#(season 16 can stay but only to make Singularity possible)

[turkwriter]

Burnie Burns: "We're retconning Seasons 15-17 as Epsilon simulations."

Red Team Fans Who Actually Got Fed Real Character Arcs for Simmons, Grif, DONUT, and (Honorary Red) Locus:

[isagrimorie]

I know many people have a problem with Sabine's second major use of the Force. I already gave my thoughts in this post about Sabine's use of the Force in the season finale.

("For someone else, for someone she loves, Sabine can do the impossible." | "It's about belief and faith.")

It was about her belief and need to use the Force at the moment she needed it and the mental and emotional state she was in that she was ready to remove her block from the Force.

In an ideal scenario, I would love 16 episodes for this to play out, and maybe even up to season 2 before Sabine manifests more of her Force abilities, but truncated time and the Mandoverse's need to move story along took precedence.

But also, IMO, Sabine doesn't display anything that can be considered above the average for a standard Jedi.

In the animation, it doesn't really sell how grand and how far the distances are. The feats of Jedi crossing this distance in animation vs how it is in real life -- the scale of the Star Destroyer vs a humanoid being. The impossible distance.

Ezra is watching his only chance back home, and Sabine is watching the only chance she has in getting Ezra back home.

In fact, Sabine has stepped a few steps forward:

As if she couldn't bear the idea, she has failed Ezra. Ezra admits he can't make the jump, and Sabine's face has hardened into this:

Because she's made her decision.

She just got the hang of the Force but for this, for Ezra, she will get him across.

At this moment, Sabine's never more certain she understood the phrase: "Do or do not, there is no try."

If there is one thing that's been clear in this series, Sabine's singular focus, her mission above all else, was to find Ezra and bring him back home. Sabine would prefer they all made it home, but beggars can't be choosers.

Ezra propels himself forward in a Force-powered leap and even with the Force-powered jump, he's still far away from the Star Destroyer:

Just as Ezra's about to plummet to his death, Sabine summons all the Force she can summon at her level of skill and propels him the last few meters.

BTW, as a sound design thing, this loud rumble was also there when Sabine first attempted to Force-push Shin in episode 4, The Fallen Jedi. This means Sabine did access the Force a bit in that moment. Its just at that moment -- it was still pretty weak, it was weaker than a slap.

Sabine looks pretty terrified, mixed with hope that she's finally doing it but also terrified she might kill Ezra, but she's not letting that fear get her. She has a job to do.

And then, hilariously (to me), Sabine almost fails because her Force push can only reach so far, and Ezra falls short of the target.

And there's a brief horrified look on Sabine's face as she realizes she couldn't push Ezra that far. He wouldn't reach the Chimera.

It's a good thing Ezra himself has the Force, and he simply used the Force to pull himself nearer to the ship:

And he's just dangling there just a little off-screen before he jumps inside the Chimera and kills one of the Night Troopers.

Also if you look to the right, you can see Baylan and Shin's ship where Ezra might have stayed during the duration of the travel from Peridea to his home galaxy.

Mission accomplished.

I wonder if, at this point, Sabine had an inkling she wouldn't be joining Ezra on that trip home. Ezra might be able to do a Force-powered Jedi jump but that's clearly something Sabine hasn't practiced in.

(This is also possibly why, in this show, Sabine doesn't have her jetpack).

I hope this makes sense since I wrote this half asleep.

[monstersdownthepath]

Spiritual Spotlight: Ng, Lord of the Crossroads

True Neutral Eldest of Seasons, Secrets, and Wanderers

Domains: Knowledge, Magic, Travel, Weather Subdomains: Exploration, Seasons, Thought, Trade

The First World: Realm of the Fey, pg. 30~31

Obedience: Wear gloves, a veil, or both at all times. Wearing the items for 24 continuous hours counts as meeting the terms of the Obedience. Benefit: Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against spells and effects that damage, drain, or penalize ability scores.

Ng (which I’ve learned is pronounced “ing” like in “going” or “moving”) continues the trend of Eldest Obediences that are comically easy to perform, with his own being one of the easiest of all. Has your character crossed a pair of really nice, comfortable, magical gloves that they’d never logically take off, and they also have access to Prestidigitation? Congratulations on never failing your Obedience ever again unless forcibly stripped of your clothes. Note that you can freely switch between gloves and veil so long as one of them is still on your body at all times, so if you really need to wash your hands or hair you’ve got a way out.

There is the minor caveat in that breaking your Obedience, either through negligence or because something stopped you from wearing your uniform, costs you your bonuses and Boons for at LEAST 24 full hours rather than just until you have an hour to beg Ng for forgiveness. If you’re not Faesworn, then this loss can be painful but not debilitating... But if you ARE Faesworn, losing access to all of your class abilities for a full day can be fatal.

The bonus you get for remaining in uniform won’t allow you to keep your uniform on and unharmed, but a +4 bonus to anything that would harm or penalize your ability scores in any way is actually a LOT more amazing than it looks at first glance. For example, do you know what two extremely common conditions penalize ability scores? Fatigue and exhaustion, and thus anything that causes either condition (either by itself or as a side effect) has to get through your +4 bonus to affect you, including things like staying up all night to keep watch, marching across harsh territory, or pushing yourself beyond your normal bodily limits. Ng is a god of explorers rather than exploration itself, blessing his faithful against anything that would impact their body’s ability to carry them across the land. 

As mentioned before, the Eldest do not possess the average Evangelist/Exalted/Sentinel spread, and use the Feysworn Prestige Class. The Feysworn Prestige Class can be entered at level 6; if taken as early as possible, you get the Boons at character level 8, 11, and 14 instead of 12, 16, and 20. Yes I’m going to clarify this for every Eldest.

Boon 1: Pass Freely. Gain Expeditious Retreat 3/day, Invisibility 2/day, or Blink 1/day.

Right off the bat, Invisibility 2/day is useful in a generous handful of scenarios. From sneaking around enemy encampments to giving an ally a free Sneak Attack to just eavesdropping on a conversation you can’t be seen anywhere near, becoming invisible for minutes at a time is invaluable. Since spell-like abilities require no components to perform, you can even trick people into thinking you’ve escaped their clutches by false-casting Teleport while fading from view.

Blink is an incredible defensive action, as well, fading back and forth between two planes to avoid incoming attacks. Useful for people who really don’t want to be hit, though Invisibility is, in general, better for getting the drop on enemies to prevent you from being targeted at all. It really depends on what sort of character you are or what you plan to do later on in the day. Hell, even Expeditious Retreat has its uses when cast onto archers, mages, or otherwise-immobile tanks and bruisers.

Personally, I’d always lean towards Invisibility--the other two are better in specific situations, but turning invisible is good in just about every situation.

Boon 2: Planeswalker. You may cast Plane Shift 1/day as a spell-like ability.

.. Hm. Only once? That’s... A little disappointing, actually. Now don’t get me wrong--easily hopping from one plane to another at level 11, two levels before Wizards can do it, is quite the ability... But Clerics and Oracles can do it two levels before you can, and can do it three times per day when you’re finally able to cast it once. Now if your party doesn’t HAVE a Cleric or an Oracle, you run into a completely different problem with this ability in that you have no real way to quickly get out of the plane you just shifted into without some outside help.

All that being said, though, one of the biggest limiting factors of Plane Shift is that, normally, you need a special tuning fork aligned with a specific plane in order to visit that area, often requiring a quest by itself to find, steal, or create. Not so with Planeswalker, which bypasses that need completely and grants you access to any plane you’re aware of and the power to hone in on any specific locations you’ve gained the knowledge of. Know that Devils will soon be launching an invasion upon That Poor Town and its only means of salvation is divine intervention? Why not step directly up to Heaven’s Gate (or Nirvana’s doorstep, or Elysium’s cool tree gate, etc etc etc) and personally ask for assistance? What about bringing some angels to Hell for some personal justice? Er, so long as you can get past the doorman, I mean.

Or, hey, has one of your Faesworn allies died and you need to get into the First World to bargain with their Eldest for their freedom? Ng has given you the power to do that.

Still, not being able to shift back without outside assistance can be a huge limiter with this ability. Until you or your party has some means of returning to the Material Plane, one of the better uses for Planeswalker is body slamming your enemies out of reality. Unbound by the need for tuning forks or silly incantations, you’re free to send your foes to the furthest reaches of the Multiverse to any plane you desire, either stranding them without any hope of getting back or dying outright from a hostile atmosphere (or lack of atmosphere). It’s easy to mislead your foe into accepting this ability and denying them their saving throw, too, since it’s a spell-like--perhaps you lull your enemy into thinking you’re going to heal them, buff them, or harmlessly send them on their way.

Remember, though, what I said about Imprisonment in the Lost Prince’s article. because it applies to Plane Shift as well. If your target has something valuable on them, teleporting them across reality will just mean you have to undertake another questline to get them back.

Boy that was long! And we still have one more Boon to go over!

Boon 3: Home at the Crossroads. You may cast Maze 1/day as a spell-like ability. The target is transported into an extradimensional space consisting of an endless series of roads through a lonely, darkened forest. You may instead target yourself with this ability if you choose, transporting yourself and any number of willing targets within 100ft to the crossroads, where you may remain indefinitely without the need for food or drink. Any creature peacefully invited into the crossroads may leave by willing it (reappearing in the location they disappeared from, if possible), but cannot re-enter unless invited with another use of this ability.

Maze is an impressive spell to slap right onto something you don’t want to be around, locking a single enemy out of reality until they figure their way through the endless twists and turns, only to drop back into the fire once they find their way out. Locking a singular powerful foe, such as either half of the typical Caster And Bodyguard duo, while dealing with the lesser minions makes lots of fights much easier. Even without mooks in play, Maze can give the party a much-needed respite from a battle, enough time to recollect themselves, heal up, and prepare for when the target manages to get back out.

The secondary function, however, is infinitely more interesting. Having a sort of base to retreat back to if things get hairy is useful, especially since it has no natural hazards, and the only way in is to be a follower of Ng. It’s not elaborated on if you go to the same section of the crossroads with each use of this power, or if the crossroads can be altered in any way, and what happens to anything left behind in it, but I like to think that a powerful follower of Ng would be able to carve out a little hovel for themselves in this endless realm and return to it when needed. DMs not wanting to hand over a tool as powerful as an extradimensional home-away-from-home could simply say No to building a base of operations inside the crossroads, but the option for the DM to consider is there once the player reaches level 18+ and have proven themselves to be a truly powerful follower of the Lord of the Crossroads.

Much like how bopping an enemy into the Maze gives your team a bit of breathing room, so too does allowing your allies into it. Scrambling into the crossroads in order to rest, heal up, recuperate, and plan against whatever made them retreat in the first place is a viable tactic, especially since enemies won’t know that you and your party haven’t actually teleported away. Once you and your allies have finally gotten themselves together, you appear in the location you vanished from (if possible), which may potentially be right in the villain’s throne room or base of operations. Vanishing into the crossroads during a “collapsing lair” scenario is also effective, because like a normal Maze, if you really don’t want to reappear in the same spot you left, the crossroads can be exited via Plane Shift... Which you just so happen to be able to cast!

You can read more about him here.

[adelaster]

8 Months, 21 Potential Blog Posts

Happy November! Rachel here. Somehow it is Thanksgiving already. Somehow a summer in Maine has come and gone. Theo and I thought we’d be blogging all the way through it, but instead we ended up just living it - and now we’ve already said farewell for the season.

In June, I did start a post that already had become irrelevant by July. In August, I rewrote the post and almost put it up, but then it suddenly became September and so much more had happened. Throughout the summer, I would find notes in Theo’s handwriting toward posts that he intended to write, but they all seemed to turn into grocery and hardware shop lists instead.

Given the sweet chaotic sprawl of our lives, it’s possibly impossible that we will ever keep up this blog as regularly as we originally envisioned. At least, for now. But we’re not abandoning ship – we’ll just post as we’re able, sporadically, here and there.

In the meantime, here is a list of blog posts that I would have loved to write over the past eight months:

1) A post about all the big changes in our lives this past winter and spring. In a nutshell, Theo dove into a new job at Spring Lake Ranch, an amazing therapeutic work community in Vermont, and finished the first draft of a new play commission. I held down our homestead in Minneapolis and worked on transitioning to fully freelance life, a shift that (as of July) now is being supported by a Playwrights’ Center McKnight Fellowship! Bit by bit, along the way, we got pieces in place toward our goal of spending a large portion of the summer in Maine.

2) A post about the Alliance of Artists Communities’ Emerging Program Institute, which I had the honor of attending in Washington D.C. this past April. It was so good. I learned so many things. I got so many ideas. I met so many incredible humans. I want to tell you about all of them.

3) A post about my road trip out to Maine in June, picking up Theo from Vermont along the way, and all of our experiences getting settled in - like installing a mailbox (it’s more complicated than one might think) and learning the delightful fact that the New Portland post office is only open for two hours in the early morning and two hours in the afternoon daily.

4) A post about the trip to Asheville that I took in June, for a cousin’s wedding, where I got inspired all over again by my family and that city and Black Mountain College.

5) A post about Healing the Wounds of Turtle Island at Nibezun in July. Theo and I still haven’t found adequate words to talk about that incredible experience. Perhaps you should save the date for July 13-16, 2018 and plan to join the next one (all are welcome). This ceremony will happen annually for 21 years! h/t Jennie Hahn for the initial invitation.

6) A post about the two dozen brilliant souls, family and friends and colleagues, who visited us in New Portland throughout the summer, many of whom came for informal artist residencies lasting a few days to a few weeks (for some remarkable examples of work made during this time, click here, here, and here). Everyone was so kind and patient with our very raw work spaces, a couple momentary power outages, and even the failure of the water pump (which meant fetching water from a well with a bucket for more than a week until it was replaced)! Everyone contributed to the space and its future in some beautiful way, from collaborative brainstorming, researching, and problem-solving to taking on house projects, chores, groceries, and cooking. THANK YOU Rae Simpson, Bob Whitten, Sarah Myers, Steven Wright, Leigh Hendrix, Karen Cellini, Erica Hassink Logan, Theo Langason, Amy DeLap, Andrew Jendrzejewski, Emily Mendelsohn, Kate Dakota Kremer, Jonathan Crimmins, Jennie Hahn, Cory Tamler, Henry Peck, Meara Sharma, Casey Llewellyn, Terry Hempfling, Meghan Frederick, Jon Grayboyes, Josie the Dog, Jeffrey Wells, A Wonderful Person Who Shall Remain Anonymous, and Hannah Geil-Neufeld!

7) A post about house projects galore. We did a few this summer and have a long list of more we’d like to do. The actual completion of a task as simple as installing makeshift shelves in the bathroom somehow ends up adding five more tasks to the list; and the research required toward any given larger task, like renovating the barn, easily could take years. (As my mom once noted, paraphrasing a neighbor, caring for a house is like caring for a person’s health – a constant process, ongoing, over a lifetime.) We had a delightful time getting to know numerous local contractors this summer, and we’re so hugely humbly grateful for the many ways in which our visitors contributed labor and consultation.

8) Related: A post about the valuable Skype consultation that we had with Cameran Bailey to discuss future heat and alternative energy possibilities. We were reminded that what we’re doing is no small undertaking and that it’s very important to take a holistic view, in assessing what to tackle first. Cameran is an incredibly generous, patient, brilliant human (highly recommended if you need a consultant in this arena)!! We’ve got a whole lot of good homework to do... 

9) A post about the remarkable lectures by Torkwase Dyson and Wu Tsang that some of us attended at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, just 30 minutes away from New Portland - a pretty excellent neighbor.

10) A post about meeting the intrepid founders of the Barn Arts Collective (located in Bass Harbor, Maine) and seeing their latest delightful children’s theater production. h/t Mallery Avidon and Meghan Frederick for the introduction!

11) A post about visiting my collaborator Terry Hempfling at the dreamy Lighthouse Works residency on Fishers Island, New York, and learning about how they operate. So much thoughtful goodness there.

12) A post about the labor of making a space for making. Related: Mierle Laderman Ukeles and “Maintenance Art” (h/t Emily Gastineau). This project’s combination of “development” and “maintenance.” Related: how to interact with the summer’s expenses on our books and taxes next year? The assessment of whether any given financial transaction is “business” or “personal” can feel so absurd when these realities are, in fact, inextricably woven together.

13) A post about the natural environment all around us in New Portland. The trees and bugs and deer and foxes and sky. How different it feels to be so much closer to and aware of nature on a daily basis, compared to being in the city. How clear it becomes that nature ultimately is in charge.

14) A post addressing this question we keep getting of “What’s your vision for this space?” On the practice of staying open as we research and gather and listen and brainstorm and simmer on what is needed (in the field, in this state, in this country and beyond) in tandem with what makes sense for us and our lives. When people ask us this question, “What’s your vision?” we keep saying things like, “We don’t have a singular vision right now” - which feels both vulnerable (it is super tempting to wish we had a more specific, concrete, satisfying elevator speech ready to go) and exciting (we’re swimming through so many wondrous possibilities). Of course, we also keep being reminded that staying open and undefined is, in fact, also a vision. I’m reminded how much active work it is, to stay in a space of not knowing, to trust a process over time.

15) Related: Casey Llewellyn gifted a copy of Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown to us. I am reading it now, and it is so crucial and good. A post, probably multiple posts, about reading that book.

16) A post about what it was like to be in such a quiet rural place all summer as Charlottesville and other atrocities unfolded throughout the country and world. We are continually considering how the work of cultivating this space intersects with social justice and equity work already happening in Maine and nationwide. How it might meaningfully support existing efforts, how it might offer crucial rest and rejuvenation, how it might become a hub for imagining new ways forward, how it might serve different functions at different moments, how it might surprise us with new functions along the way, how we need to keep listening hard. 

17) A post about how we’re recognizing that we’re fluidly moving into a new phase of this process: one that involves a rapidly growing network of people. From the start, Theo and I have known that the project of building this space has to be bigger than the two of us; and now that we’re here, taking the next step, that truth rings loud and clear in our bodies. We really can’t do it all by ourselves, and that is so entirely appropriate. Ultimately we know this project will only make sense for us if it’s useful beyond us, if a community* forms around it to help inform it and conceive it and shape it. And that’s already happening - has been happening - slowly, steadily, bit by bit. It’s kind of blowing our minds.

18) *A post about Against the Romance of Community by Miranda Joseph, another relevant book I finally started reading at long last (h/t Lara Nielsen, five years later). I’m not very far in yet, but I can tell it’s gonna be good. 

19) A post about my monthlong residency at MASS MoCA in September - the wonder of thinking about residencies while doing one. The structure of that program and how it compares to others. The place of North Adams. The place of the Berkshires. The people I met.

20) A post about a phone call I had with Carlos Uriona of Double Edge Theatre, over a year ago already, about how the company was founded and how their farm base operates now – and then an amazing site visit that Theo and I had with Carlos and Cariel and others in September! Also another call, quite awhile back, with Nick Slie of Mondo Bizarro talking about the collaborative development of Catapult in New Orleans - the challenges of building a space while also making art, and that perhaps sometimes building a space should be the art for awhile, the sole project of focus, rather than trying to juggle it all at once.

21) A post to ask: Where/how do you think we should capture everything we’re processing and learning!? We have been gathering literally hundreds of resources and ideas and contacts that generous people have been sharing with us along the way, in our email and in a Google Drive and on our phones and in notebooks and on scratch pieces of paper everywhere. Once upon a time, we thought this blog would be The Place to gather all this wisdom, but clearly there’s more wisdom than we have capacity to organize and post. So we wonder: Do you have any suggestions? Any preferred platforms, organizing systems, archival impulses, hot tips?

To sign up for periodic email updates about this endeavor (very periodic – confession, we haven’t even sent out the first one yet! – but it’s coming), click here.

To learn about some ways you can get involved from afar or in Maine next summer, click here. (It’s an old post, but all the stuff we wrote leading up to this summer still is relevant, more or less.)

To see more photos from this past summer, click here.

All images taken by Rachel in New Portland, Maine, 2017.

Previous Post: How to Get Involved

[makthetortoise-blog]

Why “The Tortoise”

Delving back into the world of children’s stories, I am relating myself to the tortoise in the story of the tortoise and the hare. Why anyone in the running community would want to equate themselves to a slow moving animal may seen very in-congruent with the idea of this speedster, division one athlete, but bare with me. There are many relevant reasons as to why I am certainly the slow and steady moving hero of our tale. 

Let’s consider my running career.

At no point have I ever been the glorified and front running hare. I had a modest freshman year of high school running before I developed a stress fracture from the malnutrition I was experiencing from anorexia nervosa. I finished my early ending 2014 season with a 20:40 5k at the glorious News Herald Invitational. For years, that race held an extremely special place in my heart. I spent the winter ignoring the severe shin injury and continued to run until I injured my other shin as a result. I hobbled through my freshman year track season, racing at the state finals in trainers, taking 11th with a time of 11:34.

The summer before sophomore year is where things got hectic. I jumped to running around 10-12 miles a day 6 days a week, where I would run 16+ miles in one day regularly and sleep the rest of my day away because my body was so done. Additionally, I wasn’t eating much, and was working to keep my weight consistently under 100 pounds. Fall of cross country, I had one good race, then the wheels quickly fell off and I was injured. My coach had me stay in the pool consistently for 8 weeks and waited til I was over 105 pounds for News Herald. Then there was a huge change. I came in and broke 19 minutes, crossing the line in mainly a solo race in 18:57. The next weekend was a 18:51. Then the state finals came and I came in 7th with a PR of 18:47. For the first time in my life, I felt on top of the world. 

I swam that entire winter with the varsity boys swim team and was in the pool religiously putting in upwards of 6000 yards a day. I was developing very unhealthy workout tendencies and destroying many healthy relationships that I could have been building in this severe commitment to my fitness at all costs. I would cry and panic anytime I couldn’t get to a pool for over 2 hours of consistent yards and drills. However, it seemed to help for track. I was the heaviest I had been in my life, 112 pounds with a strong upper body for the first time ever. I ran my PR of an 11:01 in a race I lead completely by myself, which I then carried over to a 3rd place finish at the state finals.

That summer had a lot of swimming too. Running was limited because I had hurt myself yet again. But as cross country got nearer and nearer, I got away from the swimming as much and was trying to run before I was healthy. For some reason, my junior year is very groggy and hard for me to remember. I know I ran a huge PR at the Wayne County Championship of 18:15 in the 5k and once again felt unstoppable. Then two days later, I noticed a twing of pain in my foot that would get worse and worse throughout the season. I eventually ended up in a walking cast and would only take it off to race. My school had moved up a division and I finished 28th at the state finals with an 18:48. Another All State performance in the books. Was I happy? Absolutely not. I was hurt and devastated to not come close to that 18:15 time ever again in high school.

Junior year track season was nonexistent. I raced one singular dual meet and ran incredibly slow. Turned out that pain I was trying to ignore in my foot from cross country ended up being another stress fracture. I told my coach I wasn’t coming back and trying to fight through the injury as I had in the past. I was suicidal, self harming, and reverting back to my eating disordered ways. I skipped school constantly, was doing horrible in classes, and could no longer handle the stresses of running anymore. I wanted it all to be over. And then I almost quit forever.

I transferred schools my senior year of high school because of the insane stressed and trauma I felt being in the high school I had been at. I joined a new running program that did not help me improve very much. In fact, I got injured yet again and was only able to squeeze out a modest 19:05 performance at the state finals for 71st? I’m pretty sure it was 71st. I don’t like to think about it. I hardly PRed in track too. Only a 9 second improvement to a 10:52 and an 11th place finish at the state finals. I was back to the place I was as a freshman. Realistically, the program was such a change to my body that I couldn’t find success no matter how hard I tried. I think I was either burnt out from the intensity or just not getting in enough mileage. It definitely just didn’t work for me. When Michigan State University said they were still interested in me, I was beyond shocked. How could they want me, a girl who had a moderately successful running career, at a program who had a national title to their name? I was a nobody to many division one programs and definitely a nobody to Big Ten programs. Even some division two programs rejected me. What the heck did they want me for?

But after so many changes in my post secondary plans, I ended up at MSU. I had a pretty decent cross country season for the two singular races I had. I ran a PR of 18:04 for my season opener and 17:48 for the closing race. I was dealing with a lot of mental health stress and PTSD after I was sexually assaulted during my first month at State. I had to spend a good amount of time in the hospital learning how to function as a normal human again. Running was secondary consideration in this process. After cross ended, I noticed another pain in my opposite foot from my junior year. Yet again, another stress fracture for a whopping 4 this time around. I spent November-March biking furiously for at least an hour everyday, making sure to spend 45 of those minutes at 170+ HR. I wanted to be in shape so bad for at least one race in track, but since it was my redshirt season, there was no point in trying to get better for something that wasn’t very meaningful, like a B race at a small invite. 

So here I am now, sitting in my kitchen as I meal prep and listen to Call it Fate, Call it Karma by the Strokes*. I am almost always incredibly overwhelmed at  and wonder why I am still in this sport. I believe in myself that I can do exceptional things if I can manage the injuries and what feels like never ending mental health problems. It seems possible if I keep to cross training rather than running everyday and try to stop comparing myself to others. The latter seems like the most difficult of the tasks when I am on a team where everyday I line myself up against some of the best girls in the nation. I still struggle greatly with my body image and want desperately to lose weight because it seems like that’s what all the good girls do when they have their breakthrough years. But like a tortoise, I am slow and steady, not the person that is in the spotlight from the get go. Slowly I will get to the places I need to be and in a sustainable way. And while all those other people bask in the spotlight, I’ll be there, working slowly to one day pass them and be able to prove to myself that being a happy and healthy version of myself is the best version.

Stay Tuned,

Mak.

*also check out the song One Way Trigger from the same album Comedown Machine

[themjinterviews-blog]

47. I got an 8ft bed that never has to be made. You know if it weren't for trucks we wouldn't have tailgates!

1. What type of criminal would you be? An extremely ineffective one. I’m pretty clumsy and severely lack stealth.

2. What are you listening to right now? Brandon’s watching some show on his phone across from me.

3. If you had to choose a stripper name, what would it be? Something awkward and distinctly non-stripper-ish like Constance or Trudy.

4. If your phone started ringing, who would you hope is calling? It’s likely gonna be my folks or Kristy if anything. Or the random number that keeps leaving me telemarketing voicemails in Spanish.

5. Do you drink? Everyone drinks. But if you mean booze, yes, but not too often. It doesn’t serve much functional purpose in my current life. In college and my 20’s it was a way to overcome social anxiety and inhibitions to make friends or meet guys or just get out of my own head. But at 30, I have Brandon and enough already established friendships that I don’t have much use for that particular vice anymore.

6. Do you smoke? Cigarettes, yes, because if I didn’t then how would I get a 5 minute break every few hours at work? “Hey can I sit on the patio and bullshit on my phone for 5 minutes?” doesn’t fly. Weed? On occasion…along the same lines as drinking, it makes me dysfunctional more often than not, and therefor isn’t useful. I’m an uppers and psychedelics type of gal.

7. What is the first thing you notice in someone? Depends on the person and the situation. There isn’t one thing I notice or consistently look for when observing people. I suppose whatever catches my eye about them.

8. Do you get attached easily? Not really.

9. Do you like your eye color? Yeah it’s fine.

10. Have any stupid human tricks? I can sit, stay and give paw.

11. Humor me. What physical ideal do you imagine in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Having ideals like that is kind of a trap. It subconsciously makes you closed-minded to things outside those ideals. If I’m attracted to someone, I’m attracted to them and it’s simple as that.

12. What type of personality traits do you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? I already have a fella so, I’m not looking. And again, I never maintained a certain criteria for any potential mates…if we hit it off and I like you, I’m going to like/accept you for the traits you already presently have, not the traits I want you to “ideally” be.

13. Any other essential quirks/interests/other you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Please don’t be a lunatic and eat/ order your steaks and burgers well done.

14. Any romantic gestures you really like? I’m not really romantic. I suppose I do like the idea of going to Bed and Breakfasts. They always have a vintage, cozy sort of interior décor that fascinates me.

15. Any sexual fantasies? Are you daring enough to share one? I want to have sex in the penguin exhibit at the Phoenix zoo while the penguins and passerby watch.

And yes, I’m definitely messing with you. My sex life isn’t Tumblr's buisness.

16. Have you ever been in love? Honestly, I have 0 idea what that entails. Everything in the past I ever assumed or thought was “in love” was either infatuation, co-dependency, obligation, or other actually self-constructed concepts that were created by me (subconsciously) to fit some current narrative of my life. I’m either completely jaded or completely aware, not sure which.

17. Do you have a crush/romantic interest in anyone? Brandon. And Thor.

18. What’s your sexual orientation (if you feel comfortable answering)? I’m straight.

19. What’s your favorite color and why? Yellow, turquoise, some fuchsia-y shades of purple.

20. What was your most embarrassing moment? Don’t have any that really jump out at me as stand-alone singular incidences.

21. Do you ever wish you were someone else? Fuck no.

22. What were you like when you were a kid? Like, a less developed version of me now. A Windows 98. & I gave too many fucks about shit that didn’t matter.

23. What would your dream house be like? Small. No bigger than a cottage or double-wide Two bedrooms, kitchenette, a shower with a bath, some laundry machines and a little patio out back or front. Maybe some citrus trees out back. Even if I were filthy rich, this would still be what I’d look for.

24. What last made you laugh? No idea.

25. Do you have a place you like to go to collect your thoughts? My walk-in closet studio:

26. What is your favorite/least favorite word? Favorite: zany Least: dollop.

27. What turns you on? Uniqueness.

28. What turns you off? Conformity, closed-mindedness, regularly wearing Polo shirts of your own accord. Like if you gotta wear one for your work uniform, whatever, but why recreationally wear one?

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping? Yeah. Pretty much exactly the same as swimming not naked.

30. Would you go bungee jumping/sky diving if given the chance? Fuck no, bro.

31. Do you have any siblings? Younger sister and younger brother.

32. Do you like to dance? Definitely not. One of the most mentally uncomfortable activities in all of existence.

33. What is your definition of cheating? Having an intimate connection either physically or emotionally with another person behind your partner's back.

34. Have you ever stolen anything? Umm like string cheese singles and a Bic lighter.

35. Do you regret anything? Nope. I forgave myself for being a completely inconsiderate cunt a few years back.

36. Do you have any phobias? Not really. There’s shit I don’t like but phobia might be too strong.

37. Ever broken any bones? *knock on wood* No.

38. Ever come close to death? Yeah, once or twice.

39. What is your religion/spirituality, if any? I was raised Roman Catholic but I long since have chosen to bypass organized religions all together. I don’t like being told what to think or believe. Plus, am I supposed to blindly ignore the likelihood of humans modifying the teachings to suit some underlying power plays or political agenda? I simply have no way of knowing for certain, so I don’t really worry about it. Same with God or whatever deities could be chilling. No way to actually, tangibly know until we kick it. I just try and not be a dick as much as possible and keep an open mind.

40. Have you ever been to a psychiatrist/therapist? Yeah. Sometimes a completely impartial human being who can write prescriptions is helpful to have in your corner.

41. Are looks important in a relationship? To a degree. You both have to be attracted to each other. But they don’t matter in the sense of how other people see them. Like, if you like someone but your buddy says their hideous, but you’re instantly love struck, you shouldn't not pursue them.

42. Are you more like your mom or your dad? Not sure, honestly. I think it’s pretty evenly distributed.

43. What is your favorite season? Honestly, it depends where I’m living.

44. Do you have any tattoos? 3.

45. Do you have any piercings? Gauged ears, only, as of now. My job just made me remove my lip ring because our primarily elderly patrons kept complaining about it. It’s not like it’s affecting their food or my ability to provide customer service. I don't like the look of elastic band jeans from Walmart but you don’t see me complaining to my boss to demanding that they remove them, do you?

46. How many boyfriends/girlfriends have you had? Like, 4 officially certified relationships. A few stray flings in between.

47. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Sirius Black (from Harry Potter)…but like before Gary Oldman played him in the movies. I’m not saying Gary is ugly or anything but he’s not the smokin hot John Stamos/Johnny Depp-ish Sirius that my mind concocted.

48. What is your favorite thing to do? Draw/Color.

49. If you could only visit one place outside of your hometown, where would it be? Umm. I don’t know. A tropical island sounds lovely.

50. Do you get jealous easily? Not really. It’s immature, not only do you come off as insecure and emotionally volatile, but being jealous also solves ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Being jealous of someone just makes you angry and unhappy inside. That is all.

[allianceinternational-blog]

Legal Executive Search-Essential Knowledge About An Incredible A3 Manufacturer

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It is regarded as beneficial where a 100pin DIMM memory space expansion port is provide. But if the public require more media handling, simply deploy an non-compulsory paper cassette and impart up most of the total materials capacity on the way to 500 bedsheets. This might be a great few season or so if you have actually suffered the very painful injury, quite possibly an a small amount of years. Thus , if you will looking to work with a role-specific color aesthetic laser printer having excellent quality, I highly recommend this model. 

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[ezekielfoti9-blog]

Frontier Communications Organization (NYSE.

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[newyorktheater]

The Fre at The Flea, by Taylor Mac

Two Broadway veterans — Taylor Mac, Tony-nominated playwright of “Gary” and Greg Kotis, the Tony-winning co-author of “Urinetown” – are back Off-Off Broadway this season, and why would that surprise anybody? That’s where they began, it’s where they honed their craft, and it continues to reflect their sensibility,

Theirs are among the 11 shows I highlight in my first-ever Off-Off Broadway season preview guide.

Now, I’ve been doing separate semi-annual preview guides for Broadway and Off-Broadway for a decade – and I also put together a monthly calendar of openings that includes Off-Off Broadway.

But Off-Off Broadway always struck me as too vast*, too ill-defined* and too complicated** to fit neatly into a preview guide. Typically Off-Off Broadway theaters give little advance notice of what’s coming up, the runs are very short and the official descriptions are often too vague, coy or hallucinogenic to be of much help . Yet an Off-Off Broadway show can be groundbreaking, and sublime. This is relatively rare, yes, but the surprise of seeing something sublime Off-Off Broadway – and for as little as $10 – is so much more satisfying than paying through the nose for the pre-certified sublimity of a Broadway hit. Also it’s year-round, not limited to the similar fare in the theater festivals that get so much concentrated attention in January and during the summer. So in the spirit of experimenting that characterizes Off-Off Broadway itself, below are 11 shows that I’m looking forward to checking out this season, organized by the theaters in which they are appearing, many of which are my favorites. And below that, a list of other Off-Off Broadway venues of repute, linked to their websites.  See for yourself what else is playing this season.

  La MaMa ETC

La MaMa Experimental Theater Club is one of the quartet of theaters that gave birth to the Off-Off Broadway movement in the 1960s, and the only one that still survives. Since Ellen Stewart launched the theater in an East Village basement in 1961, it has presented more than 150,000 artists from over 70 nations. It launched the careers of an astonishing array of notable American performers and playwrights. It found a worthy successor in Mia Yoo,  and won the 2018 Regional Tony Award. It is, in other words, the place to start. There are 20 shows at LaMaMa from now until the end of April. I could make LaMaMa my entire preview guide, but I’ve selected three.

The Transfiguration Of Benjamin Banneker January 23 – February 2 This show by Theodora Skipitares, renowned puppet artist, celebrates the life of Benjamin Banneker, a free black man living in Maryland from 1731 to 1806, who taught himself mathematics and astronomy, and made groundbreaking scientific discoveries. It features dance, live music, the Soul Tigers Marching Band, and a multi-generational cast of Brooklynites, including students from Benjamin Banneker High School , a pioneering puppet artist whose Radiant City ,about Robert Moses using giant puppets of his head, was eye-opening and memorable.

One Green Bottle February 29 – March 8 Bo, Boo and Pickle all have plans, but someone must stay home to care for their pregnant dog, Princess. Trivial disputes and slapstick mischief quickly morph into family feuds and also, possibly, to the end of the world. Playwright Hideki Noda is one of the most celebrated theater artists of japan.

The Beautiful Lady April 30 – May 17 With music by the late Elizabeth Swados, and direction by Anne Bogart,

The Flea

Begun in 1996 by a group including down avant-garde legend Mac Wellman, Jim Simpson and Sigourney Weaver, this theater won me over way back after 9/11, with Ann Nelson’s “The Guys,” and I’ve written about its ambitious plans , its new building and new artistic director,, Niegel Smith who took over in 2015.

Leaving the Blues January 16 – February 8

African-American blues and jazz singer and songwriter Alberta Hunter  follows her long-dead friend, black comedian Bert Williams. Written by Jewelle Gomez and produced by TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence), which bills itself as New York City’s oldest professional LGBTQ+ theater I had the pleasure of interviewing Hunter when, after working as a nurse for twenty years, she resumed her singing career at the age of 82.

.The Fre February 28 – April 12 The Fre is written by Taylor Mac, and directed by The Flea’s artistic director Niegel Smith, his collaborator on “Hir” and “24 Decade History of Popular Music” and that makes this show a must-see no matter how weird or uncomfortable it winds up being. “In this queer love story, audiences will literally and figuratively jump into the mud with the Fre to hash out the current cultural divide.”

HERE Arts

Doctors Jane and Alexander January 24 – February 15 A new play by Edward Einhorn about his grandfather, Alexander S. Wiener, who discovered the Rh Factor in Blood. Told through the lens of interviews with his mother, Jane Einhorn, a PhD psychologist and visual artist who had recently experienced a stroke at the time of the interviews Nearly everything I’ve seen by Einhorn and his Untitled Theater Company #61 – from Money Lab  to The Iron Heel  to The Neurology of the Soul  has been, as promised, “a theater of ideas” — inventive and intelligent

  The Tank

I Am Nobody March 5 – 29 An unhinged computer chip engineer threatens to destroy the world. What’s most noteworthy about this production is that it’s written by Greg Kotis, the author of arguably the most successful Off-Off Broadway show ever, “Urinetown.”

  Dixon Place 

One of the venues that simply doesn’t offer much advance notice of its shows, almost all of which have short runs. But I’ve lucked out often enough here to feel it more than a coincidence, and I share their interest in puppetry.

Packrat

January 31 – February 14 nspired by the adventure novel “Watership Down,” this multimedia puppet play follows one peculiar rodent on his journey to discover the interconnectedness of life

NYTW Next Door

New York Theater Workshop offers support and the use of the 60-seat Fourth Street Theatre to a wide range of companies.

La Paloma Prisoner

Based on the true story of a group of incarcerated women selected as beauty queen contestants at the Buen Pastor prison in Bogotá, Colombia, the play centers on a woman who avenged the raped women of Bogotá.

The Bushwick Starr

Bushwick has become something of its own cultural center now, but those not in the know should at least know that it’s just a block and a half from the subway.

The Conversationalists January 8 – 25

I was impressed enough with a  previous show by James & Jerome to be drawn to theirnew one despite the confusion engendered by its description: “James & Jerome create an original movie that plays only inside the audience’s minds. This live “movie” is an international melodrama about the triangular friendship (and sometimes enemyship) between a Colombian-born Mexican-raised pop-ranchera star, her teenage son, and a Palestinian-born Jordanian-raised owner of a chess shop in Greenwich Village. The Conversationalists is experienced at once as a theater piece, a concert, a radio play, a night of storytelling, and a movie dreamed together.”

Jack

Best Life In Melissa Tien’s play, a woman of color can rewind time, but only within the last five minutes. The result: her exchange with a white woman in a cafe becomes increasingly alarming

  Among the other Off-Off Broadway theaters worth exploring:

  Ars Nova Although still offering programs at its Off-Off Broadway building in midtown, it has has taken over Greenwich House Theater, which with 199 seats is an Off-Broadway house.

The Brick has a new artistic director with a stated aim of “multi-week theatrical runs and a dynamic line-up of singular one-off events”

The Clemente , a former school building on the Lower East Side that includes three Off-Off Broadway theaters.

The Invisible Dog

Labyrinth Theater

New Ohio Check out their Producers Club series “we invite familiar and new-to-our-orbit companies into the New Ohio for a couple of days to…test their next great idea.” And DirectorFest

New York Live Arts

Target Margin Theater

Triskelion Arts

Theater for the New City

  *Technically, Off-Off Broadway simply means theaters with fewer than 100 seats, but it’s used as a description of companies as well, not just physical buildings. Many of these companies have no permanent home. A recent report issued by the Mayor’s Office Of Media and Entertainment found “748 small venue theater organizations” spread out across the city. **Few Off-Off Broadway companies give much advance notice: For example, one of my favorite Off-Off Broadway theaters, Labyrinth, lists “World Premiere Play TBA Spring/Summer 2020” on its website.  In addition, some venues offer a mix of Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway-sized theaters. Most of the venues aren’t producing their own shows, but presenting the work of other companies. So does it even make sense to organize a look at Off-Off Broadway via venues?

Off-Off Broadway Season Preview Guide Two Broadway veterans -- Taylor Mac, Tony-nominated playwright of "Gary" and Greg Kotis, the Tony-winning co-author of "Urinetown" - are back Off-Off Broadway this season, and why would that surprise anybody?

[michaelsmithusa]

10 of the Best Dog Agility Equipment

Here's 10 of the Best Dog Agility Equipment

Our picks are ranked in no particular order. We’ve included basic info about the features, some pros and cons and a final word on each one.

Affordable Agility In The Bag by Affordable Agility

PAWISE Pet Dogs Outdoor Games Agility Exercise Training Equipment Hurdle Bar

Agility Gear Training Jump

Dog Agility Hurdle Cone Set For Training Or Rehabilitation

Dog Agility Equipment Practice Tire Hoop Jump Set

Dog Agility Equipment Single Bar Jumps – Set Of Two Jumps

Agility Gear Teeter and Contact Teacher

Affordable Agility Practice Teeter Base

Dog Agility Equipment Deluxe Beginner Set – 3 Bar Jumps – 6 Weave Poles – 1 Hoop Jump

Dog Agility Travel Jump Set – 4 Bar Jumps

A Review Of The Best Dog Agility Equipment

Dog agility equipment solves a very basic problem:  dogs are fun pets, but they do require a lot of work.  That’s especially true if you want them to be happy, healthy, and well-exercised. Doing dog agility with your pet can be an amazing activity that benefits both you and your dog. You can both get some great exercise and be able to bond a lot more by doing dog agility activities.

If you are going to get into this popular activity, you’re going to need some dog agility equipment. Getting the right dog agility kit is essential to your success with this activity because doing dog agilities activities aren’t just for fun. They can actually have a lot of benefits and your dog can get a lot of training experience. But your dog isn’t the only one who will benefit from doing dog agility activities. Learning how to control and train your dog to do the activities is just as crucial of a skill for you as a dog owner. You shouldn’t take this responsibility lightly. Do your dog and you a favor and get a dog agility set that works best for both of you.

Selecting products in today’s market is difficult. It’s made difficult because you never know what problems a certain vendor will bring you. To eliminate some of the risk of getting bad dog agility equipment kits from the marketplace, we’ve done all the necessary hours of tedious research to find the best dog agility equipment out there. That way, you won’t have to comb through thousands of listings and take a risk on equipment that you’ve never used before or have no credibility. We have compiled a list of dog agility equipment that we think you’ll love and will also deliver enormous value to you and your dog. Let’s begin!

1. Affordable Agility In The Bag by Affordable Agility

Set Includes:

Weave pole set

Hurdle jump

Tire jump

Pause box

Tunnel

8 ft closed chute

Carry bag

Colored vinyl tape for decorating poles

Assembly directions

Brief training tips

Shipping Weight:

62 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The Agility in a Bag equipment set is the perfect solution for anyone who is a beginner in dog agility for fun or practice. Everything you will need to start will fold into a convenient bag for easy storage and deployment! It comes with the most popular agility obstacles that can be used indoors or outdoors, so you won’t be left with missing equipment that you wanted included. The Agility in a Bag set will work for most size dogs, except the largest of breeds.

This dog agility equipment set Includes:

Weave Pole Set: 6 pole set with free standing base and 24″ spacing.

Hurdle Jump: The displaceable jump bar is adjustable in height.

Tire Jump: 22″ diameter hoop tire can be adjusted for different jump heights.

Pause Box: Great training aid for teaching the Pause and substitute for the pause table.

Tunnel: Dacron canvas type 3 foot tunnel with 22″ diameter.

8 foot closed chute with an elastic collar easily attaches onto the tunnel

Convenient Carrying Bag: This is a sturdy canvas bag (38 x 30 x 3) with zipper closure and wide shoulder straps

Colored vinyl tape for decorating poles

Easy to follow assembly directions, and brief training tips

This dog agility equipment set is made of durable, furniture-grade UV-stabilized PVC. It weighs about 30 pounds total, including the tunnel weight. This is a really amazing set that has a variety of dog agility items that are great for a beginner. The way that they fold up so conveniently is another nice feature.

BUY ON AMAZON

2. PAWISE Pet Dogs Outdoor Games Agility Exercise Training Equipment Hurdle Bar

Product Dimensions:

30 x 2 x 21.6 inches

Shipping Weight:

2.8 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

If you are new to dog agility, this is going to be the perfect, affordable starting option for you. This is a singular hurdle bar and hoop that can get you going on dog agility. The size of the ring comes to 1 meter, but you can also get the hurdle bar, slalom set, just the jumping ring, or all three. Each of these pieces of equipment folds up conveniently so that it can be easily stored or transported.

This company designs their products with the bond between man and dog in mind and they want you to have fun with their equipment and do an activity that will benefit you both as well as your personal bond. You can both get exercise with this equipment as you guide them through the course that you have constructed. Finally, any of these products are find for indoor or outdoor use. But if you break a lamp, you didn’t hear it from us!

As for Pawise, the company that makes this product, they are about as reputable as they come. They are one of the leading exporters or pet products in China. They were created in 1997 which gives them well over 20 years of experience selling products in this industry. They’ve positioned themselves as a company to be one of the first destinations for pet products and dog agility training sets online.

BUY ON AMAZON

3. Agility Gear Training Jump

Product Dimensions:

32” high with two 30″ long Jump Bars.

Shipping Weight:

6 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The Agility Gear Training Jump is a great training tool that can be used indoors or outdoors and with both the seasoned veteran and the beginner to dog agility training. This model is 32” high with two, 30″ long jump bars built in. It is a great alternative to a competition jump when available space or your budget is limited.

The jump bars are lighter weight than standard competition jumps, but more durable than many of the jump equipment in its class. It is quickly and easily assembled and disassembled for convenient transport and storage, so no worries there. You can take it along on picnics, vacations, or a day in the park. The price is also great for how much value it delivers. This isn’t a bad choice at all for someone looking for affordable dog agility equipment. It’s suitable for both experienced dogs and novices.

BUY ON AMAZON

4. Dog Agility Hurdle Cone Set For Training Or Rehabilitation

Size:

8 cones / 4 rods

16 cones / 8 rods

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The Lord Anson agility hurdle cone set is one of the best products on the market. They rigorously test each product by using experienced dog owners and dog equipment engineers so that you can have the best experience possible with your dog and dog agility equipment. These cones are made of high quality material. Some other sets have very low quality material that their cones are made out of. The molded base provides stability and a snug fit so that the rods don’t slide around out of place during training with your dog. The rods in this set can be broken down for storage and set back up very quickly and easily.

The rods in this agility set are extra long, which gives you a lot of options when using them for training. You won’t ever have an issue with the rods being too short for what you want to do. They are 5 ft. long. These rods will work just fine no matter the size of your dog or breed. When you use smaller or thinner rods for dog agility training, they can become easily bent or warped and that’s not good. It’s better to go with a set that is proven to be durable and long-lasting. The rods in this agility set are made with thick, high-quality plastic that won’t easily break and makes sure that they stay straight. They won’t get warped just from use and while that seems like a minor detail, it’s actually pretty important.

All the pieces of the set are quite adjustable and versatile in their usage. The agility rods have different heights that they can be set to. It’s nice to have this feature so that you can scale the agility set up or down according to the size of your dog. It also means that you can purchase this for your dog when they are a puppy and not have to purchase another one to accommodate their growing size. You can keep the same set throughout their whole life.

This set is an excellent choice for anyone looking for equipment to help with agility, injury rehab, or obedience training. You can use it for a variety of purposes and the adjustability and versatility ensures that this is the complete solution to your dog agility training set needs.

BUY ON AMAZON

5. Dog Agility Equipment Practice Tire Hoop Jump Set

Size:

Hoop diameter is 29″ inches

Shipping Weight:

14 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

This is a very lightweight agility practice set. It’s pretty basic, and only comes with one piece of equipment. However, that one piece is a great starting point if you are just a beginner with dog agility training exercises. The hoop jump is an essential part of the routine with agility dogs and you’ll have hours of fun playing with this fine piece of equipment. It is suitable for dogs of all sizes. It’s made of lightweight PVC which makes it easy to transport once broken down, but is still a very durable plastic that should last a long time. The  which should work for any dog or breed. It is fully adjustable and can be assembled in a matter of minutes.

BUY ON AMAZON

6. Dog Agility Equipment Single Bar Jumps – Set Of Two Jumps

Size:

For dogs of all sizes

Shipping Weight:

14 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

This single bar jump set is another fine piece of equipment from the Dog Agility Shop. They’ve done a great job with this lightweight but quality equipment. It can be used with dogs of most sizes. It is made of very durable PVC and can easily be transported because of how lightweight it is. It assembles or disassembles in a matter of a couple minutes, so don’t hesitate to take it to the park, camping, or wherever else you want to do some agility exercises. It’s fully adjustable so feel free to get it no matter what breed or size your dog it. It’s a great product at a great price. Excellent value.

BUY ON AMAZON

7. Agility Gear Teeter and Contact Teacher

Size:

48 inches long

12 inches wide

4 inches height

Shipping Weight:

30 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

You will have hours of fun with your dog friend with the Teeter and Contact Teacher. The Teeter and Contact Teacher is a piece of equipment that is designed to replicate the movement of a real Regulation Teeter and build your dog’s Teeter confidence for when it has to do the real thing. It is also a wonderful contact training tool and more versatile than a Travel Board, for example. You can practice 2 on, 2 off without exhausting your dog on full sized obstacles.

This product measures 48 inches long and 12 inches wide. That means that it is spacious for most large breed dogs as well as small breeds. The height is 4 inches at the pivot. It makes a great indoor or outdoor training tool and will easily fit in the back of your car if you need to take it somewhere. The durable construction ensures that you won’t have to replace it any time soon. It is cut with high quality equipment and silica sand has been infused into the flat paint to increase traction.

 BUY ON AMAZON

8. Affordable Agility Practice Teeter Base

Sizes:

24″ inches height

Shipping Weight:

40 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

You won’t be up and down when you make this choice! This is one of the best designs available in a practice base by far. You’ll be quite pleased with the UV-resistant plastic piping that will never need painting. You’ll also notice the rolling, pull out detachable fulcrum which allows you to quickly remove the board from the base with ease.

This set also features visual side bars so your dog can see where the pivoting center of the board is when they are using it. It has a fixed height at 24in tall, standard competition height, and it is strong enough to hold your dog while they are practicing the teeter. The Practice Teeter Base is not adjustable. Something you’ll want to keep in mind is that this product is for the base only. If you want a boar

d, you will need to purchase and paint one. The company includes the hardware and easy-to-follow assembly instructions as well as a recommendation for what board to purchase (a common size found in home improvement stores.) and how to prepare it for use.

BUY ON AMAZON

9. Dog Agility Equipment Deluxe Beginner Set – 3 Bar Jumps – 6 Weave Poles – 1 Hoop Jump

Set Includes:

3 bar jumps

6 weave poles

1 octagon hoop jump

Shipping Weight:

35 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The deluxe Dog Agility Starter Set includes 5 obstacles in total for you to get started training your dog. It is the optimal set for beginner dogs and owners to dive into the world of training. Included in this set are 3 single bar jumps with 2 jump cups each. Each jump has an adjustable bar with a range of 4-30 inches in height. The bottom bar of the set is fixed at 3 inches.

The Octagon Hoop Jump piece is great for any size dog or breed! The hoop diameter is about 29 inches and the hoop can be adjusted to go up or down depending on the skill and experience level of your dog. The lowest point is 4 inches and the highest is roughly 26 inches from the ground.

The weave pole set that is also included in this package is a set of six poles that should be for outdoor use only. Each pole measures 36 inches end to end.

This set is perfect for any size dog. It’s also very durable and easy to set up with the included pole spacer and equipment. This is a great value and a really comprehensive set for a beginner.

BUY ON AMAZON

10. Dog Agility Travel Jump Set – 4 Bar Jumps

Set includes:

4 bar jumps

Shipping Weight:

28 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

Whether you are practicing Agility or burning off energy with your dog, this jump set is a perfect addition to your routine! It is portable enough for taking to the park, picnic, beach, camping, or anywhere else that you might want to do some agility training with your dog. You could even set them up in the indoors on rainy days for some extra practice while outside is too muddy to venture out into. With this high-value 4-pack of jumps for your dog, you can set up a square to practice pivot exercise or place them in a row to practice distance skills and exercises. You will get 4 jumps in total with this set.

The top jump bar is knocked off on impact for safety and is also adjustable with a pair of jump cups that can snap right on and slide to any height that you want. The bottom bar is fixed for increased stability on any surface and this also makes the jump easy to move and carry from spot to spot. It’s designed with stabilizing legs so that it will be more resistant to tipping. The Dog Agility Shop has a great reputation for making quality products for those looking for quality dog agility equipment.

BUY ON AMAZON

Best Dog Agility Equipment Summary

Dog agility training is becoming more and more popular each week as people want to be more involved with their dog and become more active and healthy as well. With this increased interest for dog agility training, comes an increased demand for the products that come along with that. Navigating the world of something that you’ve never done before can be quite difficult and overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled this guide for you of all the best products that the market currently has to offer.

In selecting these products, we made sure to take into account hours of research and consideration into what each of these products are good for. We took several factors into account like past company reputation, skill level, quality of the product, and more. We included a good mix of equipment for both beginners and those who are experienced in dog agility training and the result is a very comprehensive buying guide that should be able to show you the way to the right dog agility equipment and dog agility training equipment for you. Whether you need a dog agility starter kit or something more experienced, we have you covered. Have fun!

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10 of the Best Dog Agility Equipment

Here's 10 of the Best Dog Agility Equipment

Our picks are ranked in no particular order. We’ve included basic info about the features, some pros and cons and a final word on each one.

Affordable Agility In The Bag by Affordable Agility

PAWISE Pet Dogs Outdoor Games Agility Exercise Training Equipment Hurdle Bar

Agility Gear Training Jump

Dog Agility Hurdle Cone Set For Training Or Rehabilitation

Dog Agility Equipment Practice Tire Hoop Jump Set

Dog Agility Equipment Single Bar Jumps – Set Of Two Jumps

Agility Gear Teeter and Contact Teacher

Affordable Agility Practice Teeter Base

Dog Agility Equipment Deluxe Beginner Set – 3 Bar Jumps – 6 Weave Poles – 1 Hoop Jump

Dog Agility Travel Jump Set – 4 Bar Jumps

A Review Of The Best Dog Agility Equipment

Dog agility equipment solves a very basic problem:  dogs are fun pets, but they do require a lot of work.  That’s especially true if you want them to be happy, healthy, and well-exercised. Doing dog agility with your pet can be an amazing activity that benefits both you and your dog. You can both get some great exercise and be able to bond a lot more by doing dog agility activities.

If you are going to get into this popular activity, you’re going to need some dog agility equipment. Getting the right dog agility kit is essential to your success with this activity because doing dog agilities activities aren’t just for fun. They can actually have a lot of benefits and your dog can get a lot of training experience. But your dog isn’t the only one who will benefit from doing dog agility activities. Learning how to control and train your dog to do the activities is just as crucial of a skill for you as a dog owner. You shouldn’t take this responsibility lightly. Do your dog and you a favor and get a dog agility set that works best for both of you.

Selecting products in today’s market is difficult. It’s made difficult because you never know what problems a certain vendor will bring you. To eliminate some of the risk of getting bad dog agility equipment kits from the marketplace, we’ve done all the necessary hours of tedious research to find the best dog agility equipment out there. That way, you won’t have to comb through thousands of listings and take a risk on equipment that you’ve never used before or have no credibility. We have compiled a list of dog agility equipment that we think you’ll love and will also deliver enormous value to you and your dog. Let’s begin!

1. Affordable Agility In The Bag by Affordable Agility

Set Includes:

Weave pole set

Hurdle jump

Tire jump

Pause box

Tunnel

8 ft closed chute

Carry bag

Colored vinyl tape for decorating poles

Assembly directions

Brief training tips

Shipping Weight:

62 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The Agility in a Bag equipment set is the perfect solution for anyone who is a beginner in dog agility for fun or practice. Everything you will need to start will fold into a convenient bag for easy storage and deployment! It comes with the most popular agility obstacles that can be used indoors or outdoors, so you won’t be left with missing equipment that you wanted included. The Agility in a Bag set will work for most size dogs, except the largest of breeds.

This dog agility equipment set Includes:

Weave Pole Set: 6 pole set with free standing base and 24″ spacing.

Hurdle Jump: The displaceable jump bar is adjustable in height.

Tire Jump: 22″ diameter hoop tire can be adjusted for different jump heights.

Pause Box: Great training aid for teaching the Pause and substitute for the pause table.

Tunnel: Dacron canvas type 3 foot tunnel with 22″ diameter.

8 foot closed chute with an elastic collar easily attaches onto the tunnel

Convenient Carrying Bag: This is a sturdy canvas bag (38 x 30 x 3) with zipper closure and wide shoulder straps

Colored vinyl tape for decorating poles

Easy to follow assembly directions, and brief training tips

This dog agility equipment set is made of durable, furniture-grade UV-stabilized PVC. It weighs about 30 pounds total, including the tunnel weight. This is a really amazing set that has a variety of dog agility items that are great for a beginner. The way that they fold up so conveniently is another nice feature.

BUY ON AMAZON

2. PAWISE Pet Dogs Outdoor Games Agility Exercise Training Equipment Hurdle Bar

Product Dimensions:

30 x 2 x 21.6 inches

Shipping Weight:

2.8 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

If you are new to dog agility, this is going to be the perfect, affordable starting option for you. This is a singular hurdle bar and hoop that can get you going on dog agility. The size of the ring comes to 1 meter, but you can also get the hurdle bar, slalom set, just the jumping ring, or all three. Each of these pieces of equipment folds up conveniently so that it can be easily stored or transported.

This company designs their products with the bond between man and dog in mind and they want you to have fun with their equipment and do an activity that will benefit you both as well as your personal bond. You can both get exercise with this equipment as you guide them through the course that you have constructed. Finally, any of these products are find for indoor or outdoor use. But if you break a lamp, you didn’t hear it from us!

As for Pawise, the company that makes this product, they are about as reputable as they come. They are one of the leading exporters or pet products in China. They were created in 1997 which gives them well over 20 years of experience selling products in this industry. They’ve positioned themselves as a company to be one of the first destinations for pet products and dog agility training sets online.

BUY ON AMAZON

3. Agility Gear Training Jump

Product Dimensions:

32” high with two 30″ long Jump Bars.

Shipping Weight:

6 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The Agility Gear Training Jump is a great training tool that can be used indoors or outdoors and with both the seasoned veteran and the beginner to dog agility training. This model is 32” high with two, 30″ long jump bars built in. It is a great alternative to a competition jump when available space or your budget is limited.

The jump bars are lighter weight than standard competition jumps, but more durable than many of the jump equipment in its class. It is quickly and easily assembled and disassembled for convenient transport and storage, so no worries there. You can take it along on picnics, vacations, or a day in the park. The price is also great for how much value it delivers. This isn’t a bad choice at all for someone looking for affordable dog agility equipment. It’s suitable for both experienced dogs and novices.

BUY ON AMAZON

4. Dog Agility Hurdle Cone Set For Training Or Rehabilitation

Size:

8 cones / 4 rods

16 cones / 8 rods

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The Lord Anson agility hurdle cone set is one of the best products on the market. They rigorously test each product by using experienced dog owners and dog equipment engineers so that you can have the best experience possible with your dog and dog agility equipment. These cones are made of high quality material. Some other sets have very low quality material that their cones are made out of. The molded base provides stability and a snug fit so that the rods don’t slide around out of place during training with your dog. The rods in this set can be broken down for storage and set back up very quickly and easily.

The rods in this agility set are extra long, which gives you a lot of options when using them for training. You won’t ever have an issue with the rods being too short for what you want to do. They are 5 ft. long. These rods will work just fine no matter the size of your dog or breed. When you use smaller or thinner rods for dog agility training, they can become easily bent or warped and that’s not good. It’s better to go with a set that is proven to be durable and long-lasting. The rods in this agility set are made with thick, high-quality plastic that won’t easily break and makes sure that they stay straight. They won’t get warped just from use and while that seems like a minor detail, it’s actually pretty important.

All the pieces of the set are quite adjustable and versatile in their usage. The agility rods have different heights that they can be set to. It’s nice to have this feature so that you can scale the agility set up or down according to the size of your dog. It also means that you can purchase this for your dog when they are a puppy and not have to purchase another one to accommodate their growing size. You can keep the same set throughout their whole life.

This set is an excellent choice for anyone looking for equipment to help with agility, injury rehab, or obedience training. You can use it for a variety of purposes and the adjustability and versatility ensures that this is the complete solution to your dog agility training set needs.

BUY ON AMAZON

5. Dog Agility Equipment Practice Tire Hoop Jump Set

Size:

Hoop diameter is 29″ inches

Shipping Weight:

14 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

This is a very lightweight agility practice set. It’s pretty basic, and only comes with one piece of equipment. However, that one piece is a great starting point if you are just a beginner with dog agility training exercises. The hoop jump is an essential part of the routine with agility dogs and you’ll have hours of fun playing with this fine piece of equipment. It is suitable for dogs of all sizes. It’s made of lightweight PVC which makes it easy to transport once broken down, but is still a very durable plastic that should last a long time. The  which should work for any dog or breed. It is fully adjustable and can be assembled in a matter of minutes.

BUY ON AMAZON

6. Dog Agility Equipment Single Bar Jumps – Set Of Two Jumps

Size:

For dogs of all sizes

Shipping Weight:

14 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

This single bar jump set is another fine piece of equipment from the Dog Agility Shop. They’ve done a great job with this lightweight but quality equipment. It can be used with dogs of most sizes. It is made of very durable PVC and can easily be transported because of how lightweight it is. It assembles or disassembles in a matter of a couple minutes, so don’t hesitate to take it to the park, camping, or wherever else you want to do some agility exercises. It’s fully adjustable so feel free to get it no matter what breed or size your dog it. It’s a great product at a great price. Excellent value.

BUY ON AMAZON

7. Agility Gear Teeter and Contact Teacher

Size:

48 inches long

12 inches wide

4 inches height

Shipping Weight:

30 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

You will have hours of fun with your dog friend with the Teeter and Contact Teacher. The Teeter and Contact Teacher is a piece of equipment that is designed to replicate the movement of a real Regulation Teeter and build your dog’s Teeter confidence for when it has to do the real thing. It is also a wonderful contact training tool and more versatile than a Travel Board, for example. You can practice 2 on, 2 off without exhausting your dog on full sized obstacles.

This product measures 48 inches long and 12 inches wide. That means that it is spacious for most large breed dogs as well as small breeds. The height is 4 inches at the pivot. It makes a great indoor or outdoor training tool and will easily fit in the back of your car if you need to take it somewhere. The durable construction ensures that you won’t have to replace it any time soon. It is cut with high quality equipment and silica sand has been infused into the flat paint to increase traction.

  BUY ON AMAZON

8. Affordable Agility Practice Teeter Base

Sizes:

24″ inches height

Shipping Weight:

40 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

You won’t be up and down when you make this choice! This is one of the best designs available in a practice base by far. You’ll be quite pleased with the UV-resistant plastic piping that will never need painting. You’ll also notice the rolling, pull out detachable fulcrum which allows you to quickly remove the board from the base with ease.

This set also features visual side bars so your dog can see where the pivoting center of the board is when they are using it. It has a fixed height at 24in tall, standard competition height, and it is strong enough to hold your dog while they are practicing the teeter. The Practice Teeter Base is not adjustable. Something you’ll want to keep in mind is that this product is for the base only. If you want a boar

d, you will need to purchase and paint one. The company includes the hardware and easy-to-follow assembly instructions as well as a recommendation for what board to purchase (a common size found in home improvement stores.) and how to prepare it for use.

BUY ON AMAZON

9. Dog Agility Equipment Deluxe Beginner Set – 3 Bar Jumps – 6 Weave Poles – 1 Hoop Jump

Set Includes:

3 bar jumps

6 weave poles

1 octagon hoop jump

Shipping Weight:

35 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

The deluxe Dog Agility Starter Set includes 5 obstacles in total for you to get started training your dog. It is the optimal set for beginner dogs and owners to dive into the world of training. Included in this set are 3 single bar jumps with 2 jump cups each. Each jump has an adjustable bar with a range of 4-30 inches in height. The bottom bar of the set is fixed at 3 inches.

The Octagon Hoop Jump piece is great for any size dog or breed! The hoop diameter is about 29 inches and the hoop can be adjusted to go up or down depending on the skill and experience level of your dog. The lowest point is 4 inches and the highest is roughly 26 inches from the ground.

The weave pole set that is also included in this package is a set of six poles that should be for outdoor use only. Each pole measures 36 inches end to end.

This set is perfect for any size dog. It’s also very durable and easy to set up with the included pole spacer and equipment. This is a great value and a really comprehensive set for a beginner.

BUY ON AMAZON

10. Dog Agility Travel Jump Set – 4 Bar Jumps

Set includes:

4 bar jumps

Shipping Weight:

28 pounds

BUY ON AMAZON

Product details

Whether you are practicing Agility or burning off energy with your dog, this jump set is a perfect addition to your routine! It is portable enough for taking to the park, picnic, beach, camping, or anywhere else that you might want to do some agility training with your dog. You could even set them up in the indoors on rainy days for some extra practice while outside is too muddy to venture out into. With this high-value 4-pack of jumps for your dog, you can set up a square to practice pivot exercise or place them in a row to practice distance skills and exercises. You will get 4 jumps in total with this set.

The top jump bar is knocked off on impact for safety and is also adjustable with a pair of jump cups that can snap right on and slide to any height that you want. The bottom bar is fixed for increased stability on any surface and this also makes the jump easy to move and carry from spot to spot. It’s designed with stabilizing legs so that it will be more resistant to tipping. The Dog Agility Shop has a great reputation for making quality products for those looking for quality dog agility equipment.

BUY ON AMAZON

Best Dog Agility Equipment Summary

Dog agility training is becoming more and more popular each week as people want to be more involved with their dog and become more active and healthy as well. With this increased interest for dog agility training, comes an increased demand for the products that come along with that. Navigating the world of something that you’ve never done before can be quite difficult and overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled this guide for you of all the best products that the market currently has to offer.

In selecting these products, we made sure to take into account hours of research and consideration into what each of these products are good for. We took several factors into account like past company reputation, skill level, quality of the product, and more. We included a good mix of equipment for both beginners and those who are experienced in dog agility training and the result is a very comprehensive buying guide that should be able to show you the way to the right dog agility equipment and dog agility training equipment for you. Whether you need a dog agility starter kit or something more experienced, we have you covered. Have fun!

The post 10 of the Best Dog Agility Equipment appeared first on Barking Healthy.

source https://barkinghealthy.com/10-of-the-best-dog-agility-equipment/

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Full text write on https://easy-travel.pw/a-peek-at-the-hurtigruten-ms-roald-amundsen/trip-planning/

A Peek at the Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundsen

01 of 04

Overview of the Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundsen Expedition Ship

Hurtigruten

The world's first hybrid cruise ship, the Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundsen, does not launch until October 2018, but the company has provided some images and information about the new expedition ship. The Roald Amundsen's features a new and sustainable hybrid technology, which means it is powered by both batteries and fuel. Using these two sources of power reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent.

Hurtigruten has been operating for over 120 years and the Arctic was one of the first cruise line's first destinations. The company appreciates the fragility of the polar regions, but also recognizes that all who visit come away with a desire to preserve the environment for generations to come. Building hybrid ships is a excellent demonstration of Hurtigruten's environmental dedication.

Anyone who has ridden in an electric car, golf cart, or boat with electric motor knows just how quiet these vehicles can be. Although the ships can only sail with electric power for short periods of time, can you imagine quietly cruising for 15-30 minutes through an icy harbor of the Arctic or Antarctic? It would be amazing!

MS Roald Amundsen Statistics

Gross tonnage – 20,889 GRT

Passengers – about 530

Cabins – about 265

Length – 459 feet

Width – 77 feet

Draught – 17 feet

Specifically designed to sail in polar waters and service the Norwegian coastal route; ice class PC-6

Designed by Rolls Royce and constructed at the Kleven Yards in Norway

About 20 percent reduction in fuel and carbon dioxide emissions

In 2019, Hurtigruten plans to launch a sister ship to the MS Roald Amundsen, the MS Fridtjof Nansen. This ship is very similar to the Roald Amundsen, but can sail longer under total electric power. The investment in the two ships represents the company's largest singular newbuild expenditures.  Hurtigruten has an option for two more hybrid ships.

Continue to 2 of 4 below.

02 of 04

Common Areas and Cabins on the Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundsen

Hurtigruten

The Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundsen has a sleek, modern Norwegian/Scandinavian design, with innovative use of granite, oak, birch, wool, and other natural materials.  Since Hurtigruten's focus is on exploring rather than cruising, the ship has several large observation lounges. Since the ship sails in polar regions, having indoor viewing areas is important for guest satisfaction. 

The MS Roald Amundsen has several different categories of cabins and suites. All of the cabins are on the outside of the ship. Six of every ten cabins have balconies, and two out of ten are suites. Some of the cabins have a kettle and tea/coffee provided. All the cabins have televisions that broadcast views from the bridge so guests can know when it's time to go outside to make photos.

The expedition ship has a large outdoor pool deck as seen in the photo above. The pool deck also has hot tubs and a pool bar. Although the ship sails in polar regions, most guests take along appropriate clothing, so the outdoor decks are often full of passengers gazing at the amazing scenery.

The MS Roald Amundsen has three dining venues, with menus focused on local dishes and destinations. 

Continue to 3 of 4 below.

03 of 04

Antarctic Itineraries on the Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundsen

Linda Garrison

Who Are Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen?

Some North American travelers may not know what Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen did to get cruise ships named after them. Both are Norwegian explorers. On December 14, 1911, Roald Amundsen was the first person in the world to plant a flag at the South Pole. This is a major event in Norway, and Hurtigruten celebrates that day on its Antarctic cruises. Cruise ships can't make it to the South Pole since Antarctica is a continent, and it took Amundsen and his men almost two months by dog sled to reach the Pole from the Ross Sea. It's very difficult to understand that they stayed in tents much like the one shown in the photo above. Amundsen was also the first person on earth to visit both the North and South Poles.

Fridtjof Nansen's claim to fame is that he used cross-country skis to cross Greenland in 1888. He was the first to complete this trek. In addition to being an explorer, Nansen was also a scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Both these men are certainly deserving, aren't they? 

Antarctic and South America Itineraries of the Roald Amundsen

The ship sails a series of 16 to 20-day cruises to the Antarctic peninsula, Chilean fjords, Falkland Islands, and Patagonia starting in late October 2018 and continuing to March 2019. Some of these cruises include a stopover at Cape Horn, which is often called the “End of the World”. The Roald Amundsen joins two other Hurtigruten ships, the MS Fram and MS Midnatsol on Antarctic itineraries.

Although the MS Roald Amundsen does not sail until the October 2018, Hurtigruten has announced some of her Antarctic and South American itineraries, and bookings are now open for these cruises.

After completing her first season in Antarctica, the ship sails up the western coast of South America. After sailing back to Norway on a series of American and European cruises, the Roald Amundsen itineraries include Arctic destinations like Greenland, Iceland, Spitsbergen, and northern Canada, along with the traditional Norwegian coastal voyages.

Continue to 4 of 4 below.

04 of 04

Norwegian Coastal Voyage Itineries on the MS Roald Amundsen

Linda Garrison

When the ship is not in Antarctica, she sails Arctic itineraries and possibly will cover all or parts of the Norwegian coastal voyage route between Bergen and Kirkenes. This coastal route includes many fascinating stopovers, and it's a real treat to cross the Arctic Circle. Photographers will especially enjoy the opportunity to take spectacular photos, since this route is often called, the “world's most beautiful”.

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[erenjaegur]

Snk Positivity Day 6: Love Your Series

Im gonna put this under a read more because I cant think of express my feelings on something without turning it into a full length incoherent ass essay so!!

I’ve been in the snk fandom since I was like 12 lol - Im 16 now so that’s like, five years?? I can still remember like I’d see a lot of gifs n stuff of it going around tumblr and for some reason I just really felt I wouldn’t like it like I had smthing lowkey against it?? But then I decided to watch it one day, n i still remember, I was just chilling on my laptop watching it in the sitting room, my family around me and stuff and goddd it was soo good... but it made me tear up... n bITCH I was NOT! about to cry in the sitting room around my family. I was not! prepared for that. That night I stayed up till possibly 1 or 3am just watching it, I must’ve gotten to like around episode 6 I think? I loved it so much I rlly fell in love, I finished it all in just three days.... three days of which I also went to school and stuff and had to go to my friends party.... bitch i was pissed i didnt even like that person....i just wanted to finish snk lmaooo 😭

Im pretty sure Id spend sm of my time invested in snk and looking through snk tumblrs and stuff and other fandom stuff of it, I loved it so much!!! like!! thats all I did and even then I was still forcing my friends to read/watch it. I was really cringey in 6th class wow lmaoo I would literally go around during break with the snk manga like xD!!! eren is my baby!!! saying shit like that yikes.... bitch first of all hes 4 years older than you...your literally 12.....

Especially then, when I was younger it brought me sm happiness like when little me was going through shit then little insecure young me, you know how people say u use entertainment to escape or whatever, a distraction, idk.... like that was rlly it man idk ho to describe it without sounding weird i swear it was like my main source of happiness omg lol

Almost always, its very rare like I’ll be watching a movie, listening to music, anything like that just consuming some piece of media or literally just like. living my life and I see something and im like. omg snk au in which.... or I just somehow relate it back to snk or some of its characters lol. Like even when I was on holiday in Venice last year I was literally like thinking of a fanfic of like, the 104th on holidays in Venice like how wholesome...

Like I really do love snk I think about it every day without fail, and I honestly think I’ll always always always love it, and even if I don’t, it’s always gonna have a special place in my heart. Like, I liked it since i was literally 12 years old and it helped my through shit and I just have so much good memories associated with it. I honestly rlly do picture myself being like a 40 year old woman and still loving snk but like the fandom is dead or something... 😭 I rlly hope that never happens.....bc that will happen my 40 year old ass will b like boiis whens season 10 coming out ? Like I really hope snk is one of those series that kind of just lives on forever, or atleast for a very long time - Like Harry Potter for example

Okay, all that was really personal and I’d be surprised if anyone is reading this anyway, but I love looking back on it and talking about snk like this, I love it :) Butttt, getting to one of the reasons why I think I might love snk so much, and I mean, I can’t really pin it down why I love it so much, I dont think anyone can pin down EXACTLY why they love something, especially a series, but I think one thing I really like, and it becomes really apparent when I look at other series is like, they have a good balance between male and female characters if that makes sense. Like theres not way more men in the show than there is women, like how it is in some series or like, theres not way more men in the show than there is women, and the female characters in the show aren’t just like background characters pretty much, and they’re all good fleshed out and developed characters n shit. I think people have talked about this before but yeah.. And the female characters aren’t sexualised or anything like that and like, theres basically little to no fanservice at all which is nice. Supereyepatchwolf said something about it in his video about snk, how it can appeal to everyone because anyone of any age and gender and such can be in the survey corps n stuff... :P

And the characters just in general of course :) I honestly think the characters is one of snks strongest points, like... im not about to do a full on character analysis on anyone here lol but they’re just so amazing. Like I think on first glance it can probably be easy for people to sort most of them into like a trope or something or just write them off as cliche - mostly eren is victim to this bc people are like typical shounen boy !!! but like. you know anyway. I wish I was better at expressing my feelings and thoughts lol. Like god idk i feel like its so easy for someone who idk might just be a casual fan or smthing to just kinda see the characters on their more surface level without seeing how much depth they actually have - and I feel like that could also easily happen with anime only ppl. Like snk really does have so much great n complex n developed characters, especiallyyy now with the timeskip, more so now than ever. Like you know when you love something so much that you cant just pin point one thing about it... because its like.... everything about it i love n everything within it works to like compliment everything in it if that makes sense u get me?? like i cant just pinpoint ONE THING its the whole thing.... why i love snk? *directs u to link of readsnkmanga.com* or something lol

as for the characters themselves, obviously u can tell, with my url, u can take a guess at who my favourite is :) since the timeskip, i dont like him as much - not that i dislike him, i could literally never - but timeskip eren is basically a whole new person - and im not saying that in a bitter tone or anything, if anything its cool and i appreciate it and i understand why eren is like this now, all the shit hes been through- stuff so singular that barely anyone else would be able to understand, no one, if anything. So i understand why hes like this, and as i said earlier, this’ one of snks strong points its complex and rlly developed characters... The things I admired about Eren is just like... his good and bad, everything. How passionate he is, how he wears his heart on his sleeve - that of which being his most notable quality imo, and he expresses himself in an unapologetic manner like.... the courtroom scene... he rlly shouted that in front of all those people... how headstrong, stubborn and impulsive he is. I relate to Eren alot, thats part of the reason why I love him so much because I think I can kinda see myself in him.. but on the same hand, I think it’s also because he possesses a lot of traits I admire. Eren never backs down even when the whole world seems to be against him. He holds on firmly to what he believes in and never gives in, even when literal guns or canons are being pointed towards him. He’s full of determination and will power and he knows what he wants, and he’s also not afraid to express his opinion, even if he knows that he’ll be laughed at or be largely disagreed with.. And I admire his impulsiveness too. Those are all things I admire and other things I didn’t mention.. like me, I’m a very non confrontational person, I always feel things out before getting to it, and even then a lot of the time I just don’t at all. I might second guess my emotions and feelings when it comes to relationships with people especially, and I can a lot of the time stifle or keep quiet about my own beliefs, not completely keeping quiet, but not speaking them out as firmly as I believe them in my own mind, yielding? more I guess, if people disagree with me, I might step down a little - Which isn’t a completely bad thing, it’s good to be openminded and to see other sides, but when it’s coming from a place of embarassment or insecurity, not so much. So I really admire those traits in Eren :) I relate to him a lot, but I also know that in a lot of ways too, we are veryy different. I’ve even thought before, if I knew someone like Eren irl would I even like them lol?? Who knows lol. But as a character, I love him :) My other two favourtie characters after Eren, Levi and Jean, I won’t go into them as much as I did Eren but with them, and not just that, all of the other reasons they’re my faves.. I have like more of a ‘crush’ on them lmaooo like with them i could read so much /reader fanfic lol... but even though Eren is my #1 I could nEVER...god NO lol. And I think thats also down to the fact, as I’ve been saying I seen myself in Eren... rather than the other way around :))))))))

Like god there have been so many times I’ve laughed, cried at stuff in this fandom, made good memories as a result of it irl too... bullied my friends into watching it.... Like I have nothing but good memories. I really can’t express enough how positively snk has impacted my life like I genuinely can’t, it’d be impossible.. I seriously love it :) I’ve made friends bc of it, gotten closer to friends bc of our mutual interest in it, stuff like that...:) And even if those things didn’t happen, I’d still love the series and its fandom itself. :) I seriously can’t thank enough, the ppl that contribute to this fandom, I really can’t. Everything, and everyone to small and big creators, thank you so much. Well known and lesser known creators, like just everything and everyone, seriously. Everyone is just why this fandom is so great and!! Like I just think how lucky am I to have smthing like snk have such a big fandom and stuff and so many great people in it. Like y’know when you see your favourite fanfic update, you see your favourite artist has put out smthing new, even just see a funny snk text post or something, it all can really brighten and even make your day, and its so good :) There are so many amazing creators in this fandom, fanfics that are honestly better than published books I’ve read - like seriously, some of this stuff seriously deserves to e published or something!! And the fact that so much of these creators are putting their work out there and sharing with us for free, is just so great, and I’ll never not be grateful for it :)

Like seriously, returning back to when I was like 12-14, some days back then when I was younger it really felt like y’know the only things I could take comfort in was this series and its characters and stuff yknow.... and maybe im just being and emo teen but im getting kinda emotional thinking about it just now :’) Like seriously... I feel like im maybe being too much in this post lol but seriously this series means a lot to me.. as I said, I can honestly really picture myself being like 40 and still rlly loving snk like no matter what, whatever happens, wherever the series goes, whatever the hell, it’ll always hold a special place in my heart, because its helped me through a lot, a lot of bad days, I have nothing but good memories associated with it, made friends, seen some of the most beautiful art and read rlly great writing!! Just like yeah. Thank u Isayama and this entire fandom.....

and I was gonna peace out but I also want to appreciate and throw some love @ Isayamas art and art style. Obviously, Isayama was a bit infamous in the earlier days for his art not looking so great (Which also is amazing bc like a manga with not so great art like his in the beginning... grew to become so BIG!! like who would’ve thought) - even so the character design and stuff was all really good?? Like I also think thats a strong point he has too!! And all those years of practicing really shows, because damn!! look at his art now!! It’s really damn nice and im not just saying that lol :P

Anyway!! :) Thats all lol

[funnycutcats]

Ocicat A Circular Success Breed cat

Ocicat A Circular Success Breed cat

In 1965, the year the first ocicat was exhibited, astronomers discovered that Venus rotates in a different direction from the other planets. The same might cordially have been said of Virginia Daly, the Berkeley, Michigan, breeder who created the ocicat. Instead of working with one or two breeds at a time, as most cat fanciers did, Daly juggled as many as four breeds simultaneously in addition to cultivating “rare, unusual, newly developed varieties.” Her Dalai cattery was also larger than life, and for years she housed 40 cats, a number of which had litters annually.

Before Daly became involved with ocicats she had bred the first redpoint Siamese female in the history of the American Cat Fanciers Association to earn the grand champion title. That singular moment occurred in 1950. Daly also produced – by crossing a red Persian and a Siamese – the grandmother of the first All-American flame point Himalayan kitten. Along the way she produced a few waves among breeders, too, some of whom looked upon innovation with the same warm affection the National Rifle Association reserves for President Clinton. Indeed, one of Daly’s critics made the push that turned to shove that turned Daly’s attention to ocicats. That self-appointed censor, Daly recalled, “incomplete scorn of my ‘mongrels’ exclaimed in derision, ‘The next thing you’ll be making will be an Abyssinian-pointed Siamese.'”

Those were famous first words. “Until then I had never dreamed of such a thing,” said Daly, “but I decided to take up the challenge.”

Ocicats – Mixing and Matching

The challenge Daly took up required her to breed a Siamese cat whose points – face, ears, legs, and tail – would be the color of an Abyssinian instead of the traditional Siamese colors: seal, chocolate, lilac or blue. The first step in that direction was to breed a Siamese to an Abyssinian, obviously, and Daly just happened to have some around. The Siamese she chose was a seal point female named Tomboy Patter, whom Daly bred to a ruddy Abyssinian male named Dalai Deta Tim of Selene. The resulting kittens looked like Abyssinians, but they carried the recessive gene for the Siamese pattern, a gene they had inherited from their mother.

When Daly bred one of these Siamese-Aby crosses – a female named She – to a chocolate point Siamese male named Whitehead Elegante Sun, She (or she) produced an Aby-pointed Siamese, a cat whose points displayed the Abyssinian ticked tabby pattern, in which two colors occupy alternating bands on each hair from the shaft to the tip. She also produced, in her second breeding with Elegante Sun, “a large, ivory cat with bright golden spots and copper eyes,” whom Daly named Tonga – and whom her daughter christened the ocicat because of his resemblance to the spotted wild cat.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});  This resemblance notwithstanding Daly never considered the possibility that Tonga might be charter member number one of a new breed of cat until after he had been sold – for $10, with a neuter agreement – to a medical student named Thomas Brown. About a week later Daly saw an article in the erstwhile Journal Of Cat Genetics wherein Clyde Keeler of Georgia University suggested that someone ought to try to reincarnate the long-extinct Egyptian spotted fishing cat. Daly wrote to Keeler saying she had done precisely that, and the cat had been sold recently.

Keeler urged Daly to retrieve Tonga and to breed him back to his mother, but Tonga was never available when She was in season. Tonga’s father was able to oblige, however, and a subsequent breeding between him and She produced a litter of seven that looked like remnants from Joseph’s coat: a classic tabby, a mackerel tabby, a lynx point, a black, a seal point, the desired Aby point, and an unexpected – but even more desirable – fellow with bright golden spots on an ivory-colored background, whom Daly called Dalai Dotson.

Let ’em Breed Cake – Ocicat

This second coming of a spotted cat marked the end of any interest on Daly’s part in working with Aby-point Siamese. “There are enough Siamese in the world,” she said. “Why would you continue with bread when you can make a cake?”

Although Tonga didn’t get to do any baking of his own, he did have a brief show career, beginning with an appearance at the Detroit Persian Society’s 41st Championship Show on February 20-21, 1965. Tonga was one of 16 cats entered in a “Special Exhibit” that, according to the show catalog, contained the “breeds of the future.”

The ocicat’s future actually began at the Detroit show the following year when Tonga caught the imagination of the late Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) judge Jane Martinke. Not long after the Detroit show, CFA announced that the ocicat would be accepted for registration, the first step on the path to qualifying as a new breed of pedigreed cat. Yet by October 15, 1970, only two ocicats had been enrolled in CFA. In a late-’70s newsletter to prospective ocicat fanciers, Daly explained that one reason for the breed’s spotty progress was a pet limitation ordinance passed by the town council where she lived.

We were “limited to only three adult cats instead of our [longtime] 40-cat cattery,” wrote Daly. Readers with a sense of history and irony should appreciate that this ordinance was passed 30 years ago – long before the appearance of the San Mateo ordinance in the fall of 1990, legislation generally credited with setting off the current debate about the righteousness of imposing population limits and other restrictions on pet ownership and breeding. The Berkeley, Michigan, ordinance came in on little cat feet because it, like many others, was passed before the age of fax machines and the Internet.

The three-cat ordinance wasn’t the only speed bump on the road to the ocicat’s official recognition. “My 87-year-old aunt, who had just broken her hip, came to stay with us, which made the cats take a back seat for a while,” wrote Daly. That “while” lasted 11 years. As a result the ocicat – which Daly had hoped was on the verge of moving from registration to provisional status in 1966 – didn’t get off the verge until February 1986, when CFA at last granted the ocicat provisional status, making it the slowest overnight sensation in the cat world.

The following year the ocicat was granted full championship status not only by CFA but also by The International Cat Association (TICA). Ultimately the ocicat was accepted by every North American cat registry. Coincident with their provisional acceptance ocicats could no longer be bred to Siamese or American shorthairs. Breeders will be allowed to breed ocicats to Abyssinians until 2005.

The ocicat might have been a slow overnight sensation, but sensational it was. Ocicats International, a breed club that was formed in 1984 with 22 charter members, sported a membership of 200 within three years. There were only 99 ocicats registered with CFA between 1966 and 1980. There were nearly 400 registered by early 1987, and by the following year the ocicat ranked 14th among the 35 breeds then registered by CFA. Most recently, in 1998, the Ocicat ranked 13th among the 37 breeds registered by CFA. The breed’s 728 new registrations for the year were 11 percent lower than they had been the preceding year, when the ocicat ranked 12th in CFA’s hierarchy.

Obviously, there was more to the ocicat’s resurgence than the death of Daly’s aunt, who never much liked cats anyway. Lively promotional work by Ocicats International helped put the ocicat in the spotlight, where the ocicat’s resemblance to spotted jungle cats, its impressive size, commanding presence and winning personality all helped to ensure its popularity.

The Building Code – Ocicat

The ocicat is a large, athletic animal with a powerful body, substantial bone, a level back (or a slight rise from shoulder to tail) and ribs that are somewhat sprung. A graceful, arching neck supports the ocicat’s modified wedge-shaped head, which curves gently from muzzle to cheek and exhibits a mild rise from the bridge of the nose to the brow. The ocicat’s compelling expression is the handiwork of large, almond-shaped eyes ringed with mascara markings. The eyes, which angle moderately upward toward the ears, are separated by more than the length of an eye.

The ocicat has a broad, well-defined muzzle, with a hint of squareness, that shows good length in profile and betrays no suggestion of snippiness. The chin is strong. The whisker pinch, moderate. Alert, modestly large ears complete the ocicat’s head. The ears should be set at the corners of the upper, outside dimensions of the head.

Each hair on the ocicat’s short, satiny, close lying and lustrous coat – with the exception of those hairs on the tip of the tail – accommodates several alternating bands of color. At the spots where these bands coalesce, they fashion distinctive, thumbprint-shaped markings composed of dark tones on a lighter background. Rows of spots march along the spine from shoulder blades to tail. Spots scatter across the shoulders and hindquarters, extending far down the legs. There are broken bracelets on the lower legs and broken necklaces at the throat – the more broken the better. Large, well-scattered, thumbprint-shaped spots proliferate on the sides of the torso into a subtle suggestion of the classic tabby’s bulls-eye pattern. Even the belly is well spotted.

The ocicat wears any of 12 colors well: A tawny ocicat has black or dark brown spotting on a ruddy or bronze ground color. Two colors – chocolate and cinnamon – appear against a warm ivory ground color. Five additional colors – chocolate silver, cinnamon silver, blue silver, lavender silver, and fawn silver – arrange their spots on a white ground color. Blue ocicats have blue spots on a pale blue or buff ground; lavender ocicats have lavender spotting on a pale buff or ivory ground; a fawn’s spots are set in a pale ivory ground, and an ebony silver’s spots are black on a pale silver/white ground.

Personality Profile of Ocicats

Ocicats have been described as “almost dog-like in their devotion to humans” and “very eager to please the people they own.” Breeders also report that ocicats are voice sensitive. They don’t like being scolded. If reprimanded, they stop what they’re doing, and don’t repeat the unwanted behavior, at least not right away.

Ocicats are also praised for their extreme intelligence and sociability. “They want to be wherever you are. They’ll follow you anywhere and everywhere. If you want to take a shower, you’d best make sure you shut the door, or you might have a cat in the shower with you.”

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[junker-town]

5 reasons why the 2018 U.S. Open could be one of the best ever

From America’s best venue to a Tiger-led field, the 2018 U.S. Open has the ingredients to be a classic you should watch. Here are five of them.

Despite its well-earned prestige as our national championship, the U.S. Open is not the most exciting major in golf. It delivers far less than the Masters and can’t compete with the run that the British Open is on over the last decade. There have been plenty of legendary winners and unforgettable Sundays with dramatic finishes. It’s a great championship but it also misses more than those other two. Sometimes we get random champions. Sometimes we get blowouts. Sometimes the golf is just a boring slog full of pars that don’t end up being fun to watch.

This week should not be one of those. After a few months of being told 2018 was the “most anticipated Masters ever,” we’re set up again at the U.S. Open. It’s not overhype, but just the way things have fallen in 2018. There are a few common elements between that pre-Masters excitement and this U.S. Open, and a few unique reasons why you should be in a manic Monster-fueled state of anticipation for this second major. Here are five.

Tiger Woods can contend in his first U.S. Open start in three years

We have hit the “toughest test in golf” mile-marker in what is Tiger Woods’ attempt at his first full healthy season since 2013. It’s been three years since Tiger played the U.S. Open, which is boilerplate now for every event he’s started this season since Torrey Pines. That last start at Chambers Bay was arguably his most embarrassing major.

He missed the 2015 cut by miles and the lasting images are Tiger’s club flying through the air after a hopeless hack from some knee-high fescue, and a cold top ground ball he hit in the 18th fairway. It was the kind of shot a hack chop hits at the muni on the weekend when he thinks he can pull off some hero shot with a fairway wood off the deck. Tiger’s top dribbled into the ”Chambers basement,” a deep bunker in the middle of the fairway and resulted in this memorable bit of symbolism.

Time to check in on how Tiger Woods's round is going: pic.twitter.com/VjVW4F0mZW

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) June 19, 2015

The U.S. Open seems like the last place Tiger would break through for his first win in five years. It asks every kind of question of every part of your game and you don’t just show up with only a few months of real competition and win it.

But Tiger is in a better place than, I think, anyone could have imagined just six months into the year. That place may not mean he’ll win this week, or this year, or maybe ever again. He’s got a better chance than we all expected, however, and it’s within a realm of possibility that did not exist three years ago at Chambers Bay or in the intervening two years of trouble getting out of bed.

Tiger is back to striking the ball at not just a competitive level, but an elite PGA Tour-winning level. He had one round in his last start that resulted in the second-best strokes gained tee-to-green mark of his entire career. His short game has shown no signs of that horrendous chipping yips spell that he now says was a result of the nerve pain in his back. In fact, his chipping and wedges are now a strength of his game. The point is: if he’s playing like this tee-to-green, he has a chance to compete and contend at this venue, which seemed unlikely a few months ago.

The putter is the club, based on recent form, that could send him home early or have him playing meaningless rounds on the weekend. His putting stats in his last start were some of the worst of his career. But the putter is one club, one area of the game that can come back the fastest. You can putt like trash one day, and find a heater the next. A bad putter usually stays a bad putter over time, but it’s easier to shake off and catch fire for a round or two. Tiger is also not a historically bad putter. He’s one of the best of all time, just putting poorly in two of his last three starts. It can come around quickly, as it did at The Players. The ballstriking seems to be reliably there for Tiger, so if the putting switch does flip, we’re in for a show all weekend.

Even if his putting stinks again, the way he’s hitting the ball will be fantastic to watch at a shotmaking test like this. It never seemed like we could anticipate that again, and certainly not at a U.S. Open at this specific venue. We should actually expect it this week.

The best major venue in the United States

Shinnecock Hills is unanimously revered as one of the very best golf courses in the world, and you’ll see plenty of arguments this week that it is the top major championship venue this country has to offer (including Augusta National). There are several brilliant pieces outlining its architectural perfection, but I will pull one from course design expert Andy Johnson that I found particularly illuminating (you should read his entire course breakdown here).

Playing Shinnecock is like stepping into the ring against Floyd Mayweather. The course doesn’t rely on singular holes to deliver knockout punches but rather lies in wait for tactical mistakes ready to punish them.

The course will look pretty on TV, present of bunch of different challenging shots and trajectories that will be fun to watch, and when a player starts to feel himself too much, it will deliver the US Open ejection that we love to rubberneck. There’s no one specific hole that would stick out for an untrained TV viewer, like an island green or a some scenic seaside shot vista. It’s monotonous only in its perfection from 1 through 18, as each hole is worth watching for its own challenge and display of the best kind of architecture from the game’s past.

After some non-traditional venues in recent years, we’re back to an old friend and one that many consider to be the ideal U.S. Open spot. Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee even argued Shinny could host every year and it would make perfect sense.

This is as good as it gets and the only critique I’d have of the venue is that it’s an uber-exclusive club dropped in the Hamptons, a summer playground for the extremely wealthy. While it did immediately allow women members from its foundations in the 1890s, it is an appropriate if unfortunate reminder of how golf is structured in this country. Whereas the British Open’s ideal venue, St. Andrews, encompasses the open public park nature of so many of the best courses across the pond, the exclusivity of Shinnecock encompasses how the best courses in this country are walled off and inaccessible. That matters less for watching the best in the world take it on this week, so take it in because we don’t get this caliber of venue every year.

The USGA as heel

One of my favorite annual traditions is course setup drama at the U.S. Open. The grumbling, screaming, whining, yelling — it’s all quite fun if you’re an outside observer. The last time the U.S. Open came to Shinnecock Hills, the course setup delivered one of the great farces in major championship history. The embarrassment of watering Shinny’s 7th green in between groups so it was playable is one of the lowest points in USGA history and major championship history.

There are no teams to root for and against in golf. You can pick a favorite guy and back him, but there’s rarely a villain. The USGA, whether it wants to or not, is one of the few weeks we have a heel. It’s not fair, usually, but it’s just become a fact of this championship. They take a beating no matter what from a) the players, who show up ready to pounce on any little thing they feel is abnormal or is considered USGA excessiveness and b) the media, who want drama (hi it’s me!) and angry players and things they could rip the USGA for in their #content.

There’s been ample fodder in recent years, too, from losing the greens at Chambers Bay to grumbles about a tricked up Merion to the infamous DJ Oakmont ruling to the perception that last year’s Erin Hills venue was too easy. And remember at Erin Hills, we started the week with hours of air time and thousands of words on how it might be too hard because of #fescuegate. We finished the week with people complaining that it was too easy and not a real U.S. Open because of a winning score of 16-under. So yeah, the bar to avoid critiques may be impossibly high for the USGA.

The USGA always likes to walk the tightrope but it’s truly going to be hard to screw up this year given the venue. The course is impeccable and the forecast looks pristine. This week they’re walking a tightrope that’s only a few feet off the ground. It’s still possible to fall awkwardly and snap your ankle, but it’s pretty safe working conditions comparatively.

So where could that awkward fall occur? A rules mishap is always in play, but even there we have new safeguards since the DJ catastrophe. Green speeds could get a little too fast and lead to some pins that are close to being over the line. But it’s going to be tough given all the technology agronomists and groundskeepers now have. We’re not getting a repeat of that 2004 mess at the 7th green, but I’m sure the players, media, and fans will find something to grumble about before Sunday night. It’s a great U.S. Open tradition!

FOX is actually good btw

If you’re still bathing in Greg Norman’s tears from the great 2015 FOX abomination, then you haven’t been paying attention to just how good FOX has become at broadcasting this championship. They got better at Oakmont, better again at Erin Hills, and are now given the opportunity of a Tiger-led field at the championship’s best venue.

FOX uses all the technology, but not in an intrusive or distracting way. You’ll get tracer on almost every shot, from both the tees and on approaches. They have, in my opinion, an incredible collection of talent that doesn’t make you want to mute the TV. Norman was quickly thrown back into the sea, the Shark free to swim off and take nude pictures of himself.

Paul Azinger says some insane things but always makes it sound like it’s the most brilliant turn of phrase or nugget of wisdom you have ever heard. He is as entertaining and as good as we have in the lead analyst chair. He’s paired up with Joe Buck, rotating every couple hours with another separate and distinct two-man booth of Shane Bacon and Brad Faxon. All four are good and easy listens. Curtis Strange is the kind of old-school redass you want on the call of a U.S. Open. Ken Brown’s “Brownie points” segments actually make you smarter, as opposed to most of the pre-produced fluff crowbarred into golf broadcasts. And Gil Hanse is a pro and exactly the kind of architectural voice you want to sprinkle in at a Golden Age design like this.

We’re in an era when the coverage and presentation can so dramatically alter how you view a tournament of this magnitude. Fox has an awesome opportunity with this 2018 edition and we should be in good hands.

Philip Alfred

Phil Mickelson is doing extremely Phil Mickelson things this week, like hiding away at another ultra-exclusive Hamptons club to practice alongside a heavyweight businessman/country club legend and Tom Brady. But even if he’s out of view, Phil will forever be a story at the U.S. Open, the white whale of his career. With six runner-up finishes, there are plenty of options to choose from, but his runner-up here in 2004 may have been the most unfortunate miss. There was a screwjob element to it with the course setup and the 7th hole.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Phil Mickelson chats with his caddie Jim MacKay on the seventh tee during the final round of the 104th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 20, 2004.

Now he’s back, and while he’s not a favorite like in so many years prior, he’s playing better golf this season and snapped a five-year winless drought. I remember sitting in front of Phil two years ago when he was asked about completing the career slam. “I could BS you and tell you I don’t think about it,” he said “No, I think about it all the time.”

There aren’t many chances left for Phil and after skipping last year, he’s back at a venue where he posted one of those six runners-up. He’s not a favorite, but he’s still an underdog contender to become the sixth player in the history of the game to complete the career slam. It’s Phil and the U.S. Open and you’ll want to watch when he comes back out of hiding on Thursday morning.

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