BIG NEWS. Very excited to be able to share this. And very excited to be working with Mike again on this simultaneously new and old adventure. Give him a follow too if you havenāt already, as we chronicle this journey: @michaeldantedimartino
Hereās our quote from the press release: āWeāre thrilled for the opportunity to helm this live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. We canāt wait to realize Aangās world as cinematically as we always imagined it to be, and with a culturally appropriate, non-whitewashed cast. Itās a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build upon everyoneās great work on the original animated series and go even deeper into the characters, story, action, and world-building. Netflix is wholly dedicated to manifesting our vision for this retelling, and weāre incredibly grateful to be partnering with them.ā ā Bryan Konietzko & Michael DiMartino
Huge thanks to John Staub for this beautiful concept art. https://www.artstation.com/dustsplat
More later, but for now: https://deadline.com/2018/09/avatar-the-last-airbender-live-action-series-netflix-1202467089/
This undated photo released by Mexicoās National Anthropology and History Institute (INAH) shows an ancient Maya pictographic text that has been judged authentic by scholars in Mexico City. (INAH via the Associated Press)Ā
Fifty-four years after it was sold by looters, an ancient Maya pictographic text was judged authentic by scholars Thursday.
Mexicoās National Institute of History and Anthropology said the calendar-style text was made between 1021 and 1154 A.D. and is the oldest known pre-Hispanic document.
The 10 surviving pages of the tree-bark folding ābookā will now be known as the Mexico Maya Codex. It had been known as the Grolier Codex. It may have originally had 20 pages, but some were lost after centuries in a cave in southern Chiapas state.
A worker inspects the an ancient Maya pictographic text in Mexico City. The INAH says the text was made between 1021 and 1154 A.D., is the oldest known pre-Hispanic text, and will now be known as the āMexico Maya Codex.ā (INAH via Associated Press)Ā
It contains a series of observations and predictions related to the astral movement of Venus. Mayan texts are written in a series of syllabic glyphs, in which a stylized painted figure often stands for a syllable.
A Mexican collector bought it in 1964, and it was first exhibited at the Grolier Club in New York in 1971.
Collector Josue Saenz returned the book to Mexican authorities in 1974.
The fact that it was looted and had a simpler design than other surviving texts had led some to doubt its authenticity.
āIts style differs from other Maya codex that are known and proven authentic,ā the institute said in a statement. About three other later Maya ābooksā survived an attempt by Spanish conquerors to destroy Mayan artifacts in the 1500s.
Chemical tests
But the institute said Thursday that because the book was written so early, it had been created in an era of relative poverty compared to the other works. It said a series of chemical tests proved the authenticity of the pages and the pre-Hispanic inks used to write it.
Scroll to see the 10 surviving pages of the tree-bark folding 'book.ā It may have originally had 20 pages, but some were lost after centuries in a cave in southern Chiapas state. (INAH via Associated Press)
While previous studies had supported the authenticity of the text, it was the end of decades of doubts for the book.
āFor a long time, critics of the codex said the style wasnāt Mayan and that it was 'the ugliestā of them in terms of figures and colour,ā said institute researcher Sofia Martinez del Campo. āBut the austerity of the work is explained by its epoch, when things are scarce one uses what one has at hand.ā
Iām terrible at the gradblr challenge this time round...and, honestly, as you can see above itāll be my last gradblr challenge so that makes it all the more sad that Iāve been trash at it. But, Iāve been culling together jobs that I qualify for so I can start applying for them soon. Waiting a bit to see once the MLA list goes up, but largely Iām starting to apply for TT jobs here. Scared out of my mind about it.
Survived the first week of classes. But also, not classes Iām taking? Which is still bizarre...to be done with coursework. And, really, to be done with my dissertation. Iām just teaching right now. Eventually, post diss defense, Iām going to start up my own research again but until then itās just lesson planning, teaching, grading, exhaustion.
Yesterday (pictured left) was marathon syllabus day because today (pictured right) I got into my office and the semester began. Taught four classes today. Now it is time to sleep.Ā
walk to campus (not pictured: the humidity that drenched me in sweat pre-faculty meeting)
Gradblr Challenge Day 20
Today was mostly taken up with an extended training session and faculty meeting. I did learn a bit that will be useful in this new job so I canāt totally resent that I had to sit there forever in that uncomfortable chair.Ā
Classes start on Wednesday, so I basically have all of tomorrow to come up with my syllabus (which I havenāt worked on until now because I had Questions about the skeletal syllabus the new lecturers were given). I have more freedom in some areas, which is good. And less freedom in other, which is annoying. Going to have to change the way I teach some things to fit in with this department, which sort of grates against my very methodical, habitual self.Ā
Gradblr Challenge Day 18 Trying to get back in the swing of doing things with purpose and not just being frantic get it all done oh god the semester starts soon. And tonight, Iām reading for fun! Lila Quintero Weaver is an amazing author and brilliant. So excited to dive into her new book!
I have no good excuse for not posting or engaging. After I finished the draft of my diss, I thought Iād catch a break but Iāve just been doing a million other things to get ready for my new job, to finish the degree, to continue doing professionalization.Ā
Gonna try to get back on track posting, liking, and commenting. Until then, lo siento.Ā
Gradblr Challenge Day 11 Posting from mobile (š¤®) so no good text formatting. Went to the library today to get some final diss chapter sources. And came home to an email scheduling the final defense. Sooo.
Had a panic attack two nights ago and have been battling the physical aftermath for a few days. Feeling better now and am finally getting some work done. I want this chapter finished by the end of the day today so I can submit it to my dissertation director.Ā
