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Graffiti’s Cozy, Feminine Side
By MALIA WOLLAN- NY TIMES article
THE bronze statue of Rocky near the Philadelphia Museum of Art irked Jessie Hemmons. She found the statue too big, too macho and too touristy, so last month Ms. Hemmons, a 24-year-old artist, bombed him. With pinkish yarn.
Using a stepladder and a needle, Ms. Hemmons stitched a fuchsia-colored hooded vest on the fictional boxer with the words “Go See the Art” emblazoned across the front, to prod tourists to visit the museum that so many skip after snapping their photo with the statue.
She calls the act of artistic vandalism “yarn bombing,” adapting a term for plastering an area with graffiti tags.
“Street art and graffiti are usually so male dominated,” Ms. Hemmons said. “Yarn bombing is more feminine. It’s like graffiti with grandma sweaters.”
Yarn bombing takes that most matronly craft (knitting) and that most maternal of gestures (wrapping something cold in a warm blanket) and transfers it to the concrete and steel wilds of the urban streetscape. Hydrants, lampposts, mailboxes, bicycles, cars — even objects as big as buses and bridges — have all been bombed in recent years, ever so softly and usually at night.
It is a global phenomenon, with yarn bombers taking their brightly colored fuzzy work to Europe, Asia and beyond. In Paris, a yarn culprit has filled sidewalk cracks with colorful knots of yarn. In Denver, a group called Ladies Fancywork Society has crocheted tree trunks, park benches and public telephones. Seattle has the YarnCore collective (“Hardcore Chicks With Sharp Sticks”) and Stockholm has the knit crew Masquerade. In London, Knit the City has “yarnstormed” fountains and fences. And in Melbourne, Australia, a woman known as Bali conjures up cozies for bike racks and bus stops.
To record their ephemeral works (the fragile pieces begin to fray within weeks), yarn bombers photograph and videotape their creations and upload them to blogs, social networks and Web sites for all the world to see.
Sometimes called grandma graffiti, the movement got a boost, and a manifesto, in 2009 with the publication of the book “Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti,” by Mandy Moore and Leanne Prain, knitters from Vancouver, Canada. It is part coffee-table book, with color photographs of creative bombs, and part tutorial, with tips like wearing “ninja” black to avoid capture.
The book borrows from the vernacular of street graffiti and half-jokingly positions yarn bombing as an illicit alternative for knitters bored making yet another Christmas sweater. It asks readers to get off their rocking chairs and “take back the knit.”
Since the book’s publication, Ms. Prain said, she has been getting dozens of e-mails a week from yarn bombers from as far away as Russia, Morocco and Iran. The last month has been particularly busy ever since a Canadian knitter declared June 11 International
Yarn Bombing Day on Facebook.
Three film crews contacted her about making yarn bombing documentaries, and several graduate students e-mailed her about writing theses on the subject.
Many of these people also reached out to Magda Sayeg, a 37-year-old Texan who is considered by many to be the mother of yarn bombing. By her recollection, it started on a slow day in 2005 at Raye, her quirky boutique in Houston. On a lark, she knitted a blue-and-pink cozy for the shop’s door handle, a piece she now calls “alpha.”
Passers-by loved it, stopping to admire her handiwork. “People got out of their cars just to come look at it,” she said.
Next, she knitted what looked like a leg warmer for a stop sign down the street; from there she slowly infiltrated Houston with her stitchery. Within a few years, she had tagged dozens of lampposts and stop signs and assembled a crew of fellow yarn bombers she called Knitta Please.
Soon, Ms. Sayeg was commissioned to do larger projects. Photographs of her pieces spread online, inciting other knitters to take up the budding art form.
Yarn bombing grows out of the larger D.I.Y. movement, which seeks to resurrect traditional handicrafts “more typically associated with grandmothers, like knitting, canning, gardening and even raising chickens,” said Annette DiMeo Carlozzi, a curator at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Tex. In March it commissioned Ms. Sayeg to cover the trunks of 99 trees in front of the museum.
“You see the resurgence of handicrafts in art, too,” Ms. Carlozzi said. “It is part of the appeal of yarn bombing: the surprising juxtaposition of something that is clearly personal, labor-intensive and handmade in an urban, industrial environment.”
Not all artists who use yarn in their work are thrilled with the woolly trend.
“I don’t yarn bomb, I make art,” said Agata Oleksiak, 33, an artist in New York who has been enshrouding humans, bicycles and swimming pools in neon-colored crochet since 2003. Last Christmas Eve, Olek, as she prefers to be called, blanketed the “Charging Bull” statue near Wall Street in a pink and purple cozy, and uploaded a video of it to YouTube. “If someone calls my bull a yarn bomb, I get really upset,” she added.
Olek, whose work has been shown in museums and galleries worldwide, considers yarn bombing to be the trite work of amateurs and exhibitionists.
“Lots of people have aunts or grandmas who paint,” she said. “Do you want to see that work in the galleries? No. The street is an extension of the gallery. Not everyone’s work deserves to be in public.”
Whether yarn bombing is the work of artists or glorified knitters, the view of law enforcement is clear: it is considered vandalism or littering. Still, the police seem to tolerate it. Yarn bombers say they rarely have run-ins with the law. And in the few instances when they are stopped, yarn bombers say, the police are more likely to laugh at them than issue a summons.
Ms. Prain once tried to yarn bomb a sign post in Washington, in front of F.B.I. headquarters. A security guard wearing a bulletproof vest approached her, she said, and demanded that she stop immediately. “Ma’am,” she recalled him saying, “step away with the knitting.”
Still, yarn bombing seems to be having its moment in pop culture. Fortune 500 companies have paid Ms. Sayeg as much as $20,000 to wrap their wares in yarn. Toyota hired her to knit a Prius a Christmas sweater last year for a promotional video. The makers of the Smart car flew her to Rome to wrap a car in what looked like 1970s-inspired throw blankets, and Mini Cooper recently commissioned a similar ad.
Ms. Sayeg has so much work that she closed her shop in 2009, moved to Austin and turned her hobby into a full-time job. Clients have included the Montague Street Business Improvement District in Brooklyn, which paid Ms. Sayeg to knit covers for 69 parking meters, and Insight, an Australian company that sells surfing clothing, which has an ad featuring a scantly clad woman riding a yarn-covered scooter. Last month, Ms. Sayeg wrapped all the heating ducts at the Brooklyn offices of Etsy.com.
Companies seem to be attracted to the retro handcrafted cheeriness of yarn. Toyota chose Ms. Sayeg for the Prius sweater project because her work is “optimistic and community oriented,” Sona Iliffe-Moon, a marketing executive for Toyota, wrote in an e-mail.
Ms. Sayeg now has five assistants to help her knit, which she now does primarily on looms rather than needles to meet the demand.
“In the early years I identified with underground graffiti artists,” she said. “Now the very people I feared I would get in trouble with are the ones inviting me to do this work for them.”
Optimistic thinking, this is the beginning of moving completely to primfeed, if you are interested in keeping in touch...
Mine: www.primfeed.com/ghoulbae
Store: www.primfeed.com/imperia
History & Meaning of Yellow Roses:
With their optimistic hue and general association with good cheer, yellow roses are the perfect way to toast friends, lift spirits and send a general wish for well-being. And that’s great news for those who love roses—the rose is known for its simple, architectural beauty, but some colors are so loaded with significance that they can be a bit tricky to work with. Sending a get-well bouquet of red roses to your administrative assistant might raise eyebrows around the office, for instance. Suffice it to say, you can never go wrong with yellow roses.
Long associated with the sun and its life-giving warmth, yellow is the age-old spokes-color for warm feelings of friendship and optimism. In many Eastern cultures, the color represents joy, wisdom and power. But while any yellow flower will send a lighthearted message, the history of the yellow rose in particuar has an optimistic, serendipitous character that really makes it the complete package.
By the 18th century the worldwide love of roses was in full swing, but they were only cultivated in shades of pink and white. At last, the elusive yellow rose was discovered growing wild in the Middle East, and the European love affair with yellow roses was born. The early yellow rose lacked the sweet scent for which the rose is famous, however, which was not to be tolerated. So, as cultivation methods were developed and refined, the beloved sweet-and-spicy rose scent was soon introduced and the yellow rose achieved all its optimistic and aromatic glory.
www.proflowers.com/blog/history-and-meaning-of-yellow-ros...
"I'm an optimistic beauty. Never impolite. / Easy like Saturday, mid-day. / Breezy, chilled-out, dumb girl."
Filmed in Stiletto Club.
Stiletto Club: A stylish steampunk themed venue to chat, mix mingle, dance and play!
Femdom Oriented: Dominants, submissives, femmes, Bondage, Femminization, Maids, Footplay
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Thanks to Evie for: Kaithleen's Robin Bodyfur Fatpack
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=-=-=
"That's Life"
Bif Naked
I like babytalking, popcorn without butter,
and anybody who will pay attention
to these requirements.
I'm an optimistic beauty. Never impolite.
Easy like Saturday, mid-day.
Breezy, chilled-out, dumb girl.
Thats life with me. I know.
Around and around you will go.
But, if I french kiss you
in the broad daylight,
you'll fall in love..oh,oh,oh.
That's life with me. I know.
Well I am pretending to be a free-bouncing lover.
I wear my defensive mask of optimism like a badge.
And ultimately. I am much to lazy to change.
I'm rather conditioned to my life of melodrama.
Thats life with me. I know.
Around and around you will go.
But, if I french kiss you
in the broad daylight,
you'll fall in love..oh,oh,oh.
That's life with me. I know.
That's life with me. Thats how it will be, my friend.
A roller coaster ride you won't forget.
I am just a mess. I am just a mess, at best.
I am just a blue-ribbon prize winner till the end.
Thats life with me. I know.
Around and around you will go.
But, if I french kiss you
in the broad daylight,
you'll fall in love..oh,oh,oh.
That's life with me. I know.
The KOM League
Flash Report
for
Friday, November 13, 2020
For those who care, this Flash Report is accessible by going to: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/50597060261/
In a note shared with a few readers on November 12 the following statement was made. “Can you imagine having a Friday 13th in the year 2020? I’m optimistic and believing it will not be a bad omen—Amen?” That message elicited many responses. However, around 5:00 a. m. a message was received from a faithful reader that stated “Charlie Pride RIP.” That was news to the old batboy and this response was sent in response to that terse e-mail. “He and Mickey Mantle used to run around together in Dallas. Mickey's mother-in-law told him she'd like to meet Charlie. Mrs. Johnson told me that around two in the morning, shortly thereafter, Mickey came into her bedroom and announced that Pride was in the living room and to get out of bed and meet him.”
Since it was now Friday the 13th a decision was made to look further into the Charlie Pride story and as a result this message was sent to the person apprising me of Pride’s passing.
“Charlie's death has been greatly exaggerated. He is not dead nor doth he sleep in Biblical jargon” www.wideopencountry.com/charley-pride-death-hoax/
With that rumor out of the way it might bode well that this Friday the 13th will be a great day.
_____________________________________________________________________________
A great loss
In the October 18, 2020 edition of this publication the following paragraph concluded that report. “This publication regrettably carries the news of many deaths. Someone who has read this and other KOM league publication since their inception is now facing the end of their days. That person happens to have known me longer than anyone currently living. It has become my task, duty, honor or whatever to write that person’s obituary. It is a difficult assignment to reduce to a few paragraphs the scope of a life that has now reached 85 years and if the Good Lord permits will be 86 within the next five weeks.”
On Halloween the person mentioned in the previous paragraph left this world for a much better place. The obituary along with a picture of the deceased is carried on this link: www.knellmortuary.com/obituaries/Janice-Elaine-Pinter?obI...
If you availed yourself of perusing that link you will know that the deceased was the sister of this here guy writing the story. But, there is more to the story. Very few people had as much confidence in the KOM league publications than the deceased. When it was opined the writing effort should come to an end my sister would always have a reason why that shouldn’t happen. On one occasion her opinion was that her little brother did more good befriending the old ballplayers and helping them than he ever did in the various churches he pastored. After thinking over that observation for a little while the little brother concurred.
It was always “Little Brother’s” idea that something would cause the KOM league reports to come to a merciful end if not by death but due to another happenstance. When my sister departed, although she hadn’t read any of the material for a few years, the first inclination was that now was the time to shut it down.
A coincidence?
On the same day of the death of Janice Pinter a letter was penned by a long time reader. It didn’t reach the “KOM League Office and Dusty Baseball Register Archives” until November 2. The letter, which was sent in place of an e-mail, had some things that are direct quotes. “A strong suggestion—quit attempting to stop writing. It is not possible to stop.”
Since the aforementioned came from a guy calling himself “Ol Clark” it was necessary to keep reading. Bill Clark is the real name and he has been around the sports world and the actual world many times. He is a living storehouse of great stories which he promises he’s going to share with the world in the form of three books. This writer is dubious that three will be sufficient.
Much of Clark’s baseball archives were destroyed in a fire, two years ago, but I’m sure much of that remains in his total recall memory bank. So, I await his upcoming literary works as much as pondering what to do about continuation of these reports. However, a constant reminder will be ever present. Clark concluded his remarks by stating “So—writers write even when no one reads them.” And for clinchers he said “No charge for the sermon.”
______________________________________________________________________________
In the spirit of the times
With the spread of the Chinese plague one is always concerned about the elderly and those with immune deficient conditions. As readers are aware most of the former KOM leaguers are either at least 90 or are so close to it they can see it on the horizon.
At the start of 2020, the top five oldest living former KOM leaguers included Nicholas Timothy Kucher. In going through the listing of Nick or Nicholas Kucher’s, who passed away, there wasn’t anything located in an obituary listing. On a whim his name was entered into Ancestry.com and there was a Find-A-Grave citation for the former KOM leaguer. www.findagrave.com/memorial/214613060/nicholas-kucher
At that juncture an even more concentrated effort was made to find an obituary for the former Ponca City Dodger was undertaken. Even the standby source, Jack Morris, couldn’t locate one either. At that point Morris was advised that an attempt would be made to come up with some information on the deceased.
Nicholas Timothy Kucher was born November 1, 1924 in New York City to Alex and Mary Kucher who were Polish immigrants. On his Sporting News card the word “Ukrainian” is typed on the top of that document as shown here. digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/112856...
Upon reaching the age of 18 he signed up for the draft and was listed as living at 315 E. 9th St. in New York and was employed by the Baker and Taylor Company at 55 5th Avenue. He filled out his card as being 6’ and weighing 170 with a scar on his left forehead. It would not have been possible for him to call his employer to report being unable to come to work, for any reason, since the family didn’t own a telephone.
Upon reporting to Ponca City in late April of 1947 this profile was shared under the heading “Meet the Dodgers.” Nick Kucher—is an outfielder, 22 years old and played his first competitive baseball with the Seward Park high school in his home town, New York city. A first baseman in prep school, he worked both the initial sack and the outfield with a semi-pro club last season (1946). He served three years in the marines, including duty at Okinawa and Saipan, and was discharged in 1945. He stands an even 6 feet, weight 172 pound and is single. A lefthanded batter and thrower, Kucher trained at Thomasville, N. C. this spring.”
What led to Kucher coming to Ponca City is contained in this late April, 1947 edition of the Ponca City News. “…Business Manager Owen Martinez announced the trade of George Schneider, 18-year-old New York city lad who has been here since last weekend, for Nick Kucher of the class C Three Rivers, Quebec, club. Schneider left Ponca City by plane in an effort to arrive at Three Rivers in time for the Canadian-American league’s opening game today. Kucher is due here this weekend.”
Upon Kucher’s arrival the KOM league season had not commenced but the Ponca City club was playing exhibition contests around the area. The first game he ever saw was from the bench as his new team was playing the Oklahoma A & M Agvets at Stillwater. This was long before that school was known as the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Ponca City News reported “Nick Kucher, an outfielder who came in last weekend from Thomasville, N. C., on a trade with Three Rivers, Quebec was on the bench at Stillwater with a sprained ankle will probably be out of play a week, his doctor says.”
When the KOM league season began Kucher was in the outfield playing both right and centerfield but not at the same time. In his first nine games he hit nearly .300 but by his 18th contest his average slipped to the .200 level and his baseball days in the KOM league were history. In a long ago conversation with Kucher he blamed the bad ankle for his not being able to perform at the level he wanted.
Not long after leaving Ponca City Kucher returned to New York and married Anne Zatowsky on January 16, 1948. They lived happily ever after until her death in 2017. When this source communicated with the Kucher’s they lived in East Northport, New York at 154 Cedar Road. They later moved to Commack, New York. I believe that Nick even lived in Scottsdale, Arizona for a time in his later years.
It can’t be determined the day and month Kucher passed away but it was in 2020. Thus, he was either 95-96 when St. Peter came calling.
The ninety two year-old penny
Most of what is contained in this article came from scrapbooks kept by a young female fan of the 1946-48-49 and 1950 Ponca City Dodgers. It is my belief she fell in and out of love with someone on each of those teams. Her scrapbooks followed her to California where they were kept for over 60 years before she finally contacted Gale Wade and offered them to him. Wade, who had played at Ponca City in 1947 and 48, didn’t want those items and suggested she get in touch with a fellow who writes about the KOM league.
In those scrapbooks are hundreds of photos of Ponca City and other KOM league players that included future big leaguers Jim Baxes, Chris Kitsos, Gale Wade and former Dodger Boyd Bartley. The scrapbooks featured many social events such as picnics. Most every box score of Ponca City home games is in those scrapbooks along with a comment about the game inserted by the “keeper of the scrapbooks.” In some places a memento of a game or from a social gathering was included.
For over a decade Yours truly has looked at those scrapbooks, from time to time. One item placed under a box score was a penny scotch taped thereto. It dawned on me, in looking at that page, to decipher the number of games in which Nick Kucher played, that the tape was still holding the penny in place. Peeling back the taped it was a bit exciting to anticipate the date on the penny knowing it had to have been minted in 1947 or earlier. What was on the front of the Lincoln head—wheat ear coin was “1928-D.” On top of that it was in good condition. At the time it was placed in the scrapbook it was only 19 years old.
So, I guess I could offer that penny to some reader for their thoughts. Do I have to say “A penny for your thoughts?”
Who remains?
When a former KOM leaguer passes away a quick check is made to see how many of his teammates remain. As of this moment I believe the list includes: William Skeen, Dale Hendricks, George Fisher, Larry Tarbell and Gale Wade. Robert Clark Taylor and Phillip Adams were never located although there is a high level of suspicion where they currently reside.
In reviewing the list of the members of the 1947 Ponca City Dodgers who were once contacted and then nothing being heard from or about them in a long time included John Dominic Ferluga and Donald Andrew Tisnerat.
John Ferluga was a native of Seattle, Washington born 10/28/1926. He graduated from Queen Ann High School in 1946 and was the opening day hurler for the 1947 Ponca City Dodgers. That was the only game in which he played with them. There has never been an obituary located for him but a listing from his high school alumni publication shows he passed away on 2/13/2017 in Renton, WA.
Donald Andrew Tisnerat was born 4/14/1927 in Long Beach, CA . He also pitched for the 1947 Ponca City Club. He had graduated from David Starr Jordan high school in Long Beach and served in the U. S. Navy during WW II. He lived in a number of places and when this source contacted him a couple of decades ago he was living in Las Vegas, NV. That is where he passed away on 6/29/2014. He was buried at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, CA. That is a spectacular and somber place. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverside_National_Cemetery
I woke up Saturday morning feeling optimistic. It was totally overcast, but there was no wind and no rain. Perfect weather for long exposure water shots! I grabbed my gear and headed out to one of my favorite spots, Catherine Furnace in the George Washington National Forest.
Only when I got there, I was shocked by what I found. The area all around the stream was torn up, bushes and trees removed, dirt and rocks misplaced, barriers everywhere. WTF?! Turns out the Forest Service has decided to replace the bridge that spans Roaring Run where it empties into Cub Run. So despite the ideal weather conditions and beautiful Spring foliage, my composition options were limited if I didn't want barriers to appear in my photos.
This is just another event in a long string of events that convinces me I have a photography curse. Last year, everyone I know that went to Shenandoah National Park saw a LOT of bears. Me? I saw two all year. I've been up to shoot the sunrise 6 or 7 times in the last few months and they've all been a bust. I can't find ducklings or goslings anywhere. My 5D broke. And now they've torn up one of my favorite photo spots! If that's not a curse, I don't know what is.
On a positive note, this is some of the best water flow I've ever seen at Cub Run, thanks to all the constant rain.
...hard work in a heat that would make most of us collapse within a few hours. Still there is room for a pure and warm smile!
Rice- farmers working after the sunset. Somewhere on the road west of Nong Khai, near the Mekong river, north-east Thailand 2008...
Large: View On Black
Copyright © Ioannis Lelakis.
All rights reserved.
Keystone City, the first of the twin cities that connect from Kansas to Central City, Missouri.
One of the first cities to house one of the first well-known superheroes “The Flash.” A place to many that’s not as mesmerizing as Metropolis, yet much more optimistic than Gotham. But to one Linda Park, it’s a good place for a fresh start.
“Got the camera ready, Will?” She questions her camera guy. He gives a thumbs up in response. She lets out a mixed sigh of anticipation and anxiousness as she puts on her earpiece to hear the newsroom. She looks back at Will to see him counting down to one before the camera is on.
“And now we go to the street with our reporter Linda Park, why don’t you tell us what’s been happening?”
She finally hears from the newsroom. ‘Go time.’ She thinks to herself.
“Well DiDio, there’s been a recent string of robberies that have involved artifacts that to most people aren’t much concern, but this one in particular has gained the interest of the Justice League, leaving many concerned as these robberies could be connected to several others that have happened in the likes of Star City, Midway City, and several other Metropolitan areas.”
Blocks away near a bank. A man dressed in an orange jumpsuit with teal armor walks to the end of a rooftop, known to many as Mirror Master. He scopes out past the guards and several cruisers to see his eyes on the prize; a transport car that harbors likely millions.
“Bingo.” He says as pulls out a device from his belt, activating it as the truck is finished loading up and heads out. He presses a button on said device which causes him to vanish. A guard in the front of the truck is looking through his phone, liking a picture of some model.
“Ass is a bit flat, innit?”
The guard looks up to see the source of the voice, turning to his side mirror. Before being slugged and yanked out through the window of the truck. The driver tries to pull out his gun, but two more duplicates that come from the side and rearview mirrors grab and restrain him before one throws a harsh blow to his face, mainly his nose, knocking him out.
“Sorry lad, finders keepas, losers weepas!” He yells out, closing the door immediately after and grabs onto the wheel, speeding away as several cop cars chase after.
-
Meanwhile, on the other side of Keystone…
“Have a wonderful day.” Chester says, casually waving the customer goodbye. While he spots his friend, former high school classmate, and recent coworker Wally West, resting his head on his hand and watching the antique clock finally be 3:00 already.
“Y’know, you have speed powers, why don’t you just speed up time?” Chester asks which Wally looks back in response, in a blitz he’s laying on the counter with his elbow.
“It’s not exactly a hard science Chunk; I can’t just casually shift time and space to my own whims.”
Chester raises his eyebrow. “Yet you can steal and give speed to any person and object?” He asks.
Wally pauses, attempting to come up with a rebuttal, but hears a notification from his phone on the counter. He rushes to it, seeing a notification about a truck robbery in Keystone. ‘Perfect excuse.’ He smirks, putting his phone in his pocket.
“Chunk, I’ll be taking my five now.”
Chester groans. “Try not to be late again or Weisman’ll actually fire you this time.”
Wally chuckles while putting his vest in his locker.
“Then I guess he wouldn’t be a wise man.” He retorts as he exits the building; getting a running start. But not before time momentarily pauses. Blue lightning manifests and goes through his body, not harming him, but forming and forging a suit, his Kid Flash suit. As it’s fully assembled, time starts finally catching up as he thinks to himself ‘that’ll never get old’ he dashes straight towards the robbery.
Within less than a second, he speeds past the bank. He spots the hijacked truck heading straight towards two kids that are playing hopscotch. Immediately, he grabs the two kids and moves them across the block away from the truck that skids the area that they were just in. He turns towards the two, warning them.
“Next time, do it in your backyard, okay?”
They nod in response, he gives a thumbs up before zipping towards the truck. He rushes past the cruisers, getting closer to the truck. When he sees the back of the truck open to reveal Mirror Master.
“‘Ello Boyo! Sorry to wake you up from your nappy, don’t worry lass, I’ll make up fo’ it!” He yells as he grabs and throws several pocket mirrors onto the road in front of Wally, one of which has an arm pop out and grab his ankle, causing him to crash onto the ground. He tries to get up but several more copies pull out and tackle him, he struggles to break free and is almost unsuccessful before deciding to do this through a different way, a more… destructive way.
He vibrates his molecules, which for most speedsters would have them phase through things, for him it does that while having said object explode. He phases and darts through the duplicates which explode in response. ‘Okay, I can't exactly get close without him throwing several more of himself at me, and I already have way too many scratches on this suit already.’ He stops to see small shards of glass, he’s already gotten an idea. He grabs several dozen shards before launching alongside the truck.
“Sorry MM, your ride stops here.” Wally remarks, throwing all the shards at a tire, causing the car to drag across the road, Mirror Master tries to slow it down, but is unsuccessful as it slams through a fire hydrant and grazes several car bumpers before finally stopping, well, crashing at a bus stop. Wally stands close by, his arms crossed as Mirror Master crawls out of the wreckage, battered and bruised, and but still pissed.
“Y’know Scudder, you sound a little caught a little cold, I’d recommend a physician before a cell at Iron Heights.”
MM scowls as he’s being handcuffed and taken to a cop car.
“Fack off, ya Ronald Macdonald wearin’ sonova-” He's cut off by the door closed by one of the officers.
“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you. Maybe you should ask for some ginger or chamomile tea, I’ve heard they’ve been giving them out in prison!” Wally chuckles after saying that.
“Kid Flash!”
He turns to see a man followed by several officers, presumably the one leading these guys.
“Captain Phillips.” He introduces himself, shaking his hand. “Thank you for helping us out, a bit surprised to be honest, I was expecting the other guy to show up.”
Wally keeps his mouth shut, while he loves being a hero and helping out and all that, he doesn’t really like when they bring him up.
“No problem Captain, I’ve dealt with my fair share of Rogues on my own.” He turns back to Mirror Master. “Although he doesn’t sound like the Scudder I know.”
The captain scratches the back of his head in response. “That’s because he isn’t, his name’s Evan McColloch, typical lowlife known for petty theft and drug use. He was taken to Iron Heights, bunked up with Mardon, and around a week or so ago, he along with Scudder’s equipment somehow went missing; we’re not sure how he got it, but that’ll be for later. Our concern now is getting him back to cell.”
Wally nods in response before he hears his name called out; he turns his head back to see several reporters, giving the usual questions. ‘How are the Teen Titans?’ ‘Who are you currently dating?’ ‘Will you be joining the Justice League?’, the usual. Until he feels a tap and looks over his shoulder to see a new reporter that he doesn’t recognize and looks to be about his age.
“Linda Park, 52 News, I’d like to ask a few questions, if you don’t mind?” While he’s dealt with the news due to his work with the Titans and Barry, the fact he’s by himself, along with Linda’s… unique look? He starts getting a bit nervous.
“Uh, yeah! Why not?” As he finishes saying that, he’s immediately given a question.
“What do you have to say about the current issues of superheroes?”
“Pardon?” He raises his brow in response.
“Well given the recent occurrences of robberies in several cities, along with certain heroes caught in recent controversial circumstances, people are questioning whether or not you should be marked as a vigilante, especially after what just happened.”
Wally’s confused, until he examines the area around him. The buildings' windows nearby are shattered, several cars are heavily wrecked, the pavement is covered in skid marks, and at least two fire hydrants are spraying what’s likely an expensive amount of water.
“Do you have any thoughts on that?” His attention is brought back by Linda. He stands there, attempting to give an answer or anything, but instead apologizes before running off. In less than a second, he stops outside of the city next to the “Welcome to Keystone!” sign, breathing a sigh of relief. Then he hears a ping and pulls his phone to see a text from his boss. Which said ‘don’t bother showing your face back to work.’ with a trashbin emoji sent along with it.
“Great.”
-
Wally stares at the statues of himself and Barry as they run against each other which causes him to reminisce about the days when things were simpler; when he and his uncle Barry were just the fastest duo, fighting the likes of Captain Cold, The Turtle, the Top, and the rest of those Rogues.
He looks around the unfinished museum, “I wish you’d be here to see it.”
His days of reminiscing are interrupted when he feels a small buzz in his back pocket from his phone, he pulls it out to see a text from Hartley, a good friend and even better paying roommate, asking if he’ll be at the local bar tonight. He sighs before deciding he might as well.
“I probably need to relax a bit.” He sighs before speeding off.
-
“Well I can’t say I’m surprised, kinda hard to do retail, a job that requires you to be around people, if you’re busy fighting a weirdo mirror guy on the other side of town and not there.” Hartley comments, trying his best to soften the blow of logic towards Wally, but probably making it worse.
“It was a mirror gun and the guy took over a truck that was going through the city like a maniac! Besides, it was barely five minutes.” Wally interjects, to which Hartley raises his brow.
“So then why did you get fired?” He inquires which causes Wally to put his head on the table, exhausted being reminded of it.
“Apparently we have specific times for breaks, and our boss came in early to see me not there. Chunk was let off with a warning, I got fired. According to him anyway…”
Hartley shakes his head. “If it helps, you lasted longer than the other guys expected.”
Wally looks up, dejected as all hell. “Sorry…”
“Hey, it’s no big deal! I pay for most of our rent anyway, however if you’re still looking for a job-”
Wally snaps back up from the table and cuts him off immediately. “No, hell no.”
“Oh come on! My company is successful, it’s been doing well for months, it wouldn’t hurt to have a speedster as company mascot.”
Wally rolls his eyes.
“Like I’m gonna be a sellout… I might be struggling, but I’m not Booster Gold.”
Hartley raises his empty glass for a drink, which gets filled before he immediately takes a sip.
“Well, let’s get off topic then. Have you heard anything from the band?”
Wally sighs in response.
“Donna’s been trying to broker peace between Themyscira and the UN, Garth’s gone back to help guard Atlantis, and Roy… I’ve heard he’s been recovering after the fight with Ollie.”
“What about Dick?”
Wally closes his eyes, really hoping he wouldn’t ask about him. “Same as the nine months, just silence. I mean I’ve asked Bruce and he said he’s still looking.”
Hartley puts his hand on his shoulder. “Hey, he’ll pop back up again. Guys like that will pop back up after a while.” There’s a few moments of silence before Wally tries to break it.
“Look, I’m just tired and I imagine you invited me to get distracted, so let’s do that instead.” As he tries to refocus the topic, Hartley catches a cute-looking guy heading past his direction.
“Tell you what, why don’t you get started while I go powder my nose.”
He looks at him confused before it hits him.
“You’re not ditching me for a hook up.”
“I’m not, I’m just.. going to powder my nose while you get started for the heavy drinks, besides it’ll take you like a bottle and a half to get buzzed and I’m paying for it anyway, so get to splurging.” He finishes before heading off in the man’s direction. Wally sighs while looking at the bartender.
“Just give me a Mai Tai.” As soon as the bartender starts making them a female voice besides him adds.
“And a white russian for me.”
Wally looks to the side to see… Linda Park?
“Hi?” He accidentally says. Linda looks at him confused.
“...Hi? Have we met?”
He gets a bit nervous and lets out a cough before adding. “Uh no no, I just recognized you for interviewing Kid Fl-”
Linda immediately groans. Just as the bartender drops off their drinks to which she takes a big swig off the glass.
“Don’t remind me. The last thing I need to be reminded of is today's bullshit.”
As he’s about to ask they notice one the tvs is on channel 52, which is issuing a public apology on behalf of the entire news network towards Kid Flash for our… blunder, we promise to not make that mistake, a male news desk reporter says, smiling with the fakest smile that’s ever smiled.
“So If you’re one of those ‘flash fans’ that’s been harassing me all day, can you please just text me? It makes it easier for me to block you and I’d rather not worry my eomma and appa.” Linda says, taking another swig from her drink.
“Seriously?” He asks, stunned.
“Seriously. Like you wouldn’t believe the amount of crazy love this guy has. And he’s not even the main guy!” Hearing that caused him to accidentally let out a chuckle.
“Is that funny to you?”
“Nononono, of course not!” Wally tried assuring. “It’s just… It reminds me of people who called me weird because I thought I was obsessive when he was the president and only member of the Flash fan club.”
She smiles. “Well you’re not wrong, that is pretty damn weird.”
“Tell me about it, Wally West, president of the Flash fanclub of Blue Valley Junior High, it was pretty rough.”
Her light chuckle explodes into a full blown laugh.
“Wally West? Is that short for Wallaby?” She asks mid-laughter. Wally just stares at her, slightly charmed by her laughter.
“Well, I’m glad you’re taking it well. And it’s actually short for Wallace.”
Linda’s starts to devolve down into a light laugh.
“Sorry, sorry, I just needed that after today. And y’know Wallace isn’t any better, right?”
Wally shrugs. “Beats Wallaby.”
They share a laugh. An hour passes as Wally and Linda continue their conversation, with Linda venting and Wally laughing as she does impressions of her boss and coworkers. Linda looks at the time on her phone and notices she has to head home.
“Shit, I gotta go, it’s been fun.” Linda says with a warm smile as she gets ready to head out. Wally looks at his phone, noticing a text from nearly 40 minutes ago from Hartley which says ‘Going back to my room, have fun with her!’ followed by ‘YOU’VE GOT THIS’ which he finishes with a thumbs up emoji.
Wally sighs, annoyed initially but relieved. He looks up to see Linda heading out, he goes after her and grabs her arm before she’s out the door.
“So as it turns out, my roommate and former drinking buddy decided to play hooky. So now I have a bunch of free time. Would you mind having me be your chaperone until we get to your place?”
Linda raises her brow. “It’s not that far, it’s only three blocks from here.”
“Still better safe than sorry. Besides, I’ve been liking our talk and I kinda want it to continue, if that’s all right with you?”
“You realize this is the type of stuff serial killers say to lure their victim, yeah?” She asks. Wally tries to respond and starts to stammer before he notices her smile. “Sure, why not. Besides, you look too wimpy to be a killer.”
“Hey, what do you mean by wimpy?” He follows as they both head out. What would’ve been five minutes was instead extended to about 15 minutes of Wally and Linda talking and sharing laughs. She notices her apartment nearby and stops in front of him.
“It’s my stop, it was… great talking to you.” Linda says. Wally can feel his lightly freckled cheeks starting to heat up while he tries to shrug it off.
“Aw, it’s-it’s nothing, I mean who wouldn’t do it for a famous reporter… Well, infamous now, but you get my point. You were… fun to hang out with.” They both share a wave before Wally starts to head off, but he stops as he turns around and thinks to himself.
‘I can’t believe I’m thinking this, whyIamIthinkingthis? This is a bad idea, youjustmether. Don’tdoitwallly! Don’t do-’ He immediately turns back to face her.
“So, would you like to hang out again sometime this week or whatever?”
“Like where and when?” She asks with a hand on her hip.
“Oh, like the park, on friday?” She purses her lips, contemplating it for a few seconds before shrugging.
“Well it beats drinking in a cramped bar, I’m game. Meet me at my workplace for round two Wallaby.”
Wally starts unconsciously smiling, feeling a bit of excitement and relief.
“Gre-great, I-I mean, challenge accepted. I will see you then for round two Linda Park.”
She chuckles before waving him off once more and closing the door to the apartment lobby. Wally can’t help smiling, he can feel the electricity and energy in him start to surge as he zips through the streets.
-
“You know, if you could just surrender just for today, I’d really appreciate it!” Wally says, gritting his teeth as he stands in a wrestling ring, surrounded by a crowd of criminals, presumably people he and Barry had taken in in the past. As he’s faced by a samuroid with a silly face painted onto it, followed by a man dressed in a revolting mash of blues and yellows, naming himself Trickster Jr, with several drones surrounding them.
“No dice dude! Do you know how big I’m gonna be once I kill you? I’m gonna make it to the big leagues of Doom Social!”
Wally stops, looking at him puzzled but before he could ask what the hell Doom Social is; he notices the samuroid attempts to decapitate him and he moves to the right, where he ends up getting grazed on his left bicep by the katana from one of the samuroids trying to slice him, but he gets thrown against a barricade from the shockwave of the glowing blade.
“Ooooh, looks like Kid Flash needs to get back to Titans academy, he seems like he needs his mommy and daddy Flash to make him all better.” Trickster says with a taunting tone as it’s followed by the audience laughing and cheering. To which Wally grinds his teeth in response.
“You are so frickin’ annoying!” He yells out before running at the samuroid by the side, as he jumps he brings his legs up to dropkick its head, it attempts to block but with such a strong speed, the momentum causes it to zip across the ring as it uses its katana to slow what would’ve been a harsh crash into a gentle, almost perfect landing with it kneeling.
“Money well spent.” Trickster comments with a nod. Wally starts getting up as he hears a beep, he pulls out his phone to see the time on his phone.
‘Dammit, I’m already late.’
“If you’re trying to phone a friend, don’t bother. The satellites don’t allow any outside contact apart from these cameras.” Trickster says as he gestures towards the drones surrounding them. Wally only smiles before saying.
“Like I’m gonna lose to someone more pathetic than the Prankster.”
Trickster’s smile sinks into a frown. “You… are not funny.”
“You’re right, I’m not.” Wally says as he jumps back up, putting his phone back in his pocket. “What I am, however, is done with this circus act. Don’t worry though, I’ll be finishing it with an explosive finale.” He finishes as his glow from hazel green to a shiny blue light. He takes a deep breath as bolts of electricity start surrounding him as the Samuroid goes into an offensive stance, in a momentary flash of light, Wally disappears and reappears on its left, throwing a harsh left hook charged with electricity at its head.
“Strike one.” Wally says before immediately disappearing and reappearing once more behind it and hurls a charged kick at the back of its neck, it’s thrown forward, twitching even more with small sparks popping around and its mask off and revealing its weak spot. “Strike two.”
It takes a few steps back as it turns around to see him vanish once more. It stands perfectly still, waiting for its moment as it uses both hands to hold onto the katana tightly, causing the blade to glow again. Wally materializes on its right and tries again to throw another jab, but it throws a charged defensive slash, forcing Wally to step back and block the blowback with both of his arms. He takes in a breath as he tries shrugging off the gashes on the back of his wrists from the shockwave.
“Ooooh, that’s gotta hurt!” Trickster Jr comments.
“Shit!” Wally mutters. He attempts to throw a storm of punches, to which the Samuroid seems to have caught on and counters every hit with it’s blade. He attempts to throw one final strike, but it catches his final punch, grabbing his fist and using all of its energy to throw him at one of the posts. Wally hits it with a harsh smack, seemingly able to, if barely move and fighting the ability to stay conscious. He gets back up, wincing as he can feel the bruises in his back and knuckles start to immediately heal.
“Come on Kid Flash. All bark, no bite, all talk, no trick.”
Wally's eyes glow for a second before he blinks and hurls himself directly at it. The Samuroid with a perfect speed counters his hit with the end of its hilt and turns the blade to stab him in the chest.
“Oh ho wow! Looks like we got a superhero casualty first people! The Kid Flash falls to the blade of the Samuroid!” Trickster exclaims as the audience cheers. He gets in the ring clapping his hands. “Bold and Brash, I like it! Too bad though, not for me. But hey! I’m getting several sponsors for this. Guess you’ll be joining the other gu-” He stops as he gets closer, noticing the body shaking; no, not shaking, vibrating, as it disappears. The Samuroid tilts its head in confusion while the audience mumbles in confusion.
“Strike Three,” Trickster and the Samuroid turn behind them as Wally stands there, white hot glowing ball of chaotic electricity is held in his right hand. “You’re out.”
“Oh shit!” Trickster yells out as he jumps out of the way before Wally flicks his finger, releasing the energy directly at the Samuroid’s head. It tries to block it, but it’s too late as at an instant, it falls down on its knees, its head missing and chest almost split in two. He beat it. The audience begins to run out in waves, but apparently not in time as Wally begins to hear sirens close by. He takes in a deep breath as he sees Trickster Jr. freaking out.
“That-That Samuroid was a rental! Do you know how much money I’m gonna have to waste to reimburse it?!”
Wally can only roll his eyes before he grabs Trickster and ties him at one of the posts. “Hey, now you know what to do with that revenue. Now I’d hate to fight and run, but I got a date I’m late for, and I’d rather not miss it soooo.” In an instant he’s gone.
-
Linda waits at the lobby of 52 news; ‘The best channel that gives the most important news for 52 weeks a year.’ Or that’s what the motto she’s heard a thousand times says. She doubts it given recent events with her boss. She sighs as she checks the time once again.
‘6:00 pm.’ She reads off her phone.
“Come on Wally. Where the hell are yo-” As she’s muttering, she notices him running to the building. As he stops, she notices the way he’s dressed, almost like he’s prepped for a last minute dressup for the prom, bowtie and everything.
“Hey.” He says, before taking a few breaths, “Sorry I took so long, m-my alarm broke again and my roommate decided to leave early and-and.”
Linda can’t help but smile while rolling her eyes. “Well now, I think the being late-part is the least of my worries.” She points to his outfit. “You do remember we’re just going to the park, right?”
Wally looks down, finally noticing how he’s bizarrely dressed for something as mundane as the freaking park. “We-Well, I guess it’s been awhile since I last went out with someone.” He says with an awkward smile.
They both stare at each other before they start lightly laughing at how weird this first date has already started.
“Well for second dates, this one is a contender for one way to start one.”
Wally scoffs. “You’re counting our weird meetup?”
“Beats the alternative.” Linda muses.
“Which is?”
“A night of drinking with a weirdo named Wallace.”
“It’s Wally.”
“Not how I remembered it.” She counters, putting her arm around his, to which Wally winces, trying to hide the pain from the earlier fight. Linda notices, but decides that’ll be a problem to figure out later. They walk through the city.
“You’re gonna love what they’re having over there.” Wally says.
As they arrive, she spots several teens running in costumes of the Rogues while being hounded by a younger girl dressed in a Flash onesie, laughing playfully. Her eyes widen as she looks to see the full Flash festival. Full of people wearing all types of Flash memorabilia
“I… know you’re not the biggest fan of the Flash, but I thought maybe you’d be down to have a fun night if nothing else. Plus, it’d help give you a lay of what Keystone is really like.” He gets a bit more nervous as Linda stays silent. “If you want, we can just leave-”
“No!” she yelps, slightly spooking Wally. “I-I mean, I’d like to get a further look into the festival, I mean, it has been a few weeks since I’ve been here. So, where do we start?” She asks, giving him that unique look that makes Wally’s cheeks go red.
“Well, let’s start with one of my personal favorites. The Pinball Wizard machine!” He says enthusiastically as he grabs her by the hand and takes her to the blue festival tent that was an arcade which contained several machines based on several villains that were fought by speedsters she assumes.
“Now THIS is one I’ve been wanting to play again for a long long time.” Wally says with a devious smile, Linda sees the machine he’s talking about, a pinball machine that has the Flash and Green Arrow, fighting against some guy dressed in red pajamas with yellow stars and moons plattered all over him.
“This?” she asks, balking at the idea of starting their date with a pinball machine of some weirdo.
Wally doesn’t hear her though as he starts playing it, but within seconds, he immediately fails. Wally clicks his tongue in frustration before trying again, which he again fails. He tries one more time, while whispering, “Third time’s a charm.” which results in another failure. He sighs. He looks back to see Linda looking somewhat bemused by his focus on a pinball machine.
“Sorry, it’s just something that me and Ba-” He cuts himself off, clearly melancholic about something or someone. “Me and someone I knew used to do when I was younger. Even when I didn’t sucked, I never forgot having fun.”
Linda looks at him, it’s the first time she’s seen him look vulnerable, she looks back at the pinball machine before taking a deep breath. “So how does this game work then?” She asks, getting to the machine and trying to start it. She looks back to see Wally looking shocked at what she’s asked.
“I don’t…”
“Well you dragged me here for this pinball game, might as well get my shot at it no?” She says in a way that sounded like she was wanting to beat this game.
Wally doesn’t know what to say, “Um…” He tries his best to shake it off before going to her to explain the instructions. “Okay, so you need to keep the ball up and out of the bottom using the flippers, and have them hit these targets, the more you hit them, the more points you get, until you get the highest score in the game.”
Linda’s silent for a moment, taking in everything he’s said.
“Again, you don’t have to-”
“No I don’t, but I’m going to cause now I see a challenge, and I’ll be damned before I lose to something as simple as a freaking pinball machine.” She finishes, with a fierce expression that Wally hasn’t seen before, one that as far he could see could rival Batman’s from the few experiences he’s had with the guy.
As the game starts, Linda immediately gets 100 points by hitting the switches several times, which in turn bounce off the buttons. Within half a minute, she’s already pushing to 1200 points, Wally can’t believe it, she’s already got a higher score than what Barry, Iris, even Hal had. He begins to realize that he’s been truly underestimating this woman. A minute passes before the ball finally goes past the flippers and the game ends with her score being 54300 points.
“Damn, I didn’t get first place.” She sighs.
“Woah.” Wally says, astonished. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who could score that on the Pinball Wizard machine.”
“Well I aim to please.” She remarks. “So what else do you have for us to do?”
Hours pass as they navigate the festival, going to a ferris wheel based on Starro, a photo stand-in of Justice League Antarctica, and a walk in the haunted House of Secrets; which they tried getting passed through as quickly as possible due to how much it freaked them both out. As they head out of the festival, grabbing their souvenirs of pictures and a Flash Fox plush. Linda is the one to finally break the calmness.
“I can’t lie, that was pretty fun.” She reflects.
“I told you you’d have a fun night. Though to be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be this chaotic.”
She raises a brow with a smile. “This is coming from the guy dressed in a two piece suit for a carnival trip?”
Wally tries to retort, but realizes she has a point. But they stop as they hear the fireworks above them, which they look up and watch together. He almost didn’t notice Linda holding herself close to him but the pain from earlier helped to make him realize and reminded him to get some rest as soon as he gets home.
“Soooo, what’d you think?” He asks.
“As far as second dates go, I’d definitely put it in the top three. Maybe top one if I’m feeling generous tonight.”
“Well, we could just try again next week, maybe go through one of those pristine restaura-” He’s cut off by Linda kissing him on his left cheek.
“I’m just messing with you, you dork. It was fun.”
Wally suddenly can hear his heart beating very intensely, his hands getting sweaty and his cheeks going incredibly red.
Linda can only roll her eyes in response while adding, “Geez, if I knew a simple kiss like that was going to make you that nervous, I would’ve just-”
She’s cut off as well as Wally grabs her by the shoulders and plants his lips onto hers, kissing her. She’s shocked initially but starts to reciprocate as it goes on. It feels like hours could pass and nothing could stop their love. But they are cut off by the final boom of the last of the fireworks going off. As they separate, they look back at each other, both red in the face by what just happened.
“Uh-Uhm, wha-what’d you think of that?” Wally retorts, attempting to swerve the conversation.
Linda just smiles, she smiles in a way that makes him feel comfort.
“I guess I stand corrected.”
Nothing else as intense happens as Wally takes her back to the front door of the lobby of her apartment.
“So, I’ll see you soon?” He asks.
She nods. “Obviously after that, there’s no doubt. But I’m picking the place next time!” She adds before waving him goodbye and heading into her apartment. As she sets everything she got from the festival down, she turns on the tv, which shows channel 52 talking about Kid Flash fighting and taking down the Trickster Jr’s internet showdown show. As well as showing footage of Kid Flash fighting the Samuroid. She starts to think about the pain he expressed that she noticed earlier when she got close to him, as well as the mention of someone that Wally knew that presumably had passed that name had started with a B A. She decided to open her laptop and do some research.
“Who are you Wally?...”
-
Wally opens the door to his apartment; he notices the tv being on and showing the recent report of Trickster Jr’s defeat thanks to him, followed by the kitchen lights being on. He shrugs it off, assuming it to be Hartley getting a late night snack. He takes off his jacket and his clip-on bow tie before throwing them onto the arm of the couch and heading into the kitchen.
“Hey, sorry I took so long, I got a little caught up with Linda.” He says while going through the cupboard and pulling out a box of donuts. “You wouldn’t believe how good she was with the pinball machine, it was crazy.” He adds while scarfing down two donuts in less than a second.
“So that’s what’s been bothering you, huh?” An old voice responds, one that’s nothing that Hartley sounds like, but is one he recognizes. He closes the cupboard door and sees Jay, sitting at the dining table. He’s dressed in civilian garb; however his classic helmet sits on the table alongside a cup of oj, Jay’s favorite.
“Jay! W-What are you doing here?” Wally asks, slightly shocked.
“I’ve been meaning to check out how things have been back home since I had to take over Barry’s spot on the league.” Jay replies, running his index finger across the rim of his glass of oj.
Wally nods his head in affirmation. “Well, things have been normal, a few new bad guys decided to show up and be a pain, had to deal with a robbery and an evil influencer, same old same old.”
“Right. So who’s this ‘Linda’ you’ve been talking about?” Jay asks, “I assume she’s that new reporter I’ve been seeing on the news, but I’m curious to hear from you.”
“Oh, she-she’s nobody important. Ju-Just someone I met last week at Chyre’s. Well, okay, actually I-I met her after beating another Mirror Master, she gave an interview that sucked and apparently everyone else hated. But, when you get to know her she’s uh… kinda cool.” Wally’s silent for a bit, remembering the last couple hours.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, she’s pretty cool if you ask me.”
“That… That’s good to hear.” Jay’s silent for a bit, trying to remind himself of why he’s here.
“Listen, as you know, next week’s the opening day for the opening of the Flash museum.” He stops himself, contemplating whether now was the time before he shakes it off. “I’m thinking of retiring.”
“...Wait, what? You’re retiring” Wally lets out, “Why?”
Jay looks at the ground. “Kiddo, I’m getting old, but these criminals and supervillains, they’re getting younger and stronger.” He immediately puts his hand out to reassure him. “Don’t worry though, it won’t be immediate, I’ll have to convene with the League before it’ll be finalized. But yeah, I’ll be hanging up the ol’ helmet.”
Wally blinks at his response. “B-But somebody’s gotta be the Flash…”
“I know, kid.” Jay stops as he gets up and pulls a ring from his pocket, one that he recognizes. “That’s why I wanted to give you this.”
He hands Wally the ring as he opens his palm to look at it. It’s a silver ring with the head resembling the Flash symbol. He takes off his old ring he already had and sets it on the counter before putting on the new one. He presses the button and a suit pops out, within a flash of a second, he puts it on. He looks at himself from the mirror of the dining room, dressed in crimson and mahogany red fabrics with lines of silver decorated across his suit.
“Wh-When did-” Wally stammers, stunned at the suit. “How?” He finally lets out.
“Barry made it before he… passed. It was gonna be your birthday gift, but after what happened, I knew you needed time, I just wasn’t sure when.” Jay says as he puts his hands in his pockets. “Now, I think I know.”
Wally can feel tears starting to form and fall as he’s reminded of the days when he and Barry would bicker, with him asking when he would become the Flash and being either taken off track by the fight or told that “Iris would have his head if he even considered it.” He knew he was joking, and knew he had always dreamed of it since he was a kid, and that one day he’d be ready; the question was always… When? He wipes away his tears and turns back to Jay.
“Thank you Jay, really.”
Jay smiles but blinks when he hears a beeping as he pulls his sleeve up to show his watch, which blinked as it showed an alert.
“Looks like it’s time for me to go.” He finishes the glass of oj, grabs his helmet and puts it on, of which in a blip, he transforms into his classic superhero outfit. “Take care of yourself kid, okay?”
Wally nods in affirmation as Jay zips out of the apartment. He presses the button on the ring as he transforms back into his regular clothes and puts the suit back into the ring. He hears the ringing of his phone as he pulls it up and sees a text from Linda. ‘I know the truth’ followed by ‘meet me near the river tomorrow at sundown’ and finished by ‘please don’t lie’ before she stopped texting. He tries to ask her but she doesn’t respond and just leaves him on read.
-
Wally walks through the riverside, going along the trail as he sees Linda, sitting on the roots of a tree close by, dressed in what he assumes is her casual wear. He walks up to her, not immediately noticing him before he pipes up.
“Hey.” Wally greets.
She looks up from her phone. “Hey.” she responds neutrally, almost in a manner that felt… distant to him.
“Soooo, you wanted to talk, right?” He asks, trying his best to soften any blow she tries to hurl at him.
“Yeah, let's.” She turns off her phone and puts it in her back pocket before standing up to Wally. “I know you’re Kid Flash. Now, before you ask, no I’m not telling anyone else. But you need to be honest with me.”
Wally sighs before he puts his hands up in defeat. “Alright, where do you wanna start?”
“How about the beginning?”
Wally sighs as he takes a breath. “Fair warning, it ain’t pretty.” He warns, to which Linda nods in dismissal. “Ever since I was a kid, I always loved the Flash, and I mean my mom would love to show you the amount of Flash stuff I owned-”
“Please, back to the story.” Linda cut off, trying to be patient with him.
“Right, one day, my aunt Iris introduced me to her boyfriend, Barry Allen. I thought he was a bit of a weirdo. But he seemed nice, he showed me around his lab, trying to impress me since we couldn’t go out during a thunderstorm. But during this, there was an attack at the lab involving some weirdo named Computron, who tried to get revenge on Barry, he tried to hide me, but I got out and went to get a peek. That’s when I saw him, the Flash, knocked out and looked like he was about to die. I did my best to get him off of the Flash, but he threw me onto some chemicals nearby, and as I tried to get up, I got struck by lightning.”
“A week later, I woke up finding out I had speed powers, which I tried to have some fun, grabbing snacks, running across the ocean, all the fun stuff you could think of at thirteen. But of course Barry found out and revealed to me his secret, that he was the Flash and offered me a spot as his sidekick. I was of course ecstatic, I get to fight alongside the greatest superhero ever, how could I say no?” Along the way, I met the Justice League, formed a group of likeminded kids and became the Titans, which I came up with by the way; and life was great!” Wally says as his lips tighten, reluctant to continue.
“And then?” She asks.
“And then nine months ago, Barry and I got into a fight about some dumb thing involving me not wantng to keep going. I didn’t want to keep wearing myself down, Barry wanted to help, but I was too stubborn to listen. Then he… he went on a mission with the League, and…” He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before finishing. “He died. He… gave his life, his everything to save everyone. I wish my last talk wasn’t for something so stupid.” Wally looks at the ground, his eyes sullen and filled with remorse.
“You kept going though.”
“How could I not?” Wally adds. “The world needed Flashes more than ever. Despite everything sucking, I had to keep going.”
“So what changed?” Linda asks
Wally looks up. “You did. You make it worth it.”
Linda looks at him stunned. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not at all, I mean… I never met anyone like you, someone who didn’t care about the Flash, but cared about me for me. Wh-Who isn’t afraid to confront anything or anyone, who brought up her boss’ ugly goatee, who overacheives at a game despite thinking it’s dumb.”
“It was dumb, but fun.” She adds.
“See that, you being you is what makes it worth it. I like you Linda Park, maybe way too much, but I like you.”
Linda looks around, trying to find the right words to say, she knew he meant it, but she needed space and time. She grabbed her purse from nearby and got ready to depart before turning.
“Give me time, I’ll-I’ll let you know when I’m ready to talk to you again. Okay?” She starts to walk out.
“The opening for the museum is on tuesday!” He yells out, causing her to stop and look back. “If you’re down to visit for an interview. Which I’d appreciate.”
She smiles and softly nods. “I’ll think about it, thank you.” before heading out.
Wally lets out a sigh and pulls his hand back up to look at the ring Jay gave him, the ring that Barry made for him, the ring that told him “He was the Flash” now.
-
Wally stands behind the curtain, dressed in his new outfit and feeling nervous despite not being in front of the cameras.
“You seem tense.” Hartley.
“Yeah, sorry.” Wally shakes off, “It’s just, I never thought a day like this would come.”
Hartley simpers in response. “Well to be fair, the plan was started six months ag-”
“Not what I meant.” Wally interrupts as he looks down and directs both hands at himself. “I mean this, I never thought it would be so soon. It’s ironic, despite everything, I don’t know what to do.”
Hartley sighs, putting his hands on his shoulder. “Don’t know if this helps much, but I’ve known you long enough to get that despite the odds being absurdly stacked against you. You’ll figure it out man, you’ve gone long enough to show me that.”
Wally looks up and smiles.
“Speaking of showing up…” He comments as he opens the curtains a smidge. “I don’t see a Linda Park. Think she’ll show up?”
“She’ll let me know, I trust her well enough to do that.” Wally starts straightening up and putting himself together as he notices the time. “But for now, now it's time.”
He walks out of the curtains onto a large crowd of people, some he recognizes like the mayor and the captain, followed by dozens of people he doesn’t recognize, like reporters and the like.
“Uh, good afternoon everyone. It-It’s been a while since I’ve faced cameras like this.” He starts with a pause, looking back at the notecard in his hand until he decides to do something different, something brash, something… like him. “I’m not a speech person, never was to be honest, probably why I never was a leader on the Titans. But what I am is someone that always wanted to be like Barry Allen, someone who always seemed like he had everything figured out and that nothing could slow him down. Which made me having to put this suit on so, so much more difficult. But one day, I realized it wasn’t, one day I realized I didn’t need to be like Barry Allen, I don’t need to be like Jay Garrick, just doing my best as me is what matters. And that’s what I’m proud to show.” He puts his hands on both sides of the podium.
“I come here not to remind everyone of Barry Allen, but of the impact the Flash meant to everyone in Keystone and in Central City. So I’m proud to be working with Rathaway Industries and the mayors of both cities to present The Flash Museum.” He finishes as everyone starts clapping and cheering. He walks off the stage, greeting both of the mayors while taking several glances at the reporters hoping to see her, but is unsuccessful.
He fails to notice Hartley giving him a side hug. “Dude that was way better than I was hoping for! Thought that up on the fly? Maybe you should do more speeches.”
“Yeah, that’s never happening.” Wally responds while laughing softly. “If you need me, I’ll be over near the superhero and sidekick statue.” He finishes as he waves off Hartley and zips past several visitors to stop at the now finished statues he saw before of him and Barry, with a plaque on the bottom reading.
“Flash and Kid Flash, The Fastest Duo to have impacted both cities.”
“A bit lame, but kinda sweet.” He hears from beside him, he turns to see Linda, dressed in her typical reporter attire.
“Hi.” He says with a slight smile.
“Hey.” Linda responds, smiling back.
“Good to see you.”
“You too.”
It’s a bit of an awkward silence for a couple moments before Wally takes in a breath. “Soooo, are we good now?”
“Yeah, I think we’re good now.” She follows it with a coy smile. “However, I think I deserve a little bit more if that’s all right with you?”
Wally raises his brow in confusion. “Liiiiiike?”
“An interview, a proper one this time. Don’t worry, I won’t be an ass this time.”
“What a shame, I kinda like that though.” He comments as they both share a laugh and walk together through the museum.
This image was taken down a track known as the Fisherman's Trail near Whale Beach on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. We arrived at 5am feeling optimistic but the clouds seemed a bit thin. I found it hard to get a really satisfying composition and the light was tricky.
I have learned that shooting into the sun can be very problematic - but I was Far Out desperate for an image. Right near the end of the shoot I found this composition and just wanted to Nail It - l liked how it had the potential to pull the eye right but then back to the left for the sunrise.
After a few exposure combos and the clouds showing some great but fleeting colour I pulled out my B&H ten stopper and slipped on a 1.2 soft grad (thanks Don) and I broke my rule and shot into the sun.
Really pleased with how this turned out - in processing I actually under saturated the sunrise colours to make it a bit more my style.
I am an amateur photographer based in Sydney who loves, exploring and shooting sea and landscapes in different areas in the company of good mates. This image is for JW a professional mentor - I am and always will be grateful.
GOVERNOR TOMBLIN DELIVERS
FAREWELL ADDRESS TO STATE LEGISLATURE
CHARLESTON, W.VA. (January 11, 2017)-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today
delivered his farewell address to the West Virginia Legislature in the House Chamber at the State Capitol Complex after serving six years as governor and a total of 42 years in public service in the Mountain State.
Information on Gov. Tomblin's accomplishments during his six-year
administration can be found here.
See below for the speech as prepared for delivery:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the Board of Public Works, justices of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, members of the Legislature, distinguished guests, and my fellow West Virginians, I stand before you today, after six years in the Governor's office and 42 years in this grand statehouse, with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection and an equally profound hope for West Virginia's future.
Public service has anchored my life's work-from a young 22-year-old in this very House chamber, to a desk across the hall in the State Senate, the Senate President's podium for 17 years and now as your 35th Governor.
It has been the greatest honor-and the greatest reward-to serve the people of this state that we all love. Together, we have put West Virginia first and moved our state forward-even in the midst of tough times, including far-reaching economic shifts, budgetary challenges and historic natural disasters.
West Virginians are strongest in the toughest times. We come together. We lift each other up. And we don't just hope for a better future; we fight for it.
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION & JOB CREATION
Working hard is exactly what we've done over the past six years to create new economic opportunities for the Mountain State.
We have all seen the dramatic impact of the coal industry's decline in our state. We've seen thousands of jobs lost. Families and communities struggling. People beginning to lose hope.
But I believe in-and have fought to reach-the light around the corner.
Shortly after becoming Governor, I pledged to go anywhere and meet with anyone to grow our state's economy. Across West Virginia, the country and the globe, we have succeeded.
Last year, global giant Procter & Gamble announced it would build its first U.S. manufacturing facility since the 1970s right here in West Virginia in the Eastern Panhandle. This will ultimately be a half-billion dollar investment in the Mountain State and result in hundreds of new jobs.
P&G chose our state after an exhaustive search of many others. And as numerous companies have discovered, I know they will find it to be the best decision they've ever made.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has expanded continuously-nine times, in fact.
Today, Toyota employs more than 1,600 people. And the company has invested $1.4 billion since 1996.
Manufacturing jobs, like those at P&G in Martinsburg and Toyota in Buffalo, will be among the most critical to our state's economic future.
In my time as your Governor, I have fought for jobs like these and many more. From Amazon in Huntington and Macy's in Berkeley County, to Bombardier Aerospace manufacturing in Harrison County-which just in November announced an expansion of 150 jobs.
Companies are finding that when they invest in West Virginia, it pays off.
In fact, since 2011, West Virginia has seen more than $15 billion in new investments, spanning 275 projects. We have welcomed more than 60 new companies and secured 215 competitive expansion projects.
Over the past six years, investment projects have reached 22 industries and provided West Virginians with more than 12,000 good-paying jobs.
Right here in the Kanawha Valley, we have one of the best examples of that remarkable progress.
Gestamp has grown beyond the bounds of any of our expectations. Since opening in 2013, Gestamp has tripled production and more than doubled its workforce, now employing nearly 900 West Virginians.
I know that one of the fundamental reasons behind their growth has been our ability to transform workforce training in West Virginia for the better.
STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE TRAINING & EDUCATION
For example, the Learn and Earn program which we launched in 2012, gives our community and technical college students classroom instruction and hands-on work experience simultaneously. These students earn a competitive salary while giving employers a cost-effective way to recruit and train new employees.
Joe Atha is one of these students. A former coal miner, Joe is now a student at BridgeValley Community and Technical College where he is also supporting his family by earning a wage through the Learn and Earn program at Gestamp.
Joe is here today with his wife, Rita. Please stand to be recognized... along with Dr. Sarah Tucker, Chancellor of our Community and Technical College System.
Through forward-thinking programs like this, we can make a real, lasting difference for West Virginians.
That's why I personally convened the West Virginia Workforce Planning Council, which has helped us break down bureaucratic silos and better align classroom learning with the workforce needs of our businesses and industries.
We've even started that process in high schools through the Simulated Workplace program.
Today, our career technical education classrooms have been transformed into businesses. Medical classes are now clinics. Hospitality programs are now catering businesses and restaurants.
And instead of just going to a welding or carpentry class, our students are now part of a construction company, complete with job foremen and safety inspectors.
Just last month, we celebrated a heartwarming moment as a result of the hard work of more than 2,000 of these students from 12 high schools across the state.
Together with the Department of Education's Career Technical Education division, the West Virginia National Guard and our Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, we presented keys to tiny homes that were designed and built by these students for survivors of the historic floods that hit our state last June.
REBUILDING FROM NATURAL DISASTERS
Time and again, in the aftermath of this tragic flooding we have seen the selflessness of West Virginians make a difference for one another.
The "Big Hearts Give Tiny Homes" project was a shining example of that West Virginia spirit-one that made an overwhelming difference for 15 families impacted by the flooding, including Brenda Rivers from Nicholas County, whose home was a total loss in the flooding. Brenda now lives in a new tiny home built by students, including Chance Ballard from Spring Valley High School in Wayne County.
Please join me in welcoming Brenda and Chance ... along with Dr. Kathy D'Antoni ... whose visionary leadership at the Department of Education has made Simulated Workplace the success it is today.
Working hand-in-hand with the federal government and local officials, our immediate response to the flooding was quick and effective. We were able to expedite federal assistance to our communities and families in need. And over the past seven months, we have been able to shift our focus to long-term recovery.
Through a public-private approach, we launched the RISE West Virginia program, which in total has provided nearly $2 million to 230 small businesses in the flood-impacted counties-funding that is helping them reopen or continue operations and keep fueling our local economies.
I would like to thank, once again, West Virginia native and champion Brad Smith-the CEO of Intuit, one of the world's leading financial software companies-and his wife Alys for their family donation of $500,000, which gave the RISE program its first, needed boost.
West Virginia has experienced more than its share of disasters during my time as your Governor-this historic flooding, the Derecho, Hurricane Sandy, Winter Storms Thor and Jonas and the water crisis.
Through it all, we have grown stronger, we have improved our emergency response capabilities and we have strengthened public safety.
Adversity demands resilience. That's what we have shown in these challenges and many more-including one of the most trying epidemics I believe the Mountain State has ever faced-with the sharp rise in substance abuse and addiction.
FIGHTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE
That's why in 2011, I issued an Executive Order to create the Governor's Advisory Council on Substance Abuse, made up of representatives of substance abuse prevention, behavioral medicine, law enforcement, child and adolescent psychology, the legal system, residential treatment facilities, the public school system, the faith community and health care.
My vision for this Council was a community-driven, ground-up approach to tackling this epidemic. Through community-based task forces in six regions across the state, we have made significant progress and enacted life-saving reforms.
We now look at substance abuse as an illness-not a crime.
We have decreased the number of meth labs across the state as the result of making it more difficult to obtain pseudoephedrine.
We have expanded access to the life-saving drug Narcan to first responders and family members of those struggling with addiction. Last year alone, hundreds of lives were saved as a result.
We have substance abuse prevention services in all 55 counties. We have expanded and improved community-based treatment options and recovery services. Across the state, we have 188 crisis detox beds in residential treatment facilities with more sites under development.
We have 118 beds designated for youth and postpartum treatment as well as short-term and long-term residential treatment. And we have over 1,000 beds for those seeking help and support through peer and provider recovery homes and facilities.
We are working closely with our prisons and correctional facilities to ensure all West Virginians are provided access to substance abuse rehabilitation.
In fact, the Division of Corrections operates nine residential substance abuse treatment units in correctional centers across the state and we have expanded this model to our regional jail facilities as well.
And-through Justice Reinvestment-we have successfully worked to address substance abuse, which is the root cause of many crimes.
Because of that work, we have expanded drug courts, substance abuse counseling and greater supervision after release.
And ultimately, we have better controlled incarceration rates, which prevented our state from having to build a new $200 million prison that was projected to be needed because of our previous rising prison population.
Just this week, we announced the news that West Virginia reached settlements with two additional drug wholesalers totaling $36 million, which resolves allegations by our state regarding the distribution of controlled substances in West Virginia.
This brings the total amount of drug settlement money paid to our state by drug wholesalers to $47 million, which will expand our efforts even further for more law enforcement diversion options, more treatment recovery services and many more efforts to fight this epidemic.
I am also deeply proud of the work we have done in creating the state's first 24-hour substance abuse call line, 844-HELP-4-WV, which has received nearly 8,500 calls since it launched in September 2015.
The help line provides referral support for those seeking help and recovery services. It's an opportunity for people who are struggling to talk with someone who cares, get connected to treatment options and begin the road to recovery.
No caller is ever placed on hold and they are immediately connected with treatment staff representing the best and most appropriate treatment options for them.
Administered by First Choice Health Systems of West Virginia, the help line is staffed by certified professionals, many who have overcome addiction themselves and want to help others turn their lives around as well.
One young gentleman I met did just that because he picked up the phone.
A.J. Walker, a recovering alcoholic and addict, was given the help line number by his brother.
A.J. said when he called, he was treated like a person-not like a drug addict-and he found hope. They got him into a detox facility and into recovery, and the help line staff called and checked in on him every step of the way.
Today, A.J. is employed by the treatment facility that helped him and he's in school studying to become a substance abuse counselor.
A.J. is here today with his brother, Andrew, and Vickie Jones ... Commissioner of our Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities.
A.J. we are so proud of you. And today ... you are giving hope to so many.
When I hear stories like A.J.'s, I am incredibly optimistic for West Virginia's future. With economic changes, job losses and families struggling, we have to seize every opportunity before us to become stronger as individuals and as a state.
One such opportunity lies in Boone and Lincoln Counties, where I believe we have the chance to revitalize Southern West Virginia and make the Mountain State stronger.
EMBRACING THE FUTURE
It was here in this chamber, one year ago during my State of the State Address, where I announced plans for the largest development project in West Virginia's history at the former Hobet surface mine site.
Since last year at this time, we have worked every day and we have made tremendous progress on this project, which is now known as Rock Creek Development Park.
We have worked with local landowners, who are generously donating land that will result in more than 12,000 developable acres for Rock Creek, which is the size of the city of Huntington.
The West Virginia National Guard-Rock Creek's first tenant-is on the ground with newly-expanded operations for maintenance work and training.
And we have a long-term strategic plan now in place, which looks at demographics and market trends to help us identify the best investment opportunities for Rock Creek.
For generations, our coal miners, workers and their families have kept West Virginia strong. Now, it's our turn to help them.
By realizing the full potential of Rock Creek Development Park for job creation and economic diversification, we can build up a region of our state hard hit by the downturn in the coal industry.
My vision for Rock Creek started many years ago as I rode my four-wheeler around the hills of Southern West Virginia and saw the possibilities that such an enormous site-with such a great amount of flat land-could have.
Embracing opportunities like this takes careful thought and planning, and this public-private project will require some investment by the state. But I believe wholeheartedly that the returns will vastly exceed our investment.
That isn't something I say lightly.
Throughout my 42 years in public service, fiscal responsibility has been at the heart of every project I've undertaken, every policy I've fought for and every decision I've made.
GOVERNING RESPONSIBLY
As a result of much hard work, over the years we have decreased taxes, embraced responsible spending, made great progress toward paying off the state's unfunded liabilities and controlled growth of the state's budget.
We have realized milestone tax reforms, including progressive elimination of the food tax, saving West Virginians $162 million each year.
We have gradually eliminated the state's business franchise tax and decreased the corporate net income tax-changes that make West Virginia more attractive for business investments.
As a result of responsible reforms, last year the National Council on Compensation Insurance filed the 12th reduction in workers' compensation premiums in 12 years. And West Virginia employers have seen a savings of more than $352 million since we privatized the program in 2006.
We addressed our Other Post Employment Benefits by dedicating $30 million annually to pay off the $5 billion unfunded liability, which was caused by previous promises that became too expensive to maintain.
As I did last year, I present to you today a budget that is balanced, but a budget that requires difficult decisions and thinking about the next generation rather than the next election.
I continue to be proud of the fiscal responsibility we have shown not just for the past six years, but over the last generation. Our commitment to paying down our long-term liabilities has not wavered and we have responsibly reduced taxes on both our employers and our employees.
Because of our improved fiscal policies, we have been able to refinance bonds that pay for schools, water and sewer lines, college campus improvements and roads to save more than $100 million in the past six years.
So when people ask me why I'm so concerned with maintaining our Rainy Day Fund and our bond rating, that's why. It means more schools, more roads and more homes with clean water.
As part of tough decisions during tough economic times, we have cut more than $600 million from our budget in the past five years. While we all continue to hope that the coal industry will rebound, that hasn't happened quickly and it likely won't ever return to the levels that we once saw.
We continue to work to diversify our economy and I know the improvements we've made will pay long-term dividends in job growth and investment.
But we're not there yet, and part of being fiscally responsible means making sure that we can pay our bills without taking the Rainy Day Fund to dangerously low levels or cutting services to the point where we cannot care for our people or educate our students.
Therefore, the budget I present to you today includes a 1 percent increase in the consumer sales tax to raise $200 million and elimination of the current sales tax exemption on telecommunications services-a move that would make our system the same as 80 percent of the country.
I understand these taxes will not be easy, but asking people to pay a few dollars more now is a far better choice than seeing PEIA cards not accepted by medical providers or going back to the days when we couldn't finance school and road improvements, or even pay the gas bill at the Governor's Mansion.
I urge you to consider these responsible actions to balance the budget until the brighter economic picture that we all expect comes into focus.
CLOSING
I believe the thing that compelled each of us to public service is our love for West Virginia. And that is the very thing that should compel us to work together.
When I became your Governor, I said that we must put West Virginia first.
That's what we have done. And I encourage you to continue working together out of that deep devotion to our beloved state-in the coming year and beyond.
I am proud of the work that we have accomplished. I look forward to the leadership of Governor-elect Jim Justice and I thank all of you who have worked with me over the years.
I thank my cabinet members and agency directors. And I thank my dedicated staff members who have worked every day-not for me, but for the people of West Virginia.
It has been the honor of my life to be your Governor-to be West Virginia's Governor. Joanne and I thank the people of West Virginia for your abiding trust, counsel and support.
And we look forward-with the greatest hope and optimism-to an even stronger West Virginia.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the great state of West Virginia.
###
Photos available for media use. All photos should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”
GOVERNOR TOMBLIN DELIVERS
FAREWELL ADDRESS TO STATE LEGISLATURE
CHARLESTON, W.VA. (January 11, 2017)-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today
delivered his farewell address to the West Virginia Legislature in the House Chamber at the State Capitol Complex after serving six years as governor and a total of 42 years in public service in the Mountain State.
Information on Gov. Tomblin's accomplishments during his six-year
administration can be found here.
See below for the speech as prepared for delivery:
Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the Board of Public Works, justices of
the Supreme Court of Appeals, members of the Legislature, distinguished guests, and my fellow West Virginians, I stand before you today, after six years in the Governor's office and 42 years in this grand statehouse, with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection and an equally profound hope for West Virginia's future.
Public service has anchored my life's work-from a young 22-year-old in this very House chamber, to a desk across the hall in the State Senate, the Senate President's podium for 17 years and now as your 35th Governor.
It has been the greatest honor-and the greatest reward-to serve the people of this state that we all love. Together, we have put West Virginia first and moved our state forward-even in the midst of tough times, including far-reaching economic shifts, budgetary challenges and historic natural disasters.
West Virginians are strongest in the toughest times. We come together. We lift each other up. And we don't just hope for a better future; we fight for it.
ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION & JOB CREATION
Working hard is exactly what we've done over the past six years to create new economic opportunities for the Mountain State.
We have all seen the dramatic impact of the coal industry's decline in our state. We've seen thousands of jobs lost. Families and communities struggling. People beginning to lose hope.
But I believe in-and have fought to reach-the light around the corner.
Shortly after becoming Governor, I pledged to go anywhere and meet with anyone to grow our state's economy. Across West Virginia, the country and the globe, we have succeeded.
Last year, global giant Procter & Gamble announced it would build its first U.S. manufacturing facility since the 1970s right here in West Virginia in the Eastern Panhandle. This will ultimately be a half-billion dollar investment in the Mountain State and result in hundreds of new jobs.
P&G chose our state after an exhaustive search of many others. And as numerous companies have discovered, I know they will find it to be the best decision they've ever made.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has expanded continuously-nine times, in fact.
Today, Toyota employs more than 1,600 people. And the company has invested $1.4 billion since 1996.
Manufacturing jobs, like those at P&G in Martinsburg and Toyota in Buffalo, will be among the most critical to our state's economic future.
In my time as your Governor, I have fought for jobs like these and many more. From Amazon in Huntington and Macy's in Berkeley County, to Bombardier Aerospace manufacturing in Harrison County-which just in November announced an expansion of 150 jobs.
Companies are finding that when they invest in West Virginia, it pays off.
In fact, since 2011, West Virginia has seen more than $15 billion in new investments, spanning 275 projects. We have welcomed more than 60 new companies and secured 215 competitive expansion projects.
Over the past six years, investment projects have reached 22 industries and provided West Virginians with more than 12,000 good-paying jobs.
Right here in the Kanawha Valley, we have one of the best examples of that remarkable progress.
Gestamp has grown beyond the bounds of any of our expectations. Since opening in 2013, Gestamp has tripled production and more than doubled its workforce, now employing nearly 900 West Virginians.
I know that one of the fundamental reasons behind their growth has been our ability to transform workforce training in West Virginia for the better.
STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE TRAINING & EDUCATION
For example, the Learn and Earn program which we launched in 2012, gives our community and technical college students classroom instruction and hands-on work experience simultaneously. These students earn a competitive salary while giving employers a cost-effective way to recruit and train new employees.
Joe Atha is one of these students. A former coal miner, Joe is now a student at BridgeValley Community and Technical College where he is also supporting his family by earning a wage through the Learn and Earn program at Gestamp.
Joe is here today with his wife, Rita. Please stand to be recognized... along with Dr. Sarah Tucker, Chancellor of our Community and Technical College System.
Through forward-thinking programs like this, we can make a real, lasting difference for West Virginians.
That's why I personally convened the West Virginia Workforce Planning Council, which has helped us break down bureaucratic silos and better align classroom learning with the workforce needs of our businesses and industries.
We've even started that process in high schools through the Simulated Workplace program.
Today, our career technical education classrooms have been transformed into businesses. Medical classes are now clinics. Hospitality programs are now catering businesses and restaurants.
And instead of just going to a welding or carpentry class, our students are now part of a construction company, complete with job foremen and safety inspectors.
Just last month, we celebrated a heartwarming moment as a result of the hard work of more than 2,000 of these students from 12 high schools across the state.
Together with the Department of Education's Career Technical Education division, the West Virginia National Guard and our Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, we presented keys to tiny homes that were designed and built by these students for survivors of the historic floods that hit our state last June.
REBUILDING FROM NATURAL DISASTERS
Time and again, in the aftermath of this tragic flooding we have seen the selflessness of West Virginians make a difference for one another.
The "Big Hearts Give Tiny Homes" project was a shining example of that West Virginia spirit-one that made an overwhelming difference for 15 families impacted by the flooding, including Brenda Rivers from Nicholas County, whose home was a total loss in the flooding. Brenda now lives in a new tiny home built by students, including Chance Ballard from Spring Valley High School in Wayne County.
Please join me in welcoming Brenda and Chance ... along with Dr. Kathy D'Antoni ... whose visionary leadership at the Department of Education has made Simulated Workplace the success it is today.
Working hand-in-hand with the federal government and local officials, our immediate response to the flooding was quick and effective. We were able to expedite federal assistance to our communities and families in need. And over the past seven months, we have been able to shift our focus to long-term recovery.
Through a public-private approach, we launched the RISE West Virginia program, which in total has provided nearly $2 million to 230 small businesses in the flood-impacted counties-funding that is helping them reopen or continue operations and keep fueling our local economies.
I would like to thank, once again, West Virginia native and champion Brad Smith-the CEO of Intuit, one of the world's leading financial software companies-and his wife Alys for their family donation of $500,000, which gave the RISE program its first, needed boost.
West Virginia has experienced more than its share of disasters during my time as your Governor-this historic flooding, the Derecho, Hurricane Sandy, Winter Storms Thor and Jonas and the water crisis.
Through it all, we have grown stronger, we have improved our emergency response capabilities and we have strengthened public safety.
Adversity demands resilience. That's what we have shown in these challenges and many more-including one of the most trying epidemics I believe the Mountain State has ever faced-with the sharp rise in substance abuse and addiction.
FIGHTING SUBSTANCE ABUSE
That's why in 2011, I issued an Executive Order to create the Governor's Advisory Council on Substance Abuse, made up of representatives of substance abuse prevention, behavioral medicine, law enforcement, child and adolescent psychology, the legal system, residential treatment facilities, the public school system, the faith community and health care.
My vision for this Council was a community-driven, ground-up approach to tackling this epidemic. Through community-based task forces in six regions across the state, we have made significant progress and enacted life-saving reforms.
We now look at substance abuse as an illness-not a crime.
We have decreased the number of meth labs across the state as the result of making it more difficult to obtain pseudoephedrine.
We have expanded access to the life-saving drug Narcan to first responders and family members of those struggling with addiction. Last year alone, hundreds of lives were saved as a result.
We have substance abuse prevention services in all 55 counties. We have expanded and improved community-based treatment options and recovery services. Across the state, we have 188 crisis detox beds in residential treatment facilities with more sites under development.
We have 118 beds designated for youth and postpartum treatment as well as short-term and long-term residential treatment. And we have over 1,000 beds for those seeking help and support through peer and provider recovery homes and facilities.
We are working closely with our prisons and correctional facilities to ensure all West Virginians are provided access to substance abuse rehabilitation.
In fact, the Division of Corrections operates nine residential substance abuse treatment units in correctional centers across the state and we have expanded this model to our regional jail facilities as well.
And-through Justice Reinvestment-we have successfully worked to address substance abuse, which is the root cause of many crimes.
Because of that work, we have expanded drug courts, substance abuse counseling and greater supervision after release.
And ultimately, we have better controlled incarceration rates, which prevented our state from having to build a new $200 million prison that was projected to be needed because of our previous rising prison population.
Just this week, we announced the news that West Virginia reached settlements with two additional drug wholesalers totaling $36 million, which resolves allegations by our state regarding the distribution of controlled substances in West Virginia.
This brings the total amount of drug settlement money paid to our state by drug wholesalers to $47 million, which will expand our efforts even further for more law enforcement diversion options, more treatment recovery services and many more efforts to fight this epidemic.
I am also deeply proud of the work we have done in creating the state's first 24-hour substance abuse call line, 844-HELP-4-WV, which has received nearly 8,500 calls since it launched in September 2015.
The help line provides referral support for those seeking help and recovery services. It's an opportunity for people who are struggling to talk with someone who cares, get connected to treatment options and begin the road to recovery.
No caller is ever placed on hold and they are immediately connected with treatment staff representing the best and most appropriate treatment options for them.
Administered by First Choice Health Systems of West Virginia, the help line is staffed by certified professionals, many who have overcome addiction themselves and want to help others turn their lives around as well.
One young gentleman I met did just that because he picked up the phone.
A.J. Walker, a recovering alcoholic and addict, was given the help line number by his brother.
A.J. said when he called, he was treated like a person-not like a drug addict-and he found hope. They got him into a detox facility and into recovery, and the help line staff called and checked in on him every step of the way.
Today, A.J. is employed by the treatment facility that helped him and he's in school studying to become a substance abuse counselor.
A.J. is here today with his brother, Andrew, and Vickie Jones ... Commissioner of our Bureau of Behavioral Health and Health Facilities.
A.J. we are so proud of you. And today ... you are giving hope to so many.
When I hear stories like A.J.'s, I am incredibly optimistic for West Virginia's future. With economic changes, job losses and families struggling, we have to seize every opportunity before us to become stronger as individuals and as a state.
One such opportunity lies in Boone and Lincoln Counties, where I believe we have the chance to revitalize Southern West Virginia and make the Mountain State stronger.
EMBRACING THE FUTURE
It was here in this chamber, one year ago during my State of the State Address, where I announced plans for the largest development project in West Virginia's history at the former Hobet surface mine site.
Since last year at this time, we have worked every day and we have made tremendous progress on this project, which is now known as Rock Creek Development Park.
We have worked with local landowners, who are generously donating land that will result in more than 12,000 developable acres for Rock Creek, which is the size of the city of Huntington.
The West Virginia National Guard-Rock Creek's first tenant-is on the ground with newly-expanded operations for maintenance work and training.
And we have a long-term strategic plan now in place, which looks at demographics and market trends to help us identify the best investment opportunities for Rock Creek.
For generations, our coal miners, workers and their families have kept West Virginia strong. Now, it's our turn to help them.
By realizing the full potential of Rock Creek Development Park for job creation and economic diversification, we can build up a region of our state hard hit by the downturn in the coal industry.
My vision for Rock Creek started many years ago as I rode my four-wheeler around the hills of Southern West Virginia and saw the possibilities that such an enormous site-with such a great amount of flat land-could have.
Embracing opportunities like this takes careful thought and planning, and this public-private project will require some investment by the state. But I believe wholeheartedly that the returns will vastly exceed our investment.
That isn't something I say lightly.
Throughout my 42 years in public service, fiscal responsibility has been at the heart of every project I've undertaken, every policy I've fought for and every decision I've made.
GOVERNING RESPONSIBLY
As a result of much hard work, over the years we have decreased taxes, embraced responsible spending, made great progress toward paying off the state's unfunded liabilities and controlled growth of the state's budget.
We have realized milestone tax reforms, including progressive elimination of the food tax, saving West Virginians $162 million each year.
We have gradually eliminated the state's business franchise tax and decreased the corporate net income tax-changes that make West Virginia more attractive for business investments.
As a result of responsible reforms, last year the National Council on Compensation Insurance filed the 12th reduction in workers' compensation premiums in 12 years. And West Virginia employers have seen a savings of more than $352 million since we privatized the program in 2006.
We addressed our Other Post Employment Benefits by dedicating $30 million annually to pay off the $5 billion unfunded liability, which was caused by previous promises that became too expensive to maintain.
As I did last year, I present to you today a budget that is balanced, but a budget that requires difficult decisions and thinking about the next generation rather than the next election.
I continue to be proud of the fiscal responsibility we have shown not just for the past six years, but over the last generation. Our commitment to paying down our long-term liabilities has not wavered and we have responsibly reduced taxes on both our employers and our employees.
Because of our improved fiscal policies, we have been able to refinance bonds that pay for schools, water and sewer lines, college campus improvements and roads to save more than $100 million in the past six years.
So when people ask me why I'm so concerned with maintaining our Rainy Day Fund and our bond rating, that's why. It means more schools, more roads and more homes with clean water.
As part of tough decisions during tough economic times, we have cut more than $600 million from our budget in the past five years. While we all continue to hope that the coal industry will rebound, that hasn't happened quickly and it likely won't ever return to the levels that we once saw.
We continue to work to diversify our economy and I know the improvements we've made will pay long-term dividends in job growth and investment.
But we're not there yet, and part of being fiscally responsible means making sure that we can pay our bills without taking the Rainy Day Fund to dangerously low levels or cutting services to the point where we cannot care for our people or educate our students.
Therefore, the budget I present to you today includes a 1 percent increase in the consumer sales tax to raise $200 million and elimination of the current sales tax exemption on telecommunications services-a move that would make our system the same as 80 percent of the country.
I understand these taxes will not be easy, but asking people to pay a few dollars more now is a far better choice than seeing PEIA cards not accepted by medical providers or going back to the days when we couldn't finance school and road improvements, or even pay the gas bill at the Governor's Mansion.
I urge you to consider these responsible actions to balance the budget until the brighter economic picture that we all expect comes into focus.
CLOSING
I believe the thing that compelled each of us to public service is our love for West Virginia. And that is the very thing that should compel us to work together.
When I became your Governor, I said that we must put West Virginia first.
That's what we have done. And I encourage you to continue working together out of that deep devotion to our beloved state-in the coming year and beyond.
I am proud of the work that we have accomplished. I look forward to the leadership of Governor-elect Jim Justice and I thank all of you who have worked with me over the years.
I thank my cabinet members and agency directors. And I thank my dedicated staff members who have worked every day-not for me, but for the people of West Virginia.
It has been the honor of my life to be your Governor-to be West Virginia's Governor. Joanne and I thank the people of West Virginia for your abiding trust, counsel and support.
And we look forward-with the greatest hope and optimism-to an even stronger West Virginia.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the great state of West Virginia.
###
Photos available for media use. All photos should be attributed “Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor.”
Life can push me down
Life can wrinkle my skin
Life can shadow the sun
Life can simply pass me by
That will never break my spirit
I will stay optimistic
That just how it is
Life is what I live for
Mapping out Paradise is the largest joint project of Marc Mulders and Claudy Jongstra.
Both artists are committed to propagate optimistic views throughout the world.
They believe that unrest and provocation as former avant-garde characteristics have become obsolete.
The fifty meters long installation meanders through the main hall of De Pont and consists
of wall-high hand-made felt panels in sparkling colours based on the reflection
of sunlight on splashing water.
Went out for an optimistic look for butterflies this afternoon - always a chance of some relatively docile ones resting up on a dull, windy day. Sum total for roughly 1.5 hours was a green-veined white, yes one. When I look back at last year in a months time I would have been at Collard Hill looking for an early Large Blue.
Did notice a greater variety of flowering plant emerging - Bugle, Germander Speedwell and others the identity of which I have no idea. Did see a Trefoil looking close to flowering on Walton Hill - maybe some Common Blues soon?
I have no idea what this little fella is however I liked him being completely immersed in this Buttercup. Looks good on black.
Part of the United Kingdom Set
Hey! here is a portrait(s) for a change. You might remember one of the girls from this other portrait. Still continuing shots from the London trip with the class. I can't remember the exact name of the place but its the church where they filmed the Hogwarts lunch room in Harry Potter. There was a gift shop and while a lot of the students bought stuff, most of them where wise and thought that a poster of a knight should not cost 35 pounds / 57 dollars.
Have a great monday!
Nathan
This is my Disney classic Cinderella doll. I decided to show off Cinderella first because she was one of the first Disney characters, I fell in love with as a child from her kind, optimistic personality to her hardworking nature. Moving on, this doll was originally the signature collection Cinderella, released by Mattel in 2014. When I originally got her she had many issues, but after fixing her up I think she's flawless. I first started out by and restyling her hair to more of a French twist, curled over bun type style, then I rebodied her on a barbie fashionista body and lastly I made a new dress and gloves for her. When making it I wanted something movie accurate but still be my own creation, now it has a white petticoat trimmed with white ribbon, a tulle hoop skirt to give the dress that poofy shape and bloomers. Since the one she came with was cheaply made, the skirt was short and the colour was way too dark a shade of blue, when compared to her movie image.
For whatever reason Disney has given Cinderella a dark blue dress and yellowish blonde hair on the princess franchise at least, whereas I like the movie's pale blue dress and strawberry blonde hair look more. The only parts I kept the same were her face paint, chocker necklace and glass slippers. Overall I am happy with my customisation of Cinderella and will upload the remainder of my Disney doll collection. Thank you :)
Classic Space is bright and optimistic and shiny and innocent.
Not any more.
Those that may have been following my photostream (or my blog ghsquarefeet.wordpress.com) may recall that I've been wondering "what if the old catalogue images are propaganda? What if the Blacktron are the good guys and the Classic Space faction are an oppressive tyranny?"
This is the first major build definitively tied into that universe. It has scary-looking Space Police. It has remote cameras. It has faceless transcorporate Classic Space goon squads. It has peaceful Blacktron protesters being gunned down. It isn't nice, and it's not innocent. This is the dark underbelly of the Classic Space System.
...smiling when you have stuff on your face.
Or something like that.
January 3: Optimistic
Look. I am not the most optimistic person at all. That is just not how I am wired. I see the bad before the good. But sometimes it's refreshing to see the innocence in my little girl who seriously doesn't have a care in the world and know that it will be okay. Sure, she has her fits at times for the strangest reasons that I have yet to understand, but all in all she is happy. I need to be more like her. <3
{3/365}
I was feeling optimistic when I headed down to Birnbeck Pier yesterday evening as the tide was pretty low and the weather forecast wasn't great. I'm glad I took the chance though as the low tide reveals these rocks and sticks which add some nice interest.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III|24-105mm L|Lee Grad Filters|Lee Little Stopper
I've been teaching Poppy photography, take a look at her Flickr.
Some day, I will fly. In spite of the limitations thrust upon me by myself, and, others, I will fly. I will overcome adversity, and failure, and, I will fly. I will fly. I will.
I once wrote that one stranger leads to another. There is a portrait that is important to my project because it has led to a number of other portraits. However, it doesn’t appear in my stranger gallery. I photographed Jean-François Bélanger a few weeks after I first met him at the end of one of his concerts. I had heard him say he would play an acoustic concert with traditional Swedish instruments named nyckelharpas at the Redpath Museum. I offered to document it. He agreed that I shoot his performance as long as it was done very discreetly and only in available ambient light. The Redpath concert was special for its context. It was part of the Montréal Baroque Festival and set amongst the museum’s artefacts.
I met my stranger # 77, Meaghan, when I first visited the exhibition hall, where there is a standing dinosaur skeleton, to make sure there was enough light to make decent handheld camera photos. The day of the concert, I met Matthias, my stranger # 85. He is a composer and a co-director of the festival.
That day I learned Jean-François would be playing guitar in a quite different context at the Festival Mémoires et racines, in Joliette. I spent a day there in July. At the inn where my wife and I stayed the night before, we met Vern and Pat, visitors from California and my strangers # 92 and 93. On the Festival’s site, I met another J-F. Jean-François Berthiaume is a set caller and contemporary visual artist and my stranger # 94. I also met my stranger # 95 there, Malin, a singer from the Swedish vocal group named Kongero.
Malin told me Kongero would give a concert garage in Montreal the following week. I went to it and met Rossana, my stranger # 97. Rossana told me she gives workshops where she teaches “optimistic writing”. Recently, she sent me an e-mail letting me know that I could attend to one of her workshops in the course of the twentieth edition of “Les Journées de la culture”, a week-end of open door event and free of charge cultural activities.
So, off to the workshop I go. It was held in the exhibition room of l’Artothèque, a bank of art works for rental at affordable cost. There were two tables set-up. In total, there were seven participants. I was seated with three women. One of them was Ornella. I thought the workshop was going to be a bit directive. Things turned out different. Rossana made us listen to Louis Armstrong singing “What a wonderful world” and basically told us to think about something positive and write. So we all wrote and then read out our texts. It turned out everyone could write pretty well, admittedly, with different levels of positivism. There was only one other man but he had the craftiest, most poetic style.
This almost filled the scheduled time for the activity. I hadn’t had the opportunity to speak to my table mates at this point. Ornella was with a friend whom, I felt, seemed the most outgoing of the three women. I thought she would agree to be photographed. I was wrong. It’s OK, I respect refusals. I turned to Ornella who, as you can see, accepted to pose for my project.
As she and her friend had to leave because of another commitment, I got to know very little about either of them. She said she was born in Ukraine, her friend was from Congo. Ornella clearly had a strong sense of style. She had lovely round earrings made of colored beads and was wearing what looked like a hand knitted scarf also with colorful designs. I was very surprised to hear that it was actually a table centerpiece cloth that she had cleverly diverted from its original function. The earrings and the centerpiece cloth were from South Africa.
I wish I could tell you more. The ladies had no time left and ran away in a hurry.
Who knows, our paths may cross again…
J'ai déjà écrit qu’un inconnu mène à un autre. Il y a un portrait qui a été important pour mon projet parce qu'il a conduit à un certain nombre d'autres portraits. Cependant, vous ne le trouverez pas dans ma collection d’inconnus. J'ai photographié Jean-François Bélanger quelques semaines après l’avoir brièvement rencontré à la fin de l'un de ses concerts. Je l'avais entendu dire qu'il allait donner un concert acoustique avec des instruments traditionnels suédois nommés nyckelharpas au Musée Redpath. Je lui ai offert de documenter cet événement. Il a accepté que je couvre sa performance à la condition que ce soit fait très discrètement et seulement en lumière ambiante. Le concert au Redpath était particulier pour son contexte. Il faisait partie du Festival Montréal Baroque était joué au cœur de la collection du musée.
J'ai rencontré mon inconnue # 77, Meaghan, lors de ma première visite dans cette salle d'exposition où il y a un squelette de dinosaure debout. Je m’y étais rendu pour m’assurer qu'il y avait assez de lumière disponible pour faire des photos adéquates. Le jour du concert, j'ai rencontré Matthias, mon inconnu # 85. Il est un compositeur et est co-directeur du festival.
Ce jour-là, j'ai appris Jean-François jouerait de la guitare dans un contexte bien différent au Festival Mémoire et racines, à Joliette. J’ai donc passé une journée là-bas à la fin de juillet. À l'auberge où ma femme et moi avons passé la nuit précédente, nous avons rencontré Vern et Pat, des visiteurs venus la Californie et mes inconnus # 92 et 93. Sur le site du Festival, j'ai rencontré un autre J-F, Jean-François Berthiaume, qui est un calleur de set et un artiste visuel contemporain. C’est mon inconnu # 94. J'ai aussi rencontré là mon inconnue # 95, Malin, une des chanteuses du groupe vocal suédois nommé Kongero.
Malin m'a appris que Kongero donnerait un concert de garage à Montréal la semaine suivante. J’y suis allé et j’y ai rencontré Rossana mon inconnue # 97. Rossana donne des ateliers où elle enseigne «l’écriture optimiste». Récemment, elle m'a envoyé un e-mail me laissant savoir que, dans le cadre de la vingtième édition des «Journées de la culture », un week-end de portes ouvertes et d’activités culturelles accessibles, je pourrais participer à l'un de ses ateliers. Je me rends donc à cet atelier qui avait lieu dans la salle d'exposition de l'Artothèque, une banque d'œuvres d'art en location à un coût abordable.
Il y avait deux tables de préparées. Au total, il y avait sept participants. J'étais assis avec trois femmes. L'un d'elle était Ornella. Je pensais que l'atelier allait être plutôt encadré. Les choses se sont avérées différente. Rossana nous a fait écouter Louis Armstrong chantant «What a wonderful world » puis nous a dit de penser à quelque chose de positif et d’écrire. Nous avons alors tous écrit puis lu nos textes. Il est apparu que tout le monde pouvait écrire assez bien, avec, il est vrai, différents niveaux de positivisme. Il n'y avait qu'un autre homme, mais il avait l’écriture la plus fine, la plus poétique.
Cela a pratiquement rempli le temps prévu pour l'activité. Je n’avais pas eu l'occasion de parler à mes compagnes de table pour la peine à ce point. Ornella était avec une amie qui m’avait parue être la plus communicative des trois femmes. Je me disais qu'elle serait d'accord pour être photographié. J'avais tort. C’est OK, je respecte les refus.
Je me suis alors tourné vers Ornella qui, comme vous pouvez le voir, a accepté de poser pour mon projet. Comme elle et son amie devait quitter en raison d'un autre engagement, je n’ai pu apprendre que très peu de choses sur elles. Ornella m’a dit qu'elle et née en Ukraine, son amie est originaire du Congo. Ornella a clairement un bon sens du style. Elle avait de belles boucles d'oreilles rondes en petites billes multicolores et portait ce qui ressemblait à une écharpe tricotée main comportant aussi avec des motifs bien colorés. Je fus très surpris d'entendre qu'il s’agissait en fait un centre de table qu'elle avait habilement détourné de sa fonction d'origine! Les boucles d'oreilles et le tissu provenaient d'Afrique du Sud.
Je voudrais bien pouvoir vous en dire plus. Les deux dames étaient pressées et sont parties à la hâte.
Qui sait, nos chemins se croiseront peut-être de nouveau...
This photo is part of my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Optimistic girl that I am, I bought this Summer dress four months ago with the idea of being the Belle of Blackrock. We have the fire on tonight trying to dry clothes and keep warm so it's fair to say that it didn't quite work out as expected. Never one to be daunted, however, I'll buy a large bag of sand on Monday and pretend I had a lovely time at Bangor (as the song goes).
I'm not sure if my good friend Ken was looking at a bird, but I'm sure he was hoping for one. Prior to Egypt Ken did an Intrepid tour in Jordan where he spent some extra time birding. He is one dedicated birder.
The crowded, noisy, and rough around the edges Cairo buts up against the Giza plateau which then extends off to a seemingly infinite rolling land of sand and rock.
If interested, you can view my Youtube playlist of our trip to Egypt .
Thoughtful feedback, constructive criticisms, and suggestions are always appreciated. As always, I have used tools at my disposal to interpret the original files. Use of this photo is conditioned on the "Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike " conditions outlined on this page.
two hundred four.
This picture would be SOOC, no editing one bit, the flash does its miracles. But I spent my day completely natural looking hardly any makeup and I just felt like I was 'straight out of the camera' which made me decide I needed to do a SOOC. SO THERE YOU GO.
So, each day brings quite the new features to my life and truthfully "Changes come, but where they go? You never know." My relationship is no longer hanging by a thread and things are looking much more optimistic. Everything changed today. Well actually I could feel the change last night. And I feel like I'm a new woman. It's a miracle.
Hope everyone is having an amazing day.
I hit 1,600 views today:) and I've only had this new account since June. YOU ARE THE BEST FLICKR. Thanks to all my fans ;)
Classic Space is bright and optimistic and shiny and innocent.
Not any more.
Those that may have been following my photostream (or my blog ghsquarefeet.wordpress.com) may recall that I've been wondering "what if the old catalogue images are propaganda? What if the Blacktron are the good guys and the Classic Space faction are an oppressive tyranny?"
This is the first major build definitively tied into that universe. It has scary-looking Space Police. It has remote cameras. It has faceless transcorporate Classic Space goon squads. It has peaceful Blacktron protesters being gunned down. It isn't nice, and it's not innocent. This is the dark underbelly of the Classic Space System.
flooded film archives
film scan
Kodak Plus X Pan
Minolta SR7/ 50mm Rokkor
sepia tones courtesy of nature
scratches courtesy of the rewind mechanism in my old camera
taken mid-80s. might be New Orleans or there abouts - anyone know for sure?
*edited to note: Susan solved the mystery! This is Aransas Pass in Texas. Scroll down for more details. Thanks Susan!!
I hate how people take pictures of poor kids and caption "Beautiful Bangladesh" I mean like what the hell guys? "Stereotypical poor kids who can have fun without the money" Stop your hippy bullshit, you live in denial! I took this picture when I was 14 or 15 with a digital compact camera...please tell me more how I'm so stupid with no talent whatsoever, all I have is a DSLR. How I dont deserve one...blah blah
Also, what's with everyone suddenly acting too rich? Holding pretentious charity events, such philanthropy much wow. Showing the world how they're oh so philanthropic...Fuck you guys. You guys only want your picture to be taken with a poor kid so that your facebook friends see it and react with "aww, how nice!" You're pushing the subject, the focus into background because behind every altruistic act is hidden a very selfish agenda. Thanks for reading the caption, which is more of a rant, till the end.
Picture tittle taken from Stanley Donwood/Radiohead thing