#If I don’t get a GK dream OR AT LEAST A DREAM I GET TO CARRY TINY KI AGAIN I WILL BE UPSET

[killuaisaprincess]

Is my birthday

[suhstaste]

behold my top 6 predictions!!!

1) Arsenal, something tells me that that dream will be come a reality this year (plus a certain Belgian man being out for 3/4 months). Integrate Kai and Declan well and if Saka, Martinelli, Odegard, Zinchenko and Jesus keep performing as well as they did last year and this is very much a title contenting and winning squad. also if they avoid injury 🤣

2) Manchester City, it’s time they lose 😂 the only other team going head to head with them was Arsenal so that’s why I’m going to bat for them but all eras and reigns must come to an end and i so DESPERATELY want it to be City’s time. But alas, with the likes of Ruben Dias, John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Kyle Walker and last but most definitley not least, Erling Fucking Haaland still being in their prime and deadly (lmk if I’m missing anyone) you would be a fool to think these guys would have a terrible drop off. In our dreams maybe.

3) Now we’re getting controversiallllll. I think Liverpool could do it. Yes they need a DM, but in this market, especially if they look outside of England, i believe they can find one. Ask the Brighton scouts for advice guys. But other than that they have a solid squad. That partial midfield revamp looks good, Szobozlai and MacAllister look like they can definitely deliver solid performances for the reds, but they’re just missing that DM (and they thought it was gonna be Caicedo 😂😂😂😂😂) and once they get it…the Merseysiders will be back once again. The performance against Chelsea was worrying and if I was Liverpool fan over the last week I would be stressed and depressed but I have no doubt that they’ll turn it all around, on and off the pitch. They always find a way

4) Again, Controversial but Newcastle. They are my sleeper pick guys omg. They’ve been so solid and deadly for so long but yet people look over them like they don’t exist. 5-1 to a GOOD Villa team???? They terrify me. Newcastle are not here to play and they’re here to make a name for themselves. I’m excited to see them perform in the Champs League. But lemme say this. Last year was not a fluke, Newcastle United are here to stay.

5)…….United………

Don’t eat me United fans. I have just been disappointed with what I’ve seen from the Red Devils. Nothing has pointed to a another potential title contention, or even a solid top 4 performances. Waltzing into the new year with a Casemiro, Fernandes and Mount midfield is a choice. At least they dealt with the GK situation, Onana is an upgrade from De Gea 🤣 but this team just doesn’t strike fear in me. I still believe they can compete at a high level but there just isn’t that thing, that key component there that would have me putting them up higher. That first game against Wolves was abysmal and should’ve ended in a draw due to stupid refereeing choices and the fact that you couldn’t even string a solid performance against WOLVES on week ONE?? Not a great foreshadow for the season i won’t lie

6) Up the Mighty Chels!!

Did you think they’d be any higher?? Could’ve been 5th but I haven’t seen Caicedo, Lavia and Fernandez play together yet so I will reserve my judgment until then. This rebuild has been generational. This midfield will be the coldest midfield in the game in a couple years I promise. I see a lot of promise with this team and if Reece James can keep fit oh we are so back. The back line is cold, Colwil, is a gem and only 20. The only thing people can hold against Thiago is his age but even at 38 he’s still amazing. The attack still needs work, i don’t think a front pairing of Sterling and Nico Jackson will work long term (Nkunku we miss you bae) but it can work for now. Let’s not even forget about Madueke and Mudryk, to wingers just ready to unleash their potential. Chelse is a team of what ifs and potential right now and I just have a feeling it’s going to be a great few years at Stamford Bridge ahead of us. :)

[chibivesicle]

End of GK thoughts

I feel like I’m going back to the mindset I first had when I was reading GK and writing meta and going more with my gut. 

So, what did I think of the end of GK?

It was disappointing to say the least. 

Okay, I said it - moving on to other things . . . or you can read more reasons why it was disappointing to me.

What got me to lose interest as a reader (besides all sorts of IRL stuff) was that the last story arc was sloppy.  It had a vibe of it being far to rushed with too many loose threads and plot points that never got resolved. First off - the endings for the characters.

1.) Sugimoto and Asirpa return to Hokkaido - this was the one ending that I absolutely did not want to have happen.  This is further emphasized that indeed, Umeko never needed Sugimoto’s help which makes his entire premise - just dumb.  She took care of herself buddy and you ran away from things, just like you ran away from your burnt down house.  The MC’s entire rationale for the entire story was - utterly pointless.  To think that @goldenkamuyhunting and I wrote lots of metas about how Sugimoto was making a huge assumption that he needed to do this and never spoke to her in the flashback. . . .

2.) Many character deaths fell short or felt meaningless (and not in the futility of life sort of way).  Ushiyama, Hijikata, Ogata, Sofia . . . they all just sort of pathetically happened with very OOC moments for everyone except for Hijikata but it was still - meh. 

3.) Shiraishi using the gold he got to live out Boutarou’s dream - which seems OOC for him as well seeing that he was good friends Kiro and understood what he was fighting for.  To instead side with a Japanese convict’s more selfish dream was just weird.  Dude, Shiraishi was the one who really took the time to mourn Kiro’s death and thought of him in his youth on the river in a canoe . . . he was your friend man and you had a better understanding of his rationale than Sugimoto ever did. 4.) Tanigaki returns to his home in Akita with Inkarmat and they have lots of kids.  What about his debt to Huci?  We never saw that resolved, instead he lives happily ever after with a family that is even more marginalized due to the Matagi-Ainu combo?

5.) What happened to the tiger curse?  Not only with Tanigaki but Koito and Tsukishima.  Instead, Koito goes on to get that leadership position he wanted with Tsukishima in the 7th until is will be dissolved due to the end of WWII. 6.) Anyone who had a strong political/social justice opinion died - specifically non-Japanese charas.  I’m looking at Kiro - the native who died fighting the system while Asirpa and Ariko take on the more integrated native way to survive.  I’m sure they had a great time dealing with discrimination, poverty and all that stuff.  Watch the Indie film Ainu Mosir to see what that looks like in present day Hokkaido. I’m also looking at Sofia who never got full potential as a character.  Or even Wilk - who I’d still nominate as the worst father of the year for many years.  He may have been misguided with his plans e.g. people don’t behave like he does but he was still working for something for the native peoples.  I continue to waffle back and forth if this is a case of a Japanese creator not wanting to capture them well and thus doesn’t try or that he’s using the excuse of not being of those groups so he can’t depict them. 7.) The ending was all about Japanese people fighting over the future of Hokkaido with no input from those who live there.  And that was what made this really disappointing for me.  Asirpa lost most of her agency, deferring to follow whatever Sugimoto did.  Ariko was absent having been heavily wounded previous in the plot.  Kirawus was just there with Kadokura in the background. 8.) No one cared about Vasily - honestly, really - he was useless to the overall plot.  Again, a foreigner who’s continued existence was just not doing much of anything.  It would have been better if he died when Ogata shot him at the Japanese-Russian border. Now that I got that off my chest, I can drop my second point in no particular order.

The last story arc was meandering, unfocused, and wasted potential.  What I mean by this is that before the final arc, the manga had much tighter pacing and control.  The plot moved forward in such a way that things tied in neatly and kept the readers guessing what would be important to remember and what might be foreshadowing.  It really lost me at a time when it was hard to put in the effort.  I’m not sure what Noda and his editor were thinking - or not thinking, but it showed.  I know we can get tired of things and it makes it hard to focus on them or give them the love they deserve.  If Noda were having creative burnout - something that could totally have been worse due to the pandemic - than he should have gone on hiatus and restructure things.  The elements of the story that I really enjoyed were lost in the last arc - the sociopolitical element and the nuanced approach to characters who became very disposable at the end. 

As story like this needed to breathe at the end and it never got a chance to come up for air.  It just got smothered in a murder/kill fest of violence souring things for me.  I had entertained the thought of writing about how bummed out I was at Ogata’s ending, but I’ve realized it isn’t even worth it.  Noda, if you wanted Ogata to die, you should have stuck to your original plan on the ice floe.  Thanks.

The Karafuto arc had me hooked to read each new chapter.  I loved it and how much it made me think about the historical and political context of things as a reader on something I knew very little of.  The last arc could not follow that up.  At. All. What this means is that if GK ended in a more cohesive manner - I’d rate it one of the best manga series that I’ve read.  However, it didn’t.  So, I’ll have to bump it down to a better than average manga that was good until the last arc.  Was this a terrible manga?  No, I still see it as better than most with themes and ideas that really started to make you think.  The problem is that it stopped doing that in the last arc and it shows.  Do I hate Noda?  Of course not.  He still put lots of effort into making the manga good for a long time.  I just expected him to do more and it didn’t work out that way.  Would I recommend this - sure, but I would do so with the caveat that the last arc falls in quality.

And I’m going to leave things here.

[cogentranting]

Tier Ranking All the Classics/”Literature” type Books I’ve Read

Or at least all the ones I remembered to include/didn’t arbitrarily decide to leave out. (Within each tier the books are not ranked)

Other books wish they had what these books have

(The best of the best. )

Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoevsky) A Tale of Two CIties (Charles Dickens)  Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) The Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien) The Chronicles of Narnia (CS Lewis)

Love it

Les Misérables (Victor Hugo)  East of Eden (John Steinbeck)- honestly I don’t remember much about it but I remember liking it a lot Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)  Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)  The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)  As I Lay Dying (William Faulkner)  Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen)- but if I reread this might very well move up a category. Haven’t read it since I was like 11 Emma (Jane Austen) Catch-22 (Joseph Heller) The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien)  The Space Trilogy (CS Lewis) Til we Have Faces (CS Lewis) A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'Engle)

It makes me think

(It’s not fun in the way you might think but it has really interesting ideas or elements that I enjoy engaging with) 

The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky) The Stranger (Albert Camus)  Night (Elie Wiesel)  Grendel (John Gardner)  The Sunflower (Simon Wiesenthal) Confessions (Augustine of Hippo)  The Man Who was Thursday (GK Chesterton)  Orthodoxy (GK Chesterton)

Good Vibes Only

(I don’t really remember it but I remember liking it)

Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro)  Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)  Hard Times (Charles Dickens)  Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens)  Persuasion (Jane Austen)  My Antonia (Willa Cather)

Really Enjoyable

Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (T.S. Eliot)- It’s absurd and a delight.  To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) The Martian Chronicles (Ray Bradbury)  Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell)  Life of Pi (Yann Martel) War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy)  The Crucible (Arthur Miller)  Hamlet (William Shakespeare) The Color of Water (James McBride)  Beowulf A Separate Peace (John Knowles)- Also featuring not one but two movie adaptations of the “so bad they’re funny” variety Middlemarch (George Elliot)  White Fang (Jack London)- except the ending. Let White Fang stay wild.  Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)- they’re trash people doing terrible things and it’s a good time And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie) The Silmarillion (JRR Tolkien)

It’s good BUT

(I like it but there’s one glaring exception to that) 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Victor Hugo) - Most of it is fun but also I’m pretty sure the one major plot point is very racist Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell) 

yeah, it’s good

(I like it but not strongly)

The Jungle Book (Rudyard Kipling)  The Idiot (Fyodor Dostoevsky)  Macbeth (William Shakespeare)  The Possessed (Fyodor Dostoevsky) Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) Moby Dick (Herman Melville)  Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain) Paradise Lost (John Milton)  The Bean Trees (Barbara Kingsolver)- respect the fact that between when I read this as a high school freshman to when I read it as a student teacher, it worked its way up from “bleh) to be here The Three Musketeers (Alexandre Dumas)  The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) 

Sure

(I feel slightly more positive than neutral)

Animal Farm (George Orwell) Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) The Scarlet Letter (Nathaniel Hawthorne)  Medea (Euripides)  Antigone (Sophocles) The Odyssey (Homer) David Copperfield (Charles Dickens)  Player Piano (Kurt Vonnegut) 

That’s  definitely a book that exists and I have read

(I have no emotions regarding this book)

The Portrait of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)  Tarzan of the Apes (Edgar Rice Burroughs)  The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway) Death of a Salesman (Arthur Miller)  Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare) Passing (Nella Larsen) Charlotte Temple (Susanna Rowson)  Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)- I’m going to be honest. That category title is an exaggeration. I read a children’s abridged version when I was like 8 and that’s it. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) 

Need to reread

(I feel like I missed something the first time through and would appreciate it more on reread) 

Beatrice and Virgil (Yann Martel)  Song of Solomon (Toni Morrison)- honestly though I think rereading would move it to “respect but don’t like”  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare)  Canterbury Tales (Geoffrey Chaucer) 

I respect it, but I don’t like it

(I fully think that this is a quality book, but for some reason or another, I don’t like it) 

The Plot Against America (Phillip Roth)  The House on Mango Street (Sandra Cisneros) 100 Years of Solitude (Gabriel García Márquez) 

Bleh

Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare) The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)  The Metamorphosis (Franz Kafka)

Bad Vibes Only

(I don’t remember this book but I remember I didn’t like it) 

Heart of Darkness (Joseph Conrad) A Portrait of the Artist as a Yong Man (James Joyce)  Rose in the Heart (Edna O’Brien)

Strong Dislike

1984 (George Orwell)- It could almost go into respect but don’t like, because I think the world he creates and the idea of it all is very well done. And the essay on NewSpeak is brilliant. But the book is boring and the characters are bad and I don’t really care if Winston gets tortured to death. The Man in the Iron Mask (Alexandre Dumas)- There’s a reason why at least one movie adaptation looked at the plot and went “nah we’ll just write our own”. The first one is basically a swashbuckling adventure and then this one was like “hey want to see the musketeers sad and old and what if they went on one final mission which is deeply misguided where they all fail and die. Does that sound fun?” If I’m remembering it correctly. 

“I can shoot the book physically but not conceptually and that makes me sad” 

(I hate this book so much you don’t understand)

The Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger)- this category was made specifically this book in mind. 

[testingcheats0n]

Bran IV

Bran IV.... I 'm beginning to appreciate Bran's chapters more this time. I hated them when I read them the first time. I thought them boring and uneventful, but now that I know all the secrets that might be hidden I'm enraptured.

Old Nan was always my favorite though, I always knew that her stories were true in the folksy, spoken tradition way.

Well. Bran's carefree childhood is over, he is angry and saddened by his situation, and he's kind of talking to himself. He says "It was just a lie..." to which Old Nan responds with "Crows are all liars, I know a story about a crow."

Hold up. Several things.

1. How does she know that Bran was talking about a specific lie he dreamt of about crows? He doesn't even mention the animal, but she knew exactly what was he referring to. Did he tell her earlier? He is quite sullen in this chapter, but he might've been talkative when he woke up, so that might be an explanation. I remember jumping up from my seat when I reached that part. Like- how does she know it's about the crow?

2. "Crows are all liars" That's a weird thing to say about your primary way of communication, lady. Oh? You were making a pointed distinction between crows and ravens? I see...

3. She knows a story about a crow. Which one? A man of the Night's Watch? Some spooky stuff happened with them- but it's not only a story. Does the crow in Old Nan's untold tale have three eyes, perchance? Whatever the case Bran did shut her off and we never heard that one.

Bran is too old for stories, he tells himself, embarking on a journey that depends on observing others' tales. Ig this is the part where he rejects the call for adventure.

Bran then proceeds to insult this poor old lady. In my opinion, she is a fascinating character. She came to Winterfell as a wet-nurse to a Bran, but which Bran even she doesn't remember. In fact, she's seen so many generations of Starks that she gets them confused with this one. That's so interesting- the things she'd seen as a wet-nurse through so many Lords of Winterfell...

Whatever the case, she is old now. Her sons died, her daughters are gone, and all she has is her distant relation Hodor.

"I know a story about a boy who didn't like stories."

Get him Old Nan.

Poor, poor Rickon. If Bran has Hodor and Old Nan, then baby Rickon didn't have anyone. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he renounced his Stark identity.

Anyway. She tells him what happened during the first Long Night. I suspect she's some kind of greenseer, possibly an escaped wildling- or maybe she was stolen by a northener and brought as a wet-nurse. She pretty much tells us all we know of the Long Night, before the Rhoynish, the Andals and the First Men (or during that time). A child of the forest or two definitely told he about this one.

She tells it like so. Men were already on the continent when the Long Winter came, a hero of that period- the Last Hero- went out to search the children of the forest. He went out with a sword and a dog.

-At this point I have to urge you all to read into Lucifer means Lightbringer's theories, where he blends different myths from different lands to form a cohesive story before the Age of Heroes-

The man who went with a sword and a dog is Jon- or at least a reincarnation of him- or maybe a long dead greenseer's vision of him that turned into legend- he is also Azor Ahai according to some.

This is my tinfoil.

Azor Ahai attempted to craft a sword that would help him win against the darkness (darkness=ice=winter, you get it)

The first time he tempered in water, and it broke. Water might be a sea serpent, and AA himself might be the Grey King who killed it, thus tempering his sword into "water", he also fought against the Stormgod (snowstorms?), and maybe the Long Night as well as the Last Hero. His blade shattered and his wolf died, while ice spiders and other creatures descended on him.

Old Nan's story got interrupted before we learned of his fate. So that's essentially 2 times where gurm had blue-balled us.

Take into account that myths change, they are rephrased, darkness turns into winter, meteorites into swords. Maybe the Grey King wasn't actually a king and that's another separate myth that joined the AA one together with the mermaid, maybe AA and the GK never existed and they were a passed down interpretation of some dreamer's future vision of the real AA. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

Whatever the case. If my theory is true then there were/are 3 different reincarnations of AA, all of them tried to fight an ancient evil, and they all attempted to create swords in different ways to combat the evil. Two had to fail, one will succeed... Hopefully. So next time, someone has to kill a lion (maybe a Lannister, who knows) and a woman they love dearly (Rhaegar killing Lyanna? it doesn't necessarily make R+L=J true. Rhaegar can be wrong about one more thing too, as a treat.). I have notes on that too, but that's for later.

Tyrion comes. Smack cam, seconds before disaster, gone wrong, gone violent, might die.

Also not Theon roasting others about their names. Boy oh boy.

Blegh. Tyrion talked too much, and Robb was too angry for his own good- also the guy that's reading the book placed some well timed voice cracks as Robb talked- priceless. 100/10 content.

Also... hmmm where does Tyrion's black eye come from? Literally everyone in his family has green eyes and his parents were cousins. It's not purple- purple eyes in disguise are described as shades of blue- his is black implying a dark brown.

Shaggydog growls at Rickon. Which I do believe that it's a leftover of the "Tyrion did actually try to kill Bran" plot thread. Ghost didn't have any problems with him and Jon loves Bran as much as the rest of them. Maybe it's Rickon's youth.

Whatever the case, Winter Town is a very interesting idea, both becasue it's unusual and perhaps because of it's possible history. The Starks had an incentive to keep their peasants protected during the winters... I wonder why.

Bran dreams. I believe the crow is pushing him away from the idea of the horse, which gives him some modicum of freedom. There is also the idea of not remembering the Broken Tower out of fear.

Also in his dreams he sees gargoyles with red eyes. Idk what that means. Red eyes have always been spooky, and Bloodraven has 1 red eye not two sooooo.... Idk maybe it's future Jon through Ghost's eyes, or Bloodraven when he still had two eyes, or maybe a former greenseer- Jojen? Idk.

Finally, Bran suddenly blurts out for no reason that the children of the forest will take care of his uncle.

[quotes-of-dreamland]

ok hopefully this doesn’t end in warfare but out of all of the kirby characters, who would you guys date/who would you be most attracted to?

Mod Susie: I’m aroaspec, but i’m love womens... I might have to go with Zan. Pretty thunder lady. I like her voice and I draw her as a human the most. I am NOT a susie kin do not EVEN start I just like her general aesthetic deal, y'know? Flamberge is also a good choice because she's fun and valid (unlike Zan, who is cancelled) and I like the fluffy hair. Just gimme a mage sister I guess!

Mod Taranza: hoo boy. As a person who is polyamorous, panromantic, and has traits they admire in most if not all characters, this is tough. But if I have to narrow it down, I’d say my top four are Meta Knight, Taranza/Morpho, Magolor, and Zan Partizanne. I’ll elaborate on why once I get back into ranking the characters

Mod Gooey: I’m aroace and I don’t do the romance thing, but if you were threatening my life I’d have to go with Claycia. Claycia is a very talented artist (like me :3), has a pleasing colour palette, seems like she’d give great hugs, and her laugh---Have you heard her laugh?

It’s adorable! And (spoilers) Claycia also seems brave, smart, and kind-hearted too, putting herself between Elline and Dark Crafter, and thinking quick when the real villain attempts to make a smooth getaway.

Honourable mentions include that one NPC who yeets Gordos in KDL3, and Taranza.

Mod Lor: So anyone who knows me from the original quotes blog already knows one of my answers is Nova, and I am in denial over that still so I’m not even gonna try to defend myself. So I’ll share my other answer which is Lor(big surprise I know). Sure, she’s a boat and has no canon personality or anything that’s important, BUT: what Kirby character exists that doesn’t require a little bit of headcanon to become fleshed out? And yeah sure Lor needs a lot of headcanons to become what I imagine her to be like, but whatever, I have time and weird taste so that doesn’t matter. What does matter is her objective benefits. Lor can take you just about anywhere, so long as it isn’t indoors. Who hasn’t wanted to go to space before? Lor can let you live that dream. And, for the people like me who don’t like hugs or making eye contact, that problem is irrelevant here. Need a safe environment to exist in for a little while? Lor has you covered. Wanna visit friends that are far away? Distance isn’t a problem when your partner can warp wherever you guys want. And, lastly, it’s free minigames.

Mod Galacta:  i am questioning if i'm aro or ace spec but, uh, i guess it'd be neat to hang out with mk, gk, taranaza, or bandee?  -meta has dad energy and chill vibes when not fighting for your life against him. -galacta knight (at least my version of him) is still very competitive though after spending many years in the crystal prison, only being released to fight rarely, decides to get more non-fighting based hobbies and relax more after getting released. probably be very nice to hang out with when (again) not being challenged to a fight.  -i don't now that much about taranza but he'd probably want to talk about gardening, play games and drink tea? honestly very good friend vibes.  -bandana is just friend shaped and i love them,, they deserves every good thing that comes their way

Mod Ribbon:  i actually had a HUGE crush on Ribbon when I was little, appropriately enough lmao. i'd also have to say MK is very cute/handsome and Dedede is EXTREMELY sexy and they both deserve many kisses. Sectonia is also stunning (bonus for magic and swords and being generally cool) but I don't think I'd ever want to date her because on top of the blindingly obvious caveats I am e x t r e m e l y spheksophobic

[bonaintan]

A Journey to KGSP/GKS: How I Ended Up in Korea

Everyone has at least one turning point in their life. It’s a momentum when one believes that his/her life has completely changed and a new one has begun. To me, KGSP/GKS is one of my turning points. I wouldn’t say that my journey to get the scholarship and my student life in Korea were full of blood and tears. Tough days were there, but there must be a bunch of more heart-breaking stories other than mine. God allows us to experience things and difficulties within our ability and even though I had mine in an unexpected way, I know that He had been very soft to me all the time. It was the time when I learned different versions of myself I never knew existed. And just now, months after I graduated and managed to finish the program safely that I had the courage to share my experience.  

---

Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP), which has changed its name into the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS), is a scholarship program from the Government of the Republic of Korea. This program provides foreigners the opportunity to continue to higher education (undergraduate and graduate degree programs) in South Korea. You may click here for more information.

Studying abroad has always been one of my dreams since high school. It turned from a mere dream into a plan once I graduated from university. Given my major is not a common one (Family Science) especially in Indonesia, I knew that I should go overseas to do my master’s degree program. I could’ve just continued my studies at the same university where I graduated, but even my advisor suggested to find some overseas universities, the most possible one is in Malaysia. At the time, Korea hadn’t been on the list as I had no idea if any universities were providing my prospective major.

I only did my research on schools in Malaysia and the US until I ran into a broadcast message about overseas scholarship for graduate programs. The list was quite long so I did a quick scan and started to dig into each based on my country preference, where Korea happened to be one of it. Back then, my knowledge of Korea was limited to dramas that I got to watch along with my older sisters (if you have three older sisters you can hardly choose what to watch on TV) and then some bands my little sister listened to. So I’ve been a fan of the Korean entertainment industry before coming to Korea, but studying there was never on any of my imaginations because I was skeptical on the idea of learning a new language (there were days when I laughed on Korean language and how the actors/actresses look, never imagined it would be part of myself in the future).

Surprisingly, the moment I learned about KGSP/GKS, I decided to give it a go. I did calculations on time and energy that I had (I was working at the time) and knew that I could afford only one scholarship application at the time. So I wrapped up my research on other countries and scholarship programs and spent the rest of the year preparing for KGSP/GKS applications, which means that I literally gave my all to my first scholarship journey. As a person who was spoiled by her parents and never had experience in scholarship application before, it was quite overwhelming. But, I tried hard to prepare everything myself despite their disapproval. It was actually my way to show them as well as God that I could do it and I would make it (what a confidence. Lol).

I sent my application to the Korean Embassy in Jakarta as I applied via Embassy Track. I learned that the competition on the first round through this track was not a joke, but I simply preferred having three university choices rather than one and I didn’t want to take a risk of having my documents lost on the way (that’s odd, I know, but I’m always more on the safe side). Thank God, I got the interview call and then had my documents sent to Korea after passing the interview process. The next round was having my documents screened by the Korean National Institute for International Education (NIIED) in Korea and once I passed this process, I had to wait for the email from my chosen universities, whether they wanted to do another interview or directly announced their decision. At this round, a lot of awardees say that you’ve already put your first step in Korea and there will be at least one university that will accept you. The saying was such a tranquilizer for me that I even started to make my packing list (’m not always this confident, seriously).

I got the first email from Kyungpook National University who was interested in my application and sent me a written interview. While undergoing the university selection process, applicants have to submit the medical check-up form. And it was around that time when things started to go down the hill. It should be easy if you have no history of having any acute diseases. I was not a healthy kid myself so I was quite worried that something off would unveil. It turned out that the underlooked mental health check-list was the one that got in my way. I took my medical check-up in a nearby hospital which happened to be a mental hospital where the doctor couldn’t simply sign my form without doing all the tests including the mental one. So, I had to take a written test to get the psychiatrist's signature, which unfortunately turned out that she didn’t want to give.

It was probably the wrong time to take the test. I was tired and drained out after taking several tests in a day. But, I know the result wouldn’t turn out differently had I done it on another day. So, I had to respond either yes or no on 300 questions. I guess the test basically tries to reveal your mental state (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) through your fears and your response to stressful situations. Unfortunately, my result didn’t come out well. As silly as it sounds, I couldn’t hold my tears in the counseling room when the psychiatrist showed me the result and told the story of people with similar cases like me and what happened to them. I sobbed not because she couldn’t give her recommendation, but because finally came the day when someone put my condition into words. It might sound like I was being judged and the way she frankly explained it to me was also unpleasant, but nothing was wrong with what she said which made me feel even worse.

You might think I could’ve just taken the test again in another hospital. But, I couldn’t let my money go down the drain, and asking my parents’ money was not part of the plan. Plus, I had no ample time to do it all over again and get the results on time. More than anything, I started to doubt my decision to study abroad. I knew that the fear of living away from my parents and not being able to handle things independently had always been there all along (I don’t know if anyone at my age could relate). Not only one person who pointed it out, but I kept on denying it. So, when it was brought to the surface especially by a professional, it was painful to the point that I considered withdrawing because I couldn't even trust myself to take a risk.

Surprise-surprise, only a few days after the medical check-up I received the acceptance email from Kyungpook National University. I took it as a yes from God. I had come that far and I wouldn't trade my spot for some future events no one never knew would really happen. So, with as much courage as I had, I took the mental health test again suggested by the kind nurse who listened to me crying in the counseling room, answered the same questions differently, and managed to receive the psychiatrist's signature to complete my medical form. Later, I got the acceptance notifications from Pusan National University and Seoul National University as well, which I ended up choosing the latter for my graduate school in Korea.

---

Preparing for KGSP/GKS applications and undergoing the selection process for months have taught me the pain of waiting and struggling. At one point, it showed me that I could push my boundary and instead of jumping out of my comfort zone, I tried to widen it and made things that were used to be hard become part of myself. With the permission of God, I could turn myself into such an overconfident head by asking prayers from people I know (in case my family’s prayers were not strong enough to persuade God. Lol). At another point, I was awakened to things I have been feared to deal with although I know I eventually have to. Confronting my fears wasn’t always pleasant nor that it affected me positively and became part of my comfort zone, but I did my share by trying to face it. At the end of the day, I learned Ikhlas and literally let God do the rest and decide for me. While waiting for the announcement I pictured the day I was rejected, hoping that it would ease the pain later. I also told myself hundred times that everything would be okay even if I failed as long as the sun still rises; I would cry my eyes out for days, receive comforting words halfheartedly, and wake up one day feeling okay again. 

And my journey to be part of KGSP/GKS came to a beautiful end as I flew to Korea in August 2016 and started the real struggle for 3 years. Some of what the psychiatrist said back then about people with similar cases like me did happen to me too, but I finished it differently. It was tough years and only God’s mercy and the people I spent my time with in Korea that helped me to stay sane and get through it. 

[fmlfpl]

Lineup Lamentations - GW31+

Our Transfers, Captains, and Starting 11s for the week!

—

WALSH

TRANSFERS:

OUT: Pukki and Grealish

IN (for -4 points hit): Richarlison and Connolly

I'm having a real fucking clunker of a season, worst of my FPL career by a lot, so I am feeling pretty loose. I'm backing what I saw with my eyes this weekend which, among other things, was that Grealish is an FPL non-option and Norwich are completely incompetent. The idea that Villa and Norwich would come back from the break revitalized and with a new fire burning was maybe too steeped in fairy tale than real life upon reflection, so, here we are. I'm not going to sit here and hope that either player turns it around and just fix the problem.

Rich looked really good against Livp, gets to play Norwich, and I guess I'm backing Everton and Carlo pretty hard here for the run in as he joins DCL in my team. Not the best fixtures but I am feeling them right now so we'll see how this goes. They are on a short break but DCL and Rich both seem like they could go 90 every day so I'm not too concerned with that. No FA Cup game so I'm not worried about Rich missing out.

I did spend more than a few minutes thinking of Alli in this spot but felt a bit too cute and leap-of-faithy with more question marks while Rich feels more of a sure thing with a similarly high ceiling.

Connolly is just cheap fuckboi who I will bury on my bench. Could've gone Necktie or something but figured that I'd rather have the extra change in my bank for what might be in my future.

GK:

de Gea (SHU)

DDG is a bit shit but he's gonna be between my sticks for the duration. Sheffu look like a beer league team right now so this clean should be extraordinarily easy.

DEF:

Maguire (SHU)

Slab makes it the double on their clean so depending on the way the wind blows here will have a big impact on my GW.

Doherty, Saïss, and Boly (BOU)

Speaking of wind and blowing, Wolves v Bournemouth. Woof. Treble Wolves D with the Dock, Saiss, and Boly get their second roll out.

Bournemouth looked holy shit all kinds of fucked up and bad against us last game and it seems like they will have an extremely difficult time finding a goal in this game. Clean feels like a pretty good shout here and I feel good with these three.

That's it for defense lol. It's just these two fucking teams. Eggs and baskets...

MID:

Mané and Salah (CRY)

Mane and Mo against my team. Whatever. Dunno what Livp will be up to or what XI he will pick after a very lethargic and shit performance against Everton. Feel like it might be enough to get them into gear before they face City the following gameweek, and with no FA Cup to distract them, they could disassemble us.

Richarlison (nor)

Rich is in against Norwich...ready to bang ok Richy let's go Rich.

Fernandes (SHU)

Lastly is Bruno. Don't really need to say anything about him. He's decent.

FWD:

Vardy (BHA)

Pretty fucking nervous about Leic and Vardy tomorrow in the early game with FA Cup for them this weekend and only two days off from the Watford game which was honestly pretty intense. Dunno what kind of XI Br0dge will select, but my hands are tied here. Much like my aggression in removing Pukki and Jack...if Leic don't pull it together quickly I could see Vardz being on the chopping block for Jesus or something soon mayb.

Calvert-Lewin (nor)

DCL looked really good to me against Livp - did his very difficult job well and nearly banged a worldy at the end of the game. Get in there lad.

BENCH:

Armstrong (ARS), Connolly (lei), and Egan (cunt)

It is harsh on Stuy that he's dropping to my bench, to be honest. It really was the biggest factor in my head towards saving, but realistically, he was always supposed to be my first shield on the bench and not someone who I rely on to start. Wouldn't be surprising if he came off anyway, but just wanted to give Stuy some words of encouragement because I love him so much. I love you Stuy, don't be mad at me kthx.

CAP:

Calvert-Lewin (nor)

I'm going to stick with DCL as shouted on the pod.

Hopefully he just like plays Bernard and Siggy with fucking like Andre Gomes and they just go into assault mode on Norwich. It'll certainly feel bad if/when Rich outscores DCL but its hard for me to justify going away from the tip of the spear for cap here.

—

ALON

TRANSFERS:

OUT: Mahrez

IN: Son

Planned switch and I made the move on Friday after Sonny boy looked good to me and came out of the match unscathed.

Mahrez is honestly one of my favorite FPL guys of all time and a true darling for me and he came through for me one more time but it’s time to go. Not really interested in Pep Roulette with him and Son to me is an easy and automatic pick from this moment through end of season. He will bang in loads of points. Simple.

GK:

Ederson (che)

Well this was supposed to be Leno but big RIP there.

I still back City to clean against like... every team in the.. world? Except Liverpool :).

So Eddy goes and will just be back there for the rest of season for me. If I need money at any point Leno down to a 3.9 might be where it comes from.

DEF:

Alexander-Arnold (CRY)

As good a clean fixture as there is in the league. Should be an easy job with upside of attacking returns and bones. Hopefully Trent’s shaken the rust off.

Maguire (SHU)

Blades are missing a lotttt of guys and they’re looking horrible so this will be the type of game where United need to just be mistake-free and not concede the oneish chance that Sheff U create and other then that should be an easy clean in complete control for 90′.

Doherty (BOU)

Doherty what a treat. No King for Bourney makes this an even tastier fixture... Hopefully Solanke starts and it’s just a shredding from Wolves. Also fingers crossed for Walsh’s treble to work out come on Wolves.

MID:

Son (WHU)

Go the fuck off Son it’s time.

Praying that Jose doesn’t maintain the Jose tactics and allows Son and Berg and Alli to run free in front of a passing midfield of Ndombele, Lo Celso, and Kane... I mean I can dream right?

Fernandes and Martial (SHU)

Plzplzpzplzplzpzplzlzplzz give me a Pogba start. I need a Pogba start so desperately... Otherwise we know what this will look like which is a dickless red devil humping a concrete wall for 90 minutes. Ugh.

Martial turnt up at the end of the Spurs match so I hope he can carry that momentum forward. Go on lads.

Traoré (BOU)

Adama! Was so thrilled when he came through for me. What a great lad. Love him. Now start him Nuno please sir.

FWD:

Aubameyang (sou)

Redemption arc begins here. No way he’s rested for FA cup right?????? (I’m terrified).

Jiménez (BOU)

Good ole Jim keeps Jimming it up. No problem gaffer.

Calvert-Lewin (nor)

Agree with what Walsh said above still love the look of this lad and think he’s got so much energy in those legs to go do it again against the by far worst defense in the division. Rip their hearts out and stomp on’em big Dom.

CAP:

Son (WHU)

I felt like I had at least 4 really good captaincy options and 2ish more then that still good sorta rogue ones too. So many good players with good fixtures in the team you love to see it.

I went to Son because Spurs must win and they have no FA Cup and he’s the best player of the group. All of those boxes being ticked swung me to Sonny boy and then for funsies I looked up his record vs West Ham which just further hammered (hehe) it home for me. This season he had a thirteen pointer goal and assist and in his seven career matches vs the bubble bois he has four goals and five assists... Absurd numbers. I usually dismiss these kinda stats but also, they’re not bad to have around, ya know?

Let’s go Son. Huge risk of ruining my week on the first day of the GW but fuck it I love the pick and loved the way he looked vs United. Cometh the hour cometh the man.

[jojotier]

are you gonna post you gk meta on your ao3 ?

Nah lol- while I like my meta and stuff, I feel like people go on ao3 for like. Actual fictional stories. I don’t feel comfortable clogging up the tag with what amounts to spam, especially since I already have it up on my tumblr. 

However, I do have a few stories that are kinda meta, with meta-commentary being the basis of the story itself.

Ice Nabe - probably my more popular one, originally based off a dream I had before 186 dropped. Basically, it follows Ogata in the bounds of a full psychotic breakdown, based on a headcanon I have that Ogata’s mother’s breakdown had some genetic basis, which would have passed onto Ogata, who has many other factors that could trigger a similar breakdown.

For reference, the factors that can culminate in a psychotic episode include genetics, trauma (like say, childhood neglect), mental illness, and physical injury (ie losing an eye, getting banged up, brain injury, etc). The reason for this is because a psychotic breakdown is essentially an overload of stress to the mind. This can most easily be seen with Sugimoto after his brain injury, whenever he becomes so stressed that he becomes seemingly unreachable in his violence. 

Considering the fact that Ogata’s just lost an eye, leaving him unable to fall back on his main identity of being a sniper… Ogata very much sees a gun as an extension of himself, and it’s possible that the high amounts of stress resulting from what amounts to his one security item being taken, it could lead to a psychotic break.

Shadows on the Wall - Another Ogata piece, this time taking inspiration from Albert Camus’s The Stranger. It technically is a modern au and is technically part of a bigger thing I’m doing for a joint siren au, but I still count it as meta. The thesis of this one is simply that Ogata’s grandmother was possibly the only thing mooring him to the present moment, and that he views people as not people at all- just shadows on the wall, pretending to be human.

Point of No Return - Basically focusing on the Golden Trio, the thesis of this one was simply that it seems the main theme of Golden Kamuy is going to be “even if we want to go back to the past, we can’t, so it’s better to look towards the future and focus on making meaningful connections with people”. 

In a lot of ways, this was a hard one to write, because it’s based on what Asirpa said in ch100- “If you eat persimmons, will you be happy again?” which echoes what I myself used to think as a child, when my father came home from the army with PTSD and depression severe enough that he wouldn’t get out of bed most days. When you’re young, you never think about the future- it’s too intangible, and uncertain. In a lot of ways, I wish I could tell myself that it’s useless to wish things were the same as before, or that you could make things simple and easy again- because it’s never that easy or simple. You have to keep going.

In a lot of ways, Asirpa is past the point of return, after Karafuto- because she knows the code, and because she’s seen what she’s seen, she may never be able to go back to her life as it was before with Huci and the rest of the kotan. At least, not without the lingering threat of the hunt coming back to her.

[chibivesicle]

Golden Kamuy chapters 249 and 250 - Abashiri 2.0

After several weeks of waiting we finally have chapter 250 which really continues the build up from 249.

249 starts out with another Shiraishi parody cover where he looks like a lovely lady posing with Sapporo beer.  It does make me laugh since a very good friend of mine decorated her bathroom in a Showa era theme with sexy ladies posing with various brands of alcohol.

The longer I read GK, the more I can’t help but wonder if Shiraishi has a more nuanced background and may not be straight.  And I don’t mean looking at Shiraishi through ‘shipping goggles’ but looking at him in general.

However, I digress. Let’s get back to the chapter.

The events in Sapporo are bringing all the parties back together.  The first team we see is that of Koito and Tsukishima with Nikaido in tow.  Koito mentions that Usami and Kikuta should already be there, and he interestingly phrases it as a question which Tsukishima confirms as correct and that they are to meet at the clock tower.  What I like is how Tsukishima than airs his concerns with Tsurumi arriving the next day.

Tsukishima hesitates before asking Koito if he can interact with Tsurumi as he has previously with what they have done and what they now know.  Tsukishima looks stressed out and Koito is at first surprised before he turns the question to Tsukishima with stress lines under his eyes as well.  This seems to indicate that after Karafuto, Ogata’s information to Koito, the link to the Manchurian Railway, Hanazawa’s death and the conversations between both men, that they will be facing Tsurumi with a different attitude, which could be interpreted as no longer working towards Tsurumi’s end goals.

The tension breaks when Koito offers to trade his menko with Tsukishima who of course wouldn’t have made one.  Even though this is a silly gesture I think it speaks to Koito’s relationship with Tsukishima.

That even if they are separated they can hold onto the other persons.  This implies that they know things are going to get dangerous and it is a gesture that implies the faith and trust that they have in each other.  Both men are now tied together as members of the 27th who ‘know too much’ which makes them now a liability.

The action returns to our large group of convenience with a complicated plan to launch in the dead of night.  A few of the cast have changed; Kirawus, Boutarou and Ariko are new taking the places of Ogata, Kiroranke, Inkarmat, Tanigaki and Ienaga from Abashiri.

Honestly, it is pretty obvious this is going to be just as large of a disaster as what happened with Abashiri.  What is slightly different is that Hijikata is completely in charge of the plan as opposed to the more democratic method at Abashiri.  Kiro figured out how to tunnel, Shiraishi found the weak point.  And just like what went wrong at Abashiri, Hijikata has them breaking up into smaller groups, though this time he at least keeps partnerships that are more trusted together.

The division of labor is interesting since all the signalers are good offensive fighters; Asirpa, Kirawus and Ariko are skilled with longer range weapons and Nagakura is not one to be trifled with. 

There is then a rather intense discussion between Boutarou and Asirpa about her role in things.  He is smart to do this as the groups disperse where it is only the Toni & Sugimoto groups.  Boutarou asks Sugimoto directly if they should have Asirpa hang back as the key to the gold.

Sugimoto answers first, that they are going to stay together since Hijikata already double crossed them (at Abashiri) and Asirpa tells Boutarou that they are partners.  She uses the excuse that if she hides she is not working for the sake of the Ainu and their future.  Sugimoto looks upset at her statement and Boutarou continues to ask if this is her dream.

She very boldly states that someone has to fight for the future of the Ainu and she is going to do it.  Ariko listens with great interest while Sugimoto passively hangs back.  Boutarou wants to know if that will make her happy as well. . . . it is clear he has hit a nerve as she tells him he’s too chatty and she doesn’t like how he asks about people’s dreams. 

Boutarou is no dumb guy as has been previously established, he wants to know if anyone has a dream better than his.  This implies that he is flexible and will change his goals if he truly can find a more fitting goal.

As the only person from his family still alive, he finds it important to pass the knowledge of his own family down to his children so that they are not forgotten.  I think that Boutarou telling Asirpa this is deliberate, a Japanese guy is calling out that Asirpa and by extension the Ainu are in danger of fading out of existence something that Kiro died to prevent.  Boutarou is much more straightforward about his desires and they make him very relatable as he doesn’t want to be lonely nor forgotten.

It is clear by the final panel that Boutarou struck a nerve in Sugimoto as he frowns while his eyes look contemplative and serious.  I’m certain that Sugimoto is feeling things that he’s been running away from while Boutarou is in his own way trying to move towards.  Sugimoto’s own discomfort with Boutarou’s words is obvious as he literally uses the excuse to tell a woman to head home for the evening as a way to run away from Boutarou and Asirpa’s conversation.

Boutarou notices things clearly as he watches Sugimoto and he asks the question if Sugimoto will be in Asirpa’s future as well.  She looks a little surprised at his question and unfortunately, Noda leaves us with an unanswered question and the action goes to the set up to catch Jack.

Shiraishi is the first ‘lady’ who is approached and of course he has a nice bum.

Sugimoto using his rifle the way that he prefers, whacks the man and they confirm that he’s just some regular old guy looking to pick up a prostitute.  Kantarou first appears to be the one approached by Jack which leads to our awaited Kadokura flashback about the convict.

The man is Michael Ostrog and he’s a generic European guy who murdered a prostitute and was arrested and sent to Abashiri.  With the help of our spineless reporter, they realize that this man is likely Jack the Ripper, repeating his crimes from London and he is the right age to fit the profile.  With a map of London as a reference they are able to determine where he will be in the future.

The chapter ends with Usami approaching Kadokura after killing a horse to warm up for the evening as Jack meanders to his final location.

Let’s move onto chapter 250 where our cast begins to converge on chaos.  Koito and Tsukishima have met up with Kikuta sans Usami who is off on his own.  Kikuta takes charge telling the rest that since Jack is out to kill tonight, they can’t wait for Tsurumi to arrive and it is there task to find him.

Of course as an actual spy from central, Kikuta is going to push for as much leverage as he can get against Tsurumi and this makes me curious if this group will become turned against Tsurumi either by their own actions or as a result of Tsurumi not trusting any of them.

Usami approaches Kadokura for assistance about his current location which is clearly going to lead to a terrible reunion between the two men.  Kirawus looks much more nervous as he holds the firework watching and Kadokura attempts to run away.  Thinking he’s a prostitute Usami is almost polite as he goes to help him up after he trips with the ladies shoes on.

With tension increasing quickly, instead of getting Usami’s reaction to Kadokura, we switch to Sugimoto and Asirpa.

Sugimoto, well ‘Sugi-splains’ to Asirpa that she is to stay in the shadows in case Ogata targets her with his rifle.  Since now Sugimoto is 200% sure that Ogata just wants to kill her because she knows the code.

The conversation doesn’t go the way that Sugimoto would like it to as Asirpa doesn’t look at him as she doubts Sugimoto’s logic.  Since Asirpa had time to talk to Hijikata alone, it is clear they discussed more than the skins and Hijikata is under the indication that Ogata is still interested in the gold.  Therefore, Asirpa reasons that Ogata can’t kill her, which makes a lot of sense.

Sugimoto turns away from her as he states that he doesn’t know that Ogata wouldn’t try to kill her.  Sugimoto changes his tune slightly saying now that he thinks that Ogata teamed up with Kiro for a part of the gold and he was patiently waiting for Asirpa to learn the code.  Of course, Sugimoto doesn’t understand Ogata’s meltdown on ice and it is clear that Asirpa hasn’t told him what Ogata said to her so Sugimoto thinks Ogata aiming his rifle at her was an intent to kill her when Ogata wanted her to shoot at him.

With great weight, Sugimoto makes it clear that because they are working with Hijikata again, Ogata had no choice but to flee from them [him] and Ogata wouldn’t work for Tsurumi.  Sugimoto has to highlight that Ogata is alone and his only course of action is to prevent anyone from getting the gold. 

Asirpa than states that to do that he’d kill her and thus ruin everything.  She looks very reflective as though she thinks she has a better insight into Ogata’s behavior.  The next page reveals that Ogata is in a building watching the action unfold with his binoculars as Asirpa summarizes Sugimoto’s idea that Ogata’s gold is to ‘disappoint everyone’

And that reflective facial expression on Asirpa is spot on as she tells Sugimoto that she wonders if things are really that simple and she recalls that when Ogata raised his rifle at her, it was with respect to his statement that ‘it is simply not right that people like you [Asirpa and Yuusaku] exist.’

She’s spent enough time with Ogata to at least learn he is not just a lone wildcat making a mess of things and something else is driving him.

Things finally get back to our Kadokura-Usami reunion.  Usami is blushing as he finds Kadokura and he thinks that he is actually working as a prostitute in Sapporo.  Sometimes the obvious really escapes Usami . .. or he’s blinded by his strange love for Kadokura.

Kadokura loses it screaming which that gets Usami thinking that Hijikata might be around.  Ushiyama charges Usami, who also uses the butt of his rifle to hit Ushiyama in the face.  It is clear that he thinks that was sufficient and we only see Ushiyama’s hand grab Usami’s uniform.  I suspect that Usami might be in trouble.

Kirawus then lights their firework since Ushiyama is tangling with the 27th.  However, the action returns to Jack approaching the wee babe Kantarou, with one of his knives out.  Hijikata runs into attack but notices another firework going off.  This distracts Jack but Hijikata is clearly going full force and Nagakura about to light theirs as his cranky old man self wonders who messed up.

This catches everyone’s attention; Shiraishi, Sugimoto and Asirpa; Kikuta, Koito, Tsukishima (and Nikaido); Boutarou; Ariko and Toni; Vasily alone and likely outside since the background is grey and Ogata inside pulls his rifle up, ready and waiting.

This leaves us unclear of where both Vasily and Ogata are located and if Vasily is actually just watching things wanting to find Ogata or if he is interested on what is going on below.

This time, now that we know that Ogata is high up in a building, it gives even more vibes of Abashiri 2.0, he’s waiting for his opportunity to make his move.

The firework catches the attention of another horrible convict Ueji which begins a flashback of a young boy with his dog (just like the dog he killed and put its head in the box).  He is a child who is disappointing his father who was on the winning side for the Meiji government.  Sei Kobiyama has a helpful tweet for those of us unable to read it in the original Japanese.

Ueji is also likely from a family like Koito and Hanazawa where they gained from the establishment of the Meiji government and the defeat of the shogunate.  Yet unlike Koito or even really Ogata, Ueji did not live up to the expectations of his family and something lead him to becoming the child serial killer that he is.

Ueji goes from having black eyes as a child (never a good sign) here where his father scolds him.

And he cries in disappointment to him still crying as an adult.  Now he has his very unusual eyes where there is a white line down the middle.

I honestly have no idea what this means other than it makes him look creepier. He laughs at the firework.  I honestly hope he wanders out and gets sniped by either Vasily or Ogata.

The chapter wraps up with Tsurumi spotting the single firework and that he’s here a day early.  This is never a good thing for most of the cast.  I am assuming he will spring into action to see what is going down near the brewery.

And with that, Sugimoto the non-thinker that he is, rushes into action, Asirpa fast on his heels with her bow out.

So after his long ‘Sugi-splaining’ to Asirpa about staying hidden and not making herself a target for Ogata, he dashes off saying that Ogata be dammed he’s unstoppable and he’s going to skin Jack. 

Wow, the irony as the chapter ends and now all the factions are going to converge on Usami, Ushiyama, Kadokura and Kirawus.  And as the chapter ends, I feel like it is any major sporting event from the 90s “Are you ready to ruuummmbbbllleeeee?” as of course we are going to get some intense action scenes.

What do I think of chapters 249 and 250?  A few things really stand out for me.

This truly is Abashiri 2.0.  All of the factions have broken up into smaller groups and they are going to beat the shit out of each other.  There are so many conflicts that will become worse.  Nikaido will likely see Sugimoto and I have no idea how that will go down.  Ariko and Kikuta may be working together and we don’t know what will happen with that.  Koito and Tsukishima both know that they might no longer be loyal enough to Tsurumi and they know too much and let Tanigaki and Inkarmat escape.  Boutarou is making Sugimoto nervous and think about the things he’s been running away from. Asirpa has caught Ariko’s attention.  She also questions Sugimoto’s opinion of Ogata.  Vasily and Ogata are now both in position and Vasily is back for Ogata.

I mean this is going to get insane with all the groups converging into chaos.

1.) Koito and Tsukishima know they are in trouble.  It is unclear how much they know about their situation, but both men realize that they aren’t in as good of a position in regard to Tsurumi.  Koito wanting to trade menko with Tsukishima is Koito’s way of saying that he cares about him and that they could do this to support each other if shit really does hit the fan.  Which it is totally going to do.

2.) Two convicts are likely not going to live much longer.  Ueji and Jack are pretty much screwed as all of the factions close in around them.  If Ueji is truly a moth drawn to a flame he’s toast.  Jack is being attacked by Hijikata.  With Nagakura as back up.  The real question will become, who gets the skins?  And do either of them have a key kanji?

3.) Boutarou is the substitute for Ogata and is making the Sugimoto-Asirpa partnership tense.  I have really been enjoying what Boutarou brings to the dynamics of Sugimoto and Asirpa.  He sees what Sugimoto is oblivious to and what Asirpa is embarassed by and the second character to see what her crush on Sugimoto is, a crush.  He throws Sugimoto off because the have the same background.  Yet, Sugimoto will label him a criminal who can be skinned because he ended up in Abashiri.  Sugimoto is okay since he’s only killed people as a solider and people who could have harmed him or Asirpa so it makes him better than Boutarou.  The whole thing that Boutarou does is that he strips Sugimoto of his pretense that he’s one of the good guys.  Furthermore, Boutarou is better about facing his own fears and feelings and is doing something to directly sort them out.

Just like Ogata saw Asirpa’s crush in the swamps hear Kushiro, Boutarou is flat out asking her what her purpose it in the quest as a young girl, why she partnered up with Sugimoto and what she wants out of her life.  Even more, he wants to know if she wants to include Sugimoto in her Ainu future even though they are pretty much opposed as Sugimoto has no issue with supporting the Japanese government’s policies towards the Ainu.  Sugimoto doesn’t really want Asirpa to fight for the Ainu, that’s what Wilk set her up to do.  Which, by the way, Sugimoto still has never referred to Wilk as Wilk while Ogata has . . .

Anyways, I really like Boutarou and I like how he’s acting as an independent voice towards Sugimoto, Asirpa and Shiraishi. 

4.) Ogata is clearly not just messing around with others in the hunt for the gold.  Sure, Sugimoto wants Ogata to be an element of chaos, but really Sugimoto is much of an element of chaos as Ogata could be.  Sugimoto has swapped sides, lied, and many other characters have wanted him dead because is such an issue.  We also get what is ‘standard’ by now.  We see Ogata, but he is being described by other characters not himself.

What really caught my attention in chapter 250 was the flashback where Sugimoto is guessing at Ogata’s original motive with Kiro.  Which was lifted from chapter 148, when they were at the Karafuto fox farm.  Ogata is confirming what he understands from Kiro of the current facts, while Asirpa looks at the foxes in the background.  Out of all of the possible Ogata-Kiro flashbacks, Noda picks this one.

This completely gets me all riled up since if you have been reading my posts long enough, you’d know that I am obsessed with chapter 148, specifically this panel.  I am absolutely obsessed with this page where Kiro tells Asirpa about the history of the Ainu on Karafuto and what happened to Wilk’s parents and his village.

Noda is very deliberate in his arrangement of his panels and placement of characters.  To have Ogata in the background looking at the foxes while Kiro tells Asirpa about the colonial contest between Russian and Japan and how it broke up families and communities means something.

Both @goldenkamuyhunting​ and I have hypothesized that Ogata’s background may be mixed race, with a relative at one point in time living in Karafuto and then returning to the main island of Honshu.  Wilk, Kiro, Asirpa are all characters who are mixed race in background and Ogata clearly had more trust with Kiro than any of our other male characters.  I’m still waiting for the flashback where it shows Kiro pull Ogata out of the river and deposit him on the riverbank for the 27th to find him.  Kiro and Ogata both speak Russian which made their alliance even more useful.  And anyone who enters an alliance with a partisan willingly likely sympathsizes with the cause for a reason.

Tsukishima speaks Russian and we learn that Ogata does as well (which was pretty much assumed since he teamed up with Kiro).  Yet as far as I can tell, Sugimoto doesn’t know about Ogata’s Russian speaking ability or anyone on team Hijikata as well.  And Koito isn’t in a situation to tell Tsurumi that he knows that Ogata speaks Russian.

But what I’m really stuck on is the fact that this page implies that Ogata is a victim/result/realted to the of Treaty of St. Petersburg, just like Wilk.  And now with chapter 250 dropping a bit of chapter 148.  You bet I’m intrigued Noda!

Well that is enough for now.  What we can all predict is that the ensuing chaos will result in the realignment of the varous groups, again.

[chalabrun]

little miss moppet, ch. 2/2

Word Count: 1,506 Pairing: Jareth/Sarah Williams Rating: G Warnings: None Summary: Sometimes, old flames have a tendency to burn. A/N: If it isn’t obvious enough, I only ship Sareth as they exist in Pika la Cynique’s Girls Next Door and the manga sequel, Return to Labyrinth. I don’t ship them as they appear in the original movie for personal, probably obvious reasons.

( READ ON AO3 ]

Despite it being a place of some troubling memories, the rooftop of the apartment complex was easily one of the most soothing places Sarah could think of being in the whole of the building. From where she was, she could see the university campus and shopping complex where she and Christine had bought dresses for Jareth’s ball, and Sakura Sushi—the place that had become a regular haunt for she and her friends. Even though it was difficult to see the stars from where she was, those places made it entirely worthwhile. It instilled a sense of comfort that no matter what happened, she’d still have all those happy memories.

Mizumi had said Moppet was made of her dreams after she left the Labyrinth. Was that why she felt like she’d lost everything after being rejected from Julliard? Why she felt so devastatingly plain in deciding to pursue study as an English teacher instead of becoming something more?

Surrounded by so many extraordinary people as she was, Sarah still felt like she was exceedingly ordinary compared to them. Some days, it was nice. On others, it fostered such a sense of alienation that she didn’t really know what to do with herself.

What about Jareth? What was she supposed to do with this new and sudden news of Mizumi and Moppet? She wasn’t naïve enough to think Jareth had gone the entirety of his immortal life never loving others, or at least seeing them. But when one of those old flames came back, she couldn’t help but feel burned. Did Jareth still have feelings for Mizumi? What about Moppet? If Moppet was easily discarded, what did that mean for her when the novelty of their relationship wore off?

It stung a bitter, cold barb in her heart.

“…I thought I might find you here.”

God, that voice. It sounded like so much like herself, but—different. In a way she couldn’t begin to describe. Like picking up a receiver through the static and listening to an old recording of herself. Regardless, Sarah didn’t think of turning her away. That silent concession alone was enough to invite Moppet closer to her side, the blonde folding her arms and gazing out into that same street view.

After a long spell of silence, Sarah broke it by saying softly, “I’m…sorry what you had to go through because of me. Because…of what you are to him.” She glanced towards her doppelganger, the younger woman absorbed by the view.

“…Sometimes I wish I could hate you. I thought it’d be so much easier if I did,” Moppet confessed as she turned her body towards Sarah. “But…I can’t. Because we’re one in the same, aren’t we? And…I’m a missing piece of you. Can’t really compete with that.”

“You could be your own person if you want, even if Mizumi or Jareth—”

“What about them?” Moppet shrugged carelessly. “I wasn’t happy with Jareth, and I doubt that I’ll be with Mizumi. All I am is a part of you. There’s no Moppet, just…Sarah’s hopes and dreams.” The blonde sighed wistfully. “The view up here is beautiful. I can see why you liked coming up here so much.”

Sarah fell silent for another moment, pursing her lips. “I don’t want you back if it means robbing you of a chance for happiness, Moppet. I—I couldn’t live with myself if I was the whole reason behind someone’s unhappiness.”

“Guess you never stopped wanting to be the princess-knight who saved everyone, huh?” Moppet said with a soft giggle. “Would you like that part back, Sarah?”

The brunette faced her with an alarmed expression. “Not if it means losing you!” she exclaimed honestly, standing upright.

“…Then it’s alright. If it means I could be important to one person…” Moppet held out one of her hands, offering it to Sarah. “Take it. If I’m with you, I won’t have to go back to either of them as just a shade of you. I really miss Toby, anyways. I want to see him again.”

“…Okay, Moppet. I understand. I won’t forget you, I promise,” Sarah murmured as she took Moppet’s hand, eyes squeezing shut as she felt herself slip down some abyssal waterfall with those memories rushing back into her, strangling on a gasp as she struggled to breathe through the torrent of emotions and memories that weren’t just her own.

Her dreams had become Moppet as a person, too.

“Sarah!”

“Mm, who…?” she mumbled while feeling a pair of strong hands on her shoulders, blinking owlishly up at Jareth who loomed with genuine concern writ upon his features. “Jareth…?”

Remembering the confrontation of before, the blond stepped back as the stabilizing magic receded, realizing what it was. “Sarah, are you hurt?” he demanded without skipping a beat, the woman feeling herself grow more lucid by the second. “Moppet…?”

“I… She returned to me, Jareth. Like she wanted.” She still felt at a loss for words, staring down at the hand that still tingled with a damning warmth. “…What about Mizumi? Don’t you have unfinished business with her, or something?” Sarah added ruefully, unable to meet those mismatched eyes.

Dammit, why was she feeling so hurt over Jareth’s fuck up? Was it because she felt so insignificant in the grand scheme of things? Back when they’d really played cat and mouse with their feelings, it hadn’t been an issue because she hadn’t thought this whole thing possible. Now? She felt pathetic and small and envious. In a way, Mizumi was everything Jareth could want: power and beauty wrapped together in a woman practically his complement. Her? She was just a human girl who had accidentally wished her half-brother away, then completely ignorant of what the consequences might’ve been.

Now she was in so deep in this labyrinth, she hadn’t seen the entrance, let alone a way out. She felt too entrenched in this stupid prick who had her heart in hooks!

“Sarah, you can’t possibly think a forced engagement in anything close to what I feel for you. Shall I be honest, then? I grew bored of Mizumi very early on when we were together. Because she and I are far too alike, you see. And why would I wish to spend lifetimes with someone that would be more akin to marrying a mirror? …I am far too accustomed to getting what I want, when I want it. It was why I wanted you, why I asked for Moppet to be made.”

“And what, that suddenly makes it okay to imprison a part of me, a person, for your own selfish reasons?! Jareth, she said so herself! You abandoned her when she wouldn’t love you back! And me…now that you have me, how do I know you won’t get bored of me and abandon me, too?!” Sarah fumed as she glared at Jareth with pinpricks in her eyes.

She hated feeling like this around him. She hated to feel vulnerable when it’d only seen her taken advantage of in the past, having her insecurities and shortcomings picked on. Sarah angrily wiped her eyes and huffed, forcing the tears back and swallowing thickly. But, despite it all, she waited for Jareth to speak instead of storming away.

“It’s true. I haven’t known true love. Not really. Not like how you’ve felt it, I’m sure,” the Goblin King sighed, gazing at Sarah with a rare vulnerability in his eyes. “All I do know is that…what I feel for you is far more intense than what I’ve felt for anyone before or since, Sarah. As for Moppet—can you take the word of this foolish old king that it wouldn’t happen again? That she was made before I truly saw the light, precious?”

She wished she could forgive him piecemeal. In fact, it felt easier to. But, her heart was riddled with too many doubts for her to shrug off everything that had transpired so quickly. That’s how it always was with them. Just when things finally seemed to be plateauing into the usual tableau of mischief and hijinks she’d grown accustomed to—dare say even liked—something like this arose and knocked it down several pegs. One step forwards always meant the risk of several steps back.

“I want to believe you, GK. I really do, but—I need some space. I need to think. Can you do that much for me, please?” Sarah sighed heavily, folding her arms. She felt small. Small enough to shrink away where she could lick her wounds in peace.

As conflicted as Jareth appeared, he finally conceded after a pregnant pause with a short bow. “As you wish, precious. Perhaps I can do something about Mizumi in the meantime,” he replied resolutely, straightening. No ‘beloved’. She didn’t want to dwell on how she felt about that.

In but another moment, the telltale teleporting she was used to hearing from him sounded, wisps of glitter and fae glamour drifting away in the cool December wind.

Now, she was alone again.

[goldenkamuyhunting]

(Not really an ask but) I love your analysis on ep 24 of GK specially about the dream sequence they add in the anime. Couldn't agree more, it really killed the mood for me.

*blushes* Thank you so much for apprecciating my episode analysis!

Yes, the dream for me was a really sad choice and what’s worse the episode prior to it had been rather good so... I really don’t get what has gotten into them that made them feel they should add it. Just having Shiraishi and Asirpa taking tea together like they did in the manga and discussing about how Asirpa believed Sugimoto to be still alive would have worked much better.

At least for me.

But well, let’s let it slide and hope instead we’ll get a third, possibly not so rushed, series... and maybe more gadgets. I still obsess over wanting a Sugimoto and an Ogata Nendoroid!

LOL, I’m hopeless.

[bakechochin]

The Book Ramblings of June

In place of book reviews, I will be writing these ‘book ramblings’. A lot of the texts I’ve been reading (or plan to read) in recent times are well-known classics, meaning I can’t really write book reviews as I’m used to. I’m reading books that either have already been read by everyone else (and so any attempt to give novel or insightful criticisms would be a tad pointless), or are so convoluted and odd that they defy being analysed as I would do a simpler text. These ramblings are pretty unorganised and hardly anything revolutionary, but I felt the need to write something review-related this year. I’ll upload a rambling compiling all my read books on a monthly basis.

The Man Who Was Thursday - GK Chesterton I bought the Penguin English Library edition of this book mainly because of a tweet that I saw slagging off the cover, saying that the sticks of dynamite in the cover pattern looked like tampons and that 'this could have been avoided if only one woman had looked at the cover’; this irritated me a lot because I know for a fact that the cover was in fact designed by a woman (Coralie Bickford-Smith, to be precise, an artist whose similar works I am also a good fan of), and I wanted to own this edition simply so that I could prove to myself and others that this is the case. However, whilst the cover of this book is indeed very pretty, the texts published in the Penguin English Library collection do not possess the handy introductory chapter at the beginning that the Penguin Classics include, and thus with no frame of reference, I was at something of a loss to describe this book. It is certainly an interesting read insofar as it seemingly refuses to stay as one genre for the whole book. The blurb describes it as a ‘strange and haunting novel’, and at the beginning, this is very appropriate; it depicts a sensationalist image of villainous anarchists and zealous unhinged detectives that is incredibly compelling, and I hold that the character descriptions of the members of the Council of Days (as introduced in chapter five) make for some of the best writing that I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. By fuck is Chesterton great at characterising these dudes. The blurb describes the novel as a spy thriller, and all seemed to be going well on this front, with a melodramatic but consistent tone maintained for around the first half of the book, with some great twists scattered here and there for good measure. But then things start getting a tad daft, and I’m going to spoil a bit of the plot here because you need to understand how off the rails this shit gets. The adventure grows to involve much of the main cast of antagonists being revealed to be policemen in increasingly convoluted disguises, ridiculously overblown chases in different countries with the stakes being continuously raised in the stupidest and funniest ways, and the main antagonist, built up as a grand unknowable titan of crime and anarchy, escapes the protagonist by leaping over a balcony ‘like an orang-utan’, riding away on a rampaging elephant that he broke out of the zoo, and finally evading capture by flying away on a stolen hot air balloon. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of this sort of shit as a general rule, but by fuck does it seem incongruous in a novel such as this, that is so clever and so beautifully written and, whilst containing its few bits of sensational ridiculousness (as an overt parody of the genre or its tropes), generally quite a serious read. Similarly to The Heat’s On, if this book had just kept on the rails or channelled its madness into chaos that stayed within the genre’s boundaries, instead of just throwing its hands up into the air and screaming, ‘fuck it, put in an elephant chase scene!’, I’d have enjoyed it a lot more. As it is, it reminds me of the overblown nonsense of the 007 stories - this is a novel for dads, I reckon. After finishing this book I then found Beaumont’s introduction to the text, which describes the text as ‘antirealist’, and cites Chesterton’s description of ‘great works which mix up abstractions fit for an epic with fooleries not fit for a pantomime’. As a concept, I can fully get behind this - the juxtaposition of heroics and farcical nonsense puts me in mind of high burlesque, and I’ve always been fully against realism because fuck that noise. But you can’t stick with the idea of this book being wholly antirealist if it takes place in a world recognisable as our own and then suddenly changes to be ludicrous and laughable; that’s just inconsistent, and indeed mildly vexing when I was fully engrossed in the sensational spy thriller. Furthermore, attempting to justify this book’s content by saying that it is reminiscent of a ‘nightmare’ is a bullshit defence, because a) the word ‘nightmare’ could simply be used in reference to this book’s negative depiction of a world in which anarchists triumph in their nasty villainy, and b) it’s difficult to keep the idea of this book’s world supposedly being a dream forefront in one’s mind when it, as mentioned above, represents a view (albeit a sensational one) of reality, with dream nonsense hardly being a part of it at all. That is, of course, until the very end, when the book gives up all pretence of being a spy novel and instead wallows in metaphor and overt Christian imagery before ending abruptly. The ending is bullshit and I don't like it.

Dead Souls - Nikolai Gogol I’ve often cited Gogol as one of my favourite authors, but for the longest time I stayed clear of this book, somewhat daunted by whether what I loved about Gogol’s short stories would translate well to a novel form. This is a different beast to his short stories, but no less interesting to talk about, and indeed possessing many of the short story’s positive attributes, for all of the excellent writing, characterisation, and understanding of the fun nuances of society abounds here as it does in his shorter works. Apparently Gogol was attempting to recreate the structure and overall vibe of The Odyssey and other such Homeric epics in prose form, and although the overall setting and storyline does not reflect the grand awe-inspiring epics of the past, I’ll be buggered if the story’s writing and tone doesn’t somehow achieve it. This is not, despite what some critics have said, due to Gogol’s tendency to ramble on about unrelated digressions (a device apparently comparable to Homeric epics), or at least it didn’t stick out to me as such when I read it - that’s just kind of what Gogol does. No, it’s the writing and tone, as mentioned above, that seems to ape the Homeric tone, in such a way that you wouldn’t notice its explicit presence until after you’d been informed of it, and yet when you are aware of the Homeric influence you see it everywhere clear as day; I’d call it an ineffable concept but that’s just me trying to cover up for the fact that I can’t find the words, because I’m bad at writing these things. But I digress. Gogol’s excellent means of conveying character voices shines as always in this text, but I can’t feel like I’m missing the extent of it because I’m reading it in English. The introduction by Robert A Maguire describes Gogol’s extensive research into ‘all the prosaic rubbish of life, all the rags’, and makes efforts to incorporate such minor details as regional slang, official jargon, outdated terminology, etc. into his characters’ voices, but I fear that I’m missing some of the nuances of these techniques by my lack of knowledge in these fields or that some of the subtleties in language don’t translate as well as they ought to. Of course there are some characters which exemplify Gogol’s skill at diverse voices, such as some of the peasant muzhiks and one of my favourite characters Nozdryov (who draws from a wide array of sources for his dialogue with hilarious results), but there are some instances in which the character voices seem somewhat interchangeable, especially considering how a lot of individual personality is often subsumed by the necessity of upholding social decorum, and thus there are many characters who only speak in refined socially acceptable manners. The characters themselves are all bloody great, be they individual grotesque landowners or incredibly detailed and often brilliantly satirical descriptions of wider groups or demographics. Whilst the writing remains as excellent as ever, the characters in the second part of the book lack the grotesque simplicity of those in the first part - indeed, efforts are made by Gogol to give them complex fleshed-out characterisation - and subsequently these new characters are nowhere near as memorable as the fantastic personifications of negative traits that we got in the first part. Yeah, I forgot to mention, this book is technically made up of two parts, the first part highlighting the problems of society and the second part intended to delve into the resolution of some of these issues; of course, the second part does not exist in its entirety, because Gogol was a great fan of melodramatically burning his manuscripts, but it’s not a major issue because what does survive of the full text is amazing enough on its own (specifically the entirety of part one). Plus, I’ve delved into my thoughts of authors trying to ‘change the world’ through their works (in that I think that it’s a fool’s notion and only really serves to exemplify the author’s delusion), so I’m content with this text only portraying the detrimental aspects of society, as opposed to trying to fix them. I am quite fond of the narrator in this book. Similarly to his short stories, Gogol employs a narrative voice that exists almost as a character in of itself, and I don’t just mean that in the sense of ‘it’s got a lot of personality’. The narrative voice apologises for the story’s content and makes changes in an attempt to preserve decorum, it makes excuses for the story’s characters (especially the protagonist Chichikov), it often reveals information at the same rate as the characters within the setting discover things and have epiphanies, and it even establishes itself as a character with a physical voice as it only chooses to speak of Chichikov’s past when Chichikov himself is asleep, and apologises all the while lest he somehow slight the man. Bringing up this also gives me an opportunity to briefly mention the 2006 BBC radio adaptation for this, which establishes the narrator as a physical character in all scenes to humourous effect (and what’s more gave me yet more reason to love Mark Heap, who makes for a fucking excellent Chichikov). But I digress. Part two of the novel, as mentioned above, does not possess the same sort of wonderfully grotesque characters as part one, and considering that this is a novel defined mainly by its characters, this is somewhat problematic. The plot of part two is perhaps vaguely interesting, even though it seems to shunt the titular focus of dead souls to the side somewhat, but all in all I found it difficult to be too invested in this new story due to its lack of compelling characters. In addition, the Homeric epic tone of part one is somewhat absent, and without a distinctive narrative voice, the narrative suffers. I feel bad shitting on part two, since it was everyone else shitting on part two that catalysed Gogol to burn the manuscript (again) and possibly starve himself to death. Honestly, the first part is bloody amazing, so just read that and then be satisfied with the knowledge that your opinion of the book overall has not been tarnished by the shoddy second part. Sorry Gogol.

Complete Short Fiction - Oscar Wilde I’ve been vaguely aware of Wilde’s short fiction for a while now, having read a selection of his fairy tales and ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’ (a favourite of mine) for uni, so I decided to give his complete collection a shot. The Penguin Classics edition of his short fiction is separated into his different published collections, but can generally be categorised as either fairy tales or miscellaneous short stories. I’ve studied a shit load of fairy tale authors/compilers (Basile, Straparola, Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Andersen, Wilde and whoever compiles the radical Russian fairy tales), and Wilde is certainly my favourite of the bunch. The specific blend of Wilde-esque traits incorporated into the fairy tale format make up my favourite fairy tales of any author - this is by no means all of Wilde’s fairy tales, but I’ll get into that. My favourite fairy tales of Wilde take place in a world vaguely recognisable as our own, or at least existing as an exaggerated facsimile of our own society, not just because the urban setting reminds me of Hoffmann’s ‘The Golden Pot’, but because such a setting allows for some heavy-handed but undeniably hilarious social commentary and satire. Such satire works especially well when juxtaposing the romanticised world of the fairy tale with the grimmer reality of Wilde’s society - the two tales that commence the collection, ‘The Happy Prince’ and ’The Nightingale and the Rose’, exemplify this excellently. Whilst I liked the satire attainable by setting the fairy tale in an urban society environment, similar levels of hilarity are obtained via Wilde’s satirical look at certain character archetypes (the titular character in ‘The Remarkable Rocket’ being my favourite example). The fairy tales obviously possess their morals and their teachings (though I was a fan of how this is subverted slightly by some characters actively avoiding, misinterpreting or arguing with the story’s moral), but the tropes that we’d expect to see in fairy tales - the morals from Perrault, the recurring overt ties to Christianity from Andersen, etc. - are not why I like Wilde’s fairy tales so much. The tales in the collection titled A House of Pomegranates are undeniably excellently written, and what’s more include some fantastic settings inspired by the Victorian obsession with the Orient that allow for phenomenal and evocative descriptive writing (the likes of which is not seen in any other of Wilde’s fairy tales), but they fail to capture my preferred positive attributes that the aforementioned tales possess. I cheekily skipped 'The Portrait of Mr W H' because I’d heard from a mate who had also read it that it was a long and dull read, and thus refrained from checking it out lest it tarnish my idealised view of Wilde. I’m sure I’ll live with myself knowing that I haven’t read Wilde’s entire body of works. Indeed, who gives half a toss about that when we’ve still got to talk about the last remaining collection contained within this publication: ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime and Other Stories’, which is not made up of fairy tales but other ‘popular’ genres of writing. Taken at face value, the stories’ content of murder, ghosts, and mystery slot in nicely alongside the fairy tales, in that they can all be considered, at face value, writings intended to appeal to the low-brow interests of the masses. They are, of course, more than that, possessing some great subversions of genre tropes and Wilde’s typical social satire, which all comes together to make the short stories (in particular ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’ and ‘The Canterville Ghost’) hilarious and very enjoyable reads. The fact that these stories are written with the primary intentions of entertaining, rather than revolutionising the written form or making one think about grand philosophical themes, means that I can’t really offer anything about the stories other than that they’re fucking good and that you should go and read them.

Shit I read this month that I couldn’t be arsed to write about: A Short History of Drunkenness by Mark Forsyth (which I started back in December(?) last year, forgot about until now, and love immensely), and ‘The Penal Colony’ by Kafka (it was much more enjoyable than the other works by Kafka that I’ve read, but that isn’t really saying much).

[fan-of-mulligan]

FOM BLOG: GILLINGHAM 2-0 BLACKPOOL

My Thoughts On Gillingham V Blackpool……………

Gillingham’s Home Match Against Blackpool On Saturday The 26th Of September was going to be one of Gillingham’s toughest tests of the season, which sounds bizarre on the outside looking in, Because Gillingham have played against two teams relegated from The Championship in Hull City and Wigan Athletic, and both of these matches gave Gillingham different challenges, But unlike those two clubs, Blackpool no longer have the off the field problems they experienced with the previous regime, And Manager Neil Critchley has recruited very well in the summer with Demetri Mitchell, Daniel Kemp, Bez Lubala, Jordan Williams, Ethan Robson, CJ Hamilton, Jerry Yates, Oliver Sarkic and Marvin Ekpiteta all signing for Blackpool, and the fact that all nine players mentioned are twenty five or younger suggests that Neil Critchley will focus on signing young players with potential, and Blackpool are tipped by many supporters to be one of the dark horses who can challenge for A League One Playoff Position at the end of The 2020 / 2021 Season.

Most of the messages that had been tweeted out by Gillingham Football Club on The Thursday and Friday had been regarding getting the I Follow Codes for Gillingham V Blackpool, And if you were A Season Ticket Holder, then you get to watch the match for free, But the code I received for Gillingham V Hull City was not going to work for Gillingham V Blackpool, which means that Gillingham have to constantly send out new codes for every league home league game - How is that going to work when Gillingham have back to back home league games on A Saturday or Tuesday Night, I have no idea - But if you had not renewed your Season Ticket for The 2020 / 2021 Season and you had every intention to renew your Season Ticket, but you were unable to do so because of lockdown, Then you have to pay £10 to watch every home league game on I Follow.

It also doesn’t help at all that Season Ticket Holders were only given one week to renew there Season Tickets back in February, and it also doesn’t help at all that supporters have not been given a choice regarding what happens regarding the missed home league games at the end of The 2019 / 2020 Season, Paul Scally mentions that supporters are happy to let the club keep that money to keep the club going, but the communication from Gillingham Football Club over lockdown has been very poor to say the least, Other football clubs have given supporters options, and one option I have seen from York City is the money lost from the home matches you have missed at the back end of The 2019 / 2020 Season, can be used as a partial payment to your Season Ticket for The 2021 / 2022 Season, that makes sense, the football club keeps the money and you are making savings on your Season Ticket costs in the near future.

Eventually, Gillingham’s Team News Appeared On Twitter, And Gillingham Lined Up As Follow,,,,,, Jack Bonham, Ryan Jackson, Jack Tucker, Zech Medley, Connor Ogilvie, Scott Robertson, Josh Eccles, Jacob Mellis, Dominic Samuel, Vadaine Oliver, Jordan Graham SUBS: Joe Walsh (GK), Robbie McKenzie, Alex MacDonald, Henry Woods, Trae Coyle and John Akinde - Gillingham could only name six substitutes on the bench, and one of the main reasons for that is because Centre Back Christian Maghoma had to be tested for Covid Protocols, But Jack Bonham recovering from his back strain was a unexpected boost, And I thought Dominic Samuel would be eased back into The Starting Line Up having signed for Gillingham On The Monday, And Josh Eccles is back in The Starting Line Up having been cup tied for the League Cup Third Round Tie Away Against Stoke City On Wednesday Night.

The last time Gillingham played against Blackpool, We were celebrating Brandon Hanlan’s stoppage time winner as Gillingham won 3-2 at Bloomfield Road, John Akinde and Regan Charles-Cook were on the score-sheet for Gillingham that night and I asked the question, Will we be celebrating another stoppage time winner from The Gills Today ??? - Looking at Gillingham Related News From Elsewhere, Young Striker Toby Bancroft was starting for Margate against Carshalton Athletic, And Former Gillingham Defenders Callum Davies and Finn O’Mara were both starting for Folkestone Invicta against Wingate & Finchley FC.

One thing I noticed as I was watching the pre-match warm up was the sound of the wind, and this is going to be one of those days where you appreciate watching Gillingham V Blackpool on I Follow, Because it must be freezing inside Priestfield Stadium (Even though we would love to watching Gillingham V Blackpool Live inside the ground, but right now that is not possible, But avoiding getting frozen watching the match live is something we can appreciate) - As for the match against Blackpool, I think this is a match that Gillingham need to win for three main reason’s, One, Gillingham need to bounce back from the defeat against Stoke City In The Third Round Of The League Cup and get a win which would give the players a much needed confidence boost, Two, A Win against Blackpool will see Gillingham pick up six points out of a possible nine, Which is very important when you look at the fixtures coming up in October, And Three, Gillingham would pick up there first home league win of the season, and we don’t want to be talking about Gillingham not picking up enough points at Priestfield Stadium, and therefore, It is vital for Gillingham to get that first home league win of the season against Blackpool.

I then posted the following on to Twitter,,,, Ten Minutes Until Kick Off - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!! - And the players came out on to the pitch ready to kick off the third League One Fixture Of The 2020 / 2021 Season, Hopefully, Gillingham can pick up all three points and start looking up The League One Table, rather then looking over our shoulder already at The League One Relegation Zone - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MATCH DETAILS (FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS)

Three Minutes Into The Match, And Jerry Yates is penalised for a foul on Josh Eccles and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, and from the resulting free kick, Jack Tucker kicks the ball long down-field and Marvin Ekpiteta kicks the ball clear away from danger when Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell was calling for Marvin Ekpiteta to leave the ball to run through to him, And Bez Lubala wins the initial aerial challenge down Blackpool’s Left Side Of The Pitch In Blackpool’s Final Third - Gillingham’s Right - And Ryan Jackson wins the second aerial challenge to header the ball forwards towards Dominic Samuel, and Michael Nottingham has come across to provide defensive cover and Michael Nottingham has completely sliced the ball out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick.

And Michael Nottingham conceding a very cheap corner kick for The Gills proves to be very costly, Because from the resulting corner kick, Gillingham manage to open the scoring, Scott Robertson whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Connor Ogilvie’s looping header clips the top of Blackpool’s Crossbar with Chris Maxwell well beaten in The Blackpool Goal, And Jack Tucker does brilliantly at the back-stick to header the ball back across the face of goal and there was Dominic Samuel in the right place at the right time to header the ball against the underside of the crossbar from close range to give Gillingham the all important lead in this League One Fixture against Blackpool, Because in both matches against Hull City and Wigan Athletic, It has been the opposition who have scored the opening goal of the game - GILLINGHAM 1-0 BLACKPOOL.

Connor Ogilvie almost scored from exactly the same spot where Ogilvie scored his header against Southend United when Gillingham won 1-0 against Southend United In The First Round Of The League Cup, And I have to give plenty of praise and plaudits to Jack Tucker to be so quick to react at the back-stick to header the ball back across the face of goal, and Dominic Samuel scoring just four minutes into his second debut for Gillingham is a dream start to this match for Dominic Samuel, and also, the perfect start to this match for Gillingham as well.

Nine Minutes Into The Match, And Blackpool almost equalised in fortuitous circumstances, Ollie Turton has possession of the ball down Blackpool’s Right Side Of The Pitch - Gillingham’s Left - Just inside Blackpool’s own half of the pitch, And Ollie Turton passes the ball out-wide to Grant Ward, And Grant Ward slips and this allows Jordan Graham and Scott Robertson to close down The Blackpool Midfielder, but despite the fact that Grant Ward was down on the deck, The Blackpool Midfielder still manages to pass the ball centrally to Ethan Robson, And Ethan Robson plays a first time ball forwards to CJ Hamilton, And CJ Hamilton passes the ball square to Keshi Anderson on the halfway line, just inside Gillingham’s Half, And Keshi Anderson goes on a driving run forwards in possession of the ball, And Keshi Anderson continue’s his towards the edge of Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And Keshi Anderson tries to pick out Jerry Yates with a pass, which is intercepted by Zech Medley, But the deflection off Zech Medley is heading goal-wards and Jack Bonham dives across to his right side to turn the ball around the post at the expense of conceding a corner kick, if there was more pace on the pass from Keshi Anderson, then the deflection off Zech Medley could have beaten Jack Bonham in The Gillingham Goal and Blackpool would have equalised, And from the resulting corner kick, Grant Ward whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the near post and Josh Eccles manages to header the ball clear and away from danger, However, Demetri Mitchell is first to the loose ball down the left side of the pitch - Gillingham’s Right - And Demetri Mitchell takes one touch to control the ball, and another touch to hit a diagonal cross-field cross towards CJ Hamilton and Connor Ogilvie allows the ball to go over his head and out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, In Gillingham’s Final Third, Right in the corner of The Rainham End and The Gordon Road Stand.

And with CJ Hamilton not capitalising on that goal-scoring opportunity opportunity for Blackpool, Gillingham had the chance to double there lead from the next passage of play, Jack Bonham kicks the ball long down-field and Vadaine Oliver does really well to win the aerial battle to flick the ball on towards Jacob Mellis, And Jacob Mellis manages to retain possession of the ball before being fouled by Ethan Robson and Grant Ward, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, and from the resulting free kick, Jordan Graham whips in a high and hanging cross towards the far side of Blackpool’s Penalty Area, And Jerry Yates headers the ball partially clear and away from danger towards the edge of Blackpool’s Penalty Area, And Jacob Mellis’ first time volleyed effort towards goal clears Blackpool’s Crossbar by some considerable distance, And had Jacob Mellis scored that volleyed effort to give Gillingham A Two Goal Lead, Then Jacob Mellis would have scored a very early contender for Gillingham’s Goal Of The Season Award For The 2020 / 2021 Season.

Thirty Eight Minutes Into The Match, And Blackpool created one of there better opportunities of the first half to try and score an equaliser, Michael Nottingham passes the ball forwards to Bez Lubala inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area Down The Left Side Of The Pitch - Gillingham’s Right - And Bez Lubala manages to retain possession of the ball despite Jack Tucker tightly marking Bez Lubala, And Bez Lubala cuts inside into a more central position on the pitch, And Bez Lubala see’s his attempted pass deflect off Jacob Mellis, into Ethan Robson’s Path and Ethan Robson plays a first time pass forwards towards Keshi Anderson, But Jack Tucker is in the right place at the right time to boot the ball long down-field and Marvin Ekpiteta wins the aerial battle up against Vadaine Oliver to header the ball forwards and Grant Ward’s Header drops to Jordan Graham, who gets the ball under control before passing a short pass inside to Scott Robertson, And Scott Robertson gets the ball under control before trying to thread a through-ball through to Vadaine Oliver, But Ethan Robson is in the right place at the right time to make the crucial interception, And Ethan Robson takes a few touches in possession of the ball before playing a short pass sideways towards Jerry Yates, And Jerry Yates runs forwards in possession of the ball before striking as fiercely driven effort towards goal from twenty five yards out and the ball bounced just in-front of Jack Bonham, and Jack Bonham does brilliantly to parry the ball wide away from goal, And Jack Bonham manages to get to the loose ball ahead of Jerry Yates, who had pushed Connor Ogilvie down to the deck and Gillingham had been awarded a defensive free kick - A Very Good Save From Jack Bonham to preserve Gillingham’s Slender 1-0 Lead.

OTHER MATCH INCIDENTS WHICH WERE NOT SHOWN ON EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS

FIRST HALF

Five Minutes Into The Match, And Marvin Ekpiteta tries to pick out Jerry Yates with a long ball down-field which is slightly over-hit and runs all the way through to Jack Bonham to make a routine save - It’s fantastic to see Jack Bonham start in goal for Gillingham against Blackpool for this latest League One Fixture, Because I was convinced that Joe Walsh would start in goal and Gillingham would have to sign A Emergency Goalkeeper On Loan to provide Goalkeeper Cover On The Bench - Joe Walsh was excellent in goal against Stoke City for Gillingham’s League Cup Third Round Match On Wednesday Night, But having Jack Bonham back in goal is a major boost for The Gills - Six Minutes Into The Match, And Ryan Jackson tries to pick out Dominic Samuel with a long ball down-field and Demetri Mitchell had done enough to shield the ball back to Chris Maxwell and prevent Dominic Samuel from getting on to the end of Ryan Jackson’s long kick down-field.

Twelve Minutes Into The Match, And Ethan Robson is penalised for his challenge on Jordan Graham and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, and from the resulting free kick, Jordan Graham whips in a high and hanging cross towards the edge of Blackpool’s Penalty Area and Connor Ogilvie jumps high to try and win the aerial challenge towards the back-stick, but Connor Ogilvie doesn’t win the aerial challenge, And Dominic Samuel is pushed down towards the deck by A Blackpool Player, and just when Blackpool were looking to hit Gillingham on the counter attack, there was Josh Eccles in the right place at the right time to make the all important interception to prevent Gillingham from being caught out at the back.

Fourteen Minutes Into The Match, And Jordan Graham see’s his dangerous in-swinging cross take a huge deflection off Grant Ward and Gillingham have been awarded a corner kick, and from the resulting corner kick, Jordan Graham’s dangerous in-swinging cross is headed clear and away from danger by Michael Nottingham and the chance had gone for The Gills - You do wonder with the windy conditions inside Priestfield Stadium, just how both teams will approach attacking and defending set plays throughout the entire match ???

Fifteen Minutes Into The Match, And Grant Ward is penalised for his challenge on Scott Robertson, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, and from the resulting free kick, Gillingham have the chance to potentially double there advantage, Zech Medley passes the ball out-wide to Connor Ogilvie, who takes a few touches in possession of the ball before passing the ball centrally to Scott Robertson, And Scott Robertson passes the ball out-wide to Ryan Jackson down Gillingham’s Right Side Of The Pitch, And Ryan Jackson takes one touch to control the ball, and another touch to play a diagonal cross-field cross pass towards Jordan Graham, who manages to keep the ball in play, And Jordan Graham runs forwards in possession of the ball, drops his shoulder to evade the challenge from Ollie Turton, And Jordan Graham’s see’s his fiercely driven effort towards goal blocked by Michael Nottingham, and that goal-scoring opportunity was the chance for Gillingham to go 2-0 up - Having Jordan Graham on the left wing gives Gillingham that player who likes to cut inside and shoot, Luke Rooney used to do that for Gillingham when he played on the left wing.

Vadaine Oliver is then penalised for a foul on Blackpool Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell, And Blackpool have been awarded a free kick, And In The Sixteenth Minute Of The Match, Blackpool really should have equalised, CJ Hamilton somehow has possession of the ball inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area, and we can consider ourselves very lucky that CJ Hamilton rushed his initial effort on goal which is hit wide of Jack Bonham’s Far Right Post, More composure and better finishing would have seen CJ Hamilton score the equaliser for Blackpool, Blackpool Supporters in the build up to this match have hyped up CJ Hamilton’s Performances for Blackpool this season, and although CJ Hamilton has not capitalised with this goal-scoring opportunity, he is a player that Gillingham need to watch out for throughout the rest of this match.

Eighteen Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham have a throw on, right in the far corner of The Medway Stand / Brian Moore Stand Side Of The Pitch, And From The Resulting Throw On, Ryan Jackson hurls in a long dangerous throw and Blackpool not only manage to clear the ball away from danger, But the visitor’s turn defence into attack, with Ollie Turton passing the ball forwards to Keshi Anderson, And Keshi Anderson takes a touch to control the ball before managing to pick out CJ Hamilton with a long pass down the left side of the pitch, And CJ Hamilton takes on Scott Robertson, And CJ Hamilton see’s his dangerous in-swinging cross take a slight deflection off Connor Ogilvie and Jack Bonham was able to make a comfortable save catching CJ Hamilton’s Cross, However, Scott Robertson has gone down injured and requires treatment, And with Stuart O’Keefe, Kyle Dempsey and Matty Willock all out injured, Gillingham have picked up quite a few injuries in central midfield already this season, thankfully, Scott Robertson is OK to continue playing for now, and it may well have to be the case that Gillingham will need to monitor Scott Robertson and then double check his injury at half time to see if Scott Robertson is OK to continue playing in The Second Half.

Twenty One Minutes Into The Match, And Jack Tucker has possession of the ball for Gillingham in Gillingham’s Own Defensive Final Third, And Jack Tucker tries to pick out Jordan Graham with a diagonal cross-field cross and Ollie Turton’s back header towards Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell is terribly judged by The Blackpool Right Back, Because Ollie Turton has headed the ball out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick, And we will gladly accept a cheap corner kick in Gillingham’s Favour, Because Gillingham capitalised on the mis-kick from Michael Nottingham which allowed Gillingham to take the lead in The Fourth Minute, And we were hoping that another cheap corner kick given away will achieve the same result, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Gillingham almost doubled there advantage in fortuitous circumstances, Because Jordan Graham whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the near post, And there is a mix up between Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell and Defender Marvin Ekpiteta, And Marvin Ekpiteta at least headers the ball out of play for another Gillingham Corner Kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Jordan Graham whips in another dangerous in-swinging cross and Marvin Ekpiteta just about manages to divert the ball out of play for another Gillingham Corner Kick, And From The Third Corner Kick, Scott Robertson whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the far post and Jack Tucker manages to header the ball back across the face of goal and Connor Ogilvie is penalised for his aerial challenge on Demetri Mitchell, And Blackpool have been awarded a defensive free kick inside there own penalty area.

Dominic Samuel is then penalised for a foul on Demetri Mitchell In The Twenty Eighth Minute Of The Match Down Gillingham’s Right Side Of The Pitch, In Gillingham’s Own Defensive Final Third, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Ethan Robson whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Josh Eccles headers the ball clear and Josh Eccles then clears a second cross out of play for A Blackpool Throw On, Jack Tucker is then in the right place at the right time to header Grant Ward’s cross partially clear and away from goal down the left side of the pitch in Gillingham’s Final Third, But CJ Hamilton gets the ball under control and takes on Connor Ogilvie before whipping in a high and hanging cross towards Bez Lubala, which is over-hit and runs out of play for A Gillingham Throw On.

Twenty Nine Minutes Into The Match, And Marvin Ekpiteta is penalised for his foul on Vadaine Oliver and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, There was some decent one touch passing between Scott Robertson, Josh Eccles and Jacob Mellis in the build up to that attack as well, and from the resulting free kick, Jordan Graham stands over the ball on the halfway line and Jordan Graham kicks a high and hanging ball towards Jack Tucker, who is beaten in the air by Michael Nottingham, who wins the aerial battle, and Ryan Jackson is on to the loose ball roughly twenty five yards out from goal, And Ryan Jackson almost manages to pick out Jacob Mellis with a clipped back down the right side of Blackpool’s Penalty Area, and Jacob Mellis just cannot get the ball under control and Chris Maxwell makes a comfortable save.

But A Minute Later, Gillingham went from almost scoring for 2-0, to almost conceding for 1-1, Because Keshi Anderson has possession of the ball for Blackpool and plays a one / two with Jerry Yates, And Keshi Anderson almost manages to pick out Bez Lubala with a reverse pass down Gillingham’s Right Side Of There Penalty Area, But Jack Bonham was off his goal-line quickly to gather the loose ball, and whilst we are talking about Jordan Graham, Vadaine Oliver and Dominic Samuel as Gillingham’s Front Three, Blackpool’s Front Three Of Bez Lubala, Jerry Yates and CJ Hamilton are players Gillingham need to pay close attention to if we are to pick up our first home league win of the season.

Thirty Three Minutes Into The Match, And Blackpool are looking to score the all important equaliser, Connor Ogilvie has managed to header a dangerous in-swinging cross partially clear and away from danger and Keshi Anderson gets on to the loose ball, And Keshi Anderson tee’s up Bez Lubala, who cuts inside and see’s his fiercely driven effort towards goal blocked by Ryan Jackson and the ball ricochets off Ryan Jackson and the ball hits Bez Lubala on the arm and Gillingham have been awarded a defensive free kick for handball, Ryan Jackson is then penalised for a foul on Bez Lubala and Blackpool have been awarded a free kick in a promising position on the pitch, And we can consider ourselves fortunate that the free kick was not capitalised on and Ryan Jackson prevented Bez Lubala from getting on to the end of a long ball down-field, and Ryan Jackson manages to shield the ball out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick.

Thirty Five Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham had a unbelievable opportunity to go 2-0 up, Jacob Mellis has possession of the ball and Jacob Mellis is really standing out for Gillingham in this match so far with his own individual performance, And Jacob Mellis manages to pick out Dominic Samuel with a pass in a left / central area inside Blackpool’s Penalty Area, And Dominic Samuel manages to evade the attempted challenge from Marvin Ekpiteta, and just as Dominic Samuel was one on one with Chris Maxwell, Dominic Samuel has mis-kicked the ball at the crucial moment and Blackpool survive, Because 2-0 to The Gills would put Gillingham in a very strong position to pick up all three points, And that was a golden opportunity for Dominic Samuel to score his and Gillingham’s Second Goal Of The Game.

Thirty Six Minutes Into The Match, And Ollie Turton has tried to pick out Bez Lubala with a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the far post which is over-hit and the ball runs out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick, and the main reason as to why Bez Lubala could not get on the end of that cross from Ollie Turton was the exceptional defending by Jack Tucker, who just did not give Bez Lubala any opportunity to get on the end of Ollie Turton’s Cross.

And Jack Bonham saving that shot from Jerry Yates was just the start of a attacking onslaught by Blackpool, Because the visitor’s are looking to score a vital equaliser just before half time, Zech Medley was in the right place at the right time to header Ollie Turton’s dangerous in-swinging cross towards the near post away from danger, And Scott Robertson manages to keep the ball in play and kick the ball against CJ Hamilton and win Gillingham A Goal-Kick, Ethan Robson was then penalised for his challenge on Jacob Mellis on the halfway line in The Forty Second Minute, And Gillingham were awarded a free kick, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Jack Tucker’s Long Ball Down-Field was to long and ran all the way through to Chris Maxwell in The Blackpool Goal, A Very Routine Save For Chris Maxwell, But the windy conditions are going to make things slightly more difficult for both goalkeepers throughout this all important League One Match.

Forty Three Minutes Into The Match, And Zech Medley makes a vital clearance to clear the ball away from danger, And In The Forty Fourth Minute Of The Match, Bez Lubala is penalised for his challenge on Jacob Mellis, And Gillingham have been awarded another free kick, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Jack Tucker has kicked the ball long down-field, and although Vadaine Oliver has won the aerial challenge up against Marvin Ekpiteta, Vadaine Oliver has been penalised for a foul and Blackpool have been awarded a defensive free kick.

And the final noteworthy moment of the first half see’s Keshi Anderson penalised for his challenge on Josh Eccles, and the free kicks awarded to both teams at the end of the first half has just slowed the pace and tempo of the game down, and after three additional minutes of stoppage time (No doubt three additional minutes were awarded for Dominic Samuel’s Goal, and the injury to Scott Robertson) Referee Lee Swabey blows his whistle for half time, and the half time score at Priestfield Stadium for the third League One Match Of The 2020 / 2021 Season Is Gillingham 1-0 Blackpool.

HALF TIME:

I wrote the following status update on Twitter,,,,,, HT: GILLINGHAM 1-0 BLACKPOOL - Dominic Samuel's goal is the difference between both teams at half time, Robertson whips in a corner towards near post, Ogilvie's header hits the crossbar, Tucker headers the ball back across the face of goal and there was Samuel to open the scoring, Jack Bonham does really well to save a deflection off Zech Medley to prevent Medley from scoring A Own Goal, CJ Hamilton has failed to hit the target for Blackpool and Jerry Yates driven effort towards goal is saved and then gathered by Jack Bonham at the second attempt. Gillingham have the lead going into half time and that is what matters the most, Gillingham really can do with a second goal, Because I can see Blackpool eventually getting themselves on the score-sheet, Thankfully, Robertson Was OK to continue playing after picking up a knock.

But will Scott Robertson be OK to play for Gillingham in the second half ??? - And should there be a enforced substitution, Then you have to say that Alex MacDonald and Henry Woods are both favourite to come on as substitute for Gillingham In The Second Half, As for other options that Gillingham can use from the bench, Trae Coyle and John Akinde are both there to provide Gillingham with attacking options, Should Gillingham need to make a attacking change, Because Dominic Samuel perhaps will play for a hour, and ideally, We want to see Gillingham go 2-0 up at some point in The Second Half, and then Gillingham are in a position where we can substitute Dominic Samuel and keep Dominic Samuel rested for the matches we have got coming up in October.

Both teams then came out on to the pitch for The Start Of The Second Half, And Blackpool and Gillingham have both opted to stick to The Starting Line Up’s Named At The Start Of The Match, The Good News at least means that Scott Robertson is OK to continue playing for Gillingham, But like Dominic Samuel, Scott Robertson is perhaps a player Gillingham need to pay close attention to, and should Gillingham double there advantage and go 2-0 up, then Steve Evans has the luxury to substitute both players, hopefully, Gillingham can pick up three vital points against Blackpool with a important Second Half Display - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!

SECOND HALF (HIGHLIGHTS)

The first noteworthy moment of The Second Half see’s Blackpool look to score the equaliser straight away, But Gillingham looked liked they were in the ascendancy, Because Jordan Graham was running forwards in possession of the ball down the left side of the pitch, But Grant Ward has bundled Jordan Graham down to the deck and no foul for Gillingham was given, and play continue’s Because Grant Ward has possession of the ball in Blackpool’s Own Final Third, and Grant Ward takes a few touches in possession of the ball before passing the ball inside to Ethan Robson in a more central position on the pitch, And Ethan Robson takes a touch to control the ball and another touch to kick a diagonal cross-field cross pass towards Demetri Mitchell, And Demetri Mitchell does brilliantly to header the ball down the line, and Bez Lubala manages to get to the ball ahead of Ryan Jackson and retain possession of the ball and Bez Lubala tries to play a reverse pass down the line towards Demetri Mitchell, But Demetri Mitchell doesn’t react to the pass and the ball runs all the way through to Jack Tucker, And Jack Tucker really should kick this ball long down-field, But Jack Tucker kicks the ball straight into Demetri Mitchell and the ball loops up into the air and ricochets towards Jerry Yates, And Jerry Yates gets the ball under control with a excellent first touch, And Jerry Yates threads the ball through to CJ Hamilton with his second touch with a threaded through-ball, And Connor Ogilvie has not done exceptionally well to come across and clear the ball away from danger, But CJ Hamilton was also penalised for a foul on Connor Ogilvie and Gillingham have been awarded a defensive free kick.

But that was poor from Jack Tucker, really poor, and Connor Ogilvie did brilliant to come across and clear Gillingham’s Defensive Lines, I think it is important to note that Jack Tucker is still young and still very inexperienced, But despite that inexperience, Jack Tucker has played more senior first team matches then Zech Medley, Last Season, Jack Tucker had Barry Fuller and Max Ehmer to learn off because both players were pivotal to Gillingham’s Defensive Record throughout The 2019 / 2020 Season, and whilst Ryan Jackson does provide experience at Right Back, This is Zech Medley’s First Experience of playing competitive first team football and both centre back’s are going to have to learn and learn very quickly as the season progresses.

But despite that let off from Vadaine Oliver’s ricochet not hitting the back of the net, Gillingham do in-fact double there lead after fifty minutes of the match, Zech Medley manages to turn away from CJ Hamilton inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area - A Bit Risky I Know - And Zech Medley kicks the ball long down-field and Grant Ward wins the initial aerial challenge and Ollie Turton wins the fifty / fifty challenge with Jacob Mellis to knock the ball down the right side of the pitch - Gillingham’s Left - And Jordan Graham manages to keep the ball in play before passing the ball back towards Connor Ogilvie, And Connor Ogilvie kicks the ball long down-field first time and Marvin Ekpiteta wins the initial aerial challenge, and the second ball drops kindly to Vadaine Oliver, who nutmegs Michael Nottingham and despite Marvin Ekpiteta closing down Vadaine Oliver, Vadaine Oliver manages to retain possession of the ball before passing the ball square to Dominic Samuel in A Right / Central Area Of The Pitch just outside Blackpool’s Penalty Area, And Dominic Samuel gets the ball under control, takes on Demetri Mitchell, And Dominic Samuel has fired a low accurate effort towards the far left corner of the net and there is absolutely nothing that Chris Maxwell can do about that, and Gillingham have doubled there lead to 2-0 - GILLINGHAM 2-0 BLACKPOOL.

If the first goal from Dominic Samuel was a goal poachers finish, then the second goal is a goal of genuine quality, and Dominic Samuel firing the ball across the face of goal into the bottom left corner of the net is a sensational goal, credit must go to Vadaine Oliver, who played a pivotal role for Dominic Samuel’s second goal of the game, I said at half time that at 2-0, Gillingham would be in a strong position to pick up all three points, But Gillingham are also in a position where we can perhaps start to think about substituting Scott Robertson and Dominic Samuel, perhaps not straight away, but later on in the match, Now if Gillingham were to get a third goal, then we are defiantly in a situation where Gillingham can start to think about substituting players who need to come off, Because Gillingham put in a lot of effort against Stoke City in our League Cup Third Round Tie On Wednesday Night.

Fifty Eight Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham had the chance to go 3-0 up, Marvin Ekpiteta plays a horrendous pass towards Ethan Robson, And Jacob Mellis plays a first time pass forwards to Vadaine Oliver, Who is clattered to the floor by James Husband, and no foul is awarded in Gillingham’s Favour, And Jacob Mellis gets to the loose ball first and Jacob Mellis see’s his driven effort towards goal blocked by James Husband, And Dominic Samuel and Demetri Mitchell compete for the fifty / fifty ball, and Demetri Mitchell and James Husband are both penalised for there challenge on Jacob Mellis, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, And whilst Jacob Mellis is OK to continue playing, there are concerns regarding Vadaine Oliver, who was clattered down to the deck, and Vadaine Oliver does get back up to his feat eventually and Vadaine Oliver needs to limp over to the sidelines to continue getting treatment, John Akinde and Trae Coyle are both on the substitutes bench, Should Gillingham need to make a change in attack, but whilst the treatment is on-going, Gillingham can still extend the score-line to 3-0 from this free kick.

And from the resulting free kick, Jordan Graham curls a low cross into the heart of Blackpool’s Penalty Area, And Jerry Yates has headed the ball behind and out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick, I have to say that I am surprised that Jordan Graham did not whip this free kick goal-wards and try and get on the score-sheet himself, at least Gillingham have won themselves a corner kick, so the free kick isn’t entirely wasted, But I did think Jordan Graham should have gone for goal from that close range, and from the resulting corner kick, Gillingham came close to scoring and 3-0 to The Gills would make it very difficult for Blackpool to get anything out of this match, Scott Robertson whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross from the corner kick and Marvin Ekpiteta manages to header the ball partially clear and away from danger towards the edge of Blackpool’s Penalty Area, And Jordan Graham plays a first time volleyed pass sideways towards Jacob Mellis, who manages to get the ball under control, and Jacob Mellis passes the ball out-wide to Scott Robertson down The Gordon Road Stand Side Of The Pitch, And Scott Robertson gets the ball under control before whipping in a dangerous in-swinging cross and James Husband’s looping header inadvertently tee’s up Vadaine Oliver at the back-stick, And Vadaine Oliver’s Header was directed goal-wards and Chris Maxwell has to make a very important save to keep Blackpool in this match.

Whether Vadaine Oliver was looking to header the ball downwards towards Dominic Samuel, or header the ball into the back of the net himself, I am not entirely sure, but the good news at least is the fact that Vadaine Oliver is back on the pitch and still playing for Gillingham, But that’s now three players in Scott Robertson, Dominic Samuel and Vadaine Oliver that Gillingham need to monitor throughout the rest of this match, all three players have picked up knocks and this is also Dominic Samuel’s first starting appearance for The Gills, So I am anticipating Dominic Samuel being substituted for Gillingham very soon, With one of John Akinde or Trae Coyle likely to come on in Dominic Samuel’s Place.

Sullay Kaikai is then booked for his challenge on Ryan Jackson In The Seventy Fourth Minute Of The Match, But In The Seventy Fifth Minute, Blackpool created a very good goal-scoring opportunity to try and half the deficit to 2-1, Grant Ward has possession of the ball for Blackpool on the halfway line, And Grant Ward passes the ball back towards Marvin Ekpiteta, And Marvin Ekpiteta takes a touch to control the ball before passing a short pass forwards to Ethan Robson, and Ethan Robson is looking around for passing options before clipping a long ball down-field towards Gary Madine and Zech Medley is in the right place at the right time to kick the ball clear and away from danger and Ollie Turton headers the ball down the line towards CJ Hamilton, And CJ Hamilton manages to retain possession of the ball before passing the ball back towards Ethan Robson, And Ethan Robson takes a touch to control the ball before managing to pick out Demetri Mitchell with a cross-field cross pass down Blackpool’s Left Side Of The Pitch - Gillingham’s Right - And Demetri Mitchell manages to take on Ryan Jackson before passing the ball centrally towards Sullay Kaikai right on the edge of Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And Sullay Kaikai takes one touch to control the ball, and another touch to curl the ball goal-wards with a decent low strike towards goal and Jack Bonham manages to parry the ball wide and away from goal, and the follow up effort from CJ Hamilton is blocked and the ball is deflected out of play for A Blackpool Corner Kick.

Already, Sullay Kaikai has come on and caused Gillingham problems defensively, and that was a decent save from Jack Bonham, Because Jack Bonham was slightly unsighted because Gary Madine had ran into Jack Bonham’s eye sight line and his view was also blocked slightly by Jack Tucker, and Connor Ogilvie put in a fantastic block to prevent CJ Hamilton from scoring the re-bound, and from the resulting corner kick, Ethan Robson’s in-swinging cross towards the back-stick is over-hit and the ball runs out of play for A Gillingham Goal-Kick.

Gillingham have a momentarily attacking opportunity when Jordan Graham’s cross is over-hit, and the ball runs out of play for A Blackpool Goal-Kick, However, In The Eighty Sixth Minute, And Ryan Jackson is penalised for his foul on Demetri Mitchell, and from the resulting free kick, Blackpool came close to scoring, as James Husband is in possession of the ball for Blackpool and James Husband clips a long diagonal cross-field cross into the heart of Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And Zech Medley manages to header the ball clear and away from danger, But Ollie Turton wins the aerial battle up against Jordan Graham and CJ Hamilton is on to the loose ball on the edge of Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And CJ Hamilton works his way out-wide, and despite being double marked by Jordan Graham and Connor Ogilvie, CJ Hamilton manages to dig out a dangerous in-swinging cross and Josh Eccles glancing header can only header the ball partially clear and away from danger and Dominic Samuel had fouled Demetri Mitchell on the edge of Gillingham’s Penalty Area, But play continue’s as Ethan Robson hits a first time curling effort towards goal and Jack Bonham saves and then gathers the loose ball at the second attempt.

Gills just need to prevent Blackpool from scoring to stops the visitor’s from setting up a grand-stand finish, But Blackpool are on the offensive and Robbie McKenzie is penalised for his challenge on Sullay Kaikai in The Eighty Ninth Minute, But the next passage of play see’s Blackpool create one of there better goal-scoring opportunities, Marvin Ekpiteta has possession of the ball just in Gillingham’s Half Of The Pitch, And Marvin Ekpiteta manages to pick out Gary Madine with a clipped pass down the left side of the pitch inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area - Gillingham’s Right - And Gary Madine is twisting and turning and working his way out-side towards the byline, and Gary Madine has whipped in a fantastic in-swinging cross and Connor Ogilvie just about does enough to prevent Ollie Turton from getting on the end of that cross at the back-stick, but the ball drops to Sullay Kaikai inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And Sullay Kaikai’s snapshot volleyed effort flashes just wide of the far left post with Jack Bonham well and truly beaten - AND THAT WAS THE CHANCE FOR BLACKPOOL TO SCORE!!!!!! - Because if that effort from Sullay Kaikai was on target, then Blackpool would have scored for certain.

And after that effort on goal from Sullay Kaikai, Gillingham make there third and final substitution in The Ninetieth Minute, Because Alex MacDonald comes on to replace Dominic Samuel, and even then, The Fourth Official messed up Gillingham’s Final Substitution and got it wrong again, I applauded Dominic Samuel for that brace in his second debut for Gillingham Football Club, And Alex MacDonald comes on to give Gillingham additional defensive cover, as Gillingham look to protect this two goal lead.

But what is even more surprising is the fact that there are - EIGHT ADDITIONAL MINUTES OF ADDED TIME!!!!!!! - Where on earth has The Fourth Official found eight additional minutes, and just as we approach added time, Connor Ogilvie is penalised for fouling CJ Hamilton and Blackpool have been awarded a free kick twenty five yards out from goal, and from the resulting free kick, Blackpool came close to scoring again, Demetri Mitchell’s curling effort towards goal clears Gillingham’s Wall and Demetri Mitchell almost manages to pick out the bottom right corner of the net with that free kick and Jack Bonham makes a remarkable save, and Jack Bonham is quick to get up and react to Gary Madine’s follow up effort, and Jack Bonham has made a second save in quick succession and Connor Ogilvie boots the ball into the back of The Brian Moore Stand at the expense of conceding a corner kick, and from the resulting corner kick, Grant Ward whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Jack Bonham is off his goal-line to make a excellent catch which relieves the pressure building on to Gillingham’s Goal - Great to have Jack Bonham back in-between the sticks - although, it has to be mentioned that Joe Walsh is more then capable as Gillingham’s Back Up Goalkeeper.  

OTHER MATCH INCIDENTS WHICH WERE NOT SHOWN ON EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS

SECOND HALF

Forty Eight Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham had a half chance to double there lead, And had this chance gone in for The Gills then Gillingham would have doubled there lead in very fortuitous circumstances, Vadaine Oliver was chasing after a long kick down-field which was running through to Blackpool Goalkeeper Chris Maxwell, and Marvin Ekpiteta has passed the ball short back to Chris Maxwell, who’s attempted clearance down-field ricochets off Vadaine Oliver and the ball goes out of play for A Blackpool Goal-Kick, Good work ethic from Vadaine Oliver, who would have fully deserved his goal had the ball ricocheted into the back of the net, But what on earth are Blackpool doing defensively ???

Blackpool are then penalised for a foul, As Jerry Yates was penalised for his challenge on Jack Tucker, And In The Fifty Second Minute Of The Match, Blackpool make there first substitution of the game, As James Husband comes on to replace Michael Nottingham, Who has put in a dreadful display for Blackpool against Gillingham, Conceded the corner kick which eventually lead to Dominic Samuel opening the scoring in The Fourth Minute, And Michael Nottingham did not exactly cover himself in glory with his defending for the second goal either.

And that all important second goal from Dominic Samuel has given Gillingham a much needed confidence boost, Because Jordan Graham see’s his dangerous in-swinging cross take a huge deflection off Ollie Turton, and the ball diverts out of play for A Gillingham Corner Kick, And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Jordan Graham’s dangerous in-swinging cross is whipped in towards the back-stick and Jack Tucker almost manages to get on the end of that corner kick from Jordan Graham, Blackpool manage to momentarily clear there lines and Josh Eccles passes the ball out-wide to Zech Medley, And Zech Medley’s diagonal cross-field cross pass is aimed towards Dominic Samuel, But Demetri Mitchell manages to header the ball out of play for A Gillingham Throw On, And From The Resulting Throw, Connor Ogilvie was lining up a long throw, but Connor Ogilvie throws the ball short to Jordan Graham, And Jordan Graham manages to pass the ball out-wide towards Connor Ogilvie, who works his way towards the byline and Connor Ogilvie whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross towards the near post which is routinely saved by Chris Maxwell in The Blackpool Goal.

Fifty Five Minutes Into The Match, And Gillingham win themselves a throw on in Blackpool’s Final Third Down The Gordon Road Stand / Rainham End Side Of The Pitch, And From The Resulting Throw On, Ryan Jackson hurls in a long dangerous throw towards Vadaine Oliver and Vadaine Oliver is penalised for a foul on James Husband, And Blackpool have been awarded a free kick in there own defensive final third, And In The Fifty Seventh Minute Of The Match, Blackpool had a half chance to try and get a consolation goal which would bring the visitor’s back into this match, However, Ollie Turton’s cross towards Jerry Yates and Bez Lubala is over-hit, And Dominic Samuel has possession of the ball in Gillingham’s Final Third, And Dominic Samuel wins Gillingham a defensive throw on by kicking the ball against Bez Lubala which just prevents any momentum gained for Blackpool to cause Gillingham problems defensively - Dominic Samuel is playing on the right side of Gillingham’s Front Three, So Dominic Samuel needs to put in the defensive work to help out Ryan Jackson at Right Back.

Sixty Three Minutes Into The Match, And Blackpool make there second substitution of the game, As Sullay Kaikai comes on to replace Bez Lubala, And I have got to say that Sullay Kaikai is a quality player and someone who is pacey, tricky and skilful, and Sullay Kaikai has only started twice for Blackpool this season, with this sub appearance being Sullay Kaikai’s first substitute appearance of the season, whether Sullay Kaikai was injured for Blackpool in pre-season, I cannot say for sure, But Sullay Kaikai will cause Gillingham problems defensively, and he is a player that Gillingham need to keep a close eye on throughout the remaining minutes in this match.

The next passage of play after Blackpool’s Second Substitution Of The Match, see’s Ethan Robson escape punishment for a foul on Josh Eccles, And I personally thought that Gillingham should have been awarded a free kick for that challenge from Ethan Robson, And In The Sixty Fifth Minute Of The Match, Scott Robertson kicks a long ball down the right flank and pressure from Vadaine Oliver forces Demetri Mitchell to kick the ball out of play for A Gillingham Throw On Down The Rainham End / Gordon Road Stand Side Of The Pitch, Now should the 2-0 score-line remain the same at full time, Then Dominic Samuel probably is going to win Gillingham’s Man Of The Match Award, But Vadaine Oliver should be praised for his own individual performance throughout this match against Blackpool, Because Vadaine Oliver has been superb up-front for Gillingham, and the only thing missing from Vadaine Oliver’s own performance against Blackpool is a goal for himself, And From The Resulting Throw On, Ryan Jackson hurls in a long dangerous throw and Chris Maxwell in goal for Blackpool was able to gather the ball with ease.

But we went from Vadaine Oliver putting pressure on Demetri Mitchell and Ryan Jackson’s long throw being saved by Chris Maxwell, In The Sixty Fifth Minute, To Gillingham almost conceding a sloppy consolation goal a minute later, Because Josh Eccles pass back to Jack Bonham was woefully under-hit, And Jack Bonham had to get to the loose ball ahead of Jerry Yates and kick the ball clear and out of play for A Blackpool Throw On, Now despite The 2-0 score-line to Gillingham, Blackpool are still a decent side and they are going to create chances, there is no need for Gillingham to create goal-scoring opportunities for the opposition - And with Sixty Six Minutes On The Clock, I am looking at the bench and I can see Trae Coyle or John Akinde coming on for Dominic Samuel, who has scored two goals for Gillingham on his second debut, and I think it is important to substitute Dominic Samuel and ensure that he is ready for the matches that Gillingham have got coming up in October.

Sixty Seven Minutes Into The Match, And Blackpool Defender Demetri Mitchell has possession of the ball down Blackpool’s Left Side Of The Pitch In Gillingham’s Final Third, And Demetri Mitchell has fired in a low cross across the face of goal and Sullay Kaikai almost gets on to the end of that low cross from Demetri Mitchell, but the chance was still there for the visitor’s to create another goal-scoring opportunity, But Jordan Graham does really well to kick the ball against Ollie Turton, and win Gillingham A Goal-Kick, which just relieves some of the pressure building on to Gillingham’s Goal.

Sixty Nine Minutes Into The Match, And Josh Eccles is penalised for his challenge on Keshi Anderson, And From The Resulting Free Kick, Ethan Robson whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Connor Ogilvie headers the ball partially clear and away from danger, And Ollie Turton manages to get on the loose ball down the right side of the pitch in Gillingham’s Final Third, And Ollie Turton whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Vadaine Oliver manages to header the ball clear and away from goal and CJ Hamilton is penalised for his challenge on Jordan Graham, And Gillingham have been awarded a free kick in there own defensive final third - It is going to have to be backs against the wall defending from Gillingham - As Blackpool are looking to score the goal they need to get themselves back into this match, 2-1 with twenty minutes to go gives Blackpool a chance to score the equaliser for 2-2, But all the while the score-line is 2-0, It gives Gillingham a more greater chance of picking up all three points.

Vadaine Oliver is then penalised for a foul on James Husband, and from the resulting free kick, James Husband kicks the ball long down-field from the halfway line towards the edge of Gillingham’s Penalty Area and Ethan Robson is penalised for a foul on Josh Eccles and Gillingham are awarded a free kick in there own half, and the fouls, free kicks and stoppages in play are suiting Gillingham down to the ground, Because this does not give Blackpool any opportunity to gain momentum, Blackpool However make there third and final substitution of the match, As Gary Madine comes on to replace Keshi Anderson In The Seventy Second Minute, Gary Madine just gives Blackpool more of a attacking option in the final third, And I am surprised that Gary Madine did not come on for Blackpool much earlier then The Seventy Second Minute to be honest.

Seventy Seven Minutes Into The Match, And Gary Madine manages to get in and behind Gillingham’s Back Line, and Gary Madine see’s his low cross across the face of goal blocked and deflected out of play for A Blackpool Corner Kick, With Zech Medley making the all important interception, But before the resulting corner kick could be taken, Scott Robertson is down injured with cramp, and unlike the injury in the first half, Scott Robertson was not going to get up and recover from this injury, and you just wonder if Steve Evans should have substituted Scott Robertson earlier, especially as Gillingham have already picked up a few injuries in midfield with Stuart O’Keefe, Matty Willock and Kyle Dempsey out injured on the sidelines, And after getting some treatment, Scott Robertson was unable to continue playing, And Robbie McKenzie comes on to replace Scott Robertson to try and help Gillingham see out the rest of this match, with the score-line still 2-0 in Gillingham’s Favour.

And From The Resulting Corner Kick, Grant Ward whips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and Robbie McKenzie manages to partially clear the ball away from danger in his first involvement in this match, And Dominic Samuel is fouled by Ethan Robson and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick which relieves pressure building on to our own goal, Dominic Samuel shows his experience winning that free kick, And In The Eighty First Minute, Ethan Robson is booked for a reckless challenge on Josh Eccles, and Gillingham have been awarded another free kick, and these stoppages in play are preventing Blackpool from gaining any momentum, but these are stoppages in play because of Blackpool’s own doing here.

Connor Ogilvie was then in the right place at the right time to make two important clearances for Gillingham, the second clearance was booted out of play for A Blackpool Throw On, And In The Eighty Third Minute Of The Match, Marvin Ekpiteta was booked for his challenge on Jacob Mellis on the halfway line and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, personally, I thought play on should have been awarded because Vadaine Oliver had possession of the ball from Jacob Mellis’s Pass and Gillingham have been awarded a free kick, which unfortunately see’s Vadaine Oliver flagged for offside from Jack Tucker’s clipped pass down the line.

And after that offside decision, Gillingham make there second substitution of the match, With John Akinde coming on for Vadaine Oliver, And I applauded Vadaine Oliver’s Performance, brilliant assist for Dominic Samuel’s Second Goal Of The Game, And the only thing missing from Vadaine Oliver’s own individual performance was a goal for himself, It has to be mentioned that The Linesman had put up Dominic Samuel’s Number up before correcting his error and then putting up Vadaine Oliver’s Number Up On The Board Instead.

Eighty Five Minutes Into The Match, And Jordan Graham is penalised for his foul on Oliver Turton, And Blackpool have been awarded a free kick, and from the resulting free kick, Ethan Robson clips in a dangerous in-swinging cross and the ball ricochets off Ryan Jackson inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area and Zech Medley and Connor Ogilvie between the two of them manage to clear the ball away from danger and Gillingham survive, A goal now for Blackpool will bring Blackpool back into this match and it’s important for Gillingham to preserve there two goal lead.

Gillingham are busy defensively to try and see this game out in the closing stages, Jack Bonham is in the right place at the right time, As James Husband tries to pick out one of Jerry Yates or Gary Madine with a long kick down-field which runs all the way through to Jack Bonham In The Gillingham Goal, And In the Ninety Fifth Minute, Grant Ward manages to pick out Gary Madine with a clipped ball inside Gillingham’s Penalty Area, And Gary Madine has managed to get in and behind Gillingham’s Back Four, and Gary Madine has managed to stick the ball into the back of the net with a excellent finish, thankfully, From A Gillingham point of view, Gary Madine was flagged for offside.

And the final noteworthy moment of the match see’s Grant Ward being put under pressure from Alex MacDonald and running away from goal down The Medway Stand Side Of the Pitch, And Grant Ward passes the ball back towards Marvin Ekpiteta, And Referee Lee Swabey blows his whistle for full time - there was either five or six minutes played of stoppage time, and not the eight minutes we saw shown in the top left corner of the screen on I Follow - And Gillingham have managed to win 2-0 against Blackpool and pick up three very valuable points, and this is a superb win for The Gills - FULL TIME: GILLINGHAM 2-0 BLACKPOOL.

POST MATCH THOUGHTS

I wrote the following status update on to Twitter after the full time whistle had been blown,,,,,,,,,, FT: GILLINGHAM 2-0 BLACKPOOL - A Brace from Dominic Samuel see's Gillingham win there first home league game of The 20/21 Season against a very good Blackpool Side, Jack Bonham has earned that clean sheet for Gills today, especially with that double save at the end of the match. Back to back league wins against Wigan Athletic and Blackpool see Gillingham pick up six points out of a possible nine from our opening three league games, and keeping a clean sheet after conceding twice against Hull and Wigan gives our defence a much needed confidence boost. Hopefully, Scott Robertson's Injury isn't a bad one, especially as Matty Willock Kyle Dempsey and Stuart O'Keefe are all out injured and four midfielders out injured leaves Gillingham lacking central midfielders for a hectic fixture list in October. Great Win For The Gills Today.

I had re-tweeted status updates from Jordan Graham, Ryan Jackson, Vadaine Oliver, Josh Eccles, Kyle Dempsey, Zech Medley, and Jack Tucker, Faversham Town had drawn 0-0 against Hastings United, Folkestone Invicta won 4-1 against Wingate & Finchley, With Former Gillingham Defender Aaron Simpson getting himself on the score-sheet for Folkestone Invicta, Gillingham Town won 5-2 against Swanage Town & Herston, And I also re-tweeted stats from The Gillingham V Blackpool Game regarding Zech Medley from Arsenal Loan Watch.

Now, back to my thoughts on Gillingham’s 2-0 win against Blackpool, I thought this was Gillingham’s most professional league performance of the season, Hull City fully deserved there 2-0 win against Gillingham on the opening day of the season, And Gillingham’s 3-2 win against Wigan Athletic was a very end to end game, But Gillingham put in a very professional performance against Blackpool, Dominic Samuel scored two excellent goals, and whilst Gillingham were on the back-foot for the vast majority of the second half and Jack Bonham had to make quite a few saves to preserve The 2-0 score-line, Blackpool failed to score and Gillingham keeping a clean sheet will give our defenders a much needed confidence boost, I think had Blackpool scored and they scored early enough in The Second Half, That would have given the visitor’s a chance to level the game up at 2-2, then we could be talking about a completely different match entirely, But Gillingham were excellent defensively, and you have got to praise Jack Tucker and Zech Medley, both young centre back’s were superb, along with Ryan Jackson and Connor Ogilvie at full back, this was a much better defensive performance from The Gills.

That win for Gillingham moves Gillingham up to Seventh In The League One Table, and what is perhaps more important about this 2-0 win against Blackpool is the fact that Gillingham now go into a one week break off the back of a hard fought 2-0 win against a decent Blackpool Side, and make no mistake, not only was the three points needed, but the break is especially needed, Because Gillingham have got eight matches in October and those matches are as follows,,,,, Shrewsbury Town Away, Ipswich Town Away, (Football League Trophy), Oxford United Home, MK Dons Away, Portsmouth Home, Fleetwood Town Home, Ipswich Town Away and Sunderland Home, The two away games against Ipswich Town and the home game against Portsmouth are being played on A Tuesday Night, and Fleetwood Town, Portsmouth and Oxford United all reached The League One Playoffs Last Season, Ipswich Town and Sunderland you expect to see as contenders for promotion this season, and MK Dons and Shrewsbury Town Away are not guaranteed wins to say the least, I think it was vital to go into this week’s break with that win against Blackpool, especially with the matches coming up for Gillingham in October.

I have got to praise Vadaine Oliver for his fourth assist of the season already for The Gills and Vadaine Oliver’s overall performance for Gillingham was exceptional and the only thing missing from Vadaine Oliver was a goal for himself against Blackpool, Dominic Samuel will no doubt be Gillingham’s Man Of the Match for scoring a brace against Blackpool, But other players also deserve there plaudits, especially Jack Bonham, Ryan Jackson,Jack Tucker, Zech Medley and Connor Ogilvie for keeping Gillingham’s first clean sheet in League One - Great to see Jack Bonham available for selection after missing The Stoke City Match with a back strain - Scott Robertson and Josh Eccles were superb in central midfield, and I just hope that Scott Robertson being substituted was because of precautionary measures, and Jacob Melliis put in a very impressive display in the advanced midfielder role for The Gills as well.

I had re-tweeted quite a few tweets from Gillingham’s Twitter Account, The photo gallery and clips of the goals from Kent Pro Images, and I mentioned the following to Gabriel,,,, Out of the three league games played this season, The 2-0 win against Blackpool was probably our most professional win of the season to date so far. Dominic Samuel scoring a brace on his second debut for The Gills, another assist for Vadaine Oliver, Great win for The Gills Today, If there was one negative about this performance and result against Blackpool is the fact that we as supporters could not be inside Priestfield Stadium to enjoy The 2-0 win, yes, it was windy and it would have been cold inside the ground, and watching football matches on I Follow is a great alternative and better then nothing, But you want to be inside Priestfield Stadium to celebrate wins like this one against Blackpool.

One thing that every Gillingham Supporter noticed after the full time whistle was some of the pathetic comments from “Some Blackpool Supporters” Comments like,,,,, Frustrating to say the least. Gillingham players going down like Bolton doesn't make for a flowing game and our final ball was non existent. Still plenty of positives and we will learn from this. Feel sorry for Gills fans that have to watch that shite this season. and comments about how Blackpool had 69% possession and how Gillingham offered no real attacking threat and how Gillingham play pathetic defensive football, These comments were sour grapes and do not take into consideration that at 2-0, Gillingham do not need to attack and score more goals, the onus is on the opposition to score, and Blackpool created plenty of goal-scoring opportunities, but they did not stick the ball into the back of the net, and that is the only stat that matters the most.

However, there were comments from “More Sensible Blackpool Supporters” who mentioned that Blackpool have had 69% possession against Gillingham and 63% possession against Plymouth Argyle, and in both matches, Blackpool have lost without scoring a goal, and there are concerns from Blackpool Supporters that Neil Critchley will need to find another way to play besides just dominating possession, Because other clubs in League One will notice this trend from the two results against Gillingham and Plymouth Argyle and realise that if you stick men behind the ball, Blackpool struggle to break teams down and Blackpool need to find a way to win these type of matches, also, Blackpool need to find a way to win away from home, Because Blackpool have got a very disappointing away form, which means that Blackpool will put pressure on every home league game at Bloomfield Road - Something, that we as Gillingham Supporters recognise all too well, Because Gillingham went the entire 2009 / 2010 Season without picking up a away win, and that was the season Gillingham were relegated into League Two, So Blackpool dominating possession and not scoring in two away games is something to be concerned about.

I also noticed that the comments from “The More Sensible Blackpool Supporters’ Mentioned Michael Nottingham’s errors for both goals, Why didn’t Kaikai and Madine come on much earlier for Blackpool, and there was transfer talk and Blackpool needing to sign a few players to strengthen the squad, as well as having Plan B and Plan C in the locker, should Blackpool’s preferred way of playing doesn’t see Blackpool pick up any points, or, score more goals.

All in all, this was a important win for Gillingham, first home league win of the season, first clean sheet in the league for this season, Dominic Samuel scores a brace on his debut, And Gillingham have picked up six points out of a possible nine already, and all three matches against Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Blackpool were tough and very competitive matches, six points out of nine just gives Gillingham something to build on heading into eight very difficult matches in October, and this week’s break will just re-charge Gillingham’s Batteries for the tough tests that are yet to come around the corner, great performance, great result, great to see Jack Bonham back in goal and great to see Dominic Samuel score twice on his second debut, now it would be great to see Gillingham build on this win against Blackpool by picking up all three points in our next League One Fixture against Shrewsbury Town - COME ON THE GILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #299

“Drinks With Jeb, Homecoming, Modded Seeds”

[CP] Grins as his liquor is brought to him-

[Jeb] Happy now? That stuffs 184 proof

-It's a bottle of Bruichladdich whiskey-

[CP] - Will be soon enough, although this stuff would probably knock you flat on your ass

[Jeb] I didn't think we were sharing. I thought you'd want it all.

[CP] - Oh I do, just stating a fact though.  We have some polish vodka on the server and it's the only thing that an get me decently drunk in a reasonable time

[Jeb] What's it called?

[Yster] You're just going to end up puking....

[CP] - Spirytus, knocked GK out after a couple of sips

[Yster] Gk? As in, the big ass dragon?

[Jeb] You have my full attention.

[CP] - Yeah, it's been awhile since he and I have gone out drinking since he's helping Endrea with her kids

[Yster] That's really sweet. I thought he was a big ol' grump.

[Jeb] Is trying to get the bartenders attention- Yeah man.... kids... they change everything...

[CP] - He helped raise Endrea too.  And he's mellowed out since helping with the kids and being around Sweet Alex

[Yster] Sweet Alex? I take it you've got multiple Alex's as well as Steves? I know you've got at least two Steves, right?

[Jeb]  -Spirytus aquired, but just two shots for now-

[CP] - Yeah, usually when a brine shows up, the Steve and Alex will sometimes follow.  But there's a bunch of different relations between the groups

[Jeb] Bangs a shot and snickers- Yeah... you aren't gonna fuck yours. That would be weird. - swimmy expression

[Yster] Do you have an Alex?

[CP] Scowls a bit- Yeah, but she's not from the same era as Stevie and I, she was created by Harvestman

[Yster] Stops mid bite- He... shouldn't be able to do that.

[CP] - Well he did

[Yster] That's not good... gods he's a piece of work. He should really be deleted.

[Jeb] Wow... this stuff is strong...

[CP] - Told ya- He's about five shots in- And Doc looked Alexis over, found some code meant to harm me if Alexis ever defected to my side or Stevie and I made up for some reason

[Yster] You know, we can't do it directly, but if we can provide something to help you fight, we could do it on the down-low.

[Jeb] Had the second shot and is certainly drunk-

[CP] - He's got a super dangerous sword right now, countering that is the main problem right now.  A single small scratch from it completely deleted me

[Yster] I wonder how he got a hold of that...?

[Jeb] Time to partner up with your dad! Hic!

[CP] - Fuck no

[Jeb] But he's got the- the- shieldy thingie-

[CP] - Which I'm sure works both ways, nothing getting in, or out

[Jeb] Starts laughing - You could hold him by his feet and beat Harvester with the shield-

[Yster] Eye-roll

[CP] - I don't think he, my mate, or my brother would appreciate that- He changes the station on a different tv to a toddlers show

-Lots of cussing and some popcorn being tossed around as the remote is fumbled for-

[Jeb] Still laughing-

[Yster] Yeah, he's drunk.

[CP] - Told you that stuff was strong- He has had about twenty shots now

[Jeb] ssssokay I'm goooood

[Yster] And this is why I'm driving

[CP] - If he gets stupidly drunker Lie can sober him up

[Jeb] Noooooooo

[Yster] He's okay. Let him be drunk. He hardly gets to do this with Markus gone all the time.

[CP] Is starting to feel a buzz- Well he only has to ask and I can drag him in to Sam's bar

[Jeb] Sam is the mannn

[Yster] Do what now?

[CP] - Drag him into the game?

[Yster] No, I mean, you have a bar in the game? Heh, Makes me think of Tapper.

[CP] - It was originally made just for the brines, but everyone uses it.  Sam is the skeleton bartender

[Yster] Weird. -eating wings-

[Jeb] Had another shot and is looking contemplative. - All you needs sa mods...

[CP] - Not when you can get the real shit from out here.  Speaking of mods though, we've found some odd things on TLOT and Steve's server...

[Jeb] Spins an empty shot glass on the bar- I'm not supriissed. I went through some shit...

[CP] - Like dinosaurs?

[Jeb] I thought I deleted that one... fucking.. fuck... I was just trying to give em something....

[CP] - Well you missed them, and they've been found.  The fucking raptors have created their own little civilization

[Jeb] hooo boy... ah well they can do their thing... that's probably the least of what's lurkin

[Yster] What are you talking about?

[CP] - And what else might there be?

[Jeb] Runs a finger around the rim of the glass... - maybe some big ol- bugs, other stuff... I was trying to give them a fighting chance. But nobody ever found the sword pieces... I don't even think they even found the fossils....

[CP] - Where are they?

[Jeb] Scattered around. Buried. It's supposed to be like a - like a treasure hunt mod.

[CP] - Oh for fucks sake...- He files the information away to let TLOT know later

[Jeb] Mighta helped... but they got away... oh well.. fucking NOTCH.... Good riddance.

[CP] - There's a chance another might have spawned

[Jeb] Blinks- oh yuuuusss, new cycles... they'll be different... and they've got the book-

[Yster] Elbows him hard-

[Jeb] OW!

[CP] - What book?

[Yster] Aggressively eating, she looks embarassed-

[Jeb] Slides down against the bar with his fingers spread- The bookitey book

[CP] - Need something more than that

[Yster] Nice one dipshit-

[Jeb] Yeeehehehheeh

[CP] Is about to ask again but his attention is drawn towards the door of the establishment.  A slight scowl makes it's way to his face-

[Jeb] One more-

[Yster] No, you're already useless.

[CP] Is keeping his eyes trained on a familiar figure in a bright red coat with messy black hair-

[Yster] Notices his gaze- Friend of yours?

[CP] - Yeah...

[Locklear] Approaches the group- Ah, Herobrine, I thought it was you I saw entering here

[CP] - Fuck off Locklear

[Locklear] - Now now, no need for such language

[Jeb] Drunken wave-

[Yster] Turns to face the new person. - Hello

[Locklear] Focus' on Yster- Hello, I'm Dr. Locklear, and you are?

[Yster] Yster, and the drunken goofball is my boss Jeb.

[Jeb]Heyoooo.

[Locklear] - Charming, I see you're not participating in the festivities?

[Yster] Ah, just enjoying some wings. I like to make sure my friends get home safely, do you like chicken at all? -Holds up the plate. It's still has several wings and some celery and carrots

[Locklear] - Ah yes, I've tended to many a child, and no thank you

[CP] - Yeah by stealing organs for them

[Jeb] Hey!

[CP] - Oh shut up and drink some more

[Jeb] I'm not a child... And I'm practickkally a parent to you so shup.

[CP] - No you're not!

[Locklear] - Now why would you say that?

[Jeb] Becasssuuue I made the game!

[Yster] With a lot of help. You know it was Markus's dream to begin with.

[Jeb] Yeeeaaah.

[Locklear] - Ah, so in essence the gods of your game

[Jeb] Right on ya! I got temples an everythin-

[Yster] Yes, well some of us like to take a more personal approach then others.

[Locklear] - And you my dear?

[Yster] A little bit of everything. I make and marry sounds with things happening in the game, I do debugging, some item modeling, I work with the legal team too.

[Locklear] - You're a very educated woman then?

[Yster] Oh yes. I have a degree in software engineering.

[Locklear] - I see- He glances at a watch on his wrist- Well, I must be going, I'm on a tight schedule

[Jeb] Seems to sober up for a minute- Did someone say something about organs?

[Yster] You said you were a doctor? Are you on a hospital night shift or something?

[Locklear] Smiles a little- I suppose you could say that- He stands and moves towards the door

[Yster] Smiles slightly - Mystery man...

[CP] - Be careful

[Yster] If he's a friend of yours I'm assuming that is a literal warning.

[Jeb] Oh shit.

[CP] - I mean, he has better morals than the rest of us

[Yster] Eyebrow- What's his deal specifically?

[CP] - He seeks out very specific targets, usually murderers or rapists, tortures and steals their organs, and then gives the organs to those who need transplants

[Yster] Blank look- Well... I guess he's doing a weird kind of community service.

[Jeb] Just loooks scared-

[CP] - Relax, neither one of you is in danger from him

[Yster] Ah, Reminds me of Hannibal Lechter.

[Jeb] You love that shit.....

[Yster] Not my fault all you can watch is Disney movies with your kid.

[CP] Scoffs and drinks some more, starting to really feel the effects of the alcohol-

[Jeb] Gets another shot and downs it. He's just flopped on the bar. - Fuck.... you get it Cp, you got kids in da hooouuuse.

[CP] - One annoying little NOTCH

[Jeb] And all da babby dragonz

[Yster] I thought the kid one was okay?

[CP] - He keeps trying to get between me and Lie.  And Endrea keeps her kids pretty well corralled

[Jeb] Welsh hez supposed to prtect her....

[CP] - There's nothing for her to be protected from!

[Jeb] Not everaaa Herobrine ish nice!

[CP] - Yeah but I'm meaner than them

[Yster] It's just a general objective. At least he's not trying to hurt her.

[CP] - Yeah yeah, whatever.  At least he's hanging out more with Firebird than being at our place.  Speaking of NOTCH's though, about that book

[Jeb] How to be a NOTCH 101!

[Yster] Shut up!

[CP] - I'm sorry, what?

[Jeb] So they don't do stupid shit... or else-

[Yster] Is beet red and embarassed as fuck

[CP] - I see...

[Jeb] Takes the tiniest sip from a mostly empty shot glass and suddenly flumps over.

[Yster] Annnd he's out cold.

[CP] - I did tell him that stuff was strong...- He's swaying a little himself

[Yster] It's not like he's never been drunk before. - gives the last bone a bit of a lick as she strips off the meat. - all done.

[CP] Just tucks the bottle into his jacket-

[Yster] Notices- A bit for the road? It's okay. He bought the bottle anyway.

[Bartender] Comes to check on them- Oh dear.

[Yster] It's okay. I'm sober. I'll make sure he gets home. - She pulls his wallet out of Jeb's pants and pays for the alcohol with one of his cards.

[CP] - He didn't listen to my warning

[Yster] I don't think it was that he didn't believe you, he was just okay with being drunk tonight.

[CP] Shrugs-

[Yster] Small smile- Shall we go then? Or are you not done annoying the patrons by playing with the tv?

[CP] Does it one last time, but with every tv in the building-

-General noises of anger from everywhere as they scramble to change the channels back-

[Yster] Haha, griefer.

[CP] - But of course- He stands up and grabs Jeb, dragging him towards the door

[Yster] Grabs a couple of peppermints off the bowl on the bar and follows- Thanks for that. He's hard to move when he's shit-faced. We usually bring Tokig to help out.

[CP] - What ever- He heads straight towards the car

[Yster] Hey, just a thought. Does the automatic item pick up thing work for you out here?

[CP] - Yes

[Yster] Flicks a peppermint at him and watches as the candy vanishes - You know that works for NOTCHs too, don't you?

[CP] - Yes, as it does for player too

[Yster] Gets an evil look- what if you chucked something at your NOTCH that he wouldn't want in his inventory?

[CP] - Probably just chuck it out

[Yster] Not if it's something infectious. Just thinking aloud...

[CP] Opens the back doors of the car and tosses Jeb into the back seat-

[Yster] Arranges Jeb a bit more comfortably and buckles him in before getting in the drivers seat herself. - just a normal weekend. I'd complain more if I had something else to do.

[CP] Takes the passenger seat and jams the seat as far back as he can just to make Jeb uncomfortable- What, no boyfriend?

[Yster] sighs-  I usually scare them off.

[CP] - Little tiny you?

[Yster] And it's attitudes like that that inspired me to learn how to fight. I could kill a man with a pencil if I needed too.

[CP] - I'd like to see you try

[Yster] Scowls- I don't have to prove anything to you.

[CP] Shrugs, he's a bit drunk but does lean against the window of the car-

[Yster] Hunkers down a bit but she's driving carefully- They tend to not like my apartment either....

[CP] - Is it too messy?

[Yster] No, I collect horror memorobilia. I like it, but it's not exactly romantic.

[CP] - Laaaaame, all that stuff's comedy compared to what I lived with on a daily basis

[Yster] Once again, I have nothing to prove to you. I like what I like. Anyone who has a problem with it can take a flying leap.

[CP] - Whatever

[Yster] Pulls into the driveway of Markus's house- It's been real. Have a good rest. You seem a bit tipsy.

[CP] Glances at Jeb- Are you sure you don't want my wife to sober him up a little?

[Yster] Nah. He'll be fine.

[CP] Narrows eyes a little before stepping out of the car.  Once near the door he attempts to teleport to the other side and ends up teleporting backwards instead-

[Yster] Snickers-

[CP] Scowls and tries again, clipping through the door a little-

[Yster] Loses it laughing- glad to see you enjoyed the alcohol

[CP] Quickly spots his wife bundled up on the couch sleeping and goes to join her, shifting her around until he is under her.  As his guard is down from the alcohol he releases a calming aura as he drifts to sleep holding Lie-

[Doc] Tumbles out of Notch's Tv and looks around, Xe smiles when xe spots Cp snuggled with Lie and breathes a sigh of relief. They look around in the dark room for the others-  -

[Deer] Is curled up in a chair and Flux is with Notch in his bedroom-

[Doc] Pulls up a footstool and leans on the chair with an arm around Deerheart's shoulders. Hir sigh of relief is audible as xe contacts hir lover-

[Deer] Snuggles into Doc and stirs a little- Love?

[Doc] Xe takes a deep draught of her scent- Missed you....

[Deer] Hums contentedly and falls back asleep-

[Notch] Wakes up in the morning and snuggles into Flux-

[Flux] Wakes up a little- Good morning

[Notch] It's always good when I wake up with you. Though I do feel a bit homesick.

[Flux] - True, I suppose CP's back by now...

[Notch] If he didn't break anything or kill and anyone last night, I'll count it as a win for everybody.

[Flux] - Shall we see if the others are awake yet?

[Notch] Sure- He gets slowly out of bed and heads down the hall.

[Flux] Stretches and follows Notch-

[CP] Is still holding Lie, asleep on the couch-

[Notch] Well it looks like Doc found us...

[Flux] - Did we tell them we had left the bunker?

[Notch] I don't think we did... shit... but then. You can trust Doc to find Deerheart without fail.

[Flux] - This is true- She looks over at CP as she laces her arm through Notch's- I wonder how your friend is faring this morning...

[Notch] Probably having a hangover.

[Flux] - Well at least CP won't have one

[Doc] Gives a little yawn-

[Deer] Snuggles a bit closer-

[Flux] - Should we make them some breakfast? Or should we just had towards the bar on the server?

[Notch] looks around at everyone and the space that still smells a bit of dust and neglect. - I think I've inconvenienced everyone enough for a long time. Let's go home.

[Flux] - Then let's wake them up

[Notch] has a sappy thought and sneaks over to Cp, he puts a gentle hand on the big brines shoulder and shakes him very slightly- come on son, let's go home.

[Doc] Is awake and quietly  watching with a small smile-

[CP] Grumbles and pulls his wife a bit closer-

[Doc] Smootches Deerheart- time to go home I think

[Deer] Sleepily- Good

[Doc] I left Yaunfen with Buff all night, I'm sure they'll be glad to see you

[Deer] - I miss our baby

[Lie] Starts waking up as well-

[Doc] And I missed you-

[Notch] Come on Cp, you're the best portal maker. I don't mind if you go home and take lie straight back to bed.

[Doc] I'm not sure I'm feeling that patient - Xe gets up and takes a ready fighting stance before lunging forward to break a hole in reality that leads back home. The opening shows Doc's garden on the other side, it's afternoon there and Basil can be heard splashing around offshore.

[Deer] Rolls out of the chair- Home... [CP] Finally starts waking up-

[Buff] Walks up to the hole on the other side and looks though- Neat!

[Doc] smiles- yeah, sometimes it is.  

[Notch] Steps through with a sigh of relief and offers a hand to Flux

[Lie] Stays urging CP along towards the opening-

[Flux] Accepts the hand and steps through-

[Notch] is watching her closely to see if she changes back to her normal colors

[Flux] After a few moments is her usual purple self-

[Notch] Ah, you're lovely as a human, but this face is the one I fell in love with. - he holds her gently and kisses her deeply-

[Buff] Heart eyes -

[Doc] Your turn my love?

[Deer] Smiles and steps through, her transition back taking just a little longer because of what she lost-

[Flux] Returns the kiss and reaches up, undoing the magic on Notch's hair-

[Notch] Thank you, I was missing that-

[Flux] - You're welcome

[Doc] oh thank goodness.

[Lie] Guides her tired mate through-

[Yaunfen] Is dozing in the sun, having stayed up very late due to the excitement of Deer returning-

[Doc] closes the hole with a flourish. - Xe slips a hand around Deerheart and dips her with a kiss

[Buff] You're little one passed out, but I'm sure they'll be happy when they wake

[Deer] Smiles and once released by Doc goes to give Yaunfen a gentle hug- I've missed you so much baby

[Doc] So did I miss anything? You guys kinda snuck off without me

[CP] Pulls out the bottle from the previous night- Got more booze for the bar

[Flux] - We visited where all of this started

[Doc] Thats... good? You mean?

[Notch] I took her to see the mainframe at the Mojang office.

[Flux] - I may have stumbled across CP's Notch while looking at all the servers as well

[CP] - What?

[Notch] She just spotted him moving around from outside the computer, he didn't see us or anything.

[CP] Growls- Which seed?

[Notch] Shrugs and looks at Flux.

[Flux] - Why do you wish to know?

[CP} - So I can tear that bastard apart

[Notch] Not yet. I don't want to see anybody get hurt. We still don't have a way of countering him.

[Doc] You remember what happened last time.

[Notch] Did Jeb tell you anything useful?

[Buff] Can I help at all?

[CP] Getting angrier- Just tell me!  I'm nearing an energy surge!  That should be enough to take him down!

[Lie] - CP no!

[Doc] Goes pale - This is not a problem to be solved by battering yourself against a wall Cp.

[CP] - BUT HE SHOULD BE WEAKENED BY NOW!

[Doc] Please tell me what you did to keep from freaking out while you were irl. You should have had one of these already since your sword went missing.

[CP] - Fucking Polybius and Karla...  And fucking

[Doc] Karla did something to you?

[CP] - Had a fucking black feather that did weird shit

[Notch] How odd.

[Buff] A feather?

[Doc] Could we ask her to do it again?

[CP] - OR I COULD JUST GO KILL THE BASTARD!

[Doc] A bit bitter- Do you really want to be a kitten and a kid again Cp?

[Lie] - Let's try this...- She summons a vampiric flower

[Notch] That looks dangerous...

[Doc] Takes a big step back but stays between the flower and hir mate and child-

[CP] Looks at it- That did nothing last time

[Lie] - Try again

[CP] - No

[Buff] Well it's kinda neat looking.

[Lie] - CP please...

[Buff] Don't be a jerk to your wife. - He picks up Cp, holding his hands to his sides and sets him down firmly next to the flower.

[CP] - FUCKER!- His foot moves a little and he feels an instant drain on his power

[Doc] Is that better?

[CP] - Fuck you...

[Lie] - I think it worked

[Doc] Thank goodness. I'm in no mood to fight with you Cp.

[CP] - Yeah well maybe you should be checking your NOTCH's inventory

[Buff] Looks worried-

[Doc] Why would I do that?

[CP] - Because they were given things

[Buff] ....

[Doc] Looks at them both- what kind of things?

[Deer] - I'm sure it's nothing, if it were bad, Buff would have told us, or CN

[Buff] Muttering to himself quietly - I'm doing a good job....

[Lie] - Are you sure you're not delirious CP?

[Doc] At Deerheart - Do you know something about this? Or is this just a character assessment?

[Deer] - I know a little, I assure you, it's nothing harmful

[Doc] Well I do trust your judgement.

[Notch] I doubt it would be anything bad. Nearly the whole development team is on our side.

[Flux] - Let's turn our thoughts to other things, we did only just wake up, we could use some food

[Buff] Looks a little relieved. - I've been up a while, is it okay for me to go sleep?

[Deer] - Absolutely Buff

[Buff] Thank you - he hurries off.

[Doc] What about Yaunfen? I guess we should wake them up.

[Deer] - Or we could carry them in our other forms

[Notch] I just want to go home. Is that okay with you Flux?

[Flux] - Absolutely

[Doc] Oh? You want to go to the bar? I was just going to make something.

[Deer] - Let somebody else do the work Doc, I want to tell you everything I saw

[Doc] Smiles hugely- thank you love. I can't wait to hear it. - Xe steps away from the garden and flops out into hir dragon shape. - Ahhh.... bliss. Ready when you are.

[Deer] Shifts as well, picking Yaunfen up and putting her child on her back-

[Lie] - Come on CP, we should take your new liquor to Sam

[CP] - Fine fine

[Doc] Is it okay to just leave that flower?

[Lie] - I don't know...

[Doc] Then... Cp? Can we have a small fireball? That might be the best route. No sense in leaving hazards laying around.

[CP] - Gladly- He quickly burns the flower

[Doc] Good job. - Xe gets to hir feet and shakes out hir mane a bit- Anybody wants a ride speak now, or you'll be walking.

[Lie] - Walking is fine

[CP] - Fuck no

[Doc] Your choice. I just need to strech my legs a bit anyway. Let's go- Xe starts trotting towards the bar.

[Lie] Follows them, knowing CP will follow her-

[Deer] Moves smoothly, trying her best not to disturn Yaunfen-

[Doc] Falls back to walk next to her and busks her gently, brushing her a little with hir tail fluff.

[Deer] Hums happily at the contact before glancing at Yaunfen- I'm betting our little one has a lot to tell me too

[Doc] I'm kinda glad they didn't see you before you changed back . I think they might have been weirded out a bit. - Playfully nomms the nub of one of her antlers-

[Deer] - Well eventually they will see it

[Doc] Yeah, gonna warn them first though. I tried to wake you, but you were out of it. I feel bad for leaving them with Buff all night. Well it was probably two days here at least.

[Deer] - Oh...  That's right, time moves differently

[Doc] Num num on a different nub and gives her a smootch- I missed you so much. Apparently TLOT had some trouble too. Someone stole the grass block out of Nessies temple. They took her Nether Star too.

[Deer] - Oh no!  Were they able to fix everything at least?

[CP] - So somebody actually pissed off the bitch?

[Doc] You say that like she isn't easy to make mad. And yes and no. Lie replaced the block and she and TLOT and Steve slew a wither, but the new star hasn't been delivered yet. The whole thing worries me.

[CP] - Why give her another?  She won't use it

[Doc] I'm not sure. It's a good way to keep her from bitching, and to be fair it's not a huge deal to let her have one. It's decently symbolic for her native Herobrine to give her some small treasure since she was the acolyte of his enemy and we have a kind of agreement with her now.

[CP] Scoffs- Maybe Notch should give it too her

[Doc] I assure you he is not interested in Nessie worshipping him. And it seems to make Flux jelous as fuck.

[Deer] - Yes, but it might get her to be calm for a little while at least

[Doc] Eh, this is TLOT's diplomatic thing, let him handle it.

[Deer] - Alright

[Yaunfen] Shifts around on Deer's back-

[Doc] Gives Yaunfen a loving nudge- We're both here sweetheart

[Deer] - Wake up sweet heart

[Yaunfen] Sleepily looks around- Mama?

[Doc] Coos over them-

[Yaunfen] Wakes up more- Mama!  Mama!

[Deer] Laughs a little- Yes baby, I'm right here

[Yaunfen] Lunges to wrap themselves around Deer's neck

[Doc] Is purring a lot-

[Lie] Smiles and leans into CP a little-

-The group reaches the bar and Doc walks across the air so that Deerheart can use the little bridge. Xe's high stepping like a horse and wearing the biggest smile.

[Yaunfen] Is excitedly blabbering about everything they did while Deer was gone-

[Doc] Waits by the door and opens it for Lie and Cp-

[Lie] She and CP enter the bar-

[Deer] Encourages Yaunfen to get smaller and goes smaller herself once Yaunfen is on the ground-

[Doc] Shrinks down as well and takes the opportunity to group hug them - Did you have fun with Buff kiddo?

[Yaunfen] - Yes!  We did lots of running and jumping!

[Doc] Figures, - xe leads them inside-

[Sam] Waves to everybody-

[CP] Plops the bottle of alcohol onto the counter- For the collection

[Sam] Examines it closely -

[Doc] So what it is? More vodka? It looks like a brown rum.

[CP] - Whiskey

[Sam] Signals that Gk will be happy.

[Lie] Takes a seat- Hey Sam?  Could we get some breakfast?

[Sam] Nods and gets to work-

[Doc] So Notch said something about you hanging out with Jeb?

[CP] - Yeah, he promised me booze

[Doc] Oh, hence the bottle. I presume he was smart enough to get you something super strong rather then beer after beer after beer.

[CP] - That stuff's almost on par with the polish vodka

[Doc] Duly noted.

[CP] - Yeah, Jeb also got super drunk and let some things loose

[Doc] Anything that might actually help us?

[CP] - Ummm...  TLOT's seed is modded?

[Doc] That would explain a few things. Do we have any idea what kind of mods?

[CP] - Well the main one seems  to be a sword that you have to search for all the pieces for

[Doc] A sword? Why on earth....? That's like trying to find a single endermite in a nether fortress.

[CP] - It would have been useful against his old NOTCH

[Doc] Now there's a problem I'm glad to be rid of...

[Sam] Starts passing out plates - Lie has a mess of scrambled eggs with bacon and potatos, Cp has a plate with bacon, sausages and a steak.

[Lie] - Thank you Sam

[CP] - Who knows, the sword could still be useful

[Sam] Lays out a lot of syrupy waffles, bacon, milk, and coffee for Doc, Deerheart and Yaunfen-

[Doc] Maybe. I'll add it to the addenda.

[Yaunfen] Immediately starts shoveling food into their mouth-

[Doc] It's really the theft itself that worries me. Who steals from a bunch of monks who practice fighting all day?

[CP] - A weirdo?

[Doc] Drinks hir coffee and takes a thoughtful bite of waffle- yeah... but it feels symbolic. They took a grass block and replced it with a cobweb block. You can't place those under normal circumstances, it's a creative move.

[CP] - Looks like TLOT needs to pay a bit more attention to his seed

[Doc] He's not an admin Cp. He doesn't even have a server spirit like Deerheart or Flux to consult.

[CP] - Well then what do you suggest?

[Doc] I'm not sure. I mean, he doesn't have any desire to just rule them all with an iron fist or anything. Just smack them back into line if they're mistreating one another.

[CP] - Well he'd better figure out something unless he's too scared to even return to his own seed

[Doc] Somehow I think you're just being mean and baiting me now.

[CP] Scowls- TLOT has a seed that he can go to at any time and yet he will not, I WANT to return to my seed but can't!  He's being a coward!

[Doc] I think you don't understand that he doesn't have the same sentimental feelings for his seed as you do. The mobs don't obey him, all the homes he made there were destroyed, and the Testificates don't need him to run their lives. He's happy wherever Steve is, and the rest of his friends.

[CP] Would stand and storm out but Lie stops him-

[Lie] - CP...  I know you want to go there, make certain your generals are alright but-

[CP] - You don't get it!  I have no idea what is happening to my army!  Winston has not reported back in ages!  For all I know it's because he's been destroyed!  If I try to move what remains of my mobs, Harvestman will follow!  And yet TLOT can freely go between his seed and here and yet he WON'T take advantage of that!  It's absolutely asinine!

[Doc] I'm sorry Cp. I've offered to move your people many times and you always refuse me. I don't know what to do for you. And I know you're angry but I don't understand why you want TLOT to leave so badly. He has little reason to do so.

[CP] - Because if this is a threat to him or his people, he has a chance of protecting them as I currently can't do for mine!

[Doc] If you want to help him, I'm sure he'd be grateful for it.

[CP] Dissolves into an angry silence-

[Doc] Do you want to help?

[CP] - Fuck off

[Doc] I'll let him know. If he doesn't already. That was quite an outburst.

[Deer] - Love, let's just give him some space

[Doc] Nods- You said you had things to tell me anyway.

[Deer] - Oh yes!- She begins listing of all the small things that she saw and her pottery lesson

[Doc] Did you pick up any souveniers while you were out? I'll make a note to go check on Mort in a few days to see how your bowl is doing-

[Deer] - Um, just some food

[Doc] Something new?

[Sam] Is now listening intently-

[Deer] Nods and pulls out the food Markus had given them-

[Doc] Is already multipling things and passing copies to Sam. - So this green stuff is kinda slimy but it smells good... the potatos are familiar enough, but what the brown crumbly stuff? It smells like meat.

[Deer] - It is!  It's fried chicken!

[Doc] Makes some copies and sniffs a piece before taking a bite- Oh that's good... it's messy and probably terrible for humans, but I like it!

[Deer] - Yup!

[Lie] Is speaking soothingly to CP, trying her best to calm him-

[CP] Has had enough and just leaves, leaving an awkward silence behind-

[Doc] Turns to see him go. - I'm sorry Lie. I know he's upset about his mobs, but I don't know what to do for him. I'm no match for Harvestman either.

[Lie] - But he does bring up a good point, we haven't heard anything for some time

[Doc] What about you and Endrea? Can either of you contact Winston?

[Lie] - Endrea might be able to... But if she dies over there...

[Doc] I said contact him. Not go over there. Winston can come here, remember? Even if he's the only one we can save, that's better then nothing

[Lie] - I'll ask her about it later

[Doc] Do I need to use the chat for you again Lie? You can whisper you know.

[Lie] - No, it's just at this time of day she's feeding the kids and the other dragons that need it

[Doc] I see.

[Lie] - I'll catch her when she gets home

[CN] Is still a bird but is almost finished molting, his brown feathers having turned a shimmering blue and black-

[Firebird] -Has 100% been gathering up lost feathers and moving them to where CN can't get to them-

[CN] His flight skill has increased and he's hunting for the feathers-

[Firebird] -Watching CN flit about-

[CN] Frustrated noise in that he can't open chests to look-

[Firebird] -Small grin-

[CN] Defeated he flies over to Firebird and lands on his shoulder-

[Firebird] Given up? -Pets CN a bit-

[CN] Long frustrated noise-

[Firebird] -Just small grin- I'll take that as a yes. But really, why would you want your old feathers? Look at em now!

[CN] Slight consenting noise-

[Firebird] -Pet pet- You know, about now you could probably turn back. The lock down of forms ended a while ago.

[CN] Loud indignant and somewhat angry noise-

[Firebird] What? -Innocent look-

[CN] Beats Firebirds face with his wings-

[Firebird] -Amused laugh before patting CN a bit- Do you know how to Switch back?

[CN] Shakes his head+

[Firebird] Well, I'm not sure how it works for others, but I focus really hard on what I looked like and just... Will myself to be that way. You give it a try.

[CN] Shuts his eyes and concentrates, vibrating a little he's so focused-

-After a couple if minutes he starts shifting back-

[Firebird] There ya go.. While you're at that.. -Switches to his usual form, petting his tail fringe a bit.-

[CN] Tumbles awkwardly to the ground, naked-

[CN] - Firebird! I'm back to normal!- He does not see the little tuft of feathers covering his butt

[Firebird] Good job! Do you have any clothing with you bud? -He doesn't see them yet either-

[CN] Looks in his inventory- No, they must be in my room

[Firebird] Alright, let me see what I can scrounge up -Moves about to poke and prod through chests-

[CN] Starts looking for his molted feathers-

-They're all crammed in a single chest-

[CN] Happily starts pulling them out-

-A lot of feathers, enjoy bird kid-

[Firebird] Hmmm.... -Fabric ruffling noises-

[CN] Starts going through them trying to find the best-

[CN] - Of yeah, sorry I destroyed your book Firebird...

[Firebird] Hm? My book? I thought it was yours... -Turns, a bundle of fabrics in hand- Oh! CN, you have a tail.

[CN] - WHAT!?- He spins in a circle trying to look

[Firebird] Kind of like mine, but still tiny.

[CN] - But... But...

[Firebird] But? -Walks over and offers CN the flowing clothing articles so He can pick one- Do you not like it?

[CN] Quietly- I'm not supposed to have a task...- He starts looking through the clothes

[Firebird] So? If you like it it doesn't matter if you do or not. -Most seem like old white shirts of his, one still has a long yellow cape clipped onto it-

[CN] Pulls on the one with the cape- I don't know...

[Firebird] Well, I'd say give it a week or two, see if it grows on you. You wanna go down now?

[CN] - Yes please, I'm tired of eating seeds

[Firebird] Alright, here. Hang on. -Holds an arm out to CN- I gotta find one of the doors first though...

[CN] Takes Firebirds hand-

[Firebird] -Guides CN along before finding one of the balconies of the tree. It's got a bunch of carpets and a nest in one corner- ahh, here we go.

[CN] - Your best looks a lot better then the one I tried to make...

[Firebird] I've had a lot of practice. A lot.

[CN] - Oh... Will I want to build more?

[Firebird] Maybe, you might. I find them comfortable when I'm a bird and just to lounge around in. Now that you can fly you might find a few of them around. Here, you wanna hold onto my shirt, I'm gonna bring us down.

[CN] - Huh? Okay- He reaches his arms out to grab Firebirds shirt

[Firebird] Both hands, and do not let go.

[CN] - Got it!- He grips tightly with both hands

[Firebird] -Makes sure CN's secure before backing up a few steps, taking parts of his cape in his hands. He rushes forward and sails off the edge of the balcony, heading down. Because they're near the top there's a long way to go. Firebird is totally laughing like a madman.-

[CN] Shrieks in fear-

[CN] - FIREBIRD!

[Firebird] -Laughing as they sail closer to the ground-

[CN] - FIREBIRD LOOK OUT!

[Firebird] -Throws his arms out after a moment, them jerking upward into the air before sailing along the desert a bit-

[CN] Whimpers a little-

[Firebird] Oh shhh... You're fine. -Sticks his legs out, milling them a bit as they get closer to the ground-

[CN] Clutches tighter- That was scary...

[Firebird] That was FUN! You'll learn to enjoy that sort of thing! -Lands and scuttles along the ground a few steps-

[CN] - I don't know...

[Firebird] -Slows to a pace CN can hop off if he wants to- You'll see...

[CN] Jumps down- So where are we going?

[Firebird] - shrugs a bit -

[CN] Kicks some sand as he walks- Can we get food?

[Firebird] Sure, what you hungry for? We could stop at the doctors..

[CN] - Mmmmm... Steak!

[CN] Runs a bit ahead of Firebird-

[Firebird] -Walks after CN- Sounds good.

[fmlfpl]

Lineup Lamentations - GW37+

Our Transfers, Captains, and Starting 11s for the week!

—

WALSH

TRANSFERS:

OUT: Giroud and Foden

IN (for -4 points): Wood and Stanislas

Still out here having fun fam :).

As shouted on the pod I don't have a great feeling about Foden starting..and I want no part of Giroud going to Anfield against big Virg and don't even know if he's going to start either. In come a couple of pod shouts here and a couple of old friends.

Just continuing on the target Norwich theme by getting Wood here. Burnley are far from the offensive giant but they should be able to bang a couple past them.

Stan is just for the banter and also to have something to wake up for on Sunday morning. It also feels in some strange way coming full circle to have one of Edward's men at this late stage before he gets fucked down to the Championship. Stan has actually been looking good, well I guess he always looks good when he's fit and playing, so knowing Edward, he either tore his acl last game and won't be in the squad, or will start the game on the bench. Can't outsmart the smartest one.

GK:

de Gea (WHU)

Not the best clean fixture given that wet spam been playing pretty decent stuff lately but it's certainly not bad. Manu didn't inspire a ton of confidence against us last game, but they still really need the win and have everything to play for. Clean could come in.

DEF:

Egan (EVE)

I haven't started Egan since the double gameweek many moons ago, but I have a lot more confidence in a clean from them than Manu this weekend so I'm benching the slab for him. Everton are all sorts with no depth and haven't put in a good performance since February. Egan gets in.

Doherty & Boly (CPL)

Easy fixture should be an easy clean as long as there isn't some mad stoppage time pen again. Dock will be fresh and a clean feels like a strong shout in this one.

MID:

Salah (CHE)

I have no fucking clue what this game will look like, but hopefully it's fast and loose. Mo been putting up some mad performances but whatever, it's still Mo and he's still capable of a huge haul against anyone.

Chelsea defense looks like no Kante plus the extra FA Cup game maybe they'll look dog and get battered. Mo feels like a good pick again this week even if he didn't do the business against the arse.

Pulisic (liv)

I "should" start either slab or saiss over him but whatever fuck it. Goals are more fun, and given how lackadaisical Livp been looking lately he could give them some problems running at their defense. He's still been looking good each game so maybe he pulls a Sarr and hauls against the champs.

Sterling (wat)

Watford just got fucked by west ham and look in all sorts right now. As discussed on the pod, I fancy City to put out a strong team for this one and Raz has had his minutes very closely managed. Feels like he'll be good to go for this one.

Stanislas (SOU)

Just a fun punt before the free hit comes out.

Kinda like Bournemouth to jump on these...I can see soton being a bit tired with another game on just two days rest and not a ton of fresh meat in midfield. Bournemouth are fucking bad, granted, but who knows. They could pull a result here and Stan is cool and fun. Good luck Stan.

Bruno (WHU)

Yawn..

FWD:

Firmino (CHE)

Almost jumped out of my pod chair when pod partner told me how far under his xG this man is. He hasn't gotten me any points since punting on him but he has come close these last two games. With three attackers in this game all I can hope for is goals. Bob hasn't scored in soooo long. Due? Prob.

Wood (nor)

The gameweek kicking off with the best game on the docket as per...complete beach joke game, we'll see if Burnley can actually score more than 2 goals for once in their lives. If they ever do, it'll be tomorrow.

CAP:

Stanislas (SOU)

—

ALON

TRANSFERS:

OUT: Vardy and Connolly

IN: Wood and Ings

Keepin’ it simple with my two frees nothing fancy.

Didn’t want Vardy against Spurs and these are two great guys great friends with great fixtures it just ticks every box.

Bit of a benching problem but also who knows with FA Cup shit maybe I’ll need the first off my bench for once anyway.

Let’s go out there and fuck Norwich and fuck Bournemouth lads. Go on.

GK:

Ederson (wat)

Honestly not feeling great on this clean. I was feeling great two weeks ago but after that beachy performance from Man. City vs. Bournemouth last GW I’m just like bleh, Watford playing for their lives, they’ll probably get some dumb goal. Maybe Eddy will save a Deeney pen that’d be cool.

If they end the season poorly and not keeping cleans this pick will look worse and worse in hindsight.

DEF:

Doherty & Saiss (CRY)

Arguably best clean fixture in the league. Probably second to Norwich but it’s good. Wolves should do a job here, I’m a teeny bit concerned that their heads will have dropped as their UCL chances are gone but NES can hopefully rally the troops here.

Stevens (EVE)

Sticking with the actual correct decision of starting Enda over Egan while simultaneously giving a gift to pod partner (who is starting Egan) because you know the bench points will floweth from me to him.

MID:

De Bruyne & Mahrez (wat)

Points have not been coming. It’s time to pay me back boys.

Hopefully they both start and then I’ll let’em take it from there because they’re still top class players.

Martial & Fernandes (WHU)

Tony is sexy and Bruno is boring but they’re both good for FPL.

They need the three points so should still be the strongest XI and should still be going for the throat here.

FWD:

Pulisic rides the pine playing at Anfield for my three forwards with dream fixtures.

Jimenez (CRY)

Holding Jim was massive for me and now he has another very good fixture to go get me 9 points in. Go on Jim. What a finish last week.

Ings (bou)

Not quite as tasty as they usually are, Bournemouth, but they’re still shit with shit players so at the very least capable of getting countered on and liable for mistakes. Ings will be ready to pounce on all of’em.

Wood (nor)

Wood rarely ever double returns he’s just not that guy but this fixture elevates him to actually potentially haul. I expect a goal and anything else will be gravy.

Norwich worst set-piece team in the league maybe he gets one in open play and one on a corner or FK. That’d be very Burnley and very Wood.

CAP:

Doherty (CRY)

I didn’t want to go mainstream here - ManU cap clearly much safer - the hipster picks are too much fun and even though all three of my forwards have dream fixtures I don’t love any of them for a huge haul this week just regular amount of points.

Gonna back pod partner’s shout on this one he knows Palace best and he usually senses when there’s a spanking around the corner. Maybe this is that spanking...

Wolves should be nailed on  for a clean and hopefully that left side for Palace is a nightmare and Dock runs riot.

It’s definitely a punt but there is logic behind it also. Let’s do it. It’s fun.