"You're extraordinary."

[rogueslayer452]

++ R.I.P. Michelle Trachtenberg. :(

This came as quite a shock to read, it took several rereads of the headline before it sunk in. She was so young, around my age. I grew up with a lot of Michelle's work, from Harriet the Spy to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gossip Girl, and some other things she made an appearance in here and there. Admittedly I hadn't been following her lately so I had no idea she had been unwell, and while nothing has been confirmed yet it does seem like it was probably due to recovery complications from getting a liver transplant recently, most likely adding to whatever issues she was having with her health. May she rest in peace.

++ Joann, the fabric and crafts store, is permanently going out of business and closing all stores.

I haven't been in there for some time, however I am very familiar with it since growing up I frequently went with my mom to various local fabric stores and Joann was one of those places. It's honestly sad, not just for the employees who are losing their jobs and for the customers who relied on the store for their fabrics and other craft needs, but I just think about all these long time businesses that have been closing in recent years. I feel like we keep seeing news reports of things filing for bankruptcy and then closing, either most locations or just going out of business completely. I know that it's normal with the economy we live in, not everything lasts forever, but it's still unfortunate all the same. Obviously, for those who are able to definitely support your small local businesses if you can. Also, fuck Hobby Lobby.

++ After some rumors, it has been officially confirmed by John Lithgow himself that he will be playing Albus Dumbledore in the HBO Harry Potter television series.

Now, I have absolutely no desire to watch this series for numerous reasons, but I find this casting to be deeply amusing. Mostly because I mainly know him as Dick Solomon from 3rd Rock from the Sun and upon reading this confirmation my immediate reaction was seeing Dick going, "Oh my God! I'm gorgeous!" (among the many hilarious moments of his character in that show, which is very underrated imho). Secondly, it's funny because he's American. I always thought that JKR was very strict on having an all-British casting call for any adaptation. It's just amusing, really. Either way, he's a good actor and seems confident and determined that this will be his last role of his career so, best of luck to him.

Comments

[author_by_night]

I haven't been in there for some time, however I am very familiar with it since growing up I frequently went with my mom to various local fabric stores and Joann was one of those places.

I have that exact same association. It really is sad.

Awful news about Michelle Tratchenberg. I first saw the news via an unreliable source, so I was hoping it was one of those false celebrity death pieces, but no.

n. I always thought that JKR was very strict on having an all-British casting call for any adaptation.

Yeah, she might have eliminated some better contenders for that reason.

[necrophilia]

Michelle Trachtenberg really hit me where I live. She was so young and such a presence in things I watched growing up, including (but not limited to) BtVS. I hope she's at peace and her family is okay.

[queenslayerbee]

Michelle Tratchenberg's death hit me strangely hard yesterday. She's older than me, actually, but I knew her as Dawn, as that ~younger sister figure, and I suppose that association was difficult to shake. May she rest in peace, indeed.

[goodbyebird]

Really sad news about Trachtenberg :(

I heard about Joann closing via osmosis on BlueSky. The cosplay community is taking it pretty hard.

[rogueslayer452]

Yeah, she was literally only a year older than me and yet I viewed her as being a bit younger despite that because of that association with Dawn. A character who I loved and related to in certain ways, actually.

[rogueslayer452]

It's so sad and tragic. :(

From looking it up it seems that Joann has been kind of struggling since they filed for bankruptcy multiple times in recent years, so it seemed like it was inevitable, but it still sucks when a beloved place for people ends up going out of business. I know there will be other places to go to, but Joann was a constant (and convenient) for many people and seeing it go is kind of upsetting to see.

[rogueslayer452]

By the time I looked it was already reported on numerous places and some of the BTVS cast had made statements/messages in memory of her. It's so heartbreaking and tragic. :(

[queenslayerbee]

It was the other way around for me: I related Buffy's relationship with Dawn to mine with my younger sister.

I had thought about rewatching BtVS this year, but after this, I definitely think it's best to wait a bit, at least.

[blackcatofmisery]

Well, dang. I'd heard Joann was closing most of its stores, but the one nearest me was still going to be open. Now ALL is lost. orz They're where I go the most for supplies; no one else really has so much yarn, and the local businesses charge heaps more, and yarn is already expensive. I hate buying it online. Gotta be able to squeeze the product first.

I didn't know it's a company with 80 years of history. That's a long time to be in business of any kind. Being a craft store, which including slow fashion of making your own clothes or costumes, just isn't as profitable as buying ready-made. There's been a resurgence of interest in knitting and crochet again, but it's a pricy hobby. Most "pros" I see end up with their own lines of yarn, so they're not patronizing big stores.

I suppose I'll have to go a little wild at the closing sales.

=^..^=~

[elizalavelle]

I had a friend text me and I flat out thought she was fooled by some internet prank at first. Michelle was so young. It probably doesn't help that a lot of how I think about her is her being a kid/teenager so in my mind she's a bit crystalized at a younger age.

Always sad when craft stores go out of business. The world needs places that encourage people to be creative.

I know John Lithgow as either being very silly in Third Rock from the Sun or Harry and the Hendersons and I just recently saw the trailer for The Rule of Jenny Pen so I know he can do disturbingly scary. I suspect he can pull off Dumbledore, I really wish Rowling could just fall off a cliff or something because I think I'd have loved this series and now I don't want to support it.

[rogueslayer452]

It just makes me incredibly sad. :(

[night_owl_9]

The news about Michelle Trachtenburg is so heartbreaking.

Yup, fuck Hobby Lobby big time.

[cruel_summer]

I was so sad to hear about Michelle Trachtenberg. Like you I hadn't really heard much about her the last few years so I hadn't realized she had been sick. She was so young- it's awful.

[haebin]

I really don't follow the HBO Series but will the new Potter series about Harry, his friends and the story we all know or is it like the game, it plays in Hogwarts and the whole world but with new characters?

[rogueslayer452]

It's going to be a new adaptation of the HP books, they plan on making ten seasons of the seven books. Which is completely unnecessary and too presumptuous imho, then again this is what Warner Bros. often does, with the failed Fantastic Beasts franchise that they tried to turn into five movies (and only completed three) they're attempting to do it again by just having a total redo with HP just in television form.

[svgurl]

I was so surprised about Michelle Trachtenberg - she's just so young. What a tragedy.

We've had a Joann's near my parents house since I was a kid and they are great. One of the times I was there in recent months, one lady in line was talking to another about how there are so few yarn/craft stores these days and now this one is closing too. :\

[haebin]

Hm. :/

[pianogurl330]

I was so sad to hear about Michelle Trachtenberg's passing because like you she was around my age and I grew up watching her work. :(

I was sad to hear about Joann closing as well.