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Small Talk: Chewing The Haggis


Athena
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Where does the movie take place?

 

That's not exactly clear.  A lot of the actors had Scottish accents but some had English accents (and of course I can't distinguish British accents all that well.)  The location didn't really enter into the plot.  IMDb says it is set on the south coast of England and was filmed in Dorset.  Much of the film takes place in a car park that could be located in Newark NJ.  So, not the most scenic of films.

Edited by WatchrTina

I'm dying to tell this to someone who will understand.
My husband who has seen the show but not read the books walks in on me reading

MOBY

in bed. He says "Hey [wink, wink] are you reading that for inspiration?" 
"Claire is amputating some guy's leg and Jamie is helping.* So, no."
"Uhh..okay."
I laugh for 10 minutes. 

 

*I suppose this is technically a spoiler but geeze, isn't there a random amputation in every book? 

  • Love 5

All the recent media attention to Outlander (winning online fan polls, shout-outs in magazine "best of the year" lists) is giving me a very pleasant day dream.  Does anyone here remember when Alias first aired? Jennifer Garner was a relatively unknown actress (she'd had a small, supporting role on Felicity where we all hated her for being the girlfriend-in-the-way of the show's one true pairing).  Then she got the lead in Alias.  And then she got nominated for a golden globe as best actress during the very first season.  She was very funny and self-effacing in the red-carpet interviews.  Someone was interviewing her and then spun away from her when a much bigger star walked by.  When he came back to her she just laughed it off and said "Oh I'm sure if Brad Pitt walks up you'll drop me again like a hot potato" (or words to that effect).  Just then Brad Pitt walked by, heard his name, and turned to her with a questioning look.  She stuck out her hand and said "Jennifer Garner.  Nice to meet you." because she knew, she absolutely knew, he had no clue who she was.  So later that evening, she won.  She was adorable during her speech saying she was really glad she'd had a glass of wine and really wishing she hadn't had two.  Then she said something like "I'd like to acknowledge all the people who work on the show so, ladies & gentlemen, Table 12!" and the camera pans over to a round table full of the cast and crew of Alias who are clearly just overjoyed at the this unexpected accolade.  It sticks in my mind as one of the most genuine, warm moments I've ever seen on an award show.

 

I want that moment for Outlander.  I want to see someone, anyone, up on the podium accepting a Golden Globe for Outlander.  I want them a bit drunk and I want them to acknowledge the cast & crew and then I want the camera to swing over to a table containing Diana, Ron, Terry, Caitriona, Sam, Tobias, Graham, Grant, Duncan, Stephen, and the writers and directors.  I would love to see the unbridled joy on their faces that I saw on the faces of the Alias team.  Here's hoping.

 

ETA:  Alas, no Golden Globe nomination for Outlander this morning.  Oh well.  There's always next year.  Or the Emmys.

Edited by WatchrTina
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I love all the books, some more than others.  I think one of the issues people have with the other books is the large number of characters.  While it is always to some degree the Jamie and Claire show, more and more time is spent with others.  Also, much like a long running show, sometimes the plotlines get a bit repetitive and/or convoluted.  Overall I love the series and tend to forget quickly the parts I am bored by or don't care for.  When I look at all the books as a whole its been a fabulous ride so far!

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I like the later books, although I have not read them as many times as the first three, so it's harder for me to remember exactly what happens in them. I think I haven't read them as much simply because I haven't had them as long (out of necessity since they haven't been published as long) and because my life is busier than it was when I discovered the books (sometime between Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber).

 

Poldark on PBS's Masterpiece!

OMG, Aidan Turner!  Score!  Loved him in Being Human and also as Kili in The Hobbit . . . which also starred Graham MacTavish . . . who stars in Outlander.  All things lead to Outlander.

 

Want further proof?  I just finished watching Interview with the Vampire, which starred Christian Slater . . . whose first big movie role was in The Name of the Rose as . . . wait for it . . . Adso of Melk.  Okay technically it's a teeny-weeny spoiler but I don't think anyone will be too upset with me if I say that at some point over the course of 8 books somebody adopts a cat and names it Adso of Melk (as in Adso of Milk . . . get it?)  Like I said, all things lead to Outlander.

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Season 2 of Black Sails begins next Saturday (Jan 24) so I binge-watched episodes 3 -6 last night and will watch 7 & 8 tonight.  The fact that I watched episodes 1 & 2 over a month ago and then forgot about it will tell you that it's no "Outlander".  But I did enjoy the experience of watching last night -- it's a ripping good yarn to use Ron Moore's words -- and I will enjoy getting back into the habit of anticipating a show at 9:00 on Satruday nights on STARZ.  It's good to have something to do during Doughtlander.

 

Without spoiling Black Sails, here are a few thoughts comparing the two shows.

 

1. Both shows show women initiating sex (yay female empowerment!) but in Black Sails the two or three moments of female empowerment get overshadowed by a whore being brutalized over and over again across several episodes.  Not fun to watch.  

 

2. I like complex characters and Dougal is a masterful example of one ("I don't hold with rape.  And we've not got time for it anyway").  But generally speaking, I know who I'm rooting for in every scene of Outlander.  In Black Sails I don't know who I'm rooting for.  I just watch.  Everyone seems rather awful a good bit of the time.  The one counter-example, the one character I most liked, just died.  So that sucks. Then again -- he didn't die on camera so maybe there's hope for him.

 

3. One of the characters in Black Sails asks if there is word from "home" and the response is about the news that King James has fled to Europe and is now being called "The Pretender".  So Black Sails is set approximately 30 years before the events of "Outlander".  I enjoy thinking about how Colum and Dougal are adolescents right now, Colum is still healthy, and Ned is a strapping man in his prime, probably already in service to their father.

 

4. One of the characters in Black Sails is a woman who lives outside the rules.  She lives alone except when a man who is not her husband (a sea-captiain) comes to spend time with her.  She does not attend church.  Last night a kid threw a rock at her and called her a witch.  Unlike Geillis she doesn't have a powerful (living) husband to protect her.  Well, shit -- that's not likely to end well.

 

5. Claire's bandage-tying skills are markedly superior to those shown in Black Sails

 

6. The pirates of Black Sails desperately need Mrs. Fitz.  There is a ghastly scene involving the roasting of a pig by someone masquerading (unsuccessfully) as a ship's cook.  

 

7. If you thought the amputation scene in Outlander episode 6 was tough to watch, you'll just hate the amputation scene in Black Sails.

 

8.  Eye candy.  Both shows have eye candy.  I much prefer watching Jamie bare-chested, gently lit by firelight, having his wounds tended by Claire to any of the bare skin I saw on Black Sails but I have to admit that Zach McGowen (Captain Charles Vane), bare-chested and filthy, is pretty freaking awesome to look at.

 

9.  Long hair.  Zach McGowen has long hair.  And it's real.  And it's awesome.  Much as I love Sam/Jamie -- Zach/Vane has to win this one because he's already past that awkward phase we all go through when growing our hair out.

 

10. Disconcerting photos on IMDb.  So we all know Diana described Sam's IMDb photos from his pre-Outlander gigs as "grotesque."   Zach has IMDb photos where he's wearing a frilly woman's bathrobe.  I don't even want to know.  Also, he's smiling in many of his candid photos, no doubt because Zach is a very nice, normal guy.  Captain Vane, however, is a glowering, angry, tortured soul who never ever smiles so  Zach's "happy" photos are really disconcerting.  Jamie smiles from time to time so Sam's happy pictures are less off-putting.

 

11. Body count.  Geordie died in episode 4 of Outlander but other than that I can't think of a named character dying in that show.  At least not yet.  People drop like flies in Black Sails.  It's much more like Game of Thrones in its body count and even people in the opening credits are not safe.

 

12. Viewer engagement.  I've watched every episode of Outlander more than once and I look forward to watching them all again in the run up to April 4.  I am quite certain I will never watch any episode of Black Sails again, so, no contest. [ETA:  I was wrong.  I'm re-watching them now.  It's such a complex plot that a second viewing from the beginning is actually very helpful.  It's nice to not be constantly mentally saying, "Wait, who is that guy?"]  But nothing, absolutely nothing in Black Sails can compare to "The Wedding" episode.  It stands head and shoulders above everything else.

 

Edited to add this one:

13. The pirate code.  You know how the "Pirate Code" gets cited and made fun of in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies?  Well it's no joke in Black Sails.  Pirates make their living taking from others but woe betide the member of the crew who tries to steal from his brothers.  Loyalty is a life-or-death issue on Black Sales.  The Highlanders in Outlander are not exactly pirates but they're not that far off when you look at their attitudes about clan loyalty and their attitude toward cattle-stealing from their neighbors (that's from the books).  They enjoy a good raid on another clan when the opportunity arises (as seen when the Grants raid the MacKenzie's tax wagons in episode 7.)  So the warrior attitude, loyalty to your clan/crew, taking what you can and fighting to keep what you take are all shared attitudes between the highlanders of Outlander and the pirates of Black Sails.  And although only Geordie died on camera in Outlander you'll recall that that wasna Jamie's blood he was covered in after the fight at Cocknammon Rock.  The off-camera body-count is high in both shows and even our hero Jamie is a killer. It's one of the reasons some people want him to be the next Laird.  Oh yeah, that's another similarity -- Pirates elect their captain the same way clans elect their new Laird and in both shows there are men who are willing to kill and bribe to rig those elections to either preserve their leadership position or (in Dougal's case) ensure they'll be next in line.

 

Ship ahoy!

Edited by WatchrTina
  • Love 3

I agree with most of this , especially how I like it but no desire to rewatch. I also have no urgency to see the next episode.  I will be watching when it returns though.

 

8.  Eye candy.  Both shows have eye candy.  I much prefer watching Jamie bare-chested, gently let by firelight, having his wounds tended by Claire to any of the bare skin I saw on Black Sails but I have to admit that Zach McGowen (Captain Charles Vane), bare-chested and filthy, is pretty freaking awesome to look at.

 

9.  Long hair.  Zach McGowen has long hair.  And it's real.  And it's awesome.  Much as I love Sam/Jamie -- Zach/Vane has to win this one because he's already past that awkward phase we all go through when growing our hair out.

 

10. Disconcerting photos on IMDb.  So we all know Diana described Sam's IMDb photos from his pre-Outlander gigs as "grotesque."   Zach has IMDb photos where he's wearing a frilly woman's bathrobe.  I don't even want to know.  Also, he's smiling in many of his candid photos, no doubt because Zach is a very nice, normal guy.  Captain Vane, however, is a glowering, angry, tortured soul who never ever smiles so  Zach's "happy" photos are really disconcerting.  Jamie smiles from time to time so Sam's happy pictures are less off-putting.

 

 

 

 

I'm going to have disagree here though. Ick. I think Vane is sleazy! However, there is one character who you mentioned that might have an unhappy end, is VERY easy on the eyes.

 

I also think Black Sails portrays women as male fantasy.  Sure they are "empowered" but there is lot of sexposition like GoT.  Not that it's bad, doesn't bother me, but I don't think I would have noticed as much had I not seen Outlander.

 

It seems that women in Black Sails world have more freedom than Outlander world. They also have better weather, but I imagine people smell worse in BS, not to mention sand everywhere. 

 

Another good thing is that once Black Sails has this run Outlander is back guys! It's getting closer!

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However, there is one character who you mentioned that might have an unhappy end, is VERY easy on the eyes.

Oooh, I know who you mean and you are right.  He's even easier on the eyes than Captain Vane on a good day.  I just looked him up on IMDb to confirm that he is very tall (6'5") and dear god the guns on that man.  I cracked up at first over the way he wears his sleeves rolled up to show off those arms but I felt cheated that we never saw him with his shirt off.  Then came the scene where they had to careen the hull and he took his top off.  Jesus H Roosevelt Christ!

 

 

I imagine people smell worse in BS, not to mention sand everywhere.

Jack seems fond of a bath but yeah, everybody else looks like they stink to high heaven.  Especially the men Vane recruits near the end of the season.  Most of them are sporting dreadlocks and I'm betting the haven't made the acquaintance of soap in years.  Ew.

Edited by WatchrTina

Oooh, I know who you mean and you are right.  He's even easier on the eyes than Captain Vane on a good day.  I just looked him up on IMBb to confirm that he is very tall (6'5") and dear god the guns on that man.  I cracked up at first over the way he wears his sleeves rolled up to show off those arms but I felt cheated that we never saw him with his shirt off.  Then came the scene where they had to careen the hull and he took his top off.  Jesus H Roosevelt Christ!

 

Jack seems fond of a bath but yeah, everybody else looks like they stink to high heaven.  Especially the men Vane recruits near the end of the season.  Most of them are sporting dreadlocks and I'm betting the haven't made the acquaintance of soap in years.  Ew.

Meet me in the casting thread!

  • Love 1

Here's a link to BBC America's Anglophenia page (aren't we all anglophiles now?) celebrating a hot Scot (don't we all love hot Scots?)  It's a page devoted to David Tennant's recent recognition at the National Television Awards.  The tribute video is very nice.  I voted my fingers off for Sam in the Anglophenia Fan Favorite poll but if I had not been voting for Sam, I would have been voting for David.

 

http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2015/01/doctor-whos-day-roundup-david-tennant-special/

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Say, have you all heard of a show called Game of Thrones?  It's like the Irish Outlander. <g>  Except that it's only filmed in Ireland (and Iceland and Dubrovnik) but is not actually set there.  Anyway, the last two episodes of last season are out in movies theaters in IMAX format right now (though, sadly, not in my area.)  Here are the show-runners talking about it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1422579428&x-yt-cl=85114404&v=bFF0BInuMBk

I think you'll be pleased, jtrattray. I know they have had training for their accents. The history as I understand it is pretty good. I mean, when the commentary is about whether there were boars in Scotland at the time you think they have all the big things covered. 

One of my friends was wearing an Outland inspired scarf at a medieval re-creation event. Even the knit goods time travel.

So many discussion about erotica, feminism, abuse, and empowerment have gone one this week and I just want to yell "Go watch the Wedding episode!" Dang it. 

I deleted my original post for being long-winded and off-topic.  Prolonged Droughtlander syndrome is affecting my judgement.

 

Suffice to say I got very excited about the release of the first 8 episodes on iTunes and was looking forward to renewing my video-editing skills to make an Outlander fan video.  After a significant investment of time and money I had to give up due to a boring but insurmountable technical difficulty (damn you 24 fps!)

 

I'm consoling myself by watching the behind-the-scenes extras that came with the 8 episodes.

 

ETA:  Okay this is funny.  Somewhere in these boards is a post from me saying the show-runners ought to include a video showing how a Highlander puts on the old-fashioned "belted plaid" kilts that are worn in the show.  Elsewhere on these board are several posts from me making a wee bit of a fuss over a particular extra -- the young, clean-shaven, handsome one with very long hair who is used in scenes involved horses. He's the one who spurs his horse and charges after Jamie right after Jamie cries "Tulach Ard!" in the first episode.  I've named him Waldo (as in "where's Waldo?") and have enjoyed keeping an eye out for him in every episode.  Well there is a very nice behind-the-scenes featurette on costumes that came with my iTunes downloads of episodes 1-8 and guess what?  It includes a nice long scene of Waldo putting on his kilt.  I'm happy.

Edited by WatchrTina
  • Love 4
(edited)

I know that some of you might be interested in the new, reimagined BBC miniseries based on Winston Graham's Poldark Saga. I thought I heard that PBS will probably be airing it soon. In any event, on another message board I'm on, someone from the U.K. who has seen the first episode gave it a thumbs up.

 

For all of you who loved Robin Ellis as the original Poldark, I can confirm after seeing episode 1 last night that Aidan Turner is absolutely wonderful as Ross. I loved the first Poldark, read all of the books and have always been sure that the Robin Ellis version was definitive. I stand corrected! All of you outside of the UK - a real treat is in store for you!

 

Ah yes, here it is. Starting on PBS on June 14, probably on Masterpiece Theater. Something to watch after Outlander is over for the season.

http://www.poldarked.com/2015/01/poldark-to-air-in-us-in-june-2015.html

Edited by Nidratime

I saw the new Poldark last night. I'm not familiar with the story, have never seen any of the adaptations, but it looked good. The coastal scenery alone is worth the watch.  I figured it would show up on PBS after it aired in the UK.  I was intrigued enough that I went and sort of spoiled myself on the overall story via Wikipedia.  Why are British dramas so soapy?  I ask that rhetorically, since I am a fan of Downton Abbey.  I was wracking my brain for where I'd seen the Poldark lead actor before then realized I had watched a couple of episodes of Being Human on Amazon Prime a while back and he was one of the characters.  I guess I should finish up on that series now.

Well I solved my technical difficulty (sort of) so it is now possible for me to make a fan video.  But there is a lingering technical issue that would make the process incredibly painful and tedious and I would not be able to use my best tricks.  So after spending most of Saturday attempting it, Ive decided I'm not going to do it.  I'm just going to console myself by watching the video below, which is the best by far of all the videos I have seen.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_QyGgrFFbA

 

For the record, synchronizing the motion in the video to the music is hard.  Synchronizing actors mouths with the lyrics is even harder.  The person who made the film above did a really good job of it.  And she gets bonus points from me because Waldo is in it!  (Can you spot him?)

Edited by WatchrTina
  • Love 1

I'm double posting.  Please forgive me.  Someone posted this on twitter and Diana re-tweeted it so you've probably seen it already seen it.  But just in case you haven't, here is 4 minutes of a wicked cool celtic music concert with a modern homage to the bagpipe.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd43h_y5xnU&app=desktop

 

ETA:  It's International Bagpipes Day!  This post is all the more appropriate.  

Edited by WatchrTina
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(edited)

I attended the fan premiere last night in NYC.  Caveat - I am not a huge fan of the show but a friend of mine won an auction to go the premiere and have a meet and greet with the cast, so she invited me along.

 

The almost exclusively female audience enthusiastically watched "The Reckoning" along with a quick Q&A with the cast moderated by some chick from E!, which was fun but very brief.  I'm sure you would get more out of viewing the PaleyFest panel than what we got.  They asked each cast member what kind of Scotch they drink.

 

Afterwards, my friend and I were escorted to the green room where we briefly met Cait, Tobias and Sam and took a few photos with them. They all seemed lovely and funny.  Sam wanted to know what I thought of the episode which was nice.  He's so tall and handsome (obviously)!  Cait is beautiful in person, of course.

 

My friend also approached Gary Lewis and had a nice conversation with him about Scotland (where her family is from).  He was also gracious and friendly and I took a photo of them together.

Edited by apgold
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I know!  I've been re-watching each episode this week and then coming here to re-read the comments and be nostalgic about the fun we had the first time we saw them.  Tonight, The Wedding!.  Yay!

 

It's funny, reading the comments takes longer than watching the episode.  I love our active, thoughtful, fan forum!

 

I have Atholl Brose (a la the OutlanderKitchen.com) aging in the refrigerator for tomorrow night.  Is anyone else doing anything special?

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I will be having a viewing party of one - just me.  None of my friends have gotten into the show/books like I have, so it will be me, some snacks and a few drams of Glenlivet.  I'll probably light a candle like Gary Lewis suggested, to set the mood (even though it will only be 6pm here on the west coast and still sunny).  

 

I want to say how much I have enjoyed spending these last few months of Droughtlander here with everyone on the board.  You all are warm, welcoming, funny, and insightful.  It's been great having such a fantastic place to come and share my passion for the show and books and I look forward to reading all your thoughts on the new season's episodes.  So until tomorrow night  "Sláinte!!" and I will "see" you on the other side...

  • Love 5

Or apparently not tonight! I was somewhat sad this morning to wake up and see tweets about how the episode is on the StarzPlay thing, because my cable company is one of the few that doesn't provide that, but I checked and it was on my OnDemand too! So I just watched it for the first time today. I'll watch it again tonight too, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

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Wait what?  It's available now on demand now?  MUST. NOT. LOOK.  

 

Oh who am I kidding -- of course I'm going to go watch.  It's perfect actually -- I still have not re-watched episode 8 in my personal mini-marathon so I can watch it and then roll immediately into the resolution of the cliff-hanger.  It's a bit early for me to begin drinking but if I declare my Atholl Brose to be a sort of Scottish Brandy Milk Punch then it's completely appropriate as a brunch drink, right?  Right?

 

Oh well, if Claire can be a lush so can I.  That's it!  I'm going in.  See you all in the episode thread!

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I'm curious. Since they've already uploaded the episode on Demand and elsewhere, do they count early views in with the views they get at 9:00 tonight? Just wondering how they come up with their numbers in order to decide how the show did upon its return, especially the first day since that should tip people off on how anxious people were for the return, i.e., watching it the first day, early or otherwise. (I know subscription channels don't do ratings since they have no need to please advertisers.)

Let's be real, you know the fanatics will also watch at 9!

 

I can't watch now, I need to fill 48 Easter eggs and shop for a kitchen sink and flooring(remodeling). My house is completely gutted, who does this 4 days before Easter and at the start of a school break? This idiot.

 

Anyway since I skipped the showing at the premier I can wait until 10:00 tonight(after kids asleep). Besides my husband will kill me if I watch it now without him!  Happy viewing people! I'll see ya in episode thread tomorrow.

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ulkis!!!! I didn't know you watched this show! Now we've got two shows in common! One (this one) which is really very good, and the other, well, we'll not tarnish this thread by bringing that fakakta dreck.

 

:) I was going to say in my original post, GHScorpiosrule, funny to discuss a show we don't hate ourselves a little bit for watching, right? heh.

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I had an interesting experience today that this group might appreciate.  About six months ago I shared that one way I was getting through Droughtlander was by diving into the book Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.  Like Outlander, it was set in two time frames -- World War II (including a look into the workings of MI5 and Bletchley Park -- Hi Frank!) and "the present."  I said back then that if I liked the book I would dive into the prequel trilogy which is set in the late 17th, early 18th century.  Well I'm deep into that prequel trilogy now (The Baroque Cycle), learning all kinds of interesting things about the historical events that gave rise to the Scottish Jacobites (though from an English perspective), and after about 1800+ pages a Highlander finally made an appearance in the narrative.  It is 1714, before the rising of 1715.  But he's a convicted Jacobite all the same because he had been fighting for James with the French army.  He is held captive in The Tower of London, due for execution in a week.  He appears to be sanguine, resigned to his fate, and offers to share a bottle of "usquaebach" with his gaolers.  I only recognized that word because of all my Outlander-related reading.  Then he begins to speak of the origins of the bottle, telling how every Scotch whisky is unique.  This one, he says, is a 22-year old bottle from Glen Coe, his home.  I thought to myself, "Hmmm, I've heard of Glen Coe.  Is that a famous scotch?  Is there a character in Outlander from Glen Coe?  Then I remembered -- The Glen Coe Massacre.  I know about that awful story because of the Outlander-related reading I've been doing during the interregnum, learning about the Jacobites and the origins of the Scottish-English hostilities.  When I remembered that, my blood ran cold.  The Highlander in the book was charming.  The tall, red-headed lass who delivered the bottle was bonny.  But I just knew things were about to go very very badly for someone.  Long story short -- soon one Beef-eater is dead via a bottle of whisky to the side of the skull.  The bottle breaks in the process, revealing a dirk hidden within, it's handle imbedded in the neck of the bottle.  The dirk ends the chapter buried in the skull of an Englishman.

 

Highlanders.  Damn.  They do not forget and they take vengeance really really seriously.

Edited by WatchrTina
  • Love 3

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