i will tell you, my daughter
of your worth
not your beauty
everyday. (your beauty is a given, every being is born
beautiful)
knowing your worth
can save your life.
raising you on beauty alone
you will be starved.
you will be raw.
you will be weak.
an easy stomach.
always in need of someone telling you how beautiful you
are.
While her party was a few days ago, today marks the birthday of a very special lady in our family. Our matriarch. Our cinnamon toast maker. Our harmonizer (I know she’s why I can hear a tenor and alto line so well). Our boss. Our rock.
My Grandy.
Today, Grandy Sheppard celebrates another birthday and another year of memories, life, and love. These are the times that the distance gets tough for us, because this is where we’d love to be a part of the party. But we are thankful for the technology that allows us to video in and celebrate. To share our well wishes and love. And to spread that to all we know.
We hope today was truly a Grand one and hope to physically celebrate together soon.
We love you Grandy Sheppard! Many blessed and happy returns of the day!
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Mickey Mouse turns 94 today. Looks pretty good, doesn't he!
Ninety-three years ago today, Disney released Steamboat Willie in New York. Though the short was the third Mickey Mouse short to be produced, it was the first to find a distributor and be released, causing the Walt Disney Company to use it as marking Mickey's debut to the world. This short innovated cartoon shorts at the time by being the first cartoon short to have synchronized sound throughout its entirety. The magic of sound and comedy quickly propelled the mouse to the most prominent animated character of the time.
In the years since, Mickey has gone on to be a movie star, television star, comic book hero, corporate mascot, and theme park icon. To the point where the three circle silhouette is instantly recognizable. And where referring to something as being "Mickey Mouse" has specific connotations.
From a life long fan, happy birthday Mickey! Ears to many more years!
It’s so hard to believe how fast this little boy is growing up. He’s definitely in the little kid category now; no longer a toddler.
He’s our Harry Belafonte loving, video game playing, Muppet Show watching, word creating little goof. My favorite new word of his is crappersnappers for when things go wrong.
I love his new obsession with Dr. Pepper, which he’s doing to copy his dad. I love his desire to look handsome. I love his love of spooky things.
I hope you have had an awesome day today buddy. Looking forward to all the new discoveries this year ahead.
M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Mickey Mouse turns 93 today. Looks pretty good for a nonagenarian!
Ninety-three years ago today, Disney released Steamboat Willie in New York. Though the short was the third Mickey Mouse short to be produced, it was the first to find a distributor and be released, causing the Walt Disney Company to use it as marking Mickey's debut to the world. The short innovated cartoon shorts at the time by being the first cartoon short to have synchronized sound throughout the entire short. The magic of sound and comedy quickly propelled the mouse to the most prominent animated character of the time.
In the years since, Mickey has gone on to be a movie star, television star, comic book hero, corporate mascot, and theme park icon. To the point where the three circle silhouette is instantly recognizable. And where referring to something as being "Mickey Mouse" has specific connotations.
From a life long fan, happy birthday Mickey! Ears to many more years!
Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the world! We've had such an adventure over the past year and I can't wait to see what the future brings. I'm looking forward to spending all your many mores with you!
i will tell you, my daughter
of your worth
not your beauty
everyday. (your beauty is a given, every being is born
beautiful)
knowing your worth
can save your life.
raising you on beauty alone
you will be starved.
you will be raw.
you will be weak.
an easy stomach.
always in need of someone telling you how beautiful you
are.
NPR marks its 50th birthday today. May 3, 1971, NPR started its first broadcast. While the station had began airing Senate hearings of the Vietnam War on April 20, 1971, May 3 marked the first day it aired its own programming. All Things Considered, their afternoon drive-time newscast, premiered with host Robert Conley, discussing the news of the day. The broadcasts could not be aired live during the first week, but could be recorded to be played later. Thankfully things have exploded from there.
While it is not as much a part of my daily life now, NPR was my lifeline for a very long time. Growing up, I couldn't have imagined it, but I've become a fan of talk-radio. Of talk shows. I like feeling like I'm joining into a conversation, whether it be on radio and on podcasts.
Because of that, my hour long commutes were filled with NPR or podcasts. And I loved a lot about NPR. Marketplace Morning Report, BBC Newshour. I love the irreverent part in Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me... and Ask Me Another. While I have issues with her interview style at times, I enjoy Fresh Air.
NPR provides that essential lifeline of information. Freely available. Open to all. About as center of the political spectrum in news that you can ask for.
It's amazing that it has lasted this long. Let's pray to keep it funded for another 50 years into the future.
Happy Birthday NPR! To many more...
A happiest of birthdays to the best father, best grandfather, the best mentor anyone could ask for. The hardest part of the move has been in not being there for celebrations, but we make the most of it when we can. We hope you enjoy your day to its fullest and hope you appreciate the little bit of Indiana we've sent your way. We especially look forward to getting to celebrate with you in just 33 days from now.
I've taken, over the past couple of years, to using an older colloquialism for birthday greetings - Many happy returns of the day! I love the sentiment of it. Not only wishing that the person would have a great day, but that it would occur over and over and over again.
We love you and can't wait to see you soon! May the blessings of this day spill over, and over, and over again.
Happy birthday, Dad!
Marvel Comics celebrated its 81st birthday yesterday. The day commemorates the release of Marvel Comics #1 on August 31, 1939, featuring the first Marvel characters: The Human Torch and the Sub-mariner, as well as minor characters the noir detective the Angel, the western Masked Raider, and the jungle lord Ka-Zar. The first print of 80,000 quickly sold out, leading to a second print that sold out of 800,000 copies.
Since then, Marvel has been a hit. And in the decades since it has become a household name. There have been lean periods. The post Wertham Seduction of the Innocent period pre-1961, where all comics companies were struggling to find what genre would be a hit. The Marvel bankruptcy and speculator boom and bust of the 1990s. But the company has come through each with innovation and storytelling.
All comic companies are facing a particularly difficult season this year, like other entertainment businesses. Individual comics are still primarily sold through the direct market, a collection of small business comic shops across the country. Margins are generally razor thin, and many comic shops have been going under even prior to the whole shutdown.
To compound things, comics are primarily distributed through one company, Diamond Comic Distributors. The shutdown and shipping restrictions meant that for nearly two months, no new comics were being shipped to comic shops, though there were finished products that could have been available and ready to ship. Even digital copies of these issues were withheld from the digital storefronts. The major publishers are just now starting to find a new rhythm for shipment, though the standard Wednesday shipment of all issues has come to an end. The era of the Wednesday warrior is over.
Marvel's recent success with film has likewise ground to a halt, as Hollywood is still unsure how to proceed. No one is lining up to return to movie theaters, though they are reopening across the country. Marvel's last film in its old 20th Century Fox deal, The New Mutants, released last week, earning only $7 million, the lowest of any X-men film. Marvel Studios tentpole Black Widow film is supposed to release in November, but with how this year has gone, who knows. Production is likewise uncertain, as only certain countries are allowing filming to resume.
In recognition of this difficult year, Marvel has recently added an icon to its covers, visually similar to the old Comics Code Authority approval seal. It's an image created by Diamond Comics Distributors, reminding us that this too shall pass.
Our Comeback Will Be Bigger Than Our Setback.
That these momentary and fleeting afflictions shall not be the defining characteristic of our future. It's a reminder that echoes the optimism inherent in Marvel Comics. Echoes of that great moment in Amazing Spider-man #33, where Spider-man has been crushed under heavy machinery following a fight with Doctor Octopus. Trapped there, he finds the situation hopeless; he's too exhausted from the fight, the machinery is too heavy, the situation is too impossible. And yet, through grit and determination he finds the strength needed to lift the machinery off of him. To fight on. He remembered what he was fighting for.
It's an incredible two page sequence, one of the most remembered from Spider-man's storied past.
That's where Marvel and we are right now. The situation looks dire, the weight seems too much. But there is always hope.
Happy Birthday Marvel! Keep reminding us to look up!
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| 06.11.14 |
