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The Elevador da Bica at night, waiting for its next ride downhill, seen from the Largo Calhariz, Lisbon, Portugal
Some background information:
The Elevador da Bica (in Portuguese also named: "Ascensor da Bica"), sometimes known as the Bica Funicular, is a funicular railway line resp cable car in the civil parish of Misericórdia, in the city of Lisbon. the capital of Portugal. It runs through the Rua da Bica de Duarte Belcio and connects the Rua de São Paulo with the Largo Calhariz. The line conforms to the funicular principle, with two cars permanently attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track. Unusually, traction is provided by electric motors on the two cars, which are themselves powered through an overhead wire, similar to the tram network in Lisbon. The cable links the two cars together so that they ascend and descend simultaneously, each car acting as a counterweight for the other one.
The Bica Funicular is already in operation since 1892. After a contract had been signed in 1888 to install such a system, the project was conceived by the Portuguese engineer Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard. The mechanical motor of the elevator was installed in 1890, after the conclusion of the public work, but another two years of tests were necessary.
In 1912, a new contract was signed to expand the electrification of all tram lines in Lisbon. Between 1914 and 1916, the project to automate the transport system using electrical systems was completed. Unfortunately, during the conclusions of the process there was an accident with one of the cars, which became uncontrollable and crashed into the Rua de São Paulo lower station, resulting in its complete destruction. As a result, the funicular transport became inoperable for the next few years.
In 1923, the municipal council demanded the company, which operated the lines, to restart the Elevador de Bica and install new cars, provided by the firm of Theodore Bell. Since 2011, the Bica Funicular is protected and listed as a national monument of Portugal.
Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens). Although the first fortifications on Lisbon's castle hill are known to be no older than the 2nd century BC, recent archaeological finds have shown that Iron Age people already occupied the site from the 8th to 6th centuries BC. The Phoenicians and later the Carthaginians, are said to have called the place Alis Ubbo and used it as the only major natural harbor on the Iberian Atlantic coast. There are also evidences that Lisbon once was a Greek city, but its Greek name is unknown.
Under Roman rule, starting around 205 BC, the city was initially called Olisipo. In 48 BC, the town was granted Roman municipal rights and subsequently became known as Colonia Felicitas Iulia, growing into a larger town in the province of Lusitania. From 409 AD, barbarian tribes advanced onto the Iberian Peninsula from Gaul. During the late antique migration period, Alans, Suebi, Vandals, and Visigoths tried to occupy Lisbon.
In 719, Lisbon was conquered by Muslim Moors and later became part of the Emirate of Córdoba. The city, now known as al-Ushbuna, experienced its first major boom. During the Caliphate of Córdoba, the city was one of the most important ports, while Christian Galicians and Leonese repeatedly attempted to seize it. In 844, Vikings ravaged Lisbon and its surroundings.
In the 11th century, Lisbon was part of the Moorish Emirate of the Aftasids from Badajoz. Starting in 1093, Count Raymond of Armous, a younger son of Duke William I of Burgundy, was given rule over Galicia by King Alfonso VI of León. From there, he launched campaigns against the Moors in the south, temporarily managing to occupy Lisbon.
At the beginning of the 11th century, the south of the Iberian Peninsula was still under Moorish control. But in 1147, in the course of the so-called Reconquista, the Siege of Lisbon led to the city's final capture by the Portuguese under Alfonso I. In 1255, Lisbon became the capital city of the new Portuguese territory and in 1290, the first Portuguese university was founded in the town. During the last centuries of the Middle Ages, Lisbon expanded substantially and became an important trading post with both Northern European and Mediterranean cities.
When the Spaniards had expelled the Jews from Spanish territory, many of them fled to Lisbon. But even in Portugal they either had to convert to Christianity or leave. In 1506, an anti-semitic movement among the Old Christians of Lisbon culminated in a massacre lasting four days in which some 1,000 to 4,000 New Christian residents, converted descendants of Sephardic Jews, are estimated to have been killed.
Most of the Portuguese expeditions of the Age of Discovery set out from Lisbon during the period from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century, including Vasco da Gama's expedition to India in 1498. In the 16th century, Lisbon’s golden era began: The city was the European hub of commerce between Africa, India, the Far East and later, Brazil, and acquired great riches by exploiting the trade of spices, slaves, sugar, textiles and other goods. This period also saw the rise of the exuberant Manueline style in architecture, which left its mark in many 16th-century monuments, including the Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery.
The succession crisis of 1580 initiated a sixty-year period of dual monarchy in Portugal and Spain under the Spanish Habsburgs. In 1589, Lisbon was the target of an incursion by the English Armada led by Francis Drake. The Portuguese Restoration War, which began with a coup d'état organised by the nobility and bourgeoisie in Lisbon in 1640 amd ended with the Treaty of Lisbon in 1668, restored Portuguese independence.
In the early 18th century, gold from Brazil allowed King John V to sponsor the building of several Baroque churches and theatres in the city. Prior to the 18th century, Lisbon had experienced several significant earthquakes: eight in the 14th century, five in the 16th century, and three in the 17th century. But the earthquake of 1755 was the most davastating one. It destroyed 85 percent of the city's structures, including the Ribeira Palace and the hospital Real de Todos os Santos. An an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Lisbon residents of a total population estimated of 200,000 to 275,000 wer killed. And in the coastal areas north of Lisbon even more people were killed by the following tsunami.
This catastrophic event shocked the whole of Europe and left a deep impression on its collective psyche. However, the city was rebuilt quickly and largely according to the plans of prime minister Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the 1st Marquis of Pombal. He decided to demolish what remained after the earthquake and rebuild the city centre in accordance with principles of modern urban design. It was reconstructed in an open rectangular plan with two great squares: the Praça do Rossio and the Praça do Comércio.
In the first years of the 19th century, Portugal was invaded by the troops of Napoléon Bonaparte, forcing Queen Maria I and Prince-Regent John to flee temporarily to Brazil. By the time the new King John VI returned to Lisbon, many of the buildings and properties were pillaged, sacked or destroyed by the invaders. The development of industry and commerce determined the growth of the city and Lisbon grew farther from the Tejo river.
In 1911, Lisbon refounded its university after centuries of inactivity. In the 20th century, the city was also the site of three revolutions. The first ond of 1910 brought an end to the Portuguese monarchy and established the highly unstable and corrupt Portuguese First Republic. The second one of 1926 ended the first republic and firmly established the Portuguese Second Republic. And the third revolution of 1974, the so-called Carnation Revolution, put an end to the right-wing regime and reformed the country to what it is still today, the Portuguese Third Republic.
Modern Lisbon is the political centre of the country and hosts the government, the National Assembly, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Armed Forces. It is also the residence of the head of state and the centre of Portuguese diplomacy, with ambassadors from 86 countries residing in the city, as well as representations from Taiwan and Palestine. About 2.96 million people, who live in the Lisbon metropolitan area (representing almost 28 % of the Portugal's population), make Lisbon the third largest metropolitan area in the Iberian Peninsula after Madrid and Barcelona.
Green Arrow: One In The Quiver - Vol. 1 The Years
Issue #1
( Thoughts/Narration )
( Location/Time )
( Speech )
Oliver Queen had no idea that when he left Star City on The Mercury for his 18th Birthday that it would be the last time he would see his home for over 4 years. This is his story.
Current Day...
I’ve just left Starfish Island. My Island. My Island for 4 years. Although I did share it with someone for a time, who’s being there led to my fortunate escape. Natas was my friend. He was loyal to the core and I trusted him with my life, but the organisation H.I.V.E. kidnapped him, again. He said he ended up here, the island, as the result of a failed mission for them. He wouldn’t talk about it much, like I wouldn’t tell him much of how I arrived in the godforsaken place. But that doesn’t mean I can’t tell my story here, of how the Green Arrow came to be.
It was the 16th of March 2013, my 18th Birthday. My parents, Robert and Moira, had hired me cruise ship to sail the Caribbean in for a few weeks, The Mercury. It was wonderful; open bar, beautiful women and we even had some band on board for a weekend - my memory doesn’t recall which. Of course, my security team was there too. Things took a deep turn however when one of my mates found his 5 year girlfriend cheating with me. Yeah, I used to be one of those guys. I think it’s fair to say the island sobered me up. Consequently, my parents got involved and sent all my friends home, but we still had the boat for another week so the three of us stayed on board. It was fun, I think. At least it was the most fun I remember having with my parents in the last decade. On the second to last day, my Dad’s prodigy arrived by helicopter, telling him that Queen Consolidated need him back at Star City by tomorrow. He leaves after a few drinks. His name is Simon Moreau and I wish my family had gotten into that helicopter with him.
Later that day, around 9.00pm, I was watching the Star City Rockets baseball game. First of the season. I remember Troy Barnes had just hit a homerun when I heard a scream. Most curious, I paused the game and stuck my head out of the door. I saw her, one of the waitresses. A black arrow with a syringe attached had just injected her with some green liquid. I was about to run over when I heard another scream, then a shout, and another. I continued to cautiously and quietly shuffle in her direction, shrieks still happening around the ship, when I noticed her eyes. They’d turned white, completely solid. I stepped back startled. Then she ran straight for me and in a panic I headed in the direction of my parents room. I passed several more infected on my way when I crashed into my parents and a security guard. My father said “Oliver! Thank God, don’t panic, we must get out of here!” Realising we were about to be overrun, the guard shut the doors I’d just came though, stopping a horde of aggressive, cannibalistic drugged-up people from getting to us. We made our way below deck to where our speedboat was kept. But that's when I saw him, a Black Archer, stood by our escape. He shot the guard with an arrow in a mere second, killing him dead on the spot. “You’re next, Queens” , the figure said, pulling another one from his quiver. My father pushed me behind him, being protective. “I AM KOMODO! THIS IS FOR MY FATHER!” the archer shouted, about to kill mine. “NOO!” yelled my brave, poor mother, throwing herself in front of me and my father. She was dead, just like that. My mother. She had so selflessly given her life for ours. But I was in shock, so instinct took over, flight or fight, and the seconds that my mother had given me allowed me to run to the speedboat to start the engine. “GO! OLIVER! G…” my father hollered before also being struck. I was crying uncontrollably at what was happening, but I did as he told me, possibly for the first real time. I just held the accelerator and hid below the wheel. An arrow pinged off the controls, landing at my feet. I didn’t know where I was going, only that I had to go. After a minute or so, I looked back, only to see the boat go up in flames. I don’t quite recollect what happened after that. The next thing I remember is waking up in a cave with Natas, my eyes sore from the tears...
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End of Issue
Thanks for reading guys! I'll release another issue next week! :D
The cruise ship I took from here: ideas.lego.com/projects/17838
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη, often referred to internationally as Thessalonica or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia, the administrative region of Central Macedonia and the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace.[3][4] Its honorific title is Συμπρωτεύουσα (Symprotévousa), literally "co-capital",[5] and stands as a reference to its historical status as the Συμβασιλεύουσα (Symvasilévousa) or "co-reigning" city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople.[6]
According to the preliminary results of the 2011 census, the municipality of Thessaloniki today has a population of 322,240,[1] while the Thessaloniki Urban Area (the contiguous built up area forming the "City of Thessaloniki") has a population of 790,824.[1] Furthermore, the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area extends over an area of 1,455.62 km2 (562.02 sq mi) and its population in 2011 reached a total of 1,104,460 inhabitants.[1]
Thessaloniki is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe;[7] its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and the southeastern European hinterland.[7] The city is renowned for its festivals, events and vibrant cultural life in general,[8] and is considered to be Greece's cultural capital.[8] Events such as the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora.[9] Thessaloniki is the 2014 European Youth Capital.[10]
Founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, Thessaloniki's history spans some 2,300 years. An important metropolis by the Roman period, Thessaloniki was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire. Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city's main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans.[11]
Thessaloniki is a popular tourist destination in Greece. In 2010, Lonely Planet ranked Thessaloniki as the world's fifth-best party city worldwide, comparable to other cities such as Dubai and Montreal.[12] For 2013 National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide,[13] while in 2014 Financial Times FDI magazine (Foreign Direct Investments) declared Thessaloniki as the best mid-sized European city of the future for human capital and lifestyle.
Etymology
All variations of the city's name derive from the original (and current) appellation in Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη (from Θεσσαλός, Thessalos, and Νίκη, Nike), literally translating to "Thessalian Victory". The name of the city came from the name of a princess, Thessalonike of Macedon, half sister of Alexander the Great, so named because of her birth on the day of the Macedonian victory at the Battle of Crocus Field (353/352 BCE).[16]
The alternative name Salonica (or Salonika) derives from the variant form Σαλονίκη (Saloníki) in popular Greek speech, and has given rise to the form of the city's name in several languages. Names in other languages prominent in the city's history include Солѹнь (Solun) in Old Church Slavonic, סלוניקה (Salonika) in Ladino, Selanik (also Selânik) in Turkish (سلانیك in Ottoman Turkish), Solun (also written as Солун) in the local and neighboring South Slavic languages, Салоники (Saloníki) in Russian, and Sãrunã in Aromanian. In local speech, the city's name is typically pronounced with a dark and deep L characteristic of Macedonian Greek accent.[17][18]
The name often appears in writing in the abbreviated form Θεσ/νίκη
History
From antiquity to the Roman Empire
The city was founded around 315 BC by the King Cassander of Macedon, on or near the site of the ancient town of Therma and 26 other local villages.[20] He named it after his wife Thessalonike,[21] a half-sister of Alexander the Great and princess of Macedon as daughter of Philip II. Under the kingdom of Macedon the city retained its own autonomy and parliament[22] and evolved to become the most important city in Macedon.[21]
After the fall of the kingdom of Macedon in 168 BC, Thessalonica became a free city of the Roman Republic under Mark Antony in 41 BC.[21][23] It grew to be an important trade-hub located on the Via Egnatia,[24] the road connecting Dyrrhachium with Byzantium,[25] which facilitated trade between Thessaloniki and great centers of commerce such as Rome and Byzantium.[26] Thessaloniki also lay at the southern end of the main north-south route through the Balkans along the valleys of the Morava and Axios river valleys, thereby linking the Balkans with the rest of Greece.[27] The city later became the capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia.[24] Later it became the capital of all the Greek provinces of the Roman Empire due to the city's importance in the Balkan peninsula. When the Roman Empire was divided into the tetrarchy, Thessaloniki became the administrative capital of one of the four portions of the Empire under Galerius Maximianus Caesar,[28][29] where Galerius commissioned an imperial palace, a new hippodrome, a triumphal arch and a mausoleum among others.[29][30][31]
In 379 when the Roman Prefecture of Illyricum was divided between the East and West Roman Empires, Thessaloniki became the capital of the new Prefecture of Illyricum.[24] In 390 Gothic troops under the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, led a massacre against the inhabitants of Thessalonica, who had risen in revolt against the Germanic soldiers. With the Fall of Rome in 476, Thessaloniki became the second-largest city of the Eastern Roman Empire.[26] Around the time of the Roman Empire Thessaloniki was also an important center for the spread of Christianity; some scholars hold that the First Epistle to the Thessalonians written by Paul the Apostle is the first written book of the New Testament.
Byzantine era and Middle Ages
From the first years of the Byzantine Empire, Thessaloniki was considered the second city in the Empire after Constantinople,[33][34][35] both in terms of wealth and size.[33] with an population of 150,000 in the mid 1100s.[36] The city held this status until it was transferred to Venice in 1423. In the 14th century the city's population exceeded 100,000 to 150,000,[37][38][39] making it larger than London at the time.[40]
During the 6th and 7th centuries the area around Thessaloniki was invaded by Avars and Slavs, who unsuccessfully laid siege to the city several times.[41] Traditional historiography stipulates that many Slavs settled in the hinterland of Thessaloniki,[42] however, this migration was allegedly on a much smaller scale than previously thought.[42][42][43] In the 9th century, the Byzantine Greek missionaries Cyril and Methodius, both natives of the city, created the first literary language of the Slavs, the Glagolic alphabet, most likely based on the Slavic dialect used in the hinterland of their hometown.[44][45][46][47][48]
An Arab naval attack in 904 resulted in the sack of the city.[49] The economic expansion of the city continued through the 12th century as the rule of the Komnenoi emperors expanded Byzantine control to the north. Thessaloniki passed out of Byzantine hands in 1204,[50] when Constantinople was captured by the forces of the Fourth Crusade and incorporated the city and its surrounding territories in the Kingdom of Thessalonica[51] — which then became the largest vassal of the Latin Empire. In 1224, the Kingdom of Thessalonica was overrun by the Despotate of Epirus, a remnant of the former Byzantine Empire, under Theodore Komnenos Doukas who crowned himself Emperor,[52] and the city became the Despotat's capital.[52][53] This era of the Despotate of Epirus is also known as the Empire of Thessalonica.[52][54][55] Following his defeat at Klokotnitsa however in 1230,[52][54] the Empire of Thessalonica became a vassal state of the Second Bulgarian Empire until it was recovered again in 1246, this time by the Nicaean Empire.[52] In 1342,[56] the city saw the rise of the Commune of the Zealots, an anti-aristocratic party formed of sailors and the poor,[57] which is nowadays described as social-revolutionary.[56] The city was practically independent of the rest of the Empire,[56][57][58] as it had its own government, a form of republic.[56] The zealot movement was overthrown in 1350 and the city was reunited with the rest of the Empire.[56]
In 1423, Despot Andronicus, who was in charge of the city, ceded it to the Republic of Venice with the hope that it could be protected from the Ottomans who were besieging the city (there is no evidence to support the oft-repeated story that he sold the city to them). The Venetians held Thessaloniki until it was captured by the Ottoman Sultan Murad II on 29 March 1430.
Ottoman period
When Sultan Murad II captured Thessaloniki and sacked it in 1430, contemporary reports estimated that about one-fifth of the city's population was enslaved.[60] Upon the conquest of Thessaloniki, some of its inhabitants escaped,[61] including intellectuals such as Theodorus Gaza "Thessalonicensis" and Andronicus Callistus.[62] However, the change of sovereignty from the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman one did not affect the city's prestige as a major imperial city and trading hub.[63][64] Thessaloniki and Smyrna, although smaller in size than Constantinople, were the Ottoman Empire's most important trading hubs.[63] Thessaloniki's importance was mostly in the field of shipping,[63] but also in manufacturing,[64] while most of the city's trade was controlled by ethnic Greeks.[63]
During the Ottoman period, the city's population of mainly Greek Jews and Ottoman Muslims (including those of Turkish and Albanian, as well as Bulgarian Muslim and Greek Muslim convert origin) grew substantially. By 1478 Selânik (سلانیك), as the city came to be known in Ottoman Turkish, had a population of 4,320 Muslims, 6,094 Greek Orthodox and some Catholics, but no Jews. Soon after the turn of the 15th to 16th century, nearly 20,000 Sephardic Jews had immigrated to Greece from Spain following their expulsion by the 1492 Alhambra Decree.[65] By c. 1500, the numbers had grown to 7,986 Greeks, 8,575 Muslims, and 3,770 Jews. By 1519, Sephardic Jews numbered 15,715, 54% of the city's population. Some historians consider the Ottoman regime's invitation to Jewish settlement was a strategy to prevent the ethnic Greek population (Eastern Orthodox Christians) from dominating the city.[38]
Thessaloniki was the capital of the Sanjak of Selanik within the wider Rumeli Eyalet (Balkans)[66] until 1826, and subsequently the capital of Selanik Eyalet (after 1867, the Selanik Vilayet).[67][68] This consisted of the sanjaks of Selanik, Serres and Drama between 1826 and 1912.[69] Thessaloniki was also a Janissary stronghold where novice Janissaries were trained. In June 1826, regular Ottoman soldiers attacked and destroyed the Janissary base in Thessaloniki while also killing over 10,000 Janissaries, an event known as The Auspicious Incident in Ottoman history.[70] From 1870, driven by economic growth, the city's population expanded by 70%, reaching 135,000 in 1917.[71]
The last few decades of Ottoman control over the city were an era of revival, particularly in terms of the city's infrastructure. It was at that time that the Ottoman administration of the city acquired an "official" face with the creation of the Command Post[72] while a number of new public buildings were built in the eclectic style in order to project the European face both of Thessaloniki and the Ottoman Empire.[72][73] The city walls were torn down between 1869 and 1889,[74] efforts for a planned expansion of the city are evident as early as 1879,[75] the first tram service started in 1888[76] and the city streets were illuminated with electric lamp posts in 1908.[77] In 1888 Thessaloniki was connected to Central Europe via rail through Belgrade, Monastir in 1893 and Constantinople in 1896.
Since the 20th century
In the early 20th century, Thessaloniki was in the center of radical activities by various groups; the Bulgarian Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, founded in 1897,[78] and the Greek Macedonian Committee, founded in 1903.[79] In 1903 an anarchist group known as the Boatmen of Thessaloniki planted bombs in several buildings in Thessaloniki, including the Ottoman Bank, with some assistance from the IMRO. The Greek consulate in Ottoman Thessaloniki (now the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle) served as the center of operations for the Greek guerillas. In 1908 the Young Turks movement broke out in the city, sparking the Young Turk Revolution.[80]
The Ottoman Feth-i Bülend being sunk in Thessaloniki in 1912 by a Greek ship during the First Balkan War.
Constantine I of Greece with George I of Greece and the Greek army enter the city.
As the First Balkan War broke out, Greece declared war on the Ottoman Empire and expanded its borders. When Eleftherios Venizelos, Prime Minister at the time, was asked if the Greek army should move towards Thessaloniki or Monastir (now Bitola, Republic of Macedonia), Venizelos replied "Salonique à tout prix!" (Thessaloniki, at all costs!).[81] As both Greece and Bulgaria wanted Thessaloniki, the Ottoman garrison of the city entered negotiations with both armies.[82] On 8 November 1912 (26 October Old Style), the feast day of the city's patron saint, Saint Demetrius, the Greek Army accepted the surrender of the Ottoman garrison at Thessaloniki.[83] The Bulgarian army arrived one day after the surrender of the city to Greece and Tahsin Pasha, ruler of the city, told the Bulgarian officials that "I have only one Thessaloniki, which I have surrendered".[82] After the Second Balkan War, Thessaloniki and the rest of the Greek portion of Macedonia were officially annexed to Greece by the Treaty of Bucharest in 1913.[84] On 18 March 1913 George I of Greece was assassinated in the city by Alexandros Schinas.[85]
In 1915, during World War I, a large Allied expeditionary force established a base at Thessaloniki for operations against pro-German Bulgaria.[86] This culminated in the establishment of the Macedonian Front, also known as the Salonika Front.[87][88] In 1916, pro-Venizelist Greek army officers and civilians, with the support of the Allies, launched an uprising,[89] creating a pro-Allied[90] temporary government by the name of the "Provisional Government of National Defence"[89][91] that controlled the "New Lands" (lands that were gained by Greece in the Balkan Wars, most of Northern Greece including Greek Macedonia, the North Aegean as well as the island of Crete);[89][91] the official government of the King in Athens, the "State of Athens",[89] controlled "Old Greece"[89][91] which were traditionally monarchist. The State of Thessaloniki was disestablished with the unification of the two opposing Greek governments under Venizelos, following the abdication of King Constantine in 1917.[86][91]
The 1st Battalion of the National Defence army marches on its way to the front.
Aerial picture of the Great Fire of 1917.
Most of the old center of the city was destroyed by the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917, which started accidentally by an unattended kitchen fire on 18 August 1917.[92] The fire swept through the centre of the city, leaving 72,000 people homeless; according to the Pallis Report, most of them were Jewish (50,000). Many businesses were destroyed, as a result, 70% of the population were unemployed.[92] Also a number of religious structures of the three major faiths were lost. Nearly one-quarter of the total population of approximately 271,157 became homeless.[92] Following the fire the government prohibited quick rebuilding, so it could implement the new redesign of the city according to the European-style urban plan[6] prepared by a group of architects, including the Briton Thomas Mawson, and headed by French architect Ernest Hébrard.[92] Property values fell from 6.5 million Greek drachmas to 750,000.[93]
After the defeat of Greece in the Greco-Turkish War and during the break-up of the Ottoman Empire, a population exchange took place between Greece and Turkey.[90] Over 160,000 ethnic Greeks deported from the former Ottoman Empire were resettled in the city,[90] changing its demographics. Additionally many of the city's Muslims were deported to Turkey, ranging at about 20,000 people.[94]
During World War II Thessaloniki was heavily bombarded by Fascist Italy (with 232 people dead, 871 wounded and over 800 buildings damaged or destroyed in November 1940 alone),[95] and, the Italians having failed to succeed in their invasion of Greece, it fell to the forces of Nazi Germany on 8 April 1941[96] and remained under German occupation until 30 October 1944 when it was liberated by the Greek People's Liberation Army.[97] The Nazis soon forced the Jewish residents into a ghetto near the railroads and on 15 March 1943 began the deportation process of the city's 56,000 Jews to its concentration camps.[98][99] They deported over 43,000 of the city's Jews in concentration camps,[98] where most were killed in the gas chambers. The Germans also deported 11,000 Jews to forced labor camps, where most perished.[100] Only 1,200 Jews live in the city today.
Part of Eleftherias Square during the Axis occupation.
The importance of Thessaloniki to Nazi Germany can be demonstrated by the fact that, initially, Hitler had planned to incorporate it directly in the Third Reich[101] (that is, make it part of Germany) and not have it controlled by a puppet state such as the Hellenic State or an ally of Germany (Thessaloniki had been promised to Yugoslavia as a reward for joining the Axis on 25 March 1941).[102] Having been the first major city in Greece to fall to the occupying forces just two days after the German invasion, it was in Thessaloniki that the first Greek resistance group was formed (under the name «Ελευθερία», Eleftheria, "Freedom")[103] as well as the first anti-Nazi newspaper in an occupied territory anywhere in Europe,[104] also by the name Eleftheria. Thessaloniki was also home to a military camp-converted-concentration camp, known in German as "Konzentrationslager Pavlo Mela" (Pavlos Melas Concentration Camp),[105] where members of the resistance and other non-favourable people towards the German occupation from all over Greece[105] were held either to be killed or sent to concentration camps elsewhere in Europe.[105] In the 1946 monarchy referendum, the majority of the locals voted in favour of a republic, contrary to the rest of Greece.[106]
After the war, Thessaloniki was rebuilt with large-scale development of new infrastructure and industry throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Many of its architectural treasures still remain, adding value to the city as a tourist destination, while several early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988.[107] In 1997, Thessaloniki was celebrated as the European Capital of Culture,[108] sponsoring events across the city and the region. Agency established to oversee the cultural activities of that year 1997 was still in existence by 2010.[109] In 2004 the city hosted a number of the football events as part of the 2004 Summer Olympics.[110]
Today Thessaloniki has become one of the most important trade and business hubs in Southeastern Europe, with its port, the Port of Thessaloniki being one of the largest in the Aegean and facilitating trade throughout the Balkan hinterland.[7] On 26 October 2012 the city celebrated its centennial since its incorporation into Greece.[111] The city also forms one of the largest student centres in Southeastern Europe, is host to the largest student population in Greece and will be the European Youth Capital in 2014
Geography
Geology
Thessaloniki lies on the northern fringe of the Thermaic Gulf on its eastern coast and is bound by Mount Chortiatis on its southeast. Its proximity to imposing mountain ranges, hills and fault lines, especially towards its southeast have historically made the city prone to geological changes.
Since medieval times, Thessaloniki was hit by strong earthquakes, notably in 1759, 1902, 1978 and 1995.[113] On 19–20 June 1978, the city suffered a series of powerful earthquakes, registering 5.5 and 6.5 on the Richter scale.[114][115] The tremors caused considerable damage to a number of buildings and ancient monuments,[114] but the city withstood the catastrophe without any major problems.[115] One apartment building in central Thessaloniki collapsed during the second earthquake, killing many, raising the final death toll to 51.[114][115]
Climate
Thessaloniki's climate is directly affected by the sea it is situated on.[116] The city lies in a transitional climatic zone, so its climate displays characteristics of several climates. According to the Köppen climate classification, it is a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) that borders on a semi-arid climate (BSk), with annual average precipitation of 450 millimetres (18 in) due to the Pindus rain shadow drying the westerly winds. However, the city has a summer precipitation between 20 to 30 millimetres (0.79 to 1.18 in), which borders it close to a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa).
Winters are relatively dry, with common morning frost. Snowfalls are sporadic, but οccur more or less every winter, but the snow cover does not last for more than a few days. Fog is common, with an average of 193 foggy days in a year.[117] During the coldest winters, temperatures can drop to −10 °C (14 °F).[117] The record minimum temperature in Thessaloniki was −14 °C (7 °F).[118] On average, Thessaloniki experiences frost (sub-zero temperature) 32 days a year.[117] The coldest month of the year in the city is January, with an average 24-hour temperature of 6 °C (43 °F).[119] Wind is also usual in the winter months, with December and January having an average wind speed of 26 km/h (16 mph).[117]
Thessaloniki's summers are hot with rather humid nights.[117] Maximum temperatures usually rise above 30 °C (86 °F),[117] but rarely go over 40 °C (104 °F);[117] the average number of days the temperature is above 32 °C (90 °F) is 32.[117] The maximum recorded temperature in the city was 42 °C (108 °F).[117][118] Rain seldom falls in summer, mainly during thunderstorms. In the summer months Thessaloniki also experiences strong heat waves.[120] The hottest month of the year in the city is July, with an average 24-hour temperature of 26 °C (79 °F).[119] The average wind speed for June and July in Thessaloniki is 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph)
Government
According to the Kallikratis reform, as of 1 January 2011 the Thessaloniki Urban Area (Greek: Πολεοδομικό Συγκρότημα Θεσσαλονίκης) which makes up the "City of Thessaloniki", is made up of six self-governing municipalities (Greek: Δήμοι) and one municipal unit (Greek: Δημοτική ενότητα). The municipalities that are included in the Thessaloniki Urban Area are those of Thessaloniki (the city center and largest in population size), Kalamaria, Neapoli-Sykies, Pavlos Melas, Kordelio-Evosmos, Ampelokipoi-Menemeni, and the municipal unit of Pylaia, part of the municipality of Pylaia-Chortiatis. Prior to the Kallikratis reform, the Thessaloniki Urban Area was made up of twice as many municipalities, considerably smaller in size, which created bureaucratic problems.[123]
Thessaloniki Municipality
The municipality of Thessaloniki (Greek: Δήμος Θεσαλονίκης) is the second most populous in Greece, after Athens, with a population of 322,240[1] people (in 2011) and an area of 17.832 km2 (7 sq mi). The municipality forms the core of the Thessaloniki Urban Area, with its central district (the city center), referred to as the Kentro, meaning 'center' or 'downtown'.
The institution of mayor of Thessaloniki was inaugurated under the Ottoman Empire, in 1912. The first mayor of Thessaloniki was Osman Sait Bey, while the current mayor of the municipality of Thessaloniki is Yiannis Boutaris. In 2011, the municipality of Thessaloniki had a budget of €464.33 million[124] while the budget of 2012 stands at €409.00 million.[125]
According to an article in The New York Times, the way in which the present mayor of Thessaloniki is treating the city's debt and oversized administration problems could be used as an example by Greece's central government for a successful strategy in dealing with these problems.[126]
Other
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. It is an influential city for the northern parts of the country and is the capital of the region of Central Macedonia and the Thessaloniki regional unit. The Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace is also based in Thessaloniki, being that the city is the de facto capital of the Greek region of Macedonia.
It is customary every year for the Prime Minister of Greece to announce his administration's policies on a number of issues, such as the economy, at the opening night of the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair. In 2010, during the first months of the 2010 Greek debt crisis, the entire cabinet of Greece met in Thessaloniki to discuss the country's future.[127]
In the Hellenic Parliament, the Thessaloniki urban area constitutes a 16-seat constituency. As of the national elections of 17 June 2012 the largest party in Thessaloniki is New Democracy with 27.8%, followed by the Coalition of the Radical Left (27.0%) and the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (10.2%).[128] The table below summarizes the results of the latest elections.
Cityscape
Architecture
Architecture in Thessaloniki is the direct result of the city's position at the centre of all historical developments in the Balkans. Aside from its commercial importance, Thessaloniki was also for many centuries the military and administrative hub of the region, and beyond this the transportation link between Europe and the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel / Palestine). Merchants, traders and refugees from all over Europe settled in the city. The need for commercial and public buildings in this new era of prosperity led to the construction of large edifices in the city center. During this time, the city saw the building of banks, large hotels, theatres, warehouses, and factories. Architects who designed some of the most notable buildings of the city, in the late 19th and early 20th century, include Vitaliano Poselli, Pietro Arrigoni, Xenophon Paionidis, Eli Modiano, Moshé Jacques, Jean Joseph Pleyber, Frederic Charnot, Ernst Ziller, Roubens Max, Levi Ernst, Angelos Siagas and others, using mainly the styles of Eclecticism and Art Nouveau.
The city layout changed after 1870, when the seaside fortifications gave way to extensive piers, and many of the oldest walls of the city were demolished, including those surrounding the White Tower, which today stands as the main landmark of the city. As parts of the early Byzantine walls were demolished, this allowed the city to expand east and west along the coast.[129]
The expansion of Eleftherias Square towards the sea completed the new commercial hub of the city and at the time was considered one of the most vibrant squares of the city. As the city grew, workers moved to the western districts, due to their proximity to factories and industrial activities; while the middle and upper classes gradually moved from the city-center to the eastern suburbs, leaving mainly businesses. In 1917, a devastating fire swept through the city and burned uncontrollably for 32 hours.[71] It destroyed the city's historic center and a large part of its architectural heritage, but paved the way for modern development and allowed Thessaloniki the development of a proper European city center, featuring wider diagonal avenues and monumental squares; which the city initially lacked – much of what was considered to be 'essential' in European architecture.
City Center
After the Great Thessaloniki Fire of 1917, a team of architects and urban planners including Thomas Mawson and Ernest Hebrard, a French architect, chose the Byzantine era as the basis of their (re)building designs for Thessaloniki's city center. The new city plan included axes, diagonal streets and monumental squares, with a street grid that would channel traffic smoothly. The plan of 1917 included provisions for future population expansions and a street and road network that would be, and still is sufficient today.[71] It contained sites for public buildings and provided for the restoration of Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques.
The Metropolitan Church of Saint Gregory Palamas, designed by Ernst Ziller.
Today the city center of Thessaloniki includes the features designed as part of the plan and forms the point in the city where most of the public buildings, historical sites, entertainment venues and stores are located. The center is characterized by its many historical buildings, arcades, laneways and distinct architectural styles such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco, which can be seen on many of its buildings.
Also called the historic center, it is divided into several districts, of which include Ladadika (where many entertainment venues and tavernas are located), Kapani (were the city's central city market is located), Diagonios, Navarinou, Rotonta, Agia Sofia and Ippodromio (white tower), which are all located around Thessaloniki's most central point, Aristotelous Square.
The west point of the city center is home to Thessaloniki's law courts, its central international railway station and the port, while on its eastern side stands the city's two universities, the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center, the city's main stadium, its archaeological and Byzantine museums, the new city hall and its central parklands and gardens, namely those of the ΧΑΝΘ/Palios Zoologikos Kipos and Pedio tou Areos. The central road arteries that pass through the city center, designed in the Ernest Hebrard plan, include those of Tsimiski, Egnatia, Nikis, Mitropoleos, Venizelou and St. Demetrius avenues.
Ano Poli
Ano Poli (also called Old Town and literally the Upper Town) is the heritage listed district north of Thessaloniki's city center that was not engulfed by the great fire of 1917 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site by ministerial actions of Melina Merkouri, during the 1980s. It consists of Thessaloniki's most traditional part of the city, still featuring small stone paved streets, old squares and homes featuring old Greek and Ottoman architecture.
Ano Poli also, is the highest point in Thessaloniki and as such, is the location of the city's acropolis, its Byzantine fort, the Heptapyrgion, a large portion of the city's remaining walls, and with many of its additional Ottoman and Byzantine structures still standing. The area provides access to the Seich Sou Forest National Park[131] and features amphitheatric views of the whole city and the Thermaic Gulf. On clear days Mount Olympus, at about 100 km (62 mi) away across the gulf, can also be seen towering the horizon.
Southeastern Thessaloniki up until the 1920s was home to the city's most affluent residents and formed the outermost suburbs of the city at the time, with the area close to the Thermaic Gulf coast called Exoches, from the 19th century holiday villas which defined the area. Today southeastern Thessaloniki has in some way become a natural extension of the city center, with the avenues of Megalou Alexandrou, Georgiou Papandreou (Antheon), Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, Delfon, Konstantinou Karamanli (Nea Egnatia) and Papanastasiou passing through it, enclosing an area traditionally called Dépôt (Ντεπώ), from the name of the old tram station, owned by a French company. The area extends to Kalamaria and Pylaia, about 9 km (5.59 mi) from the White Tower in the city centre.
Some of the most notable mansions and villas of the old-era of the city remain along Vasilissis Olgas Avenue. Built for the most wealthy residents and designed by well known architects they are used today as museums, art galleries or remain as private properties. Some of them include Villa Bianca, Villa Ahmet Kapanci, Villa Modiano, Villa Mordoch, Villa Mehmet Kapanci, Hatzilazarou Mansion, Chateau Mon Bonheur (often called red tower) and others.
Most of southeastern Thessaloniki is characterized by its modern architecture and apartment buildings, home to the middle-class and more than half of the municipality of Thessaloniki population. Today this area of the city is also home to 3 of the city's main football stadiums, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, the Posidonio aquatic and athletic complex, the Naval Command post of Northern Greece and the old royal palace (called Palataki), located on the most westerly point of Karabournaki cape. The municipality of Kalamaria is also located in southeastern Thessaloniki and has become this part of the city's most sought after areas, with many open spaces and home to high end bars, cafés and entertainment venues, most notably on Plastira street, along the coast
Northwestern Thessaloniki had always been associated with industry and the working class because as the city grew during the 1920s, many workers had moved there, due to its proximity near factories and industrial activities. Today many factories and industries have been moved further out west and the area is experiencing rapid growth as does the southeast. Many factories in this area have been converted to cultural centres, while past military grounds that are being surrounded by densely built neighborhoods are awaiting transformation into parklands.
Northwest Thessaloniki forms the main entry point into the city of Thessaloniki with the avenues of Monastiriou, Lagkada and 26is Octovriou passing through it, as well as the extension of the A1 motorway, feeding into Thessaloniki's city center. The area is home to the Macedonia InterCity Bus Terminal (KTEL), the Zeitenlik Allied memorial military cemetery and to large entertainment venues of the city, such as Milos, Fix, Vilka (which are housed in converted old factories). Northwestern Thessaloniki is also home to Moni Lazariston, located in Stavroupoli, which today forms one of the most important cultural centers for the city.
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A terrible plague known as "The Doll Effect" is quickly spreading throughout the indigenous population. Symptoms include loss of articulation, lengthening of limbs, and an uncontrollable attraction to pretty colors.
Keep your distance and do NOT accept any Friendly requests!
All species are affected, people and animals alike! Infected lifeforms are being gathered and placed into Quarantine until such time as a cure can be developed.
The Zillo’s Maw is a trio of experienced warriors that specialize in melee weapons, and always make sure that their battles end in a spectacle. Each member has plenty of mystery, but here’s what we know about them.
L-R;
Myssa Nalle
Species: Half Mirilian, Half Human
Weapons of choice: Two impure Beskar blades
Myssa Nalle is an experienced fighter who uses Jedi tactics while fighting with her blades. Being half Mirilian, she is incredibly agile, and can slice through several enemies without them making a move. She fights mostly because Gredarr does- some say that she has a thing for him...
Gredarr Kroto
Species: Unknown, most likely human or part human
Weapon of choice: A unique lightsaber
Gredarr is the main member of The Zillo’s Maw, and he’s probably the strongest of the three. He owns powerful impure Beskar armor, and is known for wielding his unique lightsaber, which is flexible and can be used like a whip. He also is always seen wearing a helmet, and rumor has it that it’s because he burned himself with the saber, due to its uncontrollable nature. Anyways, he definitely has mastered it now, and is a real threat in the Warriors of Fire tournament.
Kregask Cholurn
Species: Newtkind
Weapons of choice: Jadeblades, vibro-axe hand cannon
Kregask is an interesting being, and is known to be Gredarr’s friend. He was once a pirate of goods on outer rim planets, and has accumulated many interesting garments and weapons during his plunders, including strange green ceremonial blades that haven’t been seen elsewhere in the galaxy. Like Myssa, he fights mostly because Gredarr does, and will follow any of his orders.
God Can’t Catch You if You Don’t Take a Leap of Faith
By Darren Wilson ·
It was breakfast, and I just wanted my coffee. We were staying in a palace in southern India, and we were quite literally the only people staying there. It was a strange feeling, to have a palace all to your own. But then again, this was India, so really anything was possible.
The day before we had filmed with a man named Ravi, who would regularly hear the audible voice of God speaking to him, directing him places and to people to see. I had finally convinced him to let me film him for my movie, Father of Lights, and we had just weathered a sea of Hindu men wielding machetes in one village and a spiritual showdown with a notorious witch doctor in another. I was so relieved/elated that I told Ravi to take us to the nicest hotel in town to celebrate that we were all still alive.
So the palace it was.
While sipping my coffee and trying to kick the cobwebs out of my head, I asked Ravi what the plan was today. He told me I had two choices: either we could go home, or we could pursue the thing God had spoken to him about this morning.
Um, care to elaborate?
Apparently, that morning Ravi had been tossed out of bed by an angel (when he asked the angel why he threw him out of bed, the angel told him matter-of-factly that he wouldn’t wake up), and was given an assignment. If he wanted, he was to go to a particular temple complex where he was to look for a man in an orange robe, with a long white beard and a turban on his head.
He would know who he was when he found him. That was it. That was the mission.
I took another sip of my coffee.
About an hour later we were on our way to the temple complex, and part of me was excited, while another part of me was having a hard time wrapping my head around this.
Were we really going to meet some guy who met this description? And if so, what was going to happen?
I was making a movie, and this sure felt like a God setup—but that didn’t make having faith that it would actually happen any easier. It’s funny, but no matter how much I do this and how much I see God move, faith is ALWAYS difficult to exercise.
We parked the car and started walking around. We kept pointing our cameras all over, not sure what or who we were supposed to be capturing.
We were walking when I heard Ravi exclaim, “There he is.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I ran to catch up only to stop dead in my tracks when I looked around the corner of a car. There was an older gentleman with an orange robe, a long white beard, and a turban on his head.
And my cameras were rolling.
Ravi started to talk to him, and I didn’t have a clue what they were talking about. I found out later it was more chit chat, with Ravi kind of telling him that God had told us to find him. He found out this man was a Maharishi, which is like a guru of gurus (or the Catholic equivalent of a bishop), and I learned later that maharishis are not even allowed to hear the gospel because Jesus is exclusive, and that goes against everything Hindus believe.
Instead of inciting those standing around to beat us (which is what he was supposed to do), he asked Ravi if they could talk somewhere private, away from all these prying eyes.
So we drove down the road a few miles until we found a little turn-off that was more secluded.
The two men were finally free to talk now, and what the Maharishi had to say was stunning.
Apparently, he lived 8 hours away and had only come to this temple because he had had a dream three nights before where God appeared to him and told him to come here and look for a man named Ravi, who would want to talk to him. God then told him to listen to Ravi.
So not only had we come to try to find him, but he had come to try to find us!
As he was told to, the man listened to Ravi, and he heard the gospel of Jesus Christ presented to him. In the end, he accepted Christ as his savior, and Ravi exchanged information with him so he could follow up. The two men embraced, and we all went our separate ways.
People often ask me what it’s like to film the things I do, and I don’t usually have a great answer for them. When something like this happens, it is always so absurd, so out of the ordinary, and so God ordained that it stuns you into silence.
I think too often Christians get used to a God who doesn’t do much because we don’t take many risks, and we attend churches that are somewhat averse to God moving in real, tangible ways because a God like that is uncontrollable.
But when He DOES move, and you can see it with your own two eyes, you begin to understand the meaning of “awe.” God moving in a wild way doesn’t always make me stand up and shout, but instead, drives me to my knees. God is not an entertainer, and He’s not a magician. But He is powerful, and He is magnificent. And He is still moving and working in profound ways all around the world. Like17
www.wpfilm.com/2016/god-cant-catch-you-if-you-dont-take-a...
Hey, I'm not the type
To say one thing and do another
And if it's all right I'd kind
Of like to be your lover
'Cos when you're with me I can't help but be
So desperately
Uncontrollably Happy!
And hey, I'm not the kind
To fall in love without good reason
And if that's a crime
Then baby I'm committing high treason
'Cos when you're with me
I'm absolutely
And totally
Quite uncontrollably Happy!
And hey, I'm not so blind
That I can't see where we're all going
And it's no fault of mine
If humankind reaps what it is sowing
Just as long as we are together
Forever
I'll never be anything other than Happy!
Hey, don't be suprised, if millions die in plague and murder
True happiness lies beyond your fries and happy burger.-
52 in 2013
Week #1
Theme: New
It's been awhile since I last posted anything to Flickr...and over the past six months, I have taken few photos just for fun. The summer brought some sad, unexpected news...and so life has changed since then, with a focus on other things.
Yesterday, as I looked outside the window, I noticed many birds flying in and out of our yard. I got that old uncontrollable urge to grab my camera and go sit outside with them. I saw that the waxwings were back. Every January it seems they appear in our yard to eat the berries off of our Mountain Ash tree. Their arrival always seems to mark the beginning of the new year. And so then I pondered the new year ahead. What do I want? New opportunities to spend with our precious loved ones making new memories...new hope for happier times...the celebration of new life and new beginnings. :)
Thank you in advance for any likes or comments!
#DoodlewashJune2025 Prompt: Art Supplies & Biscuit Barrel.
Did you know the biscuit barrel, which became popular in 18th century Britain, was originally a cylindrical glass jar with a metal lid but may have been inspired by the barrels used to keep ‘ship’s biscuit’ in the Navy? They became popular as ‘cookie jars’ in the U.S., after WWI.
Frustration with your art supplies can lead to unintended interior decorating and uncontrollable snacking!
Daler-Rowney Watercolor Studio Set on Stonehenge Aqua Watercolor Paper.
#kuretakezig_usa #kuretakejapan #legionpaper
#WorldWatercolorGroup
"Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. "
Mark Twain
{} Three months after Part 3 {}
The beating sun of Ankara makes it's slow decent on the horizon. A cliff side becomes engulfed in flames as a large laser blast hits the rock face. Suddenly, Star-Lord emerges from the flames. Laser bolts zoom past him as he begins to fly away from the cliff. He presses a button on his helmet and his ship flies into view. Unexpectedly, a laser bolt hits Peter's jet-pack and causes him to spiral uncontrollably to the ground.
"Rora! Where are you?" Peter yells, hoping it would cause his ship to fly towards him. To his liking, Rora flies right underneath him and Peter lands head-first into the cockpit. "Gah! That hurt!"
Peter flips himself to the correct position in his seat and presses a button for the ship to fly away from the aliens on the ground. He waits until he is safely away to take his jet-pack off and inspect the damage.
"Geez, the power core is busted."
"May I suggest making your jet-pack less of a target? Perhaps attaching propulsors to your boots?"
Peter collapses his helmet and takes off his gloves. He presses a couple buttons on the console before answering.
"That's not a bad idea. I'll have to look into that."
"Oh! Did you get what you came for?"
Peter grabs a piece of technology from a pouch on his belt and places it on his ship's console.
"Yeah. Those Sligs definitely didn't want me to get it though."
"Well I'm sure Mister Tivan will be happy with your work."
Suddenly, Rora's console begins flashing red and an alert pops up onto the window.
"What is it, Rora?"
"Incoming projectiles. An unknown spacecraft is approaching fast."
"Evasive maneuvers!"
"Bringing shields up to fifteen percent."
Peter grabs control of the ship and makes an abrupt turn up. the missiles correct their path and follow closely behind the ship. Peter spins the ship to the side and the missiles again adjust their flight.
"Hold on to your lunch!"
"I do not follow?"
Peter pushes the controls all the way away from him, this action causes the ship to take a nose dive straight towards the planet's surface. The missiles follow closely behind. The ship speeds to the ground and suddenly a red light begins flashing in the cockpit.
"You're getting to close to the ground!"
"I know what I'm doing!"
As the ship got mere meters from the rocky surface of the planet, Peter pulls the controls back towards himself and the ship levels itself out and safely flies level with the ground. The missiles, however zoom straight into the ground. The debris from the explosion barely misses Peter's ship as he lets go of the controls and presses a button, giving back control of the ship to the AI.
"Excellent flying, Star-Lord."
"You know it!"
Although Peter had successfully outmaneuvered two missiles, he forgot all about the ship that sent them at him...
Previously in Chapter 4 White Horses and Memories
⚜️Tabitha Kinkade could never forget the first time she saw a werewolf. She was just a little girl, wrapped in her mother's arms. She could still see it's yellow eyes rolling as it crushed bone and ripped flesh, killing Myra, her mother's handmaid, it's sharp teeth glistening over with drool and blood. She could still remember the huffing, bellowing growl and the mighty thud of it's massive feet when it turned toward her and her mother. Samantha Kinkade told her daughter to close her eyes, as she pulled a sword from over the fireplace and faced the beast. However, Tabitha had not closed her eyes, cowering there as her mother held her back behind her. And as much out of youthful curiosity than anything she'd peeked from around her mother's dress. When it saw her, clinching to her mother's skirts the beast stopped. Tilting it's head the creature gazed straight into her eyes as the fires from the sconces along the wall illuminated it's enormous body. It's raspy breathing caused the little flames to flicker creating overinflated shadows that danced around the room and then it began to creep closer, the claws of it's massive feet tapping against the wood floor...
Then somewhere out of the night...
an intense shrilling whimper!
And a friend's cry for help brought her back to the present, "My lady the child!"
⚜️Tabitha bolted into the moonlight just in time to see the werewolf cast the child over the edge of the cliff with Kiva jumping after her. She had no choice but to leave her other pets and Lexington alone to deal with the massive lycanthrope. Without a moment's hesitation she dove over the edge of the cliff side after the little girl. Even with her heightened senses the surrounding void was nearly pitch black as the cool salt air rushed through her red hair. From far away now and quickly growing farther with every passing moment, she could hear Lexington directing the wolves and his whip slashing into the fiend's flesh. The beast howled out, growling so loud she could hear the sounds resonate and echo down along the cliff's glistening walls as she fell down into the abyss.
⚜️The mist cascading across her face made her squint as she held her arms closely by her sides. At last she could see the girl through the murk, her red wolf Kiva holding the hem of her dress in her clinched teeth. Using every muscle and every bit of ability she had Tabitha kept her body, as straight as she could cutting through the darkness like a knife. Finally, within arms length, Tabitha found herself faced with a horrible decision. With the pair spinning uncontrollably and as they were too close to the rocks below, she would have to choose her beloved Kiva or the girl. With no time to think she grabbed the girl pulling her shivering body to her breast. Folding her arms around the child she continued to glide like a human cannonball through the night, watching her precious Kiva fade into the foggy chasm. In her desperation she screamed in terror racing to catch up to the dire wolf. And with her body taut, every muscle flexed and ready, she was able to grab the scruff of Kiva's neck just in time to pull her up to safety. With no more than a few meters between them and death, Tabitha flipped them all around and landed feet first on the slippery rocks. She held both her pet and the little girl in her arms for a moment almost in tears then told Kiva to stay with the toddler and keep her safe before she hurridly leapt up along the rock face.
⚜️She climbed the crag like a spider rushing quickly to the battle. As she neared the top the Shadowhunter could hear one of her wolves cry out and Lexington groan as his body crashed into something. Her fear for her friend's safety almost made her sick as she leapt and scurried up the wall grabbing at jagged edges and seams in the rock face hoisting her body closer up along the damp precipice. Overhead, clouds stirred like a soup as the approaching storm's winds became more intense the closer she got to the top. Finally, she could see grass hanging over the edge and just as she reached to grab the rim of the cliff she heard one of Lexington's flintlocks fire. Her wolves growled in anger, hissing and gnashing their teeth and just then, the monster spoke! It taunted Lexington "I'm gonna tear you apart piggy!" then roared again from deep in its massive chest. Just as the devilish brute began to rush her friend she leapt from the side of the cliff catapulting her body into the sky above the colossal beast. Drawing her swords the Shadowhunter was silent as she looked down across the back of the monster just six meters above him. Lexington never looked in her direction as not to alert the werewolf then fired again hitting it in the chest just as Xandra and Jesper both hurdled toward the lycan. As silent as a cat, her blades found their mark plunging deep on either side of the werewolves's broad neck cutting through his heart and deep into it's lungs. She rolled just past Lexington turning quickly, her own flintlock pulled only to watch the beast fall to his knees.
⚜️As it looked at them all the horror and terror was erased from its face. It was the same expression his mate had made before it died earlier that same evening. Calling to her wolves she ordered them off the monster to allow it to die in peace when in a trice it brought its great paw within inches of her boot and upon regaining enough strength it scowled at her and hissed, "He is coming. And there's nothing you can do about it Shadowhunter. You and your kind will be slaughtered like pigs." It laughed and then fell dead.
Taken aback, Tabitha stood motionless looming over the ghoulish creature. Lexington had heard as well, walking over to stand there with her. He started to say something, and she looked, but he obviously thought better to wait, and she did not ask. They both stood silent watching as the monster turned back to a human man, the curse lifted from him forever.
"Mistress look! The same brand as the female." Lexington had bent down to inspect the man's body.
Tabitha knelt down to see and there it was. The identical and peculiar tattoo they'd found on the girl and in the same spot.
Once she'd inspected the tattoo Tabitha looked at the man's face. She shook her head. He looked so peaceful now. Nearly handsome as he laid there naked, the distant thunder claps above them providing just a little light. Standing, she asked Lexington if he was injured and except for a few scrapes and bruises luckily he wasn't. She quickly took a look at her wolves calling them to her. They were bloody, some of it theirs, but nothing was broken and the lacerations that she could observe didn't look deep.
"Mother and Father must have been looking over us tonight." she thought to herself.
Lexington apologized to her for not asking about the girl and Kiva and she assured him it was alright and that they were as well. That said, she instructed the Prince to continue his inspection while she gathered up Kiva and the kidnapped girl before the coming storm set in.
Walking away Lexington must have noticed she was deep in her thoughts. "My Lady, are you alright?" he called out.
Standing there, cleaning the blood from her swords, she sheathed each of them and looked just over her shoulder asking in return. "Have you ever heard of one that could talk Lex?"
"No My Lady. Never. I... well I don't know what to say Ms. Tabitha."
With a slight nod she walked into the darkness, her gallant wolves at her sides. This night had been filled with violence and distress, and more mystery than she cared for.
It would be nice to be home soon, back at Belraak Castle.
🐺🐺🐺🐺
Continued in Chapter 6 The Two Societies
⭐And again,I would send a shout out to my friend Marcus Strong. He took on dual roles for this one and was so patient and forgiving. Thanks Big Daddy! hehe.
With love. 💓
🌳Taken at Flower of Scotland I would like to express my appreciation to elo {Neutron Nebula} for providing one of the most beautiful places in SL for us to take our pics. You can take a look as some of the amazing captures done at Auld Lang Syne in thier group, Auld Lang Syne. Isles of Scotland 🌼
I love unpredictable circumstances during photo shoots, and nothing is more uncontrollable than an animal. I've done shoots at people's houses where a cat would mysteriously appear in the corner of a photo when he sensed he wasn't getting enough attention, and I'm always on board.
Shooting with Billie's snake was really fun, because it's a constant challenge to figure out where his head went and how to keep it in frame. You have to choose who is the focus of a photo, and you've suddenly got double the options. It was a fun outing, and I'm sure the little scaly fellow had fun since he never seemed to stop moving.
We have been hit by several wildfires in the Bay Area. The thunderstorm two days ago didn't help. Instead it helped ignite the wildfires around the Bay Area with over two hundreds of lightning. When we escaped to the Pacific Coast yesterday, we saw wildfires in several areas. This one is very close to Pescadero in San Mateo County. According to the news, it has been growing uncontrollably since yesterday. Governor Newsom has just declared a state of emergency today and we are on a rolling power outage. It 's unprecedentedly hot around here and unfortunately my central air conditioner has just broken down. Year 2020 is definitely not a good year I must say.
Water spashing up on the rock, streaming down and exploding over the top and getting water all over my lens in a special spot in San Pedro, California. When I first saw that almost all the photos from this camera, and the others as well really had water spots I was dissappointed, but later on I thought why be? Nature is what it is, uncontrollable, next time I go back I'll just keep it in mind, but to be honest I think my girl and I were much more concerned with the fact the tide was rising over the rocks we were standing on then the lens!
Jackson Bentley: What is it, Major Lawrence, that attracts you personally to the desert?
T.E. Lawrence: It's clean.
- Dialogue from Sir David Lean’s classic film, “Lawrence of Arabia”
========================================================
Depending on your transportation options, the long beach strip of Mui Ne is about a 4-6 hour bus ride north from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). I decided to lay my head at the highly recommended Mui Ne Backpackers owned by an Australian named John Jenkins who married a local Vietnamese woman and never left the country.
One day I asked John how to get to the famous sand dunes.
“Which one” he replied?
Apparently there are two distinct sand dunes one can visit. The Red Sand Dunes are the closest to town and are the easiest ones to visit. The larger of the two, the White Sand Dunes are a little further out and features a little lake. John and his affable Australian personality recommended I take his sunset jeep tour. I am not a group tour type of guy so John set me up with a motorbike rental, a general map of the area and off I went to explore the White Sand Dunes.
I quickly discovered the map was a poor excuse for cutting down a tree. I drove for about 45 minutes outside of town and I could see the White Sand Dunes off in the distance, but could not find the road to cut across to them. So for about 90 minutes I burned a lot of petro just driving around in circles. Finally off in the distance I spotted a tourist van and I quickly a followed it out to the dunes.
We turned off the paved highway and onto a dirt road that was full of potholes, rocks and soft sand. Of those three obstacles, soft sand would be my enemy. At this point in my trip I had driven a motorbike in Malaysia, Thailand and in the wild, dirt roads of Laos. Driving a motorbike in Southeast Asia is by far best way to see the landscape and meet the locals, but I’ll be honest, it can be dangerous at times (if you spend any amount of time here you will see many young backpackers with scrapes, bruises, bandages all compliments of motorbike accidents). In my entire six months in Southeast Asia I never had an accident with the sole exception being my jaunt to the White Sand Dunes.
What happen?
So we bounced along the dirt road for a while and then out of nowhere a lake in the middle of this desert appeared on our left hand side. It was a sight of beauty. As we finally approached the entrance to the sand dunes a patch of soft sand appeared.
Rule #1 in motorbike riding: Keep a steady pace and drive in a straight line when riding over soft sand.
For some odd reason the van in front of me stopped abruptly (I can only assume that somebody wanted to take a photo). As a result, I quickly put my brakes on and lost traction in the soft sand. My motorbike began to wobble uncontrollably and I was heading to immediate disaster. I made the quick decision to just lay the bike down so I could come to an immediate stop. So I leaned to the left and just slid my bike on the soft sand.
Perfect landing!
No broken bones and the motorbike was intact. Laying down on the sandy road, I felt a burning sensation on the lower, inside part of my right calf. Apparently my right leg had made contact with a very hot motorcycle exhaust pipe. Two unfortunate events worked against me that day. One, the motorbike didn’t have a heat shield (some, not all, of the motorbikes I rented had them). Two, I didn’t wear long pants that day (I normally would wear them when I ride, but that day I wore shorts).
So here you have the White Sand Dunes of Mui Ne, Vietnam compliments of my Canon 5D Mark II and a slightly burnt right calf.
I still have a little scar on my right calf. Every now and then when I wear shorts people notice it and ask, “What happen there?”
I simply reply, “Vietnam!”
Check back for more of my adventures in Vietnam!
Happy Travels!
Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography
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Bumble Bee Said::
Buzz off old white man, can't you see I'm hard at work !
Ted Said:
Buzz off yourself Bee, scram, I want to photograph the dahlia without you bouncing all over the scene.
Bee Said:
Come on you bumbling idiot, there are dozens of blooms within inches, now piss off before I come and sting you.
Ted:
Sobbing uncontrollably Ted snapped a quickie and abandoned the scene, until late November.
Adios, hasta la luego.
A friend at work loaned me her dvd of "The Notebook" this evening... surprisingly, as many movies as I go to. This is one that escaped me. I had heard how sad it was... but as I was watching it. I kept thinking "this aint so sad". It was a very sweet, enjoyable romantic movie, and the opening scene did tug at my heart... but no tears... then it got to the last 5 minutes, and I was crying uncontrollably. OMG, that had to be one of the most romantic endings I have ever seen... Jesus Christ.
Last summer I summited Mount Agassiz for my first time and slept on the top. It was probably one of the most intense nights of sleep I've had in the backcountry. I was very nervous about being on top all night. Mostly it was all in my head. I was scaring myself to the point of not following me dreams. I needed to do this. I woke up at around 2 AM shaking uncontrollably and my heart was racing. I wasn't sure if I should hike off the mountain,2000 feet below, back to where my tent was so I decided to find a way to stay on top. After opening up a hand warmer and holding it tightly I managed to get my heart rate down and get back to sleep. I also managed to wake up many times throughout the night and took this photo while I was awake.
::flipping through your file, leaving bloody fingerprint smudges on each page as I shake my head disapprovingly:: You're lucky I had time to work you in to my schedule today, My New Pet. Your outburst and assault on other patients today has landed you a spot in my rigorous regimen. ::slowly pacing back and forth, pretending to still read your chart:: I'm Dr. Renwick Paynesworth, I'm sure you've heard some of my family members refer to me as Rook during your stay. I grew up here and spent most of my free time playing chess with the criminally insane. I have based my methods of therapy mainly on what I observed to be effective by my predecessors. ::tossing the chart in the trash, I bend down to eye level, making sure I have your complete attention:: Now that we've gotten to know one another, this is what's going to happen... ::leaning in close, whispering in hot breath against your ear:: I'm going to break you. ::pulling my mask down over my face with an uncontrollable smile:: You just need to be taught some discipline. Soon I won't even have to restrain you, you will do as I say willingly...and fearfully. ::picking up the scalpel, I run the dull side along your cheek:: I think we should bring out some of your inner beauty. Don't be scared. It will only hurt the entire time I'm doing it. Pain is weakness leaving the body. Someday you'll thank me for all of this.
(In world name HaydenVonHeathen)
Oh, thank you so much for being on the path of wisdom and of my dear ones, as well.
Thank you for remembering me, at all times and for caring about me and mine,
who are very important to me.
Thank you for your ability to express yourself warmly.
Thank you for being kind in contacting me.
Without further thought, I will write in a way that respects you,
in this way I also respect myself.
I will write and answer your email in a respectful manner that always respects both of us.
Oh, thank you very much. I will always write in my own words
...and always express myself in my own words only.
A derogatory type will never and will never dare to insert such or other words
and certainly will not control the way of your correspondence or communication.
My answer to you expresses and will mutually express support.
What we sow, we reap...
and I will always remember your willingness to be independent of someone else's dictates...
of what to say, what to say... or if at all to answer... or to do a "favor" in response to your automatic symbolic smile.
You are not an egoist and I am not an egoist...
we will continue to have a respectable relationship.
As you care about me and the dearest of my heart,
correspondingly I care about you and the dearest of your heart.
The relationship between us is uncontrollable by others.
Oh, thank you so much. You are just as good as me, and even if we are not the same,
caring and truth dictate our ways in life.
Reciprocity is the word.
It's all a question of goodwill, or of being uncontrolled by others,
No one dares to dictate to you.. Never to me!
I will write... exactly as you write, and not just to get out of my way by marking one way or another.
Oh, thanks to you and your importance in a way that does not depend on unnecessary dictates or injustices.
By the way.. if some are controlled by their content.. extremely unfortunate.. The universe will repay accordingly. Now... ask yourself and here is the reference not to primacy in my writings here. When was the last time you thought to let me know? What were you asked, to tell me.. to do.. or simply not to answer.. or not to address... you are controlled! And you became a stranger by someone else's will. And what did you get out of it?... A lot. Hiding the truth is like lying, even if you gain a lot from it.
To those that are controlled by order, such as, reply, no reply, comment with NICE (I become allergic to "nice" ). I have NO THANKS, Sorry... so sorry for those who are controlled or controlled others.
The world could be better because of people like me... But surely It will never be, since you are controlled by giving gifts @ orders.
Copyrights (c) NIra Dabush.
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Photography Photograph Florals Nira Dabush Colourful Magic Studio Floral Flowers.
The Men Are Called Horsemen There
I know we’ve all been asked this before, but have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t have fallen in love with? We’ll come back to my answer on that in a second.
Staying in the village of Omalo changed my life in some quiet ways. Having made the effort and endured the stress involved in getting there (for a nervous traveller like myself) finally erased the nerves I had been feeling almost everyday during my trip. Experiencing a life stripped bare of all but the essentials burned away so much of the clutter that I had been carrying in my mind since I left home. Having nothing but time and space to lose myself in allowed a flurry of emotions, both positive and negative, to rise up and have their time and for once, I stopped analysing them and just allowed them to work through me and took from them what I could. These things were all personal to me though: elements of a unique place whose claustrophobic isolation gave me the arena in which I could give myself up to emotion and thought.
There was another, more external element of Omalo that made a marked impact upon myself. Maybe it did not change anything of my personality or drive home any paradigm shifting insights. It has however stayed with me as a memory so tangible that when recalled, I still feel it as if I am experiencing those moments anew.
That experience was watching the children, not the men, tend the horses that remained one of the main methods of both transport and income generation. The Tushetan horsemen are legends in their own valley. Renowned for both their skill on the horse and their endurance of some harsh living conditions.
4 of these horsemen stayed in the homestay where I lived. They rode up one sunny morning and all but fell of their horses. The oldest, who was around 50 looked closer to 70. The youngest, a sprightly 18 looked as if he was approaching his 30’s. They were clad in denims, leathers and wool that looked like it would have to be chiselled off them so caked were they in dirt and dust. Their faces were burnt brown and lined with the elements, their eyes portraying I sat on the front porch in my woolly slippers (made by the lady of the house) supping on my coffee. If I’m honest, I had been feeling pretty hardy and brave as a result of my solo treks to Omalo but in front of these men I looked every inch and more the cosseted western traveller that I was.
To return to the question at the top of the page though, it wasn’t them who made such an impact on me: it was the kids who rolled out of the houses and down the various tracks and paths that lined the village towards my homestay. Some of them were as young as 7 or 8 yet they approached the horses with no nerves and no concern. It was their job to tend to the horses, to take them to pastures or to clean them up. It was also their right to take the horses for a ride through the village, and it was a right they took full advantage of.
Some walked the tired steeds down to the fields around the village but some jumped on the horses, often bareback, dug their heels into the horses side and set off. That day the village was alive with the stamp of hooves, the shouts of the kids and gusts of furious equine breathes. I was mesmerised. The kids had been around during my whole stay but barely said hello to me. They were kind, respectful, shy and seemed so very young. Yet here they were, in full control of these massive animals. They would tear past me at incredible speeds, facing forward with delight writ across their eyes. For all I had been made to feel like one of the villagers, the contrast between their world and mine never felt more obvious.
I walked the village with my camera that day, just waiting for a moment to capture some of the incredible scenes. Some shots were taken but I never felt that I really had the moment I could share. The clouds rolled down over the mountain tops and began to descend, rain was on the way and soon I would have to be indoors. It was when I was about to give in and settle for one more coffee and my nice warm slippers that I saw the son of my homestay owner in the distance. He was riding the largest horse and heading straight for me.
He was a quiet kid, too embarrassed to say hello and always, always obedient to his mothers prompts and commands. His skin was still young, unmarked by the life that was to come and untouched by any of the ugly elements life can bring. Those words are true for the small boy who walked the house, not for the man who rode towards me that day.
The horse was kicking against him, rearing and flailing in direction as if furious at its use as a child’s plaything. It looked uncontrollable to me, muscles and bone kinetic in temper in a way that made me stop and stare. The kid (whose name I never knew, he was too shy to tell me) barely registered the tempest that was kicking up beneath him. He was watching me, watching my camera and for the only time in our time together, he looked unconcerned. All the time watching me he pulled that horse under his control, forcing it to submit to him. His eyes were serious but calm, his body clearly working but never straining. Eventually he got the horse to the top of a small hill that marked the village centre and pulled it to a stop. The cloud cloaked mountains rose behind him, the rain began to fall on me but he just sat there, watching me as I pressed the camera 2 or 3 times. It was as if he wanted to show me who he really was: or what I really was.
Back at the homestay I showed the pictures to two Israeli friends who were staying that night. I couldn’t and still can’t find the words to get across what that moment was to me. Maybe it is only because of photography that it affected me so much or possible it was because I was open to the world that week, I don’t know and I don’t really care. I felt as if I was someone new. I felt something like love, or at least a respect free of any conditions for that kid and for the people of this village for all that they did for me and all that they had to do to survive.
Later that evening the kid sat next to me at the dinner table. His Mum asked me to take a picture of him but he flushed red, put his head down and wouldn’t look up until the camera was gone. The mother ruffled his hair and he smiled like a child. I smiled too, sat back on my seat and felt like I was home.
(if you like horses, check out the SadSummerSea photostream. Always a pleasure to view her work)
So I made mention I had filled up a memory card on my early morning with the fledgling Peregrine Falcons. The deal is, I have a new camera (Sony A1), and it goes fast (up to 30 fps). From my perspective, it's uncontrollably fast. Lack of control is my dilemma. So when the little fledgling Peregrine started beating its wings, I just laid on it. When someone nearby said incoming food, I just stuck with it. So mom does fly in with prey, and the fledgling manages to make off with it before her sibling gets a chance. I've noted before this takes place on the cliffs overlooking the Blue Pacific, and you can even spot a breaking swell or two roll in in the soft background.
I had no intention of video, but the sequence IS pretty cool. What I did here was take all 142 frames less maybe a couple culled before the idea came to me, assembled in a sort of dragged out time lapse. About 15 seconds elapsed time spread out to 45.
Music credit: "Early Sun" by Crowander, www.freemusicarchive.org
Mirit Ben-Nun’s art exists within and beyond reality. She moves away from reality with aggressive and dense colorfulness which reveals an inner testimony of a threatened existence of women. The lines, points and shapes do not reproduce facts but emphasize the special charge of emotional coping.
Mirit Ben-Nun shows a rebellious spirit and tries to reach out to things not through wholeness but via searching for their expression and manifestation.
She explores personal identity and through it tries to define a complementary art, thereby illustrating the world and the nature of human culture. She focuses on the expressive dimension because of the exposure afforded by the uncontrollable moment that so much affects life in a rapidly changing global world.
The discourse between the inner world and the emerging reality is hyperactive and generates in Ben - Nun an endless sequence of works.
From the depths of feelings, dreams, anxieties and expressions arise rigid and exciting meanings of existence whose essence expresses adaptation difficulties and restlessness.
Dora Woda
Grief is the moment I start crying in the middle of a joy-filled event wishing he was here.
- Author Unknown
Every image captured of those who have gone before us possesses a profound ability to awaken treasured memories that hold special significance in our hearts. During this season, the sight of ox-eye daisies never fails to evoke memories of Kieran. Amidst the pandemic's chaos, these daisies flourished uncontrollably, emerging in every corner of the grassy landscapes we traversed like determined weeds, grasping for light and vitality. Over time, they've transformed into symbols of the tender, affectionate moments we shared nestled among them. While they now offer solace, they also serve as emotional triggers, unlocking not just fond memories but also unleashing torrents of tears. As I cherish the comfort they presently bring, these daisies remain bittersweet reminders of our shared joys and sorrows, encapsulating the depth of our connection amidst life's challenges.
#LongRestTheKing #ForeverMissingYou💕 #MonthlyTribute (20months)🌈🐾
Hiram M Chittenden Locks Carl S. English Botanical Gardens
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I think all art is about control - the encounter between control and the uncontrollable.
~ Richard Avedon
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..............IF YOU WANT TO INVITE ME,
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Spare a kind thought for the homeless
We are really just like you
Accept sometimes in life
Some endure unimaginable heart ache and hard times
I was once a respected family man ya know
With my own home, and ran a trucking business.
The lock downs hit - my wife got sick
I tried the best I could
But taxes and bills
Then another blow when the Mrs took that dreadful jab
I begged her not to take that jab
I believed in God
I believe God gave me and you an immune system
That works just fine
My beautiful wife called me crazy
She became full of fear of this deadly flu
She wouldn't listen
She listened only to the fear
It's too late now,
She shook uncontrollably when she got home from that shot, ran a fever
I couldn't help her accept to take her to the hospital
They didn't want to know she had just been jabbed
They told me to take her home - there was nothing they could do
12 hours later she was dead on the bathroom floor
I cried to God - what more will you take from me?
The pain of losing her was too much
My anger out of control at the govt for forcing this jab on us all
I am left to lay my love to Rest in Peace
I trust that God has a plan
I don't trust in man
I only trust in God
I been through tough times I thought
But life just spiraled out of control
With these bastard governments across the world
Destroying our livelihoods
Ruining our health
Ya know its been declared a Bio-weapon in Florida now?
I thought it was all along
Gain of Function been going on
I lost my business and all my men
Many too sick to drive
I wouldn't take that deadly jab
I was black banned and stopped from working
I went through a time when I didn't care
Just lay me down with my family in Peace
I am tired of this life
But then one day God said to me
"my son you have work to do"
I am done with your work God
I have been a good man
And look at what the world does to me and more
God spoke to me again
"Listen to me, and follow my guidance, you have more work to do"
I gave up,
The banks took my home
Unable to work and now a broken man
I found myself on this park bench with no where to go
Then one day - Out of the blue
One of my men I used to employ
Fixed me up a home in this old wreck of a truck
He bought it at Auction
He owns this land at the back of the park
It was all impounded from my trucking yard
When the tax man sent me bankrupt
Confiscating my fleet of trucks - they sold at Auction
This old girl of a truck
The boys liked to hang out sometimes after a long haul on the roads
It once had a shower and kitchen on my lot
With gas hot water and barbecue
That's all gone
Some happy memories of the boys in this old girl
This mate of mine
God sent him to me by chance one day
He saw me on this park bench
And offered to take me home
I couldn't do this to his family
So he organized this old wreck that was once mine
So now I live here in this humble abode with just some basics
It's right next to the park where the children play
I love hearing the children laugh in the playground
Sometimes I like to sit on this park bench and watch them running around
It takes me back to a place long ago
When my only little boy loved to slide the slippery slide
Laughing and screaming with joy as he slid down that slide
I loved it too when he would say "push me on the swing daddy"
Tears roll down my cheeks
The salty bitter taste
That ache in my heart that never leaves me
Then one day
A youth who was high on drugs in a stolen car came screaming out of control
Into the park he crashed
Where my little boy played
His last words to me
"Look Daddy how tall I am as he stood at the top of the slide"
Crash, Bang, screams of terror - chaos followed
I can never forget that day
That trauma at witnessing my innocent boy being thrown in the air like a ball
Smashing into the ground
Oh God
God have mercy
Just a little boy
God had other plans for my little boy
Now he lives in peace in heaven's land
Me and me wife struggled for years
They let that kid off on good behavior bond
That youth who killed our only boy
It nearly broke us apart as our hearts were torn apart
Eventually life got better
but our hearts never stopped aching
For our precious little boy
When the Mrs died
There was no one left
Just a few photos reminiscent when life was good
Somewhere inside of me I am a fighter
A peaceful fighter
My mouth gets me in trouble
People often don't like the truth
I take no bullshit from anyone
And entitled to an opinion when it concerns me
Especially when it concerns protecting children
I think most agree
Don't harm the children - we all agree
Ya know you need to research what they are doing to our children
stopworldcontrol.com/children/
There's a whole lot more people don't know
You really gotta know!
We gotta protect the children
It's up to you and me
Sometimes we can agree to disagree when we
Have different opinions
I protested ya know
Along with many truckers across the country
Against the lock downs
They locked me up for my peaceful protest
Took away my rights to live
Shut me down they did
Stopped me accessing my bank account
Finally, the bank took my home
Me and the Mrs loved our home
I loved my rose garden
Took pride in my home
We lived a simple life
All that is left is this shell of a truck
I try my best to look for work
I feel beaten and tired and in my 60's now
I just want to live in peace
Please leave me alone
Don't throw your cans at me or spit on me if you see me on the street
It makes you to be the low life with no heart - not me!
I will cause no harm
Just please leave me alone
It brings me happiness hearing the children laugh
in the playground here
I would never harm them
They just remind me of days gone bye
When life was good
And my little boy would laugh and scream with joy
Sometimes I swear I hear his laugh in this park
Who knows how long before the council shut me down here
I will be back sleeping under bridges
At least I have shelter here
And a place I feel at home once more
Sometimes some kind person will leave a food hamper for me
I sometimes get to shower in the local council pool center
I have to sneak in when no one is watching
They don't like dirty folk like me hanging around
So be kind
Don't judge
That's the message God has for me
Lend a helping hand
Don't judge
A few folk around here took the time
To get to know me
Kind people who have now moved on
Their children used to come and talk to me
And always wanted to bring me a gift
The greatest gift was to see their beautiful bright eyes
Their shining smiles at me
To hear their little voices talk to me
At first they feared me
"don't talk to that dirty old man"
But these few folks took the time to know me
And their children too
Beautiful children who would come running to me
Screaming out "hello Harold"
Some would bring me daisies they had picked along the way
Innocent little children
They open ya hearts you know?
One family gave me the potted rose to remind me of my garden
I treasure my rose
They will never know how much they helped
To heal my broken heart ya know?
They loved to listen to my stories
and my messages from God
Ya know God keeps me strong
If you listen to him
He will keep you strong too
Houses, cars, trucks
It doesn't matter any more
It's what's inside that means more
God Bless You and Yours
P.S.
if you see a homeless person on the street, don't be scared, chances are they were once like you.
Give them a smile and if you can, take the time to treat them with kindness
We feel bad enough for how we look and have to live
I no longer worry what others may think or say
I had to toughen up ya know?
God asked me to write this and asks you to pass it around so it helps others to understand. Just because we are homeless does not mean we are not human with feelings. So be kind if you can.
Have a blessed day!
© Chant Lyric
Saturday’s forecast looked promising I thought. Hail showers, strong winds, a high tide close to sunset and a relatively big swell on the sea were all conspiring to produce one of those epic afternoons when patience and stoicism in the face of the elements might bring rewarding results. And now that December was amongst us, I’d decided it was time to return to the weather watching cliff. At this time of year, so close to the winter solstice as we are, the sun sets within the line of sight of the lonely engine house of Towanroath on the distant bluff beyond St Ives, more than ten miles along the coast. When it’s high tide and the ocean is feeling playful, incoming rollers smash into the cliffs, bringing drifts of sea spray that float across the landscape in front of you. If you can keep your camera steady and your lens free from moisture filled mishaps, then you might just manage to get a shot.
The planning process had been going admirably. I’d located my waterproof trousers where I’d left them several weeks earlier in the front porch. Ok so they were a bit muddy, but they’d do the job. I’d got both down jackets on already, one inside the other (did I need to state that?) and I’d also found my fleece lined boots lurking sulkily in a carrier bag in the back porch. They were filled with newspaper of course, but that’s their general situation when not in use. I really can’t account for their aroma, an acquired taste which is yet to be acquired by anyone at all but they’re warm, exceedingly comfortable and perfect for wading through the puddles that pass for clifftop paths between St Agnes and Chapel Porth in winter - even though they do smell as if the cat’s had an accident in the vicinity. My flask was filled with hot tea, and in a strangely sensible moment I put an apple in the bag instead of raiding the supply of Kit Kats that Ali thinks she’s been hiding in the kitchen. Finally, I found my waterproof backpack cover. I was ready to go.
I arrived to a satisfyingly empty car park, where just two vehicles were huddled next to one another. I can never understand this, especially in high winds. I am forever parking as far away from everyone else as I possibly can, and in a space designed for as many as thirty vehicles, I did so now. Is it just me? Do you pull up so close to the only other car in the universe that you have to hold your stomach in just to get out, or do you shun civilisation and park untidily and exravagantly at the opposite end to everyone else? Maybe it’s just me.
Once the latest blast of icy rain had passed, I went to the boot of my car and pulled on the waterproof trousers, congratulating myself on the knowledge that I’d be cosy no matter what the elements threw in my direction later. I pulled the cover onto the backpack and slipped the flask of tea into the side pocket. Above me the sky looked promising, the sun poking weakly through the brooding clouds. All was well in the world. Or at least it was until I reached for my tripod and remembered it wasn’t in the usual place.
Lee had driven on the last outing to Mevagissey on Thursday. More of that will follow in a later episode, but for the purposes of this story it meant that my tripod had been taken from its permanent residence in the back of my car, and I’d failed to put it back afterwards. In my mind I envisioned it, sitting in the office beside the stairs, where I’d left it after Thursday. I’d known it was at large when I was getting ready earlier, waiting to be forgotten entirely as a result of it not being where it normally lives. I really should prepare a pre-departure checklist like I do when I go on holiday. Moodily I stomped along through the mud, muttering every name under the sun at myself. It’s a good job the breeze was carrying my torrent of Anglo-Saxon vernacular away before any of the handful of hardy souls on the clifftop heard it.
And so for the second Saturday running I was having to manage without my tripod. The first time it had been intentional, although I later regretted the decision, but this time the omission was all of my own making. To add to the difficulties of operating handheld, I’d chosen the usually overlooked budget lens with the huge focal range. I wouldn’t have to change lenses, but at the same time I’m always worried about how it’s going to cope with inclement weather and grainy light. I’m never entirely sure what it’s decided to focus on, and with the side wind causing my right eye to stream as if I’d burst into a bout of uncontrollable tears, I could barely see through the rain spotted viewfinder.
But no matter, my daughter Nicky was on the way and she had a spare tripod. I messaged her in the hopes that she hadn’t set off yet. Indeed she was still at home, wrestling with one elderly seized up tripod and sending pictures of her new L bracket and Swiss Arca plate; the ones I’d recommended to her. “Where’s your base plate?” I replied. “Not sure” came the response. Half an hour later she arrived, draped in a hooded Dry Robe that made her look like a half-drowned Jedi, and wielding a pair of base plate free tripods, neither of which were going to be anything more than additional encumbrances to carry around with during the remaining hour before sunset. She really deserves a better instructor than this. By now my black backpack cover had been ripped away by a savage gust and disappeared; not for the first time in this location, although on the previous occasion I’d retraced my steps the following morning and found it snagged on a patch of gorse. There didn’t seem to be much chance of a tearful reunion this time though. Later on, I would order a bright yellow affair with straps to fix it to the pack and wonder why I’d not done this previously. As least when that one makes a bid for freedom, I’ll be able to wave goodbye to it as it flies off over the roof of St Agnes Beacon towards the other coast.
We stood with our backs to the sea, protecting our kit as another hail filled volley assaulted the coast, and in hope we prepared to turn and capture the sky as soon as it passed. And for the briefest of moments, it happened; the magical light when the soft sun catches the misty vapour that hangs above the sea on days like these and paints the world with gentle washed out yellows and golds. It passed so quickly that I almost missed it, as within seconds the sun dropped below the clouds and blew the highlights to a place beyond the point where beautiful gives way to blinding.
When I got home the first thing I did was to fetch the tripod and place it in the back of the car where it’s supposed to be, before texting Nicky and making sure she’d located that base plate and planted it onto her tripod, or before even refilling the stinky boots with those balls of newspaper and placing them out of sensory range in the back porch. Then I returned the apple to the fruit bowl and helped myself to a Kit Kat – you knew that was coming didn’t you? One of these days we’ll have a more peaceful outing without any cock ups on the planning front. I haven’t written that checklist yet, probably a good thing because I’m liable to forget it in a hurry in any case. The bag is dry again and the Tamron appears to have survived the ordeal. And for a moment we got to witness the transient magical light in the sky that rescued the afternoon from despair. I’d forget my tripod every time to stand and gaze at this.
'Boggart...' - on the Pendle Sculpture Trail, Aitken Wood, Barley, Lancashire UK
"Boggart is one of numerous related terms used in English folklore for either a household spirit or a malevolent spirit inhabiting fields, marshes or other topographical features. In Northern England, at least, there was the belief that the boggart should never be named, for when the boggart was given a name, it would not be reasoned with nor persuaded, but would become uncontrollable and destructive. Within the folklore of North-West England, boggarts can cause mischief in homes but tend to live outdoors, in marshland, holes in the ground, under bridges and on dangerous sharp bends on roads."
©SWJuk (2021)
All rights reserved
Doll Name: Letzen Hayden.
Age: Unspecified.
Mold: Switch Soseo / Dollfactory Senior Ari Boy body.
Size: SD17
Colour: Normal Skin.
Make up: Done by me.
Date/Year of Production: 2011
Biography/personality: Seemingly quiet and withdrawn, hides a pretty aggravated bipolar disorder. Impulsive, rebellious and uncontrollable, this beast claims for a tamer. However, he is able to draw his softer side if the situation warrants.
Letzen comes from a traditional family of doctors, surgeon and hematologist titled, currently working on a institute like GP. His birth was planned along with his brothers to form a group of highly efficient professional soldiers, intended to save from extinction the small town of Entireegh, who remained at war at that time. Is the second of four children, so is not entitled to inherit any family wealth. He is 1'85 tall and his favorite food consists mostly on bittersweet flavours. Despite having a difficult personality, is very sensitive to certain types of issues which can easily break him.
Currently MARRIED (yes ladies and gentlemen, married) with Mattier (doll owner Hisomu-Cinamon Garden). With whom he lives in his native land.
---------------------------------
Some things about Letzen ;) ♥♥♥ file for my local BJD group ♥.
-20 and -29 with the wind chill to be exact.
The Official Canadian Temperature Conversion Chart
50° Fahrenheit (10° C)
-New Yorkers try to turn on the heat.
-Canadians plant gardens.
40° Fahrenheit (4.4° C)
-Californians shiver uncontrollably.
-Canadians Sunbathe.
35° Fahrenheit (1.6° C)
-Italian Cars won't start
-Canadians drive with the windows down
32° Fahrenheit (0 ° C)
-Distilled water freezes
-Canadian water get thicker.
0° Fahrenheit (-17.9° C)
-New York City landlords finally turn on the heat.
-Canadians have the last cookout of the season.
-40° Fahrenheit (-40° C)
Hollywood disintegrates.
Canadians rent some videos.
-60° Fahrenheit (-51° C)
Mt. St. Helens freezes.
Canadian Girl Guides sell cookies door-to-door.
-100° Fahrenheit (-73° C)
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Canadians pull down their ear flaps.
-173° Fahrenheit (-114° C)
Ethyl alcohol Freezes.
Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg.
-460° Fahrenheit (-273° C)
Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops.
Canadians start saying "cold, eh?"
-500° Fahrenheit (-295° C)
Hell freezes over.
The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup.
**Part of a week long set I am doing in reference to the seven deadly sins**
Gluttony / Gula
Now here is a sin that sounds exactly how it is defined. Gluttony – the sin over eating too much food. Historically and depending on the culture that you are raised in, it can be defined as eating too expensively, eating eagerly, rudely, or uncontrollably crazy. But for me, the sin of gluttony is overindulgence of food.
So I’ll go ahead and say this, none of the seven deadly sins disgusts me more than gluttony. Nothing repulses me more than to be on a date with a girl who eats like a goddamn pig. I really don’t care what she looks like, that has nothing to do with it. But to sit there and watch a girl horse down a 8 slices of pizza, a supersize french fry, or crazy amounts of pasta down her throat and then order 3 pieces of carrot cake when she is done only to drink 7 Dr Peppers along the way makes me want regurgitate my own food and throw up. It truly revolts me. It just shows a lack of respect for yourself and your own body. It shows me that you really don’t care about being healthy. It’s a just disgusting thing to do all the way around.
I eat a very particular diet. I wrote about it before on here so I really won’t get into it. But in short I eat a lot of meat, vegetables, dairy products, nuts, and fruits. That’s pretty much it. Almost everything I eat is as few steps removed from nature as possible. I don’t eat shit candy, fast food, food in a box, food in a can (except soup), or mostly any junk food. I try to avoid aspartame and sweeteners too, that shit is too good to be true, something’s gotta give there.
You are what you eat. Not only have I lost weight and maintain a good weight with the way I eat, it makes me feel healthy and good. Whether or not I’m right in what I eat being beneficial is beside the point. I feel good about myself after eating, and I’m about as healthy as anyone.
Gluttony, number two of the seven deadly sins.
January 29th, 2009
Im bored so I decided to make a short cover of Mirotics rap part =))) and this is what im trying to do =))
Some moments are so extraordinary that it does not take too long to realize their uniqueness. Yet, the more unique this particular moment, the stronger I want to hold on to it. I fear its quick loss because I see its beauty constantly endangered by transience.
I already know I will miss it and therefore, my mind revolves around making it infinite. And so, I make a big effort not to let it go. But while I am busy trying to control the uncontrollable, I almost forget to appreciate its uniqueness.
And then, I realize that I cannot know for how long I can fully enjoy what I find so remarkable. And since I already know that I will soon miss it, I decide to accept the uncontrollable’s route. With this freedom, I can completely absorb the essence of this moment and imprint it on my memory for eternity.
As Cassiel was exploring the beautiful city of York, she suddenly heard a heartbreaking cry that pierced through the silence. Being the curious soul that she is, she decided to follow the sound to see what was going on. After a few minutes of walking, she found herself in the Ghost Garden of The Ghost Dispensary, where she met a little ghost crying uncontrollably.
The Ghost looked very sad, and Cassiel couldn't help but feel sorry for it. Cassiel asked the Ghost what was wrong, and the little Ghost replied that it was tired of wandering or sitting on a shelf and just wanted a loving home to call its own.
Cassiel listened patiently to the ghost's story and promised to do everything she could to help. With Cassiel's help, the little Ghost named Boo was eventually adopted by a kind-hearted Giant and found a happy and loving home.
From the back cover:
"When Mitch Walker sought sanctuary from his relentless pursuer within the boundaries of an immensely huge Kansas farm, he found himself caught between the two forces who were tearing that private empire to pieces between them: its master, a man of pride and murderous jealousy, and its mistress, a woman of uncontrollable desire and burning ambition."
So, I text my buddy Jave a.k.a. JavePhoto yesterday night to ask him if he is working today (Tuesday). I hear nothing back from him that night. But first thing in the morning I get a call, "Dude, I didn't feel like working today and you just gave me my excuse not to go in. When & where do you want to shoot?" I tell him that since there is no clouds, we can either do a star trail shot at shark fin cove or try to shoot the Bay Bridge at twilight just as the lights are coming on in the city and on the Bridge. I told him that I saw a picture that Patrick had posted on flickr that finally motivated me to get out there and shoot this Bridge. Well, Jave has shot the Bay Bridge before but never from this low angle. So he says, if there was a warning about danger, we're there.
So, we meet up at my office and Jave picks me up in his swanky BMW. This is living. Heated seats, power everything, leg room galore. I mean, I swear there was someone rubbing my shoulders as I sat in the passenger seat, but when I turned and looked in the back seat, there was no one. Spooky :-)
But anyhow, we left my office at 1:30pm to leave plenty of time to scope out the new shooting spot. But 880 is hell in a new dimension, this time of the year. I swear it was like stop and go the whole way. Including getting through the tole on the bridge. So, we finally exit the off ramp to Treasure Island not really knowing what we are looking for except for we should be facing San Francisco and the Bridge should be on the right of us. Well, lets just say we got shooed away by a guard at a gate on the wrong side of the Bridge, because we thought maybe we could drive around to the other side? WRONG! Well, after a few more runs around the island and a bunch of illegal U-turns. We just stop in the middle of a sort of driveway, put the hazards on, and walked around to try to figure out where to shoot. As we are walking towards what we are sure is the path down to this spot. A car drives by and screeches to a stop about 100 feet in front of us on the opposite side of the road. And a young girl jumps out and the car speeds off. Jave is like,"what the hell is going on here" because this girl is holding her crouch and jumping around doing some type of rain dance and staring at us, staring at her. Jave is like, "Dude this chick is wak!" I'm like, whatever, we're loosing friggin light here. But, she keeps jumping around and now she's coming towards us on our side of the road. And Jave says, this _itch better step off. And then she'll says "I'm sorry, I'm sorry and pulls here pants down and starts peeing right in front of us bare but and all.
Now, I've had my share of police run ins and security guards yelling at me for shooting pictures. But this took the cake. I was speechless, but I was on a mission to get a shot so Jave was like lets get back to the car. And as we get to the car there is that same car that speed off a few minutes ago parked next to us in this driveway area on the side of the off ramp. The girl was waiting for her peeing friend. We get in the car as the peeing girl comes running up the road and jumps into the car next to us. Then they make the same U-Turn as us and head down to the base where we decided to park the car and walk back up. As we are driving down to park, Jave says to me, this is gonna be a long walk back up, I don't think we'll make it in time. I'm gonna ask those two girls to drop us back off at the top. And when we park, he does and to my astonishment they said, "Sure why not." WHY NOT??? BECAUSE YOU JUST PEED IN FRONT OF US THAT'S WHY NOT. But neither Jave nor the girls seemed to have a problem with our recent encounter. So, we grab our gear and jump into their car. And BOOM it hits me. The sweet, sweet smell of POT. Jave Blurts out, so you guys are having a little party here I see, which was followed by the girls laughing uncontrollable until they dropped us off, back up on the hill. Again, I am at a loss for words.
So, we finally make it down to this spot and scout around very quickly because we don't want to miss the magical light. Jave busts out his iPhone and shows me the pic that Patrick took recently from here and says we gotta get lower and closer to the edge. I'm thinking, We don't gotta do NO SUCH THING. But our greed for a great shot overwelms us and we do just that. Now we are, may I say, sitting on soft sandy soil on the edge of a big cliff. I'm not happy and Jave is strattling the side of the cliff like a commando. We start arnchoring our tripods by stabbing them into the hillside, which is pretty soft, when we hear rustling from the bushes. even lower then us and farther left. It scares the shit out of Jave and me. But we have to look over the edge and we see this dude that's like 70 years old climbing the side of this cliff coming towards us. And Jave says to me, WTF??? I again am speechless! Then when this guy climbs his way over to us, he says, how did you guys get here? That way was a bit tricky. That, my friends, has got to be the understatement of the year.
So, after this guy settles in, we all take our shots. And there are some nice shots to be had this evening. I love light :-) After shooting for about an hour, the old guy asks us how are we getting out of here. I quickly reply,"not the way you came in" and start laughing. He says that if we show him an easier way to the road he would call his friend to pick us up and take us to our car. SCORE #2. It was the best way to end the evening of shooting. Once we got back to the car, Jave was like "computer engage seat heaters" OK, I may have just made that up. But the rest of this crazy day is all true. It took us a total of 9 hours since we left San Jose to get our shots. But I think, for today, it was worth it. I hope you all enjoy the photo. If you did not check out Jave's photos above, Here is his shot from this location :-)
Enjoy :-)
For the Techies :-)
Canon 5D Mark II
Exposure: 4sec
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 46 mm
ISO Speed: 50 (to get as even an exposure as possible)
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f2.8L
Tripod Gitzo G 026
Head Gitzo G1178M
Filters: Standard B+W UV that never leave my lens
This is so bad in comparison with what I normally take in my opinion but depression's been absolutely awful this past week. Which shouldn't be an excuse but honestly 1/2 this week I just wanted to lie in bed and do nothing, and that was the case in some situations. Crying uncontrollably, and being really suicidal (the most I've been in literally three and a half years) but I'm trying to push through and make it. What little inspiration I've had has been crushed by depression but I actually have a kinda idea in my head so that's cool.
This sort of reminds me of some of my past photos, the colors and tones, and I've been really nostalgic about the past two summers and old friends, today was beautiful but I couldn't really get out of bed, although I dragged myself out to take this and some others that weren't that good.
Sorry for this pathetic description too!!! I'm tryin to be positive but it's just hard sometimes.
"Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile."
As I snap my fingers,
the flaming circle roars,
around me words written in blue,
caressing and eating my skin.
I scream in pain,
but tear only evaporate,
I hold onto the fire within my hand,
watching the flames engulf me,
my eyes mirror the element I grasp,
anger, control, destruction.
This is not who I am.
This is not who I want to be.
But I cannot stop,
to burn,
to suffocate,
when the warmth spins my mind,
and the flames cover my body.
Only heat and fire to be found,
from the rupture behind me, surrounding me
I cannot point it out
where the fire begin or I end
in my mind, I swim through the blue flames.
This is not who I am.
This is not who I want to be.
This light is not warmth
This light inside of me
is a stinging heat,
uncontrollable and unforgiving.
East Lyn River,
Watersmeet,
Lynmouth,
Devon.
24sec Exposure with Kase Filters.
The Lynmouth Disaster occurred on the East Lyn river due to rocks and fallen trees having been washed into the West Lyn river. These formed a log jam near Watersmeet, forming a landslide dam. When the pressure behind the dam increased to uncontrollable levels, the water broke out of the dam, and rushed down the East Lyn (via the convergence of the rivers) into Lynmouth, obliterating houses and ultimately resulting in 34 deaths. Boulders from the incident can still be seen today, lining the banks of the East Lyn as it travels into Lynmouth.
still trying to learn hair styling. Have to say its something that I've neglected over the years mainly because I've had shorter hair for obvious reasons. I am of course kicking myself now.
I am still on this road of discovery and still find it difficult to see the me everyone else sees. sometimes she jumps out of the screen at me like demon from a horror film gives me a slap around the face then buggers off again leaving me to remember I am her now. still don't know where I am going or where road the will lead, Every now and then things leap forward at an uncontrollable pace and I have to hit the anchors of the runaway train before someone gets hurt.
Don't get me wrong I an not unhappy its just it can be blinking scary sometimes.
Dratini continually molts and sloughs off its old skin. It does so because the life energy within its body steadily builds to reach uncontrollable levels.
Jennifer Walters is a lawyer who, after an injury, received an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner, and acquired a milder version of his Hulk condition. As such, Walters becomes a large, powerful, green-hued version of herself. Unlike Banner she largely retains her personality, in particular the majority of her intelligence and emotional control. Like Hulk, she is still susceptible to outbursts of anger and becomes much stronger when enraged.
She-Hulk has been a member of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Heroes for Hire, the Defenders, Fantastic Force and S.H.I.E.L.D. As a highly skilled lawyer who became a superhero by accident, she frequently leverages her legal and personal experience to serve as legal counsel to various superheroes and other metahumans. She-Hulk has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes.
Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner (Hulk), is the small and somewhat shy daughter of Los Angeles County Sheriff William Morris Walters and Elaine (née Banner) Walters (who died in a car crash when Jennifer was 17).
Operatives of Nicholas Trask, a crime boss who had crossed paths with her father, shot and seriously wounded her on the day that Banner visited her to tell her about his transformation into the Hulk.
Since no other donors with her blood type were available, Banner provided his blood for a transfusion; as they already shared the same blood type and DNA, his gamma-irradiated blood, combined with her anger, transformed Jennifer into the green-skinned She-Hulk when the mobsters tried to finish her off at the hospital.
She then used her new powers to take down Trask, who was killed when the earth-boring device he rode malfunctioned, taking him to the center of the Earth.
As She-Hulk, Jennifer possessed powers similar to those of her cousin, though at a reduced level. She also possessed a less monstrous, more Amazonian appearance. Initially, anger triggered the transformation to her She-Hulk form (as with Bruce Banner's).
Like her cousin Bruce, his counterpart, the Leader, Doc Samson and most other persons mutated by exposure to gamma radiation over the years, her mutated form was originally explained as being molded by her subconscious desire to look like the ideal woman.
She eventually gains control of her transformations when Michael Morbius cures her of a lethal blood disease. As a criminal defense lawyer, she defended Morbius in his trial for his vampiric killings and managed to reduce the conviction to involuntary manslaughter, considering his medical condition.
Eventually, Jennifer decides that she will retain her She-Hulk form permanently—preferring the freedom, confidence, and assertiveness it gave her compared to her more timorous and fragile "normal" form. After her brief solo career, she joined the Avengers.
This led to her being transported to Battleworld by the Beyonder and her participation in the Secret Wars is most notable for sparking her long-standing rivalry with the newly empowered Titania.
After the heroes returned to Earth, she temporarily replaced the Thing (who, having been repeatedly de-powered during the event, opted to stay in Battleworld for some time as a form of soul-searching) as a member of the Fantastic Four.
During her tenure with the Fantastic Four, She-Hulk met and started a romance with Wyatt Wingfoot. One day, she had to prevent a radiation leak in a downed S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. This radiation exposure drastically affected Jennifer: she could no longer transform back into her original human form. However, this was an agreeable turn of events for her, since she preferred being She-Hulk, and it was revealed much later by Leonard Samson and Reed Richards that the block was purely psychological.
Shortly after that, she appeared before the Supreme Court, where she battled Titania again.
After her Fantastic Four years, She-Hulk rejoined the Avengers for a while. She became hypnotized by the Ringmaster into becoming a performer in the Circus of Crime, and battled the Headmen.
With Spider-Man, she defeated the Headmen and became an assistant District Attorney and began working for New York City district attorney Blake Tower. Here she met Louise "Weezie" Grant Mason, formerly the Golden Age superheroine the Blonde Phantom. She had a long series of unusual encounters, including when she battled Doctor Bong, first contended against Xemnu the Living Titan, encountered "Nick St. Christopher", and encountered "Spragg the Living Hill/Comet".
Jennifer underwent another change, transforming into a grey version of She-Hulk that appeared at night only and shared a lot in common with the Hulk, such as having a childlike mind, speaking in the third person and divorcing from her Jennifer Walters identity, referring to Jennifer as "puny Jennifer", She-Hulk quickly returned to "normal", with her green coloration returning.
She-Hulk later discovered that Louise Mason had manipulated Tower into hiring her, so that Mason might again perform as a super-heroine (and thus avoid dying of old age). Later, while doing legal work for Heroes for Hire, She-Hulk spent some time dating Luke Cage.
After a time, She-Hulk returns to the Avengers. Repeated exposure to the presence of her teammate Jack of Hearts, who has the innate ability to absorb radiation that is around him, leads to She-Hulk being unable to control her changes, which resulted in her tearing the Vision in half.
It is then revealed that all of the events were caused by the Scarlet Witch. Now, when she is afraid, she not only turns into She-Hulk but her mind becomes maddened by paranoia and rage. Jennifer flees, fearing that she will endanger her friends and others, leading to the "Search for She-Hulk".
The other Avengers track her to the town of Bone, Idaho, where Jennifer is lying low but the anxiety of being found prompts her to change, causing her to damage much of the town. Her cousin shows up but fails to reason with her; he "Hulks out" and the two fight—the devastation to the town subsequently being blamed on the Hulk.
Psychological limitations inhibit her transformation between her two forms. For a time, Jennifer works as a relief volunteer helping to repair Bone. She gains confidence after solving a murder mystery, reveals her green alter-ego to the entire town, and then uses her strength to make many more repairs. This, combined with Leonard Samson's new 'gamma-charger', gives her full control over her transformations for, as she said, 'the time being'.
She-Hulk registered under the Superhuman Registration Act, and is a supporter of Tony Stark (Iron Man). However, as an attorney, she advised individuals on both sides of the Civil War.
She agreed to file suit against Peter Parker for fraud on behalf of her father-in-law, Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. Her intention is to keep the suit tied up in the courts indefinitely. She is also the lawyer for Speedball.
Then Clay Quartermain of S.H.I.E.L.D. informs Jennifer that she has been drafted into the organization as a result of her registration. Her mission is to fight various foes of the Hulk while training heroes under the Initiative. She serves with the Hulkbusters: Clay Quartermain, Agent Crimson, Agent Cheesecake and Agent Beefcake.
Due to her involvement in S.H.I.E.L.D., She-Hulk derives a bit of information suggesting that the organization knows of her cousin's whereabouts. Anticipating a problem, Tony Stark has She-Hulk secretly injected with S.P.I.N. Tech that transforms her to human form. Enraged, she tells Stark that, although he may have taken She-Hulk out of the equation, he still has to face Jennifer Walters, one of the best lawyers in the country. Jennifer informs Stark that he's miscalculated: She-Hulk would have just pummeled him, but Jennifer Walters has the ability to destroy him.
On her way home, Jennifer runs into Amadeus Cho, a young genius out looking for friends of the Hulk. Cho, whom the Hulk once saved, discovered what the Illuminati had done to the Hulk, and he wants help in finding him. Cho temporarily restores Jennifer's powers so that she can take out Doc Samson, who came to apprehend Cho for Reed Richards and Tony Stark. Cho says he can permanently restore Jennifer's powers if she will join him, but she politely refuses, instead directing him to Hercules and Angel.
During the "World War Hulk" event, a re-powered She-Hulk assists in the evacuation of Manhattan. She tries to reason with her cousin, who has just destroyed Stark Tower during his battle with Iron Man. The Hulk warns her to leave, but she stands her ground. After she lands a punch squarely to his face, the Hulk smashes her into the ground, creating a crater around her body. As he moves on to his next confrontation, all Jennifer can say is: "God help us all."
Jennifer is held captive with the other defeated heroes at Madison Square Garden, which the Hulk has converted into a gladiatorial arena. The heroes have been implanted with the same obedience discs that compelled the Hulk and his allies to fight one another during their time on the planet Sakaar.
Jennifer returns to the law firm to work on suing Tony Stark for stealing her powers. She is subpoenaed to give a testimony in a case in which Mallory Book is trying to prove that the Leader's criminal acts are the result of a shift of personality induced by his mutation, and an addiction to his gamma irradiated powers, and that he thus cannot be held accountable for his actions.
During her testimony, Jennifer realizes that she herself is "addicted" to being She-Hulk. After the testimony, Pug appears and the two spend an evening together as friends, which cheers her up. She confronts Mallory the next day and tells her that she will put a stop to her Leader case. However, it is revealed that the Leader has been acquitted of his crimes.
At some point after World War Hulk, Jennifer was brought before the Living Tribunal, and asked to weigh her universe against a newer, better "cosmic trophy wife" version, described by Walters as "an ultimate universe." Her universe wins, and she resigns from the Magistrati.
After the Leader's trial, Artie Zix reveals himself as RT-Z9 and holds the main staff of GLK&H hostage while asking them questions at the behest of a group of aliens from a corner of the galaxy recently discovered by the Watcher Qyre. The aliens, called the Recluses, wish to keep their existence a secret.
She-Hulk earlier decreed that Qyre not reveal knowledge of the Recluses' existence at the meetings of the Watchers.
This had serious repercussions: it is revealed that an evil being has conquered that portion of the galaxy, and is preparing an assault on all of creation. Qyre, who holds knowledge of the plan, is unable to speak of it to anyone else. At She-Hulk's time trial, it was revealed that her actions made a destructive event called the Reckoning War possible. However, comments made by the future Southpaw, divulge that the war, though a terrible and dark time, will be favorably resolved.
A permanently de-powered Jennifer Walters finds that tourists from an alternate universe – designated the Alpha universe – are crossing into her universe – which they call Beta – to gain access to superpowers and comes face to face with her own powered-up doppelganger.
Her anger quickly turns to sorrow as she realizes that without her abilities, the Alpha Jennifer Walters – while unfamiliar with superhuman law – is far better suited to life in the Beta universe. Realizing this, she decides that she will go to the Alpha universe and let the other Jennifer Walters take over for her.
As she steps through the portal, Reed Richards realizes he can use the previously stored configuration of the Alpha She-Hulk to restore Jennifer's powers by purging the nanites from her body and setting the teleporter to loop her back to this reality.
Having regained her abilities, Jennifer remains in her home reality, while the Alpha Jen Walters returns to her own universe and reconciles with her boyfriend, the Alpha Augustus "Pug" Pugliese.
At an unspecified time after World War Hulk, She-Hulk assists Tony Stark with Emil Blonsky's murder investigation.
While in Stark's Helicarrier, she is attacked and beaten by the Red Hulk who states to her that he's not Bruce. She-Hulk vows to get even for the deliberate humiliation.
She later helps to prevent casualties in San Francisco after the Red Hulk caused an earthquake in the area, and assembles Thundra and the Valkyrie together to capture him.
Some months after regaining her abilities, Jennifer was tasked to defend an accused killer named Arthur Moore. While she was successful in defending him, immediately after his freedom was secured he claimed to be guilty and showed her images of the crimes he had been accused of.
Jennifer's horror at what she was being shown, combined with Moore's gloating, was enough to push her rage so far that she became the savage She-Hulk once again. She attacked him and threatened to kill him if he was not given the death penalty. She also told everybody within earshot that he was guilty and backed up her accusation by revealing privileged information.
This resulted in her being disbarred. Jennifer later found out that Moore really was innocent; the images he had shown her had been false. It was also revealed, albeit not to Jennifer, that Moore had hoped to get her to react exactly the way she did since his employers wanted She-Hulk disbarred for purposes as yet unknown.
Unable to practice law any more, Jennifer began working for Freeman Bonds Inc. – a subsidiary of GLK&B – as a bounty hunter with her Skrull partner Jazinda.
She was later recruited by Stark as a member of an Initiative-sponsored incarnation of the Defenders for a short while until Tony Stark disbanded the team.
Afterwards, she continued to aid team leader Nighthawk for a brief time until she was fully able to join the team on Nighthawk's request and that it would be away from the Initiative.
Together they have several adventures, even encountering Hercules, but they soon ended up involved in the midst of the Secret Invasion.
During the Skrull takeover of Earth during Secret Invasion, She-Hulk and Jazinda hunt down a member of the Skrulls who functions as their religious leader.
X-Factor initially impedes her progress, but they part ways on uncertain terms. She-Hulk and Jazinda capture the Skrull and the two heroines take the Skrull to New York, where they encounter the Super-Skrull, Kl'rt.
Kl'rt came to kill his daughter, Jazinda, going so far as to shoot her in the head. Due to her regenerative properties, Jazinda was still not fully dead. The Skrull religious leader wants to completely remove her regenerative ability, but Kl'rt stops him after She-Hulk pleads to his fatherly nature, tapping into his guilt for not being able to save his son who had died in a previous war.
Some time after the Skrull invasion is defeated, the country of Marinmer suffers a devastating earthquake.
Because the victims of the earthquake are members of a minority religious group, the Marinmer government has confiscated all humanitarian aid packages, and because of Marinmer's strong ties to powerful countries such as Russia and China, other nations refuse to intervene for fear of sparking a war.
She-Hulk and several members of the Lady Liberators secretly enter Marinmer, intending to steal the confiscated aid packages and distribute them to the earthquake victims.
The Winter Guard attempts to stop them, but gives up after seeing the plight of the earthquake victims.
Afterwards, the US government attempts to arrest She-Hulk for her actions in Marinmer, but drops the charges to avoid political embarrassment. With public opinion overwhelmingly in her favor, She-Hulk seems poised to get her legal license back when Jazinda is captured by the Behemoth after he mistakenly attacks her, thinking she is the real She-Hulk.
Jazinda is then taken to a government lab and brutally experimented on when her ability to resurrect herself from the dead is discovered. Jazinda contacts She-Hulk telepathically through a secretly implanted mind reading device and warns her that the government will be coming to question her about their relationship.
Jazinda tells She-Hulk to say she did not know Jazinda was a Skrull. When she sees Jazinda about to be vivisected, she loses control and breaks Jazinda out.
The Behemoth tries to stop her, but She-Hulk defeats him with the help of the Lady Liberators. Later it is revealed that Mallory Book, her former boss, was behind all the bad things happening to She-Hulk along with a group called the "Fourth Wall". Yet when she saw She-Hulk risk herself to save her Skrull friend, Book "cancelled" the plan.
Later, Jennifer tasks Ben Urich to discover the identity of Red Hulk. She informs him that she is unable to as she has asked too many questions to the wrong people. She has Urich bring a photographer (Peter Parker), and meets him along with her insider, Doc Samson, and they venture into a S.H.I.E.L.D. base that is actually a front for A.I.M. and General Ross's Gamma Power Super Soldier Program.
Leonard Samson then appears to have a breakdown, but in reality he is changing into Samson. Samson claims to be stronger and faster (and is larger in size, has longer hair and a lightning bolt scar) than Jennifer.
The clashing duo are subdued by MODOK and the facility explodes in the aftermath of a fight between Red Hulk and Hulk; Jennifer, Samson (who has reverted to Leonard) and Red Hulk are caught in the explosion. Jennifer's status is unknown and Red Hulk does not reveal anything to Urich when the two meet a second time.
While She-Hulk is M.I.A., the Red She-Hulk makes her first appearance where she claims Jennifer Walters to be dead.
It was later shown in a flashback that Red She-Hulk prevented Jennifer Walters from escaping from A.I.M. custody. During this battle, Red She-Hulk brutally beat Jennifer and snapped her neck with a cable. In the last panel, Jennifer Walters appeared to be dead with the Red She-Hulk standing over her body, though the Red She-Hulk claims she did not know her own strength.
She then questions Doc Samson whether it was the real She-Hulk or a Life-Model Decoy, to which Samson answers "You're here to follow orders, not to ask questions". Lyra later infiltrates the Intelligencia, where she finds Jennifer in stasis. Following a brief fight with the Red She-Hulk, the three decide to team up to take down Intelligencia's forces.
Following the defeat of the Intelligencia, Jennifer begins traveling with her cousin Bruce, Skaar, Korg, Rick Jones and Betty Ross.
Shortly after the events of World War Hulks, Skaar becomes aware that his brother Hiro-Kala is approaching and that he intends to crash the planet K'ai into the Earth. She-Hulk is on the team as they manage to successfully avert disaster. Upon returning to Earth, they find the world in flames as it is in the grasp of the Chaos War. They journey to Hell, where they fight and defeat the Chaos King. Returning to a restored Earth, they are greeted as monsters.
At some point before or after these events, Jennifer and Lyra end up in New York, where Lyra begins to attend high school in an attempt to gain an understanding of humanity as it occurs in this timeline. As well as helping to integrate Lyra into society, they are also involved in trying to round up the remaining members of the Intelligencia.
They manage to round up the Intelligencia, but the Wizard is able to escape imprisonment and goes after Lyra at her high school prom, almost killing her before She-Hulk intervenes, knocking out Wizard but not before Lyra's secret identity has been compromised.
The rest of the pupils turn on Lyra as a result of her prom date being injured and the endangerment of everyone at the dance. She-Hulk explains to her afterwards that they have to leave and that despite being heroes, the life of a Hulk is often lonely.
During the Fear Itself evemt, She-Hulk joins with Howard the Duck, Nighthawk and the Frankenstein Monster to form a four-person team called the Fearsome Four to stop the Man-Thing from its destructive path. They later discover a plot by Psycho-Man to use the Man-Thing's volatile empathy to create a weapon.
Prior to a time- and multiverse-spanning trip by the Fantastic Four and family, the Thing asks She-Hulk to be a member of the Future Foundation.
When the Hulk is elevated into "Doc Green" – a version of the Hulk possessing Bruce Banner's intellect – after he is treated for a shot to the head as Bruce Banner by use of the Extremis virus, he sets out to attack and cure other gamma-based mutations.
Steve Rogers attempts to order the Hulk to stop before he goes after She-Hulk, but when Doc Green finally confronts her, he instead admits that he has come to recognize that he is coming dangerously close to the Maestro, as part of him enjoyed eliminating his 'rivals', having decided instead to accept the eventual loss of his intellect as Extremis wore off rather than risk that persona emerging.
Informing She-Hulk that she is the only gamma mutation whose life he felt had been legitimately enhanced by her condition, Doc Green provides her with the last injection of his cure, asking her to use it on him if he goes too far in his efforts to stop an A.I. version of himself that he created and unleashed.
In Gwenpool's first Christmas event, Howard the Duck invited her to She-Hulk's Christmas party on the provision that she has not killed any good guys recently. She shows up and karaokes with Ms. Marvel.
There were dozens of superhumans in attendance, proving that whether she is acting as a hero or not, She-Hulk keeps strong ties to the super-community.
During the 2016 Civil War II event, after the Inhuman Ulysses predicts Thanos' arrival on Earth, She-Hulk was mortally wounded by a direct attack from the villain in question.
When Iron Man learns that they used Ulysses' precognitive power to ambush Thanos, he vows to make sure that no one uses it again. Before She-Hulk goes into cardiac arrest, she tells Captain Marvel to fight for the future.
After Hawkeye was acquitted for shooting Bruce Banner, Captain Marvel visited She-Hulk, who came out of her coma. When She-Hulk angrily demanded to know the verdict of Hawkeye's trial, Captain Marvel remained silent.
Following Bruce Banner's funeral, Jennifer Walters left the superhero business and continued to work as a lawyer, where she gained her first client: Maise Brewn, who was an Inhuman descendant.
Due to the stress following the fight with Thanos, Jennifer started turning uncontrollably into her version of the Grey Hulk at different intervals. Jennifer helped Maise when she was recovering from the trauma and being evicted by her landlord Mr. Tick.
When Maise got impatient with Jennifer and summoned a Fear Golem that killed Mr. Tick and some police officers, Jennifer is nearly killed by it and transforms into the Hulk. She defeated the Fear Golem and prevented Maise from committing suicide when Maise was arrested for reckless endangerment afterwards.
Afterwards, Jennifer transformed into the Hulk and met the Hellcat. After changing back, Jennifer told the Hellcat that she was worried over the fact that her grey color could mean that she is like Bruce (since Bruce also had a grey incarnation).
Later, Jennifer was watching a live video on the internet when a baker named Oliver turned into a Hulk-like creature on-camera. Jennifer spent several days trying to track him down, eventually confronting him as the Hulk at the Brooklyn Bridge. During the following battle, she lost control of her Hulk persona, almost killing him, though the Hellcat managed to calm her down. However, the incident left Jennifer worried about losing control again.
Some time later, the Leader kidnapped Jennifer and forced her to transform into the Hulk in order to force her to kill his new assistant, Robyn, who willingly went through a blood transfusion in order to become a Hulk-like monster herself. The Hulk nearly killed Robyn, but Jennifer managed to regain control, before defeating the Leader by electrocuting him.
Jen then went with self-help writer Florida Mayer, who used a special pill to transport Jennifer to her subconscious, leading her to confront her Hulk persona and illusions of Thanos and Banner, finally overcoming her trauma in the process. Upon waking, Jennifer reverted to her standard green She-Hulk persona.
During the war against the Cotati, She-Hulk is revealed to have been killed and replaced by a Cotati, attacking the Avengers when they tried to negotiate a truce with their new enemy, the heroes only surviving the attack thanks to the Invisible Woman's forcefield, although the Cotati/She-Hulk then beats down the Thing and retreats.
Invisible Woman, Mantis, and Thing are locked in combat with the Cotati-possessed She-Hulk. Back in New York, Jo-Venn and N'kalla release their positive memories which revives She-Hulk enough to break the Cotati off of her and to stop the fighting between the Kree and the Skrull. When the Cotati are defeated, She-Hulk and Thor take Sequoia away.
It turns out that She-Hulk was able to return to life thanks to Leader who has mastered the way to control the Green Door.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Jennifer Walters
Publisher: Marvel
First appearance: The Savage She-Hulk #1 (February 1980)
Created by: Stan Lee (Writer)
John Buscema (Artist)
See Shulkie in action in Paprihaven! Standing up to fake goddesses:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/45639543754/
Getting slung around by giants:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/46780598762/
Driving her She-Hulk mobile:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/44546396654/
And hanging out A LOT with Ben Grimm:
Every year, some time around now, the morning post plops onto the doormat at 123 Somewhereintheblackcountry Street, Walsall, England (not a real address – or an impressive and unintended coincidence if it is). A stovepipe hat wearing septuagenarian hears the sound of the letterbox flap dropping back into place and shuffles along the hall to where among the myriad leaflets for home delivery pizza services that have spread across the floor, he finds and opens an envelope, in which lies a cheque made payable to a Mr N Holder for a very large sum of money. Attached to the cheque is a note which screams “IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!, Love you Noddy, from the people in charge of the dishing out the royalties.” All is well in the world and this famous pensioner will survive the year ahead in comfort and unaffected by the astronomical wholesale price increases in gas and electricity. All because of a song he sung as the front man of a band called Slade nearly fifty years ago that still gets blasted across the airwaves in every supermarket, every workplace and at every party across the land as soon as the bunting goes up in early November. Merry Christmas Everbody!
I really hate that song. In fact, that’s pretty much my position on all popular Christmas songs. In fact (and you may need to read the next bit with your eyes covered because it contains a blasphemy), I even hate “Fairytale of New York,” and that’s an undeniably wonderful record – everyone loves that one don’t they? I know that makes no sense, but when you hear these songs played on loop time after time, year after year wherever you go, whether you asked to hear them or not, you start to wonder how much more of it you can take. But most of all, I can’t stand that song by Slade; the one I’ve been forced to listen to for weeks on end every year since I was seven years old. Anyone coming into my office during the festive period (or any other period for that matter) was far more likely to be serenaded with Black Sabbath or Rainbow; or maybe Billie Holliday if I was in a more reflective mood. If they popped their heads through the door to say goodbye at the end of the day, then they might find me sitting at my desk with my head in my hands, lost somewhere amidst Dave Gilmour’s guitar break from “Comfortably Numb.” I always save Pink Floyd for the most important moments.
So you’re probably thinking to yourself, “what a miserable old curmudgeon he is, listening to Pink Floyd while we’re all being invited to Step into Christmas by Elton John” and you may be right, but it’s just that I’ve never been comfortable with what someone I once knew rather creatively referred to as “enforced jollity.” I like to enjoy things (including Christmas) in my own quiet way, and I never understand why people feel the need to almost bankrupt themselves in the annual budget race as they seek out the most extravagant crackers and a turkey the size of a small ostrich. Most people don’t even like turkey because no matter what recipe they follow, the resulting Christmas Day roast is a dry as a fortnight in Lanzarote. Answers on a postcard please. In fact, Ali and I were supposed to be in Lanzarote at the moment, but the arrival of Omicron B put the frighteners on us and we postponed that much wanted dose of winter Vitamin D. Although in retrospect it seems we may as well have gone in any case.
Lee and I were discussing the pleasures of the Yuletide season on the way to a place where you can’t hear Slade on Monday, and concluded that the best thing ever about Christmas is the break from work. He said his wife couldn’t wait to have thirteen days catching up on sleep and overdosing on cheese, which pretty much echoed my favourite memories of the festive period in the days when work ruled everything. A couple of days earlier, after some lengthy discussions around whether we were really bothered at all about it, Ali and I had finally decided to drag the decorations out of the loft. It was a slow process, interrupted by her insistence on singing the words of non Christmas songs to the wrong tunes; something she does deliberately at regular intervals to make me think I’ve finally lost the plot completely. Either that or she’s in the mood to amuse herself by awakening the uncontrollable pedant that lurks close to the surface, ever waiting to be invited to the table because she knows that the person who hates this trait in me most of all is myself. This time she was warbling happily away with the sparse lyrics of Lieutenant Pigeon’s “Mouldy Old Dough” to the tune of Roger Whittaker’s “Dirty of Town.” Try it for yourself – it works rather neatly in fact. So to correct her and also make sure my own memory was still intact, I located a YouTube video of the eternally bizarre “Mouldy Old Dough” and the next three minutes were lost to a bout of uncoordinated movements that were supposed to pass for dancing in the hallway as we procrastinated on the Christmas decorations. With further similar bouts of irrelevant and deliberate dithering, it took all day to finish assembling the fifteen year old artificial Virginia Pine and covering it in baubles and tinsel.
So, it seems appropriate that miserable old souls such as mine are cast into the wilderness, to a place where the strains of Slade’s annual reign can’t reach, and I can enjoy the sound of not very much at all. After all, a brain as full as much useless nonsense as this one contains needs a quiet space in which to recover. On Monday, we found such silent contentment in the misty and rainy wilds of Dartmoor, an early start delivering us to the abandoned Nun’s Cross Farm, where the only other human we saw was a lone trail runner who wasn’t playing Slade on his headphones as far as I could tell. Life seems so much easier in places where nobody is urging you to join in the fun and sing along with everyone else. And no, I’m not going to wear a paper crown either, just because we always do.
Today’s post is dedicated to all you similarly minded people whose only crime is to want to escape the madness of enforced jollity. For those of you who love the madness, do have fun, but please leave us out of it – we’re happy being miserable after all. It’s why we come to places like Nun’s Cross Farm in the pouring rain in December.
And as for Mariah Carey - let's not even go there..........