#aiming to get it up saturday at the latest :^)

[nerdanel01]

you know what *wips your wednesday at the last minute*

from the next for love is strong as death update:

Most days, the charade worked. Whomever she awoke as, by the time she had cleaned herself and dressed, she was Rook, whom Varric had recruited: Rook of the back-alley gaatlock deals by the Minanter River docks; Rook, regular brawler of the underground dueling ring of Dock Town’s Dancing Cobra; Rook, who was straightforward and capable, confident, collected—even, occasionally, charming.

Agnes Gallatus had been buried alive, interred in the cold, dreary cellar of Rook’s heart.

But when her soul was quiet, she could hear Agnes’ fingernails scraping the inner lining of the coffin box—hear the raw-throated screams of her former self—only barely muffled by the wood and the masonry that encased her, begging to be freed from her premature entombment, desperate for air.

And now—grey eyes aflame with fury and heartbreak, her features lit blue in the ethereal glow of the meditation room’s aquarium—the face reflected in Varric’s shaving mirror, staring back at her, was entirely Agnes’ face: raging, spiteful, wounded.

Clumsily, unartfully, ducking her head to keep sight of her reflection, she wielded Harding’s sewing shears in her right hand, holding her hair to the blades with her left; as she snipped, cutting back the fin of long hair that had striped across her scalp, black and silvered hair fell in rough locks of uneven length on the stone floor around her.

Because it was Agnes—not Rook—who could not bear to look at her own face and see any trace of Solas reflected there.

[cleolinda]

Tuesday’s debate between Trump and his opponent Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, had several eyebrow-raising moments but none moreso than when Trump, echoing his latest online-born conspiracy, baselessly accused thousands of legal migrants in Springfield, Ohio, of stealing, killing, and eating pet dogs off the street.

The conspiracy was fact-checked in real time by ABC’s David Muir, who noted that city officials had looked into the claim and found it to be baseless. But the damage was already done.

Nearly a week later, Vance found himself once again answering for his running mate’s actions after days of shocking fallout in Springfield, where residents have reported fliers dropped by the Ku Klux Klan as well as several threats of bombings or mass shootings — the latest of which, at Wittenberg University, occurred Saturday night just hours before Vance would go on the air.

[…] On CNN, he seemingly admitted that his claims were lies, then continued by saying that he would keep spreading such tales, even knowing them to be untrue, if they resulted in the media talking about issues he claimed were still just as real despite the deception.

“If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do,” said the senator.

This is DANGEROUS shit aimed at the Haitian immigrant community for political gain

that is going to get people hurt if not outright killed, and this motherfucker just admitted it’s not true. Which is maybe the most important thing you will read about the whole ordeal.

“But I saw pictures!!!”

Spoiler: the geese were roadkill.

The woman behind an early Facebook post spreading a harmful and baseless claim about Haitian immigrants eating local pets that helped thrust a small Ohio city into the national spotlight says she had no firsthand knowledge of any such incident and is now filled with regret and fear as a result of the ensuing fallout.

Backlash was swift, with replies ranging from, “I find it strange that a self-professed ‘hillbilly’ doesn’t know what whole chickens look like,” to, “HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT CHICKENS LOOK LIKE WITH THEIR LEGS ATTACHED YOU F****ING DIPSHIT.” Oliver Alexander, an open-source intelligence analyst, weighed in, sharing images of plucked chickens looking remarkably similar to whatever was being grilled in the video. “Clearly chicken you weirdo. Dude’s never seen chicken that wasn’t dino-nugget shaped,” he wrote.

[clickoly]

New year, old stories to be completed—and three pictures that perfectly sum up this new chapter of Starboys 🏎️ 

Characters belong to @lumosinlove

cw: I'm introducing Vaincre characters from here on, so please read only if you're comfortable with potential spoilers!

Happy New Year 💕

The golden boy, the youngest glory

"Ready, Fish?"

With the back of his hand, Finn wiped the cold bead of water tickling the corner of his mouth. The half-empty bottle slipped from his grip and landed upright on the floor, narrowly missing the plastic box where Finn kept his beat-up tennis balls. 

He blinked hard, trying to shake off the fatigue, and stretched out his back. He dabbed at his dripping forehead with the hem of his sweat-stained Puma tank top and rolled his tense neck with a satisfying pop. 

It was a rare occasion when Finn and Alex were in the same place long enough to spend more than a few hours together, let alone an entire morning just for the two of them. 

Back in New York, before Alex went off to college and Finn was selected to race in Formula 2 for the Scuderia Junior Academy, they had settled into a strict routine that Finn used to complain about all the time and now missed immensely. Weekdays began with a 5 a.m. alarm and a run under the early lights of an awakening city—a specific path around the neighborhood that set the tone for their frenetic lives of school, friends, and responsibilities. A path that always included long talks about anything and everything, and quick stops for coffee on the way home—hot when it was cold outside, to warm their frozen fingers; iced when summer mornings brought the sticky heat. 

After two weeks of work at the factory—rushing between testing the latest upgrades, hard training, and repeating race simulations for the three upcoming Grand Prix—it had been a joy to come back to his brother in a place Finn had slowly come to call home. 

That was until Alex had dragged him out of bed at six on a Saturday morning. They had run to the gym, following Finn's usual itinerary along the breezy promenade. Two hours of torturous exercise later—definitely not payback for the early wake-up call—Finn had asked Alex to help him with his reaction drills.

"Your turn," Finn now said, stealing the two lime-colored balls from his brother's hands. 

Alex was about to protest but Finn cut him off. He positioned himself in front of him, legs spread, a tennis ball in each fist, raised to shoulder height. His dark red eyebrows were arched teasingly. "Come on, you always liked it." 

"Fine," Alex grumbled, mirroring Finn's position and slightly bending his knees. His smile hid a hint of nostalgia. "But after this, you owe me breakfast."

"Bagels?" Finn offered.

"Duh," Alex scoffed and made a whole scene of getting into position for the drill, hands outstretched and ready, hovering over Finn's. "Okay, let's do this. How bad could—"

Finn dropped the first ball from his right hand. It fell fast past Alex's grasping hands and hit the floor with a loud bounce. 

"Hey—"

Finn let go of the other. Alex reached out tentatively, but Finn caught it easily with a deft move, quicker than a blink. 

"All right, Flash," Alex exhaled, rolling his annoyed eyes. "You've made your point. Can we go now?" 

"Nope," Finn laughed. "One more." 

He knew he was foolishly lingering, as impatient and excited as he was probably more than a little worried. But he could wait a little longer, just in case—at least until Alex finally caught the small ball and aimed it threateningly at Finn’s head. 

In moments like this, though, Finn was sure there was nothing to worry about.

They headed back to Finn's apartment, pretending to get in one last jog, but quietly settling for a brisk walk, discussing serious business under the faint October sun. 

What do you mean, Al? Of course the Rangers have the best goalie tandem in the league. 

It was half past ten by the time Alex sat on a stool at the kitchen counter, his hair a damp mess from the shower, and eyed Finn skeptically. "Are you making breakfast?"

Finn didn't look up from where he was carefully halving a sesame bagel. "If I told you where these came from, you wouldn't believe me." 

"Hmm, let me guess," Alex laughed. "Was it Mom's or Dad's idea?"

"Both?" Finn guessed. He went to the fridge for smoked salmon and cream cheese. "I said once that I was craving those bagels from that place down the street…" 

"Oh, no..."

"Uh-huh," Finn chuckled, turning back to the kitchen island. "I mean, it's not like I can cook anything else, but—it was a whole mom’s I’m-just-sending-you-a-few-things sized box, and now the refrigerator is completely stuffed."

Alex hummed quietly in response—too quietly. He leaned over the counter, letting his head collapse into his hand. He picked up a fork and stole an uneven slice of tomato from the cutting board, giving Finn a funny look all the while.

"What is it?" Finn asked cautiously. 

Alex shrugged and took a bite of the tomato. "Just waiting," he mumbled between chews. 

"For?" 

"Breakfast," Alex shot back when he caught Finn's suspicious look. "Oh, and for you to tell me why you're so jumpy today," he said around another bite. 

Finn couldn't hide how desperately he'd hoped Alex would understand. 

"Or, let's say..." At that, Finn was already laughing. "Whose second toothbrush might be in your bathroom, for example."

Busted. Finn smiled brightly. "She told you, didn't she?" 

"Not exactly." Alex's voice wavered between guarded and uncontainable. "She texted me, 'You owe me fifty bucks,' and when I asked her why, she said I should ask you." 

"You're both crazy," Finn snorted, then zeroed in on what Alex had just said. "Wait, you two bet on us? On your own siblings?"

"No—no. I mean," Alex rubbed a hand over the rising blush on his face. "It started as a joke and... you know Noelle. She was dying for me to know, but..." Finn saw Alex, always the journalist, choosing his words carefully. "Is it true though? Has it finally happened?" 

"Finally—" 

"Come on, Fish," Alex grunted.

Finn set the knife aside and sank onto a stool. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a carefree laugh, somehow in disbelief. 

"It's true," he said quietly, watching with a lump in his throat as a sparkle of excitement lit up Alex's eyes. "We finally admitted that we—uh…"

"Are insanely in love with each other? This is shocking news to me—Finn!” Alex cackled as Finn threw a handful of capers at him. He stood up and stretched out his arms. "Come here, you idiot."

Finn stumbled towards him. How was he supposed to tell him how grateful he was? Alex’s hug was comfort, security in uncertainty. To Finn, having his brother by his side, supporting him every step of the way—it meant everything, far more than he could ever begin to say. 

There were sudden, burning tears in his eyes—happy tears. And when Alex pulled back to ruffle his hair, Finn let them fall.

"Al..." his voice dropped to a whisper. "You think..." this is okay? Tell me it's okay. Am I allowed?

"You're okay, bud," Alex looked at him so proudly that Finn suddenly felt ten times lighter. "I'm so happy for you, you have no idea," Alex laughed giddily, voice cracking with emotion. "And I'm here for you, you know? We are, for both of you." He grabbed Finn's shoulders and squeezed them tightly. 

"I'm..." Finn paused hesitantly. His thoughts raced back to Alex and Kasey—the injury, their sudden reunion after a long, odd silence. He had wanted to ask for a while, but hadn't known how. "I'm here for you, too. Okay?" He wiped at his own wet cheeks. "Anytime." 

The frowny smile he got back, the quick nod... Maybe Alex wasn't quite ready. 

"Thanks," was all he managed to say. So Finn padded silently back to his cooking station with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. 

"Capers?" Finn asked then, busying himself again. He had his eyes on the food, but couldn't have missed the relieved look on his brother's face when he shot back a cheerful, "You know it.

The rest of the morning flew by. Around lunchtime, they found themselves sprawled out on the couch, scrolling through social media and the latest motorsports news. A classic. It was an old habit of Alex’s—diving into the gossipy side of sports journalism was actually part of his job. Years ago, they would spend hours like this in one of their bedrooms. Slow weekends, hot chocolate, just sniffing around this much-dreamed-of world that had felt far away at the time—fantasies of one day, maybe. 

Now their names made front pages, and Finn's face graced magazine covers more often than not—cars, watches, fashion advertisements. Alex's signature was quiet beneath his pieces, yet striking, powerful, respected. Sometimes Finn wished he could stay as silent and just be. No more trending hashtags, no more crazy made-up theories about his love life every time he was spotted walking less than two feet from a woman. No more crowds waiting for him outside restaurants—places he knew would be perfect nooks for unforgettable date nights. 

That one small, family-run restaurant in Cap D'Ail, a spot of white, light browns and strings of warm, soft lights floating in the air, gently swaying with the sea breeze that swirled around the terrace. Built on a cliff, intimate, framed by crystal clear water and the infinite hues of the night. The perfect setting for Logan's green eyes to shine and...

"Does Leo know?" Alex piped up. 

Leo. Leo's stunning blue eyes.

Finn's head snapped to Alex. "What?"

"About you and Tremz," he said, slowly pushing himself up against the cushion. He flipped the phone in his hands a few times before adding, "You're always together these days...the three of you," and glancing past Finn, through the picture window. 

The question fell out of the blue, so close to Finn's wandering thoughts that it startled him.

"He doesn't," Finn shook his head—an imperceptible nod, more to himself than anything. Something heavy sank deep into his core. Was it guilt? 

"We—me and Lo, we... haven't talked about it yet. We were just thinking about telling you," he admitted. "You, Noelle, Aubrey, Syd. Our parents..." 

Alex looked at him with curious eyes, a warm mirror reflection. 

"But?" He prompted. Maybe he'd heard the unspoken words Finn was struggling to put together. And when he didn't answer, Alex pushed their elbows together. 

"You can tell me, Fish," he blinked, offering him the safest of smiles. 

Finn's phone buzzed where it lay unlocked on his thigh, giving him an unfairly convenient excuse to catch his breath before what felt like an imminent free fall. 

He got a picture from Logan, a blurry shot of a bookshop window, the one Logan always took him to whenever they set foot in London together. But when a second picture popped up in the chat, Finn's heart did a complicated thing. At the sight of Logan's carefree smile, it fluttered in his chest. At Leo's matching grin, it began to race wildly. Where their cheeks were pressed together under layers of hats, hoods and dark sunglasses, Finn's heart settled peacefully. And then a bitter note of jealousy struck when he realized—did you two just go to Hatchards without me?? he typed frantically. 

Logan's reply was immediate: 

Got lots of books and stuff for you

Wait Leo says not to tell you

It's a surprise

<3

"Oh my God, look at you," Alex laughed loudly next to him—at him. "You're hopeless." 

"Shut up," Finn muttered under his breath, suddenly embarrassed. His nervous fingers went to scratching the heavy stubble on his white-hot cheeks. 

He looked at Alex again, willing himself to say something, anything. But his brother beat him to the word, once again.  

"My next trip is in a month," Alex said. He was worrying the inside of his lips, his eyes unfocused. He was nervous too, Finn realized. "I'll stay here in Monaco for a while. At least while you guys are overseas..." 

Finn stayed still and just listened. 

"I can't let Nat go back and forth for three weeks in a row, and Kasey has rehab and doctor's appointments every other day, so... yeah," he looked back at Finn and gave a sharp nod. "It's been three weeks, but... they've been really, really good." Alex smiled, genuinely and sincerely. "And I tried to get out of the way, you know? I didn't want to... overstay my welcome or, like, intrude or anything..." 

Again, the one thought that kept running through Finn's mind came up. "Have you ever... felt like that?" 

"Never," Alex shook his head. "Not even once, and... I understand if you're worried that Leo might say something—"

It was Finn's time to nod in disagreement. "I trust him," he said. "I know we both do." 

How could they not? 

"Then let him in. Let him choose. Maybe he doesn't want to lose you as much as you don't want to lose him." 

—

Finn's flight was scheduled for the next day at five and, quite surprisingly, his suitcases were already packed and waiting by the front door. He wasn't really looking forward to the long trip, especially now that Kasey, Logan and Leo couldn't be with him. At Silver's request, Logan had to stay in Silverstone and travel with his team, while Finn's new teammate, Kasey's temporary replacement, had flown to Austin early to meet his family.  

After Alex had left, Finn had taken some time to let the day sink in. He'd FaceTimed his parents while he cleaned up the mess he and Alex had left in the kitchen, and then got ready for an early night. But as the sky grew darker and only a faint golden light filled the living room, Finn found himself still on hold, unconsciously waiting for that one call that had kept distance less far, less lonely, for so long. Nights of rambling and rants about busy days, sharing thoughts, opinions and advice about everything that was going on in two so similar, so far apart lives. 

Logan's voice, his carefree laughs at Finn's silly jokes, even in those weeks that always felt like a race against time—those moments had always been a calming anchor. And somehow they had gotten even better lately, when blue eyes and dimpled smiles showed up more often than not on the same blurry screen, between cooking dinner for two, sharing books reviews, and seriously, Harzy, where do you even find the patience with this one? He's so annoying, just to hear Logan's offended gasps next to him.  

Finn waited, socked feet on the coffee table and book in hand, under the warm, yellowish light of the reading lamp by the couch. He sank into chapter after chapter of a fantastical word—a novel Leo had lent him—until the insistent growling of his stomach became too distracting to ignore, calling for a quick take-out.

He scrolled through EatIn for a good five minutes. The notification of a message flashed across the top of the dim phone screen—a text from Kuny in the drivers' group chat, on top of five new emails and a pending software update. No call, no reply to his last text to Logan, left on read a few hours earlier. 

Finally, Finn placed his usual sushi order and went back to reading, tossing the phone and his troublesome thoughts aside, just as the doorbell rang—once, twice, three times. 

"Coming," he called, wondering who the front desk had let through when he wasn't expecting visitors. But any concern was quickly silenced as he swung the door open. 

"Sushi delivery," said a beaming Leo, whose blond curls poked out of a black Silver Racing cap. He held up a handful of bags from Finn's favorite downtown Japanese restaurant. 

"That was quick," Finn blurted out without thinking, gaping at the bags. 

And then a soft snort brought his eyes up to two hilariously perplexed faces. "What?" 

What? "Oh," Finn realized he was still staring, dumbfounded. "Hi—I mean, hi," he laughed at his high-pitched, surprised squeak, and almost leapt at Leo, looping his arms around his neck in a tight hug. 

"Our dinner—" Leo tried to warn him between sweet chuckles, holding the bags out to Logan, who, Finn noticed, was delightfully looking at them with his head tilted to the side. 

"How... what are you doing here?" Finn asked, pulling away from Leo's warm embrace. 

"We brought you dinner, obviously," Leo said with a scoff, as if Finn had just asked something stupid. 

"And presents," Logan lifted an off-white tote bag that seemed quite heavy even in his strong hands. The green embroidered logo on the front read Hatchards Books. 

"As if you hadn't told him already," Leo drawled as he shot Logan a knowing look. 

A devilish, very bite-able grin painted Logan's full lips, a little chapped from the English bitter cold, begging to be kissed better. 

"You're so predictable, Lo," Finn snorted, reluctantly looking away and finally letting them in.

Logan blatantly ignored them, swatting Finn's ass with his bags on the way in. He waited for him as he locked the door and handed Finn the food with a sharp look and a soft whisper. 

"Dinner upstairs?" 

Ten short steps led from the living room balcony to what had once been a bare, spacious roof deck. The moment Finn had signed the papers to buy the attic, his father's keen eye and expert touch had redesigned it into a private sky lounge, a little gem overlooking the beating heart of Monte-Carlo and the features of a boundless coastline. 

Finn turned on the patio heater. Its warmth added to the cozy atmosphere, blending with the light beige color of the lounge chairs and sectional sofa, and the wood accents of a large coffee table where Logan had chaotically placed three sets of chopsticks, along with a bottle of white wine, glasses, and various boxes of delicious-looking treats—all Finn's favorites, it seemed. 

The outdoor lights were dim, allowing a few faint stars to twinkle high above their heads despite the city's harsh reflections. Finn caught Leo standing next to the glass railing with his nose tilted skyward and a star-struck smile lighting up his peaceful face. 

"I'd run for the dumplings," Finn said as he joined him, "if you want a chance with that one around." 

They both turned in time to catch Logan red-handed with half a gyoza dangling from his mouth. 

"Quoi?" he munch-mumbled. "I'm hungry!" 

Their laughter blossomed in unison, louder to Finn's ears than the rumble of the plane passing low overhead, and the hum of traffic below.

Logan's green eyes, dark in the faint light of the night, narrowed on them. 

"So very predictable, indeed," Leo said as Finn gently led him to the table. His hand wavered on the small of Leo's back, tentative—until Logan flashed him a mindful look that sent goosebumps up Finn's arms. 

"Whose team are you on, Knut?" Logan teased, making room for Leo on the sofa as Finn took one of the loungers. 

"I'm afraid I'm legally obligated to say yours." Leo stretched one arm out over the back cushion, putting on a thoughtful expression. "Something about a non-compete clause in my contract, I'm not sure. Besides," he turned to Finn, nose wrinkled around a fine sheen, "my mama would probably disown me if I said otherwise..."

"Ha!" Logan pointed a mocking finger at Finn.  

"...but my dad, on the other hand..."

"Excuse you, I'm right here—" 

"Oh, no, no, no," Leo tutted. "We're not going there, nuh-uh. I hear enough bickering from those two. Feel free to discuss the matter with my parents next weekend."

"Are they coming to the race?" Finn asked.

"Yeah," Leo's smile grew so wide it must have hurt. "Haven't seen them in a while... and the U.S. Grand Prix is sort of a family tradition. Only this time..."

"You won't be on the stands," Logan said softly.

"Pretty special, huh?" Finn felt the hook of Logan's telltale gaze as their eyes met—he’s sweet. 

"Three days Paddock pass-special," Leo nodded, and Logan whistled low under his breath, drawing a contagious laugh from both of them. 

"I really don't know how they're gonna react when they meet you." Leo's ocean blue eyes were lost in the night sky, then suddenly hesitant as he spoke again, "Only if you... um, want to... of course." 

Finn peeked back at Logan, who nodded briefly. There was still so much they could do for him. But for now, Finn was having fun. He crossed his arms and tipped his chin up in a very well practiced offended frown.

"I don't see why," he said in a low voice. "It's not like I'm everyone's favorite around here." 

"Are you kidding—" Leo started just as Logan whispered, "He likes all the attention," loud enough for Finn to hear. 

Leo kicked him in the shin with one of his long legs and snorted a laugh, "Wait till you meet Wyatt Knut. Oh, I know he's gonna lose it." 

With burning cheeks, Finn crossed his legs on the soft cushion and grabbed a pillow for his lap. "Well," he picked up a box from the table and his chopsticks. "Let's hope the rookie doesn't steal my scene then." 

"Oh, right," Logan said, casually stealing a salmon nigiri from Leo's plate. "Who's filling in for Kase?" 

"Oh?" Finn frowned in confusion. "I thought the news was out. The team decided to give our junior driver a chance."

It was almost imperceptible, but Finn was sure Leo lost a little color in his face around a hard swallow. He reached for his glass and took a small sip of the bubbling wine Logan had poured for them.

"Really?" Logan sounded surprised. "Isn't Archer running in F2?" 

"He's twenty-something points off the lead," Finn pointed out. "And his next race is Abu Dhabi. He might as well take a shot at this instead." 

"Sorry, guys," Leo got up from the couch. "I need to use the bathroom. Be right back," he murmured before hurrying to the stairs. 

Finn shifted just in time to see Leo disappear into the house. "Is he okay?" 

"You're such a worrier, mon cœur."

Finn's eyes followed the sound of Logan's soothing voice. "I know..." 

"I missed you," Logan whispered, and warmth spread through Finn's veins, chasing away the brisk cold on his skin. 

"I missed you too, baby. This is the best surprise ever." 

"Couldn't wait until Monday," Logan's jaw twitched around a gentle smile. "And... we both kind of needed a breath of fresh air." 

"Huh? What's going on?" 

Logan shook his head, lips pressed into a hard line. "Silver's dropping the bomb about the Blacks and the partnership deal. Tomorrow. Press is going to be all over it..." 

Finn leaned forward, elbows on his knees. One hand moved up to pinch his lips, to rub his jaw. He sucked in a lungful of air. "'What'd Sirius say?"

"He thinks we can divert any unwanted attention with the reveal of the special livery."

"And what about you two?" 

"Leo should be fine, I think... And I promised not to curse at reporters this time." Logan's faint smile turned mischievous. "And to make it to Sunday without getting fined by the FIA." 

Finn dug his thumb and forefinger into his eyes. "It's going to be one of those weekends, huh?" 

"Ugh," Logan groaned just as desperately. "I really don't want to think about it." He took his glass from the table and tipped it to Finn, eyes growing soft, finally seeming to relax, but still tinged with concern. "At least I got you, non?"

Finn followed suit, raising his own glass in a silent toast. "Always, baby." 

—

The Circuit of the Americas lived up to every driver's expectations. Finn was no stranger to the demanding, yet satisfying feeling of piecing together the perfect lap between steep uphills, tight hairpins and sequences of fast, flowing corners. Nor was he unfamiliar with the energy, the wild atmosphere that usually painted the entire weekend in shades of red, blue and white stars. From the grandstands and garages to the decorated run-offs of the track, everything mirrored the Lone Star flag waving proudly near the crest of the Turn 1 hill.  

That's how Finn found himself walking around the paddock on Thursday morning in a bright red t-shirt and blue jeans, struggling to adjust the cowboy hat perched on top of his misbehaving hair. It was a bit of a cliché, a tradition of the United States Grand Prix that everyone had embraced over the years—including a rather amused Remus Lupin, who was busy chatting with Lily Evans by the team hospitality entrance. 

"Look who finally made it to work," Remus sneered when he saw Finn coming.

"Blah blah blah. I missed you too, Loops," Finn said, sidestepping to hug Lily instead. "What's up, Lils?" 

"Looking good, O'Hara," she said, tipping the wide brim of her velvet camel hat. It matched Remus', sitting perfectly on his sandy blond hair.

"What are you two up to?" 

"Gossiping, mostly," Lily said, beaming with faux innocence. "Oh, and technically looking for my husband. I kind of lost him between breakfast and the five minutes I was in the shower." 

"Sirius left early too," Remus began, stumbling over his words as a faint blush crept to the tips of his ears. "I think—he… uh. He texted me pretty early, yeah." 

"Right," Finn said. He watched unconvinced as Lily failed, rather spectacularly, to hide a wicked grin. "Any sign of Logan? Leo?"

Logan had snuck out of Finn's room at dawn with a thousand kisses and the promise of more cuddles later that night, but no further explanation. 

"Haven't seen them around." Remus shrugged, "But the event starts in..." He checked his watch. "About fifteen minutes. Maybe they're already at the Paddock Club or—"

"Holy—shit," Lily's voice dropped to a breathless whisper, her green eyes wide.

Finn and Remus turned in sync to… quite the view.

"Did you... did you know about this?" Finn thought he heard Remus ask. To whom, he couldn't say.

Now Finn would have answered, if words hadn't deserted him. If the deeply unbuttoned shirt that fit Logan's shoulders under a fringed green vest hadn't been too distracting. Or the denim jacket and light blue bandana tied softly around Leo's neck, perfectly framing his sharp lines—a sliver of sunshine in a bright, cloudless sky. Leather boots, belts, and wide-brimmed brown hats completed the look of the four Silver boys as they casually strutted toward them. 

A wave of searing heat spread from Finn's chest to his hips, slowly burning him from the inside out. 

"Howdy," James greeted in first—washed denim jeans and a bad impression of a Southern accent. He swooped in to pull an awe-struck Lily into a hard kiss. 

Behind him, Sirius, Logan, and Leo were quiet, looking somewhat embarrassed, confident, and resigned at the same time. 

"Well, hello, cowboys," Lily laughed, her eyes flitting curiously between them. "Anyone care to explain?" 

Finn had to glance at Remus then, who was also uncharacteristically silent. Their eyes met briefly and they both pretended they didn't look like someone had just slapped them hard in the face. 

Sirius was the first to speak. Finn dared a closer look at Logan and then at Leo, eyebrows arching in interest at their twin smirks. 

"A special livery requires special attire, doesn't it?" Sirius began tentatively, as if trying to convince himself. He pointed his thumbs at his loose black shirt. 

"And, oh-so-casually," James spun around to show off his outfit, "we have a Hugo Boss collab to rock."

"And press to distract, apparently..." Leo added, crossing his arms and ankles in one elegant motion.

Very, very distracting indeed, thank you.

Logan pasted on his fakest smile. "Oh, and I'm retiring by the end of the season—ow!” he grunted a laugh as Leo flicked the back of his head. "Knutty."

It struck him then, unbidden and consuming. A lightning bolt from the bluest of skies. An electric spike swept over Finn's entire body, this time tightening his chest. It was undeniable how Logan and Leo glowed next to each other. Whether it was on track, with Leo's firm voice listing strict instructions in Logan's ears. At night, sitting at a kitchen table, miles away from Finn, telling him bits and pieces of their days. And here, in the middle of a semi-desert paddock, dressed in glamour for no sensible reason at all—those two shone like the brightest stars in the firmament before Finn's eyes. 

Suddenly, Finn longed to feel how Leo so beautifully coaxed that rare bliss out of Logan, carefree laughs and heart-melting smiles that Finn knew were private, exclusive. Breaths he'd kissed from his mouth, yearned for and cherished. And intriguing tastes that Finn now secretly craved. 

The most perfectly complicated knot of feelings.

"Fish?" Logan's touch was warm on his forearm. 

"Yeah?" 

"See you later?" 

Finn could only nod, blinded by forest green and cornflower blue and the pungent scent of two perfectly layered colognes. 

They all left, Lily in tow, snuggled between James' and Sirius' arms, abandoning Finn and Remus in a deafening silence that grew louder with every stray, passing voice.

"We should..." Remus cleared his throat. 

"Yep, yeah." 

"Okay. Harz," he muttered, his words muffled as he dragged a hand across his face. "You're off to... Sky Sports and Viaplay. Flash interviews. Then we're doing the track walk together." 

"Always so romantic, Loops," Finn casually threw an arm around Remus' shoulders. "Hey, you know who's up for the drivers' press conference?" 

"They want the new guy. You're boring old stuff, my friend."

"Damn," Finn sighed. "Not complaining, but... ouch." 

"It's the circle of life." Remus elbowed him playfully before looking up with a small, knowing smile—subtle. "We're screwed, huh?"

"Oh man," Finn huffed out a loud laugh. "Aren't we?" 

—

"Espresso." 

Natalie's voice broke the early morning quiet of the team's hospitality lounge. 

"Macchiato," she groaned, flopping into an armchair in the coffee area where Finn was busy topping his cappuccino with cinnamon. "And make it double, please, and thank you." 

Finn's free hand snapped to his forehead in an over-the-top salute. "Yes, ma'am." 

"Fucking jet lag."

Finn grabbed a cup and started the coffee machine. "Up all night again?"

"I think I slept... like eight hours in three days."

"Yikes," Finn winced. He let a cloud of foamed milk swirl into the dark, fragrant brew, then sprinkled some cocoa powder on top. "This calls for extra sugar." 

"Definitely," she mumbled.

Finn set the steaming cup on a saucer. He placed it on a small tray along with a teaspoon, a tiny basket of sugar packets, and a couple of warm, buttery mini croissants. 

"There you go." He laid the tray on the glass table in front of her and sank into the nearest armchair. 

"Wow, Freckle," Natalie marveled dozily, her words fading into a drawn-out yawn. "Five-star treatment."

"Seems much needed," Finn scrunched his nose as he reached for his own coffee. 

"You and me both." She pointed between their faces, clearly noting the purple circles under his eyes. "What's keeping you up?" 

"No clue," Finn lied, and Natalie shot him a look. 

"You really think," she paused to take a small sip of coffee, unfazed. "You can hide something from me, of all people?" 

Finn couldn't help the small, wry smile that twitched his lips. "You'd be surprised," he murmured around the rim of his cup.

"What was that?" 

"Nothing," he blurted, unable to escape her inquisitive gaze. "I guess I'm just worried, that's all."

"Hm. And does that have anything to do with a certain hot-tempered brunet? Say, someone throwing threatening death glares at anyone with a microphone within a mile radius?"  

"That's overprotective Logan Tremblay to you."

Finn omitted the details, of course. The past couple of nights spent with Logan curled up in his arms—a bundle of nerves. Jaw clenched, teeth gritted, falling asleep as morning light spilled through the window, voiceless and exhausted, with Finn's fingers still tangled in his hair, a familiar touch to hold on to. 

"Is this about the—" Natalie air quoted, "—Black Gate? The cowboy thing didn't work out?" 

Finn nodded briefly, utterly drained. 

"Damage control for Sirius' sake." He shook his clouded head. "But of course everyone is hungry for more. It's a pretty big deal, the Blacks leaving Silver. Who would believe the sudden 'mutual decision' to end a ten-year partnership?" 

"As if it was anyone else's business." 

"And all forgotten by Monday, as usual. But in the meantime we're stuck with a couple of mad drivers in full guard mode." 

Finn's fingers tapped nervously on the cooling ceramic of the cup, restless. "And then... there's Leo."

Out of his sunny, always catching energy. 

"Leo?" 

"He seems a little... stressed. I don't know."

Tired, maybe. Shadowed by a veil of worry that Finn couldn't chalk up to pressing media attention alone. 

"I just wish there was something I could do to help."

Natalie studied him for a long moment, her brown eyes sweeping across his face. Finn saw the ghost of a wistful smile when she clicked her tongue. "There's something special about you O'Haras, huh?" 

It startled a small laugh out of Finn, warm and incredulous. "I'm not sure where that comes from, but I'll take it as a compliment." 

The front door cracked open. It caught their attention, revealing a bright, fresh face in the doorway. 

"Buongiorno!" Jack Archer chanted in thickly accented Italian. He walked in, proudly wearing his brand new team uniform, complete with a red baseball cap flipped backward over his dark hair.

"Look at you go," Finn held out his arm for a quick fist bump. "Already embracing the team culture."

Natalie simply waved a hand. "Morning, baby rookie."

Archer smiled back at her as he leaned against the counter. "How's Kasey?"

"Oh, he's annoying me, so... way much better." 

"Bet he wanted to come," he quipped. 

"Ha. He tried to talk me into coming once or twice, but..." She took a steadying breath, then looked at Finn with such gentle, guarded fierceness that left him speechless. "I know for sure I left him in very, very good hands."

Jack nodded sympathetically, looking between them. "Glad to hear that."

"How about you?" Finn jumped in. "Ready for today?" 

It was Archer's first ever Formula One qualifying. Finn remembered how emotional that felt—the fervent, uncontainable energy, the anticipation, and the urgency to prove yourself worthy of the privilege of sitting in such a prestigious spot. He could see the same thrill glinting in Jack's blue eyes.

"So ready," he laughed, bouncing a little on his feet. "But hey, I wouldn't mind some good advice."

"Anytime. Actually, we can..." Finn began, pulling the phone out of his pocket. "Okay, I have to be somewhere in... shit, well, ten minutes ago, but," he stood up and patted Archer on the shoulder, already poised to sprint out. "Catch you before FP3?"

"Yeah, totally," Jack's eyes lit up. "Thanks, man."

"O'Hara," Natalie called. Finn had barely taken a step toward the door. "Are you sure you're not forgetting anything?"

"Jesus," Finn did a double take and grabbed the envelope she held out between her manicured fingers. "What would I do without you?"

Natalie rolled her eyes, the outline of a wry smile curling her full lips. "Get out of here."

The paddock was alive, too loud and too hot for mid-fall Saturday morning. Finn had to stop a few times for autographs, pictures and good luck wishes before he finally made it to the Silver Hospitality forecourt. 

Leo spotted him in the distance and waved cheerfully. He looked better than he had all week, his eyes less somber, though still too weary for Finn's liking. But it was a welcome sight that somehow helped Finn calm his nerves. 

Leo was holding a blonde woman close to him, chatting excitedly with a slightly embarrassed Logan. A tall, also blond man stood at their side. The fine features the three of them shared were unmistakable. 

As it turned out, Eloise and Wyatt Knut were exactly as Leo had described them, a force of nature brimming with energy, high spirits and unbelievable kindness—traits Finn had long recognized in their son. 

Leo had his mother's eyes and her same sharp wit. Finn had soon found himself wrapped in a motherly hug, warm and loving, as Eloise thanked him over and over for no particular reason. Though she didn't miss the chance to slip in a cheeky remark about him racing for the wrong team—you should really consider moving to Silver, honey. The three of you would make the best team out there—coloring Leo's light skin several shades of red. 

Wyatt Knut was just as energetic, though a little more reserved. Finn could tell by the way he'd squeezed his hand in his own that he was holding back his excitement, while his well-worn Scuderia cap spoke volumes. 

Finn and Logan had planned to surprise them upon their arrival on Friday, but by the time they had finished debriefing after the free practice, Leo had essentially kidnapped his parents and disappeared. He was glad, though, if Leo's better mood had anything to do with it. 

Now, between conversations, Finn noticed Logan eyeing the envelope in his hands and nodding his head in encouragement. 

"Boys," Eloise said with an angelic smile, "we shouldn't keep you any longer, I'm sure you're quite busy." 

"Actually, Mrs. Knut—"

"Finn, please. It's Eloise for you." 

"Right," Finn chuckled, rubbing a hand over his neck as he sought Logan's eyes for support. "Well, these are for you," he opened the envelope Natalie had secured for him and pulled out two golden VIP passes. 

"Guys..." Leo breathed, his startled gaze bouncing between them. 

"Consider yourselves our guests of honor," Logan said. "For a full race weekend experience. You can do the grid walk on Sunday if you'd like. And watch all the sessions from our garages."

"Both," Finn added playfully, turning to Wyatt. "Whichever you prefer." 

Wyatt clasped Finn's shoulder, then Logan’s—a silent, heartfelt smile tugging at his thin lips. Eloise's grateful embrace carried the same fondness Finn saw in Leo's glazed stare. He shot him a wink just as Logan bumped into his side. 

"You shouldn't have to..." Leo whispered softly.

Finn felt the sudden urge to tell him that he'd do anything to see him this happy, always. He knew from the look on Logan's face, scenically playing the annoyed roll of eyes, that he was tightly holding onto similar thoughts. 

But this was neither the time nor the place. Finn had already spotted a few TV crews creeping around and the last free practice session was about to start. 

Besides, he had no idea what the hell was going on with him. What was he meant to make of any of these thrumming needs?

He accepted the tenth round of thanks, an invitation to dinner at the best steakhouse in town according to Leo, another warm hug from Eloise, and a fierce good luck, son from an ecstatic Wyatt Knut—the silky lanyard of his pass already hanging around his neck.

Before he left, Logan put on one of those wicked smiles that Finn wished he could always bite off his lips. 

"See you on track, O'Hara," he jabbed, making everyone laugh. 

"Yeah," Finn smiled. It was a relief to see that some of the worry had slipped from Logan's scratchy, sleep-deprived voice. 

Finn loved him. God, he loved Logan immensely. But right then he knew he had to focus on himself and his performance, to keep an overload of problems at bay. 

After all, he'd made himself a promise. He had a championship to win, against none other than the man of his dreams—and his race engineer at his side. Two people who somehow managed to make Finn feel so overwhelmingly good. 

And helplessly confused.  

"Good luck, Tremblay." 

The car felt incredible, sharp and consistently balanced even on the hot track. The first two qualifying rounds had flowed as smoothly as water and Finn was confident he could secure a solid pole position, setting himself up for a much needed win tomorrow. 

Now the lights in Finn's box were vivid, as urgent as his need to get back on track and run the car in those milder sunset shades for the last stint of the day. He sat in the cockpit and waited while the mechanics made their final adjustments. 

As he peeled the smudged tear-off from his visor, Remus' voice crackled through the radio. 

"Harz, we're putting on a new set of soft." 

Finn pressed the yellow radio button on the steering wheel. "Sounds good." 

"And—I need you to improve the middle sector." 

"What's the last lap time?" 

"1:37.017," Remus spelled out. "Logan's is tied with James' at .214." 

Good, but not enough, Finn thought. Logan had this innate, annoyingly brilliant ability to set the perfect lap with the clock about to run out. One last flying lap to get those couple of tenths out of nowhere, just when everyone else thought he didn't have the right pace. 

"Archer’s going out first," Remus added. "He's instructed to give you slipstream if you think you'll need it." 

Finn and Kasey had used the tactic countless times, helping each other secure at least one spot on the front rows of the grid.  Jack wasn't new to these tricks, of course, and after a long talk that morning, Finn trusted him to deliver as well. 

Archer hadn't needed advice, exactly—more like reassurance and a nudge to tackle the new challenge with confidence. 

As presumptuous as it might have seemed, though, Finn didn't want Jack's help. He knew he held all the cards to perform at his peak. And maybe—just like the young rookie he'd been a long time ago—Finn desperately needed to prove something to himself once more.   

"Thanks, guys," he simply replied.  

"Let's bring it home, man." 

Amazing speed through the twentieth and final corner for Thomas Walker, but no further improvement. Nadeau, however, crosses the finish line with a fastest third sector and goes sixth to beat his teammate. 

Logan Tremblay takes provisional pole as O'Hara starts his flying lap with the session nearing its end. Here comes Potter across the line to move up to second—and we have a Silver front row for now.  Halla does improve, but remains fourth behind Archer—an amazing Saturday for the rookie, who'll have the chance to start his first Formula One race from second row tomorrow. 

Fastest sector one for Finn O'Hara as he makes his way through some traffic out there. Once again Tremblay vs. O'Hara for pole is our battle. 

Absolutely phenomenal in this car, finding more time down the high speed straight—and it's another purple sector for the American driver. 

More traffic coming in between turns 13 to 15 as most cars in-lap on their way to pit lane, but—whooa, my goodness. That's a close call for O'Hara with his teammate going into Turn 16! 

It was an instinctive reflex. 

Finn hadn't fully registered what had just happened in front of him. He braked, hard enough to tip his car to the left, over the curb and into the run-off, narrowly avoiding contact. His flying lap was completely ruined.

"Remus," he gasped over the radio.

He'd sounded too calm to his own ears, even as blood began to boil in his veins, mixing with a wild rush of adrenaline. Someone had just cost him the pole. Someone had deliberately moved into the middle of his lap and almost caused a massive crash. Not just someone, Finn realized with a flash of clarity, but his own teammate.

Remus' voice was apprehensive. "Yeah, we saw that, Harz..."

"That was fucking—"

"I know, I know," Remus promptly cut him off. He knew better than to let Finn cause a scene that anyone could hear. "Just come back to the box, please. We'll discuss this later."

Not a single word came out of Finn’s mouth as he drove to the Parc Fermé. He jumped out of the car, steering wheel in hand, and quietly followed the other drivers to the pit lane. A cameraman tracked him all the way to his box, probably expecting him to react, or maybe snap like some drivers used to—like Logan sometimes did. Finn just kept his helmet on and the dark visor down. 

He had expected to find Remus there, ready to apologize for a mistake that wasn’t even his fault. Finn knew he would try to explain with his steady, calming manner that there was nothing they could do. Whatever happened between teammates never got penalized by the stewards. It stayed between team walls. 

Instead, standing outside his garage, shoulders hunched and a restless hand tormenting his soft-looking curls, was Leo. 

"Harzy," he almost jumped on his feet when he saw Finn. "Are you okay?" 

"Le?" Despite everything, Finn found himself smiling. He raised the visor to meet Leo's anxious eyes. "What are you doing here?" 

"I..." Leo let out a long sigh of relief. "I'm so sorry, Finn. Are you hurt?" 

"What? No," Finn undid the helmet and slid it off his head, along with the balaclava. "Leo, I'm fine. It was just impeding." 

"I know, I..." he began, and glanced towards the mixed area where Archer was being interviewed. 

So he'd made it to the top three…

When Leo turned his back to Jack, he looked even more freaked out than before. "You... It looked bad—on screen. The bounce on the curb..."

"I'm fine," Finn repeated, reaching out to grab his arm reassuringly. "Are you, though?" 

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I just..." Leo swallowed hard. "I wanted to make sure he didn’t—"

"He fucking impeded you?!" Logan's thunderous voice made them both spin around. 

"Lo," Finn shot him a warning look. "Not here." 

"What the fuck?" 

"I know." Finn took a deep breath. "I need to talk to Remus first, but... He's young, guys. Honestly I’ve seen senior drivers doing worse than that."

Logan crossed his arms, an angry frown tightening his lips. "Still."

"Listen," Finn ran a hand over his sweaty hair, his pulse suddenly jumping. The onslaught of feelings he'd experienced in the last forty-eight hours was surreal. He felt defeated, frustration still seething at the edges of his fist, clenched around the chin bar of his helmet. Exhausted for too many reasons at once. 

And yet there stood a glimpse of hope—fierce eyes staring at him… protectively, he realized. 

"You two shouldn't worry about me, okay? I promise, I'm fine. I just need to put an end to this crazy day and get out of my head for a minute." 

Leo nodded understandingly. "We can call off dinner if you'd rather—" 

"Please don't," Finn said. It came out almost like a plea. "Dinner with the Knuts is exactly what I need right now." 

"Ouais," Logan agreed, watchful eyes fixed on Finn's. He was trying to read between the lines, something he'd learned a long time ago—always finding his way to Finn. "Me too." 

A full, bright smile split Leo's lips. "Okay, one more thing. Then I better go before Sirius kills me," he said. He sounded a little giddy. "My parents want to invite you to stay with us next week, just so you know. They were over the moon about the tickets." 

"Really, it was nothing," Logan said, and Finn’s heart melted in his chest. 

"You don't have to say yes," Leo urged. He took a step back towards the pit stall, grinning innocently, "And you definitely didn't hear this from me. But we'd love to have you guys over."

With a soul-crushing wink, Leo walked away. Logan's sharp breath filled the next beat of silence. 

"Rouge."

"Hm?" Finn whispered back. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Logan was staring after Leo, too.

They turned to each other, keeping a short distance between them—just two drivers confronting each other after a tough qualifying session.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Logan asked.

"I love it when you call me Rouge."

"Finn."

"I told you, I'm fine."

"That wasn't fair."

"It wasn't," Finn admitted. 

"Beginner's luck," Logan grumbled. 

Finn's mouth shifted to the side, one corner lifting slightly. A bead of sweat slid from a rebellious lock of Logan’s dark hair onto his temple. Finn watched, mesmerized, as it traced its way around the crinkle of Logan’s eye, down to the corner of his full mouth, along his jaw, and finally dropped from his flushed face.

"Come on, Tremz. I'll overtake the rookie and chase you down as fast as I can. You have my word."

"Ah," Logan lost some of his fight at that. "Bet you won’t catch me, though."

"Oh-ho," Finn bit his lips. Something about that Logan smile drove him crazy. "Try me. I can give you a head start tonight," he murmured.

"Non," Logan laughed. "We have a race tomorrow, in case you forgot."

"Right," Finn inched closer. Logan didn’t so much as blink.

"A race I'm going to win. And then..."

It wasn’t much of a choice for Finn when it came to it. Had he imagined spending every second of their free time glued to Logan's side? Absolutely. Had Finn already pictured a beaming Leo showing them around his childhood home? Walking them through streets, corners, places he'd grown up in? Maybe.

Besides, they had already been thinking about a nice, short escape before flying to Mexico City—just the three of them. 

"A quick detour to New Orleans?" To Finn, it sounded like the perfect golden mean.

Green eyes glinted at him, almost in awe. The last rays of sun framed Logan's tan skin like gold.

"Parfait, mon amour."

[brandyanna]

girljournalling chapter 3: fitness journey + tips 𓆩♡𓆪

some of you may know that i am in ed recovery... wanted to have this as a disclaimer because if i had never suffered from an ed then i would not have started my fitness journey, and if i didn't start my fitness journey then i would not be here - having improved my mental wellbeing!!

things to remember:

❦ food is fuel, not something you have to earn!

❦ eating to run, not running to eat

❦ everyone starts from the beginning, your only competition is yourself

generally, i always recommend going to the gym and running! i run 3 times a week, and also do 2 track sessions a week at school. you can also go to the gym for cardio and weightlifting, which is great for athleticism and your metabolism. as a runner, you should be strength training to decrease your risk of injury

❦ when i first went to the gym, i was so scared of embarassing myself - get on the treadmill and observe what other people are doing, you'll soon feel less overwhelmed

❦ you should take at least two rest days in a week! any less and you risk overtraining (it's not pretty, take it from me) of course, you can keep active by walking on these days if you want

❦ at the gym, you should aim to train lower body (glutes, hamstrings, legs), upper body (core, arms, shoulders/back), and cardio

❦ there are so many ways to structure your week! for example:

-> monday: aerobic cardio, tuesday: lower body, wednesday: upper body + core, thursday: active rest + recovery, friday: lower body + glutes, saturday: upper body/arms, sunday: rest + recovery

❦ make sure you warm up with dynamic stretches and cool down with gentle stretches like pilates/yoga or walking slowly!

❦ please hydrate and stretch properly guys :( so many injuries can be easily prevented by just doing this

❦ nutrition is a key part of fitness; but do not get wrapped up into the latest 'trending diet' or restrict your food intake. instead, eat a balanced diet and remember, count the colours on your plate, not the calories!

for running, if you're training for a specific distance, you want to be running 3-4 times a week, structured with easy runs, intervals/tempo runs, and long runs

❦ there are so many apps/websites that provide comprehensive training plans, my favourite is runna because you can work towards any distance/level of fitness that you like!

❦ with your easy runs, make sure you go easy, because it allows you to go faster and longer in your tempo + long runs

❦ my favourite time to run is early in the morning, i have a 5:00am alarm before school. in my opinion, it just makes me feel productive and awake throughout the day!

staying fit is hard, but so is living carelessly. being healthy is hard, but so is neglecting your health. choose your hard.

[penny00dreadful]

Inspiration Saturday/Seven Sentence Sunday Monday

Thank you to my darling @just-my-latest-hyperfixation for the tag 🖤

Inspiration: So I'm not 100% on how this one goes so I'm making up my own rules! I think it's a mashup of other wip tag games and supposed to be like what inspired you for this fic, but I don't wanna just be like all of Dungeons and Dragons so I made a lil something out of all the pictures on my pinterest board that have been helping me feel the vibe. At least the vibe of the first chapter.

And here's seven sentences from that chapter!

“She’s alive?” Eddie sounded so completely caught off guard. So surprised. So hopeful. So foolish. Steve gripped his sword and swung, unsheathing it in one fluid motion, aiming right for Eddie’s neck but the bard was fast. He managed to duck out of the way of the blade just in time, a chunk of his hair being sliced clean through before he took off down the alleyway with Steve hot on his tail.

Surprise! You're all getting tagged: @hbyrde36 @cranberrymoons @farahsamboolents @spoookysix @dreamwatch

[elpscroll]

Saturday Report 130

Yes, we are not in Wix anymore, but only for the Saturday Reports, the website is still there.

If you don't know yet, I had some problems with posting the Saturday Reports there, and here is just much better...

You do get that "Please make an account bar down there", sorry about that, but hey you can still see the latest report without it! You will need one to see older ones though... They're all here by the way, it took a long time but it's nice to have this archive... Now if only I had v.1.0 of the scenario still

I also noticed the number was wrong while getting all Reports, that's why we're back in numbers.

Anyway! Back to the actual reporting! Well I've been doing some nice progress with the planning of "Amelian Reasons Why You Will Lose." and I'm almost done with it. Soon I will be able to start the actual writing of the stuff here. I'm aiming for like, 9 hours of more content, which is the usual big size update around here, though of course it will take a long time to complete.

Next Saturday we'll most likely start talking about the writing and have actual in game screenshots, but for now, it's another week of wait.

Hey, I can post the new future Flowcharts of the Memories update too, that should be noice.

Three links down here, pick the place you like to view it

https://mega.nz/file/Fh4GXBYY#rBsUMdct_iJK3dDKoqCbVz0kINo2OZ86CSYTiRWVgvc

https://www.mediafire.com/view/dcwysjne6evrth9/2.8_completebiblity.png/file

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HrMFiDb2BcozvVvcjbT25sobjO766Beb/view?usp=sharing

Anyway, that was all, have a nice Saturday and see you on the next one!

What did you think of the the new "Day 1" of both Abby and Zoey?

Vote here!

(Poll will stay up until 18 of December)

How much did you like the new Halloween special, Gadgets VS Ghosts?

Vote here!

(Poll will stay up until 2 of December)

What am I doing?: Doing the initial planning for the new stuff in the Memories Route

Progress of the update: Rough writing:

Nothing

Animation:

Nothing

Music and Sound:

Nothing

[jsamnvalentinerarepairs]

2023 Prompt Selection is live!

If you signed up for the 2023 Rarepair Fest, you should have now received an email with a link to the pairing selection form!

This needs to be completed by Friday 20th December at the latest. I will aim to get pairings allocated as soon as I can when all participants have completed it, and you will receive your allocated recipient and their full prompts no later than Saturday 21st January.

If you have signed up but NOT received this form, please let me know, either by DM here or by emailing speakingskies [at] gmail.com, but remember to check your spam box!

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] RevSportz team on their way to Australia (PC: Sharmistha Gooptu) I have always felt that covering Test cricket is the most challenging and, at the same time, most enjoyable assignment for a journalist who loves the sport. More so when it is the Boxing Day Test with everything to play for, there could be close to 100,000 people at the MCG, and the intensity and the drama add to the theatre, making it a spectacle unrivalled. That’s what should get the best out of a journalist. How do you report on the match? How do you stand out? How do you break the clutter? What can you be different in an already cramped space? How can you not be sensationalist like most are, and yet get viewers to consume your content? Much like it is a Test for the Indian team, it is also a test for journalists. To see how good they are. That’s what prompted me to get five more of my colleagues to join the three already in Melbourne. Document the stories that aren’t really documented. Go beyond the practice and the press conference and bring to life the more human side of sport. Give the fans their due and add to the coverage. If there are one or two people on the ground, it is natural that he or she will report on the practice or the press conference. With two teams practising for three hours each, followed by a press conference from either team, your entire day is spent doing the basics. But then, is that complete coverage? Can you really understand the pulse of the Boxing Day Test by just doing the basics? Take my colleagues Trisha Ghosal and Gargi Raut, for example. Neither has been to Australia before. And yet, both are extremely good at what they do. It was important to throw them into the deep end. Let them find their mojo and report on stories that stand out. What explains the madness for Virat Kohli in Australia? Is Jasprit Bumrah, the star for India this series, now a brand in his own right? What explains the nearly sacrosanct Boxing Day ritual of turning up to the MCG on December 26? Reporting on the presence of 100,000 people for a Test match will be an invaluable experience for them. And in turn, they will grow as journalists – something we at RevSportz have forever aimed to achieve. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here RevSportz representatives in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia (PC: Subhayan) Agnijit Sen, popular as Agni in Bengal, isn’t a sports journalist. Rather, he is an entertainer who also loves sport. How does he bring the Boxing Day Test to life? What’s his take, and how can he add to the coverage and make it stand out? In a scenario where one or two people travel, none of the above would have made the cut. And that’s where the profession loses out. We don’t let people evolve and, as a result, lose many future journalists who find other things to do in life. Just as Sam Konstas on debut can become a star, so can a journalist if he or she stands out while covering a Boxing Day Test. It is about getting an opportunity. I first covered a match in Australia in 2003-4. Since then, I have covered every Boxing Day Test featuring India except the one played during Covid. It still excites me in the very same way. The challenge is to excel and do some quality work. That’s what explains why five of us are travelling to Melbourne on Saturday night to join Subhayan Chakraborty, Debasis Sen and Rohit Juglan. Our way of doing things differently, and shaking up the coverage. Whether it works or not, time will tell. But like R Ashwin always said, the effort will not be lacking. Also Read: If Rohit gets his mind right, India can create history at the MCG The post Boxing Day as much as test for journalists as it is for players appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] RevSportz team on their way to Australia (PC: Sharmistha Gooptu) I have always felt that covering Test cricket is the most challenging and, at the same time, most enjoyable assignment for a journalist who loves the sport. More so when it is the Boxing Day Test with everything to play for, there could be close to 100,000 people at the MCG, and the intensity and the drama add to the theatre, making it a spectacle unrivalled. That’s what should get the best out of a journalist. How do you report on the match? How do you stand out? How do you break the clutter? What can you be different in an already cramped space? How can you not be sensationalist like most are, and yet get viewers to consume your content? Much like it is a Test for the Indian team, it is also a test for journalists. To see how good they are. That’s what prompted me to get five more of my colleagues to join the three already in Melbourne. Document the stories that aren’t really documented. Go beyond the practice and the press conference and bring to life the more human side of sport. Give the fans their due and add to the coverage. If there are one or two people on the ground, it is natural that he or she will report on the practice or the press conference. With two teams practising for three hours each, followed by a press conference from either team, your entire day is spent doing the basics. But then, is that complete coverage? Can you really understand the pulse of the Boxing Day Test by just doing the basics? Take my colleagues Trisha Ghosal and Gargi Raut, for example. Neither has been to Australia before. And yet, both are extremely good at what they do. It was important to throw them into the deep end. Let them find their mojo and report on stories that stand out. What explains the madness for Virat Kohli in Australia? Is Jasprit Bumrah, the star for India this series, now a brand in his own right? What explains the nearly sacrosanct Boxing Day ritual of turning up to the MCG on December 26? Reporting on the presence of 100,000 people for a Test match will be an invaluable experience for them. And in turn, they will grow as journalists – something we at RevSportz have forever aimed to achieve. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here RevSportz representatives in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia (PC: Subhayan) Agnijit Sen, popular as Agni in Bengal, isn’t a sports journalist. Rather, he is an entertainer who also loves sport. How does he bring the Boxing Day Test to life? What’s his take, and how can he add to the coverage and make it stand out? In a scenario where one or two people travel, none of the above would have made the cut. And that’s where the profession loses out. We don’t let people evolve and, as a result, lose many future journalists who find other things to do in life. Just as Sam Konstas on debut can become a star, so can a journalist if he or she stands out while covering a Boxing Day Test. It is about getting an opportunity. I first covered a match in Australia in 2003-4. Since then, I have covered every Boxing Day Test featuring India except the one played during Covid. It still excites me in the very same way. The challenge is to excel and do some quality work. That’s what explains why five of us are travelling to Melbourne on Saturday night to join Subhayan Chakraborty, Debasis Sen and Rohit Juglan. Our way of doing things differently, and shaking up the coverage. Whether it works or not, time will tell. But like R Ashwin always said, the effort will not be lacking. Also Read: If Rohit gets his mind right, India can create history at the MCG The post Boxing Day as much as test for journalists as it is for players appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

[apexart-journal]

Fan Chon Hoo in New York, #Day 4

Day 4. The day began with a volunteer event to beautify 132 St Block Association Park. I had a bit of trouble trying to locate the garden, and as I finally showed up at the garden, the person in charge/head volunteer—Aubrey—told me there was some miscommunication; the event was supposed to be tomorrow on a Saturday, not on a Friday. Aubrey decided that we’ll do some composting anyway. We received a pair of gloves and hedge shears for myself and another college student, Jori, and began trimming down some plants to prepare the garden for winter. Once we collected enough fresh green clipping for the composting, we moved on to raking the dried leaves (brown material). I also helped to sharpen some of the tools with sandpaper. Next, they assigned me the task of mulching the dried leaves. Finally, we gathered enough brown and green parts for composting. It was a good four-hour workout, and Aubrey was patient, and I could feel his passion for creating a nice garden for the community. The yellowing Japanese maple tree against the sun looked stunning, and I missed the smell of moist earth. I think it is nice to have a patch of green garden to labour over. If the garden is open for public use, I would love to visit it again before I leave.

The second activity was to attend the screening of the documentary "Jazz in China" by Dr. Eugene Marlow at the CUNY Graduate Center. From the program synopsis, “The documentary chronicles the 100-year story of how jazz—a democratic form of music through improvisation—exists and thrives in China—a country with a long tradition of adherence to central authority.” The hour-long documentary tries to timestamp jazz development through important historical happenings in China: political division in the 1930s, WWII, cultural revolution in the 1960s, the passing of Chairman Mao in 1976, and contemporary China today. I think it is a rather simplistic way of trying to drive home the point about jazz being a western cultural product that was embraced by some Chinese musicians, suppressed during the cultural revolution, and now being revived and celebrated by the growing middle population in China. According to my basic understanding of jazz as a music genre, it was once considered a transgressive and political medium, similar to how certain Indonesian dangdut music can be perceived as political. Despite jazz being a century-old music genre with numerous subgenres emerging over time, the director's intended focus on a specific type of jazz was not clearly defined. I wanted to learn how the Chinese have adopted jazz and how jazz has influenced modern musicians. Almost at the end of the program, I was happy to meet Favour Ritaro, a Nigerian curator who now resides in NYC, and her friend Buyana. It was a shame they couldn’t make it on time. We had a brief chat before we left the venue.

The last activity on my calendar was interesting. I was supposed to watch a YouTube clip called GUTFELD!, a conservative Fox News show hosted by Greg Gutfeld. The link didn’t work, but I managed to watch one of the latest episodes called “Well, this is downright shocking," an episode to basically commemorate the winning of Donald Trump as the newly elected President. The episode featured a plethora of irrational remarks about physical appearances, constant references to body parts and faeces, and occasional biblical allusions, primarily aimed at ridiculing politicians, celebrities, TV hosts, and other individuals who publicly support democratic artists. Although my knowledge of American politics is limited, and I lack the necessary context or references to fully comprehend the show's content, I find it shocking to learn about the comments made on news channels. The show's statements, such as "We decided as a country to move forward today; that means no more blaming the people today for the misdeeds of their ancestors" and "I get up the next day and I get dressed like I always do, by a team of Slovakian migrants," are truly mind-blowing. I don't think this can happen on Malaysian news channels. Prior to this, my YouTube algorithm had been recommending clips from shows such as Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver, which primarily featured liberal content. These shows also poked fun at conservatives, albeit with a less personal or vulgar tone. To learn about political news through TV talk show hosts/personalities, conservative or otherwise, is new to me, as is the influence and power given to these individuals. It is refreshing to try to see it from the other side, and I guess my YouTube algorithm might start to feed me with more pro-conservative content. 

[qnewsau]

3CR's Queering the Air amplifies the voices of the marginalised

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/3crs-queering-the-air-amplifies-the-voices-of-the-marginalised/

3CR's Queering the Air amplifies the voices of the marginalised

Madison, Sasja and Shurthi from Melbourne radio show Queering the Air make radio with purpose, amplifying the marginalised.

‘Queering the Air’ has been running for over two decades on Melbourne radio station 3CR. The show aims to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices and advocates for the community.

But what does it mean to the women behind the microphones? Madison Moffat, Sasja Sÿdek and Shurthi make up the team.

They share their experience as trans women on the community radio airwaves.

“For myself, the show is about giving voice to the underrepresented and marginalised communities,” Sasja said.

“like the trans women of colour and also the trans elders,”

“Trans elders are the forgotten generation. I use my platform to amplify their voices.”

For Madison, it is about creating exposure within the trans, gender diverse and non-binary community.

“I want to focus on people who are putting out great cultural and creative output,” she said.

“Because it can be difficult for them to get any exposure.”

“I want to be able to provide a platform where they can be heard and understood.”

Suthri is the newest to the Queering the Air team, but wants to use her voice to help others.

“My focus is on migrants who call Australia home,” Shurthi said

“to embark into their success stories, resilience, and how they empower themselves and navigate our LGBTQ+ communities.”

“My co-hosts’ focus is advocacy. I want to focus on how people sustain and celebrate life.”

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Sharing stories of joy and success

“The wonderful thing about radio is that we get to celebrate every week,” Sasja said.

“We get to meet a lot of other people and listen to their stories of success. It’s about elevating that.”

Sasja has been part of the team for two years, and Madison and Suthri for just two months.

“3CR is open to all kinds of diverse voices, and I’ve just never felt so welcomed in my life,” Madison said.

“Sasha is like our radio mother, but even as a trainee, I feel so supported.

“I’ve been exposed to so many different views in the community in just a few months and I’m excited about that.”

“Being a migrant, I focus a lot on my personal growth,” Suthri said.

“I told Sasha I had an interest in radio and have a lot to say, and then she made this happen.”

“All the coordinators are so welcoming because we believe we make radio with a purpose.”

Community radio creates a space that is so much more than just a voice for the marginalised.

It’s a space to share power and passion as well. While 3CR is about amplifying marginalised voices and promoting social justice, so are these three women.

They bring themselves to the airwaves each week. They proudly share the intersectionality, joy and pure vibrance our diverse communities have to offer.

Madison, Sasja and Shurthi are on Queering the Air every Sunday, 3-4 pm on 3CR. Episodes are rebroadcast on 3MDR 97.1fm on Saturdays at 7 pm. Listen to their podcasts here.

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Queering The Air 3CR ️‍⚧️️‍ (@queeringtheair3cr)

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[betteradvice]

Sleep Secrets for Moms-To-Be

Single Moms Catching Those Precious Zs

Hey. Let’s talk about something we all desperately need but often struggle to get – sleep. Whether you’re expecting or already juggling life as a single mom, getting enough shut-eye can feel like mission impossible. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back with some tried-and-true sleep secrets that’ll help you catch those elusive Zs.

Creating a Sleep-Friendly Environment

First things first, let’s turn your bedroom into a sleep haven. Think of it as your personal retreat from the chaos of life. Aim for a cool room temperature – somewhere between 60-67°F (15.5-19.4°C) is the sweet spot. If you’re like me and live in a noisy neighborhood, earplugs or a white noise machine can be absolute lifesavers.

Now, let’s talk darkness. Remember those vampire movies where they can’t stand sunlight? Channel that energy into your bedroom. Blackout curtains or a comfy eye mask can work wonders. And while we’re at it, declutter that space! A tidy room equals a tidy mind,

Oh, and here’s a game-changer – invest in a comfy mattress and pillows. Trust me, your back will thank you, especially if you’re carrying a little one around (in your belly or on your hip).

Before bed, try to unplug from your devices. I know, I know, scrolling through social media is tempting, but that blue light can mess with your sleep big time. Instead, why not try some soothing aromatherapy? A little lavender can go a long way in helping you relax.

Consistent Sleep Habits

Okay, this next part might sound boring, but stick with me – consistency is key! Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. I know it’s tempting to sleep in on Saturdays, but your body will thank you for sticking to a schedule.

If you need to adjust your sleep schedule, do it gradually. Shift your bedtime by 15-30 minutes every few days until you reach your target time. And create a bedtime ritual that helps you wind down. For me, it’s reading a few pages of a book (nothing too exciting, mind you – we’re aiming for sleepy, not “I need to know what happens next!”). Speaking of which, please feel free to download my eBook: Single & Expecting – Pregnancy Checklist for Solo Moms. It is a very practical guide to getting y0ur through your pregnancy via great organisation and crucial checklists.

Pregnancy Sleep Solutions

Pregnancy can turn sleep into an Olympic sport. Those hormones are no joke, and don’t even get me started on trying to find a comfortable position with a beach ball attached to your midsection.

Here’s a tip: invest in some extra pillows. Seriously, build yourself a pillow fortress. Support that belly, put one between your knees, and suddenly you’re sleeping like a queen (well, maybe a slightly uncomfortable queen, but still).

And hey, while we’re talking pregnancy, let’s chat about caffeine. I know it’s most peoples lifeline. But try to keep it to 300 milligrams a day, and stick to mornings if you can. Your future self will thank you when bedtime rolls around. The latest research shows that, if at all possible, you should quit caffein whilst you are pregnant for the both of you.

Managing Nighttime Anxiety

Alright, let’s tackle the elephant in the room – anxiety. It’s like your brain decides bedtime is the perfect moment to replay every embarrassing thing you’ve ever done or worry about everything that could possibly go wrong tomorrow.

One of my favorite coping strategies is journaling before bed. It’s like dumping all those worries onto paper so they’re not swirling around in your head. And if anxiety still keeps you up, don’t just lie there stressing. Get up, do something calming (no screens!), and only head back to bed when you’re feeling sleepy. Another good thing to do is to put together your checklist for the following day, helps get some things out of your brain and onto paper.

Oh, and here’s a bonus tip – exercise! It’s a great way to burn off that anxious energy. Just try to wrap up your workout a few hours before bedtime so you’re not too amped up when it’s time to sleep.

Sleep Relaxation Techniques

Now, let’s talk relaxation techniques. These are like your secret weapons against sleepless nights. My personal favorite is the 4-7-8 breathing technique. You breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7, then exhale for 8. It’s like a mini-meditation that tells your body it’s time to chill out.

Another good one is progressive muscle relaxation. Start at your toes and work your way up, tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. By the time you reach your head, you’ll feel like a noodle – in the best way possible.

The Role of Nutrition in Sleep Quality

You know how they say “you are what you eat”? Well, turns out what you eat affects how you sleep too. Foods rich in tryptophan (think milk, lean meats, eggs) can help you catch those Zs. And magnesium-rich foods like legumes and low-fat dairy? They’re like nature’s chill pills.

Here’s where meal prep comes in handy. Planning your meals ahead of time not only saves you stress during the week but also helps you make sleep-friendly food choices. Plus, you can avoid those late-night heavy meals that mess with your sleep.

And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might want to rethink that evening glass of wine. Alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, but it can actually disrupt your sleep later in the night. Most experts recommend zero alcohol during pregnancy. Actually zero anything chemical!

Rest and Prep Balance

Alright let’s talk about balancing rest with baby prep. It’s tempting to spend every waking moment getting ready for your little one, but remember – rest is crucial too!

Use your energy wisely. When you’re feeling good, tackle those high-priority tasks. Maybe that’s exploring childcare options or setting up the nursery. But when fatigue hits (and trust me, it will), don’t feel guilty about taking it easy.

Building a support network is key. Whether it’s family, friends, or a mom group, having people you can rely on makes a world of difference. And don’t be afraid to ask for help – it takes a village, right?

Conclusion

So there you have it – your guide to catching those elusive Zs. Remember, it’s all about creating the right environment, sticking to a routine, and finding what works for you. Whether it’s building a pillow fort, mastering breathing techniques, or meal prepping for piece of mind and better sleep, every little bit helps.

And hey, on those nights when sleep just isn’t happening? Be kind to yourself. Motherhood is a journey, and sometimes that journey involves a lot less sleep than we’d like. But with these tips and a little patience, you’ll be on your way to sweeter dreams in no time.

So here’s to better sleep, more energy, and rocking this whole mum thing!

[jaxyacksprojects]

Subscribe to my newsletter to keep up to date with what I have going on! If newsletters aren't your thing, you can also join my Discord and come hang out!

Newsletter below the cut (worse formatting and lacking the embeds, but fine if you don't want to click a link):

Live Laugh Stuck

Latest Episodes

Missed a couple updates, so here’s what’s been going on!

We have our penultimate Rating Ship Names episode! I keep joking that by the end of the final one, I’ll have this whole audio/video editing thing down pat. And though I’m far from eager to make more visual heavy episodes (as I am not the hugest fan when podcasts I listen to switch to that), it’s a nice card up my sleeve for future projects.

Next we had our Live Q&A! Which ended up mostly being us chatting. It was fun for everyone to meet up in person! Definitely something I’d like to do again. Eventually I’m going to edit this for the podcast feed, but for now you can watch it on youtube! Nothing visual heavy, but Moosie did make us these cute little gifs!

After that, I accidentally skipped a week! We’ll just say that the live show (combined with the trailer I’ll get to in a second) was the content for that fortnight. Even if I haven’t gotten the live show up on the podcast feed yet. Whoops! But we course corrected and released at our normal time this week, more of our blind readthrough: Moosestuck!

Last but not least, the podcast finally has a new trailer! This ended up being a hit on tiktok, so hopefully y’all enjoy it as well!

Next Up

Two weeks from now we’ll have the final Rating Ship Names episode! I really enjoyed doing the series, and didn’t mind the editing as much as I made it seem (complaining is fun!), but I’m still glad to close the chapter on this project. I have other things I want to be doing that I’ve only barely been able to start before finishing this up! Which should have encouraged me to get it done more quickly, but, well, that’s ADHD for you lol

After that, we might focus on getting through more of Moosestuck while I work on other things, both LLS and not, but I don’t want to say anything for sure as of now.

Jax Elsewhere

I’ve started streaming every Saturday at 11 am cst on Twitch! Currently playing through Dragon Age Inquisition in preparation for The Veilguard coming out this fall! Doing a Solas romance for Extra Feels. I haven’t decided if I’ll stream TV and just up the schedule or do a personal playthrough, but my aim is to keep streaming every Saturday morning, even when I’m done with Dragon Age. It’s something that I’ve been meaning to do for a while, partially as encouragement to get through my vast Steam backlog, so keep an eye on it! And let me know if there’s anything I can do to improve the stream!

Other Upkeep and News

My first Tumblr blog has remained terminated with no communication from Tumblr despite my many attempts to reach out, and in the meantime, my second blog got terminated as well. I had one that I made as a back up and hadn’t used yet, so go check out Jax Yacks Projects if you prefer to keep up to date on Tumblr! My hope is since I’m only using it for projects and other non-personal side blogs, I won’t get nuked again, but we’ll see! I haven’t updated all the links in the show notes, though — it’s on my list of projects.

Links! Click them!

This is where else you can find me on the web! At least some of the places lol If you check out nothing else, come join the Discord! It’s still small, but there’s been a bit more regular activity, and Domi, Justin, and Moosie are all in it as well! It’s also more consistently updated than these newsletters, though I have plans in motion to try to keep this more regular.

Projects Discord Main Website with all project links Live Laugh Stuck Website Ko-fi Live Laugh Stuck Twitter Live Laugh Stuck Tiktok

Poetry Corner

Prompt: “Perhaps it is genetic.” Generated here.

It's cliche The promise to never be like them Which parts we reject Which we ignore

It's ingrained We can never know their whole The parts we never saw The parts just like ours

It decays Does the promise remain unbroken? Can we stop the repetition? Is this a cycle or self-fulfillment?

[transatlantic2023]

Saturday 22nd April

Hello World, Some of the updates may overlap a bit but bear with us, we are all keen to say hello and the watch systems mean that sometimes we are repeating ourselves a little. We are still making good progress however wind conditions have been variable and included light to not so light winds and all aspects of sailing including having to resort to motor at times. Latest conditions mean that we are now heading south of Horta to make the most of the winds and the last day has been excellent with constant winds and bright skies! The Tractor Beam of the Azores has proved too strong to break, an issue with the water maker finally tipping the balance and we will aim to stop in Horta to top up water for the final leg home. Not a problem though as we have water in the tanks so more of a precaution. Old-Skool salt water washing up is order of the day, More pressing is the need to replace the coffee and critically the Peanuts for Nigel! (Planters if possible). Fun fact / tip - Getting dressed on a boat is Tricky!, lurching about constantly at various angles requires a lots of skill and a large amount of luck. My top tip is to try to ensure that the underpants you are trying to put on are actually going to fit and your own !!, and not your nephew's that have some how ended up in your laundry and then been packed! (Lucas I hope that makes you giggle). Yesterday we saw more Dolphins and even a Squid ended up on the deck for a free ride. For clarity the Dolphins stayed in the water :) Galley duties were passed over to Robin for the evening meal, and I must say he delivered a fantastic result! ‘Bully-gnaise' was on the menu and a must add to anyone’s culinary repartee. Speak Soon

Mitch

[biblenewsprophecy]

Death toll rising in Israel-Hamas war–Protestant brings up five points relating to the end times

COGwriter

Over 6,400 are now reportedly dead from the war that Hamas initiated:

October 23, 2023

Health authorities in Gaza said over 5,000 people were killed since the Oct. 7 start of the war between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel. More than 15,000 have been injured, the authorities said.

It is over two weeks since the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its assault on Israel, killing at least 1,400 people and taking over 200 hostage.

CNBC could not independently verify these numbers.

A full surrender of Hamas and the return of Israeli hostages could end Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Jonathan Conricus told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“The aim here is to totally dismantle Hamas from its military capabilities. If that can be done from the air, and with standoff measures, with very limited exposure to our troops and less damage on the ground, that would be great,” he added.

Meanwhile, the European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell on Monday called for a pause in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/23/israel-hamas-war-updates-and-latest-news-on-gaza-conflict.html

Can this have end time prophetic ramifications?

Yes.

Related to Israel and Hamas, we put together the following related video:

14:33

Gaza and Bible Prophecy

Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have claimed that all those in Hamas will be killed or eliminated. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen added that the plan is to make Gaza shrink. Where do those of Gaza and other Palestinians come from? Does the Bible show historical animosities between the descendants of Israel and those of the Gazans and the Palestinians? What does the Bible show that Gaza and Hamas mean? Do biblical prophecies in Amos and Jeremiah point to Gaza ending up with territories that Israel now controls? Can Israel lose territory? Will Hamas achieve some of its objectives? What does the 83rd Psalm prophesy? Might terrorism be involved? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Gaza and Bible Prophecy.

Despite how things may look now, Israel will lose territory to the Palestinians, including the Gazans.

Consistent with Isaiah 22:6-9, we may see Iran get more involved as the following suggests:

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has warned Israel that the Middle East could spiral out of control if it does not stop strikes on Gaza.

He said the US was also “to blame” for providing military support to Israel.

Hours later, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned troops his people were in a battle for their lives and said the war against Hamas was “do or die”.

Iran supports both Hamas, which attacked Israel two weeks ago killing 1,400 people, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

More than 4,600 Palestinians have been killed in the last two weeks in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and Israel announced on Saturday that it was intensifying air strikes.

“I warn the US and its proxy Israel that if they do not immediately stop the crime against humanity and genocide in Gaza, anything is possible at any moment and the region will go out of control,” Mr Amir-Abdollahian said at a news conference in Tehran.

He said that the results could be “severe, bitter” and “have far-reaching repercussions”, both regionally and for those advocating for war.

The foreign minister added that US military support for Israel was evidence that the ongoing conflict in Gaza was “a proxy war carried out by Israel on behalf of the United States”.

Top US officials are also warning the conflict could spread. 10/22/23 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67188346

I believe that this war is setting up for Iran to get more involved and ultimately lead to the fulfillment of prophecies such as Isaiah 22:6-9 which tells of a confederation involving Iranians and Syrians causing “great damage” to Jerusalem.

As far as Iran goes, several months ago, we put out the following video:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Iran and Israel Conflict.

Though they tend to overlook Isaiah 22:6-9, many Protestants suspect this current conflict between Hamas and Israel has end time implications. Notice the following:

Our culture has become increasingly captivated by apocalyptic themes … And with Hamas’ horrific terror attack against Israel making headlines this month, it’s no surprise prophecy discussions are ramping up in some circles.

The conversation comes as many contemporary theologians and pastors believe the world is currently observing numerous signs that mirror the supposedly prophetic contents of verses in Old and New Testament books like Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation. Some of these apparent signs, of course, involve Israel, which is why news about the nation sparks so much intrigue. …

So, let’s dive in and explore in detail the purported signs that some theologians cite:

1) Chaos in the Middle East …

2) Hamas, the Islamic State, and Other Bad Actors: From Hamas’ barbaric attack that killed at least 1,400 Israelis to the Islamic State’s murderous and bloodthirsty quest for power that has plagued nations across the globe, there’s no shortage of chaos. Taking those events into account, many Bible experts will point out that some of the battles described in scripture — clashes that they believe are still unfulfilled — are slated to take place in the Middle East.

3) Israel’s Re-Emergence …

4) Shifts in Morality: The fourth issue that is sparking intrigue about the world’s proximity to the end times is the fact that American culture is changing at a rapid rate, with traditional understandings of marriage and gender transforming, as a more progressive view on sexuality takes root.

There’s a sense among many that immorality is intensifying, which seems to be one of the biblical signs we’re told to look for as love waxes cold and people become lovers of themselves.

5) The Spread of the Gospel: Last but not least is the idea that the Christian Gospel continues to be preached in even the most remote and hard-to-reach geographic areas throughout the world. This matters to many Bible experts due to the fact that Christ, after his resurrection, gave the disciples the commandment in Matthew 28:19 to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Jesus also mentioned this preaching of Scripture throughout the world earlier in the Book of Matthew as a sign of the end times.

“This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come,” Christ said in Matthew 24:14. https://www.faithwire.com/2023/10/19/5-reasons-many-christians-believe-end-times-are-upon-us-and-israel-plays-major-role/?utm_source=wnd&utm_medium=wnd&utm_campaign=syndicated

Yes, there is chaos in the Middle East and there are brutal terrorist groups like Hamas. In times of chaos, many people long for a strong leader to arise.

The Bible tells of one who will control territories in the Middle East and North Africa called the King of the South in Daniel 11:40-43. While he has not arisen yet, the current situation looks to be a factor that will propel his rise.

Israel’s existence as the nation that dominates Jerusalem is consistent with prophecies such as Daniel 9:27, 11:31-41, etc.

As far as shifts in morality goes, the Apostle Paul wrote:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

Terrorists and actions of Hamas this month are consistent with being without “self-control, brutal, despisers of good” as also are abortionists. The above also is pointing a rise in those promoting sexual immorality which has worsened around the world, especially in Western cultures.

Regarding Matthew 28:19, let’s look at it and the next verse:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

In the Continuing Church of God we visited all the inhabited continents to teach and have performed baptisms in all but one of them. We have also uploaded sermons that cover every verse that the New Testament states that Jesus taught.

Here are links to sermons that show that we have done the latter:

MATTHEW Here are links to twelve sermons covering the 28 chapters of Matthew: Matthew 1-2: Greek or Aramaic, Jesus, and the Star?, Matthew 3-5: John the Baptist, Temptations, and the Beatitudes, Matthew 6-7: Charitable Deeds, the Rosary, Prayer, the Golden Rule, and Faith, Matthew 8-10: Married Clergy, Faith, Coming Persecution, and the Ecumenical Agenda, Matthew 11-12: John the Elijah, Sodom, Unpardonable Sin, & 3 Days and 3 Nights, -14: Parables, Mustard Seeds, Birthdays, and Faith, Matthew 15-16: Tradition, Signs of the Times, and The Rock & Peter, Matthew 17-18: Transfiguration, Elijah to Come, Taxes, and Forgiveness, Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?, Matthew 21-23: ‘Palm Sunday,’ Come as You Are?, and the Greatest Commandments, Matthew 24: Temple Destruction, Sorrows, Tribulation, and the Return of Jesus, and Matthew 25-28: Midnight Cry, False Christians, Resurrection, & Teaching what Jesus Taught. MARK Here is a link to a sermon covering all of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Mark: What did Jesus teach in the Book of Mark? Here is a link to six sermons covering all the verses in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 1-2: Author, Prophecy, & Miracles, Mark 3-5: Healing, Demons, and Parables, Mark 6-9: Tradition, John’s beheading, Elijah, and Restoration, Mark 10-12: Marriage, Divorce, Needle Eye, Greatest Command, & Taxes, Mark 13: Temple, Four Horsemen, Troubles, Great Tribulation, and Gospel Proclamation, and Mark 14-16: Jesus’ Priorities & Betrayal, the Resurrection, Signs, and Reaching the World. LUKE Here are links to eight sermons covering the entire ‘Gospel of Luke’: Luke 1-2: John the Baptist, Mary, and the Census, Luke 3-6: John the Baptist, Jesus’ genealogy, Satan’s Influence, and the Sermon on the Mount, Luke 7-9: Miracles, Purpose of Parables, Kingdom of God, and Women Supporting the Ministry, Luke 10-11: The 70, Doing the Work, the Good Samaritan, Prayer, and Signs, Luke 12-13: Priorities, Delayed Fruit Bearing, Little Flock, Prophecy, and the Narrow Way, Luke 14-16: The Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 17-20: Faith, the Kingdom, Gathering, Prayer, & Rewards, and Luke 21-22: Giving, Sorrows, Persecution, Tribulation, Fig Tree, and Violence. The last sermon also covers Jesus’ words in the Book of Acts. JOHN Here are links to a seven-part sermon series covering the entire ‘Gospel of John’: John 1-3: Anti-unitarian, Wine, Being Born Again, & Heaven, John 4-6: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, Miracles and the Bread of Life, John 10-12: Sheep, Hirelings, Lazarus/Soul Sleep and ‘Palm Day’, John 13-15: Footwashing and the Words of Jesus, John 16-18: Truth, Trinity, and Pontius Pilate, and John 19-21: Do not only try, do what God wants. ACTS Here is an article: The Book of Acts. Here is a link to related sermons: Book of Acts 1-2: Jesus Left, New Testament Church Began, Acts 3-5: Miracles, Trials, Proclamation, and Persecution, Acts 6-9: Widows, Stephen, Saul, and Simon Magus, Acts 10-12: Visions, Dreams, and Gentiles, Acts 13-16: Prophets, Poisoning, and Proclamation,Acts 17-19: Travels, Anointed Cloths, & the Gospel of the Kingdom, Acts 20-22: James, Sunday, and Prejudice, and Acts 23-25: Vows, Secrets, Cults, & Criticisms, and Acts 26-28: Shipwreck, the Kingdom of God, & Amen. ROMANS Comments on the Book of Romans. Here are links to six related sermons: Romans 1-2: Believe the Truth of God, Romans 3:-6: Sin, Law, Grace, Salvation, Romans 7-8: God’s Spirit and Guarantee, Romans 9-10: Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Romans 11-12: Gentiles, Jews, and the Fulness, and Romans 13-16: Obedience, Gentiles, Love, and Women. 1 CORINTHIANS Comments on the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians. Here are links to  related sermons: 1 Corinthians 1-2: God’s Spirit & the Ways of the World, 1 Corinthians 3-4: Christianity Requires Repentance, 1 Corinthians 5-6: The Church and Bad Apples, 1 Corinthians 7-8: Sex, Remarriage, and Christian Love, 1 Corinthians 9-10: Authority, Idols, and Love, 1 Corinthians 11-12: Hair, Veils, & Spiritual Gifts, 1 Corinthians 13-14: Love, Prophecy, and Tongues, and 1 Corinthians 15-16: Resurrection Hope, Collections, and Love. 2 CORINTHIANS Comments on the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians. Here is a links to related sermons: 2 Corinthians 1-2: Church of God Suffering and Open Door; 2 Corinthians 3: The New Covenant, Jews, & Gentiles; 2 Corinthians 4-5: Guaranteed Immortality; 2 Corinthians 6: Salvation and Persecutions; 2 Corinthians 2:7-9: Be a Philadelphian Giver; 2 Corinthians 10-11: Faithfulness, Speaking, and Fables; and 2 Corinthians 12-13: Problems and Philadelphian Proofs. GALATIANS Comments on Galatians Did the Apostle Paul do away with God’s law as some claim the Book of Galatians teaches? What is the false gospel? Related sermon videos related to Galatians are available: Galatians 1 and the False Gospel and Galatians 2 & 3: What Law was Added? What was Abolished? and Galatians 4 & 5: Who Does Not Inherit the Kingdom? and Galatians 5 & 6: The Gifts of the Spirit. EPHESIANS Comments on Ephesians. Here is a link three related sermons: Ephesians 1-2: Predestination, Mysteries, & Grace. Ephesians 3 -4: Godhead, Immortality, Your Purpose, and Ephesians 5-6: Put on the Whole Armor of God, Marriage, Child Rearing. 1 PETER Here is a link to an article: 1 Peter: Scriptures and Commentary. Here is a link to a related sermon covering 1 Peter: 1 Peter: Humbly love, God’s plan is eternal. 2 PETER & JUDE Here is a link to an article: Second Peter & Jude: Scriptures and Commentary. Here is a link to a related sermon covering those books: 2 Peter & Jude: Lusts, Prophecy, & 144,000? JAMES Here are links to sermons covering James: Strong Meat: James 1-2 and Strong Meat: James 3-5. REVELATION This is a link to a sermon covering words Jesus spoke as recorded in the Book of Revelation and in first and second Corinthians: Revelation: Jesus’ Final Words.

What about Matthew 24:14?

Well, in addition to proclaiming that on radio around the world (watch Behind the Work 2023: Using Radio) as well as the internet and in person, we now have had our English language booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, translated into over 800 languages, with more being uploaded as we continue to work towards Matthew 24:14 and help set the stage for the fulfillment of Revelation 7:9. Notice the following:

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”

So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9-15)

For people of “all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues” to respond, there needs to be materials that they can understand about the gospel.

Never before in the history of the Christian church has the gospel of the kingdom message been made available in as many languages as we in the Continuing Church of God have been involved with.

As we see many events aligning with properly understood biblical prophecies, make sure that YOU heed Jesus’ warnings about not supporting a lukewarm Laodicean work (Revelation 3:14-18)–support the work that best represents the Philadelphian remnant (cf. Revelation 3:7-13) and holds the Mantle.

Much is happening.

As Jesus stated:

36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)

To be counted worthy, you need to not just keep the commandments and believe in Jesus–but be part of the most faithful remnant of the true church (cf. Revelation 12:14-17). 

Some items of related interest may include the following:

Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to two related videos: Gaza and Bible Prophecy and Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy. Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict. Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video. When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero. Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or ? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años? Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle. There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here are two related items in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra? and Existe un Lugar de Seguridad. Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work. Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many. The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here are two related YouTube videos titled Final Phase of the Work: Need and Background and The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra. And here is a link to a related Spanish language sermon: La obra corta y el Hambre de la Palabra de Dios. 5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s. 6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. 7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?

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LEIGH WOOD VS. JOSH WARRINGTON FACE-OFF QUOTES

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Published: October 06, 2023

Nottingham's Leigh Wood is just days away from defending his WBA Featherweight World Title against domestic rival Josh Warrington in a huge all-British clash on neutral ground at the Utilita Arena Sheffield, live worldwide on DAZN.  Ahead of this Saturday's highly anticipated showdown, both men sat down with Ade Oladipo to film a special feature-length face-off as the build-up to what promises to be one of the biggest fights of the year continues. Nottingham favorite Wood (27-3, 16 KOs) produced a 12-round masterclass against Mexico’s hard-hitting dangerman Mauricio Lara to reclaim his WBA 126lbs crown last time out in May at Manchester’s AO Arena to become Britain’s latest two-time World Champion.  Leeds hero Warrington (31-2-1, 8 KOs) is aiming to become a three-time Featherweight World Champion after surrendering his IBF belt to Mexico’s Luis Alberto Lopez following a close points loss at the First Direct Arena last December – his first defeat in his home city.  Leigh Wood:   Did you ever think you were going to get your opportunities for big fights?   “There were times when I thought I wasn’t going to get the opportunities. There were times when I thought it might pass me by. I always knew I was good enough to win these fights and be at this level. But I thought, ‘Am I going to get these opportunities?’ When I was sat there in the gym in Sheffield and things would come in and fall through all the time. I was going back to my flat and I was crying some days. All I wanted was a chance. I would have fought anyone. One time there was talks, Frampton’s opponent pulled out of a show. I think it was about three weeks’ notice. I told my management I’d take it. That’s how desperate I was getting at the time. There were times when I thought it may not ever happen.”   How did this one come about?   “I’d been on my own path. I got the opportunity for the World Title, I won the World Title, and then I had to defend against Conlan because they were sorting the belt situation out. That was out of my hands. Then I got a choice of who to fight, and Josh had a fight at the time for the World Title, so the next best person for me was the person that beat him. This fight for me made sense because I thought it was going to happen at the City Ground. The best person, probably one of the only opponents in that division to headline that fight at the City Ground, was Josh. It makes perfect sense. The rivalries, the cities, and the clubs. I was gunning for the fight. Once we’d sorted negotiating the fight, we found out we couldn’t have it at the City Ground, the fight was made, so it was like, ‘let’s just do it anyway’.   Do you think Josh is a dirty fighter?   “No I don’t. Without giving too much away I think Josh is good on the inside. He does the right things, head down, hips back. I think if you don’t know what you’re doing in those situations, and you stay where you are – you’re going to clash heads. I can see why people get cut. If you look at other fighters he’s boxed, it’s not been a problem. It depends what you’re doing as his opponent.”   What kind of atmosphere do you expect it to be?   “I think it’s going to be great. The Conlan fight – the atmosphere was unbelievable. The fans battle back and forth. When it’s your own arena and you fill it yourself, you get the entrance – sometimes it goes a little bit quiet. You need a reason to keep going. When my fans hear his fans, and his fans hear my fans – they’re going to keep going.”   Do you think you can knock Josh out?   “Yeah. I’ve been ringside for his last three fights, I’ve seen him get hurt. I know he’s tough. I don’t believe the people he’s been hurt by hit as hard as me and at the same time aren’t as calculated as me, so they might land a few good shots but are they good finishers? Have they got good set ups? I don’t think they have. I think Lara is a big puncher, not calculated, he doesn’t do what he needs to do. He’s not a great finisher in the sense like, gets someone hurt and knows what he’s got to do to set it up. He rushes sometimes, but I believe I’m one of the biggest punchers in the division. Not only that, I can set it up and I’m calculated.”   Leigh, how does it play out?   “I believe he’s going to make the same mistakes he makes and do the same things he always does. I know that I’m going to be dominant the majority of the fight. I’m going to beat him up at times as well. I’m here to win and he’s here to win as well. I know what I need to do to win and I’m confident of doing it.”   Do you remind each other of yourselves?   “He’s a family man. He’s like a Leeds version of me. I’ve said it before, a Leeds version of me who doesn’t box as well as me or punch as hard as me, or has a team that’s in the Premier League. Apart from that, we’re bang on the same. I look and him and familiarise myself with how he conducts himself. A lot of people that know him, mutual friends, say he’s a great guy. It’s irrelevant on fight night, I’m coming to win. After yeah, we’ll have a drink.”   Josh Warrington:   When did Leigh go onto your radar?   “When I first started coming through I think Leigh was probably around the same level that I was at the time. We were probably looking for British Title fights, domestic title fights. I think at the time he’d taken to Twitter, mentioned my name a few times. I thought our paths might have crossed earlier to be honest with you. Recent times – the last 12 to 18 months I’d say.”   Josh is this one that you wanted as well?   “Yeah, it’s natural. Boxing has been booming in this country, in the UK shows. Big fights have been made, no bigger than the domestic rivalry. I’ve had a fair few of them over recent years. Selby, Frampton, Kid Galahad – everyone loves a domestic rivalry. To be fair I’ve been part of Leigh’s success in some kind of way, because if I’d have got through Lara behind closed doors then Leigh would never have got that chance against Can Xu. I’d have boxed Can Xu, may have gone to America – I might be retired by now! Things happen, and he’s faced one of my former opponents who I didn’t manage to get a win over – he has. So I feel like I’ve been part of his journey.”   Do you question whether or not you’ve still got what it takes to compete at the very top level Josh? It is one win in your last four.   “If I listened to the critics I would never have got to the level that I’ve achieved now. I started off slow in my last one, and that’s it – I’ve seen better days. It were me who finished on top at the end. I still feel like I’m in my prime. I really do. I’m feeling top of my game right now.”   What kind of atmosphere do you expect it to be?   “It’s going to be a hell of an atmosphere in the city, never mind the arena. I think Sheffield are playing Huddersfield, so there’s another Yorkshire side in the city. It’s going to be a great night. These are the fights I fu***ng live for. These give me a semi on! It’s good to be part of. When you’re in there and you’re throwing the shots – you have to pause a minute and think, ‘this is living the dream’ – I can’t wait to be in there.”   Do you remind each other of yourselves?   “Leigh will go alongside people on my phonebook like Carl Frampton. I respected Carl before the fight. We had a fight of the year. People want to see us tearing each other out. But we’re old school fighters and real fans will know what we’re capable of bringing to the table. It’s not our style to go to press conference and start screaming and shouting and slagging each other off. It’s mutual respect. We go to the gym, we train hard and we go home to our families. When it’s time to turn it on it’s time to turn it on. Once the business is done, we shake hands.”

(Featured Photo: Ian Walton/Matchroom Boxing)