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animeartnerds-blog · 5 years ago

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Introduction Time!

Hello world of Tumblr. Thank you for wondering onto our humble blog. We are just here for a simple reason; that being to post our art, writings, scribbles, thoughts and ideas. These things will center about the current world of pop culture, anime, books, television and movies.

So as we get started let us introduce ourselves!

I'll start us off. I just want to begin with putting the basics:

I go by: Slowbito on most social media's, my official name is Ed or Eddward.

Here's a list of the things I've watched, *for favorites

Animes- Naruto*, Bleach*, Full Metal Alchemist*, Hellsing*, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bebop*, Samuria Jack, Pokemon*, My Hero Acedamia*, Fairy Tale, Hunter x Hunter*, Avatar the Last Airbender*, Dragon Ball Z, Death Note, Fooley Cooley*, Inuyasha*, Sailor Moon, Black Lagoon, Black Blood Brothers, Trigun, Ghost in the Shell*, Tokyo Ghoul, Sword Art Online, xxxHolic, Wolf’s Rain*

Currently watching: Fairy Tale (restarted from beginning, trying to keep interest) and HxH (that I have almost completed and really putting off because I know it isn't complete T-T) and about to start Demon Slayer and The Rising of the Shield Hero

T.V- Shameless*, Lucifer*, Rick and Morty*, House M.D*, Disenchantment*, The Office*, The Handmaids Tale, The Walking Dead, Bojack Horseman, Big Mouth, Adventure Time*, Stranger Things*, Modern Family, American Horror Story*, The Good Place, Regular Show, The Simpsons, Family Guy*, American Dad, South Park, Bob's Burgers*, The Venture Bros, Drake and Josh*, iCarly, Victorious (though some of these are animated, I put them in this catagory because I don't think they are meant for young children)

Currently watching: Shameless, Bojack Horseman, American Horror Story, The Handmaids Tale, The Good Place

Cartoons: Spongebob*, Lilo and Stitch*,Gravity Falls, Steven Universe*, The Amazing World of Gumball, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Tom and Jerry, Courage the Cowardly Dog*, Ed, Edd, and Eddy, Rugrats*, Dexter's Lab, Teen Titians*, Power Puff Girls, Cow and Chicken, Scooby Doo*, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends*, Chowder, Looney Toons*, Kim Possible*, Lizzie McGuire*, The Proud Family*, Wizards of Waverly Place, Even Steven*, Jake Long, Recess, Brandy and Mister Whiskers, Jessie, Phineas and Ferb

Currently watching: Spongebob, Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, wanting to watch We Bare Bears, Over the Garden Walls

Movies: Spirited Away*, Howl's Moving Castle (Anything Studio Ghibli) Lion King, Robin Hood, The Nightmare Before Christmas*, The Corps Bride* (Anything Tim Burton and Disney), Shrek* (Anything Dreamworks), Harry Potter*, Avengers series and indiviual movies*, Forrest Gump, E.T, The Hobbit* (animated and live action), Shawshank Redemption, Slingblade*, Back to the Future*, Jurassic Park*, The Wizard of Oz, Rocky series, Terminator series, 50 First Dates, Marley and Me, Grown Ups, 300, American Pie, Matrix*, Hellboy series*, Toy Story's (Anything Pixar), Avatar, Men In Black, Joker*, Dark Night/Batman series, Fast and Furious

So basically I've seen a good mix of things. I love animated things, anything that is funny, stupid, or has a good story. I grew up on Disney, Cartoon Network (Adult Swim), and Nickelodeon. I didn't have cable so a lot of what I watched was on the weekends at my nana's or when we would record tapes and brought them home. We owned so many movies, and honestly I'll never grow up so anything meant for kids, I probably have seen or currently watch. If it's even somewhat popular or trendy then I try it out and see if I like it. Even with some of these I watched I didn't like them all (I know, shame on me).

I'll give you the basics of me, as best I can. I am opinionated, but not really into politics. I never really grew out of my childhood, I am easily entertained, meme's are a simple joy of mine, and I love to watch old vines. I was introduced to YouTube by Oni, and she started me off with the best: NigaHiga, = 3 (Ray William Johnson), Anna Akana, and eventually Markiplier, and so on I grew my own likes; VizziePop, Collegehumor, Buzzfeed, Pewdiepie, Boyinaband, Prince E, TheOdd1sout, Jaiden Animation (Oni's find), FailArmy, so on and so forth. I like astrology, and my sign is Tauras. I loves food, cooking and baking is a side hobby, and I'm into all the nerdy stuff like reading, drawing, role play, and gaming.

Alright, now I will leave some links to some profiles of mine below and will leave it all to my partner!

Link for DA: Here Link for Amino profile: Here Link for Youtube: Don’t have one yet... Link for personal Tumblr: Here

~Latest Art Example~

*currently my digital tablet is out so this is what I have to work with*

----------------------------------------------------X^X-------------------------------------------------

Sup, Tumblr. This is my intro post.

I’ll be simplifying myself to the fundamentals:

Firstly, I go by: OniBlueArt on most social media, my name bestowed to me at birth is Oni.

Here's a list of the things I've watched, *for favorites

Animes- Naruto Shippuden*, Blood+, Dragon Ball Z, Assassination Classroom, The Ancient Magus' Bride, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Appleseed, Fruit basket, FairyTail , Attack On Titan, Baccano!, Baki The Grappler, Kamisama Kiss, Black blood brothers, Black Butler, Black lagoon*, Claymore, Devil May Cry, GunGrave, Psycho-Pass, Devil Is a Part-Timer, Wolf’s Rain*, Witchblade, Trinity Blood, Vampire Knight, XXX Holic, Tokyo Ghoul, Berserker, My hero Academia*, Soul Eater, Servamp, Hellsing*, The Sheild Hero*, Vampire Slayer, Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken, Fire Force,* Hunter x Hunter*.

T.V- Lucifer*, House M.D*, The Handmaids Tale, The Walking Dead, Stranger Things*, Modern Family, The Good Place*, Veronica Mars*, Reba*, Grey’s Anatomy, Raising Hope, The resident, New Amsterdam, Fresh off the Boat, Ghost Whisperer, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Good Doctor, That 70’s Show*, Izombie, Once Upon A Time, Black Mirror, New Girl, The Ranch, Dexter, The 100, 13 Reasons why, SHerlock holmes*, YOU, ZOO.

Cartoons: Rick and Morty* Family Guy*, American Dad, South Park, The Boondocks (P.S I just hate most cartoons/Kid Shows from Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Fight me)

Movies: Spirited Away*, Howl's Moving Castle (Anything Studio Ghibli, Disney, or Tim Burton , Shrek* (Anything Dreamworks), Harry Potter*, Avengers series and individual movies*, Shawshank Redemption, Jurrasic Park*, Terminator series, 50 First Dates, Ace Ventura (anything Adam Sandler or Jim carry) Marley and Me, Grown-Ups, American Pie, Matrix*, Hellboy series*, Toy Story's (Anything Pixar), Avatar, Men In Black, Joker*, Dark Night/Batman series, Fast and Furious

So I share a lot of things with my partner and some things I don’t. Everything in the lists above I generally like.

Now time to get to the basics of what makes me, me.

Here is that list of things: Oxygen 65% Carbon 18% Hydrogen 9.5% Nitrogen 3.2% Calcium 1.5% Phosphorus 1.2% Potassium 0.4 Sulfur 0.2 Sodium 0.2 Chlorine 0.2 Magnesium 0.1 Other >1%

So i hope that helped you get a better understanding of me.

Last but not least my social media handles! I hope you check my teammates as well!

Link for DA: Here

Link for: Amino Survivors Community

Link for: Amino Art Hotel Community

~Latest Art Example~

#animeartnerds #anime #art #intro #dog #furry #sketch #digital #movies #tv #shows #cartoons #sarcasm #ignore my partner #Ed #OniBlueArt #Slowbito

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edendaphne · 6 years ago

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“Discordant Sonata” Ch. 5

New chapter!

Read it here on Ao3

Read it here on Wattpad

CHAPTER 5: FERMATA

Glossary:

Clochette = little bell

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(Mood Music: Hallelujah - Brian Crain cover)

It was just another Monday morning in the life of Nathalie Sancoeur. While she wouldn’t necessarily categorize herself as a morning person, she did prefer to wake up extra early to quietly watch the sun rise, her beloved cat Clochette lounging lazily on her lap, as well as enjoy the luxury of being able to get ready for the day at a leisurely pace.

Her daily routine of scrolling through the trending news on her tablet while sluggishly sipping on black coffee was uneventful as usual… until she began going through the Adrien Agreste hashtag, as she always did.

Clochette did not appreciate being violently sprayed with coffee. Nathalie coughed and sputtered, wiping her dripping mouth and nose. She grabbed the nearest available towel (which, as she discovered later, turned out to be not a towel but a pricy dry-clean only sweater) to clean her face and tablet with. Hopping off and looking back with what was surely the cat version of a sneer, Clochette walked away from a very confused Nathalie, who continued to gawk and sputter at the blurry photos of her charge, hand-in-hand with the one and only Ladybug.

Inhaling sharply and leaping out of her chair, Nathalie snatched her phone, first to dial Nadja Chamack’s number, followed by the Agrestes’ lawyer, hoping they could help her minimize the potential damage of this situation.

“Gabriel cannot find out about this,” she muttered to no one in particular, clutching the countertop with a white-knuckle grip.

A couple of hours later, Adrien sat at the Agrestes’ titanic dining room table anxiously poking at his breakfast, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sleep-deprivation from a night full of bad dreams (chronic nightmares were an unfortunate side effect of using his miraculous against its intended use) only amplified the maddening suspense.

Last night he’d been terrified to check the news, fretting that the photos from his date with Ladybug would undoubtedly be leaked onto the internet. There was no way he’d be lucky enough to escape that. He did, however, recall that none of the phones pointed at them had had their flash turned on, and therefore, there was a tiny possibility that the photos hadn’t turned out clear enough to confirm that it really was Ladybug and Adrien in the photos, and not some attention-seeking lookalikes. It was that tiny ray of hope which allowed him to fall into a fitful sleep.

A hope that was dashed when he checked his phone at 3am (having been jolted awake by a particularly vivid night terror). As a result, he spent the next few hours searching for more photos, filing claims and reports all over social media, hoping they would get taken down sometime before anyone he knew could find out, and had gotten no more sleep.

“Good morning, Adrien,” a stern female voice rang suddenly from the other side of the large dining hall.

Adrien suppressed a grimace. “Good morning, Nathalie.”

Nathalie paused, chewed on her lip as she stared at him without blinking, and then continued, “You have Chinese lessons at 6pm tonight as always. You also have an early morning photo shoot tomorrow with a 5am wake-up call, so be sure to set your alarm for the correct time. Your piano recital is this Saturday so don’t forget to get in some extra practice this week.”

Adrien stared back expectantly, wondering when the warning about his behavior and consequences would come. A weighty pause and an air of tension hovered over the two of them, and the lack of conversation turned awkward, so Adrien forced himself to say, "Sure."

Nathalie stared back, trying her best to maintain a professionally cool and nonchalant expression, although Adrien could tell she was struggling to remain her composure. Adrien fretted internally, wringing his hands under the table, wondering if she knew.

Of course she knows, this is Nathalie . But why hasn’t she said anything?!

After several seconds, which felt like he was held at the precipice of a roller coaster and waiting anxiously for the drop, Nathalie finally said, “That is all.” She added a quick, “Have a good day at your shoot,” before walking away briskly.

Adrien consciously had to stop his jaw from dropping.

“Th-thank you, Nathalie!” he managed to blurt out when she’d almost reached the door.

She stopped abruptly and looked back, her eyes full of an emotion he couldn’t place. There was an unspoken understanding floating in the air between them. A solidarity. An odd sort of pact forged through kinship, through a need to survive together as allies under hostile territory.

“You’re welcome,” she replied quietly and exited the room, leaving a very puzzled Adrien behind.

He sank into his chair like a deflating balloon, recovering from the pressure and anxiety of what he’d originally anticipated from this meeting. Any time there was something he’d be getting in trouble for, Nathalie was always kind enough to warn him beforehand. If she hadn’t mentioned anything to him (and he was positive that she knew who he’d been with the night before), it meant that Gabriel hadn’t found out and that she wasn’t going to tell him, since he relied on her to inform him of any news that might interest him.

This wasn’t the first time Nathalie had put her job on the line for Adrien. Why would she continue to risk her job, her position as his father’s confidante and right-hand-man, so to speak, on his behalf? She received nothing tangible from helping him; there wasn’t anything he’d be able to repay her with. No accruing of favors or debts to hold over his head or she would have said something already. Adrien knew she wasn’t happy working for them and yet she’d never resigned. Why was she still here after all the trouble the Agrestes had brought into her life?

Whatever the reason, Adrien was thankful. He let out a large sigh of relief, hoping that some of Ladybug’s legendary luck (which had apparently rubbed off on him last night) would stick around a little bit longer.

After finishing getting ready, Adrien opened the front door and was halfway across the threshold when he heard a stern voice call his name from inside the house. He spun around to see Gabriel, who had just exited his office. Adrien felt an unpleasant chill trickle down his spine, yet tried to keep his expression neutral.

“Good morning, Father,” he called back as casually as he could.

Gabriel approached until they were less than an arm’s length away and stared down at him through his glasses. Despite having almost reached his height, he still felt so large and imposing that Adrien couldn’t help but almost shake when he stood this close even after all these years.

“I could sense you last night,” Gabriel finally spoke. “What happened?”

Adrien felt his limbs freeze up. Of course his father had felt his distress when he’d had his claustrophobic attack he’d had in the closet with Ladybug the night before. To him, being able to detect strong emotions came as natural as breathing by this point.

“Oh, I- uhh... I was watching a horror movie,” he lied as nonchalantly as he could.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow and his mouth twisted into a disapproving frown.

Adrien wasn’t sure if he looked convinced or not. He continued, “I’m sorry if I disturbed you. I’d forgotten how much I disliked scary movies, but I got really into the story and wanted to see what happened.” He forced himself to smile, but was pretty sure he probably just ended up looking like the grimacing face emoji.

Gabriel grunted slightly in acknowledgement. “See that it doesn’t happen again. You were fortunate I was already in bed and reading a book. The emotion from you last night was quite tempting, and I have often pondered whether you would make a more efficient akuma than you are as Chat Noir.”

Suppressing a flinch, Adrien replied dejectedly, “Understood.”

They went their separate ways quietly, having nothing left to say to each other. Adrien walked slowly, desperately attempting to squelch the negative emotions he was currently feeling so as to not alert his father again. A sense of restlessness and desperation had been slowly growing within him for a long while now, and yet he couldn’t place what it was trying to compel him to do. He wanted to disappear, to run far away to the other side of the world and never have to see his house, or even Paris, ever again.

Taking a deep breath, he reined himself in.

I need to calm down. Think, Adrien… Think about something good, think about something nice, think about something that makes you happy. Like puppies, or ice cream. Or...

Or her.

Adrien felt his throat dry up and he gulped down a thick lump. He allowed his mind to drift towards better memories, thinking of Ladybug and her gentle smile; of the way her slender arms felt when they embraced him, so comforting and warm, making him feel completely safe; of how she smelled of fresh spring flowers and rain, and of her sweet voice as she sang the tune he associated with unconditional love and acceptance because of his mother.

Unconsciously touching his cheek, he blushed as he yet again mentally replayed the moment when Ladybug had kissed him the night before and how it made his body feel like it was on fire. He caught himself wishing he would’ve been able to return the kiss, idly wondering how her soft skin would have felt against his lips instead…

His eyes flew open.

What am I saying?!

He shook his head quickly, having finally reached his chauffeur, definitively attempting to ignore the whirlwind of butterflies in his stomach as he entered the car and tried to mentally prepare himself (again) for the day ahead.

(Mood Music: Dance for Me Wallis - Abel Korzeniowski, W.E. Soundtrack

Ladybug ran across the rooftops, agitatedly searching for an elusive candy-themed akuma, whose presence only caused her stomach to growl that much louder.

Why does there have to be an akuma now ? It’s lunchtime!! Why does Hawkmoth want me to be hungry?! I just wanted my sandwich! Well, prepare to feel the wrath of a “hangry” Ladybug, you jerk!!

She swung across buildings casting worried glances down below. Left and right people had been turned into chocolate statues, which posed a major problem as it was a particularly warm day in August, so she didn’t have long before the the statues would begin to melt.

She needed to hurry and find this akuma.

Hearing a thunderous roar, she jumped down onto the pavement and sprinted toward the sound only to find the akumatized person pointing a humongous chocolate cannon at a little girl. Seperated from her parents, the girl screamed and ran, but there was no way she would be able to outrun the much larger man.

“Stop!! Don’t shoot, she’s just a kid!” Ladybug shouted, rushing towards them.

To Ladybug’s surprise, the akuma pointed its canon at the sky and fired. And yet it wasn’t a thick stream of chocolate as she had expected it to be.

“Are you serious?? Chocolate rain?! ” Ladybug huffed incredulously. Finally reaching the little girl, Ladybug pulled her close, spinning her yoyo upwards to shield them like an umbrella. She quipped, “Here’s how we’ll stay dry!”

“Then I’ll make others feel the pain!” the monster bellowed, conjuring up a wave of chocolate to ride on, using a gigantic chocolate bar as a surfboard, and sped towards a shopping center where people were still scrambling to evacuate.

“Hey, get back here!” Ladybug exclaimed, chasing after him. She called back at the little girl, pointing at a fabric store whose owners she knew. “Go inside that building over there with the blue sign! They’ll help you hide!” She watched flicked a glance over her shoulder to make sure the girl was heading to the building, then focused on the akuma.

Ladybug gradually closed the gap between her and the akuma, who was about a couple of blocks away roaring at the crowds. Before Ladybug could reach the akuma, something hit her hard from the side, sweeping her away and shoving her against the side of a building.

Wind knocked out of her and seeing stars, she barely registered what had just happened and struggled weakly to no avail. Thankfully, she’d managed to reflexively protect her neck from whatever hard metal weapon was pinning her down, which she subsequently tried to push away once she noticed its presence, but was too disoriented to succeed.

She groaned, blinking away the fuzziness in her vision and trying to identify her assailant. When she fully opened her eyes, she was met with a pair of bright green, iridescent ones, their unmistakable familiar glow sending a shiver up her spine.

“Chat…?” she rasped, aghast, feeling her stomach drop like an anvil. Staring wide-eyed and having been rendered speechless, her mind was filled with questions, but a single one stood out above all others.

Why?

Ladybug felt stupidly naive now, having let her guard down, foolishly inferring that just because Chat hadn’t shown up yet it might mean that her words had had an impact on him. How presumptuous of her to assume that with a few well meaning gestures she would be able to forge the beginnings of a friendship with someone who had been her enemy for years, how utterly arrogant she’d been.

She had tried so hard to not get her hopes up in regards to where Chat Noir’s allegiance would lie during the next akuma attack. And yet, now that that moment had finally arrived, she still felt woefully unprepared for the amount of hurt she was feeling.

Her chest heaved rapidly and she willed herself to fight back, desperately wanting to punch him, to kick him, to do anything other than to remain frozen under his grasp, and yet she couldn’t summon the strength. She knew she needed to. She had always been able to, putting aside whatever curiosity and worries she’d had about the boy under the mask to do her job. But for some reason this time was different. Had she compromised herself and her own competence in her ill-fated attempt to broker peace between them?

I can’t hurt him. I just can’t.

In the midst of her confusion, she began to plead hoarsely, “Chat, please, I--” But she was interrupted when he placed his fingertips gently on top of her lips. He leaned into her, the subtle yet alluring scent of leather and expensive cologne he always carried with him causing her insides to flutter. The world seemed to have stopped as he pressed up against her, and she could barely hear the commotion around them.

Chat Noir’s cheek lightly brushed against hers and she gasped softly, the confusingly pleasant contact producing goosebumps all over her body. He finally whispered, “The akuma’s in the mixing spoon inside his apron pocket. Watch out for his licorice net gun.”

He lingered for a few extra moments then pulled back, giving her one last indecipherable look, and as quickly as he appeared he was gone. Ladybug stood there, stupefied. All she could do was stare at him vaulting away like a shadow while everything else seemed to move in slow motion.

What the hell just happened?

The incident with the candy akuma was not a one-time occurrence. Chat Noir remained an indirect participant in the next few akuma battles, never staying in one place longer than it took for him to discreetly tackle or corner Ladybug, always making it look like they were fighting, and secretly whisper the location of the akumatized item, some advice or clue, and, on occasion, even a few words of caution.

But Adrien knew he wouldn’t be able to keep this up forever. His father had said little about it but Adrien knew that he had noticed, and his excuses about having previous commitments and lessons to attend, or claiming to be concerned about civilian safety (Gabriel had always disdainfully scoffed at his attempts to protect those in immediate danger) would not hold up much longer. It was only a matter of time before Gabriel became truly suspicious.

All he needed was more time.

Somehow, in the midst of his busy schedule and extracurricular activities, for the last few weeks Adrien had begun to secretly research and study as much material as he could about magical artifacts (scarce as said information was), hoping to find some way where he and his father wouldn’t be at odds with Ladybug anymore, and everything could be solved neatly and without violence.

So far there he hadn’t found anything even remotely useful, and his morale was running low.

And so Adrien found himself underground as he often did, clutching a bouquet of pink carnations and standing by the glass capsule (he refused to call it a casket or coffin) that his mother resided in. Harsh, bright, fluorescent lights illuminated this giant underground chamber, which gave it a cold, clinical atmosphere, almost like a hospital room.

(Mood Music: True Colors - Brooklyn Duo cover)

He stood there for a while, taking in her appearance. Since she'd fallen into a death-like coma, she hadn't aged a single day, looking as radiant and beautiful as ever.

Just like he remembered her.

“Hi, Mom,” he said, tracing a finger over the cool, hard surface, speaking quietly and reverently, as if anything louder than a murmur would somehow cause her discomfort.

“It’s so good to see your face right now. So much has been happening lately.” He sighed, then busied himself, placing the fresh flowers in an ornate vase that sat on the table, throwing away the old bouquet into the wastebasket underneath it. “Father’s kept himself really busy and I hardly ever get to see him, even less than usual. We’re like strangers. Sometimes I feel like the real Gabriel Agreste got abducted by aliens years ago and the one we have now is some nefarious martian doppelganger.” He finished fiddling with the flowers and leaned against the capsule, speaking casually, “I mean, you know how he is, he’s never exactly been a cheery ray of sunshine; he’s always had an ornery side,” he chuckled softly.

“But now he’s…” He groaned with a grimace and rubbed the back of his neck. “Now he’s like... a black hole. Not a single spark or hint of light in him anymore. And he sucks your happiness away if you spend time around him. I’m not sure how Nathalie can deal with him every day. I don’t really understand what’s happened to him after all these years. I mean, I know he misses you, like always. But there’s gotta be something more. And I…” He paused, shifting his weight uncomfortably. “I don’t think he’s doing so well. Health-wise, that is.”

Taking a deep breath, he continued, “I walked in on him once a while back as he was having one of his coughing fits and... I saw the blood on the handkerchief. I ran up to him and asked to take him to a doctor but he waved it off, claiming it was just an old stain. And yet, ever since that day, he started using black handkerchiefs instead. He won’t tell me exactly how using his miraculous against Ladybug has been affecting him, but I know this is connected. I don’t know how much longer he can keep this up.” He paused, biting his lip. “I’m really worried about him,” he finally said. He was silent for a few minutes, absentmindedly cleaning a few fingerprints off the glass with his sleeve, trying to keep himself from imagining two caskets side by side.

Never in his life had he felt such heaviness, such sadness, such weariness as the kind he’d experienced this past year. His relationship with his father had deteriorated far worse than he’d ever thought possible. Gabriel’s explosive, violent, and often unpredictable outbursts had everyone around him constantly on edge. And although Adrien would hate to admit it, he was almost afraid of being in his own house. It had gotten to the point where he’d begun wearing a snug leather glove while he slept, so that he would get woken up if Gabriel ever attempted to remove his ring. It hadn’t happened thus far, but one could never be too careful around him nowadays. Something had to change, but he didn’t know what it was.

“Anyway, sorry, enough about that. Ummm,” He changed the subject, scrunching his face deep in thought. “Oh! School starts next week, so that’s pretty exciting! I get to see my friends every day instead of once every few weeks. You’d like them, mom, I know you would,” he rambled excitedly. “I’ve talked about them before. Nino, Alya, and--oh, I think you’d especially like Marinette. She’s a very artsy person, like you are. And she’s super nice. I wish you could meet them all. Someday, maybe...” He smiled sadly, wishing with all his heart that that day actually would come, and yet his hope continued to dwindle

“Oh, and…” Adrien turned his head away briefly and almost winced, like a kid who was about to get grounded. “There’s… someone else I wanted to talk to you about. I don’t know if she counts as a friend yet, but I… I’ve been spending some time with- um, with L-Ladybug,” he stammered. “D-don’t get upset though! I’m just trying to figure out how to help you and not have to fight her. There’s gotta be a way to do both. I just haven’t figured out how yet. I know it would probably be easier to keep doing what Father says and just steal her miraculous, but after all these years it still hasn’t worked and I’m… I don’t...” he trailed off, struggling to find the right words and his hands curling into fists.

Damn it. Why is this so hard?

He let out a big, shuddering sigh, curling in on himself. “I’m tired of fighting, mom. I’m just tired.” He knelt down by his mother’s feet, wearily sagging against the platform and placing a hand on it.

A few minutes passed. Adrien’s thumb stroked the side of her capsule wistfully, imagining how things were many years ago. He would sit on a plush, fluffy rug leaning into his mother’s legs as she tenderly stroked his head while sitting on her favorite sofa, and they would talk for hours.

“I’ve been hanging out with her. With Ladybug, that is,” he finally spoke. “I’ve gotten to know her a little bit. And every time I’m with her, it just hits me that she’s just… a normal girl. A normal girl who’s been granted huge powers, but still, just a girl. She’s not some creepy harpy with fangs who’ll gouge your eyes out with her claws, like Father always made her sound like. She’s…” He smiled fondly, the smile reaching his eyes for the first time that day. “She’s kind of cool, actually. She’s so different from what I ever expected her to be. She’s kind and funny, very friendly, and she’s really prett-- UMM, I mean--” His head shot up, eyes popping wide open. “She’s, uhhh…! She’s pretty neat.” He cleared his throat and fought the urge to unbutton his sweater, since it had suddenly gotten very warm in this large, empty hall.

“Anyway, uh…” He coughed once and continued, “I know I can trust her. I just want us all to get along, and I know she does too.” The side of his mouth quirked upwards and he looked up at Emilie. “It’ll be our little secret, okay?”

He stood and laid his upper half on top of the glass, draping an arm across the capsule and setting his head down upon the cold surface; it was as close to a hug as he was able to get from her.

He looked upon her frozen features with a small smile on his face and said softly, “I love you, Mom. I’ll visit you again soon, okay?”

Adrien made his way down the long platform, finally reaching the exit. He took one last look at the end of the chamber, the bright green of the vegetation in the manmade oasis contrasting starkly against the greys and blacks of the hall’s beams, pillars, and walls. He flicked off the lights and exited, the loud creak of the metal door echoing across the hall, which then became a silent tomb once more.

#Miraculous Ladybug #Ladynoir #Adrien Agreste #Marinette Dupain Cheng #Enemies AU #Discordant Sonata #fanfiction #Eden writes

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thehorrorgene · 5 years ago

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Horror and Me

Amidst growing up, the horror genre had been somewhat embedded within my life due to the primary socialisation in which I endured. My mother was the most influential, as she would watch films and television series including themes and ideas of the supernatural; vampires, witches, werewolves – you name it. My first vivid memory of being familiarised to aspects of horror, was my introductory to the 1998 series Charmed at the age of 4, then shortly after reaching the age of 5, Doctor Who made its return to the BBC, ultimately scaring me and many children with its pilot episode yet, the fundamental concept of fear intrigued my young self. And then… started my obsession.

The Autons in Doctor Who manifested an initial psychological fear, some labelling it as learned fear, for mannequins and antique-looking dolls. I remember refusing to enter shops or even pass shop windows with glass clearly shielding my skin from the human-shaped plastic. I also remember evading the once Georgian workhouse, the Red House Museum, or at least as much as I could. There was a corridor with a dead-end, lined with aisles of mannequins dressed from Georgian attire to Victorian and modern, showcasing how time and society had changed. Thus, all I could imagine when they entered the valley of plastic were my families deaths. And how this was it. How would I live without them? Where would I go? Who would I live with? By freeing my already huge imagination, those types of thoughts clouded my better judgment, up until I saw them emerge from the shadows alive.

Another early fear of mine, which has crossed over into my adult life, are anything and everything associated with clowns. I have avoided clowns for most of my life and I can’t remember and pinpoint a specific time for when I accumulated such a distasteful fear and discomfort for them as they have managed to bring me to tears before. Fiona Macdonald in 2016 for a BBC article delved into how the clown is seen as disturbing to many. A study was taken, asking more than a thousand individuals and tests ‘concluded that “being ‘creeped out’ is an evolved adaptive emotional response to ambiguity about the presence of threat” in other words… “a person is creepy if we are uncertain about whether he or she is someone to fear”.’[1] As in Kathryn Ptacek’s Dollies[2], horror notions of threat are seen in isolation and the destroying of innocence, further highlighting a commonly used motifs from the parent genre the Gothic such as ‘power and constraint’[3] leaving an audience in distress. Dollies closely link to the text titled Frightening Fiction, as it states ‘one effect… is likely to be the reinforcing of the status quo. By putting normality in jeopardy, it creates a desire for its return and future security’[4], underlining an understanding to the lore of attraction; that every action has an equal or opposite reaction. Yet, a stimulus of fear simultaneously became a reality as the article was written as lunatics dressed as killer clowns created hysteria across the globe, following a social media trend that proceeded further than it should have to begin with.

My belief is fear, whether it’s innate like my fear of heights, or learned through observation and experiences, function as subconscious warnings in our minds, stopping from mental self-infliction.

An unsettling quote from Ptacek’s Dollies lingered with me for a while after reading it as the words showcased why I love to write how I write now; I love to kill every character I create, adult or child to unease you there, reading this.

‘I laid my fingers gently across her nose and mouth. It didn’t take long. She didn’t really even struggle… I watched for her chest to rise and fall, and when it no longer did, I bent down and gave her a kiss on the top of her head, and then I got up and crossed to the closet and put her on the shelf beside the other Elizabeths.’[5]

WORD COUNT (WITHOUT QUOTATIONS) - 537

[1] Fiona Macdonald, “A surprising history of the creepy clown.” BBC Culture, 19th October 2016, Accessed 5th February 2020 http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20161019-a-surprising-history-of-the-bad-clown [2] Mark Morris, eds., New Fears (London: Titan Publishing Group Ltd, 2017), 333. [3] Matt Elphick, “Horrific Origins,” Lecture, Winchester University, 2020. [4]Kimberley Reynolds, et al. eds., Frightening Fiction (London: Continuum, 2001), 8. [5] Mark Morris, eds., New Fears (London: Titan Publishing Group Ltd, 2017), 348.

SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Elphick, Matt. “Horrific Origins.” Lecture. Winchester University. 2020. Fiona Macdonald, “A surprising history of the creepy clown.” BBC Culture, 19th October 2016. Accessed 5th February 2020 http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20161019-a-surprising-history-of-the-bad-clown Kimberley Reynolds, Geraldine Brennan, and Kevin McCarron Frightening Fiction. London: Continuum, 2001. Morris, Mark, eds. New Fears. London: Titan Publishing Group Ltd, 2017.

#horror #horrorfiction #universityofwinchester #creativewriting #myfears

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recentanimenews · 6 years ago

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Revolutionary Girl Utena's Ikuhara is Directing an Anime this Spring!

Hey all, and welcome back to Why It Works. Last week I wrote an article celebrating the upcoming original anime Carole & Tuesday, which will be directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the director of Cowboy Bebop. Watanabe is a true titan of anime, and has developed a stunning catalog over his years as a director, but he’s not the only heavyweight offering a new show this spring. And as I promised last week, today we’ll be exploring the resume of one more anime legend, as we work to gather clues on what his latest production might offer. Today on Why It Works, let’s run down the unique style of Kunihiko Ikuhara!

Though he’s best known as the director of Revolutionary Girl Utena, Ikuhara spent many years honing his craft at Toei Animation before handling his first original production. He might never have achieved such fame if not for working closely alongside the equally legendary Junichi Sato for many years, acting as both assistant director and episode director on a variety of Sato productions. Along with being the original director of Sailor Moon, Sato would eventually go on to direct such esteemed magical girl properties as Princess Tutu and Ojamajo Doremi; the man is an unparalleled titan of shoujo anime, and working closely with him undoubtedly shaped Ikuhara’s ability to make resonant, insightful stories that are rich with complex themes, and yet never talk down to their audiences.

After the fourth season of Sailor Moon, Ikuhara would move on from Toei Animation to create his masterpiece, Revolutionary Girl Utena. Combining his experiences at Toei with a narrative that drew on Takarazuka theater and classic Dezaki imagery, Ikuhara imagined a magical girl anime that defied both genre and societal expectations in all manner of ways. From the very first episode, the heroine Utena’s desire to be a prince clearly indicated that this show had a bone to pick with gendered expectations; from there, the show would go on to sharply challenge a vast array of expectations facing young adolescents, from the ways we are shaped by public perception to the harsh censure that falls on any non-socially-approved relationship.

The complexity of coming to terms with your sexual identity, the brutal mockery of your equally insecure peers, the ultimate reality of adolescence as a harshly limited domed ceiling… Utena is absurdly rich in empathy and social insight, and rises to a stunning crescendo, as its complex and deeply sympathetic characters rally against the imposing walls of their world. I feel no hesitance in saying that Utena is undoubtedly one of the very best anime of all time.

Along with its varied and insightful social commentary, Utena demonstrated Ikuhara’s unique style in manifold other ways. Though Junichi Sato’s influence likely informed his visual sense of humor and rigorous understanding of narrative structure, Ikuhara also draws from older influences, with his visual flourishes often echoing the embellishments of anime godfather Osamu Dezaki. But Ikuhara’s influences aren’t limited to other animators; his work is so unique and rich because his fields of interest also stretch farther afield, encompassing arthouse cinema, classic horror, and modern literature.

All of these interests would play into his next anime, the bewildering Mawaru Penguindrum. Tasked by a strange woman to find the “penguindrum” or watch their sister die, Penguindrum follows two brothers through a deeply troubled Tokyo. The real-world Aum Shinrikyo cult’s 1995 sarin gas attack (along with Haruki Murakami’s post-attack interviews and associated stories) would become the inspiration for a story about how all of us are dehumanized and isolated by the modern world. In response to this alienation, Penguindrum offers the hope of finding our own families, in a story that blends evocative mythology with brutally painful character drama, and even one frog-based love potion ritual.

Ikuhara’s next production would lean heavily on his interest in niche horror, while carrying on his fascination with personal transformations and profound social consciousness. Yurikuma Arashi banks on the limiting assumptions of “Class S yuri” works, which once were able to subversively portray lesbian relationships in a harshly homophobic time, by promising that such relationships would dissipate once adolescence had passed. Ikuhara spun that dramatic assumption into a horror story where lesbians are literally bears in disguise (echoing one more famous Japanese tragedy), ready to actually devour any unsuspecting young girls. Funny and visually inventive and genuinely searing, Yurikuma might be Ikuhara’s most pointed allegory to date.

For his latest work, I’m not expecting Ikuhara to give up any of the qualities that have made his shows so rich and fascinating. Sarazanmai’s predominantly male cast is an unexpected and welcome choice, but I have every expectation that questions of how we overcome our scars to survive adolescence and embrace our personal truths will be relevant once more, and am quite sure I’ll start sobbing somewhere along the way. Ikuhara’s fascination with personal transformation has moved from bears to kappas, while his ornate and self-aware narrative style, complete with built-in narrators, seems to live on through the story’s adult characters. The trailers so far have demonstrated plenty of the aesthetic restlessness that have kept Ikuhara’s works so engaging, with Sarazanmai potentially embracing a mixed-media approach that incorporates live footage into the animation, along with the return of Penguindrum collaborator Wataru Okabe's graphic designs.

It’s all beautiful and intriguing stuff, and given how well Utena illustrated the toxic expectations that hang over male adolescence, even as a largely female-led narrative, I’m very excited to see what he’s got to say this time. Whatever else you think of them, Ikuhara shows are always brimming with ideas; visual ideas, narrative ideas, ideas about how we exist in this world. It’s always a privilege to learn what Ikuhara’s been mulling over lately, and I can’t wait to watch his latest with you all this spring!

What’s your own favorite feature of Ikuhara’s impressive catalog? Let us know in the comments!

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Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now, and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time, or follow him on Twitter.

Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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castawxayaway · 7 years ago

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fall apart

was requested: a piece based on campus. gave it a go, hope you enjoy.

collection of writing / part two

Lifting the folders further up in my arms I struggle for breath. My lungs are being compressed by the weight of the work I completed at 5am this morning and all I want to do is drop it, burn it or let it float off. None of it feels like it’s worth being praised and instead, I look around as I wait in front of the metal doors and think about everyone I see each passing day.

There are those who seem too relaxed at 9am. They wear an uneasy state of bliss in their eyes as they chew their lips or clutch their jaws shut. I see those who have too much work piled in front of them in the library and all they do is stare at it, hoping it would vanish in front of them or do the work itself.

Similarly, there are those like me. The type who are just trying to survive, keep on top and prove their worth to study and can make something of themselves. The door bings and the metal slide either side, leaving me to face my own reflection, well my forehead that is. I step in and hear the springs cry in pain at the additional weight of my folders as I reach to press eight. The doors close and the whirring is a comfort, but that peace is short-lived.

“Third floor.” The automatic voice that is far from the softness a human offered chimed in as the doors opened and I could barely see who it was, only their shoes.

As I heard them sigh my lungs collapsed into themselves knowing what was to come as we rose, trapped in each others company for a mere two minutes. “So, all that work?” I tried to ignore the slight arrogance that was always in his tone, I mentally threw my work in his face and left him there as the doors shut and a single piece of paper flew out with me and resigned at my feet.

But that didn’t happen, instead I remained hidden. That was until a weight lifted from my eyes, and instead of a black folder, I was greeted with his blue eyes that were often too misleading, too nice for someone such as him. “I’m not in the mood today, Dan.” I remark as the floor numbers roll too slowly, we’re only on the fifth floor.

“Why’s that? Left everything too late? Stressed?” He kept throwing words I’d used or heard too often in the past two weeks. My parents, my friends, my flatmates and other students all talking about their deadlines and exams that were coming too quickly for them to keep on top of it all. I didn’t need to respond, the growing purple marks beneath my eyes and the sleep that hung heavy above my eyes spoke on my behalf.

Sixth floor. “Do you always have to be so,” My brain was shuffling through endless sheets of blank paper for a response, but nothing would compute.

“Philosophical?” He raised an eyebrow at me, waiting for me to snap back. Yet I stayed quiet. “You are just another brain here, another walking cash machine to them.” Leaning against the railing he watched the numbers rise, avoiding my gaze. “I’m just more aware of it, I know I’m another man on the field to them. I don’t matter, all that matters is the cycle that endlessly repeats itself. Students come and go. End of story.” All his words sounded too impressive as if he’s too aware of his own intelligence. Or, more his ability to understand the system like the rest of us, but in his eyes, that means he’s better for knowing he’s nothing but another person. He’s not unique, and that’s what makes him special.

I stay quiet, my brain not picking a response as it has shut down. I’m in total darkness mentally and as the door pings, I walk out without saying another word. “See you later, number-” The doors closed just in time. Heavily I drag my feet through the doors to my front door and pull out my key.

As I enter my room the door creaks behind me, and I collapse into bed and discard my papers and folders to the floor next to me. I close my eyes and all I see is him, the gaze of integrity and arrogance that leaves my stomach unsettled. “What does he know anyway? Say a few statements whilst looking off into the unknown of a lift and think everyone will fall to his feet?” Scoffing lightly down the phone my friend yawns loudly, she is in a similar boat to my own. “I’m sorry, he just.” My free hand balls into a fist, partially unsure how to express my feelings towards him. “He’s infuriating.”

She laughs to herself, chuckling away at my prolonged silence. “For someone who seemingly infuriates you, you sure talk about him an awful lot babes.” I sit upright, the sleep that was thick in my mind has vanished.

“No.” I shake my head as if she could see me, “No I don’t. He mocks me constantly, how is that attractive? He is so far up his own arse to notice anyone else or have feelings.” I’d cross my arms if I could and have a tantrum like a child, but no one is here to witness it.

A sigh follows down the line. “Listen,” Her tone has quickly changed, shes more assertive now. “did you manage to get it all done though? Work wise.” Changing the topic calmed my heart rate down.

“Yes. Yeah, everything's been done. I finished it a few hours ago.” A draining yawn escaped my lips. “Everyone is the same. Literally, every person I’ve passed has had piles of paper in their arms or bags that are fitting for a camping trip-” Stopping myself I think back to less than ten minutes ago.

Unlike every other person, he was perfectly calm and collected. No papers piled high before his eyes. I doubt he would’ve had it done so far in advance? My name is repeated until I zone back into the conversation. “I’ll call you back later,” I hang up and let my phone sit in front of my lap for a moment as I contemplate it.

Whenever I see him in the library he focuses more so on judging everyone rather than working. I’ve never seen him take a book out, nor study for that matter anywhere. I see him on social media watching films or writing in his free time, not working or studying like the rest of us. “What’re you up to Dan?” I mutter to myself as I run my fingers through my knotted hair.

Placing my card on the scanner I turn to walk through the gate, into the open space and head to the computer area. Sitting down I take out my earphones and search the area, and if by luck hovering by the printers he stands facing everyone.

Even with glasses on I’m not fooled of his intelligence. I walk over to him, leaning against the printer until he turns to face me. “How’re you doing Dan? Stress settling in at all yet?” I ask as everyone around us remains silent, each focusing on the screens and occasionally wandering around for various books.

He keeps a straight face and shakes his head in response. “Nope. I feel perfectly calm about it all. Why sink to the level they expect me to?” I couldn’t stop my eyes rolling into the back of my head.

“Must be easy to keep calm though, considering all of those people who are writing or ‘helping’ your dissertation, right?” I struck a nerve as he stood upright, no longer relaxing against the printers. He crossed his arms, and unlike before avoiding my gaze.

He didn’t say anything as his jaw remained clenched, I watched as his blue eyes darted around the space we were in. “You have no idea.” Muttering under his breath he quickly walked off, pulling his glasses off of his eyes and shoved them forcefully into his pocket.

After he disappeared out of sight I went back to my computer and began to write the next thousand words.

Unaware of the sun setting and night emerging I continue to type, fighting the tiredness that wracks my body. My fingertips hitting the keys becomes more urgent as I have less than one hundred words left until I’ve finished the next section, and consequently three less books to take back with me.

Sighing I read through my last paragraph, hitting save as I read and change. A few people walk by, clearly happy with where they are for the night whereas I along with a few other devoted third years continue, even if it is almost morning again.

Unable to stop my eyes closing and I go to hit save the screen goes blank. My mind snaps into action as I hit any and all keys to get my work from today back up, the part that required the most research. Yet nothing works. I’ve lost it.

My eyes become too watery and I stand up, heaving the bag of books and drafts with me and head out of the library. As I walk I spot those still working, all eyes locked on screens refusing to acknowledge anyone going by. I scan out of the library and pause, allowing myself to cry silently. “Hey, you alright?” A voice interrupts and I straighten up, wiping my face as I turn to see Dan.

I go back to how I was, wiping my face and not caring as it’s only him. “Oh, me? I’m doing swell.” Sarcasm drowns my voice, I laugh lightly as he keeps a safe distance as if crying is contagious.

“Come on.” He walks up to me and takes my bag of books, carrying them in his arms. I stand still, unsure of a kind action. Usually, he’d have some comment to retaliate with or make a statement about how society and the pressures of education have caused this. Or perhaps how if I were a man I’d have to keep my tears inside, as it is not yet acceptable. Something, anything like that, but not this.

We walk in silence to the block of flats that are ridden with students. A few months ago it would’ve been so different here, music would play and drown out each and every floor like it were a competition of sound and vibrations. No one would be silent until at least 5 in the morning as everyone was living, being free. But now, now it is silent too often. Everyone keeps to themselves as we are all in the same boat, living through the Titanic and scrounging for lifeboats.

Stepping into the lift it creaks and whines as always. The metal doors close, trapping us and I sigh loudly, prompting him to speak up. “You know,” I glanced up at him, seeing him in such unflattering lighting eased the pain slightly. “at 4 they turn the computers off, restart them. Just part of their routine.”

I can’t help but sniff loudly, “Guessing your writers told you that?” I remark, not wanting to admit what he already knows. He doesn’t respond as the doors open to the eighth floor and he follows me as I let myself in.

The corridor remains silent as I go through to the kitchen, ignoring his presence and putting the kettle on before collapsing into a chair and resting my head on the table. Light movement surrounds me and the scrapping of a chair and a hand in between my shoulder blades is unnerving.

“I only talk like that because I’m terrified of failure.” His hand remains still as I sit upright, black settling under my eyes only adding to the purple that has been marked since we started three years ago. “I’m working from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep. Everyone who is rumoured to write for me is simply checking if it’s average or above if I’m lucky enough.”

Looking at him now with his glasses off I can see his exhaustion. The rim of them hiding the matching darkness that has embedded itself on his face, how in his blue eyes they don’t shine with passion or for justice against being just another brain here. Instead, they’re defeated.

“Then why make everyone else feel like they’re less worthy? Or that you’re better than the rest of us?” His hand begins to slip from its spot on my back and settles on his own knee.

“In the first year I was myself, and no one liked that. They thought me, being myself was weird. That my love of music but being too nervous to perform wasn’t right for me, not my niche. So I went down a different, more douchy posh lad route and it stuck. Sometimes I play my keyboard in my room and wonder what it’d be like if it were all different.” I fully sit upright, facing him.

A new found sense of fascination entices me with him now. “But, why are you telling me all of this?” Curiosity laces my words, and he simply smiles.

“Tonight you are at your lowest. I can see how tired you are, and stressed out about your lost work.” His hand reaches over and pats my knee lightly before walking over to the kettle and making a cup of tea. “I’ve lived in that state for a long time when everything just falls apart and no one offers to pick up the pieces you leave as a trail.”

I watch as he opens various cupboards, “Top left.” I pipe in, and he nods.

“What I’m saying is, oh sugar?” I shake my head and he squeezes the tea bags, dumping them in the bin and presents a warm mug of nearly black tea before me. “I’m saying I can help in some ways. And that I want to. I went through it alone, no one helped me but I want to help you through it.” He smiles wholeheartedly, fiddling with his glasses in his hands.

“Thank you, Dan.” A smile forms on my face, though defeated for now I want to get better. “For helping me as it falls apart.”

The two of us sit, chatting about the stress for a while as the sun rises outside. Warmth slowly catches our ankles and illuminates the dust that floats to the floor. The dark tea stains the mugs and turns bitterly cold as we talk, neither pausing until the warmth reaches our eyes, blinding us.

“I better go. When did it get light?” He asks, chuckling for a second before going quiet, unsure what to say.

I shake my head, partly not wanting him to go. “What’re you doing later?” The first thing that comes to mind. “I mean, if you’re busy I-”

“Nothing.” He quickly states. An eager expression lining his eyes. “Are you, you doing anything?” When I shake my head his smile only grows and he slips his glasses back on. “Well, I could come by this evening, offer a better cup of tea?” He jokes half-heartedly.

“I’d like that, yeah.” We walk to the front door, “Safe journey.” I joke as he walks to the lift, heading three floors above my own. As I go to close the door I hear a thud, and quickly open the door to see him on the floor crawling out of sight.

#eh #idk #been a while since ive written this sort of thing #out of practice big time #bastille #writing #imagine #imagines #bastille writing #bastille imagines #bastille imagine #bastille masterlist #masterlist #fluff #bastille fluff #dan smith imagines #dan smith imagine #dan smith uni #dan smith fluff

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perfectirishgifts · 4 years ago

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Building A Leading ESports Organization. An Exclusive Interview With Adrian Montgomery, CEO Of Enthusiast Gaming

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/building-a-leading-esports-organization-an-exclusive-interview-with-adrian-montgomery-ceo-of-enthusiast-gaming/

Building A Leading ESports Organization. An Exclusive Interview With Adrian Montgomery, CEO Of Enthusiast Gaming

I recently had the privilege to sit down (well share a Zoom call!) with Adrian Montgomery, Chief Executive Officer of Enthusiast Gaming. It is not often as a writer you get direct, unfiltered access to the CEO of one – if not the – leading company in its space, let alone for it to be in my favorite sector – eSports!

For those still unfamiliar with Enthusiast Gaming (as I realize not all of you are quite there on eSports yet! Time to get on-board now though, huh?), the company’s aim is to “build the world’s largest platform of communities for gamers and eSports fans”.

It is already the largest gaming network in North America and the UK with 100 gaming related websites, 1,000 YouTube channels, 7 professional eSports teams and over 30 virtual and in-person gaming events globally such as EGLX, (eglx.com) and the largest mobile gaming event in Europe, Pocket Gamer Connects. The platform reaches over 300 million gamers each month, generating an average of 4 billion views of content each month.

Enthusiast Gaming EGLX

Enthusiast Gaming also has approximately 500 gaming influencers, reaching over 500 million subscribers on Twitch and YouTube. Enthusiast Gaming’s eSports division, Luminosity Gaming, has over 70 million loyal fans and followers, and is a leading global eSports franchise that consists of 7 professional eSports team, including the Vancouver Titans Overwatch team and the Seattle-based Call of Duty team. Yes, wow.

Enthusiast Gaming Vancouver Titans

Before joining Enthusiast Gaming, Adrian was a senior officer and director of several companies in media, sports and entertainment, finance and industrial services — most recently serving as president and CEO of Aquilini Sports and Entertainment, one of Canada’s premier sports and entertainment organizations. Adrian’s personal passion for eSports clearly jumped off the screen as we got talking about how he became involved in eSports one fateful day when he had a very different type of rental inquiry for their 20,000 seat arena.

“I had just read an article about eSports, and one of my guys phoned me and said “You know how you were interested in eSports? Well, these guys are coming in – do you want to come on the site tour?”. Well, it turned out we had this opportunity to host the biggest eSports event in the world – the DOTA 2 International run by Valve – that was coming out of Seattle for the first time. I came down and met these three guys, who were acting as if they were in charge of FIFA or the SuperBowl or something! “Take that down, move that, block that off, our crew needs this…”. I was getting a little frustrated and keen to try to put them in their place, saying ‘Hey, so what exactly is the prize purse for this little rinky-dink tournament right? “$33 million dollars (USD)”. Oh my god! So, I went back at the end of the site tour and said, alright, there is clearly something here!”

Despite several doubters among traditional hirers of the venue and concerns on the complexity of the set-up and all its incredible visual effects, the event went ahead. The entire building sold out in one hour for six straight days, the city of Vancouver became overrun with cosplay wearing, DOTA 2 fans and Adrian’s team could not get into their offices as fans lined up were around the block to get in. So how did the DOTA 2 team achieve this? A complex, multi-layered, omni channel marketing campaign?

“It is almost impossible to sell out a 20,000 seat arena for six days. So I asked the organizers, “I’ve got to know – what is the marketing plan here? They said, “look dude, we’ve got it covered,” to which I replied with, “look, I might be fired tomorrow so you’ve got to give me something.” To my surprise, they said “Ok, you want to know the plan, ok, here is the plan. First we are going to send out a Tweet…” and I said “Ok.. and?” and they responded with – “That’s it, that’s our marketing plan.”

This moment saw the company’s 87-year-old multi-billionaire owner task Adrian with getting into this brave new world of eSports.

“What did you do? And whatever you did, we need to get all of the way into this industry.” A month later they bought an Overwatch team, then Luminosity Gaming and the rest is history”

Enthusiast Gaming Event

Fast forward to today, in asking what now sets Enthusiast Gaming apart, without hesitation Adrian cites the company’s singular focus on its fans.

“We feel no-one is as obsessively focused on the fan experience as we are. The thing that makes us so different to anyone else in the space is that we are not trying to dominate a vertical; we are not trying to just be an eSports organization, a collection of websites, or a tournament organizer – we want to build value right across the fan experience. If you are a super-keen EPIC Games’ Fortnite player who has logged-off, the beauty of this gaming phenomenon is that you are not then ‘done’ – you go to Twitch where – obviously! – we want you watching our Fortnite streamers Muselk and Fresh, when you go to YouTube, we want you to go to the biggest Fortnite YouTube channel in the world – our channel, BCC Gaming, if you want to see what EPIC Gaming is up to next, we want you to then come to one of our events and see their booth up-close. It is all highly integrated – and hopefully a lot of fun also!”

While it is clear Enthusiast Gaming connects with its fans in a very genuine way and has built meaningful relationships, you would be forgiven for thinking there is a significant marketing machine behind this growth – and a bit like how Adrian was surprised about the DOTA 2 event, you may also be surprised to learn they’ve done it in a purely organic, authentic way.

“The thing that blows people away – and is routed in our content and approach – is when I tell them we don’t spend a single cent in acquiring or keeping that traffic coming back. They won’t believe it. Building a world-class business routed in user-generated content is definitely a very hard thing to do – and when you succeed it is a very hard thing to explain! There is a lot of art as to how it’s curated, how its presented, but when you can do it well, the sky is the limit for you in terms of possibilities.”

For all of its growth, gamers can still be seen to be misunderstood as a community. Of the 300 million active base the company has, many falls into the cliched ‘hard to reach’ segments – of Millennials, GenZ & Gen-A, and that are so attractive to brands.

Enthusiast Gaming Event

“They are the world’s most lucrative demographic because they have a lot of purchasing power. They don’t have their money sucked away by these things called children and mortgages. If you are a company, you are no doubt trying to get them into your world at a very early point in their buying lifecycle. What people don’t really understand is that with any traditional sports would kill for the demographics of an eSports fan – they are a little bit older than you think – typically being in their 20’s; they have more disposable income than other traditional sports fan but then, they are elusive – they just don’t consume content the way I did in 20 years ago!”

Enthusiast Gaming is already partnering with the likes of Gillette, Proctor and Gamble, GoDaddy, and Pizza Hut. However, Adrian was clear that other brands need to realize that gaming is not a hobby for many millions – billions of people.

“eSports is more than a hobby for gamers – it’s a way of life. It’s their identity, it’s their social network, and it’s their method of expression. eSports and gaming is going to continue to skyrocket, and people are realizing how pervasive it is in people’s lives. What I’ve seen change this year – and I can tell you which is one of the most exciting things for our industry today – is that most marketing directors now know if you need to communicate with young people, you simply must have a video game strategy. eSports has made quantum leaps during the recent pandemic.”

With the likes of GenZ��s being highly influenced by the people they follow on social media, it just so happens that their heroes– and some the biggest stars on social media – are gamers. Enthusiast Gaming sponsors some the biggest athletes, recently signing one of the biggest content creators on Twitch – xQc – who has a community of 100,000 concurrent viewers every night. The company is also focused on developing the next generation of talent. Recently creating the “Rising Stars” competition, Enthusiast Gaming sought to leverage its incredible platform to create a “star-making factory” and find and develop the next gaming superstars of tomorrow.

“We are trying to create ‘The Voice’, we’re trying to create ‘American Idol’ for gamers. We recently had a five-week competition with all entries judged by stars on our roster like xQc, Muselk, Anomaly, and Fresh sit on as judges. We recently concluded the competition at the 2020 Enthusiast Gaming Live Experience (ELGX), where BabyCappah took the title and a $100,000 USD sponsorship with Luminosity Gaming. We are creating something of a Simon Cowell fuelled concept here…and I think we are going to be very successful with it!”

BabyCappah will actually become a fully-fledged member of the Luminosity Gaming roster. In true entrepreneurial style the company had originally beta-tested the concept with a smaller version called ‘So You Think You Can Stream’.

“The incredible gamer who won is actually quadriplegic – RockyNoHands – we made the decision instantly to sign him to Luminosity Gaming. We are so proud to be associated with him. He is an incredible example of how we can hopefully convince people with disabilities to engage more with eSports with him as a leading ambassador – it is very exciting to see the impact eSports can have.”

We all hear the eye-popping statistics about how big the gaming industry is. From Activision, to Tencent, to EA to biggest companies on the planet – Amazon, Facebook and Google – vying to be THE broadcast platform for the content is clear that there is still so much growth in eSports. This is true for Enthusiast Gaming which has also recently completed others acquisitions, and with the company planning to list on NASDAQ, and launching a free Ad-Supported Streaming TV Channel – BCC Gaming – with Samsung TV Plus. So – what’s next?

“What is next is for us to sell our content – using elements such as subscription. We believe we can take a userbase and turn it into a marketplace. Why can’t we have an App Store? Can we connect these communities and people together and make a social media network of our own even – that is all ahead of us. I always tell my team, while we are building a company called Enthusiast Gaming, we are also helping to build an industry – and the rules are being written as we speak. The plane is getting configured in flight and there are people like us, like FaZe Clan, and all of the other publishers collectively building something incredible. To have people like you helping get the word out and for taking us seriously really means a lot and it is very exciting times ahead.”

It is clear from talking to Adrian that there is an incredible opportunity for brands to engage through eSports provided they are happy to mirror Enthusiast Gaming’s authentic approach. As a CEO, Adrian is a leader driving everyone forward in an open, honest and authentic way and clearly runs a very collegiate, interactive and respectful organization that every company can learn from. It is clear Enthusiast Gaming will be a major part of eSports’ continued growth and I’ll be watching with great interest.

From Media in Perfectirishgifts

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kindaangelic · 8 years ago

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Plus One - A Batman Fic

What if Terry McGinnis were always a part of the Wayne Family? Here's my take on how he would have met them the first time. ----------------------------- Amanda Waller watched, as she was bound to do. She watched Gotham. More specifically, she watched its protector, Batman, and his horde of BatBabies. She watched Batman rescue countless civilians, dispense justice to evildoers, and occaisionally stop his impulse to adopt every child he came across, before disappearing into the night. She watched Bruce Wayne flail spectacularly through life, somehow managing to run his business with great success, and his home with lesser success. Still, it was endearing to see that the Keeper of the Night could not manage to rein in his little ones. She watched Nightwing fly across Gotham and Blüdhaven, distracting his enemies with his tight fitting suit and defined butt before inevitably striking them down. She watched Dick Grayson work his day job, get home in time for dinner and to fight crime, and smother his siblings with endless, unnecessary, affection. She watched the Red Hood barrel through Gotham, pissing off every villain and leaving a trail of bodies behind him. When confronted with his vicious ways by his mentor, he would shrug and say something to the effect of "oops," and then turn around to make eyes at Nightwing, who eyed him right back. She watched Jason Todd rise from the dead and trample all over Bruce's life, bringing angst and his own particular brand of love, and a dry sense of humor. Of course, he still managed to make eyes at Dick Grayson, who eyed him right back. She watched Red Robin sail across Gotham, outsmarting criminals left and right, and doing more of the same with the Titans. She watched Tim Drake expertly handle Wayne Enterprises, high school, and his ridiculous family with admirable grace. She watched him nerd out over simple pleasures - Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Yuri on Ice, and saw the glimpse of youth that not even life as a vigilante had managed to take from him. She watched Black Bat let her actions do the talking in Gotham, pulverizing any and all ne'er do wells in her path, instilling fear in the hearts of the evildoers she left in he wake. She watched Cassandra Cain silently float through life, doted upon by her father and brothers, speaking once again through her actions to show how much she loved and appreciated he life now. She watched Robin tear his way across Gotham, protecting his city and those he considered his own viciously. She watched him trail his eldest brother with interest, learning and growing at his side. She watched Damian Wayne grump his way through his house, antagonizing everyone but his oldest brother and his sister. She watched him lavish care on his pets, and indeed every animal he came across. She watched Alfred Pennyworth despair of all of the above, and care for them through thick and thin, a slatwart presence in the family's otherwise tumultuous lives, his reward being everyone's presence at the dinner table in sound body and mind. Amanda Waller took a deep breath, and came to a decision. She looked down at the bassinet by her side, and tickled the warbling baby. Slowly, a smile worked its way onto her face. ------------- "Daddy, the doorbell is ringing." "Jason, don't call me daddy if you're going to be snarky about it," Bruce scolded. "Do it only if you mean it." "Oh yeah? You gonna punish me, daddy?" Jason breathed, inching forward sultrily. "Ew," Bruce said, leaving quickly, while his children - his immature, hellion, children - dissolved into laughter behind him. He pulled open the door and stared irately into thin air before a mewling sound at his feet caused him to look down, and felt a familiar feeling stirring in his gut. He knew it well - it was the urge to adopt. Bruce walked back into the kitchen armed with a wicker basket, and proceeded to hand it to Dick, who promptly dissolved into happy squeals. "Oh, Bruce, you got me a baby! I knew you loved me!" A small, baby boy looked up at Dick, startled, as the older man proceeded to smother it with butterfly kisses. "I found it on the doorstep," Bruce said. "I just need you to hold it. I need to go to the washroom," he said testily, excusing himself, waddling away with a suddenly tense bladder. The rest of the family immediately crowded around the baby to admire the new human, poking and cooing over him. Alfred stared dubiously after Bruce, wondering if he should place an order for a shipment of diapers. Amid the cooing, Damian rifled around the asset that the baby had come in, and pulled out a letter. He handed it to Dick, who read it out. "Dear Bruce," he read, "I made you a baby from some blood I got off of you. Love, Amanda Waller. PS - you're welcome." Everyone turned in shock as they heard a ragged rasping noise from the doorway, only to see Bruce fall to the ground, choking on his own spittle. Alfred rushed to his side while the kids took a closer look at the cheerfully thrashing baby. "Can I name him?" Damian asked, turning pleading eyes upon Dick, who promptly melted. "Of course, Dami!" "Then I hereby declare this brother of mine to be...Terrence." There was a silence after which Jason snorted. "That's a douche name. We should call him something like...Rambo." "No," Cassandra said definitively, silencing the dissenters. "Terrence is good." She promptly bent down and started blowing raspberries on Terrence's small tummy, causing little giggles to burst forth. "Who's my little baby boy? Who's my good little boy?" Dick cooed, bouncing Terrence. "No one," Bruce said rudely. "Apparently, he's my baby boy." Dick pouted massively, looking at Bruce with cow eyes. "Aw, don't worry. I'll be your baby, Dickie," Jason said salaciously, prompting a blush from the older man. "Ugh, incest," Tim muttered, taking Terrence away as Dick and Jason eyed each other hungrily. "Bruce, you've failed as a parent." Bruce strode forward purposefully and dragged Dick away to lock him in the highest room in Wayne Manor, and came back with Dick's startled screams echoing behind him. "There, that's one problem taken care of," he said, dusting his hands off. "Now, hand over Terrence." Tim danced out of Bruce's grasp, taking his brother with him. "I'm going to update our social media profile," he said. "We have to introduce little Terry to the world." "By that, he means that he's going to spend one minute uploading a picture of him and the baby to facebook, and the rest of the time showing him off to Connor on skype," Jason said helpfully. "Connor? Connor Kent? What's he got to do with this?" "Drake and the alien are dating, Father," Damian informed him. "I assume Drake is going to use Terrence to incite paternal feelings in his boyfriend's heart, causing him to fly over here from Smallville to play with the baby, which will then lead to "playing" with Drake as well." Bruce looked horrified, which Damian used to his advantage by snatching Terrence away and waddled off to instruct his new sibling on the proper use of a katana. Bruce tried to lock Tim away with Dick in the highest floor of Wayne Manor, when Alfred pointed out that unlike Jason, Connor could fly. Several minutes later, Bruce returned, looking smug after he had finished locking Tim in the basement, and then proceeded to kick Jason out. "Don't come back until you've banished your incestuous thoughts!" He yelled after Jason, as he tumbled down the stairs. Walking back into the house, he patted himself on the back. "I'm a good daddy."

#Batman #BatFamily #batman beyond #Bruce Wayne #dick Grayson #richard grayson #jason todd x richard grayson #Jason Todd #Tim Drake #Damian Wayne #cassandra cain #terry mcginnis #alfred pennyworth #amanda waller #daddybats #fluff #crack #Tim drake x Connor Kent

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theidiotbrigade · 6 years ago

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Civilization VI S01 E04 | TheNoob Official

Watch The Video Here: https://youtu.be/w8Jya7_YL3w Civilization VI S01 E04 | TheNoob Official

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Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy 4X video game developed by Firaxis Games, published by 2K Games, and distributed by Take-Two Interactive. A part of the Civilization series, it was released on Microsoft Windows and macOS in October 2016, with later ports for Linux in February 2017 and iOS in December 2017.

As with other games in the series, the goal for the player is to lead their fledgling civilization from an early settlement through many millennia to become a world power and achieve one of several victory conditions, such as through military power, technological superiority, diplomatic leadership, or cultural influence, over the other human and computer controlled opponents. Players do this by exploring the world, founding new cities, building city improvements, deploying military troops to attack and defend from others, researching new technologies and cultural civics, and engaging in trade and negotiations with other world leaders.

A critical design focus was to avoid having the player follow a pre-set path of improvements towards their civilization which they had observed from earlier games. Civilization VI places more emphasis on the terrain by “unstacking” city improvements from the main city space and giving bonuses for placing improvements near certain terrains. Other new features include research on the game’s technology tree based on nearby terrain, a similar technology tree for cultural improvements and a better government civics structure for those playing on a cultural victory path, and new artificial intelligence mechanics for computer-controlled opponents that include secret goals and randomized engagements to disrupt an otherwise stable game. The game’s first major expansion, Civilization VI: Rise and Fall, was released in February 2018.

Production Music courtesy of: Ben Sounds: http://www.bensound.com Epidemic Sound: https://ift.tt/19pXSrH

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bongaboi · 8 years ago

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Revons Plus Grand, Chapter 10

Revons Plus Grand

Chapter 10:

Up As She Rises

Back at NRG Stadium, Earl led Georgette Lemare and Sadako Shimohara to a suite in the 100 level, closest to the field. "So this is what the field looks like," said Georgette, seeing the markings, the yellow goalposts, the different colored endzones, the Super Bowl LI logo and the competition logo itself, a shield with eight starts and an American Football and the red letters "NFL." National Football League.

"Yes, this is the field," Earl said, smiling wide. "What are you names, by the way?"

"I am Georgette, from the North of France in Barenton, Normandy. My partner here is Sadako, and she is a visitor from Hiroshima."

"War regions, huh?"

"Correct," Sadako said.

"World War II...yep. I was born a decade after that war ended, by the way."

The three of them ate their prematch meal, the order from the nearby McDonald's, still warm to the touch. "You should tell us more about yourself since you seem to be from here."

"Sure." A big bite of a Big Mac, and then he spoke. "I am from a small town in Texas called Tyler. It's located north of here in East Texas. I attended a university in another city in the state called the University of Texas at Austin. The team colors are burnt orange and white and the team name is called the Longhorns."

"You played football for the Texas Longhorns, Mr. Earl?" asked Sadako.

"I was an All-American in 1975 and 1977, winning the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy and the Heisman Trophy. My No. 20 is retired over at the university. I placed with the Houston Oilers from 1978-84 and played two more season with the New Orleans Saints before retiring from the game in 1985. I was a five-time Pro Bowler, most valuable players from 1978-90, and my No. 34 jersey is retired by the current iteration my old team, the Tennessee Titans. Finally, I am in the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame."

"Wow, you had a great career then!" exclaimed Jose.

The background music played, an opus by Samuel Spence called Classic Battle, footage from past games showing on the big board. "Back in my day, the players were real, tough men of character, no nonsense individuals that were willing to lay their lives on the line when they went to battle. The hits were tougher, the action was more intense...it was the type of stuff that NFL Films romanticized. That's one of the branches of the league's operations by the way."

"Tougher and more intense, huh?"

"Football in those days was a game not for the faint of heart, that's why fans loved to watch it back in the 70's and 80's. Nowadays, concerns for player health and safety have caused the league to deemphasize the aspects of the game that made it so fun to watch and gloss over for future generations. In short, it's declined in a way, and that is very disappointing to hear."

"Sorry to hear that, Mr. Earl," said Sadako, frowning.

"Do you work anywhere, by any chance?"

"We work in Paris for a football team over there called Paris Saint-Germain," said Georgette.

"PSG, ah, that's the soccer team, right?" Earl asked.

"We are support staff that help take care of maintaining the training facility. It's a lot of work but we are paid well for it and just got our first stipend since we started last week," Sadako explained.

"They are a rich club so naturally you would get paid well. Here in Houston there is a local soccer team that plays in the domestic competition here, the Houston Dynamo. They are in preseason right now and will begin competitive play in early March, which is next month. Unlike your league in France, we run on Spring-Fall scheduled to accommodate touring sides from Europe and elsewhere. Did you know that your team are the defending champions of the International Champions Cup?"

"What's that?" Jose asked.

"A preseason tournament that pits the best teams in Europe for matches in Australasia, North America and Europe. Your team happened to win the North America/Europe leg in the ICC last summer by going unbeaten."

"I didn't know that."

"So you have a massive reputation and image to uphold so work hard when you are out there okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Earl!" they both said.

"Just call me Mr. Campbell, if you don't mind," he replied, saluting back. The three of them continued to eat as the fans slowly made their way into the expansive indoor battleground deep in the heart of Texas.

"Just got the news that Flying Officer Beurling was given an honorable discharge from the 507th and has returned to Verdun in the Faraway Land," said Waltrud.

"Elizabeth, right?" asked Edytha.

"Correct. She also chose to quit smoking and drinking and has decided to work as a seamstress and telephone operator for the local company there. Her attitude apparently changed and she decided to believe in the power of living in peace without worry or depression. Finally, she got engaged to someone out there as result of changing her lifestyle. She is happy now."

"Exactly," said Ursula. "And she wanted me to give this poem to you as a parting gift, Flying Officer Krupinski."

"Hmm? What is this?" asked the Countess, receiving the paper.

"It is a poem called 'Modern Love' and she wanted you to set it to music. Our X-11 has developed a proposed melody and harmony to it, with the assistance of Sanya."

"Ah, I like singing," said Waltrud. "Thus, I shall give this a heartfelt attempt."

"You're gonna sing for us, Countess?" asked Commander Rall.

"The Countess possessess a deep singing voice that sounds very masculine," said Edytha. "Ethereal tones, so I have heard from Heidemarie."

"Please give it a listen," said Sanya. "Countess, when you are ready." She winked, and the X-11 played the most of the background, while Sanya did the piano part. As if she had sung it before, Waltrud's perfect pitch was on showcase...as well as her unique impromptu dance moves in the style of Sir Michael Jagger, a Brittanian peer from the other side simply known by his advocates as Mick.

"I know when to go out

And when to stay in

Get things done.

I catch a paper boy

But things don't really change

I'm standing in the wind

But I never wave bye-bye

But I try I try

There's no sign of life

It's just the power to charm

I'm lying in the rain

But I never wave bye-bye

But I try, I try

Never gonna fall for

(Modern Love)

Walks beside me

(Modern Love)

Walks on by

(Modern Love)

Gets me to the Church on Time

(Church on Time)

Terrifies me

(Church on Time)

Makes me party

(Church on Time)

Puts my trust in God and Man

(God and Man)

No confessions!

(God and Man)

No religion

(God and Man)

Don't believe

In Modern Love

It's not really work

It's just the power to charm

I'm still standing in the wind

But I never wave bye bye

But I try, I try

Never gonna fall for

(Modern Love)

Walks beside me

(Modern Love)

Walks on by

(Modern Love)

Gets me to the Church on Time

(Church on Time)

Terrifies me

(Church on Time)

Makes me party

(Church on Time)

Puts my trust in God and Man

(God and Man)

No confessions!

(God and Man)

No religion

(God and Man)

Don't believe

In Modern Love

Modern love - Modern love

Modern love - Modern love, walks beside me

Modern love - Modern love, walks on by..."

In the distance over the tannoy, another Samuel Spence opus played, aptly named "Up As She Rises," an arrangement of the traditional Brittanian sea shanty "Drunken Sailor."

"The Super Bowl," Earl went on to say as he and the two girls watched the fans get their potato chips, hot dogs, pop corn, peanuts, pizza, beer and soft drink before heading to their designated seats, "is televised the world over. Many of the game's current presentation dynamics to be displayed on the transmissions of the participating international broadcasters, including the main feed from Fox, were pioneered by a failed fledgling league in 2001 called the XFL. See that hovering device over the field?"

"Oh?" asked Georgette as she noticed a camera floating over the field.

"The sky camera, or skycam, is used in many outdoor competitions in various disciplines. There are some people on the ground with cameras to show reactions and dialougue from players on the sidelines, after making plays, and so on. Team introductions are more robust and energetic than in my time playing. See this?" Earl held up a Falcons football helmet with a built in microphone and other gadgets.

"So this is the helmet used, huh?" asked Sadako, examining the helmet.

"Used by players who play the positions of quarterback and middle linebacker, these football helmets are equipped with radios and microphones to receive plays and audibles to help score points or prevent the opposition from scoring."

"This is similar to the headsets we have at our base during operations, but adapted for this setting," she told Jose.

"Remarkable."

Earl continues to speak. "Increased locker room access and sex appeal for cheerleaders is another part of the experience at some games. Across major competitions around the world, fans are now more attached to their respective teams and now feel that they have a stake in the whole process. That helps with ratings and gets them to react through what we call social media...in this dimension and timeline."

"Dimension and timeline?" asked Sadako. "You...don't tell me..."

Jose was surprised. "You...know about...?"

The cat tracker jumped into Earl's lap as his glasses glinted. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Look." They looked at the field, the players starting to warm up as the venue continue to fill, loud music in the air resonating all over. "The show is about to begin."

"Mr. Campbell?"

He turned to her. "Yes, young lady?"

She and Sadako put fingers to their lips. "Please keep this a secret from everyone," they both said with a collective wink. A simple nod and a wide, weathered smile from Earl was all they needed to ensure that they were just guests at one of the biggest celebrations of this particular sport and nothing else.

Living the dream. The Liberion Dream. So it seems...

"So why are we leaving Hikari alone?" asked Yoshika Miyafuji as she and Takami Karibuchi went back to the dining hall to watch scenes from the other side. The Hartmann sisters were doing some special cooking, and had a spread of potato dishes being made, to go with a new sausage dish they were testing, provisionally called currywurst. The X-11 was playing from its internal sound archives a rendition of a march by Liberion composer John Philip Sousa called "King Cotton" while standing stationary in a pose called the "Gunbuster Pose" by the consensus on the other side.

"She wants to practice playing the game I beat her on and, unfortunately, is using Omiya," she replied with a disappointed sigh. Yoshika had completed the first-person storyline part of the game. "Hikari is playing a different mode in the game, the Career Mode. This way, she can learn the dynamics of managing a team of that stature."

"Wow...unfortunately is a bit too harsh, though."

"Perhaps. But sometimes," said Takami, "peers like Naoe underestimate the one intangible that makes her vital to our squad: creativity and adaptability. Aside from that, she is able to analyze the issues regarding civilian organization and can create numerous strategic tactics that foster stability and continuity while expanding its reach and relevance through brand leverage. She never gives up on realizing what she believes can be possible."

"Takami, that is an amazing mindset from your sister."

"For someone who is four years my senior that is very mature and assertive but when she loses to me, she wants to atone by allowing me to give her mental strength the way I would do to a child when I decide I want to become a full-time mother and housewife. When she is focused, she means business. She's just like you in a way, which is why on occasions, telling the difference takes time for me. Then I remember this: she likes to run. You like to heal, cook and clean."

The images of sport and music were being conveyed as the others in the room ate and chat about the other side's puzzling quirks. "That's true. How far does Hikari run?"

"She likes doing circuits about town and runs marathon-length distances when she is not doing any operations for our team and me," said Takami. "I'll share an anecdote."

"Please."

"As the story goes, Hikari once told me she wanted to be in the Olympic Games running the women's marathon because she believes her speed and stamina will be better than any established distance runner out there. But I told her, you're too young, you need to train, and you would have to request clearance from the Commander and have it approved to take an extended leave to actually train for the Games."

"A process. Understandable."

"The event is currently suspended due to the ongoing conflict but it will be taking place over in London in a few years, assuming our region is stabilized enough. Finally, a women's marathon has not been established yet, so Hikari can only do running events of shorter lengths, as well as jumps. I am confident that all of Fusou will support her efforts and do very well because she is very athletic and competitive and she wants to win."

"That's why she doesn't like losing to anyone, even you."

"But my presence, and perhaps my body itself, allows her to focus. She dedicates her work, her service, her legacy to those whose lives she touches, but most of all, she does it for me. Hikari hasn't been keen to have a male partner herself because she wants her bust size to be as big as mines. So she likes drinking milk a lot. All types. Even my own."

"She really is conscious of her bust though, isn't she? I've been flat-chested for a long time, even with training, but I am not worried. Your sister is a different case."

"One day, she will have the sizes she wants to progress further. Hikari is feisty, tenacious, and willing to die for everyone she loves. That's why she's with me. I love her so much. When she is happy, I am. She keeps me smiling and keeps me positive about what I do for everyone. Hikari is our guidepost, so we commit our work to her too. All of us."

"Hmmm..."

"Just like you are the guidepost of the 501st, Yoshika. Our squads may be different, but our vision and objectives remain the same, even with a break in the war as we speak. And our hearts are intertwined."

"Takami..."

"When I saw that you were coming in to join us, I felt really happy because I know you'll like my company, and Hikari and I will enjoy using your inspiration and legacy...and unmistakable touch as an indelible motivation."

"Oh my."

"It is said that many musicians, poets and novelists over in Fusou have told and retold your legendary story in different contexts and forms. Your legacy is regarded by a few as mythical. And I felt like a second younger sister came into my life, but one that is spontaneous and independent in terms of character, tact and professionalism while not being overtly serious, in the manner of Commander Rall."

"Thank you for those kinds words, Takami, I appreciate it." The two girls helped themselves to some potatoes and sausage. "Oooh, this is very creamy. Not too heavy."

"Do you like it, Yoshika?" asked Erica, swallowing a small potato whole. "We love potatoes, Ursula and I. But we also love bratwurst and we decided to make a new sausage dish."

"We discovered a new recipe for making curry ketchup and integrated it into bratwurst and Thuringers," Ursula said. "We call it the currywurst and it can be eaten with pommes frites or in the style of a Liberion hot dog or a Brittanian sausage roll. These are examples."

"These are great," the Commander said, getting a second helping. "Goes well with beer."

"Slightly spicy but not overwhelming," said Edytha. "A comforting viand."

"Sister, they seem to like our dish," Ursula said to Erica, who exchanged a fist bump, common among youth and drinking mates on the other side.

"Very much so, Ursula."

"You should disclose to us the recipe so we can try to replicate this," said the Commander.

"Our apologies Commander," said Erica.

Ursula added, "with all due respect, this is..."

"A TRADE SECRET!" chorused the two of them, forming the fusion pose.

"Very well, I shall withdraw my offer to be a consultant to marketing your game consoles," said Gundula.

Got em. One second later... "We take that back, Commander Rall, please accept our recipe!" exclaimed the sisters, throwing themselves down as they presented Commander Rall with a paper.

"Pilot Officer Miyafuji!"

"Y...yes, Commander Rall?" she asked heading over.

"Can you replicate this recipe to the finest of details?" said Gundula.

"I can."

"Good. We're counting on you."

Ursula and Erica turned to Yoshika before hugging her. "Danke Yoshika!" they both said, their familiar ears and tails popping out.

"Right, right, get off me already. Both of you, come on."

They went back to their seats as they continue to eat. "So this is what the call the coin flip," said Waltrud, studying proceedings. "We saw a nice pregame show and heard the national anthem of Liberion, it seems. At last, the game will begin. Are we all going to pick New England?"

"I will pick Atlanta," said Yoshika.

"New England for me," said Waltrud.

“New England,” said the Commander.

"I will go with the Patriots," said Edytha.

"We will take the Patriots," said the Hartmann sisters, posing back to back.

"I am going to be neutral and not make a selection," said Sanya V. Litvyak, who was overhearing the conversations and simply watching while eating.

"Flight Lieutenant Karibuchi?" asked the Commander.

Takami thought about it for a while, then chose to let Yoshika's head snuggle her bust. "I will take Atlanta, because I like getting down and dirty with girls I idolize," she said in an alluring tone.

"Settled," said Gundula. "Let's find out what happens."

The women in the dining hall watched with intent and anticipation as the kickoff started the sports event called Super Bowl LI on the other part of the world, timeline and dimension. Naoe Kanno, meanwhile, was too fast asleep in her own quarters to even be bothered as she imagined being at the mercy of Sadako's bodily charms. And of course, Hikari was playing simulation football on the soon-to-be mass produced KG1.

END CHAPTER 10

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#revons plus grand #paris saint-germain fc #fanfiction #writing #Saimoe #strike witches #brave witches #georgette lemare #sadako shimohara

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porkipie · 4 years ago

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2020

Been a while since I have written- a blog at least or a diary. I was early on blogging having written on a now defunct site in the early 2000s. But with all going on in 2020 and mostly for my own sanity have decided to try my keyboard at it again. As in the history above I don’t expect anyone to actually be reading what I put down here. If you do good luck and be safe and sane (ok just safe).

I strongly believe that Neil Howe has captured the current global narrative (fuck I hate that word) in his 4th Turning and suspect that we are at the very start of a decade of change and turmoil. Change that none of us (or very few) are actually ready for; less know what the changes will be. I do believe that the world as we knew it has changed. SIgnificantly. Here now in 2020 we are all still in the somewhat honeymoon period. The period where things are changing we still can blame Covid and the changes and look through rose coloured glasses and hope and believe that the future will not be bleak or that it will return to what was normal before.

As I sit here in Victoria and on the verge of going into Stage 4, I find myself considering a strategy consultant advising myself and other small businesses last year and earlier this year. When I and some saw things happening in Wuhan and CHina I cautioned that we should be careful as had never ever seen something like this before and we should prepare. I was poo poo’d. OK. Move forward to May and was told I need to step up as with others and look to expand aggessively that it is over and the time is now not to fall behind. I was insensed. I was and constinue to be stongly of the view that it was incumbent upon businesses to be conservative and prudent. Retaining cash and looking to support existing business and clients and staff as best we might. That one could not determine the future week by week let alone month by month or half year or year ahead. I feel for all that followed her advice squandering resources that will be needed now during lockdown and following it. It stressed to me personally that even so professed experts do not have a crystal ball and “gurus” are great when there is a bull market. Now is the time for taking it slow being careful.

That said, I do believe that fortunes will be made and lost this decade. THis is not the same as going out and pumping your micro business and using ones limited cash resources. It is carefully considering potential avenues. Saving resources and if need pivoting or changing altogether. Now is the time to consider to watch to keep eyes and ears open. To think, to ponder.

There is soo much data too much information. Most of it is misinformation - fake? who knows what is or isn’t. I do know that the overload is turning most way from trying to inform themselves. Reading is limited. Viral videos the norm. Makes me think of the anarchists and the coffee houses in London (which incientally gave rise tot he propaganda what tea is British). Resulting more people being uninformed or misinformed than arguably at any other time in history. Ignorance is at pandemic proportions. Conspiracy theories rule. Sadly Ponzi schemes will follow, and subsequently unwind.

I do believe that the world map will look markedly different for my children (2 1/2 and 5) when they grow up. I believe that the next several years (and likely decade)will strongly inform their generation. Some good. Some bad. But it is what it is. We all make the best.

What the map will look like I have no idea. I hope it has democracy, I fear it will have more totalitarianism. I fear they will live in a world which looks more like 1984 BigBrother than we feared. I fear for my children.

Yes I have grave concerns about the individual and issues such as increasing deprivation of liberty, covid apps, lockdowns etc. However; I believe that so long as people are aware these are of lesser concern than the social media titans - the Google, Tiktok FaceBook and others that we have enmasse handed over our lives and data to. The Amazon and Alibaba’s of this world. These are the real threat. We fight facemasks when there is a real need and hand over our lives in return, both figuratively (to the FANGS)and literally to the virus. Few think!

I suspect that the current financial system will need to implode or close - where how what happens I do not know. I do believe the levels of debt and negative interest rates are absurd. Will it be gold or some other exit? I do not know - if I did I would be a rich man. I do suspect that Erik Townshend is correct in thinking it will be an Orwellian digitial currency of some sort. Not BTC. I increasingly believe that BTC might have been an experiment by a [US] govt organisation or quasi-governmental. or at the very least they have been a major holder since at least the takedown of Silk Road. Am I right - who knows.

There will be increasing unrest and revolutionary activity around the globe. For eg, the BLM protests have little to do with Floyd and more to do with the increasing sense people are feeling that the system is broken and cannot be fixed. In the US the black pop is amongst the most economically disadvantaged - I am not going into reasons or why.

For a long time I have seen analogies between prior to WW1 (incidentally I often refer to WW1 and WW2 as being part and parcel of the same conflict - much as one refers to the 30 year war. Many might argue against this) and increasingly I see analogies to the pre-French revolution and similar. People feeling disenfranchised, the haves in their own disconnect getting wealthier at expense of the working class. This will get worse until it breaks.

As I am fond of saying of late - wait until the protestors realize what they are, in fact, protesting - then the fun will really begin.

Thus it is not only the economics that is due to change it is politics as well. Wil Democracy survive? I don’t know. Those that know me, know that for a decade or more I have been of the view that sometime in the future people will look back and say: Democracy was a nice experiment. Pity it didn’t work. I dont think human nature and democracy work well together. Sadly the ructions seem to be proving me - sadly! Very sadly!

I just didn’t think it would happen in my lifetime!!

Now I realise (and yes I am switching between UK and US english and often misusing caps). how presumptious of me that was. THings change and not have major change in my life was probably the abnormal rather than the normal. Oh what a wonderful life I have lived.

I am a dreamer, unfortunately of late (and prior to Covid) my dreams have often been nightmares. People think of me as a dr doom. Unfortunately, that is, I believe, incorrect. Rather, I do not believe we can benefit or deal with the future - which is happening now - without trying to understand it and prepare and deal with it, with understanding. Not jumping in and drowning. Unfortunately, few wish to think. Now more so than ever. Those that do will do well. Many will sink.

As history tells, it is in the interests of the few to keep the masses uninformed or misinformed. This remains. Our schools have failed abysmally and society is reaping what it has (not) sowed. As Whitney sang - the children are our future. Well if we had focused on history, reading, science, biology, geography and maths above shit like “psychological preparedness” and “pc” bull shit we might have had a better informed youth that might be better placed to understand the issues. They might even have bought into the political process and helped change the system. We will have revolutions and beware of the outcomes. Trump will look sane.

Enough for today me thinks

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biofunmy · 5 years ago

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Your Thursday Briefing – The New York Times

At Group of 7 meeting, Britain will walk a tightrope

Prime Minister Boris Johnson set off on his first foreign trip as Britain’s leader on his way to the Group of 7 meeting this weekend in France, where he faces a delicate diplomatic dance with world leaders over Brexit.

He is also keeping an eye on domestic opponents as a general election becomes a possibility.

Ahead of a potentially chaotic no-deal Brexit on Oct. 31, Mr. Johnson needs President Trump’s help to cushion the economic impact. But he can ill afford to appear too chummy, given Mr. Trump’s unpopularity among both Europeans and Britons.

Analysis: Mr. Johnson hopes that the prospective damage to European economies, especially Ireland, will force Brussels to reopen negotiations and drop the “backstop” designed to assure there is no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. European leaders, on the other hand, will be loath to make concessions with an election potentially imminent.

Germany: On Wednesday in Berlin, Mr. Johnson’s first stop, Chancellor Angela Merkel effectively challenged him to produce a detailed, practical solution within 30 days to avoid a hard Brexit.

Bewilderment in Denmark amid Trump feud

President Trump added to strained European relations, saying that the new prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, had been “nasty” to him by calling his interest in buying Greenland “absurd.”

He then took to Twitter to further assail Denmark, saying that as a NATO member it did not contribute enough to military spending.

The president is interested in Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, for strategic military purposes, as well as for its natural resources. He said he canceled his planned September visit to Denmark over its rejection of his overture.

Meet Mette Frederiksen: The 41-year-old is Denmark’s youngest prime minister ever. Two months into her term, she has prioritized fighting climate change. She dismissed speculation Wednesday that the brouhaha had damaged Danish-American relations.

Timing: The scrapped Greenland venture comes at a moment when Mr. Trump has made particularly erratic statements. In recent days, he proudly quoted a radio host declaring that Israeli Jews love him as if he were the “King of Israel” and “the second coming of God,” while Mr. Trump himself accused Jews who vote for Democrats of “great disloyalty.”

Reining in disinformation mills on Facebook

The Western Journal, a site founded by an American political provocateur, used a steady stream of misleading headlines and sensationalized stories to become one of the most popular and influential publications in America, shaping the political beliefs of more than 36 million deeply loyal readers and followers.

Now the publication is battling the very technology firms that enabled its rise. Its Facebook traffic has declined sharply, after an accumulation of “false” ratings from fact-checking websites made it less likely to appear in users’ feeds. Google News blacklisted the publication last year. Apple News followed suit in June.

Big picture: For decades, enterprises belonging to the Brown family, which owns The Western Journal, have blended political campaigns and partisan journalism, helping reshape American politics and earning tens of millions of dollars along the way. President Trump’s movement was the family’s most lucrative opportunity yet. But it could also be their undoing.

Trump moves to detain migrant families indefinitely

A new Trump administration rule would allow the U.S. to detain indefinitely families who cross the border illegally, abolishing a 20-day limit.

The regulation, which must be approved by a federal judge, would also let the White House set standards for conditions at detention centers. It is expected to be immediately challenged in court.

Legal background: The overhaul would reverse protections set under the Flores settlement in 1997. Here’s how they came to be.

If you have 6 minutes, this is worth it

In Japan, the abacus is a lifestyle

Schools across the country still teach how to calculate dizzying sums by sliding tiny beads along rods in wooden frames, and at least 43,000 students take advanced lessons. Many practitioners sit for exams, and the elite take part in national competitions, like the All-Japan Abacus Championship in Kyoto this month, pictured above.

“Unlike the computer or calculator, you have to watch the movement of the beads with your eyes, and then think with your brain and make a move with your fingers,” one expert said. “It’s a very foundational learning process.”

Here’s what else is happening

Italy’s political future: The warring enemies of Matteo Salvini, who as leader of the anti-migrant League party has been at the center of Italian politics, began the horse-trading to form a coalition government that could relegate him to the sidelines. Separately, in response to the coalition collapse, markets are not panicking (yet).

Brazil: Fires are burning in the Amazon rain forest at the fastest pace since the country’s National Institute for Space Research started keeping records on them in 2013. The center said 74,155 fires had been detected this year — an 84 percent increase from the same period in 2018.

China: The government acknowledged on Wednesday that it had detained an employee of Britain’s Hong Kong consulate, Simon Cheung, who disappeared earlier this month after visiting Shenzhen for a business conference.

Cardinal George Pell: An Australian court on Wednesday upheld the sexual abuse conviction of the cardinal, the highest-ranking Roman Catholic leader ever found criminally guilty in the church’s child sex abuse crisis.

Upskirt case: A man accused of surreptitiously taking videos up the skirts of more than 500 women in Madrid has been arrested, the Spanish police said.

Snapshot: Above, the Titanic, where a team of divers visited the world’s most famous shipwreck this month to assess its status for the first time in 14 years. All agree that the once-grand ship is rapidly falling apart. (We hope it never lets go.)

What we’re reading: This excerpt from Lyz Lenz’s new book “God Land,” in Pacific Standard, published shortly before the online magazine ceased publication. “It examines the definition of ‘rural’ and the intersection of religion, gun ownership and class,” writes Dan Saltzstein, our senior editor for special projects, “and is a great encapsulation of why I found the book so fascinating.”

Now, a break from the news

Cook: For weeknights, stick to easy dinners like a shrimp and kimchi rice bowl.

Watch: The documentary “American Factory” looks at what happened when a Chinese company took over a closed General Motors factory in Ohio. We made it a Critic’s Pick.

Go: In search for the “big bang” of country music in Southern Appalachia, with some great photos along the way.

Smarter Living: Irritated by a colleague’s constant social media updates? Our Work Friend columnist advises that what some older workers see as shameless personal brand-building might be millennials’ strategy for surviving in a precarious job market. They’ve seen that they need to keep their brands burnished through social media, skill-building and networking.

Cookbooks written by white Southerners circulated the recipes, and after the Civil War, freed black entrepreneurs, especially women, plied train stations to sell fried chicken to travelers.

The dish spread nationally during the Great Migration of black Americans from the Jim Crow South, and the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain eventually took that version around the world.

Who first sandwiched fried chicken in bread may never be known — one writer found an ad for a fried chicken sandwich in a 1936 Kansas newspaper.

That’s it for this briefing. In case you’re inspired, here’s The Times’s own guide to frying chicken.

— Melina

Thank you To Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. Andrea Kannapell, the briefings editor, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at [email protected].

P.S. • We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about a push by chief executives in the United States to change their business practices. • Here’s today’s Mini Crossword puzzle, and a clue: New York Times podcast, with “The” (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • Gillian Wong, who manages much of The Times’s coverage of the protests in Hong Kong, discussed how we do it. (Breathing masks and goggles are involved.)

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#IFTTT #WordPress

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smilystore · 5 years ago

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Antonio Brown timeline

The rise, fall, rise, and fall of Antonio Brown rivals any roller coaster you’ve ever been on.

Um… what?

That’s the question undoubtedly in the forefront of many minds as it relates to Antonio Brown, a wide receiver who was heralded as the best in the National Football League not so long ago. While no one can question his legendary talent, even in the midst of a maelstrom of negative headlines, the fact is Brown’s stock has taken more hits in these last few months than a Deontay Wilder opponent. His story as a professional football player once read as inspiring and was used by coaches and parents around the country to motivate players into never giving up.

After all, Brown bucked the odds and made it out of the Miami urbanscape — where he was born and raised going on to become a star receiver at Central Michigan. From there, he was forced to again prove himself after being selected with the No. 195 overall pick — the 22nd of 27 wide receivers in his draft class by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and was viewed by many as undersized at the position. He’d buck the odds yet again, though, going on to dominate at the NFL level. Brown delivered an eye-popping 8,210 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns from 2011 through 2016. He landed a four-year, $68 million in February 2017 for his efforts.

He’d go on to add another 1,533 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to his resume in 2017, but the air around him that once smelled fragrant was rapidly souring deteriorating to the point where the usually forgiving and player-centric Steelers began to notice a tinge of mustard gas. Fast forward a bit to the 2018 season, and despite hitting the 10,000-yard mark for his career, headlines surrounding Brown were about anything but that achievement. It’s now August 2019 and Brown’s NFL legacy currently reads as the polar opposite of the once inspirational story it was, but more like a cautionary tale for all who would heed it.

In looking at the timeline, which includes noting the rapidity of his character’s de-evolution, it’s enough to make even the most bombastic NFL players past, present, and future blush with an awkward level of discomfort.

January 2017 – The Facebook Live debacle

It was supposed to be a grand time in the city of Pittsburgh after Brown caught six passes for 108 yards to help push the Steelers past the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round in an 18-16 nailbiter. Instead, the story became what happened next in the locker room following the win. Brown pulled out his phone and live-streamed the locker room celebration on Facebook in violation of league policy. This was also done in spite of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asking Brown to lay low a bit on social media, and his decision to do the opposite shone a light on head coach Mike Tomlin hurling at least one sharp expletive around about the next opponent to come the New England Patriots in the AFC Conference Championship for which he issued a formal apology via press conference.

Late January 2017 – Everything’s ‘fine’

Just one week later, the Steelers took action. Brown was reportedly fined $10,000 by the team for streaming Pittsburgh’s locker room celebration, as first reported by Jay Glazer. Tomlin informed his players during a team meeting this week that he was fining Brown. Tomlin disciplined Brown, but the matter was made worse when it was discovered Facebook had paid Brown $244,000 at the start of the 2017 season to create content for them. And so, his fall from grace in Pittsburgh began.

It started with a slow boil at first, though, with the subsequent 2017 season being mostly “quiet” aside from Brown battling injury.

December 2018 – We talkin’ about practice?

Not yet eliminated from playoff contention and still in the running for the AFC North crown heading into their Week 16 battle with the New Orleans Saints, the Steelers had defeated the rival Patriots one week prior and felt good about finishing the season strong and carrying momentum into the postseason. The perennial Pro Bowler would go on to torch the Saints for 185 yards and two TDs on 14 receptions, but the next few days saw a displeased and apathetic Brown roaming the halls.

A heated dispute with a Roethlisberger during a Wednesday walkthrough escalated to the point where Brown threw a football at the QB, and the wideout opted to then skip the remaining practices leading up to the team’s Week 17 battle with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Brown was benched for that game, and while the official team stance was injury-related, the reality could neither have been further from the truth nor hidden anymore from the public eye. The reign of Brown in Pittsburgh was at an end, and the final chapter with the organization was messy. The world would never see Brown in a Steelers’ jersey again, and teammates would later reveal the end had been years in the making.

February 2019 – The anti-Valentine

Two days ahead of February 14, Brown took to his beloved social media accounts to both thank the Steelers’ fandom and proclaimed it was time to “move on“. It’s a sentiment the organization itself mirrored to a degree but still had enough motivation to attempt a repair in the relationship. After all, Brown was still under contract for three more years and coming off of a 1,297-yard season, but the damage had already been done and no amount of Fix-A-Flat was going to reinflate that tire. The sidewall was completely shredded and the Steelers finally admitted it to themselves and everyone else.

March 2019 – For whom the Bell tolls

The Brown decision was a difficult call made that much more challenging by the holdout of All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell, whom the team was also locked in a battle with. Ultimately, they opted to not place a transition tag on Bell allowing him to walk in free agency followed by swallowing their pride and beginning the task of looking for trade suitors for Brown.

It was the end of an era in the Steel City.

March 2019 – Trader Joe

As bold and braggadocios as ever, Brown made it clear he was fine never suiting up again for the Steelers. It was essentially, as he went on to describe it, his way or the highway.

“I don’t even have to play football if I don’t want,” he told Jeff Darlington of ESPN. “I don’t even need the game. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. If they wanna play, they going to play by my rules. If not, I don’t need to play. Obviously, I want the game, but I don’t need the game. It’s a difference.”

That’s not exactly the level of commitment to the sport potential trade suitors want to hear, but the ability of Brown was just too good to ignore for some clubs. With the Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders all entertaining a possible trade for the mercurial wideout, it was the latter who emerged as frontrunner behind the scenes albeit it with reservations of their own. The problem in Oakland was they had sent Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8 via trade and needed to secure a new No. 1 receiver. It also helped that head coach Jon Gruden was lathering at the mouth just thinking about what Brown could do for quarterback Derek Carr and an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league in passing during the 2018 season.

“[Brown] can run every route you dream up,” Gruden said in December preceding free agency. “I say that about other receivers, but he can run double move. He can run by you. He can run crossing routes.

“He’s very good after the catch. What’s the greatest thing about this man, I’ve told all of our receivers, if you get a chance to watch him practice, you’ll see what unlocks the greatness in him. He’s the hardest-working man, I think, in football. Hardest-working player I’ve ever seen practice.

“I’ve seen Jerry Rice. I’ve seen a lot of good ones. But I put Antonio Brown at the top. If there are any young wideouts out there, I’d go watch him practice. You figure out yourself why he’s such a good player.”

Some of those words would come back to haunt Gruden in ways he had never even dreamed of.

March 2019 – What can Brown do for you?

And so it went, however, the Raiders sent a 2019 third- and a fifth-round pick to the Steelers in exchange for Brown only days after his questionable football commitment comments, and what should’ve been a fresh start rapidly become a bag of rotten fruit.

Brown had three years and about $39 million remaining on the massive contract extension he signed with the Steelers back in 2017. However, the star wide receiver had his eyes set on more. Trading for Brown meant restructuring his contract and adding more money to it the Raiders knew that before acquiring him. Shortly after the trade, Brown negotiated a new deal with Oakland that will pay him $50.13 million over the next three seasons. This deal included another $30.13 million in guaranteed money.

May 2019 – The Hell-met

With the start of OTAs came a wind of change for Oakland, a team that finished 4-12 after awarding Gruden a 10-year, $100 million contracts to climb down out of the ESPN Monday Night Football booth and return to their organization after a near-decade-long hiatus from the game. Gruden and owner Mark Davis then convinced Mike Mayock to leave broadcasting to join them as new General Manager, and the organization felt things had rapidly begun to come together. In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth, and for one key reason:

Brown didn’t like his helmet.

In what has become a story pulled right out of the most twisted Edgar Allen Poe poem, Brown was so irate about the NFL’s new policy that would essentially decertify his longtime helmet and force him into a new one that he clashed openly with coaches at OTAs over the issue. This included him reportedly storming out of practice and attempting to sneak his old helmet onto the field, going so far as trying to paint it to mirror the mandated helmets in the hopes no one would notice.

Spoiler alert: They noticed, and it didn’t end well.

Following several exchanges over the issue, the team broke for summer break and believed HelmetGate was behind them going into training camp.

Late July/Early August 2019 – Frozen

The Raiders were wrong yet again about the mindset of Brown, because he was not done trying to take the field with his old helmet, and again he clashed with the coaches over it. This hadn’t been made public just yet, though, and mostly because there was an even more bewildering headline that emerged with the newly-acquired … well… a headache.

The team placed Brown on the Non-Football Injury list with a non-disclosed issue to start training camp, but they removed him immediately thereafter. Questions emerged surrounding the nature of Brown’s injury, and the truth turned out to be stranger than fiction.

The bottom of his feet was severely frostbitten after he entered a cryotherapy machine wearing improper footwear and he was sent to a foot specialist to determine the extent of the damage. Initially listed as day-to-day, Brown’s absence has since changed to what can only be described as indefinite, with conflicting reports now swirling about that claim he’s ghosted the Raiders and their attempts to communicate with him with an alternate report claiming there have been discussions and he’s expected to return “soon”. He took to IG to post a stomach-turning image of the soles of his feet, revealing just how bad they looked.

The [additional] problem is it doesn’t truly matter at the moment when his feet heal because it’s rumored Brown threatened to never play football at all for the Raiders if he isn’t allowed to wear his old helmet. The Raiders have financial recourse if Brown holds true to his threat with an arbitration hearing set to take place after he filed a grievance against the NFL but nothing could’ve prepared the Raiders for this circus of events.

This, of course, harkens back to March when he made it clear he doesn’t need football, and while the Raiders chose to ignore that likely assuming it was simply angst hurled toward the Steelers they’re finding out it’s simply how he feels.

At the end of the day, it’s Brown’s way or the highway.

“I’m really not into dreams anymore, okay? I’m into f—– nightmares,” Gruden famously said on the latest season of HBO’s Hard Knocks, speaking on how important the Super Bowl is. “You gotta end somebody’s dream.”

Unfortunately for him, his own All-Pro receiver might be the one that ends his, and before the two could even roll out of bed.

by Patrik Walker

The post Antonio Brown timeline appeared first on Smile store.

source https://smilystore.com/2019/08/10/antonio-brown-timeline/

#World news

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anomalyanii · 6 years ago

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Blog Content+Things You Need To Know!

Who Are You?

-Hi! I am anomalyanii. When you’re conversing with me you can just call me “Anii” for short:) I am in my early twenties and I work as an intern with children. I like watching anime and reading manga sometimes too. Anii(prononunced like “onii”) is a nickname I go by on some social media. Anomaly, accorording to “Google”, means some that deviates from what is considered normal or standard. I consider myself different from the “norm”. I like being different or the odd ball in a crowd. I don’t go by what society considers as normal or their standards hence why I chose the name: anomalyanii.

What Type of Content Do You Post?

Sometimes I post my fanart on here if I think it’s good enough.

Mainly I’ll post gifs/photos/reposts of various anime.

I will also do reactions/scenarios/headcanons for Dororo 2019 if you ask me to.

Never will I ever post anything that I find to be inappropriate to my followers- or people on Tumblr in general.

The content I chose to promote is in no way subjected to one age group (in other words it’s suitable for all ages to enjoy!)

When it Comes to Asks, is There Anything Off Limits?

Yes. I absolutely will not do any reactions/headcanons/scenerios that are based on:

NSFW

BDSM

Rape

Lemons

Smut

Sexual content in general

Now as far as kissing/making out goes that is okay. Let’s keep it PG-13 for our little ones!

“I Want to Send in an Ask, But I’m too Shy!”

There is an option presented to you before you send in your Ask, asking you if you would like to post anonymously. So if you would like to remain anonymous for whatever reason(I won’t judge you!) that is fine :)

Will You Do Reactions/Headcanons for Other Anime Characters Other than Dororo?

Yes, but only if I am familiar with the anime or characters! (I will post down below the anime that I know of)

Will You Do Scenarios for Other Anime Other then Dororo?

Yes, but only if I am familiar with the anime or characters! (I will post down below the anime that I know of)

What About “Fluff”?

I’m still not sure what that is yet, so no :\

Yaoi/Yuri?

I don’t post that kind of stuff.

What’s a “Headcanon” in the Tumblr world?

Interpretations of a fictional universe accepted by an individual fan, but not found within or supported by the official canon. Such as the backstory of a character, or the nature of a relationship between characters(Thanks Google!). Non-canon content more or less.

ex: Mitsuki from Boruto goes and adopts a bunch of pet snakes.

What is a “Reaction” in the Tumblr world?

Basically how a certain character would react to something.

ex: How would Naruto react to _______ (whatever that may be)

What is a “Scenario” in the Tumblr world?

Well it basically means the same thing. It’s a short written piece giving details of a plot and individual scenes.

ex: Reader(You) are Itachi’s little sister Scenario.

What’s Your Availability?

I work during the summer and attend college mostly during Fall and Spring semesters, so there isn’t any actual set time in which I am available. It could be completely random when I get to your request(s) and messages. However, I will say this. I am always available during the summer, unless I tell you otherwise. I am also available on and off throughout each week. Just know that I will always respond to your request(s)/messages within two weeks. I won’t leave you hanging for any longer than this unless I am loaded with requests!

Animes I am familiar with:

* = just started watching/plan to watch so I wouldn’t bother asking me about those just yet!

Dororo 2019

Noragami/Aragoto

Naruto/Shippuden

*Boku no Hero Academia

Boruto

Dbz/Super

One Piece (too much for me to catch up on)

*Attack on Titan

*Sword Art Online

Kamisama Kiss

*Sanrio Danshi

*Full Metal Alchemist

The Promised Nevermind

Vampire Knight

Diabolik Lovers/More Blood (a lot of people are/have already doing/have done scenarios etc for this!)

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters/Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS (watched up to 50 episodes of the latter)

Pokémon

Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler (I will not be doing any reactions etc for this one)

*Hunter x Hunter (just started watching this one)

*The Rising of the Shield Hero (just started watching this one)

Orange

Assassination Classroom

Owari no Seraph

*Akatsuki no Yona

Danganronpa

Princess Mononoke

Spirited Away

Howls Moving Castle

*Your Lie in April

*Free!

If I still haven’t answered any questions you might have then you can shoot me a message and ask. I’ll try my best to answer them! Thank You for reading/skimming through this EXTREMELY long post lol! But this is meant to serve as an informative and something for you to reflect on should you ever have these questions or concerns. -anii

#anomalyanii #all you need to know #about me #blog #content #about asks #headcanons #reactions #scenarios #anime #ask anomalyanii #ask hyakki #ask dororo

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kartiavelino · 6 years ago

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How Minka Kelly transformed from ‘Friday Night Lights’ sweetheart to ‘Titans’ superhero

Don’t name Minka Kelly the woman subsequent door. After all, she appears it — hair all caramel, beachy waves, the strap of a white camisole falling off one tan, sculpted shoulder, distressed denim denims — as she glides towards a nook desk located within the again patio of Tribeca’s Greenwich Resort. And her mannerisms — a Southern-inflected “Hey, candy woman!” as a greeting and a sly smile as she recommends the pappardelle at Locanda Verde for lunch — are charming. However one dialog or informal scroll by way of her Instagram feed, and it’s clear that the 38-year-old actress is a lot extra complicated than Lyla Garrity, her cheerleader alter-ego from “Friday Night Lights.” And now, because the difficult and highly effective superhero Dove in “Titans,” a brand new sequence concurrently streaming on Netflix and DC Universe, the world might lastly witness all the size past her pure magnificence. “I used to be drawn to the characters by simply how flawed they’re,” explains Kelly of her choice to play Daybreak Granger, a okay a Dove, a former ballerina turned crime-fighting superhero who’s joined by Hank Corridor (a okay a Hawk, performed by Alan Ritchson). “Hawk and Dove, specifically, are simply these regular, damaged folks. They’re very co-dependent, and I’m conversant in a co-dependent relationship. I’ve been there. So I’ve this deep empathy for Dove. I feel she would actually quite be within the suburbs along with her man. However, in true co-dependent vogue, she places him first.” Dove is ethereal but in addition grounded, a superhero with wings who received’t — can’t — fly. (Her metallic wings are meant for preventing, not hovering.) Kelly embodies related contradictions in her personal origin story, which sounds prefer it may have been plotted by DC Comics: An toddler born in LA to a rock-star father — Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay, who wasn’t a gradual presence in her life — and a mom struggling to make ends meet by working as an unique dancer. A baby who finds stability within the Albuquerque, NM, desert, bonding so fiercely with the household of her mom’s boyfriend that she briefly adopts their final title, Gutierrez. A younger grownup who tries to make it again in Hollywood, working as a scrub nurse by day so she will be able to research performing by night time. And a 30-something who is completed attempting to match the mould of what others anticipate of her — and even of what she expects of herself. “My objective was by no means to be an actress,” says Kelly, explaining that she occurred to tag together with a buddy to an performing class on a whim in her early 20s. However as soon as on the stage, Kelly discovered salvation. Robe, $9,990 at Carolina Herrera, 954 Madison Ave.; “Clarita” sandals, $695 at Alexandre Birman, 957 Madison Ave.; “Neglect-Me-Not” platinum earrings with diamonds, worth upon request at Harry Winston, 701 Fifth Ave.; Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona 18-k Everose gold watch with sapphires and diamonds, $96,900, and London Assortment 18-k white-gold bracelet with diamonds, $5,470, and 18-k white-gold ring with diamonds, $5,755, all at London Jewelers, 2046 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, LI.Robert Ascroft “I used to be known as on my bulls–t,” she recollects. “My trainer was like, ‘Why are you speaking like that? Why are you trying like this? There’s a lady inside you — let her out!’ I used to be humiliated however felt like she was proper.” The recommendation labored. Kelly quickly started reserving auditions, scheduling them round shifts within the surgical workplace the place she labored. However even after she landed her breakout position on “Friday Night Lights,” she had a tough time letting go of her day job. “My first season, I might name from set in Austin, and the [medical staff] would put me on speaker whereas they have been in surgical procedure. I truly scrubbed in whereas I used to be on hiatus,” says the actress, who counts her 4 years as a scrub nurse among the many proudest accomplishments of her skilled life. (Not content material with merely two careers, Kelly graduated from an intensive culinary-school program two years in the past.) The drive to diversify her abilities was hard-won. “My mother struggled and suffered quite a bit,” Kelly displays. “The whole lot she did, she did as a result of she was so stunning. However as she obtained older and her appears went away, she didn’t have something to do. And that’s why I felt like I wanted to have one thing to do with my arms, the place it didn’t matter what I appeared like.” Her mother, Maureen, died of colon most cancers in 2008 — a time when Kelly’s private {and professional} lives have been skyrocketing. She had simply wrapped “Friday Night Lights” and was fielding plum provides for motion pictures and TV dramas; she was additionally reportedly courting Yankees star Derek Jeter. However Kelly felt misplaced. “I simply had this big gap in my coronary heart.” The subsequent yr, she partnered with In a position, a life-style vogue model that gives financial alternative for struggling ladies across the globe. She discovered catharsis whereas sitting in on a counseling session with ladies attempting to escape the sex-trade trade. “They have been speaking about disgrace, embarrassment, remorse — not wanting their youngsters to know what they did. And I knew why I used to be there. All my mother wished was for me to be pleased with her. And I used to be so pleased with her. As you develop up, you be taught a mother will do something to put a roof over her child’s head. And that doing so, nonetheless you possibly can, is a heroic selection.” In the present day, 10 years after her mother handed away, Kelly has discovered peace along with her father. “We’re shut now. And it’s difficult. However I really feel like I would like him greater than ever … He helps make sense of my childhood.” Whereas Kelly doesn’t have youngsters of her personal — “I give it some thought on a regular basis, however I desire a associate in that journey” — the following era is all the time on her thoughts. This previous summer season, she toured migrant camps close to the Mexican border and directed a brief movie encouraging folks to vote in midterm elections. “It’s not about vote purple or blue. It’s vote in your coronary heart, vote with compassion and vote for the infants who’re going to develop up on the earth you kind along with your vote,” she says, her dark-brown eyes flashing with conviction. These eyes will likely be haunting screens once more this fall. “Titans” has already been picked up for a second season, an announcement that thrills Kelly. “I hit the jackpot with this forged. There’s zero cattiness. It’s all love and assist,” she says of her co-stars. “I really feel so protected with Alan [Ritchson]. It’s like a dream. He’s all the pieces you need in a associate on a journey like this.” The information additionally implies that as soon as she’s polished off her pappardelle, it’s again to the gymnasium for a rigorous schedule of ballet lessons, martial-arts coaching and conditioning. Kelly credit Jason Walsh of Rise Motion with whipping her (and Daybreak) into superhero form. “I like being bodily, and I’m not one to be like, ‘Oh, the stunt double’s obtained it.’ I need to do all the pieces. All of us do.” Whereas Kelly has spent the previous decade repeatedly popping up on superlative lists — she was named Esquire’s Sexiest Lady Alive in 2010 — her on a regular basis model is low-key. “Typically, I’m like, ‘I’ve obtained to step it up!’ However I like snug and straightforward,” she says. The actress is extra drawn to equipment, noting {that a} rose-gold Rolex is one among her prized possessions. “It was a really good present, and I’ll have it for the remainder of my life.” However don’t ask whom the Rolex is from. A couple of bruising information cycles about her previous relationships (together with Chris Evans, John Mayer and “Gray’s Anatomy” star Jesse Williams) have left her tight-lipped about romance. “I’m not courting anybody now,” Kelly says. “However for some cause, for me, issues flip into clickbait craziness, and I’ve been by way of hell. So, now, I don’t say something. You’ll by no means see me with a person on my social media feed. Except I’m married. However perhaps not. I take pleasure in retaining some issues a secret.” With that, it’s a hug, a hair toss and Kelly — the superhero-next-door — heads again by way of the iron-framed French doorways and into the world. Gown, $25,000, bralette, $1,350, and briefs, $1,300, all at Dior, 800-929-3467; London Assortment 14-k yellow-gold earrings with diamonds, $3,480, 14-k rose-gold necklace with diamonds, $5,860, 14-k rose-gold bracelet with diamonds (prime), $4,300, 18-k rose-gold bracelet with diamonds, $9,300, and Chopard Completely happy Sport 18-k rose-gold watch with mother-of-pearl dial, diamonds, rubies and pink sapphires, worth upon request, all at London Jewelers. Robert Ascroft High, $565, and skirt, $3,480, each at Emilio Pucci; “Rosalind” mules, $495 at Sophia Webster; Patek Philippe Calatrava rose-gold watch with diamonds, $39,690, and London Assortment 18-k rose-gold ring with diamonds, $5,595, each at London Jewelers. Robert Ascroft Coat, $4,195 at Dolce & Gabbana, 717 Fifth Ave.; High, $248 at Amur; Briefs, worth upon request at Milly; “Eliza” pumps, $1,020 at Rene Caovilla; London Assortment white-gold earrings with diamonds, $4,195, and Harry Winston Premier Blooming Snow 18-k white-gold watch with diamonds, Paraiba tourmalines and blue sapphires, worth upon request, each at London Jewelers; Platinum necklace with diamonds, worth upon request at Harry Winston; Ring, Minka’s personal. Robert Ascroft Ralph Lauren Assortment gown, $14,000 at Ralph Lauren; “Rose” earrings, $7,600 at Piaget, 877-874-2438; Bulgari Lvcea Tourbillon 18-k gold watch with diamonds, worth upon request at London Jewelers; Perlée 18-k rose-gold bracelet with diamonds and carnelian, $17,600, and Perlée 18-k rose-gold ring with diamonds and carnelian, $7,050, each at Van Cleef & Arpels, 744 Fifth Ave. Robert Ascroft 4 View Slideshow Trend Editor: Serena French; Stylist: Johannah Masters; Hair: Mark Townsend for Dove Hair Care at Starworks Artists; Make-up: Kristofer Buckle at Crosby Carter Administration Share this: https://nypost.com/2018/10/16/how-minka-kelly-transformed-from-friday-night-lights-sweetheart-to-titans-superhero/ The post How Minka Kelly transformed from ‘Friday Night Lights’ sweetheart to ‘Titans’ superhero appeared first on My style by Kartia. https://www.kartiavelino.com/2018/10/how-minka-kelly-transformed-from-friday-night-lights-sweetheart-to-titans-superhero.html

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