#bear sends him memes relevant to his interests

[helslastangel]

Random Astro Observations #6

@helslastangel

Disclaimer: These are based on personal observations and experiences and may not resonate for everyone with these placements. If it doesn’t apply, let it fly 🪽

🔥 Leo sun men as fathers often make excellent financial providers but poor emotional support for their children

💧Scorpio moon women are often overprotective of their sons and very harsh or demanding of their children's love interests

🌬 Aquarius mars placements don't get mad, they get even. the definition of neither forgive nor forget

🌿 Capricorn moons pay attention to what you like and will send you relevant memes or funny videos if they like you. They love making others laugh and sharing humor is a love language to them

🔥 Sagittarius sun women with Aries placements can be self-centered in their day-to-day actions without realizing it and sometimes end up with strained friendships and issues with their siblings

💧Cancer venus men can be some of the most caring and kind if they like you, but they are also vengeful and will ruin your day on purpose if they feel like it will make their point

🌬 Libra suns are typically cheerful unless they have Virgo or Capricorn moon - those can be quite serious or melancholy. if they have Sagittarius moon they may have more anger management issues and are more confrontational in general.

🌿 Taurus sun men prefer to be chased than do the chasing. if a Taurus man is chasing you, he seriously likes you something different because they're not getting off the couch for just anybody

🔥 Aries moon and Sagittarius mercury can make anyone 2x more fiery than they would be based on their sun sign, or give an otherwise chilled-out chart a massive energy boost. I had a Scorpio sun, Aries moon, Sag mercury, Libra venus, Scorpio mars friend and she was the sweetest but most aggressive Scorpio I ever met. Nobody believed she was a Scorpio tbh her Aries + Sag energies overwhelmed the rest of her placements. I knew someone else with Scorpio sun, moon, venus, mars, and Libra mercury and they were like a huge teddy bear and kind of a pushover most of the time.

💧Scorpio risings deal with a lot of unexplained hatred from acquaintances and random strangers. Most people react to them with either love/obsession or intense anger. It can cause them a lot of anxiety and people like to pick physical fights with them.

🌬 Gemini women are extremely loyal friends besides the tendency to talk a little bit too much to one person about someone else's business. The thing is, Geminis value community and communal traits a lot. I think they subconsciously forget that their friends aren't automatically your friends too, so they do need to ask before sharing things you only wanted them to know.

🌿 Virgo suns/moon LOVE to dance, or if they can't/won't, they might either enjoy watching other people do so, or just enjoy some form of physical movement that requires some coordination and focus in some way (martial arts, boxing, yoga, Tai chi, etc). But yeah if they become comfortable around you, just like with Capricorns, you'll discover a whole other side to them

🔥 Leo venuses are known for liking gifts but tbh it's not just any gift - they want things that are high quality at the very least. Even better if it's something they can show off to others. My ex has this placement and I remember for Valentine's Day, I got him a bunch of things ranging in price, some for glamour and others because I just noticed he could use them. Yeah well, he loved the $250 gold earrings and immediately put them in and went to show his friends, and he loved the black woven bracelets because they "looked exclusive" but I found the tracksuit, graphic tees and the card with the lipstick print I got him shoved in the back of his closet. Asked about it and after lying about putting them there "just for a second to sweep the floor" he eventually admitted that because they weren't designer he really didn't want them. Lesson learned 0_0

My dad also has Leo venus and although he doesn't particularly care about things being designer or not like that, he WILL pick at the quality of anything you get him and only be happy if he can do the boomer thing where they say how "solid" something feels and how it will "last." If it's something like a book, it has to be a super popular bestselling "everyone is talking about this" title or else... yeah your gift is ending up in a sock drawer :/ lol

💧 Water moons experience a lot of guilt whenever they set boundaries with others and it's something they have to overcome as early as possible or they will suffer from a lot of headaches or stomachaches from anxiety

🌬 Aquarius sun men can be extremely toxic when it comes to wanting and chasing someone only after that person loses interest or displays nonchalance towards them. It is almost like they like a challenge to the point of manufacturing it over investing the same energy into a personal connection. The thing is, this is fun for a while but if they do it too often to too many people within a closed environment (school, activity group, work, etc), word gets around and they can often suddenly find themselves losing friends and romantic prospects. They can become lonely at that point and try to double back with their top interests, but won't admit they f*cked up. They just show up either acting as if nothing happened or being kinda arrogant about the whole thing and insisting that you're the one playing games with them.

🌿 Earth signs in the big 3 can make someone develop very peculiar ways of organizing. It can be physical objects, locations, or even just their thoughts, but they will have a whole elaborate process that can be kinda cute to watch unfold.

🔥 Fire signs in the big 3 can make someone highly expressive and have huge energy, even if they're a shy or quiet person. You'll know they've arrived at a function long before you see them and can find them in a room by just following the vibes ✨️

💧Pisces placements, especially suns, are extremely perceptive and people do not give them nearly enough credit for this. They're noticing everything and taking notes for future reference - looking like they're in the own world is just how they seem on the outside. Just because they didn't say anything doesn't mean they didn't clock your tea.

𓆩♡𓆪

↤ go back to the masterlist

[morelike-bi-light]

As much as I love our meme culture where we romanticize or slam our favs, I do genuinely think there's really interesting flaws to explore with all of the Twilight vampires. It's not developed super well in the series, not front and center since whether we see main characters make mistakes with consequences largely depends on how Meyers personally feels about them and what they represent to her, but the complexity exists and there's a whole heap of potential to explore.

Like Carlisle's need to 'save' and how it conflicts with itself. There's that post that points out exactly how selfish his decision was, seeing as how he views vampirism as damnation, and yes! That makes it so much more interesting. What would he be without this conflict? A pretty one dimensional saint figure with a million PhDs. I love that Carlisle spent hundreds of years denying himself company and then crumbled beneath a single Chicago mother's plea to save her son, in my mind as an excuse to soothe his own crippling loneliness. And then when he had someone to exist beside, he just... he did it again, ostensibly because Esme deserved better. And again, this time for Edward. Then he did it for Rose. And then they picked up Alice and Jasper, and I wonder if he felt that much more guilty knowing that if he'd just waited a decade or so more, he might've found family anyways without having to 'damn' the others. Exploring how that interacts with his religious beliefs? Sign me up.

Then there's Rosalie's resentment. It's been covered in much better depth by other users, and I think I've reblogged those posts, but the validity of her anger and fear of losing the only things that give her comfort in a life she never chose bears repeating. Not to mention how this possibly affects her relationship with her coven - it's like when your child or spouse or sibling or best friend who has depression. How do you interact with a loved one who wishes they were dead? Who thinks life, even with you, whom they claim to love, is a prison? How do you interact with the man you believe to be your soulmate when you genuinely believe that you would be better off having died before meeting him? What does it say about her sense of self prior to death versus as an immortal?

Which leads perfectly into Edward's self-flagellation. He murders and feeds, because he's a monster who deserves to feel like one - but he's not the only one who suffers from that (though we give him some points for understanding that from the get-go and targeting people he thinks deserve it). But then he feels bad for acting like a monster and he has another reason to punish himself. He deprives himself of joy and distances himself from his family because how dare a monster like he ever find comfort in others like him, and how dare he enjoy a life that's so unnatural - but his family suffers alongside him. But then he feels guilty for being a dick to them, which gives him another reason to punish himself. He sends Bella mixed signals by alternating between caring, coldness, and cruelty, because he wants her to be happy but he also doesn't want himself to be happy - but Bella suffers because of this. Then he feels guilty about putting her safety at risk, which gives him another reason to punish himself. It goes on and on, and this line of thinking hinders his growth as a character through the entire series without being properly addressed.

Bella's bull-headedness. Jasper's survivalism. There is so, so much to be said here. Even with the three least developed of the coven, Alice has her impulsivity, Esme has her passivity, Emmett has his impatience.

On the flip side, we have the native characters, who are all either poorly developed or most characterized through off hand, arm's-length negativity, so as to make the vamps look better, and all I want for them is more content exploring all the good they have to offer.

Like, Jake's defining quality is his loyalty - Smeyer may have butchered his character, but I'm not talking about the bullshit she had him do in the last two books. I want to see more exploring how warm and good and patient and generous he is with his friends, no matter what it is he's up against, be it social conflict or an emotional crisis. I mean, in the books, we only ever get to see him really care about Bella. What about Embry and Quil? There's an entire foundation to their friendship that's hardly brushed by canon. I want to see his loyalty to his father and sisters and the memory of his mother. IT is interesting when loyalties conflict, preferably with greater nuance and weight than the Uley vs Cullen dilemma, but what's more satisfying is getting to see Jacob act in his element. I wanna see his other good traits explored too, the ones that exist outside of the necessity that he be a good friend/alternate LI for Bella - like the passion he has and his down to earth attitude.

And don't get me started on the Uley pack. Sam himself had so much potential to be a nuanced foil to Carlisle - I'm going to need to make an entire other post on it, it gets me so worked up, so keep an eye out for that! But also there's Paul, who is literally just an angry caricature version of Emmett, Emily whose entire characterization is built on a mess of racist and sexist tropes, and how many of the others even get characterized at all?

And Leah. Was she done the dirtiest of not only all the native characters, but also all the females? Arguably, yeah. I'd say so. Again, there was so, so much potential to explore her even in subtle ways through the later narrative and literally next to none of it was fulfilled. By the end of Breaking Dawn I was genuinely irritated, even as a kid, because it felt like Leah had been pointed out time and time again as being so special - only important native woman, only pack member to have been ostracized through the entire series, and the only female werewolf, hello - only for none of it to be relevant literally at all to the major plot. There wasn't even any follow up. Why is she the first female wolf? What does that mean for the future of the shapeshifters? (I'm absolutely thinking about this for my - probably shorter than planned - fic, jsyk.)

Thank God for Seth, I guess. We all love Seth, but still I think even he is basically just a puppy's personality given human form. It's as if Smeyer thinks that complexity is counter blank to goodness, friendliness, and openness. (And I think this is an issue with Emmett, Alice, Esme, and Angela, too, to be fair. It's just that where those four are just Defined by a trait - boisterous, fun, gentle, and nice in turn - Seth's behavior specifically plays into a... cutesy... paternalism? That makes me narrow my eyes a bit.) Anyways, I wouldve liked to see his feelings about Charlie and Sue, or about his sister's transformation and his father's death, or uh, any of the violence against the newborns many of whom were literally his age from Eclipse? And not just in an, oh, sad boy is sad kind of way. He's not a care bear - there's gotta be some conflict about what he's been through seeing as it's a LOT.

To be real, though? In some ways, I'm actually okay with it that Smeyer dropped the ball on so many of her characters, while still giving us what we have to work with - largely because it's actually so cool to think about all the potential buried in the content we have, waiting to be unearthed. It's why, regardless of when or why it started and how long it should've lasted, I don't see myself exiting the Twilight fandom for a long time. There's so much work to be done, you know, stuff to be said, and I think it's been and is and will be a beautiful conversation. This was just meant to be a long meta, but really, I have to take a moment and celebrate everyone in the fandom who has kept it alive and funny and interesting, whether you're a staple like @howlonghaveyoubeenseventeen and @shittytwilightaus or you're just here to reblog and enjoy. We all sort of rediscovered this thing we liked in our childhood and just collectively decided to fix it and make it something worth loving as the people we are, and it makes me proud to be here!

[gellcrt]

hc + durmstrang

HEADCANONS ;; some old meme where you send me hc + a word & I rant.

       Laughs bitterly,  becausethere are no words in the English language, nor in any other languages thatGellert has mastery of, to describe how much Gellert despised (and was ill-suited for ) that place ( you know how I sometimeswonder whether or not he would have turned out to be who he is in a moreliberal environment. I suppose that is a difficult point to assess, but Ibelieve that environment shapes you as much as biology does, and that you growto become who you are through your interactions… so…  ). Bitter feelingsaside, my view of Durmstrang Institute is heavily based on  the (generallyunpleasant) reality of the average 19th century learning institution… so let’sgo. 

i. Basic canon.

          Canonically, Durmstrang Institute is known to be a(n uplottable)four-story castle, therefore certainly smaller than Hogwarts. We can infer afew things from this, the most relevant being that the number of studentsattending the Institute is low. Why? Because the castle needs to include allthe necessary facilities for the students (classrooms, dormitories, etc.) andstaff, and other general-use spaces (great hall, library, storage, nursing wing, etc). Thispoint is further reinforced in canon, without being directly so: whileDurmstrang does accept international students, it does notaccept muggleborns, and it’s likely that mixed-blood families with very liberalviews will feel somewhat uncomfortable sending their children there, given theschool’s reputation.  ( But A, Viktor wasn’t a bloodpuritysupremacist and he came from Durmstrang!! me: sure, I’m not saying thateveryone shares the prejudice, andlet’snotforgetaboutKrum’sgrandfatherbeingmurdered. but it’s unlikely that families would send theirchildren to a school whose values weren’t, at least in part, shared by theinstitution. also, I like to think that the there was a bit of evolution inperceptions vis a vis muggles and muggleborns in the 1900′s, but that’s anotherhc for another time….). 

          Where was I - yes, ok, so. Few students. Also,given the limited space, you’re probably living in tight quarters witheveryone; so they’ll be in your business, and you in theirs. Lovely.

          Canonically, we also know thatDurmstrang is located next to mountains, at least two lakes ,and glacier(s)( !!! ). It’s plausible that it has an outlet to an open bodyof water, given their mode of transportation ( listen, how the heck Hogwarts’lake would be connected to it remains a mystery; seriously JKR, what are yousuggesting, inter-lake connections?? I mean… hm… I… I sort of likethis… ). Aaaand, that’s it. That’s the canon, and I wish there was muchmore of it, but so it is (there are a few other tidbits down below, but for thesake of clarity, I just merged them in). Moving onto my hc’s.

ii. Grounds.

        Durmstrang’s grounds are vast ——quite beyond those of Hogwarts, Forbidden Forest and all—— and are, in Gellert’s own not-so-humble, always-stubbornly-decided-and-god-help-you-if-you-try-to-alter-it opinion, the Institute’s only redeeming quality. He has lost countless hours wandering about the grounds, over the years, but many more would be required for a thorough exploration of the land. ‘Tis, from this prospect only, a pity that Gellert’s time at The Institute was cut short, as it was one way in which his time wasn’t waster. Really, if you’re going to cut class or ‘waste’ hours meant for sleep, you might as well spend them on something interesting ( which often meant books of his own choice or work of a more. .. .err, practical nature, but just as often, meant endless hours spent hiking, or getting lost ). 

         As I can only ever picture Durmstrang in Norway ( fite me!! where are my Norwegian followers?? ), I always tend to picture the landscape surrounding Tindefjellbreen and its magnificent views (1, 2, 3). The Tindefjellbreen glacier is actually situated in the Jostedalsbreen National Park, which seems a good/easy enough location for some powerful muggle-repellent charms, so I hc Durmstrang as being situated there.

iii. Architecture.

        Founded in early-to-mid-13th century, the castle is fashioned in thelatest architectural style of the time, which is to say thoroughly Gothic…  how apropos for a castle whose very name is derived from Sturm undDrang ( i.e. basically meaning ‘turmoil’ —— let’s forgetfor a moment that this phrase was only coined in the 17thcentury. I’m always happy to ignore points on which JKR makes no sense. at anyrate, this screams out what a happy, carefree place!! right? ).Nevertheless, some Romanesque influences can become visible if you have an eyefor them( e.g. in some areas of the castle such as the dormitories, the massivepillars and tiny windows distinctly resonate with this style ). In general, thecastle points to a preference of its architect (and likely its commissioner)for the early English Gothic style, rather than the French, or Merlin forbid,the flamboyant Italian style. Though listen,underneath its prim and proper, straight-spined and stick up the arse air…Durmstrang is freaking dramatic. Just look at these freaking doorways,like wtf. Man, that inyourface gothic style, asdfghjkl….!! Repeatafter me:  dra. ma. tic.

          Onthe outside, the light-coloured stone and almost delicate architecture, withits steep roofs, exquisite details ( just look at those flying buttresses! they might as well belace-made-stone, asdfghjkl  ), pointed arches, and overall height leave animpression of grandeur rather than oppression.Although almost intimidating in its exterior beauty ( if one is inclined toappreciate architecture ), it isn’t forbidding. 

          Onceyou set foot inside the castle, especially in the winter months, yourenthusiasm for it might be taken down a notch. Although the great hall anddormitories do have fires burning for the comfort of the staffand students ( listen, one cannot have the promising scion of a noble familysuffer through such a trifling thing as dying from being subjected to inhumantemperatures. I don’t believe for a second that parents, no matter how strict,would put up with it - save that barbarous practice forthe muggles and muggleborns!! ), the rest of the castle is generally damp, andquite cool, if not downright freezing. There’s a particularly nastydraft in the northwestern wing, so cold it can turn your blood to ice on aDecember morning, as Gellert would sourly inform you. If you ever hadany….  ah, mild issues with a fellow,just vigorously aguamenti  at him on such amorning, in such a place, and let nature do the rest…. But we’re digressing.Generally speaking, cold temperatures? Shivering? Well, you’re expectedto suck it up. Strength of will in the face of adversitybuilds character, and all of that.

         The dormitories themselves are simple and utilitarian,without frills ( there is a complete lack of richly-coloured, hangingdraperies, of tapestries, of any decorations. the style isutterly spartan and meant to highlight the utility of theplace. this is not a place of enjoyment or comfort or bonding. itis a place that provides you with a bed to sleep in, andnothing else. you are not to expect luxury from it, lest you become prone toindolence. you are not to spend time ‘socializing’ before bed, lest you becomeprone to mischief. curfew is at 21:30, and you better be asleepby 21:31. this was not a particularly happy pairing to Gellert’s naturalinclination to generally stay awake at night, and even less so with his naturalinclination to break rules ).

         The hallways bear a large number of lancet windows ( tall, narrow windowswith sharp pointed tops ) - some of colourful cubic-mosaic stained glass(reserved for the most important, official venues), but mostof transparent glass, which do nothing to relieve theoppressive atmosphere. They are also tastefully decorated with chiseleddog-tooth moldings and rows of candles ( although in Gellert’s time,these were  already self-lighting, thus sparing a lot of inconvenience forthe castle’s inhabitants ).

        The classrooms aresurprisingly large, and allow for easy movement. Students sittogether at wooden tables, facing the professor’s desk. However, approximatelyhalf of the classes are conducted outside, rather than inside,especially those requiring physical activity.

iv. House System.

        The loose ‘house system’ was instilled several centuries after thefoundation of the school (in the 1400s, approximately), as a direct influencefrom ongoing communication with Hogwarts ( the house system was, at first, arather odd concept for them, what with being generalpractice in the UK and its colonies, without it being a widespread system in placesthat were not a part of the British empire ). The change was a matter of longdebate and disagreements, but finally survived the test of time for itspracticality. Still, it is in no way comparable to the system seen at Hogwarts(or in the Commonwealth in general). Students are split into five houses, thenames of which are of Thracian origin: skilas,  udrénas, semla, spinda,zvaka, and represent the five elements (because I like throwing in wiccanelements into my fiction, that’s why). At present, it is a common rumour that thehousenames were assigned by First Headmistress Vulchanova, in honour of herancestors. Given that she was of Bulgarian ethnicity, and therefore likely tobe of Daco-Thracian descent, this is not an unlikely hypothesis, although itcannot be confirmed by any written account ( this hypothesis is, in fact, false- what with the system being implemented centuries after her deathday.but history has a tendency to get facts distorted over time… ) 

         Thestudents do not bear specific house colours (their uniforms are the same), donot go through any special sorting ceremony (they are arbitrarily assigned to a‘house’ based on the principle of keeping the numbers equal), and aren’t evenrequired to share the same dormitories (which are assigned based onthe same principle, but separate the students by sex and age bracket (11-12, 13-14, 15+). Students in the same “house” are requiredto share a period of thirty minutes together per day, and the eldest areexpected to guide and bear responsibility for their younger housemates’behaviour. Thus, the ‘houses’ could almost be considered akin to‘study groups’, as well as a loose system of auto-regulatory surveillance groups ( what a pleasant thing to always be kept an eye on, both byadults and by your own peers. ). Of note: since the oldest students in each “house” are responsible for the younger’s behaviours, they also incur punishment when a housemate breaks the rules, or displays what could be considered “bad behaviour”. This makes them very… eager… to keep an eye out and correct such behaviour themselves, as they see fit. As long as it does not inconvenience the staff,  this is tolerated, and in subtle ways, even encouraged. ( It’s out of the scope of this small essay to describe some of the infamous happenings in boarding schools in that era, because this is already a small essay, but if you’re familiar with them – you can assume all of that was happening. )

          The ‘friendly competition’ amongst housesnever amounts to much. It isn’t rewarded, or even acknowledged beyond a brief mention at theend of the term reviewing general behaviour. Some houses claim bragging rights in the hallways (those are generally more than enough to stimulate the majority of students), but there is no point system in place, etc.

v. Curriculum.

          I could probably write another 2k on my hc’s on the curriculum alone, so I will only jot down a few notes here. I always imagined the curriculum at Durmstrang to be more practical  than that of ‘present day’ Hogwarts. This is not only due to the different time period, but also to the difference in values between the institutions, with Durmstrang encouraging students to acquire specific skillsets via firsthand experiences, and Hogwarts providing them a wider breadth of knowledge based on a more theoretical approach (i.e. it can be simmered down to a difference in do vs think type of philosophy). This isn’t a critique of either teaching style, just my own perspective on what “teaching philosophy” each school adopted. Therefore, subjects appearing as more “superfluous” or uncertain, such as divination (covered in ‘History’), astronomy (offered as a standalone course, but it’s dreadful), herbology (covered in ‘Potions’), care of magical creatures, etc., were less focused on. History may seem superfluous, but it was heavily focused on as a matter of pride and principle (and happened to be Gellert’s favourite subject, as I pretty much mention at every turn, welp; he just!! feels so strongly!! about this!! okay!! ). In turn, subjects that had direct, quick practical applications (transfiguration, charms, dueling, the dark arts and defence against, potions, rituals and curses) were more heavily focused upon (and were, obviously, mandatory). Language courses, runes, magical theory, etc., were offered as electives.

         Insofar as I see it, Durmstrang also strongly encouraged a healthy mind and body, and included a rigorous, mandatory morning exercise regime for all students, prior to breakfast. By their fourth year, students could opt to have these exercises covered in a ‘class’ (flying, navigation, etc.), as long as they adhered to it. The emphasis on ‘doing, rather than learning about it theoretically’  and on being physically fit is also seen in their dueling classes - Gellert’s dueling style is very active and dynamic as a result of this (the dramatic aspect is all his own doing, welp).

Random trivia.

I can’t stand some views I’ve seen suggesting that Durmstrang is extremely misogynistic, or doesn’t accept girls (wtf). First of all, the school had a First Headmistress. Secondly, this literally goes against canon. I think there would be some degree of misogyny as was common at the time, but if anything – hell, I see them as more progressive than anything. I don’t  know why some people take the whole ‘pureblood superiority’ and turn it into sexism like ???? why???

Corporeal punishment was not only accepted, but seen as necessary. A ruler across your palms or a cane across the back of the legs, like muggles, was the least of your problems. This was also a widespread attitude at the time, so….

There was no “dating” tolerated at school, and no PDA. Whatsoever. You better keep that secret or someone is bound to rat on you, and you won’t like the consequences.

If you opted to take navigation as phys ed., basically, you could get pretty darn good at sailing. It was also a really enjoyable class based on cooperation and teamspirit, and many students made genuine friends here! 

The school colours are red, gold, black, and white. ( The official banner has green in it but SHRUG;; )

All books in the library could be read by any student. Even those that could accidentally kill you. If it physically injured you, it was a lesson taught, and hopefully learned.

Casual reminder that  the political climate in Norway at the time was… interesting, as it only secured its independence in 1905. Gellert smiled at this when he first read the officially proclamation.

Ffs, the teachers were human, and not barbaric, not children-hating monsters. They were just very strict regarding rules and regulations, and they often bore the burden of ‘if anything goes amiss or if there is a complaint, it’s your fault and responsibility’. They worked in a pretty high-stress environment, with little support. StopdemonizingDurmstrangprofs,mostofthemdidokay. Some were, of course, jaded with their position and dgaf. That being said, they also did nothing about issues between students, bullying, etc., sat children down to understand their perspectives, etc.  The prevailing mentality was one of you listen to authority and deal with it. 

 Dueling was taught not only formally (in class), but also informally via a club, which held ranked competitions once per season. Students in the top three positions could be unofficially challenged by anyone, at any point, and these duels were a bit of a sensation.

Those furhats & co. are an absolute necessity.

You did learn the Unforgivables. What better way to defend yourself than to be prepared?

As is typical for Northern and inland Norway, food consisted more of meat and fish than of vegetables (excepting potatoes and onions). Fruit was rare, unless in season. Nevertheless, you never went hungry!

Two words: aurora borealis!!  ( it’s high up north, after all!)

Saturday afternoons and Sundays were free periods. Thank Circe.

[cloverbasket4-blog]

The Bear’s Den, March 1, 2019

BEAR DOWN, CHICAGO BEARS, BEAR DOWN!!!!

BEARRRSSSS

Wood: Kyle Long Is Back, You Should Be Excited - Da Bears Blog - With Long officially back in the fold and right tackle Bobby Massie re-signed earlier this offseason, the Bears will be returning their entire starting offensive line from 2018. This is great news for the Bears, because their offense was actually really good last year when this unit was on the field together.

Medina: The Bears Have Reportedly Checked in on Combine 40-Yard-Dash Record-Holder and WR John Ross - Bleacher Nation - John Ross was a top-3 receiver prospect two years ago, but it looks like he’ll be getting a fresh start elsewhere in 2019.

Gabriel: Drafting A Kicker Is Risky Business - 670 The Score - The Bears are open to drafting a kicker, general manager Ryan Pace says.

Emma: Bears Seeking Better Backfield Fit In Draft - 670 The Score - After interest in Kareem Hunt, the Bears have met running back prospects.

5@5: Is Bears’ Kicker Story Overblown? - 670 The Score - The Mully & Haugh crew debates a five-pack of questions every weekday.

Jason McKie joins Sports Feed on Thursday evening - WGN-TV - It’s always great when were talking Bears to get some perspective from someone who put on the orange and blue. Thursday was one of those opportunities as we welcomed Jason McKie to Sports Feed.

Bears Offseason Discussion: NFL Combine, State of Special Teams, Roster Moves (And More) - Chicago Audible Podcast - The guys are back to catch you up with the latest Chicago Bears news and insight.

Ingalls: Two People Deserve Credit for Chicago’s Rebuild - Chicago Audible Blog - Without these two, the Chicago Bears would not be in the position they are today.

Mullin: Bears Combine takeaways offer glimpses of a promising future at OL, CB, LB and more - NBC Sports Chicago - The NFL Scouting Combine ain’t what it used to be, meaning that the few days in Indy were rife with opportunities for casual interactions with coaches, scouts, agents and just about anybody – which is where the really good information lies.

Stankevitz: Why Matt Nagy is confident the Bears will stay motivated by playoff loss to Eagles - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears' brutal playoff loss to the Eagles will stick with them, and it's Matt Nagy's job to make sure it becomes a positive motivator.

Jon Gruden: Bears’ success doesn’t change view of Khalil Mack trade - NBC Sports Chicago - The Bears going 12-4 and sending the 24th pick in this year's draft to the Raiders doesn't change how Jon Gruden views his decision to deal Khalil Mack to Chicago. Ken’s Note: Jon Gruden is an idiot.

Ellis: In honor of Jason Witten's victory lap, we asked you which former Bears player you'd want to see come back for a season - NBC Sports Chicago - If you tweet it they will come.

Mayer: Bears area scout wins prestigious award - ChicagoBears.com - Bears Southeast area scout Sam Summerville was honored by the Fritz Pollard Alliance as the NFC Scout of the Year Thursday at the NFL Combine.

Mayer: Bears will have continuity on offensive line - ChicagoBears.com - The Bears have already accomplished one important offseason objective by solidifying the right side of their offensive line, ensuring that all five of their starting linemen will return in 2019.

Mayer: Smith reflects on rookie season with Bears - ChicagoBears.com - In an online blog post, Bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith shares his thoughts about playing for coach Matt Nagy, how not winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award motivated him and more.

Jahns: Raiders still defending their trade of Khalil Mack to the Bears - Sun Times - Raiders coach Jon Gruden was asked if the Bears strong season and low pick changed how he viewed the trade. Ken's Note: Jon Gruden is an idiot.

Finley: Here are five RBs the Bears might target in the draft - Sun Times - Whether he meant to or not, Miles Sanders successfully summarized the Bears’ running back debate Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Jahns: Unlike Colts, Bears will invest in Chuck Pagano's defense - Sun Times - The Bears have turned to Chuck Pagano to run their defense after Vic Fangio left for the Broncos.

Chicago Bears Podcast: Hoge & Jahns from the NFL Scouting Combine - Sun Times - In episode 217 of their podcast, the Chicago Sun-Times' Adam L. Jahns and WGN Radio's Adam Hoge are in Indianapolis.

Kane: Raiders coach Jon Gruden 'still sensitive' when talking about the Khalil Mack trade - Chicago Tribune - Raiders coach Jon Gruden apparently is sick of talking about how unpopular the Khalil Mack trade was with his team’s fans. Ken’s Note: Jon Gruden is an idiot.

Biggs: Bears have an advantage entering Year 2 under Matt Nagy while the rest of the NFC North is making significant changes on offense - Chicago Tribune - The Packers will install a new offense for the first time since Aaron Rodgers' second season. The Lions have a new offensive coordinator. The Vikings are changing the terminology in their system. All of a sudden, the Bears have an edge on NFC North opponents as they ready for Year 2 with Matt Nagy.

Kane: What’s the secret to finding a running back gem late in the draft? Bears GM Ryan Pace could test his skills - Chicago Tribune - One Bears mission this week at the NFL combine as they prepare for a draft without first- and second-round picks is to sift through the running backs group to see if any look like mid-round gold.

POLISH SAUSAGE

AAF offers Manziel chance to work out for teams – ProFootballTalk - Johnny Manziel can’t play in the Canadian Football League, but he could play in the Alliance of American Football. AAF chairman Tom Dundon told USA Today that the league has talked with Manziel’s camp, offering the former Heisman Trophy winner a chance to work out for its teams.

Jason Witten’s return will hinder Cowboys; Jaguars’ smart move - NFL.com - Did Dallas make the right move in re-signing Jason Witten? Gregg Rosenthal assesses the situation and rounds up the most relevant takeaways from the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday.

KNOW THY ENEMY

Jon Gruden jokes that Lions HC Matt Patricia will be a star on ‘Hard Knocks’ - Pride Of Detroit - Chucky’s got jokes. Ken's Note: So did Larry, Curley, Moe & Shemp. The Stooges were also smart enough to never trade away the premier outside pass rusher of his generation in his prime, too. Chucky's got the a bad case of the dumb. Ken’s Note: Jon Gruden is an idiot.

2019 NFL free agency: 4 wide receivers the Detroit Lions should avoid - Pride Of Detroit - Free agent wide receivers the Lions should avoid

2019 NFL Scouting Combine: Time, Channel, Streaming and more - Daily Norseman - It’s the biggest job interview in the football world

Schefter: Vikings attempted to trade Anthony Barr last offseason - Daily Norseman - Read into this what you will

Packers made correct call on Josh Sitton, T.J. Lang - Acme Packing Company - Former Packers general manager Ted Thompson drew heavy criticism for allowing Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang to depart Green Bay. However, with injuries derailing both guards in their subsequent stops, Thompson’s decisions look wise in retrospect. Ken’s Note: Josh Sitton did miss 6 of his 32 games in two years in Chicago, but he also made the Pro-Bowl. So yeah, if giving us a Pro-Bowl player still in his prime for a couple of years is the right decision for Green Bay, then give us a few more. Oh, that’s right, you don’t have very many Pro Bowler’s left to cut. My bad.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ON WINDY CITY GRIDIRON

Berckes & Snyder's Bears Over Beers Episode 2: Safety - Windy City Gridiron - Jeff and EJ dive into the safety position by heaping lavish praise on Eddie Jackson and exploring the FA and Draft options

Wiltfong: Bears meeting with running backs at the NFL Combine - Windy City Gridiron - NFL Combine prospect meetings (both official and unofficial) have started to leak out about the Chicago Bears.

Who is your favorite non-Bears player? - Windy City Gridiron - In our last WCG Chicago Bears’ Offseason Roundtable topic, we asked you guys to give us your least favorite (non-Packer) player, so this time out we want to take it a positive spin.

Leming's Bears mailbag: Combine madness, upcoming free agency and more - Windy City Gridiron - Free agency is getting closer and the Bears will have a front row seat to draft prospects at the combine. How will this week impact their offseason? Find out here.

WCG CONTRIBUTORS BEARS PODCASTS & STREAMS

2 Minute Drill - Website - iTunes - Andrew Link; Steven’s Streaming – Twitch – Steven Schweickert; T-Formation Conversation - Website - iTunes - Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; WCG Radio - Website - iTunes - Robert Zeglinski

THE RULES

Windy City Gridiron Community Guidelines - SBNation.com - We strive to make our communities open and inclusive to sports fans of all backgrounds. The following is not permitted in comments. No personal attacks, politics, gender based insults of any kind, racial insults, etc.

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WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Whiskey Ranger; Robert Schmitz; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook.

Source: https://www.windycitygridiron.com/2019/3/1/18245663/chicago-bears-den-offseason-links-news-information-free-agency-draft-nfl-combine-nagy-pace-mack