#anyway i am v excited for this story to really get goin

[night-triumphantt]

This is how I imagine the reveal of sev and nikki being back together is going to go

[leverage-ot3]

notable moments from The Maltese Falcon Job

leverage 2.15

Hardison (checking phone): Guys, they are ripping through Nate and Tara's cover stories. All their financials are blown. So look, until I know what they know, no credit cards, no debit cards, no ATMs, nothing that can be traced back to us. OK? Cash in hand only.

- - - - -

Nevins (on phone): No, not a safe house. Interpol wants Culpepper someplace off our system. We're taking him to the Governor Hotel.

Nate: OK, that's it. That's where we're gonna hole up.

Tara: The Governor Hotel?

Nate: Yeah.

Tara: The hotel crawling with FBI?

Eliot: FBI and Interpol.

Nate: Yeah, you know, it's the one place in Boston they won't be lookin' for us. Come on, we just gotta get there first

smart

- - - - -

Tara: Oh, thank God! I just stepped out to get the paper and then my door closed behind me and I tried to find a house phone, but you guys don't have those anymore. (drops towel) Oops.

Man: Uh...

(Eliot and Parker look down the hall, then at each other, then down the hall)

parker, g i r l, close your mouth

they were both slightly Into It™ and you can’t change my mind

- - - - -

Hardison: In-room checkout. (sits down on bed with keyboard) OK, look, this means that I have access to the hotel's billing computers. It's a big ol' backdoor in every hotel room in America. (hacks system) As of right now, we've been here for a week, and our reservations are good for another week, courtesy of this man's platinum card, Mr. Ogden Shields, who has spent a lot of time in the adult section of pay-per-view. I mean, did he even leave the room?

Parker: In-de-panties Day?

~ a few moments later ~

(Parker takes keyboard from Hardison’s hands)

Eliot: All right, I'm gonna go get some keys made. I'm goin' to the gym. Make sure I can charge stuff on the room.

Hardison: I gotcha.

(women moaning on TV)

Parker: Wow, she really wants that car clean.

Hardison: That’s-that's enough of that

parker is baby and hardison wants to protect her from that nastiness

- - - - -

Nate: Why do we care about him?

Hardison: 'Cause he's big on the surplus weapons market.

Eliot: (laughs) That's just a polite way of saying arms dealer.

Tara: His specialty's buying cheap guns from Third World countries and reselling 'em.

- - - - -

Nate: Don't worry about Sterling.

Eliot: Did you just say, "Don't worry about Sterling?"

Nate: Yeah, don't worry about Sterling. What you don't think I can beat Sterling?

Eliot: I think in the last six months, Nate, I've heard you talk about beating the Triads, beating the Russians. All right? Maggie's boyfriend. Huh? How'd that work out? We all said that meet was a bad idea, right? But you got a taste for taking down this Mayor and you can't resist.

Nate: You wanna walk away? Walk away.

Eliot: I'm not walkin' away. It's not my job. My job is to get your back. And, Nate, I'm gonna do it. All the way down. But I need you to do your job.

Nate: And what's that?

Parker: Be Nathan Ford. Be the person we came back for

PARKER BABY she showed emotion I’m so proud of her

- - - - -

(Eliot holds up the piece of paper taken from Bonanno’s house that reads ‘Maltese Falcon’)

Eliot: That's still bugging me, man.

we love to see eliot confiding/leveling with hardison

- - - - -

Parker: Ooh! But, uh, I have mini-bar.

her in the maid outfit with the french accent

+ HER WINK IM GAY

- - - - -

Nate: You help Tara and Parker. I'm gonna stall Sterling.

Hardison: How?

Nate: I'm thinking.

(Sterling gets into an elevator. Nate heads up the stairs, stopping at every floor to push the elevator button. Sterling begins to get irritated when the elevator stops at every floor but never sees Nate, who gets progressively more tired as they go upward)

[Hallway]

(Sterling gets off on the 14th floor. Behind him, Eliot pushes his cart into the elevator. Sterling glances at him but the door closes before he can get a good look. Sterling approaches the door the FBI agents are guarding)

petty and fucking ICONIC I wouldn’t have the stamina for that but neither would nate tbh and honestly he was probably running on pure spite to make that happen and I respect him for that

- - - - -

Parker: Housekeeping!

(she goes inside, pulling her cart in behind her. Once in the room, she finds Tara and Hardison in the window. Hardison is tangled in his line, and Tara is trying to help him)

Hardison: Ow. That's... Stop. Hey, I got this. Stop. I don't need help.

Tara: Clearly you do.

Hardison: I got this. I got this. Go.

LMFAO E V E R Y TIME

we love to see the running bit of hardison utterly FAILING at anything rappelling related

- - - - -

Culpepper: Where are the agents? Where are the agents? There should be two FBI agents standing at the door.

(Eliot walks in with Parker thrown over his shoulder)

Nate: Did you have to?

Eliot: She saw our faces.

Nate: OK. Yeah, put her in the tub with the others.

(Eliot takes her into the bathroom)

- - - - -

eliot can always knock a bitch out with one (1) punch

- - - - -

Sterling: So, I'm gonna make you a deal. You find Kadjic, tie him to the guns, I'll give you a free pass. Just this once, you get to walk away with your record wiped clean.

Nate: My team?

Sterling: They go down. Every last one of 'em. They deserve to go down. They're criminals, Nate. Thieves. So that's the deal. You bring me Kadjic and the guns, and I cut you and you alone loose. Because at the end of the day you're always right. You're not a thief. This is your second chance.

(Sterling picks up the flask and walks away)

this was actually really interesting to see. sterling leveled with nate. he knows nate, knows how he works, thinks he knows who nate really is on the inside. they have a Past™

- - - - -

Nate: Yeah. No. I... I, uh... Listen, I need you to come back. Um... I need you. Uh, I need you.

[Interior Helicopter]

Sophie: No, no, no. Speak up. I'm traveling and...

[Leverage Headquarters]

Nate: Not the team. Me. For me. Not for a con. I just... Listen, I... I don't know who I am anymore, Sophie. And, ah... When, when I was chasing you and everything and we were doing cons, I knew who I was, but not anymore. As crazy as this sounds, I need you to tell me, tell me when I'm goin' too far. I mean, it just... It gets out of control and I just don't know who I am and, and you've always been... .y compass. And, you know, I care about you more than yo-you'll ever know, because I lo... I lo...

lmfao when the signal is lost? tragic

- - - - -

eliot is wearing a flannel in the final scenes

- - - - -

the obama portrait very visible in the background of the government building? we love to see it

- - - - -

eliot DING DONG WE’RE HOME spencer owns my whole (whole) heart

- - - - -

Nate: What are you doing?

Eliot: Countin' all the guys with guns.

Nate: How many?

Eliot: A lot

smart and TOTALLY an eliot thing to do

- - - - -

Parker: Don't worry. No one's ever died going in through an air duct.

Tara: Oh, this is comforting.

Parker: I mean, worst case, you slip and fall. Break your legs. Lay there for days, scratching on the metal. It's like a long, metal coffin with wind. (excited) Let's go!

(Parker runs across the roof)

she’s baby and I love her. never, ever change parker

- - - - -

Computer: Match identified.

Hardison (bending over keyboard): Damn, you finally found something, half-pint?

HE CALLS HIS COMPUTER HALF PINT ??? ICONIC

- - - - -

Hardison: Parker, where are you?

Parker: Sorry, had a buzz from the alarm system, I couldn't hear a... thing. What?

(Parker’s face hardens and she heads for Tara, who is putting the rappelling gear back in the oxygen tank)

Tara: Parker, what's wrong?

(Parker grabs Tara by the throat and pushes her back until she is leaning over the edge of the building)

~~~

Tara: You're really strong.

Parker: Yeah. I hang from buildings with my fingertips.

Tara: It's not what you think. I was setting up a meeting!

Parker: Actually, that was exactly what I was thinking. Bye now.

Tara: Not for myself

- - - - -

ANNIE KROY IS BACK

- - - - -

(Eliot, his hands tied, is being led to some stairs by two goons.)

Man: I'll get the hatch.

(one man moves ahead of Eliot while the other stays behind him. When Eliot doesn’t follow the first man up the stairs, the second pushes him)

Man 2: Come on.

Eliot: Thirteen.

(Eliot and the second man struggle, sending gunfire rifling across the ceiling before the second man is knocked down. The first man comes back and kicks Eliot in the face. Eliot kicks him in return)

Eliot: Come here!

(Eliot swings his hands across the first man’s face, knocking him back)

Eliot: Twelve.

(Eliot knocks the first man out)

Eliot: Eleven.

(Eliot starts up the stairs, but hears someone else coming and waits around a corner. After a brief struggle, he knocks this man out as well and breaks the zip ties on his wrist)

Eliot: Ten. (heads up the stairs

HOOOOO BOY

MARK ME DOWN AS SCARED AND HORNY

also if parker and hardison know what he was doing? they’d be marked down as the same

- - - - -

Tara: All she asked was that I report back to her every now and then. Are we sure this is the fastest way?

Parker: Yeah, look. (looking at car GPS) There's no traffic this way. So, you were spying on us.

Tara: I was not spying. I was an early warning system. Sophie just, she was worried Nate might go off the rails. So, if it ever looked like he was spinning out of control, I was supposed to call and let Sophie lay in a backup plan just in case.

Parker: Yeah. Why not us?

Tara: Because you were too likely to forgive him.

Parker: I suppose gettin’ busted by the FBI and trying to bring down arms dealers while kidnapping a mayor does qualify as out of control.

Tara: So, anyway, I used my contacts to get Sophie set up as a buyer for the guns. You know... You actually had me worried for a second that you were gonna drop me.

Parker (laughs): That is silly

- - - - -

(Hardison is carrying a large monkey wrench and smiling. He hears noises and goes to investigate, seeing Eliot starting up a ladder)

Hardison: Hey. It took you long enough.

Eliot: What?

(Eliot starts toward Hardison, but a man points a gun to his head)

Man: Freeze.

(Eliot grabs the gun and knocks the man out)

Eliot: One.

Hardison: What

hardison if he knew what eliot was doing: hot damn

- - - - -

(the team gathers together. Parker hugs Sophie)

Sophie: Ooh. Parker touching.

Parker: Kinda, yeah.

- - - - -

Eliot: There's not that many ways out of here.

Sophie: Eliot, when I arrange a rescue, I do it properly.

(a helicopter lands on the docks near the ship. The team heads down the stairs, but Nate hesitates, looking down at the blood on his hand from his side. He goes down the ladder to join the team on the lower deck)

- - - - -

Nate: I've destroyed all the evidence the FBI has on Culpepper and Kadjic. You have no photos, no tapes, you don't have anything. You don't have a case on anybody, unless you arrest me. And only me.

Sophie: Nate?

Nate: I agree to turn state's evidence. I testify to what Kadjic told me, how he put the hit on Bonanno. Hell, I'll even give you Bonanno's evidence against the gunrunning.

Eliot: Nate, I can take these guys.

Hardison: It's just ten more yards to the chopper, man.

Nate: Listen, guys. I got you into this mess. This is the only way to get you out.

eliot is still ready to fight for his family no matter what and hardison just wants them to leave because they’re SO CLOSE

- - - - -

Nate: Come here.

(the team moves closer to him)

Nate: You guys are the most honorable people I have ever met in my life. You've become my family. My only family. I won't forget that. (looks at Eliot) Now get 'em on the chopper. Please. Now!

Eliot: Let's go.

(Eliot nudges Parker and she reluctantly heads for the gangplank. Eliot touches Hardison’s arm)

Eliot: Let's go, man.

(Hardison walks away. Eliot hesitates a moment, shaking his head, then follows the others, hesitating at the top of the gangplank near Sterling)

nate trusts eliot, and only eliot, to be the one to be able to get the rest of the team out of there and into the helicopter. he knows eliot and how much he cares for his family and will do anything to make sure they’re safe, and nate is betting on that to get them out of there

eliot has to be the one to make parker and hardison move because they’ll listen to him and also there would be a good chance that they’d try to stay with Nate otherwise

+

his gentle hands leading them away have my whole (whole) heart

- - - - -

(Sophie and Eliot get on the helicopter, Eliot hesitating one last time before getting in)

this hurts eliot so much because he’s the RETRIEVAL SPECIALIST and he’s supposed to get everyone safe and never leave anyone behind I’m-

- - - - -

Agent: Who the hell is this guy?

Sterling: I don't know.

Nate: My name's Nate Ford, and I am a thief.

(more sirens are heard. Nate begins laughing as the helicopter lifts off and more police cars and agents arrive, surrounding Nate and the dock. Nate watches the helicopter fly away)

MAJOR character development for nate this season (2.01 had him refusing that he was a thief and in multiple other episodes in this season)

oh and also, y’all, just like last season, if I had to watch this go down like that with my own two eyes and have that be the end of leverage (because they close every season like it’d be the last) I would have fucking R E V O L T E D

[bangtanfan]

How Black Swan helped me get back my lost passion

When I was in first grade I wrote my first poem. When I was in third grade I wrote my first story. That's when I fell in love with writing.

I would write every single day. I would stay up until 3-4 am just writing and I loved every single thing about it. I loved writing and I loved what I wrote.

I kept that passion fired up until late in high school when I discovered a website where you can share your stories. I was excited because for so long I was the only one who read my stories. I was excited to share it to people and to have positive feed back. I was so sure I can do it because to me, my stories were great! But it didn't turn out the way I wanted to.

Months passed, I have published 20+ chapters of my stories but there were less than 100 views. There were no comments either. That to me was a failure. I realized that I wasn't as good as I thought I was but that didn't stop me from writing.

I would bring my stories to school, working on them during breaks and even letting my classmates read them. Until one day, while my classmate was reading one of my stories, hw returned my notebook back to me and said that he didn't feel like reading it anymore because it was boring. That was when I started to really doubt myself.

Am I really good at it? Or do I just think that way? For a teenager these comments really hurt a lot. It's something that I loved dearly and something I was really really proud of so when they told me it was boring I was really discouraged.

It didn't help that I still wasnt getting reads on my stories that I published online. It came to the point where I reread all of my chapters to check for grammatical errors or just any mistake. I thought maybe if I wrote it 'perfectly' then people would start to appreciate it.

It went on like that for years. I wrote with perfection in mind. The first thing that I ask myself when I write is if people would like it.

I was still unsuccessful. I was also slowly writing less and less. There was no satisfaction anymore. I felt like there was no point because nobody liked them anyway.

Then came college. It was busier this time. I had no more time for anything other than studying. So I stopped writing altogether. I had 10+ stories that I put on hold.

I busied myself with other things. I wrote my thoughts on paper but I no longer wrote stories. Sometimes the urge to write again would come but every time I open a new notebook I would just stare at it not knowing what to do. It was sad because I realized that the one thing that brought me joy before doesn't bring me happiness anymore. I felt nothing. Then I felt scared.

I was scared when I realized that I was losing my passion. I was no longer the young ambitious girl who stays up all night making worlds and creating characters. I was no longer passionate about writing. I felt so lost because for so long that to me was my identity. I was a writer. Was.

But I just let it go because like I said I was busy with other things.

Until that day when I was reviewing for the board exams. I looked over to the notebooks that I haven't opened in years and I just cried because I remembered what I really wanted to do. I wanted to write. I didn't want to become an accountant I wanted to become a writer but I thought that was impossible because I no longer felt happy.

I was scared because I lost that feeling. I was scared and I was desperately trying to find her, that ambitious girl filled with excitement and fired up with passion but I can't seem to find her anymore.

I wondered, is there anybody out there who felt the same? Is there anyone out there who knows how I feel or am I making a big deal out of nothing?

A couple of days later Black Swan by BTS came out. They were talking about the same things that was going in my head. They were talking about their fears of waking up one day and not liking what they were doing anymore. It was sad. Sad but relatable because that's exactly what I'm feeling!

I felt understood. I felt comforted know that somewhere someone knows how I am feeling. I'm not making a big deal out of it because it is a big deal. It's a genuine fear and it's valid. I wasn't alone.

I took a couple days off after that. I spent some days just contemplating. One question kept me up at night: Why did you start writing anyway? The answer is simple: I loved it.

I started writing because I loved writing. It made me happy when I finish a story. It makes me happy when I start a new story. I love the freedom that it gave me. I loved that everyday, it was a new journey for me. I was happy.

I realized that by putting other people's opinions first when I am writing, I am throwing away that freedom that it gives me.

After that, I deleted all of the works I posted online. I promised myself that I'll start writing again but this time I will write for my own satisfaction. I will write what I want to write not what people want to read. I will write for myself.

I've been slowly writing again. It's still not as much as before but it's a start. This time I'm no longer censoring myself. I no longer think of whether people will like it or not. I feel free.

Honestly, if it wasn't for that song I probably wouldn't have started writing again. I would've thought that it was not a big deal and that it's natural to let go of your childhood dreams as you grow older. But the truth is we dont have to give those dreams up right?

Tldr; Black Swan made me realize that the fear of losing your passion is a true fear but we can get over it as long as we remember why we started doing what we we're doing.

[Intro: Jimin]

Do your thang

Do your thang with me now

Do your thang

Do your thang with me now

What’s my thang?

What’s my thang? Tell me now

Tell me now

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

[Verse 1: Suga]

Ayy, the heart no longer races

When hearing the music play

Tryna pull up

Seems like time has stopped

Oh, that would be my first death

I been always afraid of

[Verse 2: RM]

If this can no longer resonate

No longer make my heart vibrate

Then like this may be how I die my first death

But what if that moment’s right now, right now?

[Pre-Chorus: V, Jimin]

Heartbeat pulsing slow in my ears bump, bump, bump

Try to flee but back into the maw jump, jump, jump

No song affects me anymore

Crying out a silent cry

[Chorus: All]

Ocean with all light silenced shut yeah, yeah, yeah

My wandering feet held in a rut yeah, yeah, yeah

Every noise and sound's been cut yeah, yeah, yeah

Killin’ me now, killin’ me now

Do you hear me? Yeah

Sinking slowly like in a trance, nah, nah, nah

Struggle but it's all ocean floor nah, nah

Every moment becomes eternity, yeah, yeah, yeah

Film it now, film it now

Do you hear me? Yeah

[Refrain: Jimin, V]

Do your thang

Do your thang with me now

Do your thang

Do your thang with me now

What’s my thang?

What’s my thang? Tell me now

Tell me now, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

[Verse 3: J-hope]

Deeper

Yeah, I think I’m goin’ deeper

I keep losing focus

No, just let go of me

Let my own feet carry me

I'll go in myself

In the deepest depths

I saw myself

[Verse 4: Suga]

Slowly, I open my eyes

I'm in my workroom, it's my studio

The waves

Go darkly by in a throe

But I'll never get dragged away again

Inside I saw myself, myself

[Pre-Chorus: V, Jin]

Heartbeat racing in my ears bump, bump, bump

Eyes wide open into my forest jump, jump, jump

Nothing can devour me

I shout out with ferocity

[Chorus: All]

Ocean with all light silenced shut yeah, yeah, yeah

My wandering feet held in a rut yeah, yeah, yeah

Every noise and sound's been cut yeah, yeah, yeah

Killin’ me now, killin’ me now

Do you hear me? Yeah

Sinking slowly like in a trance nah, nah, nah

Struggle but it's all ocean floor nah, nah

Every moment becomes eternity yeah, yeah, yeah

Film it now, film it now

Do you hear me? Yeah

[Outro: Jin, Jungkook]

Do your thang

Do your thang with me now

Do your thang

Do your thang with me now

What’s my thang?

What’s my thang? Tell me now

Tell me now

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

[storytell]

TWAIN: GENSHIN IMPACT VOICELINES

HELLO: “Mark Twain, at your service! I know I may not be the most serious, but I promise whatever you need, you can call on me!”

GOOD MORNING: “Rise and shine! I’m not usually an early bird, but the sunrise is really nice, don’tcha think?”

GOOD AFTERNOON: “Seems like it’s a good time to take a nap... Or fill my success diary with our latest adventures!”

GOOD EVENING: “Hey, we haven’t had dinner yet, have we?”

GOOD NIGHT: “Don’t forget; we’ve got an exciting day ahead of us tomorrow!”

CHAT - WAITING: “Aw man, I hate waiting around like this.”

CHAT - SUCCESS DIARY: “Hey, no peeking! You’ll get to see what I write about you when it’s done.”

CHAT - THINKING: “I was just thinking that there must be someplace nearby we haven’t explored yet! No time to lose!”

WHEN IT RAINS: “My parents always told me not to go out in the rain. Now I like to have fun in it just to get back at them.”

WHEN THE SUN IS OUT: “Bright and cheery, huh? Perfect weather for some adventure!”

WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING: “H-Hey!! Wait up! Sorry, the wind blew away some of the pages I was writing on, hehe!”

WHEN IT SNOWS: “Ha, I guess I’m not dressed for the cold, am I?”

ABOUT TWAIN: “Me? Oh, no, I’m not an adventurer. I’m actually just a writer.”

ABOUT US - SUCCESS DIARY: “I’ve already written a lot about you in here! ...But you can’t see ‘til it’s published, so keep a lookout!”

ABOUT US - ADVENTURING: “I feel like I’ve done more with you since we’ve met than I’ve done in the entire rest ‘a my life! And I’ve done a lot, y’know!”

ABOUT THE VISION: “Oh, this? Well, I guess it’s neat to have, but I’m really no warrior or anything. Swear on it!”

ANYTHING TO SHARE: “To be honest, I’ve already hidden some copies of my success diary in the places I’ve visited. I hope whoever’s found them thinks they’re good!”

INTERESTING THINGS: “Cats always seem to love me. I dunno why! I used to take stray cats with me when I traveled, though.”

ABOUT VENTI: “They have the best songs, no doubt about it! Sometimes they’ll sing me some things if I tell ‘em some stories.. Well, I really love tellin’ stories, so it’s a win-win!”

ABOUT KAEYA: “We’ve only really talked a few times. I think we always tend to be at Angel’s Share at around the same time.. I’m pretty sure I’ve tried to strike up conversation, but it always felt like he was tryin’a prod at me, so I let it go pretty quick...”

ABOUT DILUC: “I think Diluc might hate me. Seriously! Whenever he’s tending the bar, he always gives me dirty looks... I mean, he gives those to most people, but maybe I’m just super loud and disruptive...”

ABOUT BARBARA: “When I first got back, everyone was talking about Barbara! I didn’t really understand the hype at first, but I watched her perform once and it was amazing! I’ve seriously never heard anything like her songs in all of Teyvat.”

ABOUT BENNETT: “Haha, he reminds me of me a little! I used to get into all kinds ‘a trouble myself, even barely managing to escape sometimes, but I always pulled through!”

ABOUT RAZOR: “Well, it’s not like I’m friends with Razor or anything, but since I’ve taken to wandering around the woods, we’ve met before. He’s a pretty good kid, all things considered. One day I wanna see if he wants to come on an adventure with me outside Mondstadt!”

ABOUT YORK: “Oh, I know that guy! I mean, sort of. I remember meeting him, if that’s what you mean. He seems cool! I think if I’d want anyone to pick up one of my books, it would be him. He already promised, anyway.”

MORE ABOUT TWAIN - I: “Man~ Taking some time off really is the best!”

MORE ABOUT TWAIN - II: “I’m really kinda bummed I missed out on the whole Stormterror business. Between you and me, I like getting to see epic conflicts like those in person.”

MORE ABOUT TWAIN - III: “Here, this is for you! Someone I used to know taught me how to carve wood, so I thought I’d put that skill to use.”

MORE ABOUT TWAIN - IV: “You wanna know about that guy? A-Ah, well, I did say I wouldn’t tell anyone his name or anything...”

MORE ABOUT TWAIN - V: “Well, I guess what I said before was kind of a lie. The only time I can say his name is when I put it in my success diary, and only then is the world gonna know about him! That was the promise I made to him.”

TWAIN’S HOBBIES: “I’ve started trying to pick up some instruments... It’s just so frustrating when I dunno how to play ‘em right away!”

TWAIN’S TROUBLES: “It feels like I’m waiting longer and longer to be able to do anything at all. One day, I might run outta things to do completely...”

FAVORITE FOOD: “Nothin’ beats a good Sweet Madeline, right? Oh, but it’s best when it’s home cooked.”

LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: “I’m really not a fan of Mushroom Pizza. I mean, who puts mushrooms on pizza anyway?”

FEELINGS ABOUT ASCENSION - INTRO: “Whew! I feel better already!”

FEELINGS ABOUT ASCENSION - BUILDING UP: “I think I could keep on goin’ forward forever! Someone better stop me, though. Seriously. I can’t actually go forever.”

FEELINGS ABOUT ASCENSION - CLIMAX: “I wanna face another day with a smile... No matter what greets me when I wake up tomorrow morning, I wanna be excited to see it!”

FEELINGS ABOUT ASCENSION - CONCLUSION: “There’s no end to gettin’ better, y’know. There’s just a whole bunch of new starts.”

[littlemonstersau-blog]

The Feels Awaken, Interlude 2: One Rogue Thought

Written by @jkl-fff

PART I - PART II [Interlude] - PART III - PART IV [Interlude] (you are here) - PART V [FINAL]

——————————————————————————————–

Bill, putting DVD back in case: Well, now you’ve seen ‘em all (until they finish the new ones, of which only Renegade 6 will be stupendous, and that largely thanks to everyone dying—much pathos by meatbag standards, much comedy by mine). So … Whaddya think, Fordsy?

Ford, taking in a deep breath: I think … I think I’m personally going to make a working lasercutlass (with SCIENCE!), drive to wherever the hell George Dufas lives—

Bill, helpfully: That would be Skyjogger Ranch, not too far north of San Francisco. I know, because I know lots of things.

Ford: Alright then, I’m going to drive to Skyjogger Ranch, and then I’M GONNA SHOVE MY HOMEMADE LASERCUTLASS RIGHT UP HIS SCRIPT-SPEWING ASS AND ACTIVATE IT!

Stan, startling awake in easy chair: Wha?! Huh?!

Ford: THAT WAS THE BIGGEST WRECK OF TRAINS THAT WERE LOADED WITH ASS-SHIT THAT I’VE EVER SEEN! [rises to his feet, stamps around, gestures emphatically] AND I’VE BEEN TO SEVERAL DIMENSIONS WITH EXTREMELY SHODDY RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURES AND BOOMING, FERTILIZER-BASED ECONOMIES! MEANING SEVERAL DIMENSIONS WITH FREQUENT AND NOTABLE WRECKS OF ASS-SHIT-LOADED TRAINS!

Stan, rubbing eyes: Yeah, we picked up on your meanin’ there. [yawns, scratches self] What time’s it, anyway?

Bill, grinning at this development: What’d you think of the acting?

Ford: WOODEN! FLAT! LIFELESS! LIKE THIS FLOOR!

Bill: All George Dufas’s fault. Those were all highly acclaimed, highly trained actors, and highly gifted actors. He insisted as Director they act like they didn’t know how to. Like I said before.

Ford: WHAT?! WHY?! RRRAAARRRGHGHGH!

Stan, yawning: Moses, it’s past midnight already …

Bill, egging it on: Heh. And the depiction of non-human meatbags?

Ford: MOSTLY INFURIATINGLY RACIST CARICATURES OF HUMAN MEATBAG CULTURES—er, “human cultures”, I meant just “human cultures”—AND BLANDLY UNIMAGINATIVE OR INSUFFERABLY ANNOYING (LIKE JERKJERK)!

Stan, heaving himself upright: Hey, Sixer?

Bill: Hehehe! George Dufas’s influence again. And the use of the Force? The lasercutlass duels?

Ford: THE FIRST WAS SO UNDERUTILIZED AS TO BE FUCKING POINTLESS, THE OTHER SO OVERDONE AS TO BE SHITTING BORING! THEY MADE SWORDFIGHTING WITH LASERS BECOME BORING! HOW?! WHY?!

Stan: Sixer?

Bill: Hahaha! Still George Dufas! And the script?

Ford: THE SCRIPT?! WHAT SCRIPT?! THAT WAS USED, BARGAIN-PRICED TOILET PAPER! RRRAAARRRGHGHGH!

Stan: Sixer!

Ford: WHAT?! … Er, sorry. What?

Stan: It’s past midnight. Meanin’ it’s bedtime. You comin’ or what?

Ford: Gah! I couldn’t possibly sleep now! I’m too enraged!

Stan, shrugging: Well, I am. So … keep the nerd-ragin’ at, y’know, an “indoor voice” level of volume. ‘kay? [kisses him goodnight, shuffles out]

Ford, momentarily taken aback: Um … Where was I?

Bill, helpfully: The script. Which was also George Dufas’s fault. Basically, the whole prequel trilogy is a case study of what happens if you give a man who had one or two good ideas in the past— when there was an entire team of more talented people to shoot down his one or two thousand bad ideas and sculpt the few good ones— complete creative control of a project.

Ford, remembering how disgusted he is: No, it’s a case study of what happens if a tornado picks up a barn full of diarrhetic animals— A LITERAL SHITSTORM—hits a warehouse of blank paper, then some fuckwattle decides to gather up the pages and use it as a script! It made exactly 0.0 sense as a story! According to SCIENCE! itself there wasn’t even a measurable amount of sense made in this story! And, believe me, I understand that writing isn’t easy, but they had … How long exactly to work on the scripts?

Bill, promptly: Almost exactly16 years to work on the first one, then almost exactly 3 years for the second one, and another 3 for the third.

Ford, trembling with self-control: S-sssixteen years for one script? And that mmmakes … t-t-twenty-two years total to come up with … with that p-pile of hot, fffffuck-juggling shhhhhhhhhhhit … [loses it, explodes] OH MY VARIOUS ENTITIES OF COSMIC POWER FOR WHOM THE TERM “GODS” COULD REASONABLY BE USED AS A SHORTHAND, EVEN IF IT IS SOMEWHAT MISLEADING!

Stan, from the other room: Indoor voice!

Ford, stomping around: WE COULD COME UP WITH A BETTER PLOTLINE FOR A PREQUEL TRILOGY IN ONE NIGHT THAN THAT MOVING BAG OF NEGATIVE FUCKGUZZLE DID IN TWENTY-FUCKING-TWO FUCKING YEARS! AND Y’KNOW WHAT?! [takes Bill by the shoulders] WE WILL, GODSDAMNIT!

Bill, disbelieving: Really? You wanna do something with me?

Ford: AND IT’LL HAVE COMPELLING CHARACTER ARCS, AND SUBTLY DEEP WORLDBUILDING FOR THE GALAXY, AND THE FORCE’LL BE SHOWN—

Stan, from other room: IF YOU DON’T KEEP IT DOWN, STANFORD PINES, I’LL COME OUT THERE AND SHOW YOU MY FORCE RIGHT UPSIDE YOUR FOOL HEAD!

Bill, excited: Mabel left a bunch of … of arts and crafts stuff upstairs. We can use those for this! I’ll just … just run and get them! Hang on! [scampers up the stairs]

Ford, suddenly alone: … wait a minute … [stops short, looks around deserted room) What the freeze-dried hell am I doing?

Stan, grouching back in: What you’re doin’ is bein’ a pain in my ass—a loud pain in my ass!

Ford, almost panicking: No, I’m … about to write better plots for the prequels? With Cipher? I think?

Stan: And? What’s the problem?

Ford: And I don’t … I can’t trust him! That is the problem!

Stan: You can’t trust him to help write what is essentially gonna be a Cosmos Conflicts fanfic? [rolls eyes] C’mon, Sixer, it’s not like he could write anything worse than what we just watched. You were just goin’ on about that.

Ford, faltering: No, I mean, he’s still planning to takeover! No one can trust him, so what am I—

Stan: Just be the scribe yourself; that way, you maintain creative control of the fanfic and he can’t take it over.

Ford: I mean the planet! Er, the galaxy! Gah, no, the dimen—

Stan, deadpan: Oh, yeah, that’s a real dilemma right there. Can’t have Farth Bill takin’ over that nerdlinger galaxy, or we’ll hafta write a whole ‘nother generation of whiney Skyjoggers masterin’ the Force to confront him.

Ford, irritated: Damn it, Stanly, you know what I’m talking about!

Stan, rubbing eyes: Look, I’m gonna share some Old Wisdom™ I learned as a professional conman with you. And which, in fact, you yourself told me rather recently. [lays hands on brother’s shoulders, looks him in the eyes] You don’t hafta trust someone to work with ‘em, ya dumbass. And don’t hafta trust ‘em to be nice to ‘em, neither, ya dumbass. Or even to like ‘em, ya dumbass. You can do all that, while still not trustin’ ‘em … ya dumbass.

Ford, blinking owlishly: … What? I told you that? But—

Stan, slowly: Listen, I didn’t trust Bill at the start of the summer, but I still talked to him. Still interacted with him and was nice … ish and such. And only a week after? I had him workin’ for me. [gestures dismissively] Yeah, he caused some trouble at the start, but I didn’t lock him up ‘cause of it. I was patient with him, I showed him I’d work with him, and I showed the l’il bastard he can’t beat me at my own game— I always got an eye on him, so he can’t get anything major past me. And now? He’s just like any other employee I’ve ever had (except for Soos) … Slacks off and shoplifts about the same amount, too.

Ford: … And you’re bragging about that?

Stan, smugly: Heh. Yep. Think about it, Sixer. For him, that’s huge progress.

Ford, reluctantly: I guess, but—

Stan: Listen, you don’t hafta trust Bill. Okay? You know already he’s up to something (or so you’re convinced, anyway), so he can’t trick you. You’ll be suspicious of absolutely everything, so he won’t be able to get something past you in the middle of, say, writin’ your stupid, nerd fanfic. Or talkin’ ‘bout an anomaly. Or just havin’ a civil conversation every now and then. Okay? This gettin’ through that metal plate in your skull? I mean, it should be able to since—not to put too fine a point on it—you suggested it to me not too long ago.

Ford: I don’t … need … to trust Cipher … to be nice to him …

Stan: Exactly. And—Moses on a moped!—his name is Bill. [turns, goes to leave, pauses in doorway] And for fffffuck’s sake, keep it down while you two do whatever. Some of us are tryin’ to actually sleep.

Ford, standing lost in thought: … can’t believe it … so simple … really have been a silly, old fool not to see it all along …

Bill, returning: Sorry that took so long. I got buried in an avalanche of Mabel’s spare sweaters while digging this stuff out. [unloads an armload onto the table, pulls up paper and pencil] Where do we start, Fordsy?

Ford, a little overwhelmed: Um … honestly, I’m not sure …

Bill: Hmm … Well, what’re the big problems that gotta be fixed? Let’s start with that. What made you mad in the movie?

Ford, after only a split second of thought: Midi-chlorians firstly. Those go, because the Force is a mystical power-energy thing— damn it all!—and not some sorta bacterial infection!

Bill, making a note: Good. Good. How about that Rule of Two? Speaking as a megalomaniac, I can say it’s stupid to only have one agent working for you. You’d get nothing done!

Ford: Um …

Bill: What? Oh, Yog-Sothoth’s sixth soleus, that was a joke.

Ford, deciding to believe that: R-right. Um … None of that immaculate conception or prophecy crap, either. That’s gone. Came out of nowhere, served no purpose, we don’t need it.

Bill, making a note: What, you don’t like the idea of Space Jesus? How about rewriting the romance so that it doesn’t just … happen, y’know? So that there actually is a romance, and not just two straight characters who bone ‘cause they’re the opposite genders?

Ford, getting excited: Moses, yes! And rewriting Otherkin so he isn’t some whiney kid who just … just does stuff because the plot needs some action! We could do that for all of them! We could make it all as great as it deserves to be!

[hours and hours of excited fanboy collaboration transpire …]

[hotokeiki]

Week 127: J-pop              (St. Patrick’s Day special – IRISH~ish)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj-6P-jMT_g

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

I’m not gonna throw in the minna this time. That was weird…. yes it was.

Anyway, it’s now been over a month since my last post. Cuz that was Valentine’s Day, and White Day was Tuesday. Mou~ Kurisu no BAKA!!

I don’t feel like I’m obligated to explain, but I want to, so I’m gonna. Basically, I’ve been super stressed lately, and feeling overwhelmed by all the things I have “to do”.

My mind set hasn’t been great, and I’ve just felt like I don’t have time to do anything, which isn’t true. I’ve had a lot of time, but I tried to take my mind off my stress by watching Youtube videos, and then I ended up binge-watching. I wasn’t watching much anime, because those are longer than most of the videos I was watching. The problem is that when you binge-watch Youtube, it takes more time than watching a couple episodes of an anime.

I probably shouldn’t have gone on that road trip for Spring Break. My thinking for Spring Break was that I needed to catch up on school work and sleep. Josh has kept me on campus later more times than I care to count. We left campus when they were closing the buildings at 11:30 pm! So, I thought a change of scenery would be good, and I’d be able to catch up on sleep and school. Yeah, I didn’t know what I was getting into.

I’m in the process of making an update that will explain the whole trip in detail (look out for that), so I will summarize here.

I thought that we were going to drive down to Kansas City, and stay there for the duration of the trip. A couple of days with some intermittent activity, and time for me to catch up on sleep and do some homework. The details were a little fuzzy for the whole thing, and he said that we would play it by ear to a certain extent, which we did.

It was by no means a bad trip. I had a good time. It was kind of hectic at times, but a refreshing change of scenery.

We spent one night in each hotel, and spent a lot of time driving. And in some cases, we ended up at the hotel fairly late, so I slept in as much as I could. We also didn’t spend much time in any of the hotels, so I didn’t really have time to do any homework. We left on Saturday and got back on Thursday night.

When I got back, I ended up doing what I had done previously, and didn’t get anything done over the remainder of the break.

Anyway, long story short (Linda: Oh, we’re WAY past that point ;p)

.. shut up, Linda XD

I haven’t been very productive, but I’m doing better now. I feel like I actually have time to do this post, and get my homework done. Plus, this blog is important to me, and I think it helps me resolve things. It’s just good to get my thoughts out.

Anyway, it’s St. Paddy’s Day. Oh boi George, it’s that toym again.

As Oi’ve mentioned before, Oi’m a wee bit’Irish. O’Costelle on me mother’s mother’s soyd.

(I just watched this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwf08LmchUY&feature=share)

So, I kept the Irish and the Japanese separate this time. XD

Or did I?

Linda: Oh no..

So, let’s get to the post, let us.

XD

Clover♣Kakumation by Triple♣Feeling is the first opening to Sansha Sanyou.

I haven’t watched the show, so here’s a summary from the Wikipedia article:

 The story revolves around the everyday life of three high-school girls who all have a kanji "葉" (literally "leaf") in their names, and have different features - hence the translation of the title, "three leaves, three colors".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Leaves,_Three_Colors

 (Not much to go by, but I’ll definitely watch it at some point.)

 So, just like my first post this year (Week 126: PUNCH☆MIND☆HAPPINESS), I found this song on that really long list video of kawaii anime openings.

 Here’s the link again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAFwFJ9gJnk (It’s number 26)

 Seeing that little bit from the video was really exciting, because I’ve never heard anything like that before. It had quite an impact, so I found the full version, cuz that’s what I do.

 And after listening to the full version, I said I am going to post this for St. Patrick’s Day!

I was actually plannin’ to post this next week, since I missed the Monday-to-Wednesday window, but I can post on a Friday if I want. Especially if it’s St. Paddy’s Day, by jaysus!

 The beginning of the song and the verse have a quicker feel, and some of the singing has a fast rhythm. The chorus also has the same feel. Parts of it remind me of river stomp. And the instrumentation also has bit o’v an Irish feel to it, ya know? It just sounds like Irish J-pop to me, and I love it.

 While keeping the Irish feel, this song also switches feels. The verse has a completely different feel to the lead up to the chorus, which both have a different feel than the chorus. And the bridge sounds completely different, and sounds the least bit Irish, but it works so well (fusawashii~) and is so refreshing (sugasugashii~). The voices also blend very well with each other while being quite different.

 The transitions are flawless, and my main complaint is that it’s too short! It’s just a really fun song that’ll keep your attention with its great instrumentation, good harmonies, and rhythmic melody.

 Have I mentioned that I really like this song?

 Linda: Yes.

 (*sigh* that was supposed to be rhetorical, Linda.)            

 Now, as the Wikipedia article mentioned, the three girls have the kanji "葉" in their names.

 “Sansha Sanyou” in the original kanji is 三者三葉

 breaking it down:

 三 - Onyomi: “san” (three)

 者 - Onyomi: “sha” (person)

 葉 - Kunyomi: “ha”, Onyomi: “you” (leaf)

 (I don’t see anything about 者 meaning color. So it could be very seldom used, or it’s another case of English titles making no sense. I hope it’s the former.)

 The (sansha) “three people” (and the members of Triple♣Feeling) are:

 1. Futaba Odagiri (小田切 双葉) -> Odagiri Futa(ba): 小田切 双(葉)

- Onyomi: “ba”, which is how you pronounce “ha” when preceded by a vowel.

 2. Teru Hayama (葉山 照) -> (Ha)yama Teru: (葉)山 照

- Onyomi: “ha”

 3. Youko Nishikawa (西川 葉子) -> Nishikawa (You)ko: 西川 (葉)子

- Kunyomi: “you”

 (Switched to family name followed by given name to relate to the kanji.)

 I think it’s cool that they all have the same kanji in their names, but it’s pronounced differently in each!

 And also, incorporating that into the title. Well done, Arai Cherry! Up ya boyo! XD

 I’m definitely gonna check this out at some point.

 Oh, right. Here’s the full version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evEV3IzWJfA

 You thought I forgot? Nah, I’ve been listening to it on and off for the last hour or so. That’s usually how these posts go. It’s really fun! XD

 I also think it’s really cool that they worked every aspect of the full song into the opening, including the bridge. It perfectly captures the song!

 Also, if you want lyrics, THAT ARE WRONG, here you go:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRsh_vbaVvY (WRONG LYRICS)

 Did I mention THESE AREN’T THE ACTUAL LYRICS? I can’t stress enough that THESE LYRICS ARE WRONG!!

 After watching it through and racking my head, because I knew, with the little Japanese I know, that the lyrics were wrong.

 I was so confused that I looked up the lyrics. There isn’t really an English translation of the lyrics that I was able to find. Let me know if you find any, but I was surprised to see that the word SATAN is in the lyrics.

 … Maybe, I shouldn’t’ve posted this on SAINT Patrick’s Day. XD

 And Kissanime doesn’t appear to have subs on the opening, so we’re doomed. XD

And here’s a really cool orchestral version that I found.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewt7ldiufhc

 This guy does some really cool stuff, and I found out that two of the songs that had been reposted on SoundCloud were from his channel! Both songs were arrangements of songs from Madoka Magica.

 It’s been a really interesting day. XD

 Album: TV Anime “Sansha Sanyou” Opening Theme Clover♣Kakumation Track: 01 Lyricist: Ogura Asuka Composer: Ogura Asuka Arranger: manzo Artist: Triple♣Feeling

- Futaba Odagiri (CV: Mai Kanazawa)

- Teru Hayama (CV: Ayaka Imamura)

- Youko Nishikawa (CV: Yuu Wakui)

 (I just wrote the kanji for Lyrics, Composition, and Arrangement in Google Translate, because the words were embedded in the page. The things I do for J-pop.)

 Well, I thought this was going to be a short post.

 Haha XD, I’m naïve

 Well, it feels good to get back in the swing of things. And I will make an asserted effort to post on the regular schedule, as well as just make better use of my time and stress out less.

 It’s been a while, but you know the drill. If you have any questions or requests, please let me know.

 You have oodles of ways to find me… and kill me.

Never mind, this isn’t Taken. XD

 Alright, I’ll catch ya next week.

 Ja!

 (Note: It is now after midnight, so this is not goin’ up on St. Paddy’s Day. XD)

 (By jaysus, did I make a right hayms o’ this post? XD)

 - Chris  ——————————————————————————- Minna, gokitai kudasai!!