#don’t tell my boss or club mates that i made this it’s our little secret

[pink-esc]

Not to romanticize a past that may never have existed; but like remember when the internet was considered a new tool that could offer cool programs and make information more accessible?

now it’s just paywall after paywall and free trial after free trial. i wish i could live my life without the internet but now it’s something that you need to have for tons of jobs, social shit, fandom… it makes me upset. why do i have to give my card number to a site that fucking gives you a place to make posters? fuck you canva

while we’re here FUCK BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA TOO idc if sometimes they make good content (ily monterey bay aquarium) i FUCKING HATE BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA. that it’s a necessity to exist and succeed (easily) in this stupid world. I especially hate social media for small businesses AND I DONT CARE HOW FUCKED UP MY TAKE IS AND I DONT CARE IF “well it allows them to reach a wide audience faster making them more profitable blah blah blah 🤓” FUCK YOU SHUT UP. i’m not even going to sit here and defend my take I DONT CARE BURN IT ALL DOWN

[marissaofunderground]

Luck

“All of ‘em? Okay...uh, here we go!.” (2 have already been answered: 3 and 17, so those can be found under my tags “ask” and “lady luck”. We will skip those ones for this reason.)

1. “’Lady Luck’ is not actually my real name, but a stage name! But, I don’t usually tell people my real name, and very few people actually know. Who does know? Welll, some old childhood friends of mine, King Dice, the Devil, and the Casino crew, as well as a couple friends I’ve made in Inkwell. What is my real name? Hahaha - not a question I’ll answer to just anyone ;)” (Lady Luck’s real first name is Merina, a portmanteau of “mermaid” and “marina”)

2. “I got a lotta friends, but my best-of-all-friends would be Delilah Demon, and Whitney Sinnett, from that club on Isle 3.” (Whitney Sinnett belongs to @miss-twila )

4. “Hm, hm, I’ve always loved pink, used to have a huge collection of pink seashells as a kid, though nowadays I’ve come to love purple equally as much! I’m bettin’ King Dice had a hand in that, huhu~❤"

5. “Happily datin’ King Dice - I know people warn about his danger, and sure, I was a little nervous at first, but...it worked out, somehow. We just...seem to find the better sides to each other and bring em out from within us...I guess we kinda balance each other out!”

6. “Right now? I can’t say I have an ideal mate anymore, since I’m happily working with him and being with him. But when I was a small fry I dreamed about, eh, a handsome prince from above the surface. I guess you could say I got somethin’ better than a prince.”

7. “Oh my, Dice charms the heck outta me, he can be a gentleman, he sings beautifully, treats me like his queen....that’s only the tip of the iceberg. For the Devil’s second-in-command, Dice really knows how to court people. 😍”

8. “Growin’ up, I loved this pasta-dish with noodles made from seaweed flour, and a sauce made with cod roe. Funnily enough, a similar dish exists on land, they call it ‘tarako spaghetti’, and it’s even topped with nori flakes! But that’s not my only favorite, the creamy shrimp scampi is my favorite food from the surface. I guess you could say seafood pasta, that’s my favorite kind of food.”

9. “I did in fact have a crush on King Dice long before we started dating, but prior to the casino, I’ve had crushes on: a mermaid (not Cala Maria), a human man, a cat lady, a mummy, and a man of my kind. I actually did date that guy, but it didn’t work out.”

10. “I mostly sing jazz and swing, and it’s the kind of music I like to hear most. Give me that really crazy, fast-paced, time-signature changin’ jazz you can dance to.”

11. “Oh uh....I...really don’t want to lose my job and end up in prison. Or the Devil to lose his casino. I’ve heard rumors of this legendary Chalice ghost coming back to life...and I don’t want her to end our careers.”

12. “Maybe get married someday...though, I dunno about kids. I’m not sure I’d make a good mother. That’s a ‘maybe’ for me.”

13. “I smoke and drink....some may consider that a bad habit. And, sometimes I pick at dead or loose scales on my body. Ew, that may have been too much.”

14. “In my childhood I may have made some mistakes I regret doin’, such as playing too close to some stalagmites. I have the scars to show for it.” Luck pulls off one of her gloves to reveal the damaged webbing between her fingers. “I would wear webbed gloves for the rest of my childhood and teenage years when I lived underwater, but I stopped after living on the surface. I found not havin’ much webbing between my fingers to be useful! Holdin’ cigarettes between your fingers, wearing rings....those are nice. So it’s not all that bad.”

15. “You know I ain’t tellin’ my best kept secrets. Then they wouldn’t be secrets no more!”

16. “Somethin’ work related. It was about a shipment of bourbon being delayed.”

18. “Um...hehh.....wh-why would I have one? Or er, share it?” She looks a little nervous, and maybe a little in denial.

19. “I got a singin’ voice that’ll get the listener to do whatever I want! Or, in most cases, what the boss wants me to make them do. When I weaponize it, I can make my opponent do my bidding, fall asleep, or just get lost!”

20. “When I was younger I looked up to an old friend of mine - both metaphorically and literally. She was brave despite her own insecurity. I wonder where she is now....Since then, I’ve come to admire my coworkers, boss, and boyfriend. There’s also Pirouletta, who helped show me the ropes of performing at the casino when I first started out! She has a grace I adore.”

[social-holland]

God Is A Woman

Pairing: Mob!Harrison Osterfield x Reader

Warning: mob stuff, mention of guns, hints of smut 

Summary:  Being the right-hand men and right-hand woman of each other’s rival mobs did not stop Harrison Osterfield and his love from embarking on their affair. Harrison knew what he did was more than dangerous but that couldn't stop him from being with his goddess.

Word count: 1837

A/N: This one shot is basically inspired by my queen Ariana Grande and her new song God Is A Woman. It is also a trial and error. Enjoy.

Smoke was all she could see as she took the first step into the club. Music was blasting from everywhere, bodies were moving on the dancefloor, people intoxicated. There were celebrating the night, life or deals which were completed at the tables.

Her red dress clung perfectly to her body. Her make-up done to the nines, red lips fitting perfectly to her dress and made her Y/E/C eyes pop. Her gun hidden away and strapped at her thigh. She was a woman on her own mission and tonight she would finally fulfil it.

She knew that her boss would not be happy and she couldn't care less for his opinion. He was just another one of useless people who would not make a long term in this business. She, on the other hand, spend her whole life in it. She was born into it. She knew the tricks, the unwritten rules, the ruthlessness. And all of it couldn't hold her back from her mission tonight. She was aware of how dangerous this was. But there was no way back now. Even if she would want to.

As she made her way through the crowd, eyes were following her. One pair of eyes especially, bright blue ones. Never taking them of her figure. The figure he was so familiar with. The one who he had met on multiple occasions and the one who would never leave his mind.

She looked good tonight. Fuck, more than good and he knew that she was aware of it. She did this to him. On Purpose. The red dress, his favourite colour on her, that was so perfect on her beautiful body. Her hair flowing down her back in small waves.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Another voice took him out of her trance. “She knows to not get into our fucking business.” Harrys voice clear with anger. “Calm down, Harry. We don't need anymore trouble with this mob and I am not interested in another war.” Tom said determinate.

Harrison took the last sip of his glass before standing up. “I will take care of her.” His voice sounded angry and, in some way, he was. She was not supposed to show up here. Bringing them both into trouble.

“Don't kill her, mate. I know you can't stand her but that would make too much of a mess and Ruben is already on my nerves. I don't need another reason for him because you got rid of his right- hand woman.” Were the words that followed him from his best friend and boss. “Didn't plan on it. Just making sure that she knows her place.” And with that he turned around, a smile building on his face.

If they only knew.

He made his way through the crowd. Sliding easily through the dancing people. She was sitting at the bar. Her back turned to him. But before he arrived at her spot, she stood up and left it.

Looking over her shoulder, a little smirk on her lips and her eyes sparkling. This was her game.

She turned and made her way towards the back of the club. Into one of the offices. She knew the club well enough. There would be no interruptions or people in them. Not currently. People were busy in the process of making deals or celebrating them.

She opened one of them and slid into it. The wall painted in a dark grey and a work desk at the end of the room. On the right side a sofa with some chairs next to them. The room smelled like cigarette smoke. Nothing uncommon in this kind of business.

She made her way through the end and leaned against the desk. Waiting for her prize.

He entered the room a few seconds later. Closing the door and leaning against it. His arms folded before his chest. He wore one of his good suits, showing that there should be no trouble tonight. No deaths at least. A perfect poker face. She smiled at him, knowingly. She could see right through him.

- - - - -

For a while none of the two said something. The only thing that could be heard was the music through the door. Looking into each other eyes, never leaving each other’s gaze. The tension slowly building. The desire for the touch of the other person building.

“You just want to play with the fire, darling. Won't you?” Was the first sentence that left his mouth with his thick accent. He made a few steps towards her. “Did you plan this?  She smirked at him. “Good, I like woman with a plan.”

Her word surprised him. “Undress.” His mouth falling open at her first and only words she spoke to him. Her tone making clear that she had the upper hand and wouldn't accept it any other way.

She came slowly towards him. Taking his hands and pushing him towards her. He could smell her flowery scent. “Heard that you were seen with another girl recently and I don't appreciate that, darling.” Her hands playing with his suit jacket and sliding it off him.

“Tom's new flame. Was there to protect her against another threat.” He leaned his forehead against hers, nearly closing the gap between their lips.

“You are fucking mine, baby. You better remember that.” Now taking his chin looking into his blue eyes before placing a chaste kiss on his lips. “If you not learn that, I am going to have to teach you a hard lesson, Harrison John Osterfield.” His mouth falling open once again and staring at her, a little shocked and with admiration.

“You also really bad at listening. Did you not hear me?”  She continued while opening the buttons of his dress shirt. He eagerly took that one of. After placing his gun on the floor, slightly kicking it away. “Does Tom appreciate you not listening? Because I sure don't.” she teased him. “Tom doesn't distract me constantly. But he sure would not like me, having an affair with his enemy right- hand woman.” Harrison provoked.

“Not long and he doesn't have to worry anymore.” She laughed and turned him around, pushing him towards the desk. He opened his belt and pants. Abandoning both at the floor together with his shoes.

“You sure are eager, my love.” She opened the belt that held her gun on her thigh and put both on the desk. “You know how to turn me on, firecracker.” He slid his hands around her thighs. Sliding her dress up and at the same time starting to kiss her. Her hands found his hair, tucking at it. He groaned into the kiss.

He took her, lifting her up and sat her on the desk, music still bouncing from the wall, lips pressed against each other and deepening the kiss. Forgetting their surrounding, losing themselves in each other’s touches. Continuing their game. She always in charge and taking over him.

It was her game, claiming him and he gladly let her. He was losing himself into her. He was totally hers and had no problem giving her the power. She was his queen….

- - - - -

Both were tangled into each other. Even long after they were fished. Foreheads pressed against each other, eyes never leaving the other one and consuming their significant others scent. Both looked peaceful and content. They took what they could, at least for the moment. It was all their had before their paths would split until the next meet up.  

He tightened his touch around her with his one hand. The other one going through her hair one last time. Both pressing one last chaste kiss against each other before getting up.

They knew their time was up. No words needed. If they stayed longer, things would get suspicious and nobody wanted to take that risk. They knew what it meant if their secret would be revealed.

One last look, one last touch and she left the office.

- - - - -

He left a few minutes later.

But before being able to go back and being with his mates. He needed to leave the club for a moment. In the need to sort his thoughts out, calm down and having a cigarette.

Harrison opened the back door and entered the dark alley. Lighting the cigarette and leaning against a wall. His mind with her. His queen. For a moment, he thought he was alone.

That was until a figure came from the shadows. The brown curls familiar. His face expressionless.

“Don't play with the fire, Haz.” The voice icy.

“I don't know what you are talking about...”

”You are aware. Don't sell me as stupid. You forgot I grew up with that firecracker.” Tom interrupted him.

He took another pull of his cigarette. Harrison got nervous for a moment. Everything depended on Toms reaction now. If he saw his relationship to his woman as threat than Harrison would be dead in seconds and she would be dealt with later.

He took all the courage he had and looked into his best mate’s face. “ So what do you want to tell me, Thomas?” He spat.

“First of all ,...” Thomas raised his gun out his jacket. “I approve of this, whatever you two playing but…” And with that he threw his best mate against the wall. “If you go behind my back again. You're dead. I don' appreciate or approve of treason. Clear?” His gun now on Harrisons head. The two men looked at each other for a while. Tension between the two childhood friends building before Harrison said “Crystal clear.” His voice just as icy as Toms moments before. He got the message.

“Especially by my best mate. How could you think for a second that I wouldn't be able to see through you, you div.” Both men looked into each other eyes before starting to laugh. Nothing could break them.

“Can't believe that you are whipped by someone like her.”

“Shut up, Mate. Not everybody likes the shy ones, like you.” Harrison smiled.

“You know, I heard about her plans.” Tom got serious for a second. “Let her know that we will support her if she wants it. I don't want another war with Ruben and can't wait to get rid of him.”

“I will.” Harrison ensured his friend.

“I hope, mate. But you know she is a feisty one and an alliance with her could be good for all of us. Especially you.”  Tom looked at his friend for a while before putting his gun back where it belonged.

He put his hand on his mates shoulder, squeezing it before going back inside the club.

Harrison stayed behind, his mind with her again. Tom was right. She is fierce. She is also his and he would help her to archive this task. She was born to be a queen and not a right-hand woman.

And he would do everything in his power for her to become the goddess she already was in his eyes.

-     tagged: @tomhollanduniverse

[louisfeatharry]

* newly added fics to my fic rec page as of 10/04/17 (30 fics in total) all fics are larry unless specified otherwise • more recent recs

✨ indicates favorites of mine!

a love like legend by butterflylungs (2k) [au, ou, soulmates, angst]

Harry and Louis are soulmates destined to lose each other.

All this Delusion in our Heads by mmaree (30k) [ziam, au, amnesia, neighbors/roommates, exes to lovers, angst]

the one where Zayn contracts amnesia, Liam has regrets, and the entire universe conspires against them…until it doesn’t.

✨ cupid’s defence by rhuubarb (116k) [au, fantasy & supernatural, slow burn, fluff]

In which Harry is Cupid, Louis and Liam own a law firm, and they're all getting sued.

Even When We Fight by threeturn (30k) [lirry, au, university AU, enemies to lovers]

University AU. Liam's the star of the debating society until Harry shows up and steals the spotlight. Meanwhile, Niall's in love, Zayn lives while he's young, and Louis looks after his friends.

✨ Every Story Has Its Scars, Ours Is a Brand New Start by Rearviewdreamer (57k) [au, hurt/comfort, kid fic, secret relationship, angst]

Life as a devoted husband and an amazing father turned out to be a little different than Louis had expected. Everyone tells him it doesn't have to be that way; that he's worth more and that he's so much stronger than any one person trying to keep him down. It's all just words though until he meets the one person who makes him truly believe it.

Golden Like Sands of Time by afirethatcannotdie (51k) [au, summer, fluff]

AU. Harry and Zayn are spending the summer on an island, and there's a plethora of booze and bonfires and boys. Or in Harry's case, just one boy.

Green Eyes (I’d Run Away With You) by salem (31k) [lirry, au, university AU]

After a frenzied party results in an accidental switch up of phones, Liam and Harry welcome each other temporarily into their lives as they casually chat about meeting up to switch back. It’s not hard to get to know each other while they wait, but when what should have been an innocent blip in each of their lives turns into months of endless texting, meddlesome friends, pot noodles, too much Shakespeare, and plenty of confusions, their feelings are put to the test.

Heaven’s Just Begun by sweetlullabies (35k) [au, fluff]

Harry is wholly convinced he's quite literally a sad excuse for a young adult, but this doesn't seem to stop the "boy next door" from developing the world's biggest crush on him.

✨ Hiding Out in the Kitchen by LittleMousling (28k) [au, famous/nonfamous, coming out, friends to lovers, fluff]

Harry's in an internationally famous boyband with his three best mates, he gets laid on a pretty regular basis, and he's headed to Australia in a week. He doesn't need anything else, and he certainly doesn't need a boyfriend. If this nice guy he met in a coffeeshop wants to date him, great—but that's all it is. Right?

✨ Homegrown by casuallyhl (51k) [au, friends to lovers, fluff]

a gardening AU where Harry is new to town and the newest volunteer at the local gardening club, Louis is the attractive grandson of one of the members, and the nosy volunteers hatch a plan to get them together.

It’s All Brand New Because of You by supernope (16k) [au, summer, fluff]

Louis starts a new job as a summer camp counselor at the local aquarium and Harry is a biologist who really likes teaching people about the ocean.

left all the stars in your city nights by petals (23k) [lirry, au, university AU, secret relationship, coming out]

“He’s got a roommate?” Niall asks, frowning.

“Yeah, but he usually only hangs out with grad students. I mean, it’s a smart plan all things considered. I think there’s like a rule that all graduate students have to TA, so like, it probably helps him with his grades or something. I don’t know. I’ve met him a few times but Zayn swears he’s great," Louis explains.

Liam nods, taking another drink from his glass, turning in time to see Zayn. He smiles at him but his smile falls immediately when Harry steps out from behind him, standing there smirking at Liam. He remembers him, obviously. They just fucked last night.

Fuck.

Liam’s screwed.

living love in slow motion by jmcats (39k) [ziam, au, growing up together, friends to lovers, pining, coming out, fluff]

they've been tucked into each other's side since they were five years old... and Liam's been a little in love with that and much more since then

Manifest Destiny by Anonymous (15k) [au, historical, friends with benefits, fluff]

Louis is a Pony Express rider and Harry runs a station along the trail.

never mind the odds (i’m gonna try my luck) by spit_on_me_larry (64k) [au, enemies to lovers, pining]

Louis Tomlinson is going to be the journalistic voice of his generation. He’s just waiting for his editor to realize it. For now, he’s stuck writing fluff pieces for the Life and Style section of London Now Newspaper.

His latest assignment is more of the same rubbish: a profile of Harry Styles, plastic surgeon and one of London’s most eligible bachelors. Louis is intent on writing something smart and biting and unexpected; if it makes Harry look like an idiot, that’s just the price of good journalism. That is, until Louis gets to know Harry and realizes he might be kind of perfect.

Featuring Louis as a writer/workaholic, Harry as a plastic surgeon with a heart of gold, Zayn and Niall as Louis’ colleagues and long-suffering best mates, and Liam as everyone’s favorite pediatric surgeon and Harry’s right-hand man.

No Place Without You by fackinglouis (19k) [au, neighbors/roommates, pining, university AU]

Harry's in love with life and he's in love with the world.

Louis' in love with Harry and he doesn't think there's anyway he can possibly compete.

A Wanderlust AU in which Harry doesn't have a permanent home and stays with Louis when he visits NYC.

Pyar dhosti hai (Love is friendship) by backonefish (39k) [au, road trip & travel, angst, pining, fluff, friends to lovers]

When Zayn and Harry's thesis project hits a snag, they feel a bit hopeless. Liam's just gotten out of a relationship. Louis is stuck wondering if Harry will ever open his eyes. And Niall's still searching.

This is a story of love and friendship. Of five boys who travel to India on a quest to find themselves and each other.

Ridiculous by scottmcniceass (24k) [ziam, au, high school AU, enemies to lovers, neighbors/roommates]

They are every cliched high school story. The jock and the rebel. The popular boy and the outsider. They shouldn't fit, and they definitely shouldn't work, but they sort of do anyways.

Sonnets Behind the Flame by jmcats (55k) [au, high school AU, road trip & travel, enemies to lovers]

Liam has been anticipating a weekend away at Louis' family's cabin for years. It's nothing but wilderness, bonfires, football, his best mates, alcohol, and an escape from their last year in Sixth Form. Oh, and Niall has invited Harry Styles and Zayn Malik along. The same Zayn who's a complete prick to Liam's mates. The same Zayn that Liam has spent so many years hating, he doesn't know the reasons anymore.

Suddenly, Liam doesn't think this is such a brilliant idea after all.

The Summertime, The Butterflies, All Belong To Your Creation by PumpkinspiceLou (11k) [au, kid fic, fluff]

When Louis decides to help out a lost little girl at the park, he never expected it would lead him to finding his home.

these wings (are made to fly) by orphan_account (35k) [au, friends to lovers, pining, fluff]

Despite the fact that he’s good at his job, Louis’ problem is that he’s constantly on the move and puts everyone else’s needs before his own. Add probationary crew member Harry Styles into the mix, and Louis is definitely in trouble. Flight attendant AU, minus the mile high club.

this relationship we’re staging by dancesongsoul, lookatyourchoices (44k) [au, pining, fluff]

West End AU in which Louis is a former Royal Shakespeare Company actor looking for his way back to the top, Harry is an actor best known for his work in unknown bits of experimental theatre and being the darling of London's new age theatre scene, and Simon Cowell is the renowned director who brings the two of them together.

to feel your heart as it’s keeping time by wearecities (36k) [lirry, au, bakery AU, fluff]

Harry owns a bakery, Niall and Louis are sickeningly in love, Zayn hates clip-art and Liam’s the only one that laughs at Harry’s jokes.

✨ Two Steps Behind by sacredheart (38k) [au, growing up together, high school AU, pining, fluff, angst]

Louis is two years younger than his neighbors, Harry, Liam, Niall, and Zayn, and he grows up bending over backwards to get their attention and acceptance. Especially Harry's.

✨ we may fall (but we get up again) by jmcats (58k) [ziam, au, weddings, movie AU, enemies to lovers, fluff]

a 27 Dresses AU where Liam is everyone's favorite best man and he just might be madly in love with his boss ... and maybe with an arrogant writer who hates weddings as much as Liam loves them, too

we were boxing the stars by justaboat (30k) [lirry, au, university AU, sports, summer, friends to lovers, friends with benefits, pining]

au. liam and harry play football and their feelings have a bad habit of getting in the way.

✨ what this world is about by isntrio (34k) [au, high school AU, secret relationship, historical/past setting, angst]

An eighties American high school AU; there are first times, football games, and feelings.

Alternatively titled: the beginning.

wild card (nobody, nobody) by dramaturgicallycorrect (30k) [lirry, au, sports, movie AU, sports, fluff]

Harry is Britain’s Best Chance and Liam is a wild card at the Championships, Wimbledon.

you could be my cure by jmcats (41k) [ziam, au, university AU, fluff, prose]

Nothing about Zayn is traditional, especially not the way he falls in love with Liam, or everything before and after that

Yours Faithfully, Friend by badjujuboo (20k) [lirry, au, famous/nonfamous, exes to lovers, pining]

Small gigs turned into larger ones, radio interviews turned into playing on Chatty Man and that Irish program where Niall was treated like a superstar. It got to the stage where even Liam couldn't remember the last full week he'd spent in their home. Harry tried to be there, but it wasn't as if he could come out to every show. The last few times when he would have been able to because they were playing close, Harry'd had exams and Liam understood why Harry couldn'tcome along. He did. Even if it hurt to look up and not see Harry mouthing along to the words, doing his dumb dance moves at the front of the crowd. He just wanted Harry to himself, was all. It was irrational to be annoyed that Harry couldn't be there all the time, no matter how much Liam wanted him to be.

Love is easy, relationships are not. Somewhere along the line, Liam forgot that.

[itbeajen]

Swapped | Game!AU

Companion piece to Omorfos Kosmo

Studying is not efficient in groups. It never was, and perhaps it never will be. You absolutely hated studying in groups. It was even more annoying when the person who had asked your for help decided to let his volleyball teammates tag along. You understood how hard it was to book a study room in the library, but you didn't think he was going to bring so many people with him. You sighed for the nth time as you idly scrolled through your laptop as you listened to them squabble over the correct English term. "For the last time, I'm telling you that's not how you use that word in English." "No! But if you read the definitions, it makes sense!" "Goshiki, Shirabu, don't be so loud in the library," Semi sighed yet again. He glanced over at you. A part of him felt bad that they had invaded the study room you managed to book. Although you had already consented to it prior to the volleyball players knowing you'd be there, he still felt a twinge of guilt as you had purposely sat at the very corner of the room in order to not disturb them. It wasn't as though you didn't know them, you surely did, after all, you were one of the candidates for the manager position. But you had ultimately ended up choosing your own club activities over volleyball, much to the disappointment of Tendou and Goshiki, both of them know you can play volleyball after all. "[F/N]-chan," Tendou cooed your name, and Semi watches in amusement when your face scrunches up in annoyance and you unwillingly remove an earbud. "Yes, Tendou-senpai?" "You can speak English right? Help us on correcting our grammar." "Senpai..." you sighed, "I'm not your tutor, I'm helping Tsutomu-kun."

You purposely say his name loud enough for him to hear you from the other end of the room and you raise your eyebrows at him. He gulped and muttered, "Excuse me, Shirabu-senpai." The setter watched with a smug smirk as you went over his worksheets and you give him a thin smile, "Why is it that you're still messing up the same stuff I taught you just a few moments ago?" "Shirabu-senpai said I was wrong on those parts! I told him I wasn't and-" Goshiki stops complaining though when he sees your narrow your eyes at the setter. Something about him always rubbed you in the wrong way, maybe it was because he was so blatantly rude sometimes, or just blunt. Too blunt. You rolled your eyes, unknowingly doing it right at him before turning back to Goshiki. "Here, if you do this..." Shirabu's smug smirk fades away upon seeing your attitude. Semi watched as the second year setter basically regarded you the same way he would to Goshiki; annoying, troublesome, meddlesome - those are just some of the words he'd probably use. But when Goshiki leaves your small little tutoring island, he seems a bit happier, his steps lighter as he revises yet another English assignment. But you appeared a bit more tired, as though tutoring Goshiki was literally draining the energy out of you. I just wanna go home and play Omorfos already. You pouted as you idly scrolled through your laptop again. You were expressionless as you read over notes and watched video lectures on certain topics that were stumping you. Tendou was seated in front of you, not bothering you, but clearly doing his work and occasionally asking you to revise his English. Which didn't make much sense to Semi, because last time he checked, Tendou was the best of the third years in that subject. "Ne, [F/N]-chan," Tendou asked and you looked up from your notebook, adorably tilting your head to one side, "Do you play any games?" Almost immediately, Semi sighed and muttered, "Why would she play games? She's a straight A student and she's in choir." "I do," you responded, taking everyone by surprise. It was no secret that the entire volleyball team played MMORPG's together, and it was definitely no secret that they slowly dragged the other sports in Shiratorizawa to join them. Tendou's eyes lit up with mischief and curiosity and he asked, "What kind?!" "Handhelds," you responded. Not a lie, but certainly not the whole truth. You give him a small smile, and asked, "Why do you ask, Tendou-senpai?" "Mmm, I thought it'd be neat if you joined us in playing a new MMORPG." "A new one?" you parroted. You were pretty sure you knew which one he was talking about though. You've heard Goshiki excitedly talking about it once and you almost choked on your lunch that day. You were forever grateful that no one besides Kenma and Tsukishima knew of your gaming habits. I can't even imagine how the volleyball dorks would respond if they knew I played Omorfos as well. Tendou nodded eagerly, and he said, "It's called Omorfos Kosmo. It's a pretty new MMORPG, it's pretty fun! There's like five different classes and the gameplay is really cool too! There's like-" "Let her study, Tendou." Ushijima cuts in. He glances at you and you blink in surprise. Huh, he hasn't said a word all day now that I think about it. Must be really into studying. "But Wakatoshi! If she can't be our manager, wouldn't it be neat if she could play games with us and be our strategist?!" "But I'm the current strategist," Shirabu muttered and Tendou laughed, "Not for long. I gather intel at a much faster rate than you do." Shirabu frowned and he muttered, "That's because you have that one mercenary friend of yours." "Oh yeah, Ying is the absolute best, she's even helping me master crafting!" Tendou exclaimed happily. You stared at him in slight shock, although you were desperately hoping none of that was being portrayed. Hold. On. The person I'm helping with crafting is... Guess. No way, that means... You wanted to hit yourself in the face. I should have known that there was something overly familiar with him. Oh my god, and I've been so rude to just call him Guess... Wait, but there's no honorifics in that game anyways. "[F/N]-chan?" Tendou called your name again and you finally snapped out of your thoughts and you looked at him, properly, this time and he smirked, "What's wrong?" Immediately your face scrunched up in disgust and you muttered, "Nothing, you're distracting me from studying, Tendou-senpai." "But [F/N]-chan!!" "Tendou, leave her alone, she clearly feels uncomfortable," Semi finally spoke up. The look of relief that flashed across your features did not go unnoticed by the former main setter and he gives you a small smile which you returned tenfold. Tendou pouted as he made his way over to Semi, "But Semi-Semi, it's so fun teasing [F/N]-chan." "She was clearly uncomfortable," Semi repeats with a sigh. He'd never understand Tendou.

Ying: You're in a good mood today Guess. Guess: Ololo, you can tell? Ying: Yes, you've been singing into the voice chat for the past hour. Guess: You should sing with me. Let me hear your lovely voice Ying! Ying: I don't have a mic, so nope. I'll just deal with listening to you. You watched as Tendou's character jumped around randomly as he bothered other people in town by running around them in circles. You stared at your computer screen, a part of you was too tired to do any real training, but another part of you really wanted to figure out that AI for the new raid boss. Guess has entered the voice chat. "Ying," Tendou called your in game name softly, and you were surprised by the tone of his voice. It was always so loud and, if you could describe it as such, eccentric that this soft tone was something you weren't used to. Ying: What? "Can you confirm for me that you're a female?" Ying: . . . Ying: I am. --" "I mean, well," Tendou sheepishly laughed, "My guild mates don't believe me." Ying: Geez, what do you want me to do? "I don't know, talk to me." You hesitated and looked at your mic and then typed in, But no mic. "Yingggg, I want confirmation," Tendou whined. You laughed, and quickly retorted, You won't lose anything if you don't get confirmation though. "Well, no," Tendou sighed, "Is it weird if I told you I'd like to meet you in person?" Ying: Yes. Ying: Sorry Guess. Ying: >< I'm just not comfortable with that. "I guess I crossed the boundary limits, huh?" he chuckled and he asked, "What am I allowed to know then?" Ying: I'm a first year in high school somewhere in Japan. "Oh? So you're younger." Ying: Should I call you senpai? "Ew, no," Tendou laughed, "I like it how it is. Just calling each other by our names." Ying: Haha, okie. Well, I have dinner, I'll talk to you later Guess. "Bye bye Ying." You logged off the voice chat, completely shutting off your laptop in the process as you threw on your Shiratorizawa jacket, only to pause. You looked at your hands, noticing the jacket was much longer than you last remembered and you blinked. So did I shrink? Or did my jacket grow? You flailed your arms around and looked around your dorm room. Mm, but too lazy to fish out another jacket. This is probably one of the volleyball members. You gently took it off and inspected it, and you nodded upon noticing there was no choir logo on it. Oh yeah, definitely a volleyball member's. Oh well, I'm sure I'll run into Goshiki at the dining hall. "That's not your sweater," a dorm mate commented as they passed by you. You pout and you shoved your hands awkwardly into the pockets. You were wearing a mere black tshirt and gym shorts underneath and you sighed, "I know, I probably mixed it up at the study session earlier today." "Well, good luck finding your sweater." "Thanks," you muttered as you made your way towards the dining hall.

"Ara? What'd you do to your jacket, Shirabu?" "It's. Not. Mine," he muttered in between bites. It was one of the rare times the entire volleyball team grabbed dinner together, and of course, Shirabu's jacket went missing. The jacket he currently had on him was a bit too small for him. His entire arm wasn't covered, with the skin just before his wrist exposed, and of course, the embroidery of "Soprano" was listed on the right shoulder. He had originally worn it all day until someone in his dorm had pointed out that they never knew Shirabu had a girlfriend, let alone one in choir. The poor boy was so flustered and confused, it wasn't until he took it off that he realized it wasn't his. Goshiki sat down, and his eyes widened, "Isn't that [L/N]'s jacket?" "Is it?" Shirabu asked as he raised his arms. He didn't bother taking it off though, the air conditioning was too strong to take it off. Goshiki nodded and he said, "I need to tell her, she's been bothering me about it since she noticed." Shirabu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does that mean she has mine?"

Let's see... Tsutomu said that he's eating near the back with the volleyball members... I was planning on getting just a to-go box and leaving right after, but... you stared at your sleeves. Yeah I guess I'll have to return this and hope they have my jacket. You quickly dialed up his number, waiting for him to answer, but was instead met with a slightly different voice. "Hello?" you cautiously asked, and the person responded, "Oh, Goshiki went to grab more food, and left his phone here. We're sitting at the very back." "Oh... uhm, okay," you dully responded, extremely confused with what just happened. On the other end, Semi places the phone down, and looks up as Goshiki comes back, "[L/N] called." "Ah! She did!? Did you tell her where we are?" Goshiki asked as he frantically pulled up your name on his messenger. He sees Semi nod and he lets out a breath of relief. "Oh thank god, I was worried that-" "Tsutomu," your voice cuts him off, and the entire volleyball team is staring at the way the jacket hung off you loosely, and you glanced around, "Do you know whose-" "That's mine," Shirabu muttered from behind you. He had also went to grab more food and you turned around, only to be face-to-face face to chest with the setter. You took a step back, and you glanced at him and your eyes widened, "Ah, that's my jacket!" "Yes, I figured as much," he responded as he placed his food down. He shrugged the jacket off and handed it over, "Here." You nod, gently taking his off and passing it to him in exchange for yours and you muttered your thanks. You slipped on your jacket and you mumble as you glance at the sleeve, "It's a bit longer now." Shirabu flushed pink and looked away, and you teased, "I wonder why." "Sh-shut up!" Your laughter shocked most of the team and you waved a lazy good-bye, "I'll see you guys around. Good luck on your future matches." "You should come watch us [F/N]-chan!" Tendou smiled lazily and you turned back, flashing them a quick smile, "Maybe I will." Bonus: "What's wrong [F/N]? You've been pulling at your jacket sleeves for a while now," your dorm mate asked as she sat down to eat with you. She noticed your cheeks were slightly pink and she teased, "Oh? Did something happen with Tsutomu-san?" Almost immediately, the pink tinge was gone and you blanched, "Oh my god. No. Tsutomu is like my brother, what in the world?" "Then?" she asked and pointed her spoon at you, "You've been acting kind of weird since you got your jacket back. What's wrong?" "No it just..." you hesitate and shook your head, "It's nothing." Your friend frowns and sighs, "Okay, whatever. I'll let you off this time." You gratefully smiled at her, but every time you brought your hand back up you couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed. God damn it, I kind of like the sleeves longer now.

"Shirabu," Ushijima called their setter's name with hints of concern laced in it. The copper haired setter looked at him in surprise and the captain asked, "Are you feeling okay?" "Yes, why?" "Your face is all red!" Tendou teased and continued, "Is it because of-" "It's not!" Shirabu furiously denied it. But he couldn't help but admit, that his jacket did smell slightly nicer for the rest of that evening.

[bombshellinfo]

Real life Tips for a Better Work-Life Balance

It's so secret—managing all the things you have to do as an adult is a challenge. From doing your best on the job to taking care of yourself (and, if you have them, your kids) to trying to see friends and stay sane, we know you've got a lot on your plate.And while it's up for debate whether you can "have it all," you certainly ought to be able to balance everything you've got and live a happy, fulfilling life. To help you out in that pursuit, we've gathered some of the best advice out there on maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Read the tips below, and start implementing some of them today.

Managing Your Time

1. The most game-changing advice I’ve gotten is this: If you’re truly going to act on your priorities, you need to dedicate time to them. So, I took a weekly calendar and some crayons, and mapped out my priorities to create a “typical” week, with time dedicated to each of my priorities: exercise, work, family time, and so forth. I started with the “big rocks:” the most important and least flexible responsibilities (I learned this trick from Stephen Covey). For me, these were work and my children’s sports schedules. Then, I decided when I get my best work done. For example, I knew that my job required time for “deep-thinking” work, so I dedicated one day per week to be meeting-free. Alix Hughes2. One of the biggest struggles is fitting it all in to 24 hours. Waking up at 4 AM gives me extra hours in the day, and this quiet time allows me to complete projects before the house wakes up. Hannah Morgan3. To make time for hobbies, passions, and relationships outside of work, I've made sure to have a short version of what I'd ideally love to do for busy weeks. I'd rather have a nice long dinner with a friend if I can, but during a busy week, catching a 45-minute coffee during the day is better than not seeing friends at all. I love biking, but it requires more time than I have most weeks, so I've picked up running (reluctantly), since I can do it when I just have 20 minutes. Alex Cavoulacos @dailymuse reduce or eliminate multi-tasking. Be where you are!— kylie sachs (@tismoi) November 24, 20135. Instead of multi-tasking, I look for ways to overlap things. Best example: When my kids were little, I had no time for hobbies, but I was dying to try birdwatching. So I introduced it to my seven-year old son, thinking he might like it, too. He was hooked, and so we started doing birdwatching together. It became the perfect overlap of time together with a hobby for me. Kate White6. We need to elongate the time frame upon which we judge the balance in our life, but we need to elongate it without falling into the trap of the "I'll have a life when I retire, when my kids have left home, when my wife has divorced me, my health is failing, I've got no mates or interests left." A day is too short; "after I retire" is too long. There's got to be a middle way. Nigel Marsh

Taking Time for You

7. It's important to remember that free time doesn't have to be available time. In other words, just because Wednesday night is empty on your calendar, doesn't mean you have to say "yes" when your co-worker asks you to go to an event with her. It’s important to remind yourself that you can turn invitations down for no other reason than you want that time to yourself, that your free time can be just that—free. Erin Greenawald8. When I have a good chunk of time to myself, I sometimes feel obligated to use it to get other things done, like errands or phone calls—but I’ve learned that the only way to use that time to truly reduce my stress level is to do something totally for me. A yoga class or quick burst of exercise is a good method to calm your spinning head, or enjoy some light-hearted TV or an ice cream or coffee date with a friend. You could also spend an hour playing with the puppies at the pet store, indulging in the total silence of a library, or browsing for random treasures at a thrift store. Jessica Taylor9. I block out "me time" in the early evening. Even if I know that I'm going to get back online later and work, I realized that I'm a lot more likely to go to the gym, see friends, or cook myself a real dinner if I give myself 7-9 PM "off" to do those things before getting back online. If I finish all my work first, or even "just do my high priority work"—it's 11 PM before I stop, and I am realistically not going to go to the gym or call anyone up or even cook, I'm just going to finish my work for the night and crash. Melissa McCreery@dailymuse I use my lunchtime to do some fun stuff - short market/store trips current fave #worklifebalancetips— Kitchenbutterfly (@Kitchnbutterfly) November 23, 201311. Even if I’m feeling busy, I remind myself that time away from work and the computer is energizing and important. Scheduling downtime requires a combination of time management (deciding when else to get the work done), working ahead when possible (so I have more time later), and keeping a to-do list. Miriam Salpeter 

Having a Social Life

12. While you usually reserve fun things for the weekends, plan at least one enjoyable activity during the week. You'll be able to head into your work week with something to look forward to and have a way to blow off some steam if the week starts off too strong. Katie Douthwaite@dailymuse I look for activities that incorporate work and play so I can kill two birds with one stone, such as mixers and networking events — Desirée M. (@ImDesi) November 23, 201314. Schedule recurring social activities, like a monthly book club or weekly dinner with your best friends. By having regular activities like this written into your calendar, you'll be able to plan around them (instead of planning your social life around work).@dailymuse Set times for yourself. If you reserve an evening for plans with friends/family, you'll focus more during the day.— Melanie Albert (@melealbert) November 24, 2013

Managing Work

16. You’ll be hard pressed to find a boss who will object too much to you working on your off hours (unless she’s required to by law), but that same boss will be just as impressed if you can do the work in the eight (OK, 10) hours each day you’re there already. Make the most of the time you have in the office, and leave the rest for tomorrow. Jennifer Winter17. If you start telling people you need to leave at a certain time, you’ll be much more likely to do so. Make the commitment to yourself, and then share it with others: As you discuss plans and assignments throughout the day, tell your colleagues, “I’ve got to be out of here on time tonight, so if you need something, let me know by 3 PM.” Try this method one day, then another, and then the next. Eventually, you’ll retrain your colleagues to expect you to leave on time every day. Lea McLeod18. Ever find yourself staying at work because you don't have a reason not to? Make reasons to leave. Join groups or sign up for exercises classes that meet after work so you have to sign out at a reasonable hour. Make plans with friends ahead of time so you can't back out and just stick around the office.@dailymuse Methods of #renewal(meditation) coupled with finding projects in the work environment that are #enjoyable help maintain balance— Paul A. Mabelis (@CognitiveLibert) November 23, 201320. You have to plan when you'll leave the office from the beginning of the day. That means understanding what needs to get done for the day and getting it done first so you aren't scrambling after hours to finish up. Also, block out the last 20 minutes before you plan to leave to wrap up loose ends, so you aren't trying to send "one more email" after you were already supposed to head out of the office.21. Sometimes when you feel surrounded by work, it’s because, well, you’re surrounding yourself with work. So, be deliberate about taking time before work, after work, or on your lunch break to step away from the office. Call your significant other, your mom, or your best friend, and ask what’s going on with them, avoiding the temptation to discuss anything even remotely work-related. Your job may be your focus for the rest of the day, but for a few minutes, move it to the back burner and focus on something (anything) else. Sara McCord22. Consider some highlights of your perfect day. What would you really enjoy doing? What’s absolutely necessary for you to get done? Identify what tools or extras would make the mandatory work easier to complete. Aromatherapy while you grade papers? A powerful run? Figure out what can help you, and build it into your day. Natalie Jesionka

Enjoying Weekends and Vacation

23. Instead of saving all of your life chores for Sunday, get them out of the way as soon as possible, either by doing them first thing Saturday morning or dispersing them throughout the week. That way, instead of spending your last few hours of free time on Sunday night scrubbing the bathtub, you'll be able to fill it with something fun and relaxing. Katie Douthwaite24. Carve out some time on the weekends—at least a few hours, but ideally a whole day—to stay away from screens. Put your computer and phone away and turn off the TV, then do something physical or creative that you really love. Go for a run. Draw. Write. Your mind will be a little more refreshed and a little sharper by the end of it.25. I always faced a double-edged sword on the weekends: I loved the feeling of being ahead on Monday morning if I worked during the weekend, but I hated the feeling of losing any of my precious weekend to work. Then, I started doing some of the more mindless work on my plate while I watched a movie on Sunday nights. I still felt like I got a full weekend, but felt ahead of the game come Monday morning. Erin Greenawald@dailymuse Using my vacation time! For me traveling is relaxing and mentally enriching. I come back to work happier and more focused.— Brandi Kolmer (@brandikolmer) November 23, 201327. The nature of many jobs is that there will never be an easy time to take time off, no matter how well you plan for it in advance. But that's no reason to not go at all. It's in your employer's best interests to have well-rested and recharged employees, and vacation time is a benefit that you've earned, just like salary, so you should use it. So instead of waiting for the perfect time—which may never come along—decide that you will use your vacation time this year, and make the question one of what accommodations should be made, rather than whether accommodations can be made. Alison Green28. Before you leave for vacation, ask your boss if she expects you to check emails or listen to voice messages while you’re gone. While it’s often necessary to stay at least a little connected, make sure you proactively set some boundaries. Feel free to let your boss know that you’ll only be able to check your phone and email occasionally—say, once a day, or a few times a week. Most bosses will be fine if you only respond to critical messages until after you return to the office. Lynze Wardle Lenio29. If you don't have enough PTO to take a full vacation, try taking a day off here and there for a stay-cation or long weekend. It may not seem like much, but taking just a day or two to break out of the 9-to-5 grind can do wonders.

Making Time for Family

30. There is a phrase used by Hillary Clinton that stems from an African proverb: “It takes a village.” And it does! Getting comfortable with others lending you a hand helps not only to give you comfort that your kids are in good hands, but it helps take the stress away. I chose to have live-in help because I had an unpredictable schedule, lots of travel, late hours, and evening entertaining, and I couldn’t have someone who had to look at the clock or bus schedule. But no matter what type of babysitter, nanny, or daycare choices you make, accepting that you just cannot do it all, single-handedly, is the key. Cathie Black31. When my baby was five months old, my husband and I decided to sleep train him (which basically meant letting him cry it out for three nights in a row). Those nights were extremely hard, but the upside has been nothing short of amazing. Not only do I know that each night from 7:30 PM to 6:30 AM I'll have time to do whatever I want—eat dinner with my husband, catch up on email, watch House of Cards—but our son is so much more rested and in all around better spirits. I know sleep training can be controversial, but as a working parent, I have no doubt it was one of the best things I've done for myself, my relationship, and my baby. Dorothy McGivney32. If you or your parenting partner is able to web-surf at work, use your downtime to set up auto-ship services for the essentials: diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, and so on. Services like Amazon Prime and Diapers.com sell these items on the cheap, and they’ll be delivered to your door with free shipping. Rikki Rogers33. Flexible hours enabled by technology can allow parents to perform well at their jobs and take care of young children at the same time. If you're an employee, talk with your boss about how working from home could boost your productivity, remembering to share some specific examples of how your work will improve. Richard Branson

Getting Chores Done

34. Make your grocery run as efficient as possible by making a list coordinated to aisles or store sections. Take advantage of coupon apps (many grocery stores have them). And if the whole family has to come along, get everyone involved: If you can walk, you can shop. Rikki Rogers35. By doing my least favorite chore at the beginning of each week, it feels entirely more manageable, not to mention frees me of the burden throughout the rest of my week. The feeling of work burnout tends to increase as the week moves forward, so by frontloading your work week evenings with your least favorite tasks, you can reserve the more enjoyable work night activities for the end of the week. Monday is for laundry, Tuesday is for vacuuming and bills, Wednesday is for dry cleaning, Thursday is for a DVR marathon. And so on. Rachell Buell36. When trying to fit more in, minimize the amount of time doing anything you have to do. Try setting a goal to have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less. You'd be surprised how many things can be cooked in 25-30 minutes, and it's a surefire way of getting time back several times a week. Bonus points for cooking several meals' worth on Sunday night and only having five minutes of reheat time.37. Get creative with what chores you can outsource (and therefore avoid!). There are plenty of services out there that will take care of your least favorite tasks for you, from cleaning and cooking to laundry and shopping. Check out our list of tasks to outsource now to get you started Read the full article

[gamingtipsandtrickshacks]

A (brief) history of PlayStation football • Eurogamer.net

Wesley Yin-Poole

Deputy Editor

@wyp100

Last night, following Manchester United's 3-0 Champions League group game victory against Basel, manager Jose Mourinho expressed his anger at the way his side had played.

The demanding Portuguese said his players played with too much confidence and, well, took the piss a bit.

"We were playing fantasy football, PlayStation football, flicks," Mourinho said. "I don't like it. We gambled a little bit, but football is football and you have to respect your opponent.

"I don't know if goal difference will play a part. We lost position, our shape, we lost balls in easy situations. I didn't like it, the players relaxed too much."

While Mourinho's comments come across as a tad harsh, he's not the first manager to blast his players for playing "PlayStation football". In fact, the Premier League and PlayStation have a bit of a history.

Mourinho's latest jibe got me thinking about other times PlayStation has come up in real-world football. My list includes multiple references to Sony's console - some hilarious, some ridiculous and some downright pointless. But throughout it all remember this: the thing about Arsenal is, they always try to walk it in.

Gary Neville versus David Luiz, aka David Lolz

Regular readers may be aware that I'm a Chelsea fan. I also love David Luiz to bits. But even I can see angry pundit Gary Neville had a point when he likened Luiz's performance in Chelsea's November 2011 defeat at Liverpool to "being controlled by a 10-year-old on a PlayStation".

The flamboyant Brazilian defender is like that. He's about as PlayStation a footballer you can get. He often does incredible things (that free kick against Liverpool, for example), but every now and then he makes a mistake that costs us a goal. But the Bridge would be a poorer place without him. In fact it was, while Luiz played for PSG for a bit.

In any case, Luiz is no longer the PlayStation footballer he was. Under Antonio Conte and in a 3-5-2 formation, he's become one of the best defenders in the league. So now he's just a bit mad and also very very good, which is ideal.

Anyway, here's the inevitable Gary Neville backtrack.

Roy Hodgson versus Wayne Rooney

Back in August 2013, then England boss Roy Hodgson (who's now managing Crystal Palace somehow) warned Wayne Rooney not to chat to left back Ashley Cole about a rumoured move from Manchester United to Chelsea while playing... PlayStation.

Hodgson, in his infinite wisdom, didn't want England players thinking about anything other than performing terribly for England. So, he ordered they leave their club rivalries at the main gates and ignore the conversations around the PlayStation, which it seems is the football version of the water cooler.

"I don't know whether it's nave, but Ashley Cole and Wayne are quite close friends and I'm sure David Moyes knows that as well," Hodgson said.

"If they aren't speaking in the hotel they will be speaking on the phone. I do accept a duty of care and I will try to make it clear to the players of Manchester United and Chelsea that they will be with England now.

"As far as we're concerned you can speak as much as you like to each other, but during these two or three days this is about England versus Scotland and the matches beyond that.

"I don't expect anybody for one minute to fracture their concentration from what's important.

"Both David Moyes and Jose Mourinho have been very supportive and fully understand my position."

In the end, Rooney stayed at Manchester United. Didn't help David Moyes much, though.

Petr Cech versus Rock Band

Here's an odd one. Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech loves playing the drums. He even has his own YouTube channel in which he, yep, plays the drums. And he's pretty good! But did you know he got into playing the drums after ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini introduced him to Rock Band on PlayStation? Here's the quote:

"I never played any instrument before and I never had a music lesson or anything like that. But then once with Carlo Cudicini we played Rock Band on the PlayStation and I jumped on the drums without ever playing it before.

"I had so much fun and realised how much I enjoyed it because I love music in general. I was always listening to music but I realised that actively participating in the song you enjoy listening to was even better.

"Then he told me to get the digital drum kit so that I could put the iPod in and play along to songs for fun and relaxation."

Cech reckons playing the drums has made him a better keeper. "You need to find a way to co-ordinate things and, once you learn how to programme your brain to do that, it helps you to co-ordinate even for football," he said.

So there you have it. PlayStation made Petr Cech a better goalkeeper, or something.

Chile versus Lionel Messi

In July 2015, Chile were set to face Argentina in the Copa America final. The problem was, Argentina had Lionel Messi, probably the greatest footballer ever, to contend with. To combat Messi, Chile had their players play on a PlayStation. That's about as detailed as the reports got, but here's the quote from coach Jorge Sampaoli anyway:

"We have a simulation program that uses PlayStation technology and allows players to move the team around the pitch using a joystick. We can tell a player: 'We are going to press in 4-4-2' and the software shows us how that will work against our rival."

Apparently want-away Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez put more hours in than most. It all sounds pretty silly, but whatever went on behind the scenes worked, as Chile won the final in a penalty shootout. That's the true power of PlayStation right there.

Messi's player rating in FIFA 18. Fair enough, really.

Messi versus everyone

While we're on Messi, the Barcelona great is so overpowered, Arsene Wenger once described him as a PlayStation player. In 2014, then Barcelona boss Luis Enrique said Messi did things in training "I have not even seen on the PlayStation".

"He does things in training that I have not even seen... on the PlayStation,' Enrique said with a dramatic pause.

Messi, the quintessential PlayStation footballer. What a legend.

David James versus Tomb Raider

This one's a classic. Back in the mid 90s, England and Liverpool goalkeeper suffered a dip in form that led some to label him "Calamity James". His response? Blame PlayStation.

Specifically, Tomb Raider and Tekken 2, which, James said, had been keeping him up all night - and it was that video game binge that led him to play terribly in a 4-3 victory over Newcastle in 1997.

"I was getting carried away playing Tekken II and Tomb Raider for hours on end," James said. Right mate.

Romelu Lukaku versus a PS3 controller

Romelu Lukaku is known for terrorising defenders, but back in October 2013 he terrorised a PlayStation pad. Why? Because he lost a game of FIFA.

While preparing to take on Aston Villa's defence while playing for Everton, the striker smashed up a PS3 pad after he lost at FIFA 14 to then teammate Kevin Mirallas. He posted a picture of the damaged goods on Instagram. Ouch.

Careful, Lukaku. Those PlayStation controllers cost, what, 30? That's like, 10 seconds of your time or something.

Arsenal versus Norwich

If ever there was a PlayStation goal scored, it was Jack Wilshere's strike against Norwich in 2013.

The goal involved wonderful one-touch passing that bamboozled the Norwich defense and culminated in a first-time caress into the back of the net by the once-full of potential Wilshere. It's a beautiful goal - one of that season's best, and Arsenal through and through.

After the match, Arsenal's German star Mesut Ozil praised his teammates:

"I've got to praise the three players involved for the first goal. It was real 'tiki-taka' - almost like they were playing PlayStation! It was an unbelievable goal."

Chelsea versus Amiga

This one doesn't have anything to do with PlayStation but as a Chelsea fan I had to include it. Back in the day, before Roman Abramovich's billions dragged Chelsea into the big time, before Autoglass and before Coors, we were sponsored by Amiga. Yep, that's right, the Commodore Amiga. The retro 1993/94 Umbro Chelsea shirt is one I still have hanging inside my wardrobe. And around that time I was playing video games on an Amiga, too. An Amiga 1200 in fact. Theme Park, The Secret of Monkey Island, that sort of thing.

Why have I brought this up? A couple of reasons. I wanted our younger readers (we have those, right?) to know that video games and football go back further than PlayStation, and I wanted an excuse to publish this picture of ex-Chelsea goalkeeper Dmitri Kharine, which is quite something.

Got any cool PlayStation meets real football stories? If so, let us know about them in the comments.

[brudenellgrooveleeds-blog]

Behind the Decks: Luce

First up in our new Behind the Decks series, we spoke to one of our favourite selectors to have burst onto the Leeds scene in the last year, the wonderful Lucy Williams. Set to make her BG debut at HiFi tomorrow, Luce will be bringing sonic splendours to our favourite funk and soul basement as we raise money for SARSVL and Leeds Women’s Aid. Bubbling with excitement, we sent Ed Gordon to find out a bit more about her musical tastes and attempt to uncover a few of her secrets. 

Hi Lucy, thanks for agreeing to sit down with me and talk about yourself ahead of this Friday. Firstly tell us about yourself, perhaps just a quick and basic introduction for those who don’t know you. Well, I’m Lucy. I’m Luce when I play records. I’m 21. I study textiles at Leeds College of Art. I’ve lived in 6 different places, mostly farms in the countryside surrounding across the country then mainly York but I’ve found my home in Leeds. I like weird and strange music. Is that enough?

  ~~  A party starter? liem - If only (Lehult) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82NUfPBHxYs   

That’s a lovely, well rounded introduction. Let’s waste no time and get into the details! What would you say got you into music originally and do you have any early influences from childhood who have shaped your tastes today?

I don’t really know what made me start to purchase records as I didn’t have decks or anything, and I never ever saw myself being any sort of DJ really. But I just started to buy them as little personal tokens maybe, of songs and sounds. I really liked from the first record store I visited - YAM Records in Peckham. After a while I had all these records lying around the house and owning them was still very important and personal thing to me even without the decks. When I was still at that stage, everything I bought was for myself and my shyness stopped me from putting myself and my collection out there. I just didn’t feel the need or want to. It simply didn’t occur to me to take my collection and go to anyone’s house and listen to them as I didn’t see why anyone would want to listen to them. I think the one of those moments for me which defined my attitude and I guess what started me playing was something my old boss did for me. Whilst I’ve always been a little shy about my hobby of collecting music, after a while he was someone with whom I felt somewhat comfortable for the starting to discuss music and the fact I collect records. I think he mentioned early on that he collected himself for a number of years, and DJ’d big parties in sheffield and other cities, and yet the fact he was always so receptive to the things I had to say music-wise made me see myself and music in a new light. Eventually he ended up telling me that he had some turntables just gathering dust in his garage and he offered to lend them to me. I honestly couldn’t accept this gift! Maybe at the time I could see myself having one and I would have been content just listening to a record at at time as I never thought it was possible for me to play on a pair. But he was insistent. He said just to take them and use them, practice and get playing as they weren't getting any use anyway. It’s thanks to his generosity that I’m here playing. I probably would have eventually saved up and bought one, but I think having the pair and mixer really gave me the confidence to just start experimenting.

~~ The record you play the most often? Solange - Mustang ~~

Wow, I guess we all have to thank your old boss! It’s nice that he seemed to recognise your passion and drive and give you the tools to get to where you are so early on. What was coming to uni and starting to play music and getting involved with the scene like?

Yes, I’m very thankful to him and I’m really not sure I’d be playing in the way I do without him doing that for me. When I first came to university I was put into halls at liberty park, there were a bunch of guys that me and my flat mate Heidi met, who were into their music as well. From the start we were wanting to go out and explore the music scene, and we did go out a lot; nearly every weekend there was something on and we went to things during the week as well. The guys in particular all liked to DJ. Within the young DJ scene from the rave/club culture scene I started to notice there was this definite divide between the genders and this is where the male dominancy started to stand out for me from seeing no females playing at any of the nights we were going to. Whilst it was nice to be around all these new tastes, experiences and knowledge which did impact and rub off on me, I still felt like that I just didn’t know what I was talking about and had nothing really to input maybe realising now more than at the time that this was because I was the minority gender wise which was intimidating and just not confident or outspoken enough. Maybe because I didn’t know any different I think I just accepted this is how things were and didn’t even know how to start or to get involved or play music. I kind of felt embarrassed talking about records because I don’t know maybe because of a mix between the lack of confidence and things I was noticing within the scene. My house mate Meg asked me to play at her exhibition and this got me into playing in a different environment other than my room, which was a nice introduction I guess, and I liked doing favours for people and she and the other girls in my house at the time were always really complimentary of my collection! I then got asked to play at the bar for a few more nights by the owners, but they were quite picky on what genre they wanted, which i really didn’t want to adapt to. I never played digital so the option to magic new records out of nowhere obviously wasn’t going to happen. And the idea of scrapping playing my own tunes and not retaining my ~artistic integrity~?! Na, no thanks, I scrapped that and got put off for a bit.

It’s been awhile since then so what happened to change that? Are there any other influences would you say helped you get to where you are in a more positive way?

I couldn’t place my finger on it or work out what was missing from my experience of the music scene, there was always something on and i’d be up for experiencing new DJs as well as most of my favourites leeds had to offer. One day I thought back to my roots of when I first started going to festivals and leaving york to visit other cities to experience a range of music before coming to leeds.  For me it was always about the music first and I think I was just going to nights and places because others were, or I wanted to be social and not alone. I think once I realised this, I had a little head-shift and I started to reassess why I was going out and how to really enjoy myself. Last easter when everyone had gone home I went out on my own this enabled me to focus on the music and not be bothered about getting fucked up. I  just started losing myself in the music and having the best time in the world doing so. Not having anyone around me to judge or distract me made this a totally different experience and I was finally beginning to understand it. I bumped into Raf Bogan who I vaguely knew at the time from going into Outlaws, He introduced me to his house mate George on a night and invited me back to his for an afters. But there was something about him and his friends that I’d never really felt before and I wasn’t sure what it was, but it compelled me to go back to his and listen to some records with him and his friends oh and of course Alex T was in the situation haha! I remember having a really nice time and I think what was conducive to this was simply a combination of the lack of pretentiousness, and that they were so inclusive. We were all just sitting back and chilling and taking it in turn to put some records on. Whilst I didn’t get involved there was no macho ‘fighting’ to play a tune; everyone just seemed to be content to sit there and enjoy each other's music and I felt much more at home in this situation. There was barely even any mixing going on, and I enjoyed that. After this happened a few more times I mentioned that I owned some records the reaction I got was needed when they enthusiastically invited me to bring them over and play them.

~~ Your most interesting/weird tune? Ralph Mcdonald - The Path  ~~

Keep going! You’ve just suddenly exploded over the Leeds scene. Tell me all about getting started with this and why do you think this is? Hahaha I don’t think I’ve exploded but I’m playing a fair few gigs at the moment at least which is kinda crazy really! Quite early on I got invited to play a Leftovers which is this monthly sort-of techno night at Hyde Park Book Club. I think book club are great at putting on all these little dinky, local based and driven events. I’ve had some stuff displayed there from an art collective (Imprint) that me and my course mate Alice set up together . Something that I remember from early on is the guy who invited me to play (Ryan) said I don’t actually have to play techno at all and it can simply be an experimental set, and I think this breaking down of rules and boundaries was liberating in the sense that i could literally be myself and not have to impress anyone and express my music as if it was an art piece. I still haven’t properly learned to beatmatch as that was something that a lot of dudes are obsessed about, and I think my refusal to engage with that so far has just been my way of giving a fat middle finger to the establishment and anyone who says that I have to do things in a certain way and be confined by their rules. I’ve always enjoyed just really fucking around with sound and I think that’s what drew me to playing records so much. Having that ‘touch factor’ is something that can’t be emulated in any other way, even by a CDJ. Ill often touch, slowdown, twist and turn my records to get them to make sounds you’d never normally hear and that’s something that I want to bring with me when I play rather than just hearing a load of songs just beatmatched. I’ll change the mode of the sound and just make things a bit strange, but that’s how I like it.  Anyway, I played this leftovers set in my fashion and people seemed to really enjoy it! It was so nice to have a positive response to something so personal! Since then I’ve been invited to play a number of occasions, all of which I’m enjoying so much. And in addition, I think by playing in my way and being a girl that’s doing strange things, hopefully I’m helping to bring a small change to the Leeds Scene as it were. ~~ Your best random find? Tapan - The City  ~~

I think you could be quite right there. I’ve actually had the pleasure of playing with you for a long b2b the first time we properly met at Love Muscle and I was enamoured with your selections and the way in which you played them. For me personally it was such a refreshing way to think about music and DJing. But what do you think about the current state of the Leeds scene as a female DJ who’s now recognised and playing out? I think there are still so many barriers to overcome similar to the ones I’ve faced, and ones I’m still facing today, but In Leeds in particular I’ve noticed something is stirring and changing all these preconceived notions. Raf and George, Ed Keys crib the broken Mechanics lot, recently Dom (D.Glare) have all been so encouraging of me and my tunes that I can’t help but feel a bit of confidence finally. Joe Gill and Sean down at outlaws have got me down there a few times to play which has been a sweet opportunity as its chilled, lovely environment lets me practice and do what I want really! And I’m also thinking that the way that you guys (Brudenell Groove) and Michael (Love Muscle) are doing parties and breaking down barriers in a really positive way is fundamentally altering the way that people are suddenly thinking about how, when, why they are doing events. There is still so much to go, but I think we could be in the center of something special that’s happening right now. It’s just important to get people playing who might not have the confidence and want to do something that might be weird and different and I think I really encapsulate that demographic at the moment, but there are so many more just like me who also need these opportunities. Some examples off the top of my head are Tami and Zoya, who are recent female DJs within the scene whose mentality and energy of wanting to get involved is commendable and contageous. Zoya and I set up our Bath time sessions LSR show together which is really fun, and it’s been amazing to see her gain so much confidence already as I saw she was feeling a similar way to how I did last year. It’s just amazing to see people's perspective change by taking all seriousness away and fucking shit up!! 

Well let’s hope they come to Springwatch on Friday and find inspiration! Is there any advice you’d like to give to someone, perhaps like a younger you, who is looking to start playing records or just playing out in any manner? Perhaps you could also name a few inspirations of your own? Yes come to Springwatch haha! Hmmmm… I think something I learned which took a long time but was one of the most important things for me is just to learn not to give a fuck. For so long I worried about what others thought of my records and music tastes and lack of technical ability so I never had the courage to put myself out there until I had the backing and encouragement. Now I still obviously care about what my friends think of me, but I have that nonchalance about what others think of my music as I know it’s what I like and I know there will be people who enjoy it, and that’s simply all that matters. For any girls in particular there are some great people who have encouraged me and there are more girls getting involved and my advice to all of you is simply to just go out there and take it. Demand it! There are some really cool groups like Slut Drop who are coming together and making girl gigs a thing that happens Cat Pattersons SWEATSHOP Holly O’brians FEM FEST where I got to meet a some other female DJs and and experience a really fun light hearted opportunity which has also been a great exposure for females! BG and LM are also great for this but lets all try and take whatever we can and make sure those opportunities are there for us as well!  Some inspirations for me have always been strong female DJ’s and musicians who have succeeded in this industry despite the heavy barriers facing them. Beatrice Dillon, Lena Willikens who played at On-Rotation just last friday and her radio work has been a big source of inspiration for me. Others such as Helena Hauff and many of the women who’ve made wicked tracks and been featured on the XLR8R podcasts are all worth listening to.

~~ An emotional tune? Wilson Tanner - Sun Room (the whole album!)  ~~

Fantastic recommendations! Lena in particular was probably one of the best nights I’ve ever been to and I will be following her very closely soon. But for now let’s get back to Luce! As I said earlier I’ve been very lucky to have played with you a few times and I’ve always been blown away by not only the quality of your selections, but also the depth and variation you seem willing to buy. You don’t seem bounded by genre or anything really, so what’s your secret for finding tunes? Is there a specific sound or process you go by to purchase a record? I see music as sound and art. I feel like i've gained my own perspective about what music really is,  There’s something about owning the physicality of a record and it becomes your little thing and you can hold it in your hand and say that it’s yours. Record shops are great if you’re like me and need at least a solid hour or two to dig. I don’t like being under any time pressure when visiting new record stores, simply taking my time going into hunting mode, nice and thorough. I think when I was traveling I’ve always enjoyed going to the record shops in different countries and buying music from that country. Even now when I go to a new place I’ll go to a store there and try and pick out something new. I don’t really have a method really, I just find stuff that I think is interesting, weird, different and had just distinct sound. And sometimes I’ll just go with my gut and buy stuff that I want even though I don’t know why. I’ve occasionally bought records from stores that don’t have a listening station, but I just really liked the art and had to have it there and then. I think having that real lack of self-restriction in my purchasing means I get things from all over the shop. I can start in the techno section and walk out with some folk music from Pakistan.  We have to wrap up this interview now, but thanks so much for talking to us Lucy and we’re very excited to see what wonderful things you have in store for us at HiFi this Friday!