They make running away from the paparazzi look so sexy 🥴

( @sysba 🥰)

i know csweekly is on hold now, but I still have to catch up on The Luchadora Tango Caper, so here it is!!

Season 3 is maybe my least favorite season out of any of them, but I still love it, so I'm really excited to get into this!

Notes under the cut as always and please ignore the fact that I'm a month late on this thx

NEW CASTLE!!! NEW CASTLE YAYYY

sometimes I think this whole series is Maelstrom just talking about shit for like 14 hours

cleo sympathizing with guys in skirts <3 she knows ur struggle boys

love how they slapped up a giant glowing green world map and copper sulfate burning chandeliers before they put in insulation or heat

brunt, girl, calm down. they were just doing their evil minion bagpipe job

british on british violence

that was such a cute nod when this season first dropped. haha theres been no sign of her all summer because of the hiatus you are so clever

they rlly thought they had something with the turn them against each other thing. i cant believe they thought they tvy7 rating would let shadowsan and carmen kill each other 🙄

"carmen is DEAD" (cheery tango music)

i mean it works because we know hes wrong and stupid but like

no offense but the tango dancers are animated in a way that is reminiscent of a kid manually moving their barbie dolls legs to make them walk

our girl <3

tell me why dropping 200 feet onto the top of the metal detector was more sneaky than literally anything else she could have done

ok. yes. but the fact she is robbing it does not negate the fact that she will be on the news for breaking into a bank dsjfsdghfkdsa

1021 is the number on the box- could it mean something? in a strictly doylist sense. october 21st doesn't seem to have any significant holidays...I can't find anything, might just be a random number set.

good god the "i...have his eyes." hits me like a truck every time

gina pulled it out with the voice acting in this one

she WAS a very cute baby

"another" link girl what else has there been you should be ecstatic

ayyy its the character literally everyone except spintrap-stan and amaryllis solely remember for being voiced by dante basco

i love how snarky carmen immediately gets. if he knows her name and what she looks like, obviously he's an operative, so she gets to have a little fun in immediately declining him while still gaining valuable information, almost immediately, about who he is and what his talent will be

everyone is very stretched today

this is not my favorite fight scene honestly (at least until flytrap gets here. dont even get me started on her fighting style im in love with it) because its literally just like ooh. he kicks. she dodges. wow. they really do try with the tango parallels but idk

wow!! other people can kick too??? who knew

she protected the face

cutely runs into oncoming traffic

those cars were not even slowing down girl they were just like HONK MOVE OR DIE

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS FLYTRAP MY GIRL

okay mini rant incoming i already did a post on this like a billion years ago but flytrap is one of my favorites because in my opinion she and paper star are the most dangerous villains we ever see in the show. let me. try to find that post actually

yeah here it is

flytrap is also so hot and has the same va as luz so she's just top tier. idk if the team put half the episode budget into celebrity voice actors and thats why we only got 5 episodes but you know what

love how carmen is literally stopping her attempts to get free to banter. girl. stop

shadowsan <3

love how they do not even bother showing the fight they just get their asses handed to them

why didnt they start in veracruz just asking

not the table

ok guys. you can stop with the tango thing now. its okay

that little conversation between ivy and shadowsan is so good

comrades??? sir its not the cold war

article from 17 years ago, thank you for that easy to understand slang

carmen plot armored her way out of getting her skull smashed in on that train so hard that she made maelstrom stupid

its canon both in and outside of the show that color theory is so prevalent that any sort of red at all immediately signals carmen

the colors are so beautiful in this scene. carmen doesnt have her coat or jacket on, everythings just a little desaturated as she searches

THE ACME GANG <3333

not the finger guns and glasses wheeze hes such a loser i love him

THE FORESHADOWING TO EGYPT WITH THE PYRAMIDS ON HER LAPTOP!!!!

love how all we get of julia this season is her being pissed off and then leaving

he was such an asshole for closing her laptop why did he do that 😭

has carmen just been ignoring vile missions for the last season of the year to research her mom or

girlie is so sad about everything

ah yes, the door, the thing you wish to have opened, the best place to lean your full body against after you knock,

i'M SOrry. did you NOT attend a school for THIEVES

HSDGGDG HEY. just broke into your house. im your long lost daughter

i love how she goes DONT TOUCH ANYTHING and then immediately drags her whole arm across the wall and cabinet

also her face when she sees the masks is perfect

okay be honest how many of you have replayed carmen saying maybe mommy at least once. who. raise your hands

shes sooo buff

love how everyone is taking this so seriously and then carmen is just completely apathetic about anything thats going on

dont deadname lupe, carmen

her hair catching a gust of indoor wind for the sole purpose of making her look sick as hell in her intro card is so iconic

as ivy absolutely obliterating zack in the foreground is so fucking funny

she got that "EH EH EH." titter of "HEY NO. DONT YOU DO THAT" down scary well

devineaux strutting im sobbing. julia was doing SO well and then she got paired with devineaux AGAIN

that cab driver looks so concerned about the hulking texan in his backseat

remember when the trailer dropped and we thought those roses were for julia. good times

everyone narrowly avoiding each other as they pull in

you just know ivy smacked zack when he protested to decoy time hdsafhadsg

gotta say the "EH?" while getsuring to the trophies is fucking hilarious. obviously julia knows she wouldnt go after those but its so funny

i do love the way carmen just shrinks any time brunt appears. she is soooo traumatized

VAMOOSE EL MASKO SHES SO ACCURATREIUSDHKFSKHFD SHES EXACTLY WHAT MIDDLE AGED AMERICAN SOUTHERNERS SOUND LIKE

LUPE IS SO FUCKING COOL

devineaux showcasing his braincells for a spilt second this episode

ah, so begins the not a good time mantra

devineaux getting absolutely decimated because he thinks coach brunt thinks hes handsome is so funny

the referee watching two apparent civilians enter the ring: 🙂

carmen is so funny here. she uncuffs herself and then just leaves devineaux to die like fuck his ass he can get smooshed

carmen getting increasingly mad at devineaux while she drags him places is my favorite part of the episode

also, either carmen got stronger or devineaux had a few bouts of crazed research where he didnt eat, but she can drag him easily now as opposed to when she was struggling back at the trap in poitiers

they put this shot in the trailer and without context it just looked like carmen was standing there glaring at brunt menacingly

the cat burglar <3

worst fucking ref on the planet i love him

was carmen stopping to listen to julia's voice i would like to think so

ah the devineaux and cars gag. i mean, to be fair, it wasnt his fault this time

starts beatboxing

carmen really just dumped her whole life story on lupe thats so funny. girlie started the day preparing for a match, got her house broken into, and then ended the day learning about a global crime syndicate

they really ended s2 going THE NEXT SEASON WILL FOCUS ON CARMENS MOM and then started s3 going well actually um okay so

theres our transition sentence

lupe's yellow and blue palette btw!! cs color theory i love you

lupe is more of a mom than carlotta ever gets to be thats sad honestly

carmens little smile ough

here is a shot that very succinctly illustrates the dynamics in the coming seasons. the three at the table stand strong- always have. roundy is basically a footnote no one cares about him and then brunt...brunt is sort of on the edge. this carries over all the way into s4 when malestrom tries to drown her

oh my god i forgot about the weird halloween thing the faculty has going on this season i love it

my analysis is right in time for spooky season >:) halloween IS nearly upon us!!!

OKAY well my thoughts on the luchadora tango caper...pretty good. honestly its kind of net zero information because we introduce the premise of finding carmens mom and then immediately abandon it but it sets up um....well....it sets up....what does it set up

anyway- not my favorite episode, even though lupe is fucking awesome. i think it suffers a little from deviating from that classic caper structure and jumping around, but it does its job as an introductory episode.

until we return, sayonara, mon amigos!

I cannot sleep and I just read the most idiotic thing on Twitter so let’s make fun of it together.

There is an article about a (in my opinion) quite blatant attempt by Chinese-American political candidates in San Francisco to prevent non-Chinese candidates from appealing to the city’s Chinese speaking voters. And they are using “cultural appropriation” as an excuse to get their way.

“After an inquiry from Supervisor Connie Chan, the Department of Elections has decided to follow a 2019 state law saying self-submitted Chinese names may only be used if candidates can prove that they were born with them, as many Chinese immigrants or Chinese Americans were, or they have been using the names for at least two years.

If that’s not the case, candidates will then be given a transliteration-based name, which are often wordy and based on Mandarin phonetics.

As San Francisco is heading into an election season, the rule change may be considered a crackdown of sorts. Because of the city’s robust Chinese-speaking population, ballots are in both English and Chinese, which has led many non-Chinese candidates to adopt a Chinese name in an effort to appeal to monolingual Chinese voters.

For example, mayoral candidate Daniel Lurie, a first-time runner in politics, recently named himself 羅瑞德, and the name is widely publicized in the Chinese-speaking world. But if he can’t prove that he was born with the name or has been using it for two years, he will likely be assigned a name, 丹尼爾·露里.”

Anyone who knows anything about contemporary Chinese speech habits would know that Chinese people find “nicknames” in Chinese A LOT easier to remember and pronounce than direct transliterations of non-Chinese names. And if a non-Chinese celebrity doesn’t have an “official” Chinese nickname, Chinese people will make one up for them!

Non-Chinese people self selecting new Chinese names (usually creatively inspired by their original names) is not cultural appropriation! It’s just a way for the person to make it easier for people to pronounce and remember their name! Lots of Chinese people also adopt English names for similar reasons. People just want their names to be remembered and not butchered on a regular basis. And sometimes that requires creative translation or a brand new name in the target language!

Also, Daniel Lurie’s self-chosen Chinese name absolutely SLAPS in Chinese. While the literal transliteration sucks. Let’s break it down:

The “nickname”, 羅瑞德, is pronounced Luo Rei De in Chinese. Luo Rei sounds like Lurie, his last name, and De is the first syllable of his first name. But it gets even better. This version of his name follows the Chinese last-name-before-first-name rule, since it puts Lurie before Daniel. Plus, Luo is a fairly common Chinese surname, so to native Chinese ears, the name sounds like surname Luo, given name Rei De, which sounds “natural.” And to top it all off, the characters Rei and De combine together to make yet another fairly common Chinese given name! Rei means “intelligent” and “De” means “moral”, both auspicious characters that are frequently combined together in given names for boys! Rei is rather gender neutral but De is much more common in boys, thus also clearly marking the gender of the person. So in conclusion, Daniel Lurie’s Chinese “nickname” manages to remain true to his original English name AND sound fantastic and easy to remember in Chinese.

Now let’s look at the literal transliteration they wanted to assign him: 丹尼爾·露里

This is pronounced Dan Ni Er, Lu Li. Yes, it does sound almost exactly like “Daniel Lurie”. But what does this name mean in Chinese? Let me translate: Dan = pill 💊, Ni=woman, Er= a grammatical term with no meaning, Lu = Dew, Li = inside. We went from “Luo the intelligent and virtuous” to a nonsensical combination of words! And remember that Chinese names are usually 2-3 syllables. A 5 syllable name creates way more mental friction for a native speaker to read, say, and remember. If Daniel Lurie actually had to use this transliteration, it wouldn’t take long for his mandarin-speaking supporters to start affectionately calling him something like 丹努力 “Dan the hardworking” (pronounced Dan Nu Li). I made this one up on the spot, based on the tendency of Chinese netizens to take the first syllable of any foreign name and make it the “last name” and then assigning a 2-syllable “given name” that describes some a trait they associate with that person and vaguely sounds like other parts of the person’s foreign name.

So the people trying to ban self-selected Chinese names either don’t know how Chinese native speakers prefer to interact with foreign names or know all too well the importance of having a good Chinese “nickname” and are trying to sabotage their political opponents’ chances.

Hi, I just wanted to say that I agree with anon. I don't know whose fault it is, if Tim's or the journalist or a combination of both, but what is reported as his interview didn't seem particularly accurate with what they've shown, and they rarely are, at least in Tim's case. I don't know if he does it on purpose to be misleading or what, but I'm learning to not put much weight on it (though it's difficult). Ignoring that framing, episodes are just a bit better, and even if they're not clear they're at least up to different interpretations, which I can be fine with knowing they have to make choices on what to show and what leave for fans to fill.

(That was true for the whole secret marriage thing too, if he hadn't said it wasn't a lie and it wasn't a real marriage or whatever it would have been okay, not perfect because we didn't get real resolution or some other things I wished they showed on screen instead of just imagining happening, but no one else ever implied any of what HE said).

As for the zilla comment I get your concerns, but it may not be that bad in the end, it may well be an exaggeration to attract those who enjoy over the top wedding planning drama.

I think if I hadn’t seen a bunch of TK haters salivating over the chance to blame him for whatever happens to ruin the wedding by being a groomzilla – it started immediately after the article dropped – I would just be able to roll my eyes and ignore it like I did with a few things he said the last couple of seasons.

The EW article is full of what the fuck takes – the zilla one is the least of my issues with it – but would have been a super simple one to have correct. If either the journalist or Tim had said “Owen will be the Dadzilla of Carlos and TK’s nightmares” or something along those lines – I would have laughed and continued to look forward to the wedding planning (even while praying for all wedding planners with clients that watch this show – cause there will be people that think you can pull off a 150 person wedding in 4-5 weeks, on a budget that probably isn’t super high) instead of posting about it, but one of them chose to frame it totally different from any info we do have.

I think another part about it that bothers me is that when one of the people getting married is a zilla – they are typically absolutely horrible to the person that they are marrying – which is what the TK haters are hoping for and already celebrating. These are the people that feed off of TK and Carlos friction – the ones that can’t say enough how TK doesn’t love or deserve Carlos – it almost feels like that is how Tim feels too. It’s exhausting and my blocking fingers are getting tired.

 You can do over the top wedding planning without making the show’s constant scape goat an asshole – if we are talking in character – Carlos is the one that is most likely and has a very high probability of being the groomzilla – that one would be very in character.

Saying that TK is going to be a groomzilla is basically making the 4x08 episode (the supposed wedding planning episode) a TK vs Carlos situation when we have been led to believe that it would be a TK & Carlos vs Owen & Andrea – which is what I was really looking forward too. It feels like a lot of the season has already been Carlos vs TK – why keep that up when we are supposed to be watching them plan a wedding?

I know I ventured a bit off topic – but these are the reasons why the zilla thing is so fucking irritating to me. It’s probably how anyone feels when they are watching a TV show make the industry you work in so vastly different than what it is like IRL – Like doctors watching med shows – firefighters watching the 9-1-1s probably have to separate reality from fiction – but sometimes what we are being asked to believe is just so “what the fuck” that our brains start to meltdown over the insanity of it – or the lack of simple research that could have been done on the writer’s part.

I am currently working on a fic that will have some of my horror stories from weddings that are stuck in my brain – and almost all of them are from some sort of zilla – the slaps, the screaming, the fights, the crying.

SB LVIII: A tight end master class

Tight ends are some of the most unique players on a football field, and having top-tier talent at the position creates matchup nightmares for a defense. Super Bowl LVIII features two of the best tight ends in the NFL. What makes these talented pass-catchers unique is that they value their team’s success far more than their own. Travis Kelce and George Kittle have 11 combined All-Pro team appearances, but both players will tell you that they would rather see their team win trophies instead of individual awards.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) caught 65 passes for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns during the 2023 NFL regular season. Photo credit: Mark Hammond/News4usonline “I used to lose sleep over the lack of success I had early on,” said Kelce. “I used to have the desire to say I want to be the best; I want to be known as the one who had the most yards, the one that had the most catches, the most touchdowns, and the most Super Bowls.” “I have rechanneled that to just being the best teammate I possibly can be day in and day out, and at the end of the year, let the chips fall where they may and see who is the best team out there. I enjoy having team success a lot more than I enjoy having my individual success week to week,” the tight end went on to say. Kelce has put up numbers that have allowed him to be labeled one of the best, but sitting out the last game of the season for the betterment of the team and missing out on an eighth consecutive 1000-yard season by 16 yards shows his maturity as a player. While Kittle does not get the same amount of attention from the media or fans as his counterpart in this game, he is equally as important to winning. Kittle is a ferocious blocker in the run game and is one of the toughest players in the league. Taking him down to the ground is no easy task. “I think that what I am asked to do in my offense, I do at a very high level," said Kittle. “All I really care about is that the eye in the sky doesn’t lie; that is the film. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says about you; all that matters is that tape, your effort, your attitude, your play style, and the respect of your peers around the league.”

BALTIMORE, MD - JANUARY 28: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates the win following the Kansas City Chiefs game versus the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game on January 28, 2024 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire) Kittle does a little bit of everything for his team on the field and is one of the most important leaders in the locker room. When the best players are also the best leaders, it allows the rest of the team to follow suit. With both embracing their roles the way they do, it makes sense that the 49ers and Chiefs are in the Super Bowl. The position has become even more important with the passing game being what it is now, and these teams have two of the elite at the position. “I think teams have seen that the last six or seven years if you have a really good tight end, you have a higher chance of being in the Super Bowl. If you look back at all of the Super Bowls, there are really talented tight ends playing in all of them. So, invest in a tight end, feed your tight end, and you have an opportunity to win games,” said Kittle. Top Photo: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night Kickoff ceremony on Feb. 5, 2024. Photo credit: Dennis J. Freeman/News4usonline Read the full article

Embrace the Fun: Your Guide to Unforgettable February 2024 Events in the UK

February in the UK might seem like a quiet month, but don't be fooled! Between Valentine's Day sweetness, pancake-flipping fun, and thrilling sporting events, there's a vibrant tapestry of experiences waiting to be woven. So, put on your warmest coat, grab a cup of tea, and prepare to embrace the best of what February has to offer. Embrace the Fun: Your Guide to Unforgettable February 2024 Events in the UK 1. Love Takes Center Stage: Celebrate Valentine's Day (February 14th) Let love take center stage in February! Whether you're whispering sweet nothings to your significant other, showering friends with appreciation, or treating yourself to a well-deserved pampering session, Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate all things love. London's iconic Hyde Park transforms into a winter wonderland throughout February, offering a magical backdrop for ice skating, exploring festive fairground rides, and catching heartwarming live entertainment. Escape the winter chill and snuggle up for a movie night with your loved ones, or surprise them with a thoughtful gift that speaks to their heart. 2. Flip and Fun: Dive into Pancake Day (February 21st) Get ready to channel your inner chef and unleash your inner child on Pancake Day! This lighthearted tradition invites everyone to grab a frying pan, whip up a fluffy batter, and test their flipping skills (without too many casualties on the floor, hopefully!). Experiment with your toppings, from classic lemon and sugar to indulgent chocolate sauce and fresh berries. Don't miss the excitement of pancake races held in towns and villages across the UK, adding a competitive edge to this delicious day. 3. The Rugby Roars: Catch the Excitement of the Six Nations Championship (February 4th - March 18th) Brace yourself for the electrifying atmosphere of the Six Nations Rugby Championship! Witness England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy, and France battle it out on the pitch for the coveted title. The passion of the fans, the powerful tackles, and the nail-biting tries make every match an unforgettable experience. Whether you're a seasoned rugby enthusiast or a curious newcomer, soak up the energy at the stadium or gather your friends for a pub screening – the Six Nations promises adrenaline-pumping action for everyone. 4. Embrace the Darkness: Stargaze at the Dark Skies Festival (Various Dates Throughout February) Escape the city lights and reconnect with the wonders of the cosmos at one of the many Dark Skies Festivals held across the UK. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks, where guided walks, stargazing safaris, and informative talks from astronomers await. Witness the mesmerizing spectacle of the night sky, identify constellations, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the elusive Aurora Borealis. Let the darkness become your canvas for awe-inspiring cosmic discoveries. 5. Immerse Yourself in Art: Explore Art at the Park (February 1st - 4th) Art lovers, prepare to be dazzled! Nestled in the scenic Braxted Park in Essex, Art at the Park will showcase the talents of over 70 local and national artists. Discover unique pieces for your home, from captivating paintings and sculptures to intricate ceramics and handcrafted jewelry. Witness live demonstrations, participate in engaging workshops, and support the vital work of the Home-Start Essex charity. Let art ignite your creative spark and fill your February with vibrant inspiration. This is just a taste of the incredible experiences that await you in February in the UK. So, step out of your comfort zone, embrace the fun, and create unforgettable memories in this vibrant month. With its delicious traditions, thrilling sporting events, and captivating cultural offerings, February in the UK promises to be anything but ordinary. Let the adventure begin! Read the full article

12 Eco-Friendly and Unforgettable Party Favor Ideas for Your 5-Year-Old's Birthday Bash!

Planning a birthday party for your 5-year-old can be an exciting yet challenging task. And one aspect that often leaves parents scratching their heads is what to put in the party favor bags. While the traditional approach may involve filling the bags with disposable toys and sugary treats, it's time to think outside the box and create party favors that are not only fun but also eco-friendly. In this article, we'll explore a variety of unique and sustainable party bag ideas that will leave a lasting impression on your little guests.

Wearable Art: Temporary Tattoos that Sparkle

Kids love body art, and temporary tattoos are a popular choice for party favors. Instead of opting for low-quality tattoos that end up in the trash, consider investing in high-quality options that will delight the kids and their parents. The Meri Meri Neon Rainbows Tattoos are a fantastic choice, featuring luscious gold metallic designs and richly pigmented colors. Another top-notch option is the Tattly Wildlife Tattoo Set by Oliver Jeffers, designed by a renowned children's illustrator. These tattoos are beautifully detailed and make a statement. For larger parties, the Inked by Dani Temporary Tattoos Deluxe Assorted Party Pack offers a voluminous selection of designs, turning the celebration into a fun-filled extravaganza.

Building Blocks of Fun: Lego Mini Builds

Lego sets are a classic choice for party favors, and there are options suitable for all ages. For fashion-forward Lego fans, the Lego Dots My Pets Bracelet, with its dangling heart charms, is a stylish and creative option. If you're hosting a larger group, the color-coded Lego Classic Creative sets, such as the Creative Monkey Fun set, are a favorite. These sets are simple enough for preschoolers to enjoy on their own, while still offering a fun challenge. For slightly more advanced builders, the Lego City Wildlife Rescue Hovercraft provides an engaging and exciting building experience.

Books that Spark Imagination: Educational and Entertaining

Giving the gift of a book is a wonderful way to encourage a love for reading and storytelling. Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids is a book that promises laughter and clever wit, perfect for young jokesters. The jokes are innocent and clever, and they will give even the most seasoned dad jokes a run for their money. Another fantastic option is the Scholastic book series, which offers a wide range of educational books tailored to different interests and age groups. By including a book in the party favor bag, you're providing kids with a timeless gift that can be enjoyed for years to come.

Functional and Fun: Novelty Items that Surprise and Delight

Sometimes, the best party favors are the ones that are unexpected and quirky. The Master Lock Combination Padlock may not be your typical party favor, but it's sure to excite kids and make them feel a little more grown-up. This finely tuned, durable padlock can be used for school lockers, gym lockers, or any other place where kids want to keep their belongings safe. Another unique option is the vintage tin toy brooches from Fair Play Projects. These never-been-used Japanese pins come with original 1960s paper backings, making them perfect for gifting. They add a touch of nostalgia and make quite a fashionable statement.

Silly Magnets: Quirky and Functional

Fridge magnets are a household essential, and they can also make fun party favors. The Hey Foly Sushi Fridge Magnets set is a quirky and off-the-wall option that will add a touch of whimsy to any refrigerator. The 3D pieces in this set look strikingly like real sushi, which might make your kids crave sushi more often than your wallet would like! Another silly magnet option is the MagMen Refrigerator Magnets, featuring bendy, multicolor figurines with magnets embedded in their hands and feet. These magnets can be connected in chains, providing endless entertainment.

Engaging Activities: Mess-Free Coloring and Creative Fun

Arts and crafts activities are always a hit with kids, and they make for great party favors. The Mini Kraft Notebooks are cute and simple journals that can be customized with stamps or stickers. These notebooks are perfect for kids on the go, whether they enjoy sketching or taking notes. Another creative option is the KPX Boba Cute Standing Pencil Case. This adorable zippered canvas pouch stands up on its own and provides easy access to pens, pencils, or art supplies. Pair it with gem-shaped crayons like the Kid Made Modern Gem Jackpot Crayons or Ooly Stars of the Sea Crayons for a vibrant and artistic touch. The Zebra Mildliners double-tip pens, with their lovely pastel and neon shades, are also a great addition to any creative setup.

Interactive Fun: Play-Doh Sets and Tactile Play

Play-Doh is a timeless favorite among kids, and it makes for a fantastic party favor. The Play-Doh Fun Factory Deluxe Set takes the standard Play-Doh experience to the next level with its range of tools and cutters. Kids will have a blast creating their own shapes and designs, and you can include a few tools along with a tub of Play-Doh in each party favor bag. Another option is the Water Wow! On the Go Water Reveal Pads. These reusable coloring books reveal vibrant illustrations when colored with a water-filled brush-tipped pen. They are perfect for mess-free coloring and provide hours of entertainment.

Delicious Treats with a Twist: Gummies and Gum

No party is complete without some tasty treats, but why not opt for healthier alternatives? SmartSweets gummies are a great choice, sweetened with allulose and monkfruit extract instead of high amounts of sugar. These gummies have a delightful taste without the artificial aftertaste often found in "healthy" candy. The YumEarth Organic Pops are another delicious option, featuring fruity flavors that both kids and adults will enjoy. And let's not forget the love for chewing gum! Sugarless fruity-flavored gums like Extra Sweet Watermelon Sugarfree Gum or Trident Tropical Twist Sugar-Free Gum are sure to be a hit among young gum enthusiasts.

Engaging Experiences: Gift Cards for Memorable Outings

If you're short on time or want to support local businesses, gift cards can be a convenient and thoughtful party favor. Consider picking up gift cards from local ice cream shops, movie theaters, or bookstores. These gift cards offer the opportunity for kids to have their own fun experiences, whether it's enjoying a sweet treat, watching a movie, or picking out their favorite books. Gift cards are a last-minute option that still provide a memorable and enjoyable experience for each guest.

Unleash the Adventurer: Break Open Geodes

For a truly unique and hands-on party favor, the National Geographic Break Open 10 Premium Geodes set is a thrilling choice. This set allows kids to crack open real geodes and discover the dazzling array of crystals within. With safety goggles and a hammer, kids can experience the excitement of revealing the hidden beauty of these rocks. The Nat Geo set offers larger and more vibrant crystals compared to generic geode sets, making it a standout choice. Each child can take home a sparkly rock specimen as a memento, creating a memorable end to the party.

Tie-Dye Fun: Creating Colorful Keepsakes

Tie-dyeing is a fun and creative activity that can double as a party favor. The Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit is an excellent choice for creating vibrant and unique tie-dye designs. The kit includes all the necessary supplies, and the Hanes Boys' Tagless T-Shirts are perfect for this project. Kids can unleash their creativity by squirting colorful dye onto the shirts, creating their own wearable works of art. Tie-dyeing is a memorable activity that allows each child to take home a one-of-a-kind keepsake.

The Perfect Last-Minute Option: Gift Cards for Local Businesses

If time is running short or you're unsure about party favors, gift cards for local businesses are a fail-safe option. Consider getting gift cards from your favorite ice cream shop, movie theater, or bookstore. These gift cards provide flexibility for each child to choose their own favorite treat or experience. It's a simple and convenient last-minute option that still ensures a fun and memorable gift for each guest.

In conclusion, party favors for 5-year-olds can go beyond disposable toys and sugary treats. By opting for unique and eco-friendly alternatives, you can create memorable experiences for your young guests. From wearable art and building blocks to engaging activities and delicious treats, there are plenty of options to choose from. Whether it's temporary tattoos, Lego sets, or books, each party favor can be a thoughtful and sustainable gift. So, get creative and make your 5-year-old's birthday celebration truly unforgettable!

My Facebook Page's Comments Section Wanted A QB Rankings Article. Now You'll Suffer, Too

For the record, I hate QB ranking articles. I hate listicles. I hate blogs that force writers to do listicles (and still don’t pay flat fees for them). Unfortunately, however, I have fostered a community of degenerates, and us degenerates love a chance to spew hot takes from the fires of Lake Minnetonka. We love to see who has the balls to go out on a limb and defend themselves in the comments section.

We’re barbarians. Heathens, even.

As we revel in the hilarity, however, we also practice a slight bit of intellectualism. Here at 904 SAD, you can have any opinion you want.

Well, as long as you can back it up.

This is why writing an article about the best returning quarterbacks in college football is difficult for me. Shedeur Sanders was the best QB in HBCU football last year, but North Carolina Central’s signal caller (and his Right Guard) put on a clinic in the Celebration Bowl last year. Also, NFL wise, we can’t tell who is worse between Zach Wilson and Trey Lance. Mainly because Trey Lance never plays. All that aside, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance were superstars at BYU (a Group of 5 Independent) and North Dakota State (a 1-AA powerhouse). They both went in the Top 3 of the NFL Draft and each of their franchises regret the picks to this day.

So, pro-level projections aren’t gonna be a thing in this article.

A numbered list won’t be present either.

Instead, we are going to use the written word to find out who the *best* returning starter in FBS or FCS college football is. Sorry D2, D3, NAIA, and NJCAA gunslingers. I’m not being an elitist. Unfortunately, us small school alums know all too well that you’re just gonna end up transferring to a D1 school the first chance you get either way (Why, Austin Reed? Why?).

THE LANDSCAPE

is shit.

Even if you take out the pro potential of the guys available for evaluation, Caleb Williams probably shouldn’t have won the Heisman last year. Come to think of it, Drake Maye wasn’t even a finalist for the damn thing. Unfortunately, that happens when you go 9-5 with a Power 5 schedule. Meaning ya lost 5 games. Meaning it’s hard to be the best player in college football when you can’t beat the best players in college football at least ten times (Lamar Jackson Somewhere: Hey!).

Also, picking Caleb Williams or Drake Maye is too easy. I mean, after all, the correct answer is either one of them. One is being coached by Lincoln Riley and the other one is what Arch Manning is supposed to be.

To make matters even worse, there are a lot of pedestrian fifth-year seniors and pandemmy-waiver dynamos who haven’t even broken 5,000 yards in their entire careers yet. There's also guys like Bo Nix who had one of the best offensive lines in the world, put up some phenomenal stats his first year in a new environment, and still couldn’t leverage his years of SEC experience to make a real run in the Pacific 12. 10-3 ain’t a bad record at all, but Oregon has been pumping out future Hall of Famers and All-Pros for years now. Eventually, somebody has to do what Marcus Mariota did that one time (That One Guy In The Distance: make a fuckin’ playoff, you dorks!).

So, winning obviously has to be a metric when determining who the best returning starter is. Before you guys start: Yes, I’m about to be extremely hypocritical. I wouldn’t be a proper sports journalist (*DEEP COUGH*) if I wasn’t.

MARK GRONOWSKI - South Dakota State

This MF has already led SDSU to the FCS Championship Game TWICE. Once in the spring (that one pandemmy season) and once in the fall last season. Did I mention that Gronowski is going into his Junior year? No? Well, did I tell you that he’s 22-3 as a starter? No? Damn, did I tell you that he’s been a team captain since 2022?

This man is a WINNER, son.

While Group of 5 guys are stat padding in the basement of the Bowl Subdivision, this man is sending an entire state to a promised land it never knew existed.

Throwing or running for a TD against Iowa would have been nice (would have won them the game in a blowout, actually), but at least he didn’t do what sooooo many FCS guys do against Power 5 teams early in the season: completely tank his squad’s chances of winning. Also, you know a QB has the juice when he is winning for programs that are never televised (ESPN+ matters!), rarely have guys taken in the draft (i’m including RD 7, too), and are in parts of the country that have less than 900,000 people in the entire state. Yes, you read that correctly. There are more bandwagon Patriots fans left over from 2018 than the entire state of South Dakota has residents. Gronowski is doing the Lord’s work.

SAM HARTMAN - Notre Dame

Wake Forest would like a word. Sam Hartman is so honored to play for the great cathedral that is Our Lady in Christ, but he made his initial set of bones playing for a…wait…huh? That can’t be right.

How can a Deacon be from Hell?

Anyway, Hartman is a 17th year senior who has 12,967 passing yards under his belt. Unless he has a season BETTER Joe Burrow’s in 2019, he won’t be catching Case Keenum’s all-time record for career passing yards (19,217). HOWEVER, Hartman only needs a measly 1,112 yards to pass Rakeem Cato for 10th all-time in the history of college football. That certainly makes him a name my list should respect, as Hartman also has the chance to play for a program with the resources, tools, and schedule to make a run for the College Football Playoff. This means the Irish signal caller could net that elusive First Team All-American nod he needs to be eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame.

Storylines, people. Storylines.

SHEDEUR SANDERS - Colorado

HEY, why are you booing me??? I’m right!

Sheduer Sanders led Jackson State to its most relevant era on the field in a minute. Yeah, he lost both Celebration Bowls, but the developing star led his team to a 23-3 record while he was under center. Sanders also won the Jerry Rice Award (Best FCS Freshman), the Deacon Jones Award (Best HBCU All-Around Player), and the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2022.

Look, you asked me who the best returning starters in the country were. I answered the question (lul).

Entering into his first Power 5 season, Sanders will have a lot to prove in the Pac-12. Like Sam Hartman, Sanders’ prolific production at his previous school was not enough to earn him a First-Team All-American honor. That means the Head-Buffalo-in-Charge (the Chief Buffalo is his daddy) will probably need to make the College Football Playoff for the first time as a starter to make the media tides swing his way.

JORDAN TRAVIS - Florida State

Mike Norvell probably gets fired if Jordan Travis doesn’t turn the corner last year.

After years of development and struggle, Jordan Travis tossed the rock for over 3,000 yards, led his compadres to a 10-win season, thrashed the Florida Gators (who had a Top 5 NFL Draft pick under center [LUL]), and won a bowl against….

Wait, FLORIDA STATE BEAT OKLAHOMA?!

AUSTIN REED - Western Kentucky

Former National Champion? Check (2019 for West Florida)

Bonkers ass single-season as a passer? Check (9-5 record with 389 completions, 602 pass attempts, 4,744 yards, 40 TDs, and 11 picks in 2022)

CUSA Newcomer of the Year Award? Check (2022)

Bowl game win WITH the MVP to match? CheckCheck (2022 New Orleans Bowl)

The resume speaks for itself. Yes, the National Title for West Florida was won in Division 2, but Reed made the MEGA D2 to FBS jump last year and did the best thing Western Kentucky (or any CUSA team for that matter) could hope to do - Win. A. Bowl. Game. And guess what, he’s suiting up for a college football team in 2023.

Which means….(Isiah Thomas: I fit the criteria).

CAMERON RISING - Utah

Played against the Heisman Winner in the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game and blew the Heisman Winners’ Malibu doors off the frame and the hinges.

Was efficient and accurate all year with a 64.7% completion percentage.

20-8 record as a starter with 2 Pac-12 Championships to his name.

Uh, yeah. Cue the Isiah Thomas ad-lib again. (Isiah Thomas: I fit the criteria).

AFTER THIS BATCH OF GUYS,

the list gets murky.

Spencer Rattler was supposed to be the #1 overall pick. Then he sucked. Then he transferred to South Carolina and got…hmm.

DJ Uiagalelei got Dabo Sweeney to do something he’s never done before: Give up on his guys. Before we knew it, DJU was benched for a Freshman and Coach Sweeney started looking for new coordinators to replace his new coordinators. Damn, son; that ain’t good.

Bo Nix has a chance to break out (like, REALLY break out), but what will it lead to? Will pretty numbers be enough to win? Or will it all just lead to some team taking a “flyer” on him in the 4th round? We’ll see.

Jalon Daniels? Ha.

Jayden Daniels? Ha. Ha.

Tyler Van Dyke? Ha. Ha. Ha.

Emory Jones? HA. HA. HAAAAAAAAA.

SO, YEAH

The past 2 NFL Drafts have taken a lot out the sport. Even if I scour the rest of the FCS and Group of 5, I’m not gonna find a guy who’s better than Caleb Williams or Drake Maye. That means I have to make a decision based on the guys I already named in this article. And with that, I choooooooseee…

FLORIDA STATE QB JORDAN TRAVIS: The Man Who Saved Multiple Families From A Cold Winter.

Well, not Odell Haggins’. That man ain’t ever gettin fired.

LITTLE FOXES

(Little compromises that cause big problems)

Song of Solomon 2:15 says, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” Foxes sometimes in search of food would enter the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think is little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.

LORD OF THE FORK

The “little fox” that I want to address in this article can cause many problems in our lives if indulged in for a long period. It is an excess that can cause many maladies. It is over-eating or what the Bible calls gluttony. The overuse of the fork has been the death of many, especially in our country where there is such an abundance of all kinds of food. Also, we are all especially tempted to overeat during the holiday season since partaking in food is a big part of our celebrations. Because we all have to eat every day this little fox can slip in easily.

Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Proverbs 23:19-21

With so much emphasis on proper eating and physical exercise here in America, it has caused many to examine their lifestyles. A lot of people have now become out of balance by putting too much emphasis on the physical man while neglecting the spiritual man. The other extreme is to be so spiritually minded that we neglect our bodies by overeating or lacking exercise. The Lord desires order in this area, as our physical condition, if it is not properly cared for, affects our spiritual condition. We cannot serve the Lord to the fullest if our bodies are run down and tired and not functioning as God designed them to function. The medical world is now recognizing that gluttony is one of the major causes of many of our modern-day illnesses. Moderation should be our guide.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Philippians 4:5

As Christians, we are to realize the emphasis is to be put upon the spiritual man; however, just because we have an understanding of our spiritual position in Christ does not mean we can break His physical laws of health and not suffer the consequences. The spiritual man should always be given top priority as it needs to be in the ascendancy. Its influence over the physical man is greater than the physical man’s influence over it. We need a proper balance between neglecting our bodies and giving them too much attention.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8

It is easy to recognize that one of the greatest sins in the United States is gluttony. Food has become the god of millions. Jesus has never been made “Lord of the Fork.” The Word of God has much to say about man’s eating habits. Many sicknesses that are plaguing mankind stem directly from unhealthy eating habits. How should Christians eat? Are all the so-called health foods the answer to our diet problem? The Word of God not only addresses what is healthy for us to eat but also the spiritual problems we have in this life. Since the Lord created the human body, He certainly knows what is best for us to eat.

So many have been eating according to the tradition of men instead of seeing what God’s Word says about this subject. If we do not eat by the Word of God, our eating habits will be dictated by the patterns of what we have been exposed to in our lifetimes. I will not address the kinds of food we should eat here other than to say that natural foods that are “living foods” (fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, certain meats, and dairy products) are the best for us. The “dead foods” or “junk food” are those that are highly refined and processed and have little nourishment in them.

Daniel and his companions proved the wisdom of eating properly when they refused to eat the King’s meat and instead ask for pulse (vegetables and grains) and water to drink for ten days. After that period, they appeared more healthy than the other servants of the King.

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days, their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children who did eat the portion of the king’s meat. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Daniel 1:12-17

If we are overweight it came about not suddenly, but rather “little by little”. This “little fox” begins adding the pounds before we realize it. Each day we overindulge until we become fat. (I realize some people do have overweight problems that stem from hereditary problems; however, these can be overcome too, with help from the Lord.) We can tackle this problem with the Lord’s help and He will give us the power to trim down. As we seek the Lord and ask for His help in this area, He will not fail us. He will give us the strength to overcome gluttony or other bad eating habits.

Here are some helps to overcoming weight problems which usually come about through lack of knowledge or lack of discipline or lust for food:

First, repent for yielding to the temptation of lust for food. Philippians 3:19: “Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”

Then, submit to God and ask Him for the power to overcome gluttony through His Holy Spirit and resist the devil through prayer and obedience to God. James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Next, ask for God’s plan for your weight loss. Allow Him to lead you as to what He wants you to do. He knows your body and He will direct you as to how you are to eat. Ask for a desire for healthy foods and ask Him to remove your cravings for unhealthy foods. 1 John 5:14-15: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

Daily, thank God for setting you free, and do not allow the devil to discourage you by his condemning whispers to your mind. Sometimes the Lord does quick work at other times it may be slower. Don’t be discouraged even if at times it seems slow or you fail occasionally. Remember, this came “little by little” and it is sometimes more healthy to lose it “little by little” (Losing as little as 2 lbs. a month amounts to 24 lbs. in a year). In the process, you will be developing new habits and disciplines that will eventually become established eating patterns. Romans 8:1-4: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Add fasting periodically as the Lord leads. Even fasting one meal or one day a week will help in disciplining your body to be subject to your spirit man. Matthew 6:17-18: “But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which is God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

May the Lord bless you as you seek Him in this area and make Him the “Lord of the Fork” and overcome this little fox!

From: Elder Steven P. Miller April 02, 2023 @ParkermillerQ, Founder of Gatekeeper-Watchman International Groups Jacksonville, Florida., Duval County, USA. Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956, Twitter: @GatekeeperWatchman1, @ParkermillerQ, https://twitter.com/StevenPMiller6 Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/gatekeeperwatchman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElderStevenMiller#GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Ephraim1, #IAM, #Sparkermiller,#Eldermiller1981

Mike Anzivino: The Best Realtor In North Fort Myers And Beyond

Mike Anzivino is a name synonymous with real estate success in North Fort Myers and beyond. He has been in the business of helping people buy and sell their homes for over 20 years and his dedication to excellence has earned him a stellar reputation. In this article, we'll be discussing the reasons why Mike Anzivino is the Best Realtor in North Fort Myers and what sets him apart from the competition.

Introduction to Mike Anzivino

If you're looking for the Best Realtors in North Fort Myers, look no further than Mike Anzivino. Mike has been a top-producing realtor in the area for years, and he's always putting his clients' needs first.

From first-time home buyers to seasoned investors, Mike has helped countless people buy and sell property in North Fort Myers. He knows the market inside and out, and he's always up-to-date on the latest listings. Whether you're looking for your dream home or trying to find the perfect investment property, Mike will work tirelessly to help you find what you're looking for.

In addition to being an expert on the North Fort Myers real estate market, Mike is also a great resource for local information. He can tell you about the best schools, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment in the area. And if you have any questions about buying or selling property, he's always happy to help.

If you're ready to start working with the Best Realtor in North Fort Myers, contact Mike Anzivino today.

Reasons Why Mike Anzivino is the Best Realtor in North Fort Myers

There are many reasons why Mike Anzivino is the best realtor in North Fort Myers, and beyond. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1. Mike has an extensive knowledge of the North Fort Myers area. He knows all the ins and outs of the city, which gives him an edge when it comes to finding properties that fit his clients' needs.

2. Mike is a great negotiator. He has a knack for getting his clients the best possible price on a property, whether it's through negotiation with the seller or by finding creative financing solutions.

3. Mike is always available to his clients. He understands that buying or selling a home can be a stressful process, and he's always available to answer any questions or concerns his clients may have.

4. Mike goes above and beyond for his clients. He's not satisfied with simply meeting their expectations - he strives to exceed them at every opportunity.

5.Mike has a proven track record of success. He has helped countless people buy and sell homes in North Fort Myers, and he has an excellent reputation among both buyers and sellers alike.

If you're looking for a top-notch realtor in North Fort Myers, look no further than Mike Anzivino!

Tips for Home Buyers and Sellers on How to Get the Most Out of Their Real Estate Transactions

1. Get to know your real estate agent. This is the person who will be helping you through the process of buying or selling a home, so it's important that you feel comfortable with him or her. Ask questions, get to know their communication style, and make sure they're someone you can trust.

2. Have realistic expectations. Buying or selling a home is a big undertaking, and it's important to go into it with your eyes open. Don't expect everything to go perfectly - there will be bumps along the way. But as long as you're prepared for them, they'll be much easier to handle.

3. Be patient. The process of buying or selling a home can take some time, so it's important to be patient throughout it all. Try not to get too stressed out or anxious - remember, this is just a house! - and things will eventually work out in your favor.

4. Stay organized. There's a lot of paperwork involved in buying or selling a home, so it's important to stay on top of it all. Keep track of what needs to be done and when, so you don't miss anything important along the way.

5. Have fun! Despite all the stress that comes with buying or selling a home, it's still an exciting time! Enjoy the ride, and don't forget to celebrate once everything is finally complete.

Conclusion

Mike Anzivino is a highly experienced and knowledgeable Best Realtor in North Fort Myers area. He has been helping clients buy and sell property for over 15 years, making him one of the most trusted professionals around. If you’re looking to purchase or rent a home in this region, Mike Anzivino is your best bet for finding an excellent deal that fits perfectly with your needs. With his expertise on the local market and ability to provide personalized service, Mike will surely help you find exactly what you're looking for.

10 Types Of Sarees For Indian Traditional Festival

When We Talk About Sarees, India Is One Of The Richest. Indians Celebrate All Festivals Which Makes Them Unique In Their Way, No Matter What Is Their Occasion Is, Be It Down South Or Up North, Every Region Has Something Spectacular To Offer – Different Cuisines, Rituals, Changed Clothes And So Much More.

1.Party Wear Sarees

Regardless Of How You Wear Or Style It, A Saree Is An Indian Exemplary That The Bharatiya Nari Cannot Manage Without. On The Little Chance That You Are Vigilant For Extraordinary Looking And Spending Plan Inviting Partywear Sarees To Look Delightful In This Wedding Season, Myntra Is The Best Spot To Be And Even If You Need In The USA Then Wholesale Sarees Catalog.

Take Your Pick From Eight And Nine Yards By Top Ethnic Wear Brands Like Chhabra 555, Saree Mall, Inddus, Ishin, Triveni, Saree Swarg, Kalista And So Many More. Make An Entrance In A Chic Partywear Saree That Suits Your Character To A Tee Sign In To Our Site Or Versatile Application Right Away.

2. Haldi Sarees

The Haldi Ceremony-At Whatever Point We Hear This Term In Setting To Indian Weddings, It Realizes Peaceful And Glad Visuals Of Ladies, Including The Lady Of The Hour, Clad In Yellow Sarees Or Other Conventional Articles Of Clothing, As Lehengas Or Suits. While, The Lady Of The Hour Is An Incredible Sight, With Turmeric Glue Applied All Over Her Face And Appendages, Vivacious, Excited Family Members Are Additionally No Less.

A Similar Custom Is Held At Lucky Man’s Home As Well – However, It’s Just The Ladies Society In The Family, Who Are Seen In Ravishing Haldi Sarees – In Shifting Shades Of The Brilliant And Intense Yellows. Regularly Lucky Man’s Sister Conveys Haldi And Mehendi To The Lady Of The Hour’s Home, Wearing Such Energetic Window Hangings. So Ethnic, Rich Haldi Sarees Are Essential To Any Indian Wedding.

3. Cotton Sarees

The Saree Goes Back To The Indus Valley Civilization And Has Been The Pride Of India Ever Since. Along With The Lehenga Choli, Women, Suits, Anarkali Suits And Kurtis, Cotton Sarees Are An Absolute Necessity Claim With Regards To Customary Indian Clothing. Your Assortment Of Sarees Will Stay Deficient Without A ‘Cotton Ki Saree’. Thus, Make Sure To Do Your Cotton Sarees Web-Based Shopping Before Summer Comes Around.

4. Georgette Sarees

There Has Been An Expansion Widespread Of Sarees In The Previous Barely Any Years, With An Ever-Increasing Number Of Superstars Advancing It Our Customary Clothing Has Increased A Great Deal Of Force. Sarees Have Been Developing Since Its Creation, And The Number Of Textures Utilised In Its Advancement Has Crossed Its Cutoff Points. One Of The Best Kinds Of Saree Is Georgette Saree. It Is So Light In Weight And Shows A General Fun Look That Each Indian Lady Needs To Try It Out.

Georgette Sarees Are Exquisite And Carry An Ever-Enduring Tastefulness To The Wearer. There Is An Enormous Assortment Of Georgette Sarees And Its Hues Accessible At Peachmode, For Example, Georgette Sarees With Creator Pullover, Or You Can Settle On Party Wear Georgette Sarees And A Lot More Styles And Plans.

5. Handwoven Sarees

Handwoven Has Been An Essential Part Of The Indian Legacy Since Days Of Yore. Craftsmans Work For A Considerable Length Of Time And Consume The Midnight Oil To Concoct One Bit Of Handwoven Marvel Into Which They Have Put Their Substance.

In Any Case, This Rich Culture Is Ebbing Endlessly. It Is As A Rule Gradually Covered Under The Heap Of Copies That Are Being Influenced Lingered And Being Made Look Like Hand-Lingered By Indigenous Makers For Simple Benefit.

6.Taant From West Bengal

A Traditional Saree From The Land Of West Bengal, It Is Made Of Cotton, And It Is Used In The Daily Ware Outfit Of Many In Bengal. It’s Light, Comfortable To Wear, And The Thick Border And Beautiful Prints Make It A Must Buy.

7.Kasavu Saree Kerala

Also Called Settu Saree, It Was Traditionally Only A Mundu (A Dhoti), A Blouse And A Stole That Went Across The Waist. A Lot Of Old Ladies Still Keep This Style Alive. The Kasavu Saree Is A Modern Version And Is Characterized By A Thick Golden Border, Which Is Woven With Threads Of Real Gold. However, Keeping Up With The Times, It Has Diversified To Include Colors And Artificial Threads.

8.Kanjeevaram From Tamil Nadu

The Sovereign Of Sarees, Kanjeevaram Sarees Are Produced Using A Generally Woven Silk From The District Of Kanjeevaram. The Sarees Are Wealthy In Shading And Surface. They Are Luxurious, Refined And Elegant, Across The Board Wrap.

9.Paithani From Maharashtra

The Paithani Saree Is A Strength Of Aurangabad. The Handwoven Silk Saree Is Excellent And Exquisite. Its Zari Outskirt, Subtle Themes, And The Intermittent Peacock Configuration Is The Thing That Separates This Saree.

10.Muga Saree Assam

An Exceptional Sort Makes The Muga Silk Sarees From Assam Of Silk Delivered By A Hatchling That Feeds On Fundamentally Two Single Leaves. The Subsequent Silk From This Hatchlings Is Known To Be The Best. It Is Shiny And Entirely Reliable. You Can Locate The Brilliant Strings Of The Muga Just In Assam.

These Collections Are Also Called As Indian Designer Sarees And Many Websites You Would Find This Under Designer Sections.

Today's rant brought to you by: Queer Eye Japan, can we all just try to be as kind as they try to be?

After watching the Queer Eye Japan super short season, I wanted to google to see the overall reaction to the show, make sure that my western eyes were correct in seeing the care that was given to the culture. Were cultural taboos, other than being outwardly gay, crossed? So I find this article in the top results and other than the perspective, why tho? Tokyoesque.com had an article with a higher reading level, with surface level appreciation but at least better written.

I can't get over this hate article though. Unfounded, dumb, wrong and incorrect. Do not go forward unless you like that blistering kind of anger from me.

But the reasons just get weaker as the article extends: "Hurts the country it set out to save?" Looking for white savior much? They did not go to save Japan, they gave some free shit to like 4-5 people, think smaller.

Their culture guide wasn't gay enough.

You want to suggest any lgbt insta models or celebrities, use your platform to raises some up?

"There is a growing sexless culture in Japan for married and unmarried people, and it is perilous watching Queer Eye present this without any context behind what is driving this behavior."

Sexiness is what the fab 5 embrace, unfortunately and it was probably discussed behind the scenes of how much talking about sex was allowed or polite and the conversation of not having sex is closer to the tip of the tongue rather than the feeling of sexiness. The West is not the ones blasting that information. It is across multiple Japanese printed newspapers and online stories by now and the "context" is still being discussed and debated amongst Japanese. So I don't think any outsiders should be weighing in or "explaining" this phenomenon. We can repeat what we have been told but guessing at the reasons is not our place. The reasons illustrated by the author of the article seem lacking, a take but not the only one, but who am I to speak on that being in a sexual relationship with someone who pulls from that culture?

Kiko begins to lecture Yoko-san on how she “threw away her womanhood” (referring to a Japanese idiom, onna wo suteru) by going makeup-free and wearing drab, shapeless clothes.

The mistranslation by the subtitles fixed by this author was necessary information. But Kiko didn't lecture her on it, it was brought up by Yoko before any of them arrived, that was her theme, that was what she had decided to focus on. Meanwhile, if you watched Jonathan, he understood there was no time to spend on makeup and skincare so provided her a one instrument, 3 points of color on the skin to feel prettier. That and the entire episode being the 5 treating her like a woman on a date, not trying to hook her up, which is what they did in American eps.

"In teaching a Japanese woman, who already struggles to find time for herself, how to make an English recipe, Antoni is making great TV and nothing more."

So Antoni shouldn't have taught her apple pie because it's too exotic for a Japanese woman. (Can you smell the sexism?)

He didn't make an apple pie, altho Yoko did mention her mother made that for her when she was a kid. He made an apple tartine after going to a Japanese bakery who makes that all the time. Then highlighted the apples came from Fuji in true Japanese media fashion. Honey, American television doesn't usually highlight where the ingredients come from. A Japanese producer told him to do that. So all worries handled within the same ep. She got Japanese ingredients, had the recipe shown to her and then made it for her friends in her own house. Did the author actually watch this show or nah?

"beaten over the head with his western self-help logic. “You have to live for yourself,” he says."

The style of build up the 5 went for was confrontational but in a "I'm fighting for you" way. It's hard to describe, but the best I can say is, a person has multiple voices in their head, from parents, siblings, society, and maybe themselves. By being loud and obnoxious, American staples right there, they are adding one more voice. You deserve this, you are amazing, you are worth it. I know this is against most Japanese cultural modesty, but maybe it shouldn't be.

Sarcasm lies ahead:

Apparently: mispronunciation is microaggressions, not just someone who had a sucky school system. Yea okay, They're laughing at the language not at how stumbling these monolinguals are with visiting another country. Mmhm. Japanese don't say I love you and don't touch and that should stay that way instead of maybe, once in awhile, feeling like they can hug. Yeah, let's just ignore Yoko's break down that she had never hugged her lifelong friend after hugging strangers multiple times. Maid cafes are never sexualized in Japan ever, just don't go down that one street in Akihabara where the men are led off by the hand sheepishly blushing. Gag me. And Japanese men love to cry in front of their wives and would never break down once the wife leaves. I have never seen a Japanese movie showcase that move. Grr.

"I identify as many cultures."

So you're a Japanese man when it's convenient for you to get an article published? Are you nationally Japanese or just ethnically or culturally?

Homeland is an inherently racist word?

"After the Bush administration created the Department of Homeland Security after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a Republican consultant and speechwriter Peggy Noonan urged, “the name Homeland Security grates on a lot of people, understandably. Homeland isn’t really an American word, it’s not something we used to say or say now.”

Yes, let's use a Washington Post article rather than a etymology professor. Yes, the google search results increased after 2001 Homeland Security was used but the word has been around since the 1660s and I've read multiple turn of the century lit on white people returning to their homeland, i.e. the town off the coast they were born in.

"But" is not disagreeing. I think the repeated offender for the author is the not acknowledging the makeover-ees feelings. But, that is how LGBT have decided to deal with the inner voices that invade from society. They are just that, not our own, they are the influence of society, and we can choose, we have to choose, to be influenced by someone, anyone else.

Karamo can't speak about being black when an Asian is speaking about being Asian, even though the Asian gay man was feeling alone. It's called relating bitches, and I'm done with people saying that is redirecting the conversation, it's extending the conversation. That's how we talk, the spotlight is shared, especially when someone's about to cry and doesn't want to be seen as crying, time to turn the spotlight.

The gay monk wasn't good enough, you should have invited the gay politician.

Yeah, causes I'm sure a politician has all the time in the world for a quick stint and cry. They picked a Japanese monk who travels to NY because they had a guest who travels to the West too. Did you want him to stop traveling back and forth? Did you want a pure, ethnic and cultural Japanese gay man who has no ties to the west to talk to this Western educated young man? Seriously?

This is just not how it works in Japan.

Being in a multi-cultural marriage between two rebels, discussions on facets of culture are plenty in my household. Culture should be respected enough to be considered but not held on a pedestal like we should never adjust or throw some things out. LGBT being quiet and private for instance. "Being seen" was Jonathan's advice, and a good one especially for a Japanese gay man that was called feminine since he was a kid. Some gay men can hide, but as Jonathan said, he couldn't hide what he was, he couldn't hide this. So fuck it. Don't hide. It's actually more dangerous for a feminine man to come off as anxious rather than gay and proud. It makes you more of a target if they think you won't fight back. Proud means, Imma throw hands too, bitch.

This is also from the civil rights playbook going back to Black America: never hold a protest or a fight without the cameras, without being seen. LGBT have found the more seen they are, in media, in the streets, the better off we are. When LGBT Americans were being "private" about our lifestyles, we died, a la 1980s. They won't care if you start dying off if they never saw you to begin with.

And hence why I think the author's real anger is from these 5 being seen dancing flamboyantly in Shibuya, in Harajuku, afforded the privilege of doing this safely because of their tourist status, cameras and very low violence rate in Tokyo, loud and obnoxiously. Honestly, they wouldn't have been invited or nominated if they didn't want that brash American-ness coming into their home, just for a taste, at least.

Here's my real anger, my own jealousy: Japan's queer community currently does not have marriage or adoption rights. US does, so we have progressed further. But we are also not that many years from being tied to cow fences with barbed wire, beaten with baseball bats and left for dead overnight. If things are so bad over there, maybe take a few pages from the civil right playbook we took so much time to perfect and produced by the Black Americans who fought first. But so far, I only hear loss of jobs and marriages, which we still have here too. Stop trying to divide us, we are one community, LGBT around the world and we are here to try to help. Take it or leave it, it's not like we're going to go organize your own Pride parade for you.

Rant over? I guess. Is this important enough to be put in the google results along with his. Hell no, anyone with half a mind can see he's reaching more than half the time. And any argument about: this wasn't covered! There are a shit ton of conversations that are not covered in the 45 min they have. They are not a civil rights show, it's a makeover show, doing their best in that direction anyway. Know what it is.

Next blog post, what research I would guess was happening behind the scenes for each of the 5? I'm pretty sure I saw Jonathan doing Japanese style makeup there...

The Difference one Woman can make.

Late Friday night in June, we had stopped for a burger on the way to the cinema, we used to do family movie nights at the cinema when a new film came out that the majority of us wanted to watch, this time I was the one who was reluctant to go, sadly we do this significantly less now.  So, stubborn 2015 me, rolling her eyes and dragging her feet up the cinema steps to find our seats to watch the new Jurassic World movie. Pathetic! I thought, why pay money to watch a movie about a dinosaur theme park! My parents had completely lost it! Huffing and puffing I took my seat on the aisle and sipped my blue raspberry slushie and looked up at the big screen. Ugh! I wanted it to be over, quickly. I sat down and shut my mouth, despite not wanting to watch it, I wasn’t going to spoil it for the others; but I didn’t get why they would want to watch it, I watched the trailer before going, was not impressed, it looked dumb!

However, as much as my pre-Jurassic self would not like, I found who I was during that movie, I discovered a whole new admiration for actors and movies. I found that I related to the main female protagonist, Claire Dearing. She did not need a man, or children, she was so focused on her career and let no one boss her around. She was top dog, and I completely fell for this fictional character. I evolved through that movie with her character, I felt content with being a strong female who put career over family. I wanted to embody this fictional woman; I wanted to be her.

On the journey home I typed ‘Claire Dearing actress’ into google and saw this stunning redhead- Bryce Dallas Howard. I immediately recognised her from movies I had watched prior, and I was completely astounded at her range of characters she can portray and portray them well. After scrolling through her Wiki page and reading news articles about her, I learned that she is the daughter of Ron Howard, one of my parents’ favourite people in film.

“Dad, that woman in the movie is Ron Howard's daughter”, I needed to inform my family that my now favourite woman in film is the daughter of my parents’ favourite people in film. My parents were shocked that I enjoyed the movie despite my loud vocalisation of not wanting to watch it.

Googling ‘Bryce Dallas Howard’ became my new after school routine, learning that she applied to acting school as Bryce Dallas to avoid people knowing she is the daughter of an already famous actor and director, and she had met her true love at nineteen and is still happily married to him. Yet what most stuck out to the self-conscious, body hating 2015 me, was that Bryce wasn’t a skinny twig of a woman that you see in most movies, she had classy curves and promoted body positivity despite some backlash the media gave her. I made a connection with this woman I had never met because I too received negative comments about my figure, yet Bryce took that on the shoulder and learned to love herself. I wanted to feel that self-love about myself that she acquired.

After watching Jurassic World, I explored many more fandoms, and from there I became obsessed with movie franchises and TV shows, actors and directors. I could not give you a full list of all of the fandoms I am in, there are too many to count, and they have all played a role in helping me evolve to who I am today. All because I latched onto one character from one movie I did not even want to watch, one film got me hooked on this life: it’s like a drug. I cannot stop. I also went back and forth with my hairstyle due to this woman; in the movie Bryce has a stunning ginger graduated bob with a fringe, however I never had the guts to go ginger until now; shame the hairdressers are all shut.

Now, almost six years later Bryce Dallas Howard has had great success in directing two episodes of The Mandalorian. Over the Christmas break I watched the show with my dad, sat on the sofa, fire lit, the chocolate Labrador curled up between us, peach vodka and diet lemonade in my hand, hot cup of tea in my dad’s. We binge watched both seasons in a week (it’s amazing) and he was shocked to see ‘Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard’ at the end of one, let alone two episodes. “Shit, she’s come far in the past few years” he said putting another episode on.

Bryce allowed me to find my best friend, Iz, through Instagram; Bryce has brought so many people together it is so surreal. And when I found out that Iz was going to Southampton University in 2019, a 20-minute drive from my house, I was finally able to meet her, because of one woman we both adore. I was friends with Iz for three years before I was able to meet her, I asked my school friend to come along with me so she could film the moment Iz, and I met! We got pancakes and watched the second Maleficent movie at the cinema, it was one of the best days of my life. I was so thankful that I met a truly hilarious and loving girl through this one actress! Because of Bryce Dallas Howard, I have made so many other friends from all over the globe as they too idolise Bryce and together we have created the ‘BDH online family’. A small group of us do regular zoom calls to catch up and chat about the recent photos and updates that Bryce has posted on Instagram, talk about Covid-19 and the types of restrictions and lockdown rules each of our countries has. During one of our calls, we had the craziest idea- Invite Bryce to one of our zoom calls. Bryce said yes! And after a few months of organisation, we had the date. The date was-

My.

Birthday.

The day came around and I was so nervous, it was 11pm exactly. The Wi-Fi had cut out fifteen minutes before the call. I was in tears. Mascara down my face, puffy eyes, I joined the call with a few minutes to spare before Bryce joined it. My mum hung around off camera for the first 5 minutes to double check the Wi-Fi was stable, luckily it stabilised. The other girls had never been so glad to see me, everyone was panicked for me; I could not miss it for the world (despite telling my parents, in floods of tears, that I cannot join and that it’s the end of that).

“Kat! You’re here!” “Happy birthday!” “Are you okay? The Wi-Fi sorted?”

They all chimed, happy to see my little face in the bottom right corner of their computer screens. Luckily Iz was there, otherwise it would have been extremely awkward with only one of us since we are known as a duo in the online family, we have to do everything together, we come in a pair and there can’t just be one of us.

“Shit girls, that was stressful”

I hadn’t realised I was holding my breath until I exhaled the large breath when my    Wi-Fi settled, and I was on the call, I fixed my makeup and was ready to meet Bryce.

The few minutes we had before Bryce joined were intense, two of the girls left to get a drink and we weren’t sure if they would be back in time, luckily they did return.

“No way!” One of them, Anna who was hosting the call, gasped “Bryce is in the waiting room!”

We all freak for no more than 10 seconds, we compose ourselves then our faces are reshuffled, and we see this stunning glowing face that we all admire smiling at us. Omg, it's her.

“Hi girls!”

I have never smiled for so long in my entire life, my cheeks hurt afterwards. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining at all, it just hurt as I thought I would only be smiling for half an hour, since that is how long we were told Bryce had. However, we were speaking to Bryce for nearly an hour and a half, she just kept talking and asked us questions! She was so lovely to talk to, so relaxed; it was if I was talking to a friend that I had known for years!

“Before we go I want to all sing Kat a happy birthday!”

My idol wanted to sing me a happy birthday! The other girls were really ecstatic for me, I still can’t believe to this day that The Bryce Dallas Howard wanted to sing to me!

It was both the best and the worst happy birthday song that has be sung to me. It was the best because, well my idol was singing to me! And proposed the singing! It was the worst in terms of the actual song as they were all out of sync and lagging, it was bloody hilarious!

At 10:27pm the next evening, watching a rerun of Game of Thrones on Sky, I got a notification ‘Brycedhoward just posted’, I clicked the notification then see our smiling faces on her page, she posted a screenshot of our call on her social media! The call was supposed to be a secret so other fans weren’t upset. There’s a few snotty comments on the post, but they’re just jealous and to be frank, I don’t care! My smiley face is on her page forever! All ten of us have printed the screenshot of Bryce’s post off and put it in a frame, one day all ten of us hope to congregate somewhere, most likely in America, and sign the backs of all of our photos. I’m still in utter awe and shock-  How many celebrities have you seen that would do a free zoom call with some fans? Not a lot, and that amount is even slimmer when they talk for an extra hour than scheduled. Bryce truly is one of a kind and the best idol anyone could ever hope to have.

Compared to a zoom call with Bryce herself, the few times she has liked my comments on her posts feel like nothing in comparison! I remember being so excited, running downstairs to my parents.

“Mum! Dad! Bryce liked my comment! She knows I exist!”

“Was it actually her? Remember when you got a Facebook request from Robert Downey Jr and it turned out it was a fake account?”

I rolled my eyes at her, it was Bryce, it was her verified account. The comment was a book recommendation I had for her, she posted on her hashtag BDHbookshelf and I thought I’d take a chance and comment a book recommendation I had for her, and the chance paid off.

I cannot wait to see what the future holds with Bryce, she has been such an inspiration to me for the past few years, and she promotes such wonderful causes and body positivity! I hope to one day meet her and thank her in person for changing my life for the better, and I think I’ve come up with the perfect opportunity to meet her- Iz and I have decided to travel up to London for the Jurassic World Dominion premiere in 2022 (if Covid lets us!), we’d get a hotel and actually meet Bryce in person, as well as meeting other members of the online family!

Words cannot fully contain the admiration that I possess for Bryce, her soul is utterly and truly exquisite, she has been such a visionary while I’ve been transitioning from a girl who had no idea who she was with no dreams or aspirations, to a woman who has now found so many new friends and now knows who she wants to be.  

Lmfao paste magazine did their best shows of 2021 so far and shadow and bone is number 5, I agree with a lot of their opinions usually and frankly the show was pretty decent if you don't think about its logic for more than 20 seconds and it was quite entertaining but top 5 of 2021 material? I highly disagree, the fantasy world which is a big draw and it's political landscape is just window dressing without any actual depth, the plot contrivances are too many to count, the illogical character decisions, the half baked main character ( how is it that she gets the most screentime but is the least developed out of the main characters, why do the crows feel more real and complex than her), the fact that your main female character in your show that revolves around her is so devoid of any depth or growth is a crime in itself. The show has so many problems but I feel like since we barely get any decent high fantasy shows, there were none before GOT and there still aren't more than 5 that have already come out, so people tend to overlook a lot of flaws, also they hilariously did an article about things to improve in S2 and one of them was the villain... Um, that dude was literally the most complex character in S1, the one who's backstory we got, the one whose decisions made sense for the actual goal he's trying to accomplish. I am a simp for female characters and it is so rare for me to latch onto a male one in my shows and I really wanted to love Alina but I felt like they put zero thought into who she is a person and she is instead defined by her relationships and what she represents to the male characters and the world as a whole, I feel like it she was a really strong lamp that was thought to be lost and then found and then someone stole her nothing would change? Like who is this woman? What are her dreams and motives and wants and needs and dislikes, what drives her, what scares her, how does she feel as a part of an oppressed group etc. Having your female character say a generic fake feminist line that makes no sense does not make a well written female character, they should honestly take a look at some other shows although there is still a severe lack in female rep especially poc and LGBTQIA women, there are some shows that are doing it so well and so effortlessly it makes everything else look tragic not just with one female character but with multiple, my favorite example is the expanse which has by s3, 4 main female characters all of them women of color, all of them interesting and vital to the story, one is a savvy political leader that does whatever is necessary but is also a grandmother who says fuck 50 Times a day, one is an extremely talented soldier that goes through an amazing character arc, one is a genius engineer that's part of the oppressed class in this world and she wants better for her people, another one from the same class is a badass second in command that also goes through amazing character development and she's queer, and almost every other important woman in this universe is a poc, mechanics, political rivals, leaders of social unrest, the only important white woman that was there for a season was a gay spiritual leader, like..... Not everything is perfect but I have never seen this level of diversity in a show and it's done so so well, like these women are almost all in my top list of favorite characters every one of them could lead a show on her own and then some. Here are a couple of articles about them if you're interested https://filmschoolrejects(dot)com/the-women-of-the-expanse/?amp and https://marvelousgeeksmedia(dot)com/2021/03/06/womens-history-month-celebrating-the-women-of-the-expanse/?amp. I'm so sorry idk how this turned into an expanse recommendation post 😂, I just see all of us desperate for some well written female characters as I watch sab butcher their most important one and I'm like... Eric and leigh should be forced to watch this before they write another word.

I really wanted to love Alina but I felt like they put zero thought into who she is a person and she is instead defined by her relationships and what she represents to the male characters and the world as a whole

It still surprises me when people watching the show say that Alina is a generic and ill-defined protagonist because she was about 100 times worse in the book 😂Like, it was only watching Jessie's performance that finally breathed some life into that character for me, to be honest. But everything else you've mentioned here 100% tracks with the source material.

Like, arguably the reason Alina gets shipped with literally everyone and gets accused to being a self-insert for fans is because she is so generically written. If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed Bardugo intentionally wrote her this way to let fans step into her shoes and give her the largest appeal. Instead, we are left with a character that is incredibly passive. If you thought show!Alina was passive, hoooo boy, book!Alina is barely even a character, especially in the first book. The only thing Alina wants out of life is for Mal to love her and for them both to disappear from the plot---which, considering the conflict Bardugo has put her in, makes her highly unsympathetic and a frustrating protagonist to watch.

I saw the first season of the Expanse which is saying a lot because I pretty much *always* ditch TV shows ☠️I low-key hated Holden because he was such a generic White Man Protagonist™ but the other characters were infinitely more compelling (Chrisjen my beloved)!

Epilogue: Underwater (SC Titanic, Zetta x Adele Series)

As promised, here the epilogue of the Zetta x Adele Series, folks. 

This is the very end of a project that meant me quite a lot to me and got me through the last terrible year. Thanks to all those who supported it: hope you enjoyed it and will enjoy this ending.

In case you were wondering, this song inspired the whole series, particularly the last chapters:

I will skip the tag list for once since it’s pointless anyway. 

➡️ Ch. 1, Ch. 2/1, Ch. 2/2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8/1, Ch. 8/2, Ch. 9, Ch. 10/1, Ch. 10/2, Ch. 11/1, Ch. 11/2, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15 , Ch. 16, Ch. 17

_________________________

Almost a century after the sinking of the RMS Titanic and to celebrate Canada becoming the first country outside Europe to legalise same-sex marriage, the Canadian Film Institute decided to work side by side with several LGBTQ+ organisations across the world to put together an exhibition focused on the early queer cinema and the many queer stars who were forced to hide their true selves in the Golden Age of cinematography, spanning from 1890s till the aftermath of Second World War. "A testament to the role the LGBTQ+ community played in the history of cinema and that we have always been here, even if people hardly saw us" as a journalist wrote on a queer magazine. After the recent discovery of some private documents, the curators were overjoyed to include an icon of the 1900s - 1910s cinema like Zetta Serda into the retrospective and cast a new light on her extraordinary career sadly soon forgotten after the advent of the sound era. Yet, the silent picture star was mentioned as a model and 'endless source of inspiration" by many queer movie stars like Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Greta Garbo all part of the retrospective. Rumor has it that as soon as she landed in America, Marlene Dietrich demanded his agent a meeting with Mrs King.

A curator drove all the way to Montreal to meet the last known heir, a certain Mrs. Julia Nowak, who greeted him on the threshold of a cosy downtown apartment. She offered him a coffee and a slice of a Polish sweet bread: the recipe was a family heirloom, she explained, beaming. She was in her late fifties, a therapist, she said. Her hazel eyes gleamed when she added, in a pleasantly soothing voice that betrayed a hint of excitement: "I must confess I am so incredibly happy that you contacted me about the retrospective. I adore the idea and I will make sure to attend it. Also" she nodded to a wedding picture hung to the wall "did you know that my wife is in politics? She campaigned for the legalisation...yes, Madeleine Fournier: see, you know her! We got married right after the law passed. If anything, your call and project made me twice as happy". She took a pause, smiling over her coffee in remembrance. "Anyway, back to the matter of your visit...yes, as far as I know, I am Zetta's last heir. As you probably know, my family wasn't officially related to her but she stated otherwise in her will". She moved to the couch and gestured the curator to follow her as she opened up one of the boxes and chests piled into the living room and picked out an old album, the leather cover worn at the edges. Dust waltzed in the air as she opened it with caution and gentle care. She showed him a slightly discoloured black and white picture of a young couple kissing for the camera in front of a church. Another wedding picture, from a different era. "Nana Hileni and Papa Maciej's wedding picture. I still remember them even if they both died when I was barely a teen...as if one couldn't bear to live without the other. Or so I like to think. She would help me with the homework, mathematics particularly, and he baked this bread for me till he was too weak to do so. He always claimed that he won Nana's heart with his pastries but she always denied it laughing". She passed another picture of the same couple proudly standing in front of the Nowak family bakery in Hoboken. "Frankly, I believe that Papa's broad shoulders and Marlon Brando smile are more likely to blame for this coup de foudre" she laughed. "And he knew how to deal with her no-nonsense attitude and vice versa. They...balanced each other, if you wish". She picked another picture and handed it to him. A woman was looking down in tender adoration and awe to a baby nestled in her arms looking up at her, outstretching a tiny arm in an attempt to touch her face. "There! This is Dad" she pointed at the baby before turning the picture where someone wrote 'Alex meets Auntie Adele'. Turning it again, she pointed at the woman. "This is Adele Carrem. Or Auntie Adele as I've always heard calling her. Nana's sister and Zetta's publicist and companion" Putting it back into the album, she carefully picked a bunch of other old pictures. "You surely know who this one is" she smiled, handing out the one on top. The photo was rather grainy but you could still recognise the same kid, slightly older, around two, sucking his thumb, cuddled up in Zetta's lap. The actress had aged a little but her features were unmistakable and it was endearing to see her sitting by the fireplace to read that kid with the sleepy face a bedtime story. "Sadly, I have never met them. I wish I did, oh you have no idea...but stories of them lived through in our family" Julia continued. "My Dad loved his Aunties - as he called them - dearly and by what I've heard and read, they loved him in manner as if he was their own. He knew little of them or Zetta's career back then...to him they were just the sweet ladies who would buy him ice-cream in Central Park or take him to see his favourite pictures over and over again at the movie theater. He said he will never forget the afternoons he used to spend with them in a Manhattan cafe that no longer exists around Christmas: Nana and Papa worked like crazy as the festive season approached and the glorious cup of hot chocolate with an elegant puff of cream on top with the Aunties became a tradition to him. He kept it alive somehow as he did the same with me". She handed the curator a bunch of other pictures: Zetta cleaning up Alex's face smeared with jam, the both of them laughing; Zetta posing with Maciej and her Dad at a table in the Hoboken bakery. He eventually mirrored her smile seeing a five years old Alex at the beach all engrossed in building a sandcastle with Hileni and Adele, and he standing at the water edge hand in hand with Miss Carrem, looking out into the distance. "These are family pictures. I'll show you the Zetta's private memorabilia we cherished". Julia searched a little, opening an old chest and handling every item inside with tender care. When she found what she was looking for, she showed the curator an elegant set of smaller boxes containing letters, dried flowers and photos. "I have already received an offer to get these published. I'm still pondering it. Before agreeing, I want to consider throughly if this is a thing they would have wanted, even if they're no longer here" The curator nodded as she kept searching. He skimmed a few letters and smiled as his eyes fall on the photos hidden away in those boxes: the two women sitting together and chatting at Hileni's wedding, Zetta's reading a script, lazily sprawled on a chaise long in her apartment. Some had short lines handwritten on the back, like a promotional picture with "Missing you" written by Zetta herself. The curator showed another to Mrs Nowak: a visibly excited Miss Carrem proudly showing to the camera a document announcing her voter registration. On the back, in Zetta's penmanship: "On the way to vote...my sweet Adele won!". "Oh you didn't know? Auntie Adele was a suffragette! I couldn't believe it when I first heard it! Nana told me that she was in and out jail when they lived in London because of protests. You know, like those suffragettes you read about in history books but less famous. Yet she fought for women's rights and kept fighting for them even in America. She was quite disappointed though by some major decisions of some feminist movements and eventually joined a socialist Union 'more rightfully welcoming working class individuals, immigrants and black brothers and sisters'. It's all in those letters but yeah, you couldn't possibly know. So little is known about her outside family". A little smile drew on her face as she put back the photo. "That photo was taken the day of the first election open to women. I checked the date. I suppose Zetta wanted to immortalise the moment...it was sweet of her, huh? Auntie Adele must have been so proud and overjoyed that day! You know, my Dad was born in 1920 when women's right to vote was legalised nationally and Nana once told me that Auntie commented the lucky coincidence saying she was incredibly happy her nephew would get to live in a fairer world. She was a true force of nature...she never talked much of the sinking of the Titanic just like Zetta and Nana actually but when one day Dad asked...he was barely a child and probably found an old article about the tragedy...Auntie Adele minimised but Nana assured him that her sister saved her life that night, risking her own to go down to the belly of the sinking ship to bring her to safety. Auntie simply shrugged, saying that it was what sisters do and that they made it to the lifeboats only thanks to Zetta, who shouted protests to stubborn officers and eventually found them a spot on a boat. I cannot even bring myself to imagine how scary that must have been: I cried so much when Madeleine took me to see Leo and Kate...to think they were there and it was all real!" She picked a few other objects out the box: a Shakespeare Sonnets book in a leather cover with golden engravings, with a little handwritten dedication 'To Adele, my sonnet 116. Happy birthday! With all my love, Zetta'; old scripts with annotations, a framed photograph of Adele and Zetta slow dancing barefoot in the living room of a gorgeous Long Island mansion. "These have a sentimental value" Mrs Nowak noted, her voice betraying the flicker of emotions as she picked it up. She took a deep sigh and continued. "I remember the day I told Dad I was gay as it was yesterday. We had always been quite close so it came natural to tell him first. We were in his car, he had come straight from college to pick me up at ice-skating practice. I..I dropped it in the middle of a conversation, bracing myself for the worst. I heard so many bad stories about coming out to your parents I was terrified of the consequences but I couldn't hide it anymore. I mean, yes, in public: bullies get even nastier if they know and I didn't want people shouting me "dyke" at school. But I needed to get it out of my chest...with someone at least. He kept quiet for a moment and I felt like drowning in shame. But then he spoke". A nostalgic tender smile formed Julia's lips. "He said he had two amazing Aunties that contributed to make his life a wondrous adventure. It was thanks to them that he, the son of a baker, could attend a prestigious college, for instance: they offered to pay for it without asking a penny back. They also helped him write his first romantic letter to his childhood sweetheart and consoled him when the little girl turned him down. But his Aunties had a secret, he added. He said: to my kid eyes they were no less a couple than Mom and Dad and at home we all treated them in manner but one day Mom made me promise to behave differently when we were in public. In public I would refer to her sister as 'Auntie Adele' but call Zetta by her name. He didn't get it and it took some getting used to. He soon noticed that even the Aunties behaved a bit differently out in the sun: they wouldn't hold hands or use endearing words in the street or when other people were around. They simply behaved like good friends did. He understood it later when he, as stubborn as a mule, asked them directly". Julia gently grazed her fingers on the glass of the framed photograph, caressing it. "And they told me everything, he said. That they were in love, just like mom and dad were, but people out there could be uncomfortable and extremely rude to women loving other women and men loving other men. That they kept their companionship a secret in public because those people had no problems with women being friends and they didn't want to have bad words or worse happening to them. I remember asking him what he thought about it. He smiled. 'I cried. Since Auntie Zetta mentioned people claiming that women like them were sick and would burn in hell, I actually started crying. I sobbed desperately in her arms, crying that I didn't want them to burn in hell, I loved my Aunties and I was happy they loved each other. Eventually they explained me it was just a vile lie spread my malignant people. But I got quite a scare and kept staring at them with puffy red eyes and my face wet with tears for a while. It required lots of cuddling to bring a smile back on my face'. He shook his head, laughing of his endearing naivety. Then he pulled over and looked at me. He continued: 'I still don't get why people keep spreading those mean lies but I know for sure that my Aunties weren't sick and didn't end up in hell and so won't you. Don't believe bullshits like that for a split second, okay? And I also want you to remember that it doesn't change a thing for me and mom too. You will always be my little girl, our little girl and we love you'. We shared a long hug before driving back home. On the way back he insisted to buy my favourite chicken and waffles for dinner, saying mom's veggie soup could wait. For my birthday, a month later or so, he asked me to follow him to the attic and showed me this chest. To meet the Aunties that 'would have surely been there for me'". She tipped away a tear. "I told you I married Madeleine right after the legalisation of same-sex marriages. My wedding was also the last public event Mom and Dad attended together before his health worsened irremediably. He passed away last year". For a moment she looked on the verge of tears but she recovered quickly. "Sorry...anyway, that day Dad insisted on walking me down the aisle even if he was getting weak. He beamed with pride when a friend fixed a rainbow ribbon to his jacket. Later at the lunch he read a speech he had written for the day, his hand shaking. He shared the story of his Aunties. He said that despite the hardships their situation forced upon them, they had quite a happy life together, a happiness carefully hidden from the world. He wished us to find something similar to what they shared without needing to hide anymore. He said Adele and Zetta would have been so happy and proud to celebrate with all of us that day" Mrs. Nowak picked the Shakespeare Sonnet book and gave him a fond look. "He brought this to the wedding. And he read for us the sonnet 116, the one Zetta mentioned in her dedication. You know, the one that starts with 'Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments..." ----------------------- A few months later the exhibition on old Hollywood queer cinema and artists opened. Each artist had a room that soon filled with a crowd of enthusiastic visitors. In the first half, in a room arranged as a turn of the century nickelodeon with velvet chairs, all the memorabilia of Zetta Serda's public life: panels explaining the various stages of her career and the birth of her myth, promotional pictures of her performances, articles about her and a copy of a gazette announcing her wedding with the director Richard King. On the wall, on a screen her entire filmography rolled up in loop, bewitching spectators after a century. In display cases: the gorgeous sapphire necklace she wore on her last night on the Ship of Dreams and at the movie party of Surviving the Titanic, and a replica of her Cleopatra costume. The aging Queen of Egypt with a tragic love and destiny immortalised by Shakespeare was her last role back on the theater stage before retiring from the scenes. Old scripts with her personal annotation were displayed with photographs taken on sets and mundane events. The wall hosting the motion-picture screen cut the room in half. On the other side, the hidden half of her life. Her life with Adele no one suspected back then. A life kept secret that now unveiled in front of the eyes of the visitors. The curators discovered that finding public pictures of Miss Carrem was nearly impossible, true to the nickname she acquired as time went by: The Shadow. She stayed at Zetta's side until and even after she stopped acting, showing rare loyalty and devotion, but ever surrounded by this mystery allure. No one, even the most stubborn reporters managed to know anything about her and she was soon dismissed as a Titanic survivor, possibly a fan, who worked as Zetta's secretary and somehow gained her respect. Little they knew about the depth of their relationship and what stacks of secret letters and family memories revealed of the life of Miss Carrem. A panel finally told her story and her secret achievements: Adele, or better Adal, kept fighting for a fairer world and society her whole life and marched for women's right to vote on the famous parade in 1915. She also passed the teaching of Edith Garrud to her American sisters. The only pictures of her came from the Nowak family, except for one. The only photograph of a public appearance of Miss Carrem as well as the only known public appearance of Zetta and Adele. An old grainy photo accurately framed showed Adele shaking hands with The Unsinkable Molly Brown on a podium. In her free hand a shiny medal and a few steps behind the mayor of New York. According to the panel, the survivors' committee founded by Mrs. Brown decided to award Miss Carrem a medal for bravery and a generous check "to help her and her sister starting a new life in America". With great surprise, Miss Carrem received the medal and the check, thanked the board but refused the honors. Instead, she asked to deliver them both to the family of a certain Charlie Stoke, a stewart that lost his life in the sinking to save her life and those of many passengers. She added that her friend expressed the desire to study naval engineering one day and she wished that the money kindly offered to her would be enough to establish a scholarship for boys like him across the ocean. In another picture, Miss Carrem and her sister chatted with Moll Brown in company of Zetta. Eventually, other philanthropists and wealthy socialites signed checks for her cause so that the Stoke family received a generous contribution too. And today, as another picture confirmed, the faculty of naval engineering of the University of Newcastle hosts a marble engraving of Charlie Stoke: to his memory a scholarship had been instituted one year after on the anniversary of the sinking. Since 1913 it has been helping students of poor background to get an education and improve their life. Zetta herself became a philanthropist during her Renaissance and ever since. The first act of her new phase of her life was joining the Moll Brown survivors committee to provide help to the second and third class passengers families and survivors. Some said that the tragedy she witnessed touched her heart, other claimed that it was to be attributed to the influence of her publicist. Jokingly, she used to say that after all, she had too much money yet all she could have wished for in her life, so why not doing some good with it? A considerable donation under her and Mr King was received by the main hospital during the Spanish flu pandemic; she was particularly active in providing financial help to struggling neighbourhoods and female education institutions. In the middle of the room, a long glass display hosted the Shakespeare Sonnets opened at sonnet 116 and a selection of the private correspondence between Zetta and Adele. My darling, You will receive this letter tomorrow morning when I'll be already off to Chicago. The suitcases are ready and packed, this is a goodnight note scribbled the night before leaving you to remind you how much I love you and care about you. How much I'm going to miss you even if - thank God! - we won't be parted for long... Do not forget you promised me to write every day! Write to me, Adele, write to me whatever thought crosses that gorgeous mind of you: you know I could you rambling for hours without getting tired of the sound of your voice, of your sparkling wisdom. I wanna know everything. So don't be shy: I'll be waiting your letters with tender impatience. Can't wait to be in your arms once more. Adoringly yours, Zetta - Dear, dearest Zetta, I went to Central Park today with Hileni. It was a gorgeous spring day, sunny, a gentle breeze blowing: 'simply too beautiful to be wasted inside' as my sister put it. Did I tell you that she's still exchanging letters with the delivery boy from the hat shop? I thought they were over but apparently he invited her to the nickelodeon next week. Anyway, walking in the park with her I suddenly realised how I wanted to share that spring wonder with you. When are you coming back to New York? Tell me soon, please. And even 'soon' won't be soon enough: you're always on my mind since you left. But yes, tell me soon so I can make you promise we will go for a walk before the weather becomes too hot. Do you think I can wrap my arm with yours? Is it professional enough for a publicist? Even just for a few steps: oh you have no idea how I would love that! Or maybe you have? I hope so: it'd mean you miss me as much as I miss you when we are apart. Oh, I almost forgot: all settled with that magazine you mentioned before your departure! I negotiated a two pages long interview, plus pictures. And a cover mention. Hope I did well: you have already fired me as your secretary, I must prove you I am just what you're looking for in a publicist... Can't wait to see you again! Loving you always, Adele Only one letter was copied on a panel of its own on the main wall side by side with a blow-up of the picture of Adele and Zetta slow-dancing barefoot and free, for a blessed moment immortalised in a discreet shot. Adele pressing a tender kiss on Zetta's forehead, drawing a soft smile on the acrtress' lips. Many visitors commented it was heartwarming to see such a photograph that conveyed the intimacy and the warmth of affection radiating from the dancing couple. Some said that Zetta was even more beautiful like that: free, hair slightly askew and genuinely happy, loved. What stole their hearts away though was the letter attached to it. It was no surprise that the curators decided to name the retrospective Underwater. Dearest Adele, Forgive me for the tone of this letter. I am writing it down in bed while I cannot sleep and my mind runs back to you as if we could meet halfway between the miles separating us, in a world of fantasy of our own. It's ridiculous how much I miss you! I want you near, I need you near all the time. Take tonight: if you were here with me, I would be heavenly sleeping in your loving embrace. Most unfortunately, you are not and I'm lying here, insomniac, thinking of you. And about my life. No, don't frown. I am not getting all sad again. It's...bittersweet. And - I'll spoil you the ending so you will stop worrying, hopefully - it gets better the more you proceed. Have you ever felt trapped underwater? I did, my whole life. Always hiding, always measuring words, gestures, gazes not to let them see, not to let them know...so little time to go up and break the surface. Drop the mask and breathe. In, out. Once, twice. In my lowest moments I repeated to my myself: how are you gonna survive? One day an acquaintance with a remarkable passion for the sea explained me and the other bored commensals that you can keep someone alive by breathing oxygen into their mouth underwater. Pretty much like mouth-to-mouth resuscitation helps an unconscious person to regain consciousness. I found it interesting but doubted his words. Then I met you, Adele. My dearest, wondrous Adele. And I learnt that yes, you can't breathe if you're constantly underwater...but you won't drown if you have the right person swimming by your side in those deep waters. Put your lips on me, Adele. Touch me, hold me in your arms. And I can live underwater. With your love, I can live underwater. We can live underwater. I love you. I want to cover a full page of these three simple words: I love you. I want to cry them out and entrust them to the winds, to the night. But what for? Who cares if the world knows or not? I'll whisper them over your lips when we will be reunited. So you can breathe underwater. Counting down the hours separating us, my love. Eternally yours, Zetta

DC’s Tone Deafness

So I don’t really like ranting or being negative, but DC Universe recently released an article to celebrate pride month about the Top 5 canon and non-canon LGBTQA+ relationships in Young Justice.

And the tone deafness is just off the charts. Like most of the world, I’m not American so I needed someone to screen-cap the actual article for me. I’m going to organize my thoughts and go down below.

General

For one, its pretty obvious the writer didn’t look at the source material. This article sounds like it was written by someone filled in on the basics and told to write a good PR article for DC.

There are a lot of little details in the story, such as when the writer claims that they “showcased even more LGBTQA+ protagonists in season 3″ implying they had previously, which they hadn’t. One character was implied to be bisexual in the comics, never on screen, but more on that below. Season 3 was the first LGBTQA+ rep for the show.

Also its always a bit tone deaf when in an article celebrating LGBTQA+ and diversity in your show, that you have a list of 5 “ships”, of which only ONE is actually a couple in canon. Not only did they need to resort to non-canon ones, they included people that can’t be called a “ship” or couple.

1. Kaldur/Wyynde

This is the only actual LGBTQA+ couple on the list that is canon in the show, and I liked them. But I can’t deny that Kaldur who was a main cast member for the past two season’s had a vastly reduced role (compared to straight cis white characters like Dick and Conner). He was basically written out of the first half of the season, and then his relationship was really present for 1.5 - 2 episodes max. This in a season that was marked with excessive attention given to heterosexual relationships (like seriously, basically every character was in some form of relationship on-screen). The one healthy LGBTQA relationship got less attention than Black Lightning and Dr. Jace’s romance, something that ultimately went nowhere, Dick/Barbara, even Megan/Conner when Megan was also essentially written out of the season.

2. Marie Logan and Rita Farr

They really dug deep for this “ship”. Ironically, they start this by talking about the scene in Young Justice #25, when Queen B’s powers work on Garfield’s mother. This was the first implication her being bisexual. And of course, she also dies in this scene, so starting off with a “Bury your gays” trope where Marie’s queerness literally got her killed and orphaned her son.

There isn’t much more to say about this ship, because it literally doesn’t exist. The shipping community for this is so small you have to go digging deep into tags to find even hints of it. The article even basically says this, posing the ship as a question. As being interesting. (Does it count as Bury Your Gays when both woman are dead before their relationship is even hinted at?)

In other words this article about celebrating LGBTQA ships literally had to try and CREATE A SHIP to reach 5 ships. Despite the fact there are plenty of LGBTQ fanon ships (Birdflash being the most prominent one left off the list). It really hits at the thing I said above, this is a “write us a good PR article with the barest amount of effort put into it” situation.

3. Harper Row and Halo

Oh boy don’t get me started on this. There are so many problems with how they did Halo this season, she is basically tone deaf personified. (For the purpose of this rant, I’ll be using the “she” pronouns for Halo, because I have no choice but to assume they are her preference, unless the show purposely spent the entire season mis-gendering her, but I don’t think her characterization really supports that she prefers “her/she”).

I’ve had a problem with Halo from the start, because she is basically an attempt for the writers to shallowly include representation without having to actually deal with it. She is Muslim representation, but not actually Muslim (as she confirms on the show). She wears the Hijab because she feels like it. She is genderqueer, but they never once talk about her pronouns. She refers to herself as “not feeling like a boy or a girl” and constantly refers to herself in the third person, but everyone uses “she/her” pronouns without asking her. They even have a scene where she informs them she is genderqueer, and its never brought up again without asking any actual follow up questions or awareness. They also infantalize and treat her as a little girl.

Additionally, she falls into one of my greatest pet peeves - she is genderqueer but for fantasy-scifi reasons. For those that follow genderqueer or transgender characters in media, this is a very common trope. Essentially, the trope is when someones gender identity is caused by/determined from otherworldly experiences.

This trope bugs me because it completely undermines the point of representation. Representation in media is supposed to show the audience that these are natural human experiences and that people like this exist and are normal. But the trope ensures that the experiences are not normal human experiences.

(and don’t even get me started on the fact that this show has made New Genesis tech gendered before, with Sphere. And even gender the bioship in the same season they pull this for Halo).

Lastly, she also falls within the “promiscuous bisexual” trope, with the very kiss this article praises as THE FIRST LGBT KISS ON SCREEN for the show. This is a problematic trope that DC seems to love. Basically, this scene has Halo cheating on her boyfriend with another young classmate, engaging in two kisses with her.

Now I’m not going to say that all LGBTQA+ relationships need to be wholesome one true loves. Problematic behaviour like Halo and Harper’s is a story telling tool. But the fact that the LGBTQA+ was told going into the season there would be LGBT rep so they should watch, and this was the first rep we got 18 episodes into the season? It felt a bit like a slap in the face. They could’ve had her break up with Brion beforehand, or any number of different ways that would even keep the scene in tact.

And the relationship doesn’t really go anywhere anyways. Harper doesn’t really remain part of the season going forward, Halo and her boyfriend continue their relationship after it was revealed until the end of the season.

This is ultimately my problem with Halo. There are a few tropes that basically are summed up as “writers put all their diversity into one character” which is basically what Halo is. Each of these qualities, from faith to gender identity to sexual orientation could’ve been a fleshed out character arc (oh! I forgot to mention she also falls into the “My gender identity isn’t cis, so my sexual orientation is also bi/pan/gay” trope). Instead all the diverse qualities of Halo are addressed shallowly as the show-runners pat themselves on the back.

4. Bluepulse

I’ve ranted a lot so I’m not going to go crazy on this point. You can probably find tons of posts about the drama between Bluepulse Shippers and the show, which again makes their inclusion kind of tone-deaf. Bluepulse shippers have been called disgusting by the fandom for the three year age gap, an age gap that was never confirmed on screen and you had to go digging in Greg’s personal message board to know (resulting in many people shipping them not knowing their ages at all).

In addition, the showrunners made it clear they did not like this ship over the several years the show has been off the air. And in Season 3 they give Jaime a girlfriend….who is a lesbian in the comics. Now Traci and Jaime did date in the comics before she came out, and this is another Earth. But when the sole purpose of their relationship being on screen was to tell the audience that bluepulse wasn’t happening, choosing a lesbian character to play the cis straight girlfriend is a bit of a slap in the face. again.

5. Bart Allen and Eduardo

Queerbaiting, nuff said.

For those not in the know, Ed is a character introduced as a runaway in Season 2, but he doesn’t really interact with Bart until mid-season 3. There is an episode where a group of heroes go to a carnival, and Ed and Bart appear to be on a date. They are in a group with all couples, except for Virgil. Virgil laments being the only person there without a significant other, implying that Bart and Ed are together. Additionally, Bart and Ed do everything that the other couples do together. It was pretty heavy-handed that the couples were there on dates.

And fans liked this! Even if Bluepulse wasn’t happening, Bart may still be bisexual or gay. This was made worse by Greg retweeting and liking Ed/Bart content, and not giving a straight answer on whether they were dating.

Which obviously, creates the expectation among LGBTQA+ fans that they will get together. They don’t. And later at a convention, one of the main writers (not Greg) said something like “its funny how the fans see relationships between characters differently from our intent” when asked a question about them. Essentially confirming that yeah, they didn’t have any actual content for them planned anyway. Though they did have an addendum that they may build on the fan reception/view of the relationship in the future (basically saying, maybe they’ll be canon).

As much as I’d like to be optimistic that they actually will get together and we’ll get a LGBTQ relationship that is in the spotlight for once, I’m not. I’ll be happy to be proved wrong on this point.

And that was my TEDtalk about how tone-deaf DC patting themselves on the back for LGBTQA+ content in Young Justice is. Especially when other animated shows do so much better with fewer episodes and screen time.