#Plumbers in Point Leo

[mcplumbinggas]

Top-notch Plumbing Services by Point Leo Plumbers

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[dlrconlicense]

MY CULTURAL FIRSTS

Louise Brealey: My first kiss with Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch

The actor and writer on taking acid at her first gig, meeting Michael Caine – and the moment she knew the BBC detective drama was going to be huge

Louise Brealey

LEO STAAR

Jake Helm

Sunday November 12 2023, 12.13am GMT, The Sunday Times

First concert I went to

I would like to say an unknown band called Blur in a tiny tent at Reading in 1994, but I accidentally took my first and very much last acid tab off an apprentice plumber called Tony from Swansea and watched the The on the big stage instead. It was all fine until the music started to creep up from the grass right up my legs and I was surrounded by terrifying gargoyles.

First pop-inspired fashion trends I adopted

I’m afraid I was a relentlessly unfashionable child. I was a square and listened to 10cc I’m Not in Love and The Eagles’ Desperado on repeat. I did love Robert Smith [from the Cure] but I didn’t wear enormous jumpers until my twenties.

First time I realised the BBC drama Sherlock was going to be a huge hit

The read-through was electric, which is not normal. Usually, it’s nerve-jangling because everyone is terrified they’re going to be sacked. A few weeks later I was watching the scene where Benedict first stuck his head round the lab door and said to Martin Freeman: “The name is Sherlock Holmes and the address is 221b Baker Street.” And I thought, yes it is. But really, I realised it was going to be huge when I was on early Twitter and the show went off. When Sherlock kissed [my character] Molly I got 60,000 followers in an hour.

Louise Brealey as Molly Hooper, right, and the cast of Sherlock

TODD ANTONY/BBC

First TV show I enjoyed

Like everyone at school I was obsessed by Jim’ll Fix It. I put two letters into one envelope to double my chances. One was to ask to meet John Travolta because I’d seen him star in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, a film in which he plays this kid that can’t step outside a little plastic tent or he’ll die. The other was asking to meet the pop star Paul Young — I figured I had a better chance with him because he was from Luton. At least I didn’t do what my brother did and write to Jimmy Savile to ask to meet Rolf Harris.

First film I saw at the cinema

The first film I saw on my own at the pictures was Stand by Me at The Point in Milton Keynes. I had seen River Phoenix in the video for Ben E King’s single on Top of the Pops and was utterly love-struck. That was it. River was the only one for me. I still think River was the great acting talent of his generation.

First time I cried at the cinema

Watership Down. That was actually the first film I saw at the cinema. At the Palace in Wellingborough, when I was five or six. It was the first time I had any clue that creatures die. I was very affected by it — I called my next rabbit Bright Eyes.

First actor I admired

Joan Greenwood in Kind Hearts and Coronets. She was the single most beautiful woman I’d ever seen — and I was fascinated by her voice. I also loved Richard Burton’s voice, mainly because he narrated The War of the Worlds, my dad’s favourite album. I wanted to marry Richard Burton so I could listen to him all day long.

First thing I did to embody my new character Deb in Such Brave Girls

I started with her voice. I wanted to use the Northamptonshire accent. It’s the land of my birth and how my whole family talks except for me because I was a scholarship kid at a posh school, and I’ve never worked in it before. And then the clothes — Deb is obsessed with being feminine, so with her costumes it’s often about the cleavage. I think of her as a wily street rat in dangly earrings.

First famous person I met

I didn’t meet anyone famous until my first proper job, which was as a film journalist. The most exciting thing to happen was to go to a film set and sit in Michael Caine’s trailer. He asked: “Would you like to marry me?” I blushed and started stammering at him. And then he politely pushed a little dish of Murray Mints in my direction and I realised that he’d actually said: “Would you like a Murray Mint?”

[imaginaryberries]

Here are some other whingey things.

- I hate our living room rug, it's too small and it's like a dull grey-pink and it's not my vibe anymore at all but I have no idea what to replace it with and there's kinda no point anyway with two young kids

- I've lost weight from having 0 appetite for months (thanks thyroid) and I'm so unhappy about it. It's a factor in me hardly ever getting dressed because I don't want to see myself in the clothes I loved the look of on my bigger body

- I feel like I don't do nearly enough for my kids and Leo in particular gets way too much screen time and I can't tell if rationalising it by telling myself that it regulates him and he needs that because he's more than likely autistic is an excuse or not

- I know I've done the classic mum thing of completely losing myself postpartum but I don't really know how to get out of it. I'm too tired and burnt out to do my hobbies. By the time we get the kids down we get *maybe* an hour in the evening to ourselves, but that's only recently and probably only about 50% of the time. I didn't even have dinner last night because by the time Jacob was asleep in his bed I was too tired even though I was hungry

- I miss being able to like. think clearly. Even with the meds it's not really happening. And when I told my psychiatrist that the Elvanse only lasted til lunchtime she gave me the option of increasing the dose or keeping it the same with an afternoon booster, and I opted to keep it the same bc the next dose up is 70mg and that's as high as you can go. But maybe I need that

- a plumber came to fix our cold tap on the bath but what actually happened was he took it away and hasn't come back or responded to phone calls. Like wtf. Also we put a duvet in to a launderette to be cleaned and they seem to have lost it? Why do people keep taking our stuff

- Jonny has to work overtime tomorrow which is rubbish for both of us because he has to work Saturday and I have to solo parent on a day it would usually be both of us. And solo parenting two of them is hard

- I love my kids endlessly, and I am very bored of my days revolving around trying to get them to eat and sleep

[youllneverseemerelax]

tagged by @adamnagaitis

10 characters, 10 fandoms, 10 tags

like you Leo i decided not to necessarily pick The Favorite character but rather go with strong vibes

i am very tired please enjoy this list which includes the fandoms i could remember the existence of at this time

the terror - stanley’s daughter’s bird piñata that collins retcon hallucinated 

she-ra & the princesses of power - queen angella, milf of my dreams. also bonus points shadowweaver, sour milf of my nightmares.

person of interest - Elias but specifically & only when he’s calling Joss up to be like “do you want me to have that guy killed for you? because i will totally have that guy killed for you”

star trek: deep space 9 - Maritza T_T

Sherlock Holmes canon - JUSTICE FOR JOHN HORNER, LONDON’S #1 PLUMBER AND DAD 

Rivers of London - Molly milf of my dreams AND nightmares

Severance - Dylan in the last 2 episodes when he finally said ive had enough +started biting people. I clapped. I cheered

His Dark Materials (books) - Balthamos T___T

Hannibal (NBC) - Eddie Izzard being there but evil

Les Misérables (book) - Sister “No Snitchin” Simplice

mutuals and friends consider yourselves tagged i am snoozing where i stand and by stand i mean where i lie in bed

[obsidiancreates]

Battle for New York Part 1 Liveblog

They're combined as one episode on this site so- wait forget it Mikey is messing with Donnie's lab stuff oh god and Ice Cream Kitty is part of it this will either be an incredible solution or make a big problem.

SLEEPY DONNIE- oh Angry Donnie

MIKEY WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T MESS WITH DONNIE'S SHIT oh my god Donnie's voice went SO HIGH

Ice Cream kitty was loving the chaos- OH DONNIE IS GONNA KILL HIM

Nevermind Splinter broke their nerve endings before he could. He's trapped Donnie in Permanent Blep Mode

Oh it's sparkly now! OH FUCK IT IMPROVED IT MIKEY YES HELL YEAH BABY BOY

Oh Donnie is losing his mind. He's- he's about to become unhinged. Donnie calm down, ADHD produces incredible yet hard to replicate results, give Mikey a good stim toy and have him try again later

Oh April is suddenly in an Angsty Corner Curl- oh she sees millions of mutated humans in Dimension X in her dreams. Well. Wish we could've seen those dreams at some point, writers.

Oh oh unhinged smile from Donnie, unhinged smile and closeup. Rise Donnie would be proud, I'm scared.

WATER TOWER!!!!!!!!!!! ROB PAULSEN HAS YET ANOTHER IMPORTANT WATER TOWER!!!!!!!!!!!! DONNIE'S GOT THE FUCKING WARNERS TRAPPED UP THERE

YES YES SHADOWS WITH WHITE EYES WHOO BADASS BEANS

Oh sheesh, I wanna know that couple's survival story- NOOOOOOO OH GOOD THEY SAVED THEM really with the fart sounds OH SHIT oh no okay Leo saved them WHY WOULD YOU RUN SCREAMING HE JSUT SAVED YOU

Sassy Leo has entered the building

YESSS DONNIE BADASS MOMENTS

We're 6 minutes in btw

BADASS MIKEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Coward Raph though

Bread attack? PIGEON PETE- LEATHERHEADDDDDDDDDDDD YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS oh fuck it's that ape agai- MIND CONTROL??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? LAST TIME HE WAS JUST AN EMPATH

SLASHHHHHHHHHHHHH he still says Raph's name weird

LEATHERHEAD HUGS OH I WANT A HUG FROM HIM MIKEY IS SO HAPPY AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

I hate Rockwell now.

Useless? He just saved your ass, Raph.

LEO SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT SLASH HE JSUT SAVED YOU AND YOU USE PEOPLE AS BAIT ALL THE TIME god that coma and Seth Green casting turned Leo into an asshole, I think this must be why so many people hate him, he was not this unbearable in Seasons 1 and 2

YEAH HE HELPED YOU GET OUT OF SLASH'S FACE IF YOU CAN TRUST KARAI YOU CAN TRUST SLASH

Who's the benefactor who's the benefactor I'm scared I'm nervous- LEO SHUT THE FUCK UP

OH SHIT IT'S THE REPORTER GUY HE FUCKING LIVED THIS MAN IS UNKILLABLE WHY IS HE THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE ENTIRE SHOW= LEO STOP DIGGING AT SLASH

This man is. God. Like, he's like The Plumber from Ratchet & Clank. Knows All, Helps Heroes, Gives Sage Advice.

Oh damn Kurtzman is a Scaley.

Rockwell don't cut my boy off- I'll kill you Rockwell- DONNIE DID YOU JUST TELL HIM TO GO BACK TO HIS CAGE?!?!?!?!? NO HONEY THAT WAS OUT OF LINE

Leatherhead and Mikey being the peacemakers, my boyyyyyyyyyssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE LEATHERHEAD SO MUCH Fuck Rockwell though he's insulting Donnie and I won't stand for it also WHY IS THIS BITCH SO OP WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE

Aw Leo protected Pete, okay you get a point back for that Leo but I'm still mad at you.

Pffffft Darn Dirty Ape

NOT THE FUCKING BUTT CANONS- a-a hot one in the chamber? Raph... why...

KURTZMAN GOT FUCKING SHOT WHAT THE- IS HE DEAD?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK

OH THEY DIDN'T LEAVE HIM THERE DID THEY?!?!?!?!?! THEY BETTER NOT HAVE

OH oh good, they didn't, he's recovering on the couch. Hey but he got shot in the back. Maybe don't lay him on his back.

"Fine" may be a stretch, Splinter. YES CASEY GO GET THAT MED SUPPLIES BABY I LOVE YOU

I SWEAR TO GOD I'm going to grab Rockwell's stupid eyes and RIP THEM OUT OF HIS SKULL but I still will scold Donnie for the cage comment. We just murder here sweetheart, we don't make nasty comments about people's traumas.

Hey guys. Fun fact. Two teams... means two things can be done. See, Raph knows what I mean- oh Slash you bitch-

Ohhhh Mikey is sad about Leatherhead

DONNIE WHEN DID YOU BUILD A FUCKING WAR BLIMP

God, so many butt canons, hate it- why is Iago Kraang still wearing the Irma suit.

That blimp is. The opposite of Stealthy. It sucks.

YEAH BITCHES TWO TEAMS THIS IS HOW WARS WORK

Hehehe the missile looks like a penis

Donnie is MVP, I'm sorry, he just is.

SLASHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOO okay he's fine

I HATE ROCKWELL WHY IS PIGEON PETE THE ONE THEY REPLACE AND NOT ROCKWELL

WAIT FUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK THEY'RE STILL ON THE ROCKET AND DONNIE IS INSIDE OF IT

WHERE'S THE RETROMUTAGEN FROM THE START OF THE EPISODE IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL HERE

FUCKKKKKKKKK RAPHHHHHHHHHH OKAY HE'S OKAY BUT DONNIE GOT FUCKED UP

YEAH STOP PRESSURING DONNIE HE'S DOING HIS BE- sorry THE HEART OF THE FUCKING SUN?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

JUMPING WAS A BAD- THEY ARE ON FIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE TURTLE GLIDERS WOULD RIP THE FUCK UP

Awwww I like that Donnie asked what Mikey saw. Brotherness!

Shut up Rockwell

MIKEY AND LEATHERHEAD BROSSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

Rockwell, Donnie was being nice and you decided "I will be specicesist to this teen who jsut almost died saving the world." I hate your guts.

YAY LEO SAID A NICE TO SLASH okay that's the Leo I know

[fbfh]

domestic cozy moments with leo - an anthology

i should really be asleep

aged up to 18+ obvs,,,, rlly wishing this was real rn lmao,,, also it’s fluff if u couldn’t tell 

1600 words

You set down your last box, hearing a thump in the next room as he sets his. You will your legs to carry you into the next room where he’s waiting, standing, looking at you. The glaring over head light still somehow makes him look good, and you can tell, by this point, that he’s thinking something similar about you. He pulls you closer with one strong comforting gesture, and you both flop unceremoniously down onto the bare mattress on the floor. You tuck the crook of your elbow over your face to block out the harsh light, and gently rub your face into the material of his shirt; a dark flannel over a deep red hoodie, some quote splashed across the chest. The arm wrapped around you bent, his hand brushing the hair at the top of your forehead. 

“We did it,” he breathed.

“Yeah,” you replied, “now we just gotta unpack everything.”

“And organize.”

“And decorate,” you add. There’s a beat of silence.

“God, this is gonna be a nightmare, isn’t it…” he laughs, head resting on top of yours. A slow, tired chuckle rocks your body. 

“Yeah, probably…”

You’ve both been up since about 4am, and have only just finished moving into your apartment. It’s around one or two in the morning. You’re beyond exhausted, the thrill of the move and shitty, delerious humor keeping you running for the last few hours. 

“Y’know what,” he moves, kicking off his shoes, “I say we just crash for the night. Deal with the rest of it in the morning.” He’s already mumbling, his voice groggy - groggier than before - and you can tell he’s losing orbit. Against your wishes, you make yourself sit up. You kneel over to a box a few feet away, and rip the tape off. You pull out a duvet, and shuffle back over to him. 

“Yeah,” you say, already slipping out of your sneakers and throwing some of the blanket over him, “sounds good.” You curl back into him, into a slightly more comfortable position, and start to settle down. 

“Shit,” he hisses, “the light.” You realize the light’s still on and groan.

“Oh god… we’re really that dumb,” you can feel the sleep deprived laughter taking over.

“Wait, wait,” he giggles, the infectious laugh spreading. He leans over, fumbling for the mop next to the broom and vacuum, and holds the flat head, the pole in between his fingers. You feel him shift, and pry your eyes open. He’s almost got it. You make some encouraging ‘oh, ooooh!’s as he lines up the loop at the top with the light switch on the wall and darkness engulfs you. He lays back down in a heap, setting the mop on the floor next to him. 

“Nice!” you press a kiss below his ear, the closest place you could reach, and he mutters sleepily, “Thank you, thank you, I’ll be signing autographs in half an hour,” laughter seeping into his words like a teabag in hot water as he pulls his hood up. Your limbs are already tingly with sleep. He mutters something you can’t make out, and you’re pretty sure you tried to ask what, but you don’t remember anything after that. You don’t know who fell asleep first, but you both slept really well that night. 

~

Your piping was migraine worthy. 

That’s what Leo had said after about a minute under your bathroom sink. 

You had noticed the water pressure in the sink got really weak after a day or two. Your apartment was pretty old, so it wasn’t surprising. 

“Should we call the superintendent?” you asked through a mouth of ramen. A smile hit his eyes, and you finished the thought he hadn’t said.

“To let him know,” you shoved his chest playfully, “I know you can fix it, that wasn’t a question.” It backed off, and instead he said, “You can try, but I’m pretty sure he’s one of those three-to-five-business-days types.” 

“Well, at least he’ll know what’s going on.” He still had that look. “I’ll tell him not to call a plumber. My boyfriend’s an engineer and can more than handle it.” He seemed satisfied, and grabbed his tools. 

“I’m just saying, I think I know a thing or two about this stuff…” You pulled the still ringing phone from your face. “Duh, you’re the-” the phone stopped ringing. Voicemail. You rolled your eyes as the beep sounded, and left a brief message explaining who you were and the situation. After you finished talking, you hung up. 

“God, I hate talking on the phone,” you mutter. You turn the corner to the bathroom doorway. 

“How’s it looking?” you lean on the door frame, and suppress a chuckle at the sight of your boyfriend laying on a skateboard under the bathroom sink. 

“This makes… no sense…” he muttered. “I mean, who- why would you put a dual check there?” You smiled, loving when he talked about his hyperfixations, even if it barely made sense to you. You decided to check back in a bit, and went to transfer some laundry. 

It had been a while. You had checked on Leo two or three times, and he was still doing something under there. He had come out once or twice to get some parts or piping from his supplies, then went straight back to work. If only you had a dollar for every time you heard him sigh, “there’s gotta be a better way to do this…” It’s been two hours and he needs a break. 

You walk back into the bathroom, step over him, and sit down, your hips right on top of his.

He stops.

He pushes you both out from under the sink, skateboard rolling slowly, his eyes locked with yours.

“Hello,”

“Hi,”

~

You just wanted to take out the trash, that was all. But when you entered the back alley and saw a little kitty cat looking so scared by the dumpster, you couldn’t stop your instincts. You set the trash down slowly, scooped up the cat, and marched back inside. You set her - or him? You weren’t sure yet. You set them in the bathroom, made a little nest of towels close to the radiator, and left, closing the door behind you. You came back in with a small storage bin with cat litter - which Leo luckily had on hand for absorbing oil spills in his garage - paper bowls with some tuna and water, and a small ball of yarn from a long since abandoned craft project. The kitty ate all the tuna in record time, and looked at you, asking for more. 

“Wait for that to digest, then you can have seconds.” you said, softly. You gave them a little head pat, and they skittered away, unused to affection. It made your heart a little sad. But it’s okay, you reminded yourself, kitty’s gonna get lots of love from now on. You adjust your seat on the edge of the tub, trying to stop your butt from going numb. You pick the cat up to put them in their makeshift bed, and check under their tummy. Yup, girl kitty. She lets out a high pitched meow, and you can tell she’s still pretty young. You pet her back, and she arches up, her tail curling. She moves away from your hand, still not used to it yet, but a loud purr resonates through her chest and off the walls. You hold back a delighted squeal as she curls up into a ball. Oh jeez, do you have any blankets? You could cover her with a towel, but do you have anything softer? You leave to check, closing the door securely behind you. You dig through the linen closet for a few minutes before you hear the door open and close. 

“Honey, I’m home,” Leo quipped, putting his jacket on the coat rack. You picked up a small fleece decorative blanket you had no use for until now. 

“Hey,” he turned the corner, and placed his hand on your face, and your free hand rested on his. He pressed a warm kiss to your lips, and pulled away even though he didn’t want to. “Hey, Sparky,” you replied, a smile only he could give you blooming on your face. 

He started to tell you you two could catch up in a minute, he just has to wash the stubborn leftover machine oil off his hands, but you stopped him before he could.

“I have a surprise.” You said.

“Okay,” he replied, smiling, “what is it?”

You bit your lip, and quickly pulled him into the bathroom, closing the door quickly behind you. 

“Woah, babe,” he smirked, “if you wanted-” his voice cut off when he saw you kneeling next to a small kitty. 

“Her name is garbage, cause that’s where I found her!” you giggled, quoting the episode of The Office you two had watched just last night. 

“Aww,” he cooed, and began to wash his hands hastily so he could pet her, “she’s adorable!” his voice was soft, and higher than normal, and it was the cutest thing you’d ever heard. He dried off his hands, and bent down to give her a cuddle. You stayed like that for a while, watching her play with string and baby talking her. 

“By the way, Estrella,” he said, breaking his baby voice to look up at you, “we’re not actually naming her garbage, right?”

“No!” you laughed, “She’s too cute, that’d be mean…” 

He giggled at your face, and you two batted names back and forth for a while, trying to find the right one, and eventually settling on Jackhammer, maybe Jack for short.  “She’s definitely as loud as one,” Leo mused when he’d first heard her purr.

She purred a lot more after that.

[juniaships]

How bad would canon screw up my OCs?😊

Lani's only personality trait would be The Love Interest. She'd be more of a damsel in distress than Amy and Elise.

Paige would have zero character traits and be the Girl Nobody Likes because she doesn't worships the ground Mal walks on. Her role in reading and translating runes&being a peacekeeper between the AKs & VKs are given to Mal. Also she's related to a Disney Character making her a watered down copycat of Emma Swan

Soraya would just be Strong Female Character #263813, she would look down on Audrey, Evie, literally every feminine character

Jora is Hinata 2.0 but given even less character development. She looses weight & lightened skin. Also she'll turn evil/have anger issues (when anger is Kendrix's thing) because Ben rejects her

Patti and Ginger (who are in their 20s AT LEAST) has a crush on 16 year old Ben. They would also have no agency

Kendrix is Bitch Duck Girl with none of her sympathetic traits. She's also wear a skimpy design because she's an antagonist. Did i mention she commits genocide?

Rosslyn loses her agency as she and Axel starts dating to the point where she's simply a prompt for him to rescue her. Also the victim of a love triangle where Axel & his Mu-Team Tilian fight over her. Also because she is smart she is mean to people not smarter then her. Basically Felicity Smoak.

Nicola would be fridged for Bruce's manpain and none of her accomplishments matter. Also in Justice League she reveals she cannot bear children and considers herself incomplete or even a monster. Also Hal Jordan falls into her boobs and SOMEHOW doesn't get pawned by her.

Ruth Destane is revealed to have left Luke many years ago because it turns out she only married him for his status. Or, she's the seductive femme fatale who likes working with Vader and is so totally apathetic towards the Rebels when in reality she's a frightened young woman who wants to be taken seriously, desires freedom, and despises Vader for being a major factor in the erasure of her Jedi Heritage. Or she gets the Karen Traviss treatment (aka murdered by her own nephew in the stupidest fucking way possible).

Niya would become a potential love interest for Ben because of course a teenage girl has to be in lobe with the franchise protag, and also hates Gwen for being a white she-devil.

Marion is a caricature of autistic people and have no arc of their own. Everyone constantly misgenders them as a joke. Also they have a codename: SNOWFLAKE!

Vesta is thrown off a bridge (see where I'm going with this)

Beatrix, Aerin, non of them having unique traits. They are boring and dull because they're not typically playable in a Sonic Game. Also Aerin is a dumb stupid hooman

Vanessa no longer has her own storylines and becomes a baby factory for Jason Whittaker

Aster Roi secretly works for the plumbers, ignoring their canon distrust of them. Otherwise see Marion

Kaysha is even more of a token girl, lacking her own arc and graphically killed off to forward Leo's development

Edith is subservient to Sherlock and hates corsets because corsets are antifeminist.

[boficionado-a2]

SO THIS RANT WAS SMTH I PUT ON DIS.CORD YESTERDAY. I’m gonna put it here now because my feelings are all over the place right now and I wanna talk Donnie. HERE WE GO.

I’ve always strongly hc’d that Donnie has severe issues with anxiety, depression, and self-esteem/imposter syndrome, and a lot of it stems from a simple inability to connect with his siblings. There's signs of it from super early on that Donnie does just about everything he can to maximize his chances of acceptance. His brothers, while they fight and have issues, all seem better socialized.

But per my (ongoing) theory, he has always been a world apart from them. He was leaps and bounds ahead of them intellectually, and save for a few precious early years where that didn't matter as much, he's ended up alone for a lot of his life, spending more time in his lab than with his brothers. They could all feel comfortable talking, playing games, training, but Donnie just... has this insatiable need to learn to do everything and do it well. It's the gifted kid problem... once that's identified, it becomes your identity, and he's built himself around that.

He's a genius. He really is genuinely gifted. He learns things on the fly, picks up scientific studies as easily as he does languages as easy as he does engineering. But on the same side of the coin as that being his true calling, it also meant that he got called to do a lot more than he should've from a young age. Because you know Splinter's not doing HVAC work.

(Note: we're gonna get into Jay is pissed off about the healing mantras bullshit in short order so buckle up.)

So as soon as he started showing that he could take apart and put together toasters at age six without electrocuting himself AND putting them back together better than before, it unfortunately came with... certain expectations. If it broke, or was found broken, Donnie was expected to fix it. When they got sick, Donnie could usually figure out how to treat it with a few hours and some books... so that's what he did. He set broken bones, learned to stitch cuts... he became a sort of family multitool. As a result, he never learned a healthy respect for his own self and autonomy outside of people needing him... and never needing him for just being Donnie. Needing him for being a mechanic. Needing him to be an engineer. Needing him to be a plumber, a doctor, tech support.

So when they finally started branching out past the lair the idea of people who didn't know he was a genius and might like the person he was under all that was probably more than a little seductive (this is also why I tend to hc he wanted April's friendship and wasn't so hard on the crush side). Problem is he's not sure who he is if he's not the smart guy. (I generally handwave a lot of stuff out of canon and have him not act like an asshat in regards to April... just kinda picking out the bits I don’t care for there, but. The initial desperation for that attention made perfect sense.)

The worst part about the crush, as much as I hated that they kept pushing it well after the joke stopped being funny, is it reveals part of that core insecurity. April's new. She's a friend. She doesn't have the background that's judging him purely on his genius. So of course he wanted desperately for her to like him. He wanted to have that stability that his brothers had. Someone who liked him for him.

He's a shy, awkward kid who likes to read, likes skateboarding, and is perfectly at home playing video games like any other kid his age. He's got diastema and an overbite, both of which he's pretty self-conscious about. Gets in trouble for not training hard enough, but then can't train because something new broke. He's got a temper, but tends to get sad before he loses it. When he's scared, he rambles off random facts about some minor detail regarding the situation they're in. He's attached to his big brothers, but afraid that he just exists as a roommate and not a sibling. And when left to his own devices, he's a quirky, sweet boy with a wicked sense of humor, biting sarcasm, and just a want to be loved and treated as an equal to his brothers without anything else driving that.

So he just... keeps relying on that. If he's useful, if he makes things for their friends and his family then they'll like him more, obviously. And then he messes up and they make fun and the cycle starts all over again. And then.

AND THEN.

THE HEALING MANTRAS GET TROTTED OUT. AT PROBABLY SIXTEEN YEARS OLD AFTER HOW LONG OF BEING THE ONE HIS BROTHERS GO TO WHEN THEY'RE HURT OR SICK.

All that's handed to Leo and he's got one less thing he's needed for, and that is crippling. He's a child, he's built his whole life and self around being needed just so he can feel wanted by his family... and now they need him for one less thing.

Then of course there's the space arc, and he's barely even present. He's a footnote, because Fugitoid is there to solve all those problems for them. It's even a minor plot point in an episode.

“I'm not as smart as the professor. I just build things out of junk.”

To say Donnie has near crippling issues with anxiety and depression and deeply rooted imposter syndrome and miserably poor self esteem is probably understating it a lot.

I honestly think it's also why I'm so attached to my Wheels au. Because the boys had to spend almost six whole months learning just how hard it was to keep things functioning. (Four months of Donnie's coma, and the initial two months after he woke up being mostly bedridden bc he was still really weak.)

So it wasn't just the joking "I wish Donnie were here." It was four months of "Everything is on the verge of breaking constantly" and realizing that he'd been keeping them alive far more than they knew. And then he wakes up and suddenly he can't do a lot of what he did before, and it's clear he's getting mired in a depressive spiral. Because now he feels like he's lost that one thing he had a tenuous grip on: being needed.

Obviously he’s still needed, and he improves with some time and help, but. Yeah. That verse is very near and dear to me for a lot of reasons.

AND THERE YOU GO. YEAH.

[cinning-at-midnight]

Leonardo the Handy Man

Not at all inspired by my plumber husband

More smut because I'm just that girl.

~~~~~~~~

It was late in the day, and the sky was decorated in striking oranges as the sun lowered towards the horizon. The cobblestone streets were quieter, as several shop owners could be seen closing their businesses for the day. Leonardo enjoyed my company as he did odd jobs around the French city, and I appreciated that he always invited me. 

He stood beside me on the street corner in our usual spot, while we awaited the carriage driver to take us back to Comte's mansion. I smiled up at him, "It's impressive how you always know what to do when someone comes to you with a problem," I admitted. Leonardo lit his cigarillo, took a quick puff and responded, "I don't always." 

I laughed, because surely he was kidding. I'd seen this man rebuild clocks and repair residential plumbing. Leonardo glanced at me, "The trick of the trade is--" he took a slower drag as he considered his next words. He exhaled slowly, "Like, with a squeaky door-- you hear the noise and you try to manipulate the swinging of the hinges to pinpoint the problem." 

By this point the carriage had parked in front of us, and I wasn't any closer to understanding the inner workings of Leonardo's thought process. He stomped out the cigarillo and offered me his hand as I stepped inside. Leonardo joined me, sitting beside me, and I leaned against his broad shoulder. 

Leonardo absentmindedly played with my hair, and I hummed in reply. "See? It's like this, I'm making you feel comfortable and I know that because I can hear it in your voice and feel it in the way you nuzzle deeper against me." I felt a blush creep upon my cheeks, and bit my lip. 

The horse-drawn carriage came to a dip in the road, and we swayed dramatically in our seats. Abruptly, there was a loud clink, and the driver stopped. Leonardo grinned at me, and lifted his tool kit into his arm. "This might take a minute, cara mia." He stepped out of the carriage and I could hear the driver's confusion as he spoke to Leonardo. 

After a moment, I decided to get out of the cabin as well. When I did, the driver was calming the two horses, while Leonardo was removing his waist coat. "Ah, here, hold this, cara mia." I obliged, taking the heavy jacket into my arms. Leonardo rolled up his sleeves to the elbow, and crouched on the ground to fiddle with the metal connections holding the wheels and carriage together. 

"Can you bring my tools closer, please?" He asked me, and I lifted his neatly wrapped tools and placed them next to his torso under the cabin. "Grazie, cara mia." Patiently, I stood watch as he tested several bolts for tightness. His long legs were extended beyond the undercarriage, with one knee bent, as he turned his torso to the side. Leonardo looked like he was still isolating the issue, but I was entranced at the sight of his shirt riding up above his abdomen, exposing a peek of his taut muscles. 

Leonardo didn't seem to notice I'd been ogling him this entire time, and I heard him grunt as he manually tightened each bolt. He wiggled against several connecting plates, and checked the wheels for loose parts. Soon, I was noticing trace amounts of sweat glistening on his bared skin. 

In what felt like an instant, Leonardo crawled his way out from under the carriage and gathered his things. "A couple of the bolts connecting the rear tires were loosened from the pothole, but nothing too serious." I handed him my handkerchief and he dabbed at the sweat on his forehead, by his hairline. Leonardo took a deep breath and sighed, "Maybe tomorrow we should check out that pothole, eh, cara mia?" I giggled at him, and he motioned to help me back into the carriage. 

With a quick update to the driver, we set off towards the mansion once again. Leonardo was cooling down, but still looked dewy from the labor he'd performed. I leaned against him, but this time my arm was draped over his torso. I fidgeted with the slightly damp fabric of his white button-down shirt, and looked up at his face. Leonardo placed his hand over mine, and looked me in the eye. Shades of amber captivated me, and I felt myself lean in for a kiss. 

But then, the carriage was at a standstill and I knew without looking that we were back home. I felt a deep need in the pit of my stomach, and pulled away gradually so that we could disembark. My fingers released his shirt, and I watched him step out first, with his tools in hand, and his coat hanging from his shoulder. I stepped out, wrapping my fingers around his, and briskly walked inside. 

Leonardo followed, speechless, although I heard a soft chuckle when we walked quickly past a few mansion residents in the hallway. I swung open the door to his room and spun around to face him, pressing his body against the hard door and forcing it shut. My fingers nimbly unbuttoned his shirt and I let my hands roam his bare chest, sensually feeling each inch, as though I were a cartographer of topographical maps and his body was a valley. 

He let me lead, as it was something I rarely did, and I savored the sensation of being in control. Leonardo watched as I touched my lips gently to his firm abs, and slowly got on my knees. I felt his hand on my shoulder, as he caressed my neck and stroked my hair. I looked up at him and felt my own burning desire mirrored in his eyes. 

Using my teeth, I took hold of the button on his trousers and teased it open with guidance from my tongue. Next, I gripped his zipper between my teeth and slid it down. Leonardo squeezed my shoulder and I knew he was anticipating what came next. I dropped his pants and underwear to the floor and left them around his ankles, draping over his shoes. Leonardo's full length was exposed to me, at my eye level, and I was in awe at how hard we was already. 

Feeling empowered, I looked up at him, "It looks like you're ready for me, but I'm not sure…" I gingerly lapped the base of his cock with my tongue. "Cara mia, you cruel temptress." I giggled, fully enjoying the torment I was causing my lover. "Tell me what you want," I said. My lips hovered over the tip of his erection. "Please, you naughty girl." Leonardo begged, gripping both of my shoulders. 

I decided to oblige, since he did say please. My mouth took in his whole length, and I felt him tense against the door, causing it to rattle in the door frame. I felt my own arousal intensifying, and after I had him slick with my saliva, I stopped performing oral. Leonardo gritted his teeth and huffed from my sudden halting. 

I began undressing myself, and when he saw my naked form, Leonardo kicked off his shoes and discarded his pants. "Sit down," I told him. Leonardo, still hard as stone, acquiesced and I mounted him. Upon his entry into my womanhood, I moaned as he filled me entirely. Continuing to lead, I lifted my hips up high and lowered myself into him over and over again, stopping to draw circles above him periodically. 

Leonardo's fingers dug deep into my thighs, and I gripped his forearms with my nails. Repeatedly, I impaled myself with his dick until he could no longer take my incessant teasing. With a low growl, Leonardo hoisted me off of him, and landed me on my back on top of the mattress. "You've been a very, very bad girl, cara mia." I bit my lip and waited for him to give me my punishment. 

"Turn over." Leonardo murmured. I did as I was told, and raised my ass for him. The mattress shifted underneath me, as he positioned himself on his knees behind me. I waited an eternity, it seemed, before he whispered into my ear. "I hope you're ready for your punishment." I whimpered and nodded my head, eager for him to penetrate me. 

Leonardo chuckled slightly, clearly amused at how the tables had turned. Then, he dug into my hips and thrust into me hard.  My chest bounced forward, and I propped myself on my elbows the way he liked. Breasts flailing, and hair falling over my shoulders, I rocked into his thrusts as he sent me over the edge. I whimpered with each time he pulled back, and moaned when he filled me with his cock. My inner walls quaked and my mouth ran dry. 

"Such a dirty girl, cara mia." He grunted between heavy breaths, as his sweat pooled on my lower back. Leonardo bit the shell of my ear lightly, and whispered, "Cum for me, baby girl." I moaned, and collapsed onto my face, burning myself into a pillow as I screamed. Leonardo massaged the back of my neck, squeezing the sides to simulate choking. His hips thrusted furiously against me, slapping hard against my skin.  My walls caught him in a vice-like grip, and I arched backward as I screamed out his name. "Leo-Leondardo!" 

When we finished, he scooped me into his arms and spooned me on his bed. I felt like a quivering bowl of jell-o, and needed to steady my breath. "Mmm, cara mia, rest up. I'm not done punishing you, yet." 

[badchoicesposts]

Don’t Dream It’s Over Chapter 6

Series Summary: Liam and Ali thought that their relationship was perfect, but their whole world came crashing down when Constantine called him back to Cordonia. Four years later they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party, determined to make things between them work even if it isn’t always easy.

In this AU, Liam and MC (Ali Moonessar) dated for a year in New York while Leo was still crown prince. They broke up when Constantine asked Liam to come back to Cordonia, but they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party before the social season. The story will contain flashbacks, which will be italicized, of their relationship and follow them as they try to navigate the season with Ali as a suitor. I’ve messed around with the timeline a bit so that it fits the story better. I’ve also added in a few OCs of my own.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Ali Moonessar)

Word Count: 3,665

Song Inspiration: Old Money- Lana Del Rey

DISCLAIMER: Some of Bertrand’s dialogue is taken from TRR Book 1 Chapter 4. I’ve also changed up the timeline of the social season a bit to fit my story better. I based it off of some research I did on the British Social Season. 

Taglist:@flowerpowell, @kingliam2019, @ao719, @emceesynonymroll, @hopefulmoonobject, @dcbbw, @qammh-blog, @liamxs-world, @drakesensworld, @i-only-signed-up-for-fanfiction, @timmagickfrog, @lauradowning29

A/N: This is my first time ever posting a fic. Please let me know if you enjoyed it and would like to read more. I thrive on validation, lol. Thanks for reading!

Catch Up: Masterlist

Ali and Liam were two very different people. There was no doubt about it. They were crazy about each other regardless, but at first glance anyone would believe that they had absolutely nothing in common. 

Liam rivaled Luca for the title of the most well-rounded person she had ever met. He was tall, well dressed, and well respected by everyone he met. His blond hair was always annoyingly perfect, even when it had been slept on for the full seven hours of sleep he got every night, and he was good at everything he tried to do. He worked out five days a week and had a natural charm that drew people towards him wherever he went. Liam slept on silk sheets, drank expensive liquor and, worst of all, was a morning person. He was always up early, eager to start his day and be productive. He was typically easy going, but he could take action and control a situation effortlessly when he needed to. 

Ali, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She barely reached five feet tall in the right pair of heels and spent most of her time in sweatpants or leggings because of the insecurities she had about her body. Her workout routine consisted mainly of walking everywhere she needed to go, and she had terrible social anxiety. She had no constant sleep schedule, and at this point, she was practically nocturnal, only being able to get in small amounts of sleep during the day due to her insomnia. She had found her current bed sheets from the discount bin of a department store, and the most she ever spent on alcohol was twenty dollars for a bottle of tequila. She had perfect grades, but she was still constantly stressed about them. 

Liam was put together, and on most days she was a hot mess. When she says the words “trust me, I know what I’m doing” there’s about a seventy-five percent chance that she has no idea what she’s doing. However, when he said the same words, she never once doubted him. That is until he decided he could repair the clogged drain in his kitchen sink on his own. Her suspicions were confirmed as she watched the Prince of Cordonia, his nice dress shirt soaked in water, fiddle with a pipe, determined to be “normal”.

“Love, maybe you should just call someone,” she said, raising her voice slightly so he could hear her from where the upper half of his body was lying under the sink. 

“I can do this,” he called back, irritation evident in his voice. 

“Sure you can,” she mumbled under her breath, taking a seat on a stool in the kitchen. “Have ever even looked at a pipe like that before?”

The banging noises she heard from under the sink was her only response, and she rolled her eyes as she texted Drake to tell him to contact the building’s superintendent. A few minutes passed by in silence before there was a sudden popping sound and Liam’s angry voice filled the room. Ali looked up to see him emerging from under the sink soaking wet, while more water pooled onto the kitchen floor. She wanted to be mad that he had made the situation worse and not given up when he realized that he didn’t know what he was doing, but the sight of him before her made her burst out laughing. 

“It’s not funny,” he said, sending a glare in her direction. 

“Yes, it is,” she replied when she had finally managed to calm herself down. 

He narrowed his bright blue eyes at her, trying his best to stay mad, but he knew that it was a losing battle. He knew that he looked ridiculous. 

“I guess we can cross chef and plumber off of your list of potential jobs,” she said, starting to giggle again as she remembered their first date where he tried to cook for her. 

“Now stop the water and clean up that mess. The super will be here in the morning.” 

Liam watched as his girlfriend ran out of the room before he could get another word in. 

~~~

Ali frantically walked back and forth between her bed and her closet, Lana Del Rey’s Old Money playing softly in the background. It was 12:57 AM and Liam’s plane would be leaving in less than ten hours. She had been packing and unpacking her suitcase for the past two hours. Every time she made up her mind to go, something told her to stay, and every time she made up her mind to stay, something told her to go. She looked down at the text on her phone from Maxwell giving her the flight information and started piling things into her suitcase again. She was just about to close it and try to get a few hours of sleep before the flight when she looked over at her nightstand and saw the framed picture of her and all of the Larson siblings that she always kept there. They all had their arms wrapped around each other and were smiling happily into the camera. 

“Nope, not going,” she mumbled to herself, hastily pulling things out of the bag and dropping them on the floor. 

The sound of a throat clearing behind her caused her to stop what she was doing and turn around. 

“Oh, hey, Luc. I didn’t know that you were still up,” she said. 

“Yeah, I was just about to turn in for the night when I saw your light on. I assume by this mess that you haven’t made a decision yet.”

“I’m not going,” she tried to say firmly. 

Luca sighed and made his way further into her room. 

“You should go,” he said softly.

“I should?” Ali asked, sitting down on the bed.

“If a part of you didn’t want to then you wouldn’t be having such a hard time making the decision. If it all works out you could have everything you’ve ever wanted. You owe it to yourself to go.”

Ali groaned and dropped to her back, her legs still dangling off the side of the bed. 

“What if we’re too different? It’s been forever since we were together. What if it doesn’t work out? What about everything here?” she asked, staring up at the ceiling. 

Luca walked over to her and grabbed both of her hands in his before pulling her back up into a sitting position. 

“You worked so well together because you were different. You balanced each other out. You made each other happy. Besides, if things still don’t work out, you’ll always have a place to come home to,” he said softly. 

He kissed her forehead lovingly before leaving the room, the door closing behind him quietly.  

~~~~~~~~~~

Ali was clutching the handle of her bag tightly in her hand as she ran as fast as she could through the airport, cursing herself for being so out of shape. After speaking with Luca she still hadn’t been able to properly make up her mind until the last possible second and now there was only five minutes until the plane left. She caught sight of Charlie’s red hair and sighed in relief when he turned around and saw her. 

“I knew you would come,” he said, a bright smile breaking out across his face. He was standing next to Bastien, both dressed in grey suits. 

“Yeah,” she huffed out, trying desperately to catch her breath, “Back on duty, I see.” She motioned to his uniform with one hand, the other clutching her side as she gasped for air.

“Yes, but we can talk about that later. There’s someone waiting for you on that plane,” he said, motioning for her to board the plane.

“Right,” she said, taking a deep breath and beginning to walk slowly. 

Bastien and Charlie were following closely behind her, and the reality that she couldn’t turn back was now hitting her. Upon entering the private plane she saw Drake, Ben, Maxwell, and Leo all lounging casually on large leather seats. Liam had been anxiously pacing up and down the aisle but had immediately stopped at the sound of their footsteps. A large smile broke out over his face at the sight of her. 

“You came,” he said.

“Yeah, I did,” she said, fighting her own smile as she launched herself into his arms. 

He held her tightly and for a moment all of the doubts she had about leaving New York disappeared. Leo and Maxwell shared a pleased look as the two took their seats next to each other. The plane began to take off, and Ali felt surprisingly calm as she looked out the small window. 

“Are you excited?” Maxwell asked her happily, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Um, yeah… that’s one word for it,” she said awkwardly. 

“You’ll be amazing,” Liam said,  bringing her hand up to his lips and gently kissing her knuckles. 

“You two are disgusting,” Ben joked, prompting a laugh from the group. 

They were well on their way to Cordonia now and Maxwell took the opportunity to begin explaining to her what would be happening when they arrived. 

“For the next few weeks you’ll stay at the Beaumont estate in Ramsford with my brother Bertrand and I,” Maxwell said.

“Is your brother anything like you?” Ali asked him.

Drake scoffed slightly, causing Ali to raise her brows in question. 

“What Drake means is that Bertrand can be kind of… strict. He’s not exactly happy that I’m bringing in a suitor that doesn’t know anything about court or nobility,” Maxwell said with a cringe, “But that just means that we’ll have to spend the next few weeks turning you into a proper lady of the court.”

“Sounds like fun.” Ali tried to force a smile on her face, but it came out as more of a grimace. 

“That’s the spirit!’ Leo laughed, ending his sentence with a good-natured clap to her shoulder. 

“Once the social season starts, we’ll be spending most of our time at the palace. Most of the nobility live there during the season, including the ladies vying for Liam’s hand,” Maxwell continued. 

“Yeah, living under one roof makes it easier to attend the rose ceremony later,” Drake mumbled under his breath.

Ali snorted before stopping to pull herself together. 

“Sorry, that probably wasn’t very ladylike,” she said sarcastically.

“You’re no lady of the court,” Drake said.

“I’m going to take that as a compliment,” she said. 

“Trust me, it is.”

The two locked eyes for a moment, having a silent conversation. Drake had played a part in convincing her to come, but she also knew how he felt about court and the people there. He always said that Liam was the only one of them that was worth a damn. She knew that Drake wanted to protect her, but there was also a certain edge to his voice as he said those words that she couldn’t quite place. 

“Drake,” Liam said, a warning tone in his voice. Ali looked between the two for a moment before Maxwell broke through the tense silence.

 “As I was saying, the social season typically lasts for about five months. There are usually a few large events like balls that the entire court attends and there are some smaller events like dinner parties that are invitation only.”

“Not gonna lie, that sounds like… a lot,” Ali said. 

“Trust me it is,” Drake said, running his fingers through his hair. 

Everyone began to break off into their own conversations and Ali turned to Liam to find him already looking down at her. 

“Liam, I’m kind of scared,” she said, chuckling half-heartedly.

She looked down at her hands and began anxiously picking at the skin on the side of her nail.

Liam tilted her head so that she was looking up into his eyes before moving his hand to cup the side of her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. 

“I know, but I meant it when I said that you’ll be amazing. This is a big adjustment, and I’m afraid I may not be able to be with you as much as I would like to, but you will always have my support. You are the strongest and most capable woman I know, Ali. I don’t doubt for a second that you’ll do great things,” he replied. 

Ali smiled and leaned into him as their lips met in a gentle kiss. She rested her head onto his shoulder and felt her eyes closing before falling into a dreamless sleep.

She opened them a while later to the feeling of Liam shaking her awake. Her head was still on his shoulder and their fingers were entwined together. At some point during her nap he had removed her glasses and was now trying to hand them to her. 

“We’ll be landing soon. If you look out the window you’ll see Cordonia,” he said with a smile. 

She turned her head sleepily and gazed out the window at the land below them. In her still half asleep state, she could just make out twinkling lights against the landscape. 

“Wow.”

“Home sweet home,” Drake sighed, looking out the window as well. 

Ali groaned as she watched everyone begin to exit the plane one by one. The position she had been seated in had put a strain on her back, and as she tried to stretch it out, the pain only intensified. 

“Maxwell, can you give us a minute alone please,” Liam asked politely, pulling her out of her thoughts as she continued to stretch. The other man, who had been waiting for his new friend, nodded and exited. 

Even though she knew they were alone, the thought of everyone else just a few steps away gave Ali the feeling that she was being watched. She didn’t have much time to ponder on this fact, however. Liam grabbed her hips and pulled her so that her body was pressed flush against his, all thoughts of the rest of the group automatically leaving her mind. His lips crashed roughly into hers, and she found herself grabbing onto his arms to steady herself. She moaned softly against his mouth as she felt his tongue against her bottom lip. 

“Um, guys?” Charlie said hesitantly. 

They jumped away from each other immediately, Ali’s hand going up to cover her mouth as she looked anywhere but at the red-haired man in front of her and Liam loudly clearing his throat. Charlie stood there uncomfortably for a moment before speaking again. 

“We need to head out.”

With one more gentle kiss and whispered ‘I love you’, Ali got into the large black car with Maxwell and stared at Liam’s retreating form. 

“You’ll see him again,” he said, patting her shoulder in a comforting manner. 

“Yeah,” she said, staring out the window at the passing trees, “I know you said your brother isn’t exactly excited that I’m going to be representing House Beaumont, but what exactly am I walking into with him?”

Maxwell seemed to ponder her words for a moment.

“Well, Bertrand’s been a little more stressed than normal lately, so it may take some time, but I’m sure he’ll warm up to you eventually.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t exactly make me feel any better.”

Conversation with Maxwell flowed easily. Even though she had only known his for a few days, Ali found herself completely comfortable with him, and she felt as if she could tell him anything. The car ride passed by in a series of laughs and before she knew it, they were pulling up to the large Beaumont Estate. 

“Wow,” Ali found herself saying for the second time in an hour, “Maxwell, this place is gorgeous.”

The grounds of the large house definitely looked like it was fit for nobility, and Ali stepped out of the car trying to imagine what the inside looked like. Maxwell had already made it to the trunk of the SUV and was trying to somehow carry all of his bags and her own at the same time. 

“Yup, that’s home,” he replied, his voice strained as he tried to support the weight of their things. 

“Max, you know I can carry my own bags, right?” she said with a laugh, making her way over to help him. 

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a lady carry her own bag?” 

Ali playfully rolled her eyes and took her luggage from him. 

“I promise I won’t tell anyone,” she said sarcastically. 

The large front doors of the house were made of intricately carved wood and pushed open to reveal a large foyer. The ceiling rose high above her head, and an antique chandelier kept the area brightly lit. 

“Follow me. I’ll show you to your room, and then we can find Bertrand,” Maxwell said and began leading her up the large staircase. 

As he led her through various hallways, Ali had to mentally keep track of every turn that they took so that she wouldn’t get lost later. However, as large and spectacular as the home was, she couldn’t help but notice that there were no people in sight. 

“This is my room,” Maxwell said, gesturing to an unopened door as they passed it, “And that’s yours.” 

He pointed to a door that was right down the hall from his and allowed her to walk ahead so that she could open it. 

“Oh my god,” Ali said, taking the large four poster bed and the bedding that probably cost more than she made in a year at the bar. 

“Yes, I’m sure the room is probably quite spectacular for someone of your tastes,” came a voice from behind them. 

Ali turned around, not sure whether or not to be offended. The man who had spoken looked like every boring history professor stereotype that she had ever heard combined into one. He was covered in tweed from head to toe and had large, leather elbow patches on his jacket. There was a scowl on his face as he looked her up and down. 

“He doesn’t mean anything by that,” Maxwell said quickly, trying to cover for him. “Bertrand, this is the one I was telling you about… Ali!”

“This is the girl you’ve chosen to represent our house?” Bertrand asked. 

A skeptical look crossed his features, and Ali suddenly became very aware of the fact that her curls were ruffled from sleeping on the plane and that she was wearing an old hoodie that she had taken from Cole and was probably three sizes too big. She tugged at the hem of it self-consciously and smiled awkwardly at the man in front of her. 

“Yep! Nailed it right?” Maxwell said, smiling widely. “Ali, this is my older brother, Bertrand.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Bertrand,” Ali said politely. 

“The proper way to address a duke is ‘Your Grace’,” Bertrand responded stiffly. 

“Oh, right! I’m so sorry, Your Grace,” Ali said, her cheeks heating up. She hadn’t even been in Cordonia for an hour and she was already making mistakes. 

“At least it looks like you can be trained.”

Ali clenched her jaw at his words. 

“Trained? I’m not your pet!” she said, anger rising in her voice. 

Bertrand met her gaze and the two stared at each other for a moment. 

“Maxwell, a word in private,” he said, turning and walking out the door.

Maxwell shot her a strained smile and followed his brother, shutting the door behind them. She could just barely hear their voices through the door, and although their words were muffled, she knew that the conversation was about her. Ali sighed and looked up at the ceiling, wondering what she was getting herself into. The door reopened, and a flustered Maxwell and a red-faced Bertrand reentered. 

“It seems that we’re stuck with you,” Bertrand says, once again looking her over. 

“If me being here really is that much of an issue I can just go, and your family can choose some other girl to sponsor,” Ali said, crossing her arms. 

She didn’t expect things to be easy. She knew that there would be people who didn’t support her in Cordonia, but Bertrand was supposed to be her sponsor, and she was getting tired of his attitude. They had only known each other for five seconds, and he was already saying that she wasn’t good enough. 

“No! You can’t go. We’ve already chosen you, so if you leave we’ll have no one. Besides, you could be Liam’s only chance of finding actual happiness. I’ve seen the way you look at each other. You’re the only person that he’s ever loved,” Maxwell said, pleading with her. 

Ali uncrossed her arms and sighed, her features softening at his words. These actions didn’t go unnoticed by the duke who was now looking at her curiously. 

“Perhaps Maxwell didn’t fully explain this to you, but if our house puts forth the Prince’s choice, we’ll win fame and recognition,” he began.

“Something we could really use right now actually, ‘cause we’re kind of broke,” Maxwell finished.

“Maxwell! You overstep,” Bertrand said angrily. 

Ali looked between the two brothers. 

“There’s no shame in being broke,” she said softly, “Do you guys get money if I marry Liam?”

“Not… directly, but we can leverage the prestige to great effect. It would be a scandal if word got out of our financial ruin,” Bertrand said. 

Ali could tell that they were in a difficult situation, and although Bertrand only seemed to be concerned with her marrying Liam so she could help with their finances, she could tell that Maxwell had pure intentions.   

“I love Liam and want to be with him, and I want to help you guys as much as I can. So, if that means not talking back to Bertrand and learning how to be a lady of the court then fine. I’ll do it,” she said. 

[classicmollywood]

Thank You FilmStruck

As a film lover, I am absolutely distraught that FilmStruck’s swan song is in seven days. The creativity and passion used when putting films on the streaming site was absolutely apparent and for a film lover, it was refreshing.

This streaming service has been great in introducing me to films I would have never even thought of watching. So, as my ode to FilmStruck, I am going to list the top 15 films that I watched on the service that touched me in some way or another (and it was so hard just to pick 15). 

So here are my top 15 films that I watched on FilmStruck that I think everyone should check out and they are in no particular order:

1. Norma Rae (1979) - Starring Sally Field, Beau Bridges, and Don Leibman

Sally Field plays a single mother who helps unionize the textile factory she works at, even though there is great risk and danger involved. 

Why you should watch it: Sally Field is so inspiring as Norma Rae! She absolutely deserved the Oscar she won for that role. Also, girl power and unionizing is awesome!!

2. Bicycle Thieves (1948) - Starring Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola

A working-class family man has his bicycle stolen, which  he needs for the job he finally got in depressed post-War World II Italy. Thus, he takes his son on his journey to find his bicycle. 

Why you should watch it: This story is such a heartbreakingly beautiful tale. The emotion that both Maggiorani and Staiola convey really help the audience feel their pain. The film also takes you all over the streets of Italy, which is fantastic. 

3. The Crowd (1928) - Starring James Murray and Eleanor Boardman

The story of a man and woman who fall in love and get married. However, the husband’s unhappiness with their small apartment, being a small fish in a big pond, and his in-laws disapproval could be the downfall of their marriage.

Why you should watch it: Even though this film is from the 1920s, some of the concepts can be placed in any time period. The situations that the husband and wife go through could happen to any working-class family. Also, King Vidor did some amazing directing and some of the shots he set up are just spectacular. 

4. La Notte (1961) - Starring Jeanne Moreau, Marcello Mastroianni, and Monica Vitti

A married couple’s deteriorating marriage is magnified through one day and one night. The two flirt with other people and have to truly realize their personal problems.

Why you should watch it: Michaelangelo Antonioni does a brilliant job in capturing this couple and their unraveling relationship. Also Mastroianni and Moreau are fantastic as the couple. Not all movies have the happiest of endings, but that is what makes them, and this film, so realistic. Life isn’t always happiness.

5. The Nights of Cabiria (1957) - Starring Guiletta Masina, Francois Perrier, and Franca Marzi

A prostitute desperately wants love, but all she gets from men is extreme heartbreak. 

Why you should watch it: Guiletta Masina is FANTASTIC as Cabiria! Oh my gosh, she is so good at making Cabiria a sympathetic character. Also, who doesn’t love a good story about a hooker with a heart of gold?

6. What’s Up, Doc? (1972) - Starring Ryan O’Neal, Barbara Streisand, and Madeline Kahn

A zany Screwball Comedy that involves 4 plaid bags that all contain different contents. Each bag is important in its own way and causes so much confusion, it’s hysterical.

Why you should watch it: This movie is so zany. That is the only way to describe it. Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neal are great at comedy! And this is Madeline Kahn’s first feature film! I also never realized there were Screwball Comedies made in the ‘70s.

7. Le Samourai (1967) - Starring Alain Delon, Francois Perier, and Nathalie Delon

A professional hit man makes a hit but has witnesses. He tries his best to make an alibi for himself, but ends up getting entangled in the web of his witnesses. 

Why you should watch it: This film is badass! Even though it is French, this film has major Japanese Samurai film influences! Also, it was my first introduction to the amazing Alain Delon and he is such a fantastic actor.  

8. Shadows (1958) - Starring Ben Carruthers, Leila Goldoni, and Hugh Hurd

It’s the Beat-era in New York! Jazz is used throughout the film to help explore interracial relationships and friendships. 

Why you should watch it: This is John Cassavetes’s directorial debut and he uses jazz and jump shots to give us a feeling of the fast paced life the characters are living. Also this film was made in the late ‘50s and was absolutely revolutionary for its time. No one wanted to honestly address racism, and Cassavetes (who is a white man) is very honest about the subject. 

9. Sunflower (1970) - Starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni

An Italian couple gets married right before WWII. The husband gets drafted and never comes home. The wife goes on a journey to find him and realizes he is still alive, in Russia, living a new life.

Why you should watch it: This film WILL break your heart. But if a film doesn’t make you feel any emotion, then what’s the point of watching it? Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni are magnificent in this film! Also the cinematography is breathtaking. Audiences witness Italy and Russia as if they are there. 

10. History Is Made at Night (1937) - Starring Jean Arthur, Charles Boyer, and Leo Carillo

A divorcee falls in love with a French man but her insanely jealous ex-husband will spare no measure to keep her from moving on.

Why you should watch it: This film has Charles Boyer at his best. He portrays charm, silliness, and determination so well. Also Colin Clive is so sinister as the ex-husband, he is the best antagonist. Jean Arthur is vulnerable as the woman who wants to be free. There is also a great bit with a hand with a face drawn on it.

11. He Who Gets Slapped (1924) - Starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, and John Gilbert

A professor is betrayed by a count and leaves his old life to become a clown. He then tries to save a young woman he loves from falling into the count’s web.

Why you should watch it: Lon Chaney will break your heart. He does such a good job at playing a clown who seems to always be smiling, but in reality is in so much emotional pain. Also Norma Shearer and John Gilbert together are absolutely electric. They are both so young and so good looking.

12. Belle de Jour (1967) - Starring Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, and Michel Piccoli

A frigid housewife takes a daytime job as a prostitute. 

Why you should watch it: This movie is wild!! The housewife who won’t even touch her husband becoming a prostitute? That’s such a randomly satisfying story line. Also, Deneuve’s Severine has very interesting dreams that blur reality and fantasy. 

13. Cluny Brown (1946) - Starring Jennifer Jones, Charles Boyer, and Peter Lawford

Cluny Brown is a parlor maid who just wants to be a plumber. When she meets Czech refugee Adam Belinski, their zany shenanigans shake up an English village. 

Why you should watch it: Jennifer Jones is perfect as Cluny! She plays her with a naivety that is just refreshing and funny. Charles Boyer as Professor Belinski is great too because he is a man of great knowledge who isn’t afraid to be unconventional. It also hilarious seeing Cluny fix plumbing problems.

14. Keep Your Powder Dry (1945) - Starring Lana Turner, Laraine Day, and Susan Peters

Three very different women try to adjust to their lives in the Women’s Army Corps. 

Why you should watch it: A lot of WWII films talk about men in the army. This film is one of two that I know of that talk about the women in the army. It is also interesting to see the three different women who have to tolerate each other in such close quarters. Also, I like seeing Lana Turner in a role that is not super dramatic and her being someone’s love interest the whole film. 

15. Too Bad She’s Bad (1955) - Starring Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and Vittorio De Sica 

A young thief and her accomplices try to steal a cab driver’s cab. However, the cab driver, the thief, and her thieving family just can’t seem to stay away from each other.

Why you should watch it: Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in a COMEDY? Yes, I will have seconds. I love their comedic timing together. Also, there are so many shenanigans in this film that are just fantastic to watch unravel. 

Thank you FilmStruck for introducing me to so many films I wouldn’t have had the access to if it weren’t for you. Thank you to all of the talented people who worked so hard to create a truly unique experience for film lovers. I will miss FilmStruck so much. 

[guynamedultimax]

Smash Characters and people who main them

So, I was thinking about who mains certain Smash characters. Aaaand I got these ideas.

Mario: Probably Mickey Mouse. Or Emmet from the Lego Movie franchise idk

DK: Surely not King Kong because he has big hands and would break a Joy-Con just by touching it, not even a GameCube controller is safe. 100% Winston from Overwatch is the candidate, even better if he takes the blue DK skin lol

Link: Sora. This one is easy as hell.

Samus: Tony Stark is the first option that comes to mind.

Dark Samus: And since Rhodes can’t use Samus, might as well use the OTHER Samus lol

Yoshi: It is canonically stated in Deltarune that Asriel Dreemurr mains him and loves him to death.

Fox: I’m not sure how a red pirate fox animatronic holds a Joy-Con or two but probably Foxy from FNAF is the perfect main here.

Pikachu: It’s either Agumon or Jibanyan, too easy. Also put Jibanyan in Smash Sakurai pls

Luigi: Probably Donald Duck to parallel Mickey, the only difference between the two would be that Donald has a short temper while Luigi is a cowardly lion (and the plumber-sailor thing)

Ness: *MEGALOVANIA AND GAME THEORY INTRO INTENSIFIES* Ok jokes aside I think John Egbert and/or Sans are good candidates as Smash main.

Captain Falcon: Raphael, the red turtle from the Teena- wait why am I explaining an obvious character. His bros collectively main another character.

Jigglypuff: D.Va, full stop. She is a bunny person but may also love a Jigglypuff (now I want a drawing of Hana hugging the Puff help me)

Peach: Sooo, let’s see...Mickey has Mario... Donald has Luigi... I think you know where I’m going with this one.

Daisy: OH GOD I JUST REALIZED THAT DAISY DUCK MAINS PRINCESS DAISY, IT’S A “HI I’M-DAISY-CEPTION!”

Bowser: Is there any drawing of Bowser cosplaying as Peg-Leg Pete and viceversa? I’d die for that, it would be hella funny, especially with Mario and Mick dying from laughter in the distance.

Ice Climbers: Hmmm...twins...you can use them to make icy puns...I KNOW! IT’S GEORGE AND FRED

Sheik: Literally any of the ninjas from Lego Ninjago, bonus points for Lloyd.

Zelda: I have literally no damn ide-oh wait. I can use literally any blonde Disney princess lol

Dr. Mario: Undecided between Sorcerer Apprentice!Mickey and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

Pichu: Shogunyan makes the most sense to me. I don’t know a lot about any other Digimon so I’m sorry if I don’t have Digimon ideas for Pichu.

Falco: I don’t know why but the thought of Chica maining Falco makes me laugh. Not that I ship Fox and Falco, of course, but seeing my FNAF OTP using two best pals looks funny enough to me

Any Fire Emblem character that is not Robin or Corrin: I literally have no damn idea.

Young Link: The first one that came to mind was Kenny from South Park and I don’t know, don’t even ask me

Ganondorf: I can just see Gamora giving Thanos a copy of Smash for the Switch and him curbstomping people as Ganondorf

Mewtwo: I still think that Beerus is an AU version of Mewtwo. If Beerus wasn’t a lazy dickhead maybe he would have been similar to Mewtwo.

Mr. Game & Watch: Bendy. Just, Bendy. And not even moster Bendy, just, regular Bendy.

Meta Knight: I wonder how much does Bruce Wayne play Smash when he is not being Batman. Although it’s probably possible that his favourite is Brawl.

Pit: I can just see Tony Stark losing at Smash against Pit and saying: “Fuck you, Barton.” AHAHAHAHAH

Dark Pit: This is for Hawkeye post-Decimation. Sorry if u lost ur family pal. Really sorry. I wanna kick Thanos in the groin for this.

Zero Suit Samus: Of course Natasha Romanoff mains Zero Suit Samus. Fanservice girl for fanservice girl.

Wario: I know Roadhog isn’t greedy and doesn’t care a lot about money except for his fee from Junkrat but he looks like the perfect Wario main in my opinion.

Snake: A spy for a spy. The name is Snake. Solid Snake. *mashup of James Bond theme and Encounter plays in the distance*

Pokèmon Trainer: Literally Ash Ketchum is the only possible choice here.

Diddy Kong: Uuuuh, the Apes from Ape Escape. Yup.

Lucas: Ok listen up, it’s Darwin Watterson. A squishy adorable fish boi for an adorable psychic blondie kid. It’s the perfect matchup! Almost...(Thank god Ninten is not yet in Smash)

Sonic: Me. What, can’t I reclaim one of my mains? The fella here introduced me to gaming with Sonic Rivals on the PSP. Thank god I didn’t buy a PS3 or ‘06.

Dedede: King Candy from Wreck-It Ralph. At least before he reveals himself as the fucker known as Turbo.

Olimar: Keroro from Sgt. Frog. Don’t ask.

Lucario: Sasuke? Idk

R.O.B.: Shared between C-3P0, R2-D2 and BB-8. Easy.

Wolf: Idk Boris the Wolf? I really dunno I suck at this.

Toon Link: Happy from Fairy Tail. JUST LOOK AT HOW MUCH OF A CAT TOON LINK DOES LOOK LIKE

Villager: Chara from Undertale. I don’t need to explain this.

Mega Man: Give me any blue Power Ranger.

Wii Fit Trainer: Hard one. I have no idea help

Rosalina and Luma: IT’S TINKERBELL

Little Mac: *Rocky theme intensifies* ROCKYYYYYYYYYYY BALBOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAA

Greninja: Naruto full stop

Palutena: Cosmos from FF Dissidia.

Mii Fighters: The Xbox avatars. I think this one was pretty obvious.

Pac-Man: Donnie, Mikey and Leo all collectively main Pac. Best part they stop literally any attempt from Raph to spam Falcon Punches lol.

Robin: *Hedwig’s Theme intensifies*

Shulk:...Kirito?

Bowser Jr.: My other main, the one I use the most. For you, I shall summon the perfect main! *Lancer pops out from nowhere*

Duck Hunt: It’s Pluto. You know, Mickey’s dog? Jeez, why doesn’t Disney focus a little more on Pluto?

Ryu: KAME....HAME...HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Ken: *insert Vegeta reference here*

Cloud: FINAL FANTASY TIME, COME ON AND GRAB YOUR FRIENDS, WE’LL GO TO VERY DISTANT LAANDS, WITH JAKE THE DOG AND FINN THE CLUD STRIFE MAIN- ok enough I think you understood the reference.

Corrin: Danaerys Tyrgaryen. Did...did I write that right? I really dunno

Bayonetta: *Insert Dante quote here*

Inkling: de Blob. You...you don’t know de Blob? You should go check that game, it’s fire.

Ridley: Smaug. I know, I’m out of ideas.

Simon: Van Helsing, of course.

Richter: ...I HATE WHEN i AM OUT OF IDEAS

King K. Rool: Does Godzilla count? Or is he a King Kong issue? Ok no wait, any member from the Croc tribe of Legends of Chima is fine

Isabelle: Lucy Heartphilia, easy.

Incineroar: Ok, listen up, before I get in this one, I DO NOT SHIP ISABELLE WITH INCINEROAR. That being said.....Natsu. I can just imagine him and Lucy playing Smash in such an intense way while Happy just plays calmly and beats both lol

Pirahna Plant: Actually the first one that came to mind and gave me the idea for this post. Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Cause, you know, teeth.

Joker: Robin Hood. I know Joker is not an archer user but the gentleman thief thing is there after all

Sorry for the long post, here is the word “potato”. See ya next time and if you have any ideas for missing characters I’d be glad to get them

[acekatherineplumber]

Questions! Yay questions!

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most? Out Tonight (RENT), Tightrope (The Greatest Showman), Candy Store (Heathers), Delicate (Taylor Swift), Gorgeous (Taylor Swift), So Much Better (Legally Blonde)

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? Taylor Swift. It would be so nice.

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17. You will have to pay for excess baggage.

4: What do you think about most? How much cleaning I constantly have to do

5: What does your latest text message from someone else say? “I once again work until [private information], but I hope you have a great day”

6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on? It depends. 

7: What’s your strangest talent? I’m doubled jointed in three places

8: Girls… (finish the sentence); Boys… (finish the sentence)Girls are wonderful. Boys can choke.

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you? No.

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar? No idea.

11: Do you have any strange phobias? I’m afraid of stairs

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose? When I was like 5. It was a bead.

13: What’s your religion? Atheist

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing? Taking a walk

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? Behind it

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band? I like solo artists more

17: What was the last lie you told? I don’t remember

18: Do you believe in karma? Kind of? I believe that the way you treat people affects how they treat you.

19: What does your URL mean? Katherine Plumber is ace. Fite me.

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength? Perfectionism, passion

21: Who is your celebrity crush? Emma Watson? I just think she’s pretty, but I’m not sure I want to date her because I don’t even know her, and I’m not sure she would like that.

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping? I have a hot tub, so regularly.

23: How do you vent your anger? I like to vent it through art

24: Do you have a collection of anything? I used to collect state quarters, but nothing current

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online? Phone

26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become? Sometimes yes, sometimes no

27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love? I hate windshield wipers, I love cats meowing

28: What’s your biggest “what if”? Everything is a what if for me

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Yes to both

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm. My earbuds, one of my cats

31: Smell the air. What do you smell? I have a stuffed nose today, so nothing

32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to? Probably my old private school

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast? East

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender? No.

35: To you, what is the meaning of life? Finding and pursuing your own happiness

36: Define Art. Anything that makes you think (except Modern Art, because that is fucking elitist and pretentious and terrible)

37: Do you believe in luck? I believe in making your own through hard work, but sometimes shitty things just happen.

38: What’s the weather like right now? Cloudy, slightly rainy

39: What time is it? 10:07 am

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? Yes, and unfortunately yes.

41: What was the last book you read? The Count of Monte Cristo

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline? I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it

43: Do you have any nicknames? Yes, but it’s personal

44: What was the last film you saw? The Princess Bride

45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? I’ve had a lot of bad sprains. Also a concussion.

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly? Yes

47: Do you have any obsessions right now? Bubble tea. Don’t judge me

48: What’s your sexual orientation? Asexual

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you? I used to be bullied really badly, so yes

50: Do you believe in magic? Yes

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong? Yes.

52: What is your astrological sign? Leo/Virgo

53: Do you save money or spend it? I try to save it

54: What’s the last thing you purchased? A stuffed cat

55: Love or lust? Love

56: In a relationship? Yes

57: How many relationships have you had? Technically 5, but only 2 of them have been really serious

58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?No

59: Where were you yesterday? At home for most of the day

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? My cat’s nose

61: Are you wearing socks right now? No

62: What’s your favourite animal? Cat

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you? Honesty and passion

64: Where is your best friend? At her school. She has a summer class. The other one is at work.

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr. @hoogwoorts @schmackarys, @keepers-quaffles-and-old-clocks, @berrykikwi, and @purplerainbowsrachel

66: What is your heritage? German, English, Irish. Very white.

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM? Browsing the Internet.

68: What do you think is Satan’s last . It’name? I don’t give out the last names of real people.

69: Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off? Yes. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, and is actually really healthy. It’s good for anxiety.

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend? I hope so.

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do? I call someone else over and head on my way.

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid? I would probably wait until my last two weeks to tell people. I would travel. Yes, I would be afraid.

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love. I don’t trust people anyway, so love

74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it? Love Song by Sara Bareilles

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number? Not giving that out.

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship? Honesty, kindness, and common interests.

77: How can I win your heart?You can’t! You can have eggs and you can have bacon, but you can’t have Elphie because they are taken!

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity? Yes, but it should still be medicated

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far? Going to London.

80: What size shoes do you wear? 7.5-8

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone? I don’t know, but I think it should be in French.

82: What is your favourite word? At the moment? Princesa.

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart. The color blue.

84: What is a saying you say a lot? It’s amazing what you find when you clean up.

85: What’s the last song you listened to? Delicate

86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours? Aqua

87: What is your current desktop picture? Liberty Leading the People

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be? Mike Pence. I hate Trump, but Pence is scary and would be harder to impeach.

89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on? Everything that is wrong with my brain.

90: One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do? Run and lock the door.

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power? Invisibility

92: You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again? Probably the latter half of the first act of Les Mis in London.

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be? The thing that caused my PTSD.

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be? I don’t really want to do that. I don’t know of trust them.

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go? Berlin.

96: Do you have any relatives in jail? No

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?Yes

98: Ever been on a plane? Yes

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say? Something about education rights for all.

[bloomsburgu]

Bloomsburg University Police Department earns accreditation from Chiefs of Police Association

BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg University’s Police Department (BUPD) has earned accreditation from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association through its Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.

BUPD is now one of only seven accredited Institutions of Higher Education Law Enforcement Agencies within Pennsylvania to be accredited by the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. Of the 1,117 law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania, only 127 are accredited.

Accreditation is a progressive and proven way of helping institutions evaluate and improve their overall performance. The process takes between 18 and 24 months and covers 136 standards and 184 sub-standards. The cornerstone of this strategy lies in the pronouncement of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives.

When the procedures are in place, a team of independent professionals is assigned to verify that all applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by an authoritative body that the institution is worthy of accreditation.

“I am extremely proud of this accomplishment,” said Leo Sokoloski, director of the BU police department. “When I arrived back at BU more than three years ago, I told our then Vice President for Finance and Administration John Loonan that I could reshape the BUPD into a model 21st-century department.”

“To be a model department, we had to transform training, develop and write 21st-century policies and then put into practice what we said we were doing.  BUPD needed minor physical changes to retrofit the facilities to be compliant to accreditation standards.”

The accreditation process has continued under the new VP for Finance and Administration Claudia Thrush and Associate VP for Facilities Management Eric Ness, who saw the value and importance of the effort.

“The safety and welfare of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus are of paramount importance,” said Thrush. “The efforts of Director Sokoloski and his team have led to transformational change within the BUPD. This accreditation is a feather in the university’s cap as it confirms the department is operating at an exemplary level and providing best in class service. I congratulate him and his team on behalf of everyone at the University.”

Sokoloski is quick to point out the many individuals involved with the effort.

“Sargent Rob Neiderhiser and officer Jeff Bachinger played significant roles and were focused on driving this initiative to completion after many, many months of work,” said Sokoloski. “Also, BU’s skilled craftsman did great work for us. The plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, and many more worked tirelessly to make the changes we needed in our facilities.”

“The accreditation assessors exit interview was complimentary and found no significant deficiencies that were not corrected before their departure,” Sokoloski added, “The assessors’ reports and findings will be sent to the commission for review where the official announcement acknowledging BUPD’s accredited status will be coming in March at the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission meeting.”

The Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program was designed and developed by professional law enforcement executives to provide a reasonable and cost-effective plan for the professionalization of law enforcement agencies within the Commonwealth. The underlying philosophy of the program is to have a user-friendly undertaking for the departments that will result in a “success” oriented outcome.

The accreditation is an ongoing process, and BUPD will be re-evaluated in three years to show if it remains in compliance with the standards.

Photo: (L-R) Sergeant Rob Neiderhiser, Director Leo Sokoloski, officer Jeff Bachinger

[samgibbons1607]

Covid-19 Is Likely Airborne, Aerosol Scientist Says

Contents

Added airborne pathway helps

Health care settings

Airborne. kimberly prather

Bothering kimberly prather

"[I'm] relieved to see aerosolization is accepted," says Kimberly Prather, an aerosol chemist at the "This added airborne pathway helps explain why it is spreading so fast." Virologist Leo Poon of the "Further studies are needed to determine whether it is possible to detect COVID-19 virus in air...

Experts on Tuesday said they believe the six-feet of distance recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) may not be ...

While tiny viral particles might travel through the air, it's unclear whether they could make someone else sick.

Aerosols likely pose the greatest danger in health care settings, but may also spread in some everyday The coronavirus, which causes the respiratory infection COVID-19, can be detected up to 3 hours That said, hospital settings still carry a "particularly elevated risk for aerosol transmission" of...

Article: Aerosol Scientist: COVID-19 Is Likely airborne. kimberly prather, PhD, distinguished chair in Atmospheric Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, The University of California at San Diego. Science: "Reducing Transmission of...

[embedyt]//www.youtube.com/embed/xWj9OUAfTLQ[/embedyt]

Both the Covid-19 and the SARS viruses had an aerosol half-life of 1.1 hours, meaning half the particles drop out of the air after that amount of time As a result, the scientists said, "aerosol … transmission of [the new coronavirus] is plausible, since the virus can remain viable and infectious in...

More and more evidence suggests that the Covid-19 coronavirus can spread via aerosols, which is changing the strategies on ...

Something has been bothering kimberly prather, PhD: everything she reads about COVID-19 points to a pathogen that travels ...

Experts say that aerosol infection is different from airborne infection,... in which the virus floats in the air like tuberculosis. They say aerosol infection rather only happens in certain conditions. "It is prone to occur in hospital during medical procedures like inserting a tube into the respiratory system, which...

The chances of contracting COVID-19 through the ventilation in your home appear extremely slim, but there is still enough ...

EMERGENCY PLUMBER GLASGOW Plumber Glasgow 24/7 101 Maxwell St Glasgow G1 4EP 0141 473 6863

Places to find us online -

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[sportsleague365]

Five years after trading in his plumbing tools to focus on American football in Australia of all places, 27-year-old Matt Leo has signed a contract to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. Talk about having a dream come true. Leo, a 6-7, 275-pound native of Adelaide, Australia, is part of the NFL International Player Pathway Program, which aims to provide international athletes the opportunity to compete at theNFLlevel, improve their skills, and ultimately earn a spot on anNFL roster. TheNFC Eastwas chosen to receive these players in a random draw, making the Eagles one of four teams able to carry an additional overseas player on their practice squads in 2020. However, the route Leo took to reach the NFL is as unlikely as could be. Yes, he played at Iowa State where he impressed. After receiving a medical redshirt in 2017, he posted 33 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks over the last two seasons. A first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, Leo earned a 4.0 GPA in his final semester to complete his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies. It was the path he took to get to a Division I school that’s the story. Perseverance is the first word that comes to mind. Leo was working as an apprentice plumber back home in Adelaide. Five years ago, he made a decision. He knew that crawling around installing commercial plumbing was not his lot in life. He burned to play in the NFL, despite the fact that he had never played American football in his life. He had played rugby in Australia so he knew all about physical sports. He tracked down Paul Manera, one of the top football coaches in Australia, and a former player and coach with the University of Hawaii. Manera had mentored Adam Gotsis, the Australian defensive tackle who was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2016. Under Manera’s tutelage, Leo developed his physical skills to the point that when he emailed Tom Minnick, the head coach at Arizona Western Community College he was instructed to arrive the following week for practice. So he became a 23 year old college freshman athlete having never played a down of football. His raw talent saw him through. Not knowing where to place him on the first day of practice, the coaching staff threw him in on the defensive line. On the first snap, he blew the assignment, but got in the backfield and sacked the quarterback. He had found his calling. That and special teams. In 2016, Leo was a starter at defensive end for a unit that ranked No. 2 in the country in yards and points allowed in the JUCO ranks. When Arizona Western played in the national championship game, Leo was noticed. Schools began offering scholarships to the big Australian and he selected Iowa State. After a medical redshirt season in 2017, Leo made his Iowa State debut at the age of 26. And he continued to develop and grow his game. As he told the Eagles shortly after being accepted to the team: “Words can never describe the feeling. Honestly, the feeling that comes to mind is tears. I could never thank the people enough that helped me get here as well. I was just one person that was willing to persevere and chase for this dream. Never wanted to accept, ‘no’ or, ‘not good enough.'” Read the entire fascinating story by Chris McPherson of the Eagles. The post From plumbing to the Philadelphia Eagles: The remarkable journey of Australian DE Matt Leo appeared first on American Football International. #MattLeo #PhiladelphiaEagles