#Siding Installation Louisville

[hometoursandotherstuff]

I had high hopes for this 1900 charmer in historic Old Louisville, KY, but the updates slightly miss the mark. 5bds, 3ba, and not bad at $475K.

Loved the entrance hall fireplace. I assume that the armoire was placed there for coats and will not convey. That's ok, I'd rather have an antique coat tree.

This is nice- it was 1900 and the railings reflect a more modern look.

The sitting room was modernized- large new window and artsy black & white new fireplace.

Can't tell if the pocket doors are still there. The moldings are original, but I think that if the colors and furniture were different, it would look better. The inlaid floor looks great.

The kitchen footprint is essentially the same, but they skimped on the cabinetry and used metal shelves instead. They also installed a new glass door to the garden.

They placed a large banquette in this side room. Don't know if they'll leave it, but I wouldn't care if they didn't.

Updated bath painted red. I've seen the pattern on the curtain on HGTV a lot, but as wallpaper.

Stairs have been refinished.

The primary bedroom is spacious, has a fireplace and is basically original, but it's open to another bedroom.

Like that it has a fireplace.

I think that this is supposed to be a sitting room area for the primary bedroom. There's an en-suite right there.

Remodeled bath.

Home office has an original fireplace.

Going up to the 3rd level.

They've got beds up here, but it would be a nice family room. Love the keyhole hearth.

There's another bath up here.

I'm guessing that the only way to get into the basement is from the outside.

Plenty of storage space, though. I think that with some color and decor, this could be a beautiful home for the price.

Not much of a yard on the 3,049 sq. ft. lot, but I'm thinking there's potential for a rooftop deck.

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/212-W-Burnett-Ave_Louisville_KY_40208_M41342-45919

[touchstonehomeproducts]

Our friends at Patrick Industries are showcasing the Sideline Infinity 3-Sided 60" Electric Fireplace at the 64th annual The Louisville Show , The Midwest’s Premier Event for Manufactured Housing Professionals.

If you are an industry professional attending the show, please stop by and say hello!

You'll see an assortment of Touchstone fireplace installations scrolling on their TV - including the stunning new Sideline Elite Pro Electric Fireplace as installed by Accent Wall Designs

[reader40]

Expert Gutter Installation Services in Louisville, KY: Protect Your Home Today!

When it comes to protecting your home from water damage, investing in gutter installation services is one of the smartest decisions you can make. Gutters are your home’s first line of defense against rainwater damage, ensuring that water flows away from your foundation, siding, and landscaping. If you're a homeowner in Louisville, KY, looking for reliable and efficient services, now is the perfect time to take action.

Why Gutters Matter for Your Home

Gutters are more than just an accessory for your home—they're a necessity. Properly installed gutters help to:

Prevent Water Damage: Rainwater can wreak havoc on your home's foundation and basement if not properly directed away. Gutters ensure water is carried safely away, reducing the risk of costly structural damage.

Protect Your Landscaping: Without gutters, heavy rainfall can erode your soil, damage plants, and create unsightly puddles around your property.

Avoid Siding Damage: Rainwater spilling over your roof's edges can stain and deteriorate your siding, leading to expensive repairs.

Minimize Mold and Mildew: Stagnant water near your home can create a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and pests. Gutters help eliminate these issues by directing water flow.

Choosing the Right Gutter Installation Services in Louisville, KY

When searching for gutter installation services in Louisville, KY, it's essential to select a trusted provider who understands the local weather conditions and the unique needs of your home. Louisville experiences its fair share of rainfall, making quality gutter systems an absolute must for every homeowner.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a service provider:

1. Experience and Expertise

Look for a company with years of experience in gutter installation. Experts can assess your home and recommend the best gutter type, size, and design for optimal water flow management.

2. Custom Solutions

Every home is different. Ensure the company offers custom gutter solutions tailored to your roof's slope, size, and unique features.

3. Material Options

From aluminum to copper gutters, there are various materials to choose from. Discuss the pros and cons of each with your installer to find the perfect match for your budget and aesthetic.

4. Comprehensive Services

A good gutter installation provider will also offer related services like gutter repair, cleaning, and maintenance to ensure your system lasts for years to come.

5. Customer Reviews

Check online reviews and testimonials to gauge the company's reputation. Satisfied customers are a sign of reliable service.

Benefits of Professional Gutter Installation in Louisville, KY

While DIY gutter installation might seem like a cost-saving option, it’s not always the best idea. Here’s why professional installation is worth every penny:

Precision and Efficiency: Professionals ensure accurate measurements and seamless installation, reducing the risk of leaks or improper drainage.

Safety: Climbing ladders and handling tools can be risky for untrained individuals. Hiring experts ensures the job is done safely.

Quality Assurance: Reputable companies stand by their work, often offering warranties on materials and labor.

Time-Saving: Professionals complete the job quickly and efficiently, freeing up your time for other priorities.

The Louisville Advantage

Louisville, KY, is known for its humid subtropical climate, with heavy rains being a regular occurrence. This makes high-quality gutter systems a must-have for homeowners in the area. With a reliable system in place, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your property is protected from the elements.

Whether you’re building a new home or upgrading your existing system, partnering with a trusted provider of gutter installation services in Louisville, KY, ensures your home remains safe and functional.

How to Maintain Your Gutters

After installation, maintaining your gutters is crucial for longevity and efficiency. Follow these tips:

Regular Cleaning: Remove leaves, dirt, and debris at least twice a year to prevent clogs.

Inspect for Damage: Check for cracks, sagging, or rust and address issues promptly.

Add Gutter Guards: These devices help prevent debris buildup and reduce the frequency of cleaning.

Secure Your Home Today

Don’t wait until water damage becomes a costly issue. Invest in professional gutter installation services in Louisville, KY, and safeguard your home against the elements. With the right gutters, you’ll enjoy a cleaner, safer, and more durable property for years to come.

[carlsonsidingconstruction]

Explore Our Service Areas: Bringing Quality Construction Solutions Beyond Thornton

At Carlson Siding & Construction, we are committed to providing top-tier construction and home improvement services not only in Thornton but across the greater Denver metro area. Our goal is to ensure that every homeowner has access to our expertise and can benefit from our wide range of services. Whether you're looking to enhance your home's exterior with new siding, energy-efficient windows, or durable roofing, we're here to help. Below, we detail the areas where our services are available and how we can assist you in transforming your home.

Our Extensive Service Coverage

Thornton: As our home base, Thornton residents have long enjoyed our full spectrum of construction services. From complete siding installations to custom window replacements, we ensure each project meets our high standards of quality and customer satisfaction.

Greater Denver Metro Area: Our services extend throughout the Denver metro area, reaching communities in need of reliable and professional construction solutions. Here's a closer look at some of the key areas we serve:

Arvada: Known for its beautiful parks and vibrant community, Arvada homeowners can rely on us for enhancing their home’s exterior that matches the charm of their surroundings.

Boulder: With its unique architectural styles, Boulder homes benefit from our customized approach to siding and window installations that complement each home's aesthetic and functional needs.

Brighton, Broomfield, and Westminster: These bustling areas are constantly growing and evolving, and our services help homeowners keep up with the demands of modern, energy-efficient, and aesthetically pleasing homes.

Fort Lupton, Henderson, and Hudson: In these quieter locales, we bring the same level of detail and professionalism to ensure homes are well-protected and beautifully appointed.

Lafayette and Louisville: Our work in these communities emphasizes durability and style, protecting homes from the varied Colorado weather while enhancing curb appeal.

Northglenn: Here, we focus on providing solutions that increase energy efficiency and lower maintenance requirements, perfect for the busy homeowner.

Why Choose Carlson Siding & Construction?

Local Expertise: Being based in the Denver metro area, we have a deep understanding of local building codes, weather challenges, and architectural styles, allowing us to provide informed and effective solutions for your home.

Quality Materials: We use only the highest quality materials that are designed to last, providing you with peace of mind and a great return on investment.

Customer-Centric Approach: At Carlson Siding & Construction, the customer’s needs always come first. We take the time to understand your vision and goals for your project, ensuring we deliver results that meet or exceed your expectations.

Professional Team: Our team of skilled professionals is committed to delivering top-notch service and craftsmanship. We’re punctual, courteous, and focused on providing a hassle-free and satisfactory home improvement experience.

Get in Touch with us:

Carlson Siding & Construction 13395 Olive Street, Thornton, Colorado, 80602 +1 (720) 837-4725 https://carlsonsiding.com rob@carlsonsiding.com

Read More: Elevate Your Home with Carlson Siding & Construction's Door Installation Services

[whitepolaris]

Strange Doings at Seelbach Hotel

Stepping into the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville is like stepping into another era, one of the mobster and absinthe and Jazz Age records. It has so much mythic resonance, it should have been immortalized in great writing. Oh, wait, it was: F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about the Seelbach in his novel The Great Gatsby. (The title character of Gatsby, in fact, was based in part of his life of George Remus, a wheeler-dealer local attorney and bootlegger.)

Although many of America's gangsters walked through the Seelbach's doors, Al Capone was the most famous and the most regular customer. His favorite alcove in the hotel's Oakroom lounge still exists, as does a giant mirror he had trucked in from Chicago so that he could always watch his back while having a card game.

Special spring-loaded doors were installed in the Seelbach that could be instantly closed and locked in seconds by one of Capone's watchful henchmen, in case of police raid. And Capone also ordered that secret passageways be created for his surreptitious comings and goings; they led out to an alley behind the hotel and to another point around the side, on Fourth Street. The Seelbach management was apparently quite happy to comply with such arrangements, but then again, it may have been a request they couldn't refuse.

There's also a ghost on the premises: The "Lady in Blue" has haunted the hotel since 1939, when a young woman committed suicide by throwing herself down an empty ten-story-high elevator shaft. Because the sightings are said to have begun shortly after this incident, the ghost is generally regarded to be hers. As well as being seen, her ghost is often smelled, with a sickly sweet odor.

Most impressive of all the Seelbach's wonders is the catacomb-like bar the basement, called the Rathskeller. It's dark, gothic, subterranean chambers were another favorite partying place for Capone. The Medieval-styled inlays are all Rookwood Pottery, which makes the room itself worth a small fortune. Strange designs and symbols pervade the ornate decor, a mixture of zodiacal, alchemical, Masonic, heraldic, and various other symbolism.

The classic Paul Newman film The Hustler, based on the novel by Kentuckian Walter Tevis, was partially filmed at the Seelbach. You can also glimpse the hotel in the Al Pacino film The Insider.

The Seelbach is lcoated in downtown Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

[unitedcontracting]

Premier roofing company lexington | United Contracting LLC

United Contracting LLC stands as the epitome of exceptional roofing and exterior improvement in Central Kentucky. As the leading roofing company Lexington, our legacy spans two generations, infusing every repair and installation with unparalleled expertise. With over 15 years of dedicated service, we offer top-tier residential and commercial roofing, as well as gutter, siding, and masonry solutions. As a locally-owned contractor, United Contracting prioritizes cost-effective, timely services, minimizing disruptions to clients' lives. Proudly serving communities from Lexington to Louisville.

[locksmithserviceslongmont]

24-Hour House Lockout Services in Firestone Colorado

If you’re locked out of your home in Firestone, Colorado, we can help!

Fast, affordable, and professional 24-hour home lockout services in Firestone, Colorado

Locksmith Services Longmont is a Longmont-based mobile locksmith company that provides quick and inexpensive home lockout services to our surrounding communities such as Firestone, Colorado. We have an average arrival time of 30 minutes or less from the time we receive a call for help, and we are open 24/7, including on weekends and holidays. All of our mobile lockout technicians have years of experience, and the proper tools required to unlock homes. Additionally, all of our mobile Firestone locksmiths are background-checked and drug tested for the security and safety of our customers. We understand how stressful a home lockout situation can be when keys are locked inside or when locks break, so we do our best to arrive as fast as possible and make the entire process as stress-free as possible.

All of our mobile locksmiths in Firestone who assist with house lockout services have years of experience unlocking home doors such as front doors, side doors, garage doors, back doors, patio doors, and more. Our Firestone home lockout services are agreeably and professionally priced to ensure our customers will be satisfied with the services and get back inside as soon as possible. When it comes to unlocking homes in Firestone, our technicians are trained to pick locks, jimmy open locks, and worst case scenario, drill open locks should it be required, although it is rare. If a lock needs to be drilled open, there is no additional cost, and it is rare that one of our professional locksmiths in Firestone is unable to pick open a home lock.

While there are many different reasons that someone may become locked out of their home in Firestone, the most common reason is usually due to leaving keys inside and shutting a door on the way out before realizing that the keys are still locked inside. Whatever the reason may be though, our technicians can swiftly and affordably get you back into your house, apartment, condo, mobile home, RV, or other residences.

Not only can we provide quick and inexpensive door-unlocking services in Firestone, but we also service a 45-mile radius around Longmont. This means we can always assist with home lockout services in Northern Colorado in locations such as Longmont, Boulder, Denver, Estes Park, Loveland, Greeley, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Frederick, Dacono, Erie, Mead, Niwot, Lafayette, Louisville, Westminster, Thornton, Lyons, Nederland, and many more.

Locksmith Services Longmont has been successfully helping residents in Firestone, CO with their home lockout services for years and we are proud of our low-cost prices and fast turnaround times. Since we are open 24 hours, day and night, we are always available and ready to assist with keys locked in a house in Firestone, Colorado. All of our mobile locksmiths in Firestone, Colorado are fully mobile, which means they can arrive swiftly with all the tools necessary to promptly unlock and open locked home doors when the need arises. Besides leaving the keys locked inside on accident, our technicians can also help with home keys lost, or when keys are left out of state or in other inconvenient locations that are too far to easily retrieve.

Not only can our professional home lockout service locksmiths unlock home doors when locked out, but our technicians are also fully versed and equipped to provide typical residential locksmith services. This means we can help with home lock rekeying, lock installations, lock replacements, lock repairs, and more. All of our residential locksmith services in Firestone are also agreeably priced and professionally handled, and come with a free guarantee of service. This is one of the main perks of hiring a professional locksmith service because if something goes wrong within the first 3 months, one of our technicians will be able to assist for free.

When it comes to residential locksmith services in Firestone CO, we provide quick and affordable lock rekeying, which is also referred to as lock changing or key changing. For fresh lock installations, our Firestone locksmiths have the necessary training, tools, and experience with cutting new holes in existing doors and installing new locks such as installing a new deadbolt on a door that doesn’t have the required holes. With lock-changing services in Firestone, our technicians can replace existing deadbolts, lever locks, and doorknobs with different ones. There are many different reasons someone may want to replace their locks, the most common reason is due to a lock no longer functioning properly or when a change in models or colors is necessary.

All of our mobile locksmiths in Firestone have 8+ years of experience working in the field and have industry-standard equipment that makes the job go by quickly. When it comes to unlocking homes during a lockout situation, they are highly adept at getting doors open without causing any damage. This means that they can pick open locked locks with lockpicking tools, as well as utilize specialized locksmithing tools to “jimmy” open locks such as doorknobs and door lever locks. In the worst-case scenario, if a technician has to drill a lock open, there is no damage to the door whatsoever, and they can easily replace the lock with a new one and potentially rekey it to match the existing locks if they’re all on the same key. This is a much more affordable solution than breaking and replacing a home window, as that can be a costly and time-consuming process.

Our technicians can work with all types of home locks such as mechanical locks, electronic locks, door lever locks, deadbolt locks, doorknob locks, and more. We can assist with all types of lock brands, such as but not limited to: Kwikset, Schlage, Emtek, Baldwin, Yale, Defiant, Reliabilt, Arrow, Cal-Royal, and many more. Don’t stay locked out of your home in Firestone, Colorado because the keys are locked inside or missing, instead, we recommend calling on the professional services of a trained lockout professional. Here at Locksmith Services Longmont, we offer quick and affordable home lockout services in Firestone, Colorado, and we can usually have someone arrive within 30 minutes or less on average, day or night, even on holidays and weekends. We never charge extra for after-hours, weekends, or holidays service calls. We understand that there is never a convenient time to become locked out of your home, and that’s why we do our best to make the situation as hassle-free as possible.

[trussusroofers]

TrussUs Roofing and Exteriors

Address: 618 S. Gay St, Suite L4 Knoxville, TN 37902

Phone: (865) 800-4313

Email: Marketing@TrussUsRoofers.com

Website: TrussUsRoofers.com

Description: TrussUs Roofing & Exteriors is a full service family owned & operated roofing and exterior renovation company Knoxville Tennessee area relies on TrussUs to provide necessary roofing replacement & roof cleanings, as well as major roofing repairs such as metal roofing, asphalt roofing, slate roofing, cedar shake roofing, and tile roofing. We specialize in all phases of Residential and Commercial roofing, siding, patio, decks, driveway repairs and installations. As a roofing company with over 10 years experience in the roofing and home renovation industry. TrussUs Roofing & Exteriors offers roofing, metal roofing, roof and home storm damage, roof leaks, roof replacement, roof repairs, driveways, walkways, patios, decks, siding, cedar shake siding, chimney caps, roof inspections, chimney rebuilding, driveway installation, vinyl siding, outdoor fireplaces, Tuckpointing and outdoor kitchens.

Keywords: roofing company, roofing repair, metal roofing, home renovation, exterior renovation, new roof, roof replacement, knoxville tn, oak ridge tn, Lenoir city tn, farragut tn, maryville tn, louisville tn.

Hour: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm

Year of Est.: 2023

No. Of Employees : 25

Payment: credit, debit, check, cash, applepay, google pay, cashapp, venmo, zelle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrussUsRoofingAndExteriors

[kellerroofingandsiding-blog]

Roofers in  Louisville | Keller Roofing & Siding

Keller Roofing & Siding known as the skilled roofers in Louisville. We take care of your belongings sheltered and safe like they are supposed to be. It doesn't matter what is the size, type, or location of your building in the Louisville. To avail our services please visit www.kellerroofingandsiding.com/roofing/

[heymacy]

I love all those sentence prompts you just posted.😂 But I feel like the most appropriate one is probably:

“So why did I have to punch that guy?”

Thank you Arrow!! 💗

Ridiculous Sentence Prompts: "So why did I have to punch that guy?"

--

There were only a few things left in the world that made Mickey really, really angry.

The first was their property manager, Melanie, and her stupid-ass dog with its stupid, stupid diaper.

The second was the fact that a single can of beer cost four times more on the West Side than it did back in their old neighborhood. What special brand of bullshit were these crunchy granola hippies trying to churn out at the Wine, Etc. store, anyway?

The third thing, and probably the only one that would stick around after he adjusted to his new life above the poverty line, was any time that anyone disrespected, hurt, or even mildly annoyed his husband.

Every time they dealt with an irritating client or an overzealous new employee, Mickey would clench his teeth and fight the urge to knock them on their ass. One hit was all it would take, he knew that for certain. He'd taken down Ian's exes, family members, hell, even Ian himself on a few occasions, with a single punch to the throat.

Now, he was an adult, a business owner, a husband and partner that needed to play by society's rules if they were ever going to crawl out of the gutter completely.

The very idea made Mickey's teeth ache.

He bit his bottom lip while they sat side-by-side in their booth at the Alibi, waiting for some schmuck to meet them for an interview.

"We need to start interviewing the guys we hire, Mickey," Ian had said one night while cooking dinner. He chopped the carrots and celery on the wooden cutting board while Mickey sat slumped on the couch, nursing a beer and watching a TikTok Mandy had sent him earlier that day.

He looked up at his husband as he watched an orange and white cat chow down on kibble after his automatic feeder malfunctioned.

Mandy 🌻 (6:09pm): plz tell ian this is him in cat form

Mickey snorted at his phone, barely registering Ian's comment.

"Mick?" Ian tried again, and Mickey looked up from his phone.

"Hmm?" he replied through a mouthful of beer.

"I said we need to start interviewing the guys we hire," Ian said again, using the knife to scrape the carrots and celery off of the cutting board and into the giant pot he had boiling on the stove. Mickey wasn't sure what he was making, but it smelled amazing.

"What for? Those resumé things ain't good enough for you?" Mickey's mouth quirked up on the side as he tried to hide a smirk.

Ian rolled his eyes and used the comically oversized wooden spoon to stir his soup.

"No, Mick. So we don't have another Connor situation."

Mickey snorted. Connor was a dipshit they'd hired back in April to help with pickups, a dipshit that had cost the company almost $2,500 after he "forgot" to make the deposit with Ian and Mickey at the end of his scheduled route.

"I mean, his name's Connor. Kinda feel like you should've known what you were walkin' in to with that one."

"I'm serious," Ian said. "Interviews. We gotta do 'em." He stirred the soup vigorously, the spoon clanking against the side of the pot with every twist.

Mickey sighed deeply and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, we'll interview some new guys. But we're not doing it at a Starbucks or some shit. I'm not ready to go full West Side." He scrunched up his nose and made a face, to which Ian just chuckled.

"Glad you're on board," he teased, getting back to work on his soup, which had started to bubble.

--

Kev and Vee had moved to Louisville a month before, transferring ownership of the bar to Carl and Officer Tipping, who promised to keep everything just as it was. It gave Mickey a sense of calm knowing that even as the rest of his old neighborhood was slipping away, his adolescent stomping grounds now littered with coffee shops and yoga studios, some things remained the same.

He ran his fingers along the familiar crack in the table, a sharp sensation prodding the pads of his fingertips and helping him forget, even temporarily, what they were there to do.

Ian smacked the back of Mickey's hand gently.

"Stop it," he said, referring to the way Mickey was two seconds away from giving himself a splinter.

Mickey huffed and rolled his eyes.

"What's this guy's name again?"

Ian looked at his phone where he had an email pulled up. He glanced over the message then scrolled to the bottom.

"Derek," he said plainly.

"Derek," Mickey mocked, and Ian whacked him in the chest with the back of his hand.

"Knock it off," he said, and Mickey rolled his eyes again.

"Whatever. He's late anyway, let's just bail and go get some pizza."

"He's not late, Mickey. It's only..." he looked at his watch. "3:58. He's got three minutes until he's late."

Just then, as if summoned by Ian's voice, a tall, lanky, blond man walked through the front door of the bar and made his way towards the back corner booth where Ian and Mickey sat.

"You guys Ian and Mackie?"

Ian snorted as he tried to hide his laughter. Mickey rolled his eyes a third time, this time so hard that it was honestly impressive he didn't snap his optic nerves in the process.

"Mickey," Ian corrected politely. He nudged his husband with his elbow and the two of them climbed out of the booth to meet with their interviewee.

Ian shook his hand firmly.

"I'm Ian, and this is my husband Mickey." He smiled and turned to Mickey, who was standing with his hands in his pockets and giving Derek, all six feet two inches of him, an intense once-over. Elbowing his husband for a second time, Mickey relented, pulling his hands from his pockets and reaching out to shake Derek's hand. His giant palm was cold and clammy but also somehow uncomfortably hot. Mickey grimaced.

"Hey," he said gruffly. "Mickey."

"Derek," the other man said as they shook hands. "So you two are married?"

Ian nodded.

"Little over a year now, yeah."

Derek nodded.

"Cool, cool, cool," he said, nodding and looking around. "So this place is...interesting."

The judgmental and condescending way Derek said "interesting" wasn't new or unusual to either of them, but tall lanky blond bitches with North Side energy and a terrible fade saying "interesting" like they wanted to say "disgusting" made Mickey's blood boil.

He clenched his fist without even realizing what he was doing. Ian noticed immediately when Mickey's shoulders tensed up, stiffening in a way that reminded Ian of a startled cat, and he turned to climb back in the booth. He squeezed Mickey's arm once, twice, and dragged him down into the booth with him.

"It was a family friend's place," Ian said, nonchalant, eager to move the conversation away from the Alibi and towards their business. "So, Derek, on your resume, I see that you worked--"

Derek cut Ian off mid-sentence.

"Have they ever thought about turning this place into some sort of art installation or something? Just with the open floor plan and the exposed pipes, it's very pseudo-industrial-chic."

If they hadn't already assumed before by his distinct vocal fry and the smell of coconut hair gel, Derek's use of the term "pseudo-industrial-chic" solidified what the other two already knew: there were three gay motherfuckers in this booth.

Ian stuttered for a second, surprised by Derek's interjection and resistance to changing the subject.

"Don't think so, no." He grabbed his phone and opened up the Gmail app again. "So, anyway, your resume says you worked at--"

"You know what would be really cool in here? A movement class. I went to one in LA once that was hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow and it was liberating."

Mickey snorted and Ian elbowed him in the ribs.

"I bet it was," Ian said, unamused at Derek's refusal to talk about his work history. "So you worked at--"

"Have you guys ever been to LA? Oh my god, it's the best. So chic. I mean, I'm from Evanston originally, so basically anything is chic in comparison. I mean, not here, obviously, but you know. Other places."

Ian sighed.

"Totally," he said. "So, your work history, it says--"

"Hey, do you guys know what the best dispensary is around here? Preferably something upscale, with those iPads you can order on. I need a few new carts--"

"Dude," Mickey cut in. "Can you shut the fuck up for five seconds?"

Derek looked surprised, and Mickey could hear Ian's sharp, apprehensive inhale.

"Excuse me?" Derek said, holding his hand to his chest.

"He's been trying to ask you the same question since we sat down, and you won't shut the fuck up about chic cities and weed, so if you could just answer our questions, that would be great." He looked over at Ian, whose eyes were wide and hesitant, unsure about how things were about to unfold.

"You're very rude," Derek said to Mickey, giving him a scowl.

Mickey snorted.

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

Derek's eyes narrowed and his forehead wrinkled up, agitated.

"You should be nicer to the people you want to hire." He crossed his arms over his chest like a petulant child.

Mickey laughed out loud.

"Dude, who says we wanna hire you? I'm pretty sure if you worked for us, I'd blow my brains out in the first two minutes."

Ian tried and failed miserably to conceal his laughter, covering his mouth with his hand and looking down at the table. Mickey leaned over towards his husband.

"I kinda wanna punch this guy in the mouth," he mumbled, and Ian side-eyed him from where he sat beside him.

"Please don't," he replied in a whisper before composing himself and turning back to Derek.

"Look, Derek, you seem like a nice guy, but I don't think this is gonna work out." He held out his hand to signal that the interview was over, but Derek didn't return his handshake. Instead, he pouted like a toddler that had just been scolded for bad behavior.

"Your husband's a dick," Derek said to Ian, and Mickey could literally feel Ian's body stiffen next to him.

"Hey," Mickey said, putting his hand on Ian's knee. "Forget it. Let's go get pizza."

"No," Ian said sternly, turning back to Derek. "Listen, dude, you're also kind of a dick, so why don't we just call this a wash and you can go track down your carts or whatever."

Mickey bit his lip, fighting a smile. He secretly loved when Ian got defensive, as long as it wasn't directed towards him.

"You're both dicks!" Derek said, slamming his hands down on the table. He slid out of the booth and stood up, and Mickey and Ian did the same. The three men stood there, Derek facing the husbands with a pissed-off expression.

"You should go," Ian said, pointing at the door.

Derek snorted.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised. When the ad said South Side, I knew there was a good chance the owners were a couple of trashy, ghetto assholes. But him?" He pointed at Mickey. "He's a world-class dick."

Before Derek could say anything else, he was cut off by a fist to the jaw and dropped to the floor, unconscious.

The ambient chatter and loud clacking of billiard balls came to a halt as the regulars that sat scattered around the Alibi turned in unison to see what had happened. Once they identified the source of the loud "thud" as one of the Gallagher-Milkovich boys knocking out some blond giant, they immediately turned back to their various activities.

Just another day on the South Side.

Ian cupped his right fist in his left hand and turned to Mickey, bewildered.

"I just punched that guy, Mick," he said, genuinely surprised. "I knocked him out. Shit."

Mickey shrugged.

"He kinda deserved it."

Ian looked at Mickey with a really? sort of expression and shook his head back and forth.

"Still," he said, turning to look at Derek, sprawled out unconscious on the floor like a rag doll.

"C'mon man, it's fine. He'll come to, and when he does, we'll be long gone." He grabbed Ian's upper arm and gave him a tug, but Ian just sat back down in the booth.

"Why did I do that?" he asked, but Mickey knew he was talking only to himself. He sat down beside his husband, stepping over Derek's long ass leg on his way back to the booth.

"I mean, you kinda had to."

Ian looked over at Mickey, eyebrows raised. He stared at his husband for a moment, puzzling, before breaking into a smile.

"What?" Mickey asked, confused as to how Ian could go from having some sort of moral crisis over knocking out a hipster to grinning gleefully at his husband in a half second. Ian reached over and put his hand on Mickey's thigh. Immediately, the mood shifted. Pool cues squeaked as they were chalked up and glasses clinked on the countertops. The distinct chhh-chhh sound of a spray bottle punctured Mickey's ear drums as he looked down at his husband's hand on his thigh.

"So," Ian said, voice quieter than before. "Why did I have to punch that guy?"

Mickey smirked. He could be honest, and say the obvious reason, which was that Derek was a total douche canoe and deserved to be socked in the mouth by someone his own size. He could lie, and say it was because Derek seemed dangerous and Ian was just following his instincts, but that would have been the lie of the fucking century.

Instead, he said neither, and opted for something he knew would make Ian smile.

"Because you love me."

Ian's face broke into a full grin and he giggled, leaning over to kiss his husband once, quickly, well-aware of Mickey's hesitancy towards PDA when they were out and about on the South Side.

When he pulled back, he was smirking, and Mickey knew his cheeks were flushed. He hadn't been expecting the kiss, however brief it was, and his stomach felt a little fluttery.

"I mean, I'm not the kind of guy that just stands by and lets people talk shit about the man he loves." He grinned and Mickey rolled his eyes, remembering Ian telling him about the last words he'd said to Glittery Twink Byron the night they'd gotten engaged.

"You're a fuckin' sap, man."

"True," Ian said, standing up from the booth and stepping over Derek's leg as Mickey had done minutes before. He reached out his hand and pulled his husband from the booth. The two of them stood there momentarily, staring at Derek's lump of a body on the sticky, peanut-shell covered floor.

"Should we like, do something?" Mickey asked, kicking Derek's foot with his own boot. The man didn't move a muscle. Mickey wondered for a second if he might be dead, but the shallow rise and fall of the douche canoe's chest let him know that unfortunately, for all of humankind, the asshole was still alive.

Ian shook his head.

"Nah, he can sleep it off."

He reached down and took Mickey's hand in his own.

"C'mon," he said as he dragged them both towards the door. "Let's go get pizza."

[a-simple-gaywitch]

Embers to Ashes

hotch x unsub!reader

Summary: When (Y/N) leaves the BAU, she doesn’t expect to get wrapped up in a crime spree

Word Count: 2609

Warnings: abusive relationship, pregnancy & mentions of childbirth, typical criminal minds violence

“The real monsters are humans without conscience.” -Robert E. Keller

~

Your decision to leave the BAU was not an easy one, but it was what was best. After your mother fell ill, you decided to move back home to care for her, as she was alone. Your team protested, not wanting you to leave, of course. Penelope fought for you to stay the hardest. She was like the sister you never had.

The team followed you to the airport to see you off. Hugs went around, followed by promises that you’d call when you land. The only person who didn’t hug you was Hotch, which you found weird for a number of reasons. Even Spencer hugged you, and he wasn’t big on physical affection. And you’d always thought you and Hotch were close.

“Hey, promise me you’ll keep in touch,” he said, resting his hand on your shoulder.

“Yeah, of course,” you said.

“Oh, I need another hug!” Penelope said, squeezing you tight again. She’d been crying the whole time and her mascara was running. “I’m gonna miss you so much, Peaches.”

“I’m gonna miss you too, Pen,” you said. You glanced at your watch. “Okay, I really have to go now. I love you guys so much.”

~

You were grocery shopping for your mother when you ran into him. Nicholas Gully, one of your old high school friends.

“(Y/N)? (Y/N) (L/N)?”

“Nick! Hi!” you said, tossing the box of pasta into your shopping cart. “How have you been?”

“Oh, great. What about you? Big FBI agent out at Quantico.”

You laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of your neck. “Yeah, uh, I actually quit.”

“What? Why? All you talked about in high school was getting into the academy.”

“Uh, well, it’s because of Mom actually. She’s sick. I quit to move back out here and help her until she… Well…”

“Yeah. Well, I’m here if you need to, I don’t know, let off steam?” He handed you a business card. “Here. My number. Give me a call, we’ll go out for drinks or something.”

You smiled. “Thanks, Nick. It was good seeing you.”

~

Your mom died about a month after you moved home. You were an only child, so it was your responsibility to handle all of her affairs. It was stressful, and you felt isolated. Alone.

You looked at all the funeral plans spread out on the kitchen table, and before you knew it, you’d called Nick and asked him to come over.

What happened next was a blur. You buried your mother next to your father, Nick stayed by your side the whole time. While your mind was clouded with grief, you thought the only good thing to come of it was your new relationship with Nick.

He was nice. He treated you well and helped you through your grief. Only, he didn’t like how much you talked to Penelope and Emily, saying that it was unnatural to be so close to your ex-coworkers. So you stopped talking to them.

Nick moved in with you not too long into your relationship. He said that living in your mother’s house alone wasn’t healthy for you. He helped you sort and pack up her belongings, taking the things you weren’t keeping or throwing out to the thrift store.

You were together for about 8 months before your relationship changed.

You hadn’t been feeling well and you had your suspicions. You took a trip to the drug store and bought a few tests while Nick was at work. You took all of them, trying to rule out a false positive.

When you heard Nick come in from work, you decided to tell him.

“Hey, Nick? I have some news,” you said after he put his work bag down on the couch.

“What’s up?”

“Um, you know how I haven’t been feeling well lately? Well, I went to the pharmacy and picked up some pregnancy tests. They were all positive.”

“Are you serious? You’re pregnant?”

You nodded. “I’m calling my doctor first thing tomorrow to schedule an appointment.”

Nick’s tone should have tipped you off to his true nature. But you were in too deep.

~

A few months passed. You were showing significantly, though your doctor was worried about your health. The bags under your eyes grew, and you were showing up to your appointments with more and more bruises on your arms. One day you came in with a poorly concealed black eye.

One day, you came home from a doctor’s appointment to see Nick packing some bags.

“Nick? What’s going on?”

“We’re going on a trip,” he said. “Roadtrip, it’ll be fun.”

“Nick, I’m 7 weeks away from my due date-”

“You’ll be fine,” he snapped, thrusting a bag at you. “Get in the car.”

You headed outside, Nick’s hand firmly on your back. He steered you away from your old clunker towards a shiny new SUV. “Did you buy a new car?” you asked.

“Sure, buy. Let’s go with that.”

“Nick, what did you do? What did you get us into?”

“Don’t worry about it. Get in.”

“Nick-”

“I said, get in.”

~

“Des Moines PD has a case for us,” Penelope said. “As do St. Louis, Louisville, and Charleston.”

“Carjacking?” Morgan asked, flipping through the case file. “Why are they asking us to come in?”

“It’s the same MO,” Hotch explained. “It’s a couple, a man and a woman, presumably his wife or girlfriend. They find a home just outside the city and take the car at night, leaving the previously stolen car.”

“They’re active at night? How do we know it’s a team?” Spencer asked.

���The second victim had security cameras installed. They caught glimpses of the couple, but not enough for us to identify,” Penelope explained.  

“Why are they only bringing us in now?” Emily asked. “It says the first theft was over a month ago.”

“Because this one ended in a murder and assult. The surviving victims are at the hospital. Wheels up in 30,” Hotch said.

~

When the team landed in West Virginia, Hotch divided the team up between the hospital, the crime scene, and the coroner’s office. Hotch and Emily took the hospital to interview the victims. One was a woman in her mid-30s, and the other was her 6-year-old son. The husband had been the murdered victim.

“Hi, Mrs. Foster? I’m Agent Hotchner,” Hotch said, taking a seat next to the woman with Emily. “Would you mind answering a few questions for us?”

“Well, I’m-I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to remember but…”

“Anything you tell us can help us catch these two,” Emily said, gently patting the woman’s hand. “We’re going to try something called a cognitive interview, to see what your subconscious picked up, okay?”

The woman nodded. “Okay.”

“Go ahead and close your eyes,” Emily said. “So, it was late. You and your husband were getting ready for bed. Then what?”

“Neil heard a noise,” she said. “He said it sounded like a man. He grabbed Micah’s little league bat from beside the front door. He told me to wait inside. Micah had fallen asleep on our couch and came to see what was going on. I-I heard Neil yell and I heard a gunshot. I ran outside and I saw a couple. A man and a woman.”

“What can you tell me about them? What did they look like?”

“I didn’t see the man too well, but the woman, well, I only saw her face. But she looked bad.”

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.

“Well, her skin was sunken and sallow. She had bruises all over. She looked like she was ready to drop at any second.”

“Okay. What happened then?”

“Neil was bleeding on the ground. I-I ran over to him and felt for his pulse. It was already gone. Then the man hit my head with the gun, and I fell to the ground. But Micah- I didn’t know Micah followed me. The man pointed his gun at Micah. I was terrified. I thought he was going to shoot my son, too. But then the woman stood in front of the gun. She started pleading with the man. I was fading in and out of consciousness, but I heard her.”

“Nick, don’t!”

“What did I tell you? You don’t get to call me that, whore.”

“I-I’m sorry, sir. But, please, don’t hurt him. He’s just a boy.”

“He saw our faces. You know the police are already on our trail. We can’t have a kid squealing to the cops.”

“No, I… I won’t let you.”

“You won’t let me?”

“He hit her,” Mrs. Foster said. “Hard. It was so hard I thought he shot her, too.” She shook her head. “After that, he knocked me out. I don’t know what happened next. I just remember waking up here.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Foster,” Hotch said. “This was very helpful.” Hotch and Emily got up to leave.

“Wait, Agent Prentiss,” she called after Hotch left the room. Emily turned around. “When you find them, go easy on the woman.”

“Why would you want us to do that?” she asked.

“I work at a battered women’s shelter. I see women like her all the time. She’s profoundly abused. She’s not a criminal, she’s a victim.”

~

Micah Foster was able to give a detailed description of the man to the sketch artist. Thanks to his description, they were able to track him down outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. What they weren’t counting on was seeing you, in the passenger seat.

Nick didn’t want to go down without a fight. But his idea of a fight was to use you as a human shield. He held you in front of him, his arm bracing against your throat. He had a gun in his other hand, training it on the team.

“You shoot, you hit her!” he said, pressing harder on your throat.

“Okay, okay,” Morgan said, holding his gun up in surrender. “We won’t shoot. Just let (Y/N) go.”

Nick turned the gun and pressed it to your temple. “Why are you so concerned about her?

“Because she’s a person,” Derek said, trying to negotiate. “She doesn’t need to get hurt.”

A gunshot went off. You screamed and stumbled forward, Morgan catching you. Nick fell to the ground, dropping his gun and gripping his thigh. Hotch had snuck up behind and shot him in the leg.

~

The next thing you knew, you were in an interrogation room with Hotch and Emily.

“(Y/N), what happened?” Emily asked you, her voice gentle. “You look awful. What did he do to you?”

Your eyes were trained on the table. “Nothing. He treats me with nothing but respect. I did this to myself.”

“(Y/N), we all know that’s not true,” Emily said. “Talk to us. You know us.”

You kept your eyes on the metal table and you stayed quiet.

“Damn it, (Y/N)!” Hotch yelled, slamming his hands on the table. You flinched back, closing your eyes and wincing like you were bracing for a hit. Hotch took a step back. “Prentiss, take over.”

He left the interrogation room and stormed over to the second room where Morgan and Reid were interrogating Nicholas.

“Hotch-”

“What the hell did you do to her?” Hotch nearly screamed, his blood boiling.

Nick smiled. “I didn’t do anything, she did it all to herself.”

“We both know that’s not true, you piece of-”

“Aaron!” Rossi said, cutting him off. He then proceeded to pull Hotch from the interrogation room. “What the hell is going on with you?”

Hotch took a deep breath, rubbing his hand over his face. “You saw her, Dave. You saw what that asshole did to her. You saw her flinch away from me. That’s a woman who has faced down some of the worst humanity has to offer, and she’s been so badly abused that she’s…”

“Aaron, you know what abuse does to people. We’ve seen it more times than I ever want to count.”

“But it’s never been someone we know. It’s never been someone we love.”

“Ah. So that’s what this is about.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Why don’t you sit this one out? Prentiss and I can handle it.” Rossi walked into the room and sat next to Emily. Emily had given you a glass of water.

“(Y/N), why did you save the mother and her son?” she asked you.

“I don’t know,” you said, twisting the glass around in your hands.

“(Y/N).” Emily reached out and put her hand on yours. “You specifically looked out for the boy. Why?”

A tear rolled down your cheek. “Nick made me leave mine,” you whispered.

“What?”

“He said she would slow us down, that she was a burden. He made me leave her at a church. I didn’t even get to hold her.” After that, you broke down sobbing. Emily slowly crossed to the other side of the table and cautiously put her arm around you.

~

The team worked out a deal for you with the DA. You would be acquitted if you testified against Nick, and you would be closely watched by the team.

“She can’t keep sleeping on the couch in the conference room, Hotch,” Rossi said as the team gathered in the bullpen. You were asleep and the team wanted you to have peace. “She can come stay with me. Lord knows I have the space.”

“Wait, why should she stay with you? She’s my best friend,” Penelope argued. “She can stay with me.”

“Babygirl, you don’t have a spare room,” Derek reminded her. “I can take her in.”

“She just spent the better part of two years under the thumb of an alpha male, do you think she’d feel comfortable staying with another one?” Emily said.

“Did any of you think maybe she should make her own choice?” Spencer piped up. “I mean, she hasn’t been able to make her own choices, I think we should at least give her that.”

“Reid is right,” Hotch said. “We should let her make the choice. And please, don’t pressure her. She’s not the same (Y/N) she was when she left. She’s been through hell and back.”

~

In the end, you chose to stay with Aaron. Something about him made you feel safe. Slowly but surely, you started warming up again. You spent your days taking care of Jack when Hotch was on cases. When Aaron was home, he spent time with you and Jack. The two of you grew closer and closer.

You’d stayed with Aaron for a few months before there was a shift in your relationship. You weren’t sure when it happened, but you and Aaron were closer. You became more comfortable with physical contact, and you found yourself curling up on the couch with Aaron for movie nights after Jack went to bed.

You kissed Aaron first. He’d come back from a case with a book he knew you’d been wanting to read. It was something simple, but it meant the world to you, knowing there was someone who listened to you and wanted to do something nice for you.

Your relationship blossomed from there, and Aaron made sure to show you he respected you and never wanted to hurt you. Of course, there were bad days and there were days you argued, but Aaron never raised a hand against you. He never wanted you to experience the pain Nick caused you ever again.

~

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is like the difference between a lightning bug and the lightning.” - Mark Twain

[thecollegefootballguy]

The Real 2020 Season: Week 2

Hello everyone, welcome to Week 2 of The Real 2020 Season! We’re imagining how things would have gone in the 2020 football season if COVID hadn’t ruined everything.

Week 1 featured a few big games amid a sea of tune-up matches without much excitement. Nothing too earth-shattering, but we’ve got some real good matchups this week.

If you want to start from the beginning here is Week 0.

-

The Rankings

Week 2 AP Poll

1. Clemson 1-0 (1-0) 2. Alabama 1-0 (0-0) 3. Ohio State 1-0 (0-0) 4. Georgia 1-0 (0-0) 5. Oklahoma 1-0 (0-0) 6. LSU 1-0 (0-0) 7. Penn State 1-0 (0-0) 8. Florida 1-0 (0-0) 9. Oregon 1-0 (0-0) 10. Notre Dame 1-0 11. Auburn 1-0 (0-0) 12. Texas A&M 1-0 (0-0) 13. Texas 1-0 (0-0) 14. Oklahoma State 1-0 (0-0) 15. Washington 1-0 (0-0) 16. UCF 1-0 (0-0) 17. Minnesota 1-0 (0-0) 18. Utah 1-0 (0-0) 19. Indiana 1-0 (1-0) 20. USC 0-1 (0-0) 21. Cincinnati 1-0 (0-0) 22. Iowa State 1-0 (0-0) 23. Iowa 1-0 (0-0) 24. Tennessee 1-0 (0-0) 25. Michigan 0-1 (0-0)

-

The Narrative

The Big Ten took one on the chin in Week 1 as Michigan fell to Washington and the Wisconsin was upset at home by Indiana. Two of the league’s better programs already have their Playoff hopes on life support after one week. It’s not a good look for the conference. The ACC similarly had a disappointment after North Carolina fell at UCF, leaving Clemson the only team in that conference in the polls.

The SEC and Big 12 didn’t have many marquee games so not much changed for them. Besides USC’s scheduled loss to Alabama in Dallas, the PAC-12 actually had a pretty good week thanks to the Huskies’ win combined with Utah’s victory over BYU. Oregon also didn’t get upset by North Dakota State which should count for something.

UCF’s win over the Tar Heels is another big win for the G5 and the American specifically. The Knights are once again charging for the NY6 spot. I’d say they’re gunning for the Playoff but we know that the committee probably won’t let them in unless something very weird happens.

-

The Games

Week 2 still has a high number of bodybag games, but we’re still going to see some high profile out of conference matchups.

Winning teams are highlighted in bold.

Ohio at Boston College Louisville at #1 Clemson Samford at Florida State Mississippi State at NC State Syracuse at Rutgers Appalachian State at Wake Forest Elon at Duke Gardner-Webb at Georgia Tech Wagner at Miami FL #11 Auburn vs North Carolina (Atlanta, GA) Pittsburgh at Marshall VMI at Virginia #7 Penn State at Virginia Tech Kansas at Baylor #22 Iowa State at #23 Iowa North Dakota at Kansas State #24 Tennessee at #5 Oklahoma Tulsa at #14 Oklahoma State Prairie View A&M at TCU #13 Texas at #6 LSU Alabama State at Texas Tech Eastern Kentucky at West Virginia Western Kentucky at #19 Indiana Northern Illinois at Maryland Ball State at #25 Michigan Michigan State at BYU #3 Ohio State at #9 Oregon Connecticut at Illinois Tennessee Tech at #17 Minnesota Central Michigan at Nebraska Tulane at Northwestern Memphis at Purdue Southern Illinois at Wisconsin Norfolk State at Charlotte FIU at #16 UCF Indiana State at Middle Tennessee Hampton at Old Dominion Louisiana Tech at Southern Miss North Texas at #12 Texas A&M Army at Rice Alabama A&M at UAB UTEP at Nevada Akron at New Mexico State Robert Morris at Bowling Green Saint Francis at Buffalo Kennesaw State at Kent State Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Miami OH Coastal Carolina at Eastern Michigan San Diego State at Toledo Western Michigan at #21 Cincinnati Boise State at Air Force Colorado State at Oregon State New Mexico at #20 USC Southern Utah at Utah State Wyoming at Louisiana Fresno State at Colorado Fordham at Hawaii UC Davis at San Jose State Arizona State at UNLV Cal Poly at California Stanford at Arizona Sacramento State at #15 Washington Houston at Washington State Montana State at #18 Utah Kentucky at #8 Florida East Tennessee State at #4 Georgia Vanderbilt at Missouri East Carolina at South Carolina Georgia State at #2 Alabama Arkansas at #10 Notre Dame Southeast Missouri State at Ole Miss Campbell at Georgia Southern Troy at Massachusetts Howard at Arkansas State North Carolina A&T at Liberty

Now that’s more like it. Week 2 produced some incredible games and huge upsets that shook up the Playoff picture. Three top ten teams fall as #9 Oregon held off #3 Ohio State in Eugene to give the Buckeyes a horrific blow to their Playoff candidacy. Meanwhile, #13 Texas came to Baton Rouge and managed to beat the defending champions. In the biggest upset of them all, #7 Penn State was downed by a Virginia Tech team that was supposedly reeling from a loss to Liberty in Week 1. The rest of the usual suspects did just fine but the top 5 is going to look different.

To further the embarrassment for the Big Ten, #25 Michigan was upset by Ball State of all teams, completely humiliating the 0-2 Wolverines. Perhaps less surprisingly, Nebraska and Purdue were upset by Central Michigan and Memphis respectively. It was a blood-letting of a week that could very well keep the Big Ten out of the Playoff entirely. The only silver lining was #23 Iowa’s close victory over rival #22 Iowa State.

The other ranked vs ranked matchup saw #5 Oklahoma shake off a slow start to beat #24 Tennessee in Norman. The third Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in two weeks saw #11 Auburn beat UNC. If the Tar Heels hadn’t lost to UCF in Week 1 it would have been a ranked vs ranked affair but oh well.

The G5 had a very good week overall. UCF and Cincinnati continue to roll as the spearhead of the AAC. Marshall beat Pittsburgh at home to announce their candidacy for the NY6 bowl. The MAC is on fire, following up Buffalo’s Week 1 upset over Kansas State, meanwhile Ball State and Central Michigan recorded upsets. Toledo beat San Diego State as well, likely knocking one of the Mountain West’s more consistent programs out of the NY6 race. Appalachian State, the usual torch bearer for the Sun Belt, lost to Wake Forest.

Outside of perhaps two dozen interesting matchups the rest of the games aren’t worth talking about. Week 2 still means that plenty of teams were playing snore inducing tune-up games.

-

The Standings

We’re still mostly in non-conference play so the standings won’t change too much yet, but here they are if you’re curious. Each league is already having a storyline develop.

-

The Big Picture

By far the biggest story of the young 2020 season is the apparent complete collapse of the Big Ten. For over five years, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin dominated the league and each had squads capable of making the Playoff if they weren’t beating up on each other. In just two weeks, all four of these teams have lost a game they were favored to win and it looks like the Playoff chances for the entire league are on life support already. Michigan’s loss to Ball State is extra embarrassing, and starting out 0-2 is not good for Jim Harbaugh’s job prospects.

The other huge event is the home loss of the defending champions. LSU lost a ton of talent from their 2019 team and struggled to keep up with a Texas team that gave them trouble the year before. On the flip-side, it finally looks like the Longhorns might be back. It definitely is one of UT’s best true road wins in a long time. Time will tell if the Big Ten will rebound and if the Horns can capitalize on their victory.

At the G5 level, the MAC is making a big push for the NY6. Long considered one of the weaker G5 conferences, the MAC already has three P5 scalps only two weeks in. Gotta love that MACtion. On the other side, the Mountain West, usually the #2 G5 league, only has one unbeaten team left in Boise State. The Broncos are of course the favorites to win the conference, but it still hurts the league’s image. The American is still the top dog with 4 unbeaten teams led by UCF and Cincinnati.

-

The New Rankings

Week 3 AP Poll

1. Clemson 2-0 (2-0) 2. Alabama 2-0 (0-0) 3. Georgia 2-0 (0-0) 4. Oklahoma 2-0 (0-0) 5. Oregon 2-0 (0-0) 6. Florida 2-0 (1-0) 7. Texas 2-0 (0-0) 8. Notre Dame 2-0 9. Auburn 2-0 (0-0) 10. Texas A&M 2-0 (0-0) 11. Ohio State 1-1 (0-0) 12. Oklahoma State 2-0 (0-0) 13. Washington 2-0 (0-0) 14. LSU 1-1 (0-0) 15. UCF 2-0 (0-0) 16. Minnesota 2-0 (0-0) 17. Utah 2-0 (0-0) 18. Iowa 2-0 (0-0) 19. Indiana 2-0 (1-0) 20. USC 1-1 (0-0) 21. Cincinnati 2-0 (0-0) 22. Penn State 1-1 (0-0) 23. Missouri 2-0 (1-0) 24. Liberty 2-0 25. Memphis 2-0 (0-0)

Polls usually change wildly following such a bloody week. Ohio State is knocked out of the top ten, but only just. Oregon now replaces the Buckeyes as the fifth real Playoff contender outside of the usual suspects. Even with LSU and Tennessee’s losses, the SEC still dominates the polls. Five of the top ten come from the SEC and Missouri jumped into the top 25 to replace the fallen Vols. The Big Ten is completely outside of the top ten which is a staggering sight to see. With Iowa State’s loss to Iowa it looks like the Big 12 is going to be fought over by Oklahoma and Texas, just like the old days, unless Oklahoma State has anything to say about it. The Big 12 has 3 teams in the top 15 so they have a great case to be the #2 conference in the nation following the SEC at this point, though even the PAC-12 can start making noise with Oregon and perhaps even Washington in the mix.

The American is still the only G5 league represented in the polls, but they now have three teams in the top 25 with Memphis joining the party. UCF has even cracked the top 15, this early in the season it might give a bit of hope for G5 fans that they could even make the Playoff if, say, the Big Ten and one more P5 conference can’t fill the slots. Liberty joins the AP poll for the first time ever thanks to their week 1 win over Virginia Tech and the Hokies’ upset of Penn State. How high can the Flames fly?

-

So that’s Week 2 of the Real 2020 season. Things are just heating up, so tune in next time for another exciting installment!

[guttergorilla]

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Gutter Gorilla offers a complete slate of gutter solutions, including installation, repair, guards, and cleaning. We focus on our very own confined gutter defense system, including surgical stainless steel micro-mesh gutter guards, which can be positioned on brand-new or existing gutters. The initial of its kind, our gutter defense system does not disrupt your roof or shingles.

In addition to aiding with your gutters, we can likewise help you with various other outside services, including roofing, windows, and siding. We understand the intricacies of gutters and how they can affect your house as a whole.

[aion-rsa]

Shameless Season 11 Episode 11 Review: The Fickle Lady Is Calling It Quits

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This Shameless episode contains spoilers.

Shameless Season 11 Episode 11

“We’re adults now. This is what adults do. They move on.”

Shameless tows the line over whether Frank Gallagher is actually wise or just so high on his own supply that he’s convinced himself that he’s a street smart genius. The truth of the matter is irrelevant because either way Frank still makes bold declarations as if they were the word of God. He’s a non-stop repository for nonsensical advice and Frank’s teachings have been present through every season, even if they’re lessons that the Gallaghers actively ignore. 

“The Fickle Lady Is Calling It Quits” pushes a narrative where characters need to either move forward or slow down, but a greater source of wisdom that influences the episode’s structure is the laundry list of life lessons that Frank has spewed out for eleven seasons. This direction turns Shameless’ penultimate episode into one of the most emotional and impressive entries of the season and provides the right direction for next week’s big finale.

Previous seasons of Shameless frequently treat Frank like an unrepentant derelict and there are times where he even operates as an outright villain. This final season has worked hard to humanize Frank as he transitions into this feeble stage of his life and it’s been a very powerful experience. Now, an episode away from the very end of Shameless, Frank is at his absolute worst and at this point there’s no hatred towards this passive father figure, only pity. William H. Macy looks utterly lost in these scenes and he’s really put everything into this final season. Macy actually deserves some award consideration when the time comes and this is the episode that he should submit. 

Frank is usually the one that drives the chaos forward in Shameless, right down to the previous episode, but “The Fickle Lady Is Calling It Quits” turns into a somber celebration of all things Frank Gallagher as Liam graciously tries to remind Frank of the indomitable fighting spirit that’s defined him for his entire life. Liam throws Frank’s own advice back at him when he tells him, “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” 

This episode feeds off of the energy between Liam and Frank from the previous installment and it’s appropriate that Liam is the one that’s with Frank during his weakest moments. Frank can rest easy knowing that Liam is living proof that goodness has come out of all of his selfish behavior over the years and somehow this child has been able to synthesize his ramblings into practical advice.

It’s a lot of fun to return to this farcical side of Frank’s character, but the comedic sensibilities of Shameless continue to be all over the place this season. There are some legitimately funny and subtle jokes throughout this episode, but there are also ridiculous setpieces where good samaritans get steamrolled by a truck. Shameless has always had a dark sense of humor, but it needs to have a little more confidence in itself and not resort to such broad gags that come close to breaking the reality of the show’s universe. Mickey’s consternation over housing complex guidelines feels more natural, and is funnier, than fatality punchlines or extended TikTok dance routines. 

Mickey and Ian’s time in Chicago’s West Side becomes surprisingly fulfilling and it achieves the right balance between comedy and drama. This new lifestyle puts Mickey and Ian at odds with each other and it becomes a strong dissection of their characters as well as how far their relationship has come. Their material is full of great character moments, like how Mickey needs to listen to car crashes and general destruction as a white noise machine to help him peacefully fall asleep. Mickey’s discomfort over his new life becomes so severe that he has to sneak back into the Gallagher house and get up close and personal with the crime and chaos that echoes through the South Side. 

I don’t expect Mickey to completely regress and be unable to forge ahead with Ian in this marginally swankier life, but this feels like a reasonable temporary hurdle for him to clear before the series concludes. Despite how this West Side lifestyle is a productive change for Ian and Mickey, it’s still something that Ian made official while Mickey wasn’t completely on board. It’s an understandable schism between them and the episode is smart to tease them falling back onto old habits, only to do the opposite. 

“The Fickle Lady Is Calling It Quits” teases infidelity and disappointing decisions, but their selfless resolution to the problem is one of the sweetest moments from the entire season and basically what I’ve wanted from these two all season. Every character in Shameless has been through a tremendous amount this season and it’s impressive how Mickey and Ian’s conflict resolution methods have evolved from the volatile place that they were at when the season began.

Mickey and Ian display genuine maturity with their relationship issues and it’s a level of synergy and consistency that Debbie craves. Everyone is considerably worn down from the events of the season and is close to their breaking points, which in Debbie’s case finally causes her to take a long look at why her romantic endeavors have all been so toxic. This introspective attitude is good for Debbie, yet the victim mentality that she adopts and her anger that Frank has “ruined love for her” is a little too simplistic. Debbie has been in healthy relationships that failed because of preventable problems that she instigated. 

Debbie polls the people in her life on how to build connections and stay together when her family is on the cusp of separation, which does carry a level of poignancy, even if not all of the insight that she acquires from the experience is healthy. It’s a storyline that works as well as it does here specifically because it’s juxtaposed around so many changes and goodbyes. Debbie does productive work to better herself, but the direction of her endgame is more than a little confusing. 

“The Fickle Lady Is Calling It Quits” parses out several scenes where an aggressive woman named Heidi causes a wave of mayhem promptly after she’s released from prison. Initially it looks like Heidi’s roaring rampage will intersect with Carl’s new police gig and provide him an opportunity to take down this menace and become a hero again on the force. That’s not at all what happens and it’s madness that Heidi is meant to instead provide closure for Debbie! 

Heidi literally threatens to shoot Franny with a revolver and minutes later Debbie is ready to spend the rest of her life with this loose cannon. The most frustrating thing is that next week’s series finale will likely hint at a happy future for this fresh couple, but based on everything that’s known about both of these characters it seems like it’s destined to go up in flames, perhaps even more quickly than previous relationships.

Carl doesn’t get to take out an angst-ridden recidivist, but he does still find some peace and gain a better understanding of his calling after a season of being frustrated. Carl’s impassioned speech is long overdue, eloquent as hell, and completely right. It also would have been justified several episodes back, but at this point Carl’s pent up frustration over what he’s witnessed at the police department makes sense. 

It’s encouraging that Carl embraces his demotion and uses it to find clarity. It’s still hard to say if this police direction for Carl’s character was worth it in the end, but thankfully it doesn’t suck out his soul or leave him bitter at the world. Joshua Malina is such a hyperbolized schlub through all of this, which is entertaining and also reflects the greater level of incompetence that surrounds Carl while he attempts to do honest police work. 

Carl and many of the Gallaghers are caught in flux when it comes to their new lives, but Kevin and Vee already have Chicago in their rearview mirrors. Vee and Kevin represent a force of confidence and their resolve towards Louisville inadvertently helps many of the Gallaghers work through their own sources of stress. It even feels natural that the person that Kevin and Vee sell their house off to turns into a break for Lip to diminish the colony of ulcers that have been brewing in him all season. This blessed development also doesn’t feel contrived because it’s an opportunity that Lip ultimately botches. 

Liam reminds Frank that he’ll have both good and bad days, but this cautionary advice becomes even more applicable to Lip’s story. It’s heartbreaking how everything sours for Lip and there’s such palpable tension through it all. This is supposed to be Lip’s easy way out to a happy ending and it instead quickly becomes a nightmare. It’s very clear that something is about to go wrong and just how poorly Lip has handled this situation. It’s a slow motion car crash of drama to the worst degree.

This sword is left to hang over Lip as the episode concludes and he almost seems to accept the cloud of hopelessness that’s formed over him. It’s a sad, hollow version of Lip that doesn’t feel dissimilar to Frank Gallagher and his decision to go out on his own terms. Frank’s concluding moments are devastating, but they’re also the only time in the episode where he feels empowered. It’s a turn that fundamentally changes the tone for Shameless’ series finale and has the potential to bring out the best in each character. There’s now a small sliver of hope that Fiona might show up, whereas I was previously convinced that this was impossible.

“The Fickle Lady Is Calling It Quits” is the strongest episode of Shameless’ final season, it contains some of William H. Macy’s absolute best work from the show, and it instills some optimistic confidence for what the series has planned for its final installment. The Gallaghers’ lives are far from over and there’s still a lot that these characters need to figure out before the series’ conclusion. The tragedy that strikes in the episodes’s final moments is a strong catalyst that should bring everyone together and deliver a series finale that’s just as much about togetherness and supporting each other as it is about new beginnings and closing the door on the past. 

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It will also absolutely end on its own terms, just like Francis Gallagher.

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