Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by Gwen Sigan

INTERVIEW - MICKO WESTMORELAND ON 'VELVET GOLDMINE' AND LIFE WITH THE MELLOTRONICS

Micko Westmoreland first came to the public's attention as the enigmatic Jack Fairey in the star-studded glam rock fake biopic 'Velvet Goldmine', and since then has done everything from making electronica as The Bowling Green to the sharp edged new wave of his current project Micko & The Mellotronics. With that band on the verge of releasing their second single, a double A-side with the timely 'Noisy Neighbours 'and 'You Killed My Father' (featuring the late Neil Innes), he spoke to Gigsoup to tell all... Starting at the beginning, you got your first break appearing in the film ‘Velvet Goldmine’…  Quite a baptism of fire! Yep, I was fresh out of film school with little acting experience. So I did a ton of research, suspended all activities other than glam rock ones; late mornings, blurry eyeliner, became a kind of ‘Our Lady of the Flowers’, to quote Jean Genet. I did appear on set however with well prepared sleeve notes. Ziggy/Hunky and early Roxy had been teenage territory. Toni Colette really helped me during filming, showing me where and how to move and stand in frame etc. which I really wasn’t aware of and she was such a wonderful person to hang out with. Ewan McGregor was enormous in the 90s but treated you like a complete equal. I’ve acted the fiction of being a sensational rock star, my embalmed alter ego is now moth balled and hermetically sealed for posterity. What do you make of the film’s recent re-appraisal – it was panned at the time but now it’s considered a cult classic A lot of the film heavyweights liked it at the time and have consistently sung its praises over the last 20 years, which has contributed to its legacy, plus Todd Haynes is now seen as a 24-carat auteur. 1998 wasn’t ready for a kaleidoscopic pansexual odyssey. Velvet Goldmine truly tapped into a teenage hormonal feeling, so the audience is responsible for its longevity I think, people have grown old with it and new fans have discovered it. You had quite a lot of success making electronic music as The Bowling Green but then switched tack to making more song-based stuff.  What’s the story there? The music I was making was becoming increasingly filmic, so I moved into movie sound tracks for a while and did two film scores and a few documentaries with my brother; acclaimed director Wash Westmoreland (Still Alice, Colette). One of them, Echo Park L.A., won best drama at Sundance in 2006! I was becoming more attuned to a literary narrative and was listening to Dylan’s Time out of Mind and Beck’s Sea Change at the time – couple that with improvements in technology that weren’t so reliant on sampler and keyboard. I started playing much more guitar again, my first love and now my primary instrument for writing. You made a couple of albums under your own name but then formed Micko & The Mellotronics – your first ‘band’ project.  What was the thinking behind that move? I was very much used to working on my own. I made a couple of solo albums, one which Terry Edwards (P.J. Harvey/Holy Holy) released on his Sartorial label called ‘Wax & Wayne’, and ‘Yours Etc Abc’, on my own Landline records imprint, which I believe was the main unconscious projection into putting a live act together. The person doing PR for it asked, ‘Who’s in the band?’ When I realized I didn’t have one, it made sense to look for folk to start pushing sounds around. How would you sum up the band to someone you hadn’t heard you before?  Can you name us a few bands that have influenced its sound? We get compared to the Buzzcocks quite a lot, I’ll take that. I’ve loved Magazine since teenage, Television too. I also dig Serge Gainsbourg majorly and bands like The Silver Apples. I’m really into Iso Tomita, the 70’s electronic musician and of course Mr. Eno too. People have commented that the double A side, soon to be released, is like early Genesis but I think it’s much closer to The Rutles. Patrick from R.O.C. said there was violence to the sound. I do pride the writing on an intricacy and eccentricity but without getting prog about it. Talk us through the Mellotronics members and their individual flavours... Nick Mackay a friend referred me to. He was playing in a two-piece called ‘Barricades’, and was clearly a very good drummer, real flare as a player/performer and had the magic ingredient for any band – he was a thoroughly decent chap you could spend a ton of time with. Jon Klein is our very own rock star hiding in plain sight. He has a CV better than the rest of us put together: Banshees, Sinead O’Connor to name a few and of course his own band Specimen. I lent Jon my amp when we were on the same bill. I gave him a copy of my previous album and he contacted me the next day, which I considered a big thumbs up. He’s very quick, obscenely talented and has revolutionized day-to-day working practice. In short a turbo charged V12 engine has been carefully placed inside a Hillman imp, with fresh brake pads added. Vicky Carroll the bassist also came through personal referral, Haydn Hades who does stand up. At the time she was playing in a band the ‘Owls of Now’, a very bright lady indeed. She really got what the band was about and had great style. The dynamic of now the band get on and its chemistry is essential to longevity. Having a woman on board was important to us, so we really lucked out by finding such a smart cookie in Vicky. So far, you’ve shared ‘The Finger’, your first single, and now two new tracks, which will (eventually) be released as a 7” single.  Talk us through ‘Noisy Neighbors’ and ’You Killed My Father’. Noisy Neighbours came about from my experience with dealing with serial complainers whilst living in a housing co-op. We shot the video with filmmaker Ashley Jones (www.thechaoesengineers.com) in the next door location the inhabitants of the song were occupying, so we had to be quiet. Of course some complaints are genuine but most were more telling of the complainant than complainee. There are control issues, which come about as a result of trying to micromanage your environment beyond your own four walls. I wanted to make a witty statement about that without being over critical or condemning. Raising a single eyebrow over that type of behavior. ‘You Killed My Father’, the double A side was inspired by Neil Innes R.I.P. (Monty Python, Bonzo Dog, The Rutles). So of course I was thrilled when he agreed to play on it. I was introduced to him through an artist friend Harry Pye. We inadvertly created a supergroup together called the Spammed and meet up once a year to record for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Last session Tony Visconti produced a cover of Bolan’s ‘Get it on’, for us. It comprises, Rat Scabies (The Damned), Horace Panter (The Specials), Neil when he was with us and actor/comedian Kevin Eldon on vocs, I play guitar. The song relates to my childhood, growing up in Leeds and has a Shakespearean quality. I checked the prose with an expert to make sure I hadn’t over egged the pudding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5iswf8GG6o You seem to be able to attract some interesting names to collaborate with - Horace Panter of The Specials and the late Neil Innes recently, but also members of The Blockheads, Madness, Stranglers and Goldfrapp in the past.  Who would be top of your collaborative wish list? I’d love to do something with Eno again. We became friendly during the mid nineties. I was tutored by him, whilst working on an art show called ‘Self Storage’ with Laurie Anderson but never made it into the studio. A wild card like Wendy Carlos, famed for the soundtrack of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ would be great too. Likewise, your videos have featured some interesting names from British comedy…  What do they bring to the party?  Anyone else you’d like to get on board if you had free reign? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDr7nkOQN9Q All the comedy connections came from Kevin Eldon initially, a super bright and truly wonderful guy. He introduced me to Paul Putner at a Specials gig. Paul’s a brilliant bloke and really likes the band. He found the remarkable Suzy Kane for us. All three have taken excellent roles. Suzy had a lot of input in Noisy Neighbours, suggesting wardrobe and even shots to Ashley as we were making it; we really have had tremendous fun with our contributors. Obviously, Chris Morris would be fantastic but I’m a little afraid to knock. We hear the debut M&TM album is close to completion – what have you got in store for us? A psychedelic mish mash of fable, sound collage and idea. With the new single, 3 of the songs are now out there. On a musical front Horace Panter out of The Specials has guested on a couple of tracks for us and of course we have one of Neil Innes’ last performances too. I’ve written a song about Imelda Marcos, she seemed like a person who was way ahead of her time, a modern template for a highly manipulative battle-axe. I have an author friend in his 60s who’s an eminent  psychologist, (Georg Eifert - Anxiety Happens) so I wrote a song called ‘The Fear’, with a lot of his theories in mind. There’s also one too called ‘Sick and Tired’, it’s not about what I’m eed up about, but like Noisy Neighbours it’s a comment about complaint. When writing I try to look at what gets talked about by everyday people and base some of the songs around those themes. Earwig on phone conversations on buses, pick up discarded bits of paper, when you get into the habit you’ll be amazed what you find. So I get on the 38 and set my brain to record. There’s also a fair amount about growing up on the record too, which I hope all can relate to. I think you have to start with a good idea, that’s on any level otherwise you’re unlikely to get far. From my art college days I got into the habit of noting things down, if you don’t it often escapes you. It’s difficult to marry a multitude of ingredients and let’s face it the world is full of plenty, pair it down and make it resonate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is telling porkies. To make something that stands the test of time is more difficult still. But I’m not afraid of the work and I enjoy ‘the doing’, for me that’s what it’s all about. I believe that as individuals we have a natural tendency to evolve, if we choose to see it that way and trust, it’ll ‘self fulfill’. If you’ll allow yourself to tap into that expansion creatively, you’ll always find inspiration. Micko & The Mellotronics release 'Noisy Neighbours / You Killed My Father' on Landline Records on April 17 with the 7" single schedule to hit the shops on June 27. Read the full article

Content Creator Interview #2

In this week’s interview, fandom friends @lilsherlockian1975 and @mrsmcrieff talk about whether they found Sherlock hot or not at first sight, how publicly sharing their work changed their writing, and the hardest thing about writing smutfic (pun fully intended).

And for those who don’t know, today is Lillian’s Birthday, so m’dear, Many Happy Returns!!!!

Hey, so Lilsherlockian1975 and myself, MrsMCrieff, have decided to interview each other for Aine’s challenge. We’re going to try to answer each other’s questions but there is always the danger of us going massively off piste. Our conversations in the past have been eclectic and very wide-ranging not to mention M rated.

 Anyway, I thought we could start by saying how we came into the fandom and more than that writing in the fandom. Lil, do you want to start?

Lil: All right, my sister on another continent, here’s how it went: As I’ve explained about finding The Full House on Pinterest, let’s explore what came before that moment, then just after... I was working third shift at a hotel (I had to as Mr Lil and I didn’t really have any childcare options at the time, so we just worked opposite shifts). The hotel was in a very small town - we were never busy, some nights we sold maybe 2 rooms - I usually spent my time watching Netflix. After making my way through Doctor Who, Star Trek Next Gen, Voyager then (God help me) DS9, Farscape and Firefly, I’d finally run out of anything to watch. You’d be surprised how quickly you can burn through a series binge watching for 8 hours at a time (and getting paid for it!).

 Then… then I found Sherlock. Well, that changed things… a bit.

 “Good Lord, who is the Cumberstud chap and why won’t he have all the sex with me!?” was my first thought, my second was, “Maybe I have a chance with the dishy DI?” and third? “Oh… what fresh hell is this ‘Mycroft’? Yummy!” Then finally, “Ahh, did the casting director somehow read my diary? Creepy but… all right.” To my defense, it was late and I usually worked on very little sleep. Also, I’m a kinky bitch.

 I’d never been involved in a ‘fandom proper’, I suppose. That’s not to say that I wasn’t a fangirl. I am and always have been. I was hugely into the Kevin Smith movies, going as far as visiting the Quick Stop and RST Video in Lenardo, NJ, respectively, as well as The Secret Stash, in Red Bank. I was a comic book geek in my youth, Marvel mostly, but some DC as well.

 After reading The Full House, I desperately needed MORE Sherlock and luckily enough, there was more to be found.

 At first I was just reading, then I wrote and posted a couple of (horrible) fics and met this fellow writer named MrsMCrieff (I might have had a little ‘writing crush’ on you, Mrs!). We chatted on FF.net and struck up a friendship.

 So, for me, writing came before fandom. Mrs was doing some betaing for me, but I didn’t ask for help often; I hated bothering her all the time for the multitude of stories I was turning out. At some point around here, I got an elusive invite to AO3 from sherlockian87, bless her soul, because I kept trying to join and couldn’t get a blessed invitation. Also around this time, I had written a prompt and got a PM from MizJoely asking if she could fix some of my mistakes (she was very sweet about it, even though I totally flipped - half fangirling, half losing my shit because ‘Crap, I screwed up so bad, here was The MizJoely asking if she could edit out my mistakes!’) but she wasn’t being critical at all, of course, just helpful as I soon found out. Shortly after, now having formed a friendship with MIz, she suggested that I start a Tumblr blog. And that’s how it all started.

Yes, sorry… I, um, tend to be a tad loquacious. Writing out my answers doesn’t help one little bit.

 Okay, Mrs, right back atcha!

 Mrs: OK, shall I try to be more concise? I’ll probably fail as I’m terrible as writing short fics they always seem to end up spread over multiple chapters.

 I’m another one who had always been a fangirl, Doctor Who, Buffy, Twilight, vampire Diaries (yeah, I love my vampires) but I’d also been a Sherlock Holmes fan. I’d read all the books in my teens, watched the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett adaptations and even stayed at the Sherlock Holmes hotel on Baker St so when a new series was advertised it was an easy sale.

 I was late to the cumberobsession though. I have to admit watching the first two series as they came out and I remember thinking I like them but it’s a shame Sherlock isn’t that hot. I know, I know, I’m embarrassed even as I write that.

 It all changed after watching season 3 and I blame the Sherlolly kiss 100%. I watched the series, DELETED the records!! And then realised I was spending a lot of time thinking about Sherlock and Benedict...that turned into looking him up online and from there it was a short step to reading Sherlolly fics on fanfic (I was already reading fics for other shipping obsessions). Anyway, it didn’t take long before Sherlolly took over all my other ships and Benedict was my number one hottie.

 As for writing, I hadn’t written anything fiction based since school and school was a long time ago...almost thirty years. But one day I was looking for a specific fic, I wanted to read about Sherlock and Molly having to share body heat and I just couldn’t find anything that satisfied me. I’m not sure why but in that moment I decided to write it myself and in half an hour I’d written Frozen...my first ever fic. It took another couple of hours to pluck up the courage to post it and I clearly remember feeling a bit sick and my hand shaking as I pressed the final button to post.

 Thankfully, I almost immediately started to receive positive reviews and feedback and it wasn’t long before I started to write more...the rest as they say is history. Lil got in touch soon after and it was fun chatting to another writer just starting out. We soon found we were not dissimilar in age and both had two sons and the friendship started there.

 We’ve been through quite a lot over the last few years Lil and written some fab stories. Wouldn’t you agree?

 (I should let on that we are now faffing about trying to find the original list of questions...we are trying to be professional).

 Ok Lil, so I’ve looked at Aine’s questions and they look really hard. Any preferences on which ones you want to answer :).

 Lil: I think a great follow up to that first one is this: How did posting your first story change your process of writing? So I’m shooting it back to you, Mrs, and you can send me that one or select a new one for me. Tag, you’re it!

 Mrs: I can tell you quite simply how it changed my process of writing...given that it was my first piece of writing in 30 years I was starting from scratch when it came to any process. One thing that I started with that’s held true for me ever since is that my stories are fully mapped out and written before I even start posting the first chapter. I will edit and make refinements but the bones of the story are there.

 I know lots of people post a chapter and then write the next chapter but that would put me under too much pressure. The downside is that if someone gives me a prompt they could be waiting months before they see it posted. The upside is if I’ve started posting a fic you will get the end of it as it’s already been written.

 There have only been two exceptions to this method: Sherlock Holmes, Vampire which I worked on over a year or so posting four chapters every so often as I wrote them...it was stressful. And the other is Never Have I Ever which was/is more of a collection of one shots woven together into a fic.

 How about you Lil? How did it change for you?

 Lil: So, I’d been writing little stories and whatnot for years and years but, having no idea that there was such a thing as ff.net or AO3, I had no place to put them. Writing was always a very, very distant dream of mine. I have loads of notebooks filled with stories, story ideas and my own personal ramblings (unfortunately, my Tumblr followers now have to read the ‘ramblings business’). I stopped for many years after my roommate/best friend since childhood found some of my writing in college that I’d carefully hidden under my bed. I came home to find her in my room, sat on the floor, on the phone with our Art History professor (whom she was sleeping with), as she read him my story and laughed hysterically at its awfulness.

 I was devastated and vowed never to write again.

 But that changed, of course. Those first maybe ten stories were just me letting my mind go and getting out what I wanted to say (aided by liberal amounts of wine). Since then, however, my ‘process’ has changed drastically. I don’t always write an outline (never for one shots, which I write often) but I generally do for long fics. If not, it’s easy for me to get lost and miss critical points. My writing has become more about ‘layering’ for lack of a better word.

 I found after those first few posted fics, that in going back and re-reading them I wanted to make changes. I didn’t re-edit them (because I’m lazy), but it made me realize that my writing required more time and proofing before posting; that first draft is just the start for me - a thin layer of primer paint on a canvas, if you will. I then read over it and add more details and more and more until I get the desired effect. Again, much like oil painting, I have to build things up, layer by layer. This works for me; I have no idea if it’s a proper method of writing. So, posting my first fic(s) helped me learn that I shouldn’t be so trigger happy about posting if the story wasn’t ready.

 Okay, Mrs, this one is geared specifically towards you. I don’t think anyone would argue with me about your supernatural ability to write ‘case fics’, so let me ask: Which do you prefer writing, case fics or fluffy smut-filled romps? And why?

 Mrs: Oh God, ask me something easy why don’t you. Both, I like writing both. I love the depth of a case fic, the idea, the research, plotting it out and working out the characters and detail but it’s so time consuming and I often write a bit, leave it, come back to it etc. etc. so a detailed case fic can take six months.

 Fluff on the other hand is less satisfying but quicker (my minds already in the gutter with an analogy).

 Woohoo I kept is fairly short for once. So, here’s one that’s good for you. I’m endlessly envious of how easily you make friends and how you know so many people in the fandom whereas I’m the introverted hermit. Which other authors are you friends with, and how have they help you become a better writer?

 Lil: Goodness! You make me sound like a social butterfly (Mr Lil calls me that all the time!). I like people, plain and simple. Other than you, I am close to MizJoely and Darnedchild, that’s no secret, so I’ll talk about them first (you included, because you’ve made me a better writer, I’m sure of it - have actual proof!)

 I cannot count the ways Miz has helped me improve my writing. She figuratively took me by the ear and said “okay, you don’t suck but do you even know what a comma is used for?” No, not those actual words, she was much kinder about it, but I got the hidden meaning and I needed it, trust me. She also challenges me and is not afraid to be honest with me when I’ve written something that isn’t good or perhaps doesn’t fit. I know I’ve improved since she started betaing for me, like a 1000%. And Child… When I volunteered to beta for the Big Bang Challenge, I had no idea what I was getting into, but man… she’d written and enormous fic. Good, amazing really, but it was longer than anything I’d ever worked on before. It scared the shit out of me but I really think it was exactly what I needed. Betaing someone else’s work can really make you see your own mistakes from a new perspective. I feel like I jumped ahead after working on the BBC with Child. As for you, MrsMCrieff, just the other day I had The Best compliment… someone actually thought I was British! Yes, that happened. I can only attribute that little feat to you, my friend. You’ve taught me when to add a ‘u’, when not to zed and about many different terms like pavement, taps, hob, loo, trousers (we really don’t say that here!). Not to mention the fact that most European men aren’t circumcised. Who knew?! It’s pretty common in the US.

 But that’s just a few. I cannot count the number of fandom friends who have helped me and all the ways that they’ve done so. That doesn’t mean I won’t try…

 There’s likingthistoomuch who always listens to my ideas and encouraged me to post my first Harry Potter fic. OhAine has been a true friend from the very beginning, always insightful and supportive. Mellovesall who is just too sweet for words and always helps with edits, no matter what’s going on in her life. Kendrapendragon who let me bounce ideas for my Mirror Has Two Faces AU off of her for like a whole day! the-sapphiresky who has helped me with this historical AU that may or may not ever see the light of day. Allthebellsinvenice who answered about a dozen questions (over two years!) for Dig Down Deep when I’d panic about some D/s situation I’d written myself into. o0katiekins0o who backs me up when I’m in the middle of a sensitive subject. I can always depend on her to help me when I’m afraid I’m crossing a line. Broomclosetkink, Lord help me! She’s pinch hit for me when I’ve written a fic for Miz or if I just need a good laugh. She’s the best. Sweets… it’s very hard to talk about sweet-sweet-escape. I still cannot even bring myself read her stories or the ones I wrote for her without breaking down, but no one was more supportive or kind to me than Sweets. I miss her so much.

 Then there’s all the love and support I received from everyone during The Fic That Shall Not Be Named debacle. That’s when I knew how much this fandom (well, this ship, really) had my back! I will never forget how much love and support I received. Bless you all!

 I’m forgetting people and I hate that. But I really do love all my fandom friends as if I see them and hang out with them every day. I mean that.

 Okay, Mrs, here’s one for you (I’m going back to the list for this one because I like it and I think it’s interesting): What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?

 Mrs: See, see I said you knew loads of people!

 As for your question that’s easy to answer...knowing what it feels like when they get aroused and orgasm. I’m more than happy being female but it would be kind of interesting just to be a guy for one day. It would improve my writing no end.

 On a wider note when it comes to writing characters I don’t think any of us made it easy on ourselves when we decided to try to write being a high functioning sociopathic genius. I think I can speak for most of us when I say he’s not the easiest person to try to write authentically. I just wish I had half his knowledge then I wouldn’t feel like such an idiot when I’m writing him.

 I gave my youngest son the option of any number between 1 and 40. He chose 7 so does writing energise or exhaust you?

 Lil: It absolutely energises me! I do get frustrated trying to find time to write, but actually writing does amazing things for my mental and physical self. I find that I’m much more productive around the house when I’m in the middle of a writing jag. I’ll sit and write for a while, then get up and pound out some chores (usually more quickly as to get back to my computer). Somehow, this works for me. Frankly, it’s probably got to do with my ADHD. I’m the kind of person who needs to do multiple things at once. I’m the same at work; I cannot just stand behind the registrar for 8 hours. I practically beg my managers for extra work, which they’re happy to give me.

 I have an original question for you, love: How does a bad review affect you?

 Mrs: I’ll be honest I don’t react well to a bad review but it does depend on whether I think it’s valid or not. You probably know each and every time I’ve had one because I will probably have sent you a screen shot and asked your opinion. Thankfully they have been few and far between, occasionally they have made me think...especially if I’m being accused of using a tired old trope and I’ve made the effort to up my game in future fics but often they are just being nasty for the sake of it.

 Writing is such a personal thing though, we give a piece of ourselves in each and every fic so it’s hard to not take criticism very personally.

 Same question to you Lil.

 Lil: Oh, I’m a giant baby about a bad review and have been known to take it very personally. At first I brood… like really hard, thinking on the entire thing much longer than necessary. I suppose it depends on the nature and tone, for the most part though. If it’s attacking and spiteful, I’ll attack right back but if it’s coming from a ‘goodish’ place, I do try to look at my writing a bit more objectively (I don’t always succeed). Anonymous bad reviews get to me the most. The fact that I cannot reply drives me up the wall!

 Okay, we’re wrapping this up (else we could go on forever!) Thanks so much and a big thanks to Aine for organizing this as well!

 Mrs & Lil

Next Week:

Posting on Friday 01 March it’s @ohaine ‘s turn (eek!) to interview @ashockinglackofsatin

Extra Credit 1:  Raw Craft with Anthony Bourdain – Arion Press

San Francisco has always been considered a printing town, even amidst all the technology produced by Silicon Valley.  Anthony Bourdain visited Arion Press where he interviewed the founder and master typographer, Andrew Hoyem, along with members of his talented staff made up of typecasters, proofreaders, printers, and binders, all dedicated to the meticulous and age-old process of bookmaking.  Arion Press has been in business for over 40 years and is one of the few facilities of its kind in the world today.  Hoyem believes that print is not dead and will never go away despite all the talk about the decline of physical books.

The host was taken on a tour of the entire process, which began in the type foundry, where he was introduced to the typecasters (only 50 worldwide) who type on a punched-paper tape on a spool.  Then the spool is taken to a 100-year-old caster that prepares the type for printing.

Next, the printers take over and painstakingly work the presses.  The printed pages are proofread by reading each aloud and making corrections.  Then, the pages are put together by the bookbinders who sew them, glue on the binding, and place the assembled book in a press.  The result is a beautiful piece of work ready for all to enjoy.

Most people are unaware of all the work that goes into creating this piece of art.  They are oblivious to the fact that, after they are gone, another person could be reading the exact same book in the future, and so on.  It will be something that will be passed down through many generations.  Anthony Bourdain concludes that well-made books have histories and pasts similar to great recipes having high-quality utensils and knowledgeable chefs as he toasts the amazing craftsmen (and craftswomen) of Arion Press, a company that pairs great artists with great literature to create beautiful limited-editions by hand.

After watching this episode, it made me wonder if printed books have become an endangered media due to emergence of e-books.  In today’s fast-paced, short-attention, immediate-gratification world, downloading reading material to your Kindle, iPad, or smart phone would be a convenience that no one could resist, right?  I mean, we have seen the evolution from vinyl to 8-track to cassette to CD to MP3 and now to High-Resolution Audio.  These days, it is all about hi-res audio becoming the rage with the sporadic nostalgic collector still purchasing the occasional record album. So, I was surprised to learn that this was not the case with books!  According to the Association of American Publishers’ annual report 2019, of the $26 billion in revenue generated by books last year, $22.6 billion were physical books while only $2.04 billion were due to e-books.  While digital media has disrupted other industries, such as news publishing and the music business, people still love to own physical books.

There are a few reasons why people still find physical books so appealing.  Publishers like Arion Press still produce gorgeous works of arts with their painstaking bookmaking combined with beautiful covers.

People love to display what they have read and proudly decorate their homes with exquisite books that reveal who they are.  Some are collectors similar to those who accumulate art or figurines.

Some genres do better in print than digital, such as nature, cookery, and children’s books while crime, romantic novels, and thrillers tend to attract the e-reader.  When people are just looking for information, a digital format will suffice.  However, when people want to escape, it is easier to form an emotional relationship or bond with a physical book than it would be with text on a cold screen.  I was shocked to find that millennials, who are blamed for a multitude of things, appear to be popularizing print.  According to Nielson, 63% of physical books sales in the U.K. were to people under the age of 44.  In the U.S., 75% of people aged 18 – 29 claimed to have read a physical book in 2017, higher than the average of 67%.

As for the future of books, it still looks bright regardless of the format.  “People always need knowledge and people always need stories…” says Jacks Thomas, director of The London Book Fair.  As long as places like Arion Press continue to produce beautiful pieces of art, there will be no shortage of people who will enjoy them.

Jenny Lewis is following the magic

The Line of Best Fit March 20, 2019

Major life upheavals led to Jenny Lewis’ first solo album in five years but Josh Slater-Williams finds her embracing the stranger things the universe throws at her

Words by Josh Slater-Williams

“People always want to know what, why, how, when. I don't know. Which? Who? Whom! Whomst!”

Jenny Lewis has told me she doesn’t have a problem talking about new record, On the Line but there’s a certain reticence to divulging much about intent or any unifying connection between the thumping, lush ballads she’s assembled. It sounds like even she won’t know what the songs are about for a while.

“I don't even really consciously write songs,” Lewis says of whether the meaning of her music is clear by the time it’s recorded and released into the world. “I believe in the magic in a way, so I'm not sure how they begin. I'm not even sure how I finish them, but I tend to understand them years later. I don't understand this new album yet because I haven't toured it. Of course, you have an intuitive sense, but I can't really tell you exactly what it's about.”

Under the Blacklight - the final record she made as part of Rilo Kiley - is perhaps the one case of knowing what an album was about before taking it on tour. “Under the Blacklight is a concept album in a lot of ways,” she says. “That was really the first time that I wrote from a character perspective or I leaned on that a little bit. But again, I'm not sure where this stuff's coming from.”

Lewis’ relationship to her former band’s music has changed over the years, from ignoring it almost entirely at shows - bar maybe one song in an encore - to seemingly embracing it with gusto. I’ve seen her in concert on three occasions since Rilo Kiley toured for the last time in 2008, and the last of those shows, at The Art School in Glasgow in 2014 in support of The Voyager, saw Rilo Kiley tracks comprise roughly a quarter of the setlist.

“For years, I didn't really dig into the back catalogue,” Lewis says. “The first time I played a Rilo Kiley song without Rilo Kiley was when I was sitting in with Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band and he asked if I would play ‘Portions for Foxes’; Conor's always this incredible guide in a way. I hadn't really gone there before, but once I opened that door, it just opened the floodgates to the past. So now, I can go back and choose songs and some of them feel good. Some of them feel inappropriate. Or not inappropriate, more just really youthful in a way that doesn't suit me now. But it's surprising, which songs feel relevant. We’ve been doing a version of “Portions for Foxes”, a slowed down version that I've renamed “Bad News”. And that's been feeling really good.”

In a 2016 interview Lewis discussed her tendency to compartmentalise eras of her career describing herself as “not really one for nostalgia”; something of an ironic statement in light of the fact she was speaking in support of a tenth anniversary tour of solo debut Rabbit Fur Coat. A few years prior, she also participated in an anniversary tour for The Postal Service’s Give Up, having provided backup vocals for that platinum-selling collaboration between Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello that was a poster child for early aughts American indie music. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first Rilo Kiley EP, an initially self-titled release later re-pressed as The Initial Friend EP.

I wonder if this inspires any particularly strong feelings for her? Apparently not. “It’s interesting to acknowledge the past,” she says. “And all the songs fit into the puzzle,” that puzzle presumably being the overarching story of Jenny Lewis. “But that was then, this is now. Can’t go back.”

When Lewis does acknowledge her past work in her music or the surrounding visual material, it tends to be focused on her acting career - which lasted from her early childhood to roughly around when Rilo Kiley started recording. Bar the odd cameo – including a spot in Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray’s Netflix special, A Very Murray Christmas – Lewis’ acting credits are mostly relegated to the ‘80s and ‘90s. She paid homage to some of her more recognisable family film credits and TV guest spots in a self-directed video for The Voyager’s “She Not Me”, wherein various celebrity pals were brought on board to re-enact moments from much-loved US sitcom The Golden Girls and cult comedy Troop Beverly Hills.

Saturday Night Live-alum Vanessa Bayer was one of those celeb friends, and reappeared for a livestream listening party of On The Line that also featured the likes of St. Vincent, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Beck, Danielle Haim and comedian Tim Heidecker. The three-hour “telethon” of music, comedy and interviews raised funds for the LA Downtown Women’s Center and Lewis describes the event as “kind of a disaster in the best way.” It opened with a rendition of “The Frug” from the first Rilo Kiley EP, somewhat contradicting her reticence to return to the earliest Rilo Kiley material - although the song was admittedly performed by a barbershop quartet rather than by Lewis herself. “That was the director's idea,” she clarifies, “because that song is nowhere… it's just not in my consciousness right now. But it was really fun to open the show with that. Even though the refrain is, ‘I cannot fall in love / I cannot fall in love / I cannot fall in love’, which is a weird way to start off a live stream.”

"Sharing about addiction and mental health can hopefully provide a little insight or comfort for others going through it. And it's not taboo. It's okay to talk about it and it's not the whole story. It's part of the story."

“But I can fall in love,” she assures me with timid delivery, but a wry smile. “I hadn’t then [at the time of the EP], but it’s happened since, if anyone’s wondering.” I tell her I’ve gathered the likelihood of that from the multitude of songs since that have suggested as much. I would also assume her 12-year relationship with fellow singer/songwriter Johnathan Rice may have involved some degree of love; the two reportedly mutually parted ways after the release of The Voyager.

“I’m not in love currently, but I have been in love. Once… twice. Maybe twice.”

Lewis breaks into laughter here, which happens quite a few times in a conversation that proves surprisingly prone to detours into bizarre comedy tangents. Perhaps it’s a welcome change from some of the other interviews she’s already done as part of this album’s promotion cycle. A few days before we speak, Rolling Stone publish an interview where Lewis talks openly about her troubled childhood and late mother’s history of addiction that she’s never really spoken of in public before, and a recent Mojo interview is also candid in this area too. There have been many lyrical allusions in the past, but these interviews certainly clarify the distinction between memoir and fiction in some of her songs.

Her mother’s passing in 2017 played a big part in Lewis feeling open to speak about that backstory definitively. “I now have mixed feelings about sharing that honestly,” she tells me, “even though I've spilled the beans, you can't put the worms back in the can. I guess I waited to exploit her from beyond the grave, so I would imagine someone will do the same to me.”

“I'm understanding why I feel compelled to share that,” she says. “And I think that it's part of the healing process. Not that it's anyone's business but my own and my family's business. But for me, sharing about addiction and mental health can hopefully provide a little insight or comfort for others going through it. And it's not taboo. It's okay to talk about it and it's not the whole story. It's part of the story.”

The world won’t know the full story and we don’t have the right to it, I say. “But you have a right to whatever I share,” she points out. “And then it's part of the consciousness. I guess I don't want to hurt people even if they're gone. But it is my story and it is a big part of why I’m a writer.”

If Lewis herself won’t necessarily know what the new album is ‘about’ for some time, insobriety, addiction and self-medication stick out as recurring topics throughout her lyrics for On the Line. Various combinations of drink and drugs are called out by name, not least on “Red Bull & Hennessy”, while the refrain of “Little White Dove” plays with the homophone of ‘heroine’ and ‘heroin’.

Topics of sexuality have always been a thread through Lewis’ music, even dating back to the earliest days of Rilo Kiley, but with On the Line they seem particularly pronounced; often intertwining with nods to addiction and self-medication. Album opener “Heads Gonna Roll” starts with wondering “Why you stopped getting high” and closes with the suggestion that “A little bit of hooking up is good for the soul.”

“I guess it's all the same thing if you're using it in that way,” Lewis says when I ask if sex falls under the banner of self-medication in the lyrics. “But I don't necessarily think it's an unhealthy relationship with sex that I'm talking about on this album. I think it’s just an ability to articulate and use it to punctuate a moment. Like at the end of the song “Dogwood”, I didn't know what the lyric was going to be. And I was in the studio, just trying out a couple of options and then I landed on, “There's nothing we can do but screw.” That seems like a good way to end a song.”

“No subject is off limits,” Lewis continues. “Sex has always been a theme in my music.” She pauses. “And let’s hope it will always be a theme in my music! Fingers crossed.”

“Dogwood” is her favourite song on the album by a landslide: “That’s my most proud vocal performance,” she tells me. I’m personally drawn to “Taffy”, a ballad with a noticeably different rhythm to the rest of On the Line. It also happens to feature one of the album’s more attention-raising lyrics: “Nudie pics / I do not regret it / I knew that you were gone / I did so freely / I wanted you to see me off that throne you put me on.”

“Taffy was a poem that I wrote on the back of a barf bag on an airplane,” Lewis tells me, then reassuring me that the bag was unused, fresh and clean. “That was words first and then I sat down at the piano and figured out how to fit them into the puzzle. You can tell it’s a poem. That one almost didn't end up on the record. I sent it to a friend of mine who I consult with every time I make a record, as far as order goes, and there was some discussion of cutting one of the ballads. But then I thought, well, this is a record of mostly ballads. Why cut one now, we've already gone down that path. Again, you can't put the worms back in the can.”

“Beck is such a meticulous listener and producer. There's no stone left unturned...down to the last step in mastering. I'm not alone and he's thought of everything.”

Another major consultant for On the Line was Beck, who previously collaborated with Lewis on The Voyager highlight “Just One of the Guys”. He produced and played on multiple tracks on the new album. Lewis tells me she feels an affinity with him as someone who also plays with genre and personas between records. “We both grew up in Los Angeles and we remember a different kind of LA and share a lot of the same tastes in music. And I have just been a fan of his for so long; aesthetically, especially. I made demos on my GarageBand on my phone and sent them to him and he was immediately like, okay, we can do this. I am so happy with the way “Just One of the Guys” turned out and when I play it live, his arrangement really holds up. It's so thoughtful.

“He's such a meticulous listener and producer. There's no stone left unturned. I don't have to worry. Whereas with some of my other collaborators, I have to finish the heavy lifting. Or where I question: 'Is this finished?' No, it's not finished yet. I have to get it done on my own. But with Beck, down to the last step in mastering. I'm not alone and he's thought of everything.”

We don’t mention him by name but the “heavy lifting” undoubtably alludes to Ryan Adams, who reportedly left before finishing his production work on both The Voyager and On the Line. Following the recent allegations of sexual misconduct against Adams, Lewis tweeted a statement of support for the accusers.

A collaborator Lewis is happy to discuss is Ringo Starr, who plays drums on “Heads Gonna Roll” and “Red Bull & Hennessy”. The Beatles are mentioned in a lyric on album closer “Rabbit Hole”, though Lewis tells me there’s another nod to the band on the track “Party Clown”: “I was a beetle floating in a bottle of red.” Lewis says, “And in my mind, after that, I say to myself, I was Ringo.”

How exactly does one get a former Beatle to play on their record? Lewis still isn’t sure. “Again, magic. May I redirect you to the magic of life and when things are truly serendipitous. It felt like a glitch in the simulation when we were in a room with Ringo. How did I end up here? I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but it happened. Why? Why? It’s crazy. I've met some cool musicians over the years, but that was tippity top.”

If there’s a major running theme to my conversation with Lewis, it’s this idea of happy chances surrounding On the Line, from the collaborators and recording to, as I’ll later find out, the look of the album and, as she’ll later find out, a surprise connection in the promotion of it. Considering a lot of the record’s material appears rooted in her breakup and mother’s passing, that maybe wasn’t applicable to the initial inception of the lyrics. But the strange fortuity even extended to her LA home almost becoming a set for a major movie production while the album was being made.

“There was a knock at my door one day about a year ago,” Lewis tells me, “and it was the location scout for Quentin Tarantino, just randomly on my street. And, he was like, “Hey, do you mind if we come in and take pictures for Quentin? We’re looking for a location for the [Charles] Manson movie.””

Tarantino’s 1969-set Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino and the late Luke Perry, is due for release this summer. “I was like, “Come right in, photograph my house!” It didn't work out, which is probably for the better because to have a murder scene in your bedroom is probably not a good idea, but that would have been the coolest thing that ever happened. I'm such a deep movie nerd.”

Being an LA native, I wonder if Lewis still gets starstruck at all at this point in her life. “Not by musicians,” she says. “I think if I were to meet Bob Dylan, that would probably be the exception. But maybe not, I don't know. I feel very comfortable among our people. I met Bill Clinton once and I wasn't nervous at all, and I asked, “Is it okay if I take a picture of you?” Because he's a musician.”

As someone 14 years her junior (Lewis is 43), I tell her my only reference for Bill Clinton being a musician is a moment of him playing a saxophone in the opening credits of the ‘90s Warner Bros. cartoon series Animaniacs. “The best show,” she says. “Did you see Daffy Duck on my live special?” Lewis being signed to Warner Bros Records is presumably how someone in a Daffy Duck costume was among the guests in her telethon. “Daffy was such a dick. They’re rebranding Daffy for the millennials, where Daffy’s vaping. And they were trying to pitch me on a sort of a co-branding opportunity for myself and Daffy. He's gonna come out on tour with me, Bez-style. Daffy’s my Bez.”

Remembering that a sequel to the Looney Tunes movie Space Jam has reportedly been greenlit, I express horror that an onscreen vaping Daffy could soon be a real possibility. “Wow,” she says, “Space Jam. What a movie.” This would rank rather high on a list of quotes I wouldn’t have expected to get from this interview.

We spend a minute or so wondering who else among the Looney Tunes would probably vape. “Is Taz too fast to vape? Maybe Porky Pig. No, no, not Porky Pig. He’s a little uptight, Porky Pig. Daffy’s cool because he doesn't know he's the way that he is. And he thinks he's like Bugs Bunny. He thinks he's Bugs. I think Bugs might vape. I could see Bugs vaping. I don't condone vaping, by the way. I don't think you should smoke anything that smells like cotton candy. I wouldn't vape if I were you. I feel like we don't know. We just don't know. There's a giant question mark on vaping, in general.” We conclude that Foghorn Leghorn would vape.

"I have the most incredible friends who are very patient and loving and are always there for a late-night Facetime session if I need them. When you're in a relationship, it's harder to maintain those friendships."

Be it with Daffy Duck or Beck, Ringo Starr, producer Shawn Everett and others, Lewis tells me a love of collaboration is one of the things she’s learned from making On the Line. “I just followed the songs and I pull from the people that I'm hanging around that inevitably become my collaborators because I can't not play music. I have a problem. If you come over to my house, it's just an immediate jam.”

That said, she doesn’t think she needs to rely on people. “I believe now that I can go anywhere with my songs and work with anyone and make something that makes me happy. I tend to get caught in the process of making a record where I want more from someone, or I want more of their time or more of their energy, and I feel like it's them and not me. But really, they're my songs and maybe it's less about who I choose to work with. It's easier to deflect, especially in the room with someone who's an artist in their own right. I can like feeling small and in the background when I'm creating in that way, as there's less pressure, but sometimes you’ve got to just step up and be yourself.”

“Autonomy, that’s been the key thing learned,” she continues. “I've connected with my female friends over the last couple of years and I've made a lot of new female friends, and that has really been one of the best things that's come out of being single in the world and autonomous. I have the most incredible friends who are very patient and loving and are always there for a late-night Facetime session if I need them. And there are three of us who live in Los Angeles, where we are just communicating constantly with each other. When you're in a relationship, it's harder to maintain those friendships.”

To quote one of Lewis’ own lyrics for Rilo Kiley’s “Breakin’ Up”, it feels good to be free.

One of Lewis’ longtime friends is photographer and director Autumn de Wilde, who shoots for all of her solo projects and also shot the material for Rilo Kiley’s Under the Blacklight back in 2007. “Once I finish the music, I send it to her and then we start brainstorming and we come up with a colour palette and a concept. We never really know until we know. Like how the songs find me, I think that visual component also finds me. We prepare to get there, but we never know what the actual cover is going to be.”

This time around, constructing the visual component involved a couple more instances of that serendipity we’ve already talked about. If you were to place the two covers of The Voyager and On the Line next to each other, you’d be forgiven for thinking the latter was an outtake from a shoot for the former. The outfit’s not the same, but the crop of Lewis’ upper frame, with her head missing, is almost identical. But, according to Lewis, this was another happy accident that revealed something about the new record, conceptually: “Autumn just did a quick Polaroid with that crop, testing the light, and it fell to the floor and I saw it and I knew that was the cover. At that point, I realised they're bookends, The Voyager and On the Line.”

The front cover of On the Line features Lewis in an outfit she describes as something that her mother would have worn in the late ‘70s in Las Vegas. For a deluxe edition of the vinyl version of the record, the cover unfolds to a poster-size image of Lewis in the full outfit, head and lower half intact from merging that original Polaroid crop with a full-length outtake. “That [deluxe] cover is a reference to an Isaac Hayes record, Black Moses,” she tells me. “And the outfit that I'm wearing on the back of the record, with me on a horse, is one of Isaac Hayes's stage costumes that my friend gave to me right before the photo shoot. Just randomly. And so, there's this deep Isaac Hayes connection that was unintentional. Again, why? I have no idea why.”

"Instagram has been really the first social media that I've engaged in personally...but I do feel like it's a very dangerous world to be in and the less I engage, the happier I am. It's really fucked up on there. It's bad."

There are many meanings behind the album’s title, she tells me: “I think it will be relevant for people to think about what it means to them. It's such a dumb thing to say ‘relevant.’ I don't know what's relevant to people, but we spend our lives communicating via text and it's really hard to detect tone. I mean there are so many meanings here, but really just waiting around for someone to change or come back and they're not going to do either.

“Taffy” features one of the most overt nods to our relationship with devices, with a snapshot of infidelity glimpsed through looking through someone else’s phone: “I wanted to please you / My dress was see-through / as I looked through your phone / I am such a coward / but how could you send her flowers?"

“Instagram has been really the first social media that I've engaged in personally,” she says. “I started it as an artistic outlet for weird, abstract short films during The Postal Service reunion tour. It really was a personal creative outlet that then became like a social network. And then of course, putting out albums, there's expectation to fold in a promotional aspect. So, I use it mostly for that, the creative thing being first, and then the promotional stuff. It’s hard to navigate without feeling super cheesy, especially when all your friends are looking at everything that you post. But I do feel like it's a very dangerous world to be in and the less I engage, the happier I am. It's really fucked up on there. It's bad.”

In light of the social media discussion, I can’t help but bring up an interaction of sorts that we had via Twitter once before. In the run-up to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in autumn 2015, having just learned of the name of Adam Driver’s antagonist character, I tweeted: ‘Is Jenny Lewis still the frontwoman of Kylo Ren?’

I didn’t tag in Lewis’ Twitter handle for this dumb joke, but a few hours later, I discovered she’d somehow seen it and retweeted it, and my notifications went wild, with fans and famous folk alike chiming in with reactions and replies.

“Oh, that was you?!” she asks without a second’s pause after I simply quote the tweet, before mentioning what happened around it. “I remember that because I've never seen Star Wars. And I thought, who is Kylo Ren?”

I tell her it was a funny experience to suddenly be getting notifications of likes, for either my tweet or the creative fan-art replies, from such accounts as Warner Bros. Records and actor Brie Larson.

“Daffy Duck is on your case now… vaping,” she says of the Warner appreciation. “But isn't it weird that we have that connection and I didn't know that was you until you told me, but I remember it distinctly?” To quote her own earlier musings: may I redirect you to the magic of life. |

After over two years of working remotely as a fashion and beauty writer, I'm confident I've cracked the work-from-home code. For instance, I know the importance of taking regular, short breaks away from my computer to keep me alert and productive all day long. I know that keeping coffee at hand is a basic cardinal rule. I also know that I must change out of my pajamas as soon as I'm out of bed each morning, even if I wake up early with time to spare or I'm having a meeting-less day. If I stay in my pajamas, I won't feel as energetic or as mentally sharp as I need to be in order to tackle the first influx of emails. I also know that the clothes I change into need to strike a very specific balance. My outfits can't be too comfortable. Wearing sweatpants day in and day out would get a little, er , dispiriting—not to mention boring. They can't be too stiff and corporate-feeling, either, because comfort is key . Keep scrolling to see the five things I never wear when I work from home (and what I wear instead). As a writer, coffee shops have become my second home. When I work from a neighborhood coffee spot or a co-working space or if I'm meeting a colleague, I forgo uncomfortable heels in favor of more forgiving types, such as block heels, mules, and sleek flats. They complement the rest of my outfit and keep it looking elevated and professional without causing any dreaded chafing or blisters. My motto is never wear uncomfortable shoes if you don't have to, and you definitely don't have to if you work from home. I've always been a big fan of Loeffler Randall's mule shoes and have become a big fan of the brand's other offerings, like these knotted slides. The mid-heel gives me a little height without that feeling of teetering and instability that can come from a tall, corporate-looking stiletto. Slides are my go-to shoes for walking since they're so comfortable. I wear them all the time—when I'm walking to a meeting (in this instance I might pack another dressier pair of shoes in my bag) or just to grab a coffee in the middle of the day. If you haven't noticed yet, I have a thing for mules. This minimalist white-and-wood design gives me heart eyes. For some reason, I feel like pointed flats feel sleeker and more elevated than their round-toe counterparts. This pair is chic, summery, and budget-friendly—the trifecta. Aside from the occasional meeting or expert interview, I'm almost always in a casual environment (either the aforementioned neighborhood coffee shop, co-working space, or my apartment). Suit pants and trousers feel too formal and, well, corporate in these environments. That's why I almost never wear them. Instead, I invest in a few pairs of foolproof and versatile jeans that can be dressed up or down depending on the situation. For my more casual days spent working from the comfort of my own home, I opt for a distressed and high-waisted pair of jeans, which feel edgy and cool. One of the most versatile items of clothing you could possibly own is a pair of slim-fit jeans in a medium blue wash. Culottes give off a breezy and effortless vibe to me, which is why I always wear them in the summertime. Like I said before, comfort is key when I'm working from home. I don't want to be distracted from my work by the clothes I'm wearing. As such, I choose to wear what might be the most comfortable piece of clothing ever created: the humble T-shirt. Because there are endless T-shirt–and-jean combinations , I never get bored. I also never feel frumpy thanks to cool designs and a multitude of sleek styles that I've accumulated over the past two years (boxy tees, cropped tees, figure-hugging crew-neck tees, and more). Mixing up the design, color, and print of my T-shirt collection makes my daily work-from-home uniform feel fresh. T-shirts don't have to be the basic white kind. (Although, I love those too.) This apricot color is flattering on everyone and looks great with jeans and mid-heel slides. For something a little vintage-looking, opt for this tee from A.P.C. I love the retro stripes. For my most casual work-from-home days, I love wearing a cropped tee with high-waisted jeans. This teal always catches my eye. I don't think you can ever go wrong with a striped tee. It's a classic for a reason, right? It just works. I live in Los Angeles, and I walk everywhere, which is totally unique because most everyone else drives. (Seriously, L.A. should be re-nicknamed the City of Cars.) I walk to and from various coffee shops, work spaces, and meetings. Since I'm almost always carrying my computer along with me (working remotely means your computer is your office), I require hands-free bags, like over-the-shoulder totes and crossbody types. They provide me with easy access to my keys, credit card, phone, and computer charger without having to actually carry something else in my hands—a coffee and my computer are enough to juggle. Look closely, and you'll see the gold ring detail that clasps this snakeskin bag. Since this tote bag is reversible, it's like two bags in one. I first heard about this brand from Who What Wear beauty editor Erin Jahns, who has this crossbody bag in a couple of different colors. It's the perfect size for carrying the essentials. This versatile bag can be worn as a tote by tying the gingham straps up, or it can be worn as a crossbody bag with the attached strap. While I love delicate, layered jewelry as much as the next person, I've found that this type gets tangled easily, turning into something that's fussy and frustrating to put on and then subsequently remove. Instead, I swear by statement rings. They're easy to mix and match, and they're just as eye-catching as other types of jewelry without the extra hassle. I slip on one, two, or three statement rings each day, and I feel put-together and well-accessorized in no time at all. Plus, I get to look at them and enjoy them, catching flashes of gold and silver while my fingers fly across my computer's keyboard. Even though this chunky gold ring can be worn every single day, it makes for the perfect after-hours cocktail ring. This silver chain-link ring has cool girl written all over it. I'm obsessed with emeralds; they're my favorite gemstone. As such, I make sure to have at least one or two emerald pieces in my jewelry collection at all times. This gold ring is one of them. To me, nothing looks cooler than a signet ring. Most are very traditional, but this one gets a fresh update thanks to a combination of silver and black detailing. Next, check out the eight summer It bags  fashion girls are buying.

Our Story- Auston Matthews (By Anon)

Alright y’all so I had this story submitted to me and it’s adorable and so I’m posting this anon (because they prefer it that way) so you guys should be getting FOUR updates today! (I’m counting this as one!) Without further ado…. Surprise Auston Matthews!

Warning: steamy (no descriptions promise), a couple of cusses

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As we were driving there, I admitted to being nervous about what the ACC would look like, where we would sit, and if I would even enjoy the game. Nonetheless, I was happy to be there and held on to the fact that it meant a lot to my dad, which meant a lot to me.

They lost 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. It didn’t bother me too much that they had lost. But my god, was I interested in hockey. I asked my dad a multitude of questions on the way home. And by the number of questions I had asked him about Auston Matthews, he could tell I had a little crush. It was that game that got me completely hooked. And that was something I had never experienced in my life.

Flash forward a couple months later. My life was boring. I loved the Leafs and was completely and absolutely obsessed in ways I’ve never been, however the winter break had just ended and I was in a slump. And it was about 2:45 in the morning and my dad knocked on my door.

What was he doing up? was my first thought.

“You wanna go to a leaf game?” he asked.

I counted down to the date. January 10 against NYR. No way were they winning, but my god that was the last thing that mattered to me. For some reason, I had a gut feeling to try and look a little prettier for this game. Try a little harder. And I did. I was so excited that day, in the car, walking into the ACC, and seeing all of the tons of Leafs fans that felt the same passion and love as I did.

It was the pregame warm-up. I had just finished eating my quick ACC dinner. I would have missed out on the warm-ups if I had a sit down meal.

I am so very thankful I didn’t.

The warm-ups started and I saw many little kids go up to the glass, trying to get the players’ attention, a puck, or literally anything. I wanted to go so badly, but I most definitely didn’t want to seem like a little kid. But my dad urged and basically forced me to go.

I excused myself through a bunch of crowding adults, and sat right there, in front of the boards. There they were. The Toronto Maple Leafs. The men I’ve been watching on my TV or computer screen literally every single day for the past few months. They were right in front of my eyes. It was like a dream. But I wasn’t dreaming, I was seriously there.

The first thing that happened was when I made eye contact with the one and only Nazem Kadri. Oh my fucking god. Then, Matt Hunwick gave a kid near me a puck. Matt fucking Hunwick can make a girl this warm inside?!? Time went on, and there he was. In the flesh.

Auston Matthews.

I kept repeating to myself, Auston Matthews is in front of your fucking face. He is seriously right there. A few moments passed by and he turned around to give some kids pucks.  Except he saw me. He really saw me. After throwing over a puck for the kids, our eyes met. His lips curved into a shy smile and he turned away for a second and then turned back still smiling. He looked as though he was laughing, but I couldn’t tell. All I could comprehend is that Auston Matthews has taken precious seconds of his time away to look at me. Me. After a few moments, He slowly skated away and joined the rest of his team in the warmups.

He was on the other side of the ice now, so that our faces could easily look at each other. Standing beside him was Morgan Rielly. Auston was bending forward, still looking at me as he talked to Morgan. Why was he smiling so much?!?! I almost felt as though he was part of some inside joke that I was not a part of. I kept trying to make myself look older and more mature, but I just felt stupid.

It was 3-1, pretty late in the 2nd period, and Auston had taken a penalty. Our seats were right by the penalty box and Auston and I were right next to each other. For 1 whole minute, I just stared at him. Admired every feature about him. Watched as he watched. I turned my head to look at the current PK happening in the game, and when I turned back to Auston, he was looking at me. With that same curvy lipped smile that made my insides melt. He started mouthing something, but I couldn’t comprehend.

Auston Matthews is mouthing something to you, understand what the fuck he’s saying!! was all that was going through my mind.

He was hiding a smile as he mouthed and gestured the sentence: ‘Meet me after the game.’ I gave him one of those “What? No way!” looks. All he did was smile and nod a little back. I felt like I was wasting my time.

‘Where?’ I mouthed as I put my hands up for extra expression.

‘Outside the dressing room’ he widely mouthed. I flashed him a “I’m-grateful-and-happy-as-fuck-about-this-but-so-shocked- look. And seconds later, I hear loud cheers and the buzzer go off. I watch Auston turn his attention away from me, and quickly to the game. Zach Hyman had scored a short-handed goal on Henrik Lundqvist and shrunk the Rangers’ lead by only 1 goal. It was like magic all in 2 minutes.

There was a huge part of me after this game that thought Auston would stand me up, being too pissed about the loss to show up or have to leave to be somewhere more important than with me. But I decided to take the chance anyways. My father said he wanted to go to the gift shop anyway.

He was just a clueless man.

Walking towards the room was nervous, horrifying, exciting and everything else.

Was he really going to be there? Am I making a horrible fool of myself?

As I walked in, there he was.

In the center of the room stood Auston Matthews, in a suit, hair still wet from the showers and with a surprising grin on his face. I immediately felt my cheeks burn up like fire and my mouth turned into a giant smile that I tried to hide. He spoke and said “You showed up.” His voice was calm and soft, and sounded just like his interviews I had watched online over and over again. I knew I had to say something clever back.

“I did… so did you, huh?” His smile turned into a little laugh that I mimicked as well. “I’m (Y/N)” I said as I calmly and delicately reached out my hand to him.

“(Y/N)…” he said with a suspicious smile. Auston freaking Matthews said my name. “I’m Auston, but I think you may know that already” he said with a sarcastic laugh underneath it.

And that’s how it began.

That night, Auston Matthews had asked me out. I went home, and literally didn’t stop smiling for one second. Not one. I thought of all the things that could happen. I thought of all the things we could have if he would let me love him. Moments of the night replayed over and over in my head until I eventually passed out, still smiling.

The next day, I woke up, and had to insure that the previous events actually occurred. I checked my phone, the first 2 notifications said his name. 2 texts from Auston Matthews and 1 snap chat.

This was real.

The first text he sent me was a good morning text.

Oh my god Auston Matthews said good morning!

The second was asking about our plans. I carefully answered just as I did last night.

Auston wasn’t too clear on what the plans were, but he told me the time, the attire, and how I was getting there (which would be his Uber, of course).

I dedicated the entire day to getting ready. Begged my friends to borrow expensive tops, re-did my makeup 3 times, spent 2 hours making sure every piece of hair looked nice, shaved every inch there was to shave and thought of how this night was going to turn out.

When I stepped out of the fancy Uber and met his gaze, I felt all my nerves fly away. He looked good in the night time. Hair slicked back, wearing a nice long dark coat and had his shiny watch sticking out. But he looked at me like I was a million dollars. I didn’t want to believe it, but there was a twinkle in his eyes when he looked at me.

He took me out to dinner first. I was thankful that I wore my white top with the dark coat over—it matched with Auston. The conversation seemed like it could never stop. Like as if we could talk and talk forever and we’d never get bored. I don’t think it really hit me that I was on a date with him. I mean, it couldn’t happen. He occasionally touched my hand, or swept his thigh against mine. We were in a darkly lit room, absolutely alone. It was the best, most unbelievable and romantic dinner of my life.

It was about 9:30 and we had just finished dinner. I thought maybe this was it? Maybe he would call an Uber to send me home because he thought I was nice and cute, but not as special as he’d had hoped. But to my surprise, just as we’d walked out of the restaurant, Auston took my hand and said “I have a surprise”. About a thousand ideas popped in my brain in the next few seconds.

He was very vague in where we were headed, but he promised I would love it, after hearing all about me during dinner.

We stepped out of the car, and I looked up and saw a ginormous sign that read “Air Canada Centre”. He watched as I read the sign and waited for my reaction.

Auston took me skating in the ACC. He got me skates and insured I was going to be okay skating. Growing up with two older brothers that play hockey like we breathe air, I most definitely knew how to skate. And skate well. This was something that genuinely impressed Auston. Like as if he’d assumed I was just some damsel in distress that had no clue how to skate.

Before we got on the ice, I looked at Auston with a sassy face and said “Is this where you take all your girls?” I had not one regret after saying it. I was the kind of girl to call a man out on something like that and if Auston wanted me, he was gonna have to want the real me.

He looked back at me with puppy eyes and said “You aren’t just any girl. You know that right?” He said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Auston showed me tricks, impressed me and held my hand as we skated on the ice for a couple hours at most. Towards the end, we got into deeper talks about our dreams and fears and how we felt about ourselves. I already felt absolutely and completely comfortable with him. “Alright you ready to go?” he asked.

“Yeah sure” I answered, already going towards the doors. Auston pulled at me and all at once took my face and brought his lips to mine. It was passionate, long and compared to nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I smelt his cologne and touched his soft face. He leaned away, smiled, and went back in for more.

Best. Kiss. Ever.

“You wanna go to my place?” Auston casually said as we were walking out of the ACC. I looked at him for a moment and paused. It that moment, I did feel the gravity of what I was doing. But in a very different way. I was on a date with a guy that was used to hooking up with a different girl every night. And he had just invited me over to his place. I wasn’t that type of girl, and I had to somehow break the news to Auston Matthews that I wouldn’t be a one night stand.

“Look… Auston-“

He interrupted. “Oh god (Y/N) that came out wrong. No-uh…no I didn’t mean it in that way at all.”

“Good” I laughed and felt at ease again. And so did he.

The end of the night was as magical as the beginning. We fell asleep cuddling, with him shirtless and myself in a big t-shirt and underwear.

~~~~~~

The next 5 days after that date, Auston and I hadn’t gone longer than an hour not texting, snap chatting, face timing or calling each other. We were both completely hooked and obsessed. I went to his place as often as I could. He had about 4 home games.

That next week, things took a hard turn downhill. Auston had a 10 day long road trip. He was unbelievably busy, on flights all the time and we’d lost about all contact. I thought maybe he’d moved on, or found someone new, or didn’t care enough to try to make us work. I was mad at myself for feeling upset about this because what more did I expect from him? Auston Matthews doesn’t have the time for some girl. But to blow me off like that? To get so deep with me and make me open up as I did? That’s just wrong.

A week later, I got a letter in the mail. The return address was Auston’s place. I quickly ripped open the envelope, mad, but also curious. It was 2 tickets to the Leafs game, January 25th. A little note was attached that said: Meet me outside the dressing room after the game. –Auston. I felt my cheeks burn up and my hands tremble. I stroked the writing with my hand. I was mad. Infuriated. How dare he go almost 2 weeks not talking to me and then send me 2 tickets to the game and expect me to jump at the opportunity? I knew I would end of going of course, but I was mad that he thought I would as well.

They won 4-0 and Auston had scored and was also the first star of the game. Are you kidding me? Ugh. Seeing him celebrate for the goals made me feel even more distant and separated from him. Almost as though I’d missed out on this huge part of his life.

But I showed up. I walked to the door of the dressing room and peeked in. There he was. I ensured my face looked stern and that he was understanding the fact that I was upset about what happened. He had a sorry look on his face.

“(Y/N)…” He breathed. “I- I’m so sorry.”

I quickly replied to him “Almost two weeks Auston. Not one phone call, not one text, nothing.” He just looked at me, with a loss of words. “You know that date actually meant something to me” I said as my voice grew louder. I felt steam burning off my body and my hands shaking as I spoke.

“It meant a lot to me too (Y/N)! I’ve never felt this way about anyone before! Not until I met you! And I know I’ve ruined it. I just don’t know how to do these types of relationships. I’ve gotten hurt in the past, thinking a girl wanted me for me, and not for the fame and money. But I was wrong. I’m just scared (Y/N) please forgive me.” He blurted out. I looked at him. His face looked desperate.

“You really hurt me Auston” I said, calmer.

“And I’ll never do it again” he said and he stomped over towards me, took my head in his hands and paused. Before kissing me, he looked right into my eyes and whispered “God I want you so badly” and took me in. We stood there and kissed and kissed. All of my negative emotions vanished into the air.

~~~~~~~

Auston flew me down to a game in Florida so I could see the game, and have 3 full, relaxing days together. I was in the penthouse, on my phone in Auston’s room waiting for him to get back with the directions to the restaurant we were going to that night. As I heard his footsteps, I heard another set as well.

A guy’s voice chimed out “Please Auston! I wanna meet the ‘famous’ girl already!” Who was this guy?!

Auston said in a firm and quieter voice “Mitch, shut up! And leave my room! You are not meeting her all you’re gonna do is scare her away.” My jaw dropped. Oh my god. Mitchell freaking Marner.

“Why do I have to shut up? Oh my god is she in here?!” he squealed. Quick footsteps shuffled to the door as it quickly flew open. Mitchell Marner was standing in front of me. “No way! Wow hi I’m Mitch Marner! You must be (Y/N)! SO amazing to finally meet the girl Auston won’t go two minutes without talking ab—“

“MITCH!” Auston yelled. I laughed it off, already sensing that Mitch was someone I was going to easily get along with.

That night turned into a triple date, with Auston, Mitch, Steph (Mitch’s girlfriend), Matt Martin, his girlfriend named Sydney, and myself. The girls were so fun and easy to talk to, and the boys, well they were boys. They made jokes all night about how they’ve been waiting for Auston to finally get a girlfriend to triple date with. They told me tons and tons of stories about how Auston couldn’t go long without bringing me up and how secretive he was about our text messages. My face lit up, as Auston put his head down, being shy and a bit embarrassed of how dorky he was about us. It made me feel so good knowing that Auston Matthews felt that way about ME. And that it was only a few weeks ago that Auston was a guy on my TV screen. We met up with most of the rest of the team that night and I felt really good about how all of the introductions went.

“So… How’d I do?” I asked Auston while swinging our intertwined hands.

“They loved you. A lot.”

“Really?!” I said excitedly. He could tell how badly I wanted to make a good impression on Auston’s teammates. Auston took me by the waist and flung me onto the bed. We hadn’t had sex yet and he was in no way pressuring me, but every time he did something like that, I felt as though he really wanted that night to be the night.

He saw that hint of alarm in my eyes and slowed everything down. My senses settled, however I took a moment to ponder my emotions on having sex with Auston and why I was so scared. I’d never done it, and I’ve always thought of my virginity to be a sacred thing to myself that I would only give to someone I knew wouldn’t hurt me. My brain quickly thought of a perfect, romantic plan to surprise Auston and make tonight the night.

I got in the shower and quickly went over my legs, washed my body twice, and put in way too much conditioner.

I wanted to smell nice, okay?

I got out and quickly dried my hair with a towel so that I had a fresh look. Before turning out of the bathroom, I paused to take a look in the mirror. I let myself be nervous for a quick moment, and then confidently walked out of the bathroom.

I was in only a towel.

The lights were dimmed and we were in a beautiful penthouse. Auston took his eyes off of his phone to meet his gaze with mine. His eyes quickly widened and then narrowed. He looked at me like I was a piece of art, and that was something I was grateful for.

“Hey” I quietly said.

“You’re beautiful” he said in a low voice. He must have been able to see a look on my face that I hadn’t had before, because Auston knew what I wanted to do. I sat down beside him on the bed. He took my face and passionately kissed me. He then leaned out and took off his shirt. I placed my hand on his abs as I always did when he took off his shirt. He smiled and kissed me again. He slowly lifted me so I was able to straddle him. He leaned out and quietly whispered “Are you sure?”

I looked at him straight in the eyes and said “Definitely”. And the night continued to be as special as we both had hoped it would be.

~~~~

Auston was goalless in 8 games and he was emotionally down. But he had my support and he knew that. I called him before and after all games and would stay on the phone when it was dead silent, just so he knew I was there when he didn’t want to talk. We became closer, and he trusted me with everything he had.

~~~

I wake up to Auston lightly nudging my arms and chest, which was sprawled out on his body. He quietly—although not whispering— said “(Y/N)”. It sounded important and serious. I moan a little and open my eyes. It was almost pitch black. I see the clock and it reads 3:49 am.

I furrow my brows and manage to moan out “Yeah what’s up?”

There’s a pause… “I love you” he says.

I froze.

Love. Auston loves me. Do I love him back?

I thought about all the special moments we’d experienced together. I thought about how much we had grown as a couple. I also thought about how I’ve never said those words before. And that it would have to mean a lot. I realized it was a long moment of silence after he’d said it. And that if I was going to say something, the time was now. “I love you” I said now, clearly. I feel Auston’s chest fall as a sign of relief. We silently intertwine our bodies even closer than they were before. Before I quickly fall asleep, I take a moment to think about what had just happened. I knew why I didn’t say ‘I love you too’. I wanted Auston to feel like I wasn’t saying it in return to him. I wanted him to know that I equally felt the same way, and that I had loved him for a while. I dozed off on his chest, happy and in love.

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Now how cute was that??? Let me know what you thought so I can let the author know! Up next: Max Domi! (Really)

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so paul always says now that hes grateful he and john reconciled before john's death, but ive always sort of wondered if they really did or if paul was saying that more as a coping mechanism. i mean, obviously we'll never know what happened in private, but based on what they were saying about each other in the press in 1980 they didnt seem so reconciled as paul claims. also, whenever paul refers to they getting along, he always uses the same "making bread phone call" ex.. as if its the only one

There are a variety of things I could bring up in the answering of this, but I think part of your question hinges upon your own definition of reconciliation, specific to John and Paul’s relationship, and how their actions square up within it. If it can only be adjudged reconciliation by an unequivocal reestablishment of their songwriting partnership, then they were never reconciled. If it can only be adjudged reconciliation if there was a singularly defined watershed moment of unadorned emotional clarity from whence they never ever said a remotely negative thing about each other in the press again ever, then they were certainly never reconciled. So how and where does one measure it? The least I can argue is that while John and Paul consciously uncoupled, they were never really emotionally estranged or emotionally uninvolved; they never even managed to go without communicating with each other for a third as long as that other ardently involved partnership, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, did. And it would be inimical to dismiss the depth and involvement of their relationship and the strength of their emotional ties to each other based on whatever ugly sentiments that were communicated and disproportionately amplified in public, especially when said sentiments are actually a glaring demonstration of how much they were not Over Each Other.

… They were never indifferent about each other, is what I’m saying. Half of what I say is meaningless, but I say it just to reach you.

(Well, John probably did perceive Paul’s no-comment-trucking-right-along manner of dealing with things as blissfully unconcerned indifference to and in comparison to his own markedly ostentatious divorce pangs, but that’s another issue for another time.) 

(More under the cut because this response got interminable.) 

Anyway, I think what you’re really getting at is whether Paul himself knows and/or sincerely believes they were on good terms at the point of John’s death, or wanted and willed himself to believe they were, and I would say that it’s a measure of both. John’s death left him grief-stricken and reeling and calling every exchange he’d had with John, spoken and unspoken, into question, and this was after his emotional security (with John and with himself) had already been significantly unseated by the Beatles’ break-up. (I’ve always found it striking that in Many Years From Now he describes much of his life as “filled with guilt and the knowledge that you’re probably not right”; indeed, one could reasonably read some of his more candid interview responses as basically him convincing himself or rationalising to himself out loud.) Even if their exchanges in John’s last years were entirely sunny and tension-free, I don’t think anything short of Unadorned Emotional Clarity (as previously phrased) between them matured over years of concentrated effort and growth and honest communication of each other’s most vulnerable feelings would have prevented Paul from feeling that doubt. Even if the doubt was ultimately unfounded. I think the doubt, tempered over time and reflection, became regret - not a questioning of the bond between them, but how he and John conveyed its importance to each other: If I never did it / I was only waiting / For a better moment / That didn’t come. From Dan Rather’s 48 Hours interview with Paul: 

PAUL: Late at night, or when you’re feeling good, or… I don’t know, you think, oh, it’d be great to – I hope I tell her ‘I love her’ enough, and all that. And then come the morning and you’ve got to get off to the office, and you say [in a hurry], “Goodbye, love you!” And life’s like that. And there’s never enough time – if you like your parents, for instance – to tell them, god, you know, just what you meant to me.

You always think, well, I’m saving it up. I’ll tell them one day. And what happens with a lot of people, with someone like John for instance, getting back to that subject – he died. I was lucky, the last few wee– uh, months that he was alive, we’d manage to get our relationship back on track and we were talking, and we were having real good conversations, really nice and friendly. But George actually… didn’t, I don’t think, got his relationship right. I think they were arguing right until the end, which I’m sure is a source of great sadness to him. And I’m sure, you know, in the feeling of this song, that George was always planning to tell John he loved him. But time ran out. And so that’s what the song is about, you know. There never could be a better moment than this one. Now. Take this moment to say… I love you. [laughs] It isn’t quite the same.

‘This One’ may apply perfectly well to George’s feelings towards John too, I suppose, but. Well. #projecting onto George (Other quotes from Paul about ‘This One’ here and here.)

(Anyway, I think it’s more than fair to say that both John and Paul were spectacularly incapable of talking about their feelings for each other with each other in an explicit and undeniable way. But we could always sing.)

As for the bread-baking story, it is merely one in an arsenal of Paul’s rinse-and-repeat anecdotes for the ages; it is a vetted and unambiguous little yarn which is positive and, perhaps most importantly, prevents further enquiry. It is quick and quaint, and that is very much to Paul’s liking, considering how many interviews he’s scheduled to do on a daily basis and how much of his life he is necessarily comfortable with broaching in public. That this is the anecdote he has decided on to trot out from interview to interview is in no way evidentiary of an absence of any other phone calls, conversations, and/or interactions in general with John up to his death. 

Paul actually has, in interviews past, spoken of the contents of other calls he and John had, and been honest about their fickleness and the fact that it was just as likely to end badly as it was to end well. But at not just the end of the day, but in the every day, why waste words when you can concentrate on the memories fond rather than the memories unfavourable? Which, as most people would be able to attest, is not at all unusual for anyone who’s lost a loved one, and which for Paul is certainly not an outlook maintained exclusively for his history with John. He’s always accentuated the positive. 

And for all that he can at times be an inarticulate emotional disaster traipsing the canyons of his mind in Freudian slippers, Paul has by and large been practiced and reticent in public, whether by actively evading discussion of the not necessarily unhappier but certainly heavier times in his life, or by self-consciously blunting any imbued emotional weight with the words he chooses. An obvious example is when he recounts one of the first things Yoko told him after John died. He opted for a benign “fond of” throughout 1982, like in his April/May Music Express interview:

I talked to Yoko the day after John was killed and the first thing she said was, ‘John was really fond of you, you know.’ It was almost as if she sensed that I was wondering whether he had… whether the relationship had snapped. I believe it was always there. I believe he really was fond of me, as she said. We were really the best of mates. It was really ace.

Or his May 3rd Newsweek interview:

I’ve talked to Yoko since then, and she’s said to me, ‘You know, he really was quite fond of you.’ I think we were pretty close. But, sometimes, with brothers, you argue. They can be the most intense arguments, too.

In Paul’s October 19th 1984 CBC interview he’s unwound enough to say “love”, which I suspect is what Yoko really told him:

And I know that when he died that was one of the great things Yoko did for me, was that she took me aside and said, “You know, he did love you.” She was gracious enough to do that for me. So that was great.

But then in Paul and Linda’s December 1984 Playboy interview, there’s actually an indicated hesitant pause before he settles for “really liked”: 

PLAYBOY: Once you began to understand Yoko, Paul, did you two talk about John?PAUL: Yes. We did. In fact, after he died, the thing that helped me the most, really, was talking to Yoko about it. She volunteered the information that he had… really liked me.

And as a further example of what Paul chooses to tell and what he chooses to withhold, in a 1989 BBC radio interview he mentions something else Yoko told him after John died - imbued with emotional weight, no less - which I can’t recall him ever mentioning in any other interview:

And I heard, in fact, little bits from Yoko, who was kind of nice enough after he’d died to sort of clue me in on that. Realising, perhaps, that those w– would be the kind of things that would hang me up, forever. “Did he, or didn’t he… hate what I did?” And she said some very nice things. She told me once that he’d sat her down with one of my albums, and they’d be sat down, and he’d be having a bit of a cry about it, and he’d be saying, “Ah… you know, I – I like him, really.”

In any case, it’s Paul’s prerogative to keep himself to himself. I am very certain there are many things, both good and bad, that he keeps close to his chest and that the general public will not be privy to for a long time, if at all. (He is large, he contains multitudes, etc.) 

As for John’s side of things re: negative comments made about Paul to the press in 1980, I touched upon them briefly in a previous ask. To end off, Dave Sholin’s account of the car ride he shared with John and Yoko after the conclusion of his interview with them, a few hours before John was killed: 

‘So John is saying, “Well, our car isn’t here. You’re going to the airport, would you mind giving us a ride?” I said, “Hop on in.” And on the way, I ask him about his relationship with Paul McCartney. He says, “Well, he’s like a brother. I love him. Families – we certainly have our ups and downs and our quarrels. But at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, I would do anything for him, I think he would do anything for me.” And we said our goodbyes and dropped John and Yoko off at the studio.’ 

And from Dave Sholin’s interview with John: John talking about ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’ and meeting Paul for the first time (and in an instance of sweet and charming misremembering, claiming that he asked Paul right there and then to join him). 

A L’Avis De Victor : Une Réponse à la Première Essai que J’Avais Ecrit

The general dissatisfaction that I had with the mark I had received, compelled me to “re-interview” my friend so that we could bond over my most unfortunate loss. Even though this our discussion had begun as a means to remedy my overall disappointment with the system under which I had been judged, it did provide me with a sense of pride surrounding my work as well as an improved understanding of Victor’s field of study.

I messaged Victor via Facebook to express my discontent at around 12:30, which had been 6:30 in Paris. I was happy to receive a quick response from him, which said:

“Darling I’m almost home, let me tell you about my day. It will make yours seem like nothing. I’ll be on skype in five minutes.”

I smiled and knew that we would have a marvelous session complaining about the insignificant details of our lives.

I put down what I had been doing, placed my phone on my desk, and woke my laptop from its most somber sleep. After entering my password, I logged into skype, to then be happily greeted by skype’s “wheep” tone, which notifies its user that they have a new message. Unsurprisingly it was from Victor, who then initiated a phone call. I answered, to be greeted with Victor’s dark apartment and his unkempt hair, which had to be accompanied by a nearly overflowing glass of two-euro red wine.

He smiled and said, “well darling tell me about your troubles.”

I looked down to say, “well was nothing, it was just a bad mark, and I’ll be able to make it up later in the semester.”

“Yes, too bad you are no longer in high-school when your grades were actually something –

I cut him off “Ah, grades how American of you, even I don’t even call them that anymore”

He glared in continued, “As an Albertan, I take offense in drawing those conclusions, but as I was saying, it’s too bad that those do come more frequently than they once did”

“Yes that is true, but I do have four more essays to improve help improve my mark,” I responded.”

“hmm” …Victor glanced up to then go on to say, “well why don’t we just redo it, it is a shame though as I feel that your essay did capture my, essence.”

I chuckled to then say, “well if you wish dear, we can”

I opened my marked word document to then go through the specific criteria required for this assignment.

“I have it!” I exclaimed, “Okay Victor, let’s start from the top, first question, what ‘specific claim about the literacy (reading and writing practices) in [your] field’ would you make? (Phifer-Byrne)”

Victor smiled to then say, “the study of Anthropology, or rather the study of people has gone through great changes over the past half century. The field’s conception was out of European Imperialism, and with this background, it has and continues to oppress the people it studies. I feel that it has changed to become less oppressive, but the goal of Anthropology is to critically analyze, or judge the people it intends to study and to some that can appear to be oppressive. This analysis is then contained in the various essays that we make on a number of subjects related to our people of study.”

Very good, “Now how and why are you Victor, ‘appropriate for insight to a specific field, (Phifer-Byrne)’ or for your case Anthropology?”

“Well darling you and anyone who read your initial assignment would know how accomplished I am in my field, so I believe we can continue.”

“The next question asked Victor, would be, ‘adequately explore the reading and writing practices of the specific field, considering different variables like: what types of texts and genres are read, referenced, and produced. What methods and and technologies are used to consume, use and produce texts. What work of the field is accomplished through reading and writing? (Phifer-Byrne)”

“Well we do use primary sources, I remember that in one of the papers that I wrote during my master’s program I included a notebook written by this prostitute that I had been interviewing. Materials such as these are invaluable as they act as an account of a multitude of interviews over time, which allowed me to study a number of experiences that my subject had experienced. We can also use visual references, such as photography, or works of art. I know that in my line of Anthropology some Anthropologists have examined Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” and Ingres’ Grande Odalisque to understand the historical perceptions of prostitution in Europe over the past centuries. So because of that there are countless forms of expression that we analyze as Anthropologists to gain an understanding of the people we study.”

“Now Victor, I must, ‘include appropriate evidence from the interview to support an analysis (Phifer-Byrne)’ would you mind elaborating on the ‘evidence relevant to [your] main points and [your] overall claim[s], (Phifer-Byrne)’ ‘make evidence appropriate for [your] topic[s], audience, and purpose[es] (Phifer-Byrne)’ that you covered, and ‘provide detailed connection [or] description of how the evidence supports the point [or] reason, [or] claim? (Phifer-Byrne)”

Victor paused and said, “well I guess one could say that Anthropology is the study of people; however, that is the first definition out of your Oxford English Dictionary. I think that what we have learned as a field is how to be more respectful of ‘the other,’ since the mid-twentieth century. All you need to do to understand how Anthropology and Archaeology was used during the third Reich to support Aryan claims to ethnic superiority. I feel like there is much more that needs to be done in that regard as there is still a level of judgement to scholarly superiority in regard to the study of non-western peoples. Because of that I decided to people a social anthropologist as I would be studying sub-groups within the western world, which would help me stay away from issues such as ethnic and cultural superiority that has been the means under which abuse has been committed against non-western peoples. I think that we will eventually become better as time goes, on. Typically, philosophers are the ones that inspire the artists, whose art compels us to become better at understanding the human condition and the pressures we face as members of our world’s various societies.”

I interjected to say “I agree with that opinion.  I know that when we had spoken a few months ago about our own educations, primarily in Canada and the United States, there were rituals that w preformed to have a sense of collective superiority. With the arts, which artists do you think have been deconstructing this Euro-centric superiority complex?”

“Oh yes Ted I do remember that, very good point. I think that many of the apparatuses rituals that we have as people and within our western societies help speak to a certain hierarchy, which is common throughout many cultures; however, it is not an essential part of human society as a whole. I remember studying collectivism at University and how many so called ‘primitive’ societies used inclusion rather than deprivation as a means of supporting their societies. I think that Artists such as Marta Minujín, especially in her Destrucción (1963) speaks to how arbitrary our societies place value on certain practices. In her performance, the Destrucción (1963) she destroyed all of the art that she had made throughout her career as an artist to symbolize rebirth as an artist that was free of the so called “high-arts,” an artist that excluded herself from this arbitrary valuation. This performance acted as her first great performance and launched her career as a visionary who challenged our western status quo. I hope that someday the social-sciences, sciences, and humanities at some point might be able to become more universalist, rather than the critical exclusive disciplines that they had originally been drawn out to be.  I feel that once our Universities can help shed light on these misfortunes that we might be able to provide a truer understanding of plant’s peoples and cultures. Anyways, sorry for going on is there anything else that I should respond to?”

I looked down to examine the rubric to see I had stayed true to its requirements in order to receive a higher mark, but then realized that beyond proper grammar and syntax that all the questions that I had been asked to question Victor on had been answered.

I looked up at the screen and said, “No Victor, I think that is everything, so long as I remember my student ID number and section number this paper will have all the content necessary for a ‘proper’ mark.”

He smiled and said, “well darling, I hope that it all goes well. I would love to chat longer but I have a gig tonight so I should put get ready.”

“A gig?” I asked.

“Why yes I gig,” he said while winking at me.

I giggled, we then said our good-byes, and ended our call.

***

As this has been the first one-hundred level course that I have taken at the University of Arizona, I would like to apologize as I am used to having more creative freedom in my writing. I hope that this would answer all of the requirements that I would be asked of for this assignment and I hope that I might be able to improve myself in the future assignments for this course. The problem is that I am typically used to writing a paper around a general topic, that would be covered within a specific course. One example would be one course that I took on Conflict Management and Resolution. The general requirement was to write a final essay that carefully examined a conflict and then provide suggestions and commentary on how this conflict could have been more easily resolved. For this assignment I examined it as an exercise on conducting and recording interview surrounding aspects of academia. In that regard I do believe that I was to some degree successful at that in my first essay that I submitted for this course. Either way I hope that the response above can help show that I am trying to remember how to navigate a first-year course and that I am capable of following a rubric’s specified guidelines.

Figures:

Figure 1:

Marta, Minujín. Destrucción. 1963. Performance Art/Photograph. MoMA, New York. Image Courtesy of: Henrique Faria Fine Art, New York. Online. Accessed 24 Feb 2017. http://post.at.moma.org/sources/8/publications/129

Figure 2:

Pablo, Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. 1907. Oil on canvas. MoMA, New York. Acquired through the Lillie P. Bliss Bequrest. Online. Accessed 24 Feb 2017. https://www.moma.org/explore/conservation/demoiselles/

Works Cited:

Phifer-Byrne, Kasey, Erin. Grading Criteria. 2017.

Originally published on Old Wordpress site: edwardjelliott.wordpress.com on Feb. 27 2017

This Week In Crypto: April 27, 2018

Bull Run? Bull Trap? Bull Crap?

Opening this Friday with a $415bln market cap, the market has three straight weeks of gains in the bag.  April’s been a good month for investors.  Ever since that $1,000 leap Bitcoin took on April 12, we’ve been on a steady uptrend ever since, and all the positive price actions have some analyst postulating a bull run.

Not to be a downer when everything’s up, but don’t get too hasty. We saw something similar back in February where the market grew to over $500bln in less than two weeks after crashing below $280bln. This growth has been longer and (seemingly) more organic, but we’ll have to keep an eye on price resistance.  If Bitcoin and the other big boys can’t break the resistance levels they rejected this week (for Bitcoin, $9,700), we could see a double top like we did in February and be headed back down. If these resistance levels are broken, though, we could be in for higher prices still.

Not trying to spook anyone–just trying to present both sides of the coin. Stay savvy out there, folks.

Bitcoin: At $9,220, Bitcoin has recorded a comfortable 7% increase on the week.

Ethereum: Ethereum saw some especially impressive growth this week, up 12% with a price of $672.

Ripple: No doubt in response to its substantial gains last week, Ripple is actually down 1% at $0.84.

Domestic News 

Nasdaq Willing to Open Cryptocurrency Exchange When “people are ready for a more regulated market”: In a Squawk Box interview this Wednesday, Nasdaq CEO Aden Friedman told CNBC that “Nasdaq would consider becoming a crypto exchange over time.”  Friedman continues to imply that Nasdaq would only enter the market when proper regulations are in place: “If we do look at it and say ‘it’s time, people are ready for a more regulated market,’ for something that provides a fair experience for investors.”

Winklevoss’s Gemini Exchange Partners with Nasdaq to Monitor its Markets: Perhaps Nasdaq is testing the markets before jumping in. On the same day as Friedman’s interview, Gemini exchange, owned and operated by the Winklevoss twins, announced that would be implementing Nasdaq’s SMARTS Markets Surveillance to policing market manipulation on its platform. “Our deployment of Nasdaq’s SMARTS Market Surveillance will help ensure that Gemini is a rules-based marketplace for all market participants,” Tyler Winklevoss, Gemini’s CEO, said in a comment.

Introducing Marketplace Surveillance Technology with @Nasdaq https://t.co/giHwJtseRu

— Gemini (@GeminiDotCom) April 25, 2018

Goldman Sachs Grabs Crypto Trader to Serve as VP of Digital Assets: Reversing the trend of wall street executives running off to join blockchain projects, Goldman Sachs has sniped talent from the cryptocurrency realm. The new VP of Digital Assets, Justin Schmidt, has a masters degree in Computer Science from MIT and previously held VP positions at WorldQuant LLC and Seven Eight Capital. Goldman Sachs created the position “in response to client interest in various digital products,” though the firm has “not reached a conclusion on the scope of our digital asset offering,” Goldman Sachs spokeswoman Tiffany Galvin-Cohen said in regards to the hire.

MIT Technology Review Publishes “Let’s Destroy Bitcoin,” an Essay on How Bitcoin Could Fall: Author Morgan Peck is in no way advocating that Bitcoin should be destroyed; she’s merely outlining how it could be destroyed.  According to her argument, a government and its central bank could issue it’s own cryptocurrency in lieu of Bitcoin, Facebook could launch an ICO and usurp Bitcoin’s popularity–a troubling scenario if not highly unlikely–or Bitcoin could merely be rendered irrelevant by a multitude of cryptocurrencies that are used to pay for variety of goods and services.

Blockchain Business Bill Makes its Rounds in the California State Senate: California State Senator Bob Hertzberg (D) has introduced legislation that would be “a first step in introducing the technology in California in a limited capacity,” according to an official press release.  If enacted into law, SB 838 “would enable the use of blockchain technology for certain business practices in California. Blockchain is an emerging technology that allows records to be stored and updated on multiple computers using a distributed ledger technology.”

Don’t Rush Regulation, Says  US Congressman Patrick McHenry: How do you fight fraud in an unregulated market?  Well, some might say regulations are a good place to start, but North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry says not so fast.  While he believes blockchain technology has immense potential, he doesn’t want legislators and officials to feel pressured into adopting rash policy: “It’s my fear that Congress and other policymakers get wrapped up in the hype of bitcoin and feel like doing something – anything – is better than nothing,” he told CoinDesk.

IBM Files Patent for IoT Protocol that Utilizes Proof of Work: Joining a growing list of legacy tech companies that have filed patents for distributed ledger technology, IBM has filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademark Office for a proof of work protocol built for the Internet of Things. According to the official document, the patent is a “method, comprising: determining a proof-of-work via a device; using a predefined set of nonce values when determining the proof-of-work; storing the proof-of-work on a blockchain; and broadcasting the proof-of-work as a broadcast message.”

What’s New at CoinCentral?

Why 2FA Matters & the Best Types of 2FA: Two factor authentication is an essential security measure to keep your funds safe, so you’ll want to make sure that your 2FA methods are airtight.

What is Po.et (POE)? | Beginner’s Guide: Po.et is an Ethereum-based, universal ledger designed to track ownership and attribution for the world’s digital creative assets developed by BTC Media.

How Developers are Turning Old Electronics into Bitcoin Mining Rigs: Bitcoin mining often gets a bad rap for being ecologically unfriendly; what if we turned this reputation on its head by building rigs with recycled hardware?

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Cryptocurrency Trading: Whether it’s fat fingering an order or panic selling, try to avoid careless errors when playing with magical math money.

Top Cryptocurrency Exchanges in 2018: The markets and trading scene has changed drastically in the past year, so stay on top of your options with our guide to the best exchanges.

Bitcoin Censorship Resistance Explained: With complete immutability comes great responsibility, and for Bitcoin, that means you can’t hide from what the blockchain publicizes.

What is Radar Relay Decentralized Exchange: The Radar Relay decentralized exchange enables peer-to-peer trading of cryptocurrencies per other first-generation decentralized exchanges like the OasisDEX, EtherDelta, and IDEX.

The Impact of Upcoming Cryptocurrencies on the Financial Industry: Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are often touted for their disruptive potential, and the legacy financial industry isn’t precluded from this disruption.

Mining the Future of Money: Building a GPU Mining Rig: Have you ever wanted to start GPU mining but didn’t know where to start?  We can help you out.

My Ether Wallet Suffers Phishing Attack After Hackers Hijack Google Public DNS: Roughly 515 ETH as stolen as a result of the phishing attack.

John McAfee Thinks it’s Time for Jamie Dimon to Surrender: John McAfee is at it again, and he’s calling the JP Morgan CEO asking for “terms of surrender.”

How to Evaluate a Cryptocurrency: Before buying up r/cryptocurrency’s shill of the week, you might want to consider the objective value of your investment.

Neil Patel on KindAds, Crypto Advertising, Entrepreneurship, and Regulations: We had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with renowned marketer and entrepreneur Neil Patel, touching on topics like big tech’s crypto ad ban and the evolution of blockchain entrepreneurship.

How Hardware Wallets Can Secure Your Cryptocurrency: Seriously guys, hardware wallets are important–if you need convincing, just look at the MyEtherWallet phishing attack we just covered.

How to Become a Cryptocurrency Trader: Before you start trading and investing in cryptocurrencies, you’ll want to set some investing guidelines and get outfitted with the proper tools.

Codex Protocol’s Jess Houlgrave on the Blockchain Art World and Crypto Entrepeneurship: Jess Houlgrave is the Co-founder & COO at Codex Protocol and borrows from her experiences in everything from spending a few years in the finance industry and being a blockchain and art consultant.

ICO Review: Solve.Care: Solve.Care is offering a global blockchain solution for the coordination, administration, and payments systems in healthcare.

Cryptocurrency News from Around the World

ERC-20 Bug Forces OKEx to Halt Token Deposits: According to an OKEx support page post, hackers found a way to exploit an ERC-20 smart contract flaw, “BatchOverFlow,” allowing them to mint tokens out of thin air and deposit them directly onto the exchange. “We are suspending the deposits of all ERC-20 tokens due to the discovery of a new smart contract bug – ‘BatchOverFlow’. By exploiting the bug, attackers can generate an extremely large amount of tokens, and deposit them into a normal address. This makes many of the ERC-20 tokens vulnerable to price manipulations of the attackers,” the post reads. The exchange suspended all ERC-20 token deposits in response.

Proposal to Unlock Frozen Parity Wallet Funds Breeds Community Controversy: Last November, an unknown individual exploited a vulnerability the popular Etherum wallet Parity, accidentally killing Parity’s multisignature wallet library and leaving 513,777.16 ETH inaccessible to 587 wallets.  Now, a proposal on Github (EIP-999) has introduced a code change that could allow those affected to re-access their funds, but an etherchain.org vote involving the affected individuals shot down the proposal 330-300. Still, some community members are saying that the vote does not adequately reflect the community’s sentiments, and the discussion has resurfaced debates over the blockchain’s immutability and the consequences of changing code to restore funds.

More on Vulnerabilities: MyEtherWallet Users Have Funds Phished from Fake DNS: Early in the morning on April 24, hackers hijacked MyEtherWallet’s Google Public DNS, redirecting traffic from the popular Ethereum wallet service to a fake site. Despite caveats popping up warning users that the destination had an invalid SSL certificate, some users accessed the faulty website and attempted to log into their wallets with private keys. As a result of the phishing attack, some 515 ETH (~$350,000) was stolen.

Alleging Stolen Electricity, Chinese Police Seize 600 Pieces of Mining Hardware: A mining operation in the northeastern port city of Tianjin was busted this week for allegedly robbing a local power supplier of its electricity. Police seized the outfits equipment after the grid operators noticed sharp spikes in its consumption, sometimes as high as 28% above average levels. An investigation reveals that the miners may have been sapping energy through a short circuited junction box in an ongoing heist that the police called “the largest case of power theft in recent years.”

Thomas Reuters Poll Reveals that One in Five Financial Institutions Have Considered Crypto Trading: This Tuesday, Thomas Reuters published a survey indicating that one out of five sampled financial institutions have plans to launch cryptocurrency trading within a year’s time, while 70% of those who want to begin trading have plans to start within the next three to six months.  According to an article on Reuters, “[the] survey covered more than 400 clients across Thomson Reuters Corp TRI.O (TRI.N) platforms including large asset managers, hedge funds and trading desks at the biggest banks.”

Spanish Bank Delivers First Blockchain-Issued Loan: The Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) has made history by becoming the first bank to issue a loan using blockchain technology. The entire loan process, according to the Spanish multinational bank, was overseen using  a distributed ledger whose information was available both to the bank and the borrower. “Blockchain can offer clear advantages for all sides in the corporate loan market in terms of efficiency, transparency, [and] security, CEO Carlos Torres Villa commented on the developments, calling it “another strong example of how disruptive technology can be used to add value to financial services, something that is central to our strategy.”

Treasure Trove of Mt. Gox Funds on the Move, Batten Down the Hatches, Bucko: Crypto Ground data reveals that 16,000 BTC and 16,000 BCH has migrated out of cold wallets under the control of Nobuaki Kobayashi, Mt. Gox’s bankruptcy trustee. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the funds have been moved to sell on an exchange, but it’s enough money (a collective $165mln) for the action to catch the eye of the cryptocurrency community.

Looks like 16k BTC from Mt Gox were consolidated to this address We obviously don't know if they were sold or just moved for some other reasonhttps://t.co/rr05Vn7Fnv pic.twitter.com/eMS1vMCG3l

— Alistair Milne (@alistairmilne) April 26, 2018

    The post This Week In Crypto: April 27, 2018 appeared first on CoinCentral.

via CryptoCoinscious.com via Josh Cannon on Inoreader

Sean Douglas

Ask Win is a podcast where you are a VIP. Win wants to focus and teach people more and Cerebral Palsy. You’re welcome to ask questions about anything that you want. CP questions but mainly life questions on how to deal with CP or not. Win can ask you base questions if you want. Please let us know or there will be no base questions. If you have any questions for Win please email her at [email protected]. In 2018 let be open and honest on Ask Win. To learn more about Ask Win visit http://askwin.weebly.com.  Be sure to FOLLOW this program https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/wins-women-of-wisdom/id1060801905. To learn more about Challenge Aspen go to https://challengeaspen.org. To learn how Win walk and about Ekso go to http://www.bridgingbionics.org/, or email Amanda Boxtel at [email protected]. 

  On AsK Win today (Tuesday, January 30, 2018), Best-Selling Author, Win C welcomes Sean Douglas. Sean is a United States Air Force Veteran.  He enlisted in the Air Force in 2001 right after 9/11, has been deployed to multiple locations overseas, and has performed a multitude of duties all over the world.  Sean spent four years as a Drill Instructor in Air Force Basic Training where he developed over 600 men and women into military leaders.  Sean's interactive training develops the participants' skills in the Mental, Physical, Social, and Spiritual domains of Resilience, and leaves people better equipped to manage change effectively. Sean's love for helping others achieve their dreams and instilling in them that extra motivation to finish strong is at the forefront of every speech and presentation he delivers.  Sean gives a personal GUARANTEE that the audience will leave motivated, fulfilled, and with a refreshed attitude, and backs it up with his favorable reputation.  His main goal is to have a positive impact difference in the lives of everyone he meets, to help stop self-defeating behaviors, and to inspire change in their lives.  Sean was at one time an alcoholic, almost losing his military career and his family.  Sean is a suicide survivor.  In December of 2008, Sean almost took his own life because of his drinking and negative thinking.  He has since recovered and turned to God for healing, and through his faith, helps others before they travel down that dark road. The Success Corps was born with passion and purpose. If you are passionate about elevating your life and living the life of your of dreams, The Success Corps can help. We are all looking for the next big thing, so why not find it together. We focus on personal and professional development because you can't fix what's going on in your life until you fix what's going on in your mind and body. When you re-frame your mindset you will re-frame your life. The Success Corps is all about delivering the most amount of value possible with the best research and knowledge available. With an unlimited supply of knowledge at our finger tips, we customize personal growth plans for each client tailored to capitalizing on your strengths allowing you to reach your true potential quickly. The Success Corps' mission is clear and will deliver on its promise to elevate your life. Everyone has their success formula, but ours are proven strategies based on positive psychology and decades of research. Say YES and join The Success Corps, and let's figure it out together. To learn more about Sean visit http://www.thesuccesscorps.com/. To learn more about Win Kelly Charles visit http://wincharles.weebly.com/. To follow Win on Twitter go to @winkellycharles. To follow Win on Instagram go to winkcharles. To follow Win on Snapchat go to Wcharles422. To follow Win on Snapchat go to Wcharles422. To see Win's art go to https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/2-win-charles.html. Interview with Mel Marton: http://traffic.libsyn.com/winwisdom/LAF3494_08172017150526412_1189015.mp3. "Books for Books," you buy Win's books so she can purchase books for school. "Getting through school is a 'win' for her fans and a 'win' for her." Win is a professional writer and in 2018 she is going to get a new MacBook to write her books and do the podcast. With every book she sells and the donations from Ask Win will go to her new MacBook. Please support her in getting her new MacBook. Win Kelly Charles’ book “She is CP” will get to the New York Times somehow and to help her either by voting or send her good vibe. Please vote at https://soopllc.com/blog/book-ideas/cp-win-charles/. Please send feedback to Win by email her at [email protected], or go to http://survey.libsyn.com/winwisdom and http://survey.libsyn.com/thebutterfly. To be on the show please fill out the intake at https://goo.gl/forms/aS4L6FuHyDSUhvrj2. If you would like to support Ask Win go to https://www.patreon.com/wcharles. If you want to check out what Win’s friend, Dannidoll, is doing (a.k.a. Dannielle) go to https://www.facebook.com/dannidolltheragdollclown/?notif_t=page_invite_accepted&notif_id=1492366163404241. To learn more about Danielle visit http://www.dancanshred.com. For iOS 11 update: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HNupFUYqcRY. To learn about the magic of Siri go to https://www.udemy.com/writing-a-book-using-siri/?utm_campaign=email&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email. If you want to donate Ask Win, please send a PayPal donation to [email protected] or [email protected]. Please donate to Challenge Aspen or the Bridging Bionics Foundation. Please send a check in the mail so 100% goes to Bridging Bionics Foundation. 

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  Tuesday notes from fans:

  Jennifer is inviting you to be a part of Jenny’s Tutoring in Jackson, NJ area. She can tutor online, SKYPE, or on the phone as well. She can tutor in the following areas:  American Sign Language, English as a Second Language, Psychology, History, Special Needs, basic skills (reading, writing and math), career services and essays etc. Jennifer Beilis is a current American Sign Language Professor on the college level and past Psychology Professor as well. She holds her Master’s degree in Education and Deafness Rehabilitation, New York University, SCPI, BA in Psychology, Rowan University and AA in Social Sciences from Brookdale Community College. You can email or call her at [email protected] or (732)534-6422, FB [email protected] or Twitter @JenniferBeilis and Linked In #JenniferBeilis.

  Hi Win my name is Pol Cousineau and I'm the President & Captain of The Digital Navigator.

  You're important and I'm excited to welcome you on behalf of myself and The Digital Navigator team!

  Here's what you can expect from us...

  We'll publish a monthly online business growth interview or training, and weekly tips to help you optimize your online marketing machine and boost your productivity. Every week we'll send you an email with a description of the resource and why we think it will help your business.

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The Digital Navigator

Check out this episode! life of win

RESOLVE



I’m not going to look it up but I assume the root is the same, resolve, resolution etc. Today is the real start of the accident-of-the-(Roman)-calendar New Year. (Rosh Hashanah, feels more like a new year, but it’s nice having two re-starts). I was asked only a few days ago what my goals are, and like my resolve, goals made me nostalgic. For I remember when I had the resolve to accomplish my goals. I remember that I was a good teacher, and I just get better and better in my memory as  time goes on. I remember that i was good at making ideas happen. I remember my resolve. Like Niles and Fraiser taking a consumer auto-repair class, I realize people can’t be motivated toward everything. But what choice do I have? I must love, joyously, the work of home-maker, and get faster at it, and better at it, and become a productive member of this mini-society. My time playing the social game was short, but it’s over. I’m now a mauna, whether any of us likes it or not. And, the word sacrifice comes to mind, something I also used to be good at. I know, for all intents and purposes, that if I joyously make a home, then my life in that home can return me to the old resolve ⎻ one way or another. I have no more institution, people, or money. But what I can get back ⎻ I think ⎻ is my resolve, and there are many projects to take on. There will never be a shortage of those.

 But, as the old story goes, we resolve and we lose heart. I am in that category ⎻ big time.  Once I get organized, once I finish the house, etc. Year after year. But now, it might sound familiar, I find myself more motivated. But now, and this is truly new, there is a camera that can keep me accountable ⎻ at least a little. At this ripe middle-age, and nadir of the old resolve I am resigned this year, just enough to help my psychology focus on the present. And this year I’m writing ⎻ so far ⎻ and that should do wonders for my psychology. 



Before I was resigned and I was clinging to my past, I resolved to get a certain job, when that failed I kept resolving, to at least apply for jobs. It was nice when M.K used to text me, but enough is enough of these job leads now. He must know that now, maybe figured it out only a little later than I did. I almost resolved to get one of these, but I learned to resolve only for the application. My little brother thought I was knee deep in this job somehow. That was an interesting story to relive ⎻ with his four kids ⎻ full of life ⎻ screaming and laughing and living life in the background. Then I came up with other resolves for my fake job offers, my imaginary interviews: $18.81 an hour was one, give me $66,666 a year, or nothing was the other main one. And of course there was my creating whole new departments at Navient for myself to run (really just a variation on the $66k thing). All the while I tried to resolve toward being a good home-maker. I think part of the reason, at least part of the reason, if not the full reason, behind my failure at this was that I thought there should be something else. That’s the beauty of resignation. Why should there be something else? The old saw is “what is there to live for?,” but how about “what is there to participate for?”

If you were to tell me about the time my professional life fell apart in 2014 that Donald Trump would be president in 2017, what 2016 would cause, or what these past 2 or more years would be in public life, I would have chosen exactly the life I have now. I’m lost to a world that would do this, and no wonder I have been all along. The run-up has been disgusting, despite our couple of public actions despite ourselves. I guess the Kardashian-culture should have warned me/us. But it was easy enough to ignore it. I guess the apprentice warned us. Maybe twitter was a warning, but again, all so easy to ignore. There were bigger warnings, of course. But the point is, if given the choice (and in one way I was and I did) I would sit out those years ⎻ these years. Why contribute to the larger society when it behaves this way. And whose to say I didn’t subconsciously/unconsciously see it coming?  If in 2014 anybody was told, well, anyone in the mainstream was told, that latent white supremacists would resent a black president so much that they would elect anyone that promised to undo everything Obama had done, to erase him, to turn him into a token, then I think it might have made more sense. Maybe we would have had taken it more seriously. It was hard to imagine these foreign mindsets until now. Well, maybe for white people it was. But then, why was the black turnout so bad? Why when canvassing did I run into so many black people that said they wouldn’t even vote? If in 2014 you told any of us that the hate machine would be cranked so hard on Hillary that despite her most-qualified-person-in-the-history-of the-United-States bonafides that anyone could be elected opposed to her, would we have believed that too? That one we would hear many times during the election. I didn’t believe it. Again, when there’s no basis in fact for the hate, it’s hard to believe it exists.

Of course the easiest of these is for us to go back and nominate Bernie I guess. As much as I wanted to see Hillary do what she always does in office, the alternative is what we have now. What if we went back farther and in 2008 said, look, in 2016 we’re gonna need Barack much more than 2008, and Hillary can set the table, and this will save us from something as unthinkable as a Donald Trump presidency? What would Bernie v. Obama looked like? I’m certain of very little, but what I’ve observed in our unthinkable present/future I would be certain that new candidate Obama would have trounced Trump in 2016. And to think there are people with the title of “political strategist.” How can that be a job without time travel? Give me $66,666 and I’m on it!



I wrote for this tumblr back in 2015 or 16, or 14. A few postings, maybe two? A bunch of other titles and germs and one-liners and beginnings of paragraphs to continue till the 2016 election. I was going to do it weekly. I didn’t post at all - never finished the multitude started, the rest never revised at least. I’m going to use them as filler (well, that’s not being fair to myself I think, it connects to this last paragraph here first of all, and maybe it will give me the courage to write further on the subject…) next here ⎻ to see what I said ⎻ to check in on my past self ⎻ that lacked whatever resolve I have now for posting on my ghost-town tumblr.

The Fellowship

THE FELLOWSHIP

The Fellowship- https://youtu.be/wDbwvNMhzFc  [One news update- from me- at end of post]

https://ccoutreach87.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/4-3-17-the-fellowship.zip

https://ccoutreach87.com/4-3-17-the-fellowship/

Psalm 69:9

For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

John 2:17

And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

https://youtu.be/8NVbwcggrlE  Zeal of thine house [I made this video late the other night- and simply needed to tag it to a post]

https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/08/battle-is-the-lords/  on today’s video ‘the fellowship’ Big Charlie was bringing up Jehoshaphat the king- and a day or so before I taught on him at my daughter’s house- this is the link to that teaching.

ON VIDEO-

.Andy

.Craig’s testimony [he had brain cancer]

.Both Charlies

.Family reunion

Jeremiah 19:15

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.

NEW- I just filmed a few minutes this day- because we were at a nice spot by the water and I was with a few friends.

Craig shared his story- he’s Andy’s son and was diagnosed with brain cancer a few years ago.

At the time- we weren’t sure how long he was going to live.

Yet Craig has been doing well- thanks to God- and you can hear his testimony on video.

And I asked a few of the guys to share- they did.

It was just a short glimpse of the day- yet it was fellowship in a way.

Not the type most of us are familiar with- in a church building- but more of a family of friends.

I have known these guys for many years- and most of them you have seen before.

I see my friends go thru many ups and downs- times where they feel like everything is going their way.

And then times where things are very hard.

After the video I spent some time with Andy- I took him to a few stores to get medicine for his daughter who was not feeling well.

It’s been a while since I spent time with Andy- he thanked me for helping him some today.

I have seen God work in their lives- and I realize they are where they ‘are’.

Please pray for my friends- and maybe reach out to people in your area- most of us know where a homeless person could be found.

It’s not simply giving someone a few dollars- but becoming friends with them.

Maybe talk to them outside the stores they stand at- spend some time getting to know their story.

When you see me praying with them on the video- it’s really not some ‘hyped up’ type of thing.

No- these guys are actually my friends- the video is a tiny bit of what it’s really all about.

VERSES-

Jeremiah 6:27

I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

Joel 3:1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Joel 3:3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Joel 3:4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;

Joel 3:5 Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

Joel 3:6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

Joel 3:7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:

Joel 3:8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Joel 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

Joel 3:10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

Joel 3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.

Joel 3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

Joel 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Joel 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

Joel 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

Joel 3:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.

Joel 3:19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

Joel 3:20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

Joel 3:21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Matt.

UPDATE-

I have commented much about Russia in the past. And tried to give the long term reasons I believe Russia might be ready for a real war with the U.S.

But I will just comment briefly about the recent Syria bombing by the U.S.

Nobody wants to see Assad kill children with chemical weapons- nobody wants to see any children killed- by any means.

And when videos of dead kid’s surface- we want to do something about it.

The past few months kids- civilians- were ‘simply’ killed in Mosul [Iraq] some of those civilians were purposely killed by U.S. backed ‘fighters’ on the ground.

The U.S. did not want those we backed to kill them- yet they did.

The Iraqi army- and others- did so because of a religious division in the country [Sunni- Shia].

Now- we did not see those dead kids in the news.

And I do not equate the actions of Assad with us.

But the fact is the parents of those dead kids- targeted by U.S. backed ‘fighters’ was just as bad- because in the end- kids died.

There are also kids being killed in Africa- and other places.

Without getting into the whole debate- yes- bad things happen in the world.

And sometimes they happen by various ‘rebels’ we support.

Russia probably did not want Assad to do the attack- using chemical weapons.

Assad probably did not purposefully target kids- but he uses the weapons he has to fight the rebel strongholds in his country.

And he sees it as ‘collateral damage’- just like we see the kids killed by the ‘fighters’ we support.

In short- Russia does not want the killing of kids- there stated purpose in Syria is they do not want a repeat of Iraq- Libya- etc.

These were failed attempts by the West to ‘do good’.

Russia has a point-

And we should all condemn the killing of innocent civilians- especially kids.

But if the toppling of Assad- In the end leads to a total breakup of Syria.

You will have more kids die- and there will be nothing we can do to stop it.

NEWS LINKS-

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3293221/russia-and-iran-say-they-will-respond-to-american-aggression-following-air-strike-in-syria/

http://www.kztv10.com/category/293871/local-news  If I get a chance- I hope to interview some people from the restaurant.

 www.corpuschristioutreachministries.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/john.chiarello.5?ref=bookmarks

https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ4GsqTEVWRm0HxQTLsifvg

https://twitter.com/ccoutreach87

https://plus.google.com/108013627259688810902/posts

https://vimeo.com/user37400385

https://www.pinterest.com/ccoutreach87/

https://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=hb_logo

http://johnchiarello.tumblr.com/

https://medium.com/@johnchiarello

http://ccoutreach.over-blog.com/

Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on- Thanks- John.#

A Letter from the Editor:

           When I met creative-writer Alexander Lumans, I had one question for him: How do you get comfortable writing without worrying about implicit meaning?  His answer couldn’t have been more succinct. He told me that the reader will develop meaning organically as they read, and I should focus on what I want to say and let the reader derive meaning.  While never explicitly said in class, this mixtape project seemed to encourage a sense of theme.  With Alexander’s words in mind, I picked poems and stories that I enjoyed and let a theme develop organically as I read them all.  These pieces’, while remarkably varied, over-time seemed to tell a similar story.  A tale of being lost.  In some cases, this theme was literal, a man lost in Southeast Asia, and in others it was more conceptual, such as a lack of purpose, or understanding.  Regardless, when reading these pieces there will be a notion of disorientation, as there is never a clear sense of direction.  Like Alexander Lumans comforted me with his words, my goal with this compilation is giving the reader a sense of comfort in residing in the unknown, as when doesn’t know where they are, they can be anywhere, which is in my opinion, the ideal canvas on which to create.

Alberto, by Doug Cornett, is the product of a unique literary publication site, 100 Word Story. The premise of the site is simple: The site uploads a picture every week, and then authors send in a story based on the picture that must be 100 words or less.  This piece depicts a man whose memory is all but faded, and provides short but vivid glimpses into his past.  This man is not only lost in his few memories, but in the present, as he has lost all sense of context for the world around him.

The Interview, by Mike Basset originally caught my eye because the author was from Seattle.  This poem, published by Poetry Northwest is written in the style of a job interview. When one thinks of a job interview, one can typically imagine the flow and content of the conversation.  What makes this poem unique, is that the conversation between the candidate and the interviewer never has a real sense of direction, and the conversation itself is predominately metaphysical.  This piece is initially intentionally perplexing, but by the end of the interview, in a strange way, it feels that more is revealed about the candidate than would’ve been in a traditional interview.

Ink, by Melissa Cundieff, seems to transition from dream to memory and back again constantly.  Appropriately, this poem focuses on guilt and trauma, aspects of the human condition that are more typically imprinted on the human psyche, than they are felt on a day to day basis.  

Knowing, by Peter Leight, is a dissection of what it means to know through the act of repetition. In this poem, Leight uses the word “know” in a multitude of contexts, until the word know has so many meanings, that the word itself has become diluted.  In this piece, the reader becomes lost in the word itself, as one initially believes that it has a connotation of confidence and certainty, but upon re-readings you stop “knowing” what the word truly means anymore.

Besides Little Goat, You Can’t Just Go Asking for Mercy, by Kaveh Akbar, is the poem I chose purely out of the beauty of the way it sounded.  The reason it fits the theme, is that when I listened to a recording of the poem read by the poet himself, the cadence and tone used by the author was entirely different than how I had read it in my head. The poem reveals that the reader can sometimes get lost between the intention of the poet and their own interpretation, and that’s okay.  While at first I was frustrated with the poem, I came to love the juxtaposition in interpretation between the poet and I.  I encourage you to after reading the poem, listen to Kaveh Akbar’s reading of the poem, which I linked at the bottom of the post.

This piece is an excerpt of a larger story written by Erika Krouse about her time in Bangkok as a child.  As I am planning on studying abroad in Bangkok next fall, I read this story hoping for a more vivid picture of the city from a unique perspective.  Instead, I got a story of a dysfunctional family which ended in mystery.  What I loved about this piece is that it was only an excerpt, so it intentionally ends on a cliffhanger.  But I found that the inconclusive ending, gave the piece an alternate meaning. When reading this, try to see it as a single piece instead of an excerpt, as it adds to the theme of this anthology.

The final piece, Someone Needs to Investigate, is by Christopher Kennedy.  Unlike the other pieces, this one focuses on finding lost meaning instead of actually being lost.  What also sets this poem apart, is that this is the first poem where there is a sense of conclusion.  After the investigating in search for laughter, they declare “there is no laughter” and attempt to go home.  However, after the investigation, the detectives can’t seem to find their way home.  This piece shows that one is never safe from being lost.  That even those in search of answers get lost themselves.  I chose this as the final piece of the anthology as it shows while being lost is inescapable, it opens up a different view of the world.  While this story is grim, the investigators, lost between childhood and death, have a new way to perceive time and their own mortality.  The value of being lost, is that we look inwards for answers, opening up avenues for insight and creativity.

& Dialogue: G . F Smith

& Dialogue is a series featuring designers and makers from all around the world. 

It seeks to inspire a lifestyle of sustainable consumption and a finer appreciation for crafted goods.

-

As part of our investigation between people and objects, we spoke to Charlotte from British paper mill and merchant G.F Smith. Discussing specifically about The Collection, a modern day testament of a design apparatus we can’t live without in this digital age. 

The Catalog from G . F Smith was made so differently from the past, making the catalog indispensable in the studio and even collectible. How was this design process like and why did the team make such a decision to reinterpret the traditional form?

Taking our previous paper-selector tools as a starting point, Made Thought and the G . F Smith team conducted extensive research into which editions and features were most useful to designers, using those findings to develop a ‘one-book solution’ for the selection of paper.

“The primary concern was to create an ‘everyday’ working tool for the creative,” says Ben Parker of Made Thought. “Appreciating that there are a multitude of routes to select and specify a single paper, we looked to the most trusted and long-standing tools for guidance — dictionaries and encyclopaedias. The key for us was understanding how to get the user to the right piece of information (or paper) as efficiently as possible. Each reference tool expertly delivers a different quality or function for the user, from thumb-tab indexing of dictionaries to page-number indexing of encyclopaedias.”

I noticed that The Collection was designed alongside the online collection available on G.FSmith.com, why was this decision made - has there been a shift towards marketing these tangible objects digitally?

When we designed The Collection book, we also redesigned our website at the same time so that the re-brand would be synchronised across all of our platforms, whether they be digital or tangible. Our website is used by many of our clients who need to quickly reference information on-the-go about every paper we sell and we recognise the importance of this. A digital experience is not more important to us, but it has enormous relevance in today’s digital culture. We are still a paper company who believe that the tactile experience of touching and appreciating paper is at the centre of everything we do.

What does G . F Smith responds to the limitations of the online store? 

Our core message since launching The Collection has been to promote this along with other exciting promotions such as Colour Directions and The Fine Collection, many of these assets are created for over 60 countries around the world so our global brand communication has been really central to us. The Paper Smith is a great addition to the communication tools we have. It stocks all 50 colours of Colorplan, as well as papers from five other collections, including: Treasury; Marlmarque; Parchmarque; Tapestry; and Peregrina Majestic, all available with no minimum order volume! In addition to paper, we sell folded cards and matching envelopes as well as a range of branded products, including notepads, colour sample books and tote bags. Our online offering will continue to grow and be even better in the future!

How did people respond to The Collection?

Everyone loves The Collection! When we first launched The Collection back in 2015 we held parties all over the UK to celebrate and it has now become a coveted product in creative studios up and down the country.

G . F Smith often collaborates with designers. How does G . F Smith encourage their partners and clients to interact with tactility?

We are very lucky that we are often approached by amazing creatives with great ideas who love to involve G . F Smith in their projects. Therefore we don’t often need to encourage people to interact with our paper - people are drawn to it and want to touch and experience it for themselves! We are always really happy to hear the ideas that our clients and partners have and support them as much as we can.

How is this process like and why is this important to G . F Smith?

It’s important to support and collaborate with the creatives we know so we can be a part of the amazing work they produce and go on that journey with them. We’ve done everything imaginable from supplying paper for live printing in store windows during London Design Festival, to giant letterpress printing on Colorplan with a 12.5 tonne steamroller!

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This interview was first published in Kit, a small run of newspaper made by re/collective, a collaboration between Pixie + Louisiane. 

Words by: Pixie and Charlotte Haslam

Photos by: re/collective

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Look out for State of Feeling, a collection of writings by artists and writers inspired by G . F Smith The Collection that will be posted over the next few days.