fangirl-332

[salty-an-disco]

I love. Den so much actually– (rambling thoughts under the cut)

You dehumanized her!! You cornered her like an animal, and so she lashed out like one. Now she's the one cornering you.

You betrayed her. You gave her false hope and made it explode on her face. She won't make that mistake again. She won't let you play her like that again. So of course she attacks you. Of course she doesn't let you even make any case to why you should help each other. That's what you did before, remember? And how did that turn out for her?

And then there's Den–

At that point, you don't even see her as intelligent enough to talk with. Whether you're trying to attack or lure her out, you still just see her as a mindless beast. Something beneath you that needs to be approached with caution.

And the two different routes you can have with her are so fascinating to me……

Both Skeptic and Stubborn still see her as just an animal. But while Skeptic wants to 'test' some theories and see what happens when you lure her out, Stubborn wants to show how much stronger you are.

And I love how, because of the way these different voices think, the other alternative is completely doomed for one. Skeptic can't imagine you'll be able to take on the Den, so you don't. The fight's cut short. Stubborn thinks you're an idiot who'll just get yourself killed if you try to lure her out, so that also doesn't work. You gotta work with the perspectives you already have, or else you're doomed. You can't unthink those thoughts, after all.

And that's not even getting into all the endings this chapter can have–

With Skeptic, you can only approach her if you throw away the knife (and your fear with it), and have to make the continuous decision to put your trust in this creature you looked down on before so that you both can leave unscathed. Show fear, or try to turn against her, and you doom yourself again. Or the cave may cave in, trapping you both where only starvation can free any of you.

And with Stubborn, you're only option is fighting her. Will you try to retain your humanity while at it, or will you also give in to instincts in order to survive? What will retaining any humanity even do for you, when in the end, you're just causing death anyway? Does the fact you didn't turn to claws and teeth really puts you above her? What has become of you?

[thetoptwoinches-blog]

Underdog tag still the most comfortable fit for Ireland..

How far away November now seems..

Ireland launched their 2017 6 Nations campaign with a tricky, but eminently winnable trip to Edinburgh to face the ever-embryonic Scots in the tournament opener. Fresh from a November to remember and the apparent return to the European top table of Leinster and Munster with stellar Champions Cup group stage campaigns, expectations were understandably high. All across the national newspapers journos tipped Ireland to win the tournament, with many predicting that the sweetest of victories over the unbeaten English on Paddy’s weekend would be the cherry on top of the Grandslam cake upon which we would gleefully feast. Stuff of dreams.

As it happened, Princess Anne had scarcely time to take her seat in the Murrayfield West Stand before the swashbuckling Scottish three-quarters had caught the Irish defence in the headlights and put paid to our Grandslam hopes, almost before proceedings had begun. Signs of relative improvement followed with a promising, if unsuccessful, second half comeback, followed by a 10-try rout in the Rome sunshine and a professional and somewhat routine victory over the French in Dublin.

As England stuttered briefly in the face of Conor O’Shea’s admirable manipulation of the laws, thoughts of nicking the championship from them on the final weekend - like the fairytale said we would - seemed to reignite. Then, on Friday night we went to Cardiff and ran headlong into an immovable red wall for 80 minutes, much like we did in 2015. We left battered, bruised and pointless, and with the prospect of the seemingly unstoppable English Chariot coming bellowing down the track.

So where did it all go wrong?

You could slice and dice Ireland’s fortunes a million different ways. You could point the finger at coaching, at individual players, even at key moments on which each of the defeats swung. I’m not going to get into all that, but the truth is we probably weren’t as good as everyone thought we were in November, and we probably aren’t as bad as everyone thinks we are now.

What I do want to look at are ten of the more prominent results in Irish rugby over the past two years and how the age-old Irish (sporting) psyche, which we thought we’d put behind us, appears to burn as strong as ever. Expectation? No thanks. But don’t give us a chance in hell and you might just regret it.

6 Nations 2015, Game 5: Scotland 10 – Ireland 40

After losing in Cardiff in round three, Ireland entered the final day level on points with England and Wales. After the Welsh put a cricket score on Italy, Ireland needed to win by 21 points or more and then hope England didn’t better their effort. You could argue that this was pressure; but covering that spread against Scotland wasn’t likely and so, with the shackles off, we played some lovely stuff to win by 30 and take the title.

RWC 2015, Quarter Final: Ireland 20 – Argentina 43

After a big win over France in the last group game ensured we avoided the All Blacks in the quarters, there was an expectation that this was our time. But injuries hurt us, we never really fired a shot and the brilliant Argies ran riot.

Summer Tour 2016, 1st Test: South Africa 20 – Ireland 26

We had never beaten SA on their own patch. The squad was decimated with injury and without Healy, O’Brien, O’Mahony, Sexton, Bowe and Kearney. CJ Stander was red-carded after only 23 minutes. Seemingly an impossible mountain to climb but we gutted out an incredible win with 14 men.

Summer Tour 2016, 2nd Test: South Africa 32 – Ireland 26

Huge expectation of a series win after the first test victory. Led 26-10 with twenty to go but couldn’t withstand a late surge from the monstrous South African pack.

Summer Tour 2016, 3rd Test: South Africa 19 – Ireland 13

Expectation remained after the first test victory and dominance for much of the 2nd, that we could do something historic and win a test series against a below-par Saffa side. Battered their line right up to the 80th minute to get that all important second try but to no avail. Ever more so in hindsight, one that got away.

November Series 2016: Ireland 40 – New Zealand 29

All Blacks on a record breaking 18-game winning streak and fresh from six bonus points from six in the Rugby Championship. We hadn’t beaten them in 111 years and 28 attempts and were rightly given no chance by anyone. Played the game of our lives to make history.

November Series 2016: Ireland 9 – New Zealand 21

Expectation through the roof after the heroics of Chicago. There was a real feeling that we could somehow do the double as the All Blacks came to town. NZ came out firing and although we competed for 80 and had our chances, 3 kicks at goal was never going to be enough.

November Series 2016: Ireland 27 – Australia 24

Anticipation of finishing the November series on a high and ranked 4th in the world was quickly scuppered as injuries to Zebo, Trimble and Payne in the first half left the backline hanging together with out-of-position youngsters. It looked one step too far as Australia took the lead on 58 minutes but, with our backs against the wall, we fought back with a Keith Earls try and defended like men possessed for the last 10 to see it home.

6 Nations 2017, Game 1: Scotland 27 – Ireland 22

Expectation at fever pitch once again after the autumn just gone. Schmidt’s 3rd championship and possibly even a Grandslam on the horizon. Defend horribly in the first half as Scotland rip through us with ease. Fought back well in the second half only to throw it away once again late on.

6 Nations 2017, Game 4: Wales 22 – Ireland 9

After improved performances against Italy and France and the return of Johnny Sexton, expectations simmered once again that the Championship showdown with England on the final weekend would come to pass. Not to be as our Championship hopes were smothered by a relentless red wall of Welsh defenders.

Granted, I’ve left out many games over that period (including the damp squib that was our injury ravaged 2016 6 Nations campaign), but this highlights the supposed bigger games - W L W L L W L W L L - the consistency of our inconsistency is quite remarkable. But more so than that; it is painfully clear that the tag of underdogs is still the one which sits most comfortably. 

We thought the days of Roy Keane and Brian O’Driscoll had seen us move beyond the old give-it-a-lash underdog mentality. And for a time, in rugby at least, I think they had. But on the evidence of the ten results above, the fact cannot be avoided:

Pre-game expectation = post-game disappointment.

The reasons for this outcome, of course, are altogether more complex. There are more variables on which a game of rugby is won and lost than I care to get into, but one simple stat which may be a reasonable starting point is this:

-          Average number of tries scored in the four ‘low-expectation’ wins: 3.5

-          Average number of tries scored in the six ‘high-expectation’ defeats: 1.33

It’s obvious that the fewer tries you score the less likely you are to win, but what if it’s the case that, when expectation is highest, we play more conservatively or with inferior execution, and are therefore less likely to score tries?

Against New Zealand in Chicago, we adopted the caution-to-the-wind tactic of kicking to the corner unless the 3 points was an absolute gimme. We scored directly or indirectly from driving mauls on each of the three occasions that we did so. But that was a special day, a day when the stars seemed to align and everything we tried came off.

Since then we have stuck with the tactic of turning down relatively easy 3-pointers in favour of the lineout but, be it pressure or otherwise, time and again our execution has let us down and we’ve been left to rue the decision.

The final point worth noting in relation to this unfortunately reemerging pattern is more a tactical one than a psychological one: Sean O’Brien did not feature for a single minute in any of the victories over the big southern hemisphere three in 2016. The number 7 jersey was instead shared equally between Jordi Murphy and Josh Van der Flier over the three tests. This is of no small significance.

Sean O’Brien is a world-class rugby player and has been an incredible servant to Leinster and Ireland. But with the literal adoption of human wrecking ball CJ Stander at blindside flanker in the past 12 months, the inclusion of both men on either side of the scrum creates an imbalance. Carriers for days of course, but that means less emphasis on winning breakdowns and therefore less quick ball for Sexton et al to play with. And when you come up against a willing and physical defence like the Welsh or like New Zealand in the second November test, they lick their lips at the thought of the oncoming battering rams.

Murphy and Van der Flier are both on the medical table at present, but we remain spoilt for choice in the backrow; Peter O’Mahony, Tommy O’Donnell and Dan Leavy are all chomping at the bit. Any of those three would serve to offer greater balance and breakdown emphasis and subsequently a little more time and space for the backs to play with. Whether we will see such a change is another thing.

Selection aside, the consistent inconsistency, along with a general feeling of little hope against the world record-hunting English, might just mean that the return to underdog status is still enough to derail the Chariot on Saturday. 

Richard Moffett, TT2I

[2sp00ky4me]

Kitty Chat Updates

March 10, 2017

03:35 pm I'm absolutely certain all the people who hate Ron Weasley are people who watched the movies, but didn't read the books. I'm mostly bringing this up because on a forum I've posted that Hermione Granger is a fandom character I'm willing to play and everyone and their grandmother wants to add in the 'Evil Ron' trope just to pair her with Draco. That or they go for the overdone "what if Voldemort won" route with things.

03:45 pm Speaking of things, I've also noticed loads of people sort of forgetting that 'mudblood' is a literal slur in the HP universe. Like, it would be super out of character and odd for Harry (just as an example) to refer to muggle borns that way. Or another thing, a supposedly redeemed Draco calling Hermione one and everyone being okay with it.

05:15 pm Some lady was looking for something not "too sugary" while looking at candy. She seemed to think 21 grams (which is 3x the daily recommended limit) was not a lot of sugar.

05: 25 pm Struggling with characters for original plot things in forums, because I don't want randos playing with my existing characters and I don't want to create more. On the inside I'm just like... "Ethan wouldn't appreciate you making out with his girlfriend," "Zyla doesn't want to go into your pillowfort," or "don't try to abduct Will, only Fet gets to do that."

05:35 pm

http://wtfarraki.tumblr.com/post/158251763701/newfoundelf-when-blizzard-announced-a-stress <Lulzy WoW stuffs (original link).

http://catsofinstagram.com/post/158251416503/from-littlelordreginald-and-he-treated-her-to-a <A very cute fluff ball with very green eyes (original link).

http://fancy--tuna.tumblr.com/post/158250935975 < Just a clip from that Justice League episode where the Flash and Lex Luthor got body swapped (original link).

06:10 pm

http://fancy--tuna.tumblr.com/post/158250362370/itsalburton-femshepobsessed-missaralindsey <(original link) A Gaston joke and I'm le sad I haven't be able to see the Beauty and the Beast movie yet, or Logan for that matter. 🤔

06:50 pm Thoughts concerning vampire AU Princess Rachel (as in Rachel's last incarnation, not the kitten): Rachel would totally wander around markets and stuff in disguise. She also has to have a puppy named some variation of Jack. Bonus Points: Knight-and-Not-Yet-a-Vampire-Matt meets Rachel before knowing she's a princess.

07:00pm Unrelated to that and mostly because I was reading what may or may not be bits of leaked GoT season 7 scripts, but Cersei sure doesn't have nice things to say about people who have a stronger claim to the throne than her. 🤔 Granted, Joffery, Tommen, and Cersei really shouldn't have had the thing at all and the Lannisters basically usurped the throne... I mean, the same could be argued against the Baratheon bros, but they did have a recent Targaryen ancestor. Then again, while Aerys II totes should have been overthrown, Rhaegar was next in line and wasn't looney, so... Like, if anyone other than Dany or Jon has their butt on that throne by the end I'm going to be not happy.

07:10 pm Rando thought, but Americans are really hung up on royalty and rank, despite the gubberment here having been established to thumb its nose at monarchies. I guess people in general are stuck on having some form of hierarchy, tbh.

07:15 pm To date, I think the weirdest RP request I've had presented to me was the "blueberry inflation rp." This is, of course, counting people with foot fetishes and furries. Actually, at this point, I'm questioning where I stand on the furry thing, since Rachel's cat accessories are a little furry-esque. @Deme, I recall a "porn cat" discussion a million years ago, but don't recall where and when the conversation happened and what the outcome of it was. 🤔

07:30 pm Why can't people be normal? I get the weirdest greetings here, ngl. Some guy walked in and shouted some cowboy sounding greeting at me, winked at the end, but the guy behind him walked in singing some Frank Sinatra meets Elvis sounding stuff.

07:35 pm: Unfortunately, you’d have to click on the link to view this one. http://zoobeblog.tumblr.com/post/124569806961/vulpesatomicus-stayin-alive <I miss this meme and regret how quickly it burned out.

07:50 pm

http://kittykittykittykittykitty.tumblr.com/post/158255905822 <A cute kitten wanting attention (original link).

http://kittykittykittykittykitty.tumblr.com/post/158255890082 <Another cute kitten, but holding their own tail (original link).

08:00 pm Creep Update: There is a random van parked next to my jeep outside and I hope they fuck off before I have to walk out to the dark side of the lot with no cameras to get into my jeep.

http://snippets-of-mylife.tumblr.com/post/158255292673/talking-with-writers-online <This is now the most relate-able post (original link).

08:10 pm

http://unflatteringcatselfies.tumblr.com/post/158255001906/this-is-wanda-on-her-first-time-outside-she-had-a <A very cute cat that reminds me of Salem (original link).

http://snippets-of-mylife.tumblr.com/post/158254963163 <Yet another cute cat biting a finger (original link).

09:40 pm I kind of wish the charging port on Idevices remained on the top, because I can't charge my phone while propping it up to type. Also, there was something important I wanted to add to this update, but in the span of time it took me to cross the room I forgot. I vaguely recall lamenting that getting work in anything fitness related isn't exactly hard, but if you're not a rail thin girl or a dorito shaped dude people would side eye and that just doesn't sound fun. Also, I don't get girls who walk in with lattes and spend an entire ten minutes on a treadmill before posing to take pictures. 🤔 Tbf, gym culture is all kinds of odd.

10:45 pm An unfortunately long post that I can’t stick in here, so clicking the link is probably the best option. http://bumblebeepal.tumblr.com/post/158259950687/chemically-defective-the-new-season-of-htgawm <I feel like this would fit someway, somehow into Des and Scooby related plotlines.