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paodequeijofeliz-blog · 5 years ago

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Let me tell you a good story

Bloodbound Fanfiction (characters and main story belongs to Pixelberry Studios).

Pairing: Kamilah Sayeed and MC (Annie)

Information: this takes place after Bloodbound 3, here I’m recreating how Kamilah and MC would meet if she had never gone to Raines Corporation right away.

Summary: Thirty years after meeting Annie for the first time, Kamilah is now a wife and a mother. During a regular family dinner, she decides to tell her daughter and their new son-in-law the story of how she fell in love with Annie after an unusual meeting through the hallways of NYU.

Warnings: none.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 5

Let me tell you a good story - Part 4

March 2nd, 2048.

“Do not laugh”. – Anna pointed a finger at Drake. – “I was still confused.”

“Not laughing, I swear. It is completely reasonable that you thought she worked for Ms. Sayeed.” He nervously took a long gulp of soda.

Kamilah was taping her fingers on the table, a sweet melody playing in her head. Nothing could disturb her peaceful life anymore. She was sitting by a beautiful wife, someone who still held her heart. In front of them, there was the most intelligent and sweet child in the world, named after Kamilah’s brother Lysimachus. Even Drake, the goofy human, was a delight company. He was the perfect balance for Lysia’s seriousness.

“Are you ok?” Annie’s touch woke her up.

“I’m perfect. Why don’t you go fetch the dessert while I continue for a while? I left a surprise for you in the microwave.”

Anna jumped into the kitchen with impressionable speed. If there was one thing she loved, that was Kamilah’s volcano chocolate cake, a masterpiece perfected over years and years of repeatedly baking it.

“Child.” Both Lysia and Kamilah said at the same time when they saw Annie’s reaction.

“You know, it creeps me out when you two do that.” Drake scratched his arm, having goosebumps.

“You should see when they fight!!” Anna yelled from the kitchen. “It’s like watching a couple of clones!”

They were interrupted by someone opening the door. The flash of a sparkle on Lysia’s face told Kamilah who the person was faster than anything else. The human girl opened the biggest smile she could, but remained sat on the chair, not even losing her posture.

“Uncle Adrian!”

“Hi, sweetie. I’m sorry to be late, there was an emergency to solve.” He placed a soft kiss on Lysia’s forehead before shaking Drake’s hands and smiling at Kamilah. “Am I interrupting?”

“Not at all. We were talking about the past. Actually, little brother, you arrived at the perfect moment. Now you can help me remember this part of the story.”

“Which story?”

“Ti storu uf ru we fil in luv.” Anna came back carrying the cake, a big piece of it already missing. Her face had chocolate all over the mouth, nose, and chin.

Kamilah sighed. At this point, there was no need for translation anymore. Adrian only laughed and carried on. “The story of how you two fell in love? Oh, boy. Rough times. You think Kamilah is a tense person? Should’ve seen her realizing her feelings for Annie. I thought New York wouldn’t survive it.”

“Adrian, why don’t you continue for us? We were just getting to the part you entered the story.” The vampire queen said over the table while cleaning Annie’s face with a napkin. “And you, behave. The last time you ate so much chocolate, you cried for the entire night with a stomach-ache.”

“Yu crid the whole niti withy stumachache, bla bla bla” she mocked her wife, taking another big bite of dessert. Kamilah solemnly ignored this part.

“Ok, ok. Let’s see… So, after that dinner and the job proposition, Kamilah wanted to either kill or kiss Annie, it was still unclear.”

“Hmm, both.” Answered Kamilah, watching her wife out of the corner of the eye.

August 29th, 2018

The sky was already dark.

The sky is always dark when Kamilah is looking through the window. The same old dark sky she had seen for years. But, tonight, something feels different. The sight that usually calms her down, the peaceful shade of black marked by the city lights, it was suddenly not enough. There was an irritation growing inside her chest, heavy and dangerous like a bomb ready to explode. The reason of it was worse than the feeling itself. She had felt anger many times before, with better motives. Right now, Kamilah knew deep down it was stupid to be so bothered by something that small. Finally, not being able to stand her own company anymore, her fingers called the same number it always does at moments like this.

“Hey.” Adrian’s voice surged on the other side of the line.

“Why hasn’t she given us an answer yet?”

“What? Who?”

Kamilah sighed. She was so tired. Angry. Frustrated. “Why hasn’t that mewling tiny stupid woman answered our business proposal? It has been a week, Adrian. There’s a limit for my patience. I don’t have time for this.”

“Hm, you’re mad.” He just acknowledged it, his voice a little surprised. “I didn’t know this matter to be so urgent. In fact, I remember vividly that you were the one saying not to rush things when I suggested hiring a historian. She must have given you quite the impression to make you so eager to close the deal.”

She snorted, and Adrian was sure her eyes rolled as well. “It’s not about her. It could be anyone. I just want to put things in motion.”

“Right.” He didn’t buy it. “Well, my friend, then I’m going to tell you the options we have, since you clearly won’t quiet down until something is done.”

Kamilah fixed her posture immediately, ready to jump into a plan.

“Fist: you can call one of the historians on the list I sent to you last month. Call all the fifteen options, if it suits better. They were all graduated in high profile universities and sustain the best curriculums in the country.” Adrian gave it a second of silence, and since she didn’t make a sound, he continued. “Second: throw away the idea of working with one of them and just make a deal with one of us. I don’t know any of our group who is a historian, but most of them know a lot about the past and maybe will even understand the mission better than an outsider.”

Silence again. And then, the distant sound of Kamilah’s high heels hitting the floor, like she was impatiently trembling her leg. Adrian knew that sign. It meant none of the options were good enough for her. “Or… Third: if you do believe she’s worth it, you can always go over there and demand an answer.”

Her eyes widened.

“Can I do that?”

“Sure.” He laughed. “As long as you don’t hurt, yell or kill the poor woman.”

That was it. The solution. She wanted the mission to start already, and if Kamilah wanted anything, no one could stop her from getting it. Much less a professor who hadn’t done the courtesy of giving a simple answer. After a couple minutes, the Egyptian found Anna’s address on the university website and head there without thinking twice. In a blink, she was already ringing the intercom, but it seemed to not be working.

“Kamilah?” Annie was dangerously leaning on the window. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk. Open the door.”

The grumpy and ordering tone made Anna frown, but she didn’t argue. From the street, the Egyptian could hear her mumbling things in Portuguese while getting down the stairs. Even though Kamilah couldn’t understand it, she was sure it was cursing. Without saying a word to each other, they climbed the stairs to the third floor. Annie’s place was thoroughly clean and covered with the pleasant scent of vanilla. A mess of books and papers had taken over the living room, where a dining table was set: a dish with a weird sandwich, a glass of cheap wine and an opened notebook. It looked like she was working late.

“Take a sit. Do you want to drink something? I’ve got wine, rum, whisky, gin, coffee… Water.” The sweet tone on her voice disarmed Kamilah for just a second. The professor seemed extremely tired, but even like this, she wasn’t able to be rude.

“No, I… I’m fine. Thank you.”

“What happened?”

Kamilah’s arms crossed over her breasts. That confused look on Annie’s face was genuine. How could she not know why Kamilah was there? That was the last drop. It unlocked all the irritation that had been burning on the Egyptian’s chest for days. “Did you hit your head recently? Or do you suffer from diseases such as Alzheimer?”

“Wh…What? I… No…”

“Why the hell do you think I am here, Ms. Mali? Do you believe I am a woman who has the time to sit around waiting for you to make a simple decision? To answer a yes or no question? Look at me. Do not stare at the floor. Raise your eyes.” Kamilah approached her with such a fast movement, Annie barely saw it happening. In a second, she was standing before her, lifting the professor’s chin to make their eyes meet. “It is not polite to just disappear once a business proposal is showed to you. I do not tolerate this kind of behaviour. If you’re too much of a child yet, then maybe we were wrong to approach you in the first place.”

Anna didn’t stop her. Didn’t move either. Kamilah saw something growing on the professor’s face, some sort of weakness she wasn’t expecting to find. Her expression was flickering between insecurity and sadness. Finally, an answer came.

“I can’t stay.” A whisper. The palpable shame in her tone. “I’m leaving.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean… I got fired. I’m leaving the country. I’m sorry.” She shrunk her shoulders. Somehow, the woman was getting smaller. More fragile. “It happened on Saturday morning, right after that dinner. I know it’s no excuse and should’ve called you sooner. I’m really sorry. I just thought that now that I’m no longer related to the NYU, my name and reputation wouldn’t be of any value to you. I guess… I was embarrassed to let you know and go through the whole ‘well, then we don’t want you anymore’ conversation. Either way, I am sorry. For not answering, for making you come here, for everything.”

Kamilah was not at all prepared for this. She went from almost tearing the professor’s throat opened to drowning inside her sorrow and beautiful features. Without much thinking, the Egyptian brushed some hair behind Annie’s ears in a soft movement.

“Are you leaving the country because of visa issues?”

“Yes. Not the main reason though… Even if they granted me a permanent visa, I don’t have money to stay. I was a recent teacher at NYU, my payment wasn’t that high and most of it went to cover the costs of the postdoctoral course. Now I’m trying to finish some papers quickly and I still need to buy the plane tickets.”

“I don’t care about NYU.”

Annie’s eyes came back to Kamilah only to find an unreadable face. “What?”

“It’s not relevant if you’re related or not to a University. That doesn’t change my stand.”

“But…”

“We still want you.”

The professor was speechless, staring in disbelief.

“Answer me, Annie. Will you accept the proposal?”

Kamilah’s arms uncrossed and her hands went to rest on the hips. She saw a thousand of emotions running through the professor’s eyes in a second.

“What about my visa?”

“Not a problem I can’t solve. As for the money part… Adrian will discuss this with you. He’s responsible for the bureaucracies. But I can guarantee, regardless of how the conversation goes, it’s going to be way more than what NYU was paying. So, there won’t remain any obstacles forcing you to leave.”

Anna smiled. Not because of the money. She just noticed that Kamilah had come in person not to fight, but to persuade her to say yes. That made her wonder what the Egyptian’s thoughts were right now. “I did answer, you know. When I got home, after dinner.”

“Oh?”

She pointed at the computer on the desk. “It’s in the draft emails part. I was going to send it on Monday morning.”

Kamilah arched one eyebrow. “And what was the answer?”

Instead of giving her the pleasure to hear it, Annie decided to contour the table and send the draft email that was waiting there all along. Inside Kamilah’s pocket, her cell phone immediately buzzed. She gave it a quick glance before smiling and walking towards the door.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Ms. Mali. Don’t be late.”

#kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #bb kamilah #choices kamilah

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rightfulcaptxin · 6 years ago

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Five times + duty (from UF Li)

Send me ‘five times + a word’ and I’ll write a drabble about our muses based on it. | Not Accepting | @anhonourablecaptain

Edward Teach knew a thing or two about duty.

It had, once upon a time, been his duty to attend frustratingly dull social gatherings with equally frustratingly dull snobbish fools who thought themselves far above the working classes, and grimaced if a servant so much as breathed on their fancy garments. It had been his duty to smile politely and spend a few minutes with each guest, and feign interest in their activities or recent achievements. It had been his duty to wear beautifully fine yet incredibly uncomfortable clothes, with too-high collars and glittering embroidery, and listen to them gush over how handsome he was becoming, and more endless, empty flattery that had one sole purpose: to persuade his family that he should marry their insipid daughters and grant them acess to his wealth.

When he had thrown down his family name and taken up as a pirate, he had promised himself never again.

Yet, here he was, several years later and once again adorned in fine, uncomfortable clothes, surrounded by ignorant snobs at a dull social event. Duty, he mused, could really be a bitch.

A hand at his back brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned to find Liam at his side - his Liam, his beloved prince, the only person in the world who could have persuaded him to attend the royal banquet. It hadn’t been his pleading words - ‘but I want you to be there at my side!’ - that had convinced him, or his promises that he could slip away at every available opportunity. In fact, it was knowing how happy Liam would be if he said yes that actually convinced the word out of him.

And, he supposed, as the prince’s husband he should probably make an appearance. Yes. Duty was a bitch.

—

I am a prince of the realm. It is my duty to marry and produce an heir.

The sound of breaking glass snapped through the tense silence of the cabin, followed by the gentle tinkling as fragments rained down onto the floor. A few splinters of wood marked the exact point where the glass had struck the wall before it shattered.

Sat behind his desk, Edward flexed his fingers and glared at the imperfection he had created. A bottle of rum sat at his elbow, still corked and - amazingly - still full. The alcohol could easily soothe his anger if he let it, numbing him of the betraying emotions he fought so hard to bury deep. This time, however, he found himself wanting to savour it. This bitterness gave him purpose.

“Fuck your duty.” He hissed to the empty room, his hand balling into a tight fist. He slammed it down against the desk and pushed back his chair, letting it topple backwards as he strode to the windows at the rear of his cabin. He gazed out at the churning waters beyond, in the direction of the port they had so recently left.

In the fading light of the evening, he could see the castle up on its hill overlooking the ocean, and felt a fresh wave of emotion reach up with icy fingers to claw at his throat. Buried within the layers of anger lay the foundations of a broken heart.

That was something he couldn’t forgive.

—

“Why on earth did you agree to this?” Ed sighed, dropping onto the plush couch gratefully. He had looked rather more put-together only hours ago - a reasonably smart attire, his hair groomed and styled into a neat tail. Now his shirt was untucked and sleeves rolled to the elbows, his long waistcoat hung open, and his neat tail had dissolved into a haphazard attempt at order.

“They are my brother’s children, Ed.” Liam looked over to his husband with a fond smile of amusement. “Killian needed five minutes of peace. Given all that he has done for me in the past, I felt it only right to do something for him in return.”

“Then buy him a gift.” Ed barked back, dragging a hand through his hair - and thus messing it up even further. “Do not offer to babysit his hellish offspring.” With a laugh, Liam rose from his chair, abandoning the documents he was studying for the realm, and sat beside his husband on the couch. He took one of Ed’s hands in both of his own, appreciating yet again how lucky he had been to find this man.

“You know they only pester you so much because they look up to you, and adore you.” Liam told him, bringing Ed’s hand to his lips. “The famous pirate who gave up his freedom to become a king consort.”

“I did not give up my freedom.” Edward corrected, gifting Liam with one of his rare, gentle smiles. “I merely honoured a duty to my own heart, which demanded I be at your side for what eternity remains to us.” He leant in then, and brushed a kiss across his husband’s lips. He would have lingered longer, but for the sound of many running feet in the hall beyond the room. “Speaking of duty…” He murmured with a groan. “Your brother owes me for this. Be sure to let him know.” As the door opened and children tumbled over one another into the room, Liam grinned.

Watching Ed push to his feet and chase them from the room - much to their delight and enjoyment - Liam smiled to himself. “Oh, I will, love. I will.”

—

It was often like looking in a mirror - so much so that it was, quite frankly, a little frightening.

The prince stood upon the balcony that overlooked the castle’s private harbour, his gaze upon the two beautiful ships that called it home. Shielded from public eye by the sharp cliffs and walls that kept it private, it was the perfect place to house one of the most infamous vessels in their world. Not that it is much of a secret, really. If there was a soul in this kingdom who didn’t know their prince - their king - had married a pirate, he would be surprised.

“I had thought I might find you here.” He stepped up beside the prince, and gave him a side-long glance. Davian now stood to his shoulder, with some years of growing yet to come. If he continued at this rate, he would end up taller than both of them. “Your father said you seemed troubled earlier.”

“Troubled?” Davian scoffed a little. “I suppose that is one word for it.” His gaze remained fixed upon the ships below, his hands resting upon the balcony’s wall. Edward waited, patiently. Though he looked shockingly similar to him - a feat which had taken some considerable planning on Liam’s part - he was very much his father’s son. If he wanted to know what troubled him, he would only have to wait. “How did you do it?” Davian turned to him then, and Ed saw in his eyes the same kind of conflicting emotions he had seen in the mirror some years ago. “You gave up this kind of life once. You chose to live free out on the seas. You were happiest there, right? So how did you come back to it?”

Ah. There was the issue. Edward smiled easily - it truly was like stepping back into the past, and seeing a young Edward Thatch questioning how he wanted to live his life. “Well, that is easy enough to answer.” He touched a hand to Davian’s shoulder, steering him around to look again at his ship. “That life was what suited me best. It still does, even to this day. Your father knows that. I will always be that pirate, always drawn to the ocean. But no, Davian, I was not happiest there. I was once, for the longest time, but now… now I am happiest wherever my family is. If that is here, in this castle, then so be it.”

He turned the boy to him now, both hands settling on strong shoulders. “You are a prince, Davian. You have a duty to your kingdom and your people.” The prince’s shoulders slumped with resignation, and his eyes lowered. Edward smiled again. “But more importantly, you have a duty to yourself. If you wish to sail the seas as I did, if that is what will make you happy, then you must do it.” The boy’s head snapped up, surprised, and Ed laughed. “Did you think your father and I did not know? You have played at pirates since you were old enough to walk, Davian. The sea is in your blood.” He paused, and nodded at his ship. “It is about time she saw open water again.”

“Wait.” Davian looked from him to the ship, and back again. “You mean to give me the Revenge? But-,”

“I mean to let you borrow her.” Edward corrected with a grin. “After all, you will be coming home between voyages.” His voice lifted a little at the end of the last sentence, the statement becoming almost a question. Davian looked up at him, and smiled as he nodded. Then he stepped forward, and wrapped his arms tightly around him.

“Thank you, Papa.”

—

He had expected neglect.

In his mind he had always pictured the gardens choked with weeds, and the grand gates bound with twists of ivy. He had seen shuttered windows gone green with moss, and cracked paint upon the walls. Perhaps that had been merely symbolic of his own abandonment and neglect of his former life?

The gates had been perfectly polished when he’d approached them, and opened without creak or groan. The gardens, whilst a little wild and disorderly, were still maintained and cared for. The shutters were open; and he could see no cracks in any paintwork. The house, and the estate, were almost as he had left them. Almost.

He had been no more than fourteen the last time he had stood here, staring up at the grand house that he had been born in. In fact, he had been right in this very spot the day before he had left for good, the afternoon of his grandfather’s funeral. He had often wondered what had happened when he had been discovered missing from his bed. Kidnapped, that was the ruling decision for many years. The young lord, sole heir to an extremely wealthy estate? A prime target, naturally.

“If you are not ready to do this, we can come back another time.” Liam’s smooth, comforting voice drew him from his thoughts. He could feel the other man’s presence at his side, though he didn’t take his gaze from the house before them.

“No. It is time.” He drew in a breath, steadying himself, and took a step towards the grand entrance. Before he could even make it to the steps, however, the door swung open, and a tall, thin man emerged. He was older than the last time Edward had seen him, his hair long gone to silver, but he still wore the beautifully cut tailored coat that had been part of his uniform for as long as he could remember. “Robert?”

“It cannot be…” Robert’s eyes widened, his lips parting in an expression of surprise. “My eyes deceive me.” A hand came up to his heart, surprise and disbelief rapidly changing into delight. “Young Master! Can it be you have returned?”

Edward felt a sudden pang of powerful emotion - enough to choke the words from his throat and sting the backs of his eyes. Robert, the man who had been loyal servant and companion to his grandfather since before his birth, the man who had helped to raise him, who had been so very, very fond of him, and who he had been so very fond of - the man whose surname he had taken for his own when leaving behind his old life to forge himself a brand new one.

“I have indeed, old friend.” Robert rushed to him then, forgetting all rules of station as he took Edward’s hands in his own, before pulling him into a firm embrace. Edward returned it easily, amazed at the realisation of how much he had missed him.

“I knew you still lived. I knew it. The others may have believed you dead - kidnapped in the night, a joke - but not I. I always told myself one day you would come home.” He pulled back, and stared into Edward’s face. “But… why now? After so long? What brings you home now?”

Stepping back from Robert, Edward turned and held out a hand to Liam, who took it at once. “Duty.” Ed smiled, turning back to Robert. “I want to introduce you to someone, Robert. Someone very important to me.”

#anhonourablecaptain #verse; unconventional fairytales (exclusive)#drabble; five times #;captainblack #;the captain and the sailor #( this one got l o n g )#;the rightful queue #captaindashingrapscallion

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thekaijudude · 6 years ago

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Ultraman R/B Movie Review Part 1: Overall [SPOILERS]

I finally managed to finish this wow

(It took such a long time cause I had to rewatch it thrice and then analyse certain scenes more closely to clear up some doubts I had. Because trust me, this show is so content HEAVY especially when it comes to Part 2)

So,

The R/B Movie had surprisingly had a semblance of a well-thought out plot comparatively to the other New Gen Movies (which isn’t really saying much, but hey, at least its over)

As in the transitions throughout the movie were mostly MUCH smoother and easier to follow as there is a very good focus on Katsumi as we follow him through his journey to find his goal in life.

But everything else? Errrrr…..

1. Main theme of the Movie???

Ok we all know the main theme of the movie was supposed to be about kinship and whatnot but the bulk of the movie was about Katsumi’s struggles to find his goal and place in the world and having to struggle with his identity as Minato Katsumi or Ultraman Rosso, all whilst having to save a fellow friend of his from falling into darkness.

The last aspect was probably one of the stronger points of the movie as Yukio is essentially facing the same issue as Katsumi so it added a lot of rich dynamics between the two as Katsumi really had no idea how to help Yukio in moving forward from his setback since he himself isn’t really in a ‘higher ground’ to help or advise. Which resulted in the two becoming more and more disconnected with each other, especially when Yukio found out that Katsumi was Rosso.

Yeah that sounds neat and all, but where does the theme of ‘Kinship’ and ‘Bonds’ all fit into this?

a) The idea of kinship throughout the movie is very forcibly and awkwardly inserted throughout the movie, just like how Geed forced the word and idea of ‘fate’ down our throats even tho it actually sometimes dosent really concern the idea or just doesn’t make sense at all as to why it was the underlying theme of a certain scene or dialogue.

b) Pretty sure bringing Geed into this movie and involving him in the whole ‘family’ idea is the worst ultra to talk that topic about

I honestly thought he was gonna talk about his family actually being Moa and the gang even tho Belial is his biological dad to reinforce the idea that kinship goes beyond blood ties to mirror the relationship between Riku and the R/B siblings

But he literally just stopped at Belial. At this point, the dialogue between Asahi and Riku becomes soooo dry and awkward (Its literally almost as dry as the dialogues between Isami and Yuha in ep 5), especially Riku’s awkward smile and Asahi’s awkward reaction in the end, the atmosphere was so awkward that it really caused goosebumps to form on everyone when I watched it together with my friends for the first time, even during subsequent rewatches.

2. The manufactured, abrupt insertion of ‘Kinship & Family’

The flow of the movie shifted too abruptly midway through the movie as virtually 90% of the plot was previously centered around Katsumi finding his place in the world and making difficult choices but all the progress made thus far then suddenly shifted to the theme ‘Kinship & Family’, the drastic shift was especially apparent starting from when Trigger appeared out of the screen and talked to Blu about how kinship is so fragile and whatnot. But like, what sparked this monologue from Trigger? It was seemingly so random.

Even after defeating Snake Darkness (SD), Gruebe turns around to the audience and says along the lines of 'You see? This the true power of family’, I can promise you, 5/5 of my friends I was watching with including me cringed at this moment, just thinking about it right now still makes me cringe

3. Horrendous CGI scenes

Remember I said in one of the R/B Movie Trailer reviews that the CGI model of Gruebe looks really weird when he was shot beside UF?

Yeah wow it gets worse than that.

All of CGI scenes in which only 1 party is CGI is simply just too horrendous to watch, especially when Gruebe grapples with SD, Gruebe’s movements were so stiff and awkward (And that one scene where Gruebe recovers from SD’s strike looks so cheap)

But otherwise, that Gruebe vs Trigger battle sequence where both models were CGI was done pretty ok-ish for the most part

And the gesticulations and voice acting for Trigger when he was in CGI was totally out of sync

And man at the last scene where UF and Gruebe interacted with each other at the end I literally breathed a sign of relief when we see the only scene where Gruebe’s actual suit is being used (And oh boy does it look MUCH BETTER)

4. Power Scaling

Gruebe went from literally being trashed by SD to suddenly being able to totally tank his strikes without any sort of stagger AND fling SD around within a span of 5 seconds

5. Others

- Gruebe’s main grunt is essentially the acoustic embodiment of ‘clusterfuck’, especially with that ridiculously high pitch. Coupled with the horrendous CGI, Im having EXTREME difficulty trying to enjoy fight scenes when Gruebe is present

- Also a couple of friends described Gruebe’s gesticulations as and I quote 'disturbingly flamboyant’, I personally just found it rather weird but I guess that’s Grigio’s influence on Gruebe so welp

- Asahi never fails to be cringey even as Grigio

- I get the symbolism behind Grigio’s transformation but other than that, it really dosent make any sense considering that Grigios are a separate species of kaiju, I initially though that Saki’s spirit was gonna become the Ultrawoman Grigio crystal or sth

- In addition to the previous point, isn’t Asahi the embodiment of the Makoto Crystal? But yet now she’s an independent Ultra???

WHAT???????

6. Conclusion

Overall, the R/B Movie actually falls under one of those rare New Gen Movie specimens that is of a somewhat similar quality as the series.

Ive even heard many people saying that both share a similar pattern, as they both start out very promising and engaging before quickly plummeting down to the ground.

But at least TsuPro got to try out some new ideas especially with the whole CGI aspects and could hopefully improve on it.

And this marks the end of the New Gen Era (aka the experimental era) to usher in the new Reiwa Era of Ultraman.

Other than that, noticed I haven’t said much about Trigger even tho I consistently said that hes the mvp for this movie? Well Part 2 is ALL about him, cause trust me,

This character is SO RICH its not even funny

So stay tuned for Part 2 where ill get to the JUICY MEAT of this whole movie

#ultraman #ultraman rb #ultraman r/b

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superemeralds · 7 years ago

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my sonic characters: a masterpost

I’ll add more whenever i get new info on characters and so on sakjsak

I used to have more but i gave some of them away so i dont feel like i should mention them here (even if those designs are not in use anymore)

[edit 4/20/2019 (haha) added nexus and links to character tags]

1) Saph the hedgehog

This is Saph. He’s a 18/19 year old disaster gay trans boy.

I change his shoe design literally every single time i draw him. :)

I’ll go in depth about his past later.

Saph is pretty much all over the place and forgets to be considerate of other peoples feelings sometimes. He might come off as very egoistic of self centered, but he does actually care in his own kind of way (even when its. kinda bad bc he gives off wrong signals sometimes and ends up hurting people hes close to)

He’s looked up to Sonic ever since he was small and he collects all of the Sonic comics and video games. His dream is to meet Sonic and win against him in a fight.

Shadow is his big idol in many things so he tries to be edgy sometimes or act tough but he fails miserably most of the time and makes a fool of himself; which he doesn’t really mind because he can take a lot of things with humour (sometimes too much). He also uses white eye liner to imitate shadows marks, and he dyes some parts of his fur white to make the marks he already has extend to look more like shadows.

Shadow was the person that taught him how to control his chaos powers, because he’d always just weakened himself in the past, because he is super unstable. (If it wasnt for Shadow he probably would have died by now.) Shadow also was the one that told Saph to go to Tails for help with the buckles on his wrists and the rings on his ankles. They are made of a material similar to shadows rings (tails tried his best to replicate them) so they would help keep the energy in Saph balanced. Due to his strong affiliation to Chaos Energy, he could technically even turn super; but his body would be unable to hold the immense amount of energy and begin to literally burn down to ash within a few minutes.

He is very gay and in a relationship with Ezra.

He’s on T and has not yet had top op. (his bobbies smol its all muscle >:3€ )

Old pic of him and his bf as humans uwu

2) Red the hedgehog

Red is 25/26 years old and works at GUN as special agent. Sometimes he and Rouge get drunk in her club at night and joke about tearing that organization down (or maybe they are not joking)

he’s pansexual and horny 24/7. He has a girlfriend and is in an open relationship. hes polyam if you didnt guess it askdsajh

he’s blind in the right eye and has a tattoo of a star on his chest

(here’s his gijinka because i just. hes hot. he used to be the one character that had like 30 fangirls on deviantart and each of them would comment “nosebleed” every time i uploaded)

ANYWAYS

Saph and Red. They are brothers.

*WARNING: abusive parents, transphobia, homophobia, violence

When red was a young lad and Saph was still a baby their father snapped and beat Red up with an iron bar, making him blind on his right eye. Red took Saph and ran away from home.(Their mother died at saphs birth)

They lived and still live in a city a litte farther off Empire City.

Red decided to go to an orphanage because he could not possibly take care of an infant. (granted his dad couldnt either but it seemed the best possible solution)

They lived in the orphanage for a few years, but saph very soon showed sighns of being trans and got bullied by the other kids. they would call him gay and tr*nny and kick him until he fell silent to endure his “punishment”.

Red couldn’t take it and decided to run away with Saph again. They lived on the street for a while, but Red was caught by GUN for stealing. Once they found out he had a form of chaos powers (even if weak) they decided to let him slide and hire him as Special Agent.

Red accepted this and uses the money he ears to make sure Saph has a good life. This kinda spoiled Saph a little, but he also deserved it lets be real here.

Red made sure to enable saph to get education (which he totally refuses to acknowledge and take seriously) and physical transition.

*WARNING END*

3) Ellectra “Ellie” the tenrec

[ pardon me being inconsequent with the design omg ]

Ellie is a 20 year old functional asexual demiromantic lesbian who is not interested in dumb boys and would rather talk about science with a pretty girl.

She can manipulate electricity and is called “Daughter of Zeus” by the townsfolk in her home island called Coral Island, which is located near the windsmil isles in Apotos.

She studies archeology and gaia mythology/ancient history, which makes it very convenient that she lives nearby an actual gaia temple. (She wants to be like lara croft one day)

At the 2005 black arms invasion her mother got heavily wounded when she tried to protect the town from the aliens and died from the aftermath.

Ever since then Ellie hates Shadow with a burning passion and holds him responsible, because she believed the government propaganda (provided by GUN ofc) that Shadow is One Of The Aliens. If she was ever to meet him she would be FURIOUS and ready to murder (she knows he cant die though).

She tried not to focus too much on that and just. do her cool ancient stuff.

Here are her parents Chion and... the mother i had still not found a good name for.

5) Chion the tenrec

This gentleman is 40+ years old and proud father of Ellie.

Hes also a het ace.

Chion is greek for snow (as far as google translate goes) and he was named that bc of his white nose lmao. its like a snowflake on his black body.

He doesn’t have any elemental powers, but he is naturally very strong and will punch anyone who comes close to his family. He can also use swords and is a skilled swordsman.

He inherited an olive farm from his family and he does keep it going. He makes his money selling olive products he does make himself.

6) Athena the hedgehog

Athena was the daughter of the “major” of the island that the family lived on (coral island), so she was expected to become the new major once he had to retire.

Due to the location of the island and the geographical landmarks on it, many raiders (and also eggman) have great interest in the ruins and mythological places. Athena is not one to give in easily and defended her people and the island from many intruders.

She possessed a less particular (than Ellie), but still fierce power of lightning manipulation. Having used her powers excessively, she sustained severe damage to her arms which showed as lighting shaped scars. She showed them with pride, because they meant she had fought hard to get where she was now.

She was bisexual and married to a tenrec called Chion. She was a year older than him.

The rings Ellie wears on her wrists were her mom’s.

7) Frost the snow leopard

Frost is a 15 year old demiboy who really just wants to have a good time. He hasnt really given his sexuality much thought.

He lives in a small village in Holoska; hes actually even met the werehog. Well he saw him. but he was too afraid to talk to him because holy shit its Sonic The Hedgehog!!!!!!!

He has ice powers!!!!

His insides are like -18°C and he cant eat anything that is hot. He has to eat cooked meals when they are room temperature, or even cooled down to fridge temperatures ( about 6°C).

He basically lives off ice cream and dry meat (if they get fancy food from the city he gets frozen pizza) He thinks of going to the UF for college, but he doesnt really know what he wants to do with his life yet so hes just having fun snowboarding.

8) Mitzu the Cheetah

Mitzu is 22 years old and owns a flower shop/chao garden combo where she takes care of chao, while taking care of flowers and breeding them. Her hydrokinesis powers are very helpful in that!

She loves nature and the outdoors and feeling the grass under her feet, so she doesn’t wear shoes/socks. Ever.

She generally is very free spirited and optimistic!

Shes a big sapphic but shes also okay w being single atm.

Her chao are like children to her and she loves the chao that get left in the garden as much as her own. (ppl leave their chao there when they cant watch over them anymore or if they go for a vacation and cant take them with them or smth)

9) Dan the red panda*

Dan is 17 years old and a big homo.

He has no special powers, except being able to eat and sleep more than the average person.

He’s from a very rich family, but his parents insisted in him finding a wife to like. pass down the heritage but he aint having none of that so his punk ass ran away from home to be his gay self and study art.

He lives in a tree house a little off a small village in a more rural area in east UF, near station square. let the depression boy be happy...

10) Yoshi the siamese cat

Yoshi is a 20 year old enby kitty who wants to make the world a gayer place!

They are studying fashion design in hope to one day open their own fashion store for queer people! The clothes are made with body differences in mind and they also want to offer a free customization service to fit clothes to every single body type.

They don’t have any special powers as of now but i kinda want to give them a power that could be helpful with their goal Im still thinking about it ...

11) Joel “Spirit” the Husky

Spirit is fresh ripe 14 years old and Sonic the hedgehog is his big big idol. He wants to be JUST like him when he grows up.

It has come to my attention that he is basically the sonic universe Deku and I may or may not be planning to write a fanfiction for that...........

He doesn’t have any special offensive powers, but he has orange blood and he has the ability to read the Chaos Signature of anything he encounters. (called: Chaos Vision)

This means he will immediately know if a person he meets has super powers and he will also know what that power is. He can also guess the emotions of people because they are tied to the kind of chaos energy that surrounds a person.

12) Aurora the Husky

Spirit’s Sister!

Her name is Aurora and she also has Chaos Vision!

She was born blind, but she’s been able to see with her power, so that’s just what the world looks like to her: Darkness with many many colorful lights.

Over time through hard training she was able to perfect her vision and be able to distinguish between a lot of things and even see things that only have very little chaos energy in them!

13) Axel the Axolotl*

I don’t really have much info on them I made them pretty random one day bc i thought. hey. .... what if... axolotl sonic character.

14) Azul the cat

Azul is my sonicsona kinda. He was pmuch my persona b4 i was kin w shadow.

He’s an edgelord and i guess he’s still technically me; or rather what i want to be.

He’s already on T and has has top op and he does not crumble away under social anxiety like i do askjdsakjd.

15) ( UNKNWOWN) the Pangolin*

Similar to Axel I didn’t think much about him yet......

he’s aroace and kinda goofy but he cares for his friends. He can roll up and do spin dashes and homing attacks like sonic, but he obviously doesnt have his super sonic speed.

16) Coal the hedgehog

Coal is one of the newest of my characters; but he’s also one of my oldest.

You see, Coal is a revamp of a very old crappy fanchild i had back in like 2012.

for reference thats him

New Coal is 27 years old and a gay mess. He can turn into a cloud of smoke and control it at will. He is completely immune to physical attacks. try to stab/shoot him and u ded. hes coming for u.

he steals, but only from rich ppl. hes chaotic neutral tho bc he keeps that shit for himself safhsaljfha he generally just wants to chill and have his peace.

he loves being an edge lord though he just wants that image for himself, even though he is kinda a softie... hes good at keeping up an act in dangerous situations though and that sometimes scares attackers off (also his powers)

Some gijinka doodles that make his age more justice than sonic style aksjfhaskj

17, 18, 19) The Crew On ARK

old bad art but i never really drew them, i did write about them in my fic about shadows past! (im excluding the black guy from the list because i didnt write him yet and i guess hes not really established yet since i got literally nothing on him)

from left to right

Nia, (that dude), Hikari, (gerald), Theodor

Nia is the daughter of a shamaran professor and a woman who owns a boulongerie in spagonia. She joined the ARK program in hope to make the world a more accepting place.

Hikari is is from an island near chun-nan (japan) and she also joined the program in hope to be able to help make a change for the better. she also enjoys biology and genetics a lot.

Theodor joined purely because of his joy in working on genetics and robotics that immitate life. He’s innitially from the GUN team but was assigned to work with Gerald.

20) Commander Jonathan Williams

old art again sorry sakjfhsakj. He is the father of the current GUN commander! He’s 52 and a total douchebag. He’s kinda mad with power and genuinely believes that putting shadow under pressure to become the ultimate and strongest weapon (stronger than an atomic bomb) was necessary to end the war that was going on at that time.

I cannot spoil too much on what happened to each of these people as it’s spoilers for my fanfic.

If you want to know more, read here -> http://archiveofourown.org/works/10992156/chapters/24482199

21) Sidus “Nova” the black panther (and 22 Badass the Chao)

You see. The thing with nova is that i recycled him as human/demon character for a story sjkhfkafhsakj but he has shadow powers where he can use all shadows as portals into a shadow dimension that is entirely his own. he can travel through that but it makes him very tired. he likes to store capri suns in there and just take em out whenever he wants. He has a Chao called Badass (pictured below)

his new human/demon design is below

23) Blossom the horned Frog

She is new and I don’t have much info other than that she’s from a jungle area; perhaps in adabat.

She secrets a poisonous slime from her body; yet her spit has healing accelerating properties.

A gene defect lets her never lose her tail.

24) Nexus the demonic sheep hound

nexus is a demonic sheep hound mix?? idk i just didnt want to draw hooves aksfsakhfa

they can manipulate metal and bend it in any shape they want

however they cant make it float n shit like youd think of metal powers like magneto jsfhsakjf they can literally just. shape it like play-doh but with their mind

they wear those gold rings so when theyre in a pinch they can just make a bunch of cool knifes of a sword n be like SURPRISE BITCH IM NOT JUST PRETTY. IM PRETTY DEADLY!

#my characters #shadows logbook

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chucksandjeans · 5 years ago

Text

A DECADE IN REVIEW & GOALS FOR BEYOND

PRECURSOR

This is a difficult post to write because there’s a lot to reflect on. Where do I start? Over the years, I’ve gone back and forth whether it makes sense to write these things down. It all started years ago when LiveJournal was popular. I wrote down daily routines and activities that I did during the week. It was remarkably diary-oriented with little thought put into what I wanted out of it. This Tumblr account started 11 years ago in 2008 when I arrived in Singapore to start my semester abroad. I started to document my exchange adventures, foods I ate, sights I saw. It was a means to write down my life so I would not forget it. In more recent times, I continued writing down travel blogs but moved towards using writing as a way to plan for the future. It’s interesting looking back and seeing that my younger self scribbled notes about daily events, then grew into my 20s writing things down to not forget them, and now using writing to plan for the future. I wonder what the next decade in review will look like.

2010-2019 AT A GLANCE

Overall, I give myself A- for this decade.

RELATIONSHIP - A

I spent the first few years of the decade lost. I came out of a long-term relationship and hurt people along the way, myself included. It was a difficult time in my life and I was jaded for a long time. Between the ages of 22 and around 25, I was a quintessential tool that did a lot of things that I thought someone in their early 20s should be doing. Going out, dating random people, not being honest with anyone to protect myself. It took a lot of courage to get out of that state and looking backwards, it was a state that I had to go through. Things changed when I met my wife who pulled me out of that slump and showed me that love could be all powerful. I am so grateful for my past relationships because they all brought me to where I am today. My marriage has evolved from a simple swipe to dating to moving in to signing the papers and soon having our first child. It’s crazy to think back to 2010, what I was doing and thinking back then, and fast forward to today. It’s magical to see what life has to offer and I am only beginning to appreciate all the small things. I started weak but finished the decade strong.

FAMILY - B+

My family is small in Toronto and North America. I love them deeply and when I look back, I don’t think I truly showed them that when I was younger. My parents brought me here, giving up their careers and community, so I could have a better life. I gave them a ton of grief as a teenager and could have done a better job in my 20s to take care of them. As I grew older, I understand why my dad use to say “you’ll know when you’re older”. I use to roll my eyes but now I understand. I hope I can pass this knowledge onto my child(ren) so that they can mature their thinking. Likely, they won’t understand until they are adults too but that’s just how the cookie crumbles. My extended family in Hong Kong - I neglected them for the most part. I spent my 20s traveling around the world and only went back in 2018, 10 years after my last visit. I can’t express how happy I was to see them and at the same time, seeing how the years have taken its toll on them. I hope I still have time to see them and create memories before the winters go by.

FRIENDS - B+

The definition of friend has changed dramatically. I use to think friends were the ones who I partied with, drank with and ate with. I tried to have as many friends as possible and know as many people as possible. What a silly way to think? People came and gone and I struggled with that, in particular when the fake friends faded away. Real friends faded away too. I can’t say that it came as a surprise but it definitely came. I use to think friends lasted forever - the way we hung out, how often we hung out, how many movies we saw - but now I see, just like everyone said, parties will eventually end. I had to redefine what the word friendship meant to me. Sometimes I look at photographs and see faces of people that I never see or talk to. Friendships evolve and I am glad that there are a handful that I cherish deeply. New friends, old friends, it’s time to think about who are the real friends.

CAREER - A

The beginning of the decade marked the beginning of my career. I started at E&Y in September 2009 so January 2010 was still early days. I just finished the CKE and going into my first busy season before the SOA and UFE exams later in 2010. It was a long time ago but it feels like yesterday. I wonder if 2010 VLiu knew that everything would be okay, that 10 years later, he would be still clueless and figuring things out. So much has happened since then, from being promoted to moving functions to companies. I got lost in a big company and searched for meaning in my work. I learned how to work tools and technology, networked and built relationships. I screwed up, joined the wrong company and returned to a career that I knew was not my passion. I met great people, managed a growing team and launched a business. I did case studies. I learned that my skills defined me but I could learn new skills. I pushed harder than I ever thought possible, mentally and emotionally. This last decade was a blur. What a blur.

TRAVEL - A+

I did well here. After the exchange semester and Europe backpacking trip in 2009, 2010 onwards marked the most active travel itineraries that I could dream of. Years ago I already started jotting down my goals on where to globetrot and as this decade comes to a close, I am proud to have been to 6 of the 7 continents, hiked some of the world’s greatest trails, lived in tiny huts and tents to lush hotels. It was a decade to remember and a passport to cherish. I grew a lot as a person having seen so many things and as I think back, I am very lucky to have had the opportunities, money, time and freedom (and companions) to see these places. Travel is good for the soul, and this part of my soul is happy. I marked Norway as my 50th country with my wife and no longer am I chasing stamps. I am now chasing memories.

HEALTH - B

I am proud of myself for creating a healthy lifestyle for myself early on even before 2010. I have a certain friend to thank for this, but early on in first year university, he inspired me to take up weight training. Since then, I have been dedicated to this activity and it carried through to 2019. I can’t say that I work out as much anymore. From 2010-2015, I probably worked out 5 times a week for at least 60 minutes per session and ate a ton of protein shakes. In more recent years, this has dialed back for reasons I am ashamed to say as laziness. I still go 1-2 times per week but that’s still way less than before. However, I am choosing to eat healthier with less meat which counts for something!

FINANCE - B+

I have been notorious with saving and believing that paying myself first is always the best path forward. I don’t know what the future holds so having a steady contribution to investments was the approach that I have been taking. Hopefully it works. I trust finance theory.

PERSONAL - B+

I am proud of what I’ve accomplished between 2010-2019. I’ve grown as a person personally and professionally. I have matured in how I think about friends and family, and what it means to be happy. I made mistakes along the way and I learned from them. Now, I am in a good place with all aspects of my life. Overall, it was a good 10 years.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF THE DECADE

Everything Celine-related: meeting her, getting to know her, building a relationship, planning a wedding, having the wedding, and all the ups and downs in-between. I think back and cannot picture my life without her.

Road trip: the drive from Toronto to LA was monumental and solidified some lifelong friendships that cannot be replicated. The memories are so precious and I am so glad that trip happened.

Buying a house and decorating: the rush of signing papers, moving in and the fun of hanging paintings and measuring furniture. Ah, first homes!

Walking the Highline NYC with Celine: it was just so magical. The sunset, the city, the photo that captured it all.

Weddings: this decade was filled with many joyous celebrations of my friends getting married. It was so beautiful to see them tie the knot and celebrate with old friends. I know I complained about too many weddings, but now that I think about it, I will miss the weddings.

Revisiting Singapore: SG has a special place in my heart. Seeing PGP again too. It feels like a different me but the same me. I miss that part of my life a lot.

Darth and See Lai month: 2015 was a rough year as I chose a terrible boss and made a made career mistake. Luckily for me, I had a network to help me and I got through it. Darth reminds me that most importantly in any career, happiness comes first. Money is a byproduct. The one month spent at home was filled with mom-son time. I loved every second of it, even though I was recovering from a traumatizing experience.

Jamie: Jamie Anderson, the classiest man I know. His deep voice, decisive attitude, and gentleman’s classiness, I will never forget.

Corporate Development: this was a huge career accelerator for me. The people that I met and the deals that I worked on set me up nicely for the rest of my career. Project Laker will always be my pride and joy.

Ventures, Anthony and Derek: Joining RBC Ventures was a life-changing experience. I finally learned that I could learn new skills, and be friends with the people I worked with. I met two of my greatest mentors. It was the time of my life.

Norway: nuff said. Norway 2 aka. Iceland was also great.

Travel stuff: all the places I went this decade were so great.

Duncan and NWTS nights: some of these nights I dragged myself out. Now that I think back, these are the nights I can’t and still remember.

Living in condos: Pinnacle has a special place in my heart. Moving from 12 to 16 Yonge and to 33 Bay several floors. I had fun living in my own filth hehe and eating take-out everyday, walking to the Goodlife at 8pm to workout. Everything has a time and place.

Being a douche in the PATH: slicked hair, fitted suit. Every dude has to try it once!

Mom karaoke parties: always a fun time!

Music festivals: Veld, Swedish House Mafia, Digital Dreams. #awesomesauce

Hanging out at NWS townhouse and walking to BBT with Stella: the summers that I lived downtown had some fun activities after work. The summers were always filled with nighttime fun like bars and drinking and walking Bentley.

Passing UFE: it was pretty cool studying for the exams and passing them!

Cube: club nights.

2019 AT A GLANCE

I am very happy with 2019. My wife and I came out of 2018 with gusto with new energy and dreams. This year had a fair share of ups and downs which taught me resilience and the power of positive thinking. When Steve left the company, I was devastate and had to learn how to deal with it while managing a big team. Celine and I hiked Patagonia and we found out we were expecting a baby. Later in the year, I found a new career direction while preparing for the new baby’s arrival. It was an experiential year with so much to be thankful for.

RELATIONSHIP - A

This was the first full calendar year of marriage. Celine and I are growing day by day and moving on to the next chapter with the arrival of our baby in a few weeks. 2019 was a much “easier” year than 2018 now that the wedding and the house costs are behind us, so we spent a large part of the year enjoying each other’s companies. We spent our honeymoon hiking in Chile, visiting family in Vancouver, and explored Italy, Slovakia and Hungary. We ate at amazing restaurants and created unforgettable memories. A few weeks ago, we ate at Patria, the restaurant where we had our first date, to close a chapter in our lives as a couple and welcomed the next chapter as a family of three. We are ready.

FAMILY - A

I really enjoyed this year because we had the chance to visit family with my parents in Vancouver. It was a very fun trip and one that was long overdue. Without the pressure of the wedding, 2019 was more of a breeze.

FRIENDS - A

We had a fair share of dinners and hangouts this year. Celine also hosted a few DTL sessions at home which was great. I also strengthened friendships with some old friends and new friends, which I am particularly proud of.

CAREER - A+

There were a ton of ups and downs this year. From Steve leaving the organization to an unnamed person on the team who was a pain to manage, this was year marked with learning how to deal with things. My career was predominantly smooth sailing except for the grief that I cause myself mentally but this year was truly a test on my character and perseverance. I was lucky to have great mentors and friends who coached me through the hard times and I came out the other side a stronger person. Later in the year, I found happiness in a new career direction. I saw this as a culmination of my many sleepless days and nights thinking about what’s next, and an outlet for my trapped ambition. I am at peace with all the bumps that I encountered to get here because now I am here, and I love it. Earlier in the year, I set out to find a role where I can develop new skills, stimulate my brain, gives me a strong network and provides a leverage a brand. I can truly say that 2019 was a defining year for my career.

TRAVEL - A

Celine and I flew a fair bit this year from Chile to Vancouver to Europe. Chile was a beauty and brought me back to our road trip days in Norway and Iceland. Hiking in Patagonia, trekking the Atacama and sleeping in a rusty shack near the Magellan Strait are going to be memories of a lifetime. Vancouver, another great trip with family. Europe was a different feel and it was Celine’s first time in the Eastern side of the continent. The cuisine and history was super awesome and I’d go back in a heartbeat. From a work travel perspective, I had the chance to go to New Orleans for a few days and then San Francisco for 11 days for orientation. It was my spending so much time in San Francisco and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to experience it. Now I know that I shouldn’t pick a hotel in Tenderloin to stay in. I did not do well in setting a new travel goal however. After I hit 50 countries, it’s been challenging to think of a tangible target to run towards. I need to do that this year.

HEALTH - B-

This was an average year for health both physically and mentally. Physically, I’ve been going to the gym less and less, maybe 1-2 times per week. I did complete the RBC Race for the Kids 5km though in a pretty decent time, but next year, woooobooooyyy not sure. I spent many nights stressed and sleepless because of the ups and downs at the office so that was not great. However, Celine and I started doing affirmations first thing in the morning and before bed. It’s a chance for us to think about what we are thankful for. It’s become routine for us now, and it’s helped a lot.

FINANCE - B

We did well this year. Aside from being a big under the water after the basement and backyard renovations, which we had to do, we kept our spending in check and continued to save throughout the year. Celine and I are both aligned on how we view finances which is good, and a testament to how a rough 2018 year prepared us for 2019 and beyond (especially with a new baby coming soon).

PERSONAL - C+

I spent the last few years thinking about my career and very little on how to improve myself outside of that realm. I don’t know how much that has impacted me, but I can say at a minimum that it’s kept me up many a nights thinking about my career. Now that my career has been realigned, I should spend more time thinking about my goals from a personal perspective. In 2018, I did accomplish my goal of reading 3 books and writing in my journal 2x per month. These now seem like easy, attainable goals though so nothing to celebrate.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF 2019

Celine telling me that she’s pregnant: unspeakable happiness.

Hearing my baby’s heartbeat for the first time with my ear: this was so mind-boggling to me. For the longest time, the baby did not hit me as reality as much as Celine...since she was carrying Leia and all. But hearing her heartbeat changed it all.

Seeing my Uncle 1 and Auntie 1: I haven’t seen them for years...or a decade. I can’t remember now but it was warming to see them again in the same house years later.

At Stephen’s Basilica rooftop: the sunset was beautiful atop the church looking over Budapest. It was not quite Aksla, but it was indeed captivating.

Cuernos and Patagonia: the views, experience, air and water. The hike, although rainy, was perfect.

Borago: World’s 50 Best does not disappoint. My favourite was still the rainwater from Patagonia.

Windy shack in Punta Arenas: the town was lame but the tiny hut that called itself an Airbnb was memorable. The Magellan Strait is very windy and shook the house until Celine and I worried that the roof would fall onto us. Hah.

The day we almost died: Patagonia at its finest.

Steve leaving: this was a rough day for me and the beginning of a rough week. My world fell apart piece by piece and I did not feel career disappointment like this before.

Me leaving: the decision to leave Butter/Ventures was difficult and I weighed the pros and cons. I chose to leave under my criteria which was easy, but actually leaving was very hard. Luckily for me the relationships that mattered are still strong.

Various case studies: LOL.

Interview at Square: I got the first email when I got back from Europe in early September. From then until the final interview on Wednesday, October 23 was a rush. I received the offer verbally on Friday, October 25. I accepted the Saturday. It all moved so quickly.

Seeing NWS super happy about escape rooms: I rarely see NWS that excited and it was fun to see on Ryan’s birthday. Board games and escape rooms - it was more like NWS’ birthday.

GOALS FOR 2020 AND BEYOND

RELATIONSHIP

I will support my wife in her personal and career endeavors. I will encourage her to be creative, ambitious and honest with herself so that she can achieve her maximum potential.

I will be an attentive and caring husband, and try to be positive in the most difficult situations. I will listen first and offer an opinion after if suitable in the situation.

I will be cognizant that my wife is stressed from taking care of the baby and try to relieve her stress as much as possible.

I will recognize milestones and also everyday events because life is short.

Stretch: I will create and capture more memories outside of Instagram, through writing, photos or videos.

By 2029: I will be a model husband that knows how to cook, clean and take care of my wife and family. I will continue celebrating the big and small moments with my wife, remembering anniversaries and birthdays, and continue being the young-love that we have today.

FAMILY

I will be a great father, whatever that means! I don’t know yet but I promise to be a great one.

I will be more present in gatherings and create a balance where possible to bridge the various groups.

I will maintain a strong relationship with family overseas.

Stretch: talk to at least 1 overseas family member once a month

By 2029: I will be the father to 2 beautiful children. I will be supportive and understand them as much as possible, and try not to be a lame dad. I will have great relationships with my family and my in-laws, and maintain a strong connection those overseas. I will be back in HK at least 2 times in this decade.

FRIENDS

I will build on strong social bonds by reaching out, staying in touch, physically going to see friends, and recognizing special moments.

I understand that this aspect of my life may change with a new baby coming but I hope to maintain a relationship with at least my closest friends. I will not be non-existent to friends.

Stretch: hang out with 1 friend per a month

By 2029: I will be a great friend to a small group of people. I will celebrate their big and small moments, and try my best to keep the group close.

CAREER

I will think about my career more critically and plan out my path. Now that I have started a new path at Square, it is important to think about what I am learning here and map that out against where I want to eventually get to. This allows me to think about my career in a more structured way.

I will consistently evaluate my skillset and upgrade/up-skill where I see a gap, through reading books or taking a course.

Stretch: meet at least 2 new people every month who can help me in my career or gives me new ideas and add an international aspect to my experiences; discuss international opportunities with Square

By 2029: I will be managing a small, high-performing team in a career of my choosing. This career will pay well, have great people and culture, and grant me the flexibility to work the way I want to to suit my lifestyle. I will have international work experience.

TRAVEL

Find a new goal that revolves around travel and cultural exploration. I want to love travel immensely again.

Go to at least one place with the new baby on a plane.

Stretch: Take Celine and the baby to San Francisco for a few weeks.

By 2029: I will have been to 60 countries and went on 2 more big hikes (which could mean something like Patagonia). I will have been back to Africa somewhere, Asia and Australia. Europe is fine too but it will have to be Scandinavia or Eastern Europe. Our baby will be well-traveled.

HEALTH

I will choose to eat healthy food more often. In particular, this means more fish, chicken, vegetables and legumes, and less red meat, fried foods and dairy products.

I will eat more fruits and drink more water (at least 2L daily).

I will workout at least twice a week.

Stretch: drink 3L of water daily, workout thrice a week and run one organized 5km-run.

By 2029: my kids would be old enough by this time so that I can go back to a regular gym schedule. Between 2020-2029, I want to maintain a healthy body and mind, great sleep, and no need for drugs. I will have healthy cholesterol and X levels to be able to eat what I want and exercise the way I want. I will look good.

FINANCE

I will continue shifting the finances on a monthly basis to ensure that Celine and I are tracking towards our retirement goals.

I will spend less money on products and more on experiences.

I will cut back on impromptu purchases.

I will continue saving money for myself, Celine and the baby.

Stretch: plan for investment property

By 2029: we will have 2 investment properties and a sizable investment portfolio suitable for our stage in life. We will be have financial freedom defined as having enough money to do what we want largely without financial limitations.

PERSONAL

I will find out what it means to be a husband and father.

I will dedicate time to self-improvement through reading, listening to podcasts, thinking about the future and philosophical topics, and documentaries where I can learn something.

I will focus on what I can control and push out things that I cannot control. I worry too much so this will help me reduce mental stress.

I will be a better listener and only dish out tough love sparingly.

I will continue documenting my career ambitions and philosophies in my journal at least 2x a month.

I will clean the house once a month. This means wiping the windows, vacuuming and mopping the floors, bleaching the sink, etc.

I will not leave my shoes and jackets everywhere, and will not leave the lights on if I don’t have to.

Stretch: I will read 5 books this year.

By 2029: I will be happy.

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