#bola 2019

[the-saddest-god]

We can only learn to love by loving -Iris Murdoch

190302

[incorrect-mtg]

Flavor Text Highlights - Magic 2019

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Cool - Lena, Selfless Champion

“Those who do evil and those who do nothing are equally worthy of contempt.”

Funny - Prodigious Growth

“Look how cute it is now!” —Vivien Reid

Worldbuilding - The Bolas Sorcery Cycle

“As I desire, so it shall be.” —Nicol Bolas

The Great Mending that healed the Multiverse also unraveled the threads of Nicol Bolas’s power.

Nicol Bolas would not rest until he was restored to his former glory.

Emotional - Ajani's Welcome

“You cannot defend others if your own well-being is neglected.”

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[latinotiktok]

hablando de fanfics cagados.

No sé por dónde empezar pero voy a tratar de explicar esto lo mejor que pueda. Para el que no sepa hay un fandom de "countryhumans", que es países humanos (y no, no como en hetalia. eran bolas pelonas con las banderas todas pintarrajeadas en la cara. por lo menos en todo lo que es Hetalia tienen la DECENCIA de tener un medio de origen) donde todo el fandom se crea sus propias versiones y propio canon. cómo se pueden imaginar lleva a cosas muy... problemáticas a veces por decir de menos.

Bueno, por ahí de 2019 yo caí en el fandom ese, y como era un usuario de Wattpad pues me puse a buscar fanfics en esa página rancia y maligna. Y ahí encontré un fanfics del que no me acuerdo el nombre, pero era de una usuaria (? que se llamaba "mami-onu" en Wattpad. El fanfic si no mal recuerdo era uno donde la ALEMANIA NAZI volvía a la vida y decidía ir hacía un barrio? o edificio de la ONU(hasta las organizaciones eran humanos, y todos hombres también. Yaoi world.) y de ahí pasaba muchas cosas, la Unión Soviética tenía tensión romántica con la ALEMANIA NAZI. REPITO. ALEMANIA NAZI. y también El imperio de Japón y Italia Fascista estaban ahí como amigos del NAZI y creo que también eran shippeo. cuestión que esto sinceramemte era MUY común en esta comunidad, pero a mitad de la historia (o al final?) hay una fiesta por alguna razón, y en esta fiesta todos los países y organizaciones se empedan y cogen. algunos de los shippeos canonizados fueron; La ONU, la CIA, el FBI y no se quien chucha más, Norcorea y Surcorea (que eran HERMANOS EN EL FIC), Italia Fascista y Japón imperial, y LA ALEMANIA NAZI y LA UNION SOVIETICA.

y eso no es lo peor. lo peor de todo es que a este final tan ESTELAR le siguió un fanfic donde LA MAYORÍA DE LOS SHIPPEOS, INCLUYENDO A NOR Y SURCOREA QUE COMO MENCIONE ERAN HERMANOS *SE EMBARAZABAN Y TENIAN HIJOS A LO MPREG.* era horrible, los estados unidos de embarazo de rusia y perdió al bebé, portugal y españa tuvieron una hija ciega (la escritora lo trataba como lo peor del mundo), no estoy seguro si la alemania nazi se embarazo y ya no me importa. pero uno de los capítulos más absolutamente repugnantes fue uno donde China y Japón son el ship principal.

resulta que Japón era un bebé cuando China era un adulto, y China lo conocía. y lo tuvo en brazos. y pensó que era un bebé muy atractivo, lo suficiente como para DARLE UN BESO EN LA BOCA?? y se implica que el imperio japonés (quien es el padre de Japón) vio esto y lo único que hizo fue HACERSE EL MEDIO ENOJADO?? todo esto en un flashback, por qué en el presente China se estaba COGIENDO a Japón. Y OTRA VEZ SU PADRE NO DICE O HACE NADA??? btw Japón es una caricatura muy asquerosa, se viste y actúa como mujer y se implica que su padre está decepcionado en el (no hablemos de las políticas de nada de esto por que termina todo mal)

bueno cuestión que yo era un fan de seguir está serie y burlarme en los comentarios, y un día una cuenta recién hecha me empezó a responder a mis comentarios muy enojado. y se perfectamente que esa cuenta era un alt de "mami-onu" para q no le cayera una funa por decirme tales barbaridades que no colaban ni abajo de tal fanfic.

bueno, había MUCHO más en ese fanfic, y en esa cuenta en específico. pero creo que o se borró la cuenta/fanfics o se cambió de nombre el usuario ese. y francamente no tengo ganas de volver a revivir esos momentos xD. perdón por mucho texto mods de latinotiktok, pero tenía que dar mis dos granos de arena.

[choicesficwriterscreations]

May Creator of the Month: Saibug1022

Each month, CFWC highlights one of our talented fanfic writers or artists, and this month’s creator of the month is @saibug1022! The writer is selected at random. More info can be found on the navigation page. Past COTM's can be found here.

Quick Links:

Tumblr Blog Masterlist

How do you want to be known on Tumblr? 

Salem, Sai, or saibug are all good! They/he pronouns

1- When did you start playing Choices? What was the first book you played? 

I started playing Choices in 2017-ish, I don’t remember what my first book was for sure but I remember the first book I played that really drew me in and got me into the app was The Elementalists.

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I don’t think I really joined the fandom until…a few weeks after that mass cancellation announcement where they announced they’d cancelled It Lives 3, Elementalists 2, Nightbound 2, Hero 2, and RoD 2.

3- How did you pick your blog name? 

Originally it was a mashup of my dead name and a sweet nickname from my childhood, so when I came out I just changed it to incorporate my new name instead :)

4- Pull up the first post in your archive, and tell us about it!  

It was a repost of this screenshot and honestly I was right and should say it. Also this question taught me the archive feature existed so thank you that’ll come in handy lmao

5- Do you write fanfiction, create fan art, or are you one of those really gifted people who do both? 

I write fanfiction! I am trying to learn and practice art so who knows what could happen in the future. Oh and I also do lots of edits :)

6- How long have you been creating for Choices and for any other fandoms?

If we’re talking my true origins I actually started writing by writing Supernatural x reader fics in like 2017, but I didn’t start writing the fics I write now until Sanders Sides in 2019 and then I finally got around to Choices in about 2022 lmao. 7- What is your favorite Choices book, and what is your favorite Choices book to create for?

My favorite book is probably ILITW which is probably obvious, but as for my favorite book to CREATE for that’s tied between It Lives Within and BOLAS.

8- Share your first Choices fanfic or fan art that you posted with us. Do you still like it, or would you change it if you were creating it today?

My first fic was for Nightbound, called The Wrong Engagement. I still like it overall but I think I’d definitely change some things. When I first started writing for Choices I was so so focused on trying to keep MC as vague as possible while still giving them some character, so the stories often came across as bland or even boring.

9- What is your favorite piece of fiction or art that you created? 

My absolute favorite fic is actually something I don’t think I ever posted, but my favorite I’ve posted has probably gotta be a classic which is Val’s Resurrection. There are definitely some things I’d probably change now but it’s the longest fic I’ve written, still really holds up, and I’m really proud of the characterizations in it.

10- Do you have a fic/art that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to do well but found it could use a little more love?

Walls of Regret is probably my biggest fic ever and let me tell you when I posted and wrote it I did not expect it to do as well as it did but I’m so glad it did. I can definitely think of some fics I think people would really like that didn’t get much love, including pretty much everything from the Windverse, but I gotta say Let The Shadows Fall Behind You, which is a fic/scene from my personal ongoing project, a Hero and Endless Summer Crossover

11- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

Angst, wholeheartedly, no hesitation. Angst is not only my talent but kind of what I’m known for. I actually kind of struggle to write fluff and ESPECIALLY smut. I’ve only done it a few times and it took days of me staring at the page for days and getting out maybe one sentence an hour.

12 - Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

Oh all of them. Every single MC has a little piece of me, whether it’s my experiences or my personality or my style or my interests or even the way I talk. 

13 - What element of writing/art do you struggle with most?

With smut at least I get ideas. I struggle so much with even getting ideas for fluff. My favorite things is to dive into the emotions and pain and trauma PB dance around, and finding the beauty in the dark things. I defer to the other amazing writers on this app for the fluff and I consume their fluff fics like a drowning man

14 - Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

Two things off the top of my head. My concept for a Hero sequel which includes an Endless Summer crossover. I mentioned that earlier. The second is something fondly called Into the Rowan-verse which was where my two ILW MCs, Castor and Julian, get stuck hopping through the multiverse and meeting a bunch of other people’s MCs.

15 - If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to see your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you show them first? 

It highly depends on the person and then from there I think I’d just show them my edits or character profiles because my fics you tend to need either full contextual knowledge or at least basic knowledge of the book.

16 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing or art? Are there any artists that influence you?

Published writers definitely Rick Riordan, he’s seriously influenced how I use character voices. But from the fandom my biggest inspirations right now are usually @aces-and-angels and @oh-so-you’re-a-nerd 

17- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

If I saw Into the Windverse does that count as cheating? But otherwise I’d die for my version of the It Lives Anthology (including ILW and Into the Rowanverse) to be made into a tv show with my headcanons, changes, and MCs.

18- Do you write original fiction or create non-fandom art? 

I do! I have an entire book trilogy fully plotted out that I’m working on writing, plus just writing a bunch with my own OCs.

19 -  What other hobbies do you have?

Pretty much just OC related things tbh. I watch tv a lot and YouTube, I play video games sometimes, and I listen to music ALL the time

[sp1c3-r4ck-synd1c4t3]

Eldrazi will be the next major antagonist

This is just my own called shot. I will be looking back at this in ~a year and a half to see if I'm right, but I have evidence. I have. Some evidence.

Part 1: Data

I am going to use War of the Spark and March of the Machine as examples, and will assume their models are accurate to Ziplining, the climax event-set of the current arc.

Let's start with War of the Spark. This set had 31 months of "Foreshadow-time", which starts when the first Macguffin is loaded. Kaladesh set this in place with Tezzeret's presence, and the Planar Bridge he stole. I believe Tezzeret's presence was intentional, not just as "an" antagonist, but specifically Bolas' pawn. After that plot beat, it would take almost another year to see the true next step, in Bolas' army of Eternals. 31 months from first contact, 21 months from phase 2. Moving onto the Phyrexian arc, now that we know what we're looking for, we can find the first two teasers of Phyrexia's presence. The first is obvious, with Vorinclex on Kaldhiem, 27 months before MOM, similar to the number gained from the first examination. It would take a full year for this beat to be continued, with Jin-Gitaxis on Kamigawa, giving us 15 months pre-climax, which is definitely a much smaller time-frame, but hey, data is data.

With this information, we can make some reasonable estimations. Ziplining wants between 31-27 months of heads-up between its first foreshadow and its release. Its slotted to come out in Spring 2026, meaning that its first mention should have been during....... March of the Machine.

Hm. If we all rack our brains, maybe we can come up with something that happened in the Phyrexia arc that might've disturbed something that lives in the Blind Eternities...

Part 2: Story

This section starts my more outlandish speculations that will make me look truly foolish in 2 years time.

So, if we continue the pattern of first foreshadow->followup a year later, we would need something that tells the audience what's going on.

You remember Modern Horizons back in 2019? Well its funny, that set was built from the ground up! There was barely any thematic consistency between the cards except for draft archetypes. There were only a few premium Slivers, there just to spice up a limited deck. And the same holds true for Modern Horizons 2, there's even less consistency, each deck is going to feature cards with vastly different flavours!

And then came Modern Horizons 3, themed not around generically powerful cards, but around Eldrazi. Not new Eldrazi mind you, but

Time for crazy theory #1: What if the focus on Eldrazi in MH3 was in order to show the old kind of Eldrazi, so that we would be wowed by the new kind showing up 2 years later?

Now, this sets up some serious expectations! After the second story beat, every set had to do with Wank of the Spank or Mommy! Well that's what I'm predicting.

CRAZY THEORY #2 EVERY SET MENTIONED ALREADY RELATES TO THE ELDRAZI!!!

Part 3: Pepe Silvia

The Death Race set is... well I don't know what planes it takes place on yet, so I won't be making any specific claims. I like Corocojo's theory that it will be taking place on the wasteland plane of Gastal though, so... maybe it was razed by Eldrazi in the past? That one's weak but the next ones are a lot stronger.

Tarkir is pretty clear. Ugin spent a thousand years recovering on that plane, giving it... some connection to Colourless mana? Okay I'll be real this one also sucks

BUT THEN ITS SPACE OPERA TIME! People tend to view planes as one planet, with others just near enough to travel to, but with the deadly void of space/the Blind Eternities between them, and with horrible monsters potentially living Out There! Eldrazi have always been compared to aliens, so it'd make some sense to draw the distinction. Maybe in a plane all about outer space, we could learn more about the origin of Eldrazi. Maybe something that lives in the In-Betweens of reality started in the In-Betweens of planets!

Lorwyn is easily my weakest link. Nissa made contact with Emrakul on Zendikar, then planeswalked to Lorwyn? I'll be honest, not sure what I'm cooking with that one.

But then we get to the real reason I'm making this post. A return to Arcavios, the final plane before the climax. And let me ask you a question. Do we know of any colourless creatures that live on Arcavios?

That's right. Why else would they make the penultimate set a Strixhaven sequel? Because it's been the home of an entirely different kind of titan this whole time.

Part 4: A list of the many reasons I'm probably wrong

Here's a non-comprehensive list of the many reasons I'm probably wrong.

Loot is related to the Fomori, whom have nothing to do with Eldrazi

Kellan has nothing to do with Eldrazi

It probably has to do with dragons cause Tarkir and Arcavios both have extant Elder Dragons and Bolas' probably escaped his meditation realm in the Invasion

Jace already did the whole Eldrazi thing a decade prior why would he be showing up so much if they just want to make him Do It Again

Emrakul is still in the silver moon and its not very likely that she'll escape off-screen

MH3's Eldrazi could just be a way to appease fans who won't get another chance to see them in a long time

We JUST defeated Phyrexia forever, why on earth would the other big bad of the multiverse be next, instead of being saved for 2033 with a smaller big bad in-between

Tezerret has nothing to do with the Eldrazi

Why the fuck would the first "Macguffin foreshadow" be something that happened DURING the last climax

Why the fuck would the second story beat take place in a set WITHOUT A STORY

Mark Rosewater said about Ziplining "I can't even say who the antagonist is". If it was Eldrazi he might've said 'what the antagonist is'

You've never once made a correct magic theory

But hear me out on that last one. There's a first time for everything :)

[gmsrrn98]

With the way PB keeps pumping out bland, cookie-cutter smut books and barely holding on with only a few decent new releases (BOLAS seems to be doing well, though I haven’t played it yet), I can’t help but worry about where Choices is heading. Either they’ll keep milking the few series that still have a loyal fanbase, or they’ll eventually fully crash and burn.

Things just aren’t what they used to be back in the 2016–2019 days. Add in the big layoffs earlier this year, I honestly don’t see them maintaining this success for much longer. Msybe five more years at best. It’s disappointing because they used to make stories that really stuck with you by the time you hit the ending. But that was also when they listened to their fans and actually cared.

Still, as much as I am being critical of what they’re doing now, it’ll be sad if PB ever announces they’re shutting Choices down. Despite everything, it’s the game that sparked my love for writing and got me through some tough times when I was in my late teens. Seeing what it’s become now is pretty heartbreaking.

I think we can all agree that at some point in the future, getting that notification, email, or official update about the Choices server shutting down will hit hard. As much as the app frustrates us now, a lot of us still keep it around to replay the old stories. When the time comes that we can’t do even that anymore, it’s going to be painful to let go of something that’s been such a big part of our lives.

---

Anyway, that's it for my 2:20AM Choices rant.

[giocentric]

My love for animals keep alive talaga. The very reason why I am still alive right now are my pets, may they be in the rainbow bridge or still with me now. Growing up, wala akong maalalang period sa buhay namin na nawalan kami ng alaga. Noong bata ako naaalala ko meron kaming mga aso, pusa, may mga manok, mga bibe, at mga kalapati. Nagkaroon din kami nung ibon na parang pabo. Nung 2019 nagkaroon ako ng aso. Isa siyang mixed breed ng pug at dachshund. Special siya for me kasi ako mismo yun pumili sa kaniya. Kumbaga, napunta siya sa akin dahil siya yung pinili ko at hindi lang basta basta binigay. I named him James Dean, kinuha ko sa song ni Taylor Swift na Style. Hindi siya nagtagal sa akin dahil nagkasakit siya. Kasalukuyan akong naggagamot at nakahinto sa pag-aaral ng panahon na yon. Naglakas loob akong mangutang sa pinsan ko. Pinahiram niya naman ako at nadala sa vet si James. Nasuweruhan siya at nabili naman ang mga gamot. Kaya lang dahil sa wala akong pinagkukunan ng pera, iniuwi siya. Di ako makatulog nang maayos ng gabing yon. Chine-check ko siya from time to time. Nakaidlip ako at nagising ng mga bandang alas-kuwatro yata at tiningnan siya pero matigas na siya. Sobrang gumuho mundo ko non. Di na rin ako nakabalik sa pagtulog ko at ayaw ko na tumuloy sa check up ko nang araw na yon. Wala akong nagawa kundi tangapin na lang din ang nangyari sa James Dean ko.

A year earlier, 2018, taon na una akong na-diagnose e nagkaroon ng bagong aso sa bahay. Ilang linggo lang yata yon nang ma-dioagnose ako. Umuwi ako isang gabi sa bahay galing sa school freshman ako non. Nagulat ako may cage sa may terrace, akala ko bola yung nakita ko tas biglang gumalaw saka tumahol. Si Yamyam naman yung aso na yon. Isa siyang princess type shihtzu. Dumating si Yamyam sa buhay ko nung panahong sinusubok ako. Pinagpalit siya sa hedgehog na alaga rito sa bahay kaya siya napuna sa amin. Tuwang tuwa ako kay Yamyam dahil para siyang bata. Nung unang gabi niya nilabas ko siya sa cage kasi naglaro kami. Nung aakyat na ko sa kuwarto ko para matulog e pumunta siya sa may pinakababa ng hagdan at tinatahulan ako. Gusto niayng sumama sa akin kaya inakyat ko siya. Simula non naging roommates na kami. Naging mahaba naman ang buhay ni Yamyam, yun nga lang ay nagkasakit siya kalaunan. Kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko, isang blood parasitic disease yung naging sakit niya. Madalas kong iyakan si Yamyam nung mga panahong nanghihina na siya. Itinatabi ko pa rin siyang matulog. Wala akong pakielam kung sukahan niya yung kama ko nang ilang beses. Malalabhan naman ang beddings at mapapalitan pero yung mga panahon na makakasama ko siya e maikli na lang. May mga gabi na bago matulog, kinakausap ko siya na kung pagod na siya e magpahinga na siya. Nahihirapan akong nakikita siyang nahihirapan. January 20 this year, that was Saturday, nakipag-meeting ako sa school ng pamangkin ko kaya iniwan ko siya. Nakahiga lang siya sa may kusina. inabot din ako ng anong oras at pag-uwi ko, nakatumba na siya at basa sa ihi niya. Hindi pa siya Malamig pero medyo matigas na. Hindi na ako naiyak kasi inaasahan ko naman na. Pero masakit pa rin.

Late 2023 may inampon akong kuting. Akala ko anak ng pusa namin tas iniwan niya sa labas. Sinubukan kong hulihin kaso di ko mahuli, kinagabihan tumatawag yung kapitbahay namin na bata inabot yung kuting, hinuli niya tas binigay sa amin. Nung una kinulong ko siya para masanay sa presence ko. Tas sinusubukan himasin hanggang sa nasanay naman na siya at pinakawalan ko na. Pinangalanan ko siyang Miming (weird talaga ako magpangalan ng mga alaga). Female calico cat siya. Katabi ko rin siya matulog. December that same year nag-umpisa siyang magtae. Nung una akala ko may nakain lang kaya hinayaan ko. Pero nung di huminto, nagtanong ako sa Facebook mutual ko na graduate ng animal science. Una advice niya e natural intervention muna. Pero di tumalab kaya sabi niya e bumili ako ng probiotics. Agad akong namili at pinainom yun kay Miming. Kinulong ko muna siya dahil nga nagkakalat ng dumi. Nagkasugat siya, nililinis ko naman. Hanggang sa kinausap ko na rin siya na magpahinga na kung nahihirapan na siya. Grabe rin ang iniyak ko nung nawala siya.

May dalawang pusa rin dito sa bahay na namatay ngayong taon. Si Minggu na namatay sa bugbog ng ibang mga pusa. Pinapasok pa siya rito sa bahay para awayin. At si Kitty na female kitten. Si Peachy naman na isang female japanese spitz ay nasagasaan noong pandemic dahil tumakas sa bahay para hanapin pinsan ko. Marami pa kaming mga alaga na nilisan na kami at sa dami nila, di ko na sila maiisa isa.

Ngayong taon may kalapating pumunta rito sa bahay at manok. Yung kalapati pinangalanan kong si Ibon. Tas yung manok naman si Chooks (Chooks to Go). Si Ibon dahil nga malaya naman siya e umuuwi lang para kumain. May isang araw na umuwi siyang may kasamang ibang kalapati. After non di na ulit siya umuwi, nakipagtanan na yata. Si Chooks naman nakalabas ng gate kasi naiwang nakabukas tas yun di na rin nakauwi.

Last night was the worst night I had to date. Grabe yung episodes ko. I almost did the thing (you know what it is). Tapos sakto narinig ko si Whitey sa bubong namin. Ilang lingo na rin na di halos umuuwi. Ampon din namin si Whitey last year. Tapos naisip ko na kung mamamatay ako di ko na sila makikita. As someone who grew up in a Catholic household and studied in a Catholic School in secondary school, I am taught that claiming your own life is a mortal sin. You will not be permitted to enter heaven. The very reason why I still not claim my own life is because, if heaven is real, I want to enter heaven and reunite with my departed pets. Kasi kung di ako makakapasok sa heaven, paano ko pa sila makakasama ulit? I look forward to the day when I will be able to ake care of them again. And marami pa kaming mga alaga na nandito sa amin, gusto ko pa sila alagaan. At pinanghahawakan ko pa rin yung pangarap ko na makapagtayo ng animal center for domesticated pets and sanctuary for all kinds of animals.

P.S. Saka other factor din yung di ko na maririnig yung albums from my favorite artists like Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Tori Kelly, Kylie Minogue, Pink, Kesha, Lady Gaga, Madison Beer, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Tove Lo, Ellie Goulding, Miley Cyrus, etc (plug ko lang sila and yes, mediocre music taste ko). Gusto ko pa rin marinig yung future releases nila saka yung re-recordings ng Reputation and Debut album ni Tay.

I still hope for better days. :)

[thelibraryghost]

Creeps and Crawlies

there's a theme here...

Deep sea life BBC. "Alien like colossal squid - Museum of Life - BBC Two." YouTube. April 16, 2010. Real Science. "The Insane Biology of: The Cuttlefish." YouTube. November 11, 2023. Real Science. "The Insane Biology of: The Octopus." YouTube. November 14, 2020. Real Science. "Why Animals Get Creepier the Deeper You Go." YouTube. June 10, 2023. Real Science. "Why Do Deep Sea Creatures Evolve Into Giants?" YouTube. July 16, 2022. Ze Frank. "True Facts About The Angler Fish." YouTube. December 27, 2012. Ze Frank. "True Facts About The CuttleFish." YouTube. October 30, 2013. Ze Frank. "True Facts About The Octopus." YouTube. April 1, 2014. Fungi National Geographic. "Glow-in-the-Dark Mushrooms: Nature’s Night Lights | National Geographic." YouTube. February 18, 2015. National Geographic. "What's in a Lichen? How Scientists Got It Wrong for 150 Years | Short Film Showcase." YouTube. January 25, 2018. National Geographic. "You Didn’t Know Mushrooms Could Do All This | National Geographic." YouTube. July 13, 2016. PBS. "How Trees Talk to Other Trees with the Help of Fungi | The Green Planet | PBS." YouTube. July 26, 2022. PBS Eons. "When Giant Fungi Ruled." YouTube. December 18, 2017. Ze Frank. "True Facts: Fungi That Control The Insects They Eat." YouTube. April 28, 2023. Ze Frank. "True Facts: Stinkhorns." YouTube. November 20, 2019. Slime molds BBC. "Mould Time-lapse - The Great British Year: Episode 4 Preview - BBC One." YouTube. October 18, 2013. BBC Earth Science. "Can Slime Mould Solve Mazes? | Earth Science." YouTube. December 5, 2018. Oregon Public Broadcasting. "Slime molds are gorgeous (you just never knew it!) | Oregon Field Guide." YouTube. January 3, 2022. Real Science. "The Insane Biology of: Slime Mold." YouTube. May 13, 2023. Ze Frank. "True Facts: The Self-Sacrificing Amoeba." YouTube. August 4, 2022. Ze Frank. "True Facts: The Smartest Slime." YouTube. January 31, 2023. Spiders National Geographic. "Deadly Cousin: The Redback Spider | National Geographic." YouTube. December 2, 2011. National Geographic. "How Spiders Use Electricity to Fly | Decoder." YouTube. April 25, 2019. Nature on PBS. "Social Spiders Spin Massive Nest." YouTube. April 14, 2015. Real Science. "Why Spider Silk is Stronger Than Steel." YouTube. January 15, 2022. Smithsonian Channel. "Incredible: This Underwater Spider Has an Actual Scuba Tank." YouTube. January 13, 2017. Smithsonian Channel. "This Terrifying Spider Hunts Fish Underwater." YouTube. May 26, 2017. Ze Frank. "True Facts: Mating Dance of The Peacock Spider (feat. Quinta Brunson)." YouTube. February 20, 2020. Ze Frank. "True Facts: Tarantulas." YouTube. November 19, 2022. Ze Frank. "True Facts: The Bolas Spider." YouTube. March 15, 2019. Ze Frank. "True Facts: The Ogre Faced Spider." YouTube. September 26, 2019. Worms ABC Science. "Blood-sucking leeches changed Cole’s life." YouTube. May 29, 2023. BBC. "The Amazing World Of Earthworms In The UK - Springwatch - BBC Two." YouTube. June 6, 2012. National Geographic. "Ice Worms | National Geographic." YouTube. September 17, 2007. National Geographic. "This Creepy Worm Pulls Its Prey Deep Under the Ocean Floor | National Geographic." YouTube. January 31, 2017. National Geographic. "Weird Worms Live Near Pacific Ocean’s Deepest High-Temp Vent | National Geographic." YouTube. June 11, 2015. Ze Frank. "True Facts: Bobbit Worm and Polychaete Pals." YouTube. August 17, 2018.

[genevieveskingdom]

Why I switched from Choices to Romance Club 📖

I started playing Choices in 2019 and I was always so delighted when they veröffentlicht published a new story. I really loved playing that game, but last year I discovered a girl on YouTube who was posting some let's plays from Theodora and I immediately wanted to try this game.

~ The graphic is waaay better and more realistic.

No reused faces nor characters. I am always amazed about every new book and its characters. Even the so-called "unimportant" side characters have their own design and are not reused which cannot be said about Choices unfortunately. 😔

~ Better character development. Your choices really matter and have different outcome for the MC.

The way you interact with each of the characters has its consequences. The LI's also interact like real people and if you date someone and then decide to switch to an other LI, their romance path is closed. You really have to choose wisely for whom you decide to be with.

~ Quality over quantity

I don't really remember how many books are currently published (ended and ongoing) in RC, but it's definitely not as much as in the Choices app. I HATE the VIP books and that fact that you have to wait thousand years for it to get widely released! 😵 And when you open the first chapter you see that it's just another single love interest book with some three macho guys you are not attracted to (I respect everyone who's into the standard "sexy" type of men, of course, it's just not me 😇) and three girls from whom you choose the kleinste smallest evil.

~ More accessible diamonds and teas

I LOVE Diamond Rush, Tea Parties and so on 😍 It's sooo player-friendly and so worth it! Even the access to diamonds and teas is more suited for wide audience and honestly - when RC is so generous and want to give you so much for free, then you want to buy some diamond/tea pack from them even more, because you know they value their players. 🙏

~ No single love interest books!

Oh my gosh, I have been so annoyed that most of the books Choices release lately is meant for single romance. The problem is not with faithfulness, but with the fact that everyone has their own definition of attraction and beauty. And most of the main LIs in single love interest books are written stereotypically (Bad Boy, guy nextdoor, rebellious girl...) I miss the plasticity of their personalities, of their appearances. Not everyone who matches today's beauty standards is actually beautiful. There should be diversity in LIs. Some of them should be curvier, more slender, with glasses, with bigger nose, with disability, with albinism... Just go on the street and look at the classic human beauty seen every day in public transport! Stop giving us some plain definition of beauty which lacks its own charm.

The only thing I would improve in RC would be the option to choose if we want to play as a male, female, non-binary...etc. As far as I know, only Gladiator's Chronicles have a male MC.

Now I have some personal highlights about Choices I'd like to get rid of because it's been in me for so long 🙉

First thing's first, The Princess Swap was such a good book. I loved the idea. Still, I've got a certain love-hate relationship with this book. First of all, biology and genetics does not make sense in this standalone. Secondly, lord Cecil was not as bad as everyone thinks. He and the king were my most favourite characters, actually. 🤭 Third, I was so annoyed by the prince/ss of Ismar. We were forced to marry them, we could not even say no.🤦

I loved BOLAS N° 1. I replayed the story twice. I was in love with Tyril Starfury. Even though I loved Kaya Duskraven more. She was sooo gorgeous! When they introduced the sequel to us I was naively hoping that we might get Kaya back. That we would find some magical artefact, for example, and bring her back to life, so that she can join the party and be our new love interest. I would definitely switch to her. Instead, we got Valax... I am a little bit disappointed by the sequel, to be honest. They were promising us so many mesmerizing things and I was just expecting a little more from the three years waiting episode. Not only did I not understand why Cherta and Willow joined our party and then they left afterwards... I was like: okay, new love interests apparently. And then whoosh, they vanished. And we ended up trapped with the Valax-drama until the last chapters... I respect everyone who likes the sequel, it is just not me. Unfortunately. I will stick to the good old first book, which I love. 🩷

[zonadelcaos]

Resumen Onsoku Aka Chôchin 【音速赤ちょうちん】 - Diario de Dibujo

Extraído del live streaming Oficial del Sonic Team

El Izakaya “Onsoku Aka Chôchin” (Sonic Red Lantern / El Farolillo Rojo Sónico) se encuentra en algún lugar de Station Square. Es el lugar favorito del Sonic Team, y después del trabajo, los miembros habituales del equipo se reúnen para charlar plácidamente sobre los más recientes y futuros proyectos entre bebidas y aperitivos.

En esta ocasión traemos un resumen sobre una sección llamada "Picture Diary" donde conversan sobre el proyecto SONIC PICT, las ilustraciones que nos muestran situaciones cotidianas de Sonic y los demás, publicadas cada mes en redes sociales. Como cabeza del proyecto, Kazuyuki Hoshino, Director Creativo de la serie Sonic provee de pequeñas anécdotas del proceso de creación de varias ilustraciones y responde preguntas mandadas por los fans.

Febrero - El San Valentín de Cream

Como la niña pequeña que es, Cream se encuentra muy emocionada e ilusionada festejando su primer San Valentín y poder dar regalos por primera vez.

Cabe aclarar que, a diferencia de otros países, donde el 14 de febrero es principalmente una celebración para las parejas, en Japón es también una ocasión para demostrar afecto y aprecio a los amigos. La costumbre es que las chicas regalen chocolate a sus amigos.

Pregunta: ¿El que se ve detrás de Cheese es el Lobo Avatar (Buddy/Gadget) de Sonic Forces?

"Probablemente no...¿Quién será?"

Uno de las primeras ideas en bocetos fue este pero decidieron cambiarlo ya que no producía la expectación y emoción que esperaban. Después de todo, ya se sabía a quien iba dirigido el regalo.

Sin embargo, el regalo con forma de pez se conservó para el arte final ¿Cream habrá repartido regalos entre varios?

Marzo - Hanami de los Chaotix

El trío Chaotix disfruta de la primavera debajo de los cerezos en hanami.

Esta ilustración fue presentada en el Fan Meeting de Seul, por lo que lo diseñaron para que pudiera ser apreciada por cualquiera que no estuviera familiarizado con la cultura japonesa.

La taza y los odangos de Espio vienen de un fondo hecho anteriormente por Uekawa.

"Charmy en vez de te, bebe leche. Al ser un niño pequeño, probablemente piense que el te verde es muy amargo para el."

Abril - Todos admiran a su heroína de compras

"¿Qué es lo que está mirando Percival? En frente de ella hay un libro interesante, pero si seguís su mirada, en realidad ella está mirando...

¡La piruleta!

Su dulce favorito."

Pregunta: ¿Esta ilustración ocurre después de los eventos del juego?

"Eso es un secreto. Disfrutad imaginando con todas las posibilidades..."

El dibujo final es el boceto A, y este que sigue es el boceto B

"Los comentarios probablemente sean de Toyoda, mientras que la ilustracion corre a cargo de Karasuno"

Hablaron sobre la posibilidad de hacer otro libro de Life in Sonic's World (libro de arte que recopila el proyecto Sonic Pict 2019-2021).

Como productor Hoshino comentó que ahora mismo estaban muy ocupados con el desarrollo y lanzamiento de juegos, pero que ya había material suficiente para hacer otro libro.

Mayo - Chao Dôjô

Se pueden distinguir la personalidad entre los tipos de Chao por los detalles como las toallas.

Mientras que la toalla del Chao normal esta semidoblada, el del Hero Chao está doblada perfectamente y el del Dark Chao está tirada en el suelo.

La bolsa con la botella de agua también viene de un fondo de pantalla anterior.

En el streaming nos instan a buscar la imagen en la web del Sonic Channel. Por facilitar el trabajo, dejamos aquí la imagen.

Junio - Cumpleaños de Sonic

Pregunta: ¿Hubo alguna razón para usar bolas de helado tradicionales en vez del Chocolate Chip Sundae de Sonic Unleashed?

"Decidimos usar bolas de helado para mostrar una gran variedad de sabores"

Presentación SONIC PICT de Agosto

"Kawamura nos comentó que no solemos mostrar a los Flickies tan expresivos. Normalmente siempre solemos jugar con las expresiones de los Chao en los juegos, mientras que con los Flickies los mostramos en grupo o alguno de forma individual, pero en esta ilustración quisimos destacar la diferencia de personalidad entre Flickies"

Y eso es todo...

¡Por favor, id a saludar en el video original del Sonic Team en youtube para que nos puedan mostrar más cosas así en el futuro!

-------------------

Los resumenes del Onsoku Aka Chôchin están realizados por una persona que está en proceso de aprendizaje y no es hablante nativo japonés. Por lo tanto, existe la posibilidad de que puedan surgir errores o malinterpretaciones en la traducción. Aprecio tu comprensión y paciencia. Si encuentras algún error, por favor, no dudes en comentarlo. ¡Vamos progresando! Estoy en un proceso de aprendizaje constante y tu ayuda es muy valiosa ¡Gracias por tu apoyo!

Si también quieres apoyar el Onsoku Aka Chôchin y al Sonic Team en este proyecto, no olvides visitar el video original y también expresar tu apoyo por redes sociales, en la cuenta oficial de Sonic Official en twitter y visitar la web oficial del Sonic Channel

[markrosewater]

What's the minimum number of DFCs that would need to be in a single set to warrant using them?

Core Set 2019 had one. It was very key to the set’s theme - the history of Nicol Bolas.

[schadentekkers]

(some of) jackie tekkers favorite zsj matches~

zsj v kenta → g1 climax 32 + g1 climax 29

zsj v shibata → revpro summer sizzler 2016

zsj v kenny omega → g1 climax 28

zsj v sanada → wrestle kingdom 14

zsj v kota ibushi → g1 climax 29 + new japan cup 2019

dangerous tekkers v okada and yano → hyper battle '22

suzuki-gun's final match

zsj & giulia v tom lawlor & syuri → historic x-over (1:21 in, but the whole ppv fucks tbh)

zsj, kenny omega & chuck taylor v young bucks & adam cole → pwg bola 2014

i'm sure i forgot a lot and there are still so many of his matches i have to watch, but i think these are the ones that stand out to me as being favorites <3 also, literally any match with kenta and sanada do it for me but i didn't want the list to be repetitive.

[abajuramarelo]

Demasiadamente

04/03/24

Ando com a energia lá embaixo, ao ponto da minha amiga perguntar se estou bem, pois estou, mas sinto minha energia lá embaixo. Do tipo essa não sou eu. Eu não sou assim. Mas simplesmente parece que toda a alegria que eu poderia sentir foi usada em 2023 e que 2024 será um ano de sofrimento. Odeio essa impressão que tenho. Como se todas as coisas ruins se convergem a este momento da vida que estou vivendo. Sinto sem energia para ter foco, e viver do jeito que quero, eu sinto que voltei a ser uma bola de neve descendo uma colina prestes a virar uma avalanche. Antes eu claramente amava escrever aqui, adorava contar cada aventura nova que eu vivia, mas agora… não tenho nem forças para formular textos completos com diversas questões. Agora que LP se foi, parece que minha vida não sai do luto. Cada dia parece mais cinza que o anterior, é como se eu tivesse cavando um poço, eu sei que essa analogia é péssima e batida. Estou quase me sentindo em 2019 ou em 2016, anos que eu considerei o ápice de uma possível depressão na minha vida. 2024 ainda não está igual 2016, mas se piorar mais um pouco, acho que vai estar igual. Eu diria que 2016 foi o pior ano para a minha saúde mental, somando uma conjuntura de situações que me levaram ao mais completo viver por viver, eu chorava todo dia, fazia tudo em completo automático, e chorava no carro voltando pra casa. Era o momento que eu mais me sentia viva, chorar no carro. Esse ano não estou chorando todo dia, estou apática, o que pode parecer pior, essa não sou eu.

O brilho de viver saiu dos meus olhos, e ela não voltará tão brevemente assim, acho que preciso voltar pra terapia, mais do que nunca, eu não estou dirigindo igual uma louca, mas fico gritando comigo mesma, o que é meio triste, como se gritar fosse tirar a dor do meu peito, mas a dor não sai, parece um grito de angústia, como se eu estivesse presa dentro de mim mesma, essa não sou eu, eu não sou assim. Eu sempre fui uma pessoa leve, divertida, tranquila com a vida. Agora pareço a TeFite de moana sem o coração dela, sabe, eu não sou assim. Essa não sou eu.

A dor não passa. Por um momento me afogo na dor. Me sinto mais perdida do que antes. Tenho menos vontade de acordar e sair da cama, parece até que a depressão está voltando. Não quero me sentir assim. Eu não sou assim.

Mas é um ciclo vicioso. Falo pra todo mundo que estou bem, mas ando me questionando se estou bem mesmo, porque ultimamente não acredito mais no que falo. Eu não quero preocupar ninguém. Nem vocês, leitores deste tumblr, eu obviamente nunca farei nada para aumentar a preocupação de vocês. Eu não sou depressiva, eu só devo estar demasiadamente com saudade do LP. Agora ele nem lê mais esse tumblr. E tá tudo bem.

Eu não vou entrar em depressão por causa dele, a minha vida só tá ruim por outras questões somadas ao término, é claro que o rompimento da nossa relação culminou no aumento da minha tristeza. Mas ela não é a principal causa, eu não quero que o LP ache que tenha razão, embora esse texto esteja muito dando razão a ele me comparar com a outra ex dele que teve depressão por causa do fim do relacionamento deles. Isso é muita presunção achar que eu sofreria igual. Estou sofrendo, estou. Mas bem longe do sofrimento da outra menina.

Agora vamos de acontecimento importante, fui pra SP tentar uma mudança na minha vida, mas já fracassei, nesse meio tempo, saí com YT, meu melhor amigo, que temos um pacto de casamento com 40 anos, acho que terei que cancelar esse pacto, engraçado que agora eu nem quero detalhar todo o rolê com ele, embora o rolê tenha sido ótimo, ele é uma pessoa que você namora pro resto da vida, tipo um amor para sempre. As ações dele sempre me deixou claro que é uma pessoa decente, do tipo não existem muitos, ainda mais homens. Nesse breve encontro que tive com YT, tomamos sorvete, comemos shabu shabu, andamos 4km (a av. Paulista inteira de madrugada), e no final ele tomou a iniciativa de me beijar. Nos beijamos.

Era um beijo. Realizei o sonho da Pequeno Lirio de 2017, que foi apaixonada por ele. Mas sempre que faço isso, a significância do passado ja não é o mesmo. O beijo foi como ter beijado o LS, meu outro super amigo que quando estou bêbada o beijo, tipo zero química, zero tesão por ele. Só um beijo de amigo sabe. Mas gosto muito do YT. De conversar com ele, de estar com ele, mas não sinto nada romanticamente. Talvez seja porque eu ainda amo tanto o LP. Mas não sei, não é só isso.

[you-moveme-kurt]

Glee "678 kisses"

Febrero de 2019

-¡Llegaste!... —exclamó Kurt desde el sofá donde estaba, bien arropado con una manta, una taza de té en una mano y el computador  portátil en su regazo, además del baby monitor de Henry bien cerca de él.

-La grabaciones tenían que terminar algún día… —contesto Blaine dejando todas sus cosas al costado de la puerta, un tintineo de vidrio se escuchó cuando el bolso toco el piso.

-Menos mal y así fue… ¿esta traficando con los ceniceros del sello SONY Blaine Anderson-Hummel?... —pregunto Kurt divertido

-No, es… es una botella de… de líquido para limpiar el piano de la recepción… ayer hable con el administrador y me dijo que podía usarlo, siempre y  cuando lo limpiara porque ese “no era su trabajo”… —explicó haciendo el gesto de comillas con sus dedos cuando decía lo del trabajo.

-¿Eso existe?

-¿Qué cosa?

-¿Ese líquido famoso?

-Por supuesto que sí…. ¿puedo saludarte ahora?

-Obvio que si.… ven, me debes como 678 besos desde antes de ayer que me diste el último… —dijo Kurt abriendo sus brazos y frunciendo la boca como alistándose para recibir esos más de 600 besos, Blaine sonrió como el principe que era y se acercó a él, lo miro unos segundo y le dio tres pequeños besos primero, para luego darle otro mas apasionado y profundo.

-¿Salde en algo mi deuda?... — preguntó apartándose.

-Algo, pero creo que si me das unos 20 como ese último, puedo dejar pasar los otros 600 que me debes… —contestó Kurt sonriendo enamorado.

-Ok… acepto encantado ese plan de pagos… —agregó volviendo a sonreir— mucho más conveniente que el que nos ofreció el «Wells Fargo Bank».... —dijo  mientras se quitaba la ropa de abrigo para dejarla de manera desordenada sobre la mesa de café, otro de los sillones y el piso, Kurt miro todo eso como algo total y absolutamente inaceptable— ¿nuestro hijo?

-Durmiendo como el mejor bebé…—respondió Kurt mirando el desorden.

-¿Sin molestias por la dentición?… 

-Ninguna… 

-Genial… —agregó Blaine haciendo ademán de sentarse a su lado— ¿que?... —dijo al ver que Kurt  lo miraba con cara rara.

-¿Sabes que existen como tres lugares donde puedes dejar todo eso sin provocar este desorden?… ¿verdad?

-¿Como?

-Lo que oyes, este departamento es una caja de zapatos, pero siempre se ha mantenido ordenado, así es que podrias por favor…—pidió Kurt señalando el desorden— o creo que me dará un ataque doble o triple… —añadió volviendo a  su computadora y su taza de té.

-Ok… un poco ruda toda esa petición… pero bueno… —contestó su esposo comenzando a recoger sus cosas, hizo una bola con toda la ropa y se la llevó al dormitorio, Kurt se irguió un poco para mirar donde dejaba aquella pelota improvisada— ¡se que me estas mirando!… —exclamó Blaine desde el dormitorio cerrando la puerta.

-¡Claro que no!… —respondió su esposo como disimulando.

-Claro que si… —corrigió Blaine saliendo desde la habitación principal luego de un par de minutos para, acto seguido, entrar en la de Henry con el sigilo que necesitaba la siesta de un bebe de medio año de vida.

-No te estaba espiando…—dijo Kurt haciéndose el interesante mientras Blaine salía del cuarto de Henry  con la misma discreción con la que había entrado.

-Sabes que si… pero da lo mismo…  —agregó sentándose en el extremo desocupado del sofá, tomó las piernas de su esposo y las acomodó sobre las suyas— y si precisas saberlo, dejé todo ordenado donde corresponde…   que es… en el closet, el cesto de la ropa sucia y bajo mi almohada —agregó adelantándose a su esposo que abría la boca para preguntar donde era ese “lugar que corresponde”—¿que estas haciendo?… —quiso saber Blaine mientras le recorría las piernas y dejaba sus manos sobre las rodillas como pequeñas arañas de piernas inquietas.

-Estoy mirando los diferentes planes que la gente tiene para San Valentín… —respondió haciendo un gesto como de inconformidad.

-Tenemos razones para no tener planes… ¿no es asi?... —dijo Blaine mientras comenzaba esta vez a masajear los pies de su esposo.

-Lo se… pero bueno… ya sabes… solo esperaba��

-¿Que te diera una sorpresa y hubiera organizado algo de todos modos?

-Así es…

-Pues no lo hice…

-¿¡Qué!?... ¡Blaine!

-¿Qué?... quedamos en algo, ¿o no?... tenemos que cubrir la última cuota de nuestro préstamo y créeme que  si nos tardamos, no tendremos a los ejecutivos del banco golpeando la puerta, si no que a tu cuñado Cooper pidiendo explicaciones… —dijo Blaine poniendo mala cara cuando mencionaba el nombre de su hermano.

-Primero eso no es cierto, segundo… Cooper ha sido un dulce con nosotros… —Blaine volvió a lo de la mala cara—  tercero… estoy muy decepcionado, y cuarto… seguiré con esto que estoy haciendo… al menos poner “me gusta” en los planes de otros, me hará olvidar que yo no tengo ninguno… —dijo Kurt encogiendo sus piernas para apartarse lo más posible de su esposo, Blaine lo miro unos segundo y se levantó del sofá— ¿donde vas?

-Al dormitorio, ya que no me quieres aqui… prefiero hacer algo útil con mi tiempo… —replicó haciendo los gestos de quien toca una guitarra invisible.

-¿Por qué quieres pelear conmigo?, esta bien que no celebremos San Valentin por razones económicas, aunque debo decir que una rosa y una botella de champaña no son más de 50 dólares, pero bueno…  pero de ahí a generar una pelea… hay un trecho bien largo Señor Anderson…

-Yo no estoy peleando… solo te dejo solo para que sigas en lo que estás… y para la posteridad, que conste que si hubiese llegado con una botella de champagne de 30 dólares o menos, hubieras puesto esta cara… —dijo frunciendo el ceño y alzando una ceja luego— permiso… —terminó por decir Blaine yéndose a donde dijera, Kurt abrió un poco sus fosas nasales como si la rabia que sentía necesitará más espacio para salir de su cuerpo, murmuró un par de sus verdades e hizo ademán de continuar navegando por sus redes sociales.

-¡Uy!... —exclamó empuñando la mano que tenía libre, dejó la taza de té sobre la mesa y tiró el computador al otro extremo del sofá junto con la manta que hasta ese instante cubría sus piernas, tomó el monitor de Henry y se dirigió también al dormitorio a pedir mas que explicaciones, nunca el gustaba que Blaine se quedara con la última palabra y muy “San Valentin” podría ser, pero  ese día no iba a ser la excepción .

-Blaine, bien sabes… ¡¿que demonios?!... —exclamó al ver que su esposo se había encargado de decorar la habitación en tiempo record con pétalos en la cama y globos inflados con helio topando el cielo raso, también una botella de champagne de calidad, copas y pequeños corazones colgando de los globos y como broche de oro, el mismo Blaine en la cama con una rosa roja de tallo largo en la boca

-¡Feliz día de San Valentín!… —dijo  hablando entre dientes.

-¿Como hiciste todo esto? —pregunto acercándose a la cama— aunque la pregunta mas bien seria… ¿en que momento hiciste todo esto?… —agregó tocando las decoraciones con mimo — ��y que hay con no celebrar, porque no tenemos dinero?, ¿acaso asaltaste un banco?... —pregunto tomando la botella de espumante señalando la etiqueta de “dom perignon”.

-Bueno… —Blaine se quitó la rosa de la boca sintiendo que ya era el momento y porque una de las espinas le clavaba el labio— no hice ningún gasto porque todo esto… lo traje del sello de la decoración oficial de la sala de juntas y de la de prensa… los globos los infle ayer mientras estabas en el teatro y los guarde en esta caja bajo la maa… —explicó dando un par de toques con su pie a la caja que, efectivamente, estaba bajo la cama—la champagne la tome de la celebración que hubo por la firma de Camila Cabello con el sello… 

-¿Camila Cabello?, ¿en serio?

-Si… 

-¿Y viste a Shawn Mendes?

-¿Que?

-Nada… ¿decías? 

-Decía…decia… ¡ah!… por último, todo lo demás lo puse en el instante que vine a dejar mis cosas…

-Es decir que todo se desorden, ¿lo hiciste con intención Blaine Anderson-Hummel?

-Algo así…

-Pero como dejaste eso bajo la cama, ¿qué tal si hubiese pasado la aspiradora hoy en la mañana?

-Difícil, porque se que el lunes quieres descansar de todo, incluido Henry y el trabajo doméstico…—dijo Blaine levantándose para acercarse a él y a la botella champagne que había sobre el vestidor.

-Esta todo muy bonito Blaine… 

-Solo cumplo con una de las cosas que te prometí hace años y es la de siempre…

-¿Sorprenderme?... —se adelantó decir Kurt terminando la frase por su esposo.

-Exacto… —respondió abrazándolo por la cintura— ¿y que opinas ahora?… —pregunto moviéndose con él.

-Opino que tiene más trucos bajo su manga que cualquier ser humano señor Anderson, y que ya no tengo que mirar los planes de San Valentín de los otros porque yo tengo el mejor, justo aquí en mi dormitorio… —respondió Kurt recorriendole la espalda con sus manos— solo tengo una pregunta…

-¿Cual?…

-De todos lugares que mencionaste dijiste, “bajo mi almohada”... ¿qué fue lo que pusiste ahí?

-Ah… eso es algo que compre, que es esencial y que para hacer todo más divertido es de sabor a fresa… —respondió Blaine sonriendo medio chueco y con travesura.

-Divirtámonos entonces… —terminó por decir Kurt mordiéndose el labio y ciñéndose a él tanto, que Blaine pudo sentir los latidos acelerados del corazón de su esposo como si estuviera dentro de su propio pecho. 

[warningsine]

LIBREVILLE, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday, placing President Ali Bongo under house arrest and naming a new leader after the Central African state's election body announced Bongo had won a third term.

Saying they represented the armed forces, the officers declared on television that the election results were cancelled, borders closed and state institutions dissolved, after a tense vote that was set to extend the Bongo family's more than half century in power.

Within hours, generals met to discuss who would lead the transition and agreed by unanimous vote to appoint General Brice Oligui Nguema, former head of the presidential guard, according to another televised address.

Meanwhile, from detention in his residence, Bongo appealed in a video statement to foreign allies, imploring them to speak out on his and his family's behalf. He said he did not know what was happening.

Bongo's plight was a dramatic reversal from the early hours of Wednesday when the electoral commission declared him the winner of Saturday's disputed vote.

Hundreds of people celebrated the military's intervention in the streets of the Gabonese capital Libreville, while the United Nations, African Union and France, Gabon's former colonial ruler which has troops stationed there, condemned the coup.

The military takeover in Gabon is the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, and the second - after Niger - in as many months. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad, erasing democratic gains since the 1990s and raising fear among foreign powers that have strategic interests in the region.

"I am marching today because I am joyful. After almost 60 years, the Bongos are out of power," said Jules Lebigui, a jobless 27-year-old who joined crowds in Libreville.

Bongo took over in 2009 on the death of his father Omar, who had ruled since 1967. Opponents say the family has done little to share the state's oil and mining wealth with its 2.3 million people.

Violent unrest broke out after Bongo's contested 2016 election victory, and there was a foiled coup attempt in 2019.

The Gabon officers, calling themselves The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said the country faced "a severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis", and that the Aug. 26 vote was not credible.

They also said they had arrested the president's son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, and others for corruption and treason.

There was no immediate comment from Gabon's government.

COUP 'CONTAGION'

Bongo, 64, was last seen in public casting his vote on Saturday. Before the vote, he had looked healthier than his more frail television appearances after his 2018 stroke.

Unlike Niger and other Sahel countries, Gabon, which lies further south on the Atlantic coast, has not had to battle destabilising Islamist insurgencies. But the coup is a further sign of democratic backsliding in the volatile region.

A "contagion of autocracy" is spreading across Africa, said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, the current chair of West African bloc ECOWAS. He said he was working closely with other African leaders on how to respond in Gabon.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the African Union condemned the events and called on the military to ensure the safety of Bongo and his family, while China and Russia said they hoped for a swift return to stability. The United States said the situation was deeply concerning.

"We condemn the military coup and recall our commitment to free and transparent elections," French government spokesman Olivier Veran said.

The coup creates more uncertainty for France's presence in the region. France has about 350 troops in Gabon. Its forces have been kicked out of Mali and Burkina Faso after coups there in the last two years.

French miner Eramet (ERMT.PA), which has large manganese operations in Gabon, said it had halted operations.

Gabon produces about 200,000 barrels of oil a day, mainly from depleting fields. International companies include France's TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and Anglo-French producer Perenco.

Concerns about the weekend election's transparency were raised by a lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts and a decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew after the vote. Bongo's team rejected allegations of fraud.

On Wednesday, the internet appeared to be working for the first time since the vote. The junta confirmed web access had been restored as well as all international broadcasts, but it said it would keep the curfew in place until further notice.

Shortly before the coup announcement, the election authority declared Bongo the election winner with 64.27% of the vote and said his main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had secured 30.77%.

Gabon's dollar-denominated bonds fell as much as 14 cents on Wednesday before recovering to trade down 9.5 cents on the dollar.

[live-laugh-loverpool]

Okay so damn... I want to actually cry. I've never felt so betrayed as I'm feeling right now. I love the boys, but I'm so freaking disappointed!

I want a fic with lots of angst between them. Especially Alisson. It can even have they fighting between each other (no violence, just words).

Maybe a little bit of comfort in the end.

I'm almost crying.

Yes, I know 😬😬😭😭😭 It pained me to write this but here we go.

Tags: @millythegoat @moomin279 @alissonbecksfan234 @rubybecker-rb2

Warnings: depression, fighting, cursing (mostly in Portuguese)

Sgt. Klopp’s Broken Hearts—Part 1

Jesse Marsch had never seen Liverpool play so badly. It was like they were a completely different club, with a different manager and players, and a different spirit.

This couldn’t be the club that won the Champions’ League in 2019. This couldn’t be the Premier League winners, the domestic cup champions, the tenacious victory-hungry warriors he’d come to know. This wasn’t Liverpool.

Marsch quickly switched off the TV before they could show the final whistle, taking his phone from the charger. He turned off all his news notifications before opening up the Weird Managers’ Club Group Chat.

CatalanMagician: Ninety minutes and the curse of Regio Madrid strikes again

TheSpecialOne: If I speak I am in big trouble

SuperFrankieLampard: Where’s Jurgen?

TT: where do you think he is 😑

Marsch didn’t want to think about the possible answers to that question. Klopp could technically be anywhere—he’d retired two decades ago, but was still quite swift. Faster than the entirety of that defense tonight, anyways.

Jessethe🐐: With his boys, hopefully

TT: I hope not, he’d never live down what Milner and Elliott will say

CatalanMagician: Jurgen told me those two have net zero tact

SuperFrankieLampard: At the rate they played they could’ve lost 9-0

Marsch hated Lampard for making that remark. He also hated the fact that the remark was true.

TheSpecialOne: I thought he understood that riddle

TT: 😬 Jurgen’s gonna beat down on himself so much

Jurgen doesn’t beat upon himself, Marsch thought. He didn’t know the German as well as the other managers did, but from what he’d seen Klopp didn’t hold very high standards when it came to himself.

TheSpecialOne: deservedly so, which manager doesn’t make one change when you’ve blown a two goal lead

“Jose Mourinho, you freaking idiot,” Marsch muttered, furiously typing out a reply.

Jessethe🐐: JOSE not helping

TheSpecialOne: I am

TT: I’m going to go get Jurgen

SuperFrankieLampard: You sure he hasn’t turned off his phone yet?

TT: It’s not been long since the match, it’s probably still on

Jessethe🐐: jeez guys! Leave him alone and he’ll find this chat himself. He made it after all

Marsch didn’t even stick around to see what would happen. He set his phone to “emergency contact only” and threw it across the room, slumping onto the couch.

If Jesse Marsch hadn’t known what sympathy pains were before, he sure knew now. And God knows what the others are feeling now…

*

The locker room was in complete catatonia. Some had hoped for a win going into the match, some had prepared themselves for a loss, and others had thought a draw as the best outcome. It would take a psychotically pessimistic fool to think Liverpool would concede 5 unanswered goals at Anfield. Today, that psychotically pessimistic fool happened to be fate itself.

“Toda hora, Fabinho! ¡Cada maldita vez!” Jota grabbed Fabinho by the shoulders with a vice-like grip, glaring into his teammate’s panicked, guilt-stricken eyes. “Se não fosse a sua maldita incapacidade de manter a bola, talvez não tivéssemos sofrido 5 malditos gols!!!”

“Leave Flaco out of this!” Firmino shoved the irate striker away, standing between him and Fabinho. “If you’d used some pace on the right wing we could’ve at least scored another goal! But nooo, you’re as useless as you always are when it comes to big competitions.”

Jota glared at Firmino, trying to brush him aside. “And you think you’re so big, hot-shot? You shot that header right into their goalie’s hands! Droga, você não consegue fazer nada direito!”

“Watch your mouth, you three,” Elliott warned the Portuguese speakers. Rather ironically, considering what he said next. “I don’t have to understand your Portuguese to realize how much of a bunch of useless cowards you are.”

“Harvey Elliott! Leave them alone,” Milner boomed, grabbing the youngster and swinging him over his shoulder. The vice-captain’s eyes flashed with rage, far more than the usual spite he carried. “If you want to blame somebody for doing freaking nothing in this match, blame Joe for forgetting to exist.”

Gomez looked up from the bench, the guilt in his eyes quickly morphing into anger. “Me?! Ali forgot how to clear a ball and he’s a goalkeeper! They don’t have many things to memorize and he completely forgot that one!” he ranted, hurling a water bottle at Alisson’ locker.

Alisson hadn’t even moved once he’d come into the locker room, not even to change out of the matchday kit. Gomez's water bottle hitting him square across the thigh seemed to activate him, though, as he glared daggers at the English defender.

“What are you talking about, goalkeepers don’t have many things to memorize? Dammit, Joe, I have to memorize about a million things to keep a clean sheet with you guys around!”

“Which you still couldn’t do today. You conceded more goals today than you did in the past two weeks!”

“Sometimes I wonder why I put up with all of you!” Alisson stabbed a finger towards Van Dijk, who’d looked shocked from the moment Alisson started yelling. “I wonder why I put up with you, Virgil! Where were you to help Joey out, where’s the strong able Virgil from the World Cup?!”

The Dutchman stood from his seat. In one swift movement he was holding Alisson back from Gomez. “You’re seriously not going to bring that up, are you? You brought that problem upon yourself. Ali, your own compatriot kicked your butt!”

“NÃO me chame de Ali. NÃO chame Vini de meu compatriota. NÃO fale sobre esse maldito jogo!” Alisson broke free from Van Dijk, storming towards the showers. “And do not DARE lay a hand on Flaco or I’ll make you regret holding me back!”

“You know what?” Van Dijk glared at the keeper. In a move nobody in the locker room expected, he took up Gomez's water bottle and threw it at Alisson. “I might as well leave you alone, fracasso. You can’t even handle a defeat without acting like a child! I can only imagine how disappointed Klopp’s going to be with you.”

“And they say I put my foot in my mouth,” Elliott muttered, still over Milner’s shoulder.

Milner only tightened his hold on Elliott. “Careful or you’re going to end up over my knee.”

“And where did ‘the lilac part of my heart’ go?” Alisson shot back. It was clear to see, though, that the spite in his comments were now more fueled by hurt than rage. “Do you even support me around anymore, Virgil? Do you not see that if it wasn’t for some of those saves, we would’ve lost by ten goals?! Is that all I am to you now, a failure?”

Van Dijk didn’t flinch at that, continuing to glare at Alisson. “You can’t even accept when you made a mistake.”

“Ali, calm down!” Henderson finally stepped into the brouhaha, grabbing Alisson before he could lash back at Van Dijk’s latest comment. “If you say something, you’re going to regret it later.”

“I’m going to regret it later?! I’m sure not going to regret telling Virgil that he’s the one who can’t accept when he makes a mistake. When was the last time you saw him apologize for something he did wrong?!” Alisson pushed Henderson away from him, slamming the door behind him as he disappeared into the showers.

The whole room was quiet after that. Until Firmino ran towards Van Dijk and socked him in the elbow.

“Caramba, caramba! Ainda damos a mínima? Todo esse time está uma bagunça, e é por sua causa!”

*

There was no way that he could face his boys now. It was impossible.

Klopp hadn’t even said a word, besides the compulsory handshake with Anzilotti. He’d gone straight down the tunnel and disappeared inside the nearest closet—which just happened to be a broom closet.

If it was a case of the five stages of grief, then Klopp didn’t need a therapist to know that he was currently experiencing shock. But shock was only supposed to last a few minutes—he knew that from experience.

His phone buzzing disturbed him from his thoughts. He’d forgotten to turn it off at halftime, and now he had a boatload of notifications from the managerial group chat.

TT: Jurgen you still alive?

TheNormalOne: I’m not sure

CatalanMagician: You totally disappeared after the game

TheNormalOne: I wish

TheSpecialOne: Are you hiding in a broom closet

TheNormalOne: how did you know

TheSpecialOne: Just a lucky guess 🙄

CatalanMagician: The press will come after you

TheNormalOne: I’m NOT going to put my foot in my mouth and say we’ll come back from this 😩.

TT: 😧

Jessethe🐐: 😧

CatalanMagician: Come on, that’s not like you! Where’s the fighting spirit that’s kept me on my toes ☹

Klopp hesitated before typing out a response. Has it really gotten to this point where Pep in sky blue has to motivate me?

TheNormalOne: I’ve made too many promises I can’t keep

TheSpecialOne: That’s what I meant by my coded advice earlier

TheNormalOne: Don’t say anything about that damn code

TheSpecialOne: I told you to exude on the pitch what you have within yourself. Judging by that performance I’d say you have no love, passion or pride in you whatsoever

CatalanMagician: THIS IS WHY I HATE YOU YOU HAVE NO FILTER

TheNormalOne: …

TT: Great work Jose, you broke him

Klopp shut off his phone, muting everything. He threw it into a bin on the other side of the closet and leaned against a mop. After two minutes of unbearable silence, he reached for his phone, turned it on and went straight to Youtube. He clicked on a song he’d only listened to once, before the events of the next day had stained its meaning forever.

What about sunrise?

What about rain?

What about all the things

That you said we were to gain?

Did you ever stop to notice

All the blood we've shed before?

Did you ever stop to notice

This crying Earth, these weeping shores?

Unlike most of Michael Jackson’s songs, this one was slower, more reflective. It was actually about the Earth rather than Liverpool, but right now Klopp felt like he'd let down the entire Red section of the earth.

I used to dream

I used to glance beyond the stars

Now I don't know where we are

Although I know we've drifted far

The first stadium he’d visited as Liverpool manager had been Whitehart Lane, Spurs’ then-home. To dare is to dream, the wall had said, painted in dark blue and white. And to dream is to dare, Klopp had added upon seeing the motto. 

All his life, Klopp had been a dreamer and a darer. He’d dreamt of managing, dared to try something different than the rough and tumble macho style of football he’d experienced as a player. He’d dared to come to England and dreamt of creating a deep connection. He’d dared to dream it would last forever, and in some far-off future he would walk away from Liverpool to the sounds of cheers and appreciation as he embraced his eventual retirement.

Now he only dared to hope that this had all been a bad dream.

What about the crying man?

(What about us?)

What about Abraham?

(What about us?)

What about death again?

(Ooh)

Do we give a damn?