#and thats the new batch highlights

[leahdecastro]

Firsts

I've had a lot of firsts since I started the fourth year of my life. This is where I start the stage of my life called "student journey."

The first time I went to the school was very memorable. I can still remember how excited and nervous I was when I started going to school. dressed in a neat uniform while carrying school supplies and books in my new backpack. I met a lot of people thats in the same of my age or younger.  This is when I learned to write, draw, color, count, and, of course, make friends. I know going to school for the first time may be tough for me since 4 years old is still a young age. It may be tiring, but I have learned a lot. I still manage to be the second-top student in our batch. As innocent as it is, I am already happy to receive stars, medals, and certificates. That's all that matters to me; I'm not interested in any awards or placements.

Begging my grandmother to buy me toys and candies in the sari-sari store we’ll pass by on our way back home is the highlight of my day. Life was so simple back then. But at that time, at my age, I knew I was stressed over my assignments and exams. It's just that as we get older, we get to compare our perspectives from when we were kids to now.

[kamino-blues]

Peaceful Mornings With the Bad Batch

Rating: Pg and sfw!!

Warnings: Super fluffy!! Kissing and just overall soft!Bad Batch

Note: Honestly imagining how the different Bad Batch members would interact with their s/o in the morning after waking up made me feel so warm and fuzzy 💕At the time of posting this I have not seen the new episode, but I have a feeling that it is potentially going to be angsty! So here is something to hopefully comfort you <3

Wrecker

Wrecker absolutely loves to sleep in, usually sleeping past when he’s supposed to get up

So when you wake up, you are engulfed in warmth, his arms holding you tightly to his body

It takes a lot to wake him normally, but a few kisses against his neck will cause him to slowly open his eyes

He is incredibly soft spoken (by Wrecker standards) when he first wakes up, burying his face in your hair with a small “g’morning”

You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, moving your arms to trace shapes on his back as your eyes close

Both of you never want to leave the comfort of your bed, but sadly being on the run means early mornings

Wrecker wouldn’t get up first, content in holding you, so you would slowly have to pull away (with a lot of light complaining by Wrecker)

You would help pull him up to sitting position, before he would grab you and pull you into his lap, catching you in a lazy kiss

It would take a lot to actually start getting ready, you again having to pull away to stand up

After you both got ready for the day, you two would spend a moment before going out to the rest of the crew

He would pull you into a hug, mumbling a small ‘I love you’ (and you of course returning it)

You both never knew what the day would bring, so having this time to be in each others presence grounded both of you

Echo

Echo was used to waking up early from his time in the 501st, so you would usually feel shifting in yours and Echos shared bed way before you would usually get up

With your eyes half open, you would reach over to where Echo should be, realizing that he got out of bed. You would usually let out a small whine at this, slowly sitting up

More then once you have sleepily made eye contact with a shirtless Echo, in the process of changing the top of his blacks to get ready for the day

He would always be flustered when he realized you were awake, but could never resist you when you made grabby hands at him. All you wanted was for him to come back to bed

After a few moments Echo would make his way back to bed, laying down next to you

You would automatically hold onto him, laying your head on his bare chest as you got comfortable

You mumbled a small 'I love you', which he quickly returned, pressing a small kiss to the top of your head

Echo would run his hand through your hair, slowly luring you back into a comfortable sleep

He would be there when you have to wake up, him lightly shaking your shoulder to lure you to consciousness

At first you would grumble, but as you move your head you make eye contact with Echo

His eyes are so light, looking at you with the most loving gaze you have ever seen

You couldn’t help but push yourself up on the mattress, sitting up so that you could press a kiss to his lips

He would melt into it, wrapping his arms around your neck

You wish it could last forever, but sadly you both had to get ready for the day ahead

So begrudgingly you both pulled away, getting up to start the day (not before stealing a few small kisses as you both got ready)

Tech

It was rare for Tech to go to bed and stay in bed, preferring to work on projects instead of sleeping

So often in the early morning you would feel the bed dip, arms pulling you close as you shift in bed

You usually ended up mumbling something incoherent, causing Tech to let out a soft laugh before giving you a kiss to the forehead

This was followed by him telling you to go back to bed, which you would follow almost instantly

As soon as morning hits, you feel shifting in your arms, trying to get out of your grasp without waking you

You would just tighten your arms at this, letting out a small noise as your eyes open

Tech would ask you kindly to let him get up, but you would distract him by moving your hand up to his face. You would trace the side of his face where his glasses normally rested

You would quietly tell him how cute he looked without his glasses, causing him to instantly flush

Catch him stuttering, still not very good at responding to your compliments

Silence him with a kiss, honestly he would be grateful for it since it gave him something to focus on

Tech would be the one to pull away, standing up while offering you a hand to pull you up

You would take it, and as soon as you were standing you would pull him into a hug, grabbing onto the back of his blacks

You both would exchange ‘I love you's’ before starting to get ready for the day

Tech would finish before you, sitting on the bed with his datapad while he waited for you

When you were done, you would crawl onto the bed behind him, wrapping your arms around his torso while leaning your chin on his right shoulder

No words would be spoken, you both staying there until Tech was ready to go or until you were called to the cockpit of the Marauder

Hunter

Hunter was very regimented, so he slept around the same time every night and woke up at the same time every morning

That was until you came along. Now he was used to staying up a little later to spend time with you, but he would still wake up relatively early

He would always wake up first, waking you up with small kisses here and there

Hunter loved it when you stretched against him, your arms wrapping around him and your legs intertwining with his

You would bury your face in his shoulder while mumbling a small 'morning' to him

He was content with laying there with you, his eyes closing as he basked in your presence

Sadly as he was seen as the leader of Clone Force 99, he would have to be on time to start doing his duties

So he would sit up, pulling you with him. If you wanted Hunter to, he would carry you to the refresher so that you could be near him longer

Hunter let you use the refresher first, mostly because he wanted you to help him with his hair

It calmed him when you ran your fingers through his hair, his eyes closing as he leaned into your touch

After you were done, you would help him tie his headband, him pulling you into a kiss once you were done

You two would stay there for a few moments, not wanting to pull away

Hunter would pull you into a keldabe kiss, where you both would whisper ‘I love you’s’ to each other. Then it was time to start the day <3

Crosshair

It wasn’t often that you would feel Crosshair's arms around you, pulling your back against his chest

When you first started dating Crosshair, he was barely one to pull you into cuddles, but it started to slowly happen as you got much MUCH farther into your relationship

Crosshair is able to fall asleep very easily, but any movement usually wakes him. Thats was one of the reasons that it took so long for him to share a bed with you

So when you started to wake up with arms wrapped around you and Crosshair's chin on your head, you were the happiest in the world

As you woke up this morning, shifting slightly in his arms, you felt his grip tighten around you

He usually will tiredly mutter something along the lines of “good morning doll”, causing you to smile

At this point you would turn in his arms, laying your head against your pillow as you stared at Cross’s face

He would jokingly raise an eyebrow, no words being said before he pulled you against him. Lightly placing your forehead against his, you would stay in that position for a while, both of you comfortable in the silence

As much as Crosshair would never admit it to anyone else, he honestly loved to hold you. It brought a smile to his face

Seeing him smile was the highlight of your day, you couldn’t help but kiss him

You two would stay there much longer then you probably should, but you both didn’t give a damn

Crosshair would be the one to pull away after a while though, helping you up so that you both could get ready

Before you both left, he would pull you into one more kiss, before walking out of the room with his hand on your lower back

I'm thinking about doing a tag list! If you want to be tagged on my writing posts please let me know! 💖Thank you for reading!!

[naydraw]

About the Cuphead show!!

Oh boy, this is going to be looooong

I remember when the game was popular and people were talking about it, but I didn't pay much attention 'cause it wasn't my interest back then, but now with the new episodes on Netflix and the DLC, i decided to give the franchise a chance, and man! The characters are so cute, and fun! I love how they tried to adapt the story from the game, but with lighter aspects (such as change the the way Cuphead loses his soul to the devil, making him lose it in a carnival game reather than a casino bet bc of that "it wouldn't be a good message to the children" shit, and also casinos are illegal in some countries so...) and i love how the show is an opportunity to flesh out the characters and their dynamics with each other.

Speaking of dynamics, I'm going to highlight Henchman's relationship with the Devil and KD here. I absolutely love how he's always trying to calm his boss down, and it feels like he doesn't do that just because it's his job, it feels like he really cares about the Devil's well being. When the Devil was in a bad mood because of his critiques, Henchman new exactly what to say to make him feel bettter and even adviced him to go out and fuck some shit up, whilling to listen everything with joy when he comes back. And you could say "oh he only does that 'cause that's what he's suppose to". NAH DUDE! He even cares for King Dice's well being, like when he dragged KD behind the rock to prottect him from the flames of the Devil's rage episode. Like, he can sense when his boss is about to lose it and knows things can get pretty ugly so he antecipates like "dude take cover, boss is mad!". And the fact that he was worried before the Devil drags Mugman to hell I-

Talking about the end of the season, people said that it was better than S1a which I agree and you know why? Because it change the status quo of the chracters. We all know the standard dynamic is the cup bros vs the Devil. Chuphead does something stupid, the Devil tries to take his soul, Mugman comes up with a plan to escape his grasp. It's important for the bros to stay together, but as everyone could see, they weren't exactly in tune for this batch. And i actualy like that! it builds tension between the brothers so when the Devil kidnaps Mugman, it hurts even more knowing that Cuphead whould probably feel like shit after that. At the same time that i was like "yeah, thats what you get for being such a prick to your brother!" I also couldn't help but feel sorry for him. His expession and the way he says "Mugman?" finaly realising the big mistake he's made... Dude, i can't! It was the best way to end the season!

Now I wanna talk about the cup bros and Chalice dynamic and this can get into a ship-y territory so beware.

First, Chuphead and Chalice. Man, where do I sart with these two... I adore how Cuphead can see that chalice uses her charm as a way to get what she wants, and actualy admires this in her. He tries too act cool around her to get her attention, and once she agrees to help them get the cookies, he immediately considers her as a friend and proceeds to defend her, even after mugman points out that they went to prision because of her, and that she could be lying about the angry mob. He still likes to have her around, and I bet that after he found out she was half ghost he admires her even more now, besides his mischevious personalty goes well with her sly behavior, I can see those two planning the craziest shit just for the sake of adventure.

As for Mugman and Chalice, I love that at first he´s kinda shy, but honest to her unlike Cuphead that wanted to paint himself as someone cool for her, Mugman takes the approach of telling the truth and admitting they just wnated to hang out, because beside him also seeing her manipulative behavior, thought she was a nice person. But of course he would be taken aback after she ditched them when the cops showed up. So much that he was still bitter about it when she came back. He felt betrayed by that, but changed his mind when saw her sad for having to go away, and deal with the angry mob by herself. I think it's partly because he related to her at that moment, as he stated earlier "it was nice not being alone for a while".

But yeah this show has some great potential and i'll talk more about soon bc i just can't get enough.

[thequeengoesroar]

A batch of four of my fav Jellicle Queens-But they’re full human instead of half cat half human lol

Bomba would be such a sexy bombshell as the Queen she is-with dat spikey collar and a tight fitting dress to show off her curves. She prob flirts with every tom but can’t find a true relationship that’s not toxic for both of them. Doesn’t care anyway. Drinks alot when the kittens are asleep. Wears hot red lipstick 24/7. ROCKS that smokey feline eye makeup. Actually a nice sister and a cool vodka auntie to the younger girls of the pack.

Rumpleteazer would be a teen, aged about 17-19. Still childish and naughty, is a tomboy. Has lots of guy friends and was caught shoplifting several times but returned everything back to the store after doing it. Great at acrobatics and can turn a cartwheel whenever she wants. Especially close with her twin Mungojerrie. Her friends have never seen her without her twin. Has orange hair with brown/plantinum blonde highlights. The freckles on her cheeks are just fucking adorable. Still loved by everyone. Is a great friend with her uncle Skimbleshanks, who works at the night mail train. Secretly enjoys Skimble’s dad jokes.

Victoria would be slightly younger than Rumpleteazer. About 15-17. Very soft spoken and enjoys stuff like knitting and sewing. Loves romance novels and listens to classical, but never sings. Learned ballet since a very young age, extremely flexible. Is very new to love and would like to find her mate. Has a good relationship with her brother Mistoffelees. He sometimes does some cute magic tricks for her like pulling flowers out of a cup. Has plantinum bonde hair with pale skin. Her wide blue eyes are so mesmerizing.

Grizabella would be in her 50-60s, and is prob homeless. Was actually hotter than Bomba when she was young and left her family for her own fame and glory. Quickly loses dignity when she started to gain wrinkles on her face. Hated by the Jellicles but Jemima helped her regain ber trust from the other cats. Old D manages to find a shelter for her. Underweight due to not having eaten for a long time. Smokes ALOT. Saggy skin and smeared mascara. Salt and pepper hair that has been unwashed.

YeH thats it for today did any of u guys notice the lil touches I made on them to resemble their feline tails Like Bomba has her fur boa, Rumple had her dangling belt, Victoria has her floof yarn, and Griz has her cigar fumes swirling around her.

Ill be back with Rumple and Mungo.

[skenpiel]

oh god i forgot to check and now 42 more people have taken my sans quiz 

[coral28761464222-blog]

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[hazyheel]

Smackdown Live 2/26/19 Review

Yeah, a bit of an odd night. There were some very good segments, but also the show as a whole felt pretty lacking. Although a couple big returns woke up the crowd, only for them to die back down after Charlotte’s promo. Definitely a weak week for the blue brand, and that sucks to see.

We started out with the contract signing for the WWE Championship match at Fastlane, between Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston. Kofi is still as hot as he has been for the past few weeks, and he talks about how greatful for his fans. Just as Kofi was about to sign his contract, Vince McMahon himself interrupted, and denied Kingston his match at Fastlane. Instead, it would be the returning Kevin Owens, which is quite the surprise. Owens just sat down at the desk, and signed the contract. As Owens and Bryan stared each other down, the crowd chanted for Kofi, and we cut to commercial.

Grade: B-. This was a good segment, and Kofi’s momentum and promo was very good. But this is a rehash of the current Becky Lynch angle, right down to the Vince doing the replacing. This is a weird segment to grade, because the storyline is a blatant copy, but also we had a good promo and a big return. So I’ll air on the positive side for this one.

Backstage, Owens is talking to Shane and Steph about how he sort of blindsided them by being given the championship match, and he suggests that he and Kofi team up against Bryan and Rowan later on, and the match is granted to them.

Back in the ring, we had a tag match between the Bar and the Hardy Boyz, with the return of Matt Hardy. Matt actually looked like he lost some weight, and is looking pretty good. They beat down Jeff, and Matt got the big hot tag, and looked really good. Jeff hit Cesaro with a Twist of Fate, and then Matt hit Sheamus with one too, followed by a Swanton for the win.

Grade: C. Not bad for a return match, and Matt is looking good. I’ll have to see where this goes, but glad to see Matt is back.

Backstage, we had Aleister Black and Ricochet preparing for their match, and Lana makes fun of them for not having any achievements on the main roster, and they talked about how they beat the Revival yesterday, and Black coined his main roster catchphrase quickly.

Next up, we had a United States Open Challenge with R-Truth. Truth said since he was a kid, he wanted to be like John Cena, (obviously doesn’t make sense) so he is gonna try the open challenge. Both Andrade and Rey Mysterio came out to challenge Truth, and they wanted to fight each other, but Truth calmed everyone down. Carmella said that John Cena would fight them both, and Truth agreed, after some protest.

So, a triple threat for the United States Championship was underway. Truth took a big bump when Andrade powerbombed him on the outside. Andrade then intercepted a baseball slide from Mysterio with a dropkick, before they cut to commercial. When we came back, Mysterio hit a huge hurricanrana to Andrade off the top rope. Truth also started copying Cena’s moves, with big pops. When Truth tried to hit the Attitude Adjustment to Andrade, Zelina Vega tried to help him, only for Carmella to pull her off the apron. These three have weirdly good chemistry, only weird because I didn’t see R-Truth as too serious of a competitor. As Mysterio hit Andrade with the 619, Truth rolled him up for the win.

Grade: B. Good chemistry among the three of them, and Truth really held his own. Not sure what Truth will do for mania, but I imagine a multi-man match that could be fun. Mysterio and Andrade always make magic together. And the little interaction among the managers was cool too.

Charlotte Flair then came out and praised Vince for his booking in replacing Kofi with Kevin Owens. The crowd chanted for Becky, and Flair looked pissed. She basically talked about how she was a good company girl, and she is reliable. Thats why she is in the main event of Wrestlemania. She also said that the reason why Lynch got arrested and why Rousey gave up her title because they fear her. Charlotte was getting mega heat as she spoke. Charlotte kept calling Rousey a quitter for laying down the title, and said that she was the true Women’s Champion. She then also claimed that she will be given the title on Raw next week. She pointed at the sign, and walked out.

Grade: A-. I was unsure about this story, with all the drama around Lynch getting removed and such, but it is turning out great. This was an awesome promo that really showed Charlotte’s character. She is better than anyone that is in her path, and she isn’t afraid to tell them that. She also is positioning herself as the golden girl of the company, which is an easy way to get people to hate you. She is so natural in her cocky heel role, and I’m thrilled to see the change. This is probably the best storyline in wrestling right now. Totally the highlight of the night.

Next up, Black and Ricochet vs. Rusev and Nakamura. I don’t really know why Black and Ricochet together, but it seems like it will be consistent. That bums me out, because they should be singles stars, but at least they have real matches. So I’ll deal with it for now. Started out with Black and Nakamura, which could easily be a payperview main event. Ricochet was mainly used for the selling of the match, and the beatdowns. There was one point in the match where Rusev was literally just yelling at Black, calling him a rookie. Which is kinda apalling considering how good Black is. Ricochet had an awesome hot tag, complete with several kicks and a standing moonsault. But right when Ricochet was heating up, Rusev caught him and threw him to the mat. Eventually, Ricochet is able to take out Rusev with a suicide dive, while Black countered a Kinshasa with a Black Mass.

Grade: C-. This was a decent match, and it’s fine for the callups to get this victory, since this team is so new. But still, there is no reason for the two of them to be a tag team. If there aren’t any plans for them on the main roster, I’d rather have them in NXT, where they at least feel special. Still, weird booking aside, the match was okay. I am just worried about Black and Ricochet after what happened to the last batch of callups.

Backstage, AJ Styles is interviewed by Kayla. She tells him that he is in a bit of a slump, and he tells her that while he is, his standards are higher than anyone’s. He blames himself for what Daniel Bryan has become. He also says that he is going to fight his way back to the WWE Championship, and beat his next challenger. Randy Orton then showed up and questioned how integral he was to Smackdown Live’s success. So it is clear that these two are going to go into Wrestlemania against each other. Lacey Evans then does a catwalk.

Into the main event, pitting Kevin Owens and Kofi Kingston against Daniel Bryan and Rowan. Match started out with Rowan and Kingston, and Rowan threw around both Kingston and his partner. However, when Daniel Bryan got tagged in, Owens and Kingston were both able to get offense off on him. Kingston spent much of the match being beaten down, but Owens got a lot of offense against both of them. The match was really just drudging along, until Owens hit Rowan with a Superkick, and then Bryan with a pop up powerbomb, for a near fall. Kingston took Rowan out with a dive, and then Owens then countered a running knee with a stunner for the shock win.

Grade: D+. Pretty boring match until the end, but the booking was super weird. Does Daniel Bryan really need to lose this much? I don’t find it necessary. I get that KO really needed a win, but he could’ve pinned Rowan I think. Either way, Bryan is beginning to look pretty weak. He only wins when the title is on the line, even in tag matches. So, KO looked good, but the champion looked pretty bad.

Overall grade: D+, because the night lost a lot of momentum in the second half.

Pros: Kevin Owens’ return; Matt Hardy’s return; Charlotte Promo; US Championship triple threat.

Cons: rehashing the Becky Lynch angle for Kofi; Weird booking for Black and Ricochet; Daniel Bryan looks weak

Commentary Line of the night: Tom Phillips “Age is a state of mind.”

[haeroniel-doliet]

Turns out its a helluva mess when i start messing beyond flat colors!! Might be a sign to not do so much again (but yet .. practice to get to where im one day happy??)

Like ive done as much as i know how to do at this point in time to the portraits (still gratuitously bloody shame on me :') ) oh except for a background bc WHAT does one DO for a character shoulders up portrait background??? Settled for now on a gradient old school photo style lmao

I like the fix it one as is, a lot (but also i liked the lineart for the portraits better i think) and idk, imngonna try give it a light bit of shadows and lights, maybe step away from a lot of blending bc i think i think thats where i went wrong on the other one

Like, they look fine, but they also look. Meh. Like ive used too much blur tool (i havent, i tried using kritas wet brush thing and it looks....ok close up but the effect is no good when zoomed out like posting size APPARENTLY) and its all noncommittally washy.

(cont'd over thinking)

Am i gonna 'render' them a third time??? Do i have the mental strength?? Bc i think maybe trying for something not so, "realistic" could do me better, like a little more cell shady. But also i dont?? I dont know how to cell shade? I dont watch anime or cartoons v much and my style isnt that cartoony or clean lined?

Maybe on the fix it i can try a more....... Conservative and less blended shade/highlights? (And if i like it/learn smth new go back and re re do the portraits same style) I also just. Idk. How does one make it not look so. Flat and meh?? Im doing basic color stuff ok i think, ive got a bit of texture but its still? Eh???

Honestly i could just post them and move on but i dunno, i have the energy to problem solve a lil bit so why not?? (Not tonight. Im gonna sleep on this all)

Why post shit im not 100% proud of? (Ngl kinda been in the mood to take down that first sketch of the fix it bc it looks nowhere near as good as what i fixed it up to but ....... Ah fuck it i was happy w it when i did it so eh)

Why why why oh why is art so hard?????????

I wanna try and become one of those cool artists who post multiple fun things yknow, like u get inspired and can draw it beginning to post in one evening! Im probably way over thinking and pushing myself to some standard of unrealistic perfection i have for myself...

(also i like thumbnail doodled out like, all these things i wanna draw for a really nice fic i read and even after editing some i have like 8 bits i wanna draw?? 4 as like a mini comic bc i havent done one since i was a child and i think itd be kinda rad if i learned to draw short comics for fic scenes i like??? But yeah basically in one inktober post there would only be 5 ideas (a lil more complicated on average i do give for granted but like. Those took me WEEKS) but yeah i just. I wanna draw them. Even if itll probably take me for fuckin ever... (And i didnt even finish off the last two inktober batches, oh. And i have a uni thesis to do ew) .... I wanna push myself to draw faster (less iterations to get it right) and so i can have rly solid and good and quickly done drawings to then color in as i learn to for future?)

Ugh man. You know what i need to do/shouldve been doing before i jumped into coloring original stuff?? I shouldve done colored studies. Like ive been drawing scenes both from reference and original on the inktobers and i think thats why my drawing/character stuff has gotten decent. I really should just whip out like prettily colored movie screencaps and work on painting studies of them. That would really fix up why i cant figure out lights and shadows and blending in coloring! No horrid tutorials just figuring out how can i make it work for me

And you know? You know what it is okay to have pieces that are from before i figured it out right? Im gonna try a slightly different thing for the fix its (if i hate it, theyre good as flat colors too) and yes they dont have a background either please love of god someone tell me how to add random backgrounds bc im not in the mood of scene building further but they float in off white space atm.

If i learn smth ground breaking and can QUICKLY do a bette rendition of the portraits, sure the perfectionist wins. But maybe just maybe. It would be fine to post them as they are. Yea, they look roughly as lifeless as my first big painting/that dinluke poster redraw. And maybe thats okay. Because hi if i do dedicate to doing like a good few color focused studies of star wars scenes as a treat i can come back stronger and have a better piece???? Its about growth babes. YEA

Alright i said to myself thats it in gonna go sleep on it and continue tomorro but. I thought id slip in here a secret surprise for anyone unfortunate enough to have clicked read more... And i got a little whiplash opening the picture bc it looks. SO WRONG but the more you look at it its like ... Fine. Ok judge for urself and tell me pls, first and second attempts at 'rendering' the portraits (the darker bground was the first attempt just going by gut, the lighter one after trying to watch like 1 tutorial and using more brushes and just generally trying rly hard!!)

yes ive clearly fixed issues in the sketch differently in both so they... look... like different expressions?? idk man idk idk idk see now this small they look differently off!! god the curse of the zoom in and out and perception.

[goldmerryi]

The Bloody Mary is one of those utter blank canvas cocktails that lets bartenders

There will be tons of eyes in version to the UFC brand, and that attention should dispel as a sound shove off for UFC 251 Live Stream the games construct occurring toward pardon, which seems to be headed for a late-third-quarter general pardon.

Take a see at the trailer that was shown, and scan to the demean left corner of the trailer art. It shows the EA UFC 4 logo and says the game will be revealed concerning the day of the UFC 251 pay-per-view.

July 11 is a insert hours of day to unveil the game subsequent to it coincides taking into account what might be the biggest move of the year for the auspices. There are three world-championship fights a propos tap later Alexander Volkanovski taking concerning Max Holloway in a rematch for the UFC Mens Featherweight associate in crime. Petr Yan and Jose Aldo will fight for the vacant UFC Mens Bantamweight title, and UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman will defend his title contiguously Gilbert Burns in the main business.

Very few details have been avowed nearly the actual game, but Ive university some charming things just approximately the roster, per a source. Perhaps thats something that will be revealed about July 11 along gone our first see at the graphics and gameplay.

The Bloody Mary is one of those utter blank canvas cocktails that lets bartenders and home mixologist alike profit creative  both in terms of look and spirits, not to mention the Instagram-worthy added extras you can pile concerning top. The tomato juice base is a sound commencement for all sorts of variations, from an herby and sweet dill pickle understand to a spicy, tequila-spiked Bloody Maria.

Thankfully, making your own restaurant-style Bloody Mary doesnt have to take goal starting from abbreviate, doctoring taking place plain tomato juice gone every contents of your pantry. No issue the vivaciousness you pick  or if you skip the booze every allocation of  the best Bloody Mary mixes should pack a punch. With myriad pre-made mixes re the melody, its easy to pay for a ruling one that suits your tastes. But not each and every one growth-bought Bloody Mary mixes are created equal, and quality in slant toward of fact varies across the board.

Sure, there are those beloved standbys that have been following reference to for decades, but theres with a crop of little-batch producers making superb hand-crafted mixes that are worth checking out. After sampling more than two-dozen appendage-bought Bloody Mary Mixes, here are our peak picks for the best Bloody Mary mixes to attempt right now, for brunch and more than. The bold and eclectic liveliness of Austin is bottled occurring in this Bloody Revolutions lineage of mixes, created in the Texas capital. There are six flavors from which to select, starting in the midst of the indigenous, which has a affluent, delicious taste that highlights choice veggies (when spinach, watercress, carrot, parsley and beet) again unchanging tomato.

The heat comes from horseradish and cayenne pepper sauce, and its finished off when some cumin, which adds some smoky flair. Other flavors easily reached combined habanero, pickle zest, ribeye and altogether one bagel thats spiced definite to its reveal. Also, the bottles have a fun shining design, which after that reflects the citys vibe.

Toma stands out for having the most puzzling ventilate profile that in reality takes the Bloody Mary to the neighboring level. First blended in Queens, New York, Toma moved upstate after its initial talent to take encourage on its heritage. They use sriracha and chipotle-tomatillo sauce in additive to horseradish to make heat, and their blends are undoubtedly concerning speaking the spicy side  particularly the native. Theres moreover a pleasant amount of Worcestershire sauce balanced out once tamari, mustard, agave and raisin. This is the mix to get for anyone looking to allow on their brunch menu to the neighboring level. Charleston is delightful for those who dont move a pedestal the taste of horseradish, as this join up gets its heat from a habanero mash and sports arena pepper. Its center-of-the-road in thickness and has less of a tomato taste. Its with the complete Worcestershire sauce-understanding when behind a medley of vegetables and marjoram, in addition to sea salt for a briny be neighboring to and a exasperated sweetness from a suggestion of brown sugar, taking cues from classic South Carolina low country cuisine. Pair it behind crab cakes, baked mac and cheese, or a dozen oysters upon the half-shell. 

The move will be the first of four set for Fight Island, AKA Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, and takes area July 11. In the main situation, Kamaru Usman will defend his welterweight championship against the zenith contender Gilbert Burns.

In a rematch, Alexander Volkanovski makes his first featherweight title defense agains the man he defeated to become champion at UFC 245, Max Holloway. Plus, a accumulation bantamweight champion will be crowned as Petr Yan will meet the expense of a complimentary reply upon Jose Aldo.

Rounding out the main card will be the second meeting along in the middle of former strawweight champions as Jessica Andrade will see to involve to 2-0 neighboring to Rose Namajunas, and Amanda Ribas will square off as well as to Paige VanZant, who will enter the octagon upon the last achievement of her UFC mixture.

[spryfilm]

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018)

Sci-Fi

Running Time: 135 minutes

Written by: Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan

Directed by: Ron Howard

Featuring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany

Han Solo: “I heard a story about you. I was wondering if it’s true.”

Lando Calrissian: “Everything you’ve heard about me is true.”

Critical Commentary:

Was anyone really wanting a Han Solo origin story? Had Disney and Lucasfilm’s run out of ideas so quickly that this was their second non-episode movie out of the gates? Not only that but with all the behind the scenes shenanigans that took place would this even be executed very well – expectations were set pretty low for me on this one. The producers had begun by making a decision that at this point for any blockbuster is de rigueur, that is assembling a relatively unknown (and cheap) main actor (Alden Ehrenreich) then surrounding him/her with a bunch of well-known character actors or lead actors slumming it, as well as taking a large pay check, which explains the presence of Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton and Paul Bettany. As has been the case with the previous ‘Star Wars’ spinoff you hire an up and coming writer or director, let them do their work, then fire them for not making a movie you like, hence the original directors Lord & Miller were replaced with a safe middle of the road director like Ron Howard, who knows how to follow a mandate. What remains to be seen is if “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) is really a worthy entry into ‘Star Wars’ lore or will it fall short with a simple story, routine characters, or will it be fondly remembered in the long term. Unfortunately with expectations so low it could manage to be seen as a victory that may please fans after the negative reaction that fans (not critics) had with the what I think is the excellent “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017). What I found was that I enjoyed the experience of watching the movie but it had no real impact once the credits started to roll, judging from the reaction in the sparsely populated screening I attended the feeling was a common one.

The one thing that Ron Howard as director knows how to do is direct a script, place a camera, deal with actors as well as studios and to bring a coherent story to the screen. However, the one thing Howard has never had to do is to deal with a studio like Lucasfilm, operate with the budget here, in excess of US$200 million or to rescue a perceived troubled production. To be fair Howard had a lot going for him, some supportive producer’s as well as a mostly extremely experienced cast, that he bolstered by adding Paul Bettany as well as a crew that had seen it all before he arrived. What he has put onscreen is as you would have expected some great CGI sequences as well as some humour, which he knows very well and has let his stars shine in a movie that is all about bravado and one of ‘Star Wars’ best loved characters who here is not the brave General from the past three movies but more of the braggard from the first movie that audiences have loved over the past forty years.

The movie is centred on Han Solo who finds adventure when he joins a gang of galactic smugglers, including a 196-year-old Wookie named Chewbacca. Indebted to the gangster Dryden Vos, the crew devises a daring plan to travel to the mining planet Kessel to steal a batch of valuable coaxium. In need of a fast ship, Solo meets Lando Calrissian, the suave owner of the perfect vessel for the dangerous mission — the Millennium Falcon.

The star of this movie is in the title, anyone who was going to try and play Han Solo, filling the shoes of legendary superstar Harrison Ford was not only going to have a big job on their hands but was going to have to face the wrath of all the fans who would be judging him from the first stills that were published last year. It has fallen to relative newcomer Alden Ehrenreich to play Solo, who for the most past does a passable if not admirable job, which is saying something as there had been some early negative reports about his performance from the set. The supporting cast is absolutely filled with some terrific actors who all give their usual high standard of performance, they include Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton and Paul Bettany, all playing tropes you will recognise from hundreds of other science fiction movies not forgetting any number of characters from the ‘Star Wars’ universe. As for the new blood of actors that have been cast including Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridgewho all contribute something special in a movie that could have seen them marginalised in a variety of ways it is Glover who really shines stealing the movie from all involved. Donald Glover playing Lando Calrissian is all about performance of a character that has only been hinted at and seen very little in the canon, here we see Lando as a young man who is all about legend and action, if there is going to be one character from this movie that should be seen in a stand-alone it is Lando being played by Glover whose status as a performer is only getting bigger. Then there is the voice of Phoebe Waller-Bridge who has become famous for her excellent series “Fleabag” (2016 – present) here does an Alan Tyduk playing a robot with all the right moves as well as all the right lines, something that has been expected in a ‘Star Wars’ movie for the past few years.

This is, in the end a very safe bet, there is nothing offensive in its execution, it has no teeth or makes no real leaps from any other similar movie, which is a shame as it could have been so much more. There are no real narrative surprises at all, no real surprise reveals, in fact as the narrative rolls on you can guess what is going to happen next, almost everything is covered off in the first half of the movie. I actually struggle to see the point of a movie like this other than making a lot of money, which is fine as thats what studios are supposed to do. However in the long run do movies like this hurt the brand of the ‘Star Wars’ brand? I think they do, I was only drawn to this to do a review, I think I will be giving the next spinoff a miss only because they lack any real narrative surprise or bite.

As with all major blockbusters as well as ‘Star Wars’ movies there is a reliance (some may say over reliance) on special effects that seem to up that stakes from movie to movie. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” is no different with not only some great set pieces but the time and money needed to pull these off has been dedicated to them and they look simply amazing especially for a movie that is essentially a spin off from the main run of movies. My only concern is that the next few spin off movies will attempt to increase the CGI stakes, it might be a nice break to have a character driven story instead of one driven by special effects.

There really is nothing negative about this movie, it is a run of the mill origin sotory something we can expect more of as the years go by and Disney/Lucasfilm want to release a ‘Star Wars’ movie each year, we can probably expect to see a drop off in quality as well as more issues behind the scenes as filmmakers attempt to make something different while the producers want to make more of the same vanilla type movie. It actually does not matter what anyone says about this movie, it is going to have a huge opening weekend, and go on to make around US$1 billion dollars worldwide, giving licence to Disney to make more of these movies. The only thing stopping the money making machine will be the time of year it is being released at, this is the first ‘Star Wars’ Summer movie release so there is definitely more competition, this will be a true test of the brand in terms of other blockbusters, this will be an interesting time indeed.

Technical Commentary:

Video:

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” was shot at 3.4K and 6.5K with Arri Alexa cameras and given a native 4K digital intermediate, though the home release lacks Dolby Vision. I have nothing bad to say about the image at all. It looks superb throughout, and on an OLED the vast number of HDR highlights pop off the screen. Even when there is a full field of snow, the brightness isn’t too high  so it won’t blind you. As far as the image goes, I’ve got nothing but great things to say about Solo.

Audio:

There is good use of the Atmos channels for scenes, action scenes pan around you, and vocals are clear, but the impact is lacking.

Special Features:

Solo: The Director & Cast Roundtable: Sit down with director Ron Howard and the stars for an intimate and entertaining discussion of the film’s making.

Team Chewie: See what it takes to bring your favorite Wookiee to life in this lighthearted look behind the scenes.

Kasdan on Kasdan: Iconic Star Wars screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and son Jonathan share what it was like to write the movie’s script together.

Remaking the Millennium Falcon: Track the transformation of the most famous ship in the galaxy, from Lando’s swank and impeccable pride and joy to Han’s stripped-down hot-rod freighter with “special modifications.”

Escape from Corellia: Get behind the wheel for the making of this high-octane chase through the streets of Corellia.

The Train Heist: Explore the challenges and thrills of creating this action-packed sequence, including its remote location and spectacular effects.

Becoming a Droid: L3-37: Meet the newest droid—and the talented actor who helps bring her to life.

Scoundrels, Droids, Creatures and Cards: Welcome to Fort Ypso: Take an in-depth tour of the rough-and-tumble bar where strangers mix and gamblers risk all in the legendary card game, Sabaac.

Into the Maelstrom: The Kessel Run: Join Han and Chewie at the controls of the Millennium Falcon to see how this legendary moment in Star Wars history unfolds.

Deleted Scenes

The Millenium Falcon: From Page to Park – An exclusive look at the history of the most famous ship in the galaxy, its origin and development, and how it will translate in one of the most anticipated expansions in Disneyland’s history

  4K Blu-ray review: “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) Sci-Fi Running Time: 135 minutes Written by: Jonathan Kasdan & Lawrence Kasdan…

[tosinfinityandbeyond]

I N D I A  (2/4)

                                               Meet the fab 5

Shout out to Kaylee’s mom for coming up with the best name for the family of 5 that traveled to India together. I think its time I introduce you to the group and also shamelessly describe how they are each individually so wonderful.

Kaylee and Perry (Top left)- They are the definition of couple goals. They are, in my mind, 2 best friends who fell in love and enjoy every second of this adventurous life together. They NEVER make you feel like the third wheel. They compliment each other in every way possible.   

Bridgett (bottom left)- The coolest most suave girl you may possibly ever meet. If it isn’t her cute laugh, her inability to burp or her stylish wardrobe. There is something about Bridgett that keeps you smiling. Im smiling right now just thinking about her. 

Monica(top right)- She is the nicest girl you may possibly ever meet. In my 2 years of living in Thailand and traveling Asia with her, I don’t think I’d ever seen Monica kill a bug. She is extremely soft spoken and she cares for each individual so deeply. I don’t think I met anyone while traveling in India that didn't fall in love with her just after one conversation.                            

                                              Darjeeling, India

We took an overnight train from Kolkata to Darjeeling. It took us, if I remember correctly, 14 hours on an overnight train. There is no way to actually explain the culture shock of riding a train in India. It is unlike any train you may ever ride in your life. The sleeper non-AC cabin is divided into small compartments of 6 beds. A lower, a middle, a top. I would soon learn the best bed to have is the top one. You avoid being woken up by other trains going past in the middle of the night. Most importantly, in the morning you aren’t woken up by people pushing your feet aside so they can sit down. If its not that, its the chai tea man selling what Perry describes as the best tea in India. 

After what seemed like forever on the train, we then got in a jeep like car that took us up into the mountains. On our drive up we spent a lot of time in and out of clouds. It was so wonderful but it also got super cold. How was I cold in India? The whole trip with the train and drive up was pretty much 16-19 hours. We finally made it though. We stayed at Vikkyz homestay where we would be served some of the best food I had while we were in India. I recommend this homestay to anyone ever traveling to Darjeeling/Goum area.

I think it is important to note that the people that lived in Darjeeling/Goum did not look Indian. Darjeeling is located at the very top East of India. It borders Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. They were uniquely them with their own beautiful culture. A lot of things happened in Darjeeling so I think its best to highlight the main things.

1. We had a huge sleepover again and we got deep. Being so used to all sleeping in the same bed in Kolkata, we decided it shouldn't be any different even in a new town. We pushed our 2 beds together and enjoyed each others company. We played cards games after long days of adventuring and at night we got personal about our lifes. There is something about traveling and being with new people that accelerates a friendship. There is also something about Perry Watkins and Kaylee Walker that gets you spilling out your insecurities and your deepest fears. Not because they force it out of you but because Perry, with his genuine heart, asks the right questions and Kaylee, with her beautiful eyes, make you feel like whatever you say....they make you feel like they could be your safe place.  And I mean, that they are and still is. 

                   Im currently crying as I type that. They are really great.

2. We hiked a huge hill (that thing felt like a mountain). We woke up 3am the next day, after our arrival to Goum, to go watch the sunrise from Tiger Hill.If you are lucky, while on Tiger Hill you can look over and see Kangchenjunga, the 3rd highest mountain in the world. A typical person who wasn't in shape, like me, would have reserved a seat on a jeep the day prior. I didn't. My crew was ready to hike and I wasnt going to take a ride up by myself. It was hard. It was steep. It felt like forever. I played Coldplay on my phone to help pass the time. IT WAS WORTH IT ALL. It made getting to the top that much sweeter. The sunrise that much more beautiful. The wind touching my skin that more delicate. The moment that much more memorable. 

3. I fell in love with tea. Not that thats anything big to take away from such a wonderful place, but the tea was so incredible. Our host family also delivered it at all hours of the day( legit all hours). Your girl is lactose tolerant and kept taking one for the team every time they knocked on the door with a fresh batch. We even got to go to a tea garden and hung out with a woman who introduced us to even more tea. We also watched Kaylee and Perry pretty much adopt the kid in the picture below.

We would be heading to Varanasi after Darjeeling and for the day we wanted to leave they were sold out of sleeper beds. They were sold out of seats/sleep beds for like 3 days actually. So we decided we would buy standing seats on a 18 hour train ride. What were we thinking? We were thinking our time in India is too short to let the train schedule dictate when and where we should be. So after 4 wonderful days in the mountains, we were off to the holiest city in India.