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johnica-weeks · 1 year

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Roger and Debbie

Roger Meddows Taylor (26 July 1949) 💕 Deborah “Debbie” Leng (6 April 1963)

In a relationship from 1987 to 2004 (not married)

Children:

Rufus Tiger Taylor (8 March 1991)

Tigerlily Taylor (10 October 1994)

Lola Daisy May Taylor (2 April 2000)

Deborah Jane Leng Burgess is a model and actress, and Roger met her on the set of his side band The Cross' video-clip "Cowboys and Indians" (1987). She next appeared as the masked lady in Queen’s “Breakthru”. Debbie started her modeling under the artistic name of Debbie Du-Bell in 1982, and represented the UK in the 1986 edition of Supermodel of the World. She created a sensation in 1987 when she became the iconic Cadbury's Flake girl in a TV commercial and got axed three years later for being "too sexy".

Roger and Debbie’s relationship was immediately object of interest for tabloids, especially since he married his previous girlfriend Dominique in 1988 to secure their two children and the media didn't understand their relationship was actually over, and Roger he soon moved in a new mansion with Debbie. Another object of scandal was the alleged diffusion of a sex tape between the two, and the media never failed to point out their age difference of 14 years. The drummer of a world famous band and a beautiful supermodel couldn’t stay out of the spotlight, after all...

However, besides often appearing together at events, concerts and parties, looking dashing and rich, what happened privately in their lives seems to remain very private. (short to say I’m not really finding much out there besides gossip articles mentioned above). Of course, Debbie is a beautiful woman and always looks friendly and smiling around her family, often having fun with Roger, but there's not much additional information about her personality.

They had Rufus, Tigerlily and Lola together and it appears that Debbie has stayed a lot by Roger’s side after Freddie’s death. “Freddie Mercury was still alive when Rufus came along in 1991 and those two got on famously. Mind you, Fred was always fabulous with kids — he was the one who came up with Rufus’s middle name: Tiger.” They split in around 2004, but they still have a close relationship nowadays and Debbie introduced Tigerlily and Lola to the modeling world, following her steps, while Rufus is drummer of The Darkness, much like Roger.

“Although Rufus’s mum [Deborah Leng] and I were together for about 15 years, we never did get married. I also had Felix and Rory Eleanor from a previous relationship [with Dominique Beyrand], but in that situation, we did eventually tie the knot. I guess I wanted to make sure Felix and Rory were looked after financially. “I’ll admit my life back then was, well… let’s say it was complicated. It was a strange time for all of us. Wouldn’t it be great if relationships were simple and easy? Sadly, breaking up with people who mean a lot to you is never simple or easy. The important thing for me has always been that the kids support each other and feel like brothers and sisters. There’s not some from “this relationship” and some from “that relationship”; they are a gang of five.” (Roger in 2014)

“Mum and Dad never actually got married, but their separation was still pretty rough. There was a bit of shouting for a while and a few headlines, but, y’know what: shit happens. People split up. Both of them have gone off and done their own thing, and they’ve got a much better relationship these days.” (Rufus in 2014)

Prompts - Day 3: Roger and Debbie (14th April)

Under the sunshine

Growing family

Baby you got a fire in you

If I could only reach you, if I could make you smile

Brian & Roger's ships week 2023 rules and prompts

#Brian and Roger Ships week 2023 #queen fandom #queen fandom event #queen ship week #roger taylor fanfiction #roger taylor x debbie leng #debbie leng #deborah leng #BrianRogerShipsWeek2023

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warren-lauren · 4 years

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Taylor!Daughter x Ben Hardy part 7

Roger and Sarina babysit their grandson whilst the reader and Ben are on their honeymoon.

FYI - no, they’re not spelling mistakes when it’s Roger’s grandson talking!

Roger groaned tiredly as he rolled over in bed, the sound of his grandson running down the hallway and shouting, waking him a lot quicker than he was used to. Before he had time to sit up, Buddy had jumped up onto his bed and tackled him in a big hug (or as big of a hug a 3-year-old can) as he giggled.

“Morning, mate,” Roger chuckled as he held his grandson so he didn’t fall. “What’s got you so full of beans?”

Buddy sat up with a confused look. “I’m no’ full of beans.”

Roger shook his head with a chuckle. “It doesn’t matter, love. So, why are you excited?”

“Nanina made bancakes! Come on!”

Sarina walked into find her grandson running circles around Roger, jumping up and down on the bed excited, making her grin. “Alright, Bud, let Grandpa get up before you start tiring him out.” She made grabby hands for him to jump into her arms from the bed.

Buddy jumped into Sarina’s hands giggling, “Okay. Hurry up, Grandba. Or I’ll ask Grandba Bri cho cheach me.” He grinned cheekily at Roger as Sarina began to leave, laughing at her grandson’s cheekiness. Just like, Roger.

Roger was thrilled to be looking after his grandson whilst you and Ben were on your honeymoon. He loved spending time with his grandson, it filled him with so much light and love to be around the cheeky little boy. He reminded Roger so much of himself, and you at that age.

“Where is he?” Roger asked as he walked into the kitchen once he was dressed for the day.

“You’ll see.” Sarina smiled to herself as she plated breakfast up.

Roger frowned as he sat at the table, confused by his wife’s behavior.

“Grandba?” Buddy called out as he walked into the kitchen, clutching a pile of picture frames in his arms as he walked towards Roger.

Roger raised his eyebrow, “What have you got there, Bud?” He reached down and took the picture frames from his grandson’s arms.

“Nanina said ‘ha’s mummy.” He asked his grandad, pointing at a picture of you when you were about thirteen.

You were in your school uniform, stood with Roger’s arm around your shoulders and your mum, grinning at the camera as you held up an award for playing the piano.

Roger nodded before he bent down and picked his grandson up, putting him on his knee. “Bu’, she don’ look like mummy.”

Roger chuckled, “No mate, she doesn’t, but it is.” He smiled. He picked the picture up, remember how proud he was of you, and how happy you were. “Your mum was very good at playing the piano, you know why?” Buddy shook his head quietly as he stared up at Roger. “She wanted to be just like her Uncle Fred.” Roger grinned.

Buddy’s eyes widened and then he threw his arm out towards the backgarden. “'HA’ Unle Fred?” He asked, pointing towards the statue.

Roger nodded, “That one.”

“WOW!” Buddy reached forwards and grabbed another picture frame. “Wha’ abou’ 'is one? Nanina says that mummy and Unle Rusus.” He held the picture up in front of him. “Where his hair?”

Roger laughed, taking the picture from him and nodding. “Well, this was before he grew his beard.”

“Hmm,” Buddy nodded with a slight frown. “Wha’ abou’ 'is one?” He pointed to another one of you.

Roger let out a small sigh as he put the other picture down and grabbed that one. You were a lityle younger in that one. “This is an important picture, Bud. Your mum loves me soooooo much, she didn’t want to be away from me whilst your Grandpa Brian and I went on tour so, that year, she came on tour with us.” He smiled down at his grandson.

Buddy’s eyes widened. “Can I come with you?”

Roger nodded laughing, “Ask your mum, first.”

Buddy nodded before he pointed to another picture of you and Tiger-Lily when you were little. “Will me and new baby look like each ocher, Grandba?”

Roger smiled, “You will a little.”

Buddy sighed a little, his small brow knitting together as he thought about something. “Am I being reblaced?” Buddy looked up to Roger with big blue eyes.

Roger frowned, “Why would you think that, little man?”

Buddy pouted, looking even more like Roger. “Mummy and daddy say, ich migh be… wins, and wins means a coby of new baby. Why need a coby of new baby, when chey have me?” He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest dramatically. Definitely gets that from Roger.

Roger quickly desiphered what his grandson had just said to him with a soft smile as he pulled him closer to him. “Bud, you’re not being replaced, okay? The new baby might possibly be two babies, which is called twins. That’s what you’re mum and Auntie Tigs are, twins. So, you could be the big brother to not only one, new baby, but two.” Roger smiled, although the idea of two more grandchildren terrified him.

“Oh,” Buddy nodded, “Is ich good?”

Roger nodded. “Oh, yeah, you’ll be able to boss them about all you want.” He chuckled, “If there were three of 'em, you’d be able to be the lead singer of the band.” He tickled his grandson’s belly making him squeal with laughter.

“Sop, Grandba, sop!” Buddy tried to push it Roger’s hands away as he giggled. “I’m gonna’ be a drummer… or guichar!” He giggled loudly.

Roger rolled his eyes, “Bloody Brian’s got to you, hasn’t he.” He continued to tickle Buddy, making him louder and louder.

———-

You and Ben sat on the beach with the sun blaring down on you as you watched the video of your dad and son together, laughing along with them thanks to Sarina’s sneaky recording skills.

“See, love, told you he’d be fine. No need to worry about him.” Ben smiled at you as he lifted your left hand and kissed your knuckles, your wedding band warm against his lips.

You smiled back, “I wasn’t worried about, Buddy, love.” You giggled. “My dad’s not exactly a spring chicken anymore, is he?”

Ben shook his head with a small laugh. “No, I guess not.”

You bit your lip as you looked back at your phone. “I can’t wait to go home.”

Ben nodded, “Me neither, babe. But let’s enjoy this time with just us two… Well, us two and however many are in there.” He pointed with a soft chuckle to your mostly flat stomach.

You rolled your eyes, “Shut up, would ya.”

He grinned cheekily as he leaned forwards to you, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. “You love me really, Mrs Hardy.”

You nodded with a soft sigh. “I guess I do.”

#Taylor!Daughter reader x Ben Hardy #grandpa!roger taylor #queen x reader #present day roger #reader x ben hardy #ben hardy x reader

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khorren · 4 years

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THE ACNH TAG

ty @morgrenth for the ding <3

— Personal

Is it your first Animal Crossing game? Nope. I played the one on the Gamecube, New Leaf, Pocket Camp, and now New Horizons!

Do you listen to the game music or put some of your own? Usually have the game music on! Not often very loud, just enough for some ambient background noise.

What are your 8 reactions?

The ?, the !, clappy hands, glee, doze, and the other 3 i change around a lot. I’m missing so many. Want more!

Do you use them a lot? For photo ops with villagers and around friends, sure!

How many rooms do you have in your house? All 6 of them!

What are they? (Kitchen, bedroom, etc) Main room is just a collection of stuff that I like, some tables and chairs, and then some useful things like mirror, crafting bench, switch, and some trinkets from in-game mom. My top room and right-side room are currently just holding items for a friend. She's planning on restarting her game, but some items she didn't want to lose. So it's just a junk graveyard right now. The right side room was initially a craft room with sewing machines and stuff, and then the bottom bit was the fathers day mug, some tea, and a set of golf clubs. It was going to be a little room dedicated to my irl mum and dad. But yeah. It's holding junk right now. Left side room is a sort of bathroom. Upstairs is a bedroom/study. Also pet cat room. Has cat food, cat tower, cat nip, kitty litter, etc. And a paper tiger acting as the cat.

What’s the main purpose of your storage? To hold all the crap I might need one day.

Do you time travel? Why?Nah. I have plenty to do in game each day, I don't need to leap ahead. Even now when I'm making cat-town, it sure would be quicker to skip ahead, but the 3 days gives me time to do other things. I'll get there in the end.

Do you have a list of dreamies? I hate this phrase. :D

I am currently working on my all cat village (plus the wolf, Skye, cos she's a sweetie and I can't get rid of her), and I'm moving in a lot of my favourite cats / villagers in general. But there are definitely villagers I like more from other species. I've never really sat down and looked at all billion villagers to decide my ultimate favourites. There are lots of cute bunnies out there. Who knows, maybe 3 months down the line I'll make a bunny village. Since it's taking me like 3 weeks to move in all the cats, I want them stuck around for a while.

— Island What’s the meaning of your island name? Haven! Haven is one of the key locations in a story I've been "writing" for the past 20 years. It tends to be my go-to place of things to name in games where I build a settlement.

A picture of your island before vs now?

Do you have all the fruits? I do! Nom nom.

Do you have all kind of trees? It's mostly fruit trees, and I have about 6 normal trees, and about 3 or 4 cedars. Although I've not had to shake my fruit trees for money for a while now, I like that the option's there. I have just enough non-fruit trees for furniture and wasp needs.

Do you have bushes? Which is your favorite? A few, but I don't think I have them all. A few of the currently flowering ones, but mostly out of season ones. They make cute borders.

What flower is the most prominent? Tulips are probably the most prominent in my village.

Which flower is your favorite? And what color? I love the hyacinths. The orangey ones are my favourite, but I like blue too. I think I only have like 2 blues though.

— NPCs

Do you commission Flick? Have had one thing made by him in the past. I should do more now that I don't really need the money. But honestly I haven't seen Flick in forever, and the days I do see him, I'm busy doing something else.

Do you interact a lot with your villagers? Yep! I try to talk to all of them each day, but I'm sure I miss a couple, especially if they're hiding in bum-fuck egypt. I miss the Megaphone from ACNL :(

What kind of gifts do you give them? If I've got some junk lying around, they'll get that. I totally gift back ugly clothes. Every few days I'll gift some of them a wrapped ironwood clock. They seem to like that.

Favorite & least favorite personality? Normal and Peppy are my faves. Jock probably my least fave.

Which visiting NPC is your favorite? Probably Flick. I like catching bugs, it's pretty chill.

Which is your least favorite? Redd. BECAUSE HE NEVER COMES HERE. I WANT MY ART YOU SHIT.

Do you always help Wisp? Yes <3 Love that little goober.

— Random

Do you buy or craft tools? Bit of both? If I'm lazy, I'll just go to the shops. If I'm stocking up on something then I'll craft. I need to make a bunch of nets for the bug-off in a few days! :D

Do you have any gold tools? Recently got the recipe for the gold watering can. But since it still breaks, eh, I'll just stick to my tier 2 can.

Do you recover a hole with your feet or the shovel? I try to just use my feet, but if it's in the middle of other flowers I'll use the shovel for precision, so I don't accidentally pluck a flower.

Do you buy fake paintings/statues? I WOULD IF REDD CAME TO MY ISLAND. I'll generally buy the real ones, but if there's a fake I really like I'll nab it for myself.

Do you buy a lot of clothes? Yas!

Do you buy a lot of wallpapers/floors/carpets? I do, but there's so few I end up liking :( I'll buy the fancy stuff from Saharah when I see them, but all I've been getting recently is gross floors and the goddamn lava/volcano wall.

#ACNH #Animal Crossing #Animal Crossing New Horizons

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elevenhoursinfront-blog · 6 years

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6th December 2017

We woke up at 0800 and got breakfast going straight away. Cereal, toast, coffee. We were very excited to be going to The Australian Zoo. My Dad has been there before and he said it was massive so we're going to be getting there for opening hours (hopefully). A lot of the Trip Adviser reviews say that there isn't enough time to get round it all. We'll see about that!

Naturally, we were running very late. An hour late, to be precise. We got there for 1000 and it opened at 0900. Not too bad. We bought our tickets online this morning because I had the great idea of flicking through Groupon to see if they sold them and if they were any cheaper. Groupon did have them and they were $6 each cheaper. Not much, but why pay $12 more when you don't have too?

I was in the shower when Steve bought the tickets but he bought CHILDREN'S tickets. He thought it was quite cheap when he saw how much it cost afterwards... He managed to get a refund, or so he thought and purchased adult tickets. The money stays in a Groupon account which is annoying but better than nothing I guess, especially as it was our fault (I have to put 'our' in there otherwise he will get arsey. It had nothing to do with me).

So after all that mess up, we were in and on our way! Park map at the ready.

First things first, get a photo with all the animals by the front gate that were out to greet everyone. Steve was straight in with the hawk, snake and lizards. I took the photos (I look better behind the camera!).

We walked through the crocodile enclosure and took a particular liking into the croc named 'Alison'. We took a photo to send to Steve's Mum.

Next was the tortoises. These were no ordinary tortoises mind you, they were bigger than a car. We took some photos to send to Steve's Nan.

We continued walking around the park, meeting with some massive lizards that are free to roam about as they please.

We walked through the kangaroo park and stroked a fair few. We didn't buy any food this time but they were still loving as ever. These ones were so much softer than any we had stroked before.

We were waiting for the midday show to start at the Croceseum.

This is basically where Steve Irwin's dream comes true. He wanted a stadium where he would show off how amazing crocodiles are. He wanted people to be aware of crocodiles, how to help themselves if they were ever faced with one and how to help them. It was the 'big show' so we were there early.

We sat right near the bottom, in the sunshine waiting. We put on extra sun cream and watched on the big TV. Steve's children – Bindi and Robert were the highlight of the park. Their faces were everywhere and rightly so. They had made loads of adverts and shows for the big screen too.

The Irwin's live close by to the park, some even say on the park.

The show started and they got us involved straight away. They were shouting out to see who was from where and stuff like that. They were giving away free stuff to whoever did the best chicken and monkey impression. Steve and I let the kids win this time.

The show began with large, colourful birds flying around everywhere. Then snakes being walked around. The speakers introduced people coming out with all sorts of weird and wonderful animals until they finally came out with the crocodile. It swam into the middle of the 'stage' and it was fed throughout. It was a good show, although I thought it would be slightly better. It didn't last all that long and after the croc came out, it was the end.

Steve and I walked up to the food court to sit at a table. We had bought food with us, as per normal to save on money. Steve moans every time it's time to eat as he loves nothing more than to eat out. We had ham wraps, crisps, oranges, apples, cereal bars and all sorts with us. We ate them and continued our trip around the zoo.

The next part was 'Bindi's Island'. This is Steve's Daughter, (Irwin, by the way). She has her own island which was beautiful. There's a lake surrounding it with thousands of lily-pads floating around. On the island, she had hundreds of Leemar’s running around. They were awesome to watch. We climbed up the massive 3 storey tree house to look at the views of the park which were great. There were other little animals, like tortoises, snakes and what not.

We went back to the main part as we were waiting on the Tiger show. Steve and I love tigers so we planned to go to the show at 1400. We sat down and waited to watch.

The show was just as we imagined – amazing! They showed us all their little behaviours like climbing trees, swimming and jumping. Obviously, they aren't forced to do anything they don't want to do. They did cheat when it come to the swimming – they walked along a ledge in the pool as I guess they didn't fancy a full blown swim! There's hardly any tigers left in the wild and it breaks my heart. South-east Asia has ruined these animals.

Steve and I left the tiger show and walked round to Africa. Africa was having some works done to the footpath so we had to get a 'shuttle'. It went around 5mph and we only travelled about 5 minutes. We saw rhinos, giraffes, donkeys and meerkats. The meerkats are new to the zoo so they were made out to be the best part of the zoo.

We were pretty much done by this point and I don't think we missed anything out. It was around 1530 and we wanted to go to the Hospital. Steve (Irwin) had an on-site animal hospital dedicated to his mother who was also animal mad. You're allowed to walk through the hospital to have a 'sneak peak' at what is going on. The walls inside are made of glass so when we walked in, we could see the staff walking around. We saw some operating tables and even a koala having some dinner.

It wasn't massive, or so, we weren't able to see a huge amount but we definitely saw enough. The koala was in a play pit with a massive branch of eucalyptus, eating away having the time of his life. There was a piece of paper on the window saying 'Hi, my name is Pinto. I am in here because I got hit by a car. I suffered a fractured arm and a punctured eye'. His whole chest and arm were in a cast and he had to have his right eye removed. I was so sad for him. A member of staff was walking through who said that he had been in the hospital for about 14 months. He's well on the road to recovery and loving life at the moment. He should be out soon. I took some photos of him, he did look happy but who wouldn't be sitting in a bed of food?!

Suddenly, I saw staff rush to a bed. They had a newborn joey laid down with an oxygen mask on. The joey was so small, he had no fur. He was a tiny ball of skin. His mum had got run over by a car and luckily someone checked the pouch. I watched for 15 minutes as they tried to help the little guy. He had bloods taken and all sorts. They had a camera man in there too. I was in awe of the work they were doing.

There were loads of 'homes' against one wall with animals inside. They all had their laminated piece of paper with their names on, what they are and why they're in. It was so sad but at the same time, they were in the best place and they literally were. Steve Irwin's hospital is rated the best in Australia (I think, I'm sure I read that somewhere).

We left after watching and reading everything we could. It was time to go back to the van. We had an hour/an hour and a half drive further south to stay the night before arriving in Brisbane tomorrow! We found a cheap campsite on our app for $25 with power and water.

Steve rang as we were driving down. The lady said there was space so we were chuffed, especially that it was much cheaper than where we had been staying. We were still an hour and a half out from Brisbane city itself but we would do that in the morning.

We pulled up and it was a house...We were so confused. The lady on the phone said to pull in next to a house and shed, then someone will come out to show us around. A male came out and showed us where to park. We were staying in this woman's back garden. We pulled up and the male introduced himself. His name was Max, from Belgium. He was staying with Helen (the lady) and doing odd jobs around. Fair enough, if that's what he wants to do I guess. He took us inside the house to show us where the toilet and showers were.

It was a persons home. I didn't understand what was going on. We walked through someones living room. An elderly lady was on the sofa and a girl was on a laptop. We were showed the toilet which was by the back door so not so bad but the shower was through the house. There was soaps, bubble baths, shower gels and all sorts of belongings everywhere. I felt like an intruder. Max said if the door is shut, it means someone is in it. I mean, surely if you were going to rent your place out, you would invest in locks?!

When Steve and I got back to the van, we looked at each other and laughed. We both said we wouldn't be stepping foot into that house. Peeing on the grass and going without a shower was our night.

We realised that our lead didn't fit into the plug so I just told Steve that we should just leave. We hadn't paid her yet and we couldn't technically use the water or electricity! It was dark so we couldn't really leave. Nowhere else would be open and it only seemed worse because it was night time. I guess.

We found a spare lead in the 'camp kitchen'. This was a sink and BBQ (which was clearly bought in 1901) with a roof. We plugged that into our van and it worked. We made some pasta and went to bed, locking all doors. There were a couple of other motor homes here but they were set up as if they were long-termers. They had their own washing lines with work clothes on and what not. This lady has a huge amount of land, so I can see why she rents it out. A few extra bob would go a fair way.

We did go without a shower and we both had to go to the toilet on the grass. Shameful, but I wasn't going into a strangers house. Not at night anyway.

Didn't get it down my leg or in my shoe so that's always a win win in my eyes!

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courage-a-word-of-justice · 6 years

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The debuts for the winter season keep coming, but we’re almost at the end of them with this post.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card 1

Note I don’t have any prior experience with Cardcaptor Sakura aside from 1 volume of manga and watching the show in passing while other people were watching it, plus knowing about a few spoilers and the show’s reputation as a seminal magical show show…then in more recent days, I finished 2 episodes of it (in fact as of the day I’m typing this, I finished episide 2 today!).

This OP makes Sakura look like later-stage Sailor Moon, and I think that’s the point.

Where did the bear in Syaoran’s hand go when Sakura hugged him?

Eriol! I don’t really know much about him, and I knew I should’ve known about him before starting this, but…it was a bit of a shock to see a character I technically haven’t seen the debut of with my own eyes.

I get the feeling these are the “two bears” from the prologue OVA…

Emails! In the world of Cardcaptor Sakura! Wow, I feel old…and I didn’t even grow up with her.

Hot dang! Gimme dat bishie (Yue)! I knew he was coming, but…I still don’t really know how he came to be!

Wow, this Yamazaki kid spouts such rubbish! I’m looking forward to seeing him in the main series now.

It’s pretty obvious I need to watch the original before understanding this fully, so I’m putting it on hold.

Gakuen Babysitters 1

I’m here for my Ume and Nishiyama. I’m not particularly good at dealing with kids, especially younger kids, but this doesn’t make me run for the hills either.

Ryuichi involves the kanji for “dragon” and Kotaro has the kanji for “tiger”.

That man with the hat is so not sketchy…

I’ve never heard of NAS before (but I have heard of NAZ through Idolish7).

That joke Saikawa told actually worked! These shows may all be middling this winter, but I’d be happy with even some of them on my docket. I’ve been pleasantly surprised more often than not that I haven’t found “stinker of the season” yet.

The comedy for this show’s really on point, although the overall design is a tad lackluster.

K-Kamitani?! Apparently Ume-chan’s character is Hayato Kamitani, so that’s how Ume got involved, so to speak. This sudden intro of 4 kids works on a story scale, but not in a way any person can process without pausing the video (or getting individual intros later).

Well, there are those individual intros I was asking for. Spoke too soon.

It’s actually kinda sad and quite telling how independent Kotaro is. (I still find it extremely hilarous Nishiyama – whose first name is Kotaro - didn’t voice Kotaro, although from a practical standpoint I understand why.)

Usaida has such bedroom eyes, it’s hard to ignore (because they make him look like En)! Dangit, I want my En back!

This brings back memories. My mum used to deal with kids all the time, and of course I was in the background for some of the shenanigans.

Dragon puppet symbolism, eh? (see the dotpoint a bit back about Ryuichi’s name)

As soon as this guy (who kinda looks like something out of Haikyuu) started demanding Taka come with him, I screamed. That character doesn’t seem very Ume, but…uh, it’s Ume. Gotta deal with it. Now that I listen to their voices properly though, Ume does have a “big bro” voice and Nishiyama a “earnest young man” voice.

Oh dear. Taka’s imprinted on me already, and I don’t even like boys that age.

I haven’t felt a genuine sense of danger from any of these winter shows until this one, so it seems like it’s one of the strongest debuts. Then again, CCS was my frontrunner before this and YuruCamp the second best, so I guess I can’t talk, eh?

Gah, I feel like I wanna cry now. That is a strong premiere!

I have a real problem with how anime tears come out in globs. Then again, I’m too much of a crybaby, as my notes can attest…so I guess no arguing here.

Should it be “Chairman” or “Chairwoman”???

Tsundere grandma. Now there’s something I thought I’d never think in my life…

Oh, I didn’t realise earlier but Taka = “hawk” and Hayato = “falcon man”. Animal jingoism at its finest!

Whoo, that was a real nice debut. I thought I was too old for this stuff, but it’s a keeper!

Idolish7 3

It’s a good thing I chose to cover episodes 1 – 2 so I won’t have to do them now.

I didn’t notice Nagi getting all huggy there with everyone in range (the first time, at least).

In case you don’t know from all the other idol shows, the centre is the one in centre stage. They’re often seen as the leader, so it’s a very important position.

This song can’t be anything but Monster Generation! Woohoo!

Wow, I haven’t seen one of those “watch from a distance” things in a while. Makes me nostalgic.

“Ichi” would probably refer to Iori, right? (He has the kanji for “one” in his name.)

Wowee, Nagi’s entendre…is really thick. Like pudding.

I agree, brothers can be so strange…

“…spoil me sometimes.” - Laying on the entendre thicker than custard here, Iori!

These boys are so into their Magical Kokona. I want in now.

Tamaki really is an En-chan…En-chan! Come back! (But why does Tamaki have no socks???)

These ED outfits are so elaborate! Ooh! Imagine a gender-swapped cosplay of them, that’s be great!

Who’s that on the edge of the ED video though? (You can see something hopping up and down.)

Zoku Touken Ranbu Hanamaru 1

Can we please just call this “Hanamaru 2” like Crunchyroll? “Zoku” just refers to a continuation…anyways, I got Hanamaru season 1 done last year while dealing with Katsugeki, so…here I come, sword boys!

Didn’t Hanamaru get a dub, by the way? Why would you dub this? For me to criticise it? The Touken Ranbu fanbase is kinda small…

W-Wait, did they just write Yams out of this season? Yams is the protag (if not a protag) here! What did Ichiki do now to deserve this???

It was getting too hard to jump through the proxies to play Touken Ranbu as of late, so I deleted my DMM account. Even still, the sword boys have multiplied since I left! Yikes!

Wow, unexpected 1st person bit there, Kashuu/Masuda. I thought I told the industry to stop doing that…

Exposition wave…I don’t need this wave, but I guess anime-only fans might. Carry on, Heshikiri.

So this multiple Konnosuke thing wasn’t a Katsugeki-only gag? Oh dear, my head’s spinning…

I don’t think I noticed, but Kashuu uses a brush (and not a specialty brush provided in the lid of nail polish). Probably because in Touken Ranbu, plastic isn’t much of a concept…

I still appreciate how Kashuu was this Saniwa’s starter. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy for my own TR days…

Photos are a nice way to recap. After all, 1 picture speaks 1000 words.

Wow, Shishiou’s a real chibi compared to these tachi. But Shishiou’s a tachi too…

Dang, I’m jealous. These bros were around when I was a TR player, and I missed ‘em! Dang Kebishii drops!

So that thing really is a nue. I could never see it on Shishiou’s card, y’know.

Hmm…considering the bros are new swords, the Saniwa’s strategy is to level up them up using the younger bro as leader (remember, the leader gets more experience). I see…

A “pincer attack” is a V shape, so the description fits the Crane Wings formation…

I can’t say I wasn’t impressed by Akashi just then. Come to think of it, he didn’t have any battles in Hanamaru’s 1st season.

A double attack suits a pair like this, of course!

Oh my gosh, they even got two dfferent voice actors for the Konnosukes! LOL!

Hanamaru’s EDs kept changing and it seems like they’ll continue to change, eh? This one looks quite spiffy.

The style of this ED doesn’t look like Hanamaru at all. It was probably done by the original illustrator for the swords.

It’s a great return to form for Hanamaru! I’m sold!

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 1

Another day, another long title…plus this show I would’ve passed on, if not for that resolution…

Michiko Yokote is on a lot of shows I watch. I don’t really know what her influence is, but it seems she’s genuinely competent at what she does.

So…uh, Gendo pose anyone?

I think the teacher is the best part of this. I’ve been a bit of Tonari no Seki-kun, and the pull of that is the sheer ludicrousness of what Seki does with his stuff. However, there didn’t seem to be any intervention aside from Yokoi (I think that was her name)…

Nishikata’s reactions are just way too easy to read…

Well, that was okay, but it’s definitely a show to binge all at once. On to the “on hold” pile it goes.

Wait, but they missed a segment (the 100 yen segment). Gotta skip forward…

I didn’t get any laughs out of that show at all, but it’s still a decent school SoL.

How to Keep a Mummy 1

I have absolutely no experience with this manga, mind you…aside from seeing this tiny mummy on Comico…

Wow, if the mummy can fit in his shoe…how big is it?

The translation of “ready” is surprisingly ganbaru, and there’s a “but” mentioned in the Japanese title missing from the English. Also, “ready” has sexual connotations I’d rather not pair with a tiny mummy…I’d say the translation of the episode title should be something more along the lines of “White, Round, Small, Very Wimpy But [Also] Tries Its Hardest” (“It” being the mummy and not Pennywise…).

Is Dracula even public domain right now? (Does anyone care about the intellectual property of a classic vampire novel anyway? Because I sure don’t.)

Can we please start making jokes about how Sora’s daddy got him a mummy? It may seem childish, but I’m tempted to now.

This mummy is so adorable, I think it even beat out the kids from Gakuen Babysitters! Geesh, I’m spoilt this season! It completely set off my moe senses, and I don’t even have any!

It imprinted on him! Oh wow!

The mummy doesn’t even have a mouth…how can it spit things-oh wait. That’s the joke, isn’t it?

Come to think of it, crybaby characters ae few and far between. However, between this and Devilman…er, Crybaby…they’ve suddenly become popular…I guess?

It’s like a harem, only it’s between a dog and a mummy. Why I never…

One of the best things about anime is that you can learn about other cultures through the things included offhandedly…like that molokhiya thing that Sora mentioned. Apparently it’s a Jewish vegetable of some sort.

Do mummies get jet lag too? I was just thinking how Comico stories, with their full colour and yet simple design (to allow for downward scrolling and intake by the eyes) are perfect for anime.

I listened to the show with volume for once…because Tazuki seems to be the guy voiced by Keisuke Koumoto…and I think I was on the money there. Plus, Sora’s VA really sells the delivery of jokes (although he seems to be voiced by a woman…?)!

Yamanba…like Yamanbagiri’s namesake. The mountain hag, right?

Yep, I was right on the money with Tazuki being Koumoto. Kamitani Tazuki, it seems his name is…

This dance ending’s kind of cute, too. It’s a keeper!

Death March 1

(looks at title just above this dotpoint) C’mon. There’s no way I’m going to repeat “Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody” over and over again for at least 11 or 12 episodes…by the way, I’m here because I was reading a KonoSuba novel and saw an ad for this, just in time for the anime…

“SADA”, my butt…

I love how they almost replicated Windows 8 in this show. Or is it 7, or 10? They don’t show the taskbar, which is the main visual difference between 8 and 10, but either way the Windows replication without being sued is really something…

This OP’s gonna make me dizzy someday…

Classes, eh? So that means Suzuki’s working with an OOP language. Plus you can see Cortana on the computer as the mention of classes goes by, meaning that person’s on Windows 10.

UML.

By the way, Satou is a fairly common name in Japan…at least to my knowledge. But Suzuki is a pretty common one, too, hence the mistake.

The client? Unless Suzuki is referring to the client as in the program, it could also mean the client as in the person/group who wants the game made. Considering what he says though involving a call, it’s probably the latter.

That’s the second show with a lost kid in the first episode. It seems a bit trite, don’tcha think?

According to his phone map (flip phone!), he’s in Akihabara.

FFL…eh? Google says there are multiple Final Fantasy games for Android, meaning I’ve probably thinking of Fire Emblem Fates (which doesn’t match), and there’s no such thing as Final Fantasy 50 (L in Roman numerals) yet.

That’s the second time they mentioned work/daily life being a death march. Can we not???

Come to think of it, Suzuki looks like Nobuaki (King’s Game), which doesn’t bode well for either show.

Apparently you can get Facebook Messenger for Windows 10, which I didn’t know…

“…being a corporate slave.”

C’mon! This ain’t the Animatrix, but still, if you’re trying to make stuff look technological, at least make it look a bit better.

Third time they’ve mentioned “death march”.

It might just be Houseki no Kuni’s fault, but this CGI is really janky.

Welllll…at least it looks like a game.

Welllllllll…at least they knew where to put their money for some sakuga…

This running through fields scene is either a homage to Every Anime Opening ever, or Pokémon. I distinctly remember it being in Emerald’s opening animation, at least.

Dude, if you want to look for a wyvern, do it from the ground where you won’t get injured, dumb Satoo.

Does this look a lot like Berserk (2016) with all its CGI knights…or is that just me?

Zena…? I might be showing how old I am with this (or how much I scour the internet), but…by any chance, do you mean this gal instead?

I think I’ve had enough of this flip for now, so I’m putting it on hold.

#simulcast commentary #gakuen babysitters #zoku touken ranbu hanamaru #touken ranbu #touken ranbu hanamaru #miira no kaikata #how to keep a mummy #death march to the parallel world rhapsody #cardcaptor sakura #cardcaptor sakura: clear card-hen #karakai jouzu no takagi-san #teasing master takagi #idolish7 #school babysitters #Chesarka watches Gakuen Babysitters #Chesarka watches Hanamaru #Chesarka watches Idolish7

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popsicle86 · 7 years

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Ultimates Write up part 1: Brett and Elizabeth's panel

Hi everyone. So last weekend I was lucky enough to be at ultimates convention (my other half has great taste in Christmas gifts) and whilst there I noted down as much as I could during the Shield panels. I'm going to be posting my notes from each one separately. I didn't get everything, but hopefully I noted some things of interest. So without further ado, these are my notes from the panel with Brett and Elizabeth: They were both asked about their favourite seasons so far: Brett said season 3 as he liked Ward's vengeance arc against Coulson, Elizabeth said S1 as she misses the innocence of both them as actors and the characters. I asked Elizabeth to clarify if Fitzsimmons were together at the end of Season 4. She said she likes to think Fitzsimmons will always come back together but doesn't know if they are in season 5. Hasn't yet seen the finale as it hasn't aired in England so she wasn't sure how I had managed too (it made me smile. Brett complimented Elizabeth and how good she is as an actor. He was discussing the Hive Simmons scene in 3, and how he thinks they don't give him many scenes with her as he just stands there exclaiming over how good she is. I asked what the nerdiest thing was they had ever done. Elizabeth told a story about how when she had been filming her scenes with Samuel L Jackson in series 1 she had been completely professional, then after that she was outside with the crew in the parking lot and was nerdy dancing on her car (who was named Kevin but has since died) and SLJ walked by, and she got all garbled trying to explain what she was doing and why her car was called Kevin. Brett once had a conversation with R2-D2 at con without being able to see the operator. They were both asked what their wrestler alter ego's would be. Liz's wrestler alter ego would enter to eye of the tiger and be super polite. Elizabeth was asked about shooting the framework arc and said she missed Iain as they usually saw each other everyday, but that she thought he was fantastic as FW fitz (although she joked she didn't speak to him for a day after shooting the scene where he shoots agnes as he was so convincing). She then told a story about how shooting ran late on the Fitz LMD scene in episode 15, and she had to run to airport to fly home for her mum's birthday right from the shoot. She tried to get a her make up and mascara streaks off in the cab but couldn't, and when she got to the airport they had closed check in. She begged them to open it as she had to get home to her mum - whilst smeared in fake blood and make up. One person asked who Brett would be if he went on stars in your eyes (a British show from years ago, in which members of the public gor made over to look like pop stars, and then did a performance as them). Brett said he would be Beyonce, potentially with suspenders. (I pointed out to him that earlier on J had danced to single ladies during his panel, and during J's panel the following day I asked who would win a Beyonce off between him and Brett. He said Brett). Brett was asked about the wooden nature of Wards character in season 1 and how that was deliberate by the writer's, but for him it was frustrating at the time, however it made sense when the traitor twist came as there then was a reason why Ward was so wooden. Brett was asked did you shoot the dog? Brett says no. A fan congratulated Liz on 4722 and said a magazine nominated it for best episode of 2016. Three asked how Liz felt about the episode. She said she felt pride and honour and then joked she felt dysentry. She said how she didn't know if it was definitely going to happen until a few weeks before, and that originally it was going to be just Simmons on the planet alone for much longer. Liz has never forgotten a line according to Brett which he says is annoying. Liz says that's not true just google AOS gag reel, but then she question what you might find if you do that. They were both asked what they listen to when driving. Brett listens to podcasts or the moana soundtrack when his daughter is in the car (he then sang the first party of You're Welcome). Liz says la has bad traffic so it's good to edumacate herself, so she also listens to podcasts. They were asked what character from Guardians they would most like their character to meet. Liz said she is obsessed with baby groot. Brett would like to see a show with Ward and Drax hanging out together. Brett's new word is chippy (British for a chip shop). He was calling it a chipper, which means something completely different. The final question was the weirdest thing they have been asked to do in an audition. Elizabeth was asked to be spaghetti, so she asked the casting people did they want get to be cooked or uncooked spaghetti, and was told cooking. Their panel was then cut short by a fire alarm going off. It was a really great panel, they were both happy and joking lots. I will be posting notes from some of the other panels when I get chance, as well as a few photos that i took. Hope you enjoy reading this.

#aos spoilers #starfury ultimates #elizabeth henstridge #brett dalton #grant ward #jemma simmons #fitzsimmons #panel notes

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setaripendragon · 7 years

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Like Fire and Water - Part 1

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 So, someone recced an Ursa/Hakoda fic, and I read it, and fell down the rabbithole into rarepair hell. There is so very little for this ship on Ao3, that I decided I needed to write my own fic. I spent the last week writing this pretty much non-stop, and it's basically already finished, so I’m going to post the six parts here as I double (and triple) check them for typos and shit, then throw them at Ao3 once I’m sure it’s presentable.

Katara and Toph had lost their escort somewhere around the spa, and Toph was adamant about taking the opportunity to explore the city a little. Katara wasn’t really sure what she thought they’d gain by that, but Toph had convinced her by suggesting they take a train out from the lower ring to see what the Ba Sing Se docks were like. A chance to do some actual water-bending was a chance too good to pass up, so there they were, waiting in the station for the next train heading to the outer wall.

“There’s so many people here.” Katara murmured, watching the ebb and flow of people with fascination. “I never thought there could be this many people in the world, never mind in one city.” Toph snorted, more in response to Katara’s tone than her words, she thought. Katara found the city amazing, if somewhat unnerving, but Toph hated it here, and made no effort to hide her contempt.

“Ba Sing Se is a marvel.” The woman seated on the next bench along remarked, offering Katara a kind smile. She was pretty, despite looking vaguely worn, worry lines beginning to make their home around her eyes. Her dress was a dark green, and well fitting, although it too looked a bit worn around the edges, and her dark brown hair was up in one of those practical buns at the nape of her neck that Katara saw all over the place in the lower ring, and never once saw anywhere in the upper rings.

“It’s something, but I wouldn’t call it a marvel.” Toph groused. “More like a deathtrap.”

Katara elbowed her friend, but thankfully the woman didn’t seem offended, only amused and faintly indulgent. “You can marvel at a landslide or a sandstorm, it doesn’t make it any less dangerous.” She pointed out.

Toph’s eyebrows flew up, but she was smiling. “Heh, yeah. Alright.” She capitulated.

“Besides,” the woman went on, “it must be quite a shock to a young woman from the Water Tribe. I hear even their capital city in the north is smaller than one of the Earth Kingdom’s cities, and Ba Sing Se is several times the size of places like Omashu.”

Katara was a little surprised that this woman seemed to know even that much about the Tribes, but she supposed she shouldn’t be. It was, after all, only the war that people weren’t allowed to talk about. And they did have a university here. “I’m from the Southern Tribe, anyway.” She said with a rueful smile. “Cities at all came as a pretty big shock to me.”

“The Southern Tribe?” The woman asked, startled. Katara blinked at her, surprised by her surprise. Then she shocked Katara further by smiling wryly and asking. “Which one?”

No one outside of the Southern Tribes ever seemed to remember that there was more than one. There were at least six, and though they had been united against the Fire Nation since before Katara had been born, they were certainly nothing like the unified Tribe of the North. “The Whale-shark Tribe.” She said, and it felt so strange, to identify herself that way, when for most of her life, it hadn’t mattered if she was Whale-shark or Tiger-seal or Arctic Wolf-fox, because she was Southern Water Tribe.

“Hakoda’s Tribe?” The woman asked.

Katara straightened, every part of her coming to attention at hearing her father’s name. “Yes. You know my dad?” She asked intently, and saw the woman’s eyes – an amber-brown so light they were almost gold, and that sent an instinctive chill down Katara’s spine – go wide as her mouth dropped open.

After a long moment, in which Katara thought she was going to vibrate out of her own skin, the woman pulled herself together, and nodded. “You must be Katara, then.” She said, sounding dazed. Katara nodded, feeling equally out of sorts. “I-”

In that moment, the grinding screech of stone on stone announced the arrival of the train, cutting off anything else the woman might say. It was followed by a noisy rush of people that made picking up their conversation difficult. The woman got to her feet, craning her head to see over the crowd, but she didn’t go far, and she kept glancing at Katara, as if to make sure she was still there.

And then Katara realised why.

“Hakoda!” The woman called, with a surprisingly elegant wave. Katara got to see her father’s expression light up as they landed on her, then watched his gaze follow that motion down and sideways, until it landed on Katara. He stumbled, shock giving way to a smile as he shoved his way through the crowd. Katara jumped to her feet as he cleared the bustling mob, and all but fell into her dad’s welcoming arms.

“Dad!” She gasped out, bewildered, but too happy to care in that moment.

“Katara.” Hakoda breathed, awe and confusion and delight in every syllable. “What are you doing here?” He asked as he drew back, holding her by the shoulders to stare at her. He glanced at the woman, as if she might have an answer for him, but she only shrugged.

“Did Bato tell you-”

“That you’re travelling with the Avatar?” Hakoda finished for her. “Yes, he mentioned it.”

Katara nodded. “Well-” She began, then shook her head. “No, wait, what are you doing here?” She echoed, frowning.

“Our fleet has been helping protect the waters around Ba Sing Se, keeping the Fire Nation away from the refugees as they make their way into the city.” Hakoda explained with a wry smile. “Is Sokka with you?” He asked, hopeful.

“Not right now.” Katara admitted. “He’s in the Upper Ring with Aang. But he’ll be so happy to see you, Dad, we can get there in a few minutes, the trains here are so fast, and you have to meet Aang, he’s amazing, and- Oh! Oh, I’m sorry. Dad, this is Toph, she’s Aang’s earth-bending teacher.”

Hakoda smiled, and stepped back enough to face Toph and nod respectfully. “Nice to meet you, Toph.” He greeted.

“Yeah, you too.” Toph replied, and she sounded sincere.

Then the woman stepped up by Hakoda’s side and touched his arm lightly. When he glanced at her, she gave him a prompting look that was more amused than chiding. Toph whistled under her breath, the one that meant ‘oh boy, you’re in trouble’. She usually used it when Sokka had done something stupid and Katara was about to tell him off, but Sokka wasn’t here, so…

“Ah, right.” Hakoda said, with a hint of a playful grimace. “Obviously, you’ve realised this is my daughter, Katara.” He said to the woman, who nodded, and Hakoda cleared his throat. Distantly, as if through a fog, Katara realised that her dad was nervous. “Katara, this is, ah… Xia.” He said, and stopped, suddenly enough that Katara knew he’d been about to say more.

“Xia.” Katara repeated, her tone flat. Because there was a horrible suspicion growing in the back of her mind, but… no. No. It couldn’t be, it just couldn’t, because that would mean that- that Dad had forgotten about Mum, and he wouldn’t. He would never, because Mum had been the heart of their family, the centre of their world, and to just throw that away was impossible.

Hakoda nodded. “Your step-mother.” He added finally.

There was a strange buzzing noise in Katara’s ears, and the world suddenly felt very far away. “My what?” She asked, in a voice that sounded remarkably calm to her own ears. There must have been something of the howling storm that had taken up residence in her chest in it, though, because Hakoda winced. Xia just looked sad.

“Your step-mother.” Hakoda said again.

“No.” Katara said, before she was fully aware of opening her mouth. Her father had the nerve to look a little taken aback. Rage bubbled up in her like acid, searing through her and spilling out of her in an uncontrollable wave. “She isn’t anything to me, and she certainly isn’t my mother! How dare you?! You were supposed to be out here fighting the people that killed my mother, not replacing her with some dirt-stomping floozie!”

Hakoda’s jaw went tight, and his brown furrowed. “Katara!” He snapped. The fact that he only reacted to an insult to his brand new wife instead of any sort of grief for Kya or apology to Katara or anything made her blood boil.

“It’s alright, Hakoda.” Xia interrupted, before Katara could start yelling again. “I’m sorry, Katara. We never meant to spring this on you like this, and I would never want to replace your mother-”

“Except you have.” Katara spat before she could finish, not wanting to hear the rest of her kind, pretty words when she made clear lie of them by standing at her father’s side when that’s where Katara’s mother should be. “You’ve just swooped in and erased her, like she didn’t even matter!” She rounded on her dad again. “And you let her! How could you?! Didn’t you love Mum at all?!”

“Of course I did, Katara.” Hakoda sighed. “And I still do.”

“Then how could you betray her like this?!” Katara demanded.

And there, finally, was the reaction Katara had been looking for. Pain and grief and guilt clear as day on her dad’s face. Seeing it didn’t bring the satisfaction she expected, though. It only made her fury twist inwards. Because she wanted him to hurt like she hurt, but she didn’t want to hurt him, and it didn’t make any sense, and she didn’t know how to make it right.

“Kya is dead.” Hakoda said, solemn and sad, but that didn’t stop the words hitting Katara like a physical blow. She reeled, not because it was news, or because she didn’t think the same thing often enough herself, but because her dad was saying it like it was an answer, like it was an explanation. “It is not a betrayal to find ways to keep living and loving despite that loss.”

“You-” Katara tried to speak, but that was all she managed before her throat closed up. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “You can’t just say that like it-” There were words, to express what she meant, how she was feeling, she knew there were, but she couldn’t find them.

“Okay!” Toph said loudly. “I think we could all use a time out, here.”

Hakoda sighed, and nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“Of course I am.” Toph stated boldly. “So, where can we find you, once we’ve calmed down and told Sokka you’re here?” Hakoda gave her an address, one that Katara knew was in the lower ring, and part of her wanted to take him with her when they went back to the upper ring, because he was her dad, part of her tribe, and tribe belonged together. But Xia wasn’t tribe, couldn’t be, and if Dad came with her now, so would she, and Katara didn’t think she could stand that. “Alright. We’ll see you soon. Come on, Sugar Queen.” Toph caught her arm and towed her away.

Katara went only reluctantly. Part of her wanted to stay because she’d missed her dad, but part of her hated that she wanted that, and part of her wanted to stay just to yell at him some more, but part of her just wanted to curl up and cry. She couldn’t quite bring herself to look away from her father, even as Toph dragged her out of the exit. Just before they were lost to sight, she saw her dad turn and pull Xia into an embrace, the way she could remember him holding Mum after a long day.

It hurt. It hurt like losing her mother all over again. And she wanted to hate her dad for that, but she couldn’t, quite, because she’d missed him so much, and now he was finally here.

She barely noticed the journey back to the upper ring, only realised where they were when Toph opened the door to the house where they’d been staying and all of a sudden, Sokka was right in front of her, a worried frown on his face as he asked “Katara? What’s wrong?”

Katara swallowed. “Dad’s here.” She said.

Sokka brightened for half a heartbeat, then immediately sobered, worry outweighing everything. “So what’s wrong?” He pressed.

“Dad’s here,” Katara said again, and as she thought it, all her fury came rushing back and filled her next words with venom, “with his new wife.”

Sokka stared at her. Blinked. Stared some more. “His what?” He finally squeaked, voice going almost comically high in his shock. He didn’t wait for an answer though, just cleared his throat, and asked another question. “How… how did that happen?”

“I don’t know.” Katara admitted through gritted teeth. “I was a bit too busy yelling at him to bother asking how he found his replacement for Mum.”

Sokka flinched. That surprised Katara enough to shake her out of her anger for a moment. “That’s not fair, Katara.” Sokka said softly, frowning like she’d hurt him by saying that. Guilt and confusion and righteousness warred inside her, and only made her angrier.

“Not fair?!” She echoed incredulously.

“Yeah.” Sokka confirmed, in that quiet-but-sure way he had when he was really, genuinely serious about something, not just fighting with her because that’s what siblings did. “Not fair. Okay, so I don’t know this lady, and that’s…” He swallowed again, and shook his head. “That’s pretty weird, and unnerving, but… if Dad’s… if he’s sure enough about her that he- Huh, wait, do they even have the Marriage Dance in the Earth Kingdom?”

“Well, we dance at weddings, but the way you said that, I’m thinking no.” Toph interjected, like any of this was important at all. “It’s not required for a marriage to be legally binding. That’s the contracts and the brideprice. We celebrate with flowers and food and dancing, but it’s not necessary. How does it work in your tribe?”

“Huh. We just have the Marriage Dance. That’s… pretty much it. You dance it together, in front of the rest of the tribe, and then you’re married. Some people don’t even do that. I mean, if you’re living together, most of the tribe will count you as married. Some people court with hand-made gifts and stuff, but…” Sokka trailed off with a shrug.

“Oh, don’t even get me started on courting.” Toph announced with a dramatic shudder. “Although, maybe it’s different if you’re not noble. I heard some stuff at the rumbles that made me think it was only my parents and the other nobles that were like that.”

“Like how the Northern Tribe has different customs to us?” Sokka wondered.

“Maybe.” Toph agreed.

“And I guess Air Nomads didn’t do marriages, huh?” Sokka mused “Since you were all monks and nuns and stuff.”

“Not really? I don’t know much about it, cause that was grown-up stuff.” Aang replied. Then he cast a look over at Katara. “Uh… Katara? Are you okay?”

“No! I don’t understand how you can be talking about- about marriage customs, when Dad’s gone and just forgotten about Mum so he could shack up with some- some Earth Kingdom waster!” Katara burst out. “And you’re just okay with that?! You’re more worried about the fact that she doesn’t know the Marriage Dance than that Dad’s betraying Mum’s memory?! Just because she’s dead then it’s fine to act like she was never there in the first place?! Well, I’m not going to let some interloper steal Mum’s place, even if you don’t seem to give a damn that she’s-”

“You’re not the only one who loved Mum!” Sokka yelled.

The whole house went deadly silent. Katara stared at her brother, shocked, and hurt. All her rage seemed to fall away from her, replaced with an ache that just wouldn’t stop. “I’m not- I didn’t say-” She tried, but Sokka cut her off with a slash of his hand through the air.

“Yes, you did. That’s exactly what you said! You said the only way Dad could have married this woman was if he didn’t care about Mum, that the only way I could be okay with it was if I didn’t care about Mum! Well, you’re wrong. You know you’re wrong, because you know just how much Dad loved Mum, you know-” Sokka’s voice broke, and he stopped to breathe for a moment before he pressed on. “We love her just as much as you do. But, damn it, Katara, do you think Mum would want us to be miserable with missing her for the rest of our lives? After all the effort she put into keeping Lusa from throwing herself off an iceberg after Ao died? Do you remember some of the stuff she said then, because I do!”

“Grief is important, but when life moves on, you have to move with it, or it’ll strand you on the ice for the polar leopards’ breakfast.” Katara quoted from memory, her voice sounding hollow and empty even to her own ears.

“Yeah.” Sokka confirmed.

“But-” Katara began, and couldn’t find words through the sobs that were suddenly wracking her frame. Sokka wrapped her in a tight hug, the sort of hug that felt like warm furs and a fire during the long summer night. “I just… I don’t understand.” Katara sobbed.

“I guess we never did give you a chance to grieve properly, did we?” Sokka asked softly. Katara sniffed and pulled back to stare at him in confusion. “Me and Dad, we were wretched those first couple of years without Mum, but you… you picked yourself up and kept moving. You and Gran-Gran, you took care of us after Mum died, gave us space to just miss her lots, but… who was taking care of you, so that you could be a wreck with missing Mum?”

“I-…” Katara began, then stopped. Sokka grimaced knowingly, and pulled her back into the hug. Katara allowed herself a few minutes to accept the comfort and cry, but then she pulled herself together. “I supposed you’ll want to go and see Dad now, huh?” She asked Sokka.

“Well, yeah.” Sokka agreed, then hesitated. “But, I mean, you probably don’t want to right now, do you?” He asked shrewdly.

Katara smiled tiredly at him. “Not now. Maybe tomorrow, or… I think I need some time to… figure this out.” She admitted.

“Well, why don’t you and Aang stay here, and me and Snoozles can go to that address your dad gave us?” Toph suggested. “Before that Joo Dee comes back and starts following us around everywhere again.” She added with a sneer.

“Yeah! We can practice our waterbending out in the back garden.” Aang enthused, looking at Katara eagerly. It made her smile despite herself.

“Good plan, guys.” Sokka agreed. “Come on, Toph.”

“Right behind you.”

#Avatar The Last Airbender #Ursa #Hakoda #Ursakoda #Katara #Toph #Sokka #Ursa/Hakoda #I will go down with this ship #I think I have a thing for the awkward step-sibling dynamic #grief and loss #unhealthy coping mechanisms #family reunion #toph is very sensible

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ancestryadventures · 7 years

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Christian Roots: Tadcaster (Yorkshire) and an interview with Christopher Noble

From Gateshead, I continued southward, and as the evening drew in I arrived at my destination, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.

St Mary’s Church, Tadcaster, Yorkshire. Jan 2017.

Tadcaster

Tadcaster on Map of UK

It is probably most famous for the brewing history, John Smith’s being one of the largest in the country. This brewery also boasts the brewing of other well-known brands such as Newcastle Brown Ale, Kronenburg 1664, Heineken, Amstel and Tiger. Not bad for a town that only has 6,000 inhabitants!

John Smith’s Brewery, Tadcaster, Yorkshire. Jan 2017.

But I wasn’t in Tadcaster to try the local beverages (although I did!), I was here because it was the home of the most spiritual ancestor I know, my maternal great-grandfather, Robert J Hall.

Robert Jeffrey Hall

Born in 1891, I do not yet know much about his early life, other than he fought in the first world war, but never spoke about it. He married my great-grandmother Dorothy at 32 years of age, and gave birth to my grandmother Margaret Green a year later.

Dorothy Parker, Margaret Hall (later Green), Robert Hall. c1933

As you can tell by the dog-collar, he was a spiritual man, and was sent a letter by the Arch-Bishop of York (which we still have to this day) to become the vicar at St Mary’s Church in Tadcaster - as long as he didn’t make it “too high church”! This is what I came to find, and I arrived just before nightfall.

St Mary’s Church, Tadcaster, Yorkshire. Jan 2017.

The church itself was built in 15th century, the oldest in the town. Robert gave service there for many years, and lived in a large vicarage where my mum and her brothers used to go on school holidays.

Photo of the Old Vicarage, Tadcaster, Yorkshire.

It took some exploring and a little help from my uncle guidance, but eventually, under the cover of darkness, I found the vicarage. I was welcomed in by the current owner who allowed me to look in. The building has 9 bedrooms, with have since been converted into 3 separate properties - it was a large place for a vicar, his wife and only infrequent visitors to live!

The giant double door at the front has been the same for over 50 years!

Old Vicarage, Tadcaster, Yorkshire. Jan 2017.

It felt like a real achievement to find this location, somewhere that my great-grandfather had lived for many years. Due to his commitment to the church, he is the most devout spiritual man I have uncovered in my family tree.  

His Christian beliefs filtered down to my grandmother, who went to church into her final years. The odd service I went to with my grandmother exposed me to some of this faith, but its slow and somber approach and lecture style arrangement has never nourished me in a spiritual way.

 So is it worth me exploring Christianity as my spiritual home? 

Christian Migration vs my Ancestral Heritage 

Christianity arrived in Britain on the tongue of traders as it migrated through the Roman empire from the middle east. It sat amongst a whole host of Pagan and Roman gods at the time, however it differed as it required followers to abandon all non-Christian religious beliefs.

 Emporer Constantine realised that this belief system would do well to unite the Roman Empire and so it was permitted as of 313 AD. But upon the invasion of Angles and Saxons, pagan religions took dominance in Britain again. It wasn’t until 597 AD, when Augustine’s mission reached England, did Christianity become one of the dominant faiths in Britain.

Map of my Ancestry.com DNA estimate

But on returning my Ancestry DNA test, it shows that only about 5% of my DNA comes from Italy, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. My ancestral roots will likely have followed Nordic, Celtic and Germanic pagan religions for much longer, and perhaps only associated with Christianity for the past 1,000 years or so. 

Interview with Christopher Noble

Nevertheless, I am still interested in the story of Jesus. Long before it became a means to rule empires and wage violent crusades, there likely was a man in the middle east who was preaching and practicing spiritual truths, I just needed to find out more about him. 

I am currently at Schumacher College; a place of pioneering thinkers studying ecology, spirituality, economics and holistic science - a great chance to meet people and get new perspectives. One such man who I spoke to was Christopher Noble, who has been researching the story of Jesus extensively. Consequently I invited him to participate in my second Ancestry Adventures interview.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Christopher Noble. Jan 2017

I resonate with the idea of Jesus as a man who still has wisdom and guidance, and that the telling of his story (without the institutionalised historical baggage) can be of inspiration to me; as someone who is always on the look-out for positive male role models for myself. 

I also see how mythology plays a large part in the work I have done. My work with the Mankind Project and Journeyman UK both use the story of Iron John, while (as I mentioned), A Band of Brothers use the Parsifal myth.

I was so inspired by the use of myth, that within my FDa in Creative Arts Therapies, I wrote a story using Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey as part of my Drama and Storytelling module.

vimeo

How the Prince Found his Voice. Written and performed by Joss Holmes

Reflections

This step on the journey has brought up some conflict; I at once note that my most spiritual ancestor was a Vicar and the story of Jesus appears inspiring to me, while I still resist the institution it upholds. There is more for me to learn about Christianity, but it doesn’t have the same ‘pull’ to me that pagan traditions do.

Christopher retells Rupert Sheldrake’s philosophy of following the Anglican church; “it’s my cultural language for explaining the great mystery.” This does speak to me, and so I intend to continue to delve into what other cultures my ancestry have been a part of - both in a cognitive and an intuitive way...

#christianity #ancestry #Adventure #geneology #shamaism #pagan #myth #schumacher #yorkshire

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