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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich
@typesandpatterns.bsky.social
250 followers 840 following 750 posts
Writer/Artist, work-in-progress: “Rock of Ages”, a Xena webcomic https://typesandpatterns.com/blog/
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · Nov 8
Back on my musical #Xena #webcomic, I believe its themes are relevant now:
1) Fear & anger are powerful servants, but terrible masters
2) You have more allies than you think
Here’s a pep talk from it, sung by Xena herself at a moment when all seems lost:

youtu.be/DL7-CKirWZE?...
New Radicals - You Get What You Give (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by NewRadicalsVEVO
youtu.be
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 7h
The music video that captures her personality to me is Sarah MacLachlan’s Building a Mystery, at Lilith Fair:

youtu.be/8RJfYhwv-rI?...
Lilith Fair - Sarah McLachlan
YouTube video by ohadpoz
youtu.be
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 7h
My goal is to capture the look & feel of the show, so starring in any RenPic ep helps. Anyway, I can totally picture it. On her arms are henna tattoos of wings, & a heart painted on her forehead. All of her colleagues wear body paint, as well, which changes throughout, depending on occasion.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 7h
Given that I’m trying to cast from the show, why Keisha, since she wasn’t on it? I was impressed by her Xena-like appearance on Game of Thrones, & she has a great sense of humor in interviews, which fits a comedic role like this. She did appear on Legend of the Seeker at this character’s age.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 7h
Day 10 of my ink #Drawtober challenge, for my upcoming #Xena webcomic. This is Mandy, who plays the portable sitar. She is the down-to-earth pal of the head-in-the-clouds Angel (coming next). I drew inspiration from Keisha Castle-Hughes.
#Rocktober
#Artober
Mandy holding a portable sitar
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Reposted by Rich
joshtpm.bsky.social
Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 10h
If GOP wants to abolish the filibuster over this, awesome. It helps Rs way more than Ds. It’s also a central reason for loss of faith in government over the last 25 yrs. Rs can reopen the govt tonight if they want. If they want to do it to make sure 15 million lose their health care that’s on them.
ringwiss.bsky.social
ringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · 13h
“And that’s why we nuked it twice in the past month.”
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d
The song that sums up Serafina for me is Petula Clark’s 60s hit, Colour My World. It perfectly captures the frenetic evangelism of the Tourists. Also, when possible, I choose pop music that has a sitar sound, which invokes Eve & Eli’s influence.

youtu.be/wDAcB5wX4cw?...
Colour My World
YouTube video by Petula Clark - Topic
youtu.be
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d
Nearly all characters in my story are “cast” from #Xena, Hercules or Young Hercules. Given that this is a “lost” story set just before season 6, it’s likely it would follow the casting pattern of the show which reused actors as available.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 1d
Day 9 of my Oct #Xena ink #Drawtober challenge. Here’s the 1st of the Magical Mystery Tourists, a splinter faction of the Elijian cult. Serafina, a jester/ballerina is inspired by Xena/Young Hercules star Jodie Rimmer.
#Rocktober
#Artober
Serafina dancing in diamond-patterned outfit with jester collar
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Reposted by Rich
joshtpm.bsky.social
Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 1d
2/ constitutionally dubious law, invalidates the federal constitution. states and individuals would need to use whatever power they have to uphold the constitution over and against illegal federal actions.
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Reposted by Rich
joshtpm.bsky.social
Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 1d
invocation of the insurrection act will be the key moment for everyone. the white house, any state where it's invoked, especially the supreme court. all public officials are ultimately responsible for acting in line with the constitution. a false invocation of the insurrection act, itself a ...
radleybalko.bsky.social
Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 1d
Nothing remotely resembling an insurrection is happening anywhere in the country. Any violence associated with protest has been isolated, mild, and, in nearly every case, instigated by federal law enforcement. If we let Trump get away with calling dissent an insurrection, our republic is over.
BREAKING: Trump Admin 'Seriously' Considering Using the Insurrection Act, Reports NBC
President Trump is "seriously" considering invoking the Insurrection Act in order to more easily deploy National Guard troops to major cities as part of crime crackdown, NBC reported on Wednesday
www.mediaite.com
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Reposted by Rich
darrigomelanie.bsky.social
Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 3d
I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.
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Reposted by Rich
schumer.senate.gov
Chuck Schumer @schumer.senate.gov · 3d
The government is shut down because Trump and the Republicans are hellbent on taking health care away from you.

And they won’t even come to the table to talk to us about it.

This is not about politics. It's about people.

Let’s break it down:
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d
The song that best represents Eunice to me is Woodstock, sung by Joni Mitchell:

youtu.be/CEBmKi2xmoU?...
Woodstock
YouTube video by Joni Mitchell - Topic
youtu.be
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d
For each character, I imagine a song that encapsulates their experience. For Petracles, it has to be What’s Going On, by Marvin Gaye:

youtu.be/o5TmORitlKk?...
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Official Video 2019)
YouTube video by MarvinGayeVEVO
youtu.be
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d
Surely this must signify hope for the future, when Eli’s chosen one will return as an adult, to ease their burden & show them the way?
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 2d
Day 8 of my Oct #Xena challenge. This is yesterday’s, Eunice, 25 years later. She has become an Elijian mystic after Seeds of Faith, in which she glimpsed Eli’s risen spirit with the God of Light’s angelic messenger (Callisto) laying hands on pregnant Xena…
#Rocktober
#Drawtober
#Artober
80 year old Eunice enthralled by a vision of the future
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d
And by faith, I mean the faith to endure through troubled times. Faith in the god of light or any other god is not an issue for them since the gods are quite visible & active in their world.
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d
As I mentioned, his name, Petracles, signifies to me he’s like Peter, renamed Petros (rock) by Christ: “ On this rock I will build my church”. A question I asked for each character in this story is “On what do they base their faith?” The answer’s different each time, & it’s a difficult one for Eve.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d
By the way, Mary is an author as well, & is still active in NZ film!

www.read-nz.org/writers-file...
Margaret Blay - Writer's Files • Read NZ Te Pou Muramura
Because Reading Changes Lives
www.read-nz.org
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d
The role of Eunice in Seeds of Faith (I chose the name, after Timothy’s mother in 2 Timothy in the Bible) is staged a bit like a Mary in the Gospel, kind of a combo between Virgin Mary & Magdalene. She is by Eli & Petracles’ side throughout the ep, collecting his ashes at the end.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d
The actress in Seeds of Faith was a background actor with no lines, so for the purposes of my story, I substituted Margaret Blay, who appeared in Locked Up & Tied Down, & very much hits the notes I’m looking for. I will use the original actor in another non-speaking role elsewhere.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 3d
Day 7 of my #Xena Oct drawing challenge in ink. This is a member of the Council of Pylos, those who witnessed Eli’s death 25 years ago. Ares would very much like them gone. This is Eunice, who is was like a mother to Eli. She appears uncredited in Seeds of Faith.
#Rocktober
#Drawtober
#Artober
Eunice, Elijian of Pylos, weeping for her slain leader.
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d
Day 6 of my Oct #Xena challenge. This is yesterday’s, Petracles, from Seeds of Faith, as he appears in my story 25 years later, on what could be the last day of Eli’s followers on Earth.
#Rocktober
#Drawtober
#Artober
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typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d
“Peace with honor”
typesandpatterns.bsky.social
Rich @typesandpatterns.bsky.social · 4d
talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/power...
Power Is the Order of the Day, and Other Beds Trump Has Made
One of the biggest challenges I’ve had in the last nine months...
talkingpointsmemo.com