Have we talked about the Miguel Burger yet?

I just wanna know if it was his idea, if he authorized it, or do the other spiders just think it’s rlly fucking funny and do it to annoy the guy?

I need to know WHY

The poetry that inspired Jeff Buckley

Aimee Ferrier

Sun 1 October 2023 21:15, UK

Voices as incredible as the one belonging to Jeff Buckley don’t come around too often. Unfortunately, after releasing one record, Grace, Buckley, with all his potential, was taken away too soon. At the age of 30, the singer went for a swim from which he never returned, drowning in the Mississippi River.

Yet, his legacy lives on as one of the most influential artists to emerge from the 1990s, and his music is widely celebrated today for its emotional and lyrical complexity. Not only did Buckley possess an otherworldly voice, but he was also an extremely gifted guitar player and writer, with all his talents combining to create a masterful body of work.

Even when Buckley was covering other artists’ songs, such as ‘Lilac Wine’, ‘The Other Woman’ and ‘Hallelujah’, he imbued the pieces with his own distinctive style. Yet, his penchant for covers wasn’t a reflection of an aversion to writing. Buckley knew how to pen a stunningly poetic track, with songs like ‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Over’ and ‘Morning Theft’ suggesting that even if Buckley didn’t have the vocal pipes he was gifted with, he’d get by just fine as a writer.

Buckley took inspiration from many different writers and musicians when writing his own songs. Musically, Buckley looked back to folk artists like Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and, of course, his own father, Tim Buckley, from whom he was estranged. Elsewhere, he loved the work of Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the rich tones of Nina Simone, and Led Zeppelin, calling Robert Plant “my man”.

However, when it came to his literary inspirations, Buckley had an extensive book collection, which he no doubt looked to for ideas when writing his lyrics. He owned a lot of poetry, with Rainer Maria Rilke proving to be a particular favourite. Not only did Buckley own Dunio Elegies, Rilke on Love and Other Difficulties: Translations and Considerations Poems from the Book of Hours, but he also owned his epistolary collection Letters to a Young Poet.

Buckley was also a fan of the classic American poet Walt Whitman, owning Leaves of Grass and From the Soil. Of course, no poetry collection is complete without copies of Arthur Rimbaud’s A Season in Hell and Illuminations, alongside some Charles Baudelaire – Buckley-owned Paris Spleen. The singer also owned the Selected Poems of confessional poet Anne Sexton and modernist writer T.S Eliot.

Check out Buckley’s complete poetry collection below.

The poetry that inspired Jeff Buckley:

Dunio Elegies – Rainer Maria Rilke

Poems from the Book of Hours – Rilke

Rilke on Love and Other Difficulties: Translations and Considerations – Rilke

Leaves of Grass – Walt Whitman

From This Soil – Whitman

The Odyssey – Homer

Early Work, 1970-1979 – Patti Smith

You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense – Charles Bukowski

Selected Poems of Ezra Pound

The Complete Lyrics – Hank Williams

A Haiku Journey: Basho’s Narrow Road to a Far Province – Matsuo Basho

Paris Spleen – Charles Baudelaire

The Captain’s Verses – Pablo Neruda

Selected Poems – T.S. Eliot

A Season in Hell and Illuminations – Arthur Rimbaud

Writing and Drawings – Bob Dylan

Ode to Walt Whitman – Federico Garcia Lorca

New Poems: 1962 – Robert Graves

Fear of Dreaming: The Selected Poems – Jim Carroll

Selected Poems of Anne Sexton – Anne Sexton

Selected Poems – John Shaw Neilson

Selected Poems: Summer Knowledge – Demore Schwartz

The Collected Poems of Frank O’Hara – Frank O’Hara

Poems – Pier Paolo Pasolini

Space: And Other Poems – Eliot Katz

Tim Buckley Lyrics

I wonder what would Miguel’s reaction be if the reader just did the ‘hey’ rizz on Miguel (uncle Aaron’s style) 😭😭😭 mans for sure would be hella confused and tell the reader to just go back to work or something, meanwhile the reader ends up feeling embarrassed 😭😭😭

I could just imagine lyla messing with the reader by playing that encounter over and over again, rip to the reader 😭

But miguel on the other hand wouldn’t think much about it at first until he randomly thought about it 👀

hey

pairing: miguel o’hara x reader

contents: light-hearted for the most part, some alcohol involved

word count: 2K

"Hey."

Your hand was awkwardly placed on Miguel’s shoulder as you looked up to him with a smirk on your face, his expression contorting into one of confusion and disgust? A conversation with Miles about how his uncle used this technique with women had elicited you to try it out with Miguel, but it clearly failed with the way he was looking at you. You’d heard about other women trying to flirt with him in the past, but a part of you hoped that he’d more receptive to your advances. While you weren't expecting for the man to downright fall in love with you, you also weren't expecting him to glare at you in response.

You heard LYLA's giggles coming from the back of the room and you did your best to ignore them, keeping your hand on Miguel’s shoulder as you waited for some kind of response. "I don't have time for your jokes. The fate of the multiverse is hanging on by a very thin line so go back to work and don't bother me," he spoke, the temperature of the room seemingly dropping with how indifferent he sounded. Your hand immediately dropped from his shoulder, hanging by your side as you nodded.

You turned to look back at Miguel once you got close to the door, his back turned towards you as he analyzed the events unfolding on the monitors. You wanted to apologize to him for how awkward the situation had been, but you decided to swallow it down and keep whatever pride you had intact. You walked over to the cafeteria, sitting down on one of the benches as you buried your head in your hands.

"What's going on, chica?" You heard someone ask you, seeing Miles approach you with a styrofoam box. You thanked him for the empanada, taking it out of the box as you took a bite out of it. “I tried out that whole thing you told me about and it ended extremely bad."

"What thing? The whole electricity thing?"

"No, the thing you said your uncle did. The shoulder thing and saying 'hey.'"

"Oh yeah, I guess I should've mentioned that it only worked when uncle Aaron did it."

You rolled your eyes as you took a bite from your empanada, glancing over at Miles. "Yeah, guess you should've," you muttered in response after you finished swallowing, putting your empanada down on the box. "Well if it makes you feel any better, I tried it out on Gwen and it's basically the whole reason why she shaved the half of her hair off," he responded with a small shrug, taking a bite out of his own beef patty.

"I guess that does make me feel a little bit better, yeah."

"Who'd you try it out on anyways?"

"Miguel."

Miles' eyes widen as he looked over at you, letting out a small scoff. "Crazy Miguel that chased me on all fours?" He asked you, taking your empanada away as you were about to take another bite. "Wish he would chase me on all fours. You don't know how lucky you had it, man," you responded, letting out a small chuckle at the way his brows furrowed.

"Maybe you deserve getting rejected."

"Are you still bitter over getting that B in Spanish?"

"It's an A, thank you. But I mean, at least he probably doesn't know what's going on."

You shrugged as a response, looking at the other spider variants passing by. "Wish I could've seen you though," he says, glancing over at you. You were about to speak once more when an orange hue popped out of nowhere, LYLA making herself shown. "It's a good thing I recorded the whole thing then!" She announced, holding up a tiny screen as the events unfolded.

You cringed as you witnessed the scene from an outside perspective, noticing the little things you hadn't before. The height difference just looked completely awkward as you held your hand up to his shoulder, acting domineering in the situation. "You know, I like you a lot better when we're bullying Miguel," you mumbled from underneath your hands, the AI bursting into laughter once more. "You know I can't be subjective with my bullying. Toodles!"

You glanced over at Miles, seeing him struggle to contain the small giggles coming out of him. At seeing your expression, he couldn't help but laugh audibly. "Sorry, but it's just.. that's priceless," he mumbled, wiping at faux tears. You rolled your eyes and the two of you continued talking about art and what he wanted to pursue. Eventually, you ended up having to leave due to some disturbance in your universe and as you were leaving, you couldn't help noticing Miles and LYLA talking in hushed whispers.

Buzzing noises in the bedside table next to you awoke your slumber the next morning, the buzzing happening every five seconds. You rolled over to your side, grabbing your phone from the table as you tried to find the source of where all the commotion was coming from. You ended up on the shared website that HQ had, seeing your face plastered on the front of the newsfeed.

More specifically, your face contorted into that stupid smirk that would be controlling your nightmares for the next couple weeks. You groaned, seeing laughing emojis circulating throughout your screen before you decided to completely shut off your phone. You pressed your face deeper into your pillow as you tried to fall asleep, prolonging having to see everybody around again.

Loud knocking on your door woke you up and while you were debating on telling the person on the other side to leave you alone, you put on your bunny slippers and decided to open the door. Miguel’s gaze narrowed as he saw you pajama-clad, your bunny slippers squeaking on the floorboards. "I’ve been calling you all damn day. We needed your help with an anomaly and nobody could reach you," he grumbled, folding his arms across his chest as he looked down at you.

"It's so funny that you mention that, actually. I turned my phone off since it kept buzzing," you mumbled, looking off to the side to avoid his gaze. "That's not what you have a cellphone for. Don't let it happen again," he responded, his expression hardening the longer he kept you under his gaze. You stayed quiet in hopes he wouldn't ask what had your phone buzzing and nodded, going to grab your phone to turn it back on. You were instantly bombarded with texts, most of them from LYLA just spamming you with the video.

That night, Miguel decided to investigate what exactly was the cause of your phone buzzing constantly, his eyes widening as he came across the newsfeed. He saw your face plastered on the video with the title "Newbie tried to seduce Miguel O’Hara. Epic fail!" As he looked through the video, he started to piece the puzzle together and why you looked so dejected when he sent you back to work.

He had played it off as one of your stupid jokes but he hadn't been able to get it out his mind after it happened. He was determined to talk to you the following day, confirm his suspicions that you were flirting with him before he got any further ideas about what your intentions had been.

However when Miguel approached your desk the following day, he didn't find anyone there except for a discarded burger wrapper and a half empty cup of soda. "Hey, do you know where they're at?" He asked the person who sat at the desk next to you, but they didn't prove to be much help. He let out a small groan, going back to his office after getting an anomaly report.

The following week continued like that, with Miguel wishing he could just get a glimpse of you and your silence being the only thing that remained. He decided to look at your location through his watch, appearing in your universe a couple minutes later. As he looked around, he couldn't help but find it endearing the way that the citizens appreciated their Spider-Woman.

He showed up at the trashy bar your watch indicated you were at, completely taken back to see you taking shots like they were water. "Miguel!" You announced, your voice finding him through the conversations and music circulating the bar. You seemed glad to see him but then your face soured like you'd just taken a bite out of a lemon. "What are you doing here?" You asked, your voice slightly slurring as you ordered another glass.

He sat down next to you, letting out a small chuckle as he rested his head on his hand. "I'm here because I was worried about you. What happened?" He inquired. pushing the glass that the bartender had set down out of your reach. "You rejected my love, Miguel! You don't know how miserable I am," you whined, your head slightly lolling down. "All you did was say hey to me," he remarked, slightly amused at your state. "Exactly! Who needs roses and big romantic gestures when you have a hey like that one?"

Miguel found himself entertained by your antics for a little while longer before he took you to your apartment after you demanded more shots. He was going to be a gentleman and just leave, but you kept a grip on his hand. "Please stay," you mumbled in a drunken state, and even then, he was unwilling to deny you anything. He nodded, taking off his shirt to get comfortable when he heard you retching in the corner. "Jeez, I know I've let myself go a little but that hurts, mami."

You flipped him off as a response, getting up on shaky feet as you held onto the wall. He helped you into the bathroom after that, helping you empty your bowels into the toilet without much judgement. He watched as you took off your shirt, grabbing the shirt he'd tossed to the side and putting it on. "You smell good, Miguel," you mumbled, padding back to your bed to the best of your ability. He laid down next to you, his hands wrapped around your form as he rested his head in the crook of your neck. "You smell pretty good too. Despite all the vomit."

You woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache and a weight resting on top of you. You hoped that you weren't stupid last night as you turned around to face Miguel’s sleeping form. You slapped his arm, waking him up in mere seconds. "What?" He mumbled groggily, running a hand through his hair as he stretched. "Did we sleep together?"

"No," he offered, looking at you as he played with the hem of his shirt. You bit down on your lip, feeling a little assured by the fact. "The time I do sleep with you, I'll make sure that you remember it," he added, in a volume so light you would've missed had you not been paying attention. "What? But you rejected me," you inquired, your brows furrowing. "No, I just didn't know what you were trying to do with that. You haven't left my mind for weeks and I wasn't sure if you were just joking or not so I pushed you away," he responded, pulling you closer to him.

You leaned in, your lips hovering above his for a millisecond before he pushed you away, chuckling. "No I'm not rejecting you before you make that assumption. You just smell like vomit. Go brush your teeth and then you'll get a kiss," he told you, letting out a small chuckle at your little pout. "You have to admit that they 'hey' thing worked since you're in my bedroom," you spoke, your eyes glinting with mischief as you got out of the bed. "Mhm, cariño," he remarked, laying back down on the bed.

After you finished brushing your teeth, you walked back to bed and hovered above Miguel on the bed, putting your hand on his shoulder. "Hey," you whispered, looking into his eyes before your lips pressed against his.

List of bway celebs you should not support bc they're Zionist or "neutral" on genocide

Kristin Chenoweth

Idina Menzel

Jeremy Jordan

Jonathan Groff

Andrew Rannells

Ariana Debose

Josh Gad

Annaleigh Ashford

Julie Benko

Sierra Boggess

Carolee Carmello

Victoria Clark

Micaela Diamond

Tovah Feldshuh

Wilson Jermaine Heredia

Derek Klena

Linda Lavin

Raymond J. Lee

Caissie Levy

Jose Llana

Terrence Mann

Debra Messing

Jessie Mueller

Alex Newell

Kelli O’Hara

Benjamin Pajak

Billy Porter

Seth Rudetsky

James Wesley

Ben Platt

Mike Faist

Noah Galvin

Lea Michelle

Andrew Scott

Olga Merediz,

Betty Buckley

Alexandra Billings

Talia Suskauer

Ali Ewoldt

Wilson Cruz

Dylan Mulvaney

Josh Groban

Seth Rudesky

If I missed anyone on that list, let me know so I'll add them on the list

Patti LePone

Christy Altomare

Anyways, theater kids for Palestine 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

The Sweet Babysitter🧁🎀| Miguel O’Hara

previously: –one.

–two.

KENEDI’S POV

“Me hear he a look fah wan babysitta.” My Dad said, leaning back into his personal chair and eating a beef patty Mommy made.

I wasn’t quite following, as I looked through our photo albums. “Who?”

“Mr. O’Hara.” Mom replied. “He seems very nice.”

I hummed in response, looking at photos of my younger self.

“So..what if you got that job?” Dad asked.

I slowly closed the photo album and glanced between both of them. “You guys already know I have a job.”

I worked at a major perfume company as a secretary/ assistant.

“Yes of course, but maybe just on the side.” Mom gave a mischievous grin.

“Hmm, I think I’m fine.” I softly smiled.

Dad and Mom gave each other worried looks.

“Ken, are you..gay?” My Dad suddenly asked.

I blinked rapidly at his sudden question.

Mom added, a smile of reassurance on her face.“It’s okay if you are.”

“I’m not gay. Why do you guys think I’m gay?” Confusion laced in my soft voice.

“You nuh bring no man round ya so!” Dad exclaimed, flailing his hands around.

Mommy gave Dad a look, making him put his hands down.

“You’ve never shown interest in men and we just wanted to set you up with a real nice man.” Mom spoke softly.

I sighed. I mean, they weren’t wrong. I’ve never brought a guy home, never even talked about one.

I’ve had crushes, but they always stayed as crushes. Never had a boyfriend, not once. I’m a 23 year old virgin, of course my parents are so worried about me, to the point where they’d try to set me up with their 30 something year old neighbor that has a kid.

“Would it make you guys feel better if I went over and ask about the babysitting job?” I looked at both of them.

Their eyes lit up.

“Yes!” Dad stood to his feet.

“Here, take the rest of the patties over to them.” Mom rushed into to the kitchen.

I smiled to myself. I loved seeing my parents so happy.

🎀

I knocked on the door, a small bag of neatly wrapped beef patties in my hand.

The door opened to reveal the incredibly tall and muscular man. A small towel on top of his head, water drops running down his brown sculpted face. He wore a black shirt which displayed every muscle on his body and a pair of black shorts to match.

He was quite handsome.

“Good evening, Mr. O’Hara.” I spoke as loud as I could.

“Kenedi, good evening.” His lips curved into a smile, but in his eyes, he looked quite surprised to see me. “Uh, please come in.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t expecting to be in invited in.

He moved to the side, allowing me to enter into his home. I could smell the body wash he used as I walked pass him.

His home was rather neat, seeing that he had a child.

“Have a seat.” He gestured to his comfortable looking couch.

I sat down and he sat in a chair not too far from me.

“Sorry if the place looks a little messy, I was in the middle of cleaning.” He gave a shy smile while rubbing his head with the towel.

“No, it’s okay. The place looks lovely.” I smiled back. “Uh, I came over to see if the babysitting job was taken.”

His eyes lit up. “No, it isn’t. Are you interested?”

I nodded, looking at the floor.

His voice rasped. “That’s great, are you able to come by tomorrow for a little background check?”

I nodded, slowly meeting his gaze. “Sure, what time?”

“Anything before 9 a.m.”

“Okay, that works for me.” I got up and he followed suit. “My mom made some beef patties, I hope you and Gabriella enjoy them.” I held my arms with the bag in my hands towards him.

He took the bag, giving a slight smile. “Thank you very much, Kenedi.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. O’Hara.”

He put his hands up and shook his head. “You don’t have to call me that, just call me Miguel. I’m only 30.”

“Okay, Miguel.” The name rolled off my tongue.

His lips parted and his tongue poked out, coating his lips in saliva. “Let me get the door for you.”

🎀

“Good morning, Mr— I mean Miguel.” I shyly looked down, slightly embarrassed at my mistake.

He laughed softly. “Good morning, Kenedi. Come in.” He sounded as if he just woke up, his voice was very groggy and manly.

I stepped in, sitting on his couch.

“Anything to drink?” He walked into the kitchen, glancing back at me.

It felt like more than a glance, it was more like a study. Was he studying me?

“Just water.” I responded nervously.

He opened his refrigerator. “Do you have a job? Just asking, based on your attire.”

I glanced down at myself. “Yes, I’m an assistant/ secretary at the Lurést perfume company.”

I wore a white, silky, long sleeved button down, black pencil skirt that stopped right above my knees, paired with a black pantyhose and black heels. My braids were pulled back by a black headband, I wore my tiny heart shaped earrings and no makeup, just lip balm.

He walked over, handing me a bottle of water. “Interesting. I’m a geneticist at Alchemax.”

My eyes widened. “Wow, that must be so cool.”

He sat down across from me with a slight smirk. “It can be sometimes.” He looked me right into my eyes. “To be honest, you already have the job, you seem like a very sweet girl. I just want to know about you.” He swept some of his hair back. “I’ve recently had a divorce and I have full custody over Gabby, and Gabby’s mother sometimes gets time with her. Now your turn to share.”

I perked up. “Um, I just graduated from university, I majored in finance and computer science.”

“Smart girl.” He hummed.

I grew flustered and smiled. “That’s really there is to me.”

I opened my water, taking a few sips from it.

He rubbed his chin. “Have you had any experience with children?”

“Well I sometimes babysit my younger cousins.”

“Okay. What time do you get off work?” He leaned back in his seat, spreading his legs.

I looked at him then down at my lap. “At 3.”

“Sounds great, tomorrow come by at 4 and I’ll give you a run down of everything, I finish a little early tomorrow.”

🎀

There I was, in this man’s home at 4. This handsome man.

Gabby was in her room coloring and Miguel just finished giving me a tour of his beautiful home, now he was giving me run down.

“There’s a schedule, but sometimes it can change depending on when Gabby’s mother gets her. I’d inform you if any changes are made.” He stood across from me, leaning on a counter.

I nodded.

“Gabby finishes school at 3:30 and takes the school bus home, usually reaching home at 4. Which is perfect, so you’ll be home to meet her. The key is under the plant pot on the left, you got that?” He smirked, looking at me.

“I got that.” Slightly tilting my head to the side, I smiled.

He cleared his throat and continued. “ U-um, I finish late on some nights, so if you need to stay over, that’s totally okay, the guest room is there for you. I’ll leave a reasonable amount of money here every time you take care of Gabby, in case she want anything.”

“Okay, is there anything she’s allergic to?” I asked.

“Just shrimp.” He answered. “She has an epi pen in her backpack.”

I mentally noted that.

“So from Mondays to Fridays, you take care of Gabby, unless I say not to. On Wednesdays, she has soccer practice, it finishes at 5:30, so you’d have to pick her up.” He told me, now leaning on the kitchen island.

“I got all of that, Miguel.” I grinned.

He grinned back. “Great, let me give you my number so you can contact me.”

I gave him my phone and he began typing.

“You can text and call me on this number.” He said, handing me back my phone. “Don’t be afraid to contact me, it doesn’t have to be about Gabby, it could be about anything.” He looked up at me with his alluring eyes.

Was that some sort of invitation?

My heart sped up, growing nervous. My hands fumbled with my phone.

“Thank you, Miguel.”

“Kenedi!” Gabriella ran out.

“Hi pretty girl!” I smiled brightly at the little girl.

“Are you gonna be my babysitter?” Her eyes looked at me so adorably.

“Sí, starting Monday.” Miguel answered.

She was so happy, jumping around.

“We’re gonna have so much fun.” I told her.

🎀

Next part: –three.

Cosplaying Patty Duke as Neely O’Hara in Valley of the Dolls (1967)

Take one of my closet cosplay of Patty Duke as Neely O’Hara in the telethon scene in Valley of the Dolls (1967)

Or, as Patty Duke herself called it, “Valley of the Dreck.”

Why Duke would continue to feel chagrin over Dolls and her performance even after the film developed a devoted cult following is no great mystery. Dolls was Duke’s first film after the end of her sitcom, The Patty Duke Show. What Duke envisioned as a potential first step in a full career of proper adult work was marred by an abusive work environment and resulted in a funhouse mirror reflection of the novel and, eventually,  a cornerstone of Camp.

Take two of my closet cosplay of Patty Duke as Neely O’Hara

Duke wasn’t the only one in the cast hot off major television roles: Barbara Parkins and Lee Grant had prominent roles on Peyton Place, Martin Milner and Paul Burke  starred in Route 66 and 12 O’Clock High, respectively. However, for Duke, Dolls held extra weight: between the end of her sitcom and the production of Dolls she had been institutionalized for her mental illness and she had finally been able to seek work free from the abusive management team she had as a child. There would naturally be a lot riding on Dolls for her, professionally and personally. For Dolls to not only be a shitty filming experience but a dud of a film—garnering Duke bad reviews—would understandably leave a lasting bad taste in her mouth.

Despite Duke’s negative recollections of the production and release of Dolls, it’s clear in her memoir, Call Me Anna, that Duke approached the role of Neely in earnest. She would be immediately dispirited, however, witnessing first hand the poor treatment of Judy Garland, originally cast as Helen Lawson, and experiencing abuse of her own from the director Mark Robson. Duke even alleged that casting Garland in the role was a publicity stunt; as it was long rumored that Duke’s role of Neely O’Hara was inspired by Garland.

A troubled production isn’t always destined to fail and, in fact, Dolls was successful at the box office. However, in this case, what resulted was a sort of “passionate failure”—to quote Susan Sontag—which has cemented its place in Camp canon over the fifty-six years since its release. Quite a few writers have examined that more thoroughly than I could here, so rather than doing a full literature review, let me instead recommend you do some reading on your own about Dolls’ Camp pedigree. Instead, taking note that I love Valley of the Dolls, I can provide some context on how the film became what it is—and why Patty Duke suffered for it.

Take three of my closet cosplay of Patty Duke as Neely O’Hara

Read on BELOW the JUMP

Buy me a ☕

Jacqueline Susann’s bestselling novel, Valley of the Dolls, published in 1966, is also a Camp classic (in a wholly different manner than the film—another story for another time). Regardless of Camp status, the novel pushed a lot of boundaries in terms of the social mores of the 1960s. Susann frankly depicted drug abuse, queerness, female friendships, and the difficult realities of living life on your own terms as a woman in the social climate of mid-century America. As you might imagine, a Hollywood film made in 1967 would hardly be able to present much of that effectively.

To start with, the filmmakers heavily sanitized the entire work and also condensed the timeline of the story significantly.* The language used and nature of conversations are heavily censored or completely removed. The events that form the basis of the three lead characters forming their friendship are elided or rewritten, making the intertwining of their lives/careers feel like little more than a narrative device.** In my opinion, the most obvious victim of the changes is Duke’s Neely O’Hara.

The novel takes place between the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s, with relevant flashbacks/backstory for many of the characters. Neely is only a teen at the start of the book and is in her mid-thirties by the end. Obviously adapting a novel to a single feature-length film requires truncations. Characters are removed/reduced/remixed and a lot of backstory is erased—understandable and expected. But, a puzzling choice in the case of Dolls is that the bulk of the events of the nineteen years of the book are still included in the film. Which means packing a lot of pretty serious life events into a drastically shorter timeframe—a move destined to produce absurdity.

“Neely had no education, but she had the inborn intelligence of a mongrel puppy, plus the added sparkle that causes one puppy to stand out in a litter. This puppy was clumsy, frank and eager, with a streak of unexpected worldliness running through her innocence.” — Valley of the Dolls, Jaqueline Susann

In the case of Neely, she has her big break, gets married, gets a Hollywood contract, gets addicted to pills and booze, her marriage falls apart and she has an affair with/marries her costume designer who then cheats on her and they divorce, she hits rock bottom and she’s institutionalized, then she steals Anne’s boyfriend and when she’s poised to make her big comeback, she gets sloshed and can’t go on. All of that goes on in the film with little to no change in fashion or styling to indicate time passing. This makes Neely’s rise and fall and rise and fall come off as absolutely outrageous.

No matter how earnestly Duke might have pursued her characterization of Neely originally, she was going to emerge looking ridiculous. [IMO, ridiculous in a highly entertaining, non-mocking way, but nevertheless ridiculous.] Whether it was possible to foresee this outcome at the time, I can’t know for certain. However, Susan Hayward’s insistence on having her hair white, instead of being bald from cancer treatment (screenplay) or hair treatment gone awry (book), makes me wonder if the more seasoned performer saw the writing on the wall and wasn’t willing to commit to such extremities?

Take four of my closet cosplay of Patty Duke as Neely O’Hara

With the benefit of time, fifty six years after the film’s initial release, the Camp factor of Dolls has only increased. If it had been competently adapted and had better direction, I feel confident that we wouldn’t still be talking about it in 2023. And, if Patty Duke’s performance hadn’t been so wildly over the top, Dolls might have been kind of dour and slightly boring. That’s not to deride Barbara Parkins, Sharon Tate, Susan Hayward or Lee Grant, they did great work with what they were given—but they also weren’t given jobs as impossible as the adapted Neely.

Duke’s performance is often derided (even by herself) and Dolls did end up being deleterious to her transition to adult screen roles. But, her Neely O’Hara is a Camp icon and I have a great affection for her work. It’s a performance that’ll stick with you—love it, hate it, or laugh at it. Maybe it’s the irony of having such a young actress (only twenty two!) so convincingly portray a performer that’s already been chewed up and spit out by the industry. Maybe it’s the energy she brings—the bottled up ambition to make it stick and no longer be thought of as a kid. If nothing else, Duke’s Neely is one of a kind.

“Camp taste is, above all, a mode of enjoyment, of appreciation—not judgment. Camp is generous. It wants to enjoy. It only seems like malice, cynicism. (Or, if it is cynicism, it’s not a ruthless but a sweet cynicism.) Camp taste doesn’t propose that it is in bad taste to be serious; it doesn’t sneer at someone who succeeds in being seriously dramatic. What it does is to find the success in certain passionate failures.” — Notes on Camp, Susan Sontag

What do you all think about this film? It’s divisive for a lot of very good reasons! And also bad reasons!

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Footnotes:

*Only in writing this did I learn that one of the two screenwriters credited for Dolls, Helen Deutsch, is also the screenwriter who adapted Paul Gallico’s The Love of Seven Dolls into Lili (1953). If you have also read the book and seen that film, the, um… creative choices there would also leave you questioning some things. Though maybe I should give her some leeway and assume that they weren’t strictly her creative choices given that, under the studio system in Hollywood at the time, it’s not likely that a closer adaptation of the book could have passed the censors or been palatable to studio heads. Ditto with Dolls.

**Most instances of queerness of the characters (mostly Jennifer and Anne) are erased entirely. I will talk about this more in future posts!

Patty Duke as Neely O’hara in Valley Of the Dolls, 1967

I wrote a short fic for Patrick Verona originally but it also fits Miguel so even though my heart screams Patty my little rat brain says Miguel and idk so help me choose </3 I love Patty a lot more but Miguel is more popular rn and aghgggghh I’m having a terrible time

Okay, so Vocal Coaches are amazing. They give you personalized advice for singing based on your own voice and it’s great.

However, if you can’t get a vocal coach, it’s possible to learn through observation. This gets a bit tricky since it’s very easy to fall into mimicking other people’s voices, which isn’t healthy/sustainable for most singing purposes. Ideally, you want to mimic the technique, not the voice. Now, a good thing to do when you want to learn new techniques is to find singers who have voices similar to yours and see what they do.

If they have a similar voice to yours, the vocal maneuvers that are healthy for them have a better chance of translating over to you.

You can track them to find more fun songs to sing.

When looking for these singers, match your voice types, vocal timbres, and preferred music genre.

Voice types are: Soprano (High Female), Mezzo Soprano (Middle Female), Alto (Low Female), Tenor (High Male), Baritone (Middle Male), Bass (Low Male)

Some things that describe vocal timbres are: “Bright” (Sounds higher, more youthful. Think 1937 Snow White for high female voices, 1997 Anastasia for lower female voices. The closer it sounds to Spongebob or a Wicked Witch, the brighter it is), “Warm” or “Dark” (Sounds like it has depth, a little more mature. Think 1959 Sleeping Beauty for soprano voices, 1950 Cinderella for Mezzo or Alto Voices. The closer it sounds to a Femme Fatale character or to Patrick Warburton, the darker it is), and there are more but I don’t know the technical terms. If a voice type is a range, then a timbre is the way a voice sounds within that range.

I haven’t heard a song that wasn’t from a musical since 2016, so all my examples of singers are broadway or movie musical stars. I have blind spots. You can find more people using your ears, a recording of your own singing, and a radio/music streaming service.

Soprano or Mezzo - Bright: Laura Osnes (Bandstand, Bonnie & Clyde, 2013 Cinderella), Lauren Worsham (Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Lisa O’Hare (Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked, Candide, Descendants, and so much more), Kristin Stokes (Percy Jackson Musical), Kara Lindsay (Newsies, also Wicked), Caroline Innerbichler (Frozen Tour), Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect, Movie Last Five Years, Movie Into the Woods, etc.), Sutton Foster (Little Women, Shrek the Musical, Anything Goes, Drowsy Chaperone, etc.), Liz Callaway (Film Anastasia, Lion King II, etc.), Jessica Vosk (Wicked, Dreamland, more than that), Annaleigh Ashford (Legally Blonde, Sweeney Todd Revival, Wicked, etc), Jessie Mueller (Six, Beautiful the Carole King musical, definitely more), Laura Bell Bundy (Legally Blonde, probably more than that), Sherie Renee Scott (Broadway Last Five Years, definitely more)

Soprano or Mezzo - Dark/Warm: Kelli O’Hara (Light in the Piazza, 2012 Brigadoon, Bridges of Madison County, Days of Wine and Roses, etc), Patti Murin (Frozen Broadway), Barbara Streisand (Funny Girl, Hello Dolly!, many more), Kate Baldwin (Big Fish Broadway Musical), Barbara Cook (Original Music Man, She Loves Me), Laura Benanti (She Loves Me revival), Sierra Boggess (Phantom of the Opera, The Little Mermaid Broadway, etc.), Phillipa Soo (Hamilton, 2022 Into the Woods, 2023 Camelot, Amelie, etc), Christy Altomare (Anastasia the Musical), Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, Disney’s Disenchanted, etc), Julie Andrews (Sound of Music, Original Camelot, Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady, etc), Denee Benton (Great Comet, I know she has been in other things, but I don’t know what they are), Emily Rohm (Ride the Cyclone), Erika Henningsen (Mean Girls broadway, The Theory of Relativity, almost definitely more), Gelsey Bell (Great Comet, Ghost Quartet, probably more Dave Malloy things)

Mezzo/Alto - Bright: Caroline O’Connor (Anastasia Broadway), Patina Miller (2022 Into the Woods), Capathia Jenkins (Newsies, might not be an alto), Faith Prince (Original Broadway Guys and Dolls), Ciara Renee (Big Fish the musical, might not be an alto), Susan Egan (Beauty and the Beast broadway, Movie Hercules, etc), Barret Wilbert Weed (Mean Girls, Heathers, probably much more), Eva Noblezada (Hadestown, The Great Gatsby, definitely more), Amber Gray (Great Comet, Hadestown, I’ll bet there’s more)

Mezzo/Alto - Warm/Dark: Brittain Ashford (Great Comet, Ghost Quartet, more Dave Malloy things, etc.), Judy Garland (The Wizard of Oz film, Meet Me in St. Louis film, etc), Mary Beth Peil (Anastasia Broadway), Sara Bareilles (Waitress, 2022 Into the Woods), Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia film, Into the Woods film, etc), Jill Paice (American in Paris Broadway Musical), Stephanie J. Block (2012 Brigadoon, she has many other credits but I don’t know them), Marla Schaffel (Jane Eyre the Musical), Molly Gordon (Alice by Heart, probably more)

Tenor - Bright: Jeremy Jordan (Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde, The Great Gatsby, Movie Last Five Years, etc), Rory O’Malley (Book of Mormon, I don’t know his other credits, but I bet they exist), Robert Fairchild (American in Paris), Johnathan Groff (Movie Frozen, Little Shop, 2024 Merrily We Roll Along, Hamilton, etc), Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights, anything he has written), Ben Fankhauser (Newsies, The Mad Ones, etc. Kind of in the middle with the bright/dark tones), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies, Tuck Everlasting), Michael Crawford (Original Phantom of the Opera, Movie Hello Dolly, etc), Chris McCarrell (Percy Jackson Musical, One of the Les Mis casts, etc), George Salazar (Percy Jackson Musical, Be More Chill, etc), Johnathan Raviv (Percy Jackson Musical), Sam Primack (Dreamland, probably more than that), Nirvaan Pal (Dreamland, probably more than that), Corey Cott (Bandstand, Newsies, almost definitely more than that), Colton Ryan (Alice by Heart, probably more)

Tenor - Warm/Dark: Derek Klena (Anastasia broadway musical, Pretty sure he was in Moulin Rouge, but I don’t know if he was the cast recording cast, etc.), Aaron Tveit (Movie Les Mis, another Moulin Rouge person that I don’t know about cast recording status), Hugh Jackman (Movie Les Mis, Greatest Showman, etc), Norbert Leo Butz (Wicked, Big Fish, etc), Bryce Pinkham (Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Gavin Creel (2022 Into the Woods, I’ll bet there are more), Santino Fontana (2013 Cinderella, there are more), Ramin Karimloo (Anastasia broadway, Phantom of the Opera, Funny Girl Revival, he’s either a tenor or a baritone with RANGE), Bobby Steggert (Big Fish Musical), Ross Lekites (2012 Brigadoon, probably more), Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen, definitely more than that)

Baritone - Bright: Christian Borle (Little Shop, Something Rotten, definitely more than that. Either he’s a high baritone or a tenor), Jefferson Mays (Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Tom Alan Robbins (Little Shop - same cast as Johnathan Groff, probably more), Zachary Levi (Tangled, She Loves Me Revival), Chris Pine (Movie Into the Woods, Wish. Either a high baritone or a tenor), Robert Preston (Original Music Man, Movie Music Man,

Baritone - Warm/Dark: Josh Groban (Great Comet, Sweeney Todd Revival, etc), John Bolton (Anastasia broadway cast), Constantine Germanacos (Anastasia broadway, probably more), Brian D’arcy James (2022 Into the Woods, Days of Wine and Roses, Shrek the Musical, etc), John Dosset (Newsies, probably more), Peter Gallagher (Original Broadway Guys and Dolls), Brandon Uranowitz (American in Paris broadway musical, probably more), Patrick Wilson (Movie Phantom of the Opera, 2012 Brigadoon, probably more), Michael Ball (2020 Les Mis)

Bass (There are so few of these in musical theatre and just in general that I can’t split it up by timbre) - Patrick Page (Hadestown, Hunchback of Notre Dame, probably more), Michael McElroy (Dreamland, definitely more than that), that one soloist in “A Rumor in St. Petersburg,” that one ensemble member from A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.

Odds & Ends: March 8, 2024

The Quiet Man. One of my St. Patrick’s Day traditions is to watch John Ford’s The Quiet Man. John Wayne plays an American boxer who returns to his native Irish village and falls in love with his fiery, gorgeous neighbor played by Maureen O’Hara. It’s an old-school rom-com filled with hilarious one-liners courtesy of Barry Fitzgerald (“Homeric!” “Impetuous!” “Who taught you to be playin’ patty-fingers in the Holy Water?”). It also has one of the longest bare-knuckle fight scenes in cinema history. Recommend watching while eating corned beef hash.  Toward a Leisure Ethic by Stuart Whatley. In this essay, Stuart Whatley makes the case for developing a leisure ethic in order to realize a rich, full life. We’re big proponents of developing a robust sense of leisure. We’ve gone into detail about how leisure plays an important role not only in individual flourishing, but societal flourishing. Leisure isn’t just swiping on your phone or passively watching television. Leisure is generative and enriching. Make sure to listen to our podcast on how leisure can be a cure for existential boredom.  Golden Era Bodybuilding Tank Tops. I’ve never been a tank top wearer during workouts, but now that I’m in my 1970s bodybuilding era, I figured I’d give them a shot. I’m now a tank top appreciator. It feels good to have your arms exposed to the air while you’re doing a cable machine fly. I picked up my tanks from Golden Era Athletics since I dug their old-school designs. Pares well with shorty shorts and tube socks.  Essays by Montaigne. Montaigne was a 16th century writer and philosopher who retired from public service in his late 30s and spent the rest of his time in his castle’s library and study writing about pretty much everything: educating children, virtue, luck, friendship, sleep, sex, and even farting. He was the original blogger. Essays is a collection of all his writing. You can flip to anywhere in the book and find something interesting to read.  Quote of the Week Nobody deserves to be praised for goodness unless he is strong enough to be bad, for any other goodness is usually merely inertia or lack of will-power. —Francois de La Rochefoucauld Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support! http://dlvr.it/T3pJgB

Space habitat reports – Feb.5.2024

Here is this week's selection of videos and news items about space habitats, living in space, and space settlement. Starts with NASA's latest Space to Ground report for the International Space Station: https://youtu.be/g8MrUHwvlLU ** Expedition 70 Northrop Grumman Cygnus Cargo Craft Arrives at Space Station - Feb. 1, 2024 - NASA Video Loaded with food, fuel, and supplies, the unpiloted Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft arrived to the International Space Station Feb. 1 where it was installed to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module. Dubbed the “SS Patricia (Patty) Hilliard Robertson” for the late NASA astronaut who succumbed from injuries sustained from a plane crash, Cygnus launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Jan. 30 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months. The mission is the 20th Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services flight to the space station for NASA. https://youtu.be/fb_pzLQ-ujE ** Expedition 70 Northrop Grumman Cygnus Cargo Craft Secured to Space Station - Feb. 1, 2024 - NASA Video https://youtu.be/Hj2cSf9HG1s ** Expedition 70 Space Station Crew Answers California Student Questions - Feb. 5, 2024 - NASA Video Aboard the International Space Station, NASA Expedition 70 Flight Engineers Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara discussed living and working in space during an in-flight event Feb. 5 with students attending the Emblem Academy in Saugus, California. Moghbeli and O’Hara are in the midst of a science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future human exploration through the agency’s Artemis missions, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars. https://youtu.be/b1iq7vQiXS0 ** What happens to astronauts during space station reboosts? Crew demonstrates - VideoFromSpace International Space Station crew members demonstrate their motion during a recent reboost of the oribal outpost. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli explains. https://youtu.be/ClkXSx6_-OM ** Window to the world in 360° | Muninn - European Space Agency, ESA Join ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt inside the seven-windowed cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world" and and pan around to enjoy the view. The ESA - European Space Agency-built Cupola is the favourite place of many astronauts on the International Space Station. It serves not only as a unique photo spot, but also for observing robotic activities, arriving spacecraft and spacewalks. Marcus was launched to the International Space Station on the Dragon spacecraft as part of Axiom Mission 3 on 18 January 2024. His two-week mission on board is known as Muninn. Follow Marcus’s journey on the Muninn website, check our launch kit in English or Swedish and connect with Marcus on his Instagram and X accounts. Muninn website: https://www.esa.int/Science_Explorati... Marcus Wandt's Instagram: / esaastro_marcus Marcus Wandt's X: / astro_marcus https://youtu.be/jc7psvWue0I ** Hassell and ESA unveil their concept for a permanent base on the moon - New Scientist The European Space Agency has unveiled its Lunar Habitat Master Plan, a conceptual design for a scalable moon base. Commissioned by ESA’s Discovery programme and designed by architectural firm Hassell, the ideas will guide the agency's technological development of such structures, so it can solve some of the issues moon dwellers could face in a future where research, exploration, tourism and prospecting may all form part of a lunar economy. “More people on the moon in a sustainable way. This is a good picture to have in mind,” says ESA advanced manufacturing engineer Advenit Makaya, who was involved in the design process. The concept aims to address problems that might arise from having people on the lunar surface for extended periods. This includes protecting astronauts from the harsh environment, such as radiation and dust, and dealing with extreme temperatures, lack of water, oxygen and power. The habitat is designed around a series of inflatable pods that would make minimal contact with the surface, reducing issues with abrasive dust. These would then be protected by a shell made of blocks, 3D printed using lunar soil, known as regolith, that can be interlocked into place over the pods to absorb radiation. We might also be able to get water or oxygen from the regolith. And to mitigate temperature fluctuations, and maximise solar power efficiency, the base would be built on the edge of Shackleton crater at the moon's south pole where it would face the sun for longer. Both ESA and Hassell admit their design is some way from becoming a reality, but flexibility is at the heart of it. "Is it a case of running before we can walk? I don't think so. These things take a long, long time to plan,” says Xavier De Kestelier, the global head of design for Hassell and the lead architect on the project. “We need to keep on exploring the science.”   – Learn more ➤ https://www.newscientist.com/article/... https://youtu.be/9t0kO-mFLfQ ** Ax-3 Mission | On-Orbit Science Briefing - Axiom Space Since arriving at the International Space Station, the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) crew has been hard at work. Join Dr. Lucie Low, Axiom Space's Chief Scientist, to discuss the various research projects being conducted onboard during this mission. https://youtu.be/nmcIkKKb1y4 ** Expedition 70 Axiom Mission 3 International Space Station Farewell Remarks - Feb. 2, 2024 - NASA Video Aboard the International Space Station, Axiom Mission-3 crewmembers Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı, and Marcus Wandt provided farewell remarks February 2 ahead of their scheduled undocking from the space station February 3. The crew has been living and working on the International Space Station since January 20 following a launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 18. Axiom Mission-3 is the third private astronaut mission to the space station. https://youtu.be/qa9jU0b7Fz4 ** Gravitics - Latest posting on X: On January 5th, NASA announced that the agency will increase its investment in next generation space stations by $99.5 million, in another step towards Low Earth Orbit (LEO) commercialization. Blue Origin and Voyager Space, along with Axiom Space are NASA’s primary partners in… pic.twitter.com/Hc2z4ld8qc — Gravitics (@GraviticsInc) January 27, 2024 ** VAST update on X: We have officially surpassed the 300 employee mark! We recently held our first all hands of 2024. We continue to be full speed ahead on the development of Haven-1, scheduled to launch no earlier than August 25. Check out our careers page for more information on our culture,… pic.twitter.com/9KkCU6ju8j — VΛST (@vast) January 31, 2024 ** Starlab Sizzle Reel - Voyager Space on Vimeo Starlab is a new-era space platform, set to serve a global customer base of space agencies, researchers, and companies. Our space station will ensure a continued human presence in low-Earth orbit and a seamless transition of microgravity science and research from the International Space Station into the new commercial space station era. See latest announcement: Starlab Space Selects SpaceX’s Starship for Historic Launch | Voyager Space - Jan.31.2024. Starlab Space LLC (Starlab Space), the transatlantic joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus, today announced the selection of SpaceX to launch the Starlab commercial space station to low-Earth orbit (LEO). Starship, SpaceX’s fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond, will launch Starlab in a single mission prior to the decommissioning of the International Space Station. “SpaceX’s history of success and reliability led our team to select Starship to orbit Starlab,” said Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Voyager Space. “SpaceX is the unmatched leader for high-cadence launches and we are proud Starlab will be launched to orbit in a single flight by Starship.” See also: Starlab—with half the volume of the ISS—will fit inside Starship’s payload bay | Ars Technica - Feb.1.2024. https://vimeo.com/889731242 ** Shenzhou-17 Crew Displays Scientific Research Facilities at Tiangong Station - CCTV Video News Agency The Shenzhou-17 crew members displayed various scientific research facilities at China's Tiangong space station recently. https://youtu.be/5zO4I4M8g40 ** Other news and articles: - Ax-3 Nears Departure as Station Crew Picks Up Research | Space Station/NASA - Feb.5.2024 - NASA and Partners Now Target Tuesday for Ax-3 Mission Departure | Space Station/NASA - Feb.4.2024 - Tech for space development: - NASA’s Laser Navigation Tech Enables Commercial Lunar Exploration | NASA - Feb.5.2024 - The First 3D Printer to Use Molten Metal in Space Is Headed to the ISS This Week | Singularity Hub - Jan.31.2024 - NASA is One Step Closer to Deploying Fission Reactors on the Moon | Universe Today - Feb.5.2024 - NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project Energizes Lunar Exploration | NASA - Jan.31.2024 ** Highlight: Winter over Utah - SLC - Provo - Uinta Mtns - Feb 4, 2024 - 11:26 MST -   ISS Above NASA EHDC6 Live views of the Earth from the International Space Station https://youtu.be/7-5iorwys8U ** Highlight: Colors of the Sahara - Chad - Egypt Feb 3, 2024 8:12 UTC -   ISS Above https://youtu.be/UVpjmdldGiY ** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) - NASA Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed. The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It's a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8 Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov https://www.youtube.com/live/xAieE-QtOeM?feature=share ==== ISS after undocking of STS-132 === Amazon Ads === Lego Ideas International Space Station 21321 Toy Blocks, Present, Space, Boys, Girls, Ages 16 and Up  ==== Outpost in Orbit: A Pictorial & Verbal History of the Space Station  Read the full article

NASA’s Northrop Grumman 20th commercial resupply mission will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver science and supplies to the International Space Station.NASA NASA’s Northrop Grumman 20th commercial resupply mission will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX are targeting 12:29 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 29, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Filled with more than 7,800 pounds of supplies, the Cygnus cargo spacecraft, carried atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This launch is the 20th Northrop Grumman commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for the agency. The backup launch opportunity will be at 12:07 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30. Live launch coverage will begin at 12:15 p.m. and air on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Wednesday, Jan. 24. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms Learn more at:  nasa.gov/northropgrumman Northrop Grumman S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson Patricia Robertson was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998 and scheduled to fly to the International Space Station in 2002, before her untimely death in 2001 from injuries sustained in a private plane crash.NASA Arrival & Departure The Cygnus spacecraft will arrive at the orbiting laboratory at 3:35 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, filled with supplies, hardware, and critical materials to directly support dozens of science and research investigations during Expeditions 70 and 71. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station’s robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will act as backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module’s Earth-facing port and will spend about six months connected to the orbiting laboratory before departing in May. Cygnus also provides the operational capability to reboost the station’s orbit. After departure, the Kentucky Re-entry Probe Experiment-2 (KREPE-2), stowed inside Cygnus, will take measurements to demonstrate a thermal protection system for spacecraft and their contents during re-entry in Earth’s atmosphere, which can be difficult to replicate in ground simulations. Live coverage of Cygnus’ arrival will begin at 2 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 31. NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara will be on duty during the Cygnus cargo craft’s aproach and rendezvous. Moghbeli will be at the controls of the Canadarm2 robotic arm ready to capture Cygnus as O’Hara monitors the vehicle’s arrival.NASA Research Highlights Scientific investigations traveling in the Cygnus spacecraft include tests of a 3D metal printer, semiconductor manufacturing, and thermal protection systems for re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere. 3D Printing in Space Samples produced by the Metal 3D Printer prior to launch to the space station.ESA (European Space Agency) An investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), Metal 3D Printer tests additive manufacturing or 3D printing of small metal parts in microgravity. “This investigation provides us with an initial understanding of how such a printer behaves in space,” said Rob Postema of ESA. “A 3D printer can create many shapes, and we plan to print specimens, first to understand how printing in space may differ from printing on Earth and second to see what types of shapes we can print with this technology. In addition, this activity helps show how crew members can work safely and efficiently with printing metal parts in space.” Results could improve understanding of the functionality, performance, and operations of metal 3D printing in space, as well as the quality, strength, and characteristics of the printed parts. Resupply presents a challenge for future long-duration human missions. Crew members could use 3D printing to create parts for maintenance of equipment on future long-duration spaceflight and on the Moon or Mars, reducing the need to pack spare parts or to predict every tool or object that might be needed, saving time and money at launch. Advances in metal 3D printing technology also could benefit potential applications on Earth, including manufacturing engines for the automotive, aeronautical, and maritime industries and creating shelters after natural disasters. Semiconductor Manufacturing in Microgravity The gas supply modules and production module for Redwire’s MSTIC investigation.Redwire Manufacturing of Semiconductors and Thin-Film Integrated Coatings (MSTIC) examines how microgravity affects thin films that have a wide range of uses. This technology could enable autonomous manufacturing to replace the many machines and processes currently used to make a wide range of semiconductors, potentially leading to the development of more efficient and higher-performing electrical devices. Manufacturing semiconductor devices in microgravity also may improve their quality and reduce the materials, equipment, and labor required. On future long-duration missions, this technology could provide the capability to produce components and devices in space, reducing the need for resupply missions from Earth. The technology also has applications for devices that harvest energy and provide power on Earth. Modeling Atmospheric Re-Entry An artist’s rendering of one of the Kentucky Re-entry Probe Experiment-2 (KREPE-2) capsules during re-entry.University of Kentucky Scientists who conduct research on the space station often return their experiments to Earth for additional analysis and study. But the conditions that spacecraft experience during atmospheric reentry, including extreme heat, can have unintended effects on their contents. Thermal protection systems used to shield spacecraft and their contents are based on numerical models that often lack validation from actual flight, which can lead to significant overestimates in the size of system needed and take up valuable space and mass. Kentucky Re-entry Probe Experiment-2 (KREPE-2), part of an effort to improve thermal protection system technology, uses three capsules outfitted with different heat shield materials and a variety of sensors to obtain data on actual reentry conditions. “Building on the success of KREPE-1, we have improved the sensors to gather more measurements and improved the communication system to transmit more data,” said Alexandre Martin, principal investigator at the University of Kentucky. “We have the opportunity to test several heat shields provided by NASA that have never been tested before, and another manufactured entirely at the University of Kentucky, also a first.” The capsules can be outfitted for other atmospheric re-entry experiments, supporting improvements in heat shielding for applications on Earth, such as protecting people and structures from wildfires. Remote Robotic Surgery The surgical robot during testing on the ground before launch.Virtual Incision Corporation Robotic Surgery Tech Demo tests the performance of a small robot that can be remotely controlled from Earth to perform surgical procedures. Researchers plan to compare procedures in microgravity and on Earth to evaluate the effects of microgravity and time delays between space and ground. The robot uses two “hands” to grasp and cut rubber bands, which simulate surgical tissue and provide tension that is used to determine where and how to cut, according to Shane Farritor, chief technology officer at Virtual Incision Corp., developer of the investigation with the University of Nebraska. Longer space missions increase the likelihood that crew members may need surgical procedures, whether simple stiches or an emergency appendectomy. Results from this investigation could support development of robotic systems to perform these procedures. In addition, the availability of a surgeon in rural areas of the country declined nearly a third between 2001 and 2019. Miniaturization and the ability to remotely control the robot help make surgery available anywhere and anytime on Earth.  NASA has sponsored research on miniature robots for more than 15 years. In 2006, remotely operated robots performed procedures in the underwater NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 9 mission. In 2014, a miniature surgical robot performed simulated surgical tasks on the zero-g parabolic airplane. Growing Cartilage Tissue in Space The Janus Base Nano-matrix anchor cartilage cells (red) and facilitates the formation of the cartilage tissue matrix (green).University of Connecticut Compartment Cartilage Tissue Construct demonstrates two technologies, Janus Base Nano-Matrix and Janus Base Nanopiece. Nano-Matrix is an injectable material that provides a scaffold for formation of cartilage in microgravity, which can serve as a model for studying cartilage diseases. Nanopiece delivers an RNA (ribonucleic acid)-based therapy to combat diseases that cause cartilage degeneration. Cartilage has a limited ability to self-repair and osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability in older patients on Earth. Microgravity can trigger cartilage degeneration that mimics the progression of aging-related osteoarthritis but happens more quickly, so research in microgravity could lead to faster development of effective therapies. Results from this investigation could advance cartilage regeneration as a treatment for joint damage and diseases on Earth and contribute to development of ways to maintain cartilage health on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Cargo Highlights SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station NASA’s Northrop Grumman 20th commercial resupply mission will carry 7,805 pounds (3,540 kilograms) of cargo to the International Space Station.NASA Hardware   Hydrogen Dome Assembly includes all  hydrogen and oxygen electrolysis replacement components within the International Space Station’s Oxygen Generation Assembly. These items are contained in a sub-ambient dome maintained at near vacuum pressure, designed to contain an explosion or fire in the electrolysis cell stack during operation. The dome provides a second barrier to protect against cabin air internal leakage and external leakage into the rack environment, and is pressurized with nitrogen gas for launch. This will launch as an  on-orbit spare. Ion Exchange Bed — The ion exchange bed replacement unit consists of a pair of tubes in series containing ion exchange resins, which remove organic acids from the catalytic reactor effluent, and microbial check valve resin, which injects iodine into the water as a biocide agent. This will launch  as an on-orbit spare. Catalytic Reactor — The catalytic reactor replacement unit oxidizes volatile organics from the wastewater so they can be removed by the gas separator and ion exchange bed replacement units as part of the station’s water recycling system. This will launch as an on-orbit spare. Biocide Maintenance Canister — The Internal Thermal Control System Coolant Maintenance Assembly is designed to administer o-phthalaldehyde, a biocide used to purify the internal cooling loops in the Destiny laboratory, and the Harmony, Tranquility, Columbus, and Japanese Experiment Modules, to prevent the growth of microorganisms in the thermal control system. This unit will replace the current one installed in the laboratory. Cylinder Flywheel — The ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device) cylinder-flywheel assemblies provide the resistive loads for astronaut anaerobic exercise. The cylinder flywheels impart inertial forces to simulate Earth’s gravity during exercise. International Space Station Roll Out Solar Array Modification Kit 7 – This upgrade kit consists of upper, mid, and lower struts (one each for left and right), a backbone, brackets, and support hardware for the new solar panels. This is the third in series of four modification kits needed to support the installation of the fourth set of upgraded solar arrays. The new arrays are designed to augment the station’s original solar arrays which have degraded over time. The replacement solar arrays are installed on top of existing arrays to provide a net increase in power with each array generating more than 20 kilowatts of power. Urine Processor Assembly Pressure Control and Pump Assembly — The assembly evacuates the urine distillation assembly at startup and periodically purges non-condensable gases and water vapor and pumps them to the separator plumbing assembly. The purge pump housing and pressure control and pump assembly manifolds are liquid cooled to promote steam condensation, thereby reducing the volume of the purge gas. All these systems make up the system used to covert urine to drinking water. Collection Packet and Adapter — Required for minimal, nominal water microbial sampling. In-flight water quality assessment is needed to assure that water of acceptable, defined quality will be available aboard the space station. Watch and Engage Live coverage of the launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, will air on NASA TV, NASA+ and the agency’s website. Live coverage will begin at 12:15 p.m. Live coverage of Cygnus’ rendezvous and capture at the space station will begin at 3:35 a.m. Jan. 31. Read more about how to watch and engage.

Cozy Wednesday featuring Four Leaf Cleaver (A Country Store Mystery) by Maddie Day #Review / #Giveaway @maddiedayauthor @KensingtonBooks

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!  I am delighted to share my thoughts about Four Leaf Cleaver today!

Four Leaf Cleaver (A Country Store Mystery) Cozy Mystery 11th in Series Setting - Indiana Kensington Cozies (January 24, 2023) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 149673565X ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496735652 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B17HL15D

The eleventh installment in Maddie Day’s deliciously popular Country Store cozy mysteries . . . It’s Saint Patrick’s Day in South Lick, Indiana, but a holiday cooking competition at Robbie Jordan’s country store and restaurant Pans ’N Pancakes is put on the back burner when a killer strikes. There’s no mistaking Saint Patrick’s Day at Pans ’N Pancakes. Robbie may only be Irish by marriage to Abe O’Neill, but the shelves of vintage cookware in her southern Indiana store are draped with glittery shamrocks and Kelly-green garlands and her restaurant is serving shepherd’s pie and Guinness Beer brownies. The big event, however, is a televised cooking competition to be filmed on-site. Unfortunately, someone’s luck has run out. Before the cameras start rolling, tough-as-nails producer Tara O’Hara Moore is found upstairs in her B&B room, bludgeoned apparently by the heavy hilt of a cleaver left by her side. Now, not only does Robbie have a store full of festive decorations, she’s got a store full of suspects . . . Includes Recipes for You to Try! Dollycas's Thoughts Robbie Jordan is feeling pretty lucky. She has married her favorite Irishman Abe O'Neill and gets along very well with his teenage son, Sean. Her Pans ’N Pancakes Country Store and Restaurant is all decked out for the holidays and serving Irish fare. Plus her place has been chosen to host a St. Patty's Day themed cooking competition. The production staff and the show's host arrive to get things ready to start filming the next day. The sponsor stops by to drop off the ingredient every dish must contain. A contestant even comes in to get the lay of the land. Robbie is excited and hopes the event will go off without a hitch and bring some publicity to her restaurant and store. Sadly, as people start to arrive to tape the show, host Tara O’Hara Moore is missing. She is not answering calls or texts. She had booked a room at the B&B upstairs so Robbie goes to check on her guest. She finds Ms. O'Hara Moore dead and a huge cleaver on the floor. The woman has clearly been hit several times probably by the cleaver. Robbie is thankful the killer didn't use the cleaver as intended but is very upset that she was killed and in one of her rooms no less. It is always fun to drop in for a visit with Robbie and the gang in South Lick, Indiana. Pans ’N Pancakes is the place to be to catch up with town gossip and old friends. All of Ms. Day's characters are well-developed and continue to evolve in each new story. Many of Robbie's friends are expecting and she and Abe are trying to add their own little bundle to the family. Sean is a wonderful stepson, learning to drive and even helping Robbie with a little internet sleuthing. I love the way these relationships are growing. Danna is having some romance issues and Turner is busy helping his family make maple syrup on their farm after he ends his day at the store but both are perfect employees, they support each other and Robbie and come up with some great ideas for specials. Buck and Oscar work together to catch the killer and both are happy when Robbie adds her two cents. Oscar has some fun news of his own. We are introduced to several new characters in the show's production staff, contestants, and sponsor. A couple of other people drop in at Pans ’N Pancakes too.  They are all cleaver-ly created and many are suspects. One has an interesting hobby and a family dilemma. Most are hiding something or full of blarney. One of them just has to be guilty. The mystery the author puts forth was pretty complicated and between Robbie and the professionals they were getting close. Then Robbie found herself in a pickle and I was kicking myself because I had gone in a different and very wrong direction in my personal investigation instead of going with my gut. I do enjoy the way Ms. Day entangles her subplots and the murder mystery and this time that must have gotten me a bit distracted. LOL Being set in a restaurant food is always on the table and tickling my taste buds. I was thrilled to see the recipe for Phil's Stout and Cheese Biscuits. I have copied it down and handed it off to my personal chef, also known as my husband. I hope he is able to whip some up soon. Four Leaf Cleaver was filled with the family and friends moments I love all twisted up with a complex mystery that was truly entertaining. The conclusion of the story put into print what we all knew and made me even more excited than I usually am for the next book in this series and I am always excited when Maddie Day has something in the works. Thank you, Maddie, for another Perfect Escape. Until next time . . .

Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent    

Maddie Day is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her beau and an energetic kitten north of Boston As Edith Maxwell, she writes the Local Foods Mysteries (Kensington Publishing) and the Quaker Midwife Mysteries (Midnight Ink), as well as writes award-winning short crime fiction. You can find all Maddie’s/Edith’s identities at www.edithmaxwell.com. She blogs every weekday with the other Wicked Cozy Authors at wickedcozyauthors.com. Look for her as Edith M. Maxwell and Maddie Day on Facebook and @edithmaxwell and @maddiedayauthor on Twitter.

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Remembering the Oscar winner actress, LGBT ally and mental health advocate Patty Duke on her birthday, with my illustration of the self destructive Neely O’Hara and the cast from Valley of the Dolls, a movie panned by critics at the time that has become a cult classic! What is your favorite quote? #pattyduke #neelyohara #valleyofthedolls #barbaraparkins #sharontate #susanhayward #lgbtally #mentalhealth #alejandromogolloart https://www.instagram.com/p/CmJylk5oZmV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ad_1] Tony Award-winning legend Patti LuPone spontaneously provided up singing classes as an public sale prize and belted out Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good,” to lift cash for charity A Is For, which advocates for abortion rights. Martha Plimpton, who hosted the occasion Sunday night at 54 Below and who co-founded the charity, was auctioning off skincare merchandise when a visitor sweetened the deal by including a voice lesson with Tony winner and “The King and I” star Kelli O’Hara as a part of the prize. Not to be outdone, “Orange is the New Black” star Lea DeLaria yelled out that she would come to the winner’s home and do a efficiency along with her band. Then, LuPone, who was on stage to sing, stunned the group by chipping in a voice lesson of her personal, elevating the successful bid to $15,000. Martha Plimpton and Jenn Lyon co-hosted the occasion that featured Broadway expertise. Dianna Bush images Sounds like a steal. Also performing on the occasion was “Wicked,” star Jessica Vosk, who did a dead-on impersonation of Britney Spears singing “Oops I Did It Again” and “Hamilton” star Javier Munoz, who sang Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.” Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Peppermint received into it singing Fiona Apple’s “Criminal.” And DeLaria received the group going with Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar.” While “Saturday Night Live’s Cecily Strong did not attend, the comic, who did a sketch about abortion on the NBC show last year, put “SNL” tickets up for the public sale. Lea DeLaria sang Harry Styles and provided up a personal live performance at somebody’s dwelling for public sale. Dianna Bush images The night time additionally had a comedy “In Memoriam” video that mourned the passing of Queen Elizabeth, the federal proper to abortion, “our collective sanity,” the final telephone sales space in New York, Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian’s relationship, “a nonpartisan supreme court,” and, Plimpton and co-host Jenn Lyon cracked, “Danny Devito,” earlier than acknowledging the “Always Sunny in Philadelphia” actor remains to be alive. Plimpton and Lyon ripped off their shirts later within the present, revealing quite a few non permanent tattoos of DeVito’s face. And whereas the fundraising occasion was filled with songs and comedy, Plimpton, who has been open about her personal abortion, gave a speech by means of tears. “This is not a one-size fits all issue, its not just a women’s issue,” she stated of abortion rights. “It’s about all of us. It’s about bodily autonomy and that means everything to every body.” The occasion raised greater than $159,000. [ad_2] Source link

Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS: When I was in graduate school, I saw the end of Guy Green’s JACQUELINE SUSANN’S ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH (1975, Criterion) — a title that would make even Andrew Sarris hate the auteur theory — stayed for the second feature and walked out shortly after ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH resumed, thereby proving that, at least for me, once was more than enough. I do not regret walking out on it then, nor do I regret watching it all the way through now. It’s an interesting study: the Hollywood version of ‘70s culture. Considering how far behind the times Hollywood is, it’s really more their version of ‘60s culture. Virginal January (Deborah Raffin) returns to the states after three years of surgery and rehabilitation following the screen’s funniest motorcycle accident. To her chagrin, she discovers her father (Kirk Douglas), a once-great film producer, has married a wealthy woman (Alexis Smith) to get out of hock (and possibly pay the hefty bills from that Swiss clinic she was in). While working through her daddy issues, she loses her virginity to her stepmother’s cousin (George Hamilton), goes to work for an oversexed old friend (Brenda Vaccaro) and falls for an impotent, alcoholic novelist (David Janssen). None of these people are human beings. The script, by Julius J. Epstein, makes of them a series of figures out a morality play on the dangers of the Electra complex. The cast does their best to bring life to the proceedings. Raffin is charming, Smith surprisingly nuanced (she clearly learned to act in the years since she wafted through all those Warner Bros. movies), Vaccaro hilarious, and Melina Mercouri, as a reclusive lesbian actress, underused. Janssen looks quite believably trapped by Raffin’s love for him, though at times you can’t help wondering if he didn’t just feel trapped in that wretched script. His scenes seem to go on forever, and it’s hard to blame him. His scenes seem to drag on forever, no matter how hard he tries. It all needs to be ratcheted up a bit, maybe by having Patty Duke run through every now and then screaming “Neely O’Hara! Neely O’Hara!” Much has been made of the role daddy love plays in Susann’s work, but from a modern vantage, this film really could be seen as her version of A DOLL’S HOUSE. Raffin starts out as her father’s doll. She’s even paralyzed when first we see her. When she comes home, Douglas and Smith try to run her life. Then she hooks up with Janssen, who expects her to drop everything to go to Hollywood with him, tells her he’ll leave her if she speaks to her father and finally dumps her because he just can’t do commitment. Then The Mancini Singers break forth with the title tune to make us think maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. As if we needed to be told.