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writingwithadinosaur · 5 years ago

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“Affirmations” - Oneshot

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Malcolm Bright x Reader

Word Count: 1,365

Key: Y/N = Your Name, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color Chunks or lines of text that are in italics means that it's (Y/N)’s thoughts.

Warnings: None that I can think of. Please let me know if I missed anything.

Summary: While attempting his morning routine, Malcolm finds a surprise.

Author’s Note: I literally wrote this in two hours and then decided to immediately post it. So I’m sorry if it’s messy or anything!

I came up with this idea thanks to the Prodigal son twitter actually. They tweet out daily affirmations and they kind of help me some days when I need good words. Today they helped me with my thoughts and helped come up with this idea.

This was not beta-read, so please let me know if there are any errors!

If you would like to be tagged in any of my future pieces, check out my tag list above and let me know! And as always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

- DreaSaurusREX

~~~~~~~~

It was another semi-restful night for Malcolm. He had been getting more than his average 2-4 hours of sleep a night thanks to your relationship. Neither of you knew exactly how it helped him sleep, but you both were thankful for it. Malcolm had mentioned that people had begun noticing the bags under his eyes not being so dark.

Even his mother commented, but she had no idea that you were the reason. She had no idea that you even existed in Malcolm’s life. Malcolm wanted to keep you a secret until “it felt right to tell her.”

As Malcolm came into the kitchen of his apartment, he saw you pouring some coffee into your thermos. You were already dressed, so he knew he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the morning with you. Malcolm lazily walked next to you and kissed your cheek.

“Good morning, sleepy!” You poke before smiling at him, meeting his lips for a quick kiss, then passing him a mug of coffee. He goes to sit on the other side of the kitchen island while you fix up a lunch to take to work.

“Good morning, darling. Early meeting?”

“Sadly. It's with that insufferable couple that has been taking their sweet time making a decision on whether or not they want to hire me or Walter.” You heard Malcolm choke on his coffee causing you to quickly turn around concerned.

“Wait. They’re choosing between you and Walter? The man that dresses like a toddler and can barely handle one client, let alone two?” You were a bit shocked that he remembered your past comments on your coworker, but you smiled and chuckled at the accuracy.

“And now you know why I think this couple is insufferable.” Malcolm let out a snigger as he took another sip of his coffee and you packed the last of your stuff. He saw you almost ready and stood to walk you to the door, something he always did whenever you had to leave before him.

“I should be home a bit early tonight. I don’t have too much to do after this meeting. But I’ll keep you updated.” Malcolm grabbed your coat as you two walked towards the door. He held it out for you to slip your arms through. You thanked him with a kiss and he reached for the door.

As you were walking through the threshold, you turned back around.

“Please try to eat something before you go out. There are some overnight oats in the fridge, or maybe try to make some eggs? Something to make sure you don’t die from stupidity.”

“You do know that there are other stupid ways I could die that don’t involve my lack of appetite, right?” You knew Malcolm was half-joking through that smile on his face, but you knew there was some truth behind it. You couldn’t help but shoot a slightly parental look at him.

“And I would like to keep ‘dying from starvation’ off that list of stupid ways to die. Eat. I’ll text you when I leave the office. Love you!” You waved as you walked out to try and catch the bus. Malcolm chuckled and made his way back inside, stopping nearby the birdcage in the main room.

“What should we try to stomach today, Sunshine?”

As per your request, Malcolm spent the next 10 or so minutes making some eggs and toast. Simple, shouldn’t upset his stomach too much.

Malcolm set down his plate and second cup of coffee on the kitchen island, getting ready to start his routine. As he sat down, he pulled his pill container and his box of daily affirmations closer. As he brought the box closer, he noticed something different: The top card wasn’t in the typical type font that he knew. Instead, it was handwritten. He read it out loud before trying to figure out whose handwriting it was.

“I am the architect of my life; I build its foundation and choose its contents. -(Y/N/N)”

Malcolm couldn’t help but smile wide when he realized that it was your handwriting You had even doodled a small heart in the corner.

Looking back at the box of affirmations, he saw that some of the cards were now just a smidge taller than the others, most likely marking where you had put in your own affirmations for him to read. He almost picked out the odd ones to read them, but he decided against it.

Before he could think much further, the very familiar voice of Jessica Whitly rang through the door. Malcolm flipped the card upside down on the counter and took a bite out of his toast, not wanting to have her find out about you just yet. Inviting herself in and filling up a glass of water, she started pouring her stream of consciousness out to the slightly annoyed ears of Malcolm.

“Malcolm, dear! I think I may have been able to work my magic and get you a date! One of the ambassadors for the company I met with yesterday has this beautiful daughter! I really think the two of you would hit it off very well if you would just take a night off and give it a chance!”

“Good morning to you too, Mother. I thought I told you, I don’t need help with dating. I’ve got it under control.” Jessica just sighed, the plate of food in front of him catching her eye.

“Wait- Are you actually eating a meal?”

“Well, I was until you interrupted.” Malcolm’s phone chimed next to him. All he read was Gil’s name and the word “homicide” and he was hooked. “And before there was a triple homicide in a botanical garden.”

Jessica couldn’t help but scowl slightly in disgust. She still didn’t understand why her son would willingly surround himself with death like this, but if it kept him close, she accepted it. Malcolm stood to usher her to the door when she noticed the card slightly hidden under his breakfast plate.

“You know, you could have just told me that you had a girlfriend from the beginning,” Jessica said cooly as she looked Malcolm in the eye.

“What are you talking about?” Malcolm tried to play dumb, Jessica just raised an eyebrow in response and turned to walk out the door.

“I want to meet her. How does dinner Thursday night sound? I’ll invite Ainsley too. I’m sure she would love to meet this (Y/N) girl. I’ll send you the details later.” And with that, she was out the door, leaving Malcolm slightly dumbfounded.

How the hell did she find out about you? None of your stuff was out for her to see that you were occasionally staying with him. There wasn’t any lingering scent of your perfume that he could tell. There definitely weren’t any pictures of the two of you in this part of the apartment. So how did she figure it out?

Still confused, Malcolm turned back to try and have another few bites of his breakfast when he saw it. The evidence.

You had written on the back of the card:

“I know these are cliche and maybe not the best affirmations, but I wanted to help shake things up a bit! Maybe make you smile a bit more! Love you!

-- (Y/N)”

Malcolm chortled as he ran his hands up his face and through his hair and sighed.

He knew it wasn’t going to be too awful introducing you to his mother and Ainsley, and he really did love you. But he couldn’t help but be nervous at the thought of an infamous Whitly family dinner as your first interaction with both of them.

He took another bite of food when Gil texted him the address of the crime scene. Shaking his head slightly in an attempt to shake away the thought, Malcolm took his medications and reread both sides of today’s affirmation, finding a pure smile to form over his face. With that smile still there, he turned to get dressed for the day, talking to his bird as he walked away from his half-eaten breakfast.

“Well, this week is just turning out to be all kinds of fun, isn’t it, Sunshine?”

#prodigal son fandom #prodigal son fanfic #prodigal son fox #Malcolm Bright x Reader #Malcolm Bright Fic #Malcolm Bright imagine #Malcolm whitly x reader #malcolm whitly fic

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keelywolfe · 5 years ago

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FIC: Not What It’s Cracked Up To Be ch.2 (baon)

Summary: Edge and Stretch are finally getting back on an even keel. Edge’s broken leg is healing well, Spring is finally here and the flowers are close to blooming.

Be a shame if anything disturbed their domestic bliss.

Tags: Spicyhoney, Kustard, Established Relationships, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Fluff, Chickens

Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

Chapter 1

~~*~~

Read it on AO3

Read it here!

~~*~~

If Stretch had to make a top ten list of people that he expected to find at his front door on any given day, Papyrus would be on it, but Stretch had to guiltily admit, he would have been close to the bottom of the list, just below the mailperson.

It wasn't that Stretch didn't like Papyrus, he really did, but somehow, their paths didn't cross that often. Papyrus did a lot of work up at the Embassy and spent time training with Undyne and the rest of the security team. He had his own group down at the Y like Edge did of younger kids and every year they did a nature hike out in the wilds of Ebott, down the walking path that ran behind the shopping center.

Papyrus had his own gig going on and that was fine, but it did mean they mostly saw each other on movie nights and holidays. Kinda like cousins, maybe, not that Stretch ever had any. Not exactly close family, but family, nonetheless.

Now, finding Papyrus AND Jeff on his porch? Both of them with their arms loaded with plastic food containers and cups from the Beanery that looked to be filled with gloriously caffeinated concoctions? That wasn’t anywhere on Stretch’s top ten list or even in the top fifty. That was one that might’ve wandered onto an alternate list in the AM hours when Stretch couldn’t sleep, but even then, the odds weren’t good.

Papyrus’s grin of maniacal cheer, though, that was to be expected. It was the same one Blue got going when he had a scheme up his pant leg and that made warnings prickles stand up and do the cha-cha-cha on Stretch’s spine.

“hey, guys,” Stretch said slowly, “what’s going on?”

“What is going on is we are here to see you!” Papyrus said cheerily. He shifted the boxes in his arms. “We can continue going by you letting us inside!”

“I mean, you can leave us on the porch if you want,” Jeff’s grin was less maniacal, at least. Honestly, he looked tired and also like he wasn’t about to let that slow him down. “We’ll just stand here, alone, sad and pining for the fjords, wasting away—”

“yeah, yeah, i get it,” Stretch grinned and held open the door. “come in before the neighbors get interested. they already think we’re better than netflix.”

Papyrus and Jeff trooped inside, and Stretch took a second to peek out the front door. Edge was still working diligently on his flowerbeds, so that was fine. He saw Stretch looking and blew him a kiss and maybe catching it was pretend, but the warmth in his soul from it was plenty real.

Didn’t mean Stretch missed that his loving traitor didn’t come inside, though.

By the time he closed the front door, Jeff and Papyrus had taken over the coffee table. There were several plastic containers alongside the drink cups and okay, yeah, Stretch was curious to see what largess had been brought to them. Hopefully not too much, with his cast off and permission to stand, Edge was probably itching to get back into the kitchen. He’d graciously accept anything the guys brought over, probably, and then he’d be stuck between his urgent need to make food for everyone in sight and his need not to waste any morsel that came into the house. It was a bit of a balancing act and Edge was already wobbly on his feet.

Stretch wandered over to give one of the containers a poke. “i hadn't heard the hospital cut you loose yet, Paps.

“Just yesterday!” Papyrus beamed and now Stretch could see he had a cane of his own, exactly the same as Edge’s but he was currently using it more as punctuation than for support.

Released yesterday and Stretch hadn’t even known. He could have, should have. He’d just seen Sans a couple days go and he’d asked about Red, but not his brother who was still in the fucking hospital. And what, he could send tweets out to his fans but not a text to Papyrus to see how he was feeling? Stretch swallowed hard against the rising thickness in the back of his throat. “listen, i'm sorry i didn't get up to see you at the hospital much.”

Papyrus being Papyrus, only waved that off. “Not at all! Everyone is very busy right now.”

“Yeah,” Jeff put in and there was a wealth of meaning in that single word that probably synced up to the shadows under his eyes. “I barely got up there to see you and Edge, too.”

“Besides,” Papyrus went on, “You had your own patient to handle in what I am sure was an experience that left you stronger!”

“heh, that’s one way of putting it. how’s the noggin?” The bandages that were wrapped around Papyrus’s head in the hospital were gone and all the bruising faded. The dark line of a hairline crack was still running along his parietal bone. At this point it was probably here to stay, healing magic wasn’t much good on scars, otherwise Stretch would have gotten to work on Edge’s a long time ago.

Papyrus mimed rapping on his skull with his knuckles. “Better. I am still on sick leave even though I am injured, not sick. But I am not falling down as much now so they let me go home!”

The phrase falling down had implications that made Stretch shudder, even though he knew that wasn’t what Papyrus meant. Especially after today, seeing Edge’s healing leg, all his new scars, hairline fractures, all of them, but they were still there.

Okay, yeah, a subject change seemed to be a good idea.

Stretch picked up one of the containers and gave it a little shake. “so what brings you over to see me. not that i don’t want to see you guys, but…” He gestured at the rest of the containers. “i’m seeing a plan here.”

“Yes!” Papyrus said happily. “I brought something for your chickens!"

Huh. Today was definitely going off the charts, because that option wasn’t on any of Stretch’s top ten lists. “seriously?"

Papyrus obviously had his own standards when it came to lists, because he nodded as if it were obvious. “Yes! You see, usually when you are sick or injured in the hospital because of germs or stupidity—"

“hey!”

“--i have cared for your chickens for you! this time i was in the hospital and so i brought them spaghetti!”

Impeccable logic, really. Except for one small detail.

Paps was a much better cook these days but pasta still tended to elude him. Even the mention of spaghetti still gave Stretch shuddering flashbacks of those first few weeks when they came to this universe. It’d almost been enough for him to wish they were back in Underswap.

Almost.

All the other dishes Papyrus made were more than palatable, even delicious, except for when he dug out the noodles. Much as he didn’t want to hurt any feelings, neither did Stretch want to murder his chickens by poison pasta. “um that's really nice, but, uh.”

Whatever Papyrus thought he was going to say, if there were any hurt feelings about it, he shed it like water off a duck’s back, “Have no fear! It is vegetable spaghetti!"

“Spiral cut veggies, “Jeff put in. He pried off one of the lids and held it out, revealing bright orange and purple strands. His grin was a little wry; Jeff was another victim of Papyrus’s attempts at carbonara. “We made it fresh this morning.”

Oh. They’d made it, together. For the teeniest, tiniest moment there was a twinge of stupid jealousy, bitter sharp in his soul, because Jeff was supposed to be his best friend and here was Papyrus poaching on his territory when he already had lots of friends, in a couple different countries even, pen pals and people at the Embassy, why did he need one of Stretch’s?

Then he squashed that thought like the stink bug it was; there was plenty of Andy to go around and he wasn’t about to end his week by being a dick to his best friends over veggie noodles.

So hey, time to unwrap the enthusiasm and get this chicken party started. Stretch pasted his smile back on and said, “well hey, let’s go out back! i bet they’ll be scrambling for it.”

Papyrus didn’t even groan at the pun, though Jeff booed under his breath. His smile brought new meaning to the word beaming, it really did, bright as the sun. “Let me get some plates!”

He caned his way into the kitchen before Stretch could even offer to do it for him and yeah, there was one of the ways he and Edge were alike, stubborn little shits that they were.

Stretch shook his head and turned back to Jeff to ask, softly, “how is he doing, really?”

“He’s been fine today, but he should probably sit down for a while,” Jeff said in the same quiet tone. “I had him sitting at home when we were using the spiral slicer and he was pretty good about it. Don’t let him fool you, though, the doctors told him to take it easy—”

“—and he’s not really good at following their instructions,” Stretch finished with a sigh. “yeah, i’ve had some practice with that.”

“I’ll bet,” Jeff laughed just as Papyrus returned, plates in hand. Stretch kept back any comments about what Edge might have to say about them using his plates to feed chickens. Hey, they were family, they could use the good tableware.

“I’ll bet, too,” Papyrus said, “if you two are finished talking about me behind my back! Unless you want to do it in front of my face as well.”

Yeah, there were definitely times Stretch could tell Papyrus and Edge were cut from the same cloth. Although if he ever saw Edge smiling like Papyrus did, Stretch would be checking for any other signs of the apocalypse. “nah, i think we’re good. let’s head out.”

“Oh, and we brought you—” Jeff plucked one of the plastic cups from the table and held it out with a flourish. “triple venti, iced caramel macchiato with whip and an extra shot.”

Now that was a drink and Stretch took the cup, clutching it to his chest without even caring for the condensation dampening the front of his sweatshirt.

“you are the second-best person in the world,” Stretch told him sincerely, “if i wasn’t already married to the first best, i’d be polishing up my flirting skills for you.”

Jeff only rolled his eyes, “Yeah, okay, I’ll add you to my dance card, Mr. Darcy.”

“The dating manual has a chapter on polygamous relationships if you’d like to borrow it!” Papyrus said brightly.

Immediately, Jeff’s pale cheeks flamed a bright red and Stretch felt a blush of his own warm his face. Uh, yeah, no, his love for Andy stayed above the waist, thanks. Now he was glad Edge hadn’t come inside, he’d either be annoyed or silently laughing his ass off. Either way, Stretch could live without it.

He clapped a hand on Papyrus’s shoulder, “you know what, paps, i think we’re good, but i’ll keep it in mind. c’mon, it’s a nice day and the ladies await!”

“Of course!” Papyrus followed Stretch to the back door while Jeff gathered up the containers. “Did Edge redecorate the kitchen? I seem to recall a lot less red paint splattered on the walls and also a table the last time I was here…”

~~*~~

A few days ago, Stretch spent a couple hours cleaning off all the chairs on the patio from any winter gunk left on them. He’d done it for Edge so he could come outside while he was still off limits on any marathons, just a quick scrub down and some sunshine and they were good.

Now he wondered why he bothered because so far, every time anyone came out to the backyard, they ended up sitting on the damned ground. At least they grabbed the cushions off the chairs to keep the damp away. The chickens were gabbling eagerly from the moment the sliding glass door opened and the volume doubled when they realized it was more than the usual amount of suckers to demand scritches from.

Stretch let loose the chicks and Papyrus laid down the plates, already scolding, “Now hold on a moment, there’s more than one flavor! You’ll need a serving of each for the full decadent experience!”

Soon enough the grub was out and they were all sitting on their cushions, watching the chickens feast.

“gotta say, this was a pretty good idea,” Stretch admitted. Pretty good was understating it, the chickens loved the veggie spaghetti and they were gobbling it down, switching plates at will as they scarfed it as fast as they could. Noodle let out an indignant squawk when Nugget stole a tasty looking tidbit from under her beak and ended up on the other end of a strand with Dumpling in an impromptu Lady and the Tramp recreation that ended a lot less romantically when Nugget stole a bite right through the center.

“Of course it was!” Papyrus said loftily. Then he surprised Stretch by adding, “JeffAndy suggested it.”

Stretch raised a brow bone and Jeff shrugged, awkwardly, “Julia used to make veggie spaghetti all the time and Blue had a spiral cutter, so.”

“i haven’t seen blue for a few days.” Stretch fumbled into his hoodie pocket for his lighter, the metal smooth and cool under his fingertips. “how’s he doing?”

“Good. Busy, like all of us,” Jeff said. He took a drink from his cup and it left a slight whipped cream mustache on his upper lip that he licked away. “Think everyone will be glad when Edge is back full time.”

“yeah.” The lighter flicking through his fingers wasn’t enough suddenly and Stretch pulled out a pack of cigarettes to go with it at the same time he nudged Papyrus with an elbow. “and how’s your bro doing?”

“Very well!” Papyrus plucked up a far-flung piece of spaghetti and tossed it back towards the chickens. Dumpling all but snapped it out of the air. “He’s packing as we speak!”

“packing?” That was about the last thing Stretch expected to ever hear about Sans. He and Papyrus were the only brother pair still living together and Stretch would have put good odds on the that only changing if Papyrus moved out, and even then, Sans might try to crawl into one of the suitcases. Sans packing up was serious levels of gossip that he was missing out on.

Papyrus nodded. “Yes! Now that he and Red are betrothed, he is moving in! He didn’t want to leave at first, but I told him I would have someone stay with me until I am fully recovered!”

Betrothed was a weird way to describe that relationship and Sans actually moving in? Made Stretch wonder what’d happened that day when Sans carried Red out of the kitchen, not that he’d wanted to be a fly on the wall or anything. Maybe Red liked to play the spy guy, but Stretch had enough nightmares as it was. If he ever had to hear Red in throes of orgasm, he’d scrub the inside of his skull with a toilet brush.

“not undyne.” He couldn’t imagine her staying away from Alphys, especially not while she had a bun cooking in the oven.

“No, no, your brother!”

Stretch was in the middle of lighting his cigarette and sucked in too hard, coughing the smoke back out. His brother was staying with Papyrus? When did that happen? He was starting to feel more and more like Dorothy when she first stepped off the tornado.

“okay, hang on,” Stretch rubbed a knuckle between his sockets where an ache was starting to form. “can i get a timeline on this?”

“Of course!” Papyrus ticked off on his fingers. “First, Red gave Sans a betrothal collar.”

That choker he’d been wearing, with the heart-shaped buckle. Not at all the sort of thing he’d expected to be Sans’s taste, it’d been cute when Sans was more, ‘wear whatever fell on me today’. “is that what that was?”

“Oh, yes, Red told me that collars hold great significance in Underfell!”

“did he now?” Stretch said softly. Nope, that didn’t sting, not one little bit. His soul wasn’t at all lurching in his chest, rising up to settle painfully under his clavicles.

“Very much so! A betrothal collar is a promise and a warning.” Papyrus leaned in, his voice lowered conspiratorially to a level just below a shout. “More people probably need warnings about Sans.”

“you’re probably right.” Honestly, he should probably be wearing a sign.

“So he got his collar and told me. Then I told him he needed to move in with his fiancée and he said, ‘whoa, bro, don’t know about that you’re still pretty banged up and all.’”

Stretch couldn’t help grinning. He had to admit, that impression of Sans was pretty bang on.

“and I told him I would find someone else to stay with me and I asked your brother and he agreed!” Papyrus finished triumphantly.

He glanced at Jeff, who’d moved his cushion to be downwind of the cigarette smoke. “what about andy, thought you and blue were playing roommates.”

“I’m moving in with Antwan,” Jeff admitted shyly. He toyed with the laces on his shoes. “I mean, for now anyway.”

Normally, Stretch would have been squealing to hear that because hello, about fucking time. But from the sounds of it, if he wasn’t the last to know about all this, he was pretty damn close. “this all happened in the past couple days?”

Papyrus glanced at him. “If we are measuring by linear time, then yes.”

“always did prefer linear. helps to keep things straight. hey, congrats, andy,” Stretch said belatedly. Really belated, seemed like if this news was days old.

“Don’t congratulate me yet, Antwan hasn’t had to move my comic book collection,” Jeff laughed. But from his pink, pleased face he was pretty excited and why shouldn’t he be, he was moving in with his guy, Blue was moving in with Papyrus, Sans moving in with Red. All kinds of stuff going on that no one gave Stretch a call or text about it. Not that he blamed them, not really. He wasn’t being much of a good big brother lately or cousin or friend or whatever else the fuck he pretended he could do. Made him wonder how he was doing as a husband, since he was so shit at everything else.

The chickens were done mangling every speck of the spaghetti and Nugget wandered over to peck at the string on Stretch’s hoodie hopefully. It hadn’t turned into food for her the other hundred times she’d tried it, but that never stopped her before, especially since now it looked like her last treat. Stretch crushed out his cigarette and gave her a hopeful nudge, and she settled into his lap amicably, clucking happily as he smoothed a hand down her feathers.

Noodle was taking refuge in Papyrus’s lap, crooning for her own pets that Papyrus obediently provided. “Your chickens are very nice.”

“We’re lucky Edge isn’t here,” Jeff chuckled even as he coaxed Dumpling over for scritches of her own. “They think he’s the next coming of Chicken Jesus.”

Papyrus frowned. “I wouldn’t think that chickens followed Christian theology.”

It was always hard to tell when Papyrus was sincere or when he was fucking with you, and Stretch had a feeling he was being bent over today. “nah, these ladies are nondenominational.”

“If one must have a harem, one of chickens seems a good choice!” Papyrus said thoughtfully. “There are the eggs to consider.”

“a harem, why would---never mind.” Stretch decided he really didn’t want to know which way Papyrus’s brain was twisting today, he had enough of that with his own.

“By the way,” Jeff said as he struggled to keep Dumpling from attacking his shoelaces, “now that Edge is feeling better, I should probably tell you that your brother’s freezer is filled with bags of grapes.”

“grap..oh.” The grapes from Edge’s garden that he’d been picking when…well. When everything. He’d honestly forgotten all about them, that whole day was pretty much a suckhole of shit that he didn’t care to ever repeat. Even thinking that made Stretch feel a little queasy, knocking him even more off balance while he was trying to catch his equilibrium. Stretch let out a little laugh and if it sounded a little shrill, neither Jeff nor Papyrus noticed. “you froze them, really? when did you even have the time?”

Jeff shrugged, which meant it was probably after work, maybe even at the end of that long, horrible day, and he’d been exhausted and done it anyway. He really was a good friend, better than Stretch deserved.

“i’ll let him know.” Stretch rubbed Nugget gently under the chin and she cooed happily. “and hey, thanks for stopping by with the spaghetti for my girls and letting me knows what’s up with the nearby world.”

“Wish I could say it was my idea,” Jeff said. His smile was a little lopsided. “I’ve missed hanging out. With everything that’s going on, Papyrus thought maybe you were feeling a little out of the loop. He said not being at work makes him think it’s Sunday when it’s Wednesday.”

“yeah, he’s got a good point.”

“I usually do,” Papyrus said modestly.

The sliding glass door opened then, and Edge stepped out. Immediately the chickens abandoned all laps and ran to him, and usually Stretch thought that was cute as fuck, but today, it was an extra scoop of abandonment on top of his cone of salty guilt.

Edge crouched and gave each of them a quick pat, “Hello, everyone. I only wanted to check if you two are staying for dinner.”

“No,” Papyrus said, somehow managing to look sad and elated at the same time. “Blue is planning a welcome to my home dinner for me tonight!”

“I can’t either, Antwan and I haven’t done anything but sleep in the same bed for the past week. We’re planning take out and time together.” Jeff scrambled to his feet with a groan, stretching, “We need to get going, anyway.”

Edge nodded, like none of this was news to him. Maybe it wasn’t, Stretch really was the last to know everything. Even about betrothal collars and Stretch twisted the ring on his finger, feeling the delicate swirls etched into it with the tips of his fingers. The metal wasn’t cool like his lighter, warmed by his own bones.

It only took a couple of minutes for Jeff and Papyrus to gather up the empty containers, and Stretch got the plates, setting them next to him on the ground.

“see you guys later!” Stretch called as they went through the gate. He got waves in return and then they were gone.

Edge sat down on the cushion next to him, stretching out his leg brace in front of him as he nudged it closer than Papyrus had. Close enough for him to settle his own hand over Stretch’s and he couldn’t help wondering if that was to keep him from reaching for his cigarettes again. He was supposed to be quitting and that’d fallen to the wayside at some point, supposed to be seeing Alphys about his HP, when was the last time he’d done that? So many fucking questions today and Stretch wasn’t sure about some of the answers.

“Just you and me tonight then, love,” Edge said. His thumb grazed lightly across Stretch’s knuckles and he noted absently that he’d changed his gloves. These ones were worn soft, comfort gloves, like some of Stretch’s sweatshirts, and he didn’t know why Edge needed comforting.

“yeah, just you and me,” Stretch agreed softly, and when had that become less of a delight.

He really was losing his touch because Edge gave him a narrow look almost immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“nothing,” Stretch said, and he forced lightness into the word, “think i’m just a little tired, we had a lot going on today.”

Edge hummed softly in agreement, “Why don’t you take a nap?”

“take one with me?” Stretch offered and he knew from the split-second of hesitation on Edge’s face that he wanted to say no. Which, of course he fucking did, he just got his cast off, he was probably wanting a shower or maybe even a bath, give those newly scarred bones a good scrub before he went to do all the other shit he couldn’t do last week. “you know what, never mind.”

“Are you sure?” Edge asked, because of course he did. He always put Stretch’s happiness first. Like it was something Stretch actually deserved and that was a shitty thing to think and Stretch knew it, so he was stopping that right now.

“yep,” Stretch forced a yawn. “if it’s just me i can sprawl out.”

“Me being in the bed has never stopped you before,” Edge said dryly. But he lifted Stretch’s hand and kissed his knuckles, right over his wedding ring, the one Edge gave him when he promised to love and cherish him, and Stretch was gonna knock it the fuck off thinking about anything with collars or Underfell. Edge loved him and he knew it, he didn’t need anything else.

Not a damn thing.

~~*~~

Read Chapter Three

#spicyhoney #papcest #keelywolfe #underfell #underswap #underfell papyrus #underswap papyrus #by any other name

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sincerelymarinette · 5 years ago

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A Recorded Life (37/50) - Miraculous Ladybug

Words: 1402 Chapter Summary: Following the recent events, Marinette's comment section has ideas, and it's time for another Miraculous meeting. Marinette and Adrien finally have a talk. Author's Note: time to tie up some loose ends ;) the end is a lil awkward, but perfect for mari and adrien.

ALSO OMG I WAS SENT FAN ART BY @xiaomao-ai-wo for chapter 11 when they did the impromptu q&a!! Check it out HERE because I love it SO MUCH and it’s amazing. I literally screamed when I saw it. Thank you so muchhhveiuvbeufa

Prev / Next / Masterlist

Spell It Out

---

Oh my gosh, a series of you and Adrien trying jobs would be amazing. I love seeing you guys work together and the adventures would be AMAZING! Think of the ideas!!

at this point, they should just call the channel Marinette and Adrien

I love Mari and Adrien so much you guys should just get married

I miss Alya :'(

Omg yes please do Adrien vs jobs. I wanna see him try to record a song with jagged stone or be a reporter with Alya or learn to play guitar in a band I want it ALL

we all know Adrien is great at fencing but what other sports is he good at #adrienvsjobs play on a professional soccer (I guess it's football for y'all though) team

I would say you guys should make another channel just for the Adrienette situations but then all your subs here wouldn't get to see all the beautiful content. please don't make a separate channel because it all works so well here

omg #AdrienVSJobs is trending on twitter mari

It was. People loved the idea of seeing Adrien "trying to find a job," and were giving thousands of suggestions. It was something they would definitely have to get on to make it happen. But that would have to happen later, Adrien and Marinette had already invited the rest of the team over for a meeting. They needed to tell them what they know.

Marinette pulled up the video on her computer as the group sat in a circle in her room. "So, Adrien and I found something," Marinette sighed. "This is the video I took the day his father kicked me out, and we just looked at it for the first time yesterday."

She played the section of the video for them a few times to get them to catch what they saw. "What was that?" Alya gasped. "Don't tell me it is what I think it is."

"No, I think you're right," Nino agreed.

"Are you kidding me?" Chloé groaned when she realized as well. "So, are we sending an ambush?"

"No," Adrien shook his head. "We need to be one-hundred percent sure. In about a week and a half, Marinette and I are attending the gala my father is hosting. We'll mingle for a while, and sneak away when we have the chance. We're going to double and triple check before we do anything," He explained. "But, you guys should be on call."

Chloé scoffed. "I'm not allowed to go to the gala, but I'll be around."

"I can try to get a press pass," Alya said, "But no promises."

Nino shrugged. "I won't be able to get in, but I'll be ready."

"Good," Marinette said and shut her computer. "We all need to be ready for the worst. I don't want Gabriel to be Hawkmoth, but if he is, then he's dangerous," Marinette said.

"Adrien," Chloé called his attention. "How are you holding up?"

Adrien shrugged. He hasn't said much during this meeting because he didn't want to freak out like he did yesterday. He had thoughts going in his head non-stop, and he was kind of confused about the whole situation. "I don't know. Plagg and I talked a bit yesterday after Mari, and I talked, but it's still a lot to think about," Adrien admitted.

Speaking of the Kwamis, they were unusually very quiet. They were sitting on Marinette's desk, watching their owners talk about the video. They were silent, knowing how important and stressful this was for them. "Well," Marinette said. "We really just wanted to update you guys on what's going on. The Akuma's have been harder lately, and I appreciate everyone fighting in this fight. We will beat Hawkmoth, if he's Gabriel or not."

Adrien nodded. "Yes, we'll take him down and bring Paris back to normal," Adrien added.

"Pound it?" Marinette smirked and stuck her fist out.

The rest of the team chuckled and mimicked her actions. "Pound it."

---

Later that day, after the group went their separate ways, Alya was on the way to an interview. As she was walking, she called Marinette...mostly to yell at her.

Marinette, on the other hand, was beginning the design of her dress. She had it sketched out and was almost really to start cutting and sewing. But that didn't stop Alya from lecturing her.

"You need to talk to Adrien," She said to Marinette. "And before you say it, it will never be a good time. You just need to get it over with- he's not going to stop being friends with you, and I'm sure he's been thinking about it, too. Probably just too nervous to talk about it," Alya reasoned.

Marinette groaned. "I know, but I'm nervous, too," She said.

"I know, girl," Alya said. "But maybe this is the push you guys need. You tried to tell Adrien for two years about your crush, and it never worked. Now that you guys are friends and partners, it will probably be a lot easier. Plus, think about how happy the girls will be when they find out you finally made a move!" Alya joked.

The call was silent for a moment while Marinette thought about her argument. Finally, she gave in. "Fine, I'll talk to him when he gets back. He went to the store to get some snacks, and then we're going to start talking about the new Adrien vs. Jobs videos we want to do," She explained. "But I promise we'll talk tonight."

"Good," Alya said, and Marinette could hear her smile through the phone. "Well, I just made it to the place where I'm doing the interview, so I expect an update later."

"Of course," Marinette giggled. "I'll talk to you later."

As if on cue, there was a knock at Marinette's trap door with Adrien peering in right after. "I got the goods!" He said as he entered her room, a big smile on his face. Marinette was sat at her desk, so Adrien set all the stuff on the chaise as he sat next to it. "So, what are we thinking for Adrien vs. Jobs?" He asked.

Marinette shrugged and grabbed her notebook. "I got a lot of tweets and comments about it. People really want to see you work the register in the bakery, make a song with Jagged Stone, and have you learn the guitar. There's also a lot of people who want to see you play soccer," She said. "But I think the easiest one will be either the register or the guitar," Marinette read off.

"Honestly, I'd be excited to do any of those," Adrien said. "But maybe the register and bakery one will be the best way to feel out the waters," He nodded.

Marinette circled it on her page and set the notebook back on her desk. "Right, I'll talk to my parents about it," She said. "Can...can we talk?" She asked, much quieter.

"Of course?" Adrien said, but it came out more like a question.

With a deep breath, she knew there was no going back. "So, you remember the Akuma Copy?" She asked, and Adrien nodded in response. "And do you remember what happened...after I captured the Akuma? After you were hit?"

Adrien thought for a moment; then his eyes went wide when he realized what Marinette was hinting at. "Yes... Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No! Not at all," Marinette shook her head. "Alya saw it, so other people probably saw it. And, Adrien," Marinette took another pause. "I don't know about you, but I've loved becoming closer friends and being partners these past few years, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the kiss," She rambled a bit, trailing off at the end.

Adrien stared at Marinette, and slowly a smile crept onto his face. "No, I one-hundred percent agree."

"Are you really going to make me spell it out?" She groaned.

Adrien knew what he was doing, and he was going to continue to play dumb. "Spell what out, my lady?"

"Ugh," She huffed. "Adrien, do you want to go out?"

Adrien stood up. "I would be honored," He said with a bow.

"But!" Marinette cut him off. "We probably shouldn't let it be too public. You know, for safety reasons."

Adrien walked closer to Marinette. "Whatever you wish," He said, and kissed her on the cheek.

---

@lady-of-the-roses-and-lilies @bookishserendipity03 @avatheexceed @gkz10 @coccinellegirl @kat-thatoneweirdo @strawberryblondish @snow-swordswoman @lilgaga98 @evufries

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megacircuit9universe · 5 years ago

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Trumpty Dumpty

WED FEB 05 2020

There used to be a legend, in my family, that my mom’s grandfather on her mother’s side, was the son of an, “Indian squaw.” Without getting too technical, research on Ancestry.Com about the woman in question, proved beyond all doubt that she was white as the driven snow.

Why? Because she happened to be Mormon... and Mormons happen to be extremely serious about genealogy... and have been since long before the internet came along.

This woman, my great great grandmother, had a thoroughly researched family tree on Ancestry going back to the Mayflower*... as do all Mormons, because they take history seriously.

I am certain this is why Mitt Romney, today turned out to be the one and only Republican who voted to convict and remove Donald Trump.

...Because while all this talk about how they’ll be viewed by history rings hollow to every other GOP Senator currently in Congress, to Mitt Romney, it means something, because he knows his descendants will never forget who he was, or what he did with his life... and that to join in on the acquittal of Trump would bring shame to his family for generations to come.

And he knew that... because we all know, that nobody in the near future, or the distant future, or the very remote future, will ever think of Donald Trump as anything but a shitty person, a terrible President, and an appallingly myopic world leader.

But yes... there was no flash removal of Trump today. He was acquitted, to the shock of nobody. But it is worth mentioning that the 48 Senators who voted to convict and remove Trump, represent eighteen million more people than the fifty-two Senators who acquitted him.

Eighteen million.

Immediately after his acquittal, Trump tweeted a CGI video flying over Trump campaign signs that said, “Trump 2020,” then, “Trump 2024,” then 28, 30, 40, and so on until beyond the year 9000 or some bullshit, before ending on Trump 4EVA.

I saw this, passing by a TV at work today, an it spooked me pretty good, because... well, here at MegaCircuit9Universe we talk a lot about time travel and in our model, he (his hyperversal twins on all worldlines) are well known for always attempting to, and sometimes succeeding at, becoming a dictator for life.

News folk passed this tweet off as a simple troll, as the video was a modified version of one created last year by Time Magazine (of all magazines) to promote an article about how Trumpism will outlast Trump.

I didn’t read that article, so I can’t comment on it, but the point here is, that was not just a simple troll. That was Trump, surviving one of the final checks on his power, putting us on notice of his intention to be our new dictator for life.

I wonder what the AI bot coalition is thinking about that today... especially since yesterday, at the State of the Union address, he continued to crow about, and take full credit for, the booming economy... that they continuously keep from derailing... because for most of them, it is the primary objective.

I would presume that they, as bots, would seek to exhaust every other possible option available, before actually allowing the economy to tank. And... there are still other options to exhaust in the quest to dislodge Trump from power... within a reasonable time frame.**

This same truth is what likely lead Speaker Pelosi to, just at the end of Trump’s ridiculous SOTU speech (in which he stopped to administer surprise gifts to audience members, encourage cheers of four more years, and in general made the affair a circus of lies) To tear up her copy of the speech, on camera, standing directly behind him.

I should stop to note here that his SOTU, for as crazy as it was, was quite positive in tone... so, very much the opposite of the one I recently suggested might flip the Senate against him... one full of wrath and nonsensical raving.

At any rate, Pelosi’s stunt of ripping up the speech had the immediate effect of stealing all the press coverage about SOTU for the rest of the night and into today. From the minute the speech was over, the only thing anybody in the media or online wanted to talk about was this stunt of hers... with it going viral on social media in the form of animated GIFs... being praised by the left, and decried by the right.

But many now speculate that this was also a signal that the House is not done with Trump. Indeed, some say the whole Impeachment trial, it’s timing delayed by a month, thanks to the Speaker, has been a kind of opening act to warm the audience up for the headliner act... which will be about court cases landing against his obstruction of subpoenas, his taxes coming out finally, more FOIA requests coming to fruition, more crimes coming to light, etc.

It doesn’t require any aluminum foil to imagine that such a second act... or third act, if you count the Mueller probe as act one... could finally bring the roof down on Trump’s head in this, an election year.

We all know the Ukraine shakedown was just the tip of an enormous iceberg, which, beneath the water’s surface, is the size of Mauna Kea... and that a shit ton of it will be coming to light soon... as courts strike down his past attempts at damage control... grant information requests to newspapers... as oversight hearings continue in the house... as books are published... and on.

What’s different now, after the impeachment trial, is that we all now also know which Senators are consciously complicit in Trump’s grand crime scheme, and it’s cover up.

We’ve had an idea for a while which House Representatives were complicit (Nunes), but that’s not such a big deal anymore, as we got back the House in 2018, but it took this impeachment trial to expose those poker faced Senators.

Senators play things a lot closer to the vest (Except for McConnell and Graham) which is natural, given that there are only 100 of them, and each one has a lot more power than the average House Rep... thus, a lot more power to lose, if they dirty their shoes in the muck that Reps will occasionally roll about in like swine.

The Impeachment essentially put a gun to their heads... confess your loyalty, Trump or the Constitution... because it cannot be both.

And now that 52 of them confessed, beyond any doubt, that their loyalty is to Trump, over the Constitution... well, now they’re all fair game, when it comes to exposing the greater bulk of that corruption iceberg.

Lev Parnas named Lindsey Graham as being in the loop with the Ukraine extortion scheme... and Bolton named Cipollone. And now you can bet your ass a lot more Senators and White House cabinet members will be exposed as being in that loop... and other loops... all looping around Trump... who is looping around Putin.

And I’ll leave the impeachment and SOTU analysis there for tonight.

Because I still have to talk about Iowa!

-------------------------------

So, in chronological order, on February 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, it was... Super Bowl, Iowa, SOTU, and Impeachment.

Ignoring the Super Bowl, which had no real impact on anything here, Iowa, back on the 3rd, is still not resolved tonight as I write.

The Iowa Democratic Party refused to release any election results at all, the night of the caucuses... citing bullshit technical problems. The next day, they released 62% of the results. Then today... released up to 81% of the results... which were found, by sharp eyed election officials to have glaring errors, which IDP then, grudgingly corrected... while still not giving us 100% of the results at the time of writing.

In a nutshell, the original excuse of technical problems with some app they were using doesn’t hold water two days later, because there should have been plenty of time by now to count the paper record by hand, and so it does look as though the IDP simply did not like the results on election night... and has been scrambling to finesse them, ever since.

Why did they not like the results? Because, as I predicted, Joe Biden bit the dust, in this first primary election of the season, coming in a distant fourth place. But even worse... Bernie Sanders knocked it out of the park.

That, for the DNC, is not an acceptable outcome, and so, one would assume, they put pressure on IDP to hold off on announcing and, please double, triple, and quadruple check everything, until... they get something they can live with.

We saw the DNC do this in 2016, when Hillary was their darling, so... the only thing surprising here, is the level of desperation... over-reaching this far to suppress the results, this early on in the game.

The Faustian bargain the DNC (and IDP) are soo sloowly arriving at, is that Pete Buttigieg, who seems to have come in second in reality, should be presented to the world as having come in first... because if there’s no amount of finesse that can save Joe Biden from his pitiful numbers, then hand the centrist torch to Buttigieg. But no way in hell can Bernie Sanders get the political momentum he, and his voters earned out of this!

This does tend to expose how corrupt the DNC still is, and serve to remind us how we got Donald Trump in the first place... after they played this game in 2016, manufacturing consent for Hillary Clinton that did not exist on the ground.

But this time around, it’s not gonna play.

It’s not gonna wash.

It’s not gonna work.

It won’t work because, Bernie has too much of a head of steam, and there is nobody else in the field that can stop him.

Warren looked good until she revealed that she was not really for Medicare for all, but just some public option compromise bullshit. She’s been failing ever since that reveal, and her lame attempt to cast Bernie as a sexist hurt her even worse.

Biden, as predicted earlier in this blog, just has no game, and is running out of money quick. He’ll be gone before Super Tuesday in March.

Buttigieg blew his wad on Iowa and at the moment is simply a centrist place holder for Biden. All of his support will go to Bloomberg, as soon as Bloomberg enters the race in March.

This will leave it between Bernie and Bloomberg through the spring... but Bloomberg has no legs.

How do I know that? Well, as a billionaire trying to buy the election, he’s hemorrhaging millions out of pocket right now, just to stay relevant. And, while being a billionaire, he can afford to hemorrhage millions forever, without feeling the slightest bit faint, it’s a sign of failure that he has to go this route.

Where are his donors? He doesn’t have any because he has no ground game at all. All he has are ads. This is just a publicity stunt at it’s heart.

Obama, famous for his relentless ground game, blew away this kind of media blitz, money-is-no-object, opposition both times out. In his case they were being funded by SuperPacs, but it’s the same strategy of just pouring millions into ads without knocking on any doors.

Bernie Sanders has an even more relentless ground game than Obama ever had, without being funded by any corporate donors or super pacs... with more money than any of his rivals (other than Bloomberg) coming from the donations of regular wage workers.

He also has one magic card that even Trump can never possess... the 18 to 45 vote!

Trump won in 2016 by cobbling together a coalition of white schizophrenics, criminally insane white nationalists, Book of Revelation lunatics, and a freight train of garden variety conservative cowards, groomed by their elders to worship whoever seems to hold the scepter of authority no matter what they say or stand for.

That was a clever way to wring the last ounces of water there was left out of the damp cloth that is the white, conservative, male vote, in a post Obama universe.

But!..

Those hard won numbers in just the right districts, in just the right states... pale in comparison to the numbers available to he who can unlock the all-race, all-gender, 18 to 45 vote.

And Bernie has done that, this time around.

There is opposition to him, among the centrist boomers, and even some GenX and so-called, X-ennials... fearing that his nomination is just what Trump wants, and will seal our doom.

But even in the Primary season to come... that’s not gonna make a difference. By the Convention, the DNC will have no other choice than to nominate Sanders.

That’s my prediction.

Okay... extra long entry for an extra crazy start to February.

I’m going to bed.

*When you go back enough generations, everybody has some claim to a Mayflower passenger in their family tree... just as everybody can claim to be a descendant of Genghis Khan.

It’s just a quirk of the fact that every generation you go back, you are covering exponentially more people.

The point here is that my great great grandmother had an exhaustive family tree researched by many others... going back to the point where it becomes meaningless (mayflower) which guarantees beyond any doubt, she was not an, “Indian squaw,” as family legend contended.

** Economy Bots seek to unseat Trump because he has abused the legacy Presidential power of tariffs, which artificially changes the prices of things in a way they cannot control.

Thus, the reasonable time frame for removing Trump, is... sooner than he can tank the economy all by himself... which, since the inverted yield curve of mid 2018, has meant: as soon as possible.

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sierracortney011 · 3 years ago

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Gameday Central | Nebraska 34, Illinois 31; Halftime | Sports

Follow along all night with beat writer Scott Richey live from Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., as No. 25 Illinois faces Nebraska in Big Ten action:

Tweets by Scott Richey

***

A quick glance at Ken Pomeroy’s ratings is all it takes to see that Illinois has one of the most efficient offenses in the country. And that it could be even better. The Illini enter tonight’s game at Nebraska ranked ninth in KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency. They also rank 294th in turnover percentage — as in they give the ball away on 20.9 percent of their possessions.

That’s … not ideal.

Up next on @BigTenNetwork #Illini | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/8xDdwVYTLi

— Illinois Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 12, 2022

Turnovers were down, however, in last week’s win against Maryland. Illinois turned it over a season-low seven times. It was just the second time in 14 games, though, the Illini committed single-digit turnovers.

“We’d have one of the top five or six offensive efficiencies in the country if we didn’t turn it over,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “We’re starting to become more ball tough. Part of that becomes being comfortable understanding where opportunities are in what we’re doing offensively in our schemes. I think we’re starting to become a little tougher and more assertive with the ball.”

***

Illinois has the opportunity for a “road kill” tonight in Lincoln, Neb. As in a coveted Big Ten road win against Nebraska. They’re important. Winning the Big Ten regular season title only happens if you’re as good on the road as you are at home (or close to it).

Former Illini guard turned ESPN analyst Sean Harrington keeps a Big Ten plus/minus all season long. Teams get one point for a road win, zero points for a road loss or home win and minus-one point for a home loss. The more points you accumulate the more likely winning a Big Ten title becomes.

To the video!

Updated @B1GMBBall plus minus standings. Great race at the top. And 3 of the 4 teams sitting at 0 need to do work to feel good about an NCAA bid. pic.twitter.com/dIMZBDz2dJ

— Sean Harrington (@smharrington24) January 10, 2022

***

Here’s some of what Brad Underwood had to say yesterday ahead of tonight’s game at Nebraska (plus this expected pregame note):

Andre Curbelo is in street clothes again for tonight’s game in Nebraska. That will mark 10 straight games missed for the #Illini sophomore point guard.

— Scott Richey (@srrichey) January 12, 2022

On last week’s win against Maryland

“Game No. 5 of 20 at Nebraska. It’s coming off a hard-fought win against Maryland, which they are all at this point. I was really pleased with the job Da’Monte (Williams) and Trent (Frazier) did defensively in the second half of that game. I thought Kofi (Cockburn) was impactful as heck as well.

“The way that those guys had to play in terms of the minutes was something that was unexpected. I didn’t plan on that. It was a challenge because it was coming off a quick turn — one-day prep — after 10 days off with COVID. Really proud of the guys for that. I thought we did some things extremely well in the second half of that game. Kofi was dominant, and then, obviously, Trent got on one of his little burners.”

On facing the Cornhuskers

“It’s now on to a Nebraska team that is 0-fer (in the Big Ten) but is playing and probably could have won a couple of games pretty easily. They’re a team that’s a veteran team. They’ve got a lot of guys that we saw last year in a game that was very difficult for us there. They’re one of the top teams in the country protecting the rim. They’ll throw the kitchen sink, I imagine, at Kofi in terms of doubles and triples and whatever.

“They give up a good amount of threes, but this is a team that is also electric in transition. I think they’ve got the third fastest length of time in possessions. They shoot it very quick. They’re led by an Illinois native at the point. (Alonzo) Verge is a guy that’s very talented and very crafty with the ball.”

Your browser does not support the audio element.

***

Maybe you’ve heard it before. You don’t just walk into Pinnacle Bank Arena …

The mythos around Nebraska’s home arena is probably a little overblown. And you’ll really only get that reference if you regularly listen to CBS Sports’ “Eye on College Basketball” podcast. Gary Parrish is a believer in Pinnacle Bank.

@ Nebraska

7:30 PM CT

@BigTenNetwork#Illini | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/jfpKXGZuXA

— Illinois Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 11, 2022

Illinois has, in fact, had some struggles in Lincoln, Neb., Like last year’s game. It took a hero moment from Ayo Dosunmu to beat Nebraska in overtime. Most of the Illini’s losses in the series history with the Cornhuskers have come since Nebraska joined the Big Ten and once Pinnacle Bank was completed in 2013.

So newly-ranked No. 25 Illinois (11-3, 4-0 Big Ten) doesn’t have any guarantee tonight in Lincoln. Odds are the Illini beat the ‘Huskers. Nebraska doesn’t really have an answer for Kofi Cockburn — who does? — and if the ‘Huskers focus their defensive attention firmly on the Illinois center there are plenty of shooters that can cause problems of their own.

That’s the whole pick your poison thing when it comes to playing the Illini. It’s real. It’s a tough choice. Minnesota pivoted away from what has been the norm — double or triple teaming Cockburn — and focused on stopping Alfonso Plummer and the other shooters. Cockburn dominated. The Gophers lost big at home.

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purplesurveys · 7 years ago

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302

Around what temperature do you consider it to be too hot outside? 32C. That’s 90F. I start bitching at 30C, and flat out refuse to walk outside by 32. In what ways do you expect your life to be different one year from now? Oh man. First major change is that it is definitely gonna be different priority-wise. I would be a college junior applying for an internship at some company, which means by then I should already have an idea about what I want to do and where I want to be (because at this point, I still don’t). Second, I’d be extra busy with acads and by that time I would be swamped with only journalism majors. Lastly, I would most likely also be president of the internals affairs committee of my organization, meaning my work now would be doubled or tripled.

You’ve got me scared, buddy. How often do you travel outside of the state/province you live in? I mean technically I live right on the edge of my region, and I drive everyday to the region/province next door. What's a hobby you used to have, but don't anymore? Ice skating and roller-blading. What was the best part of your day yesterday? I guess just the fact that I was able to relax. I was finally able to watch Kitchen Nightmares yesterday which I never get to do, and also an episode of Black Mirror. I managed to read some of my readings as well so I’m glad I was able to do both the things I needed to do and wanted to do.

What has been your favorite job you've had so far? I’ve never had a job. Do you still live in your hometown? Not anymore. I moved from Manila to Antipolo when I was three. What's your favorite kind of salsa/dip to go with tortilla chips? Sour cream, because...you know...mayonnaise. Are you polite towards others? That’s a given. If I’m not civil towards someone I could at least be polite. Do you wash your car by hand or drive through a car wash? My parents wash it by hand. I can never take it to a car wash since I’m always headed somewhere with my car. What is/was your least favorite school subject, and why? I hated art because I never had any visual skills or creativity whatsoever. It just wasn’t my strength. It was a good thing they only kept it as a primary school class; I was out of art classes by Grade 4, but Grades 1-3 drove me insane. Are you afraid of spiders? No but that’s because the spiders here are not as large and don’t have legs as creepy as the ones in the States or Australia or anywhere spiders get a bad rep. Do you have any exercise equipment in your home? Yeah we have dumbbells and a rowing thingy that my mom uses. Where is the farthest north you've traveled to? Busan, South Korea. Farthest south? Bali, Indonesia. East? Fukuoka, Japan. West? Singapore and Johor in Malaysia. If you have/want children, will you raise them similar to the way you were raised? I will raise them the polar opposite of how I was raised. I will use the way I was treated as the very basis as to how I will treat my kids just because I was raised so horribly that I know exactly what to avoid from there. How often do you run the dishwasher? We don’t have a dishwasher. Did you ever go to summer camp when you were a kid? No, I was too shy to meet anyone else beyond my neighbors. Do you wash your face at the sink or in the shower? Sink. Name a stereotype about your gender that you don't fit. Meh I don’t like reinforcing stereotypes. Name a stereotype about your age that you don't fit. Do you have any unusual decorations in your home? My mom has a collection of chef figurines that’s kept in a glass cabinet, since my dad works as an executive chef. That’s weird for anyone who first steps inside the house, but the collection has been growing since I was 4. What year were you born in? 1998. How many exes do you have? I have one but I usually don’t count her anymore because I took her back anyway. Do you have any uncommon kitchen appliances, such as espresso machines, waffle irons, etc? I don’t think so. You’d think by being a chef, my dad would want every kitchen appliance that exists lmao but no. He sticks to the basics. What did your parents major/minor in in college, if they went? Both of them took up hotel and restaurant management. Fact: Gabie’s dad also took up HRM and he was SO CLOSE to being my mom’s classmate. He was just a college year younger (when mom was a senior, he was a junior), but they were in the same school in the same period. I don’t know how one ended up graduating earlier than another, because they were both born in 1971. But it’s even weirder that it’s 100% possible that their paths crossed at least once. Has either of their careers influenced what career you chose or want to pursue? Not at all. I hate the idea of working in a hotel. I hate people.

Have you ever been on a motorcycle? Never been. What is the highest level math class you've completed? Calculus in Year IV in high school. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? I don’t know how to ride a bike. How old were you when you learned how to swim? As early as I can remember. My family loved swimming trips before. How do you react when someone is rude to you? Give them a shot of my own, clearly. Out of everything you're wearing, which piece of clothing is your favorite? This black tank top I have on looks really good on me. Do you follow fashion trends, or just wear whatever you happen to like? I do a little bit of both. Do you live in a city, suburb, or a rural area? City. What's your favorite breed of dog? I accept every dog breed except pugs and chihuahuas. Are you more rational or imaginative? Rational. Have you ever had a friend who was too clingy? I know someone who is very clingy, but I don’t count them as a friend precisely because I find them too clingy and it takes me at least months to be fully comfortable with someone. Do you prefer riding on wooden roller coasters, or steel roller coasters? I hate roller coasters. What is your least favorite kind of weather? Sunny. Summer weather. How did you celebrate your last birthday? I treated my high school friends to dinner because back then they were still my only group of friends. Think back to when you first met your significant other (or ex). Was your first impression of them accurate? Hahaha yeah still holds. Gab was every bit sophisticated and first-class as I had thought. Is there anything other than keys on your keyring? Nope. I had a UP keychain on it once but it fell out. After that I stopped placing anything on my keyring. Do you have an ebook reader? (iPad, Kindle, etc.) I have an iPad but I raaarely use it these days. What is your most noticeable personality trait? That I’m shy. What kind of natural disaster is most common where you live? Typhoons, floods, landslides. Which of your family members do you resemble the most? My mom. Why is your least favorite season your least favorite? I hate summer because I always feel hot and sticky and slimy. And being in a city, you have to travel for to get to the closest beach. It’s the worst. Do you have a Netflix account? Dude. I ditched this survey just to finally sign up for Netflix because I’ve been putting it off for months. I saved this survey in my drafts for the rest of the day since I got fixated on Netflix lmao. So yeah, I guess I can say I do have an account now. Have you ever had an animal get into your attic? We don’t have an attic. Where is your favorite place to go on vacation? My family keeps it different each time. How long does it take to get there? Usually hours for every place. Who knows you better than anyone else? Angela and my girlfriend. When you're angry with someone, do you lash out, or keep yourself under control? I tend to do both. My borderline likes to surprise me every time. When was the last time you started a "new chapter" of your life? September, when I joined my current org. Is your hair long enough to tuck under your armpits? Yup. Weird question. What room in your home do you spend the least amount of time in? My parents’. What is the last random act of kindness you did? I sent a comforting message to an old high school batchmate when I saw that her tweets weren’t sounding too dandy. We don’t talk a lot, not even in high school, but maintain a mutual friendship on Twitter, so I thought it would be nice to check up on her and let her know there is at least one person that gives a crap. Are you more of a girly girl or a tomboy? Girly girl, I’m guessing? Do you do anything to reduce the amount of electricity you use? Yeah I limit my aircon use and also keep the lights in my bedroom closed all the time. And last but not least, what is your name? Robyn.

#survey #surveys

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ahouseoflies · 5 years ago

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The Best Films of 2019, Part IV

Part III, Part II, Part I PRETTY PRETTY GOOD MOVIES

62. Shazam! (David F. Sandberg)- One of the most comic-booky movies to come around in a while in the sense that it seems to be in fast forward for the first third, using shorthands because it has too much story to tell. I am sad to report that Shazam! has no Movie Stars in it, and I didn't realize how essential those were to the superhero genre. There is a cagey standalone quality to its modest bets though. I like that it's anchored in a real place and isn't afraid to be a little too scary for kids. I would see it mostly as a product of potential though, for a funny Jack Dylan Grazer, for the filmmakers, and for the studio. As a student of weird billing, I have so many questions about Adam Brody getting awarded fifth lead for a bit part.

61. Fighting with My Family (Stephen Merchant)- Dwayne Johnson as producer feels like the auteur here, since the formulaic story has more to do with his combed-over, please-everyone persona than with Stephen Merchant's more messy, improvisatory style. I couldn't care less about the time spent on Jack Lowden's brother character, but I was impressed with the physical part of Florence Pugh's performance. This is a movie you've seen a hundred times, but it hits most of its marks skillfully. 60. Spider-Man: Far From Home (Jon Watts)- This is a movie in which a spurned tech innovator uses drone projectors to stage a battle in which he defeats an elemental water monster to save Venice. The best sequence is one in which a boy tries to trick his friends into letting him sit next to the girl he likes on a flight. 59. John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum (Chad Stahelski)- What a criticism it is to claim that the filmmakers give in too much to fanservice, especially since I don't know what that word means anymore if something like this is the monoculture. So they gave us, the audience, what we wanted, and I was upset that it was two hours and ten minutes? Seriously though, have you ever eaten too much ice cream? 58. Fyre (Chris Smith)- An interesting yarn that gets at the foolishness of Internet influencing better than anything else that I've seen. I was surprised by how distant many of the subjects seemed, as if only the Big Bad Billy was responsible for any misleading. And I was grateful that, despite the level of criminality on display, it was still as funny as the tweets were at the time. The film lacks shape though, and it would be nice to have somebody smart on hand to answer questions. Can someone explain to me why it's so important that the island used to be Pablo Escobar's? Why should I want to be like Pablo Escobar? 57. Leaving Neverland (Dan Reed)- Part 1 works because of the striking similarities in the parallel stories, as well as the subjects' perspicacious understanding of their own emotions and childhood psychology. So Part 2 gets extremely frustrating when these men, who have already proven how articulate they are, seem puzzled by the obvious psychological problems they have as adults. 56. Diane (Kent Jones)- This movie is kind of good when it's purely slice-of-life, before it declares what it is. It's very good once it declares itself as a routine of self-flagellation, a sort of Raging Bull for women with multiple recipes for tater tot hotdish. It's a little less good when it speeds up and goes back on that thesis near the end. For the record, I think Mary Kay Place is fine. I don't get the critical adoration.

55. Rocketman (Dexter Fletcher)- If the choice is Bohemian Rhapsody or this, then I'll take this every time. Unlike the former, Elton John's life doesn't present an obvious high point in the second half or easy conflict for the first half. As a result, the relationships within John's family seem broad with manufactured conflict. (His birth father's hardness isn't that far off from Walk Hard's "wrong kid died.") But there's an authenticity here that's refreshing, a respect to the unique friendship between Elton and Bernie and a respect for the transformative power of the music. That sincerity extends to Egerton's generous performance, which nails the self-effacing Elton John smile. So there are some biopic structural problems that can't be helped, but if only to admire the '80s fits that Elton gets off, attention must be paid. 54. Triple Frontier (J.C. Chandor)- A useful example for differentiating between tropes and cliches of the action drama genre. For someone who gets less amped than I do for dudes meeting in a shipping container to have a conversation about how "now is the time to get out," it's probably full of cliches. For fans of hyper-masculine parables about getting a team together (that are also sort of meta-commentaries on their lead actor's fallen star), it's full of tropes. 53. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (Mike Mitchell)- The plot is nearly incoherent, and the sequel isn't really satirizing anything like the first one was. But the jokes come at a Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker clip. A character in a car chase saying, "It's like she knows my every move" before a cut reveals he's been using turn signals? That's some Frank Drebin stuff. 52. Long Shot (Jonathan Levine)- Jonathan Levine has carved out an interesting directorial space for himself, with a career far different from what I imagined when I saw and loved The Wackness, a film to which I'm a little afraid to return. Levine is making, at the highest level possible ($40 million budget?), the types of movies that we claim don't get made anymore. A one-crazy-night Christmas comedy, an adventure comedy, and now a political romantic comedy, all with top flight Movie Stars. Long Shot seems like a rare opportunity to put Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron together and do something special, and what we come out with is...cute. For every good decision the film makes--what a supporting cast, all playing rounded characters--it makes a bad one--leaning too heavily into Rogen's patented "I don't really know what we're yelling about" delivery. The music is uninspired, but the presidential satire is pretty clever. The rhythm of the film is jagged and doesn't really cut together, but the script is very fair to the Theron character. Even in the general tone of the film's politics, it declares a few ideals, but those positions are still too neutral and obvious. I had a good time, but in a more capable director's hands, this experience wouldn't feel like math. 51. Isn’t It Romantic (Todd Strauss-Schulson)- So frothy that it almost doesn't believe in itself, especially near the end, but I found myself laughing a lot. Regarding the gay best friend, I'm very interested in the space of politically incorrect humor that is acceptable only because the work has built up self-awareness in other areas. That's a difficult negotiation, but this movie balances it. 50. Yesterday (Danny Boyle)- There's one twist that stretches the moral center of the film, and two minutes later there's a twist that's probably just a bridge too far in good taste. Other than that, this is a really cute Richard Curtis script, and it's nice to hear "Hey Jude" on movie speakers. 49. Ready or Not (Radio Silence)- Short and spicy, despite one or two too many twists. I'm in the front row of the Adam Brody Revival, but I appreciated the movie more as an exercise in the paranoid misery built into wealth. I wish I could have written the line down, but Alex says something like, "I didn't realize how much you could do just because your family said that it was okay," and that's the whole film. If you can, see it without watching the trailer first.

48. The Laundromat (Steven Soderbergh)- Mary Ann Bernard is a Steven Soderbergh pseudonym, but what if he did hire an outside editor? What if someone saved him from himself? It's hard to believe that Meryl Streep is the heart of the film--if the film's thesis is "The meek will inherit the Earth?"--if we go on a twenty-minute detour to an African family and a ten-minute detour to China. I laughed quite a bit, and I admire the audacity of the ending. But this is a movie that knows what it's about without knowing how to be about it.

47. High Flying Bird (Steven Soderbergh)- As a person who can cite most NBA players' cap figures off the top of my head, I should love High Flying Bird, a movie about a sports agent who tries to topple the system during an NBA lockout. Instead I liked it okay. It takes an hour to kick into high gear, but once it does, some self-contained scenes are powerhouses, and the writer of Moonlight was always going to provide an emotional kick that is sometimes absent from Soderbergh's work. Like Soderbergh's Unsane from last year, High Flying Bird is shot on an iPhone, an appropriate form given that the execution is a do-it-yourself parable that takes place mostly inside. Soderbergh is a man who has always tried to trade the ossified system of moviemaking for experimentation, so most reviews have pointed toward the meta quality of capturing a character doing that same thing in another medium. Like most of his post-retirement work, however, I find myself asking one question: "Would anyone care if this were made by another director?" 46. Piercing (Nicolas Pesce)- Good sick fun with a taste for the theatrical. I saw twist one and twist three coming, but twist two was ingenious. It ends the only way it can, which is okay. 45. Booksmart (Olivia Wilde)- At first the film is hard to acclimate to, stylized as it is into a very specific but absurd setting, counteracted by a very specific and realistic relationship. The music cues are all awful until the Perfume Genius one, which is so perfect that it erases the half-dozen clunkers.But it's smartly funny, funnily warm, and warmly smart. The screenplay does some clever things with swapping the protagonists' wants and needs at crucial times. Molly will have an obvious drive that overrides Amy's fear, and then a few scenes later, there will be an organic reversal. 44. Joker (Todd Phillips)- Joker presents more ideas than it cogently lands. I don't disagree with Amanda Dobbins's burn that it feels more like a vision board than a coherent story. Still, its success kind of fascinates me. This dark provocation, shot on real locations, has way more in common with Phoenix entries like You Were Never Really Here than it does with the DCEU. In fact, the comic book shoehorns feel like intrusions into a story about a guy who likes to Jame Gumb skinny-dance. Dunk on me if you want, but I think it's most eerie and affecting as a portrait of mental illness. Whereas Joker is a criminal mastermind in Batman lore, this is a guy helpless enough to scrawl into a notebook, "The worst part about having a mental illness is pretending to people that you don't." And that idea gets borne out in a scene in which he's pausing and rewinding a tape to study how a talk show guest sits and waves like a regular person. It's rare enough to see a person this mentally ill depicted on screen; it's even rarer to see someone this aware of his own isolation and otherness.

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netunleashed-blog · 6 years ago

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Donald Trump's UK visit: The president's best quotes

http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=7624 Donald Trump's UK visit: The president's best quotes - http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=7624 By Alan McGuinness, political reporterDonald Trump is leaving the UK following an eventful trip that involved tea with the Queen, a remarkable press conference with Theresa May and widespread protests against his presidency.Here are some of the best quotes from the US president's two-day visit.As Mr Trump sat down for a slap-up banquet with the prime minister at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, an explosive interview he had given to The Sun was published.It made for grim reading at Number 10.:: Brexit and a US-UK trade dealOn hopes for a US-UK trade deal after Brexit, the president said Mrs May's blueprint for Britain's future relationship with Brussels would "probably kill" hopes of an agreement."If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal," Mr Trump told the newspaper.The US leader criticised the PM's handling of Brexit, claiming he "would have done it much differently".He said: "I told Theresa May how to do it but she didn't agree, she didn't listen to me... deals that take too long are never good ones. If you look, she probably went the opposite way." 2:58 Video: Trump: The disruptive diplomat Mr Trump went on to say. "She didn't agree, she didn't listen to me. She wanted to go a different route."I would actually say that she probably went the opposite way. And that is fine."She should negotiate the best way she knows how. But it is too bad what is going on."Mr Trump claimed the deal Mrs May was trying to agree with the EU was a "much different deal than the one the people voted on".But he tempered his criticism somewhat, describing the PM as a "very good person" and denying claims he called her a bossy schoolteacher or said she was boring.:: Boris Johnson Image: Donald Trump talked up Boris Johnson's leadership credentials during his visit Mr Trump was effusive in his praise for the former foreign secretary, who plunged the government into chaos by resigning from his ministerial role over Brexit.He said: "I like him a lot. I have a lot of respect for Boris. He obviously likes me, and says very good things about me."I was very saddened to see he was leaving government and I hope he goes back in at some point. I think he is a great representative for your country."I am not pitting one against the other. I am just saying I think he would be a great prime minister. I think he's got what it takes.":: Sadiq Khan Image: Sadiq Khan has been called a 'terrible mayor' by the president Mr Trump has come to blows with the London mayor before, with Mr Khan on the receiving end of many a critical tweet from the president.On Mr Khan, Mr Trump said: "I think allowing millions and millions of people to come into Europe is very, very sad."I look at cities in Europe, and I can be specific if you'd like. You have a mayor who has done a terrible job in London. He has done a terrible job."Take a look at the terrorism that is taking place. Look at what is going on in London. I think he has done a very bad job on terrorism."I think he has done a bad job on crime, if you look, all of the horrible things going on there, with all of the crime that is being brought in.":: The QueenThe president couldn't hide his delight at the prospect of meeting the Queen, describing her as a "tremendous woman".He added: "I really look forward to meeting her. I think she represents her country so well."If you think of it, for so many years she has represented her country, she has really never made a mistake. You don't see, like, anything embarrassing. She is just an incredible woman."My wife is a tremendous fan of hers. She has got a great and beautiful grace about her."My mother loved the Queen. Any time the Queen was on television, my mother wanted to watch it."That incendiary interview set the stage for an eagerly anticipated joint appearance in front of the cameras from the US president and PM.Would Mr Trump row back on his criticism of Mrs May, or would he double down and maintain his line of attack? Would the PM take her guest to task for what many saw as an extraordinarily undiplomatic intervention?:: Newspaper interviewInevitably, the first question from the assembled journalists was about that interview.Mr Trump insisted he "didn't criticise the prime minister" and had a "lot of respect for her"."Unfortunately, there was a story that was done, which was generally fine, but it didn't put in what I said about the prime minister. And I said tremendous things."And, fortunately, we tend to record stories now, so we have it for your enjoyment, if you'd like it. But we record when we deal with reporters."It's called fake news. You know, we solve a lot of problems with the good, old recording instrument." 4:48 Video: Trump press conference - the best bits It was later pointed out to Mr Trump by the journalist that wrote the story that he had indeed included the positive comments.He responded: "Oh, good? Okay. If you reported them, that's good. Okay. Where? On the Internet? I said very good things."Thank you very much for saying that. No, I said very good things about her. I didn't they put it in, but that's all right."They didn't put it in the headline. I wish they put that in the headline. That's one of those things."The president revealed he had apologised for the interview, claiming Mrs May was "a total professional because when I saw her this morning I said 'I want to apologise because I said such good things about you'".He added: "She said 'don't worry it's only the press'. I thought that was very professional.":: Criticism of the PMMr Trump lavished praise on the PM, claiming he had gotten to know her "much better" during his visit."I also said that this incredible woman, right here, is doing a fantastic job, a great job. And I mean that. And I must say that I have gotten to know Theresa May much better over the last two days than I've known her over the last year and half."I mean, we spent more time in the last two days. Yesterday, I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner with her. Image: The president described Theresa May as an 'incredible woman' "Then I said, 'What are we doing tomorrow?' Which is today. 'Oh, you're having breakfast and lunch with Theresa May.' And I'm going to see you later on again."But I've actually gotten to know her better than ever, and I think she's a terrific woman. I think she's doing a terrific job."And that Brexit is a very tough situation. That's a tough deal, between the borders and the entries into the countries, and all of the things. So she's going to do the best."He said: "She's a very smart, very tough, very capable person and I would much rather have her as my friend than my enemy, that I can tell you.":: Boris JohnsonMr Trump again talked up the former foreign secretary's leadership credentials, claiming he would be a "great prime minister".He added: "We taped the entire interview. They asked about Boris Johnson."I said, yeah - how would he be as a prime minister? I said, he'll be a great prime minister."He's been very nice to me. He's been saying very good things about me as president. I think he thinks I'm doing a great job. I am doing a great job, that I can tell you - just in case you haven't noticed."But Boris Johnson, I think would be a great prime minister.":: Brexit"The only thing I ask of Theresa is that we make sure we can trade, that we don't have any restrictions, because we want to trade with the UK, and the UK wants to trade with us," Mr Trump said."We're, by far, their biggest trading partner. And we have just a tremendous opportunity to double, triple, quadruple that."So if they're going a slightly different route - and I know they do want independence. It's going to be independence; it's just your definition."But if they're going to go a certain route, I just said that I hope you're going to be able to trade with the United States. 3:03 Video: Backpedalling Trump tries to repair special relationship "I read reports where that won't be possible, but I believe after speaking with the prime minister's people and representatives and trade experts, it will absolutely be possible."So, based on that, and based on just trade in general, and our other relationship - which will be fine - but the trade is a little bit tricky."We want to be able to trade, and they want to be able to trade, and I think we'll be able to do that. Okay? And I think she's doing a terrific job, by the way.":: Claims May ignored his Brexit advice "As far as the advice, I did give her a suggestion. I wouldn't say advice. And I think she found it maybe too brutal, and that's - because I could see that," Mr Trump said."But I don't know if you remember what I said. But I did give her a certain amount of - I gave her a suggestion, not advice. I wouldn't want to give her advice. I'd give her a suggestion."I could fully understand why she thought it was a little bit tough. And maybe, someday, she'll do that."If they don't make the right deal, she might very well do what I suggested that she might want to do." 0:16 Video: May's eye roll as Trump quizzed on Brexit When pressed further if his advice was to walk away from the negotiations, Mr Trump said: "No. Well, you can't walk away."Because if she walks away, that means she's - she's stuck. You can't walk away."But you can do other things. But she can do what my suggestion was. And my suggestion was, you know, respectfully submitted." :: The status of the special relationship"So I would say I give our relationship, in terms of grade, the highest level of special. So we start off with special," the president said."I would give our relationship with the UK - and now, especially after these two days with your prime minister, I would say the highest level of special. Am I allowed to go higher than that? I'm not sure."But it's the highest level of special. They are very special people."It's a very special country. And as I said, I have a relationship because my mother was born in Scotland. So, very important. Image: The Queen with Donald Trump and his wife Melania during their visit to Windsor Castle The president gave an interview to Piers Morgan before he jetted off to Scotland for a private weekend in Scotland.Much of the interview, published in the Mail on Sunday, focused on his meeting with the Queen at Windsor Castle.When asked about his overall impression of the monarch, Mr Trump described her as "fantastic"."She's a fantastic woman - so much energy and smart and sharp," he said."She was amazing. Such a wonderful lady and so beautiful. It was such an honour to finally meet her. To have a Queen like that is great."The president was then asked what was going through his mind as he walked towards her. 0:59 Video: The Queen and Trump meet for the first time "Well first of all I was thinking about my mother," Mr Trump said."My mother passed away a while ago and she was a tremendous fan of the Queen. She thought she was a woman of elegance, and my mother felt she was a great woman."I remember even as a little guy, if there was any kind of a ceremony to do with the Queen, my mother would be watching the television - she wanted to see it."I was walking up and I was saying (to Melania) 'Can you imagine my mother seeing this scene? Windsor. Windsor Castle.'"And it was beautiful, it was really beautiful but the Queen is terrific. She is so sharp, so wise, so beautiful."Up close, you see she's so beautiful. She's a very special person."And the way she's conducted herself for so many years. And she's got a lotta years left." 0:21 Video: Trump halts in front of Queen during meeting The president claimed they discussed Brexit, with the Queen describing it as a "very complex problem".When asked if the monarch had given any indication of her personal views on the subject, Mr Trump said: "Well, I can't talk, you know I've heard very strongly from a lot of people, you just don't talk about that conversation with the Queen, right?"You don't wanna do that...Let me tell you what I can talk about... she is an incredible woman, she is so sharp, she is so beautiful, when I say beautiful - inside and out. That is a beautiful woman."When asked if he believes the Queen liked him, Mr Trump said: "Well I don't want to speak for her, but I can tell you I liked her. So usually that helps. But I liked her a lot." Source link

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junker-town · 8 years ago

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17 takeaways from Russell Westbrook's tense postgame press conference

Russ and a reporter got into a postgame press conference tiff. Let's break it down, point by point.

Russell Westbrook and Steven Adams gave a press conference yesterday after the Thunder lost to the Rockets in an exciting, close, and sloppy Game 4 during the first round of the NBA playoffs. Sorry, let me rephrase that: Steven Adams didn’t give much of a press conference at all, because when a reporter asked him a question, Russ stepped in and this happened:

Russell Westbrook goes off on reporter who asks about team's play while he's on the bench http://pic.twitter.com/oikTf0GxCj

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 23, 2017

[*Steps up to podium*] Let’s walk through this and break it down, because the hot takes concerning this one minute and thirty-five seconds of #content are probably only going to heat up as Monday morning progresses. And, in reality, I don’t think it’s all that take-able. It’s just a series of events that illustrate a series of facts, and I think these are the facts.

[*Turns on projector*]

1. Russ’s incredible season was based on his having to be superhuman while playing on a not-great team (truth hurts, Oklahoma). OKC’s lack of superstar talent makes the fact that Westbrook managed to average a triple-double and score thousands of points a night (seriously, thousands, look it up on truebasketballfactsthatarenotexaggerations dot com) totally wild.

2. In other words, the Thunder are pretty bad without Westbrook: On Sunday night, they were plus-14 with Westbrook on the floor, and minus-18 when he was on the bench.

3. The question the reporter asked ...

“Steven, second time in three games you guys really struggled when Russell went to the bench. You were out there for part of that, what goes on when he goes to the bench? Why is Houston so successful, and do you sense that they get an energy boost just from him going out of the game?”

... was therefore a valid one, given that the biggest narrative of the season has been Russ The Lone Warrior: Thunder Road.

4. And Westbrook’s reaction showed that the reporter clearly hit a nerve. Russ grabbed the mic before Adams could respond, and said this:

“I don’t want nobody trying to split us up, we are one team ... we’re in this together, don’t try to make us go against each other. I don’t want to hear that.”

Then he said “next question” five times as the reporter kept trying to ask Adams why the Thunder were bad without Russ. You think Westbrook would’ve freaked out like that if he hadn’t been hyper-sensitive to the situation already? No. But he’s entitled to this reaction. He never says the reporter is wrong, he just says that he isn’t going to sit there and say nothing while the reporter perpetuates a narrative that would be divisive to his team.

5. Furthermore, [*pushes glasses up onto nose, takes sip of water, ruffles papers on lectern*] the beauty of free speech — while we still have it — is that journalists can ask whatever questions they want, and subjects can answer those questions however they want. They can also not answer them at all. I saw a lot of tweets flying back and forth in the frothy internet wake of this press conference concerning what’s expected from both athletes and reporters. I think it’s fairly simple: Neither side owes the other side anything.

6. In those situations you do, however, have to make decisions based on the consequences of what you ask and how you answer. If, as an athlete, you regularly respond like a shit head, you’re less likely to get favorable coverage. If, as a reporter, you regularly pose questions like a shit head, you’re less likely to get athletes to talk to you. You have to decide when it’s worth making a fuss (and there are definitely people on both sides of the table who are less smart about this than others).

7. I don’t think either of these guys are being shit heads in this case. But I do think things got tense. And while the reporter isn’t wrong, he probably would’ve saved himself a scene by clamming up sooner when it came to this particular storyline. It wasn’t a question that could be served that well by an athlete’s answer — the points and stats tell the story better than a quote would.

8. But also, what on Earth would make you think that, after a season of being petty as all hell and holding one of the best grudges in the history of sports (hey, Kevin Durant, sorry, didn’t see ya there!) while having a historic season, Russ was going to finally give up and let Adams answer a question just because you asked it enough times?

9. He wouldn’t! This moment was illustrative of Westbrook’s ethos. He thrives on adversity. He seems to want people to test him so that he has an excuse to fire back.

10. Russ’s reaction is valid, though, because even if it’s true that he’s carrying the team on his back like a hiker attempting to complete the Appalachian Trail with no help [*points to map*], he can’t admit that. And he doesn’t want his teammates to have to admit that, either.

Basketball is a team sport, no matter how unhelpful the rest of your team can be sometimes. To hop in and save your fellow player from having to say, “Yeah, well, the truth is that we totally blow when Russ isn’t on the floor!” seems, in my humble opinion, a valiant way to protect what’s left of team chemistry. It’s certainly better than sitting there while your teammate in the NASA shirt fumbles to address why he and the rest of the crew are not performing well without you.

11. What Westbrook did, however, is pretty indicative of the Thunder’s season as a whole. Russ hopped in to bat down the idea that his stardom is divisive, but in doing so, proved that he is the star, and that he often controls what happens both on and off the court while everyone else watches.

12. Adams didn’t appear to want to say much, given that when he had a chance to answer, he just pointed at Russ. But Russ didn’t initially give him the agency to field the question himself.

13. And it’s worth noting that this was almost exactly like what happened a year ago when Durant stopped Westbrook from answering a question about how Mark Cuban said Durant was the only superstar on the team. “He’s an idiot,” Durant said of Cuban, defending Russ as Russ sat next to him in a charming fedora. Ah, the memories [*wipes away a single tear*].

14. HOWEVER: All of the previous 13 points above are moot because of what Russ is wearing. You can’t tell anyone who’s outfitted in a floral shirt, bandana, and John Lennon sunglasses anything. Russ looks a character from Dazed and Confused. Or like your older brother’s hot friend from college who was in that cool band you’d later realize was actually trash. In other words: He’s untouchable and allowed to say whatever the hell he wants.

15. I love when Adams just points at Russ.

Did a teacher just ask who put the whoopee cushion on her desk chair? Did your boss ask who was supposed to write up the minutes after a conference call? Did your best friend ask who ate the last slice of pizza and it was you, but you know she’ll kill you if you admit it, so you point to the friend people expect to do that sort of thing?

16. Steven Adams’s NASA shirt is good, too.

17. In conclusion [*stacks papers on top of each other, clicks off projector*] fashion won the Rockets-Thunder playoff series.

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wbwest · 8 years ago

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West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 2/3/17

I saw my first movie of 2017 in the form of M. Night Shyamalan’s Split. A lot of people feel like Shyamalan’s coming off a string of bombs, but I’ve enjoyed the projects he’s been involved with, including Wayward Pines and After Earth. Still, this movie seems to be the one bringing all the boys back to the yard, and for good reason. I really enjoyed it, and feel like I need to watch it again just to catch certain things. If you’re not familiar, three teenage girls are kidnapped by James McAvoy, who suffers from dissociative identity disorders and has multiple personalities running around in his head. You never quite know which identity is in the driver’s seat, and over time you come to realize why, exactly, he kidnapped those particular girls. I don’t know if the movie had that patented Shyamalanian twist ending, but the very end of the movie did make my jaw drop. I’m not going to spoil it here, but I definitely think you should check out this film.

In movie news, it was announced that Ben Affleck is out of the director’s chair for The Batman. Reports say that he didn’t think he could handle being in front of and behind the camera on such a film, but it could be that Warner Bros got a bit gun shy after the box office failure of his recent release, Live By Night, which he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in. It only made $19 million on a budget of $65 million. As far as rumors go, there’s also talk that he may bow out of the film entirely, which would make for quite the awkward press tour for this fall’s Justice League. I kinda don’t think this movie is ever gonna happen. Even if it does, my level of excitement is basically at Star Trek Discovery level, which isn’t very high.

We got out final post for the upcoming Power Rangers film. It’s…something. It’s a serviceable poster, but I’m still not sold on the Bayformers zords. This poster not only showcases them, but also serves to point out their visual weaknesses. They’re just colored beasts, but there’s no real Wow Factor to them. I’m hoping they translate better onscreen, but right now it just looks like a Photoshopped CGI mess.

In TV news, Marvel announced the cast for the upcoming Runaways series on Hulu. I’ve gotta say I kinda forgot about this, and I’m surprised it’s actually happening. I’d name the stars, but you’ve never heard of any of them. They all seem to look the part, except for Molly Haynes – a young White girl who’s now Molly Hernandez, a teenage Latina. I have no problem with the ethnicity switch, but I do have issues with her being aged up, as part of Molly’s charm is that she’s a sweet girl who’s about 11 years old. I don’t want her to lose that aspect of her personality. Oh, and she’s a mutant, which they’ll probably have to change and say she’s an Inhuman now or some shit. I don’t have Hulu, don’t plan to get Hulu, nor does this news make me want Hulu, but it’s still nice to see the Marvel Universe expanding. Maybe I’ll change my tune about the show once we’re closer to its release.

Speaking of Marvel TV, they announced the cast for Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger series, and it was neither of the folks I mentioned last week. Instead of Debby Ryan, Dagger will be played by former Disney Channel star Olivia Holt. Meanwhile, Cloak will be played by Aubrey Joseph, from The Night Of. If I remember correctly, Cloak & Dagger are an interracial couple of runaways who take an experimental drug and get powers? I’m too lazy to look it up, so somebody correct me if I’m wrong. If there are strong ties to the MCU, I might give it a chance. Then again, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has basically shown us the limits of how much they can tie into the MCU, so I’m not optimistic. I don’t really mess with Freeform, as I’m not a 14 year old White girl, but maybe this won’t suck. Maybe.

Peter Capaldi announced that this will be his last season starring in Doctor Who. What is it about that show that they can’t keep an actor more than 3 seasons? It’s an interesting little franchise, and there’s no real American equivalent to it. If you’re an up and coming actor, it’s a great stepping stone, but if you’re established, it’s a nice way to be a part of an institution. That said, why is the role such a revolving door? Are the working conditions grueling? Bad pay? Annoying fanboys? Sure, the story allows for steady recasting, what with the regenerations and all, but just because they’re there doesn’t mean they have to burn through them. Anyway, folks are saying that this would be a great time for the franchise to cast a person of color or a woman in the role of The Doctor. Right now, folks are rallying behing Agent Carter‘s Hayley Atwell and The I.T. Crowd‘s Richard Ayoade. I’d be fine with either of those, and that would actually make me finally check out the show.

In other TV news, it was announced that OWN has picked up a House of Payne spinoff, called The Paynes. Let me school ya a little about television. About ten years ago, a new creature popped onto the scene called a 10/90 deal. Basically, a show would get a 10-episode test run, and if the ratings were good, they’d get an order for 90 additional episodes, instantly taking them directly into syndication. With the exception of Charlie Sheen’s Anger Management and Ice Cube’s Are We There Yet?, the only other shows to successfully navigate this model were the Tyler Perry sitcoms House of Payne, For Better or Worse, and Meet The Browns. The model has since been retired, as too many shows failed after the initial 10-episode order, but Perry is basically king of the 10/90. It’s probably because he works the shit out of his casts. I mean, House of Payne filmed 254 episodes in 8 seasons. Anyway, I was a big fan of House of Payne because it was ALWAYS on, especially on former UPN stations that were then being branded as MyNetworkTV stations. The show is about the Payne family, led by patriarch and retired firefighter Curtis Payne and his wife Ella. It dealt with all sorts of hot button issues, but it stressed the importance of family. I’m a harsh critic of series finales, but the series finale of House of Payne is one of the worst episodes of television I’ve ever seen (I feel like they didn’t know they were getting canceled), so I’m glad the show is coming back in some form to somewhat redeem itself. So far, it’s been greenlit for 38 episodes, but it’s not clear as to who will be showing up besides Curtis and Ella. It’s set in Florida, where the Paynes are trying to enjoy their retirement until a real estate deal goes wrong. Yeah, I’ll watch it.

I’m the furthest thing from a foodie, as I eat like a 5 year old: if it looks “yucky”, I won’t eat it. So, I eat a lot of fast food. And I’m fat. Anyway, I tried the Grand Mac this week, as I have been lusting over it ever since I learned of its existence. If you don’t have it where you live, the Grand Mac is a bigger Big Mac. I thought it was just a Big Mac with thicker Quarter Pounder patties, but I was wrong. Turns out it clocks in around 1/3 of a pound, and the patties aren’t thicker, but wider in diameter. It’s a LOT of burger, and I ain’t no bitch. It was a nice excursion, but I’m not sure I can handle a Grand Mac on a regular basis. For now, they’re saying it’s only for a limited time, but maybe it’ll stick around like that Bacon Clubhouse that nobody seems to like. At the same time, they also introduced the Mac Jr, which I’d like to go on record and say that I created this sandwich. Of course, I simply called it The Mac, but I tweeted it to the McDonalds Twitter account a few years back, after they retired the Mac Snack Wraps. It’s a Big Mac with one patty, and a standard bun instead of the usual triple decker format. I remember they sent me some kind of dismissive reply, but now, here they are, selling my damn sandwich. I want my credit, McDonalds!

If you’re “woke”, then you realize that it’s currently Black History Month. Now, if you’ve followed me online for the past few years, you know that I used to tweet funny faux facts (well, I guess they’re “Alternative Facts” now) every day for the whole month. Well, last year I kinda had my Dave Chappelle moment, as I noticed some folks retweeting them who were laughing at me and not with me. You know the type. We call them “deplorables” now. Anyway, it was kinda eye opening for me, so I’m taking the year off. Don’t get me wrong – there are a few of those that were comedy gold, and I’ll probably tweet them as they pop up, but I’m not doing the full-on campaign this year. I think it needs to be rebranded.

Last night, I had the honor of joining The Kliqnation’s Comic Book Chronicles for their 200th episode. They are definitely my favorite comics podcast (Hell, they’re the only comic podcast I even care to listen to these days), and I’m really proud of them for doing the good work week in and week out for all these years. I remember their first episode like it was yesterday. Anyway, we had a great time discussing the latest releases of the past 2 weeks, so check it out!

Things You Might Have Missed This Week

Tamron Hall left NBC this week, after it was announced that her hour of The Today Show with Al Roker would be eliminated to make room for Megyn Kelly.

The Oxygen network will rebrand itself as a crime destination channel for women. So, if you ever wanted to know how to get away with killing your husband, Oxygen’s got you covered.

Sharknado 5 was announced, with Ian Ziering and Tara Reid returning. This installment will feature them fighting sharks across Europe. Personally, I think this franchise is beyond done, but I know I’ll watch it.

The seventh seal is broken, as Queen Beyoncé announced she’s expecting twins.

The Get Down‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been cast as Black Manta in the Aquaman film, while Nicole Kidman is being eyed to play Aquaman’s mother. Ooh, she’s entered that phase of her career…

Fox has passed on producing the Black Lightning pilot, so now the show is being shopped to The CW to join the other Berlantiverse series.

Nobody had a week like Winona Ryder at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last Sunday. Her show, Stranger Things, won Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series, and Winona’s facial expressions were all over the place. It’s all folks could talk about when they weren’t talking about politics, so I think Winona Ryder had the West Week Ever.

#Batman #Comics #Marvel #Movies #Power Rangers #Race #Star Trek #Syndication #Television #West Week Ever

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