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bisexualbuck · 4 years ago

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My 911 Fic Writing Masterlist

(Last edited May 28th 2021)

I’ve finally decided to do a masterpost of all my writing for the show 911 which is the fandom I’ve written the most for. There are 33 fics in this post, holy crap.

(If anyone is interested, I’ve also written for Star Trek AOS, Leverage, the MCU, among many other fandoms.)

As a general note, I’ll say most of my fics have Buddie elements and I also try to have at least one Firefam moment. Also, please check each fic’s warnings.

This is going to be long so most of it will be under a read more.

Last thing, please! If you like any of these stories, please consider leaving a comment and reblogging this post.

Multi Chapter

Reaching In The Dark | 38.7k

It all started innocent enough but Buck can no longer deny it.

He has a stalker.

Someone so obsessed with him that they would spend hours and hours following him, unnoticed, taking pictures of him, taking notes of his habits.

But life has been so good lately, and Buck doesn’t want to worry anyone. So he tells no one about it, he can deal with it on his own.

Leave My Body | 23k

"Do you want to see how it could have been? You are so sure you've been a burden on everyone you've ever met, but I can show you the truth."

Buck dies but it's not the end.

(Inspired by the movie It's a Wonderful Life)

Encore | 20.1k

“I’m going insane.”

“Did something happen?”

A dark, bitter laugh bubbles out of Buck – a mockery of joy.

“Everything keeps happening, and it’s still the same fucking day. It’s always the same and every time it’s different and I can’t do anything.”

Buck keeps reliving the same day, over and over again.

Hurt/Comfort

Death, Be Not Proud | 10.1k

There are moments barge loudly into your life and, even as you’re going through them, you know they will change everything.

There are other moments that happen quietly, unnoticed, and it’s only afterwards that you know, looking back, that they have changed your life.

When the 118 is called to a decrepit house, they don’t think much of it.

Yet this will change their lives forever.

Silent Storm | 4.4k

Buck wakes up in the hospital.

Except he can't move. He can't speak.

But he can hear everything.

Dying Of The Light | 4.1k

If Purgatory was a place on Earth, it would be a hospital waiting room.

Buck is in a coma, brain-dead - or so that's what the doctors say anyway.

(Silent Storm told from the Firefam's POV)

No Kingdom To Come | 8k

Days pass, then weeks that soon turn into months. Buck doesn’t call, he doesn’t text.

They don’t even know if he is still alive.

Maddie files a missing person’s report. Athena checks for any mention of his name anywhere in the country.

Nothing pops up, no one calls.

Buck is gone.

The Courage To Heal | 1.4k

He remembers her perfume. Thick, flowery – it makes him retch.

Why does he remember her perfume? Every time he smells anything like it, he wants to throw up, he wants to rush in the shower and try to wash away the stink of it.

Why can’t he move on?

He’s had sex with countless people over the years, especially back in his Buck 1.0 days, so why does that encounter remain? Why does it make him sick?

Why does he feel so ashamed?

Buck opens up about Dr Wells, the therapist from season 1.

The Loneliness Never Left Me | 2k

“Buck is afraid he is gonna end up like Red, without friends, without family. He thinks the job is the only thing he’ll ever have and that he’ll always be alone.”

Silence falls around them, heavy and suffocating.

“We need to show him that he’s got us."

“Not show him,” Chim says. “Tell him.”

Forever Day | 2k

The man pulls a gun out.

He aims it at Buck’s head.

“If you take another step I will blast your brains on the ground."

Hollow | ~300

Bobby on the day of his late wife and kids’ deaths, with Athena by his side.

Those Days | ~600

A look into Eddie and Christopher having a bad day made better by having each other.

Little Hope | ~500

A moment of support between two friends, Karen and Eddie, as Hen lays unconscious in a hospital bed.

Firefam Feels

Alone Again | 1.2k

Post S04E04

After standing up for himself to his parents, Buck feels hollow.

He isn't sure how he finds himself at Athena and Bobby's home, but maybe that's exactly where he needs to be.

Make It Three | 3.2k

It takes him twenty full minutes to realize what he has said, and then it hits him like a goddamn freight train.

Oh no. Oh no.

Buck just hung up on the phone on Athena Grant telling her that he loved her like he’s been doing it every day of his life.

Oh no.

Buck slips up and tells Athena he loves her. He has a bit of a freak out.

Words Unsaid | 2.2k

“What’s going on?” Bobby and Buck say in unison.

“You two,” Athena announces, “are going to talk things out.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Buck says, like a liar. “Everything is fine.”

Buck overhears Bobby say that he's not his kid. He doesn't take it very well.

Lay You Down | 2k

Buck is sick and can't be left alone in his feverish state, but everyone is working.

Everyone but Athena.

That Which We Carry | 2.1k

Bobby stops in his tracks.

Buck is sitting on the ground, next to his own car, his keys and phone forgotten next to him. His breathing is loud and short and he has his head in his hands so that his face is hidden.

He’s having a panic attack.

To Be Loved, To Belong | 3.1k

5 times Buck almost tells his family what they mean to him.

+1 time he does.

Buried | 2.3k

It’s supposed to be a simple call.

Of course, everything goes wrong.

Just As It Was | 2.3k

After the lawsuit, Buck overworks himself trying to prove his worth to the team.

One day, he pushes too far.

Sunlight | ~500

The Buckley siblings have a bet about what Maddie and Chim’s kid’s first word will be.

Family Matters | ~500

A look into the future at Bobby’s retirement party.

Humor & Fluff

Freedom In Love | 1.1k

“You can’t keep ignoring this,” Maddie says – again.

She says it a lot. His answer is pretty much always the same.

“Actually, I can. And I think I will. This is working great for me so far. It’s like Schrödinger’s confession, if I don’t say anything, Eddie can’t reject me.”

Green Heart | 3k

Buck starts seeing a man.

Eddie worries he is being a bigot, because the idea of Buck kissing another man makes him want to punch someone.

What else could it be?

The Most Perfect Moment | 1.7k

After Shannon, Eddie never thought that he would ever want to get married again.

Yet, a little red box lays in his pocket until the perfect moment to propose comes around.He has been carrying it for weeks now, waiting.

He wants his proposal to be perfect because he knows that this is the last time he will ever be asking this question. Buck is it for him. There will never be anyone else.

Blame It On Chimney | 1k

“So anyway, that’s how Chimney saw me full-on naked.”

Eddie chokes on his beer.

How It Looks | ~400

Someone is back to haunt Chim. Well, not exactly someone. Hen is tired.

The Rest Of Our Lives | ~500

One night, one conversation that changes everything between Buck and Eddie.

Tumblr Prompts

lover, be good to me | 7.1k

This is a collection of unrelated prompts first posted on my tumblr.

(Summary of each story in the first chapter's notes)

Eddie touching Buck’s birthmark | ~300

Eddie in a relationship is a clingy Eddie | ~200

Halloween at the station | ~500

Buck & Maddie being their cute selves | ~400

Misc.

from the bottom i come running | 3.7k

Co-written with the endlessly talented ksmalltalk / @letitialewiss

Crossover with Lone Star.

Just a soccer match for charity and two men cheering on their boyfriends.

Wait, no. Eddie and Buck are not dating, no matter what Chim and Hen can say.

In the stands, Eddie befriends TK whose boyfriend is playing alongside Buck. Out on the pitch, Buck and Carlos are a force to be reckoned with.

Oh, and someone gets hurt.

safe inside | 5.6k

Co-written with the biggest-brained and most talented chasingobligion / @starlightbuck

World-famous actor TK Strand and his bodyguard Carlos find themselves seeking shelter from fans and paparazzi in a bakery Carlos knows very well.

Baking leads to a few life changes.

Breathe You In | 2k

Eddie can’t stop staring.

This selfie is going to be the death of him.Buck is shirtless, and giving the camera an intense look that leaves Eddie panting.

Buck sends a picture that tips their relationship into something new.

#911 #911 fic #buddie #firefam #evan buckley #eddie diaz #my writing #this took me FOREVER #it's also about to kill my computer because tumblr is lagging so much so i'm just gonna post #if there is an issue with the links or something else please reach out to me thanks!!#and please reblog and comment if you like my writing!!#i might come out of fic writing hiatus at some point soonish #edited

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zeravmeta · 4 years ago

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fuck it. soma cruz fgo servant profile bc i make my own content

Servant: / Servant Class: Soma Cruz / Alter Ego

Origin: / Region: Castlevania Series / Japan, 2035

Alignment: Lawful Neutral(?) “Yeah, not sure how I classify as Lawful given my past life, but whatever.”

Aliases: The Dark Lord, Dracula, Soma Cruz

Parameters: STR (B) / END (A+) / AGL (B+) / MP (EX) / LUK (A) / NP (???)

Class Skills: Authority of Beasts (Fake), Core of Chaos (A), One Who Severs Fate (A)

Character Info: “In order for God to be perfectly Good, there must always exist an embodiment of Chaos, a Dark Lord to emerge from the evil of humanity’s hearts.”

For one thousand years, the Belmont bloodline had opposed the terrible night that Count Dracula would bring with his powers. After generations of suffering, the Belmont’s latest mantle bearer, Julius Belmont, along with their generational allies, the Belnades clan and a nameless soldier, had managed to permanently defeat Dracula with the help of the Hakuba Clan’s shrine magics. Severing his connection to his power and sealing Castlevania, the embodiment of his power, within a solar eclipse, Dracula had finally faced his demise in 1999, prophesied by Nostradamus one millennium ago. Thus, the strongest Dark Lord had fallen, his throne empty and awaiting a new master.

In 2035, Soma Cruz had visited the Hakuba Shrine to meet with his childhood friend Mina, unaware of the birthright he would claim.

Skills:

Chaos Ring A: An extremely powerful construct that channels the very essence of Chaos. It can only be found by the one who can traverse and control the Chaos Realm, the Dark Lords personal right. Wearing it grants the unlimited magical power of the Chaos Realm, but actual output depends on the user. If the Demon King’s Ring is the symbol of Dracula and his reign, then the Chaos Ring could be considered the symbol of Soma and his new beginning.

Thematic narratives aside, it’s a very convenient tool for Soma.

“It’s weird, but it feels like…it was made for me. Almost like a welcome gift.”

[5->3 Turns] [Charge NP (20%->30%), Increase NP Gain (10%->25%) (3 Turns), Gain a Delayed buff 1 turn after skill use (Unremovable): [Charge NP (20->30%)]

Armament Master D: Soma is extremely proficient at using any and all forms of weaponry. Due to Dracula’s vast reach, Soma has a vast number of different modern and mythical weapons and gear at his disposal, notable weapons including Excalibur (sealed in the stone), Hrunting, Caladbolg, Mjolnir, and even a Positron Rifle, to name a few. However, one weapon unique to Soma is the Claimh Solais, an Irish sword of light mentioned in many legends and defining the archetype of “Sword of Light.” It provides a great boost to parameters and is surprisingly light weight despite its size. Another unique weapon he wields is the Valmanway, the “Blessed Wind” that is always ‘cutting’ even when still.

(The rank is D because despite his proficiency, Soma has never had any formal training.)

“I mean, it’s just a sword, right? How complex is it? You can just swing it and things die. Though…considering I have ol’ Drac’s memories…sorta, maybe I’m just remembering it?”

[8->6 Turns] [Increase Atk (10%->20%) (3 Turns), Gain Critical Stars (5->15), Increase Critical Star Absorption (3000%) (3 Turns), Increase Critical Damage (10%->20%) (3 Turns), Apply Special Attack against Sky, Star and Beast attribute enemies (20%->40%) (3 Turns)]

Power of Dominance (EX): Soma’s inheritance from Dracula, or more fittingly, the Chaos Entity opposite to God. The Power of Dominance is a unique ability that grants a complete mastery over the abilities of any and all souls Soma can acquire from the enemies he defeats. All the monsters that Dracula unleashed in his crusade against humanity are the countless souls under his domain, even that of Death itself, and their powers rightly belong to him.

Soma can differentiate between the types of Soul Arts he uses, and this reflects accordingly in his Noble Phantasm.

“I never wanted this power, but I guess I’m stuck with it. I’ll always carry the target on my back, but at least I can look awesome as hell while doing it, I suppose.”

[5->3 Turns] [Decrease Enemy Charge by 1 (20%->50%), Select own NP Command Card’s type between Quick, Arts or Buster for 3 Turns. Effect of NP changes depending on which Command Card Type is selected. This skill is immune to debuff effects (such as Skill Seal)]

Noble Phantasm:

Advent of Sorrow – He Who Severed His Fate Against Chaos and God / Anti-Divine, Anti-Self / Rank (???)

A manifestation of Soma’s power truly made his own, separate from the title of Dark Lord and Dracula. Having defeated the Chaos Entity, he managed to sever its connection to his soul, and be saved from his Fate. Even so, he carries the Power of Dominance with him always, and the countless souls and followers of Chaos always wait and offer themselves unto Soma to lead and command them. In his own imperfect way, neither holy nor demonic.

After all, he’s only human.

(Note: If used by the true Count Dracula, this would be considered an Anti-Humanity NP)

[Type: Buster] – [Deals massive damage to a single enemy (1200%->2400%), Chance to Decrease Charge by 1 (80%->100%). Overcharge: Increases own Buster Card Effectiveness (20%) (1 Turn) and NP Damage (1 Turn) (20%) (Activates First)]

[Type: Arts] – [Deals heavy damage to all enemies (400%->800%), Chance to decrease Atk (15%->25%) and Critical Chance (20%->30%). Overcharge: Inflict Curse (5 Turns).]

[Type: Quick] – [Apply Debuff Immune (1 Time), and Restore HP each turn for self (3 Turns) (1000->1500), and Increase NP Gauge each turn for self (3 Turns) (5%). Overcharge: Apply Def Up for all allies (3 Turns) (25%->50%).]

Bond Lines:

Bond 1: “Heh, thanks for having me! I’m still not too sure about how all this stuff works here, but if you need a monster taken down, I’m your guy.”

Bond 2: “So the rest of those dudes call you ‘Master’? Kind of awkward, but I guess they’re magical familiars at the end of the day. What? So am I? Sorry but, vampiric powers aside, I’m just a normal guy. I was even in University before I got dragged here. I’ll just call you [name] for now.”

Bond 3: “Do you like curry? Arikado said I shouldn’t be using these monster souls for dumb stuff, but they don’t mind. They always talk to me and really want to help me out wherever I am. Except Death, that guy sucks. He’s always breaking into my home and trying to convince me to become the next Dark Lord and to ‘accept my throne’ and stuff.”

Bond 4: “…It scares me, sometimes. Knowing not only what I am, but what I’m very capable of.”

Bond 5: “Y’know…you could always come back with me to my world, if you want to escape. I’ll take you to meet Mina, and Hammer and Yoko and Julius and Arikado and…Hm. Sorry. I know you can’t abandon this world, it’s where you grew up. There’s…a lot of people here who love you. You should always remember that and hold it close. It saved my life when I thought I couldn’t go on, and I know it will also save yours.”

Voice Lines:

(1): “I’m glad this place is a lot simpler than the castle. That place had so many hidden rooms and puzzles that I felt like I was going insane…No, as a matter of fact, DON’T tell me about all the secret workshops here.”

(2): “Hm? What’s up? I’m just relaxing here. Sorry if I’m taking up space. It’s nice to just take a moment.”

(3): “No, no, don’t worry. Even if I could, I’m not the type of guy to just go around stealing souls. I only do that to monsters, and even then, they become complacent once they return to me. I could show you some of the fun ones, like the Skeleton Gardener, if you’d like.”

Likes: “What I like? Curry! Oh, and Mina. She’s been with me for my whole life. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Dislikes: “This is gonna sound cliché, but garlic. It just tastes bad.”

Event: “Whoa, a party! Let’s go, I’m super bored cooped up in here.”

About The Holy Grail: “Wish granting? No thanks, I’ve read a ton of comics and things always go wrong. What? Of course, it’s a valuable source!”

Summon Quote: “Yo! My name is Soma Cruz. I’m just a regular high school student. Um…Where am I, exactly?”

Happy Birthday: “Happy Birthday, [name]! I’m so gonna throw you the coolest party ever! I’ll even invite Mina…If, uh, if that’s cool with you?”

(King Hassan): “D-Death!? Why are you…Oh. Uh, sorry about that. You reminded me of...someone. I’m sure you’re a cool guy underneath all that armor.”

(Vlad/Vlad III (EXTRA)): “Huh. So, in this world, the legend of Dracula is just that? A legend? Well, that’s a huge relief. I’m not exactly the kingly type.”

(Gilgamesh/Gilgamesh (Caster)): “Hey [name], could you give me a hand? This gold idiot keeps saying I stole his weapons, but they’re mine! …Hey! Stay back with those portal things! Someone, help!!!”

(Scathach): “Jeez, I bet Arikado will get along with that slave driver. Seriously, Arikado’s method of teaching me my powers amounted to locking me in a room with monsters and a pocketknife. Huh? She’s stomping over here!? [name], help me!”

(Marie Antionette): “I don’t know why, but…Looking at you makes me sad. I’m sorry.”

(Sessyoin Kiara): “Master, this lady is coming onto me WAY too hard. She keeps telling me to ‘embrace what I am’ and junk. I already get enough of that crap from cultists back home.”

(Sakata Kintoki/Astolfo/Romulus/Romulus-Quirinus/Ashwatthama): “Hey, you’re a pretty cool dude, huh? Finally, someone with some style!”

(Amakusa Shirou): “Ugh, you remind me of Fortner. And stop using rosaries around me, I’m not Satan, you jerk!”

(Mephistopheles): “Please, leave me alone. I’m not evil, nor will I ever be the Dark Lord. Just because I have those powers doesn’t mean I’m defined by them. Also, the alarm clock you gave me exploded, so I don’t think you’re all that trustworthy anyways.”

(Beni Enma): “Aww, you’re so cute...Wait, from the Underworld? A yokai? Guess you’re one of mine, then. If you want, I can loan you some Skeleton Waiters for your chain.”

(Any Avenger-Class Servant): “Hey, you guys are kinda like me! Everyone says you’re evil, but you’re actually really nice!”

(Arcueid Brunestud): “Master, that girl is shooting me some pretty weird looks....Huh? Reincarnating vampire? Oh, I guess I’d look pretty weird in that case. That’s not her fault, though. Maybe I’ll go say hi.”

QQABB Deck:

Buster Card: 2 Hit / -Soma raises Excalibur (still in the stone) and smashes it into the enemy-

Quick Card: 5 Hit / -Soma holds Valmanway in front of him, turns around, and multiple slashes envelop the enemy-

Art Card: 3 Hit / -Soma does two horizontal strikes, then a third overhead strike with Claimh Solais-

Extra Card: 6 Hit / -Soma punches twice, does a spin-attack with Claimh Solais, then jumps back and fires his Positron Rifle-

Level Up: “Whew…I feel so powerful.”

Ascension 1: “Whoo! Good job, [name].”

Ascension 2: “This…This is just like then…[name], maybe don’t do this anymore.”

Ascension 3: “Please…stop. I don’t know if I can pull myself back this time…”

Ascension 4: “I see. Well…as long as you’re by my side, I’ll never succumb. So please…don’t die.”

Battle Start ½: “Just how many monsters out there!? In any case, let’s do this thing!” / “I’ll carry the mantle and defeat this terrible night!”

Skill ½: “Bullet, set…Enchanted, set…Guardian, set…” / “How about some of this!”

Attack Selection ½/3: “Hmm.” / “Seriously!?” / “Nice.”

Attack ½/3: “Hraagh!” / “Take this!” / “You’re going down!”

Extra Attack: “Let’s see you handle THIS!”

Noble Phantasm Selection ½: “Are…Are you sure?” / “I’ll trust you on this.”

Noble Phantasm: “I will never be the Dark Lord…You, God, and The World will just have to deal with it!”

Noble Phantasm Damage: “I won’t…Submit...!”

Regular Damage: “Gah!”

Defeated ½: “Mina….” / “Julius…our promise…”

Battle Finish ½: “That was a close one…” / “Anyone need some healing? I have some spare spoiled milk…Oh wait, none of you have a Ghoul soul, huh?”

#fgo #fgo fanservant #soma cruz #castlevania #read this and catch my disease #fucking LOVE this funky little pimp coat lad #'but zerav this is way too op'- shut up i deserve this my cock is huge and yours can be to if you let go of such foolish notions and go ham

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cerastes · 6 years ago

Note

With all these Belmonts, is there a concise family tree?

Concise, yeah, though not all the details are filled, and some stuff has been left open-ended or simply not enough information was given. The traditional timeline’s canon Belmonts, and their tree, is as follows:

The short answer is Leon -> Trevor -> Christopher -> Soleiyu -> Simon -> Juste -> Richter -> Julius.

The long answer is

Leon Belmont (Lament of Innocence): The earliest known Belmont who went into a vampire fortress alone and unarmed to beat the absolute crap out of whoever it is that kidnapped his wife in the year 1094. A baron who was widely believed to be the strongest knight in Europe, he started the Belmont Clan’s tradition of killing vampires and respecting women. Quotes of his include “I’ll kill you and the night!” and “Mark my words, from today on, I and all my descendants will not give you peace! The Belmont Clan will hunt the night!” which proves that people named ‘Leon’ in PS2 era games are just treasure troves of quotes, and not small time. Actually didn’t fight Dracula! He did best Death, though. He was engaged with Sara Tantroul, but during the Mess that happened during Leon’s adventure, as she was dying, she infused her soul with the Whip of Alchemy, turning it into the Vampire Killer. This means that every Belmont is practically swinging their great great great grandmother at Vampires to beat the utter piss out of them and she couldn’t be happier. Leon later married an unknown woman, which I hope wasn’t too awkward for his now Whip Wife.

Trevor Belmont (Castlevania III and Curse of Darkness): Almost 400 years pass, and in 1476, Trevor becomes the first Belmont to defeat Dracula, alongside future wife Sypha Belnades (a powerful spellcaster from the magic-focused Belnades Clan) and close friends Alucard (that Alucard, Dracula’s son) and Grant Danasty (a noble thief from Wallachia), and then assists a Devil Forgemaster that defected from Dracula’s service named Hector (a very strong and good boy) kill Dracula after Bad Vlad resurrected prematurely. Although an incredible warrior proud of his skills, he is also cautious, and kind of a rude jackass but he has a heart of gold. Has a REALLY good boss theme for when you have to fight him. He also starts in the Castlevania Pachislot game, which has a soundtrack too good for a fucking pachislot game, what the hell.

Christopher Belmont (The Adventure and Belmont’s Revenge): Around a hundred years later, in 1591, Dracula resurrected tougher than ever. Luckily, Christopher Belmont, great-grandson of Trevor, was lifting pretty much every day, so he went and clowned on Dracula. He was very happy about this, and he also very happy that 15 years after this fight, Soleiyu Belmont, his son, was coming of age as a Vampire Hunter. He was going to give him the Vampire Slayer, as per tradition, to make him the main Belmont, BUT THEN, Dracula, the tricky willy, HADN’T ACTUALLY DIED from the fight with Christopher, and had just been left very very weak, but due to this, he couldn’t do anything, so he possessed Soleiyu to recover his power, which Christopher DIDN’T LIKE, so he went at him again. After defeating his son Soleiyu in a duel and freeing him from Bad Vlad’s influence, he went and beat Dracula SO HARD that he did die this time, and for a while at it.

SIMON FUCKING BELMONT (Castlevania, Simon’s Quest, Super Castlevania IV, Harmony of Dissonance, and Chronicles): THE LEGEND HIMSELF. Simon Belmont, the hero of the very first game, and thus, the “first” Belmont in that way. Simon grew up hearing stories and legends of his lineage’s finest feats: His ancestor Trevor, his great-grandfather Christopher, even his grandfather Soleiyu, and always felt anxious of whether or not he was worthy of the name Belmont, worthy enough to be in such a kickass family, always wondered if he would be able to stand up to the expectation. A chance to find the answer to that question would come in 1691, when Dracula revived AGAIN, and Simon, age 22, who had spent his whole life training and becoming a monster truck gijinka, went and absolutely fucking eradicated Dracula, just gave him those kind of punches that send you to another side of the map, blew him across his own throne room as if he was on 200% damage in Smash Bros, just pulverized him. Dracula, however, managed to inflict a wound on his back, and he cursed it with his dying breath. The wound never healed, and Simon just kinda accepted that. 7 years pass and Simon’s all bummed out ‘cause he’s gonna die from this one little fuckin’ nick on his back, when a Mysterious Woman tells him “hey, find Dracula’s body parts and burn them to heal your curse” and he was like “sounds good to me”, so he did, assembled the parts, and ended up reviving Dracula, who immediately looked at Simon and went “Oh bother” before Simon unleashed the mother of all beat downs on him, tore him apart AGAIN, and now burned dismantled Bela Lugosi-looking mother fucker for good measure. This undid the curse, because exorcisms and blessings are weak and inferior to some good ol’ ultraviolence. The Belmont Clan was kinda ostracized before this because people were afraid of their superhuman power, but Simon’s feat of kicking Dracula’s ass, and then reviving him so he could kick his ass even harder was so awe inspiring that the people were like “that’s pretty cool dude!” and now they loved the Belmonts, and Simon became a legend, and a village formed around the Belmont Clan household out of respect for them.

Juste Belmont (Harmony of Dissonance): ...And in this village is where Simon’s grandson, Juste, grew up! Even among Belmonts, Juste was particularly powerful due to his immense aptitude for magic in addition to his factory setting Belmont Strength, owing to the Belnades blood in his lineage. In 1748, his best friend, Maxim Kischine, wanted to prove he was stronger than Juste, so he emulated Simon’s feat from 50 years ago and collected all of Dracula’s body parts (which should have burned but Dracula is tenacious HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TEACH YOU THIS LESSON, OLD MAN), EXCEPT despite being a formidable lad, Maxim was nowhere near Simon levels of strong, physically or spiritually, so he got possessed by Dracula’s influence, lol. Not Dracula himself, though, he was still VERY dead after Simon got done with him, but his influence lingered in his body parts. Juste is also a very successful IKEA employee and loves interior design, skills he puts at good use in a room in Castlevania for some reason unknown to everyone but him. Despite his kitsch tastes, Juste, as said before, is VERY STRONG, and so he beat the influence right out of Maxim and then killed it AGAIN outside of Juste, all while traversing a physical Castlevania and a spiritual Castlevania brought to quasi-existence by Maxim’s psyche, all the while rescuing their mutual friend Lydie Erlanger. Fun Fact! What Juste kills is Dracula’s influence, not Dracula himself. The final boss, Dracula Wraith, is just the manifestation of his influence after draining power from Maxim (as formidable as the real Dracula, but not actually Dracula), making him and Leon the only two people in this list that didn’t actually kill Dracula. He then likely marries Lydie and they have a no doubt very beautiful home hand-decorated by Juste himself.

Richter Belmont (Rondo of Blood, Symphony of the Night, Nocturne of Recollection, Portrait of Ruin): Richter is either Juste’s son or grandson, we don’t know, but what we do know for sure is that he’s made of something harder than the strongest metal known to man. He is VERY strong, and said to be The Strongest Belmont, period (at least until Julius). Dracula revived again SIGH and ordered a bunch of women to be kidnapped to be sacrificed to him, which included Annette, Richter’s girlfriend. Richter kinda doesn’t like this, so much like Leon, he goes absolutely ballistic on 1792 and embarks on his quest to kick vampire ass. Unlike Leon, however, he does bring weaponry. On his path of asskicking, Richter rescues fellow Vampire Hunter and distant relative of the Belmont Clan, Maria Renard, and if you’ve been following this post, you’ll know that just one Vampire Hunter is VERY strong, WELL IMAGINE TWO OF THEM NOW. Holy SHIT, they just fucking suplexed the entire castle like Sabin on steroids, satellite lasers have less firepower than this duo. So Dracula obviously loses like the jobber he is, and everything’s ok. Unfortunately, Dracula has a hyper competent sidekick. No, not Death, that guy jobs, too, I mean a Dark Priest named Shaft, who, unlike what his idiot name might suggest, is actually really good at his job. He’s the one that revive Dracula this time, and boy howdy he was going to try again, EXCEPT this time he brainwashed Richter into helping them, and that’s when Alucard, ally of Trevor, bursts out of his sarcophagus and decides to lend a hand in this whole Dracula ass kicking, but that’s another story for another day.

Julius Belmont (Aria of Sorrow/Dawn of Sorrow): The last known Belmont and the strongest. Julius fucks. In 1999, he obliterated Dracula, we don’t know how, we never were told how it went down, but all that is known is that he absolutely did that. He then lends a helpful hand to Aria/Dawn’s protagonist, Soma Cruz, but that’s also another story for another time.

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department-of-lewder-things · 6 years ago

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So about the current “cleaning”

I dunno if I’m popular enough for the almost-400 of you here to care, but I have linked my other accounts if DOLT gets poof’d for whatever reason!

I actually owe Tumblr for a lot of my current “success” this last year, so I don’t wanna lose you guys on this temperamental platform, but know I’d miss seeing your guys’ notifications even if you only lurk or like my doodles!

I thought it was just the App being weird in not showing anything near NSFW things in the search results lately, but here we are. Posts with links are also apparently being blocked from the search bar to combat the insane bot problem this platform has, but holy crap is that a terrible way to shit down artists even more ain’t it? I’ve met so many cool new people and some of my idols I’ve looked up to for years because of this place, so it’s annoying that the fears are coming to fruition. As I said above, much as this site can be wonky, many of y’all who follow me are completely rad and chill folks, and I wouldn’t wanna lose you guys.

Even if it’s just some sort of weird thing like the site overcorrecting another issue, I felt I had to say something amidst all the radio silence, like the iOS App just straight up missing from the App Store. Wonder if they’re trying to cover something up that automatically triggers Safe Mode. Hmm.

Art will hopefully resume today though? I’d wish everyone a good day but since we’re all kinda on edge because of this whole fiasco, I send fingers crossed for everyone instead!

deviantArt | Ko-fi | Patreon | Pixiv | Twitter

#personal #but also just a general worry #this site is so frustrating at times

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poisonouslightslayer · 7 years ago

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Snowman back with another ask. If I have already asked this disregard this message. But I'm a curious snowman and I know there were a ton of fans that weren't satisfied with the way FT ended. So I wanted to know if you could rewrite Sting's ending or even his whole storyline in the series, what all would you change?

// Forgive me, but this will be long and placed under a read more for that reason and will not be spoiler free. First of all I really wished Sting and Rogue should have won their battle in the Magic Games and it’s not because I’m being bias because I expected Natsu the main character to win for change to happen, but it was how it happened.

First off it still does not make sense to me how Natsu was able to block Sting’s Holy Nova? That unknown power of his dragon slayer secret art was very overwhelming so the how the heck could Natsu stopped such a move that looked like it was a bright nuclear bomb? I hated the fact of what Natsu did to Gajeel. That was very low and I can’t forgive him for that and add to the fact that Sting and Rogue were disgusted with that move makes my point valid.

What really hurt the most was how both Sting and Rogue got screwed over and the fandom saw them as weaklings against Natsu which is downright irritating. Natsu basically “cheated” to have the advantage all because some of the Fairy Tail mainly Team Natsu messed around in the Celestial World and Ultear used her magic to give them second origin to catch up on the weeks of training they should have done in the first place. Sadly the twin dragons never found out about that otherwise Natsu and most of Fairy Tail, the ones that got that advantage I would think would have been disqualified. Anyway moving on I wished there was a fight between Sting and the other remaining members of Fairy Tail , but they would have been healed before they faced off against him to give them a fair advantage. It would have been more interesting and the result could have been the same with Laxus being the victor though because that guy is just so powerful.

I would have loved to have seen what 26 yr Sting would have looked like because it showed how Future Rogue looked. That whole mention of Rogue killing Sting was also ridiculous. If anything he should have killed Gray for killing Frosh. Present Sting should have also met Future Rogue and found out the bitter truth from him too. It would have been filled with angst moments.

Later on there were some events in the manga that made me upset. One of them was the absolute stupid idea of a Sabertooth eating contest. Like seriously? No one can eat that much food in one day and change their body shape? The worst thing was that Minerva was unaffected? How the hell can she eat that much and nothing happen to her? Only explanation is her magic. I was so upset about that. Good thing his character changed back to the way he was. It was very unrealistic, a jab to his character , just horribly drawn and written crap because Mashima wanted to make one of his beloved side characters a joke. For these reasons, I don’t even acknowledge it with my muse like the outcome of it never happened. I hate it when creators do that to serious bad ass types. Gajeel and Jellal turned out to be some other victims.

Next comes when Sabertooth was ambushed. It never showed how it happened and applied that they were a weak guild which is so far from the truth. The next thing you see is them up on poles like they were being crucified. How ironic with Sting’s holy magic right? There needs to be more development with that whole plot.

Another downfall in the manga of one of the events was that Yukino slapped Sting just because he had almost lost hope and felt responsible for some of his guild mates being killed. It shows how compassionate he is and the fandom mocked him for being a cry baby. It was a heart breaking moment and showed how much his character had progressed. I absolutely hated that scene and almost made me hate Yukino’s character just for that stunt because I can’t stand it when females get away with slapping guys and if guys do it to a girl then it’s physical abuse. It works both ways, but no one deserves to be physically assaulted when they are so depressed.

The fight with Acnologia should have had all the dragon slayers healed and at their strongest including the ones that had dual transformations. Plus the battle which I feel was the whole plot of the manga/series dealing with dragons to begin with should have been a lot longer with all the dragon slayers defeating him not lending their power for Natsu to once again be the only one to outshine everyone by beating the toughest enemy imaginable. I hated the ending. Lastly the very end, the whole Sabertooth eating contest thing again? Enough with the crack. It would have been better having the Guild Master Sting remember those that were lost to him during the war and him and the rest of his guild paying their respects then later showing him at a meeting with the rest of the guild masters since he is the youngest one alive.

Many open ended questions are still left unanswered. There should have been some development about how and when did Sting and Rogue get their lacrimas,(3rd generation,) and how old were they when they joined Sabertooth? Where did he get his crystal earring? Sting should have known about Ana like he came from the 400 years ago timeline and how he should have discovered Natsu was a demon (E.N.D.). He should have had had more interactions with the other dragon slayers like Laxus, Cobra/Erik, Laxus, and Wendy because I see the dragon slayers almost like a family to each other. Other then them, him being around Fairy Tail would have been nice to see different character interactions. His reasons for being at the Fairy Tail guild would make sense to since he is a guild master and could be meeting with Makarov. Speaking of Makarov, I personally feel Laxus should have earned his right of being Fairy Tail’s Guild Master. I would have loved to see Laxus and Sting interact more and they would have that in common besides being dragon slayers.

It would have been really cool to see Sting’s dragon transformation as well as the other dragon slayers dragon forms. Mashima did leave it open that they could still transform especially if the antibodies wear off since there are no dragons inside them to prevent it from happening. If Fairy Tail was to have a time skip after all plot holes and loose ends were tied up, I’d love to see how much Sting had matured as a Guild Master, how much he had grown since he was fairly young at the end of the manga, did he get married or have kids or not? Is he a virgin or not? According to the manga there is a scene that is implied he’s not; however, there is a particular spell (the desire/lust) that Larcade used that didn’t have any negative effect on him so it’s up to interpretation. I digress. Are Rogue and him still very close? Is he still a grand leader to his guild or did he turn into a tyrant and get obsessed with power in order to keep his guild safe because the war had changed him? What about his physical appearance. Does he have longer hair like Natsu did or is it still short? I imagined he’d be more muscular and taller and could have new attacks dealing with his holy light and even his shadows in his White Shadow Dragon form.. I could go on and on, but I listed some of the important details I’d like to see happen in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read this since a lot of thought went into coming up with all these ideas.

#🐉light dragon slayer related #sting eucliffe #questions needed to be answered #sorry for such the long post

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steves3511 · 7 years ago

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So you want to convention

I am going to show you all the supplies you need to rock out your next Comic Convention

At my last convention I attended I was asked about writing a blog post about how I prepare for shows and the essentials I bring with me. Since I have been thinking of writing a post on this very topic for a while I thought that this was the kick in the pants I needed to finally start writing .This is my third year attending and exhibiting at shows, my second year exhibiting full time as my primary source of income. Over those three years and almost 30 shows I have exhibited at I have learned a lot about booth setup, packaging, and selling and interacting with customers; and I want to share with you those insights I have learned through trial and error so you wont make those same early mis-steps and hopefully help you have the best show you can.

First things first, you decide to test out selling at comic conventions and you are like "San Diego Comic Con here I come!" Hold your horses there brother; I like many artists strongly recommend starting with your local shows, its hard enough making money at your first show, you don't want to add to that by having to pay for travel and hotel costs as well. If you are lucky like me and have several friends and family scattered around the country offering a free couch to sleep on it certainly makes things easier, thought that airfare is still pretty killer (baggage fees grrr). Make things easy for yourself start local and expand out from there.

So you signed up for your local show, now what? First and most importantly if you are an artist in artist alley you are going to need prints of your work. At shows and online I often get asked where I get my prints from, or if I print myself from home (hell no!!). Having good prints is really important, it doesn't matter how good your image looks on a computer screen, if it doesn't look good as a print nobody will buy it. I get my prints from El-Co Colorlabs in NJ (dont worry non New Jersians they ship anywhere) The prints are more expensive than other places, though I will argue those cheaper prints do not come close to matching the quality of el-co, and I will happily pay a little more for that higher quality. (I challenge anyone to find a place that has better quality at a cheaper price)

High quality photo luster prints for an affordable price, what do you not love about that?

If you are looking to start out slow before splurging on more expensive prints and save a few bucks at the start I know several people get prints from MGX copy and have had pretty good results. They are a great beginner bang for your buck printer.

The next big thing you will need is some sort of backdrop. From experience a lot of the people walking around shows do not look down at the tables, they are all looking up looking for something to catch their eye. It is really important to have your work up high so people can see it, and to see it from far away. Every show I have people come up to me saying “OMG I saw your work from way down there and I just had to come over”

For my backdrop I use a photo backdrop display. When looking for displays there are a bunch that are cheap and affordable, I strongly recommend getting the most expensive display you can afford. Those cheap light weight displays are on the flimsy side and may not support your work, try to find one that looks like it is made out of a thicker sturdier metal and preferably says it can support 30-40lbs before bowing. This is the display I have

Ravelli ABSL Photo Video Backdrop Stand

This is is a similar setup to mine, sturdy enough to hold your prints and also easy to travel with

Now that you have your display you need something to drape over it and a way to hang your prints. At my very first show my booth neighbor and super awesome and fellow dragon aficionado Tyler Walpole had a very similar setup to this. It looked so easy for him to set up/tear down his display, the display also went up high so people could see it from across the hall. Watching him pull customers in and rake in sales I decided then and there to follow in his footsteps. (note, walk around the show when you can, taking notes on other artists setups and ask them questions, everyone I have met has been happy to answer questions and give helpful advice, you can learn a TON from from your fellow exhibiting artists)

What I do is drape a large sheet of felt fabric (Joe Ann’s) over the display and use clamps to hold it in place. To attach the prints to the fabric I tape the edges of my prints to a backing board and then place velcro to the back of the backing board, the backing board and the print then “sticks” to the fabric and hangs in place.

Heavy Duty Muslin Clamps

I place velcro on the 4 corners and then tape the corners of the print to the backing board. The print stays flat against the board and to hang it you just "stick it" to the fabric. Super easy.

I do recommend having larger prints behind you so it is easier for people to see, these larger prints are my fancy 18X24 limited edition prints. I use these both as large display prints and also as a higher premium item for customers. If someone loves your work and has cash to spend and you only have $20 prints then all you are going to get from that customer is $20.

Okay, now that the backdrop is taken care of now I need a way to display my prints on my table. First I have some black fabric (Also from Joe Ann’s) draped over the table to make it look all fancy. I then lay out these foldable display stands, one for each print. Have as many of your prints out on the table as possible. From experience it is hard to convince people to flip through a print bin/book, so the more stuff you have out on the table the easier it is for people to see and look at.

You can see I have all of my prints laid out in a line so its easy for people to see, you never know what print is going to catch someones eye, solve that by having all of them out.

Gibson Holders 6 DCWB Adjustable Wire Display Easels

If you cant fit everything on the table a good solution for a print bin I have found is this foldable bin I found at Target. Its the perfect size to hold 11X17 or my 12X18 prints, and its light weight for easy storage and transport.

For the display prints on the table you need some way to protect them and make them stand up. I currently bag and back all of my prints. I get re-sealable bags from clearbags.com and the backing boards from Uline (if you don't want 400 backing boards to start you can find them on amazon and elsewhere in packages of 20 or so) To start out you really only need the backing boards for the display prints; later on as you get busier and want to save precious time during the checkout process you can pre bag all of your prints before the show. Dont skimp on the bags though, you need some sort of protective bag for people who purchase prints, otherwise they may not buy for fear of damaging them.

In addition to my prints I also sell tabletop gaming playmats or otherwise known as gigantic mouse pads of my work. If you are a fantasy artist like me this is a great product to have, gamers love collecting mats that have cool art on them. Also it helps me stand out from everyone else at the Con, I am usually the only one who has them and its a great option for people who have run out of wall space with all of their prints. You have no idea how many times at a show I get “holy crap, he has game mats…I need a game mat” Just beware, these things are super heavy and add a lot of weight to your setup. If yo are interested in trying out some game mats I strongly recommend Drew Baker, I and many of my friends use him for his mats.

If you do fantasy art, Game mats are a great way to stand out from the crowd and offer something no-one else has

Okay now that you have your super awesome setup, you just sit back and watch people start flooding to your table buying up everything you have….right? Unfortunately not quite. No matter how good your work is you still need to sell it to people. Over the course of a weekend I maybe get 3 or 4 people total that just walk up and say “I need to buy this, how much” every other person that buys from me I have to sell my work to them in some way. I have seen several artists at shows sit back with their arms folded looking down because sales aren't as good as they hoped. Trust me, you don't want to be that guy.

The thing is nobody wants to approach you when you are down in the dumps, at that point it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy where you are bummed you aren't doing well and people aren't approaching you because you are bummed, thus making you even more bummed.

The best way to break through that cycle is to put on a “Con face” be happy and engaging, say hi to as many people as you can. No matter how bad a day/week you are having you cannot let it show while you are behind that table. Smile, be upbeat, say “Hey hows it going” try to get them to stop and start a conversation, and then lead that conversation towards you and your work. (in my opinion standing behind a table not talking to anyone for 8 hours is boring, if I am not making any money I mine as well have fun talking to people) No matter how bad the day is going you CANNOT let people know, you gotta be happy and engaging the entire time. There is plenty of time to vent at the bar after the show talking with your neighbors and fellow artists.

The selling thing is really what is going to make or break your experience at a show. No matter how nice your display is, no matter how good your work is, if you do not have the confidence in yourself and your work to tell people they should buy this, conventions will be a struggle.

That being said, my final bit of advice for first time con goers is to just have fun. Chasing sales throughout a weekend is a stressful endeavor, dont get bummed if you only make back the table cost. There are a lot of up front costs associated with exhibiting at shows, so if you dont earn a profit at your first show, do not despair and give up (I did not make back the costs of my first show, these things take time to build up). Have fun, work on your sales pitch, talk to your booth neighbors and ask them lots of questions, and scope out ideas for a better/improved booth setup. Use the show as a learning experience to apply to future shows and you will have a good time, and the knowledge of this show will make the next one even better.

Finally, if you are looking for more information and knowledge about conventions and selling and running a booth I highly recommend checking out 1 fantastic week. These guys host a weekly webshow going over not only conventions but how to earn a living as an artist (useful topic dont you say), I learned a lot about selling at conventions and running my business from them and I cannot recommend them enough.

#convention #fantasy art #fantasy artist #comiccon #Illustration #how to make it #booth setup #sales #convention prep #supplies #fantasyillustration #comic convention

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junker-town · 5 years ago

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Every money-saving trade in sports this month, ranked by how little you should care

Don’t feel bad for these wealthy sports owners making cost-cutting moves.

Don’t feel bad for these wealthy sports owners after making cost-cutting moves.

The NBA trade deadline is known for significant deals and non-stop activity that leaves our heads spinning. Where will Superstar X go? Wait, did Team A really trade for Exciting Player B? Holy crap, another Wojbomb! This is incredible!

This year delivered again on that front, even though we didn’t think it would.

But it’s also a wonderful time for the bean counters and accountants tasked with trimming some loose payroll ends to save their exceedingly rich owners a few bucks. Yes, it’s Avoid The Luxury Tax Week! And we all know that’s why you, the fan, really follows sports.

Let’s rank some of the essential money-saving moves of the past month, from most productive to the actual on-court product you watch to the least productive.

1. Golden State Warriors include Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman in D’Angelo Russell trade

The Warriors are 12-40 this season, yet entered the week $3.7 million over the luxury tax and subject to a repeater rate that would have caused them to pay about triple that in penalties. Trading Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III nearly eliminated that gap, but they were still barely over the threshold. Thus, they included Evans, their 2018 first-round pick, and Spellman, a promising stretch big man picked in that same class, in the blockbuster trade involving Russell and Andrew Wiggins.

Those moves left the Warriors more than $3 million under the luxury tax, though there is a catch.

Roster adds needed: Cleveland needs two by February 20 Golden State needs FIVE by February 8 Houston needs one by February 19 Clippers need one by February 20 https://t.co/4kZ60qRRHa

— Jeff Siegel (@jgsiegel) February 6, 2020

If the Warriors are able to add five players to the roster for less than $3.1 million, they will say below the line and avoid having to pay repeater penalties until 2021-22 at the earliest. That’s certainly doable.

The Warriors are 3.13M below the tax with nine players. They'll have to sign three ROS minimum before they can sign 10-days. The minimum rest-of-season outlay for them is about 2.0M, giving them some wiggle room.https://t.co/eXN1WHS2tz

— Jeff Siegel (@jgsiegel) February 6, 2020

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CARE? Joe Lacob’s net worth is $3 billion, according to this.

2. Los Angeles Clippers trade Derrick Walton Jr. and cash to Atlanta Hawks

Walton is a 24-year-old point guard who the Clippers signed to an Exhibit 10 contract for training camp before getting his $1.4 million minimum contract guaranteed for the rest of the season on Jan. 8. He’s played less than 16 minutes total since then. Trading him put the Clippers $1.3 million below the luxury tax, enabling them to potentially go over the threshold in the future without incurring the additional penalties that come with being a repeat taxpaying team. It also opened a roster spot which could be used to add a bought-out player — almost certainly one who would cost less than $1.3 million.

The Hawks promptly waived Walton to open up roster space that could be used help more teams tighten their salary belts. To facilitate the transaction, the Clippers paid the Hawks enough cash to cover the remainder of Walton’s $1.4 million minimum salary for the rest of the season.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CARE? Steve Ballmer’s net worth is $64.2 billion. Hawks owner Tony Ressler’s net worth is $3 billion.

3. Portland Trail Blazers trade Skal Labissiere and cash to Atlanta Hawks

Labissiere is a onetime top high school recruit who has not capitalized on his promise. He showed some usefulness as a backup center with Portland this season, but has not played since December due to a left knee injury. He makes $2.4 million this season. The Blazers are still over the luxury tax, but are now slightly less so after this trade due to dropping into a lesser tax bracket.

Portland saves $3.8M toward the luxury tax in the Skal Labissiere trade to Atlanta. The tax bill is now $5.9M. The Trail Blazers now have an open roster spot.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 6, 2020

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CARE? Jody Allen is the CEO of Vulcan Inc, the holding company that owns the Blazers, and the sister of the late Paul Allen. She is the executor of her brother’s estate, which had an estimated net worth of $20 billion at the time of his death.

4. Dallas Mavericks trade Isaiah Roby to Oklahoma City Thunder for Justin Patton

Patton, a 2017 first-round pick, has a $1.62 million guaranteed contract. Roby, a 2019 second-round pick, makes $1.5 million. The difference trimmed the Thunder’s luxury-tax bill from $2.3 million to $2 million and put them within $800,000 of getting below the line and avoiding any tax payments entirely. (I’m surprised there wasn’t another move on deadline day getting them there, but maybe it’s still in progress).

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CARE? Clay Bennett’s net worth is “just” $400 million.

5. Boston Red Sox deal Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles Dodgers in three-team trade

Betts, a 27-year-old four-time all-star, former league MVP, and best player on a memorable championship team, was slated to become a free agent after the 2020 season. There are suggestions he will desire a contract in the 10-year, $400 million range. He was third in jersey sales last season. Price is about to enter the fifth year of a seven-year, $217 million contract.

Major League Baseball does not have a salary cap. They do, however, have something known as a Competitive Balance Tax, which works as follows:

A club exceeding the Competitive Balance Tax threshold for the first time must pay a 20 percent tax on all overages. A club exceeding the threshold for a second consecutive season will see that figure rise to 30 percent, and three or more straight seasons of exceeding the threshold comes with a 50 percent luxury tax. If a club dips below the luxury tax threshold for a season, the penalty level is reset. So, a club that exceeds the threshold for two straight seasons but then drops below that level would be back at 20 percent the next time it exceeds the threshold.

Clubs that exceed the threshold by $20 million to $40 million are also subject to a 12 percent surtax. Meanwhile, those who exceed it by more than $40 million are taxed at a 42.5 percent rate the first time and a 45 percent rate if they exceed it by more than $40 million again the following year(s).

(Keep in mind that this requires teams merely to pay a portion of each additional dollar beyond the threshold. In the NBA, teams must pay an escalating tax on top of the amount over the line).

The Red Sox paid an additional $12 million on a $239.5 million payroll in 2018, the year Betts won MVP and they won the World Series. They paid an additional $13.4 million in taxes last year, when they missed the playoffs. They feared slightly larger future seven-figure tax payments on top of their eight-figure payrolls down the road.

Thus, they traded away one of the five best players in the league a year before he was slated to get a raise a normal market would have undoubtedly provided.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I CARE? John Henry’s net worth is $2.7 billion. So yeah, this is unforgivable.

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techyblogger · 6 years ago

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Link Drops - The Holy Grail of Links is Here..You'll Thank Me Later! https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/cc6wb2/link_drops_the_holy_grail_of_links_is_hereyoull/

I'll make this short and simple.....

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Skype:- live:scribd2105

Thanks and have a great one!

submitted by /u/Almightypull007 [link] [comments] July 12, 2019 at 11:23AM

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calvinwatchesstuff · 8 years ago

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Let’s Watch Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V: Episode 1

Well this has been a long time coming, hasn’t it?

I’ll be honest: I’ve been putting this off for a while. I honestly don’t know why; maybe the idea of watching a series when I’m literally sharing a universe with some of its main characters is a little awkward for me. But seeing as Konami just announced that the next Yu-Gi-Oh! series, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, will be airing in April, I figure I might as well start watching and see if I can catch up in time. I probably can’t, but I’ll do my best.

Now, I don’t know too much about this series, but I know a little. I know about Pendulum Summoning (which I thought was confusing until I saw the new Link Summoning mechanics and realized how lucky we once were), and I know that Action Duels are a thing. I’ve also seen the design of the main character, and I know that parallel universe become a thing at some point. (Story of my life.) Other than that, I’m going in pretty much blind. Just how I like it.

Well, no sense putting this off any longer; let’s leap straight into the action! As Dan Green would say... “It’s time to d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-DUEL!!!”

Alright, we’re starting off with what looks like a medieval Japanese setting, except there are already holograms. I’m assuming this will be explained in a moment.

OH MY GOD THIS MUSIC IS COOL

Alright, so now we have the new Duel Disk and Life Point counter designs. I gotta say, I like both. I especially like how the counter says how many cards are in each duelist’s hand; that was always something that bugged me.

Alright, so now we have this character. He uses the Superheavy Samurai (or Superheavy Warrior, as it’s translated here), which seems to make sense given his character design. No idea what to say about the monster names, though.

Ah, looks like we already have Advanced Summoning happening!

So this guy’s name is Gongenzaka (oh, THAT’s gonna be fun to type out), and he’s dueling Yuya, who I happen to know is the main character (mainly because his name starts with “Yu”).

“Ladies and gentlemen!” IT BEGINS

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE THINGS

And then suddenly we cut to this girl in what appears to be a control room of some kind. So I guess this is a simulation.

…okay, there was a lot of information to be parsed in that scene. We got a bunch of new characters- the girl I assume is the Téa-expy of this generation, her dad, and some other people watching- we got the fact that this equipment seems pretty fragile, and it looks suspiciously like the hologram system (which is called “Solid Vision” now) uses some sort of hard-light technology.

Ah, okay, here we go with the intro. And it looks like I was right: the gimmick of this series seems to be that the holograms have physical mass. That would piss me off, but seeing as they already act like they do anyway, it’s nice to make it official.

This is a really good intro song actually.

“The Trail of Light: Pendulum Summon!” Ah, of course. First episode of a new series, so we have to introduce the new summoning mechanic.

Alright, so I spent extensive time on the wiki prior to this, and I think I FINALLY figured out how Pendulum Summoning works. I’ll check within the series itself, but I’m fairly certain I’ve got it now.

I have to say, I like the aesthetic of this city so far. It’s kind of like Heartland from Zexal, but with some of the glass-and-steel motifs of GX.

Aaaaand there is a building with “LDS” on the side. That’s…interesting.

Ah, it says “LEO Corporation” on this side. Kind of strange that it’s in English, but sure. I guess that’s what the “L” stands for. I guess my initial guess was kind of ridiculous in context.

And I guess this is where the main characters live: the “You Show Duel School”. Again, kind of strange that the sign is in English, but I’ll roll with it. Less work for the translators, I guess.

And now we have this guy. I guess he runs this place.

So I know that the main character is named Yuya, and I guess Yuzu is the girl with him. Kind of interesting that they both have the “Yu” syllable at the start of their name. Almost feels like they’re setting Yuzu up as another main character.

Okay, wow, this Gongenzaka guy is even more intense than the other guy.

Oh hello there, guy with offensive mustache.

Ah, okay, “Leo Duel School”. So like Duel Academy from GX, except not on an island. Got it.

I see. So this guy “Strong Ishijima” was supposed to duel Yuya’s father (whom the Jumbotron says is named Yusyo, but the translation calls him “Yushou”), but he never showed up.

Well this instructor guy changed his mind real quick when he heard about the free hologram system.

OH MY GOD THE FAN

Oh hey, a pendulum. Can’t imagine that will have any goddamn significance in this series.

Well this got depressing really damn fast.

Also, Yuya’s dad reminds me vaguely of Captain Shanks. I wonder if that’s intentional.

Wait, is this the same day? You mean these LDS guys seriously waited until the day of the tournament to arrange things with the opponent for the title match?!

Oh, okay, looks like it’s a different day.

THE FAN AGAIN

Oh yeah, here we go! The series’ first Action Duel! Let’s see this in action!

And of course now Yuya’s going to take a minute to arrive so the audience will draw parallels with his dad.

…why is Yuya dressed as a clown?

Oh wow, the Duel Disk blades are actually hard light holograms too in this series. I’ll admit, it’s a cool-looking design (though it leaves me damn curious how the cards stay on, especially since the duelists in Action Duels are by definition going to be running around and tilting the Duel Disk at all angles).

Whoa, card explosion out of nowhere at the halfway point! Apparently these are “Action Cards”; I have no idea what that means.

Oh yeah, this was the generation they introduced the “No Draw Phase on the first turn” rule. Neat.

The fact that he’s playing his first card while sliding down a rope off a castle is almost cool enough to distract me from how fucking stupid that hippo monster is.

“Ore no tan! Dorraw!” Oh MAN I’ve missed that phrase.

Holy crap, he performed an Advanced Summon on the first turn? I can see why he’s a champion. (Though it’s kind of weird they haven’t showcased Pendulum Monsters yet. I’m pretty sure Yusei had summoned a Synchro by this point in his first episode.)

Ah, okay, so Action Cards basically allow his monsters to react to events; i.e. this “Evasion” card led him dodge the attack.

Oh wow, a Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonist with an actual living parent?! This series IS breaking new ground!

So it looks like Yuma’s gimmick is that he acts like he’s just screwing around and making everyone laugh while he’s actually strategizing and exploring the environment.

What does it take to destroy this fucking hippo?!

Okay, so “Odd-Eyes Dragon” looks like Yuya’s ace monster, but I’m reasonably certain it’s supposed to be a Pendulum Monster. It certainly doesn’t look it here. Actually, the fact that Pendulum Summoning hasn’t been featured yet is kind of strange in and of itself.

And now apparently Duel Disks have a feature that lets you talk with your opponent. Pretty good feature, although it’s kind of pointless considering every duelist in this series can magically hear their opponent from across the field anyway.

Oh wow, that’s actually a really clever strategy.

Yeah, something tells me it’s not going to be that easy.

Ah, of course. I guess Yuya should have realized there would be Action Cards in the castle as well.

Oh that’s very not good.

Yikes. We’re, what, 5 or 6 turns in and Yuya’s already on his last 400 Life Points.

Well, a draw this dramatic has to have a pretty powerful card attached to it.

wait what

WAIT WHAT

Okay, so…the normal monsters in his deck turned into Pendulum Monsters? So does this mean that he just created Pendulum Summoning? I’m…fairly certain that’s cheating, but I’ll brush it off because this is actually really cool.

Yeah, alright, this actually looks pretty sick.

I’m laughing pretty hard right now because at this point Strong Ishijima could literally quote Abridged Yami’s “Did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?” speech.

Oh wow, I like this outro song too.

Well that was different than I expected. I admit, I’m really interested in what’s going on; we already have at least two ongoing mysteries established with the disappearance of Yuya’s dad and whatever the fuck happened with Pendulum Summoning, and I’m eager to see where they go with this. Alright, that’s it for now; see you guys tomorrow for Episode 2!

#calvin watches stuff #YGO ARC-V ep001 #yugioh arc v liveblog

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fightingdiamond · 7 years ago

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KCON LA 2017 fanaccount!!

part 1: Seventeen-teen-teen (I got to hi-touch them!!!) and a bit of VIXX~

Oh my goddd it's past 2 am as I'm writing this and I'm really worn out + still going to the convention tomorrow (Astroooo) but I wanna write this up before I go to sleep and forget 😂😂😂

First a bit about day 1, my early morning flight got delayed so I was like 😱 bad omens but the convention check-in line was amazingly smooth this year, I was prepared to wait hours in the hot sun from what I'd read online about previous years???? That didn't happen so 👍🏽

I was praying to get a Seventeen or GOT7 hi-touch with my ticket (to be clear, I only wanted GOT7 to trade for Seventeen 😉) but I got SF9 instead. Which is fine, I would've been happy to do SF9's hi-touch if I hadn't gotten Seventeen. I spent most of Friday in the trading area desperately looking for a Seventeen hi-touch, and was almost resigned to my fate/actually bought an Astro hi-touch because I thought I wouldn't get Seventeen. But one popped up at the last minute!!! I was expecting to be asked to pay $400+ and I love Seventeen but I'm not willing to spend that much money just for a hi-touch, but the seller was really kind so it worked out!!!

I don't think I really did much else Friday, just walked around looking at merch and wondering whether to buy or not 😂 I filmed myself saying random stuff about the convention to my sister! She's at school so she couldn't come with me 😓

Saturday morning I woke up and had a few minutes of panic because HOLY CRAP I'M SEEING SVT TODAY. I GET TO TOUCH SVT TODAY. It was totally unreal and I wasn't even at the event or even the convention yet, I was literally in my bed 😂 I couldn't believe it was really happening!

I felt really bad because I sold the two Seventeen audiences I got on Friday as contingency, and I know my fellow Carats really wanted that hi-touch 😭 I'm sorry Carats!!! Next time!!!

I went to the Carat fan meeting event for a bit, it was pretty cute! I've never seen so many Carats in my life before 😂 so many of them came with their parents too~

Around noon or so I was just sitting outside the expo hall and I noticed people were starting to line up, so I went over and asked what was going on. Supposedly ~some idols~ were gonna come through, maybe VIXX! So I stuck around - I wasn't planning to go to VIXX's fan engagement because it was right before Seventeen's, and I needed to line up for a good view for Seventeen 😂

I want to say it was anticlimactic, but it kinda wasn't? Sure, I was waiting there for a while, and I'm short so it was hard to see what was going on. And when they actually came through, they walked so fast I didn't have time to react! I wanted to shout Hakyeon's name but it all happened so fast that I couldn't get the words out 😂

But I did see them in real life! I was literally like, 5 feet away from them?? Hyuk was first and I actually wasn't sure if it was him for a second, either I've been out of VIXX for too long or he looks different in real life? Probably at least a bit the latter, haha. Not in a bad way tho! His face just looks softer in real life. Also, he's really tall! But at the same time, not as tall as I expected? Like, it felt like I was expecting all of them to be almost larger than life. It was really amazing seeing them in real life and just having that world-changing reality check that yeah, these are real, living, breathing humans who just happen to be celebrities. They looked so....normal, in a way? Like I see them and I realize that in some other universe where they're not idols, they're just regular people I might've known. Idk if this is making any sense, haha. Of course I've been aware of the fact that I shouldn't put idols on a pedestal - VIXX themselves have definitely taught me some lessons about how to deal with it when idols that I love do problematic things - but it's one thing to accept intellectually that idols aren't perfect, and another to actually have them in front of you without any of the usual digital barriers, just casually walking by like any other stranger you pass by on the street every day. So yeah, overall it was pretty amazing to see them, really refreshing in a way, even if it was only for a few minutes, if that.

Mm anyway, Hongbin looked as pretty as ever and Wonshik was really charismatic (although I wish he had smiled). I remember while I was doing my research for KCON tips and tricks, someone said Jaehwan looks like a doll in real life? Whoever that was, you're totally right. Can confirm. I was a bit surprised honestly, I never thought of him as a top visual in VIXX but he's astoundingly pretty. Taekwoon.....lmao I'm so sorry, I literally don't recall seeing Taekwoon 😂 I must've been distracted 😕

Overall I was pretty pleased with my luck XD I totally forgot that they were coming to the expo hall at all and I'm glad I was there just in time. Most importantly, I was really glad I'd seen VIXX first, because I felt a lot more prepared for Seventeen after that 😂

Also Kevin Woo (U-KISS' Kevin) walked past me on his way to a panel, so that was kinda cool.

It was still more than two hours until Seventeen's engagement, but I saw one of my twitter mutuals said they were already lining up for it??? So I hurried over and got in line. The fan engagements are all standing, no seats for some reason, so I really wanted a good view 😂 I talked to people in line, and made a new friend! That was actually one of my biggest fears about KCON - I'm really shy about talking to people, and I also kind of feel out of place among KCON fans. That's still kinda true, but at least I made one friend 😄

I was so nervous while I was in line, and I don't think I stopped being nervous until Seventeen had come in and were on stage, tbh. Seeing them in front of me was so calming ❤️ It was so nice being surrounded by so many Carats tho! On the screen in the hall they were playing MVs of the artists in the lineup and everyone was cheering and singing along for Don't Wanna Cry.

I recorded the whole fan engagement session including Seventeen walking in and I can upload that later, so I'll just toss out the things that stuck in my memory:

-I was WHOLLY unprepared for Jun to walk out first?????? He looks like a goddamn elf in real life, he's so beautiful. I'll still grumble about his hair being blond and grumble a bit louder about how he should eat more and fill out those cheeks again, but he's so beautiful. Similar to Hyuk, not as tall as I expected (also, I think he just has lousy posture).

-Dino????? Is so tol???? But also so smol?????? Also I'm sorry, this is going to sound REALLY weird, but his head is kinda big proportional to his body? 😂😂😂😂😂 he's still a cutie tho.

-Coups was so excited and happy, he was smiling and waving with both hands and I swooned. His black hair is gorgeous and I feel so blessed.

-Jeonghan had glasses!! I swooned again.

-Seungkwan is ADORABLE. I think up until he came out I'd just been cheering, not yelling members' names, but when he came out I just suddenly found myself screaming his name lmao. I love him ❤️

-I'm not a makeup expert by any means so I could be wrong, but they all seemed to have pretty heavy makeup on? Not a bad thing at all!!! Just a comment. It made all of them look really gorgeous. Especially Woozi, his skin looked so pristine and soft.

-I kept waiting for Hoshi but he never came 😔 I hope he's resting well and that he isn't too sick!!!

It's getting a bit late haha so I'll skip the actual session for now and talk about the hi-touch, since I don't have a video for that! They made us put our phones away, although one of the girls with me just left her phone recording in her pocket 😮 tips for next time!!

So my plan was to alternate saying 수고했어요 (you've worked hard) and 건강하세요 (be healthy) because I knew I wouldn't have time to say both to each member, and they were all close together so I hope they each heard both phrases 😅 and I was planning to speak English to Joshua and say "take care of your health", and Mandarin - 您辛苦了 (you've worked hard) and 祝您身体健康 (be healthy) - to Jun and Minghao. I really wanted to say something meaningful in the short time I had! I didn't want to say something as trite as "saranghaeyo" or anything.

Actually my rehearsed lines went pretty well, I should really give myself more credit for that. I couldn't really tell if they were more happy to hear my message than normal - of course they're always happy to meet their fans, but I couldn't tell if they were more happy than that to hear their native languages, ya know? I hope they appreciated it though 😓 ironically I actually stumbled on the English - I don't remember why, maybe I looked at Jisoo's face or something haha, but I suddenly got really shy and instead said "thank you for coming" while not looking him in the eye. He thanked me though, and I could hear the smile in his voice 😌

I'm really mad at myself about the eye contact thing though! I keep feeling bad about not looking some members in the eye; I hope they know it's out of shyness and not because I love them any less! Honestly I have this problem in real life too, my eyes will just wander during conversations 😒 I need to fix this (and not just for if I ever meet Seventeen again 😂)

Individual impressions:

-Woozi, oh, Woozi, my poor Jihoonie. He seemed super exhausted. I don't want to cause any trouble but I think Carats understand - he seemed really happy to see his fans, but at the same time very tired. His smile seemed like one of those polite smiles, but like I said, I totally understand. His lil dimples were really cute too! Also, he has a really manly vibe? LOL idk he’s so smol but also surprisingly manly????

-Seokmin, my sunshine, I think I might've talked over him by accident?????? Lmaooo I have no idea, it happened really quickly. As I was moving from Jihoon to Seokmin I think Seokmin was saying something to me, probably just hello, but I couldn't hear and by the time I realized, I was already opening my mouth to talk. I can't really remember much about his face or expression or anything but I remember getting the vibe that he was a really sweet person. It was probably his smile 😍

-Joshua: see above. I'm sorry babe! I love you, I'm just shy!

-Seungkwan, my baby boo, I'm so sorry, I barely remember hi-touching him 😭😭😭 if I ever see you again Seungkwan, I'll give you lots of love!

-Jeonghan, my angel, I think I was also too shy to look at him? I don't remember his face 😂😂😂 I love you Jeonghan! 😭

-Vernon, oh my god, Hansol, my child. He said hello to me as I moved up to him with his like, classic crooked grin and I about died on the spot. His voice is so lovely, oh my god, and the way he was smiling with his eyebrow quirked I just can't! I didn't realize until way way later that he'd talked to me in Korean (or rather, the importance of that fact). I wonder if he thought I was Korean because he heard me speaking Korean to Jeonghan? I'm under no illusions here about my Korean ability lol so I'm not sure. Either way he seemed really excited to be hearing Korean spoken to him and my heart melted when I realized that. I had purposely decided that I was going to speak Korean to Hansol for this very reason - because I remember reading about how he's lived in Korea for so long and how he said before he identifies more with his Korean side. I figured he'd appreciate a message in Korean and I feel really proud that I was right.

-Mingyu, my darling, I think I was still freaking out from talking to Hansol lmao. I love Mingyu more than....a lot of things but he didn't make much of an impression on me? Like, he was exactly how I expected him to be, no more, no less - very tall, very beautiful, very excited. It's not a bad thing 😂😂😂 thank you for saving my heart, darling!

-Coups, my love, I feel bad that I couldn't show him more love with the time I had. I had another attack of shyness around him and didn't look him in the eye 😭 I tried to touch his hand a little longer to make up for it...also I'm SO regretful that I didn't look at his face more attentively because I know he was smiling, but I didn't even take the time to appreciate his dimples 😭😭😭

-Wonwoo, my precious, I'm sorry I also don't remember much of him. Whose idea was it to have hip hop unit line up together?????????? I, a lowly hip hop unit stan, am DECEASED. I was already so overwhelmed from the others that I didn't have the capacity to appreciate Wonwoo 😭😭😭

-Minghao, oh god, Minghao, my everything. I'm not gonna lie, he stole my heart today. Recently I had been feeling increasingly fond towards him for no particular reason, so I kinda saw it coming, but after the hi-touch I was just like, wow. My life has been changed. Right before the hi-touch started, as we were lining up, I was yelling Minghao's name trying to get him to notice me. No luck 😔 but I spoke Mandarin to him during the hi-touch, and he gave me this radiant smile and thanked me in Mandarin. Holy shit, his voice. I'm still getting shivers thinking about it now. I swear to god my heart wanted to fly out of my chest. In hindsight though, I think he seemed a bit tired, similar to Woozi? I'm not sure if it's just his smile lines but yeah, he seemed kind of tired. He was really gracious about the whole thing though.

-Chan, what a smol, especially sandwiched between the two giants that are China line. LOL I mean he’s actually pretty tall too, he just gives off the vibe that makes me want to coddle him 😅 I hope he got to meet a lot of people who bias him! He deserves the world ❤️

-Jun, wow. I feel a little bad for reiterating that he's beautiful? The boy's talented too, make no mistake! Appreciate Wen Junhui 2kalways! But anyway he seemed a bit tired and withdrawn during the hi-touch, I felt a little twinge in my heart. I had a split second where I freaked out mentally over the Mandarin so I just ended up saying "you've worked hard" to him even though I'd already said it to Minghao. Actually I don't think I ended up saying anything about staying healthy to any of the members of performance unit who were present.....I feel like there's some kind of cosmic irony here. Anyway I hope Jun appreciated the Mandarin even though he didn't say anything! 😅

I really wanted Hoshi to come so I could tell him to get well soon, but of course I don't blame him. I hope he's back on his feet soon!

I was curious about Seventeen’s actual heights lmao but they were all kind of bending down/crouching to accommodate the fans! So sweet of them 😍 (but I still will never know how tall they really are.......hahaha)

God it's 4:40 already 😂😂😂 anyway! I'm gonna sleep now! I'll talk more about the concert later, but it was So Good oh my god. I've now adopted SF9 as my babies and reaffirmed my belief that Seventeen are gods 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 Vernon and Seungkwan are the sweetest little things and Mingyu and Minghao are precious together.

TL;DR: I went in to the hi-touch a Coups bias and I left a Minghao bias 😂😍😂😍😂

#kcon #kcon17la #kcon fanaccount #seventeen #seventeen hi touch #vixx #mine

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meanderfall · 7 years ago

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//tornadoes thru ur window, completely shattering the glass: for the writer meme, 5 - 6 - 8 - 10 - 15 - 21 - 25 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 34 - 36 - 39 - 45 - 47 - 48 - 49 - aaaand 50: how long do you usually let an idea fester in your mind before you're like, "okay, i'll write you down u little fucker"? ALSO IM AWARE THIS IS A LOT, LMAOOO

LDJF;KFGSKGF ADRI MY LOVE, MY WIFE, MY KNIGHT, MY SUN AND MOON, THANK YOU OMG, I HOPE YOU’RE READY FOR A NOVEL OF AN ANSWER LMAO

5. How much writing do you get done on an average day?

LMAO I ACTUALLY HAVE THIS CALCULATED PER HOUR just bc that’s how long my train ride is. So I can do about 400-500 words in 50~ minutes.anyway tbh, I write almost never, but when I do, I try to get around 1000 words done??? that’s usually when i lose steam too. (though i guess if i did 500 word spurts instead throughout the day, i’d get more done) (TO CLARIFY, the only reason it’s so much is bc i only write when I know /exactly/ what the scene is gonna be and im motivated. if u sat my ass down in front of a computer each day and told me to write, I’d probably only get 100 in two hours, less even.)

6. Single or multiple POV?

I’m a multiple pov hoe. I’ve thought before of writing something in entirely one pov, but tbh i dont think i could do it if the thing is longer that a 2000 word one shot.

8. Oldest WIP

I HAD TO PULL OUT MY USB FOR THIS GODDAMN

Okay so, my oldest wip ever, is an original story I started in, I think, 2011 and wrote throughout the year. It’s got about 22k words down, but tbh i dont think im ever gonna touch it again.fanfic-wise, my oldest wip is a harvest moon fanfic, that’s around 6k words i think? and i was planning on re-writing it bc i didnt like the characterization of one of the characters and i wanted to fix that, but it’s been like five years now, i dont think it’s ever gonna be done. (I still want to though). (and u can find said wip on my fanfiction.net account)

10. Do you set yourself deadlines?

My guy, i’ve never set a deadline for myself in my entire life. I think I tried to do it once, and i completely let it pass by. (Though the fanfic i mentioned previously, im pretty sure i updated once a week before i fucked up)

15. How do you deal with writer’s block?

I either set it aside (and never pick it up again lmao) and let it stew in the back of my mind until I get something else, oR I POWER THROUGH THIS MOTHERFUCKER, and I’ll probably only write 50 words and hate every single last one of them, but I got it done and it’s better than nothing and hopefully tomorrow i’ll actually have something. (also, sometimes when powering through, what i write ends up inspiring me and im like “oh of course!” and i blaze through it)

21. Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write?in case u havent noticed yet, about 99% of all my characters are snarky to some degree. I need a character with a wry sense of humour, and I’ll usually stay in their pov a lot. The only other character “type” I have are the sunshine pure cinnamon rolls who care and love everyone. Oh, and I guess also the ones who are pissed and bitter at the world at large. (I should.... probably... try to get out of this comfort zone...)

25. Favourite part of writing

okay tbh, my favourite part is when I’m winding down from a good writing session, and I just feel so proud and alive, because I was productive and I created something with my own two hands and mind, and there are very few things that are as incredible as that imo

27. Favourite line/scene

okay so this was hard to pick??? not to mention it’s all crap you’ve seen before but whatever.

There’s this one:

“McCreewas abruptly reminded of when he was nothing more than a teen, snarling andfurious at everyone around him, not willing to trust anyone. And he wasreminded of Gabriel Reyes who stayed calm and collected in front of his fury,gently rebuking him when he crossed a line; who praised him when he did welland willingly trusted him to have his back even though McCree didn’t trust him;who seemed to quietly understand why McCree acted in certain ways, accepted it,but encouraged him to choose better. Gabriel Reyes, who had faith in him whenhe wasn’t even sure he liked himself.“

And this one:

“IfWash’s head was a ghost town, then the Meta’s was a fucking wasteland.

Butthe worst part wasn’t the scorched earth and completely lifeless landscape, norwas it the stormy brown clouds above. No, the worst part was the lava that wasslowly inching its way up the mountain. It bubbled and simmered an awful sicklyorange as it creeped up bit by bit, not fast at all, but inexorably to the topof the mountain, going against all laws of physics. It was so awfully wrongthat he honestly felt sick witnessing it. Not helping was the sizzles it madeas it burned through whatever little vegetation there was and (he had no ideawhy he knew this, maybe it was because he was connected to the Meta’s brain?),it felt like the lava was actually gouging the earth, opening cracks andseeping inside, corrupting and destroying what lay within.

Wasthe Meta even a person anymore?”

(I proooobably would’ve picked something from the tuckington au but.... a lot of my favourite stuff is dialogue, or snarky narration, and idk it’s hard to choose and there aint a lot of depth to it)

28. Favourite side character

OKAY THERE’S THIS ONE SIDE CHARACTER IN ONE MY ORIGINAL STORY IDEAS WHOM I ADORE (even though he has no name yet lmao) BUT HE’S BASICALLY REALLY SWEET AND CARING AND HE’S TRYING HIS BEST TO BE HAPPY AND SUPPORTIVE FOR ALL HIS COMPANIONS BC THEY’RE ALL GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES, BUT IT’S REALLY HARD FOR HIM AND HE’S INWARDLY SUFFERING SO MUCH BUT HE KEEPS SMILING FOR PEOPLE ANYWAY AND FLDG;DKHGFKG I LOVE HIM

29. Favourite villain

I’m... cheating for this, I’ve never written a villain ever actually (and tbh what the fuck??? how??? i have so many original story ideas and none of them are villains??? what the fuck (maybe the true villains were the friends we made along the way))

okay so, originally, this character was gonna be the villain alright. She was mean, cruel, snarky, cunning, and manipulative. But as time went on, and I started exploring her character, wondering why she was like this, what her goal is, and I changed and shifted the plot of the story around she... sort of... became the main character. woops.

30. Favourite idea you haven’t started on yet

IM ONLY GONNA USE ORIGINAL STORIES FOR THIS BC HOLY SHIT

Honestly, I’d probably have to go with this idea I had of a living person picking up the scythe of a Grim Reaper and becoming one and having to learn the ropes of the job.

Okay, I lied, it might actually be this detective series idea I had, wherein the main character, a police officer, has to investigate cases that, for the most part, are reminiscent, or re-imagined versions, of Quebec folk tales, and she has to figure out why the fuck this is happening.

34. What was the hardest scene you ever had to write?

FIGHTING AND ACTION SCENES I HATE THEM SO MUCH OH MY GOD THEY TAKE FOREVER AND I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IM FUCKING THEM UP HORRIBLY I HATE THEM (I could give u a specific example, but i dont want to)

36. Last sentence you wrote

“Shut up.”

(this is actually how chapter 2 of my tuckington high school au ends lmao and there’s nothing to gain from it have fun adri)

39. Weirdest character concept you’ve ever had

OH SHIT I ACTUALLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, okay so the i have no clue where the idea came from, but for some reason i had this idea of a character who’s mental stability or whatever was linked to these bracelets she wore??? but it was more like she became more primal and animalistic the more bracelets were taken off until she lost all sense of identity, and i think it’s because she was being controlled or used by an organization or whatever. This was just a random idea that I had and okay i know it’s dark af, but it’s honestly the weirdest one. (tbh…. im not sure i have one that could be considered weird…)

45. How much world building do you do?

all of it. just. all of it. I need to know clothes, food, architecture, cultural norms, the history of the world, how the fuck people can communicate when there are multiple countries and multiple languages, and this is why absolutely none of my original stuff has ever been written

47. Best way to procrastinate

Day-dreaming scenes and ideas instead of writing them

48. What’s the most self-insert character/scene you’ve ever written?

W O W ADRI U WANNA CALL ME OUT THAT BADLY HUH?

honestly it’s probably that main character/villain i mentioned previously, bc i just gave her all of my self-loathing and she was supposed to sacrifice herself heroically in the end and there was gonna be an entire speech about why she was the right person to do this. (if it makes u feel any better, I’ve modified it so she doesn’t actually die and everyone is like “wtf? NO!”)

also the protagonist in story, i just gave her my depression and general lostness in life. (most... of my characters... start off with a part of me I want to explore, but over time, as I flesh them out, they become their own people, and actually have nothing to do with me anymore tbh)

49. Which character would you most want to be friends with, if they were real?

THAT SWEET CINNAMON ROLL I MENTIONED BEFORE OMG YES, I WOULD PROTECT HIM WITH MY LIFE

50: how long do you usually let an idea fester in your mind before you’re like, “okay, i’ll write you down u little fucker”?

*LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY* OH MAN ADRI U HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU’VE JUST ASKED DO U OMG WAIT UNTIL U HEAR THIS

okay so u know that story with the cinnamon roll and main character/villain? The basic plot of that story has been in my brain since around 2011. I still haven’t started to write it. (though, to be fair, that story has changed so goddamn much since 2012 holy shit, and for the better tbh)

tbh adri, ur like 80% of my impulse control, and by that I mean you make me impulsive enough to actually write things instead of letting them ruminate in my brain forevermore. Hell, I’ve only started to get back into writing fanfiction because of you, okay, if u weren’t around I’d probably just give up on writing ever, and let the idea of being a novelist be nothing more but a fantasy i daydream about.

#aroacedrienne #about

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ozma914 · 6 years ago

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Walking Dead/Smoky and The Bandit crossover fanfiction. No, really.

So, I saw a familiar semi trailer on an episode of The Walking Dead last year:

Turns out it is the very same trailer that was part of Bandit's semi (although if you ask me, it should have been called Snowman's semi, since he drove it through most of the movie). Well, that got my creative juices flowing. How did that trailer end up on the side of the road, during the zombie apocalypse? So I wrote the story, and you can find it on the newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/2abeb8e942f2/what-do-the-walking-dead-and-smokey-and-the-bandit-have-in-common? Which, for some reason, seemed to erase the comparison photo above after I sent it out. So people are saying, "What's that funny little icon, and what semi trailer are you talking about?" And I apparently can't edit my newsletter once it's sent, which kinda makes sense since it's been sent since (say that three times fast), so I'm posting it here, too. One of the fun things about fanfiction is that you can merge two worlds that would otherwise never exist. My old fanfiction can be found under Ozma914 over at fanfiction.net, and includes such things as a meeting between Doctor Who and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ONE LAST LONG HAUL

“Bandit, this is the Snowman. Looks like those deadheads got the highway backed up all the way up to the 360. C’mon back.”

Snowman released the mic before letting his frustration out with a series of curses. Not that anyone cared about cussing on the radio anymore, but old habits, and all. He braked the eighteen wheeler, looking for a way around the sea of walking dead that stretched across the two lane highway as far as the eye could see. Suggesting the herd stopped at the 360 mile marker was wishful thinking.

“Snowman, we’re working on it, son. But the interstate’s a no-go—full of parked cars to the Carolina state line. We gotta find a way through ‘em, even if you dent my rig.”

Well, then. Attracted by the truck’s rumbling diesel engine, the walkers had started moving his way. Snowman put the rig in reverse and started backing slowly, while considering his options. This was the part where he’d talk to Fred, if his poor old dog hadn’t passed away years ago. Maybe it was for the best.

He was down to an eighth of a tank. The trailer, still decorated from the glory days with its bandit and stagecoach décor, was empty after a failed supply run to the south. He could always abandon it and try to hike around the herd, to get back to his friends and family.

It would take forever.

For a moment Snowman rubbed his three day stubble, then picked up the mic again. “Bandit … you find a place for the group?”

“I did, but we used up about all our gas getting there. Safe place, Snowman—I already dropped off your wife and kids, they’re fine. Guy in charge there’s got a tiger. A real tiger! You gotta see it. I picked up some more friends, too.”

Snowman chuckled, but he also understood Bandit’s underlying meaning. He had to see it. Had to get there, and with their fuel about out, that would be their last stop. No more long hauls across the countryside. Well, they were getting too old for that, anyway.

But first he had to get there.

“Now, son, don’t do anything stupid. We’re on our way.”

“Heh. Bandit, son, I think ‘stupid’ and ‘get through’ might be connected.” Snowman backed up more, being careful to stay between the lines. No tow trucks, not anymore. After some mental calculations, he backed up another hundred feet. It was all about force versus control.

There were thousands of them, shambling toward him. Thousands. And what if they someday turned north, and headed toward his family’s new sanctuary?

“Bandit, you make sure they get taken care of, y’hear?”

“Snowman, now, we’re almost there--!”

Almost there in what? That light little Trans Am? It wouldn’t make it past the first row. Snowman checked his safety belt, jammed the truck into gear, and hit the gas.

As he worked through the gears, the empty truck picked up speed quickly. He barely even felt the first impacts, as bodies flew right and left, but soon the rig began to shudder and lose momentum. The steering wheel jerked as bodies piled up beneath the semi. Snowman gripped it harder, his foot still hard on the accelerator.

There were so many dead. He got only a glimpse of one before it hit the corner of the cab—the guy was a giant, probably this biggest man in Virginia, or maybe the whole Southeast. At least, that was the instant impression Snowman got of him—six foot eight easy, closing in on 400 pounds. He must have been an easy target for the walkers, but he looked freshly dead … or as close to fresh as the dead got, these days.

The giant disappeared, and the big rig veered to the right.

The steering wheel spun out of Snowman’s hands. Without the seatbelt he’d have been thrown across the cab, as the semi launched itself across a ditch and into a field. Cursing, he hauled the wheel to the left and hung on as the truck jounced its way back toward the road, losing speed way too fast.

Suddenly it surged forward—he’d lost the trailer in the grass behind him.

For a moment he thought he’d get control back, but now the engine began stuttering as he steered through a grassy area, looking for a good place to regain the pavement. When the front wheels hit the ditch again, they stayed there. Somehow he’d kept the truck upright, but as its engine went silent Snowman knew this was the end of the line.

He’d made it maybe three-quarters of the way through the herd. Now those that could still walk did, headed toward where they’d last seen noise and movement.

“Took a lot of 'em with us, though.” He had a knife, strapped to his belt. There was the metal bar by the door, the same one Bandit had used to check tire pressure since he hauled his first load, all those years ago. But when Snowman reached for it, it was gone, maybe bounced somewhere behind the seat. “Well, now.” Snowman scooped up the mic. “Bandit, this is the Snowman, you got your ears on?”

“Snowman, you keepin’ the sunny side up and the bloody side down?”

Snowman gave a short laugh. “Son, I’m still up, but the rig’s down for the count. Didn’t quite make it through that crowd of deadheads, they’re worse than hittin’ Atlanta at rush hour. Don’t think I’m gonna make our rendezvous.” So close. His hand closed over the knife hilt, but already the dead were approaching the cab door, clustering up by the dozens. At least Bandit and Frog would take care of his family.

Then he heard a sound he’d never imagined hearing again. A sound he used to hate.

A siren.

“What?” Far ahead, through spatters and streaks of blood on the truck windshield, red lights flashed. A truck engine roared as it plowed into the herd.

It moved forward relentlessly, the gore collecting on it blending with its red paint job. A fire truck.

“Okay, Snowman, if you can’t make the rendezvous, we’ll just have to bring the rendezvous to you. Ten-four?”

As the truck got closer Bandit’s grinning face—how did he keep that handsome mustache in this mess?—appeared behind the wheel. He had two passengers, a small female in the front and someone he couldn’t make out in the back. The truck knocked down the closest walkers, then stopped in line with the semi cab. Bandit had to keep a little distance to allow for door clearance, and a few walkers stumbled forward until the figure in the back opened his door and drew a revolver.

Holy crap. It can’t be.

“What are you waitin’ for, you sumbitch? Get your ass in the truck!” Hanging from the cab, Sheriff Buford T. Justice took one-handed aim and blew a hole in the nearest walker’s head. Three more shots, three more dead-on hits. Then he scooted across the back seat—pretty quickly, for someone his size—to give Snowman room.

It was an easy jump from semi to fire truck. Well, easy when you didn’t want to touch what was jumbled across the pavement between them.

As soon as the door closed, Bandit put the truck into reverse. His legendary driving ability served him well as he backed up in the same path he’d entered, using only the side mirrors to navigate. A few more walkers had stumbled into that route, but proved no problem for the fire engine’s powerful motor. Through it all, Bandit still had time to flash his friend a grin. “You all owe me for that truck!”

“But how--?” Snowman flailed his arm toward the uniformed man beside him, who he now realized had lost a lot of weight. “How--?”

Justice made a dismissive wave, then realized he still held the gun and holstered it. “You think the gol-durn apocalypse is gonna keep me from tracking you and the Bandit down?”

Snowman glanced at Frog--no, Carrie, since CB handles hadn't mattered for a long time. She'd turned to kneel on her seat so she could see them. He saw the sympathy in her eyes, which made him look at Justice more closely and see the hangdog look, the dark bags under his eyes. His hat was gone, his hair pure white. “Sheriff … um, where’s Junior?”

Justice made a scoffing noise. “After my wife passed on, Junior wasn’t worth a bag of hair.” He squared his shoulders. “He went down fightin’ though, I’ll give him that.”

“I’m sorry, Sheriff,” Carrie said. “He was a good boy.”

“Yeah, well. After that, seemed like there wasn’t anything left but pursuin’ you all. So that’s what I did.”

“You caught us, sure enough.” Having made it through the horde, Bandit turned the truck around and accelerated away. “We’ll be out of gas by the time we get back to that crazy king and his tiger, so looks like our chasing days are over.”

They were all silent for a moment, as the truck roared down the road. “Guess my wife will be glad about that,” Snowman finally said. “So, how did you find that place, anyway?”

Bandit laughed. “Got waved down by a guy who looks exactly like Jesus, he pointed us that way. Said we’d fit right in.”

“So—you let Jesus take the wheel?" Snowman couldn’t help laughing. "Ten-four."

"I'm not going down there. I hear zombies down there."

#writing fanfiction fanfic crossover WalkingDead SmokeyandTheBandit TWD

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slrlounge1 · 6 years ago

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Canon RF 50mm F1.2L Lens | Hands-On Review

The Canon RF 50mm F1.2L is the newest prime L lens that Canon has released and it’s the first for the new Canon EOS R mirrorless system. It’s also a monster of a lens, weighing a bulky 2.09 lbs. But all of that weight isn’t for nothing. While it feels more like a 24-70mm zoom lens, the RF 50mm F1.2L packs a massive amount of glass, with 15 elements in 9 groups. That glass and the new RF mount have turned this lens into one of the most impressive prime lenses I’ve ever used.

Pros:

Sharp at F1.2

Great character

Crazy bokeh

Autofocusing in low light

Cons:

Expensive

Heavy weight

No Image Stabilization

Cost

The RF 50mm F1.2L is not a cheap lens. In fact, at $2,299, it’s one of the most expensive Canon prime lenses and it costs the same as a new Canon EOS R. That price tag will make this lens unattainable for many photographers, especially when you can use the older Canon EF 50mm F1.2L ($1269) with the EOS R mount adapter ($99). So, is the extra cost for the new RF 50mm F1.2L worth it? Let’s find out.

Design

The Canon RF 50mm F1.2L is a beautifully designed lens with all the finishing touches you’d expect from an L lens. While the lens body is mostly plastic, it’s not cheap plastic and it feels very well built. I think it’s fair to assume that they used plastic on the body because had they used metal, it would have been better used as a baseball bat than a lens; it’s already really heavy for a prime lens. The weight of this lens notwithstanding, it’s simply gorgeous. There haven’t been many times in my life that I’ve picked up a Canon lens and considered how beautifully designed it is, but their new design language for the Canon EOS R mirrorless series is elegant and modern, red ring and all. Gone is the archaic distance scale on top of the lens. The only switches on the lens are the AF/MF and the focus limiter switch. It also comes with weather-sealing, which is always a nice touch. Another of my favorite features on all of the new RF lenses is the customizable control ring. Being able to adjust my ISO (or almost anything else you could want) from a ring on the lens is a fun way to shoot. My only complaint with it on this specific lens is that it’s a bit of a reach from where my hand naturally sits to make adjustments. Overall I’ve really enjoyed the aesthetics, feel, and use of this lens.

Focusing

The RF 50mm F1.2L is not the fastest lens I’ve ever used in terms of focus speed, but it’s not slow, either. The USM motor is quiet and snappy with minimal focus hunting. If you activate the focus limiter switch, it shortens the time to focus a bit as well. So if you don’t need to focus on something right in front of you, keep that switch on for a little more quickness. Where this lens really shines is when focusing in low light. In a pitch black room at F1.2, I was able to grab focus with ease.

Image Quality

Holy Crap. This thing is sharp wide open. At F1.2, the center of the frame is extremely sharp with some softening as you get closer to the corners. For my pixel peeping friends, check out the images below. Cropped in on just the pigeon you can see just how sharp this lens actually is wide open. At wider apertures, the lens is just ridiculously sharp.

jQuery(window).load(function(){jQuery(".twentytwenty-container.twenty20-1[data-orientation!='vertical']").twentytwenty({default_offset_pct: 0.5});jQuery(".twenty20-1 .twentytwenty-before-label").html("SOOC, Canon RF 50 1.2L, f/1.2, ISO 200, 1/800");jQuery(".twenty20-1 .twentytwenty-after-label").html("Cropped, Canon RF 50 1.2L, f/1.2, ISO 200, 1/800");});

jQuery(window).load(function(){jQuery(".twentytwenty-container.twenty20-2[data-orientation!='vertical']").twentytwenty({default_offset_pct: 0.5});jQuery(".twenty20-2 .twentytwenty-before-label").html("SOOC, Canon RF 50 1.2L, f/1.2, ISO 400, 1/5000");jQuery(".twenty20-2 .twentytwenty-after-label").html("Cropped, Canon RF 50 1.2L, f/1.2, ISO 400, 1/5000");});

Besides being sharp, the images this lens produces are spectacular. Chromatic aberration is minimal, even at wide open aperture, and it has character in droves.

Bokeh

I imagine the question on everyone’s mind is, “How’s the bokeh?” Am I right? The bokeh is insane. It’s creamy smooth, and with 10 rounded aperture blades, bokeh balls are nice and round. Taking portraits with it is a joy as you can easily create a photo with tack sharp eyes and dreamy bokeh.

Conclusion

The Canon RF 50mm F1.2L is one of the best lenses I’ve ever used. Period. It’s sharp, well-built, produces insane bokeh, and has the “it” factor. The only real negatives I see with this lens are its size and cost. On the EOS R mirrorless, it’s huge. But I’ll trade size and weight for image quality any day, and there is no 50mm better than this lens.

Should you buy it? If you have $2299, own a Canon EOS R, and won’t settle for second best, then yes, buy this lens. It’s worth it. If you don’t have $2299, but still want an incredible 50mm, the original Canon EF 50mm F1.2L is still a great lens. It’s a little soft wide open, but it produces great images and has tons of character.

If you’d like to see a comparison between the Canon RF 50mm F1.2L and the older 50m F1.2L, leave a comment below.

Sample Images

from SLR Lounge https://ift.tt/2Gx2vIH via IFTTT

#IFTTT #SLR Lounge

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wayneooverton · 7 years ago

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25 photos that will inspire you to visit Antarctica

I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever been more exciting to share a post on here before.

Guys, guys, GUYS, my ultimate travel dream has come true. And no, I am not just saying that. This time I really mean it!

I finally made it to Antarctica. HOLY CRAP!

The last continent. The great white south. Land of penguins and ice. And this Antarctica travel happened in January with Intrepid Travel, who share the same key goals and values as me, the leader in powerful transformative trips and small group tours around the world.

Crossing the Antarctic Circle via Falklands & South Georgia

And wow, oh wow, what can I say? I’ve got off the ship in Argentina about a month ago, and my mind is still reeling. It was so incredible and life-changing, it’s almost been hard to process. Without a doubt, Antarctica is the coolest place I’ve ever been and I imagine, ever will be privileged enough to travel too.

Photo by Jarrad Seng

Since I’ve returned everyone has been asking me about what Antarctica was like, and ironically, I, the writer, the lady of endless words, has been at a loss for words. I��m still not sure I’m ready to describe the experience or really be able to articulate what it meant to me. But, I’ll give it a crack, as we say in New Zealand.

Profound wilderness like you can’t even begin to imagine. Epic landscapes that are hard to wrap your head around. Icebergs bigger than buildings. Penguin colonies in the tens of thousands. ZERO polar bears (they live in the Arctic, guys). Silence. Life, death, it had it all. It is a place that has the power to change your life in many ways. I think I can safely say that everyone on the ship returned home changed, inspired, in awe and happy. Deeply happy.

From over 20,000 photos and over three weeks at sea, I’ve managed to whittle it down to 25 of my favorite shots in the hopes that it might inspire you to make the journey too.

I just can’t help myself but I have to say it: I’ve been trying to go to Antarctica with my blog for over three years and it always fell through and never happened, over and over, again and again I was disappointed. I can’t begin to thank Intrepid for believing in me and my work, and trusting me to share my stories and adventures there with you all. And also to Jarrad Seng, an old friend of mine and absolutely legendary photographer and videographer for coming with me on this adventure. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Our trip to Antarctica began from Ushuaia before sailing to the Falkland Islands onto South Georgia before heading back south towards the Antarctic Peninsula and along the west side down towards Adelaide Island into the Antarctic Circle – Next year’s trip is on sale here

Falkland Islands

Our adventurer began by boarding our ship in Ushuaia from the bottom of Argentina to the Falkland Islands, or Las Islas Malvinas, depending on who you’re talking to. About a 500 kilometer journey, it has a population of less than 4,000 souls and is a wild and stunning bit of land worth visiting on its own.

With vague memories of learning about the war between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands from high school, I arrived with minimal expectations. But as it turned out, it surprised and delighted me over and over again.

A beautiful, quirky land of wild beaches, lots of wildlife and few humans, it was a perfect introduction to our Antarctica adventure.

Gentoo penguins on the Falkland Islands.

The Falklands was my first introduction for the incredible wildlife on this trip. While I’m used to visiting birds here in New Zealand and overseas, I had never experienced colonies of the same scale that you have on these islands. Hundreds and thousands of birds that you might never see anywhere else, it was just incredible.

A local farmhouse in the west Falklands where we had afternoon tea in a warm sunny garden. Are you as surprised as I am to see such a green and inviting looking place?

Southern rockhopper penguins on Saunders Island, a sheep farm and the 4th largest island on the Falklands

Stanley is the tiny capital of the Falkland Islands and home to a surprising number of Land Rover Defenders, of all shapes, sizes and colors. Photo by Jarrad Seng.

Sailing away from the Falklands on our way to South Georgia after being hit with an enormous storm.

South Georgia

Holy crap. South Georgia. What can I say?

I’m not sure, but I think I might have liked South Georgia MORE than Antarctica. It’s a place few journey too because it’s so far (and expensive) but let me tell you, it’s worth every penny. It’s well out of the way, so most voyages there are much longer than just down to Antarctica and back, and obviously cost a lot more.

However, that being said, South Georgia is the BEST PLACE EVER ON EARTH. Period. No arguing. If you love nature and wildlife, South Georgia is the place for you.

The place I was most excited to visit on the entire voyage was St. Andrew’s Bay on South Georgia, home to half a million king penguins. This is a place you might have seen on David Attenborough documentaries or on National Geographic, and yes, you can visit there too.

The abandoned whaling station at Leith Harbour on a sunny day.

At the beginning of the 20th century, South Georgia became a hub for the whaling industry. An unpleasant and very dangerous place to work, with some of the worst conditions and weather on earth, more than 100,000 whales were killed here over the decades, vastly reducing the world’s population of whales.

Now you can see the remnants of the abandoned stations in the sheltered harbors on South Georgia, rusting and creaking in the sun, with whale bones scattered everywhere, taken over by penguins and fur seals. They are just as creepy in real life as they come across in photos.

Photography was a huge part of my adventure around Antarctica, if you can’t tell. Jarrad and I both are longtime Canon users, tough and dependable gear that was able to endure the incredibly harsh conditions of Antarctica.

Though all of my gear needed a thorough service and clean after three weeks of ice, snow, salt water, dirt and penguin shit. It all still worked at the end!

My main gear consisted of two Canon 5D Mark 3 bodies with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens on one and a 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens on the other, and a 16-35mm f/2.8 lens in my bag. Jarrad preferred to shoot with a 100-400 lens.

Photo by Jarrad Seng of me at St. Andrews Bay

Young, and if you can believe it, small, male elephant seals battling it out on a beach on South Georgia.

Three wandering albatross soar high above Prion Island on South Georgia, a breeding colony for these magnificent birds.

The wandering albatross is one of the biggest birds in the world, with a wingspan over 10 feet long, and to watch them soar close to you on Prion Island, one of our first landing sites on South Georgia, was an experience I’ll never, ever forget.

Molting king penguins at St. Andrew’s Bay – in addition to the incredibly huge king penguin population here, its location couldn’t be more picturesque, surrounded by glaciers and mountains, and home to a lot of elephant seals

The Antarctic Peninsula

And finally the highlight of the adventure, making our way down to Antarctica proper.

We had dark and stormy weather as we sailed from South Georgia to Antarctica, with a stop at Elephant Island, which you might know as the desolate tiny island where Ernest Shackleton’s expedition was stuck on in 1916. I’ll be talking more about this next week on a project with the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust so stay tuned.

I knew Antarctica was close by as we began to see more and more colossal icebergs drift past the ship the further south we voyaged.

Antarctica is a fascinating place for many reasons, but one of the main ones being that it has no native human populations and is governed by the Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in 1959 with 53 countries currently as members.

There are many different territorial claims but back in the day, 12 main countries got together and agreed that Antarctica should be set aside for science and research. That means that there are no arms or armies there, rather scientific research stations and bases, all generally working towards the same goals and helping each other out.

And while there is tourism practiced in Antarctica, any reputable tour operator is a member of IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) and adheres to safe and responsible environmental practices in Antarctica.

Humpback whales feeding at sunrise.

I woke up ridiculously early the day we were due to arrive in Antarctica. Looking out the window, I could see a few humpback whales right next to the ship as the sun was rising. I grabbed my jacket and boots and ran outside only to be greeted by the most glorious sight.

We were surrounded by dozens of humpback whales and their calves feeding on the surface of a very calm sea. All around us were snowcapped mountains and glaciers, turning red with the sunrise, in a place like I’d never seen before.

It really felt like the end of the world and it was something I got to experience all to myself before the rest of the ship woke up.

The Antarctic Peninsula is the most northern part of the Antarctic mainland, closest to Argentina.

It is home to some of the most dramatic scenery and wildlife in all of Antarctica and it’s where the vast majority of expedition ships journey too.

Photo by Jarrad Seng

A leopard seal growls and drools on an iceberg. They are one of the top predators in Antarctica, over three meters long and huge, with massive heads and jaws and a face that looks reptilian.

They are scary.

Me and our ship on one of the many zodiac boat cruises in Antarctica. I’m cold and oh so happy!

Our journey was extra special because we traveled all the way down into the Antarctic Circle, not all the Antarctic expeditions go that far south. Located at 66 degrees south, it was snowing and freezing when we finally crossed it, though still many of the landings were thick with pack ice.

Photo by Jarrad Seng

I never got tired of photographing or watching the icebergs in Antarctica. All different shapes and styles, they were just beautiful. Some were huge and some tiny, some from glaciers and some were enormous walls of ice that had broken off the ice shelf.

These channels carved in the snow that lead up and down from the sea to penguin colonies are called penguin highways. I could have sat and watch these guys waddle up and down for hours.

This was probably my favorite iceberg, a triple arch. We watched it for ages hoping it’d crash into the water but it lived on to another day.

Hanging out on the front of the ship on one of our first days on the Antarctic Peninsula. This is the helicopter zone in case someone needed to get rescued, though that wasn’t likely to happen as there aren’t any rescue places in Antarctica, really.

Photo by Jarrad Seng

One of the many scientific bases in Antarctica. They aren’t usually manned all year round, and those that are there in summer are often glad to say hello to visiting tourist ships, as after all, they don’t really get any visitors.

A curious gentoo penguin says hello on our last day on the Antarctic Peninsula.

These are older chicks and often are rather cheeky and curious. If you let them, they might even get into your lap.

And yes, you get covered in penguin poop. It’s unavoidable.

On most voyages to Antarctica, you sleep on the ship – remember the Treaty – there are no hotels or places like that in Antarctica, and you need consents and permits to land almost everywhere. Instead you do landings at different sites and locations depending on the weather and conditions.

Zodiacs (these inflatable boats) are lowered down from the sides of the ship, and you board them to go visit land or to cruise around on.

Photo by Jarrad Seng

Two Adélie penguins on an iceberg. These penguins are just beautiful, right?

We saw many types of penguins on our trip to Antarctica and islands, from rockhoppers to kings to gentoos and chinstraps, I never got tired of seeing these guys in the wild.

Some thick pack ice that prevented us landing at Paradise Harbor.

On any trip to Antarctica you have to be really flexible. The expedition leader and team work tirelessly with the captain and crew to make fun and special landings for us, though the weather and ice often plays a big part in changing plans.

After all, getting stuck on land because of thick windblown ice or even getting the ship stuck like Shackleton is far from ideal, and which, by the way, still happens.

Have you been to Antarctica? Is it on your bucketlist like me? Have I inspired you to blow all your savings on a trip to the last continent? Share!

Hanging out with the gentoo penguins in Antarctica. Photo by Jarrad Seng

Many thanks to Intrepid Travel for hosting me on my dream trip to Antarctica – like always – I’m keeping it real. All opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

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