#Alfred- while an amazing saint of a person- does it a lot too | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rocket-roach · 5 years ago

Text

People make me better

this is a gift to the amazingly talented and hilarious @causeimanartist who drew a wonder woman so beautiful it wiped my brain and rendered me incapable of rational thought. thank u. this doesnt even begin to repay the debt i owe you.

summary: Dick moved into the manor about a year ago. Bruce’s been dating Diana and Clark for a while. It’s time he brought everybody together (and he’s nervous as hell)

word count: 2014

Dick could tell Bruce was anxious about something, but every time he’d asked the question, it’d been avoided. He kept himself busy on his bars all day while he tried to puzzle out just what was making Bruce so nervous. It wasn’t Batman stuff, because when they had patrolled the night before everything had been fine. Alfred hadn’t been commenting on Wayne Enterprise’s stock price, so it wasn’t work related. He was confused. He wanted answers. After one final flip, Dick’s feet hit the floor. He’d get the answer out of Bruce if it meant sitting in his office and bugging him all day.

Dick grabbed the batman slippers he’d been gifted that Christmas. They swished across the floor as he padded towards Bruce’s office. He should be home by now, it was well after five. Bruce, being a diagnosed workaholic, would no doubt be in his office hidden behind a wall of paperwork. He pushed open the door and cleared his throat.

But the billionaire wasn’t hidden behind paper at all. He was staring at his phone, his head in his hands and looking more morose than Dick had ever seen him.

“Bruce?”

He looked up, and he was awfully pale. “Dick? What’s up, chum?”

Dick walked closer to the desk, and didn’t miss the way Bruce locked the phone before he could reach him. He was hiding something.

“Is… is everything okay?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Bruce began to lie, then stopped as his son began pouting. “Damn it. You’re too hard to lie to. C’mon, let’s go to the den. We can talk in there.”

He took Dick’s hand and led him across the hall. All manner of terrible thoughts flashed through his mind as they settled onto the couch, so he scooted closer till he was tucked under Bruce’s arm. The billionaire looked even paler in here. It was starting to make Dick really nervous.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time. You know how I work with Superman and Wonder Woman?”

Dick nodded his head.

“Good. Well, we’ve all been working together for a while,” he looked like he was about to expand on that, but instead he fell silent.

The boy sat there, with the patience of a saint while Bruce strung his thoughts together. They’d only been in each other’s lives for a little over a year now, but both Dick and Bruce had learned to read each other like a book. There were times where they had entire conversations without saying a word. This was starting to feel like one of those conversations.

“I really have no idea how to say this. They’re coming over. Tonight. The both of them.” He sounded annoyed, but Dick didn’t miss how soft his eyes got. “Diana and Clark have wanted to meet you since you moved in but I was… am, nervous about it. They’re not bad people. God, they’re the best people I’ve ever met. Clark’s so goddamn midwestern,” he was babbling now and he knew it. “and Diana’s the strongest person I’ve ever known. And we’ve… we’ve all been dating each other.”

“… that’s it?” Dick asked. Bruce still had that constipated look on his face.

“Um, yeah.”

“I get to meet Superman and Wonder woman?” he was starting to bounce now. “And you’re dating them?”

Bruce blinked. He’d expected outrage, denial, rejection, or even just distance. He didn’t expect Dick shaking with excitement and yanking on his arm in disbelief. He realized, for the umpteenth time, that he really had no idea how to raise a kid.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am. They’re actually gonna be here soon- you’re really okay with me dating them?” he double checked.

“I grew up in a circus, Bruce. A lot of people did that. Mom and Dad were kind of the weird ones because they were only married to each other,” he shrugged. “Besides, they make you happy, right? That’s what all the contortionists always said. Stay with people who make you happy.”

“They make me very happy,” he said, reaching out to pull his bouncing son close again.

“Well, that’s good then! I can’t wait to meet them. Why’d you wait so long?” Dick nearly flew out of his skin as the doorbell echoed through the manor. He looked at Bruce, his hair practically frizzing.

Bruce simply took his son’s hand and led him to the foyer, where Alfred was holding the mahogany doors open as Clark, dressed in a nice blue button up and khakis followed a yellow sundress clad Diana. They smiled, their eyes lighting up at the sight of Bruce standing there with Dick. He gently nudged the boy forward, leaving his hand resting between his shoulder blades for support.

“Dick, this is Clark Kent and Diana Prince,” he introduced before Alfred could jump on his case.

Dick looked up at them, his eyes the size of dinner platters. He shook their hands gingerly, and the two of them didn’t miss the small shake in that gesture. Bruce watched all of this like a hawk, a small irrational part of him screaming to protect Dick. He quashed that part down. Dick was currently the safest person in the world, after all. He was surrounded by Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

“Hello, Dick,” Diana smiled as she knelt so they were eye to eye. “It’s very nice to meet you. You’re all Bruce’s talked about. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time.”

“I- you- me?” He just about squeaked.

She smiled gently at him, and it reminded him a lot of his mom’s smile. Gentle, understanding, and she had a dimple just like his mother. He’d been so absorbed taking her features, he missed Clark bending down to his height as well.

“I’ve read a lot about you, and more about Robin. You’re doing great work, Dick. Are you taking Bruce’s lessons seriously?”

Now Superman was talking to him. Dick felt like he might combust. He looked over to Clark, and realized he was wearing glasses.

“D’you have bad eyesight?” He blurted out. Immediately following that, he clapped a hand over his mouth. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!”

But Clark just laughed. “No, it’s okay. It’s something I do to separate Superman from me. Secret identities and all,” he rose back to his full height.

Diana stood as well, and offered her hand out to his. He took it, his fingers slipping into her strong grasp. He was holding hands with Wonder Woman. She began leading him through the manor, which felt a little weird but he guessed as they turned to the corner to the dining room, she’d spent much more time walking its halls than he had. Diana sneaked a peek back, just in time to see Bruce giving Clark a quick kiss.

“Bruce told me you’ve enrolled in a new school,” she said as they sat at the large table. “Do you like it?”

“Yeah, I do. I don’t get bullied like I did at the old school. Plus, it’s close to where Bruce works so sometimes, he picks me up and we go get- “Dick paused as Alfred walked into the room. “nutritious snacks.”

The butler’s infamous eyebrow stayed in it’s resting position.

Bruce and Clark walked in a moment later, and once they were all settled in, Alfred brought drinks. Apple juice for Dick, bourbon for Clark, Malbec for Diana and scotch for Bruce. He promised dinner would be served shortly, then left them alone.

“How long have you all been dating?” Dick asked after the silence went on for a little too long.

“Two years,” Clark answered. “This uh, doesn’t make you uncomfortable does it?”

“No,” Dick answered quickly. “No, lots of people did that in the circus. I was telling Bruce; my parents were kind of the weird ones because they were exclusive. They didn’t get treated bad or anything because of that,” he shrugged. “I just thought it was a circus thing. I think it’s nice, loving more than one person.”

Diana caught the proud smile that slipped across the billionaire’s face. Underneath the table, she took his hand and squeezed.

“Thank you,” Clark said. “You have no idea what that means to us, pal.”

Alfred wheeled in dinner at that. Pork steaks, mashed potatoes, green beans were laid out in front of them, earning dual groans of happiness from Clark and Dick. The two dug in with gusto, each telling stories of the times they’d eaten this same meal. Diana and Bruce were a little slower in joining them. The rest of the meal passed with a familial ease that hadn’t been experienced there in nearly twenty years. Once every one had been stuffed to the gills, they were shepherded into the den by Alfred who promised cookies and milk, and the adults were promised a digestif. Dick curled up in his usual spot, underneath his guardians’ arm. Diana sat to Dick’s other side, while Clark sat by Bruce and stretched an arm across the back of the couch.

“Tell me about the circus, pal. It’s been so long since I’ve been to one,” Clark prodded after a moment’s silence. “They used to come to Smallville all the time, but that was a long time ago.”

“It was amazing, Clark,” Dick hummed. “Every day Dad and I would go and help feed the animals. I loved the elephants. They were so nice! Pop always said that they knew I was a circus kid, so they were always extra gentle with me. I used to ride them around before I was old enough to fly. We had horses, too. A few of them were still pretty green, but I got to help the riders break one of them.”

“You broke a horse?” Diana asked, amazed.

“Well, they already did most of the hard stuff by the time I got to ride her. But she was a pretty white color, kind of beige. Pop said she was an American cream horse. But yeah, I got the saddle on her and rode till she stopped bucking. It was kind of fun,” he blushed, missing Clark’s look of glee and Bruce’s sudden paleness.

“That’s a pretty rare horse,” Clark couldn’t stop smiling. “How long did it take you?”

“’Bout a day,” Dick shrugged.

Diana and Clark laughed. The boy gave them both inquisitive looks.

“Sorry, Dick, that’s so impressive! Even on Themyscira it takes some of best riders a few days to break a horse. Maybe one day you could teach me something?” Diana nudged him.

“Only if Bruce is okay with it. I miss riding horses. Elephants, too. They’re so much fun to ride, you know? You just get so high up and their skin is so wrinkly but if you get the right elephant? It’s like flying.”

Bruce was already shaking his head no at the question forming on Clark’s lips. It was hard enough seeing his kid get shot at nearly every night, he didn’t need the added stress of watching him being thrown from a half ton animal.

Clark lightly punched him. Damn his hardheadedness.

“My Ma and Pa have some horses at their farm. Why don’t you come out sometime and show me what you’re made of?”

“Please, Bruce?” Dick asked, his lip beginning to move out into a pout. “It’s been so long since I’ve ridden.”

For the first time in their relationship, Diana and Clark watched as Gotham’s Dark Knight finally gave in. It was like watching the side of a mountain slough off. Something that was previously seen as immovable, vanishing in seconds.

“We’ll find a weekend,” he finally allowed. “But you’re wearing a helmet.”

Dick grinned as he squeaked, “Well, duh.”

Alfred returned with the food and the drinks, and not long after that Dick was snoring softly against his guardian’s chest.

“He’s wonderful,” Diana murmured as to not wake him. “You’re a very lucky man.”

“He makes me better,” Bruce agreed as he felt Clark’s hand rubbing his back gently. “You all do.”

#trinity #Batman #Robin #Superman #Wonder Woman #Bruce Wayne #Dick Grayson #Clark Kent #Diana Prince #nothing like a nervous dad and his bouncy son!!!!!#AND nothing like his two supportive partners letting him work through his own nerves until he was ready to introduce dick to them and not #pushing him to it!#fluff #like barely a dash of angst #blink and you might miss it

107 notes · View notes

thesinglesjukebox · 5 years ago

Video

youtube

THE HIGHWOMEN - REDESIGNING WOMEN

[5.30]

And yet they couldn't get Delta Burke to do a cameo in the video...

Joshua Lu: The Highwomen should, in theory, be a triumph for country music, at the very least because of the four amazing artists involved: Natalie Hemby (songwriter who's penned works for artists like Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and... Nelly Furtado?), Amanda Shires (singer/songwriter/violinist with six solo albums to her name), Brandi Carlile (responsible for one of the best albums of 2018 and for several other excellent ones) and Maren Morris (renowned hitmaker who recently sent "Girl" to #1 on the country airplay charts). Why, then, does "Redesigning Women" fail to muster the magic any one of the artists could deliver on her own? Vocally, the four of them blend together into each far too much; only Brandi's vocals ring distinctly, leaving the other three acting as part of her backdrop, including Maren, whose particularly potent pipes I shouldn't struggle to pinpoint. Lyrically, it's filled with signifiers for traditional vs. modern female roles, with requisite mentions of babies, the kitchen and hair dye, which make for evocative imagery but don't make for any meaningful message other than... that women's roles have evolved over time? It's too comfortable just describing the current state of affairs instead of demanding something more, and I'm left wondering what a listener is supposed to take away when the last guitar chord fades away. [4]

Michael Hong: The supergroup should involve a group of artists who know their strengths and weaknesses well enough that they're able to cover each other's weaknesses and emphasize their strengths in a way that wouldn't be possible as solo artists. The Pistol Annies worked so well on Interstate Gospel, not only because of the trio's harmonies, but also in the way that each artist brought something as a writer, like Monroe injecting some of her trademark dry humour into Lambert and Presley's wickedly smart small-town life observations. It comes as a confusing surprise then that across The Highwomen, less than half of all tracks are writing collaborations between the women, with Natalie Hemby being the sole member credited with writing their first outing. While Hemby has established herself as a great songwriter in Nashville, her strength was in the charming intimacy of her hushed vocals and finger-plucked guitar, but her own writing was hindered by her reliance on traditionalism that occasionally veered into cheesy nostalgia. "Redesigning Women" lacks the personal charm of Hemby's solo music and allows Hemby's penchant for cheesy traditionalism to seep through on awkward lines like "running the world while we're cleaning up the kitchen" and "changing our minds like we change our hair color." Confusingly, the track pushes this narrative where women have control, so long as they continue to provide in the more "traditional" gender roles. It makes for the track appearing to be a female empowerment anthem on first glance, but ending up being more outdated and restrictive, akin to Maren Morris's GIRL. Without the voices of Carlile, Morris, and Shires as writers, The Highwomen fall flat as a supergroup. While the four do sound pleasant across the track, pleasant just doesn't feel like enough on a track titled "Redesigning Women," which ultimately falls flat as another version of female empowerment written by the current Nashville songwriter du jour. [4]

Alex Clifton: In general feminist Americana/folk/country plays well with me, but where "Redesigning Women" gets really good is when all four women sing the title line. I hear so many older country superstars in their harmonies -- I could swear Dolly is in there singing along with them -- and it's a revelation. The lyrics are pretty good too, giving a light touch with lines like "breaking the jello mould" while still delivering a sincere message. The thing I have always liked about classic country is its strength, the confidence of the sliding guitars and banjos, how the singers sing out and loud, how even when there are quieter moments you still remain on solid ground. "Redesigning Women" does that while returning to an older sound that feels so rare these days, all the while making it fresh and glorious to hear. [8]

Alfred Soto: Shtickier and less distinctive than expected, "Redesigning Women" hews to a pattern -- a Jell-O mold? -- that acknowledges no middle ground between saints and surgeons; someone else, after all, a man, makes a woman a saint. It survives because Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires harmonize with the ease of women who understand how doing a job well is too often not reward enough. [6]

Jackie Powell: This song is an anthem and after my first listen, I didn't think I'd ever come to that conclusion. Country music for me is polarizing. But, each member of this quartet is Grammy-nominated in their own right and is enduring massive individual success. So why now for The Highwomen? "Redesigning Women" and the entire project coming from these four is selfless in nature. On CBS Morning before their debut at the Newport Folk Festival, Carlile referred to it as "a movement" rather than "a band." And the lyrical choices on this track are mostly consistent with that analysis. A goal is to inspire and that's admirable. Although I'll be frank, the first verse annoyed me; it reminded me of Girl Scout campfire songs. The chorus, however, is where The Highwomen shine. Each voice is heard, unlike the verses, and layered to provide a vocal texture that juxtaposes the nasal one you hear at the top of the song. I'm a sucker for alliteration and Hemby's serves as the best phrases in the entire song. But I don't love some of the female stereotypes referenced. Can we please move away from this idea that women almost always "need to look good," "clean the kitchen" or feel pressured to "feed the baby"? The Highwomen redeem themselves on the bridge which offers a call and response to a question that all who identify as female can relate to. Womanhood isn't black and white. There isn't a formula and if there is, then maybe you are doing it all wrong. The Highwomen have a broader audience than they think. I hope they take advantage of it as they continue to tell the stories of those who have redesigned and redefined their own womanhood. [6]

Joshua Copperman: The Highwomen have an interesting idea here -- "Running the world while we're cleaning up the kitchen" is clunky but appears to speculate that while gender roles are changing for women, men aren't meeting that change halfway. So you have podcasts asking if Women Can Have It All, and entire empires built on the Plight of the Working Woman -- in this song, the progress society has made (lol) indicates that "traditional women" take on all the responsibilities and nothing has gotten easier, let alone more equal. It's a thought-provoking message, but the rest is delivered in a surprisingly corny fashion from four women that, as far as I know, have either evaded or embraced corniness. This project could be a midpoint between Case/Lang/Veirs and Bridgers/Baker/Dacus, but the monotonous verses only bring to mind "Children of The Future" in their presentation and messaging. Maybe it's because up to this point, I've presented and lived in the world as a cis straight male (regardless of my actual orientation or gender identity). But no matter how I present myself, I know for a fact that all parties involved have done better, and this is deeply underwhelming. [4]

Iris Xie: A title like "Redesigning Women" begs something a lot more radical, maybe even jumping on the whole cyberpunk/anthropocene/post-apocalyptic aesthetic. But no, we get a song that is emblematic of conservative, tired, "choice" feminism. Why is buying 11 pairs of shoes considered moving progress forward? Why is a song about the fatigue in women's gender roles lacking so much anger? Why does this sonically sound like a swallowed deference? "Redesigning Women" upsets me, because it's like the time when I was a kid and asked older women if they've ever heard what feminism and seeing them wrinkle their noses at it and be offended at my question, and when I asked DC immigration lobbyists if they've ever experienced sexism or discrimination in their work and they stared at me because they didn't know how to answer the question. It made me feel so confused in those moments, and realizing how effective obfuscation is in separating and talking about the ways oppressive systems function, and how we ourselves can be extremely complicit in perpetuating them while also surviving them. "Redesigning Women" is meant as a touch-and-go balm as an acknowledgment of life's hardships, but without providing any solutions other than "let's make the best of it, you aren't the only one suffering," which is the only time that collectivism seems to raise its head in this individualist capitalist society, for the moment you start complaining, you aren't doing your part in your Dream. Bioessentialism and gender roles aside, this is a song that puts forth several arguments that The Highwomen and any other women just living their lives is redefining the roles of women. The imagery in "Making bank, shaking hands, driving 80 / Tryna get home just to feed the baby" is wonderfully succinct, and pretty much wraps up why life underneath capitalism absolutely sucks, whether you are or are not able to access that life. The rest of the examples -- such as "breaking every jello mold" and "When we love someone we take 'em to Heaven / And if the shoe fits, we're gonna buy 11" -- mix relatable, down-home metaphors with ones that wouldn't be out of place when it comes to simple desires to be a little too much, to be a little more ostentatious and a little less modest and "for the family!", where your every move as a woman is judged harshly. The bridge itself hearkens to a place of moral simplicity, with "How do we do it? How do we do it? / Making it up as we go along / How do we do it? How do we do it? / Half way right and half way wrong," that seems so innocent and very "we can do it!" But in reality, who is the target audience for this? It's for the women with families and jobs, and for those single femmes (like me!) who are conscientious of those future realities, who are all trying to keep these impossible lives and demands afloat in this disaster called late crisis capitalism. This is supposed to be soothing and reminds me that we're "all in this together," but it honestly kind of hurts to listen to this song. [5]

Katherine St Asaph: Designing Women is a relic of the '80s-'90s deadzone, and though it's getting rebooted and reconstituted, and was just rerun on Hulu (if you even knew), it is no longer a cultural touchstone, let alone enough of one to effectively snowclone. Jell-O molds reside in questionable '70s cookbooks and not modern kitchens, even in the South. Rosie the Riveter predates even the '50s. Nothing about this, from fusty lyrics to fustier vocals to women-are-fickle-but-good-fickle feminism, suggests it was written in the 21st century, let alone by "Country's Ballsiest New Supergroup." Who is this for? The kids are listening to Kacey Musgraves and Lil Nas X. The grownups are listening to country artists -- including some of the solo Highwomen, probably -- whose songs sound like they're inhabited by real people, not the speechwriters for corporate retreats. Industry folks are undoubtedly listening to this out of pent-up goodwill, which would be better directed toward commissioning repertoire that doesn't sound like it'd be dated in 1989. Extra point because at least it's responsible for the best thing Dierks Bentley has ever recorded. [2]

Stephen Eisermann: The idiot members of the Deplorable Choir have been all over my Twitter feed this week, so much so that I almost doubted if I ever wanted to listen to women of country collaborate for a track. I'm so pissed this song didn't show up immediately after I first saw that horrendous performance because this track, with its rich harmonies and empowering lyrics, elevates country music in a way that melts the iciness that has developed around my heart in recent years. These are the women that are leading and should continue to lead us into the future. [8]

Thomas Inskeep: Better in theory than in practice, mainly because the song's lyrics are just the slightest bit kitschy. But goddamn if Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires don't sound great together, and are given perfect country production by Dave Cobb. Even though I wish I liked "Redesigning Women" a little more, it still whets my appetite for their debut album, because I know there's even better to come. [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

#Brandi Carlile #Natalie Hemby #Maren Morris #Amanda Shires #The Highwomen #country #music #music review #writing

1 note · View note

artemis69 · 7 years ago

Text

I was tagged by the amazing @flammedoudoune, who did it while looking straight at me. The cheek!

1. Which book has been on your shelves the longest?

Le petit prince, by Saint Exupéry. My favorite book in the world, the one I learned to read with and grew up with it. It was the first book I unpacked when I move into my own flat

2. What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next?

Last read: Zeus grants stupid wishes : A No-Bullshit Guide to World Mythology. I laughed so much in the subway that people looked at me funny.

Current read: No book! I am currently going through as many fics as I can atm because I didn’t have enough time to read these days and I missed it like a limb.

Future read: maybe Call me by your name, depending on how much the movie hurts me :p

3. Which book does everyone like and you hated?

I don’t know if it can be considered like a book loved by everyone but it definitively a book I hate fifty shades of grey. I would also say Alice in wonderland too, because I’ve been very uncomfortable with this book since I was a small kid and it’s not getting better :p

4. Which book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?

I guess A song of ice and fire and Lords of the rings. I’ve never been able to read more than half of one of these books without them falling out of my hands.

5. Which book are you saving for retirement?

None. I will read what I want when I want, I don’t need to stop working for that. I will probably be reading gay smut as an elderly too to be honest.

6. Last page: read it first or wait till the end?

I sometimes read it in the middle of the book when I’m getting worried :p but wait till the end in general.

7. Acknowledgements: waste of ink and paper or interesting aside?

Interesting aside

8. Which book character would you switch places with?

Hmm, a secondary character in a HP books (someone veeery far from the whole war fuckery). Probably someone working at the dragon reserve :D

9. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time)?

Harry Potter is forever bound to my best friends, since it’s the reason we met and I’m now , ten years later, spending New year with them. HP was a very good thing in my life.

Eragon brings back the memory of being young, and sick, and my mom finding a book with the most fantasy looking cover to makes me happy.

10. Name a book you acquired in some interesting way.

I used to read a lot of books before discovering fanfiction, and I’m talking 3000/4000 pages a week since I was like, 7. I had four library cards, and my mom tried to keep up but I just read too much. So during the summer holidays, I used to go to a bookstore in the center of the town with a little bench, and spend eight hours a day reading. I met another teenager there, and the first one to get there always kept the place until the other arrived. I rarely bought books because I didn’t have money. The last day of summer, the guy bought for me l’encyclopédie du savoir relative et absolu, because I used to read it a lot. I don’t remember his name but I still remember how amazed I was at his kindness.

11. Have you ever given away a book for a special reason to a special person?

I have bought the little prince for my friend @fannymeuh’s kid, who’s the most wonderful kid to ever exist. I don’t know if it’s a special reason but it was special for me.

12. Which book has been with you to the most places?

The colour of magic, by Terry Pratchett. I’ve brought this book everywhere and gave many editions of it too many people.

13. Any required reading you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad ten years later?

Not really, the only required reading I’ve hated was Ubu roi by Alfred Jarry, and even now I would prefer to have my nails taken out to reading this book again.

14. What is the strangest item you’ve ever found in a book?

A dead insect. I still don’t know how it ended up dying there but it scared ten years out of my life.

15. Used or brand new?

Both, I don’t care. I love the beauty of a new, shiny books and I love them broken down, pages wavy and with notes in the margin. Still unloved or pre-loved, all books are good books to me.

16. Stephen King: Literary genius or opiate of the masses?

I would say literary genius. I have no time for people getting high and mighty about authors for stupid reasons. Stephen King has a very simple things but he’s able to capture of nightmares so well, and many of his characters are really easy to slip into which makes the books so difficult to put down. There are many that I didn’t like more than that, but Misery is to this day one of the book that had the more impact on me. And I can see the cover of Jessie without having an almost panic attack (yes, seriously).

17. Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book?

Not in my memory, but I often try to remember that they are wildly different media and that movies also brings things that books can’t (I don’t like that much the HP movies, but I still remember the crushing happiness I felt as a kid when I saw Hogwarts for the first time).

Oh, does Lords of the rings counts since I was finally able to see the movies when I could never read the books? :D

18. Conversely, which book should NEVER have been introduced to celluloid?

I’m gonna follow flammedoudoune on the Battle Royale front. The film may be a classic, but the format made it lose all that really made it special in my heart, with the focus on many kids, and the weight of each of their death. It’s an amazing book, great manga, but not a good movie.

19. Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks being excluded from this question?

Do Hannibal fanfics count? Because this is a dangerous fandom for that :p I don’t remember getting hungry for a book.

20. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

@seanconneraille. If she likes it, I will (and I’m not talking just books, like life in general)

I am not tagging anyone because this took me way too long to do and I want to stop thinking :p but if anyone one want to do it and tag me in this so that I can read it, please do!

4 notes · View notes

prosperopedia · 6 years ago

Text

Beginners Guide to Raising a Family for Father’s

Let me start out this simple guide by giving some of my background. That seems like a good starting point. I’m going to share with you some of the things I’ve learned over the past 15-plus years of being married. I’ll also go beyond that time in history and share what I’ve learned about what it takes to build a solid family over the 40-plus years I’ve been part of a family. Neither the family I grew up in, nor the family I’m in charge of now have ever been close to perfect. That’s why I titled this the “Beginner’s Guide.”

In reality, we are all beginners. Wherever we are on life’s continuum – whether sons learning to be men, newlyweds, young dads, old dads (I think that’s where I am now), grandpas, and those who are preparing to fade off into history – there is always much more to learn than we currently know. Thank goodness, for those of faith, we understand that there will be many more years to continue working toward perfection after we’ve returned to the dust from which we were taken.

I have been blessed to the husband of an amazing wife, and the father of six children. I have one daughter and six rowdy boys. We love to travel together. We’ve lived in China and Costa Rica. We’ve traveled together all throughout the United States, some parts of Canada and Mexico, and in a few other places in Latin America. We enjoy doing music, competitive sports, and lots of other fun things. Although it’s fun to get a break from the crowd once in awhile, we generally love being together.

I think that as a family we’d score pretty well if we took one of those sophisticated tests that assess your overall happiness level, although there are too many times in my mind when I’m frustrated and yell at my kids, when I swear for no good reason, when I spend too much time watching college football instead of catching up on my list of house chores, and when I have to tell my wife sorry for doing dumb things.

We’ve been referred to by a neighbor of ours as “the family that walks between the raindrops”, but that just means he doesn’t know us well enough to observe that, like most families and people generally, we endure some significant storms, and that there are lots of moments when we have to ask ourselves, “What in the heck are we doing?” We likely have failed more than we’ve succeeded, but we are certainly in the business of trying…again and again.

In my beginner’s guide to raising a family, I’m going to point out some principles, share some stories, and hopefully provide some advice and context that might help you raise your family.

The Proclamation on the Family

I’m going to start my list of tips for raising a good family by sharing a document that has been read by tens if not hundreds of millions of people throughout the world. It was published by the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or LDS Church, the religion to which I adhere) in 1995, read over the pulpit to a worldwide audience of women by Gordon B. Hinckley, the president of the church. When he read it, President Hinckley stated that the proclamation was for not just the membership of the church, but for the entire world. In his introduction, he stated that the proclamation was issued to “warn and forewarn” the world against leaving “standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family.” He then read what has become known as “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” I will embed the video below, but I will first summarize some of its key points. Among other important assertions, The Family Proclamation states:

Gender is an eternal characteristic; boys have always been boys, and girls have always been girls, even before this life began and after it ends.

Marriage between a man and a woman is critical, even essential for raising a family.

Sexual relations should only take place between a married man and wife.

Married men and women are encouraged to have children and to conscientiously teach them to do good.

Children are entitled to be born to married parents who are faithful to each other.

Happiness comes from following the teachings of Jesus and by

God ultimately holds people accountable for not fulfilling their roles as fathers and mothers.

It doesn’t take long going through that list to get the impression that it may be slightly idealistic. However, the ideals represented in the document are ones that the most successful families, be they members of the LDS Church, other Christians, or people of other religious convictions, strive to uphold.

As I look at my own family and our commitment to living the principles found in that document, I can see clear benefits of both studying that document and living by what it teaches, regardless of what religion you are or how religious you are.

youtube

The Challenge of Raising a Family

Raising a solid, functional family may be one of the most difficult things a man can do in this life. It’s more difficult than obtaining a college degree. It’s often harder than setting sports records or achieving lofty business goals. Many times it can compete with those other ambitions. But it’s certainly worthwhile.

I’ve set and achieved educational goals. Before I got old, I sought after athletic achievement in baseball, football, and other sports. I’ve become a serial entrepreneur, and I’ve built and sold successful businesses several times. I’ve even developed somewhat of an amateur music career. All of those things are fulfilling, fun, and give flavor to life, but I would not take any of those things over my role as a husband and father.

The Perfect Family

The concept of a perfect family has changed significantly over the past several decades, especially since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, when the widespread pursuit of pleasure started eroding the traditional Judeo-Christian concept of what constitutes a family.

For those who are still committed to the traditional concept of family, the perfect family consists of a husband, a wife, and some children existing in a household where love rules and contention is overcome by bonds that are strong enough to create a unique unit of relationships that are special. The parents in a perfect family don’t get divorced. They communicate well. They adore each other. Their children are disciplined, grateful, well adjusted, not bratty.

To my knowledge, the perfect family simply doesn’t exist. I have observed families who are certainly closer to perfection than my own, but even those have weaknesses.

So while we fathers from time to time have these moments when we feel like things couldn’t get any better, we understand that we have a lot of work to do.

Here are some things I’ve seen work very well as I’ve led my own family. I hope they’ll work for yours.

What a Husband and Father Should Be

The standard for men in modern society has deteriorated quickly, leading to a time in history when expectations for adult males have settled for simply requesting that we not be too drunk too often, and that we not sexually assault women, although it permits every other sort of debauchery. It’s hard to think of a lower bar than what modern society has set for men. Our roles as providers, leaders, and heroes for our wives and children have given way to indulgence, addiction to selfishness, to pornography. A #MeToo social media hashtag is passed around millions of times daily, underscoring the failures that have surfaced in the collective characters of men in the 21st Century.

Society’s pathetic expectations for men are far too low for a man who wants to raise a decent family. Instead, we have to be better. We often have to separate ourselves from that influence. We’d be better served to turn off the television and disconnect sufficiently from that influence.

To raise a good family, a husband and father can’t get bogged down in what a depraved society has put forward as the model of a man.

Instead, a family man has to be unselfish, giving, patient, a hard worker, worthy of emulation.

The essence of raising a good family is to become, as much as is in your power, a good man.

Developing Self-Discipline

I remember several years ago when the news broke that Tiger Woods had taken a tire iron to the head from his soon to be ex-wife. She had found out about his sexual exploits, and her response was at least not surprising, if not entirely justified. In the months following the downfall of the world’s best golfer, it was broadcast that Tiger “suffered” from a thing called “sex addiction,” which apparently made it impossible for him to be faithful to his wife. His so-called affliction sounded concocted to me. The idea that a man cannot having control of his sexual urges came from fraudulent studies like those of Sigmund Freud and Alfred Kinsley, and have been blithely accepted by and built upon by those who have come after them, until we have created a situation where our moral agency has given way to impulses and pleasure seeking. That mentality does the opposite of helping men be capable of raising functional families. When a generation of men have been conditioned to believe that they shouldn’t, in fact they can’t, control their sexual appetites, it is impossible for them to be good husbands, good fathers. Their mistakes not only destroy themselves, but they affect heavily the next generation and beyond.

The best advice a guy could take to prepare himself to get married or to reinforce his current marriage is this: discipline your sexual habits. In my religion, similar to many other Christian religions, we are strict about observing a chastity law that prohibits any sexual relationships before marriage, and that restricts sexual interactions to only the person to whom you are married. No exceptions.

Statistics and experience show that without this kind of discipline over natural instincts, there cannot be successful marriages, which also means there cannot be functioning families.

Another form of discipline seems to always come in a close second to the important quality of being chaste.The habits you develop with regard to finances can either make or break your marriage. Data relating to causes of divorce shows a high financial correlation between lack of financial discipline and divorce rates. The less financially responsible you are, the more likely your marriage is not going to last.

The takeaway: learn to be a solid earner and get on the path to financial discipline. If you need help making your way toward a financially disciplined lifestyle, I recommend the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps approach to personal and family finances.

Marry the Right Woman

I’m not a person who believes in the idea of a Utopian soul mate. For many reasons, I don’t believe that any man has been matched up by the universe with one particular person they are destined to meet and to whom they must be married to avoid living a life that always falls short of the ideal. Based on my strong belief that we all have been given our respective abilities to choose, it would be impossible to think that the one true love theory could have merit.

However, I do think that it is a highly appropriate decision for any man who’s in the market for finding and courting a potential marriage partner to focus his attention on women with whom he has similar interests and high compatibility.

Despite the popular notion that opposites attract in relationships, I have read that the best marriages tend to exist among couples who have lots of things in common. I’ve found that to be true in my own marriage. After dating hundreds of different girls at the college marriage mecca of America, Brigham Young University, I finally found one (during my third senior year) who was as committed to my religion as I am, who loved dancing and music like I do, whose family wasn’t wealthy but not too poor (economically similar to mine), who was from a culture (Texas) that used the word “y’all” like I did growing up and still do today, and who, very importantly for me, loved sports, especially football.

While I was in the dating field, until I got engaged at age 27, I often referred to Proverbs 31:10-31 in the Bible, which starts out, “Who can find a virtuous woman, for her price is far above rubies?” I learned from those verses of scripture a lot about the Biblical perspective of what a woman should be: kind, unselfish, hard working, supportive of her husband, dedicated to her children. When I met my future wife, I matched her up against what I had decided to look for. It turns out that process worked very well.

Despite some significant differences in our families (my in-laws are Texas A&M fans, and I come from an FSU Seminoles background) our similarities have allowed us to bond successfully over more than 15 years, with many more together expected in our future.

Marrying the right person and being the right person to attract that person was obviously a critical step for me in raising a good family.

Be Fiercely Loyal to Your Wife

Once you’ve found and married a good woman, it becomes your opportunity and obligation to be unwaveringly loyal to her.

Before I was married, when I was dating around looking for someone I could fall in love with, I was like most single adults. I was flirty. I intentionally struck up conversations with girls often as a way to get to know them, often with the purpose of asking them out on a date.

To a large extent, that “playing the field” approach was backed off whenever I had a steady girlfriend, someone I had committed to in a way that meant excluding other girls. Then, whenever a dating relationship was broken off, I would usually intentionally go back to the mindset that would allow me to find another girlfriend.

When I was engaged, I was more vigilant about shutting down flirting or other attempts to attract other girls. Then, when I got married, I knew it was time to become fully committed to the girl I was now fully committed.

Too often, men will get married without conscientiously making this transition to full exclusion to their new bride. Women often make the same mistake. For a marriage to be fully functional, a man has to determine that, although he will have professional, social, and other interactions with women, his interactions with all other women will always be of an nature that is free of reproach, that never can be called into question. The Bible explains that a man “shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Attaining that kind of unity with your spouse naturally expects a high degree of loyalty.

In our personal application of this principle, this is how my wife and I demonstrate our loyalty to each other and avoid any hint of straying. We never ride in a car alone with someone of the opposite sex. In our business and other dealings, we would never go to lunch with someone of the opposite sex. We don’t go into a home alone with a member of the opposite sex. In general, we do everything practical to avoid any appearance of showing romantic interest in anyone else.

That approach has given the two of us an added layer of trust between us and has established a clear boundary that helps us to reinforce our relationship.

Many of the stories you hear about infidelity start with one of both members of a married couple not setting those boundaries of total loyalty. A man will go to lunch with a co-worker “innocently” a few times, then he finds himself involved in an affair that destroys his marriage and turns his kids’ lives upside down. Set those boundaries and commit to complete loyalty, and you’ll spare yourself and your family the pain and heartache that can never be compensated for no matter what pleasure or ego boost might come from getting attention from a woman who’s not your wife.

One of my favorite quotes about fatherhood, one from Theodore Hesburgh, captures this commitment to loyalty and the value it provides in strengthening a family: “The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” Whether it’s the temptation to indulge in pornography or the difficulty in turning down social opportunities, developing a fierce loyalty to your wife becomes a source of resilience in a marriage.

Learn to Be Unselfish and Deferential

A funny experience I had shortly before I got met my wife provided an epiphany and a lesson that I’ve referred back to often. While I was at a gathering of couples, most of them newly married, at my brother’s home, I walked in and asked if anyone wanted to play basketball. Being a single guy, I was surprised at their natural responses. They each immediately looked over at their respective wife, their body language asking for permission.

From that experience it was clear to me that these guys had learned that their options weren’t entirely their own now that they were married. They had to sacrifice some of their own independence for the sake of a higher cause, their marriage relationships.

I’ve found out over the decade and a half since I got married and began having kids that I have to give up whatever selfishness I had as a single guy (everything from always controlling my own time to getting a good night’s sleep whenever I wanted) and instead replace it with a commitment to doing what’s best for my marriage relationship and for the health and well-being of the entire family. Sometimes when I find myself tired and sick, I have to get out of bed in the middle of the night and take care of a child who needs help. My wife does the same for me.

I’ve heard several times with regards to marriage, it’s not 50/50. Each partner has to give 100%. That principle should be taught to kids as well, making the whole family operational as a unit instead of each of the individuals trying to figure out how to get away with giving the least that they can get away with, or to break even with the relationship. That attitude cannot last long for any one particular member of the family to be at

Selfishness kills marriage and family relationships. Selflessness causes them to thrive.

Weekly Date Night

Having a weekly date night is recommended by most marriage experts. I’ve found that scheduling a regular night with my wife each week and being committed to make that happen is very valuable for a making the family run smoothly. It allows us a chance to have a conversation without being interrupted by children or other distractions, and it reminds us to one degree of another of the time we were dating. We usually go out to eat at a restaurant, sometimes followed by shopping. Sometimes we’ll go see a movie or do something else entertaining.

During our weekly date night, we occasionally take one of our six kids with us, which gives us a chance to chance to catch up with that child individually. We normally rotate the date night schedule through all of our kids so that each has a chance to feel special and to develop their relationship with their parents.

Weekly and Daily Planning Meetings

One of the most valuable skills I learned while serving for two years as a missionary volunteer was to set aside at least an hour each week to plan and coordinate with my wife. We normally hold our weekly planning meeting Sunday nights, which seems most appropriate because it’s on the eve of when we kick off our week and implement our plans.

Besides holding a regular weekly planning meeting, we also try to catch up each night with our plans for the next day and make adjustments wherever necessary.

During our weekly planning meetings, we set and review our family goals, do calendaring for the upcoming week and beyond, create to-do lists, and essentially spiritually create what’s going to happen in the coming week.

During our quick nightly planning sprints, we check over what’s coming up the next day and make whatever plans we need to.

To make our planning more efficient, we use an online calendar. We prefer Google Calendar because of how it allows us to share calendars between our various Google accounts.

Weekly Family Night

In our family, we set aside one night each week during which we hold a family night. That activity normally is scheduled for Monday night, but it can change depending upon plans that involve sports, music events, and other activities.

Although it takes effort and can sometimes be frustrating, holding weekly family night ultimately builds unity among family members. It also creates a more formal setting for your wife and you to assess how your kids are doing, make plans together, and to teach and instruct your family.

During our weekly family night meetings, we normally sing church hymns, recite our family motto (I’ll include it below), have a religious and/or academic lesson, visit friends, do service for the needy, go out for entertainment, or take part in some other activity together.

During one of our family night meetings several years ago, we decided to create a family motto, which we recite together during our weekly Our kids participated in creating the motto, so they feel ownership of it. This is what we came up with.

We are the Robbins family.

We strive to be like Jesus, and treat others with kindness.

We are honest and true. We are loyal to each other.

We have fun together. We are helpful and hard-working.

We never give up, or take the easy way out.

We earnestly seek after knowledge and wisdom.

We work together as a family to build our faith.

We are the Robbins family.

Consciously, Assertively Spend One-on-One Time with Your Kids

In addition to our weekly family night and our less frequent inclusion of them into our date nights, my wife and I spend conscious quality time with each of our kids. With each additional child we’ve had we’ve come to understand that there is no extra allotment of additional hours in a day, so we have to be more assertive to make sure each gets attention from us.

To spend the time with my kids that they need, I’ve had to give up other things and make adjustments. Years ago as a BSA leader, I found myself taking them on camping trips with me even though they weren’t old enough. My wife and I have taught each of my kids (including my daughter) to appreciate watching college football, so we can enjoy that activity together instead of having to give it up entirely.

Some of the major ills I see among today’s kids is a result of what I sometimes refer to as “Fortnite Parenting”, named after the highly popular, but (in my strong opinion) entirely valueless video game. Raising children doesn’t mean simply keeping them out of the way, occupied with something that is destructive. Perhaps the most effective way to develop your children’s respective abilities to become good people and to have a solid relationship with their parents is to replace their screen time (pretty much of it, except what they’re using for educational purposes) with valuable, scheduled interaction with one or both parents.

Raising A Family is Worth the Effort

I hope my little beginner’s guide to raising a family has been helpful to you. The things I listed here have worked very well for me, my wife, and our kids.

Being the head of a family has certainly been hard work, in some ways harder than I ever imagined. However, the returns are immeasurable. For those who put in the effort to create and maintain a healthy, functioning family, the effort is always worth it.

The post Beginners Guide to Raising a Family for Father’s appeared first on The Handbook for Happiness, and Success, and Prosperity Prosperopedia.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2yWXYJg via IFTTT

#Prosperity #Wealth #Riches

0 notes

othersportsnews-blog · 8 years ago

Text

Fantasy Soccer -- Will these fantasy players rebound soon after flopping in 2016?

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/fantasy-soccer-will-these-fantasy-players-rebound-soon-after-flopping-in-2016/

Fantasy Soccer -- Will these fantasy players rebound soon after flopping in 2016?

6:23 PM ET

Field YatesESPN Insider

Field Yates has past practical experience interning with the New England Patriots on both of those their coaching and scouting staffs. A graduate of Wesleyan College (CT), he is a standard contributor to ESPN Boston’s Patriots coverage and ESPN Insider.

There is a selected palpable anticipation that accompanies the hours, days or weeks leading up to a fantasy soccer draft. The reality is in-time roster administration is essential to accomplishment in fantasy soccer, as the draft does not constantly go as planned. Much more exclusively, players you just take in a selected slot really don’t end up meeting anticipations. That was the situation for far more than a handful of standout players during the 2016 time.

Every thing you need to have to have a profitable fantasy soccer time. Draft Kit

• Workers rankings: PPR | non-PPR • Participant projections and profiles • Depth charts: QB | RB | WR | TE • Eric Karabell’s soccer site • Berry’s a hundred details for 2017 • Sleepers, busts, breakouts for 2017 • Top rated 10 faces in new destinations • Signal up now: It really is no cost to participate in!

Let us seem at eight of people players and spin items forward, noting my assurance level in them as items currently stand and how I look at them leading into education camp.

Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (Yates’ present positional ranking: QB7)

What went improper in 2016 for Newton? A great deal. But let us begin here: Newton’s accuracy cratered. As a matter of truth, he was among the the minimum accurate quarterbacks in soccer, completing just 52.9 p.c of his throws. Let us envision he had accomplished his job normal leading up to 2016 (fifty nine.6 p.c) he would have extra 34 completions, 442 passing yards and two.four passing touchdowns.

Can it get again on keep track of? Effectively, the additions of Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel via the draft must enable. Prior to 2016, Newton had accomplished sixty seven.eight p.c of his throws that traveled less than 10 yards down the discipline, with practically fifty p.c of his touchdown passes coming on these kinds of throws. He accomplished just fifty eight.eight p.c of these kinds of throws previous time. Owning McCaffrey and Samuel must make for a significantly enhanced small-passing game, specially with yards soon after catch piling up from their one of a kind athleticism.

Much more folks participate in on ESPN than any place else. Join or build a league in the No. 1 Fantasy Soccer game! Signal Up for Absolutely free!

Health is unquestionably portion of the equation with Newton, as he underwent surgical procedure for a partially torn rotator cuff this offseason, although the indications are he’ll be prepared in time for 7 days 1.

So what to be expecting in 2017? A bounce-again. There are concerns as to no matter whether the Panthers will benefit from Newton as routinely as a runner in vital fantasy cases (e.g., within the 10-yard line), but he’s nevertheless the team’s ideal ability option. As well as, he’ll get a raise as a passer through the aforementioned predicted YAC (only five groups had a reduced normal than the Panthers in 2016).

Cam’s 2016 time was in a lot of techniques an outlier. Truth of the matter be advised, his 2015 time was far too (in a different way), but I nevertheless look at Newton as a major-eight quarterback leading into 2017, specified his in close proximity to incredible upside at the position.

Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams (RB12)

Gurley was constant previous 12 months. Really constant. The issue was the regularity failed to align with elite output. He was essentially an RB2 who was drafted to perhaps be a major-five participant in all of fantasy previous 12 months soon after a masterful 2015 marketing campaign. But there is certainly something to be stated for constant touches, as fantasy output is the output of possibility, talent and conditions. Gurley has handled 15-additionally carries in 19 of his past 28 games — no other again has finished so far more moments in that extend. That takes into account that the lowly 2016 Rams have been usually trailing by noteworthy deficits.

He is a genuine workhorse, and no shift made this offseason by Los Angeles indicates there is a continual threat to steal carries from Gurley this time. He also had 12 games with at minimum forty five rushing yards previous time, which seems normal on the surface area, having said that Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson and LeGarrette Blount have been the only other players with far more previous time. Again, Gurley receives perform.

What offers me assurance to preserve Gurley on the fringe of RB1 territory entering 2017 is the expected workload mixed with what must be a greater established of offensive conditions this 12 months. The team jettisoned Greg Robinson in a the latest trade soon after signing the major remaining deal with offered in no cost agency (Andrew Whitworth) and forecasts a greater offensive line in whole. Quarterback Jared Goff need to make strides in Yr two, but galvanized by a new coaching team and decidedly greater team of pass catchers, this offense should not be so suffocated (which limited Gurley previous 12 months). Search for a greater 12 months.

Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers (RB20)

If the only components involved in ranking have been a player’s potential and past output, Hyde would be considerably nearer to a major-10 working again than my 20th working again overall. But they’re not.

In truth, Hyde’s ranking feels like an optimistic look at, specified how aggressively San Francisco dealt with its backfield this offseason (signed Tim Hightower, traded for Kapri Bibbs, traded up to draft Joe Williams in the fourth round, signed fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who will have the ball for them).

Having said that, if Hyde emerges as the crystal clear-lower major again in this technique, view out. Kyle Shanahan’s offenses routinely churn out fantasy star backs (Alfred Morris and Devonta Freeman are among people who have beforehand thrived. And Hyde’s talent is clear: Due to the fact he entered the NFL in 2014, the only working again (among qualifying backs) with far more yards per have soon after call is Eddie Lacy.

He had a red-scorching begin to 2016, as he had the fifth-most rushes in Weeks 1-four, tied with Melvin Gordon for the most rushing touchdowns in that extend and was the fourth-ideal working again in fantasy to that position. When he performs, he provides. But wellbeing has been an challenge (he’s skipped 14 of 48 attainable games in his job) and coaches like trustworthiness in the backfield.

You will find upside aplenty, but I’m drafting Hyde a minimal reduced than expected, centered off of the plan that he’ll be far from the only focal position of this working game.

C.J. Anderson, RB, Denver Broncos (RB26)

Anderson’s scintillating second fifty percent of 2014 had so a lot of — existing scribe involved — forecasting important items in advance in what, at the time, was nevertheless a fluid offensive beast in Denver. He had 10 mixed touchdowns with 1,057 mixed rushing and getting yards in 2014, but given that then, he has just 10 touchdowns, and he skipped nine games in 2016.

You will find competitiveness in this backfield, as second 12 months participant Devontae Booker and — if balanced — Jamaal Charles figure to aspect into the equation. In the last 4 games in advance of his personal injury, Anderson handled just 52.three p.c of the carries for Denver. He hasn’t had far more than twenty carries in a standard time game given that December of 2014.

Denver has made an effort to distribute the workload in its backfield, and I think that to be the situation again this time. We should not be expecting a repeat of Anderson’s 2016 line of 110 rushes for 437 yards and 4 touchdowns, but specified the workload concerns and the truth that the offensive line remains a issue mark, I’m not drafting him to be a weekly starter for one of my two working again slots.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers working again Doug Martin will miss the begin of the time thanks to a suspension. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH

Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (RB38)

Let us begin by reminding you that Martin will provide a suspension for the to start with 3 games of this time, which savings his overall value when location time-extended ranks. And he was not terrific in the games he performed previous 12 months, averaging just two.9 yards per have and failing to file far more than 87 rushing yards in a single game. But the signs this offseason are that Martin is rejuvenated and that Tampa Bay nevertheless sights him as its starter on his return.

Even while he struggled previous time, Tampa Bay rode him really hard down the extend. Martin had 3 games with twenty-additionally attempts from Weeks 11-17, third ideal in the NFL, despite the truth that he skipped the previous two weeks of the time. Although Tampa Bay’s passing offense is loaded, head coach Dirk Koetter has revealed a commitment to working the soccer in two seasons with Jameis Winston beneath centre, as the Bucs have the fifth-most rushing attempts in that time.

Presented the way he performed previous 12 months and the suspension, really don’t be amazed if Martin slides in drafts. But he’s a participant I’ll be targeting, since I’m of the belief he’ll be the starter when he returns and have major-twenty upside every 7 days. For great evaluate, he has what appears to be a favorable agenda from 7 days 11-17 (Falcons, Packers, Lions, Falcons, Panthers and Saints).

Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (WR19)

Robinson and DeAndre Hopkins have been arguably the two most significant busts among consensus to start with-round players previous 12 months, as the Jaguars’ major focus on managed just 883 yards on seventy three catches. He was not heading to repeat his 14-touchdowns time from 2015, but Robinson’s 2016 was a bona fide shock. Let us not dismiss that. And, in concept, the Jaguars will be a far more well balanced offensive attack this 12 months with Leonard Fournette extra, which could have some mitigating value for Robinson.

Continue to, it truly is really hard to imagine him getting everything but the centerpiece of the passing game, as he was sixth in the NFL in targets previous 12 months, tenth in the NFL in red zone targets and sixth in the NFL in red zone touchdowns. When observing Robinson, the actual physical attributes continue to be — he has incredible dimension and velocity, he’s remarkable when the ball is in the air, and he can dominate person coverage in the red zone.

This feels like a important get-correct 12 months for Robinson, with 1,two hundred yards and 10 touchdowns very well in access. He is a reduced-end WR2 for me.

Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers (WR30)

What a hard participant to evaluate. Benjamin skipped all of 2015 with an ACL personal injury and then dominated maybe the ideal secondary in soccer (Denver) on his return to motion in 2016 (6 catches, ninety one yards, 1 TD in 7 days 1), then recorded 108 yards and two scores in 7 days two. That was followed up by a catch-much less 7 days three and a 14-game extend when he managed just fifty catches and zero a hundred-yard games.

But let us dig further into people figures and categorical why there is certainly assurance that Benjamin — who needs to stay in condition, as has been an oft-mentioned topic this offseason — can seem far more like his rookie self than his 2016 self.

Benjamin had a five-7 days extend of 70-additionally yards, the second most by any participant in 2016. He had 11 games with 70 getting yards or a touchdown. Continuous, reliable output. Just not important upside. There are far more passing targets for Newton to perform with this time, which is why I look at Benjamin — who was truly extensive receiver No. 28 in PPR scoring previous time — as a flex participate in for me this time.

Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Giants (WR38)

It was at moments hard to view Marshall in 2016, but for no fault of his possess. His quarterback participate in was abysmal, as the Jets went through a roulette of signal callers, and it remaining Marshall in a non-suitable location.

Here is the great information: He signed with a team that is heading to use him loads, even if he finishes up as the third-most productive receiver on the Giants. No team applied far more 3-receiver sets in 2016 than the Giants. Matchups must practically constantly be in the favor of the towering Marshall, who is one of just 3 players with at minimum eight touchdowns in 4 of the past five seasons. The Giants aren’t concerned to toss it up in the red zone either, as they have rated sixth in red zone fall backs in excess of the past 3 seasons (the 3 decades that present head coach Ben McAdoo has been with the team).

Supplied Eli Manning performs greater this time than he did previous, there is certainly cause to think this offense can maintain 3 related fantasy extensive receivers, which is why I look at Marshall as a WR4 who has flex upside, specially in PPR leagues.

Supply backlink

0 notes