Tag: Lord John Grey

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2022 Outlandish Vancouver/Outlandish Adventures – Day one

Greetings, all Outlander fans! Writing from the Doubletree by Hilton Seattle Airport Hotel in SeaTac. KoKo and her trusty team are at it again with Outlander Vancouver/Outlandish Adventures (OV/OA) for a second time this year! The theme for the event is “Redcoats on the Ridge.” 

January of 2022, an earlier OV/OA event was hosted by KoKo.com. If you want, you can read about the January event using this link.

My friend, Jody Kawamata-Chang of “Aloha Outlanders” flew in from O’ahu while I drove north from Oregon. We checked into our hotel late in the day and the next day went shopping!

First, to a nearby-by Trader Joe’s where pumpkins were half what they are in Hawaii! Sadly, no way for Jody to take one back to her home state. 

Then, on to IKEA. Neither store is on the big island so Jo stocks up whenever she is on the mainland. (He, he. My shaka sign is backwards! Jo says, that’s because I am a tourist! 😇)

For the OV/OA event, masks were optional, but all attendees were required to present a negative COVID test within 48 hours of registration. We both passed our tests and wore masks, throughout!

Registration went quickly and smoothly due to friendly and helpful volunteers. 

Our first panel was Friday evening. Five Outlander cast members entered the room to Queen’s “We Will Rock you!” shared their lives with us:  First into the room with big applause was Tim Downie ( plays Governor William Tryon)!

Next was Caitlin O’Ryan (plays Lizzie Wemyss)

Cutie Paul Gorman (plays Josiah and Keziah Beardsley) joined us!

Followed by Joanne Thompson (Amy McCallum)!

And, last but certainly not least! David Berry (plays Lord John Grey).

The cast took their seats on stage and the Q and A began!

Asked what they did the day before and, of course, they went to Pike’s Market in Seattle. This is a must-see of Washington state! One of the cast exclaimed, “They throw fish!” Yes, yes, they do! 😃

Apparently, their Uber driver was a fellow named Omar who promptly fell in love with Paul. He drove them all over for no additional fee.

They even visited the famous gum wall. Yuk! 🤢

David was asked how he got cast for Outlander. His agent sent him the casting opportunity. He got 10 pages of script! He submitted his demo reel. Got a call, “Can you be on a plane?” 😉

Tim was asked for any funny filming experiences. He played a small roll in the fifth film of the series, Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)! He was asked to film a polo scene because he had a bit of riding experience. He was put on a very small aggressive polo pony. A drone few overhead and a filming car drove next to him. Turned out everyone but Tim was an experienced polo player. He was terrified and the director, Michael Bay, commanded three more takes, ending with the comment, “You are a funny guy.” Tim was terrified! 😱

Joanne told us the role of Amy was the fourth time she auditioned for Outlander.

    • She auditioned for the woman who meets Frank in the bar and he who subsequently strangles (Outlander episode 108, Both Sides Now).
    • She auditioned for Roger MacKenzie’s sixth times great grandmother, Morag Gunn MacKenzie.

    • She even tried out for the part of Eppie the whore (Outlander episode 510, Mercy Shall Follow Me.) Psst…I am glad she didn’t get this part!

    • Finally, success! She snagged the part of Amy McCallum! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Paul worked hard to get a job after acting school. He had bit parts here and there. But then got a call to try out for the Beardsley twins. He and Caitlin had a chemistry test and it turned out great. They have become very close friends. He is very grateful to all the fans.

After the chemistry test for Caitlin and Paul was finished, Paul stepped out of the room and the casting person said to Caitlin, “Wow, you are really tall!” They also said Paul was “phenomenal” and reminded them of a young James McAvoy!

A few more comments included Tim stating he tried out for the part of Archibald Campbell! Why? Because he is “fluent in English!” 😂

The cast said their goodbyes and David was the first out the door! 

On our way back to our hotel we met this odd security guard looking like a pear-shaped R2D2! No fooling, it is real. It toured the parking lot “looking” for problems. 😲

More posts to come about the delightful OV/OA event!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo and Video Credits: Sony/Starz, Outlander Anatomy, Jody Kawamata-Chang, www.natgeo.com, www.secretseattle.com

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Fun Fact: Leech

Anatomy Def: The leech is a segmented parasitic worm, closely related to the earthworm. Leech also means a doctor or healer. Who knew? 😜

Outlander Def: “Get-them-off!” William Ransom, eighth Earl of Ellesmere, demands Claire free his limbs of the ghastly creatures!

Learn about blood, the sumptuous repast of leeches, in Anatomy Lesson #37, “Outlander Owies Part 3 – Mars and Scars.”

Ahhhh, now you may think leeches boring, if so, I think you could be wrong. Here are fascinating fun facts about leeches:

      • More than 700 species
      • Soft, muscular bodies that lengthen and shorten during movement
      • Most have front and back suckers
      • Three sharp blades to cut flesh sit under front sucker
      • Saliva contains  hirudin, anticoagulant peptide (short amino acid chain)
      •  Used in bloodletting for at least 2,500 yrs
      • Hemaphrodite – each has one female organ and 9 pairs of testes. 😳
      • Appear in Proverbs 30:15 as an archetype of insatiable greed!

Bloodletting via leech is a time-honored practice dating to ancient Greece and India. Throughout Europe, the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, was used on ailing patients to rebalance body humors.

Yet more reasons this episode was titled “Blood of My Blood!!!” 😱

In 18th and 19th century Britain, leech-gatherers travelled the marshes gathering leeches from the wild. The practice became so widespread, the population was decimated in many areas. Bloody little buggers! 😈

In Old English, lǣce, was not only the name of the animal but also referred to a physician, and lǣcecraft or leechcraft described the art of healing. Hum….

Beginning in about 1980, leeches enjoyed a resurgence in modern medicine. Today, many hospitals stock them to treat:

      • Joint disease such as epicondylitis and osteoarthritis
      • Vein diseases of the extremities
      • Microsurgery
      • Blood-clotting disorders using hirudin

WARNING! If you sport a strong wame, watch this PBS video of how a leech attaches, how it feeds and its use in modern medicine. Watch at your own discretion.  There will be blood!!!  😷

Important! A leech can be removed by breaking the seal of front and back suckers with a fingernail or other flat, blunt object, flicking the leech away. Irritating the leech with a cigarette, vinegar, salt or soap may cause it to regurgitate stomach contents into the wound and transmit pathogens to its victim. Not common, but it has been reported. 

Read about leeches in The Drums of Autumn as Lord John Grey and his “son,” William Ransom, arrive unannounced at Fraser’s Ridge. Make no mistake, Claire recognizes Jamie’s get! 😉

Blundering out of the stream, I shoved my way through the tangled branches, and burst through into the clear space beyond. A boy was dancing on the bank above me, slapping madly at his legs and howling as he hopped and fro.

“What—?” I began, and he glanced up at me, blue eyes wide with startlement at my sudden appearance.

…“Leeches,” I said, professional calm descending by habit over personal tumult. It couldn’t be, I was telling myself, at the same time that I knew it damn well was. “It’s only leeches. They won’t hurt you.” 

“I know what they are!” he said. “Get them off me!” He swatted at his calf, shuddering with dislike. “They’re vile!” 

“Oh, not so terribly vile,” I said, beginning to get a grip on myself. “They have their uses.” 

“I don’t care what use they are!” he bellowed, stamping in frustration. “I hate them, get them off me!” 

“Well, stop whacking at them,” I said sharply. “Sit you down and I’ll take care of it.” 

He hesitated, glaring at me suspiciously, but reluctantly sat down on a rock, thrusting his leech-spattered legs out in front of him. 

“Get them off now!” he demanded.

See leeches feasting on Willie’s blood in Outlander episode 406, Blood of My Blood. 🚫 Leeches for this Lord!

The deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

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Photo and Video Credits: Sony/Starz, PBS