#asterisk next to this title just like an asterisk next to all of city's titles

[bluesandboos]

anyway puta madrid

[thelocalconstellation]

In case anybody was wondering what my current thoughts are for the whole story behind the 100 days multiverse bit, here they are! Some stuff I'm hedging my bets on still but I've not solidly noted it down if there isn't at least a handful of reason as to why. Some of this is also information I got from the lore document pinned in the discord. I haven't quite been able to finish as much as I wanted. Lore doc stuff will have an asterisk next to it

Things I'm pretty damn certain on

- The Alterans were an initial larger group, which Decem and co split off from.

- Decem is both an individual and a group*

- The Alterans did in fact remove Legundo's memories. It feels pretty explicitly mentioned but I haven't gotten there yet.

- Legundo was a member of Decem, the evidence provided by the lore doc seems pretty explicit on this one*

- Legundo was initially yeeted into the unknown by The Alterans.*

- There's some kind of requisite for either Decem to give up or for Legundo to go back or something. I'll elaborate on this later.

- It's some kind of fight over control of the multiverse, or Decem is planning to destroy and then reform it how they wish. The chess references* incline it towards a fight for control but I haven't seen much or I don't quite recall enough on it to say so much about The Alterans.

- Legundo is Literally just Doing His Best out here guys. He doesn't know what exactly is happening or why, just roughly who's involved and that they won't leave him alone. Also I think he needs a friend :(

- Legundo is some form of irreplaceable to Decem and thus has value to The Alterans

- Decem's power is split between the 10 members, in which I have SO many questions about.

Things I SWEAR have meaning and by god I will find it.

- The Deal. Again, I'll elaborate later.

- Each of the titles for the members of Decem. (I do not remember them all off the top of my head but theres supposed to be 10.)

- what on this unholy green earth is The Nexus. I'm assuming some kind of gateway, but I cannot tell.

- Disagreements between members of Decem and co.*

- Decem wants Legundo alive, despite having taken more violent action in the past. I have questions. (This does mean that any prerequisite has nothing or little to do with Legundo's continued survival)

- The obelisks. I keep seeing people have theories on what they do/what they're for and oh my god WHY are they THERE

- Darkness. Why.

- The cult from the darkness world. There's implications to this and I sit here and scream.

Best guess I've got for now

Legundo was taken from Decem as The Architect, had his memories erased by The Alterans and launched into some corner of the multiverse to try and delay his return to Decem or whatever.

Decem is some kind of malicious or lightly malicious entity. I haven't quite figured out if Decem, The Guy, is a god or other kind of deity or if they're just really good at being a cult leader.

The Alterans managed to contain or imprison Decem members at some point. If this is before or after nabbing Legundo, I haven't quite figured it out yet.

The obelisks are the things chucking Legundo between universes like a hacky sack. Desert episode guys, come on.

Which means there has to be a reason why Decem is chucking Legundo around the mutliverse like a hacky sack, which is suggested to be to bring Legundo closer to Decem so they can either use him to break out or grab his goofy ass and kidnap him back to wherever they camp out. The Alterans either don't, can't, or won't do anything about this until they get a little too close at which point they give him an option out.

Legundo knows something about Decem and the fact that he was part of their group at one point. I don't remember the exact wording so this one is on thin ice but I swear something about not going back was said before he went through the ancient city portal. I think there's time passed between each world and I haven't actually seen anything about this so far, it could be in another series and I just don't know because I fell down this rabbit hole like. Two-three weeks ago.

The Alterans aren't great either. Magic, I imagine, likely leaves a kind of almost residue? Some kind of Vibe, especially large scale magic. His hesitance towards going through the portal at the end of the darkness world is interesting. Either way this feels like a kid whose parents are in the middle of a very, very messy divorce.

Elaboration hour

The FUCKIN deal. WHAT deal mr legundo sir. WHAT. I have a very clear clip in my brain of him saying "We had a deal!" At the end of the 'new mod a day' world. There's some kind of agreement that Decem goes along with to an extent for some reason. If it's an attempt at compliance then it doesn't explain the fear and hesitance about the obelisks showing up still. Legundo isn't naive. By this point you'd think he'd be used to it if the deal was anything about transporting him across the multiverse, much less a timer on how long he gets to stay.

Actually, thinking about it a little harder now, I reckon it's a chance. I think it has something to do with Legundo gets 100 days to try and hide or do something and if he can successfully evade Decem for however long and/or complete,,, something (at which point I wonder what exactly)? Then he wins. But with Decem being the one choosing where he goes and the situations he ends up in, they know what world he's in. Given that they seem to be observing him somehow, I'd also say that's how they show up the morning of day 100 without fail. Having gone 10 worlds before Decem really caught up to Legundo a little, I have to wonder if there's any pattern or reasoning to each world selected. I'll have to go and look at what each world is and if there's any correlation to Decem characters later. It's likely not very relevant nor important, but it'd be fun to know anyways, even if there is no relation.

The obelisk powers now, I know it includes player transport and revival. I also reckon they have something to do with either tracking or a general conduit for Decem's power(s), as well as acting as some form of communicative link given how Legundo speaks to them like they can hear him. Also the malicious compliance from Decem also encourages this notion.

Anyways yeah I still don't know how or why Decem's power seems split the way it is (something about full power 'when we are whole' from the bit after 11, from who I presume to be The Warrior speaking. The Warrior said a lot of interesting things I went over that on another post.) Or exactly what their goals are. I know that both The Alterans and Decem have interest in Legundo, enough to be fighting over him like a pair of small children. Whether it be from a general investment of power standpoint or there's something seriously up with this guy, I still can't quite tell and unfortunately I do not have the current time to find out right now.

Either way here I am. Full hyperfixation in progress, and I reckon I'll be around for a while.

[denimbex1986]

'Like countless moviegoers around the world, I’m a major fan of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” But like many of those who saw it, I wasn’t alone in having qualifications about the last part of the movie. For me, the first two hours of “Oppenheimer” were electrifying. I felt the kind of full-scale mind/soul immersion that’s the definition of what we look for when we go to the movies. But in the last hour, I experienced a certain falling-off quality. I was still involved, but less involved. As the film kept returning to the 1954 hearing that resulted in Oppenheimer losing his security clearance, with Oppenheimer in the hot seat being hectored by a team of interrogators led by Jason Clarke’s special counsel to the AEC, I thought, “Why are we still at this damn hearing?” I asked because I didn’t know.

Now I do. A month or so after “Oppenheimer” opened, I went back and saw it again, and this time my qualifications evaporated. I was just as electrified as I’d been by the first two hours ­— only now that sensation didn’t end. The feeling of immersion lasted all three hours, right to the final shot. I’m a bit embarrassed to say this, since it means admitting that I didn’t get the film right the first time; as much as I raved about it in my Variety review, I would now rewrite the last part of that piece. But I’m even more fascinated by why I missed a crucial element of the movie.

“Oppenheimer” presents its title character as a totemic figure, a daring, mysterious, endlessly complicated renaissance genius who rose to his moment by envisioning and overseeing the creation of the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy, in his mesmerizing performance, endows Oppenheimer with an all-knowing aristocratic dandy swagger. He makes him a singularly charismatic figure, a wizardly idealist who conjures up an awesome power and then grapples with the consequences of his actions. And since it feels as if Oppenheimer, at that hearing, is being persecuted (to a large extent for his earlier Communist ties), it was hard to watch it without feeling like I was on his side.

The movie, however, is not on his side. Not really. In the last hour, it’s deeply critical of Oppenheimer — as critical, I would say, as any major Hollywood biopic has ever been of its subject. And this is the road I didn’t fully let myself travel down the first time I saw “Oppenheimer.” The last hour was trying to me because I was fighting what the movie was.

I can say, with some surprise, that the final hour of “Oppenheimer” is now my favorite part of the movie. It’s the most morally dramatic and hypnotic — the true inquiry into who Oppenheimer was, and why he’s a hero who will always have an oversize asterisk next to his name.

The first time out, I thought I was watching a drama about the creation of the A-bomb. But as captivating as all that is — the science-lab frenzy, the race against the clock, the thorny politics of life in the makeshift city that was set up in the Los Alamos desert — the process by which Oppenheimer and his fellow brainiacs transformed nuclear fission into a weapon capable of delivering a nuclear apocalypse is not exactly the stuff of spoiler alerts. They gathered; they devoted themselves; they wondered if they were going to set the global atmosphere on fire; they triumphed.

Since “Oppenheimer” is a movie with a built-in big bang, I spent a lot of that first viewing anticipating what the Trinity Test would look and feel like. I still think it’s the one disappointing aspect of the film. Nolan fragments the bomb detonation (glaring light, rising hellfire), and in doing so he somehow fails to channel its viscerally terrifying and unprecedented largeness. That kind of threw me off.

Was the building of the atomic bomb justified? “Oppenheimer” says that it absolutely was. The Nazis were working on their own bomb, and Oppenheimer, who was Jewish, very much saw his mission as an attempt to save civilization by winning a weapons race that, had the Nazis won it, might have resulted in a level of devastation beyond the unthinkable.

But was the dropping of the atomic bomb justified? Given that the Nazis had been defeated before the decision was made (by President Truman) to drop the weapon on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a powerful case could be made that it was not. Should Nolan have depicted the effects of the bomb on the Japanese, as Spike Lee suggested this week? I think that would have made “Oppenheimer” a very different movie, and not necessarily a better one. I’m not here to rehash that debate, but I’ll point out that Nolan’s film features Oppenheimer, speaking to a roomful of his Manhattan Project colleagues, cutting to a kind of cosmic justification for dropping the bomb. He says, in essence, that it will act as an inoculation, forever scaring off the human race from using the bomb by demonstrating its deathly horror.

Perhaps he was right. But this was still Oppenheimer’s Faustian bargain. He convinced himself that dropping the bomb was justified, maybe even necessary, but in doing so he was also acting out of an elaborate and convoluted self-interest. On some level he’d invented a new toy and desperately wanted to use it. Though it wasn’t his decision to use it, he distanced himself from the horror of that decision.

The rest of the movie is about how the horror comes crawling back. I certainly saw elements of that the first time. But I what I missed, in my kneejerk-old-school-liberal way, is that the 1954 hearing runs on and on not because the film is trying to demonstrate that Oppenheimer was “persecuted.” As much as the Communist associations he had in the ’30s come into play, the point is not to depict the hearing as a McCarthyite smear (even though, in fact, it kind of was).

No, the startling thing about the last hour of “Oppenheimer” is that it features two characters who seem to exist almost entirely to prosecute and torment our hero, and in both cases what they say about him is right. “Oppenheimer” shows us how J. Robert Oppenheimer was not so much a victim of history, or of an oppressive U.S. government, as he was a defensive narcissist crusader who spent his final years using the trigger of his guilt to cover himself in a kind of grand delusion.

Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as Lewis Strauss, the former head of the AEC who becomes Oppenheimer’s antagonist, is a stupendous outpouring of extemporaneous verbal energy (the actor is even more commanding without his irony than he is with it). But because Strauss is the person who stabbed Oppenheimer in the back, I assumed, the first time I saw the movie, that Nolan figured he needed some sort of villain, and that the virulent, hawkish Strauss was it. Strauss certainly had petty personal motives; the film returns several times to the Congressional hearing in which Oppenheimer publicly humiliated him with a flippant comment about radioisotopes. Yet the reason that Strauss, in certain ways, comes close to dominating the film’s last hour isn’t simply because we’re watching a bureaucrat take his vengeance. It’s because Strauss is the one who understands, and articulates, a crucial element of the film’s verdict on Oppenheimer: that he was a brilliant and self-glorifying celebrity who forged a mythology around himself, one that extended into his very crusade against the weapon he’d created.

Oppenheimer was the scientist who let the nuclear genie out of the bottle, but after the war he devoted his life to essentially saying, “Let’s try to put it back in.” Never realizing that this was hypocritical and unreal. In public, he’d mocked Strauss, and it was Strauss’s sleazy double dealing that was on trial during his own 1959 Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Commerce — the other hearing that’s featured in the movie.

But the reason that Strauss is in the movie, and the reason Downey should win the Oscar for best supporting actor for his performance, is the fantastic fervor with which he rakes Oppenheimer over the coals. Just because Strauss is rather scurrilous doesn’t mean that he’s wrong; he’s the one who has Oppenheimer’s number. And so does Jason Clarke’s Roger Robb, the AEC attorney who, in one of the film’s most cathartic moments, gives a speech in the 1954 hearing that excoriates Oppenheimer for the hypocrisy of his position on the hydrogen bomb: his denunciation of it as a monstrously overscaled weapon — but talk about the wrong messenger! Oppenheimer’s A-bomb was already an obscenely overscaled monster.

Christopher Nolan, in that inquiring last hour, has written all this into the movie, not because he wants to damn J. Robert Oppenheimer but because he wants to take the full measure of a 20th-century visionary who charged into the creation of the atomic bomb as if it were the science project of a lifetime — which it was ­— but had the luxury of not fully thinking through the implications of his actions. By the time he thought them through, he’d turned his criticism of America’s nuclear policy into a grandly repressed apology. He used the nuclear debate, and even his own martyrdom, to justify himself. But the way the movie portrays this doesn’t make it an attack on Oppenheimer. It makes “Oppenheimer” a piece of history that’s also a human exploration of the most exhilarating honesty.'

[coochiequeens]

The EU-funded European Lesbian* Conference (EL*C) has a trans inclusive policy but it’s ok to disinvite a lesbian at the last minute.

An Austrian politician has been uninvited from a lesbian conference after organizers claimed her views on women’s sex-based rights went against their values. Member of Parliament Faika El-Nagashi was told her position did not align with the conference’s “trans inclusive” policy. 

Organizers behind the EU-funded European Lesbian* Conference (EL*C) sent an email to El-Nagashi just a few hours before the event was due to start, informing her that she was no longer welcome. The email was titled “EL*C is a trans inclusive space.” 

In the email, EL*C stated the decision to bar El-Nagashi was based on her “recent public statements” which went against the organization’s “core values.” While it does not directly reference which of her statements was in violation of their policies, El-Nagashi told Reduxx that she can speculate on what it likely was.

“Before summer, I gave an extensive interview to a liberal weekly newspaper in Austria in which I … said it was a necessity to maintain the category of “woman” as based in material reality,” El-Nagashi says. “I also called for the protection of trans people from discrimination in the same interview. But afterwards, I was met with tremendous hostility. I assume this is what made it onto the board of the EL*C and led to me being excluded.”

The interview El-Nagashi is referring to was published in Der Standard in July of 2022. During the interview, she was critical of the demands of trans activists, and raised concerns about the ease with which hormone treatments were being prescribed to children. While she maintained that women’s rights should be based in the material reality of their sex, she also emphasized the need for trans people to be protected from discrimination. 

The article was met with backlash from trans activists in the European Union, who also took issue with her subsequent comments on social media. El-Nagashi says that the last-minute decision to disinvite her could have been due to pressure from donors, partners, individual activists or groups on or related to the EL*C board.

One member of the EL*C governing board who may have been the source of the initial complaints on El-Nagashi’s attendance is a trans-identified male from Austria.

On the the EL*C’s website,Rhonda D’Vine is identified as “trans-feminine,” and is set to host a panel at the conference on bisexuality. He will also reportedly be leading the Dyke March.

El-Nagashi, who has been a social justice advocate all her life, is a member of parliament for the Austrian Green Party (Die Grunen) and the spokeswoman for the Party’s diversity and integration policy. She is one of the only outspoken gender critical politicians from a left-wing party in the European Union.

In a September 28 Twitter thread, El-Nagashi explained that she had a long history of collaboration with the EL*C organizers. She also says she has been heavily involved in the planning of the event in the past. 

The conference, which takes place in a different European city each year, states on its website that its definition of lesbian includes “anyone who identifies as lesbian, feminist, bi, trans or queer, and all those who feel connected to lesbian activism.” 

The EL*C grew out of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), and is partially funded via grants from the European Commission. Their 2022 event is taking place in Budapest. 

The organization places an asterisk next to the word ‘lesbian’ to indicate they support the inclusion of trans-identified males in lesbian spaces.

“I was just getting ready to leave Vienna for Budapest when I read the email,” El-Nagashi told Reduxx. “I was truly shocked. The message was very impersonal.” She says the abrupt move was a major inconvenience as she had already arranged for accommodations, vacation time, and her travel.

“On a personal level, it is extremely painful to be ostracized like this,” El-Nagashi says. “On a political level, I think it is shameful and disastrous for the lesbian movement to be policing what women think, say, do and to then decide if they are allowed to be present or not.”

Just before the conference, the EL*C published a videomade in collaboration with trans advocacy group Transgender Europe, in which they declare the trans and lesbian movements united in solidarity. 

“Unfortunately, this seems to mean that the lesbian movement can no longer be united or in solidarity with lesbians.”

El-Nagashi explains that any project or organization which purports to be centered on lesbianism or women’s rights in the European Union is being forced to perform ideological purity tests to satisfy trans activists. 

“It has to answer two questions: Are you trans inclusive? And what is your definition of woman/lesbian?” She notes that both questions must be answered within the framing of gender ideology if the organization is going to be allowed to survive financially or politically. 

“There is a huge richness among lesbian and feminist activists, in terms of diversity of experience and expertise, backgrounds and biographies, positions and strategies. This is what we have to center. All the voices of lesbians. Not the wishes of some extreme activists who harm our movement and have moved it into a dead end,” El-Naghashi says. 

“We have to restart and rebuild a resilient and unapologetic lesbian movement.”

Reduxx reached out to the European Commission, which provides funding to EL*C, for comment on one of their grant-holders excluding a lesbian activist for her views on sex. A request for comment was also sent to EL*C organizers. At the time of this article’s publishing, neither has responded.

By Róisín Michaux Róisín is a contributing writer at Reduxx. She is a European journalist with a focus on investigating gender ideology influence on policy and law in the EU. She currently based in Brussels.

[strongislandsuperfan]

Let Lebron Live

We all have our adversary or villain that is the bane of our existence. Its what makes rivalries fun and exciting. When Lebron James was drafted to the NBA right out of high school, I naturally jumped on the hater bandwagon and began jeering and booing the man. I felt more of a reason to do so, since my NY Knicks didn't fair very well in the NBA draft lottery (which I hate with a passion), so it really didn't matter to me.

Over the years, my perception has changed throughout this man's storied career. While I haven't been enamored with his persona, I have become very impressive with his skillset. Lebron James really is a fantastic all-around player. I've watched him go from naive, promising star to a franchise savior to franchise traitor to progical son to Mr. Hollywood in LA LA Land.

However, many basketball fans either seem unimpressed or dissatisfied with the career of the man they call King James. Some of the criticism has been warranted, from leaving his home town of Cleveland high and dry to join the mediocre title crusade of the Miami Heat to his style of play (i.e. faking foul calls, muscle cramps, not being clutch enough, etc). Some have even criticized his politics, to the point where a conservative talk show host went as far as telling him and other ball players to shut up and dribble, yet wanted to play victim when Lebron clapped back. Although I do not consider myself any type of conservative or liberal or a member of the democratic or republican party (I'm a moderate libertarian in case you were wondering), I actually took Lebron's side on this one.

Like any of the Lebron haters, I couldn't stand the sight of him and wanted to see his downfall on the basketball court, but all of that changed the day Kobe Bryant died. While I was no Kobe fan when he was alive, I came to the realization that you have to appreciate one in a lifetime talents. They may not be who you think they should be, but haters can never take away what guys like Kobe and Lebron have done and that is the courage to try.

Lebron won the NBA championship, as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers this time. My perception of him changed at this point. He became a 4 time NBA champion. Four championships. Doesn't matter how he got them or what route he took to get there, the fact is, he has them. As for the philosophical issues with regards to comparing Lebron's run to that of Michael Jordan or Bill Russell, debate it all you want, but understand that each generation is different. Each mindset to how a championship is won changes. Some can stick it out with the city/franchise that they signed with or got drafted to. Others need a change of scenery and the right supporting cast and coaching to get it done. Lebron's journey is his own. Same for Kobe, Jordan, Bill Russell, Julius Irving or whoever else you put into the G.OA.T conversation. We can take away the allure of superstardom from Lebron James, but that doesn't take those 4 championship rings off his fingers, even if you want to stamp an asterisk next to it.

Now, hearing all the hate and excuses as to why Lebron shouldn't be acknowledged for his talents and accomplishments has become absurd and just lame. For example, I see nonsense like this presented as one of many "valid" reasons to keep hating on Lebron James:

The above argument presented is pointless and mildly obscure. While it is true that some of the basketball greats have participated in the NBA Slam Dunk contest, I do not recall Magic Johnson or Larry Bird participating in the Dunk contest. Yet, these two are in the G.O.A.T conversation all the time.

Now, there are people throwing shade at him for wanting to play with his son, Bronny, when he becomes eligible for the draft. At first, this seemed cringe worthy to me. Then, I remembered that Ken Griffey and his son did the same thing in Major League Baseball. So, I shrugged it off and I hope it works out for them.

Again, the haters came lurching in, this time spewing hate towards his son, which I don't agree with and find that type of trolling cowardice and dishonorable.

The fact of the matter is, Lebron has the hall of fame locked up. He's a 4 time NBA Champion, he's one of the most charitable athletes on this planet who has won multiple MVP's as well as broken records. He's a phenomenal talent. Not to mention, he has made up for his mistakes by coming back to the hometown he abandoned and delivered them an NBA title.

Seriously, what more do you want from this man? The hate has gotten to the point now where its mean-spirited and hurtful, whereas, it use to be all in good fun.

Lebron is what he is. Like it or not, he is a future hall of famer, a top 25 player of all time and he will be in the G.O.A.T conversation for years to come. Accept it and get over it. While I can live with the fact that he more than likely will never play for my New York Knicks or he might annoy us with playing his final year side-by-side with his son, I cannot live with unwarranted criticisms and hate for the sake of people wanting to be a hater. Now, it just comes off as jealousy and unnecessary scapegoating, with overreaching, unrealistic expectations.

Let Lebron live.

[birdlord]

Everything I Watched in 2020

We’ll start with movies. The number in parentheses is the year of release, asterisks denote a re-watch, and titles in bold are my favourite watches of the year. Here’s 2019’s list. 

01 Little Women (19)

02 The Post (17) 

03 Molly’s Game (17)

04 * Doctor No (62)

05 Groundhog Day (93)

06 *Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (86)

07 Knives Out (19) My last theatre experience (sob)

08 Professor Marston and his Wonder Women (17)

09 Les Miserables (98)

10 Midsommar (19) I’m not sure how *good* it is, but it does stick in the ol’ brain

11 *Manhattan Murder Mystery (93)

12 Marriage Story (19)

13 Kramer vs Kramer (79)

14 Jojo Rabbit (19)

15 J’ai perdu mon corps (19) a cute animated film about a hand detached from its body!

16 1917 (19)

17 Married to the Mob (88)

18 Klaus (19)

19 Portrait of a Lady on Fire (19) If Little Women made me want to wear a scarf criss-crossed around my torso, this one made me want to wear a cloak

20 The Last Black Man in San Francisco (19)

21 *Lawrence of Arabia (62)

22 Gone With the Wind (39)

23 Kiss Me Deadly (55)

24 Dredd (12)

25 Heartburn (86) heard a bunch about this one in the Blank Check series on Nora Ephron, sadly after I’d watched it

26 The Long Shot (19)

27 Out of Africa (85)

28 King Kong (46)

29 *Johnny Mnemonic (95)

30 Knocked Up (07)

31 Collateral (04)

32 Bird on a Wire (90)

33 The Black Dahlia (05)

34 Long Time Running (17)

35 *Magic Mike (12)

36 Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (07)

37 Cold War (18)

38 *Kramer Vs Kramer (79) yes I watched this a few months before! This was a pandemic friend group co-watch.

39 *Burn After Reading (08)

40 Last Holiday (50)

41 Fly Away Home (96)

42 *Moneyball (11) I’m sure I watch this every two years, at most??

43 Last Holiday (06) the Queen Latifah version of the 1950 movie above, lacking, of course, the brutal “poor people don’t deserve anything good” ending

44 *Safe (95)

45 Gimme Shelter (70)

46 The Daytrippers (96)

47 Experiment in Terror (62)

48 Tucker: The Man and His Dream (88)

49 My Brilliant Career (79) one of the salvations of 2020 was watching movies “with” friends. Our usual method was to video chat before the movie, sync our streaming services, and text-chat while the movie was on. 

50 Divorce Italian Style (61)

51 *Gosford Park (01) another classic comfort watch, fuck I love a G. Park

52 Hopscotch (80)

53 Brief Encounter (45)

54 Hud (63)

55 Ocean’s 8 (18)

56 *Beverly Hills Cop (84)

57 Blow the Man Down (19)

58 Constantine (05)

59 The Report (19) maddening!! How are people so consistently terrible to one another!

60 Everyday People (04)

61 Anatomy of a Murder (58)

62 Spiderman: Homecoming (17)

63 *To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (95) Of the 90s drag road movies, Priscilla is more visually striking, but this has its moments.

64 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (92)

65 *The Truman Show (98)

66 Mona Lisa (86)

67 The Blob (58)

68 The Guard (11)

69 *Waiting for Guffman (96) RIP Fred Willard

70 Rocketman (19)

71 Outside In (18)

72 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (08) how strange to see a movie that you have known the premise for, but no details of, for over a decade

73 *Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (91)

74 The Reader (08)

75 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (19) This was fine until it VERY MUCH WAS NOT FINE

76 The End of the Affair (99) you try to watch a fun little romp about infidelity during the Blitz, and Graham Greene can’t help but shoehorn in a friggin crisis of religious faith

77 Must Love Dogs (05) barely any dog content, where are the dogs at

78 The Rainmaker (97)

79 *Batman & Robin (97)

80 National Lampoon’s Vacation (83) Never seen any of the non-xmas Vacations, didn’t realize the children are totally different, not just actors but ages! Also, this one is blatantly racist!

81 *Mystic Pizza (88)

82 Funny Girl (68)

83 The Sons of Katie Elder (65)

84 *Knives Out (19) another re-watch within the same year!! How does this keep happening??

85 *Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (10) a real I-just-moved-away-from-Toronto nostalgia watch

86 Canadian Bacon (92) vividly recall this VHS at the video store, but I never saw it til 2020

87 *Blood Simple (85)

88 Brittany Runs a Marathon (19)

89 The Accidental Tourist (88)

90 August Osage County (13) MELO-DRAMA!!

91 Appaloosa (08)

92 The Firm (93) Feeling good about how many iconic 80s/90s video store stalwarts I watched in 2020

93 *Almost Famous (00)

94 Whisper of the Heart (95)

95 Da 5 Bloods (20)

96 Rain Man (88)

97 True Stories (86)

98 *Risky Business (83) It’s not about what you think it’s about! It never was!

99 *The Big Chill (83)

100 The Way We Were (73)

101 Safety Last (23) It’s getting so that I might have to add the first two digits to my dates...not that I watch THAT many movies from the 1920s...

102 Phantasm (79)

103 The Burrowers (08)

104 New Jack City (91)

105 The Vanishing (88)

106 Sisters (72)

107 Puberty Blues (81) Little Aussie cinema theme, here

108 Elevator to the Gallows (58)

109 Les Diaboliques (55)

110 House (77) haha WHAT no really W H A T

111 Death Line (72)

112 Cranes are Flying (57)

113 Holes (03)

114 *Lady Vengeance (05)

115 Long Weekend (78)

116 Body Double (84)

117 The Crazies (73) I love that Romero shows the utter confusion that would no doubt reign in the case of any kind of disaster. Things fall apart.

118 Waterlilies (07)

119 *You’re Next (11)

120 Event Horizon (97)

121 Venom (18) I liked it, guys, way more than most superhero fare. Has a real sense of place and the place ISN’T New York!

122 Under the Silver Lake (18) RIP Night Call

123 *Blade Runner (82)

124 *The Birds (62) interesting to see now that I’ve read the story it came from

125 *28 Days Later (02) hits REAL FUCKIN’ DIFFERENT in a pandemic

126 Life is Sweet (90)

127 *So I Married an Axe Murderer (93) find me a more 90s movie, I dare you (it’s not possible)

128 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (67)

129 The Pelican Brief (93) 90s thrillers continue!

130 Dick Johnston is Dead (20)

131 The Bridges of Madison County (95)

132 Earth Girls are Easy (88) Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum are so hot in this movie, no wonder they got married 

133 Better Watch Out (16)

134 Drowning Mona (00) trying for something like the Coen bros and not getting there

135 Au Revoir Les Enfants (87)

136 *Chasing Amy (97) Affleck is the least alluring movie lead...ever? I also think I gave Joey Lauren Adams’ character short shrift in my memory of the movie. It’s not good, but she’s more complicated than I recalled. 

137 Blackkklansman (18)

138 Being Frank (19)

139 Kiki’s Delivery Service (89)

140 Uncle Frank (20) why so many FRANKS

141 *National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (89) watching with pals (virtually) made it so much more fun than the usual yearly watch!

142 Half Baked (98) another, more secret Toronto nostalgia pic - RC Harris water filtration plant as a prison!

143 We’re the Millers (13)

144 All is Bright (13)

145 Defending Your Life (91)

146 Christmas Chronicles (18) I maintain that most new xmas movies are terrible, particularly now that Netflix churns them out like eggnog every year. 

147 Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse (18)

148 Reindeer Games (00) what did I say about Affleck??!? WHAT DID I SAY

149 Palm Springs (20)

150 Happiest Season (20)

151 *Metropolitan (90) it’s definitely a Christmas movie

152 Black Christmas (74)

THEATRE:HOME - 2:150 (thanks pandemic)

I usually separate out docs and fiction, but I watched almost no documentaries this year (with the exception of Dick Johnston). Reality is real enough. 

TV Series

01 - BoJack Horseman (final season) - Pretty damned poignant finish to the show, replete with actual consequences for our reformed bad boy protagonist (which is more than you can say for most antiheroes of Peak TV).

02 - *Hello Ladies - I enjoy the pure awkwardness of seeing Stephen Merchant try to perform being a Regular Person, but ultimately this show tips him too far towards a nasty, Ricky Gervais-lite sort of persona. Perhaps he was always best as a cameo appearance, or lip synching with wild eyes while Chrissy Teigen giggles?

03 - Olive Kittredge - a rough watch by times. I read the book as well, later in the year. Frances Mcdormand was the best, possibly the only, casting option for the flinty lead. One episode tips into thriller territory, which is a shock. 

04 - *The Wire S3, S4, S5 - lockdown culture! It was interesting to rewatch this, then a few months later go through an enormous, culture-level reappraisal of cop-centred narratives. 

05 - Forever - a Maya Rudolph/Fred Armisen joint that coasts on the charm of its leads. The premise is OK, but I wasn’t left wanting any more at the end. 

06 - *Catastrophe - a rewatch when my partner decided he wanted to see it, too!

07 - Red Oak - resolutely “OK” steaming dramedy, relied heavily on some pretty obvious cues to get across its 1980s setting. 

08 - Little Fires Everywhere - gulped this one down while in 14-day isolation, delicious! Every 90s suburban mom had that SUV, but not all of them had the requisite **secrets**

09 - The Great - fun historical comedy/drama! Costumes: lush. Actors: amusing. Race-blind casting: refreshing!

10 - The Crown S4 - this is the season everyone lost their everloving shit for, since it’s finally recent enough history that a fair chunk of the viewing audience is liable to recall it happening. 

11 - Ted Lasso - we resisted this one for a while (thought I did enjoy the ad campaign for NBC sports (!!) that it was based on). My view is that its best point was the comfort that the men on the show have (or develop, throughout the season) with the acknowledgement and sharing of their own feelings. Masculinity redux. 

12 - Moonbase 8 - Goodnatured in a way that makes you certain they will be crushed. 

13 - The Good Lord Bird - Ethan Hawke is really aging into the character actor we always hoped he would be! 

14 - Hollywood - frothy wish-fulfillment alternate history. I think the show would have been improved immeasurably by skipping the final episode.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Apologies, I must have missed that post! In that case, do you have any recs for queer "dark" fantasy? I like a little bit of blood and chaos and mayhem in my fantasy, but I am also desperate for new queer reading. (Side note, I FINALLY gained proof of residency, so I am ecstatically planning a trip to my local library to get my library card! Hence the need for book recs). Thank you so much!

so many, many, many disclaimers:

haven’t read every (or even most of) the books I’m gonna recommend

I have No Idea what qualifies as dark so I’m just gona toss some titles out

I particularly have no idea what counts as too dark for your taste; please do your own research re: trigger warnings !!

because I haven’t read all of these books myself I can’t actually 100% guarantee that all of them have queer characters but I’m gonna recommend them anyway because 1.) I’ve heard good things and 2.) many of them are by otherwise marginalized authors and I think their work is always worth promoting 

having said that I will put asterisks next to the ones that I know definitely have queer characters 

THE BOOKS, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass (Melissa Bashardoust)*

Girls of Paper and Fire (Natasha Ngan)*

Her Body and Other Parties (Carmen Maria Machado)* 

(short stories; some are queerer than others but the author is bi so they’re all a little queer)

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (N.K. Jemisin)*

tbh all of Jemisin’s novels are fantasy/science fiction and have at least some background levels of queerness. 

Jade City (Fonda Lee)

The Last Sun (K.D. Edwards)* 

Mask of Shadows (Linsey Miller)*

The Merry Spinster (Daniel Mallory Ortberg)* 

(short stories; some are queerer than others but the author is trans so they’re all a little queer) 

The Mirror Empire (Kameron Hurley)*

Ninth House (Leigh Bardugo) 

The Poppy War (R.F. Kuang)

The Priory of the Orange Tree (Samantha Shannon)*

Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo)* (everyone and their mom has read SoC but if you haven’t, what a great time to check it out lmao) 

The Traitor Baru Cormorant (Seth Dickinson)* 

Vicious (V.E. Schwab)* (I THINK the MC is confirmed as queer later in the series but don’t quote me on that) 

[thetherobio]

WELCOME

William S. Burroughs,  in the introduction of his novel ‘Naked Lunch’, claims Jack Kerouac, his fellow Beat Pioneer, suggested the book’s title, maintaining that “It means exactly what the words say: naked lunch, a frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of every fork." Alan Ginsberg, the third literary iconoclast in that particular group of authors, was said to have misread the title of the manuscript, which was, purportedly, ‘Naked Lust’.   Either story works for me, because, as an overweight, middle aged white man, I admit that I lust for whatever is on the end of my every fork on any given frozen moment of my life.  

Lunch is an abbreviation taken from the more formal North English Word ‘Luncheon,’ derived from the Anglo-Saxon word nunchin, meaning ‘Noon Drink’, a tradition carried on in the Financial District of Manhattan with the 80% tax-deductible ‘3 Martini Lunch’.  Which is probably why the Stock Market is so fucked up.  

Lunch is the popular pastime of groups of middle aged women immortalized by Steven Sondheim, in his  song ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ from his Musical ‘Company.’ The most famous rendition performed by Elaine Stritch, a venerable Broadway Diva, (or  Old Bag, depending on your point of view) whose voice might actually make you LOSE your lunch.

But since 1580 AD, the word has been used to describe the meal taken between two more substantial meals.  

However, there are parts of the world where Lunchisthe main meal of the day.  In some countries, such as Germany, Portugal, Hungary, parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe and Asia, lunch is when a person really chows down.

In Bengal, where a traditional lunch is a SEVEN course meal, consisting of vegetables in a coconut sauce, a vegetable curry over rice, a fish curry over rice, a meat curry over rice, deep-fried sweet semolina balls, yogurt, and capped off with ‘Paan’, which is a bitter leaf which acts as the final palate cleanser.  Even a fat bastard like me think that’s just a bit much.  You shove all that shit down your piehole, you’re not going back to work.  You’re napping for about 4 hours.

In Scotland, a country whose sole contributions to humanity are Golf and Whiskey, the NUMBER ONE lunch item, popular to the point where it almost qualifies as The National Dish, is a deep fried Mars Bar.  Let me repeat that.  THE NUMBER ONE LUNCH ITEM IN SCOTLAND IS A FUCKING DEEP FRIED MARS BAR.  Which is not altogether that surprising, when you consider that their most famous dish is Haggis, a savory pudding containing sheep's pluck (heart, liver, and lungs); minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked encased in the animal's stomach.   It’s my contention that this is why they began distilling scotch in the first place, because you’d have to be pretty fucking drunk to eat that shit.

Here, in North America, lunch is a moderate meal, generally consumed between 11 AM and 2 PM, depending on your hours.  It’s usually a quick meal, if not taken at a restaurant, office cafeteria or food cart, then brought from home and eaten at your desk.  The majority of children bring theirs to school in a brown paper bag, in which is usually a sandwich, (traditionally bologna, cheese, tunafish or peanut butter and jelly) and a piece of fruit which is almost always used to barter for something better, like a cookie.  My mother used to habitually pack me a smoked turkey on white bread with mayo.  Not exactly barterable, especially because it looked like a sliced raw baby sandwich, although I think raw sliced baby would probably taste a shit ton better than that that Anemic, Light Pink Colored Processed Mystery Meat.  I know it was supposed to be turkey, but, if it was, I’d bet my next lunch check it was from the neck.

At least in this country, Lunch is really only one of three meals between Breakfast and Dinner.  One on either side of the feast the very entity you are reading celebrates.  

One is ‘Brunch’, which is a hybrid of a late breakfast and early lunch, hence the compound name. It is almost always served on weekends, and involves standard morning fare: eggs, bacon, pancakes, et. al, combined with menu items that are usually reserved for later in the day;  various carved meats and seafood items from the raw bar) The latter, arguably, is merely included to justify day drinking. Which is the only reason anybody ever goes to Brunch.  (“Bloody Marys and Mimosas!  They’re not ‘Drink Drinks’!  They’re both based on Breakfast Juices!’ )  

The second meal between Breakfast and Dinner is ‘The Early Bird Special’.  There should be an asterisk alongside the phrase, as it is, in reality, actually a dinner, albeit one that is eaten not more than one hour after 3 O’clock.  ‘The Early Bird Special’ is not just a meal, it’s a phenomenon.  

Because,

1 - It’s usually only found in areas located in warmer climes.

2 - It is generally only available at mass market chain restaurants known for being open 24 hours a day and feature menu items with cute names like ‘Moon Over My Hammy’, and

3 - The demographic of those who partake in it is traditionally one that resides in retirement communities: Men wearing green polyester pants hiked up to their nipples and women sporting angora sweaters draped around their slight, bony shoulders.

Seemingly, it’s the bargain offered by the restaurant on the meal that holds the allure. There appears to be no person over the age of 62 who can resist the temptation of Pot Roast and Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Corn, with choice of soup or salad, coffee or soft drink and dessert of the day, even if it means they have to take it between 2:59 and 3:59, and they’ve just finished lunch at 2.

But at whatever time, in whatever form it’s embraced, Lunch is the magical meal that is universally adored.  No matter the country, culture or creed, the siren call of the break in the middle of the day to consume sustenance to keep us going until the last school bell rings or we punch out on the time clock, is anticipated with great eagerness.  

In the pages that follow, we will discuss how this culinary gift of God is done in the different parts of this country.  We will explore menu items germane to specific geographical locations, and how the fare varies from State to State.   Some of the opinions voiced between these covers will, no doubt, be fraught with controversy, causing passionate, sometimes hostile debate over which city has the better hot dog, what constitutes a ‘chili’, or the proper way to eat a slice.

But in the end, it is my fervent hope that we can all find common ground in the delightfully diverse meal that, ultimately, unites us all.

So...have your girl call my girl. 

 Let’s do lunch.

[toseeornotosee]

First Post! “Beautiful Boy”

Sooo first off, let me say that this has been a long time coming. I’ve always been interested in movies and film ever since I can remember. The films, cinema, the movie stars and the roles they play can transport you into a whole different realm, dimension, an array of emotions, fun adventures, and overall a new experience to which you may have never encountered had you not seen the film. At least, this has been the experience for me!

Having said that, there’s also many films in which I have watched and have left feeling completely unmotivated, very uninspired and asking the question, “why?” or “how?” or even just, “REALLY?!”.  “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”, “Now You See Me 2″, and “Downsizing” fit that category, just to name a few. In fact, even though I had free passes to see “Downsizing”, I almost left halfway through the film, that’s how bad it was; please do not see. (I even told friends that I would pay them not to see this film, ha). So this leaves us here. I will do my amateur film critic best, and try to act as a guide to let you know which films to see or not to see, hence the title, get it!?! (shout out! you know who you are). I’ve divided this into three parts: Plot, Performances, and Poignant moments, I think that should sum up a movie well enough. :) And first on the list we have “Beautiful Boy”; which actually inspired me to write this blog because it’s so great! Here we go...

Plot! 

“Beautiful Boy” is a raw, emotionally elevating, and relevant look at a father/son relationship in the midst of horrendous drug abuse. The film is actually based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff; to which I have not read them, yet. Incorporated through the film, flashbacks show the depth of love between David Sheff (Steve Carrel) and his son, Nic (Timothee Chalamet) (sidenote: how does one get the little asterisk on the ‘e’ in tumblr? hmm).  Various moments from being dropped off at the airport as a little boy about to board an airplane to more simpler scenes in which dad and son are talking in Nic’s bedroom show the dynamic relationship they have for each other. In one flashback scene where Nic is dropped off at college, David learns that his son is addicted to and has tried many drugs including heroine and LSD. Numerous counseling sessions, rehab check ins and checkouts, as well as various relapses occur, taking a toll on every character involved. From David’s new wife, (Maura Tierney) saying Nic can no longer come home, to the little kids that are home constantly asking where their big brother is, to David himself reaching his wits end, your heart is pulled in so many different directions depending on which character you empathize at that moment. It ultimately culminates in a desperate call from son to father asking for ‘one more chance’ and ‘this time will be different’. David simply responds with ‘no’. Too many lies, broken promises, and overall distrust has soured the beautiful relationship these two once had. However, there’s a redemptive ending; don’t worry! You’ll just have to see it to know what happens, I won’t give it away. :)

Performances!

Timothee Chalamet’s performance, much like in “Call Me By Your Name”, is breathtaking. The tension, angst, fear, anxiety, are all wrapped in a emotional blanket that you can’t help but wear; it’s that palpable. I caught myself thinking, ‘how does he do this???”. You can’t help but empathize and feel for this child, who, despite what he says, absolutely needs help. It’s a whole other level, and definitely Oscar worthy. 

As for Steve Carrell, I thought he did a pretty good job in this serious role as a very loving, devoted, nurturing, and undeniably frustrated father. In the more frustrating scenes where he raises his voice, it immediately reminded me of an angry Michael Scott, haha. If you were to close your eyes while he was yelling, you would be transported back to Dunder Mifflin where Michael is yelling at Dwight for some reason. I wish he would’ve played more with his voice projection/inflection a la Daniel Day Lewis in “Lincoln” or “There Will Be Blood”  or even Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (maybe a stretch, but it’s still applicable!). 

Speaking of, ‘Office’ fans will love that Holly and Michael are back together in this film! (sorta) Amy Ryan, who played Holly in ‘The Office’, plays a small but pivotal role as the mother of Nic and ex-wife of David. It’s quite funny to see them “together” again, but in such dramatic roles; makes me wonder about the casting choice for the film. People will immediately think of Holly and Michael from ‘The Office’. Only once do they share a scene on screen, but I can’t help but wonder how fun the set must’ve been that day. :)

And lastly, the pivotal performance of the film is undoubtedly TIMOTHEE CHALAMET’S HAIR. I already knew from “Call Me By Your Name” how magnificent it was, but in this film, it truly is NEXT LEVEL. So much so that after seeing the film, one of the first comment’s my friend and I said to each other went something like, “HIS HAIR THO”. It’s like a Finesse, Vidal Sassoon, and Pantene commercial came together and made a voluminous, curly, and luxurious child that’d be the envy of anyone alive. Definitely jealous. 

(this gif doesn’t do it justice, but just a small preview)

Poignant moment(s)!:

I’ve found two moments that I loved or stood out to me the most. Fans of the amazing film, “Mr Holland’s Opus” will love the wave of nostalgia that hits them when there’s a “beautiful beautiful beautiful, beautiful boooyyyy” moment between father and son. Be on the lookout for it! 

There’s another moment when David and his wife show up to a meeting of some sort, I believe either AA or something along the lines of that, but more focused on drugs. A woman talks about a friend that she has just “lost”. However, she goes on to explain how she’s been in mourning for some time, and it’s not a new feeling by any means. She’s been in mourning for years as she’s seen her friend slowly slip away, does not recognize her, and is literally dying in front of her eyes. The person she once knew became a clam shell, a ghost of her former self. Her friends constant drug abuse had prepared her for her death. This scene was very touching and extremely moving; and to have that perspective made so much sense because the film truly shows the effects of constant drug abuse. 

Overall!

To See! Definite See! Must See! 

[salexectrian-heir]

Loki

Pairing: Solavellan Rating: E* (not every chapter is E, most are rated T. Chapters containing explicit content will be marked with an asterisk*, ex: Chapter 7*) Summary: Lavellan rescued a mischievious sphynx kitten outside her work who loves her dearly. But his destructive habits start to get out of hand when he steals her attractive neighbor’s underwear… repeatedly. [Previous Chapter]       [Read on AO3]

Chapter 3

Winter came early this year. Fresh snow meant more accidents on the roads, and that meant more bodies would be filling more beds in the hospital. Which meant longer hours for Anise, and many on-call rush ins, meaning she would be returning home when normal people would just be waking up to start their days.

After a particularly grueling six hour emergency surgery, she was released back into the world with orders to sleep and not return to the OR until the day after tomorrow. She carried herself and her freezing, soaking wet scrub pants up five flights of stairs because the elevator was down for a maintenance check, and hated every step of the way. That was until she bumped into Solas, who was in a rush. He always seemed to be in a rush.

“Pardon m--oh Anise,” he said, startled.

She imagined she must have looked just as bad as she felt. He looked impeccable, as almost usual. Save for the times he stumbled into the laundry room in a sleep deprived stupor.

“Good morning Solas,” she managed to smile, hoping it didn’t look too terrifying, “off to a late start?”

“I overslept, but I should still be able to make it to work on time,” he glanced down at the watch on his right wrist, “granted the traffic is not too bad.”

Suddenly she was at full alert, “Please be careful driving! There were thirty six accidents yesterday, four of which resulted in five people requiring major surgeries. Please, I would much rather see you folding my underwear in the laundry room than in my OR.”

His resulting expression was a mix of confusion and amusement.

“Wait, pretend you didn’t hear that, I’m a bit frazzled at the moment, and…” she covered her face, cheeks heating up against her palms.

He offered her a soft smile. “I will tell my Uber driver to be careful on the roads on the way to the airport this morning.”

Anise peaked through her fingers, “You’re flying?”

Solas nodded, “I work in Arlathan, so it is necessary.”

She pulled her hands away to gape at him. “Arlathan? But that’s like, seven hours away! What are you doing living here?”

“It’s a bit of a long story,” he stole another look at his watch, “I’ll tell you over laundry when I return, if that is alright with you?”

Anise bit her lip to prevent herself from smiling too broadly. “Yeah, it’s a date.” Her stomach dropped what felt like a thousand feet. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Yes, I believe you did,” he said smugly as she stepped aside to let him pass.

After he had gotten down another flight, she leaned over the railing and called down to him.

“215-383-7891!”

He paused mid step and glanced up.

“So you can text me when you land so I know you got there safely.”

The smile he gave her drove all the remaining cold out of her body.

“215-383-7891,” he echoed back and disappeared down the rest of the stairs.

Just over seven hours later, he let her know he had landed safely.

The next day she bought two sets of black boxerbriefs in his size and a greeting card. She stuffed underwear in a plain blue gift bag, and wrote his name in cursive on the outside.  The card she bought had a picture of an adorable kitten on the outside with a blank inside. She threw together a heartfelt apology and promised this would be her final one. She signed both her name and Loki’s before placing it inside the envelope.

“I think this is a first for me,” she said conversationally to Loki, who was sitting on the table in front of her, sniffing the envelope, “I never bought a man underwear before.”

Before she had time to react, Loki bit the envelope. Anise yelped in surprise and yanked it back, pulling the kitten with her. Loki let go as she edge of the table came dangerously close to his front paws.

“How fitting,” Anise said, running a thumb over the small bite marks on the top of the envelop, before sliding it into the gift bag, “now he definitely won’t think we’re sorry.”

Loki meowed and jumped down from the table in response. He sat impatiently by his food dish.

“I’ll feed you in thirty seconds, I just have to hang this on his door first.”

Anise closed the dryer door. Without Loki to interfere, she was able to get everything done much more quickly. Though she would admit, she missed his hairless, nosey butt poking around. “So, what is it you do exactly?”

“I am a pharmaceutical representative for the Evanuris Corporation. Their headquarters and located in Arlathan, hence why I frequently fly.” He emptied the rest of his basket into his machine and changed the settings before starting the cycle.

“EvaCorp, seriously?” Her incredulous tone made him take pause. She was familiar with the company, a little too well. Evacorp, as the doctors referred to it, was the primary producer of nearly all the medications and drugs utilized at most hospitals across the region, often at expensive prices. And unfortunately they had the right to, as they had the most cutting edge formulas and the most current research available. Still dicks, but much needed ones.

“I can imagine your distaste… I recall you saying you worked in an OR, correct?”

“Yes, the one right across the street actually.”

He looked impressed. “So, I really should  be calling you Doctor Anise...?”

She laughed. “If you ever become my patient, which I hope you do not, I would ask you to refer to my title, Dr. Lavellan.”

“Excellent. Is this your permanent placement?”

“Not quite. I have two years left of my residency here in Haven. I don’t think I see myself staying here after that to be honest.”

“Where will you go? Orlais? Antiva?”

“I have connections at the Emerald Graves Center, they’ve been begging me to consider them for a fellowship. So I could see myself settling there. If Orlais offered me a position I might die from sheer shock!”

“Hmm.” If he had any opinions, he kept them to himself.

“So you work for the big bad drug company selling us much needed medications for insane prices, but live here?”

This earned her a subtle grin. It gave her the impression he did no smile much, or at all for that matter. Which was a shame, because she thought his smile was quite handsome.

“I find it the environment in Haven quaint and relaxing, which is much more desirable than that of the atmosphere of Arlathan nowadays. Arlathan has become… different than it used to be.”

“Yeah, it’s become a “must see” tourist zone,” she said in jest, but saw the smile slowly fade.

“It wasn’t always.”

“Are you originally from Arlathan?”

“Yes,” he said, some light returning to his eyes, “in a suburb to the North. I grew up in its streets, watched it blossom and thrive. And now…”

“While tourists are annoying, they mean well I’m sure. Wouldn’t you want people from all over the world to learn about Arlathan’s rich culture and history?”

He glanced down at the shirt he was folding. “Yes, you are correct. I…,” he took more time than he needed to fold the sleeve, “I just don’t want the city itself to lose its history...or have it get erased.”

She bumped his hip and he gave her a pointed look.

“We can only preserve the past, not continue to live in it. That’s a good thing.”

“Perhaps I am just old and afraid to live in the future.” He set aside the shirt into the pile of already folded clothes.

Anise smiled, “Possibly. But you’re not that old.”

Another rare smile graced his features, “Compared to you, I am ancient.”

“Oh, ancient?” Anise teased, turning to face him with a hand on her hip, “should I be calling you Hahren, then?”

His ears turned the loveliest shade of pink as he hastily restacked his already folded clothes. “That will not be necessary.”

She giggled as the color of his face burned brighter with each passing second.

“How old are you?” she asked, placing her clean pile of clothes back into her own basket.

“Much too old to be flirting in a laundry room at this hour.” He smiled at his pile of clothing before glancing to side at her.

She in turn gave him a skeptical stare.

“I easily have over a decade on you,” he said.

“Okay, so you’d have to be older than thirty-eight?” she hedged, “No way.”

“Forty,” he answered quietly.

“That’s not old, last time I checked,” Anise hefted her laundry basket onto her hip, “give yourself more credit, Hahren.” She decided she really loved making him blush.

And with that she sauntered out.

[sippin-on-red-wine]

High Tide | Chapter 8: London

Title: High Tide, Chapter 8 | London Author: @sippin-on-red-wine Rating: No smut in this chapter, again, sorry! Characters: Ed Sheeran x Kendra (original female character) Word Count:  2,293

Kendra……

He’s not over her.

It was time to go home.

The realization was stark, black and white. And I had been here before. This crossroads. Leaving my old life behind, blessed with the means to be able to do so. It had been the best decision I could have made for myself, though I still carried some guilt around it.

It was an anxious, eerie kind of calm. My entire body was buzzing, but I somehow felt in control, cool and collected. I flitted about the penthouse gathering up my few personal belongings and stacked them neatly inside one of the paper bags that the concierge had brought me. I sat down at the dining table with my cell phone and began looking for flights home.

Should I talk to Ed? Say goodbye? I don’t think I could see him in person, but I could call. Or text. Yeah, maybe text. The hell am I going to say? Maybe I should just wait. Call him when I get home.

I went to the British Airlines website, since that was the line I came in on. I quickly navigated their little digital schedule, finding a flight to NYC that was leaving in about four hours. Okay, no problem, I can get a connecting flight from there. Or drive. How far is it? Six hours or so?

I added the flight to NYC and began the checkout process, the website asking for my personal information. I furiously tapped out my name, birth date, and address when it hit me:

I don’t have my passport.

It’s at Ed’s.

I paced around the suite, hand clutching at my forehead in the most cliche way possible. What do I do?

Options: Go get it yourself Call Lauren and ask her to bring it. Ha, like Ed would let her do that alone. Call and talk things over with Ed Why do all of these options include talking to or seeing Ed?

US Embassy it is.

All jokes aside, a funny thought began to creep into my head. My gut instinct was to run; but now, I couldn't. Not without facing him first. I'd just about hopped directly on a plane back home, but that was all out the window now.

What a cruel trick of fate.

I just wasn’t ready to speak to him. But that didn't mean I should never speak to him again. The thought of never seeing him throw his head back in laughter, or feeling his fingers lace up between mine… it was crushing.

I must have paced for a solid 30 minutes, debating back and forth with myself, before I came to a conclusion.

I’m going to stay. For now. I need some time.

Ed……

I woke on the living room sofa, morning light filtering in through the large panes of glass that lined the walls. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and reached forward to grab my glasses off of the coffee table. Everything came into focus; Lauren was sleeping on the adjacent couch. I guess she didn't want me to be alone.

I didn't want to wake her, it was because of me that she hadn't gone to sleep til nearly 4 in the morning. I slipped off the sofa and padded quietly upstairs to my bedroom, wanting to brush my teeth and have a scalding hot shower. The water won't wash the shame away, you prat.

My heart sunk impossibly lower as I came 'round the corner and saw Kendra's suitcase and bags leaning up against the wall. Not more than 24 hours ago, I had happily carried all of her things up here, at her request. “I cannot sleep on a couch again tonight, Ed, you're being silly.”

I'm sure she had to have felt a bit weird about staying here, the home I had shared with another woman. But she trusted me.

My fingers twitched, and I suddenly was craving a drink. Your coping mechanism.

No. You can’t do that again. What would she think?

I reached in my pocket, pulling out my phone. I checked, foolishly, to see if Kendra had tried to call or text me. Wishful thinking.

I didn’t want to fall into another spiral, or pity party. Booze had always been a coping method for me, but I just didn’t want to go there, not again. And so I opted for the next best thing -- work.

I tapped out Stu’s number and hit Call.

Kendra……

As it turns out, if you’re confused and upset and a bit melancholy, London is the place for you. It’s supportive, playing up that ‘melancholy’ bit with its eternal gray skies and foggy rain. But it’s wonderfully distracting, too. So much art and history and architecture and FOOD.

My tactic was simple: shoot for the least amount of downtime possible. And so, I established a routine. I’d wake, dress in a basic, cozy outfit, and head out the door. I stopped in a little corner cafe that was on the next block over, and grab coffee and a pastry to go. I jam-packed my days, moving from one thing to the next. I shopped, and rode a triple-decker tour bus, and spent hours wandering through museums. I walked through neighborhoods, explored markets, snapped photos of parks and buildings and cars and pedestrians. I’d tuck in to a pub for a comfort food meal, and then head back to my suite.

After the first couple of days, Ed had stopped calling and texting incessantly. He called once, each day, now. He always left a voice message… but I couldn’t bring myself to listen to any of them.

I knew that he was sorry, damn it, I just wish he hadn’t done anything to be sorry about. I was angry; angry with myself for letting my guard down in the first place… angry with Ed for putting a big asterisk on our time together. Would I ever be able to see him the same way again?

I had a lot of questions, and no answers. In a true-to-Kendra way, I was living in full-on denial land. Running from this place to the next, telling myself I was “exploring the city”, when in reality, I was just trying to tire my brain out enough to shut Ed out of it. I would have to see or speak with him eventually, it’s not like I could go home without my passport. He probably didn’t even realize he had it.

I was scared shitless; that was really what it boiled down to.  I hadn’t even known him that long, but there was something about our connection that was just… not of this world. Was it one-sided, all along? Is he still in love with her? Was I just a coping mechanism for him, much like the drink he had favored until the night you found him all strung out after a bender?

Okay, okay - get it together, Kendra. These are not good thoughts to be having while you’re sitting in a pub, eating lunch amongst business men and ladies alike. Where to, next?

I had been itching to have a go at the London Eye, and so I paid my lunch bill and spilled forth onto the busy London sidewalk to hail a cab.

I directed the driver and settled in. The radio caught my ear right away -

*Intro Music*

“We’ve got Ed Sheeran in the studio with us today to talk about his upcoming American tour. Ed, welcome -- great to have you as always, even on short notice!”

“Thanks, pleasure to be here.”

Hearing his voice made my pulse quicken. He’s supposed to be off work til tour -- why is he doing promo all of a sudden?

I clued back in -

“..seems like you’re putting out one hit wedding song after another after another. People call you the King of Romance, d’you know that?”

He chuckled, a nervous kind of laugh. “I’ve heard that being said, yeah.”

“I mean we’ve even got this photo of you, barefoot, holding your lady’s broken shoes leaving a party earlier this year. You gotta cut that out, man, you’re making the rest of us look bad! Nobody compares to the perfect boyfriend Ed Sheeran!”

“Mate, if only it were that easy. I’m just a person, I make mistakes too. I write love songs - yeah, but I’ve also hurt people. People I really care about.”

“Miss?” The cab driver’s voice filled the car, snapping me back to reality. He was pulled over to the curb - we were at the entrance for the Eye. I paid for my ride and climbed out of the cab, Ed’s voice still floating out through the speakers.

I was winded; I hadn’t expected to hear his voice. I plopped down on a little bench seat and pulled out my phone.

*I want to see you, Ed, I really do. I just… I need to know if you’re still in love with her. And I need you to be sure. Please take some time to work it out. Friday, 8 o’ clock. I’m at the Corinthia. I’ll leave your name at the desk.

Friday night had come and I was in shambles. My entire body felt like a blinking neon sign, on-off-on-off, as my veins contracted and expanded with every beat of my petrified heart. Would he come? Had he realized he wasn't really missing anything? Is he still in love with her?

Ping! went the elevator and I thought maybe my stomach had just dropped out of my body. The door opened. And there he was, face hidden behind a thick layer of copper beard, his eyes a dark ocean blue.

He stepped out of the lift, and I opened my mouth to say something. But he didn’t miss a beat.

“It's you, Kenn. It's only you. God, I've never been so sure about anything in my life, I'll spend every damn day proving myself to you.” His voice was strong, his animated hands coming to life. “Just say the word, say it and I'm yours. Actually? Nah, you don't have to. I'm already yours. Whether or not you want me.”

It was exactly what I needed to hear. The doubt melted away as I saw the man before me, steady in his words, white-knuckled as he tried to express how true they were.

“Oh, Ed, of course I want you, I’ve missed you s--”

He takes two steps toward me, his arms a bright slur of colors, my body willing itself toward his. His hands came up to cup my jaw, the pad of his middle finger resting beyond my ear. His lips settle firmly on mine and this kiss is somehow both soft & firm, frenzied yet unhurried, passionate and just purely, simply, sweet.

He breaks away - swallowing down a huge gulp of oxygen. “Kenny, I’m--”

“-- I know, Ed. I know.” and I know my words won’t soothe his worries as well as my lips will and so I take him back into my arms, pressing my lips to his as we both hold onto each other, keeping one another afloat.

I walk him backwards, into the master bedroom, until we reach the bed. He's showering me with kisses, every inch of my skin is a target for his plumped lips. His hands guide me gently until I’m lying in the center of the bed, his mouth on my skin every second of the way. He kicks off his shoes and climbs in.

He’s holding himself over me, caging me in. I reach for the hem of his t-shirt, dragging my fingertips up his back as I move to free his upper body, craving the warmth of his bare skin.

He pauses his oral assault of my neck, just long enough for me to pull the shirt up over his head. My fingers catch on something - what's this? Gauze, a patch of medical gauze taped over his left shoulder blade.

“Teddy -” I questioned.  “What is this?”

My question elicits a sigh, he's hesitant to answer. Was he hurt?

He pushes his body weight up, swinging his leg over me, sitting on the edge of the bed. With another sigh, he pulled his tee shirt completely off. The London moonlight filtering in through the glass pane of the window helps confirms my suspicion - it is a patch of gauze, a small vertical rectangle.

He turns a cheek toward me. “Would you like t’see?” He asks, taking a deep breath in, followed by a slow exhale.

I crawl toward him, sitting in an upright position behind where he's perched on the edge of the bed. I tucked my hair behind my ears before carefully peeling away the medical tape

I pull away the gauze, Ed is silent. I drink in the sight before me: vibrant ink, fresh, the surrounding skin still speckled pink from the irritation. It’s a playing card, the Queen of Hearts. All black and red, elaborate design.

“It’s beautiful… what does it mean?” For once, my mouth is one step ahead of my brain. I quickly cover the tattoo up again, patting the tape back in place. My pulse quickens.

He turns toward me. His hand reaches out to my face - out of habit, I think. Muscle memory, even. But his fingers re-route once he realizes my hair is already neatly tucked behind my ear.

“It's for you, Kendra.” His eyelids fluttering as he stares right into my dark eyes. “From that night, at the concert. That night… I knew I loved you.”

“Oh, Ed --” I started, reaching for him.

“You don’t have to say it back, Kenn, that’s not… not why I showed you.”

“I want to. I love you, Teddy. I knew it that night, too.”

Thanks for reading! This is the last you’ll hear from Ed & Kendra, at least for a while.

[thedenfantasyleague]

The Den Fantasy League Weekly Recap: Week 9

Gents,

We’re almost towards the end of the season and there’s still a lot to come. Plenty of teams are in the hunt and some will separate from the back, for better or for worse. On to the recap:

Team Timshel v. Viking Quest

I haven’t fully decided on how to exactly pin this on JP but it has to be his fault. A Jared/Jarrod on MNF with a dependence on a Patriots RB? Yeah, he started this and now I’m being affected. Not cool, JP. This win for Mike comes with an asterisk and I’m counting this as a loss for Wilmore. I decided to not play Cam and that came back to haunt me. I only really had good games from Kennan and Kelce. Kamara didn’t do much despite the big win and my RBs are starting to concern me. For Mike, a big game from Chark and a miracle game by Russ kept him afloat. Normally when your two starting RBs only amount to 8.4 points you end up with a loss but despite having four turnovers, Russ ended with 22.1 and a victory for Mike. Back to back champ? We’ll see.

11-4-1 PVO v. Virgin Red Roosters

With a new name comes a big victory for Al. The incumbent Cabana Boy can give all the praise to Kyler who popped off for an easy 37.92. His Cardinals have been keeping him steady these last few weeks and even had a 20+ spot from Kirk on his bench. Al has separated himself from the Cabana Boy spot over these last few weeks but no one is safe just yet. For Dylan, he’s trending in the opposite direction. A guy who just can’t seem to find the right QB seemed to start the season off on the right foot with a good draft but hasn’t been able to put it all together. Three players scored in double figures and a bulk of his points are thanks to Scary Terry McLaurin. We can all play the “what-if” game but for Dylan having Brady go for 2.36 with Herbert getting 23.44 and Slayton getting 1.3 and Curtis putting up 22.3 is a tough pill to swallow. Hopefully, he can turn it around quickly or he’s in danger of pouring Gabe fireball shots all weekend long.

The Perfect Ten v. Hank Mardukas

Scott had been rolling. Finally finding the right groove but this week he fell flat and the balloon seemingly popped. For the victor E, he had two 30+ point scorers in Mahomes and CMC. He also had big games from DK and Fuller but now his concern has to go back to CMC. Crisp-tian MunchCrunchfrey is in danger of going back to his injured self which is disappointing for E’s hope of finally getting him back. Scott only had two players in double figures this week thanks to Jonnu and a big game from Drew “Jeezy” Lock. Scott’s seen his fair share of injuries this season with Dak and Saquon, one alone is tough. He’s been able to piece it together and limp along the way but now it’s looking like reality might be hitting him with full force.

Tua Days v. Wilmore Cinderella

Vinny might be in trouble but let’s focus on the good: Tua scored more than Lamar this week. That’s a good thing, right, Vinny? Too bad you didn’t start him; however, it wouldn’t have mattered. Outside of Lamar’s 18.6, he had two players in double figures with Cooks (15.8) and Claypool (11.3). Not great. Vinny has said that he’s trading Dolphins wins for Fantasy losses but it’s still sad to see his team become what it is: a bunch of losers. PVO. He’ll need to step it up in next week’s big matchup with bragging rights for an entire city on the line. For Wilmore, he’s potentially writing his Cinderella story right before our very own eyes. Sure he’s 4-5 but he’s won three out of his last four and could there be a small run to end the season? He had enough this week thanks to Deshaun, AJ Brown, and Jacobs. He’ll need to string along some wins to keep the magic going if he wants to make another run at the title.

Kalabar’s Revenge v. Debbie Rowe

106 points are nothing to scoff at. Outside of a few teams, Jake would’ve been in the fight in most matchups this week. Unfortunately, he ran into a buzzsaw that is Jon West. We’ve always worried about G in October but November the new October? 2020 is a weird year and for G it may just be extra spooky. Jake had a good showing from Allen (36), Gallman (14.2), and JuJu (USC Trojans Fight On - 18.3). Obviously, that wasn’t enough to topple G but what more could you do? For G, there was a lot more he could and did do. The NFC North (some say the NFL’s toughest division) powered him this week and it all started on TNF. Rodgers and Adams combined for over 50 points and Jake thought he had a chance if McKinnon was held without a score. Well, that didn’t happen and, it turns out, McKinnon didn’t even matter. The story for G has been Dalvin. A man on a mission and going nuts. Yards and tuddies have been his only focus the last two weeks and he’s delivered. Nothing else Jake could have done despite dealing with injuries and byes. Jake will bounce back but can G keep up this pace?

Mixon It Up v. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

Who won the trade? Well, last week it might have been Robbie but this head to head may say otherwise. Despite getting 8.44 from his QB this week (PVO, Stafford couldn’t practice with the ones all week and has been cleared from concussion protocol) he was able to pull out the win. Gabe was tipsy after the 1pm halftime so thankfully he didn’t need to do much coaching with Tyreek’s 28.6 and 16.3 from Diggs. Robbie had a chance on SNF but Gronk left him wanting more after a sad performance. He was saved with a few 10+ point scorers and a 25+ performance from Sloppy. Robbie gets Mixon back next week so watch out world.

Week 10 Matchups

Viking Quest v. Kalabar’s Revenge Virgin Red Roosters v. The Perfect Ten Wilmore Cinderella v. Team Timshel Debbie Rowe v. Mixon It Up Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium v. 11-4-1 PVO Hank Mardukas v. Tua Days *Battle for Miami*

Kurse

“Timshel. He’s getting dangerous” - G the Medium

Commish’s Chat

Best of luck this week, gents. 

Your beloved Commissioner, 

Jared R. Mosqueda

[dipulb3]

It's time for the World Series and it's going to be a weird one

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/its-time-for-the-world-series-and-its-going-to-be-a-weird-one/

It's time for the World Series and it's going to be a weird one

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays will meet this year. Were they not enemies, perhaps they would be soulmates: Both teams hail from cities that have already celebrated championships this year (LA won the NBA Championship, Tampa Bay the Stanley Cup), they both have three words in their names, they both had the best records in their respective leagues and they both wear dashing combinations of blue and white.

The whole series will take place at the Texas Rangers’ new Globe Life Field in Arlington. Usually the teams would switch off between their home fields, but since this is The Strange Year (for everything, not just sports), the MLB playoffs have been operating in a kind of modified bubble in Texas.

When is the World Series?

While both teams ended up playing a grueling seven-games-in-seven-days series in the last round of the playoffs, the World Series schedule is a little bit more relaxed (and, bonus, no cross-country travel!). The best-of-seven schedule is as follows:

Game 1: Tuesday, 10/20 at 8:09 p.m. ET

Game 2: Wednesday, 10/21 at 8:08 p.m. ET

Game 3: Friday, 10/23 at 8:08 p.m. ET

Game 4: Saturday, 10/24 at 8:08 p.m. ET

Game 5 (if needed): Sunday, 10/25 at 8:08 p.m. ET

Game 6 (if needed): Tuesday, 10/27 at 8:08 p.m. ET

Game 7 (if needed): Wednesday, 10/28 8:09 p.m. ET

How can I watch the World Series?

All of the games will be broadcast on FOX. Alternately, you could just sit nervously for about three hours, punctuating the time with very quick, intense moments of sadness and joy. Baseball is definitely 50% waiting for something to happen, 25% things happening, and 25% wishing the things that just happened didn’t happen.

Are there going to be actual fans in the stands?

Yes! When the MLB started the season four months late in July because of the pandemic, there were no fans allowed. Instead, most teams opted for cardboard cutouts. Some teams let their fans pay to get their faces on these cutouts. That’s cute in theory, but glancing up into a throng of flat, unblinking eyes and frozen rictuses had to be a bit unnerving for the players. Plus, you couldn’t help but feel a little bad for the cutouts that got obliterated by foul balls.

Fox also peppered early broadcasts with “augmented reality” fans in the stands. We don’t talk about those times.

Anyway, they’ve been letting fans into playoff games, so expect to see some smattering of people pulling their Rays and Dodgers masks to the side to casually wolf down a hot dog.

Tell me more about these teams! Who should I root for?

If you enjoy suffering, root for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be their third time in the World Series in four years, and they haven’t won the whole thing since 1988, before most of their players were even born. To say they are due would be an understatement.

To add to their suffering, Dodgers fans have to live with the knowledge that the team that beat them in the 2017 World Series, the Houston Astros, were cheating that season. That’s sad! The Dodgers are too good to be this sad.

If you enjoy underdogs, then root for the Tampa Bay Rays. Yes, they had the best record in the American League. Yes, they are a very good team. But they are a) not the Dodgers and b) in the World Series for only the second time in franchise history. They’ve also never won, so don’t put it past fate to deny the 130-year-old Dodgers franchise another World Series victory and hand it to a team that’s only been around since 1998.

“Team” is such an impersonal word. Tell me about the men, the souls behind the logos.

If you want to know some guys, you are in luck! There are a lot of guys on these teams who are eminently knowable.

On the Los Angeles Dodgers:

Clayton Kershaw: He’s one of the best pitchers to ever throw a baseball, and one of the richest, too. But despite his millions of dollars, three Cy Young Awards (the big daddy pitching award), and definite future in the Hall of Fame, he does not have a World Series title. That’s no way to live.

Mookie Betts: It’s pronounced like “spooky,” not “Wookie.” This young star was acquired by the Dodgers in a huge trade at the beginning of the year with the Boston Red Sox, the team that beat them in the 2018 World Series. In this short, strange MLB season, Betts has definitely delivered. Expect to see lots of big hits from him, and a lot of great catches when he’s in center field. Extremely fun fact: Betts is also a professional bowler, and rolled a perfect game at the 2017 PBA World Series of bowling.

On the Tampa Bay Rays:

Randy Arozarena: This Cuban phenom has been the breakout star of the playoffs, and he has an excellent name. It just rolls off the tongue! (It’s pronounced exactly like “a rose arena,” which isn’t at all confusing when you’re listening to baseball broadcasts out of context, don’t know who Arozarena is, and can’t figure out what they’re saying.) The Rays are a cool team to watch because they don’t have a lot of flashy names or big-ticket players, but they’re still good — obviously, seeing as they’re in the World Series. But if they ever DO decide to become a big baller, star-studded team, Arozarena would be a good start.

Kevin Kiermaier: This guy is the veteran Ray, which is a hilarious thing to say about a 30-year-old person. He’s a three-time Gold Glove award winner, which, for the non-baseball-literate, means he’s very good at catching baseballs that should definitely not be caught.

Wait. Has baseball really been going on long enough for a World Series to happen?

The baseball season actually started 500 years ago, back in February. Everyone was bright-eyed and innocent, soaking in the sun at spring training and dreaming of another long, languid summer at the ballpark.

Then it all went to hell in March.

The whole season was postponed, then picked up in July for an ultra-short 60-game run. Now, you may be thinking, 60 games is a lot! It’s almost an entire basketball season, and several football seasons. But baseball fans love punishment, and a typical season is 162 games. So 60 games, in comparison, is barely enough time to really get the full flavor of it. But, regardless of Covid uncertainty and all of the other bizarre things this truncated season has wrought, the two best teams are at the top. And while some people may say this year’s World Series win will have an asterisk next to it, you know what can never be argued with?

Those big, fat championship rings.

[sportsleague365]

The suspension of football all across Europe following the coronavirus pandemic has caused plenty of confusion. The Premier League has been no exception to that, with runaway leaders Liverpool wondering whether or not they will be lift the title now, while the relegation dogfight at the bottom – which realistically involves six teams – is far from settled. The coronavirus pandemic has caused havoc in the sporting worldGetty ImagesThen there’s the Championship. After a 16-year absence Leeds finally looked set to make a return to the English top flight. But will they now after all is said and done? And what about League One, with Coventry seven points clear of third placed Oxford United with a game in hand. So, should the season be voided? Or perhaps merely postponed until the time comes for it recommence? Some have even suggested Liverpool, for example, should just be handed the title now? Below, talkSPORT.com writers have issued their verdict on what they think should happen next in English football… LATEST FOOTBALL STORIES LATEST UEFA want nearly £300m to delay Euro 2020, Grand National off, UFC fights on holdLATEST Transfers live: Umtiti to Man United, Chelsea ready Dembele bid, six Liverpool exitsNOVEL 'Carry points over to next season' - Man City fan's idea to solve coronavirus dilemmaKO TOURE 'He almost cried as Wenger limped away' - Kolo Toure's mad Arsenal trial revisitedGOSSIP United move for signing, Spurs to be offered 91-goal ace, Chelsea's top target namedSCRAPPED All events cancelled or suspended due to coronavirus, including PL, EFL and UFCINCOMING UEFA set to announce Euro 2020 delay, but want big windfall from clubsHUGE CHANGE How Liverpool have gone from PL champions-elect to rationing tea bagsNICE TOUCH Everton do brilliant gesture as Liverpool clash is postponed due to coronavirusLU HERO Remember when Fulham's Luis Boa Morte treated us to the best ever episode of Cribs? ANTON STANLEY, FEATURES EDITOR Void the season but have play-offs for European places. Right now, the only sensible option seems to be voiding the season across the English leagues. Yes, it’s tough on Liverpool. Well, tough doesn’t cover it. But given their recent form and the beauty of football, anything could have happened. Their recent run of two wins in six in all competitions is the proof it can’t just be handed to them on the assumption they would get the results they needed. All teams should remain in their current divisions with play-offs to decide our European qualifiers as a tasty pre-season tournament. It would, though, be vital for all clubs in all divisions to be given a financial package to keep them afloat given the money spent last season and their failure to earn promotion. Play-offs for promotion and relegation are an option but possibly too messy to sort out and could result in legal battles – sorry Leeds fans! VERDICT: VOID THE SEASON Anton has sympathy for the likes of Liverpool and Leeds, but says English football should be cancelled this seasonGetty Images - GettyBILLY HAWKINS, NEWS EDITOR Given there is no guarantee the season will resume on April 3, and there is a real chance the suspension will continue well beyond the initial end date, I am of the opinion that the 2019/20 campaign should be scrapped entirely. All results and records are expunged, with the 2020/21 season being used to replay 2019/20; this means no promotions, no relegations, and the same teams in Europe as this season. Given there is a good chance many leagues across the continent will be scrapped, this is the most viable outcome to ensure football can resume with as little disruption as possible. The only things that will remain in the record books are trophies which have already been won, such as Man City being Carabao Cup champions and Liverpool winning the Club World Cup. Coronavirus played no impact on these already completed tournaments, so they can go down in history with no suggestion of outside influence. VERDICT: VOID THE SEASON Billy is of the same belief – but says the trophies that have been won to date should remain intactGetty Images - GettyJOE MOORE, RADIO NEWS EDITOR I’m with Barry Hearn on this one – this Premier League season MUST be played to a conclusion as soon as it can. While Karren Brady has called for the season to be declared null and void (which would see West Ham stay up – funny that) and FA boss Greg Clarke has insisted the season cannot be completed, Matchroom chief Hearn has been one of the few to speak any sense, in my opinion. “For the integrity of the sport we have to conclude the fixture list. If that means delaying, abandoning or changing the following season, so be it,” he told Monday’s Sports Breakfast. And he’s right, isn’t he? How can you disregard a campaign which has only ten games left to play in favour of keeping next season on track, when nobody has any points in the 20/21 campaign? That would make no sense! So, when it’s safe to do so, play the rest of the season out. If that means playing two or three games a week, fine. If that means the season ends later than planned, fine. The Euros being cancelled will give us extra time to do that. Yes, there will be questions over players whose contracts expire in June – just get them to sign short-term extensions? The integrity of the current season must take priority over the next, surely? VERDICT: FINISH THE SEASON Joe is in full agreement with Barry Hearn’s notion that the Premier League season must be completedALEX JOHNSON, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR My take is this: With the 2022 World Cup already taking place in November 2022, this is a great chance for the Premier League and European Football as a whole to get the football calendar in sync with the World Cup. Restart the season when possible and aim to finish it by November. Then we start the next couple of seasons in the winter before returning to normal after the World Cup. And if Coventry City don’t get promoted despite being 7 points clear of 3rd place in League One, with a game in hand, I will hit the ceiling. VERDICT: FINISH THE SEASON Alex, a die-hard Coventry fan, would be livid if this season was voidedGetty ImagesSEAN GALLAGHER, SENIOR SPORTS WRITER You can’t just void the season just like that. Liverpool are 25 points clear at the top, the top-four race is far from over and just six points separate the bottom five sides in the relegation dog fight. Ultimately 75 per cent of the season has already been completed, so when the time comes for the season to resume it should be completed in it’s entirety – if the Premier League want to maintain any sort of integrity. UEFA must make the decision to delay Euro 2020 by a further year, which isn’t ideal, but not the worst case scenario by any stretch of the imagination. VERDICT: FINISH THE SEASON Sean maintains that the season should be continued where it let off when the appropriate time arisesGetty Images - GettyOLIVER DAWNAY, STAFF WRITER I think as soon as the pandemic gets better and the spread is fully contained, the Premier League should resume as normal with all the remaining games played. If this is done within six weeks, all the matches should be finished at the end of the summer and Euro 2020 should be delayed until 2021. The players will need to rest so the start of the 2020/21 season should be delayed for a couple of weeks and start at the beginning of September. Euro 2021 should therefore begin a little later. This would mean that Liverpool are crowned champions should they win the two matches that they need to and the rest of the teams will battle it out for promotion/relegation as normal. VERDICT: FINISH THE SEASON Ollie also wants the season to be concludedGetty Images - GettyJOSH FORDHAM, STAFF WRITER The Premier League should recommence whenever feasibly possible and not be scrapped, even if it means delaying the start of next season. Realistically, we don’t know when that will be but it would call into question the integrity of the league if the 29 games played so far counted for nothing. Euro 2020 should be pushed back to next summer to allow more time to complete this season, it is the only fair way of proceeding. You cannot just end the season now. If you handed Liverpool the title there would always be an asterisk next to it and if you scrapped everything it would seem hardly fair. Finishing the season would avoid the doubt and potential complaints that may arise from other scenarios. VERDICT: FINISH THE SEASON Josh says Euro 2020 should be postponed for a yearAFP or licensors #PremierLeague #ManchesterUnited #AFCBournemouth

[junker-town]

What the NCAA tournament looks like 1 week before Selection Sunday

On Sunday, the Bradley Braves were one of three teams to secure automatic bids to the 2020 NCAA Tournament. | Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

This is what the bracket looks like before the power conference tournaments kick into gear on Wednesday and Thursday.

One week before Selection Sunday, a pair of conference races ended with three-way ties at the top, both of which affected this bracket’s composition. In the Big Ten, Maryland, Michigan State and Wisconsin all finished at 14-6 in league play. While the Badgers (21-10) secured the top seed in the Big Ten tournament, they sit on this projections fourth seed line — behind a pair of threes in the Spartans and Terrapins. Over in the American Athletic, Houston defeated Memphis and Wichita State knocked off Tulsa. Those results pushed the Cougars and Golden Hurricane into a title trio with Cincinnati. As the No. 1 seed in the American tournament, the Bearcats get the conference’s automatic bid for now, while the Golden Hurricane drop out of the bracket. They join Wichita State and resurgent UConn as the three AAC teams in the “First Eight Out” — Memphis dropped just outside of that group with its loss in Houston.

With previous at-large Cincinnati replacing Tulsa as an auto bid holder, one spot in the bracket opened up. That goes to Texas, last seen getting blown out by Oklahoma State in Austin. But bracketology is about a team’s body of work, and the Longhorns’ 5-8 record in Quadrant 1 games and lack of Quadrant 2 or 3 losses gave them the edge for the moment over UCLA, Wichita State, NC State and Northern Iowa.

Today’s projection reflects one housekeeping note. Brian Bennett’s Friday bracket projection over at the Athletic (subscription required) brought my attention to a Kansas City Star story by Jesse Newell which notes that Bill Self would seriously consider having the Selection Committee place Kansas in the South regional in Houston, not the Midwest regional in Indianapolis, even though it’s closer. This is a relatively new aspect of the selection process first implemented in 2017. Thanks to this nugget of info, I’m placing Kansas in the South until the Jayhawks further update their stance.

After today’s full bracket and rundown, I’ll discuss how tonight’s conference tournament action could impact the bubble.

Seed line movement is indicated by arrows and is relative to Sunday’s bracket. Asterisks (*) indicate new entries. Teams in all caps (except for those that go by their initials) have clinched auto bids (five so far).

1. South Region (Houston)

Omaha, Nebraska (Fri./Sun.)

1. Kansas (Big 12) vs. *16. Robert Morris (NEC)/NC Central (MEAC) 8. Saint Mary’s vs. 9. USC

Sacramento, California (Fri./Sun.)

5. Ohio State vs. 12. LIBERTY (ASUN) 4. Oregon (Pac-12) vs. 13. New Mexico State (WAC)

Albany, New York (Thu./Sat.)

6. Michigan vs. 11. UTAH STATE (MW) 3. Maryland vs. 14. Colgate (Patriot)

Tampa, Florida (Thu./Sat.)

7. LSU vs. 10. Marquette 2. Florida State (ACC) vs. 15. North Dakota State (Summit)

2. West Region (Los Angeles)

Spokane, Washington (Thu./Sat.)

1. Gonzaga (WCC) vs. 16. Siena (MAAC)/Prairie View A&M (SWAC) 8. Arizona vs. 9. Florida

Spokane (Thu./Sat.)

↑5. Auburn vs. 12. Stephen F. Austin (Southland) 4. Wisconsin (Big Ten) vs. 13. BELMONT (OVC)

Greensboro, North Carolina (Fri./Sun.)

↓6. Iowa vs. 11. ETSU (SoCon) ↑3. Duke vs. 14. BRADLEY (MVC)

St. Louis, Missouri (Thu./Sat.)

↑7. Illinois vs. ↓10. Oklahoma 2. Creighton (Big East) vs. 15. UC Irvine (Big West)

3. Midwest Region (Indianapolis)

St. Louis (Thu./Sat.)

1. Baylor vs. 16. Little Rock (Sun Belt) ↓8. Houston vs. ↑9. Arizona State

Tampa (Thu./Sat.)

↑5. BYU vs. 12. Yale (Ivy) ↓4. Seton Hall vs. 13. Akron (MAC)

Greensboro (Fri./Sun.)

6. Virginia vs. 11. Stanford/Xavier 3. Michigan State vs. 14. North Texas (C-USA)

Cleveland (Fri./Sun.)

7. West Virginia vs. 10. Rutgers 2. Dayton (A 10) vs. 15. Wright State (Horizon)

4. East Region (New York)

Sacramento (Fri./Sun.)

1. San Diego State vs. 16. WINTHROP (Big South) 8. Colorado vs. 9. Indiana

Omaha (Fri./Sun.)

5. Butler vs. 12. Cincinnati (American) 4. Louisville vs. 13. Vermont (Amer. East)

Albany (Thu./Sat.)

↓6. Penn State vs. *11. Richmond/Texas 3. Villanova vs. 14. Hofstra (CAA)

Cleveland, Ohio (Fri./Sun.)

7. Providence vs. 10. Texas Tech 2. Kentucky (SEC) vs. 15. Eastern Washington (Big Sky)

Rundown

Bids by conference: 10 Big Ten, 7 Big East, 6 Big 12, 5 Pac-12, 4 ACC, 4 SEC, 3 WCC, 2 AAC, 2 A 10, 2 MW, 22 one-bid conferences

Last four byes: Oklahoma, Rutgers, Marquette, Texas Tech Last four in: Stanford, Xavier, Richmond, Texas First four out: UCLA, Wichita State, NC State, Northern Iowa Next four out Mississippi State, UConn, Saint Louis, Tulsa

Lowest-ranked NET at-large: Texas (69) Highest-ranked NET exclusion: Purdue (33, 16-15 overall)

New today (1/68): Texas Leaving today: Tulsa

Monday’s action

On Sunday, the Winthrop Eagles (Big South), Bradley Braves (Missouri Valley) and Liberty Flames (Atlantic Sun) all secured their March Madness tickets. Tonight, just one team will join them — and it’s a consequential matchup for the bubble as the East Tennessee State Buccaneers could join the at-large pool with a loss to the Wofford Terriers in the Southern Conference championship game (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). While the Bucs swept the Terriers in the regular season, ETSU only won by a 49-48 score at home on New Year’s Day and a 60-54 count on Feb. 26. Making matters worse for Steve Forbes’ club, Wofford is the No. 7 seed. A loss to the Terriers, ranked 152nd in the NET, would be a second Quadrant 3 loss. Combine those with an earlier Quadrant 4 loss to the Mercer Bears, and the Bucs would definitely find themselves in bubble trouble, even with a road win over LSU.

The West Coast Conference tournament semifinals are Monday night’s other games with bracket impact. In the first semifinal, the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs face the San Francisco Dons with an NCAA tournament No. 1 seed on the line (9 p.m. ET, ESPN), while the Dons could make the WCC a four-bid league by winning both tonight and in tomorrow’s championship game. The second semifinal features the BYU Cougars, a potential top-four seed with a WCC tournament title, and the Saint Mary’s Gaels, who should be in win or lose (approx. 11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

I’ll be back Tuesday with another bracket update. In the meantime, you can check out my TV viewing guides and full conference tournament coverage over at Blogging the Bracket and and listen to my bracketology interviews on the College Basketball Coast to Coast podcast.