the stretcher and heed my every order. Well then, let me get straight to the examination. 

*Rustle rustle*

Reiji: Oh dear...? Your complexion appears to be very pale. I suspect a severe case of anemia. ーー You intern over there!

Ayato: You bastard...Reiji!! How many times do I have to tell you that my name is Ayato-sama!?

Reiji: In case a patient with severe anemia is brought in, what is the first step one must take according to our Center’s manual? Answer me. 

Ayato: Aah...? ...What an obvious question.

Ayato walks up to you.

Ayato: Gotta start by checkin’ the patient from head to toe to look for any open injuries. Hehehe...

Reiji: Mmh. Excellent. Well then, first determine the location of the wound before proceeding to take measures to stop the bleeding at once. 

Ayato: You heard him, right? Hehehe...

*Rustle*

Ayato: Oi! You loser! Hand me the scissors!

Subaru: Who are you callin’ a loser!? Do you have a death wish, huh!?

Subaru throws a pair of scissors at him.

*Cling*

*Rustle*

Ayato: ...Woah, that was close. The fuck are you doin’...!? What if it hit the patient!? 

*Rustle*

Ayato: Come on...Better sit still, ‘kay? Who knows when my hand might slip...Hehehe...

*Snip snip*

*RIIIIIIP*

Reiji: My sincere apologies. While I would rather not have to cut a lady’s clothes with a pair of scissors, until we discover where you are losing blood, we cannot let you get up and move.

Ayato: Hahaha...You’re lookin’ mighty fine like that. I’ll make sure to inspect every nook and cranny of your body.

*Snip snip*

*Rustle*

Ayato: ...Oi...Are you trying to cover yourself up by turnin’ ‘round like that? That kind of defeats the purpose though, don’t you think? 

*Rustle*

Ayato: This side is up next...No point in tryin’ to twist your body...Hehe...

*Snip snip*

*RIIIIIIP*

*Rustle rustle*

Ayato: Hmー...Doesn’t seem like you have any obvious injuries. ...Geez, borin’.

Reiji: Excuse me!? What do you mean with ‘boring’? If there are no injuries visible on the outside, this means that the situation may be more severe than we initially assumed! It means that we are dealing with an internal bleeding. Worst case scenario, the patient could pass away before the source of the bleeding is located. Pull yourself together!

Ayato: Yeah, yeah...I know. Guess I’ll record an ECG to monitor her heart now that her chest area is exposed anyway.

*Tap tap tap*

*Beep・beep・beep・beep*

Ayato: Anyway, you...Hehehe...You’re as flat as a board, hehe... Honestly, it makes my job a lot easier so thanks.

*Rustle*

Reiji: You caregiver over there! I want you to go report to CT unit right away. Tell them we have an emergency case at the outward emergency ward who needs immediate examination!

Subaru: Oh shut up! Like I give a damn! Do it yourself!

Laito: Nfu~ Could I be the person you are looking for, Dr. Sakamaki~?

Ayato: ...!? Fuck! Where did you crawl out from!? You perverted lab technician!

Laito: How rude! I was so kind to come check up on the situation because I could hear an ambulance?

Ayato: You’re lyin’ out the ass! I bet you only came to look ‘cause you heard the patient’s a chick!

Laito: Nfu~ Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.

*Rustle*

Laito: Anyway...Your face is sheer white! Are you cold, perhaps? I guess that makes sense considering how much of your skin has been exposed. Shall I help warm you up~?

Reiji: Haah...What nonsense are you lot spouting? This is not the time nor place for jokes! ...You lab technician! If you have the time for ridiculous chit-chat, use it to examine the patient instead!

Laito: Yeah, yeah, I know~ ...Geez, I really can’t deal with how demanding the Sakamaki duo at the emergency unit is...~ That being saidーー I’ll make sure to examine your body from head to toe! It’d be bad if you’d still be losing your precious blood as we speak, right? Nfu~ 

...Well then, I’ll start by rubbing this jelly all over your body, okay?

*Rustle rustle*

Laito: Aah...Don’t move! If I don’t apply this gel, the inside of your tummy won’t show up on the monitor, you see?

Laito puts the gel on your stomach.

Subaru: ...Oi. You went a little overboard with that stuff, don’t you think? There’s a tower of gel sittin’ on top of her stomach.

Ayato: You just wanted to rub it on her, you pervert!

Laito: Ah, geezー Shut up already! This is my job, so let me focus.

He continues to apply the gel.

Laito: Look? It’s all slimy and slippery...~ Your fair skin...Aah...

*Rustle*

Laito: Hm? What? Does it tickle? Nfu~ You don��t need to hold back. Go ahead and let out your voice~

*Rustle rustle*

Laito: Oh dear~? Is it just my imagination, or have your cheeks got a little more color to them now? Or did you perhaps get a little excited from having me rub this stuff on you?

ー You deny it.

Laito: Fufu~ No need to hide it...I welcome lewd emergency patients like you with open arms! Okay, Bitch-chan...~?

*TIMESKIP*

Ayato: ...So? What are the results of the echography? 

Laito: Unfortunately, not the results we expected. Bitch-chan has nothing but fresh, perfectly working organs inside of her, she basically couldn’t be any healthier.

Ayato: Che...The fuck? So we were wrong?

Reiji: In that case, I suppose the only possiblity left is a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. We have no other choice but to do an emergency endoscopy​.

Subaru: Haah!? You’re still doin’ more tests!? Just lemme go to bed already!

Reiji: This is your job. Do not complain. Go wake up the physician on call. Also prepare a room for the endoscopy.

Subaru: Who cares!? Can’t we just leave that for tomorrow and have the people from the day shift handle it!? I’m goin’ home and hittin’ the hay!

Reiji: I see. ...Listen carefully. If you choose to leave now, you will not be compensated for your night shift.

Subaru: Haah!? ...Excuse me? Don’t give me that crap! I’ve been doin’ all of your stupid jobs like goin’ along with the ambulance and shit!

Reiji: If you want your money, then shut up and fulfill your duty!

Subaru: ...Ah, fuck! This work environment is toxic as hell!

*TIMESKIP*

Subaru: For the millionth time...Everything has been prepped already but we can’t get started without you!

*Beepー beepー*

Subaru: Ahー God! Every single motherfucker here...! I seriously don’t give a damn anymore! I wouldn’t take this job even if they paid me double the regular amount for it!

*Thud*

Ayato: Oi...We’re still not gettin’ started with the endoscopy? Geez, who’s the physician on call tonight?

Subaru: Che...Take a guess. It’s obviously the gastroenterologist Mukami Yuma.

Ayato: Heh, that guy, huh? No point in waiting for that that quack doctor. ーー Oi, let’s just get this show started. You don’t mind, do you, Chichinashi?

Yuma enters the room.

Yuma: Pwaaah...Oi, where’s the emergency patient?

*Rustle*

Yuma: The fuck? Interns should know their place and don’t act off their own accord!

He pushes Ayato out of the way.

*Thud*

Yuma: This room used for endoscopies is basically my turf as a gastroenterologist. Don’t be enterin’ it without my permission!

Ayato: Excuse me!? It’s your fault for takin’ a fuckin’ eternity! Fuck off!

*Thud*

Yuma: ...!! ...Aah? So this chick on top of the stretcher is our emergency case?

Yuma approaches you.

Yuma: They’ve put ya on this thing and been pushin’ ya from one room in the hospital to the other, huh? Kinda reminds me of a sow bein’ sold off during an auction on the marketplace. Hehe. ...Why the fuck is yer face white as snow? Yer hella tiny and skinny too. I bet ya have a very one-sided diet, don’t ya? 

Ayato: Heh...Well, that’s why she has no tits either. Hehehe...

*Rustle*

Yuma: Heehー...Oh well, whatever. Oi, you caregiver over here. Go ahead and take her back to Mr. Surgeon I-Know-It-All. 

Subaru: ...Aah? What do you mean!?

Yuma: No point in wastin’ time on an endoscopy. She’ll get better just by eatin’ a balanced, nutritious diet.

*Rustle*

Yuma: Oi, I’m talking to ya! Do ya understand, Sow!?

You nod.

Yuma: ...Imma head back to bed then. Pwaah...God, stop wakin’ me up over every single lil’ thing... ーー Oi!! Caregiver! Ya better make sure my fiberscope-chan ya took out of the shelf without my permission find its way back in there!

Yuma leaves.

Subaru: Haah...!? You’re not gonna do the endoscopy!? You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me...!!

The doors close.

Subaru: TELL ME THAT BEFORE I GET EVERYTHIN’ READY!!

*THUD*

*TIMESKIP*

Reiji: ...So? Did he ultimately leave without doing the examination? He is a disgrace to all physicians in this world. In the end, I suppose we only have a small amount of doctors on duty to work with, so there is little we can do. This case remains unsolved as well. It simply cannot be helped. 

...Well then, I suggest we have her hospitalized for a while so we can observe her progress. For now, we will draw her blood in two hours and monitor her very closely. 

*TIMESKIP*

*Beep・ beep ・beep・ beep*

Subaru: Fuck...In the end I’m stuck here until mornin’...Why do I have to deal with this shit!? 

*Beep・ beep ・beep・ beep*

Subaru: Besides, the monitor is keeping track of anythin’, so why do I have to keep an eye on her as well...!? Fuck!

Subaru walks over to your bed and pulls the curtain aside. 

*Rattle*

Subaru: Uwah...!? 

Laito: ...!! Geez, Subaru-kun! Don’t give me a heart attack by suddenly moving the curtain aside!

Subaru: That’s what I’d like to ask you! What are you doing here!? 

Laito: What do you mean? I’m conducting research~ That’s my job as a lab technician after all~ Right, Bitch-chan~!?

Subaru: ...Don’t be takin’ her blood as you please! She’s hospitalized for anemia, remember!? 

Laito: I’m not just doing as I please! Didn’t you hear doctor Reiji earlier when he said we should draw her blood after two hours and examine it? So I’m only following his orders.

Subaru: Oi...Is that really all you’re doin’?

Laito: Of course!

Subaru: Then why do you have blood all around your mouth, huh?

Laito: Mm...Hm? Eh? Huh? ...Ahaha~! You’re right! Geez, I’m busted! Even though we promised it’d be our little secret, right, Bitch-chan?

I mean, while drawing her blood, it was giving off such a delicious scent, I decided I would have a little taste while I was at it~

*Rustle*

Laito: ...!!

Subaru: Quit the bullshit, you bastard! Do you have any idea what’ll happen if this comes to light...!? 

*Rustle rustle*

Laito: Oh come on, just keep your lips sealed and have a little taste as well.

*Rustle*

Laito: Here, 

Subaru: Mmhーー Mmphーー!?

*Rustle rustle*

Laito: See? Isn’t it good? Nfu~ Now we’re partners in crime~ Fufu~

Ayato walks up to the bed. 

Ayato: Oi, Chichinashi...! You’re still alive and kickin’, right!? 

He opens the curtain as well.

*Rattle*

Ayato: Wai...Oi! What are you fuckers doin’...!? 

Subaru: Mmhーー Mmphーー!! Mm, mmh...!!

*Rustle rustle*

Laito: Haah...What now!?

Ayato: Oi, third-rate Caregiver and peverted Lab Technician...I was wonderin’ why I couldn’t spot the two of you ‘round anywhere, but what are you up to over here...!? 

Laito: What do you mean? It was Doctor Reiji who told us to examine her blood! Right, Subaru-kun?

Subaru: Ah...Y-Yeah. We’re only followin’ the rules of the center...

Ayato: So what!? This patient has been assigned to Yours Truly! Don’t be pullin’ shit behind my back!

*Sniff sniff*

Ayato: ...Anyway, where is this sweet scent comin’ from? This wouldn’t happen durin’ a standard blood test!

*Rustle*

Ayato: Don’t tell me...You fuckers didn’t go ahead and suck her blood before I got the chance, did you? If you did, I’m never lettin’ it slide...I’ll kill both of you, right here, right now!

*TIMESKIP*

Ayato, Laito and Subaru are fighting in the patient’s room, making a mess.

*THUD THUD*

Yuma bursts into the room.

Yuma: Oi, ya shitheads!! The fuck are ya doin’ in the hospital room in the middle of the night!? 

He hits them on the head.

*THUD*

Ayato: Ow...!!

Yuma: Idiot...!

*THUD*

Laito: Ah...!

*THUD*

Subaru: ...Why me too!?

Yuma: Ahーah...The room’s a freakin’ mess...Look, if ya guys wanna call this yer job, then at least try and think of yer patients a lil’! Tsk...God...

*Rustle*

Yuma: Come on, take a look! This Sow looks even worse than she did before! ...Oi, come here for a sec!

*Rustle rustle*

Yuma: Ya wanna know what I’m doin’? I need to need to check yer eye lids.

*Rustle rustle*

Yuma: Hm...Ah...Hm, hm, hm...I see...This might be a lil’ risky. Oh well, guess I have no other choice but to treat ya now. I expect ya shitsheads to wait there patiently and not move. Don’t ya dare make her anemia any worse than it already is.

Yuma walks away to get his tools.

Ayato: Treatment? You’re gonna start a blood transfusion now? What a drag...Honestly, just give the damn transfusion bag to me! I’m hella thirsty from havin’ to work till this late at night!

Subaru: Oi...You don’t expect us to stay by her bedside and keep an eye on things until the blood transfusion is complete, right? How many hours will that take...!?

Laito: Eeeh~~!? It’d be such a shame to mix Bitch-chan’s delicious blood with someone else’s...!

Yuma returns.

*Rustle rustle*

*Thud*

Yuma: ...Oi. I’m givin’ ya a special treatment just for today, ‘kay?

Laito: Hey...This...

Subaru: What kind of joke is this...? 

Yuma: Can’t ya tell? This is the spinach I got from my own personal garden this mornin’. It’s perfect for someone sufferin’ from anemia so shut yer damn mouth and eat up!

*Rustle*

Yuma: Come on! It’s time for yer treatment, Sow! I’ll feed ya so get yer ass over here and open yer mouth!

*Rustle rustle*

Subaru: Haah...? Oi!! You’ve gotta be shittin’ me! If anemia could be cured with somethin’ as easy as spinach, there wouldn’t be a need for this kinda facility in the first place...!?

Laito: I mean, I won’t complain if it means that we get to suck her blood all we want once she eats this. Nfu~

Yuma: Hah...! ‘Course! Why do ya think I even doubled the amount of spinach I’m growin’ in my garden!? ーー ‘Cause I’m gonna present this theory at the next medical conference!

Ayato: Haah...? For real? Then lemme join in on your research as well!

Reiji arrives to the scene.

Reiji: What are you lot doing...!? 

Laito: Ah-aah~ We’re busted! You guys were making way too much of ruckus!

Reiji: I cannot believe people who are considered to be specialists in the field of emergency care would have the audacity to make a fuss by the patient’s bed in the middle of the night! I will personally ensure that director Karlheinz hears about your misconducts and punishes the lot of you severly! Brace yourself!

Ayato: Excuse me!?

Laito: Eh!?

Yuma: Aah!?

Subaru: Haah!?

Reiji: Hah! I suppose you should consider yourself lucky if you do not get laid off. ーー Excuse me, miss. Is  everything alright?

You ask Reiji what is going on. 

Reiji: ...!? Fufu...Fufufufu...Ahahaha! ...I see. So you have found out. The true identity hidden behind our unit. Exactly. This is not your every day medical facility. This Emergency and Critical Care Center of Karlheinz’ General Hospital which is famous for treating patients with symptoms of anemia is actually a research institution erected by the council of Vampires to combat the blood scarcity.

...You must be rather surprised, no? No wonder your complexion has been so pale this whole time. You poor little thing. However, we have a set rule here. While I do pity you, I am afraid that we cannot let discharge you from our hospital now. You found out that all of the workers employed at this center are actually Vampires after all.

Laito: Nfu~ You heard the guy.

Subaru: It’s better to just give up.

Yuma: Be a good girl and listen to what we say, ‘kay?

Ayato: You realize the situation you’re in, right? ...There’s fear in your eyes, hehehe. Resistance is futile. 

*Rustle rustle*

Ayato: Wha...!? Bitch! What are you doin’...!? 

You make a run for it.

Ayato: Don’t run, you littleーー!! Chichinashi...!

*TIMESKIP*

*Rustle rustle*

Laito: ...Bitch-chan? ...Hey, Bitch-chan!

*Rustle rustle*

Ayato: Ah...You finally woke up!

You mumble something about spinach. 

Ayato: ...Eh? What do you mean, spinach?

Laito: Eh? Hospital? Treatment? No, no, you’re at the nurse’s office at school! You suddenly fainted during P.E., remember?

Ayato: Geezー You gave us a real scare...

*Rustle*

Reiji: Oh dear? She woke up?

Laito: Yeah, just now.

Reiji: That is a relief. The doctor said that she is showing slight symptoms of anemia and should probably head home and rest. I suppose we shall escort her back then. 

*Rattle*

Yuma: Oi, Sow...!

Subaru: Fuck...Why me...?

Yuma: Hey! I heard ya collapsed from anemia! I harvested this stuff just now so I brought some with me for ya! Hey, show her the goods!

*Thud*

Subaru: Why am I out here helpin’ this dude harvest his damn spinach...!? Fuck off!

Yuma: Aah...? ‘Cause ya just so happened to pass by, duh! ーー Oi, Sow! If ya finish this whole load, your anemia will be cured in noーー

You turn pale.

Laito: ...Hm? What’s wrong, Bitch-chan?

*Thud*

Ayato: ...!? O-Oi! Chichinashi! Get a grip!

Reiji: Oh dear? Could it be she lost consciousness again...?

Yuma: Haah...!? The fuck...!? Was she so happy with my spinach, it made her faint?

Subaru: As if, you big idiot!

ーー THE END ーー

Translation notes

(1) This word is in the title of the CD as well and it’s a language pun on 救命救急センター which is read as ‘kyuu-mei kyuukyuu sentā’ but the first ‘kyuu’ of ‘kyuu-kyuu’ (emergency care) is replaced by the character 吸 which can also be read as ‘kyuu’ and means ‘to suck (blood)’. 

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #reiji sakamaki #ayato sakamaki #laito sakamaki #subaru sakamaki #yuma mukami #diabolik lovers translation #diabolik lovers drama cd #drama cd

[allie1804-fan]

Kerensa

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 , Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8

Chapter 9

The Griefcast Record

Keanu got out of the taxi at Whistledown Studios and headed in. Cariad and the recoding team greeted him and they got set up with teas, biscuits and a box of tissues on the table

“God, it’s just like a therapist’s room!” he joked

“Best to be prepared! They might be for me anyhow” she laughed.

Before we start though, can I just spend a moment being a fangirl and just say how amazing it is for me to meet you. There are so many films of yours I love – and my kids adore Duke Caboom!”

“ahh yes, Canada’s Greatest Stuntman” he boomed - “that was a fun role”

“and so perfectly cast right?”

“Yeah yeah I guess. I’m glad they picked me from the roster of Canadians they had lined up!”

“Ok, so thanks for letting me just gush for a moment! Are you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be!”

“First tell me the story of how we managed to get you as a guest.”

“Ok so right, so errm my friend Kerry is the link. I was filming in Cornwall this past year and uh, after we wrapped I was so charmed by the place that I decided to stay and rent a place for a couple of months down there. Kerry was my landlady and one day I came across her walking along the beach, tears streaming down her face and she was listening to your show which she highly recommended to me. I admit it took a bit of persuading to listen, given the crying thing!, but she told me it was more reassuring and uplifting than upsetting. Anyway, so sorry, this is turning into a shaggy dog tale!, so I did give it a go, really loved it

“Oh thank you”

“So then one day we were discussing an episode about baby loss, something we had in common and had talked about before and she said I should do the show. Now THAT took a lot more thought and persuasion, but she said it would do me good and there would be the angle of the man’s perspective and being someone with a public profile going through loss and you know yada, yada yada so here I am, finally!

“That’s amazing and thank you so much to Kerry for listening to the show and for your persuasive talents in getting this lovely man here today. So Keanu, as you know we always start with this question. Who are we remembering today?”

“Today we’re remembering my daughter Ava who was stillborn 23 years ago this year.”

“Ok so would you mind telling me a little bit about what happened.”

“So, ahh, it was in the spring of 1999. The Matrix had just come out and my life was pretty full on. My girlfriend Jennifer became pregnant around that time. It was unplanned and I’ll be honest, I wasn’t super happy about it at first, but she wanted to keep the baby and I said I’d support her, you know, and as time went on I was more excited than worried about becoming a dad.”

“And how was the pregnancy? How far along was Jennifer when Ava died?”

“Everything seemed fine, she, Ava was growing and developing normally. Jen was healthy. Then I was away filming, a god awful project as well! And, Um, ahh, give me a minute” Keanu cleared his throat and took a drink of water.

“I swore I wouldn’t do this” he said gesturing at himself tearing up, his voice cracking slightly “but sometimes, the memories can be, uhhh, very powerful, very vivid”

“Yes you can be taken right back like it just happened can’t you, however long ago - you know I’m 20 plus years out now and still very occasionally I can be catapulted back there. So, everything looked good but you were away, filming - and I’m sure it can’t have been an awful film”

Keanu snorted

“I assure you it was!, yes anyway, Jen went for a last check up at a little over 8 months and uh, there was no heartbeat. Ava had died and so I flew home and she had to, you know, give birth in a maternity unit, hearing all the other babies being born - I mean they have to do it there because you still might need, you know, that expertise and they tried to keep us private but those places they get busy and she had to go through all that with those sounds sometimes breaking through”

“Yes I hear that that is a common experience here in the UK too and one that SANDS, the still birth charity is trying to address. It’s interesting your choice of words: “she went through that”, presumably you were there so didn’t you go through it too?”

“Yeah, yeah - I guess, I just meant that it was worse, more traumatic mentally for her and obviously physically too”

“Sure sure, but awful for both of you nonetheless”

“Indeed, it was” Keanu paused a moment as though something important had just occurred to him “and she was beautiful too you know”

“awwwww” Cariad moaned sympathetically

“she was beautiful, perfect and warm, just silent, still”

Keanu looked up at Cariad, his eyes filled with tears once more and they both just sat for a moment, taking in the pain of his loss. Eventually, Cariad started the conversation again.

“And did you both hold her? Did the hospital staff help you, you know, to say goodbye to her?”

Yeah yeah, we did hold her. They left us be for a good amount of time, they took prints of her hands and feet and a photograph. You know they were supportive in that way, especially as we knew already, you know, that she had died, they were prepared. I don’t think we were, I mean I don’t think you can prepare for that, right? Your brain won’t let you, not really.”

“Yeah yeah, we talk about that a lot on the show, there are people who say it’s better when someone dies of an illness so you know it’s coming whereas with a sudden death you suffer more shock but I still think there’s a degree of shock you experience even when you have some warning.

“Yeah yeah and it’s so stupid, we’re all just so dumb because death is coming man, to us all but we just don’t want to think about it!” He chuckled

“So are you someone who thinks about death a lot?”

“Yeah yeah it’s always there in the back of my mind, spurring me on to do things, make that film, write that script, build that bike!”

“And do you think that’s because of losing Ava?”

“I don’t know, no not really, well maybe a little but that’s come more with getting older I think - I didn’t really have that reaction at the time”

“So what was your reaction, how did you grieve for Ava?”

Another chuckle came from Keanu.

“A more appropriate question might be how didn’t I grieve for her, at the time I mean!”

“Oh?”

“Hee hee you’re like a therapist, leaving the gaps for me to fill!”

“Some of my critics say I interrupt too much and start talking about me so…..”

“We’ll that’s not very nice is it? And also not true!”

“Thanks - Comes with the territory I guess, so please, go on, fill the gap”

“What was the question again?”

“It was about how you did or didn’t grieve for Ava after her birth?”

“Mmmm well we buried her, in the new year, she was born on Christmas Eve, which is uhhh, another tricky thing about it”

“Oh that’s awful, death on high days and holidays just adds another layer right?”

“Yeah yeah. They do - so um after that I went to Georgia to shoot a movie!”

“So you threw yourself into work then?”

“Yup, my trusty friend in times of crisis. In fact I did, let me see, 1, 2, 3, yes 3 movies in the next year and then started training for the Matrix 2 and 3 so I guess the answer is I put my feelings in a tightly locked metaphorical box and didn’t open it for quite some time!”

“And was there intrusion from the press , I guess this is pre the days of the internet being so developed and social media but how was that side of it?”

“Yeah there was some, you know photographers with long lenses at the cemetery”

“God! I can’t imagine”

“Yeah pretty low, right but in a way because of the taboo of stillbirth, people, you know interviewers and stuff, didn’t ask me about it. I mean I would sometimes say “no personal questions” but at other times that hasn’t stopped people.”

“Oh like what?”

“I’m thinking of when River, River Phoenix died, even if I said I wouldn’t answer anything personal they would still ask how I felt, did I miss him. I mean, fuck! Oh sorry I can swear right?”

“Swear away, sure, and god, fuck yeah, that deserved it. I mean obviously that’s a bit of a contradiction coming from me given we’re here and I’m making you talk about private things but”

“But I agreed, that’s the deal here, it’s not the deal to segue from “how was it jumping onto a moving bus to “how do you feel about your best friend dying!”

“Absolutely. So you said you dealt with it, but much later? What about Jennifer, how did she cope?”

“Umm, I don’t know - I mean what’s normal in that situation? She cried, she wailed like a wounded animal. Her mum moved in. I was away and not there to support her like I should have been. We weren’t really a couple either by then. We were going to co-parent but not as a romantic couple you know so it was complicated. To be honest I think a little bit of her died right then - and then she died herself the following April so you know, what you see before you is the last man standing of that family unit that might have been.”

“Woo that’s tough. You’ve really been through the mill as it were.”

“Yeah, yeah but you know I AM still standing. I’m lucky.”

“And how did Jennifer die?”

“Car wreck”

“I’m so sorry”

“Thanks, me too”

“So how is that, being the only one left? Some people talk about losing key people as losing their witness.”

“Yes! That’s it, exactly. Now it’s just me here to remember Ava, to remember her coming in and out of this world”

Yeah yeah that’s hard. So you said you dealt with it later? How did that come about?”

“Midlife crisis I guess - when I turned 40, I had a bit of a meltdown, you know, wondering about my goals, what I had or hadn’t achieved. I basically “ran away” alone to Paris on my 40th birthday, to escape any awful surprise party! And you know, I quietly fell apart in a vat of wine! When I went home my friend Janey was just like “Keanu, it’s time, time for therapy!”

“Ahhh it’s great isn’t it, big fans of that on the show!”

“Yeah I guess, I mean, ahhh I wasn’t that comfortable taking the lid off but yeah it did me a favour and helped sort my shit out. And a lot of the guilt and pain of losing Ava was gone through belatedly during that process”

“And why did you feel guilty?”

“Mmmm well I think I started to think I was a curse - my sister had been sick with leukemia, Ava had died, Jen had died, River, others as well and I felt guilty for that stupid film I was working on when it happened! So yeah, there were lots of rocks to lift up, inspect what lay beneath and deal with my emotions.”

“Well you seem like you have your shit sorted now”

“I’m a work in progress!”

“So now you’re, 23 years on, how do you remember Ava and Jen now.”

“Well it’s hard to forget the day for Ava what with it being Christmas Eve. I sometimes visit their graves - after dark if I can to avoid being hounded”

“What has the world come to when a person can’t be left in peace to visit a loved one’s resting place”

“Yeah it’s fucked up right?”

“Precisely.”

“And what else? , well I do have one little thing that my friend Alex who’s an artist, made for me. It was because of something she said she did to remember her lost loved ones. She would get a Christmas ornament that in some way represented the person and hang it on her tree at Christmas. So she made this beautiful little stained glass bird to hang up on my tree or in the house if I don’t have a tree which sometimes happens. So, uh, Ava’s name in Latin would mean bird or bird like so that’s why she did that, yes so I always think of her then and you know I would think about where she would be at a given point like when my friends kids have started school again after summer break I would think “oh Ava would be starting you know kindergarten or elementary school etc.”

“And do your family share in that?”

“Yeah, yeah - especially my mom. She has no grandchildren so yeah she remembers and we’ll have a moment sometimes yeah but it can be lonely, not having the other parent there who shares the same loss.”

“Yes I’m sure it is. Grief can be very lonely sometimes. Well, Keanu I really can’t thank you enough for coming on my little podcast and sharing your experience of baby loss and loss in the public spotlight with us today. Thank you so much for telling us about your beautiful baby girl Ava and her mum Jen.”

“Thanks for having me - I know this might sound weird, but it’s been a pleasure talking with you and remembering them today so, thank you and thanks to Kerry who suggested it. She said it would be good for my soul and she, as always, was right!”

@fortheloveoffanfic @omg-imagine @iworshipkeanureeves @toomanystoriessolittletime @ladyreapermc @paperplanesandwallflowers @patric9

#keanu reeves fanfic #keanu reeves fanfiction #keanu #keanu reeves #keanu reeves ofc

[stranger-who-writes-fiction]

♫ Surfing on a soundwave, Swinging through the stars, Take a left at your intestine, Take your second right past mars!

On the Magic School smelly space bus! ♫

SPOILERS for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #2!

This is a comic where, the longer I sit with a particular issue, the more I’m like, ‘yeah. Yeah. YEAH.’

It’s dense in a way that invites the reader to go through it multiple times, and rewards additional readthroughs.

Also, it helps that the art is FREAKING AMAZING.

Seriously. Evely and Lopes should draw and color everything, forever, always.

(I will honestly be shocked if they don’t get an Eisner nom for this book.)

Anyways, all of this to say: Another issue that I enjoyed. It has one of the most genuinely sweet Supergirl moments I’ve seen in the comics in a good long while.

So, if you’re looking for a quick thumbs up/thumbs down rating, thumbs up!

If you’d like some SPECIFICS, though...

THE STORY

King is an evil genius because we don’t pick up where we left off--rather, we start in the midst of the Space Bus journey.

There is technically a Big Action Scene, but I was honestly surprised by how...casually? the story progressed.

Essentially: Kara and Ruthye are forced to travel by bus because 1.) Krem stole Kara’s rocket and 2.) this corner of the universe doesn’t have the right stars, so Kara’s still recovering from being under a red sun for an extended period of time.

The bus makes occasional stops; they encounter a space dragon; Kara takes some Red Kryptonite and saves the day; they eventually arrive on a planet with a yellow sun. 

And again, all of this occurs with a kind of...breezy ease that I was not expecting at all.

I assumed that the space dragon fight would make up the final moments of the issue, after having built up the problem to a point where Kara needed to intervene.

But, noooope. The space dragon happens somewhere in the middle, which helps sell the central idea that this is simply Kara’s life. She’s been there, done that. She’s a badass who takes it all in stride.

But! Important to note! Ruthye still marvels at the sight of Kara taking out the space dragon, as well she should, because:

OH MY GOD. THE aRT.

There’s only so many times I can say, ‘it’s phenomenal, it’s gorgeous, it’s stunning’ before sounding like a broken record.

But it is. It truly is. This is the prettiest monthly book on the stands right now.

(Realizing I’ve been spelling Ruthye wrong this entire time, maybe? IDK. Apologies if I have.)

It’s in the final moments of the book that we learn what transpired after Krem shot Kara and Krypto and fled: Kara managed to get Krypto and Ruthye to a healer, and then passed out for a week. 

Ruthye and Kara recovered, buuuuut...

Krypto is still very near death because the arrow was poisoned.

The healer can’t treat him until he has a sample of the poison.

Which Krem has.

(See where this is going?)

So! Kara regains her powers! Ruthye has a super on her side! KRYPTO’S LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE!

Gimme. Issue. 3. STAT.

THE CHARACTERS

Very much enjoyed Ruthye in this issue!

There’s a really tricky balancing act you gotta pull off when writing child characters; you don’t want to just write them as tiny adults, but you also don’t want to be obnoxious or cloying in trying to write ‘true-to-age.’

King gives himself a bit of a cheat, by setting her up as a rock farmer from a...what would you call it. An old-fashioned planet? And thus the kind of character who had to ‘grow up fast’ and behaves more maturely than your typical pre-teen might.

BUT! IMPORTANTLY! This is tempered by placing Ruthye in situations where her (understandable) ignorance is challenged/put to the test. Like, yes, she is mature, and well-spoken, and utterly tenacious, but she’s also out of her depth, and still in need of help and guidance.

(Which is how we get to The Best Scene which I’ll get to in just a sec.)

TL;DR - this issue has really sold me on Ruthye as our POV character and I am officially Invested in the relationship between her and Kara.

Speaking of...

It’s KARA-CTERIZATION TIME!

So, okay. There’s some ‘eh’ stuff in this one, but, BUT!

We got the goods again.

And by ‘goods’ I mean this:

Whatever other nitpicks I have (and I do! Have one! Which I’ll get to!) THIS. This right here! This is Supergirl. This is Kara.

And what a beautiful line to introduce this moment:

“And it began--as most things begin when you’re dealing with Supergirl--with a moment of kindness.”

It’s the same gentle concern we saw in the previous issue, where Kara knelt down to address Ruthye eye-to-eye. 

Here, Kara’s facial expression, and the way she takes Ruthye’s hands and shows her what to do...

It’s just. SO SWEET.

Ahhhhh it’s so good. :D

So good! In fact! That the above scene offsets my one complaint, which is that Kara came off as harsh, IMO, when addressing the bus passengers, looking for Red K. 

Other good stuff from this particular portion of the book: we get Kryptonese (maybe? I think?) And a mention of Kara’s mother being strict about certain things, which is in keeping with the 2000s series version of Alura.

Ruthye also asks if Kara ever tried to avenge the death of her family/culture and she says no; Ruthye says that she heard a lifetime of regret in Kara’s response, which I suppose could be read one of two ways:

1.) That she regrets her choice not to avenge them, or 2.) that she regrets not having the option to avenge them, as there was no one person to punch, no single action that could rectify the destruction of the entire planet.

I personally prefer the second reading.

Which I suppose contradicts the recent-ish “Killers of Krypton” arc, but who knows what is and isn’t canon anymore, honestly. XD

As for the rest of the issue! I found myself thinking of a Grant Morrison interview, actually.

Morrison apparently met a Superman cosplayer at a con and that’s when the character clicked for them: “[The superman cosplayer] was so in the character, but what really got me was the way he was sitting. It was this absolutely relaxed pose with one knee up and the arm bent over, and that’s what broke Superman for me. Suddenly I realized that Superman wouldn’t be a poser, he wouldn’t be a Muscle Beach steroid guy; he’d actually be completely relaxed because nothing could hurt him. He could be so open and friendly to everyone because no one can punch him or hurt him. He can’t get a cold, or be damaged by anything you’re carrying or wearing. For me that was the power of that, whether you want to frame it as magical or not, it actually informed the stories I wanted to write. I felt I understood him in a way I hadn’t until that moment.”

That’s always stuck with me, the idea that Clark would be the most at-ease, chill guy you'd ever talk to.

And THAT, I think, is what we’re seeing here with Kara. That at-ease-ness.

But in a way that is distinct from Clark! In the above quote, it’s clear that Morrison thinks it’s Clark’s powers that are the reason he can be so relaxed and at ease.

But Kara is de-powered here. So why is she so chill?

Because Kara is an alien.

Kara’s in her element, here. She’s used to space travel, she knows the ins-and-outs, she’s not shocked by any of the weird stuff they encounter on their journey. 

Love it. LOVE. IT.

I am SO GLAD that King decided to go with Kara being the wizened mentor, as opposed to the naïve kid learning to be tough. It’s a much more interesting angle, IMO.

Also NO MENTION OF RIVALRY BETWEEN KARA AND CLARK. WOO. LET’S KEEP THIS ROLLIN’.

Alright, last, but certainly not least:

THE GOOD BOY! KRYPTO!

When I tell you I stress-read this entire comic first thing in the morning...XD

And I am STILL stressed. And a little sad that Krypto doesn’t get to go on another space adventure but! This is MIGHTY PREFERABLE to what I *thought* was going to happen, which is that Krypto would die from his injuries, and Kara would likewise be out for revenge. 

Fortunately, that is not the case! 

So like, the stakes?!?! Suddenly sky high. Find that dirtbag Krem and GET THAT POISON BACK TO THE HEALER!!

ART and MISC. STUFF THAT I LOVE

I generally don’t like to post entire pages of a comic, or panels without context, but the...reach? of this blog is extremely limited so. I think we’ll be okay. XD

So, alright! Some moments that I particularly enjoyed!

One of the panels that Mat Lopes shared early on! 

I want this lettered version on a mug.

(Also she looks very ’Grace Kelly-ish’ here.)

Love Kara’s facial expression and her line about space travel being more fun when you can fly.

From the same portion of the book--such a neat detail that Kara keeps her cash in her sleeve!

Another set of panels that I think Tom King shared a few months back.

Love Kara’s little smirk, and the, “I’m wearing a big yellow S on my chest, and a very fashionable red skirt.”

It IS fashionable. WE SUPPORT THE SKIRT, IN THIS HOUSE.

Also the slrrrrrrp. XD

It’s good.

Okay, 1.) VERY COOL SCI-FI DESIGN and 2.) that line is great. “Can you feel it, Ruthye? We’re getting closer. The stars are changing.”

Mmmm, them good cosmic Kara vibes.

Kara’s attitude about the Red K here is fun, like, ‘WELP, sometimes you turn into a monster, sometimes you don’t!’ but again, the line is what gets me.

“Did my hair move?”

“I do not believe so.”

XD

Honestly? I could post the whole comic here. Evely’s vision of ‘public transit, but space’ is just so immediately...not ‘real’, necessarily, because there’s such a fantastical element to it all, but it is fully realized. I think I used the phrase ‘lived-in’ and that’s it--this world feels like it has always existed; every grimy nook and cranny, every rando space bus traveler.

And Mat Lopes’ colors!

There are like, five distinct color palettes at work in this issue, and Lopes handles them all masterfully.

I think my favorite is the...I’ll call it ‘ethereal space aquarium’ lighting in the bus as they view the space dragon.

The glow and the shadows and the blues and pinks...

GGGGGGGGAAAHHHHHHHHHH so goooooooood

So, yeah. :D

I am very much enjoying this weird, wild ride with small, precocious Ruthye and wizened, crusty Kara. XD There’s some stuff that I don’t *love* but my goodness, it could be a lot worse!

Let us end on the beautiful title page:

#long post #supergirl: woman of tomorrow #supergirl: woman of tomorrow spoilers #dc comics #kara zor el #comic thoughts #comic opinions

[emjee]

I first read Love’s Labour’s Lost the summer before I started college, because that was the summer I first heard the cast recording of the Public Theater’s musical adaptation, which is delightful. The RSC production with Michelle Terry as Rosaline was broadcast at a cinema near my university, and I went to see it with a friend and fell absolutely head over heels in love. As someone who had just started college, I felt like this play had so much to say to me, namely that study is important, but that true education also comes from living your life, not shutting yourself in your dorm room.

As my college years progressed, two things happened: I met the people who became my best friends, and I was constantly disappointed by men. I found myself returning to LLL again and again, loving the relationships between the ladies of France and also loving that when the men say “Marry us!” they say, “Grow up!” God, the satisfaction I took in that ending as a heartbroken nineteen-year-old. I still love it today.

It’s a tricky play, but I’ve seen it done so well so many times, from the Public to the RSC to my university. (My entire Shakespeare seminar did a theatre outing to go see the production--it’s one of my best college memories.) It brings me so much joy that I’ve been working on modern adaptation of it on and off for years--but more on that later in the week. I love its exuberance, its wordplay, its musings on education, and its ending, which for me always carries a whiff of dusk and the gloaming. Tu-whit, tu-woo!

#LLL #Love's Labour's Lost #theplaysthething2020 #harry-leroy #princess-of-france #Shakespeare #MG says stuff

[dannymoney]

Favorite Albums of 2019

I’ll never know.  Would Purple Mountains be my album of the year if David Berman hadn’t killed himself?  It’s possible — perhaps, given the quality of this exceptionally moving and catchy record, tantamount to certain — though his death definitely affected the chemistry of my list making.  Still, the album is full of some of his best lyrics, which is saying something, as his career was built on remarkable lyric after remarkable lyric.  He is, as always, sad and funny in equal measure, and the album is played with precision, grace, and just the right amount of flourish.  These are ten solid songs crafted by a shaky individual.  And it’s as true as ever: all my favorite singers couldn’t sing. By god, I can’t believe he’s dead!

You know, I wasn’t going to slave over my list this year.  But I did.  Can’t help it.  The hardest part is finding that balance between what I find impressive (innovative?) and what I find essential (emotional resonance as evoked by melodic potency?).  When they’re both of those things, they’re in the top ten.  Sometimes, I find that I’m thinking that an album’s really, really good, but in reality I’m just super into two or three songs on it.  Now, two or three songs does not a great album make, but it does make the heart grow fond, and it’s tricky to recognize this phenomenon when it’s happening, though over time I think I usually do (I hope).

When will the day come when I don’t care about new music?  I’ve been told by my elders that you stop caring.  That you return more and more to the old, trusty music that you comfortably love.  But what I love most about music is loving new music — so why would that ever stop?  No album in 2019 blew me away, but there were a lot of gems — each of the 50 LPs on this list is one I have returned to many times.  And, as often happens, some of the albums towards the end of the list are in some ways more exciting than the albums in the top ten, though I have trouble placing an album at #1 when I have a strong feeling it won’t be in my heavy rotation in the years to come, even if I find it mysterious, exciting, sexy, and new.  Maybe I’m a coward, but I think I’m just a rock ’n roller.  

A sigh and a shrug!  Listen to every one of these albums, please.  Especially Weezer because I love them.

Jesus is Lord!

Purple Mountains — Purple Mountains

1000 gecs — 100 gecs

Anima — Thom Yorke

Ode to Joy — Wilco

i,i — Bon Iver

basking in the glow — Oso, Oso

U.F.O.F — Big Thief

Two Hands — Big Thief

Songs from San Mateo County — Tony Molina

SOUND & FURY — Sturgill Simpson

In League with Dragons — The Mountain Goats

This Is How You Smile — Helado Negro

All Mirrors — Angel Olsen

Father of the Bride — Vampire Weekend

Quiet Signs — Jessica Pratt

JESUS IS KING — Kanye West

Weezer (Black Album) — Weezer

uknowwhatimsayin¿ — Danny Brown

Hidden History of the Human Race — Blood Incantation

Eton Alive — Sleaford Mods

Export — RAP

Agora — Fennesz

ZUU — Denzel Curry

Ghosteen — Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

After its own death / Walking in a spiral toward the house — Nivhek

Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest — Bill Callahan

PUNK — CHAI

MAGDALENE — FKA twigs

Emily Alone — Florist

Life Metal — Sunn O)))

Crush — Floating Points

I Was Real — 75 Dollar Bill

Here Comes the Cowboy — Mac Demarco

Thrashing Thru the Passion — The Hold Steady

Designer — Aldous Harding

Schlagenheim — black midi

Blink 182’s “Dude Ranch” as played by Colleen Green — Colleen Green

Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? — Deerhunter

Hollywood’s Bleeding — Post Malone

Norman Fucking Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey

Groove Denied — Stephen Malkmus

A Tangle of Stars — Mary Halvorson, John Dietrich

Cartas Na Manga — DJ Nigga Fox

Loom Dream — Leif

Vol. 2 — Topdown Dialectic

Circuits — Chris Potter

IGOR — Tyler, the Creator

The Sacrificial Code — Kali Malone

Meet the Woo — Pop Smoke

Triad — Triad God

[mashitandsmashit]

America’s Got Talent: Season 14 - Quarter-Finals 1

Tonight, Terry Crews finally got a chance to host a live show, and he is already making an impression as strong as his muscles!

As for the acts, well, while I suppose I would have liked just a LITTLE more variety between all the singers, I think everyone had something enjoyable to offer...So to me, this was a pretty good show all things considered!

And now for the tricky part: Weighing each act’s pros, cons and overall experience...

12: Ansley Burns. I left a critical yet constructive comment on her video. Honestly, all of the problems she’s faced before still appear to be on full display: Her voice got drowned out by the band, and she still isn’t up to par with pretty much any of the other singers that made the lives (except maybe GFORCE, but I’ll get to them in a bit...) But hey, if there’s one thing that’s kept me from COMPLETELY hating her, it’s her energy and stage presence, and she has shown plenty of both of those things tonight! While the judges seemed to consider her one of the best of the night, she’s getting a much less warm reception on Youtube, so it’s hard to know where she’ll place tomorrow...

11: Carmen Carter. Indeed, this wasn’t the best song choice for her, but I guess it was a slightly different take on the song...She still sounded quite good, and there was plenty of energy like before...But I would still say she put on a better show in the previous round!

10: Luke Islam. I do like this kid, and have no issue with him advancing...Buuuuuut, this was a little forgettable...His voice is still very much there (though he might have had a shaky start), but this performance won’t really stick with me...And did anyone else feel a little seasick seeing him stand behind that slanted light? It looked like he was on the sinking Titanic and had some magic shoes that prevented him from tumbling off into the icy sea!

9: GFORCE. And here’s the theme song to their TV show...COMING TO THE DISNEY CHANNEL! ...Or Nickelodeon? I still had fun with them, but each song they perform gets a little weaker than the last, so I understand if not everyone’s feeling the girl power...

8: Voices of Service. Pretty solid performance, and the choir added to it...But you could just FEEL the obnoxious patriotism oozing from them! Also, it feels like a crime not to let the lady lead more in the vocals...

7: Bir Khalsa. I usually prefer my sideshow acts with a little more tossing, flipping, etc. But the tricks were pretty intense, and the Bollywood music playing in the background (I can hear the singer singing their name, so is it their theme song?) had me adding a little dance to my cringing! That said, the new guy’s constant screaming got a little annoying...

6: Messoudi Brothers. Throughout the previous round, I’ve been thinking to myself, “Man, Simon is actually coming off more like the tough judge he was always known as...I almost can’t remember why I hated him so much over the last few seasons...” And then when he made his comment after this performance (as well as Alex Dowis’, and ooohhh, we’ll get to that REAL soon!), I was like, “Oh, yeah! That’s why!” Like, does he even have a single clue what he’s talking about!? Is he trying to sabotage these acts with his little nitpicks!? Probably...Either way, while this didn’t quite live up to the CRAZINESS that was their Judge Cuts performance, there were still a few formations in there that impressed me! But honestly, they don’t need to keep taking their shirts off; Kinda slows the act down...If they REALLY have to woo the ladies, they can just have the shirts off from the start...Though maybe they’ll take their pants off partway through, I dunno...

5: Emerald Belles. Looks like they averted Howie’s nitpicks! And what’s more, they stepped up the moves quite a bit! I think they just gave their odds a 180 with this performance!

4: Sophie Pecora. I can see that not everyone’s a fan of this girl, but she has been slowly growing on me. This was probably her best song so far, and we even got a little bonus song with the opening package!

3: Greg Morton. Looks like he still has more movies to reenact, instead of the cartoon-themed set I was hoping for...But no matter, it’s all very entertaining, and I’d say this set flowed the best between all of the voices he did! Best performance from him so far! Of course, the REAL winner of the night was his “Pac-Man” suit!

2: Alex Dowis. Seriously, what is Simon talking about!? “It felt like something at a museum”!? And...the last one DIDN’T!? No, I disagree with him completely! Everything flowed together seamlessly, the artwork, the transitions, the effects, the narrative, it was all breathtaking! I really hope the voters are willing to look past his nitpicks and vote for this guy, because this was everything I could ask for from an act like this!

1: Kodi Lee. Okay, Kodi...You got me! This is why you’re gonna win this season!

So yeah, for a night with more than half of the acts being singers, I’d say it went relatively well! I guess I can’t expect tomorrow to be TOO rage-inducing if there’s at least a case to be made for everyone...Still, maybe just a COUPLE non-singing acts advancing tomorrow? ...Pretty please?

My Votes: So it looks like they did away with voting via phone number...Either that, or something’s wrong with the line...But if the former is true, than it probably is for the best since I do get pretty sick of hearing “Thanks for voting for Talent [#], only your first ten votes blah, blah, blah...” ten to twenty times every Tuesday night...(Though maybe they’re still recording Terry saying those lines...) Also, with the other methods, it does feel redundant, other than to give voters more room to abuse the system...So whatever, I voted with the other three things (TV, online and phone app), and gave a total of thirty votes each to Greg Morton, Alex Dowis, Bir Khalsa and Messoudi Brothers...Gotta try to get SOME non-singing acts in there, right?

Result Predictions: If Kodi was any more of a lock, he would be Fort Knox! Luke and VoS look safe as well...And I might even say that Emerald Belles has a shot, what with all of those factors I brought up in my predictions last week, plus the fact that Howie DIDN’T hate them this time! Then we have acts that are tough to call, like Greg, Ansley, Sophie, Alex and Messoudi...Either way, I’m thinking Carmen, GFORCE and Bir Khalsa will probably be the bottom three...

Tomorrow, a WHOLE bunch of old friends return, including last year’s winner and my personal favorite act of that season!

[chiseler]

A Perfect 46: Trixie Friganza

In the late 19th century, theatrical careers for women were considered about on a par with prostitution. Maybe a few steps below that in terms of social respectability. So in 1889 when 19 year-old Delia O'Callahhan, then living in Cincinnati with her family, earned a spot as a chorus girl in a traveling production of The Pearl of Peking, she didn’t tell her mother and didn’t officially  join the show until it moved on to the next town. By playing it low-key she hoped to avoid bringing any unnecessary shame upon her family. She’d been working as a counter girl in a small shop, struggling to support her mother and three younger sisters on her meager wages. Given she had some singing and acting ability, and given the theater would pay her three times what she was earning at the shop, it was a decision based solely  on simple economics.

Well, despite her best efforts to duck the radar, her mother found out what she was up to and was none too pleased, immediately contacting  the police in Cleveland. The cops dragged  O'Callahhan’s out of the theater and dropped her  before a judge, who asked her to explain herself. O'Callahhan’s recounting of the above justification was apparently so compelling the judge sent a note back home to her mother, explaining that Deliah was doing the right thing by her family.

After adopting the name Trixie Friganza (“Trixie” being a nickname bestowed on her by a friend and “Friganza” being her mother’s maiden name) she spent the next twenty-eight years moving from the chorus to supporting roles to leads in musical comedies. She was aided by her strong stage presence, her clean but husky voice, and her tendency to learn everyone’s lines, allowing her to fill in for any other cast member at a moment’s notice.

At five-foot-four and 180 pounds, Friganza was a comparatively large woman, but it not only didn’t bother her, she took it as a point of pride, describing herself as “a perfect 46.” She argued among other things that large women are better suited for comedy, and encouraged women in the audience to have a healthy and relaxed body image. Such an early proto-feminist stance was rare and borderline radical for the times, but was only one of several social and political causes that drove her. She was an outspoken proponent of sexual equality, active in the suffrage movement, often spoke at rallies and protests, and wasn’t known for holding her tongue during interviews. As her fame as a musical comedy actress grew, she even made occasional (though well-disguised) pronouncements  onstage. Another pet cause was giving the poor access to art, pressing whatever show she was in at the time to offer a free performance for local poor working families.

Starting around 1906  Friganza began developing a one-woman act she would take to vaudeville when not involved in a play. The solo routines, which ran under a variety of names, involved a string of comedic songs interspersed with a bit of mild social commentary and some self-deprecating humor, often aimed directly at a female audience. (As she would later tell an interviewer, if a woman can readily make another woman laugh, it’s solid proof she has a pretty decent understanding of her own sex.) On the surface her act seems a juggle of contradictions, as what she presented onstage seemed to run headlong into her personal life and public activism. Myself I think she was being far more subversive than her audiences may have realized. Although her big musical hit was “No Wedding Bells for Me,” she’d actually been married briefly three times, and despite reportedly never being shy of beaus, in her act she often bemoaned her struggles to find a man. And in the face of her outspoken activism and talk about body image, most of her remaining jokes revolved around her weight. So while presenting an act that dealt with commonplace female fears and neuroses, she undercut it at every step with who she really was.

Friganza’s show was a huge vaudeville hit, and by 1917 she’d all but abandoned the straight theater. She played the Palace in New York an astonishing 15 times, headlining most of them. She was considered as big a comedy star at the time as Fannie Brice or Chaplin. In 1929 her act, “My Bag O’ Tricks” was filmed by Vitaphone, and  Friganza, then almost 60, proved she was still a relaxed and magnetic performer. In the naughty opening monologue  she plays a woman who, in quasi-musical terms, tries to tell a friend about a wild drunken night she’d spent with her lover, but since her young son is in the room she’s forced to spell everything out. Her delivery is wonderfully smooth considering the tricky, tongue-twisty nature of the material. Following that, she flips a cello over and begins beating out a primitive rhythm while chanting a mildly racy song which opens, “Poor little Lula/Went down to Honolulu/Where she learned the hula…” (Many things happen to Lula until she hurts her “wikki wakki woo.”) The following year Vitaphone filmed another of her acts, “Strong and Willing,” and has since included it on Vitaphone Varieties, Vol. 2.

Not surprisingly, following her success both in theater and on the vaudeville stage, Hollywood seemed the next logical step, but the reality seems as ironic as her stage show. In spite of her fame, when she began appearing in films in the mid-’20s it was like starting all over again, minus the talk with the judge and the letter to her mom. While other big comparable vaudeville stars like, say, W.C. Fields entered films with top billing, Friganza was relegated to small, often uncredited support roles in silents and shorts, usually playing dowagers, aunts, mothers, and neighbors. In 1930 she did offer a splendid co-starring turn as the domineering mother of a would-be movie queen in Buster Keaton’s Free and Easy, but such roles were rare. She left vaudeville around 1932 when it was pretty well dead for everyone anyway, and despite concentrating on film the roles didn’t get much bigger, and only grew more sparse. In the 1930 talkie remake of Tod Browning’s The Unholy Three she plays an uncredited pet store customer, and in William Wellman’s 1937 A Star is Born she joined a glorious cast only to play another uncredited role.

Due to increasing health troubles (mostly arthritis), Friganza  retired from everything in 1940 and moved to a convent just outside Pasadena. There she taught drama to students at the convent’s school and was quickly forgotten by everyone else.  She lived at the convent until her death in 1955, and remains today a testament to the power of technology. She was huge in her day, forward thinking, sharp and hilarious, but the performances that made her huge were brief and ephemeral. As with so many huge vaudevillians who never fully cracked Hollywood, the lasting film record to remind us who she was is so spotty there’s little left to keep her memory alive. Which, as with so many others, is a sad loss. by Jim Knipfel

[ragethewriter]

Romance tag game!

Originally a Valentine tag game, I think.  Is it Valentines Day?  no.  Do i care?  also no~ Thank youuu @power-of-ages-writeblr for tagging me!  I never get to answer romance questions :3c

~ ~ ~

1.) How big a part does romance play in your novel?

Pretty Big.  I’d like to say that it’s a shared genre with whatever sci-fi/supernatural/adventure/dystopia plot is going on.  Why?  Because the main conflict of book one, and its resolution, hinges on my two protag babes working through their instincts and learning to embrace the power of loooooove~  If they don’t get to it, the rest of the plot doesn’t happen.  High stakes romance!

2.) What is the nature of the romance in the story? Are there any tropes it follows? (Infatuation at first sight, enemies to lovers, best friends to lovers, etc?)

WELL there are quite a few relationships that develop over the course of the series, and almost every single one of them follows or includes sweet juicy romance tropes~  Too many examples and too many spoilers. However!  The main romance between Ira and Case is your standard rivals-to-lovers slow burn - with a twist: their animal instincts want to duke it out for power (rivals), whilst their human emotions want to get close and fall hard (lovers).  This - plus the fact that Ira’s a touch-starved spitfire while Case is a hopeless romantic - makes for a pretty fun ride of mutual pining, crushing, courtship, and new experiences.  did somebody say bed-sharing

3.) Why did you decide to pair specifically these two characters? What makes their relationship compelling?

Ira and Case were actually conceived as a pair from the beginning!  The dark/light, sun/moon, feline/canine (etc etc) foil was the very first thing I had in mind, and their characters evolved to fit that, and develop a surrounding world and plot.  So it really wasn’t long before I realized I wanted these characters to be partners in every sense of the word.  Cue the romance!

That said, it really is the foil that makes their relationship compelling to watch - they are opposites in more than just iconography, and their arc as a couple covers a lot of ground: from snapping teeth all the way to devoted smooches.  They're also equally important to the plot, and as the series progresses, they learn to play to each others strengths and function as a proper royal powercouple.

4.) At which point in your story do your characters realize that they’re in love?

This is a tricky one - since the concepts of romantic vs platonic love are pretty skewed in their culture, it hits them both before they really have a word to put to it.  

For Ira, she first realizes about halfway through the book that she’s abnormally attached to him, before realizing she finds him attractive, or connecting the two dots.  She has a pretty good idea of what’s putting butterflies in her stomach by the time the climax interrupts their romancing, but it isn’t until the next book that she really makes the connection.

...Case has it a bit easier, because he’s a certified bleeding-heart drama queen.  He went straight from “wow that new girl sure is something” to “help ive fallen and i can’t get up” in like, record time.  

5.) optional Pics or it didn’t happen:

~ ~ ~

WOO ROMANCE!  Okay I can’t remember who all has romances in their WIPs soooo I’ll guess at some tags:

@wingedcatwblr @kainablue @itsmadea @altheathewriter @lady-redshield-writes @i-rove-rock-n-roll

#Hybrid #romance #tag game #slow burn #WIP #wooooo so much gross fluffy romance! #Irakata #Caecius #gross fluffy ships #*barfs a rainbow*