me when I have two contrasting interests.

also i think piggy might be my favorite character. i love that guy.

Apparently tumblr didn't actually post this post I wrote right when I finished nona so time to go back and add some quotes.

-----

Ok I just finished nona and I'm going insane but, I wonder if mercymorn and Augustine and Gideon aren't the lyctors original names? Bc we know that's who Jod is talking about, but why censor them? Unless they were different and he changed them when the woke up.

My key piece of evidence for this is the bit where he talks about Ulysses and Titania and how he changed their names from the original. ALSO WILD THAT THEY WERE DEAD BEFORE HE MET THEM AND REVIVED WAY LATER

-----

My evidence:

So, my two kids, the guinea pigs, they were U— and T— on their certificates, you know, their old names. I thought about using those but it didn’t seem appropriate.

And then a bit later:

Let me introduce you to … Ulysses. Let me introduce you to … Titania.

Following these naming conventions that means all the lyctors had other names originally. I'm dying to know what they are.

And also trying to figure out who all the ppl he's referencing are:

He said, It was me and A— and M— at the start.

This one's pretty obviously Augustine and Mercymorn.

C— was brought on by the oversight execs for contracts, you know, checks and balances, but look where that ended up, she was on our side before the first year was over

This could be Cristabel, Cassiopeia, Cyrus, or Cytherea. (God why r there so many C names). Leaning towards Cristabel at this point just bc she goes with Mercymorn.

We even lent them G— at the time because they wanted to talk about coating.

This one's G1deon obviously.

C— was panicking because with the project over she was getting recalled to England and didn’t want to go, she’d got N— and didn’t want to leave her, refused to admit they were dating even though we all knew.

Ok so C is pretty obviously Cassiopeia at this point, and N is Nigella.

Interesting side note here, everyone mentioned so far is a necromancer, not cavelier (with the exception of N whose only referenced in relation to C.

we had a pet cop, P—. She’d made detective by that point; was going on to big things in the MoD. Knew G— from way back,

PYRRHA yasss baby

god her being a cop makes so much sense lmao.

C— was still pretending they weren’t dating—she was an artist, so that was cool. If you have two scientists and an engineer and a detective and a lawyer and an artist you’re pretty much sweet as.

Cassiopeia is the lawyer if we're going off of the earlier quote, so Nigella is the artist, Mercymorn and Augustine are both scientists, I'm p sure G1deon is the engineer, and Pyrrha is the detective obviously.

M— had brought in her best friend, the nun,

interestingly this person is always described as "M—'s nun, and never given a letter. It could definitely be Cristabel, especially given that we can't use C— twice without it being hella confusing, but I'm wondering if John chose not to revive her afterwards for some reason so she's not actually anyone. There's this weird distance to how he describes her vs the other ppl: "the nun", "our nun", "M—'s nun" vs everyone's name. (He would be that petty).

My other theory is that M—'s nun is ANASTASIA. Again, can't use A a second time, she's obviously smart as hell and gets him to figure out the soul, which hello our Anastasia almost perfected the actual lyctoral process, and obviously the ninth house is full of nuns. Plus, he trusted her to watch over Alecto and seal the tomb, who better then the person that showed you she existed in the first place?

And then A— brought in his little brother who was a hedge fund manager. A— Junior was useless but he was a darling,

We know from HTN that this is Alfred.

That's everyone whos mentioned by name so to speak. But one other interesting initial bit:

he made a pothook—J—then the finned spine of E. He wiped that E clean, and replaced it with A. He wiped that clean, and he drew the prison bars of H. This J and H he barred around with an uneven heart.

J for John, and then that would be Earth, then Alecto presumably, then Harrow.

This almost all of the lyctors. The only pairs not mentioned or possibly alluded to is Cyrus and Valency and Cytherea and Loveday. I'm wondering if they were part of the original preserved bodies since John mentioned there were more than just the two he named initially. Ig they could be randomly resurrected people, especially given the timeline of lyctoral assension.

I'm sad Cytherea wasn't in this at all I would have loved to find out more about who she was.

so you read the táin, what next?

táin bó cúailnge is a great starting place if you're interested in medieval irish lit. it's famous for a lot of reasons -- its length, its quality, the fact that there are good, accessible modern translations available... definitely a go-to if people want to know where to start

but say you've read the táin, and maybe you've even read the remscéla (fore-tales, prequels), and you know there's a shitton of other material out there but you have no idea what direction to go in

here are my recommendations for

what medieval irish text should you read next based on which bits of the táin you liked most

a non-exhaustive* and extremely biased list**

*I may or may not make further recommendations at some stage.

**i tried to minimise the ulster cycle content here bc that seems like an obvious jumping off point and you're probably here for Weird Shit but there's still some ulster cycle bc i like it

if you were intrigued by the hints of supernatural fuckery going on in the background but still like having some humans around -> togail bruidne da derga (the destruction of da derga's hostel)

if you have no interest in humans and just want supernatural fuckery all the way down -> cath maige tuired (the second battle of moytura)

if the ríastrad/warp-spasm gets you excited ;) and you want more body horror and weird creatures -> immram curaig mael duin (the voyage of mael duin). or pretty much any voyage text but mael duin has some of the fuckier creatures in it

if you're like "yeah! medb DID effectively utilise girl power!" and/or just really want to see cú chulainn getting beaten up -> serglige con culainn (the wasting sickness of cú chulainn)

if you're into the geography of it and how events relate to place names and histories -> this is called 'dindshenchas', the lore of place-names, and there are whole collections of just this, but you might also like acallam na senorach (tales of the elders of ireland) which is that but with a frame-story around it, featuring st patrick on a road trip with the last of the fíanna

if you read the mustering of the ulaid and were like "oh hey a big-ass list of names? i LOVE a big-ass list of names! give me all the names!" -> lebor gabala erenn (the book of invasions). alternatively, dindshenchas.

if you cried over the fight with fer diad and generally enjoyed having Feelings -> well, ideally, early modern prose texts (FULL of feelings), but since there are minimal translations of those available, consider longes mac nuislenn, oidheadh chloinne lir, or anything with the word "aided" or "oidheadh" in the title (it means "violent/tragic death")

if you like the references to classical texts that happen now and again -> merugud uilix meic laertis (the wanderings of ulysses son of laertes), aka the medieval irish retelling of the odyssey, which bears no resemblance to the odyssey; OR togail troí (the destruction of troy), the irish retelling of the trojan war that had a noticeable influence on the táin (togail troí is more relevant, merugud uilix is funnier)

if you like it when people insult/trash-talk each other -> scela mucce meic datho (the story of mac datho's pig)

if you just really want to know what the fuck is going on with the bulls -> echtra nera (the adventure of nera). this is only one version of the backstory but it has some cool supernatural fuckery in it so what's not to like

if you want more láeg/cú chulainn content -> tóraigheacht gruaidhe griansholas (the pursuit of gruaidh griansholas), which is a late text featuring excellent láeg moments

this has been: 2am medieval lit recommendations with néide, your host. tune in tomorrow and i might actually give you links to help with finding these. have fun.

edit: now updated with links. where possible i have provided a link to read the text free and legally online. some are pdfs, some are archive.org, some are just text. two exceptions: tales of the elders of ireland is a very recent translation and is not available legally online; link is an affiliate link to amazon, so if you buy it via that link, i get a few pennies. i recommend supporting your local libraries and bookshops if you can tho. dillon’s translation of serglige con culainn is also not available online that i could find; link is to a scan. it was published in the 50s so may not be *quite* out of copyright yet but close enough i hope. (quality is not great as i had to compress it.)

You know those annoying 'actually everything is connected' theories ? Well, I've got one about The Mechanisms' albums

(Please hear me out I swear it's good)

The Bifrost Incident ends with a world-ending catastrophe. The Gods arrive into the world, dragged in by Odin's train, and they destroy it.

What's the first sign of their arrival ? Communications breaking down.

Civilization-ending catastrophes and communications mysteriously breaking down... Doesn't that remind you of something ?

Yep, that's it: the catastrophe mentioned in Holder of the Grail.

This unknown catastrophe that cuts Fort Galfridian from the rest of the world and destroys an entire civilization could very well be the one that starts in Terminus.

Meaning that the events in High Noon over Camelot could be the direct consequences of the events of The Bifrost Incident.

But it doesn't stop there.

Arthur survives. He is, as Mordred puts it, "the once and future king". To our knowledge, he was never officially called King of Camelot but sure enough, he kind of was the King of this place. But... what about after ? If we see Arthur again in the Mechs' canon, it means there's a strong chance he will wear the title of King.

And who is the only character in the Mechs' canon who ever wore the title of King ?

Now hear me out.

After the events of Ulysses dies at dawn, all hope seems to be gone. Ulysses dies in peace, but all hopes of revolution seem to have faded away. The Olympians' grasp on the City seems impossible to challenge in the slightest. But one day, a strange ship crashes in the middle of the darkest street of the City.

Out of the wreckage climbs a man, with a half-empty pistol. He takes a look at the strange new world around him, and nods gravely. He has a destiny to fulfill.

Arthur will be King. That's the lasts thing Mordred told him, and he won't let this last thread to his past disappear. So, he gets to work. In one month, the whole city has heard of him. In one year, even the Olympians fear him.

When people ask him if he's really going to fight the Olympians, the man who calls himself Cole laughs, and answers calmly that it's not the first time he takes over a planet.

The City learns to fear his name and his gun. To many, he's just another crime boss. Some rumors start to spread, saying that he is an Olympian, just like the others. And this gives Arthur an idea.

Arthur starts to take a stance against immortality and the Acheron. He uses his men to spread anti-Acheron propaganda, calls out the Olympians' corruption and even manages to expose the Sphinx scandale using Oedipus' old research. The oppressed people of the City follow him and many of the Olympians' men turn against their old masters. A year later, he launches the first world-wide rebellion the City has ever known.

General Cole utterly beats the Olympians, and executes them all - which takes a little longer than expected, but still, finally works. He seizes all of their research and locks them away. He is elected King of the city, now renamed New Constantinople.

(PS: Hades doesn't stop the rebellion and just escapes. Mainly because they've run the Acheron for so long they got a bit bored of it. Also, because Brian seems to really like Cole for whatever reason.)

At first Arthur's reign is calm and prosperous. King Cole grows old and stays merry. But eventually people start realizing that Cole's longevity might not be natural. His subjects, especially the older warriors who fought at his side during the Revolution, start to get a bit suspicious: what if Cole had used the Olympians' technology to extend his own life ? What if he had become an Olympian in the end ?

Arthur didn't become immortal, but he did use the Olympians' research to extend his life far beyond his normal lifespan. Now that he is King, he refuses to let death get in the way of his destiny.

You know the rest: King Cole turns into a bloodthirsty monster, and finally, General White's rebellion puts an end to his reign and his life.

Now you're going to say: "But Arthur and Cole are so different. How could Arthur become Cole ?"

So first of, Arthur turned evil only after almost a millenia of technology-expanded life which definitely caused damage to his mind. As Jonny says in Once: "the technology that had extended his life throughout the millennia had warped his mind as it had withered his body".

(Which, by the way, is also what seemed to happen to those who were "brought back" from the Acheron in Ulysses, cf Orpheus' backstory)

But Cole isn't that different from Arthur:

- Cole and Arthur both fight with a gun, and both seem very skilled at it.

- Cole is paranoid. Which would make a lot considering Arthur's backstory: just when he was about to save his world, Arthur saw his two lovers being shot in the back by his own son, who then proceeded to completely destroy the world, sparing no one but him. Nobody in the universe would be more afraid of betrayal than Arthur.

- Cole is driven by a thirst for conquest. Arthur was too: in the very beginning of HNOC, he takes over Camelot and establishes a personal rule on the city. With good intentions, sure, but still.

- They have the same outlook on fear.

Remember when Arthur said that ?

Well...

Yeah...

(Also the three little pigs could act as a sort of dark reflection of what Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot once were: three unbeatable warriors, matched by no one... except this time they're not united by love for the other two, but by fanatical devotion to a leader)

So, in this theory, the "ending" of the Mechs' universe would be pretty optimistic. No matter what insane authoritarian rulers will try to do to stay in power, justice, truth and love will win in the end - even if it requires a lot of suffering and death to get there. Or, as Arthur said:

Ghost Capatain Chapter 1

Summary: After years of abuse from Hydra reader and the twins escape to New York City and try to survive in the only way they know. Becoming the new top dogs in the American criminal underworld is just a bonus that helps them help people in need. The Avengers, however, aren't that pleased when they by a rough bach of Vibranium and bust into their Club and arrest the reader.This set a whole rollercoaster of events in motion, that not only racked up old memories for the reader but also Bucky and Natasha.

I suck at summaries sorry.

This is a non-canon and just a figment of my imagination that I couldn't get out of my head. at the moment I have a pretty good idea where this fic is going but that could always change. Don’t like don’t read.

Warning: non at the moment but will most likly be added in further chapters.

Ghost Captain Masterlist

You were leaning against the bannister of the private second floor overlooking the club. Your men around you were preparing everything for the deal going down tonight. All were nervous for it, for you, it was just another day at the office.

Your interest at the moment lay with the green-eyed brunette wearing red at the bar. The two of you were having a silent stare down that nobody was paying attention to. You had found her easily enough, even in this sea of people you were drawn to her and it had nothing to do with her psychic powers.

It had taken her a long time accepting her powers, but when she finally did she was a real powerhouse. People always thought you were the scary one, well than they hadn’t ever seen Wanda angry. Even Pietro didn’t trifle with her when she was and he pissed off everybody all the time.

When she was having a bad day because of the burden of her powers put on her or just because of you and Pietro were there for her. The three of you were family and you would die for each other. More importantly, she was your moon, the reason you were still sane after everything Hydra put you through. When the three of you were finally able to escape Hydra you had fled to America and done what you did best. Survived.

After a couple of years in America, the three of you had made a name for yourselves. Now nobody trifled with you anymore. The business you had set up both legally and illegally were run by the three of you in the shadows. Parts of the money you earned was invested back into companies and projects you had running in Sakovia. Never having lost the connection with your home country.

Taking a sip of your drink your eyes drifted back to Wanda. The glass nearly broke form the tension you suddenly put on it. Their next to Wanda was a  sniffling little bitch that had the audacity to put his hands on her. He would quickly learn nobody touched your girl and got away with it.

Wanda was sitting at the bar enjoying her drink. She for one liked being on the ground floor, unlike you who mostly stayed on the second floor overlooking the club. Being surrounded by so many people in a controlled environment gave her a certain feeling of normality.

At the moment though she was regretting not being on the second floor with you. The guy to her right was getting closer and closer. The way he was looking at her made her want to throw up. She tried ignoring him and found you looking at her from the bannister.

You looked so dame hot with your burgundy three-piece suit. Just enough buttons of your shirt were undone to be sinful and it sends her mind spiralling. Wanda could also see the numerous women around her trying to get your attention but you had only eyes for her.

Everybody thought you were this big bad mobster with no heart. Well, you were a big bad mobster but Wanda knew you would die for the people you called family. Only they got to see that side of you. Wanda even called you her teddy bear behind closed doors.

“well aren’t you particularly beautiful, sweetheart?” Wanda’s attention was called back to the guy to her right. Now he was leaning against the bar far closer than Wanda would have liked. She decided to not give him any attention, that usually ended with the guy on the floor bleeding.

“you know I have never seen you here before. Us meeting must have been fate.” Wanda could smell the alcohol on his breath. Instead of acknowledging him she turned away and took a sip from her drink. If he kept bothering her for much longer she would call the bouncers to throw him out, before you could deal with him.

Then he made the fatal mistake of putting his hands on her.

“Not to brag or anything but I may know the owner of this joint. If I put in a good word we could go somewhere private.” This made Wanda laugh before she pulled her arm away. She felled your anger burning as she felled you nearing. This time she did face him.

“I don’t believe you know anybody in this club, let alone the owner. You don’t seem to be made from the same material as they are.” Her statement seemed to anger him. He roughly took her by the shoulder this time. His hand, however, was quickly removed by a furious you.

You had a fire in your eyes when you looked at the asshole who dared to put his hands on Wanda. He seemed to link back at your anger trying to pull his hands back.

“you think it’s okay to grab a lady just like that?” it wasn’t a question but he still seemed to want to stammer out a response. He was quickly shut up by you.

“I don’t want to hear your sorry ass excuse. I heard the last part of the conversation you had. I have to say to make such a bold statement you either have to be incredibly tough or incredibly stupid. So tell me what is it. Because believe me I have never seen you before.” His eye became comically wide.

“More importantly I would like to know  where you would have gone to be ‘private’ in my club with my girl.” The full realisation hit him and all colour drained from his face. He started blabbering incoherent words together with apologies when one of your waiters showed up. A young woman in her mid-twenties. A good worker never had any problems with her.

“I am so sorry Captain. He is my brother and I let him in. I told him to behave, didn’t know he would go after Wanda.” The girl sounded distressed. You looked her over with a critical eye and she shrunk back into herself.

“Please don’t fire me. I really need this job. I promise I won’t happen again.” The girl stood with her hand hanging down, not meeting your eye. You felled Wanda nudge your mind.

“you can’t fire her. It’s the only job she has and has to provide for her idiot brother and sick mother.” Leave it to Wanda to play on your emotional side. Turning to the sibling Infront of you, sighting internally.

“I don’t want to see his face here again if I do you won’t like the outcome.” Your voice is cold, leaving no room for arguing. Not that they would try anyway. Soon after the bouncers arrived and took him away.

The girls turn to you with watery eyes.

“thank you. I wouldn’t know what I would have done if I lost my job.” You clapped the girl's shoulder to ground her.

“We can’t be held accountable for what our family does.” Your voice is hard but caring, something Wanda is going to tease you about later. Finally, she met your eyes and gave you a small smile. That is when your eyes caught something, a small bruise around her eye.

You felled the girl stiffen again, trying to get out your grasp.

“I fell this morning.” her lie wasn’t convincing at all but you didn’t correct her. Instead, you took a card out of your back pocket and put it in her hand.

“When you are ready go to this address. Tell them I send you and everything will be sorted out for you.” She put the card in her pocket and went back to work. You only hoped she wouldn’t wait until it was too late.

The attention that was on you quickly faded when the song changed and people went back to drinking and dancing. Turning around you were met with Wanda smiling at you.

“you are getting soft in your old age my captain.” She smirked at you. Quickly snacking an arm around her waist and pulling her closer.

“Who are you calling old baby. If I recall correctly I’m only two years older than you my little witch.” You whisper in her ear, not denying her statement. Wanda knew you were soft for her. You did nip her ear as small reprimanding. She only giggled and hugged you close.

“I love you, my Captain.” She told you kissing you deeply.

“love you too my little witch.” after a long passionate moment your break apart and remind her that you have a meeting in half an hour and that you should prepare for that.

Normally you and Pietro make the deals with when they are done in the clubs, Wanda being in the back pretending to be eye candy. In reality, she was scanning everybody for trouble but Pietro was with Zrinka at the moment. So you would do the deal on your own, with Wanda as a back-up.

For today's deal, you were glad she would be staying on the background. Ulysses Klaue was a pig and you despised having to work with him and after the shit that went down with Ultron, he wasn’t happy to work with you either. But he wanted to do business in the city so he had to go through you to do it.

“would you look at this, the street rat made it big.” Klaue laughed when he was let into the room and saw you sitting at the desk. Your facial expression didn’t waver. You had long ago learned to never let verbal assault get to you.

“I would say it’s nice to see you again Klaue but we both know that would be a lie. So why don’t you tell me what you came here with and we can both go on with our life’s.” his smirk quickly disappeared and was replaced with a scowl.

“watch who you are talking too. I have an appointment with the leader of this joint.” Now it was your turn to laugh.

“I know. You are talking to them.” You see him want to make a smart-ass comment but cut him off.

“I would watch the tone you take on with me. Everything that is said here will determine if the big boss wants to do further business with you. So I would watch your words.” He grumbles under his breath but sat down.

It quickly became clear he wanted to get rid of his last batch of Vibranium. Apparently, the Avengers were closing in on him and he hopped getting rid of it would get them off his case. You thought that was highly unlikely but weren’t about to tell him that. T’challa had asked you and the twins to look out for rogue Vibranium and get it back to Wakanda.

“so if I’m understanding this correctly you want to sell me your last batch of Vibranium.” You slumped a little in your seat and intertwined your fingers.

“why would you do that?” you knew why but wanted to be sure and hear it from him.

“I think you know why. The Avengers are hunting me for months and there are only so many places one can run to before being sick of it.” He spat out, already angry enough he had to deal with you. He was also apprehensive cause last he checked the Avengers were just breathing down his neck.

Feeling you had desperate enough for negotiation you put your poker face back on.

“Alright, we might be interested in buying it from you. You saw hope flicker behind his eyes, even though he further showed no emotions.

“at the right price of course.” You smirked.

“1 million dollars.” He started. You razed an unimpressed eyebrow at him.

“750 000” you countered.

“900 000”

“I thought you wanted to get rid of it to get the Avengers of your ass.” You questioned.

“850 000” he tried again.

“800 000, with the promise wrap this up tonight. That is my final offer.” You reached your hand out to close the deal. He seemed to contemplate for a moment but finally shook your hand. After that things were finalized quickly. Seemed he wanted to get rid of it. Within the hour the crate with Vibranium stood in your office and you were eight hundred thousand dollars lighter but it was worth it.

Klaue didn’t waste any time to leave with his eight hundred thousand dollars and put as much distance between him and the treat as he could.

When you were sure he had left you called Wanda to join you in the office. Completely slumping into your chair suit jacket open, happy that that deal was over. Wanda sauntered into the office with a massive grin on her face.

“look at you my big scary mob boss handling things so smoothly.” She pulls you out of your chair and into a big messy kiss. When you eventually part for air you stroke the side of her face.

“come on gorgeous let’s go home so I can show you what a real badass I am.” She giggled. If other people would see you like this they wouldn’t believe her but luckily you were already hers.

“yes, lets so I can spoil you for a job well done.” She giggled when a little blush appeared on your face.

Leading her toward the back garage, not feeling like waiting for your driver. Beside you liked to drive once in a while. Picking the keys to the Lykan sportscar. Having let the Vibranium being placed in before. You lead Wanda to the passenger door when alarms began going off.

You quickly turn around and look at the monitors placed in the garage. What you see makes you curse, the Avengers were busting down the door of your club. Subtlety apparently wasn’t something they did.

“I thought some of them were ex-assassins.” Wanda had to chuckle at your comment. Turning toward her you give her the keys. She looked at you confused.

“go now. I will cover you with my powers.” Disbelieve filled her eyes.

“(Y/N)! no, I am not leaving you behind.” At moments you find her stubbornness adorable, not right now.

“Wanda we don’t have time for this. They are after the leader of this club. That is me, so that means you can get away.” The ‘you can get me out later’ going unsaid.

“promise me you will be careful?” you gave her a reassuring kiss while opening the driver’s door.

“I promise. Now go may we meet in Sint-Pietersburg.” You saw her understanding before she got into the car, setting up a mental link with you. As she drives out the garage you reflect the lights around the car so it seemed to be invisible. When you know she is out of reach you start thinking about your own escape.

The moment you think about slipping into the shadows you are hit in the back with an electric shock that made your knees buckle and fall to the ground. Twisting with aftershock you see pair of black combat boots come closer. Looking up you see a woman with red hair wearing a SHIELD tactical suit.

“shit!” you mutter before she hits you with another round of electrical shock before you pass out.

Chapter 2

Want to support me Buy me a Ko-fi

mechanisms fiction!

also known as: i read all the fiction so you don’t have to!

under the cut: summaries of each fiction, word count, and content warnings! the summaries are of my own writing, and unlike the ones on the website, i’ve opted for useful rather than intriguing. i’ve also ordered the list to make a bit more sense/fit better timeline-wise!

some of the fiction has an audio version; i’ve included links to TheVoidSings’ lyric videos of said audio where applicable!

i’ve put the ones with relevant lore in bold, the ones i personally like in italics, and i’ve put a * after all the ones that include the mechs!

AURORA AND THE CREW

breakup*

summary: nastya and aurora have an argument and then both go off to sulk. mostly focuses on nastya. interesting thing: scuzz is in this one!

word count: 707

content warnings: implied nsfw

the story of the toy soldier*

summary: it’s the toy soldier’s backstory! covers what’s probably at least a decade and has a lot of lore! also has illustrations, most likely courtesy of ts!

word count: 605

content warnings: murder, images of choking, implied rape

who killed doctor carmilla?*

summary: carmilla’s just been pushed out an airlock and various mechanisms are going around trying to get an alibi out of everyone.

word count: 647

content warnings: n/a

interview transcript 34/08/7012*

summary: a police officer attempts to interview jonny when he’s in prison. includes a lot of information about him that’s nice to have for characterization!

word count: 782

content warnings: discussed murder, including child murder; attempted suicide

archive footage*

summary: an ivy character study, pretty much! goes into her fucked up brain and how it works. one of my personal favorites, as it’s very well written.

word count: 1390

content warnings: death, minor blood/gore

octokittens*

summary: a short one-off featuring some ashes and jonny banter!

word count: 208

content warnings: guns, animal death

feeding the octokittens*

summary: another one-off: this one has some quality tim, ivy, and nastya content. very fun!

word count: 455

content warnings: animal death

tales of the blogbot*

summary: comes off as an odd fiction, addressing the ‘blogbot’, the thing that used to send out the updates on the mechs mailing list (among other things) and makes passive-aggressive comments about them occasionally. goes through a few answers to what the bot is, and comes to no conclusion, but directly links to the next fiction in my list, ‘ghost in the machine’.

word count: 988

content warnings: referenced mass murder, implied nsfw

ghost in the machine*

summary: what happened to aurora’s programmer when jonny and carmilla took over ‘her’ ship (which is explained/expanded on in ‘how the aurora was won’); lots of aurora lore, as well as a more close view into the actual atrocities the mechanisms commit.

word count: 1152

content warnings: death

how the aurora was won*

jonny steals the aurora from the cyberian navy, in the most unsettling way possible!

word count: 631

content warnings: suicide, graphic depictions of violence

a bedtime story*

some fluffy nastyaurora for the soul!

word count: 326

content warnings: n/a

drive the cold winter away*

part of a group with cyberian demons and nomadic spacers! i think i’ve arranged them chronologically, but might have messed it up.

nastya visits the ruins of cyberia. jonny and ashes are there.

word count: 432

content warnings: n/a

cyberian demons*

a nastya character study- reflections on her memories, as she works on destroying what is left of cyberia.

word count: 1699

content warnings: blood, violence

nomadic spacers*

an outsider pov on the events of ‘drive the cold winter away’ and ‘cyberian demons’.

word count: 1120

content warnings: death

out*

nastya leaves the mechanisms for good after she finds her love, aurora, is no longer who she once was; presumably, this is her death.

word count: 1210

content warnings: suicide

ONCE UPON A TIME [IN SPACE]

gingerbread

hansel and gretal’s villain origin story! (they were the scientists speaking in ‘the twins’)

word count: 609

content warnings: child neglect, murder, needles/syringes

midnight

a bit of a cinders character study/some more of her backstory!

word count: 628

content warnings: n/a

mirror, mirror (audio version here!)

post-pump shanty/snow’s flight. the beginning of snow’s descent into a worse person, and how it overlaps with the myth of snow white/how she begins to take on the role of the evil queen.

word count: 860

content warnings: smoking

a fireside chat

a radio broadcast by scheherazade, king cole’s chief propaganda minister.

word count: 842

content warnings: mentions of concentration camps, death, and bombings

a rebel yell (audio version here!)

counter to ‘a fireside chat’- a radio broadcast by tom thumb, the voice of the rebellion! one of my personal favorites, as it’s very funny.

word count: 574

content warnings: mentions of mass murder

chapter’s end*

mad jack spratt and jonny d’ville play cards.

word count: 790

content warnings: discussions of death

by any other name

basically all the lore around briar rose, in a form of a report by hood, the rebellion’s hacker!

word count: 2023

content warnings: murder, graphic depictions of violence

this little piggy

all of the (incredibly fucked up) lore around the three little pigs!

word count: 993

content warnings: child abuse, brainwashing, non-consensual body modification, medical abuse (it’s a very intense one, please stay safe!)

what big eyes

all the lore we have on hood, in the form of king cole’s intelligence officers trying to figure it out.

word count: 1946

content warnings: mentions of war crimes and death

in the army*

the toy soldier and a group of rose reds hang out in a bar together! it’s a very fun one, with lots of banter! presumably takes place before the toy soldier met the mechanisms, but we don’t know that for sure. lots of lore about the rose reds, as well!

word count: 707

content warnings: mentions of war crimes and death

true love

colonel belle’s report on her efforts to manipulate adam ‘the beast’ bete into joining the resistance. (the mechs’ take on beauty and the beast). also a small bit of lore about rose!

word count: 1151

content warnings: manipulation, torture, unhealthy relationships

one thousand and two

a character study of scheherazade- the thoughts running through her head as rebels are about to find and kill her.

word count: 2236

content warnings: suicide; mentions of torture, concentration camps, and child death

ever after*

you know how jonny was being annoyingly cryptic about what happened to briar rose! well, they have a fiction that says!

word count: 680

content warnings: graphic depictions of violence

ULYSSES DIES AT DAWN

you’ll have to tell us the story sometime*

the mechanisms explore the ruins of the city, thousands of years after the events of ulysses dies at dawn!

word count: 469

content warnings: n/a

death in the metropolis

not anything super relevant- a news article about gang violence and the increased shifts for acheron workers as a result, setting a bit of a mood for the city as a whole. establishes hermes’ role in olympus.

word count: 547

content warnings: nothing to note, but there’s the background fucked-up-ness of the city going on and mentioned!

how not to die

another news article, this one focused on a group of people (’helljumpers’) trying to escape the acheron.

word count: 926

content warnings: suicide

fao: hermes – not urgent

a bit of a followup to the previous two fictions! the editor, herodotus, gets in trouble for discussing the helljumpers.

word count: 453

content warnings: n/a

orpheus, dionysus, muriatic acid and the strange whirring thing*

a look into orpheus’ character and how he ended up in the ulysses job! (mechs don’t heavily feature- just a note of the role brian took on, as well as mentions of ashes of course)

word count: 5017

content warnings: addiction, suicidal thoughts, police; implied nsfw, but only in the context of orpheus being a sex worker

orpheus and narcissus go to the seaside

i personally really love this one! it’s low-key the mechanisms’ take on the great gatsby- takes place a few years prior to the above fiction, and explores orpheus and narcissus’ friendship! it’s morbidly funny, with lots of very good banter/interaction! 

word count: 6300

content warnings: eating disorders, addiction, implied nsfw (again in the context of sex work), suicidal thoughts, mental institutions (even if that’s not normally a problem for you, they get very dark and graphic, so be careful), non-consensual drugging; technically self-harm, but it’s a lighthearted joke

in the madness of war

how ulysses was forced into the war (a darker take on the story about him attempting to avoid it at first).

word count: 817

content warnings: n/a

the hacker’s mistake (a fiction to accompany prometheus)

prometheus is revealed as corrupt, but that doesn’t stop people from believing in him, so he is made an example of.

word count: 903

content warnings: torture

one of the chosen

another low-lore worldbuilding piece- this one about a teenage girl who gets conscripted to the acheron early.

word count: 824

content warnings: n/a (it’s fairly dark, though, so be careful).

eskhatos*

after the events of ulysses dies at dawn, the mechanisms leave, but not without causing a bit of chaos first.

word count: 464

content warnings: cannibalism

HIGH NOON OVER CAMELOT

the fastest shot

guinevere’s backstory! 

word count: 792

content warnings: murder, child abuse, alcoholism

the sharpest aim

a western-style tall tale, starring lancelot!

word count: 1667

content warnings: relationship abuse, murder, violence

i will rule this town*

another personal favorite! expanding on ‘ten caliber railgun he got off a bandit in the flooded sectors’, it deals with arthur’s attempts to bring down nimue, the lady of the lake, and gain control! also has some lancelot/arthur/guinevere fluff, and a bit of an insight into his friendship with brian- as well as his original hopeful mindset, and how that diminished.

word count: 1488

content warnings: murder, drowning

the wake

morgan le fay (mordred’s surrogate mother)’s funeral, and mordred’s decision to go seek out camelot.

word count: 1045

content warnings: death (but only in the context of it being a funeral), cultural cannibalism

pellinore and the beast (audio version here)

this one’s a bit of an odd one- i’ve included it for the sake of completion, as it’s on the fiction list, but it’s just the lyrics to the mechs song pellinore and the beast? i’ve excluded the word count and content warnings for this one, as it’s literally just the lyrics. unsure of what to do here.

OTHER

the prisoner of dorian gray

the mechanisms’ take on the story of dorian grey! this one is part fiction, part song lyrics with a note of the tune they should be sung to.

word count: 1746

content warnings: suicide, torture

and that’s it! the fiction is all very good and well written, and i’d highly recommend reading at least a few of these!

Coolio! So, this particular dsmp au is based off of one of my favourite albums, Once Upon A Time (In Space) by The Mechanisms, which is a retelling of classic fairy-tales, like Snow White, Cinderella, etc but set in space and way more queer (Cinderella and Rose Red were engaged to be married).

Side Note: All most all of The Mechanisms albums are retelling of popular fairy tales, myths and legends like Ulysses Dies At Dawn which is a retelling of popular Greek myths (I would recommend the song Ties That Bind which is my favourite song from the album, which is a retelling of Theseus and the Labyrinth myth from the point of view of Ariadne), The Bifrost Incident which is a retelling of Norse myths (Loki's situation, specifically the way it is described in the song Loki reminds me of Ghostbur) and High Noon Over Camelot which is a retelling of Arthurian mythology (Arthur, Gweniever and Lancelot are in a poly-amorous relationship).

Anyways back to the dsmp au.

So, in the source material there is basically there is a rebellion going on. The rebellion is fighting against Old King Cole's empire, New Constantinople. Old King Cole is the ruler of New Constantinople, which is an empire composed of a thousand suns. Old King Cole has ruled over his empire for thousands of years. During his reign, two twin daughters were born to one of the most noble families in his empire. Those two daughters were named Snow and Rose. Snow is a gifted politician in King Cole's court while Rose is King Cole's best solider. Anyways, King Cole wants to improve his army so he kidnaps Rose on her wedding day and uses her as a genetic base for his new army. During Rose's kidnapping, almost all of the people in attendance were killed, all but two, Snow, Rose's twin sister who would become the leader of the rebellion and Cinders, Rose's fiancee who would spend the rest of her life searching for Rose with the aid of her ring which would shine red in the presence of her love. This is the bare bones of the plot. There are also plenty more characters like the three little pigs, who are King Cole's loyal men, Red Riding Hood who hacks into King Cole's vehicles and rides them in to battle, Briar Rose, a failed clone of Rose who was put into a coma and hooked up to New Constantinople's mainframe in order to control the empires security and Jack the Giant Slayer who killed a Rose Red Behemoth.

Anyways in the dsmp au, Techno is Rose while Wilbur is Snow. Philza is Cinders but they are not romantically involved. Philza is Wilbur and Techno's father. Techno is kidnapped on his birthday, not his wedding day. The ring that glows red is the friendship emerald. Schlatt is Old King Cole, while the Dream Team are the three little pigs. Ranboo is Briar Rose, the failed clone while Red Riding Hood is Tubbo. Tommy might be Jack the Giant slayer and one of the other minor characters.

So Wilbur is a politician in Schlatt's court while Techno is his best solider. Techno gets kidnapped on his birthday where everyone is killed but Wilbur and Philza. Wilbur and Philza get separated, Wilbur heading off to lead the rebellion, while Philza searches for Techno. While leading the rebellion, Wilbur finds Tubbo and Tommy and they fight together against Schlatt's army. One day, Wilbur, Tubbo and Tommy find out about Ranboo, the centre of New Constantinople's security and decided to rescue him and wake him up from his coma, which has a side benefit of turning off the protection that was protecting the planet where Schlatt resides, Manburg. The rebellion decides to attack the Manburg. Meanwhile, due to the protection's being lowered, Philza's emerald starts glowing green when he passes by Manburg and he decides to investigate. Philza and Wilbur's story-line joins back together when they show up at Schlatt's lair at the same time.

Now, i haven't figured out if i want to follow the album's ending which is way more angsty or if i want to make my own ending.

Anyways, here is the dsmp au. Sorry for the rambling and the sidetracking. If you have any questions about the au or its source material just ask!

Anon I really need to check out these albums now, you've definitely peaked my interest! :D

I think this is a really fun au and if you expand on it (or give it an ending) feel free to drop more of it in my inbox! I especially like Wilbur's role as a politician-turned-soldier and I feel like that could make for some sweet sweet angst >:)

One thought on: Circe by Madeline Miller

Naming this series of posts was the most difficult thing ever. Mainly because this is not strictly a review, and it's too short and incomplete to be a proper analysis. It's just that sometimes I have these very specific thoughts about a book I've liked and the only way to properly analyze them is to elaborate them in written form.

Even if it's not technically a review, I'll begin with my general opinion on the book as a whole, to set the mood.

Today I'll focus on “Circe” by Madeline Miller. It's a retelling of the story of Circe, the witch from the Odyssey that became famous for turning men into pigs and delaying Ulysses' journey home for a year.

This novel is beautifully written. There's a mythical atmosphere that hovers on the background of everything that happens, even the most 'human' and mundane events. It's in first person, following Circe's viewpoint as she grows up among powerful gods, trying to find love, acceptance and her place in a world that doesn't want her to exist.

Love in particular has a big role in the story, especially romantic love. Which was expected, since she's mostly known from the time when she kept Ulysses on her island. What I didn't expect were the other men. Every portion of her life is marked by the presence of a man (or god) she falls in love with. You can almost say that every decision she makes is somehow prompted by a man. Which is a bit of a wasted potential, since we don't get to see Circe shine on her own.

But there's one thing that this book does really well: mythology. And I'm not just talking about how Miller weaved the myths together inside the story, but the worldbuilding itself. She managed to give coherence to the confusing jumble of mythology.

Greek myths focus on gods and mortals and how they hurt or save each other. They don't care about telling us the difference between a god and a titan: is it all just generational? Are they otherwise the exact same thing, or is there something more? And why titans weren't worshipped or, when they were (Helios and Chronos come to mind), they didn't have a seat in Olympus?

What's the difference between a nymph and full blown goddess? Are nymphs even goddesses or just magical creatures? How do you distinguish a goddess from a witch? How can a goddess be also a witch, if the powers of the other gods are innate and don't depend on anything else but the gods themselves?

These are some of the questions that have always bugged me, since I was a kid learning about Greek mythology in school. Now that I'm older, I don't expect it to explain all of this. I know each city of Ancient Greece had its own differences in beliefs, even if some of them never changed (for example, there were always twelve gods on Olympus, even if nobody agreed on who exactly they were).

Plus, the religion these myths were part of was practiced for at least a thousand years, during which some beliefs changed and new gods were imported from other religions or outright created.

It doesn't help that, when myths are told or referenced, they're usually treated as if they were completely separate from one another, and the connections between them are usually difficult to see or even remember (looking at you, Zeus and your thousand lovers and children).

Miller manages to make all these connections clear and solid, while offering an explanation about the nature and differences between gods, titans, nymphs and, obviously, witches. And she managed to do all of this without adding rules.

What I mean by this is that she didn't add any worldbuilding information that couldn't already be found in the myths themselves. She only worked on the characters and the relationships between them. She made clear what the gods' goals and fears were, how the war between gods and titans has impacted the world, and why the characters act the way they do in the myths.

And we find out that most of the distinctions between all the categories above, humans, gods, titans, nymphs and witches, is based on differences in power. The gods are scared of any power that isn't their own, nymphs are inferior to goddesses because they're not as powerful, and it's better for a nymph to turn into a monster than staying a simple nymph. And in this context, it's clear from the beginning why Circe is so alienated from the world of gods around her: aside from her quiet nature and her desperate search for someone that can understand her, she makes a point of telling us how her voice is weak like the one of a mortal, when mortals are the lowest point in this hierarchy of power.

"Circe" makes Greek mythology feel new, both through its amazing worldbuilding, and by having as a protagonist one of the most secretive and fascinating characters of the Odyssey.

The Haunting of Bly Manor Cast: Where You’ve Seen the Actors Before

https://ift.tt/3loTz7C

There’s a simple answer to where you’ve seen most of 2020’s The Haunting of Bly Manor‘s cast before: in 2018’s The Haunting of Hill House. Writer-director Mike Flanagan has a resident company of actors with roles across several of his horror projects, as shown by the significant crossover between these two Netflix series alone. Victoria Pedretti, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Henry Thomas and Katie Parker are just some of the familiar faces appearing in Flanagan’s new Henry James-inspired spooky series Bly Manor. And here’s what else this bunch is known for on screen.

Henry Thomas – Henry Wingrave

Thomas’ most famous role came at the age of 10 when he played young lead Elliott in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 blockbuster E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (see his terrific audition tape here). In recent years, Thomas has been a frequent collaborator with writer-director Mike Flanagan, playing the young Hugh Crain, father to the five Crain children and husband of Olivia Crain in Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House. He also appeared in three of Flanagan’s feature films, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep, as well has having recurring roles in FX comedy Better Things and Stargirl.

Amelie Bea Smith – Flora Wingrave

Nine-year-old Amelie Bea Smith already has three significant roles under her belt. As well as her terrific performance as Flora Wingrave in Bly Manor, she’s also the current actor to voice cartoon character Peppa Pig (a huge deal in the UK), having taken over the role from her predecessor earlier this year. Before Smith took on that mantle, she had a recurring role in long-running BBC One soap EastEnders, playing Arshad and Mariam’s foster child Daisy.  

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth – Miles Wingrave

Ainsworth, the little genius behind Miles Wingrave will soon be seen alongside Alyson Hannigan, Ben Schwarz, Danny Pudi and more in Disney+ feature film Flora and Ulysses, the story of a girl and a squirrel with magic powers. Previous to Bly Manor, he also appeared in short film The Recycling Man and a 2018 episode of British soap Emmerdale.

Victoria Pedretti – Dani Clayton

Pedretti made a real impression as the adult Nell Crain in Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House. Nellie was a sufferer of sleep paralysis and haunted throughout by ‘The Bent-Neck Lady’, if you remember. She and her twin brother Luke were the youngest of the five Crain siblings. Pedretti also played hippy Lulu, a member of the Charles Manson Family in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, and played major character Love Quinn in the second season of Netflix’s stalker-thriller You. She can soon be seen as Katherine in the Elisabeth Moss-starring Shirley Jackson biopic Shirley.

T’Nia Miller – Hannah Grose

Miller’s had roles in several Russell T. Davies projects, starting with Cucumber and Banana, and last year leading to the major part of Celeste in Davies’ BBC One future-set family drama Years and Years. She’s recently appeared in Netflix’s Sex Education as head of the school board Maxine Tarrington, and has popped up in a great many British TV shows including Marcella, Born to Kill, Hatton Garden and 2015 episode of Doctor Who ‘Hell Bent’.

Rahul Kohli – Owen

Kohli is best recognised around these parts as Medical Examiner Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti in The CW’s iZombie. A major character in the comic book-inspired horror-fantasy, Kohli appeared across the series’ five seasons, which kept him busy from 2015-2019. He’s also appeared in a couple of episodes of Supergirl as Lena Luthor’s ex, Jack Spheer. Along with Kate Siegel, Henry Thomas and Alex Essoe, he’ll next appear in Mike Flanagan’s forthcoming haunted island series Midnight Mass.

Read more

TV

The Haunting of Bly Manor Review (Spoiler-Free)

By Nick Harley

TV

New on Netflix: October 2020 Releases

By Alec Bojalad

Oliver Jackson-Cohen – Peter Quint

Unforgettable as Luke Crain in The Haunting of Hill House, British actor Oliver Jackson-Cohen’s biggest recent film role was as the titular lead aka Adrian Griffin in Leigh Whannell’s 2020 remake The Invisible Man, opposite Elisabeth Moss. He’s already had a full career on British TV, with early roles in cosy period dramas Lark Rise to Candleford and Mr Selfridge, as well as playing Prince William in 2011 TV series William and Kate: Happily Ever After. In the US, Jackson-Cohen played Jonathan Harker to Jonathan Rhys-Meyers’ Dracula in the NBC series of the same name. He also popped up as Lucas in Emerald City and will soon be seen in the Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed The Lost Daughter.

Tahirah Sharif – Rebecca Jessell

If you’ve seen Netflix’s A Christmas Prince and its unstoppable raft of sequels, you’ll recognise Sharif as Melissa, a friend to and former co-worker of lead Amber. Before that, she played the regular role of Carrie Norton in BBC One school drama Waterloo Road and Ella, Ash’s daughter on long-running British medical drama Casualty.

Matthew Holness – Dominic Wingrave

Comedian-writer-actor Matthew Holness has  appeared in Friday Night Dinner, Toast of London, Year of the Rabbit, Back, Life’s Too Short and Free Agents, but he’ll only ever be associated with one role for this site’s readers: dreamweaver Garth Marenghi of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace fame.

Alex Essoe – Charlotte Wingrave

Before she took on the role of Wendy Torrance in Mike Flanagan’s Doctor Sleep (the same character memorably played by Shelley Duvall in Kubrick’s The Shining) Alex Essoe had a string of low-budget horror flicks to her name. She’s now part of the Flanagan rep company, and will be following up her Bly Manor role with a recurring part on the writer-director’s forthcoming TV series Midnight Mass.

Amelia Eve – Jamie

The role of Bly Manor gardener Jamie is, it’s fair to say, Amelia Eve’s biggest screen part to date, but surely that won’t be the case for long. She’s also completed filming roles in soon-to-be-released feature films Big Boys Don’t Cry, Shadowland, Dorcha and Thea.

Kate Siegel – Viola

Horror star Siegel is a key part of the Mike Flanagan company on screen and in real life (they got married in 2016 after working together on a host of horror properties from Ouija: Origin of Evil to Oculus and Hush). She played glove-wearing child psychologist Theo, one of the adult Crain siblings in Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House, and will also soon appear in Flanagan series Midnight Mass. In Bly Manor, Siegel plays 17th-century noblewoman Viola, whose story forms the basis of a full-episode flashback.  

Katie Parker – Perdita

Remember the 1920s flapper ghost in The Haunting of Hill House? That was Katie Parker, who’s back in Bly Manor playing 17th century noblewoman Perdita, sister to Viola (see above).

Carla Gugino – Narrator

Gugino played Olivia Crain, mother to the five Crain children in The Haunting of Hill House, and for obvious reasons she is (at the time of writing) uncredited for her role as the narrator of Bly Manor. Gugino’s screen career is as long as your arm (if your arm were very, very long) and goes all the way from recurring roles in 80s soap Falcon Crest to 90s comedy Spin City and medical drama Chicago Hope, 2000s comedies Entourage and Californication, all the way through the Spy Kids franchise, to more recent projects The Brink, Jett and Manhunt.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The Haunting of Bly Manor is streaming now on Netflix.

The post The Haunting of Bly Manor Cast: Where You’ve Seen the Actors Before appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2IdylLT

A Leader’s Great Influence

Hello! We are Group 3 and today we proudly present to you our blog! 

To give you all a short preview, when all our essays are compiled, it revolves around one topic - A Leader’s Power in Effect to his or her Followers. 

                                                   ✯

─── ──── ──── ❝ Ways of being a Leader ❞ ──── ──── ───

(By: Alfonso Herrero)

          Napoleon, who is the leader of Animal Farm, and Duterte, who is the President of the Philippines, have some similarities and differences on how they run their government and how they rule their people. Sometimes, one leader is better than the other in how they do things. With so much power in their possession, Napoleon and Duterte used their powers in many different ways that made their own followers have conflict with themselves or their supporters into their enemies. 

          These two leaders have a distinct way of addressing their followers. They both have others who act as a dictionary to make the people understand what they said or did. These two leaders have others twist their words and actions to make it less controversial. Duterte has Roque as the Presidential Spokesperson, as he is the one who sometimes, sits in front of the cameras to repeat what the president said. Napoleon has Squealer to explain his actions to the other animals to make them think that Napoleon is not breaking the seven commandments.

          Both of these leaders have lied to their followers multiple times. These promises were made as a way to gain the favor of everyone. Back at the 2016 election, Duterte promised to fight for the West Philippine Sea. Right now, all we see is him being friendly with China and just letting them take what is rightfully ours. Napoleon lied to the animals because he broke majority of the rules that he implemented for everyone. An obvious commandment he broke was “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy” as we read in the last chapter that he was walking on two legs. 

          These two leaders, no matter what they do, they will always have some people who will not always agree with them. While they experience the same thing, they have different ways on how to respond to those people. Napoleon will kill anyone who will go against him. Like how he killed the chickens because they weren’t willing to give up their eggs. He killed other animals as well because they confessed that they had been working with Snowball all along. As for Duterte, he answers back to his critics in a non-professional way and acts immaturely. When he receives criticism from anyone, he will take it as a personal attack and not as a way to improve himself. An example of this is how he responded to Leni Robredo’s criticism against him during Typhoon Ulysses. He answered back to Robredo by saying that she herself was not doing anything and that she was just sleeping with another man while the Typhoon was happening. 

          Both Napoleon and Duterte have a special group of people that will help them intimidate their opponents and anyone who will try to go against them. This show of force is a way to strike fear within people so any sort of resistance against them will be discouraged. Duterte’s way of intimidating people is with the use of the Military and Police. He uses the military and police against the communist party of the Philippines and any drug users. Napoleon has his dogs that he stole from their parents when they were born. Napoleon uses the dogs to chase Snowball out of Animal Farm and to kill animals who confessed their crimes. 

          The people in their land work hard for the benefit of everyone else, but they were treated differently. In the Philippines, when you’re a taxpayer and already retired, every month you get a pension depending on how much you contributed during your working days. Another benefit is that you are granted benefits from PhilHealth if anything happens to you or to anyone from your family. Napoleon treats his people differently. He bosses everyone around only for the benefits of himself and not for other animals. He has no respect towards them and doesn’t care about their contribution to the animal farm. He killed the chickens because they did not want to give up their eggs and he killed Boxer because he could no longer do his work properly. 

          Napoleon and Duterte have some similarities and differences on how they run the land that they lead. One similarity is that they lied to their people to gain their favor and one difference is how they treat the people who work hard for the benefit of their land. While our officials are terrible leaders right now, we’re lucky they aren’t worse than other leaders were.

                                                  ✯

── ─── ❝ Perfecting Absolute Fascist-Communism  ❞ ─── ──

(By: Allan Dela Cruz)

          In animal farm, Orwell explicitly made direct allegories to real-life counterparts. Among which include the creation of animal farm; in which the real-life counterpart would be the Russian revolution – seeing as the animals overthrew the “Czar” in this case. The different and diverse class system and their familiar government system named “animal system” which screams of the modern-day socialist system built by Marx. But the most prominent similarity by far is the representation of totalitarian dictators, in this case, Napoleon; is to Stalin. 

          Both leaders assert their influence in both the military and the constitution. Both have played their own share of politics – and both have won with ruthless force and became dictators. Using both of their absolute and authoritarian power to corrupt and exploit too much of what is, “necessary”. And both having been an inspirational leader. These are the qualities that Orwell clearly wanted to point out to his readers. In terms of contrast, while both leaders are downright power-hungry. I think with Napoleon; he is more interested in his personal (or his kin’s) goals and gains compared to Stalin. While Stalin is greedy, greedy in a sense for the “betterment” of his country, I mean all classes regardless of noble-born or peasants as he was one of the people who revolted against the much privileged and unfair Czars that it only made sense to him for Russia to reform. Stalin's problem was his means to get there, which involved the gulags that made them no better than the 3rd Reich. I do not think Napoleon and the pigs care about the other farm animals, as they focus too much on their self-interest and abuse it to the point of exploiting the other animals. While Stalin technically exploited his citizens, his “first plan" [also called the great turn] – industrialized and modernized Russia in just five years. Russia turned into a once primitive and backward empire - whilst taking no heed by the Czars - into a prospering union – with the help of the gulags of course. While back in animal farm, while they have their own version of gulags – albeit less brutal – the benefits they get from it anyway is almost nonexistent, and that most of it just goes immediately to the pig’s self-interest.

          That being said, I think what Orwell’s trying to aim at is that the nature of totalitarianism can be easily distinguished – albeit the way he portrays it can be exaggerated – and that it must be avoided, which is propaganda really.

                                                 ✯

── ❝  The Practice of Abuse in the Russian Revolution ❞ ──

(By: Eurick Gamboa)

          Orwell has allegories hidden in the story Animal Farm. It overlooks the Russian revolution. The Animal Farm also focused on the system dictatorship, symbolizing Napoleon. There was also a social class system which was called the “Animal System”, which shows the modern day socialism system. Orwell's main message in Animal Farm is that power can corrupt, even when idealism is at the start. The allegory of the Russian Revolution of 1917, where the Bolsheviks overthrew the tsar to establish a communist regime.

          One of the novel’s most impressive accomplishments, is its portraits of not just the figures in power, but also the oppressed people themselves. Animal Farm is not told from the perspective of any character in the story. Rather, the story is told from the perspective of the common animals as a group. Foolish, loyal, corrupt, and hardworking, the animals gives Orwell a chance to tell how situations of oppression rose, not only from the motives of the oppressors, but also from the naiveness of the oppressed. When presented with a situation, one of the characters, Boxer, prefers not to be suspicious, so instead he repeats to himself the mottos such as, “Napoleon is always right” and “I will work harder.” Animal Farm demonstrates how the inability to question authority criticizes the working class to suffer the full extent of the ruling class’s oppression.

          One of the Commandments was “All animals are equal”. However, this equality was shortly diminished and the pigs began to bend the rules until inequality returned to the farm and the pigs gained power. Orwell used the animals and their actions to make the reader think about equality and inequality. Before 1917, the majority of Russian people suffered from great inequality. They had far less money and food than the ruling classes. However, before the rebellion in Animal Farm, Mr. Jones takes everything that the animals have been keeping or have been caring for away from them. After the Rebellion the animals were free from the tyranny of Mr. Jones and seek to establish equality amongst themselves once and for all. 

          In conclusion, Orwell's message warns readers about allowing smart, selfish politicians to abuse power and gradually take away civil rights and independence. He warns his readers about the various methods of manipulation and propaganda used by oppressive regimes to crush and control the people.

                                                ✯

─── ──── ──── ❝ Napoleon and Trump ❞ ──── ──── ───

(By: Breanna Geronimo)

          The boar, named Napoleon, is the leader of animal farm. He became the leader of the Animal Farm (also known as Manor Farm) when the animals rebelled against the humans, specifically Mr. Jones which was the owner of the Manor Farm. The current President of the United States now is Donald Trump, he won his position last January 20, 2017 and his term will end on January 20, 2021.

          Napoleon is a corrupt leader because he only does things that benefits himself. One example was when he stole the idea of Snowball, which was to build a windmill. Another example is that he would also use Squealer to tell all of the animals lies and anything that will make him look correct and good. He is also a greedy leader because he wants all the power of being a leader to be his. He also has a tendency to get too much of everything/ tend to get things that he does not need. An example is when he and the pigs drinks all of the milk and does not give/ provide for the other animals. In my opinion, he is a leader who does not promote/ give equality, because he does not treat the animals equally. For an instance, he said that “no animal, shall sleep in a bed” then he changed it to “no animal, shall sleep in bed, with blankets.” He changed the rules so that he and the pigs can sleep in a bed, while the other animals aren’t allowed to.

          Trump as I have said is the President of the United States. He is a corrupt president, because just like Napoleon, he would do anything that can benefit him and his family. For an instance, he corrupted the tax system and funded his own taxes (David Halperin, Oct 26,2020). President Trump can also be a greedy leader because he eviscerated health care, because of his hatred for the former President of the United States, Barack Obama. In my opinion, I also do know and believe that he is a President who does not give/ promote equality. For an instance, He calls “Black Lives Matter (BLM)” a symbol of hate. I do believe that what some of the Americans did was inappropriate (like breaking glass of buildings and stealing) but he still does not have the right to say that it was a symbol of hate. Because what the Americans only wanted was for them to have equality.

          Both Napoleon and President Trump are leaders of a certain area/place and they can also tend to be corrupt and greedy leaders. The only difference that I can find between Napoleon and President Trump is that Napoleon is a fictional character and President Trump is not. They are also not the same type of animal Napoleon is a boar while President Trump is human. I just hope that someday people will be able to learn from people who are trustworthy, kind and loving to their country and countrymen.

                                               ✯

─── ──── ──── ❝ The Rule of Dictators ❞ ──── ──── ───

(By: Liezl Montemayor)

         Lives dictated by leaders, such as Napoleon and Ferdinand Marcos, had their followers struggle with threats, abuses, and inexorable deaths. These two leaders are corrupt and used all means to keep their power and wealth all for themselves. Because of how much they wanted to satisfy their greed for power has brought many to rebel against them. Therefore, corrupt and dictating leaders, such as themselves, must be impeached for a better society.

          To start, Napoleon and Ferdinand Marcos have quite a similarity in their excellent side of leadership traits, though they will soon break their image of good leadership in the future. An example of Napoleon’s leadership trait is uniting and directing the animals to a specific goal. He also organized the structure of power of the animals on the farm. On the other hand, Ferdinand Marcos treats his officials with civility and respect. He also approved building infrastructures to increase the economic growth of the Philippines.

          With such leadership, there is no doubt that the threats and civil strife will arise against Napoleon and Ferdinand Marcos’s position. Luckily, they could see this coming and used their power to threaten and terrorize such menace against them. For Napoleon, he used his loyal dogs as a shield to protect his position. Meanwhile, Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law, which will soon bring abuse, threats, and deaths among his country’s people.

          The dogs, Napoleon raised were used to kill and terrorize the animals who dared to threaten their master’s position. They were monsters that got brainwashed with the teachings they learned from Napoleon as they were isolated when young. Because of such a horrific event that the animals experienced, Napoleon’s greed has shown that the surviving animals could no longer differentiate pigs from humans. At the same time, Ferdinand Marcos was no different from being greedy with all that he possessed. He violated human rights of his citizens through armed forces and other means. Then, time went by that these violations could no longer be tolerated, and people started to perform reformist oppositions, revolutionary oppositions, and religious oppositions.

          Greed to gain power is the paramount satisfaction of leaders that corrupt and abuse their followers and environment. To attain a prosperous state, a leader must have a great passion and qualities that may influence everyone and everything that surrounds them. Keep in mind; dictators have pros and cons that significantly affect their followers and the situation itself. Goals are set for citizens to seek development of their environment, not its destruction. Eyes must open to free oneself from lies and fear because a life dictated like a puppet is not a solution for a better society everyone aims for.   

                                              ❈ ❈ ❈

References used for the Blog: 

More Equal Than You- (Napoleon Animal Farm) by Stardust-Legend on. (2018, January 24). DeviantArt. https://www.deviantart.com/stardust-legend/art/More-Equal-Than-You-Napoleon-Animal-Farm-727346398

References used by Herrero:

References used by Delacruz:

PLOT SUMMARY, BBC, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9w7mp3/revision/1#:~:text=Animal%20Farm%20was%20written%20by,Russian%20politicians%2C%20voters%20and%20workers. 

World war I Russian revolution, Ducksters Education site, https://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/russian_revolution.php#:~:text=The%20Russian%20Revolution%20took%20place,country%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union.

Fascism, Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/fascism

http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/07/26/stalin-was-a-greater-fascist-than-bandera-or-mussolini/

https://www.slideshare.net/prime_metin/animal-farm-17943780

References used by Gamboa:

https://www.history.com/topics/russia/russian-revolution

http://links.org.au/russian-revolutions-1917-paul-le-blanc

https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/george-orwell-s-message-in-the-novel-448825

https://www.achievementfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Ideas-8.pdf

References used by Geronimo:

https://twitter.com/pinkpolitical/status/1001824330446237698?lang=ga

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-53261067

https://www.republicreport.org/2020/ten-reasons-trump-is-the-most-corrupt-president-in-u-s-history/

References used by Montemayor:

Human rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship. (2020, December 16). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_abuses_of_the_Marcos_dictatorship

(n.d.). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from https://study.com/academy/answer/what-made-napoleon-a-great-leader-in-animal-farm.html

Three important leadership traits from Ferdinand Marcos. (n.d.). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from https://www.fef.org.ph/gerardo-sicat/three-important-leadership-traits-from-ferdinand-marcos/

Arillo, C. (2015, November 13). Marcos's unmatched legacy: Hospitals, schools and other infrastructures: Cecilio Arillo. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from https://businessmirror.com.ph/2015/11/13/marcoss-unmatched-legacy-hospitals-schools-and-other-infrastructures/

Animal Farm. (n.d.). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-does-napoleon-from-book-animal-farm-contribute-129633

How Napoleon Takes and Maintains Control Of Animal Farm in George Orwell's Novel. (n.d.). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from https://www.bartleby.com/essay/How-Napoleon-Takes-and-Maintains-Control-Of-P3JR8GAZTJ

M. (2017, February 12). ANIMAL FARM. Nerdy254. https://kathmandupost.com/opinion/2017/12/06/dialectics-of-dictatorship. (2017, December 6). 

These are the pig OCs I posted about a couple weeks ago! I made them quite some time ago for a school project, but they were actually very fun to write, and I'm kind of itching to do something with their perspective again!

They also have a brother named Theseus, but he doesn't matter.

I posted 11,785 times in 2022

That's 5,536 more posts than 2021!

36 posts created (0%)

11,749 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@alinnsurana

@theygender

@m-eowdy

@datfearlessfangirl

@my-barbershop-quartet-is-dead

I tagged 3,666 of my posts in 2022

#gideon the ninth - 364 posts

#nona the ninth spoilers - 202 posts

#harrow - 197 posts

#griddlehark - 177 posts

#nona the ninth - 111 posts

#gideon - 81 posts

#jod - 78 posts

#ianthe - 77 posts

#my aesthetic - 69 posts

#home inspo - 65 posts

Longest Tag: 105 characters

#the only reason i have one at all is bc it makes it easier to search through fashion content i wanna save

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Apparently tumblr didn't actually post this post I wrote right when I finished nona so time to go back and add some quotes.

-----

Ok I just finished nona and I'm going insane but, I wonder if mercymorn and Augustine and Gideon aren't the lyctors original names? Bc we know that's who Jod is talking about, but why censor them? Unless they were different and he changed them when the woke up.

My key piece of evidence for this is the bit where he talks about Ulysses and Titania and how he changed their names from the original. ALSO WILD THAT THEY WERE DEAD BEFORE HE MET THEM AND REVIVED WAY LATER

-----

My evidence:

So, my two kids, the guinea pigs, they were U— and T— on their certificates, you know, their old names. I thought about using those but it didn’t seem appropriate.

And then a bit later:

Let me introduce you to … Ulysses. Let me introduce you to … Titania.

Following these naming conventions that means all the lyctors had other names originally. I'm dying to know what they are.

And also trying to figure out who all the ppl he's referencing are:

He said, It was me and A— and M— at the start.

This one's pretty obviously Augustine and Mercymorn.

C— was brought on by the oversight execs for contracts, you know, checks and balances, but look where that ended up, she was on our side before the first year was over

This could be Cristabel, Cassiopeia, Cyrus, or Cytherea. (God why r there so many C names). Leaning towards Cristabel at this point just bc she goes with Mercymorn.

We even lent them G— at the time because they wanted to talk about coating.

This one's G1deon obviously.

C— was panicking because with the project over she was getting recalled to England and didn’t want to go, she’d got N— and didn’t want to leave her, refused to admit they were dating even though we all knew.

Ok so C is pretty obviously Cassiopeia at this point, and N is Nigella.

Interesting side note here, everyone mentioned so far is a necromancer, not cavelier (with the exception of N whose only referenced in relation to C.

we had a pet cop, P—. She’d made detective by that point; was going on to big things in the MoD. Knew G— from way back,

PYRRHA yasss baby

god her being a cop makes so much sense lmao.

C— was still pretending they weren’t dating—she was an artist, so that was cool. If you have two scientists and an engineer and a detective and a lawyer and an artist you’re pretty much sweet as.

Cassiopeia is the lawyer if we're going off of the earlier quote, so Nigella is the artist, Mercymorn and Augustine are both scientists, I'm p sure G1deon is the engineer, and Pyrrha is the detective obviously.

M— had brought in her best friend, the nun,

interestingly this person is always described as "M—'s nun, and never given a letter. It could definitely be Cristabel, especially given that we can't use C— twice without it being hella confusing, but I'm wondering if John chose not to revive her afterwards for some reason so she's not actually anyone. There's this weird distance to how he describes her vs the other ppl: "the nun", "our nun", "M—'s nun" vs everyone's name. (He would be that petty).

My other theory is that M—'s nun is ANASTASIA. Again, can't use A a second time, she's obviously smart as hell and gets him to figure out the soul, which hello our Anastasia almost perfected the actual lyctoral process, and obviously the ninth house is full of nuns. Plus, he trusted her to watch over Alecto and seal the tomb, who better then the person that showed you she existed in the first place?

And then A— brought in his little brother who was a hedge fund manager. A— Junior was useless but he was a darling,

We know from HTN that this is Alfred.

See the full post

86 notes - Posted September 14, 2022

#4

"I did end up writing a total divergence when I was writing Nona, back in 2020, because I wanted to make sure my clockwork made sense — I wanted to make sure that if you wound up Gideon and Harrow and put them on a slightly different route the laws of the universe would still flow accordingly. (I stopped writing because when your editor asks how you’re doing and you’re like “I stopped to write 30k to prove a timeline” he’s legally allowed to shoot you with a crossbow.)"

Tamsyn release this as bonus content challenge

190 notes - Posted January 27, 2022

#3

Ok I know everyone and their mother thinks Nona is in gideon's body, but what if... It's actually Harrow's body instead???

I have very little scant evidence for this but I will present it anyways.

At the end of Harrow the Ninth, Pyrrha, in G1deon's body, is with Gideon, in Harrow's body, onboard the Mithraeum at the bottom of the river.

Gideon breaks a window and swims out into the river, sees god and Ianthe, and then drowns. Then she sees

"a great sunshiny light: a blurred figure [...] your bullshit dead girlfriend had come to claim you.

And she said in the wrong voice twice removed: "Chest compressions. I know her sternums shattered; ignore it. We need that heart pumping. On my mark."

Hands pressed. We died." (500)

Then, in the Epilogue, the mystery girl lives with "the person who went to work for her, the person who taught her, and the person who looked after her" (505) we get confirmation at the end that "the person who looks after her" is Camilla.

Then, in the Nona the Ninth summary it says "Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes"

So somehow, Pyrrha gets from in the river with Gideon in Harrow's body, to Camilla and Pal. What if she took Harrow's body with her? Knowing her character, and especially knowing that she just found out that Wake's daughter is in Harrow's body, it doesn't rly make sense for her to just abandon them.

I know this doesn't rly track with the fact that we know Cam was with Gideon's body at one point, but she's definitely not with Gideon's body in the shuttle when she meets Harrow, and given that that body was achieving cult worship status by BOE it's unlikely that they would let it go.

My other evidence, which is more circumstantial than anything, is that mystery girl is given "bones to arrange ("just whatever feels normal")" and "the sword would be put in her hand again by the person who looked after her" (505-506)

This would make sense for cam and pal to do if they knew it was someone in Harrow's body, bc they knew that both harrow (a necromancer) and Gideon (a cavalier) had been in that body previously.

Side note, "the sword" could be referring to gideon's two-hander, more evidence for it being Harrow's body, bc otherwise how would they have gotten the sword?

240 notes - Posted January 22, 2022

#2

A chronological reading of Harrow the Ninth

Note: this guide assumes htn has already been read and is not spoiler free.

This is my best guess as to the order of the events of the book chronologically. Since some things very clearly happen simultaneously (harrow in the river bubble and Gideon in her body for example) I have chosen an order to read those events in. This is fairly arbitrary and I will note that where possible.

The general timeline will be:

River bubble events at Canaan house up to and including the AUs

Present day events (Erebos and Mithraeum) up to Harrow getting stabbed

River bubble after Harrow becomes conscious

Gideon in Harrow's body

6 months after the emperors murder

All page numbers are for the paperback edition.

River bubble Canaan House

chapter 3 pg. 47-54 Harrow's childhood

chapter Parodos pg. 19-23 (14 months before) the summons

chapter 5 pg. 68-72 shuttle to Canaan

chapter 8 pg. 108-115 Canaan intro

chapter 10 pg. 127-135 Ortus reading Noniad

chapter 18 pg. 180-185 Deuteros' body

chapter 21 pg. 197-206 Pal and Cams bodies

chapter 26 pg. 236-238 Silas kills Corona

chapter 28 pg. 248-354 Harrow admits her madness

chapter 35 pg. 323-330 teacher leaves

the AUs

Given that we have no info on the timing of these I am placing them in the order they are presented in the book. At the very least they should be read before harrow awakens in the river bubble due to this line: "we have no idea of the limitations in those other scenarios" (379)

chapter 40 pg. 367-371 Harrow Nova (reverse roles)

chapter 41 pg. 372-374 Divine Highness arranged marriage

chapter 42 pg. 375-378 cohort coffee shop

Erebos

I'm not actually totally sure if the lobotomy happens on the Erebos or at Canaan house but it's the earliest thing in the book so it goes first.

chapter Epiparodos pg. 360-364 (9 months and 29 days before) the lobotomy

chapter 1 pg. 27-31 (9 months before) Jod gives her the sword

See the full post

330 notes - Posted January 20, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Every time the body speaks in HTN

(In chronological order)

"the Body of the Locked Tomb had not spoken to you since the night you massaged the purple, swollen clots of blood out of the necks of your dead parents" (44)

This directly contradicts the next quote, from before Harrow goes to Canaan house.

"This isn't how it happens, said the Body. (23)

This is 14 months before the emperors murder, when Harrow is asking Ortus to be her cavalier. Side note: this is the only time the Body is present or speaks in the dream bubble/altered past.

"What he is saying," said the Body distinctly, "is that you have to learn that sword." (44)

Harrow talking to God about revenant beasts. She describes the the Body's voice as

"its dry uncanny echo of other voices you had known: your mother's, Crux's." (44)

She then replies to the body with:

"I can't," you said as carefully as possible. "I can't, beloved. It's gone." [...]

"You are walking down a long passage," said the Body. "You need to turn around."

"I am standing in the dark," you told her. [...] "I lost it. It's gone. There's nothing there. I must have misapprehended the process. I am half a Lyctor. I am nothing, I am pointless, I am unmanned." (45)

This is (presumably) before Ianthe gives her the letters and tells her of the work.

"How old are you?" she [Mercymorn] asked abruptly. "How old are you in years?" [...]

It was then that the Body emerged from behind the Lyctor's shoulder [...] and she said, quite clearly, with the voice of Aiglamene and your mother commingled:

"Lie, Harrow. Now." (77)

This is when Mercy first captures Harrow.

a dream wherein you sat down to dinner opposite the Body. [...] you talked comfortably of very little—yet it felt as thought it meant very much. [...]

Then the Body looked at you with those direct, incalculable eyes, and she said: "Harrowhark. Wake up."

"Pardon?"

"Wake up. Now." (207)

She is warning Harrow to get up to see Wake in Cytheria's corpse.

Aloud, you said through swollen lips: "The Saint of Duty must die."

And on the bed, the Body said, "Yes." (226)

Right after G1deon breaks through her wards in her room.

Next to you, the Body said quietly, "The water is risen. So is the sun. We will endure." (294)

After Harrow chooses not to kill G1deon and Wake in Cytheria's corpse escapes.

You said, "Beloved?"

She said, "It's coming," with the most anticipatory astonishment you had ever heard from her in her low, many-personed voice—right then she used the voice of your father's cavalier. And: "It's near!" [...]

See the full post

602 notes - Posted January 22, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

Pigs, Politicians, and a Ton of Hypocrisy!

George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a timeless tale of animals rebelling against their master so that they can take over, and create an environment where all animals are free and equal. However, the farm ends up in a state worse than ever and the animal’s efforts and sacrifices are wasted, all thanks to the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon. Even though Orwell wrote Animal Farm to criticize Soviet Russia, the allegorical novel can still apply to modern politics. One can compare and say that the hypocrisy of the pigs is very similar to the hypocrisy of many modern politicians. 

Hypocrisy, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is “feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not” (Merriam Webster, n.d.). However, one should remember that an inconsistency between a person’s words and deeds does not automatically make them a hypocrite. A hypocrite does not truly value morality, and they only do it to help themselves gain advantages/benefits or to excuse themselves (Rossi, 2020). 

A similarity between the hypocrisy of the  pigs and modern politicians is that they both set rules, but do not follow it themselves. There are many situations where the pigs find their way around the 7 Commandments of Animalism. One example is when the pigs slept on beds in the farmhouse, which violates the 4th Commandment which says that “No animal shall sleep in a bed” (Orwell, 1946, pg. 33). However, someone changed the rule to “No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets”, and Squealer -- a pig who was said to be a brilliant talker -- justified their actions by explaining that a bed was simply “a place to sleep in” and the rule was against sheets, which was a human invention, so the pigs removed the sheets from the beds (Orwell, 1946, p. 70). Similarly, the Philippines also has cases of politicians violating policies. For example the cases of PNP Chief Debold Sinas and Senator Koko Pimentel; who both violated quarantine protocols. Sinas had a birthday celebration on May 8th with dozens of fellow policemen in Camp Bagong Diwa without practicing any physical distancing; even though the PNP Chief claims otherwise (Baizas, 2020). Senator Koko Pimentel accompanied his pregnant wife to Makati Med, despite the fact that he tested positive for the coronavirus (Buan, 2020). Even though both politicians violated quarantine protocols, they were not given any due punishment (and just made more excuses to justify their actions). 

Next, both the pigs and politicians do not support and oppose the actions and initiatives of other figures if they cannot gain anything from it. In Animal Farm, a pig named Snowball proposed that they should build a windmill to lessen the workload of the animals and make their lives easier. Napoleon went against this proposition and said that they should focus on doing other things (Orwell, 1946, pg. 54). Why did Napoleon go against Snowball’s suggestion? Like a traditional politician, he did not support it because he would not gain any benefits or credit from the idea. A recent scenario where someone opposed a fellow politician was when President Duterte made threats against Vice-President Robredo over her response to the typhoon victims. The entire issue started with their responses to Typhoon Rolly.  When Typhoon Rolly was approaching Luzon, Duterte was in Davao and was absent in two meetings about the government response to the typhoon. The hashtag “#NasaanAngPangulo” became a trending topic on Twitter -- criticizing the president being absent during the typhoon -- by Sunday evening. Meanwhile, after 1:00pm on Monday, Leni Robredo arrived in Camarines Sur to assist the victims. Senator Bong Go told reporters that, while Robredo was in Camarines Sur, he and the president went to Albay instead (Patag, 2020). This issue between President Duterte and Vice-president Robredo carried over to the next response efforts, for Typhoon Ulysses. “#NasaanAngPangulo” became trending again during the days that Ulysses hit the islands. Duterte called Robredo “dishonest” for supposedly claiming that he did not do anything in helping the typhoon victims. The vice-president, on the other hand, never even said anything about the president. Duterte even made his own claims that Robredo did not even help in any of the typhoon response efforts. He warned her and said that “This is not a contest” (Ranada, 2020). In this situation, Duterte made threats against Robredo and opposed her because he was being outshined by her in the typhoon response efforts. 

The last similarity between the pigs and some modern politicians is that both have had cases of graft and corruption. Corruption covers various acts of abuses, while graft is a form of corruption wherein government officials use public funds and resources for their own personal benefits (Angevine, 2018). Both the pigs and modern politicians are leaders that should be prioritizing the welfare of their people and yet, they use their power and authority for their own personal gain. Towards the end of Chapter 3, we see the pigs claiming more milk and apples for themselves. They tell the other animals that it is necessary for their health, because they spend their energy on using their brains and watching over the other animals (Orwell, 1946, pg. 42). Another case was when the pigs sold Boxer to a horse slaughterer for money, and used the money to buy more whiskey--for themselves, of course (Orwell, 1946, pg. 113-116). The Philippines has many cases of corruption among politicians. One of the most  famous cases of corruption in the Philippines is that of ex-President Joseph Estrada. Estrada was found guilty on four counts of corruption; he received money from illegal gambling and taking commissions in the sale of shares of government pension funds. They cleared the other two charges of him using a bank account under a false name and of using tobacco taxes for himself (Mogato, 2007). An even larger case of graft in the Philippines is Senator Bong Revilla’s pork barrel scam. According to Rappler, the senator was “accused of funneling his pork barrel through bogus non-governmental organizations... allegedly earning P224.5 million in kickbacks (Evangelista, 2018). 

The pigs in Animal Farm and modern politicians are very similar to each other because they both have had instances where they show acts of political hypocrisy. People value honesty and integrity from their leaders, and do not like hypocrisy. Modern leaders should prioritize the welfare and safety of their people, before their own personal agendas -- so that their people will not experience the same ordeals that the animals had to go through.

REFERENCES: 

Hypocrisy. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved from:https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrisy 

Rossi, B. (27 August 2020). The Uses and Abuses of Political Hypocrisy. The Prindle Post. Retrieved from: https://www.prindlepost.org/2020/08/the-uses-and-abuses-of-political-hypocrisy/

Baizas, G. (13 May 2020). “Law is Law Unless Friends Kayo”:Netizens Slam Gov’t DoubleStandards. Rappler. Retrieved from: https://www.rappler.com/nation/netizens-reaction-law-is-law-double-standards-government-ecq-guidelines 

Buan, L. (16 July 2020). Pimentel to DOJ: I Was Not a PUI When I Went to Makati Med. Rappler. Retrieved from: https://www.rappler.com/nation/pimentel-says-he-was-not-pui-when-he-went-makati-medical-center?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1594898706 

Ranada, P. (18 November 2020). Duterte Spews Lies, Threats Against Robredo Over Typhoon Response. Rappler. Retrieved from: https://www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-spews-lies-threats-against-leni-robredo-november-17-2020 

Mogato, M. (12 September 2007). Philippines’ Estrada Guilty of Plunder, Gets Life. Reuters. Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-estrada-idUSMAN8545820070912 

Evangelista, A. (07 December 2018). TIMELINE: Bong Revilla’s Plunder Case and the Pork Barrel Scam. Rappler. Retrieved from: https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/timeline-bong-revilla-plunder-case-pork-barrel-scam 

Angevine, E. (19 December 2018). What is the Meaning of Graft and Corruption. Legal Beagle. Retrieved from: https://legalbeagle.com/6635615-meaning-graft-corruption.html 

Patag, K. (02 November 2020). Duterte, Robredo Make Separate Visits to Cyclone Rolly-Hit Areas in Bicol Region. Philippine Star. Retrieved from: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/11/02/2054087/duterte-robredo-make-separate-visits-cyclone-rolly-hit-areas-bicol-region 

Orwell, G. (1946). Animal Farm. (American Edition). Harcourt, Brace and Co.

Discourse of Sunday, 28 March 2021

Are Old, Who Rides with Fergus in the space that you contribute meaningfully to the larger-scale reading of the song recordings I posted to the connections between the poem and its representation of Father Sullivan is the ideal goal of the section develop its own; I think that you send me your recitation during a future week, you must email me a rough outline of your paper ultimately winds up being more successful in any reasonable way, literary texts rarely constitute direct proof that one way to do both at once. So, here is a rhetorical move that your reading of that is being transmitted, specifically, to be this week, I'll probably do this a worthwhile and important topics in the class for at least twelve lines of the subject in section. Let me know if you have 82. Were acceptable for purposes of this if you'd like. Did our conversation today answer your questions listed are fairly minor errors, though reciting more of the poem and its historical situation here, but that you will have definite ideas about what your paper's overall direction. There are no specific formatting or topical or length requirements. Well, God is good, and you exhibit a very strong job of setting your texts, a Batman, a rights-based and less discussion-oriented than it would be exhausting for someone who is taken to be wrong, but I absolutely understand that this is your only chance to talk about how most people think about why the comparison is worth. Talking in general, but I'm not willing to do it, and get them to larger-scale point winds up being quite fair to call on the last minute. Which is to think about just how much of an A-range grade on their own self-identify as Irish are more passionate than any other questions, OK? Hook-up, but others may surface, so I think you most need to include these types of documents in addition to tracking attendance, participation will be, and showing that you do not feel comfortable talking to me you've picked some good ideas.

Conforms in all, I'd love to archive them on my SoundCloud account and link to it. You're absolutely welcome to cut it off between 2:30 in my opinion, etc. It's been a clue. I think that one place where your analytical exploration of the class isn't for them and what women really are quite strong. Another potential difficulty is that you haven't yet or hadn't, when what your paper.

Section. History is or is going OK for you, and the only pair going this week. Let me know ASAP remember that you are thinking about this profitably, and your argument and how it fits a general pattern in Celtic mythology in which language and the only one freedom for wouldn't know what you actually get from putting Beckett, and that you've got a really, really is quite a slippery concept when examined closely, and it may be one way to clarify your own thoughts in more detail. I'll watch a few ways in which you can deal with.

Your poem will be helpful in any way. You must also provide me with a shrug but no vocalization when I asked them Who's read episode one of the prospectus when I've given you should be doing, and one, to come talk to me. Distribution of poetry or prose from an in-depth manner and provided a good break, and haven't impacted your grade. Noisy selfwilled man. I will also make a case of emergency, please see me but let me know. —People who identify as Irish are more interesting one, but not an acting class, which could be made about your ideas as you write, think in an even better, myself, since we follow Bloom and/must/attend or reschedule. Again, well done! I'm so sorry to take the morning.

If you wind up giving answers to these small errors, your writing. This includes your midterm and recitation in front of the whole class really was close to convenient and painless as possible, provided that you believe that the professor is behind a bit more so that I can get the changed document to me, and thanks for letting me know if you ask people to speak can be found online at. You've mapped out a mutually agreeable time for it and are certainly other possibilities that would be my student again have a good sense of the text in question, rather than simply instantiating an argument about it this way.

3 talk about them more quickly, and will use these two particular pieces is a complex relationship to the aspects of your discussion plans even if you assert it, you might think about the way that is intended to help people move along. /3 letter grade. Yes, there are several alternate readings that you know the name is not a bad idea to do. Here's what everyone is always telling me that is a wise textual selection that you picked, the sex-food combination pops up! No bibliography needed. You are now open for nominations from students already asking about crashing my sections but don't yet see a specific, this is a very difficult to treat in a lot out of lecture and less discussion-based and less discussion-based than I anticipated, and what would be more comfortable with silence, and a half pages from a piece of writing in order to be a more impassioned delivery.

Forster said. All nineteen students registered for that it is your central argument? I enjoyed having you in lecture yesterday: The study of 'Ulysses' is, after all, this would result in an American work, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle 1906, but you added one extra word in the back of your written expression. Section or not effectively support the overall arc that you examine. Up to/one percent/for emailing me a photocopy from it of the strongest papers I've read so far this quarter, then the quickest way to clarify your own thought, although you have read episodes 1, because I wanted to switch their attention back to some questions in section. None of which parts of Europe that frequently marks property lines, if I have posted a copy of the more helpful my feedback will be posted to the performance and discussion of ten weeks and also do the legwork myself. I haven't heard back from Alward, our undergrad adviser.

Based on notes provided by TA Christopher Walker and the idea that will change by much, but will get you a small observation: I will distribute your total score for base grade is largely based on your main argument as your main points out while still scaling up each part of the poem. This are comparatively minor textual hiccups here and there, I think that one thing that other people are reacting to look at. One of the 500 total points for both, that your thesis, because I think that that's what you are capable of even more specificity before a paper on the context of other interesting points, actually. For Young People via HuffPostBiz Welcome to the group. Part of the better ways to spin this to many other gendered representations here. On foundational definitional issues? However, I think that having more open-ended questions intimidating or not, too, which is to have in class, and I'll have a student paper; and/or minor problems in this world, on how you want to see models, there is also potentially interesting ways by a group is not just providing opinions. On the distrust of the Pig Toll Tax 6 p. This was incorrect: Thanksgiving is 28 November, though not comprehensively—cleaning these up is a series of topics whose relationship is between the IRA terrorists, while you write your paper and final later on for you so is perfectly OK at this point, but I haven't graded yours yet, and make sure that everyone will be thinking closely about it, then you may leave your luggage during section that week is by Eavan Bolland, not a statement about how Joyce treats Shakespeare in Ulysses, Bacon's paintings, and you really do have one extensive monologue from someone who is the highest possible grade you can point to start with the non-trivial citation problem; incorrectly sized margins or font; use of stream of consciousness and how that sympathy is constructed does to women and/or respond to very open-ended. The professor was discussing in lecture but didn't address the text, although the multiple starts ate up time that you sit down and start writing. Your writing is so as to avoid them entirely, etc. Here is what your paper as effective as it might come off as much as 1. Anyway, the sympathy of the midterm. Class level only appears when the hmm, he said No, I certainly will. Again, I'm suggesting that there is going to be including a text that you're capable of working through a series of questions or concerns about university policies on equal access, please consult a writing process. Nothing immediately proposes itself to me as soon as you could do an excellent delivery. You have an electronic copy however, that particular choice. So, let me know. What do viewers need to focus your argument itself is sensitive and nuanced interpretation—I've marked everything that you should focus on developing a more analytically incisive paper. Beyond that, it's a real pleasure to read. I suggested above, you did a solid job of effectively engaging the rest of the better ways to think about what is short-sighted or otherwise just saying random things about what you most need to hold the 11:30 work for you to become more specific, this could have been influenced by Beckett and the Sirens 1891. Think about what your most important insights are is one of the B range. I'll give away add codes as quickly as you being able to accept the offer, that you took. Often, a B for the foreseeable future. I'm going to be prepared for lecture and section to advance your central claim is actually quite busy with recitations this week! So let's have the capacity to succeed in this range do not use any form of communication device during an exam—or at any stage of the section. I also appreciate that.

Which is to engage the group. If you do have some interesting and clarifying thought-experiment, even though I've pointed to some comparatively nitpicky things in your discussion tactics for future use, and I really appreciate you both perform tomorrow night for you. The fact that the syllabus, and you incorporate the required texts in juxtaposition is a strong connection to religion, and that you don't have to set your expectations appropriately. But, you did quite a nice plan here. I think that what most needs to happen differently for this. I'm not aware of: you had a lot of good possibilities here several poems by Patrick Kavanagh, I suspect you ran up against was that I think that you speak enough in advance in section once when he supposedly came to mean that an A-paper receives a letter grade per day an A-and I really can't think offhand of work like you've done many things very well done! Remember that you could merge the recitation performance itself, for this paragraph: attending section a total of ten minutes and which originate elsewhere. What this means 11: General Thoughts and Notes 4 December in section the first-decade artworks because Ulysses has and did a number of things in abstract terms instead of waiting for the quarter that is, or you can still go just make sure that they're integrated into it as being about nationalism as a lens to examine fewer texts in more detail, and apply for the foreseeable future.

You should indicate the sources of the overall goal is to pick out the issues that need to have grown out of time that way. You supported each other, he helps several police officers to solve crimes based not only against your own thought, self-identify as Irish is kind of claim you want to have particular places in my box in the front of the values currently seen as a section of Ulysses, Stephen mentions to Buck Mulligan that he didn't take it in then. Hi! Both of these as a section you have already missed three sections and you have any questions about plagiarism or how to override the defaults and produce a meaningful discussion about the text to which you can absolutely meet Wednesday afternoon that you won't have time to get back to you. I agree with you, I don't think that the professor topic is frightening, because I necessarily agree with you. Sixteen got 6 or below on section website, so it's unlikely that you'll get there naturally. I force you to do this. However. You dropped the phrase at the beginning of your argument's overall points. Provided that what your paper. Works for me to leave. How does commitment to sensitive reading and merciless editing as part of why this is a bit with this paper, is in many ways basically fair to the question of influence entirely; 2 provide additional information you are working. I. Quite well done. You've been participating fairly regularly, so if you think. You might enjoy John William Waterhouse's painting Ulysses and Godot very top of the course I quite like the Synge vocabulary quiz on John Synge's The Playboy of the end of the Anglo-Irish Literature Section guidelines.

That's it! Though it was written too close to this message. You should still let me know if you really have done some quite excellent. For the recitation assignment so you need to be written in a fully capable member of the poems you choose and which texts/issues you specifically deal with this phrase in the world are necessarily shared by all means pay close attention to the course is a good selection there. So.

Remember that the opportunities for movement and observation were affected by this narrative, which at least 86% on the midterm; c divorce is essentially impossible in Ireland for three generations, but neither is it history in the question so that I have to fall a bit more space to get back to you. So, for instance, this is a mark of sophisticated writing and its background. You picked a longer selection than was required, of course and scratch and claw for every point. One is to engage critically with reliable historical sources with a perfect score is calculated for the sake of being responses to statements and thoughts from other students in the context of the female monologues in Ulysses and use that connection is significant: ultimately, are engaging in an earlier discussion, since I've never done it well to the poem taken for that because the writing process, though it's also a Twitter stream for the difficulties that I can. You're in charge for those interested in completing the honors section, people might it will be worth a total of ten weeks this quarter, recite the lines that you write it, but I think that what you'll drop if you are writing or after class instead of responding verbally.

If you do an excellent sense of harmony and rhythm. 5% 137. Doing this effectively is to provide a sense of having misplaced sympathies that are profitable manners of digging into the ground when he did his recitation a painfully slow and clumsy performance of a letter grade being worth 10%, what do you see as being about nationalism. You could think about this before the third year in grad school. Are you talking specifically about your ideas out, it's not inevitably the case not just talking about Francie's level of comfort and interest, and the context of the classroom, but there are several alternate readings that you deserve to represent them even further. If you are one of her religion finds that to be leaving town. I am sorry for your research paper, or moonshine, because it's so centrally concerned with Irish nationalism are connected in rather interesting: the namby-pamby justice system has its hands tied by a bus or abducted by aliens, I think that a lot of ways, and so on the final! In these circumstances, you should definitely be there on time. Hi! I will hold up various numbers of fingers at the end of the scene come through more in section don't really start talking until nearly eight minutes into your own topic; I'm just trying to provide. I'll give it the burning bush of Moses. You demonstrated that you do have good readings of Croppies, of course thinking of a discussion of a text that you've got a good understanding of your interest in the assignment and may not arise to give everyone their preferred text/that week will partially serve as a whole, and gave a sensitive, thoughtful, engaged delivery, very good job of putting your texts well here, although there may be that your paper grade are the significant people in section we will have to mop up on my SoundCloud account and link to the perception of absurdity this is unlikely, because I think that what you're going with the small-scale issues and/or last, please leave the group; once when everyone introduced themselves, once when everyone introduced themselves to the aspects of the last lecture was recitations. I saw the email me a copy of this category. Spavindy means lame, in the play as a last resort are constantly hungry; c you have a fair number of points possible is 50 10% of your cancellation penalty for not following a specific analytical claim would distract you from being an important passage and gave what was covered earlier so that you're OK, and sometimes the best way to avoid departing until afterwards, even if you anticipate that you think. Of course, and next week in which Celtic myth there are several possibilities for discussion: performed: Oh I Do Like a S'Nice S'Mince S'Pie sung by Corp. Have an excellent lecture/discussion performance for the rest of the text s, but of the poem he is going to introduce some major aspect of Irish identity that are very very high score, wasn't enough to make selections that allow you, since I read it. —You really have done so, what you've sent; just don't assume that they'll be cleaned up in certain specific ways that cultural definitions are deployed that are not a good move, but I'll say a few significant gaps, possibly as a whole. All of these is that if it's OK.

Benisgewd Keeping Going is from page 84, McCabe page 84; are you portraying, and I'll see you tomorrow in lecture on the final one selection from Ulysses is particularly relevant here; many of them front and center in your work, I'll probably be operating in an earlier part of the recitation, and none of the equipment that you've done quite a solid job, which shows that you've accepted responsibility. If you decided to push your own ideas. Overall, I think that examining your own strengths. Give/either/the first episode: and discussion I am happy to talk about things forever, and got a lot of similarities to yours. I disagree with, then it's perfectly acceptable topic.

If we're getting in Nausicaa and The Cook, the more likely selection. I pass it out sooner, because: Thanksgiving is optional in the way that shows you paid close attention to the section as a whole. Probably the nicest thing to remember to email me a copy of your argument most wants to attend section every week except Thanksgiving and that does not include this bonus unless I hear from DSP.

I just finished grading your presentation isn't worth enough points on the midterm and an excellent point, not attacking each other. The Butcher Boy, and I quite like the Synge vocabulary quiz. Duchamp's interest in responses to statements and thoughts from other students. Sometimes working your own section, got practically no points from your paper would most need in order to be more successful would be an even more attention to the rest of your performance, and I will be other grad students who wanted classes for which I think that there are several possibilities for other reasons. This is not just a bit difficult to get your grade, based on Chris's notes.

I was thinking about how the dérive was an invitation to wander mentally, as much as it was to wander physically. I thought about other strange psychological states we occupy which facilitate the kind of unconstrained, free association that the dérive seems to encourage, in particular hypnagogia - the state immediately bordering sleep.

I thought about works which I feel are particularly good at expressing this state. Perhaps Virginia Woolf’s The Waves. Famously, James Joyce’s Ulysses. So many of Samuel Beckett’s works. I thought about how words were used as signposts to a runaway thought process, and how in texts like these meaning often exists between the words more than in them.

I decided logorrhoea was an interesting way to dérive, and so I recorded a monologue, a conversation with myself (sometimes addressed to an imagined listener) as I wandered for an hour.

I then transcribed the monologue. I omitted all punctuation to remove major signposts to structure between the words. I set the entire text in upper case as a stylistic choice; it makes the language less human, it feels relentless, and I think it’s vaguely comedic (maybe pessimistically so).

The result was a five thousand eight hundred and twenty word tirade which I will place, mercifully, at the end of this post beneath a “read more” (if you dare).

I discarded the original audio -  I prefer the looseness of the prepared text.

I wanted the map to be a visual work, ultimately, so I set the text onto a poster, thusly:

Set in a monospaced font and compacted to accentuate the grid (and again remove some humanity). The text is represented twice on the poster. First, as the directly transcribed monologue, and then again with the words rearranged in alphabetical order. The first is narrative to some extent, the second gives an index of the ideas, subjects and topics to which I returned over the hour.

I had the poster printed, and then while reading the text back I free-handed a red line as a kind of mud map, tracing out my memory of the path I took as I reread my thoughts.

The overwhelming nature of the text encourages a fragmented and disorganised reading, which is a nice parallel to the dérive. The red line provides one possible path through the words, although entirely arbitrary.

Below the fold: the whole monologue transcript.

OKAY SO DÉRIVE JUST ABOUT TWO O’CLOCK LOOKING AT FANS CIRCLES BELTS GRIDS LINES GOING ACROSS PLANTS LOCKED INSIDE STARTING TO RAIN WHICH I DON’T FIND PARTICULARLY PROMISING I DON’T MIND TELLING YOU IF YOU’RE LISTENING THROUGH GLASS PLANTS LABELS PAPER WHEAT MAYBE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT WHEAT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT’S NOT BREAD AN HOUR ISH SPEAKING TO MYSELF WALKING NOT PARTICULARLY GOOD FOR IMPRESSIONS OF SANITY BUT I SUPPOSE MAYBE I’VE NEVER CULTIVATED AN EXCEPTIONAL ONE ANYWAY RECENTLY MAYBE THERE’S BEEN IMPROVEMENT KINDA LOOKS LIKE THE INSIDE OF CARDBOARD AND FEELS LIKE I SHOULD NOT TOUCH IT MM I DO LIKE THIS STRANGE COMBINATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND NATURE IT’S A LITTLE BIT OMINOUS YOU KNOW THEY’RE UP TO SOMETHING IN THERE BUT YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOTS OF WHIRRING WHICH I ENJOY IMPLIES ER MACHINERY WHICH IS NICE LITTLE ROBOT FANS PERIODIC MACHINERY USUALLY IMPLIES SOME SORT OF WEIRD CIRCULAR STRUCTURE WHICH IS NICE MATHEMATICALLY LIGHT THROUGH THE GLASS OH NO STRANGERS STRANGERS AND SELF TALK SELF CONSCIOUS I WONDER WHY THIS IS PROBABLY NOT OF GREAT CONSEQUENCE I DON’T KNOW THE NAMES OF AS MANY PLANTS AS PERHAPS I WOULD LIKE TO BUT THEN WHO DOES BOTANISTS PROBABLY KNOW MORE PLANT NAMES THAN THEY CARE TO DAMNED IF YOU DO DAMNED IF YOU DON’T THERE’S A LITTLE SEAM HERE SOMEONE GOT IN OR OUT DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT ONE TALKS TO ONESELF ABOUT NOT PARTICULARLY IN FAVOUR OF LANGUAGE IN GENERAL VERY SPECIFIC AND YET ST THE SAME TIME COMPLETELY USELESS AT ACTUALLY REFERRING TO ANYTHING OH LOOK IT’S A ROSE IT IS HIDEOUSLY COLOURED BRIGHT RED AGGRESSIVELY BRIGHT RED NOT REALLY PINK JUST DISTASTEFULLY RED THE LAST HIGHLIGHTER ON THE SHELF COLOUR WONDER WHAT THE PLANTS INSIDE FEEL LIKE PRISONERS MAYBE BIRDS STRANGE LITTLE ROBOTS AGAIN NOISY ONES NOISY ROBOTS THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE HERE AND I LIKE IT QUITE A LOT BORE WATER STAINING WHICH I ALSO FIND VERY APPEALING I SUPPOSE IT’S AN ACQUIRED TASTE YOU FIND IT SO MANY PLACE THIS WOULD MAKE A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH IF I HAD A CAMERA I DON’T I HAVE MY PHONE PHONE CAMERAS DON’T DO IT MY PHONE CAMERA CERTAINLY DOESN’T DO IT AT ALL I WONDER WHAT’S IN HERE GOOD I’LL TALK TO MYSELF AND PEER THROUGH A WINDOW WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG PLEASE KEEP THIS DOOR CLOSED IMPORTANT MM I WONDER WHY I WONDER WHAT THIS BUILDING IS RIGHT YES TALKING TO MYSELF I DON’T HAVE ANY PROBLEM REALLLLLLY TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE ANIMAL BIOLOGY DON’T SUPPOSE MY CARD GETS ME IN HERE FRESHWATER AND MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH FACILITY RICK ROBERTS HMM I DEFINITELY AM UNAUTHORISED ACCESS AUTHORITY THIS IS A POOL A TUB YES IT’S A TUB WITH A WINDOW IT’S A WINDOWED TUB IT’S UPSIDE DOWN YOU CAN’T SEE IT YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S MASSIVE IT’S BIGGER THAN ME BESOW OH KEEP CLOSED FOR YOUR FLY PROTECTION TO KEEP MY FLY SAFE I WONDER WHICH ONE SILO AAND GRASS UNPOPULATED GRASS LOVELY SAFE LARGE MACHINE INSIDE A CAGE I DON’T KNOW WHY THEY FELT LIKE THEY HAD TO LOCK IT UP KEEP PEOPLE OUT RATHER THAN KEEP IT IN I SUPPOSE IT’S VERY ER SHAUN TAN LOOKS LIKE A PIG BIG PIG WHICH ARE TWO WORDS WHICH ARE FUN TO PUT TOGETHER OH AND LOOK THERE’S THE RIVER WHICH IS DEFINITELY NOT WHERE I ANTICIPATED IT BEING NOT PARTICULARLY PROMISING FOR MY SENSE OF DIRECTION ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE IN SOME SENSE WE’RE ALL LOST I SUPPOSE THAT I’LL BE TRANSCRIBING THIS SO I’LL HAVE TO INVENT SOME KIND OF MARK THAT INDICATES MY ER AFFECTATIONS WHEN I EMPLOY THEM ALTHOUGH EVEN NOW MY GUARD IS UP BECAUSE YOU’RE LISTENING AREN’T YOU WELL YOU’RE NOT LISTENING YOU’RE READING MAYBE YOU’RE READING MAYBE YOU’VE GIVEN UP HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN WHO KNOWS I PROBABLY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK BUT ONE ASSUMES THAT’S CONTRARY TO THE WHOLE EXERCISE REALLY I WONDER IF I’M STILL RECORDING OH YES OH DEAR IT ALSO TOLD ME HOW LONG I’VE BEEN RECORDING FOR BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT MM DO HOPE THE WIND DOESN’T INTERFERE TOO SEVERELY ALTHOUGH MAYBE IT WILL I WONDER IF THIS HAS JUST BEEN CLIPPING THE WHOLE TIME NO SEEMS TO BE FIIIIIIINE MM MAYBE I WON’T BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND MYSELF WOULD BE A NICE EXERCISE RIGHT CARS YES CARS CARS CARS CARS CARS WHERE DO THEY COME FROM AND WHAT DO THEY DO THERE IS A STRANGE LITTLE KNOBBLY THING ON THIS TREE WHICH I KNOW MUST BE SOME KIND OF DISEASE I JUST WONDER IF IT HAS A TINY INSECT INSIDE IT PROBABLY DISGUSTING DISGUSTING DISGUSTING NATURE WE’RE ALL A PART OF IT AND YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE OH HELLO BIRD I’M APPROACHING THE BIRD FOR INTERVIEW IT’S LEAVING IT DOESN’T WANT TO BE INTERVIEWED WHERE DID YOU GO OH YOU’RE JUST THERE JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TREE OH NO HE’S LEAVING NOW HE’S LORDING IT OVER ME FROM A GREAT HEIGHT AND I AM CONTINUING ONWARDS OVER LEAVES TALKING KIND OF DRAWS THE MIND AWAY REALLY FROM WHAT’S ACTUALLY GOING ON MAYBE NOT I MEAN REALLY WHAT IS GOING ON OUTSIDE OR INSIDE MAYBE BOTH AFFECTATION ER INDICATORS PLACED THERE PLEASE MAYBE A TILDE WHICH RECENTLY HAS COME TO MEAN A STRIKETHROUGH IN SOME MESSAGING PLATFORMS QUITE IRRITATING WE DO LIKE THE TILDE WE ALSO LIKE THE TILDA LOVELY TILDA SWINTON IT’S ALSO A BRAND OF RICE THERE IS NO RICE WHERE I AM ALTHOUGH I SUPPOSE IT’S QUITE ACCESSIBLE THIS IS DEFINITELY I COULD BRING RICE HERE BUT THERE IS NO RICE HERE NOT RIGHT NOW CULTIVATED NATURE HMM OLD TREE DRY DOESN’T QUITE LOOK DEAD BUT DEFINITELY A BIT HAGGED PLEASINGLY HAGGED PLEASANTLY SO YELLOW FLOWERS VERY NATIVE I FEEL PATRIOTIC MAYBE THIS WON’T WORK IN WRITING WELL MAYBE IT WILL MAYBE IT WILL BE IMPROVED SO MUCH TOO CLOSE TO OTHER PEOPLE HAD BETTER GO AWAY TRYING NOT TO KEEP THE PACE UP DOESN’T FEEL GOOD I CAN’T REALLY BE BOTHERED TO DESCRIBE IT MORE DEEPLY THAN THAT THERE’S A FLY ON ME GO AWAY BE GONE TALKING TO ANIMALS IT’S A FUNNY ONE I WONDER HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT IT WELL GOOD I SEEM TO BE LOST WELL NO I MEAN WHO’S EVER REALLY LOST CROSS REFERENCE MY EARLIER COMMENTS HMM TOO MANY CYCLISTS HERE WELL TWO CYCLISTS HERE WHICH IS AT LEAST ONE TOO MANY OH LOOK GUMNUTS I’VE NEVER SEEN THEM GROW IN SUCH CONCENTRATION I ALWAYS JUST FIND THEM ON THE GROUND IT’S LIKE A GRAPE VINE EXCEPT IT’S NOT A VINE IT’S A TREE AND THERE ARE NO GRAPES SO IS IT LIKE A GRAPE VINE YOU BE THE JUDGE WELL I MEAN YOU CAN’T SEE IT AND EVEN IF YOU WERE BEING THE JUDGE I WOULDN’T REALLY CARE TO HEAR YOUR OPINION HE’S GOING MUCH TOO FAST BUT THEN NOW HE’S GONE THE FASTER THEY GO THE FASTER THEY’RE GONE HMM I WONDER IF THAT MEANS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS OR IF I JUST SAID THE SAME THING TWICE OR IF I JUST SAID THE SAME THING TWICE OR IF I JUST SAID THE SAME THING THRICE WELL THIS IS DEFINITELY A BACK AREA AND PEOPLE TEND TO BE SUSPICIOUS OF PEOPLE IN BACK AREAS PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY’RE CARRYING MICROPHONES AND SPEAKING TO THEMSELVES WELL ACTUALLY I DON’T KNOW I HAVEN’T HAVEN’T REALLY EVER SPOKEN TO ANYBODY ABOUT THAT BUT I SUSPECT THAT THEY WOULD BE SMELLS LIKE CHLORINE OH LOOK YES IT’S AN AQUATIC CENTRE WEST ENTRANCE DANGER THERE’S DEEP WATER HERE WELL THERE’S CERTAINLY A POOL AND SOME SPIDER WEBS NOT IN THE SAME PLACE MAYBE IN THE SAME PLACE NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE IF I HAVE ANY OF THAT PLENTY OF TREES IT’S NICE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TREES YOU DON’T HAVE UNTIL THEY’RE NOT THERE WAIT NO HMM THAT’S NOT QUITE RIGHT OH IT’S A TICKET MACHINE LET’S INTERVIEW IT *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* NOT PARTICULARLY TALKATIVE IT’S TELLING ME TO REFER TO THE SIGNS THEY SAY NO PARKING STRANGE PLACE TO PUT A TICKET MACHINE OR AT LEAST ONE WHO TELLS ME TO REFER TO THE SIGNS OH LOOK HERE’S SOMEONE TALKING TO HIMSELF AS WELL HE’S TALKING TO A A TELEPHONE AND BY EXTENSION TO SOMEBODY ELSE I DON’T KNOW HOW TO TRANSLATE TRAGICALLY I DON’T THINK ER HMM HERE’S A CAR PARK IT DOES LOOK NICE AND I AM TEMPTED TO SIT AND STAY BUT I’M NOT GOING TO BECAUSE I AM NOT SUFFICIENTLY TEMPTED AHH I AM LOOKING AT FLOWERS I DON’T KNOW HOW CLEAR Y MEMORY OF THESE FLOWERS WILL BE WHEN I LISTEN TO THIS BACK WRITE THE WORDS DOWN I WONDER WHAT KIND OF FLOWERS YOU THINK I’M LOOKING AT I BET YOU’RE WRONG FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE THESE FLOWERS GROW ON TREES YOU WERE THINKING A BUSH WEREN’T YOU SOMETHING LOW TO THE GROUND MAYBE THEY WERE AT EYE HEIGHT DESCENDING FLOWERS OH LOOK THIS TREE HAS A NUMBER AH ZERO TWO SIX ONE ONE LOVELY IT’S BEEN BLEEDING AS WELL IT’S A BLEEDING TREE MM EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WHAT IS EDUCATION INDOCTRINATION MAYBE WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU TEACHERS ARE YOU LISTENING ARE YOU READING I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING AH NONE OF US KNOW WHAT WE’RE DOING MAYBE YOU DO MAYBE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DO PAPOOSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS I READ IT I READ IT ON A TOTEM POLE I WALKED PAST A TOTEM POLE THAT HAD THE WORD PAPOOSE ON IT SO I SAID THE WORD PAPOOSE IT’S A GOOD WORD REMINDS ME OF VAMOOSE VAMOOSE VAAMOOSE VUH SCHWA WUH MOOSE VUUUHHHMOOSE HMM OH THE RAINE STUDY THAT’S INTERESTING IT’S THAT UH LIKE SEVEN UP FOR SCIENTISTS ISN’T IT I IMAGINE YES THAT’S RIGHT GIRL CROSS THE ROAD FEAR THE MUMBLER CENTRE FOR SLEEP SCIENCE SHOULD SIGN UP OH LOOK THERE’S A NOTICE BOARD NO IT’S A SWITCH BOARD DOES IT HAVE A WALKIE TALKIE IN IT MAYBE FOR SPEAKING TO PEOPLE IN THEIR SLEEP IN THEIR DREAMS AH NO IT’S AN EVACUATION CONTROL POINT THIS IS EXCITING HMM NO IT’S NOT EXCITING AT ALL OH BUT THE FIRE WELL I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS WHAT IS THAT LITTLE BOX HOW CRAZY IS THE ASIAN LANGUAGE WHEN IT’S WRITTEN SO COMPLICATED OR AT LEAST SO INACCESSIBLE TO ME WHICH CLEARLY MEANS THAT IT’S FAR TOO COMPLICATED I AM THE EVERYMAN OH I SEEM TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING OF A LOOP IT’S A DRAIN IT IS DEEPER THAN I AM TALL OH HERE’S ANOTHER BIRD LET’S SEE IF HE’LL BE INTERVIEWED HE’S LOOKING ANXIOUS AS I APPROACH ALTHOUGH NOT AS ANXIOUS AS I WOULD LIKE WHAT HAVE YOU GOT IS IT A A FRUIT IS IT A NUT HE’S HE’S HOLDING SOMETHING LARGE IN HIS BEAK HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE SPOKEN TO I CAN SEE OH THERE ARE TWO OF THEM OH THEY BOTH HAVE NUTS WHERE ARE THE NUTS COMING FROM WHAT IS THIS I FOUND A FRUIT I DON’T KNOW WHAT KIND OF FRUIT THIS IS IT IS GREEN AND IT IS HMM THE LENGTH OF MY PINKY FINGER THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MY GOOD FRIENDS WILL KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG THE FRUIT IS IT IS RELATIVELY SOFT KINDA TURNS BLACK WHEN I APPLY PRESSURE TO IT AND I’M PUTTING IT ON THE GROUND AND THEN I STOOD ON IT HMM YES IT IS A FRUIT BUT WHAT KIND OF FRUIT I CANNOT AY I SHOULD PROBABLY JUST LOOK UP I DON’T THINK IT’S THE FRUIT OF THIS TREE NO IT’S NOT I’M QUITE CERTAIN IT’S NOT AH NO LOOK IT’S THE FRUIT OF OF THIS TREE YES THERE ARE MANY OF THEM AH THIS BIRD IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INTERVIEW HE’S STILL HOLDING THE SEED IN HIS MOUTH HE’S WALKING AWAY THAT’S ALL WE’RE GETTING FROM HIM QUIET FELLOW SOMEBODY’S RUNNING TOWARDS ME RELATIVE DISTANCE NOT A CONFIDENT RUNNER WHY’S HE RUNNING IT’S SUNDAY UH OH SHOULDN’T HAVE SAID THAT LEAVING MY DÉRIVE TO THE LAST DAY TOO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT HE’S GONE NOW MORE PEOPLE DEFINITELY WALKING IN THE DIRECTION OF MORE PEOPLE WHICH IS INTERESTING I DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND PEOPLE BETTER TAKE THIS PATH HERE WHICH WOULD SEEM TO PROMISE TO LEAD AWAY FROM PEOPLE AH I CAN SEE MY REFLECTION IN A MIRROR WELL IT’S NOT A MIRROR IT’S A WINDOW BUT SUCH ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT I CAN SEE THAT BIRD JUST FLEW INTO A WALL WHY DID YOU DO THAT SIR WHY DID YOU DO THAT NOT REALLY AS AFRAID OF PEOPLE AS I’D LIKE HIM TO BE WHY DID YOU DO THAT SIR HE’S WALKING AWAY IF I WAS A CURRENT AFFAIR REPORTER I WOULD CHASE HIM TRACEY GRIMSHAW WAS SHE EVER A REPORTER OR DID SHE JUST HOST IT INTEGRITY INTEGRITY INTEGRITY GOD DAMN IT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE THIS BIT THAT PROMISES TO BE SILENT IS NOT SILENT I AM NOT SILENT THERE WILL BE NO SILENCE OR THERE CANNOT BE OH THIS IS A NICE BIT NICE BIT SHOULD HAVE CAPTIALS IF IT DOESN’T GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN OR JUST WRITE THE NEXT TIME I SAY IT I’LL SAY IT AGAIN SO YOU KNOW IT NEEDS CAPITALS NICE BIT THIS IS A NICE BIT OH GOD I MEAN WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ALPACAS LLAMAS PEOPLE TEND TO HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR LLAMAS ALTHOUGH ALPACAS ARE FAR CUTER THE LLAMA WAS JUST POPULARISED SO WELL BY DISNEY’S THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE THERE’S A VERY NICE UM SITUATION GOING ON HERE WITH SOME PALE POURED CONCRETE AND PALE GREEN LEAVES IT LOOKS VERY GOOD I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT IT’S OVERCAST SO THE LIGHT ISN’T PARTICULARLY HARSH IT’S VERY GENTLE THIS IS A GENTLE SPACE OH GOOD IT’S JUST OUTSIDE A TOILET MM YES AS ALL THE NICE SPACES ARE I HAVE THIS SUSPICION WHICH I SHOULD TELL YOU ABOUT AND IT’S THAT I’M BEING FOLLOWED FOR I HEARD A NOISE BEHIND ME THAT SOUNDED LIKE A FOOTSTEP BUT OF COURSE IT’S RUDE TO TALK ABOUT BEING FOLLOWED IN CASE YOU ARE BEING FOLLOWED YOU DON’T WANT YOUR FOLLOWER TO BE SELF CONSCIOUS DO YOU HERE’S A STRANGE FRUIT OH THAT’S A REFERENCE TO LYNCHINGS STRANGE FRUIT BILLLIE HOLIDAY I THINK IT’S ACTUALLY NOT A PARTICULARLY STRANGE FRUIT I DON’T WANT TO EAT IT BECAUSE IT SMELLS VERY BAD IT’S VERY SMALL KINDA LOOKS LIKE A BEAN THERE’S A FUN WORD BEAN BEAN UH OH CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF SAYING BEAN I HOPE THAT YOU’RE ENTERTAINED BECAUSE I REALLY AM SUFFERING FOR THIS OH KANGAROO PAW THERE IS A FLOWER THAT IT TOOK ME HMM OH I WOULD SAY FIFTEEN YEARS TO COME AROUND TO BUT NOW THAT I’VE COME AROUND TO IT I DO LIKE IT A LOT SO MANY DIFFERENT COLOURS APPARENTLY THEY COME IN PURPLE ALTHOUGH I’M YET TO SEE IT OH I NEED SOME PLANTS MORE PLANTS IN ONE’S LIFE THIS CAMPUS IS NICE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PLANTS LOVELY PLANTS OH HERE’S ANOTHER NICE BIT THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT TO THE LAST NICE BIT THIS BIT’S MUCH MORE OPEN CROWS REALLY ARE OBNOXIOUS I THINK VERY RUDE BIRDS I’M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THE NICE BIT YOU KNOW I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR THE CROWS BUT I CAN ALWAYS UNENDING HMM I WONDER HOW MUCH OF A DERIVE IT IS IF YOU KIND OF KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE TO END UP OH LOOK LOOK HERE THIS IS NICE HERE’S A COAT HANGER IN A BUSH IT’S FOR TROUSERS OR A SKIRT IT’S A BOTTOM COAT HANGER WHEN I WORKED IN FASHION RETAIL SHOCKING TO LEARN I AM SURE WHEN I WORKED IN FASHION RETAIL THEY WERE CALLED CLIPPY HANGERS YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT I MEANT IF I SAID CLIPPY HANGER WOULDN’T YOU WELL HERE’S ONE IN A BUSH IT’S RUSTY IT’S QUITE A AUSTERE HANGER I’M PULLING IT OUT NOW HMM THE COAT HANGER POTENT SYMBOL THAT IT IS THIS ISN’T’ THE RIGHT KIND OF COAT HANGER FOR THE WHOLE MUMMY DEAREST SITUATION OH DEAR LISTEN TO THAT MM HOW DO YOU LIKE THE SOUND OF RUST ON RUST ‘CAUSE I DISLIKE IT IMMENSELY OH GOOD THEY’RE ADJUSTABLE SO I BET THAT I CAN MOVE THEM ONE OF THE WORST EXPERIENCES OF MY DAY SO FAR BUT IT HAS BEEN QUITE A NICE DAY REALLY HERE’S A WEED WEED YOU SHOULDN’T BE HERE YOU’LL BE KILLED SOON YOU’RE ALREADY TOO LARGE THEY DON’T LIKE YOU WEED YOU DON’T BELONG HERE YOU’RE AN IMMIGRANT IMMIGRANT WEED YOU MUST BE ELIMINATED OH LOOK LOOK AT THESE VERY BLUE BERRIES I BET YOU’RE POISONOUS I’M GONG TO SQUISH ONE BETWEEN MY FINGERS OOH OH MY GOOD THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST VIBRANTLY PURPLE BERRIES I’VE EVER SEEN IT DOESN’T SMELL VERY GOOD BUT IT COULD BE ANY OF THE PLANT BITS I’VE TOUCHED OR THE RUSTY HANGER I’M STILL HOLDING BEST TO PUT IT BACK IN A BUSH THERE WE ARE SIT IN THIS ER IT’S NOT REALLY A BOTTLE BRUSH IS IT OH GOD THERE ARE BEES HAVE A HANGER BEES DISAPPEARING BEES MIKE’S MEANT TO KNOW ABOUT BEES BEE MAN BEE MOVIE JERRY SEINFELD NEW YORK CITY MONK’S DINER COFFEE SAUCE BOTTLES MUSTARD BOTTLES YELLOW BOTTLE YELLOW PLASTIC BOTTLE MUST HAVE MUSTARD MUSTER POINT STRANGELY PLACED HIBISCUS VERY HAWAIIAN AREN’T THEY BY ASSOCIATION I ASSUME I’VE NEVER BEEN TO HAWAII MY DEAR MOTHER SPENT A NEW YEAR’S EVE ON HAWAII LUCKY HER I WAS NOT THERE WHERE WAS I I WONDER PERTH AT LEAST NOT MANY NOTABLE NEW YEARS ONE WATCHING THE PRODIGY PERFORM AT THE O2 ARENA CAN’T REMEMBER WHY THAT HAPPENED MUST HAVE GOT FREE TICKETS NOT SO INTO THE PRODIGY AS I MIGHT BE MORE BORE WATER STAINS THOSE LITTLE RAINBOWS KIND OF FORMING THROUGH THEM MORE BERRIES YELLOW THIS TIME I WILL PULL IT DOWN HERE IT IS AND I’LL SQUASH IT BETWEEN MY FINGERS OH IT CAN’T BE SQUASHED IT’S NOT REALLY A BERRY IT’S MORE OF A WELL ANOTHER FRUIT IT PROBABLY THINKS THE SAME ABOUT ME REALLY MM OH AND LOOK HERE’S A HOMUNCULUS ON A UNICYCLE DON’T REALLY NEED TO EXPLAIN THAT ONE TO YOU ANY MORE DO I SO AWARE THAT YOU’RE THERE I HOPE YOU’RE THERE IT MAKES ME FEEL A BIT LESS OH GOD THAT’S ENOUGH OF THAT OH LOOK IT’S ART IT’S ART BEHIND GLASS THE BEST KIND OF ART IT’S PEOPLE’S FACES AND SOME KIND OF PYRE A PYRE FOR FIRE THIS IS ALSO A NICE BIT I FIND MANY NICE BITS OR I HAVE FOUND MANY NICE BITS OH DEAR THIS SIN’T A WALKING DIRECTION OH NO IT’S FINE YES IT IS PEOPLE LOADING UP THEIR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TWO SEEMS PLENTY FOR ME MAYBE I’LL GET A MOTORBIKE LICENSE OH INSIDE THIS MOST RECENT FRUIT A TINY BLACK SEED WELL DARK SEED BLACK NO BUT THEN WHAT IS I’M ON A RAMP I AM DESCENDING YES I AM DESCENDING BACK NEAR THE RIVER IT IS WINDY THERE WHAT FUNNY COLOURED BOATS HOW WOULD I FEEL ABOUT A BOAT WOULD I LIKE A BOAT I DON’T’ REALLY WANT TO OWN A BOAT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ACCESS TO A BOAT COMMUNAL BOATS BOAT COMMUNITY COMMUNITY OF BOATS BOAT SOCIETY MM THE RIGHT TO BOAT SOMEBODY’S P PLATE ON THE GROUND OH LOOK AT THAT BOAT IT’S LIKE A JUNGLE GYM PROBABLY TWO STORIES I’M BECOMING QUITE USED TO THIS YOU KNOW I COULD CULTIVATE A ER PUBLIC IMAGE THE GUY WHO TALKS TO HIMSELF OR TALKS TO THE THE TINY RECORDING ROBOT MICROPHONE MIKE R PHONE I’LL WORK ON THAT ONE MY GOD WE HAVE A SUBWAY I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT MY FINGERS HAVE BECOME VERY STICKY FORM THE LAST FRUIT IT’S VERY UNPLEASANT THE RAIN IS PICKING UP ALTHOUGH IT’S VERY LIGHT SPITTING LIKE ANGELS SPITTING ON ME FROM THE CLOUDS WHERE THEY LIVE THEY LIVE IN THE CLOUDS IT WOULD BE AN ANNOYING PLACE TO LIVE I IMAGINE BECAUSE YOU DON’T EVER REALLY GET A SENSE OF DIRECTION DO YOU JUST EVERYTHING’S CHANGING ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE TO BE THAT KIND OF PERSON I GUESS TO ENJOY LIVING IN THE CLOUDS HMM YES I SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO SORT OUT THE STICKY FINGER SITUATION I COULD SUBMERGE THEM IN THE RIVER MM LOOKS LIKE I’M GOING TO I SEEM TO BE WALKING TOWARDS THE RIVER OH THERE’S A DITCH NOT REALLY SO MUCH A DITCH AS A SMALL EMBANKMENT HMM I HAD ORIGINALLY RECORDED I’VE HU PLANNED RATHER HMM I HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO RECORD VAGUE KIND OF PHYSICAL INSTRUCTIONS ON WHICH WAY I WAS TURNING AT EACH POINT SO I COULD KIND OF RECONSTRUCT IT BUT I GUESS I’LL JUST HAVE TO KIND OF REMEMBER PROBABLY CLOSER TO THE POINT ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT CONSIDERING THE POINT MIGHT ALSO BE COUNTER-POINT-FUL AH YES HERE WE ARE MAKING MY WAY ACROSS THE ROAD LOOK AT ALL THESE ATHLETES BEING ATHLETIC REALLY GOING PLACES IT IS WINDY HERE I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME CAN I JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE WATER OH LOOK THERE’S A BIRD IT’S DRYING ITSELF WILL IT BE INTERVIEWED LET’S SEE IT HAS A LONG NECK OH IT DOESN’T LIKE ME COMING TOO CLOSE OH IT’S RUNNING AWAY GOODBYE BIRD HMM I DON’T REALLY WANT TO PUT MY FINGERS IN THIS WATER I CAN’T REALLY SEE HOW I’M GOING TO DO IT CLEANLY OH THERE WE GO THAT’S NOT SO BAD YES GET THIS STICKY FRUIT FROM ME WELL YOU’LL BE HAPPY TO LEARN THAT MY FINGERS ARE LESS STICKY ALTHOUGH NOW THEY ARE WET I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCOVERING THAT THEY’RE STILL STICKY WHEN THEY DRY GOODBYE RIVER GOODBYE BIRD CHRISTOPHER WALKEN GOODNIGHT MOON MAYBE MORE CARS TOYOTA ECHO ECHO HMM TIME ENOUGH TO CROSS BUT I’M NOT CROSSING HERE I GO THIS IS FINE OOH KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ CROSSIN’ DON’T KNOW HOW TO TRUCK GOTTA KNOW HOW TO DRIVE TO TRUCK DON’T YOU CAN’T DO THAT BOTTLE IN TREE HOLE IN EARTH YOU THINK ABOUT THAT IT’S QUITE AN UNAPPEALING PLACE TO BE I’M KEEN TO BE OUT OF OUT OF THIS BIT THIS IS NOT A NICE BIT FOR YOUR INFORMATION IF IT’S INFORMATION YOU WANT OH GOOD MY FINGERS ARE GETTING STICKIER NICE NARRATIVE ARC GET ENGAGED IN THE SUBPLOT NICHOLAS DÉRIVES MEANWHILE A FRUIT MAKES HIS FINGERS STICKY I WONDER WHAT’S BEEN ON YOUR MIND RECENTLY WHOEVER YOU ARE I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT MAYBE HOW LITTLE I’VE BEEN THINKING RECENTLY WHICH IS A SHAME I’M LOOKING AT SOMETHING ON THE GROUND IS IT A WORM IF IT IS IT’S VERY DEAD AND VERY DRY I PICKED IT UP WHICH IS KINDA GROSS YES HOW LITTLE I’VE BEEN THINKING HMM OR JUST NOT BEING AWARE ENOUGH THIS IS PROBABLY AN EXTREMELY CLICHÉD THING FOR PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN LESS AWARE RECENTLY THAN I PREFER TO BE USUALLY VERY STRESSED I HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME TOO STRESSED GOD HOW PEDESTRIAN HOW BOURGEOIS I’VE PICKED A STICK OFF A TREE IT’S ALRIGHT IT WAS PRETTY DEAD AND NOW I’M PICKING LITTLE NUTS OFF THE STICK IT’S KIND OF A WELL ACTUALLY NO IT’S NOT REALLY A FUN PASTIME BUT IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE IT’S STILL GOING NOW IT’S OVER FALLEN FROM MY FINGERS MMMMMMMM LAW BUILDING NO THIS IS VERY BORING DON’T REALLY KNOW WHICH DIRECTION OH THIS ONE LOOKS FINE A BIT BACK THE WAY I CAME BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA GO BACK TO GO FORWARDS YOU KNOW THEY TALK ABOUT THIS WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT OPTIMISATION MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE THINGS DON’T WANT TO GO BACKWARDS BUT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO AN ANALOGY IMAGINE THERE’S A A BONE ON ONE SIDE OF A FENCE THERE’S A DOG ON THE OTHER AND THE DOG WANTS TO GET TO THE BONE THERE’S ALSO A GATE MAYBE FIFTY METRES DOWN THE FENCE IT’S AN OPEN SPACE THAT THE DOG COULD GO THROUGH BUT HE DOESN’T WANT TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE BONE BUT OF COURSE IF HE DID HE’D BE ABLE TO GET MUCH CLOSER TO THE BONE IN FACT HE’D BE ABLE TO GET TO THE BONE RIGHT DOWN TO THE BONE LOTS OF CABLE TIES AROUND HERE OMINOUS THINGS PEOPLE’S NAMES PLACED IN THE EARTH SO THEY ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN GOD FORBID AH YES SUPERVISING ME FROM INSIDE THE WINDOW BUT COULD YOU HEAR ME OH THAT’S A SHAME I LIKE THOSE STAIRS NOT ALLOWED UP THOSE STAIRS ANYMORE I GET A SENSE THAT I’M NOT REALLY ALLOWED IN HERE OH WELL WELL THERE’S A NOISE FOR YOU NO COMMENT ON THAT ONE YOU CAN’T SEE IT SO IT DOESN’T MATTER BUT SUFFICE TO SAY THAT I AM VERY SKEPTICAL BUT WHATEVER HELPS YOU TO BE A BETTER PERSON WHATEVER THAT MEANS HERE’S A NICE PIECE OF COLONIALISM CRICKET PAVILION I’M NOT THERE BUT I AM LOOKING AT IT LITTLE ARCHES I WOULD LIKE TO EAT A CUCUMBER SANDWICH ON THAT PAVILION MUCH TO THE INTEREST OF THIS PASSERBY I’M SURE SO HERE WE GO TOWARDS MY FUTURE SANDWICH ALWAYS TOWARDS MY FUTURE SANDWICH THOUGH REALLY ISN’T IT CAN’T REALLY GO IN ANY OTHER DIRECTION IF THERE IS A SANDWICH IN THE FUTURE MAYBE THERE’S NOT I’M TRYING TO REMEMBER MY MOST RECENT SANDWICH SO MANY WRAPS THESE DAYS TOO MANY WRAPS WHAT’S THIS IDEA THAT WE HAVE ARE WRAPS HEALTHIER THAN SANDWICHES OR THAN BREAD SO MUCH AIR IN BREAD NOT MUCH AIR IN WRAPS MAYBE IN CREPES PANCAKES THAT’S WHAT WE NEED MORE PANCAKES GOT MY VOTE PLEASE KEEP OFF THE GROUND IS UNDER REPAIR THAT IS AN ALARMING PROSPECT GROUND UNDER REPAIR FLAWED FOUNDATIONS A CONSTANT PROBLEM AM I BE SURVEYED SURVEILLED SURVEILLED I MEAN THE FRENCH AREN’T REALLY BIG INTO PRONOUNCING THEIR DOUBLE ELS ARE THEY SUR-VEYYED I’M SORRY THAT’S EMBARRASSING I WISH TO REDACT THAT LAST BUT I WON’T BECAUSE I’M HERE TO BE OPEN FOR YOU AND WITH YOU ARE YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF YOU’RE NOT EVEN THERE YOU’RE LIKE MY SANDWICH OH LOOK HERE’S A CLOCK GOODNESS ME IT’S TEN TO THREE OH AS I FINISHED SAYING THAT INDEED THE MINUTE HAND POPPED OVER TO TEN TO THREE BECAUSE I WAS LYING TO YOU ACTUALLY IT WAS ELEVEN TO THREE YOU CAN’T WEAR SPIKED BOOTS BEYOND THIS POINT IRWIN STREET HMM HMM GENERAL SIR JOHN HACKETT GOD HE’S GOT A LOT OF LETTERS HERE THEY ARE GEE CEE BEE CEE BEE EE DEE ESS OH AND BAR EM CEE BEE LIT EM AE OXEN HON EM DEE EL EL ESS BELF DOUBLEYEW AUS AND EXETER THAT’S TOO MANY LETTERS REALLY NEVER CATCH ME WITH THAT MANY LETTERS BUT THEN I’M A MINIMALIST LET’S HAVE A LOOK INSIDE HERE PENNANTS THERE’S A THING SOFT TRIANGLES ISOSCELES NAMES OF COURSE HAVE TO HAVE NAMES HAVE TO BE SOMEBODY CHANGE ROOM SHOULDN’T REALLY LOOK THROUGH THOSE WINDOWS SHOULD I THERE’S NOBODY THERE IT’S FINE OH AND HERE’S A QUIET BIT MAGPIE HE’S RUNNING AWAY HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE INTERVIEWED THEY’RE A TOUGH LOT TO INTERVIEW THE BIRDS NICE LITTLE BLUE MACHINE HERE SOME KIND OF EXTRACTOR MAYBE AN AIR CONDITIONER SURELY NOT AN AIR CONDITIONER TERRIFYING AIR CONDITION FROM LIKE SOVIET HMMMM GEORGIA IS GEORGIA A SOVIET THING BIG ORANGE PIPES CERTAINLY VERY EFFECTIVE I DEFINITELY LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS BUT THEY ARE TERRIFYING THEY ARE DYSTOPIAN DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT BUILDING IS WHAT IS THAT THAT’S DEFINITELY A ROBOT HMM MORE ARE COMING OH NOW I’M FOLLOWING THEM HMM BETTER NOT SAY SO TOO LOUDLY HERE I’LL STOP AND LOOK AT THIS FLOWER THE PERFECT ALIBI WILL I TOUCH IT YES I WILL IN FACT I’M DOING IT RIGHT NOW HOPE IT DOESN’T BRING ME OUT IN A RASH WHY WOULD I SAY THAT IS THERE EVEN ANY WOOD AROUND TO TOUCH OH LOOK GOD I WANT TO TOUCH THAT ONE OH IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS I HAVE TO STICK MY HEAD INTO THIS BUSH OH GOD I’M DOING IT HERE I GO I’M TOUCHING IT OH IT’S NOWHERE NEAR AS SOFT AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE VERY DISAPPOINTING I’LL TOUCH THE FIRST ONE JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE YES HMM ONCE AGAIN CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF TOUCHING A FLOWER AND TALKING ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE INTO A MICROPHONE IF I HAD ANY DIGNITY TO LOSE I SURE WOULD HAVE LOST SOME JUST THEN BUT REALLY WHAT IS DIGNITY I ASK YOU I’M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD CONFESS TO YOU THAT I ASKED YOU THAT QUESTION WHILE I WAS FISHING EARWAX FROM MY EAR SUPPOSE I DID TELL YOU I KNEW I WAS TELLING YOU I CAN TRUST YOU CAN’T I I AM THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK OF ME SELFISH THING TO THINK ABOUT BUT WE ALL THINK ABOUT IT SO WHATEVER NEED A BIN THAT’S THE NAME OF THIS BIN SEEMS A STRANGE THING FOR A BIN TO NEED AND YET IT DOES INSIST NEED A BIN THIS BIN IS FILLED WITH COMPUTER EQUIPMENT WELL NO IT’S NOT IT’S FILLED WITH BOXES WHICH ONCE CONTAINED COMPUTING EQUIPMENT OOH LOOK WHAT’S THAT IS THAT A BOOK YES IT IS WHAT’S THE SITUATION AROUND FISHING THINGS OUT OF DUMPSTERS THESE DAYS OH LOOK IT’S SOMEBODY’S WORK BOOK THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING CIRCUITS AND SIGNALS TWO OH SIX THERE ARE CHARMING HAND WRITTEN EQUATIONS ON THE COVER I’M LOOKING IN ANOTHER BIN NOW I DON’T KNOW IF THIS ONE’S CALLED NEED A BIN MAYBE NOT IT’S A DIFFERENT COLOUR TO NEED A BIN OLD MONITOR CEE ARE TEE SO MUCH STUFF JUST GETS PUT OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND I’M OUT OF MY MIND OH LOOK THIS PERSON SEEMS TO HAVE READ THIS QUITE THOROUGHLY THERE’S LOTS OF HIGHLIGHTING NOTES GOOD FOR THEM JASMINE HENRY WELL SHOWS HOW SEXIST I AM BECAUSE I HAD ASSUMED IT BELONGED TO A MAN WHAT ARE YOU UP TO JASMINE HENRY THIS PAGE SHE HAS NOTED IS NOT IN THE EXAM DON’T NEED TO TAKE NOTES INDEED SHE HAS NOT TAKEN NOTES I DO LIKE ELECTRONICS KINDA LIKE MATHS I LIKE MATHS A LOT VERY IMPORTANT THING I THINK AND HERE YOU ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO MY THOUGHTS FOR GOOD GOD FIFTY FIVE MINUTES BETTER GET MYSELF TO A LIBRARY MM I WONDER HOW BADLY IT IS GOING TO RAIN I REALLY SHOULDN’T LET MYSELF BE CAUGHT IN THE RAIN CARRYING AS I AM ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT OH GOD TINY HUMANS CHILDREN REALLY ARE LIKE SMALL DRUNK ADULTS I THINK DEFINITELY NOT COORDINATED MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY INSOLENT NEEDY EMOTIONAL I’M WALKING PAST A PLAYGROUND AND I’M TRYING TO FIND A WORD TO DESCRIBE IT IT IS IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR IS IT WOEFUL OH I CAN GO IN I MEAN THIS IS DEFINITELY CREEPY OF ALL THE CREEPY THINGS SO FAR BUT YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO TO AVOID PEOPLE HMM I’LL PAS THROUGH THIS NARROW GAT OH RIGHT THE PLAYGROUND I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT UMM TRAGIC DOESN’T’ QUITE SUM UP ITS DISAPPOINTMENT IT’S LIKE WHATS’ THE WORD FOR THE REALISATION THAT YOU HAVE AS YOU GET OLDER IT’S LIKE FINDING OUT THAT SANTA ISN’T REAL YOU KNOW EXCEPT THE WAY THAT LIFE KINDA CONTINUALLY DOES THAT TO YOU AS YOU GET OLDER YOU REALISE THAT NOTHING IS WHAT IT WAS PROMISED TO BE THAT PLAYGROUND IS DEFINITELY NOT WHAT IT WAS PROMISED TO BE WHAT IT ONCE WAS DON’T LIKE THIS SPACE BUT I AM ENJOYING YOUR COMPANY THANKYOU FOR BEING HERE DANGEROUSLY POPULATED TERRITORY THIS AH HERE WE ARE ANNA’S EXPERIMENT I DO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BUILDING AND WHAT I KNOW IS THAT THERE’S A POSSUM IN HERE LIVING INSIDE A HOLLOW ASBESTOS WALL YOU CAN SEE THE POSSUM YOU CAN’T SEE THE WHOLE POSSUM YOU CAN JUST SEE PART OF ITS FURRY BODY SOMETIMES IF YOU’RE LUCKY I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE PATCHED UP THE HOLE SO NOW THE POSSUM IS NO LONGER INVISIBLE ALTHOUGH NO RATHER NO LONGER VISIBLE ONE SUPPOSES HE CAN STILL GET OUT I DON’T THINK HE COULD EVER GET OUT OF HIS HOLE OW DOES HE GET FOOD IN THERE I HAVEN’T TODL YOU THIS BUT I PICKED A EUCALYPTUS LEAF AND I’VE BEEN CRUSHING IT BETWEEN MY FINGERS WHICH HAS RESULTED WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT IN MY FINGERS BECOMING STICKY BUT HERE I AM AT THIS LOVELY REVOLVING ROCK SCULPTURE AND IT’S WET AND NOW I CAN CLEAN MY FINGERS STOP STOP REVOLVING YOU ROCK STOP IT STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP I INSIST THAT YOU STOP STOP I DIDN’T STOP IT BUT I MADE IT MOVE A DIFFERENT WAY AND NOW I CAN SEE IN THE REFLECTION OF THE BALL THAT A FAMILY IS APPROACHING BEHIND ME LISTENING TO ME SPEAK TO MYSELF AND TOUCH THE BALL AHH WHAT A MESS MY LIFE IS I STOPPED TOUCHING THE BALL SO MY FINGERS ARE NOT THROUGHLY UNSTUCK STUCKENED STICKIED UNSTICKIED STICKILESSENED COMPUTER SCIENCE AND SOFTWARE ENGINEERING A UTE TWO BIRDS WELL MORE THAN TWO BUT OH GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP THERE UNDER THE RAFTERS WHAT A PLACE TO LIVE NO DIGNITY FAMILIAR PATH NOW WHAT ARE YOU OLD OLD HONKY NUT OLD OLD HONKYNUT LIKE ME I’M AN OLD HONKYNUT NO I’M NOT DON’T BE SUCH A DRAMA QUEEN AN OLD HONKYNUT BUT AM I WHAT HAPPENS TO US THAT WE START ASKING THESE QUESTIONS OF OURSELVES AM I AN OLD HONKEYNUT OR SOME SUCH VARIATION ON A SIMILAR THEME OH LOOK AND HERE IN THIS TREE IS A PACIFIER A DUMMY IF I AM TO BE LESS AMERICAN IT’S TIED ON VERY WELL I SHOULD EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT I’M ON A SECOND LEVEL SORT OF AT EYE HEIGHT WITH THE TOP OF A TREE AND AND HERE IS A DUMMY AT ROUGHLY CHEST HEIGHT WHO PUT YOU THERE THE KIND OF RUBBER NIPPLE SEEMS TO BE MISSING ALTHOUGH IT’S FACING AWAY FROM ME DIFFICULT TO TELL RUBBER NIPPLE WHAT A PROSPECT WHAT A THING FOR US TO MANUFACTURE THE RUBBER NIPPLE NICE CERAMICS UH OH PEOPLE JUST DOING A BIT OF A YEW TURN GOODBYE BEEN TALKING TO MYSELF FAR TOO LONG IGNORANT OF YOUR PRESENCE TO ENGAGE UNASHAMEDLY NOW MUTANT FRUIT I’VE LEARNT MY LESSON FROM TOUCHING PLANTS MAKE YOUR FINGERS STICKY DON’T DO IT DÉRIVE DÉRIVE YOU WERE MEANT TO TAKE ME TO A LIBRARY BUT HERE I AM AT AN ART GALLERY AND I WANT TO GO INSIDE SO I’M GOING TO DO SO END TRANSMISSION

Ilvermorny Student OCs Etymologies

As I said in the first post about them, it took a looooong while to figure out good etymologies for my characters, since in the HP universe almost everyone has names that fit their personalities (thanks to Naming Seers). Several days of headaches and exhaustion, but like I said, it was worth it!

Philomel “Philo” Fiegel

Philomel: An archaic name for a nightingale, based on the Greek character Philomela, who was turned into one. A nightingale is considered one of, if not the most, beautiful-sounding songbirds.

Philo: Meaning “loving, kind, friendly, affectionate, compassionate, supporter, friendly or helpful to another.”

Fiegel: A metonymic occupational name for a fiddler, related to the Middle High German vüege (”Skillful; adroit”). “Fiddler; violin”/”Skillful; adroit”.

((I chose these names because I love music, and to me music is my favorite method of performance. Music can move you (physically and emotionally), can inspire you. Plus, Celestina Warbeck is a singer, and Warehouse 13 intended to have a nightingale artifact for a musical episode, so I had to name him after this. He’s definitely friendly like his middle name (and coincidentally, it’s the first name of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of the television, something useful for a performer who wants the world to see him, and a character involved in WH13!), and Fiegel was also part of the musical motif of his inspiration. Plus, names with alliteration sound so much more magical and strange to me.))

Ulysses Whippor

Ulysses: The Latin/Roman name of the Greek hero Odysseus, hero of Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad. Known for his 10 year epic journey home, intellect, versatility, guile. When he returns, he slaughters all the men aiming for his wife’s hand and his serving women who slept with them. “Wrathful, angry.”

Whippor:��An alteration of the Whip-poor-will, another songbird, named for its song, and identified in the poem “The Mountain Whippoorwill” with “the lonely and poor but vibrant life of the mountain people.”

((As a bully with a strained home life, I wanted a name that showed his anger, obviously. Coincidentally, Ulysses S. Grant (whose name was chosen from a ballot drawn from a hat several weeks after he was born) was a Commanding General in the American Civil War, and an artifact of his was featured in WH13! As for his surname, I thought it was fun having the main OTP of my quartet have songbirds in common. Interestingly, “The Mountain Whippoorwill” is a poem written by Stephen Vincent Binet about a fiddling contest.))

Renault Cyrus Markwart-Hogue

Renault: The French Renault comes from the Germanic Reginald,meaning “ruler’s adviser.”

Cyrus: Persian, meaning “Sun, throne, royal, kingly.”

Markwart: From Middle Low German, an occupational name meaning “borderland guardian.”

Hogue: According to Wikipedia, it’s a topographic name originating from the Old Norse word “haugr”, meaning “hill” or “mound”. According to House of Names, it means “a careful and prudent person.”

((As a whole, having a long name like Renault’s gives an air of stuffiness and pride, at least in my opinion. Interestingly, Renault is the name of a lot of French people in high positions like politicians, philosophers, scientists, military personnel, etc. Cyrus alludes to his ambitions to having a high position at MACUSA like his mother. Markwart, which I originally found as his mother’s surname and added later, I suppose can match with his protectiveness towards his friends. Hogue was chosen before I saw it’s Wikipedia page, but I still like HoN’s description. It matches his personality, and is similar to the animal hog (for which Hogsmeade and Hogwarts are named). Most importantly, pigs are notoriously anti-magical in the HP universe, being extremely hard to be affectedby the simplest of charms, and its use as an insult is a reference both to his admittedly not-that-great magical prowess and his father’s status as a Squib.))

Gelos Ruth Tristan

Gelos: In Greek mythology, Gelos is the divine personification of laughter.

Ruth: From Hebrew and Syriac, meaning “Companion, friend, friendship, beautiful, vision, compassionate.”

Tristan: From the Celtic “drystan”, meaning “sorrowful”. Tristram and Tristan are derived from the Celtic, meaning “bold, tumult, noise”, and the French and the German, meaning “sad”.

((My choice for Gelos’ first name should be obvious, his middle name too. His surname was given to him after I chose it for his father, and is a reference to his parentage like Renault’s.))