#filling out my covid 19 daily screening

[watcherglowcloud]

my new laptop somehow moved my data from my high school laptop and i'm on the verge of tears looking at my old bookmarked tabs someone help me

[upismediacenter]

UPIS shifts to mandatory and increased frequency of face-to-face classes

MORE FACE-TO-FACE CLASSES. The 2nd floor lobby of the 7-12 building is filled with students, as the building re-opens and classes have been mandatory, with an increase in frequency of days.|| Photo courtesy of Andre Panopio.

The University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS) shifts to mandatory and increased frequency of face-to-face classes for the second semester of Academic Year 2022-2023, as health protocols have eased throughout the Philippines.

According to Prof. Dian Caluag, the Assistant Principal for Academic Programs, the increased frequency of onsite classes to two and three days a week is mainly because of the country's improving situation. The loosening of Covid-19 restrictions successfully permitted the students to access onsite and academic assistance from the teachers. “Nakita natin na nag-iimprove na yung [We saw the improvement of the] pandemic situation, meaning more people have been vaccinated [with boosters]. UP has also advised its units to increase the number of face-to-face classes.”

In addition, Prof. Caluag added that the teachers, students, and parents requested an increase in in-person contact and on-site classes. Remote learning led to academic loss which resulted in fewer classroom activities and lack of direct interactions between students, she said. Without these interactions, the students faced challenges in interpersonal relationships with parents, teachers, and peers.

She also explained that there is an idea that we will not get to the routines that we used to do before the pandemic, such as doing flag ceremonies every week, having club meetings, and celebrating UPIS week. To this, she responded, “It’s more of moving forward, we’re learning from what we experienced in the past three years, and the idea is that we’re not going back to how things were before. We’re banking on what we learned and moving forward.”

On the other hand, Aileen Dimaculangan, the school’s nurse, declared that the same process of filling out health declaration forms would continue on a weekly basis rather than daily. The school also had a revision of quarantine and isolation protocols with the help of the University Health Services (UHS). Reminding students to fill up the health declaration forms honestly, Nurse Aileen reiterates the appropriate observation of conforming to minimum health protocols, such as wearing a face mask, being knowledgeable about proper hygiene practices, and eating the right diet. Nurse Aileen also added, “I think kung ano na-start na rin natin (following minimum health protocols and keeping yourself clean) kailangan lang natin i-continue ito, pati na rin sa personal [hygiene] natin kasi magiging malaking tulong para safe ang lahat.” [I think that we should continue what we have started (following minimum health protocols and keeping yourself clean), as well as maintaining our personal [hygiene], as it is a big help in keeping everyone safe.]

Reactions of students

UPIS students also had reactions to the shift made by the school. Cilque Casis, a Grade 12 student, says she feels great about having more days of classes. “Face-to-face classes allow me to focus on the subject matter more, compared to online classes where I’m mostly just staring at the screen. I [also] like the fact that you can ask teachers directly in person, and if you have other questions after class, you can just visit them in the faculty room.” Zerah Ballarta, a grade 11 student, was also delighted about the shift, as she is able to step foot into UPIS again after months of isolation, and finally seeing friends she used to bond with.

The students also expressed the challenges that they encountered along with the benefits. According to Zerah, "Nahirapan ako bumalik sa dating gawi ko kasi hindi na ako sanay gumising nang maaga at mag-ayos for school." [“It was hard for me to go back to my old routine because I’m not used to waking up early and getting ready for school anymore.”] Meanwhile, Cilque was concerned about the amount of groupworks and coordination between classes. “My concern is just with the amount of groupworks that we have, sometimes it is hard to coordinate with other classes, especially with other interest courses,” she stated.

When asked about possible additions to the current health protocols, Cilque proposed that in the health declaration form, there should be an option where you could specify if your symptoms were allergy-related. “We have a lot of people who have allergies, but if they answered the form truthfully, they might not be allowed to school even though it’s already been dealt with or they were taking allergy medication.” As for Zerah, she suggested that more alcohol stations should be placed in school, along with a station that provides face masks in case the students forget to bring extras.

Other changes that can be seen in the rules and regulations included the canteen being fully operational once again and adopting the schedule used in online classes, which starts at 8:00 am and ends at 2:30 pm. Temperature checks can also be seen in the school’s entrances, as well as alcohol dispensers for each classroom and restroom.

UPIS hopes that these new protocols will help students learn better at school while ensuring everyone’s safety. “The characteristic of the transition is that it’s gradual, and that transition will lead us to the new normal,” Prof. Caluag stated. //by Monique Gervacio and Andre Panopio

[maggotzombie]

needy ; henry cavill

CONTINUATION: UNTAMED

PAIRING: Henry Cavill x Reader (fem) SUMMARY: You want Henry to pay attention to you but he keeps playing WoW and TikTok give you some ideas. TIME PERIOD: April of 2020 (midst of the rona [covid-19] quarantine craziness); WORDS: 3,2k TW: fluff, teasing, smut, dirty talk, daddy kink, punishment. A/N: I’m writing this very late, I know. Also, this is my first take on a few subjects I’m not comfortable with (such as daddy kink and punishment), so bear with me, please!! 🙃 This gif (nsfw) was a reference for this 3,2k smutt lol thanks @could-be-cavill​ for my inspiration. — 𝕸𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙

HENRY IS playing World of Warcraft.

Again

He’s playing that stupid game again.

Usually, I’m not bothered by that. He rarely has time to indulge himself with it anyway. But I usually have something to do, too. Well, usually.

This quarantine is lasting an awfully long time and I’ve run out of things to do.

Here’s a list of what I’ve done so far:

I’ve reorganized everything (bookshelves, closet, cabinets, etc.);

Scrubbed every inch of the house to perfection (I still have a few scratches on my hands from the chemicals of the cleaning products);

Kal has never been this well-groomed before.

I’m honestly tired of watching TV and looking at my phone. Actually, I’ve been spending a lot of time on the device lately. All of this because of the persistent and annoying ads of an app called TikTok.

My biggest mistake was downloading it out of curiosity.

It. Is. Addictive. Simple as that.

I sigh softly, twirling a strand of hair on my index finger as I watch my lovely, brawny, and completely fuckable boyfriend from the sofa. He’s talking complete nonsense and sometimes even speaking loudly, with his blue eyes fixed on the screen instead of me.

Kal’s head is resting on my lap and he glances worryingly at his best friend when he raises his voice.

An idea pops up in my head (thanks to the aforementioned app) and I smirk. Henry doesn’t even blink as I place a hand on his shoulder, he’s one-hundred percent focused on that stupid game.

He frowns when I pop my head in between his arms. “What are you doing?” He asks, letting go of the mouse so I can go through. “What’s this?”

I smile, making myself comfortable on his lap while facing him. Finally some eye contact. Without a reply, Henry shakes his head and goes back to the game, adjusting me to not get in his way.

After a minute or two, it seems I’m not an obstacle at all. In fact, Henry is now shouting directly to my ear due to our position. A pout forms in my lips as I reassess the strategy and I nuzzle my face into his neck in thought, making goosebumps flash over his skin.

Oh.

As my soft lips brush against the crook of his neck, more goosebumps rise. Still testing the waters, I graze my teeth at the same spot. Suddenly, my boyfriend is very quiet and I can even hear the people he’s playing with on his headset.

Henry’s breath shallows when I plant a kiss on his weak spot; just below his earlobe.

“Stop it,” He whispers to me as his cock twitches against me.

“I don’t think you want me to,” I move his microphone away from his lips.

I push my tongue into his mouth boldly and I receive an appreciative moan back. I explore his mouth slowly but sensually and I can feel his hard-on starting to growl against my groin.

Suddenly he breaks the kiss and shoots me a warning glare, clearing his throat. “Yeah, I’m here,” He says after adjusting his mic. “Just got slightly distracted.”

Scoffing, I buckle my hips hard against his boner and Henry hisses at the friction.

“Y/N...” Henry whispers warningly with heavy breathing.

In response, I give him a smug smile before attaching my lips back to his neck. I slip my hands under his shirt and my boyfriend groans, contracting his muscles. As my eager fingertips brush against his hard and well-defined abs, my tongue darts out to caress the sweet spot under his ear.

Ignoring his scolding and protest, I take off his headset from his left ear and take his earlobe in between my lips. My man’s breath gets caught up in his throat and his hand grabs my hip to stop me from grinding against his hard cock.

“Fuck,” He curses through gritted teeth.

Confusion takes over his face as I climb down off his lap but then he tenses again when I kneel in between his legs. Hands flat on his thick thighs, I’m able to move it very little towards my goal before Henry grabs my wrists.

He throws the headset onto the keyboard carelessly and gets up from the chair, taking me with him. I giggle in amusement as he pins me down on the sofa, hands above my head.

“What are you doing?” Henry asks in all seriousness.

“I’m bored!” I say honestly, looking into his eyes with mischief. “Play with me!” I pout and open a smirk at his expression.

“I’m busy right now,” He points out and I ignore it by trying to kiss his lips. My boyfriend moves his head away from my reach and gives me a stern look. “Wait for your turn, kitten,” Henry says.

“Since when do kittens do what they’re told to?” I ask, raising my knee to rub against his crotch. “They do whatever the fuck they want to,” I purr, watching his concentration faltering for an instant.

My boyfriend blinks and shakes his head before growling. He pins my leg down with his knee and applies more of his weight on my wrists, making it a bit uncomfortable but without hurting me.

“This kitten will obey. Otherwise, daddy will punish her later,” Henry provokes back but it makes me all tingly.

“Hmmm,” I hum, trying to reach him once again. “How about now? I misbehaved, right?”

“Later,” He says pointedly.

Before I can say or do anything else, Henry lifts his weight off me and moves away. I sit on the sofa to see him sitting back in front of the computer, completely ignoring me.

I hiss at him, just like a cat, and he throws a smirk my way while putting his headset back on. Pissed off by the rejection, I get up and leave the room. By the time I reach the stairs to the second floor, I can hear the shouting about the game resuming.

First, I jump on our big bed and just scream my frustration on a pillow. Eventually, I lie onto my back and stare at the ceiling pondering what to do next.

I’m SO bored.

Then I strip down and get into the bathtub where I watch even more TikToks. Thirty minutes later, after the water got too cold, I step out of it and wrap a towel around my body. I am about to carry on my daily routine when another idea provided by the beloved app pops into my head.

Ignoring the fact that I’m leaving small pools of water at each step I take, I walk down the stairs. Henry is exactly where I left him: on the stupid computer, playing the stupid game and shouting stupid things to children.

Ugh!

He doesn’t acknowledge my presence as I stand at the foot of the staircase and I open my towel. Nothing yet. I remove it completely from my body and I’m still invisible. Praying for some good aim, I throw the wet towel at him.

I call it a strike as it lands on top of his head. Huffing to gather some patience, Henry takes the towel off of his head and slowly turns to look at me. From where I’m standing, I can see the change in his eyes.

Without saying a word, he closes the game and throws the towel onto the floor. He’s up from his chair and sprinting towards me in a heartbeat. I turn hot on my heels to run upstairs, but my boyfriend’s arms wrap around my waist as I’m about to climb the second flight of the stairs.

“Nuh-uh,” He says against my ear, trapping my body with his against the wall. “You wanted my attention,” He continues and I can feel his hand shuffling something on my lower back. “Now you got it.”

My hands struggle to find something to grab and I lose my breath as Henry plunges into me without so much as a warm-up nor a warning. He groans at the sensation of my walls squeezing him angrily and pulls my arms to my back, locking it so I can’t move.

“Ah! So tight, baby girl,” He whispers without moving.

I don’t reply and it makes him grab my face by my jaw and turn it to the side. Nuzzling my temple, he produces the sexiest sound ever into my ear.

“What happened? The cat got your tongue?” His baritone voice hits a new low.

I clench around him. “Jesus Christ, Henry,” I breath out, wiggling my backside towards him and inciting a new moan from him. “Touch me,” I plead.

“Where, kitten?” Henry asks, letting go of my arms. “Use your words,” One hand travels down to my clit while the other grabs my left breast. “Here or here?”

First, he toys with my nub, making me get wetter. Then, he squeezes my boob and pinches my nipple. I moan, pressing my forehead against the wall. Each move gives me different waves of pleasure, both very welcomed and appreciated.

“Kitten?” He calls when I don’t reply.

“Y-Yes,” I reply, already weak resting my head back on his shoulder.

“You’re such a tease, but it doesn’t go beyond that, huh?” My boyfriend chuckles, calling me out.

“Baby, please,” I whine, clutching to his wrist.

Chuckling slightly again, he nuzzles his face into my neck and starts to toy with my clit. Slowly, Henry starts to bulge his hips against mine, making both of us moan. His hand comes down from my boob to squeeze my hip as he intensifies his thrusting and the movement of his hand.

In a swift move, he peels off his shirt, discarding it to the ground. I take the opportunity to move my hips at my own pace now that he doesn’t have his hands on me. But his strong grip returns to my hips and I see stars at the speed of his thrusts.

The obscene sound of our bodies fills the house along with our lewd moans. My boyfriend slows down when I rest my head back against his shoulder, eyes screwed shut as little spasms start to run over my body.

“You take my cock so well, baby girl,” He says against my temple, breathing heavily. “You like my big, fat cock tearing you apart, don’t you, kitten?”

My lust-filled brain can barely register the question as his throbbing cock gently caresses my G-spot. However, a loud and tingly smack on my right ass cheek startles me, prompting my wrecked neurons to put together a reply.

“I fucking love it,” I say through gritted teeth, raising my head and glancing at him over my shoulder. “Go faster, daddy,” I moan and bite my lip. “I want to come all over your delicious cock.”

Henry’s eyes darken by my request and he grabs my jaw, crashing his lips against mine. Our kiss is a bit rough, tongues battling for control until he pulls my bottom lip with his teeth.

“I’ll make you come so hard that you’ll regret interrupting my game,” He tells me.

The excitement of his words gives me chills and I chuckle with mischief. “Do you promise?” I glance at him seductively, my teasing self returning to the game.

“Cross my heart,” My boyfriend reassures me, one of his hands sliding back down in between my legs. “Are you ready?”

The question is ignored as my brain is reduced to mush once again. More than before, my legs spread apart and my ass is up in the air for easy access. All of that balanced in my tiptoes that are becoming numb by now.

My pussy clenches around his cock as he massages my clit and restarts to pound into me senselessly. I moan, feeling my orgasm close. Henry groans louder, throwing his head back as his hips crush against my ass, the slapping sounding immoral and loud like both of us.

His hands finally give some attention to my boobs, kneading both of them. Like an expert, he teases my hard nipples, making me shiver from pleasure and I reach down to rub myself as I feel the first sparkles of the orgasm.

Lips come in contact with the sensitive skin of my nape and I start to lose it. “Oh, my God,” I breathe out, rubbing my clit faster. “D-Daddy,” I stutter as my toes start to curl up.

“Yes, kitten. Come all over daddy’s cock,” Henry growls into my ear, fucking me harder.

“I’m so close,” I whisper, completely out of breath. “Ah!” My moan reaches a note higher when he takes over and starts to rub my clit again.

Both his hand and hips move at an absurd fast pace and I literally see stars, coming hard on his cock. My legs buckle and Henry catches me before I fall without stopping his movements. My pussy clutches him so hard that I bet he’s gonna come anytime soon.

“Aaaah! Shit.”

My eyes are screwed shut and I squeeze my thighs together. It makes my pussy tighter around Henry’s girthy shaft, making him moan, but he still doesn’t stop thrusting hard into me nor rubbing my clit. I try to move his hand away just to fail miserably.

“Come on, kitten,” He pants, holding me against his body. “I know you can do it.”

“Oh, Henry!” I nearly shout as all my muscles tense up before becoming jelly.

I come once again and my thighs feel wet. Henry finally slows down his thrusts before sliding out of me. I feel the bliss of the orgasm and, if it weren’t for his strong arms secured around my waist, I’d fall to the ground.

“You did so well, baby girl,” My boyfriend praises me.

I try to catch my breath and rest my head against his chest. “Did you come?” I ask, feeling his hard cock on my lower back.

“Not yet,” He squeezes my overly sensitive boobs.

“What?” I frown, exhausted. “What is this?” I ask, looking at the water pool on the floor that I stepped on.

Henry chuckles, feeling amused by my confusion. “You squirted, kitten,” He explains.

This surprises me. “Seriously?”

I have never done this before.

“Yeah,” He muses, balancing my weight in between his arms. “Come on,” Henry says, nudging me to climb up the stairs.

“I can’t walk,” I giggle, looking up at him from over my shoulder.

His brow is furrowed as he looks down at me with his attentive azure eyes. Then, Henry flips me around and picks me up like a doll, throwing me over his shoulder. I gasp at the slap he lands across my ass but he quickly makes it up by spreading kisses on my thigh.

The air is knocked out of my lungs once again when he throws me onto the mattress. I look up at the Greek God boyfriend that I have and smirk, running one foot over his torso. He pushes my leg down and hovers over me, taking my lips possessively in a heated kiss. I moan into his mouth and my hands slide down from his back to squeeze his ass.

However, Henry takes both of my hands and pins it down above my head. “Keep it there,” He orders. “Do not move it.”

Biting my lips, I nod while looking into his eyes. In a swift move and still pinning my hands above my head, he flips me on the mattress. A quiet squeal followed by a giggle escapes my lips and I wiggle my ass, adjusting myself in the new position. Henry kneads my butt cheeks as I feel his lips on my back and I sigh, feeling the familiar chill running down my spine once again.

He goes lower and lower until he isn’t holding my hands anymore. Bending my knees slightly, my boyfriend makes me pop my ass up, exposing my pussy to him. I let out a long and obscene moan as I feel his mouth latch onto my very sensitive core.

Henry’s tongue is merciless. He devours my pussy, licking all my juices and flicking my clit with expertise. My hands clutch at the comforter in pleasure and I moan at the vibration of his groan, pumping himself while eating me out.

“B-Baby, I’m gonna…” I start, feeling the wonderful sensation building up again. Henry simply hums and starts to massage my clit with his thumb. “Fuuuck,” The shaking begins and, in a matter of seconds, I come hard on his mouth.

Another appreciative moan comes from my man while he licks me clean. This time, he has to hold my thighs tightly so I don’t move.

My breath is rapid and I’m still feeling the aftermath of my third climax when Henry pushes into me. I instantly clench around him a bunch of times, my walls too sensitive from the intense activity it's experiencing.

“Fuck, kitten,” Henry moans into my ear, lying on top of me. “If you keep doing that, I won’t last long.”

I try to say something, but my brain is so overwhelmed by now that I can’t put together a simple phrase. And, if it was bad before, it gets worse as he starts to thrust. He picks up the speed quickly and, once again, the slapping sound of his hips hitting against my ass echoes in the room.

Henry’s moans and panting in my ear are way too much to handle and I’m coming into his cock almost right after he began ramming into me. He slows down, prolonging my fourth orgasm and adding more fire to it by nibbling my earlobe and reaching down to rub my clit.

I can’t close my legs because one of his is right between mine, but I try my best. My eyes nearly get stuck on the back of my head as I come yet again. All my muscles feel sore from tensing up and relaxing repetitively and my throat hurts from moaning.

When I think I can’t take anymore, Henry tenses above me, his thrust becoming irregular and rougher. He moans, a very dirty moan, finally coating my walls with his warm, thick load. A few more pumps and he eases out of me, giving me a sweet kiss on the cheek before he rolls off me and crashes to my side.

My body is too exhausted to move and I just stay in the same position he put me in, trying to regain my breath. Aftershocks still make my limbs tremble then and there and I feel numb.

“That was awesome,” Henry says, trying to catch his breath too. “Baby?” He asks when I don’t say anything. “Are you okay?” His hand feels cold against my skin.

“You’re a pussy destroyer,” I breathe out with my eyes closed, making him laugh.

“You squirted again,” My boyfriend points out, feeling very proud of himself.

“I figured I would,” I say, trying to move only to moan at the discomfort coming from between my legs. I end up rolling to the side, resting my back against his chest. “I won’t be able to sit for days.”

“That’s what you get from interrupting my game,” Henry says playfully, squeezing my boobs.

“Oh, I’ll do that more often, then,” I tease, making him laugh again.

[heavenseed76]

Say Their Names, revised

Rodney King took a beating in 1991

Hold on, dear friends, we’ve just begun

1999, Diallo wasn’t the rapist

Took 41 bullets, too bad he was Haitian

Eric Garner in 2014

was just selling cigarettes-

Please, I can’t breathe

Trayvon Martin, just newly 18

Shot 12 times in 2014

Walter Scott was killed in 2015

For a broken tail light, no taser was seen

And Freddie Gray died alone

Pleading for help, injury

Philando Castille was too close to home

Young eyes were watching, he was not alone

So too, Jamar Clark, in handcuffs, by police

Bystanders were filming the entire scene

Don’t forget Anthony, an Air Force vet

He was naked and scared, and we’re not done yet

Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice so many names

Oscar Grant, Fruitvale, on the BART train

Say them out loud, they don’t sound the same

Antwon Rose, Sean Reed and De’von Bailey

People of color murdered daily.

And now George Floyd, the kind, gentle giant

Accused of a crime, albeit non-violent

The police became his judge and his jury,

His executioners were in an awful big hurry

To end the life of a person of color

He was our friend, and our partner, our brother

On Memorial Day, the police decided,

The rule of law does not apply

Tensions ignited

Tear gas was thrown

Businesses looted

Minneapolis, where kindness is rooted

I awoke to the sting of smoke in my eyes

Hoping the powers that be would realize

And the pain of my city

Dear god, what a pity

Make no mistake

We have come no farther

Than Emmett Till, his poor mother

An open casket for Emmett

So we would remember

He was lynched, beaten, thrown in the river

And we wonder if this is something to fix

Something broken, not working, turn a screw, grab a hammer

It goes all the way back to ships filled with

Black sisters and brothers

And trails of tears and Pearl Harbor

On and on and on it goes farther

2020, COVID-19

Come together, they said,

We’ll get through it, we will

We social distanced, quarantined and masked and yet still…

Those people on the other side of your screen, they have no idea,

they cannot see what we see.

It is not his blackness that caused him to die

It was racist, white nationalists with law on their side

What then, dear reader, what should we do?

Murdered and jailed and demonized too

Sing kumbaya while six feet apart?

Hold signs, boycott, make peaceful art?

Yes, dear friends, that’s a very good start,

And if that fails, take it all apart

Like MLK said, riots are the cry

Of an unheard minority, why?

We vote and we care for our city with heart

And yet it is OUR lives torn apart

Unless and until we see a sea change

The unrest will continue, yes we will rage

Because the sight of Emmett was not so scary

We will have our day

By any means necessary

Last night

Not even one year later

Not even one degree more

Daunte Wright

Again

Nearly right outside our front door

—heavenseed April 12, 2021

Duante Wright was murdered when he was pulled over for having an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror. He was a 20 year old father. OUR BLACK SONS ARE NOT TARGET PRACTICE. My black son shouldn’t have to fear for his life when he gets pulled over. I shouldn’t have to question whether or not I need to rethink allowing my children to get their driver’s licenses because a traffic violation may be a death sentence. This kid went to high school with my son. My family is one degree from George Floyd. The school where Philando Castille worked and the intersection where he was killed is less than 5 miles away. You think it won’t happen to you, or in your town? If Minneapolis isn’t immune, no place is. People of color have been demanding rights and justice. To be heard. To be valued. We haven’t demanded retribution. Consider than. Consider what would happen if we did. One day, there might be a reckoning. That’s not a threat. It’s a promise that if justice it’s delivered, retribution will come. And it will be all ya’ll’s own damned fault. The victim can only take so much before the bully gets a black eye.

[gra-sonas]

Day after day this summer, with covid-19 shuttering much of the world, Lily Cowles would enter a small sewing room in her family’s 18th century home in Northwest Connecticut, crawl inside some blankets, and scream. Along with her wails, she’d repeat the same phrases, over and over — all part of a daily ritual that spanned some four hours, until a collection of voices told her they were satisfied. Then she would collect herself, climb out from the blankets and greet her boyfriend who could hear her through the walls in the next room.

“Man, you died a lot of ways today,” he’d say.

“I don’t know why they killed me so bad,” Cowles would reply.

Such were the unusual conditions for Cowles and others when recording the dialogue — and other vocalizations — for the upcoming game “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War,” the newest addition to the famed and fanciful war sim series. The blanket-draped fort served as the actress’s workstation, with a host of audio producers providing directions via video conference. Occasionally those instructions included imagining a wide variety of fates for her character, requiring lengthy sessions capturing death cries. All of it was part of a months-long, pandemic-related process to produce the game, one that proved both challenging in its never-before-done nature and cathartic for its ample opportunities to exorcise the many anxieties of 2020.

“It just felt so good to scream for that long,” said Cowles, who plays MI-6 operative Helen Park and supplied the character’s voice for both the game’s story and multiplayer modes. She recalled one session in which the game’s audio producers recorded her falling from a 30-story building. “I was like, ‘can we make it 40 floors? I could really use the extra 10 [stories] of just straight screaming.’ It just felt like a real relief.”

The unorthodox routine was shared by “Cold War’s” cast of 125 actors as they pivoted to follow safety protocols related to the novel coronavirus, which temporarily shut down the game’s production in March. The latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise, releasing Nov. 13, was completed with both developers and actors working remotely and overcoming a variety of logistical challenges.

“At the time [in March, when covid cases escalated in the United States] we thought it might be like 20 people or 50 percent of the studio who would have to work from home, and maybe that would be for like two weeks,” Dan Vondrak, Senior Creative Director at Raven Software, said. “And then it was everybody. … In my head, I was thinking, if this thing lasts six to eight weeks, we can’t get it done. That’s impossible.”

For Cowles and the game’s other actors, that meant recording lines of dialogue — and their many screams — from the confines of their homes. That process normally would be captured in large part during live shoots using motion capture suits on a studio sound stage. During the pandemic, capturing those recordings provided a unique challenge for narrative producer Natalie Pohorski and her team.

“One of those areas I thought we were just dead in the water was the external talent [voice overs],” Vondrak said. “I can’t have actors go into a studio. So, how is this going to work? And what Natalie and the narrative team did to get that to work and have people recording at home was unbelievable.”

Before dispersing from the studio, Pohorski and Vondrak estimated they had between 50 and 60 percent of the voice over work finalized. Working with their partners at Activision (the game’s publisher) and Treyarch (“Cold War’s” co-developer), Pohorski and her team shipped the actors crates filled with recording equipment that included helmets wired with microphones, sound mixing boards and materials to improve the acoustics around their homes.

“They sent me this giant Pelican briefcase that looked like I’m an arms dealer,” Cowles said.

Veteran actor Bruce Thomas, who plays the role of CIA agent Russell Adler in the game, already had a 5-foot-by-5-foot sound booth he’d constructed in his apartment adjacent to his kitchen. He’d used it to previously to record voice overs, including for some commercials, but he’d never recorded himself there quite so regularly — or at quite the same volume level. To that end, he sought to get ahead of any potential problems with a kind gesture and a heads-up for his neighbors about any yells they may hear through the walls.

“I delivered cookies and a little note to their doors right next to me and below me,” Thomas said. “I just moved here in January, so I hadn’t really met them yet, and I got a text message from the person below me who was like, ‘Oh my God! You do that for a living? How cool is that? Even if I hear you, don’t worry about it.’”

The conditions also required the actors to perform another role as well: that of audio engineer, recording and tinkering with sound levels to ensure quality and consistency. The studio’s engineers would call actors and walk them through proper setups and troubleshoot issues, but when something went wrong, the actors would have to be the ones to fix it manually. Turns out CIA operatives have the same tech troubles as other remote workers.

“Because of covid, everybody’s home and sharing bandwidth,” Thomas said about the Internet connection in his apartment building. “Sometimes it would just cut right out [during an online recording session]. And sometimes when that happens, a glitch will happen on your laptop and so you have to reboot it.”

The recording process consisted of four sessions per day, every day of the week, according to Pohorski, who also noted they wrapped at a similar time compared to what they’d anticipated in their pre-pandemic production schedule, even as they navigated challenges that would have been easily addressed in their usual studio setting.

“To not be able to just walk up and touch the screen and act out what I was talking about … ‘I want the guy’s head to turn this way,’ … I was trying to do it real time in a video camera,” Vondrak said. “Just the communication of that last 20 percent [of the game] was probably the most difficult.”

The on-the-fly evolution of several standardized processes did carry some fringe benefits, according to both the developers and actors. On the development team, Vondrak noted some people seemed more willing to contribute their opinions to the creative process when they didn’t feel the pressure of speaking up in a formal meeting. For the actors, Cowles said her isolated, remote location led her to take more chances with her character.

“I think I was able to make facial expressions and noises that, in a normal setting, my body would be like, ‘Don’t, don’t, don’t. You don’t want to make that noise. Don’t make that face,’" Cowles said. “But I was alone in this thing, and you know, the context in which we’re working [as characters] is this crazy war zone where horrible things are going down. Right? And no one in that situation is thinking about the sound they’re making or the face that they’re making. … I think that led to a degree of authenticity in my work.”

Another silver lining, according to Vondrak, was the increased flexibility in scheduling follow-up sessions for VO work. Oftentimes VO recording sessions are pegged to specific times of the year when the developers can gather all the actors in one place and free them from their other projects. (For example, Thomas is also the motion capture actor for Master Chief for the upcoming game “Halo: Infinite.”) With everyone working from home, the actors’ schedules became more flexible.

“It was like, wait a minute, we can just go back to these people and have them pop out of their family room, into their closet and record some VO lines,” Vondrak said. “Normally it would have been like, ‘We need some new lines.’ And [the schedulers] would have said, ‘Well, the next pick up session where everyone’s going to be in the studio is June.' It’s [normally] a very slow, formal process."

The flexibility did carry an occasional side effect of home life encroaching on the working world, and vice versa, often providing a uniquely 2020 kind of amusement.

Cowles remembered recording a scene in which her character laments the loss of one of her companions, screaming his name repeatedly as a helicopter whisks her away.

“I came out of the sewing room, and my boyfriend is like … ‘So, who is he?’” Cowles said. “I was like, ‘Don’t worry about it. He’s dead now.’”

[hobeymakar]

Best Part | E. Pettersson Imagine

This one is dedicated to my girl @petterssonsdoncic

A/N: This was based off the song Best Part by H.E.R. & Daniel Caesar (aka my future wedding song). This also takes place in a universe where COVID-19 never happened and I used the 2019-2020 schedule in this

Word Count: 1,766

Warnings: Explicit language and brief sexual content

-

You don’t know babe. When you hold me. And kiss me slowly. It’s the sweetest thing. And it don’t change. If I had it my way. You would know that you are

Gabbie wakes up to Elias sleeping peacefully beside her. The team is in the middle of a 6 game home stand, so she’s taking advantage of much needed time with Elias before he leaves for another road trip. Tomorrow is Valentine’s day and she’s excited for her 3rd Valentine’s day with Elias. Knowing him, he’s gonna surprise her with something extravagant like he has the last two years and she’s mentally preparing herself for that.

She goes to the kitchen and starts making breakfast, knowing that the smell will get him out of bed.

"Good morning, min kärlek. Did you sleep well?" he asks, kissing her forehead.

"I always sleep better when you’re home," she smiles.

"Good thing I'm here for another week then.Tomorrow I’m taking you out all day. I gotta make this Valentine’s Day better than last year’s," he informs her.

"Do I get at least a hint as to what we're doing?" she asks.

"No, not at all, babe," he replies.

"Asshole," she groans teasingly.

He smacks her ass hard, causing her to screech, "Elias!"

He laughs before running to their bedroom.

You’re the coffee that I need in the morning. You’re my sunshine in the rain when it’s pouring. Won’t you give yourself to me. Give it all, oh

Gabbie wakes up the next morning to see Elias gone. She knows that he doesn’t have practice today. She starts her daily routine and goes out to the kitchen to make breakfast. After a while, she notices he hasn't come back home and texts him.

To: Elias Bear 🥰

Baby, where are you?

From: Elias Bear 🥰

Get ready for your special surprise. The girls are coming to get you

To: Elias Bear 🥰

Oh, idk what you’re planning but I still love you

From: Elias Bear 🥰

I love you more

She gets ready and before she knows it the girls arrive at the condo with a message on a card that reads, “they say love at first sight exists, but I never knew it did until I laid eyes on you. Stop by the place we first met and you’ll get your next clue”.

“Seriously? A scavenger hunt?” she scoffs.

“Just follow along. He spent a lot of time and effort on it,” Holl urges her.

“Alright let’s go!” she sighs, shaking her head.

I just wanna see. I just wanna see how beautiful you are. You know that I see it. I know you’re a star. Where you go I’ll follow. No matter how far. If life is a movie. Oh you;re the best part, oh. Then you’re the best part, ooh. Best part

It’s been a few hours and Gabbie is growing restless. She’s been going all over Vancouver and she’s tired. She wishes the girls would just tell her where Eias is so she can get to the surprise already. Eventually, they arrive at the spot where Elias asked her to move in with him. They arrive at the Jericho Beach boardwalk, even though it’s freezing in early February.

She sees Bo Horvat and Gus, Bo and Holl’s dog. Gus walks over with an envelope in his mouth. She takes the envelope into her hands and opens it. She reads it and turns around. She sees Elias down on one knee.

“Gabbie Cortez, you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’m so glad I met you at the BC Lions game. Will you make me the happiest guy on the planet and marry me?” he asks.

Gabbie has her hands over her mouth in shock and keeps gasping “oh my god!” and nodding.

“So is it a yes?” he asks nervously.

“Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes!” she cries out, nodding and smiling.

She hears cheers all around them as Elias slides the ring on her finger. He then gets up and kisses her passionately. After a few passionate kisses, the couple breaks apart and she notices that the whole team, the WAGs, and her immediate family are there. She lifts her hand up and shows off the diamond ring, making everyone cheer again.

It’s this sunrise and those brown eyes, yes. You’re the one that I desire. When we wake up. And then we make love (Make love). It makes me feel so nice

Gabbie and Elias wake up early to Elias’ alarm going off for his 2pm matinee game against Anaheim. He notices the sunrise and looks into her brown eyes and thinks he couldn’t be more in love. 

“Babe, look at the sunrise,” he points out, kissing her forehead.

She turns her attention to the sun rising through her open window. They watch the sun rise peacefully before she straddles his waist.

“I’m not usually awake this early,” she informs him.

“I know you’re not. You’re only awake this early when you have 8am class, which you don’t anymore,” he teases, referring to her being a 3rd year film student at UBC.

He tries to get out of bed but she refuses to let her grip on him go.

“Babe, I’m gonna be late to the game and Green is gonna bench me,” his hand on her thighs gently.

“You’re not going anywhere without a kiss,” she teases.

He kisses her and she kisses back easily, not caring about morning breath. The kisses quickly become heated and the thought of being late quickly gets pushed to the back of his mind.

It’s not until after he comes down from his post-orgasm haze, that he realizes he’s gonna be late if he doesn’t leave the condo in less than 10 minutes.

He shows up to the locker room with a minute to spare before being late and mentally fistpumps the air. The guys chirp him for the fresh scratch marks all over his back. He chirps back that at least he’s getting laid unlike some of his loser teammates.

You’re the water when I’m stuck in the desert. You’re the Tylenol I take when my head hurts. You’re the sunshine on my life

Elias catches the flu on game day against Minnesota and is forced to be scratched. He blames Quinn for it somehow and Quinn tells him to fuck off and to get a better immune system. Luckily, Elias has Gabbie who takes care of him and fills him up with some weird Flipino herbal tea that her grandma makes, as well as some Filipino version of chicken noodle soup. She also puts rice on the bottoms of his coup bowl.

He doesn’t question it and just eats it up while thinking it’s the end of the world.

“Babe, I think I’m actually dying. It’s official! I’m dead!” he sighs dramatically.

“Shut up, you big baby. That’s why you have an incredible fiance to take care of you,” she assures him with a kiss to his forehead.

Four days later, Elias is over the flu, unfortunately he manages to give it to Gabbie.

“I’m sorry, babe,” he sighs, as she lays in bed miserably.

“It’s my fault for being all over you. I should’ve slept in the guest room,” she sighs miserably.

If you love me, won’t you say something? If you love me, won’t you? Won’t you? If you love me, won’t you say something? If you love me, won’t you? Love me, won’t you? If you love me, won’t you say something? If you love me, won’t you? If you love me, won’t you say something? If you love me, won’t you? Love me, won’t you? If you love me, won’t you say something? If you love me, won’t you say something? If you love me, won’t you? Love me, won’t you?

“Babe, I have a gift for you,” Gabbie informs him, as he comes into the room after practice.

“A gift?” he asks, curiously.

“Yeah, just something I think you would like,” she replies, handing him a box.

He opens the box and sees a stick that looks like a thermometer in there. He shoots her a quizzical look. 

“Just grab it and read the screen, babe,” she sighs, rolling her eyes at how dumb her fiance is.

“What is this? There’s two lines on this? What does that even mean?” he asks in confusion.

“Babe, what do girls take when they’re supposed to get their period and they don’t get it?” she asks in a duh tone.

“Wait is this a pregnancy test?” he asks.

“Yes, babe and on the box, it tells you what the lines mean,” she explains.

“Okay on the box it says two lines means pregnant and it has two lines,” he says, before pausing when he realizes what he just said. “You’re pregnant?”

“Isn’t that what it says?” she asks in an obvious tone.

“Is this fake?” he asks, sniffing the stick.

“Babe, I peed on that. That’s nasty!” she squeals, grabbing the stick from him.

“Wow, I can’t believe this!” he cries out in shock.

“So are you happy? Are you mad?” she asks, dying to know what he feels.

“Of course not babe! I would never get mad at you over something like this! I guess I gotta go call my mom,” he says, getting up.

“Babe, don’t tell anyone yet!” she cries out, stopping him in his tracks.

“Why not?” he asks suspiciously.

“Because I need to see my gyno first to confirm it and because I’m on my period,” she informs him, biting back the urge to laugh.

“Wait what?” he asks in confusion.

“It’s a prank, babe! I’m not actually pregnant. I got my period this morning. I just wanted to know how you would react if I really was pregnant. So congrats you passed the test!” she teases.

“That is not funny! You really scared me! I was actually starting to think about getting a bigger condo and all the shit we’d have to do and buy for a baby,” he groans, slightly ticked off.

“I’m sorry baby. It was just a harmless prank. You still love me right?” she asks, burying her face under his neck. 

“Of course I do babe, but I hope you know I’m getting you back for this,: he informs her.

“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” she smiles, kissing him.

She doesn’t know how she got so lucky to have Elias Pettersson, but she thanks the Lord for bringing them together at that BC Lions game a few years back.

[sneyrwrites]

Level Of Concern | Ushijima Wakatoshi x Anxious!Reader

|Wordcount: 1,5k |  

|Genre: Fluff, slight angst,  I’m an angsty gal. | 

|Warnings: Just a reflection of my isolated mood bc of quarantine ;u; (2 months and still going | 

|Inspiration Snong: Level of concern -Twenty One Pilots|

|Clarification: The measures taken by the government in my country might differ from the rest of the countries. Here (Arg.) You can request a permit of circulation in case you need it. Assisting someone is a valid reason.|

The world was going crazy. As a college student, you were in self quarantine in your apartment.  All by yourself.

Your roommate had gone to her hometown to spend this time with her family. You weren't as lucky. The only thing you wanted was to not feel as bothered by the isolation as you felt. Alone with no one to talk, you were relying only on your phone for a way of communication with your loved ones.

You were specially concerned about your mom, as she was a nurse, in the Frontline of this crisis, and she was exposed to the Covid-19. You didn't want to imagine what  would  happen is she got infected, your chest constricting with fear just thinking about it. And to make it all worse, your boyfriend was not responding to your texts. You knew it was dumb to be upset by that, Ushijima was never the type of guy to constantly be on his phone, busy with his schoolwork or training, so it wasn't like his behavior changed at all, even if the circumstances had.

You would often visit each other through the weekends, sometimes even staying a bit longer to make up for the long waits. He was on the other side of the city, and most of his weekdays consisted of studying and training. This pandemic had taken away the precious time you two had together, and you were so pissed about it. It would've been awesome if he could've come over and spent  the quarantine together.

You'd hoped this odd circumstances would give him some extra time to be on his phone, maybe even able to do a video call to soothe your nerves. Ushijima was your cable to earth most of the time, keeping your anxiety ridden thoughts at Bay with his words. But strange enough, his demeanor towards you was the same if not colder than usual. With all the load of work your professors had given you, you were a little distracted, but the moment you tried to relax, the message left on read on your phone screen made your stomach coil with concern. Was Wakatoshi ignoring you on purpose? Your good morning text was left on read, even after a good amount of hours he still hadn't reply. You haven't felt this way since you proposed a more serious relationship to Ushi. The insecurity was etched in your brain, and on top of that the constant worry about your mom didn't help at all. Sitting on the couch, you typed on the screen. Wakatoshi was on-line, but still, he was ignoring you. You couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey Ushi... I'm really concerned about this whole situation..."

You hit send, waiting as he saw the text and typed a reply.

"There's no need to be. If you stay home there's no danger".

Your eyes opened up with surprise at his answer. Did he just brushed your concern off? That was way too cold even for him. He couldn't be that oblivious. You understood he was a little socially awkward, but this was ridiculous.  

Insecurity took the best of you and, feeling rejected, you started to think about your entire relationship. 

Since the beginning you were the one who approached him, Ushijima not caring about your person at all. The day you finally had enough of just watching him from the sidelines and you approached him with your feelings out in the open,  he just responded with a confused expression.  

But still, he accepted.

You tried to spend time together, going to his games and his practices when he was okay with it, which was all the time, almost like he didn't care at all if you were there.

Maybe it was just pity... that would explain how mean he was being. You considered confronting him about it, but decided against it. You were feeling bad enough, a fight with him was just going to drag you down even deeper.

Throwing a pity party, you allowed yourself to drown your sorrows in ice cream and romcoms. you searched on Netflix for a few minutes until you came across the classic "He's just not that into you "

How fitting? You thought ironically.

 As your eyes welled with tears, you pressed play

A   day had  passed, and  you still hadn't talked to Ushijima at all. It was a consistent proof that you were the only one into the relationship. If you didn't reach out to him he wasn't going to. Seeing the end of the relationship coming up, you cried again. 

You were in love with him, for real. The moments you two had together were happy ones, never once a fight in the six months you were together, and Ushijima was affectionate in his own way, like for example holding your hand on the streets, or treating you to your favorite snack... 

But come to think about it, it was his favorite too, and holding hands was really that big of a deal?

After your daily crying session over your failed relationship, you talked to your mom. Luckily she was fine, the hospital providing her with the protection gear. That made you feel a bit better, but still, the whole situation was shitty. You felt like you were in the apocalypse, and the one you loved was not there with you. In fact, scratch that, he didn't even care.

If only Ushi would text you, He could bring down your level of concern,  even if it was something small, like a "Hey" or a "u ok?" but your notifications where still as empty as ever.  

You had to confront him about your feeling sooner or later, but still, you had no doubt that once you did, everything was going to be over and maybe it wasn’t the best time to do it, in that kind isolation you were going to go nuts, and adding the stress of a breakup was not a good idea. 

You were so confused. So doing what you do best, you picked up the phone and ordered takeout. Stress eating was your defense mechanism.

Not even ten minutes went by when the sound of the doorbell filled your apartment. You hurriedly made your way to the door, not caring about your messy look, with your disheveled hair and puffy eyes. It was a shitty situation, and everybody had it rough, so nobody could judge you.

Taking out your wallet with one hand, ready to pay for the food, you opened the door, only to be surprised by who was at the hallway.

“Toshi?” You whispered surprised, it almost felt like a dream, you were tempted to pinch yourself just in case.

What was he doing outside your apartment?  In the middle of a quarantine? Specifically him, who was a Mr. Goody Two-shoes. 

“Can i come in?” He asked when you didn’t offer. Nodding, you moved aside to let him in, the surprise still present.

You looked at him, in his sweatpants, and the black hoodie that covered his hair. You almost laughed when you noticed that he looked like a ninja with the also black face mask. A back pack that seemed about to explode hang from his shoulder, as his hands carried two grocery bags filled to the brim.

Ushijima noticed your confused gaze and left the bags on top of the table. Taking his face mask off, he shrugged his backpack and looked at you .

“I thought  you might be having a rough time by yourself here, so I the permission to stay with you.... I hope you don’t mind. I can leave if you want to.” You still didn’t respond, too commoved to speak. “Sorry I didn’t reply, but my phone got wet and it’s bee glitching since, that’s why I didn’t warn you before coming.” 

Well, now you just felt guilty for doubting Ushijima's feelings for you. This was a solid proof he actually cared, and pure love for him filled your heart.

“Do you mind?” He asked again, still not sure. You didn’t reply and walked up to him, attempting to hug him. “Wait, I need to wash this clothes and wash my hands just in case.” Ushijima stopped you, shrugging off his hoodie and going to the washing machine.

There was his logical and responsible boyfriend you knew and loved. 

He came back with a fresh shirt on and smelling like your vanilla soap. Wakatoshi was the one to hug you, his arms circling your shoulders and bringing your body closer to him, forehead colliding with his chest.

“Did you finish your online classes today?” He asked. 

“Yes, do you want to do something in particular?” Your voice was muffle by the fabric of his shirt but he understood, anyway.

“I brought those wierd chips you like, and some candy in case you were feeling under the weather. Do you want to watch a movie? Or whatever you prefer." He proposed, his hand caressing your hair with affection.

The anxiety and nerves you had all dissipated as you watched Ushijima set the couch with a bunch of blankets and pillows so you can sit on it and have a movie night.

Ushijima really knew how to bring your level of concern down, and that's why you loved him so much.

|Author Note: So this is a stress writing, bc my (ex)boyfriend confessed he cheated on me, so Yay!. Ushijima wouldn’t treat me like this ;u; I’m sorry if it too cheesy, but I kinda needed it|

✘ Masterlist

[lycorogue]

A Family Tradition: Giving Thanks Tree

Tina Belcher - Image care of “Bob’s Burgers” on Fox

When I was a kid - I can’t even remember how old I first was - my mother would tape a cardboard cutout of a bare tree onto the attic door. Along its trunk were the words “Giving Thanks Tree”. She would then hang up a manila envelope filled with leaves cut out of red, orange, and yellow construction paper. Our goal for the month of November, leading into Thanksgiving? Write just one thing we’re thankful for each day and then hang it up on the cardboard tree so it is full by the end of the month.

As a child I HATED this tradition. It was so hard for me to think of 30 unique things I was grateful for, and usually ended up with generic things like “food” or “a home” or “boys” (I was a bit like Tina there). It wasn’t until college did I truly get the value of taking a few minutes each day to think about a blessing in your life you may have otherwise taken for granted. It was hard for me my freshman year of college to know I couldn’t participate in the family Giving Thanks Tree, so, with a new appreciation for the tradition, I made my own cardboard tree, hung it on my dorm room door, posted a sign explaining the tradition, and put out my own envelope of paper leaves for my floormates to join in. I was a naïve 18yo, but thankfully no one posted joke leaves. I was surprised at how many joined in on my tradition as I filled my tree with gratitudes. (I later brought my leaves home to post on the family tree).

In 2011 I got married and officially moved out of my mother’s home. I have yet to find a good wall or door to hang a big ol’ cardboard tree, so instead I switched to a digital list. This year I had decided to share to more than my personal Facebook page. I tried posting daily on Twitter as a month-long thread, but... well, it didn’t go so well, so I stopped after day 13, I think. I did finish the thread over on Facebook, and I decided to bring the complete list over to Tumblr.

So, for any who are interested, below the break is my list of 30 things I was grateful for this past November; things I hope to remain grateful for well beyond the next year. Always remember to stop to count your blessings. If you really try to find them, you will discover you have more than you might have realized.

1. I am grateful that my friends and family have been (mostly) safe and healthy this year, and that those who did contract COVID-19 were able to recover. ❤ (*proceeds to knock on wood*)

2. I am grateful for the amazing support system I have. I know I am one of the lucky ones, but between my husband, my family, my friends, and even my readers, I have so much positivity lifting me up, and I want to make sure I never take that for granted.

3. I am grateful to have a stable roof over my head. It's a decent size for two people (we just have a LOT of things). It has sturdy walls & a secure roof. We can keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer (not cool enough for Hubby, but nothing outside a meat locker would be). We have an attentive but not intrusive landlady. She repairs anything that needs fixing ASAP, and is a lovely woman we can just pal around with on occasion. Those are things I know a lot of people can't say about their landlords/ladies. We also have welcoming neighbors that are a joy to run into in the parking lot. If we have to be "stuck" somewhere until we can buy our own place, where we are works wonderfully.

4. I am grateful that we are no longer hurting for money. We can splurge on smaller purchases (under $50) without much second thought. We can now pay off ALL of our monthly bills after just the first paychecks of the month. And then the rest of the month is building up funds for the next month's bills and savings. Speaking of, we have a little nest-egg of a couple grand, which is still relatively new for us. I'm also over-paying my student loans and car payment. Not by much, but enough that my bills are a couple months ahead, so... cool. I know that during this year in particular, having any sort of financial security is hard to hold onto, so I want to count our blessings that we're doing alright. *proceeds to knock on wood again*

5. As silly as it seems to say, I am grateful for all of the election memes. It was a super stressful time for most of us, and to have some sort of humor that most of the country could relate to (such as Flash from Zootopia being in charge of counting Nevada's votes) was a great stress reliever and bringer of much-needed smiles. So, thank you, Meme Lords/meme creators for bringing us such fantastic content to help ease that wait and stress.

6. I am grateful to see that my Muse is slowly returning to me, like a groundhog after a long hibernation, poking its head out just enough to acknowledge it's there before scurrying back into its burrow to hide again. It hasn't been much, and only one story was actually written in November, but I have been playing with a handful of plotbunnies. It's nice to be able to de-stress via plot-building and playing with character growth again. 😊 ❤

7. I'm sure you all saw this coming, but I am grateful that T**** lost the election. Not so much that Biden/Harris won, because there's issues there too, but that T**** will be out of the White House. Mostly, I'm grateful because that means so many that I love - and those online personalities that I respect - are going to be in a safer America (and world) as of January 20th. For those who suffered through physical, mental, emotional, financial, and maybe even spiritual hardships over the past 4 years - both Americans and international citizens alike - I am grateful that you get to take a breath and relax (at least, for a little bit) now. I don't know if Biden/Harris will (or can) do anything to actually help heal what caused my loved ones' suffering, but at least they won't be actively adding to it.

8. Getting away from the political, I am grateful that Hubby and I can eat whenever we want (outside of work). We may grumble about what we have available, but that's mostly due to not having the energy to turn ingredients into meals, or we've had the same meal 3x in a row already. Regardless, we CAN eat whenever we are hungry, and I am grateful for that.

9. Keeping with the "things people can take for granted easily" theme, I am grateful for my wardrobe. It may be simple and repetitive, but it is enough to wear something clean each day for anywhere between 7 and 12 days before needing to run to the laundromat. Nothing has holes or ratty edges (unless it's a beloved shirt I refuse to give up). My shoes have good soles to them, and I rarely have sore feet. When my feet DO get repeatedly sore, I have the funds to either fix my shoes via new insoles, or I can simply buy new ones. My coats are warm and, aside from one missing the grip of the zipper (but the zipper itself still works), they are still in good condition. I may not be the most fashionable, and I'm sure I'm not picking the best clothing to fit my body shape, but over-all, I'm protected from the elements, my body is protected, and I am well-kempt.

10. Kept me too long to mention this, but I am grateful that I was able to marry my best friend. There are those out there still looking for companionship. There are those who found it, but, in some cruel twist of fate, lost it. There are those who love their spouse, but may not exactly be friends with them. And yet, here Hubby and I are: two people who would gladly spend every waking moment with each other. I found someone I could chat and cuddle and laugh and cry with every moment of every day. Someone I share interests with, and someone who expands my list of interests. Someone who also expands my view of the world; who makes me wish to be more understanding and accepting, and just... better. I am lucky, and I never want to see a day when I forget that fact.

11. I feel a bit silly with this one, but I am grateful I don't have any major allergies I have to worry about. Specifically, no food allergies. I've seen how difficult it is for people to navigate around food allergies or intense airborne allergies. To have to not think about those sorts of things is such a privilege, and I'm truly grateful for it. I have enough issues with lactose intolerance.

12. Another kinda silly one, but, I'm grateful for @dragnime​ living next door to us. Same was true for when another friend was our neighbor. There's just something about seeing dragnime’s car when I come home (again, same with the other friend and his car) that makes me smile. I don't have to actually socialize with dragnime that day if we're both busy, but to see his car and know he's there should I want to reach out is just a weird sort of comforting. (Man, I really need Hubby and I to win the lottery so we can build our commune already....)

13. I am grateful for publicly announced self-appointed deadlines. Last year I started up my own tradition within the Miraculous Ladybug fandom: Friday 13ths should be Plagg Appreciation Day. Plagg is a character who, I feel, doesn't get nearly enough love or screen time. He's also the kwami of bad luck and destruction, so... Friday 13th seemed fitting. The final bit of writing I had actually finished and posted prior to November was for this fandom holiday back in March, and at the end of that story I told everyone "see you in November!" so I felt silly if I'd let this poor-writing year defeat me. I was determined to have at least THIS story written, and that determination paid off. It ended up taking almost literally my entire day off, but I was able to become inspired enough to write SOMETHING, and it seems to be received well, so... added yay. 😊

14. I am grateful for my relatively easy life. I have been loved and supported my whole life. I never really experienced abuse or prejudice (or even really bullying) personally. I was able to fully experience college without much personal trouble (my student loan debt notwithstanding). Aside from a single 6-month stint right after moving to NY, I have been able to find work easily enough. I haven't had to struggle for food or clothing or housing (stretch budget, yes; struggle, no). I haven't had to live without electricity or clean running water. I've never lost loved ones or valuable items (even sentimentally) through natural disasters. *knock on wood some more* There have been struggles in my life, to be sure, but, on the whole, I've had a happy, safe, supported, and relatively easy life.

15. I'm calling out @chibisunnie​ specifically. I am so SO very grateful for her. I mean, I always am, but this year in particular she's been such a pillar of strength for me. I can't even imagine the stress and panic this year must cause her, and yet she's still always there to comfort ME. (I mean, I hope I comfort her too, but this year in particular I feel it's more her comforting me.) She's been the main one (right behind Hubby) to remind me to be kind to myself this year and that it IS an unusual year; my "failings" in 2020 don't define who I am seeing it's an outlier year.

16. I am grateful that my sister is seeing her true self-worth. She’s worked so hard to improve herself and to find out who she truly is, and it's been fantastic to see her continue to evolve. It's also great to see her find someone who builds her up, so a side bit of gratitude to her boyfriend. And, yes, her perseverance, strength, and determination (as well as her mad crocheting skills) are still things that I greatly admire in her. I'm just so happy and proud and grateful that she seems to be in such a good place. ❤

17. I am grateful that my mom has discovered how capable she truly is. This year has been undeniably hard on small businesses such as hers. It must be such a struggle to keep everything afloat and to stay positive, and yet she is. She's pushing herself to improve her business and marketing. She's dealing with modern technology – basically the bane of her existence – nearly all day long between Zoom meetings to network and learn and grow, to working remotely, to making videos to help promote herself, to reworking her business's website, etc. She's grown so much over the year and I'm so proud of her.

18. Since I mentioned it, I am grateful for video conference programs such as Zoom. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conflicts, exhaustion, and my right knee getting worse, I had to stop doing Zumba (I'm hoping to work my way back into the routine again sooner than later). However, before June screwed me over, Zoom was how I was able to keep up with this exercise routine post-shutdown. It's how I've been able to see my family. It's how so many have been able to continue working. It's how YouTubers I enjoy manage to still interact for their videos. It's fantastic that this technology is not only available, but it's also accessible to so many.

19. Speaking of which, I am grateful for the Oxboxtra crew, Dicebreaker, the Theory Family (yes, I’m aware people find MatPat problematic...), SuperCarlinBrothers, OSP, Hello Future Me, and The Warp Zone. In total, that’s nearly a dozen different YouTube channels I routinely watch – focused mostly on OutsideXbox, Outside Xtra, Film Theory, Game Theory, Food Theory, and SuperCarlinBrothers – and these channels have really helped me keep my sanity. The fandoms specifically for OutsideXbox, Outside Xtra, and SuperCarlinBrothers are just so sweet and supportive of even fellow fans. The YouTubers have such big hearts and are so delightfully goofy, it's almost like welcoming friends into my home whenever I watch them. I even started checking out stuff on Luke Westaway's and Ellen Rose's private channels on YouTube because I enjoyed these entertainers so much. So, thank you, YouTubers, for helping me find something that lets me forget what's going on in the world for 2hrs and just have fun. ❤

20. Along those lines, I am grateful for games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Among Us. Both of those games, and similar ones that were available this year, were great distractions from the chaos of 2020. They have provided fantastic and unique gameplay content for the YouTube channels I follow, which, in turn, provided great video content for me to watch. These types of games were also, and most importantly, great ways for people to stay connected. I've been able to bond and joke around and preoccupy myself with games and gaming streams, and they have certainly been such great lifelines.

21. I am grateful for quiet cuddle moments. Be it in the evening while Hubby and I are watching TV, or while we're actually snuggled in bed watching Disney+ or Netflix, or after hitting snooze in the morning and just wanting to stay cuddled together for another 5 minutes, or even when one of us (*cough*usuallyme*cough*) is feeling super stressed and we just take a couple-minute time-out to just hug, I am grateful for all of them. I know not every couple gets to have these physical contact moments for various reasons, add in my own experience of having an 8-year long-distance relationship, and I try so hard to not take those quiet moments of just simple hugs or hand holds or back scratches for granted.

22. I am grateful for music and the ability to experience it. It motivates me. It inspires me (I have so many stories/chapters written because a song made me think of the plot). It helps with cathartic release. It gets me moving and exercising. It keeps me focused. It allows me to just zone out. Music is just so important in my life and the life of so many more. Bless all the music creators and performers.

23. I am grateful for Anime Night. It's a bit of normalcy in this year of anything but. It's a way to stay connected with a couple of my friends, and the little bits of socializing we do outside of watching has really allowed me to get to know both men more, as well as learn more about the other people really important in their lives.

24. I am grateful for the experience of turning fans into friends (and also being allowed to evolve from fan to friend). One of the best things about fanfiction is the ability to see people interact and react with your work, and to then respond in kind. It's sort of a silver lining to the relatively small number of views and comments on most fanfiction (compared to most professionally published work, that is), since it means you aren't too overwhelmed to truly experience each comment, follow, fave, like, reblog, etc. Through people gushing about my work, and me gushing back at how happy they've made me, I've been able to build up some really sweet friendships. I've also made two new close-acquaintances (we don't interact QUITE enough to be “friends” just yet) from my own gushy reviews and their responses to how great my reviews made them feel. So, to @chibisunnie​, @thetauruspixie​, @livrever​, @tlos21​, @chanceuseladynoire​ and @zenmisery​ (I hope that's all of you), I am so grateful for the bond we've had over fanfiction. Love all of you so much! ❤

25. I am grateful for members of minorities and other marginalized peoples for taking the time and effort to try to educate others; making it easier on us when they are in no way obligated to help us understand at all (it's really on us to put in the effort to try to understand them). This year alone, via personal posts on social media, infographics, comics, people posting reference sheets of hotlinks to research/source materials, etc, I was able to learn so much. I was able to grow and try to overcome my own prejudices, misunderstandings, and misinformation. All because people decided to share their raw experiences or do the research for me. It was something each and every one of them volunteered to do in an effort to help educate, and I am so grateful for the lessons they've taught me.

26. I am grateful that people find me a safe person to talk to. It is one of the few things I want in life; to be a safe haven for friends, family, and even strangers who are hurting. I realize the amount of trust people put in me and the vulnerability they are allowing themselves. It is humbling, to say the least, but also such an amazing feeling. I will try to keep learning and keep growing to keep earning the trust warranted me being this safe haven, but in the meantime, I'll continue to be grateful that people do find me as someone they can be safe with.

27. On the flipside, I am grateful to have friends who allow me to just be who I am. I can be obsessed with a cartoon aimed at 10 year olds (Miraculous Ladybug), and my friends not only don't judge, but they also happily let me know when their young children start to enjoy the show! I can be goofy or forgetful or screw something up, and, again, there's no judgment. They just accept me as I am, and I am blessed.

28. I am grateful for the support my friends and family have (outside of me) in their lives. It does my heart well to know that even if I disappear due to my own mental health issues, that my friends and family still have great support around them. They are all kind people surrounded by more kind people, and I nearly cry whenever I read or hear about my friends getting support they need and the outpouring of support. YOU ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AND I LOVE YOU ALL AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU DESERVE THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT YOU'VE FOUND. ❤

29. I am grateful for the continued bonding we've had with my sister-in-law this past year. I miss having the post-Zumba walk where we can just talk, but, largely through effort on her part, we've been having some time every Tuesday when she comes over to work after dropping the kids at school. We also had a whole evening with her on Black Friday. She's also texted and called a few times to chat, and we are getting closer and closer each year. Not everyone thinks of their in-laws as family despite what the law says, so I'm grateful that we have always thought of each other as family, and that we continue to bond and grow as siblings.

30. I am grateful for this family tradition. It allows me to really focus on what is important in life, and all the joys and blessings I've experienced. It's especially important during this trash heap of a year. I love that I can find silver linings in my life and appreciate what I have. This tradition is also a reminder to not take things for granted. I am so SO grateful that my mom introduced us to this tradition and forced us to participate as we grew up. It's a lesson that will stay with me, and it's such an important one. Thank you, Mom!

[tabloidtoc]

National Enquirer, November 9

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Duchess Kate sets the record straight on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 

Page 2: Ben Affleck is wasting away and friends fear he’s taking his new health regimen too far as the six-foot-four star usually weighs 208 pounds but has shriveled to a spindly 165 -- a nutritionist put him on a sensible meal plan but he’s altered it with his own fantastical ideas such as he won’t go near bread and he’s ditched pasta and he’ll eat cantaloupe and blueberries one day and nuts and seeds the next and he’ll only drink boiled water and green tea for 24 hours then break his fast with a small bowl of quinoa -- instead of pumping iron he does exercises using his own body weight like ten-minute planks -- Ben thinks he looks great but his pals fear he’s traded one addiction for another

Page 3: Love-hungry Katie Holmes is thrilled to have a new man in her life but she’s breaking the bank to keep him happy because Katie is picking up the tab wherever she goes with Emilio Vitolo Jr. because it helps her feel she’s in full control of the relationship but Emilio may be taking advantage of Katie’s generosity because Katie has been showering him with designer clothes and jewelry and even paying for a personal trainer to whip him into shape -- Katie enjoys giving her guy things he can appreciate because he’s made her so happy but she may go broke doing it and it’s not like he doesn’t have any money; he’s worth a cool $1.5 million himself

Page 4: CNN rocked by sex scandal -- Jeffrey Toobin’s sleazy sex scandal has rocked CNN but it’s just the latest in a string of scandals at the network 

Page 5: Axed Fox News anchor Ed Henry fought back against his co-worker’s rape charges in a blockbuster lawsuit by handing the court explicit selfies and texts in an attempt to prove their tryst was consensual 

Page 6: Ryan Seacrest is downplaying his latest shocking absence from Live with Kelly and Ryan but the TV dynamo is battling a mystery illness that may force him to sign off for good -- the co-host who is a well known as a workaholic skipped out on the daytime show for the third time this year and used the coronavirus pandemic as his excuse -- Ryan was suffering badly from flu-like symptoms on the weekend before his absences but came back negative for coronavirus however doctors remain baffled by Ryan’s ongoing battles with exhaustion and weight loss and stroke-like symptoms, disgraced perv Bill Cosby’s latest mug shot shows he’s a shriveled shadow of his former self and the fallen funnyman flashed a maniacal grin while refusing to look into the camera in the picture snapped behind bars in September and he’s unshaven and his hair is ratty

Page 7: Lizzo has embarked on a radical vegan diet and extreme exercise program to save her life -- doctor warned the 350-pound singer that her daily intake of 5000 calories a day was a dangerous path to self-destruction and she needed to change her life or lose it and Lizzo finally got the message and is committed to this program but it’s been a living hell for her 

Page 8: After surviving a fiery crash at the Daytona 500 NASCAR hero Ryan Newman is locked in an ugly $50 million divorce showdown with his estranged wife -- Ryan and Kristina Newman split in 2019 after she was caught having an affair with another man and paying her love $450,000 and now Ryan’s lawyers are trying to freeze Kristina who was once referred to as the First Lady of NASCAR out of his fortune -- court papers reveal the two split in July 2019 when Kristina went to live with her boyfriend U.S. Army Captain Joe Schwankhaus who is the Chief Operations Officer of Kristina’s company VRX USA 

Page 9: Ellen DeGeneres debuted a high-flying pompadour hairstyle on her new talk show but the makeover still doesn’t get to the root of her recent problems and although her hair may be rising her show’s ratings are falling 

Page 10: Hot Shots -- pregnant Kelly Rowland, Andy Cohen took his son Benjamin for a stroll in NYC, Will Smith held court in L.A. while shooting King Richard a biopic about the dad of tennis greats Venus Williams and Serena Williams, Angela Bassett caught a drive-in screening of One Night in Miami in L.A. 

Page 11: Grieving Lisa Marie Presley has broken her silence over the suicide of her beloved only son Benjamin Keough saying her heart and soul went with him sharing her heartbreak on what would have been Ben’s 28th birthday and she added she’s dedicating herself to raising Ben’s twin half-sisters and actress sister Riley Keough, Chaka Khan refuses to duo with Ariana Grande again saying she’s not gonna do a song with no heifer -- Chaka and Ariana worked together in 2019 for the Charlie’s Angels soundtrack

Page 12: Straight Shuter -- DWTS pro Emma Slater kept a handle on her coffee while steering her e-bike (picture), it pays to be Brad Pitt’s girlfriend as his new squeeze Nicole Poturalski has doubled her modeling fees, dancing siblings Derek Hough and Julianne Hough are out of step over her sloppy personal life and his hot new judging career because these two were supposed to be the next Donny and Marie Osmond but his solo career is exploding while hers is falling apart, Madonna has always been a big believer in astrology but now she won’t even meet with people if it’s not written in the stars and she’s spending a fortune to have an army of people read her charts 

Page 13: Losing his beloved son to cancer has sparked new fears for fragile Robert Redford because Robert has struggled with his own health over the years and losing his son to bile-duct cancer is extremely worrying; he’s already frail and this has friends fearing the worst, Jeff Bridges is confident he’ll win his battle with lymphoma by coupling medical care with a strict vegan diet and chanting and spiritual healing techniques

Page 14: Convicted wife killer Scott Peterson may soon walk out of prison and grisly photos lawyers say could set him free -- following years of appeals California’s Supreme Court overturned Scott’s death penalty and now another appeal is forcing a lower court to reexamine his conviction for murdering seven months pregnant wife Laci Peterson and their unborn son Conner -- if Scott gets a retrial his legal team will be allowed to introduce new evidence including crime scene pictures that Scott’s former defense attorney said suggests Laci’s disappearance was an abduction by a satanic cult 

Page 15: Former child star Zachery Ty Bryan of Home Improvement was jailed overnight and released on $8500 bail following his bust for a fight with a galpal at an apartment complex in Eugene in Oregon -- the drama comes on the heels of Zachery’s split from wife Carly Matros the mom of his four kids

Page 16: Ryan Reynolds can’t wait to film a new rom-com with close pal Sandra Bullock but it’s causing tension with wife Blake Lively even though Blake trusts Ryan and would never forbid him from taking this part but the idea of him getting cozy with Sandra again still makes her uneasy -- now Ryan and Sandra are signed up to do The Lost City of D and despite Sandra’s denials they ever had a romance Ryan is gushing about them getting back together 

Page 17: Isolated and overlooked Today show host Hoda Kotb is being bullied off the morning show because of tepid ratings and the absence of former sidekick Kathie Lee Gifford and Mean Girls treatment by co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager have pushed the disillusioned anchor closer to the door -- Hoda recently filled out paperwork to adopt a third child and she’s clearly putting more emphasis on family than her career and it sends the signal she isn’t happy with her role and is not thinking of Today as her top priority, trainwreck Matthew Perry is holed up in his new Pacific Palisades beach pad  pounding out an explosive tell-all and his former Friends are quaking about what secrets he may reveal -- Matthew wants to rush the book out while interest in the Friends reunion special which was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic remains high -- he knows an uncensored account of his time on Friends and his drug issues would be a bestseller and he intends to blow the lid off his on-set romances and address rumors he and Jennifer Aniston were more than friends 

Page 18: American Life -- her tall tale: I have the longest legs in the world 

Page 19: Jessica Simpson has been flaunting her body after dumping a shocking 100 pounds but buddies worry the drastic drop in size isn’t natural and suspect she’s been taking diet pills again and they’re worried this could escalate into a big issue

Page 20: Devastated Reese Witherspoon was hit with a depressing double whammy -- the death of her dog Pepper from cancer and the delay of her long-awaited sequel Legally Blonde 3, Hollywood Hookups -- John Cena and Shay Shariatzadeh wed, Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum split, Cardi B and Offset on again

Page 21: Bruce Willis is back in another Die Hard but this time it’s a commercial for Advance Auto Parts and Die Hard batteries and it’s a clear statement on the state of his career that Bruce has to revisit his amazing past to make a fast buck in the present, Giada De Laurentiis has been given the green light to get married by her 12-year-old daughter Jade -- Giada has dated TV producer Shane Farley for five years and he’s been living with mother and daughter for five months during the pandemic lockdown which gave Jade a firsthand look at what it would be like to have a new daddy and Shane’s passed the test with flying colors 

Page 22: Cover Story -- Prince William’s heartsick wife Kate Middleton is breaking her silence about the royal family’s tumultuous bitter break with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to set the record straight and save Britain’s monarchy and she’s tired of all the rumors and lies and backbiting and after all the drama and negativity she wants to get the truth out there and end this unprecedented crisis that’s endangering the monarchy’s survival -- friends are trying to convince Kate to do an official sit-down TV interview about what really happened between once-inseparable William and Harry and how Harry and Meghan tore the family apart even before they moved to America but Kate is resisting because she fears that could backfire like Princess Diana’s TV tell-all about her marriage to Prince Charles 25 years ago -- Kate had to turn the other cheek often after Meghan joined the family and she offered to help Meghan adjust to royal life from the start but Meghan rebuffed her and Kate in tired of Meghan painting her as the bad guy especially when it was Meghan’s antics that tore the family apart -- Kate also is upset that Harry and Meghan are portraying themselves as victims of a world that’s against them while she and William take on a phenomenal workload to cover the responsibilities the Sussexes left and losing precious time with their own three children and it’s hard not to be bitter but Kate is trying to take the high road and forgive Meghan and move forward

Page 26: With their marriage hanging by a thread Tori Spelling fears Dean McDermott will cheat on her again while filming a new TV show in Canada for six months; Tori wanted to bring their 5 children to Canada with him but Dean put her off saying it would be too distracting -- she’s been a jittery mess and he can’t stand to look at her and he only took this job because they need the money, Melanie Griffith is frustrated with Chris Martin and wants him to put a ring on her daughter Dakota Johnson’s finger -- the couple have been dating since 2017 and Melanie’s fed up with waiting for Chris to pop the question -- Melanie began to lose her patience after the couple reunited following a split last June when Chris won Dakota back with promises to settle down 

Page 28: COVID Vaccines: What you need to know

Page 32: Miley Cyrus claimed she once spotted a spaceship over Hollywood and even locked eyes with an alien but she also admits she’d bought weed wax from a guy in a van in front of a taco shop, whiny Kris Jenner is blaming social media for killing off Keeping Up with the Kardashians after it helped the reality TV clan make a mint

Page 34: Ozzy Osbourne is terrified a doll has cursed him -- Ozzy told son Jack Osbourne on their Osbournes Want to Believe show that Robert the doll was responsible for his recent bad luck and failing health, Tom Cruise and his Mission: Impossible 7 team caused chaos at an Italian hospital by filming there during the COVID-19 pandemic -- Tom and his crew including 100 security staffers plus trucks and other equipment descended on the Policlinico Umberto I in Rome for a week and legions of fans also flocked to the filming creating even more commotion in the streets outside the hospital and adding to the bedlam the production commandeered an elevator drawing criticism as hospital staff were treating 140 coronavirus patients with 12 in intensive care -- filming was done in an administrative section of the hospital but still sparked an official protest as well as complaints from trade union members

Page 36: Health Watch 

Page 38: Superhero screen pals of Chris Pratt rushed to rescue the actor’s reputation after he was mercilessly dragged into a silly social media meme when a Twitter user posted pictures of Chris Pratt and Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans captioned with the instruction one has to go but a flood of responses slammed Pratt as the worst Chris causing his Marvel co-stars to prop him up such as Zoe Saldana and Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and Chris Pratt’s wife Katherine Schwarzenegger also bashed the social media bullies, Matthew McConaughey kept saying alright alright alright to making romantic comedies until the day he was so fed up he turned down $14.5 million to do another one -- Matthew revealed in his memoir that he didn’t mind making a string of mindless rom-coms because their paychecks rented the houses on the beach he ran shirtless on but he eventually wanted to try something else so he turned down a big payday so he could get more serious 

Page 42: Red Carpet -- Drew Barrymore 

Page 47: Odd List

[flowerfan2]

Shelter at Home

McDanno, 1100k, T, A03

Summary:  Danny is coping with the pandemic as best he can in Steve’s absence.

-----

Danny sits down in his chair and stares out at the water for a few minutes, trying to let the sound of the gentle waves soothe him.  The ocean doesn’t give a shit about COVID-19.

At eight o’clock he clicks on a zoom link.  After a few seconds, Grace’s face shows up on the screen, and he can’t help but smile.

“Hey, monkey, how’s it going?”

Grace grins at him and waves, the motion not quite fluid on the screen.  “Hi Danno!”

Sunday nights are family zoom calls, with Grace and Charlie, his folks, and various other members of the Williams clan. Rachel even says hi from over Charlie’s shoulder sometimes.  But Wednesday nights are just for him and Grace.

“What’s new in wine country this week?” When things started to lock down, Grace had begged to wait out the quarantine with her college roommate’s family in northern California.  Given the whole cruise ship debacle, and the paranoia Danny continued to feel about being trapped on an island during a global catastrophe, he had reluctantly agreed.

 It didn’t hurt that Grace’s roommate Marisa was one of four good-natured kids and lived on a sprawling ranch with lots of land.  Her mom was a retired physician, and her dad was laying down the law when it came to quarantining.  Gracie was relatively safe and happy, and there always seemed to be enough to do to keep Grace occupied even when she wasn’t finishing her spring semester classes (remotely, of course).

 “Not much.  I texted you about my internship, right?”

 “Yeah, I’m sorry, Gracie.”  Grace had landed a neat summer job with an environmental law organization, but they were cancelling all their summer programs due to the pandemic.

 “It’s all right.  I wasn’t really surprised.”

 Still, it’s just one more little disappointment on top of everything else.  He wishes he could make this easier for her.  “What are you and Marisa up to?”

 “Well, we’re still doing that yoga class every morning with her mom.  And Marisa and I played cards last night with her boyfriend and his brother, it was pretty fun.”

 “You did what?”  Danny asks, eyebrows raised.

 “Online, dad, with an app.  I sent you the link last week.  I’m not an idiot.”

 “Okay, okay.  Marisa isn’t still thinking about going to see that kid, is she?” Marisa’s boyfriend lives in L.A., and she has been getting increasing antsy about being apart from him, according to Grace.

 “No, her parents won’t let her. I still think it would be okay, his family is being pretty strict about quarantine too-”

 “Grace, absolutely not-”

 “I know, dad, I know.”

 Danny pushes down the wave of panic he feels at the thought of Grace taking a road trip right now, stopping in gas stations and diners filled with people, the virus lurking on everything she might touch.  Even if Grace stayed at Marisa’s place, Marisa would eventually want to return, bringing all that exposure back in contact with his daughter.  He knows Grace has a good head on her shoulders, and so far has agreed to not go anywhere without his permission, but he’s an ocean away from her and there’s only so much he can do.

 “Grace, promise me-”

 “Dad,” Grace says.  “Stop worrying.  I’m fine.”  She takes a deep breath and resettles herself on her bed, her laptop jostling as she moves around.  “So, what’s up with you guys?”

 “Not much,” Danny responds automatically, and Grace frowns.  He knows it’s not fair to think she isn’t worried too, especially since Danny can’t exactly shelter at home.  He and the rest of Five-0 are hard at work, going out every day wherever they are needed. Luckily Oahu hasn’t been hit as hard as some places, but there are still a significant number of people with the virus, including members of HPD.  Five-0 is taking its turn helping to enforce social distancing in public areas, and although the streets are fairly quiet, people are always finding new, inventive ways to get into trouble.

 “You’re wearing masks, right?”

 Danny has his doubts about the usefulness of this practice, especially since the ones they have been issued don’t fit particularly well, but he has been wearing a mask, and he makes the rest of the team wear them too.  If nothing else, it sets a good example.  “Of course, monkey.”

 “Do you guys have enough?  I saw on the news that not all police departments are getting the PPE they need.”

 “We’re good,” Danny replies, although it’s not exactly true.  He doesn’t want to lie to Grace, but neither is he going to tell her every little detail that keeps him up at night.  First responders are always in danger, cops are always in danger, Five-0 is always, always in danger.  The current craziness just adds another layer to it.

 He changes the subject to food, making her guess what he had for lunch.  People have been dropping off food at the palace, restaurants and others donating meals to those on the front lines, and Five-0 gets its fair share. It’s an amusing enough topic for Grace, and it keeps them occupied for a few more minutes.

 “How is Leonard’s even open?” Grace asks.  “With social distancing, their lines would stretch for blocks.  And can someone send me some malasadas?”

 “They’re taking phone orders, apparently,” Danny says.  “And no, they don’t do mail order malasadas.  We’ve been over this before.”

 “Whatever,” Grace says, grinning as she lets out a long sigh.  The conversation lulls, and Danny’s stomach tightens.  He knows what’s coming.

 “Danno?  Is Uncle Steve back yet?”

 Danny takes a deep breath, forcing a smile onto his face.  “Not yet. But he’s looking out for himself, don’t worry.”  

 “Are you sure?  Why won’t he just come home?”

 Danny has asked himself this so many times the words have lost their meaning.  “He’ll come home when he’s ready, Grace.”

 Steve has been walkabout for a few months now.  The house feels emptier every day, no longer the safe, happy retreat it used to be. Now Steve’s ghost echoes around every corner.  Danny would gladly share his meager hoard of toilet paper if Steve would just come back.

 Steve has kept his promise to Danny to keep in touch, although only barely.  Still, he lets him know daily that he’s alive, and at this point, that has to be enough.

 Danny and Grace talk for a few more minutes, then Danny tells Grace he needs to do some paperwork, and they sign off. He closes the laptop and pulls out his phone, typing out a variation on the same message he sends every night.

 Love you, babe.  Stay safe.  Goodnight.

 A few minutes later, Danny gets a response, and he can breathe again for another day.

 Love you too, Danno.

[crixcyy]

BTS Map of the Soul ON:E Thoughts...

The concert ended some minutes ago and I’ve been through an array of emotions. All of this is to say I’m happy now because of this wonderful concert BTS prepared for us. 

The stages were so exciting and they were never before seen as well which only intensified the thrill of the show. I’m not even sure where to begin because I don’t want to leave anything out so I’ll just say, all the songs that I like were fantastic stages while some of the songs that I’m usually iffy about, were impressive performances. My eyes were glued to the screen, enchanted by the performance and the artists that stood on that stage. 

Oh and I absolutely loved the ‘Zero o Clock’ stage, it was even better than I could imagine; there was a choreography. It felt like my hunger could be satiated by that stage yet excite my thirst for more of it, that I’ll say. And their comments at the end really touched me, they all mentioned COVID 19 and the challenges it has caused them. 

I feel as though I have taken our BTS for granted a bit with this realisation about how much they cherish our physical face to face interaction. Of course I knew that they were disappointed and that this proved extremely difficult for them to cope as artists who thrive on performing in front of their Army. But I wasn’t aware that it was a constant thought they had as they prepared, as they went on with their daily live and how crushing it must have been when the situation did not ease off and does not look like it will any time soon. In truth, I was mainly thinking about myself and how I felt in relation to them. It does make me feel grateful somehow that they are moving forward despite the restrictions of this pandemic. To see them trying and showing us their hearts over and over touches me keenly. To say I am proud would be an understatement. 

My heart mourns for the loss of connection between us but rebounds with elation that we can still connect in other ways and we can feel each other through music and our interest in each other. I am in love with the members of BTS. There is so much I have experienced as a fan that I never thought I was capable of and here I am again loving them more and feeling with them in their disappointment as much as I can and feeling more love. Today’s performances and comments have really filled me, I am joyful and aware of the negative feelings that arise in this pandemic situation. Yet, we have each other and I am pleased that we know this.

[insidethemindofk]

What The Heck is Goin’ On? - Capitol Hill Criminals

Well Hello There!

To whoever is reading this, welcome to my blog!

Cheers! This is the first writing of the year!

As a part of my shorter writings that I plan on sharing, some of those will be under a series entitled ‘What The Heck is Goin’ On?’ which will simply be my brief interpretation of some of the many, crazy, wild and mindboggling: current events. (In the US at least)

As always, these words that I’ve written are purely my own, true to myself and myself alone. Enjoy!

Now, we are not even two weeks into the new year, and it seems as though 2021 is already starting to show is what type of year it will be. Most people brought in the new year in various ways: either passed out drunk with friends, (how was that hangover?) or a enjoying a quiet evening alone. Oh yeah, can’t forget that we also brought in more COVID-19 cases with us as well... (sigh).

Then the next thing you know, the first Monday comes knocking at our doors and it seems as though everything has gone back to “business as usual.” If you are fortunate enough, there was a job for you to go back to; knowing that the vast majority are currently unemployed due to the large number of job losses during this pandemic. For some, you probably started another semester of school. But while we are all doing are best to live our lives with some sense of normalcy day to day, we are also forced to simultaneously consume what is going on; locally, nationally and even globally.

In most recent news, as we all know, on January 6th, a large group of enraged and quite frankly unhinged white people (specifically T*umpies) stormed into Capitol Hill going batshit crazy; per usual over something completely unnecessary and pointless. 

We weren’t even seven days into the new year, but have already been greeted with insanity.

The whole thing, being broadcasting on news stations everywhere, was something absolutely bizarre to be able to witness in real time. While I viewed what was happening, whether on my TV screen or via social media; I was equally humored as I was terrified that in the big ole year of 2021, crazy things like this were still possible, and of course thanks to white privilege, would have little to no repercussions on those who participated in such foolishness.

Above all, what I don’t understand is how people were so riled up in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon! Like damn, don’t y’all have jobs, kids or even a pet that you should be worried about? Especially to some of these individuals who flew from all over simply to be involved in such a mess. A shame, really. But again, nothing new.

One thing that I noticed a lot of people observe, were the obvious comparisons of how the police treat white people having an extreme temper tantrum — I mean “protesting” THE dumbest things; versus any other minority group who were actually protesting the many injustices that their communities go through on a daily basis.

As the majority of people may know, until white people (especially t*umpies) realize that the world does not, in fact, revolve around them and some of their horrible beliefs (along with a million other things) change is going to take a while. 

But just because something takes time, does not mean that it is impossible to achieve. 

This, I strongly believe.

Nevertheless, amidst the chaos their is always the possibility that something positive may happen as well. 

On January 8th, after months, if not years of pleading from many twitter users, Twitter finally suspended that man’s twitter account, (you all know who I’m talking about..) permanently banning him from the social platform. So at least as far as his crazed tweets go, for the time being you won’t have to worry about seeing that anymore.

Hopefully, the rest of January will be kinder to us, and that it will be filled with a little less madness. Because 2020 was hard enough on everyone, and I think we at least deserve a small break during this pandemic, among other things.

////

As always, thank you in advance for reading my writings. Be safe, and be well. Until the next post!

— K.

[heavenseed76]

Say Their Names

-heavenseed 2020

Rodney King took a beating in 1991

Hold on, dear friends, we’ve just begun

1999, Diallo wasn’t the rapist

Took 41 bullets, too bad he was Haitian

Eric Garner in 2014

was just selling cigarettes-

Please, I can’t breathe

Trayvon Martin, just newly 18

Shot 12 times in 2014

Walter Scott was killed in 2015

For a broken tail light, no taser was seen

And Freddie Gray died alone

Pleading for help, injury

Philando Castille was too close to home

Young eyes were watching, he was not alone

So too, Jamar Clark, in handcuffs, by police

Bystanders were filming the entire scene

Don’t forget Anthony, an Air Force vet

He was naked and scared, and we’re not done yet

Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice so many names

Oscar Grant, Fruitvale, on the BART train

Say them out loud, they don’t sound the same

Antwon Rose, Sean Reed and De’von Bailey

People of color murdered daily.

And now George Floyd, the kind, gentle giant

Accused of a crime, albeit non-violent

The police became his judge and his jury,

His executioners were in an awful big hurry

To end the life of a person of color

He was our friend, and our partner, our brother

On Memorial Day, the police decided,

The rule of law does not apply

Tensions ignited

Tear gas was thrown

Businesses looted

Minneapolis, where kindness is rooted

I awoke to the sting of smoke in my eyes

Hoping the powers that be would realize

And the pain of my city

Dear god, what a pity

Make no mistake

We have come no farther

Than Emmett Till, his poor mother

An open casket for Emmett

So we would remember

He was lynched, beaten, thrown in the river

And we wonder if this is something to fix

Something broken, not working, turn a screw, grab a hammer

It goes all the way back to ships filled with

Black sisters and brothers

And trails of tears and Pearl Harbor

On and on and on it goes farther

2020, COVID-19

Come together, they said,

We’ll get through it, we will

We social distanced, quarantined and masked and yet still…

Those people on the other side of your screen, they have no idea,

they cannot see what we see.

It is not his blackness that caused him to die

It was racist, white nationalists with law on their side

What then, dear reader, what should we do?

Murdered and jailed and demonized too

Sing kumbaya while six feet apart?

Hold signs, boycott, make peaceful art?

Yes, dear friends, that’s a very good start,

And if that fails, take it all apart

Like MLK said, riots are the cry

Of an unheard minority, why?

We vote and we care for our city with heart

And yet it is OUR lives torn apart

Unless and until we see a sea change

The unrest will continue, yes we will rage

Because the sight of Emmett was not so scary

We will have our day

By any means necessary.

[aion-rsa]

Gina Carano Was Fired from The Mandalorian, But Should Cara Dune Live On?

https://ift.tt/2N0IeiI

Gina Carano deserved to be fired from The Mandalorian after months of posting dangerous online rhetoric that goes against everything Star Wars should stand for. After Carano used her Twitter bio to mock the common practice of users listing preferred pronouns, denying the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic, posting election fraud conspiracy theories, refusing to show support for Black Lives Matter, and implying that being a right-wing conservative today was like being a Jewish person during the Holocaust, Disney finally did the right thing.

“Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors…even by children. Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views,” read her now-deleted Tik Tok post.

While Carano did return for The Mandalorian season 2, which wrapped just before the Covid lockdowns that seemingly triggered the actor’s toxic views on social media, Disney decided that it had seen enough. In a statement released on Wednesday night, a spokesperson for Disney said that Carano’s “social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.” The spokesperson also confirmed that Carano “is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future,” effectively putting an end to her time on The Mandalorian and Star Wars. Deadline also confirmed that Carano and her agency UTA have parted ways.

Two days later, Carano doubled down, announcing a new movie project with alt-right pundit Ben Shapiro’s conservative website The Daily Wire. She will develop, produce, and star in the movie, which will release exclusively to the site’s members, according to Deadline. Carano dubiously framed her next move as “a direct message of hope to everyone living in fear of cancellation by the totalitarian mob.”

But while Carano may see herself as a rebel fighting for the right to claim “freedom of speech” no matter how hateful or downright false her posts, there are also plenty of Star Wars fans who are relieved to see her jettisoned from the universe they love. While Disney should still be held accountable for how it failed John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, actors of color who faced racist attacks upon being cast in the Sequel Trilogy, and who were sidelined as the trilogy progressed, the company has done a much better job of late of showing where it stands on the issues. The company stood in support of The High Republic show host Krystina Arielle after she faced similar attacks. By firing Carano, Disney and Lucasfilm have taken a clear stance not only against bigotry but the kind of dangerous rhetoric that has become pervasive among a small but loud minority of the fandom (although I’d hardly call them actual “fans”).

THR learned from a source close to Lucasfilm that the studio had been “looking for a reason to fire her for two months” and that Carano’s Holocaust post was “the final straw.” According to the outlet, Lucasfilm had previously planned to have Carano star in her own Mandalorian spinoff, potentially Rangers of the New Republic, and considered making the announcement during its investor’s day event in December before that idea was scrapped due to her social media posts.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Does Carano’s firing mean that this is the end of her character’s time in Star Wars? While the end of Cara Dune’s storyline in The Mandalorian season 2 teased that there would be more to her journey as a mercenary turned New Republic marshal, for the moment, that adventure seems to have been cut short. That said, some fans are already wondering whether Cara’s life in the galaxy far, far away could continue without Carano.

A few people on Twitter have suggested that the character should simply be recast, with Lucy Lawless already positioned as a frontrunner among fans. The Xena: Warrior Princess and Battlestar Galactica actor and activist would be more than a suitable replacement for Carano and the kind of talent the Star Wars brand should want to work with. Not to mention that Lawless would bring the energy, grit, and physicality needed to play a tough-as-carbonite brawler like Cara.

Let's make #LucyLawless the new and improved #CaraDune! #TheMandalorian @Jon_Favreau @dave_filoni pic.twitter.com/xuqqM3SOea

— 𝕂ℝ𝕀𝕊𝕋𝕀𝔸ℕ 𝕆𝔻𝕃𝔸ℕ𝔻 (@kreshjun) February 11, 2021

But as nice as it is to dream of Lawless or another fan-favorite performer taking on the role of Cara Dune and continuing her story, Star Wars has traditionally been averse to recasting its characters to the point where the franchise would rather paste a questionable CGI version of Mark Hamill’s face on another actor’s head than cast someone new to play a younger Luke Skywalker. (Sebastian Stan, for example.)

Not that Lucasfilm hasn’t tried recasting before, such as when it brought on Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover to play pre-Original Trilogy versions of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story, but that movie was a box office failure for the studio. While there are many reasons why that film failed, a few fans might tell you it’s because Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams weren’t in it. If history tells us anything, it’s that there’s a section of this fandom that does not like change.

That’s not to say Disney should go out of its way to pander to viewers who are resistant to change. Big franchises like Star Wars need to embrace change to stay fresh and better reflect audiences. And Disney certainly shouldn’t prioritize people who would be mad if anyone but Carano played Dune on The Mandalorian or Rangers of the New Republic. My point is that Disney would likely save itself a lot of grief by not doing anything else with the character at all. There’s no doubt that the path of least resistance for Disney would be to phase out the character completely, giving her a quiet off-screen exit, perhaps coupled with some brief exposition in season 3 regarding where she went. Done.

Is that fair to Cara Dune and the fans who see themselves in her? Cara quickly became a fan-favorite after her debut on the Star Wars live-action series as a fierce gun-for-hire who’s not quite a hero and is as prone to violence as Din Djarin but who will ultimately choose to do what’s right. Many have lauded Cara for the ways she breaks away from the “traditional mold” of female Star Wars characters who have come before, both in terms of her morally gray motivations and her buff appearance, which, as fans of The Last of Us II‘s Abby will tell you, remains a rarity in our entertainment.

Read more

TV

How The Mandalorian Gave Fans a Different Kind of Star Wars Story

By Lacy Baugher

TV

Why The Mandalorian Was Always Destined to Meet Luke Skywalker

By Ryan Britt

Unlike Leia, Cara is a former Rebel shock trooper from Alderaan who didn’t immediately fall in line with the New Republic, preferring the chaos and danger of living in the Outer Rim than joining up with the new galactic government, which she felt wasn’t doing enough to quell the ever-present threat of the Empire that had destroyed her home planet. She preferred to brawl in cantinas and make her own way in the galaxy sans an official allegiance or badge, a lifestyle rarely lived by Star Wars‘ women — at least on screen. (In that way, Cara has much more in common with breakout Marvel comic book character Doctor Aphra.)

Sure, some of these traits began to change, but the show took its time developing Cara’s character, and by the time she did join the Republic’s law forces in the Outer Rim, it was after she’d witnessed many of the atrocities committed by what was left of the Empire. And even with the badge, she did some things on her own terms, like helping Mando and friends rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon.

To many, Cara has been a unique character worth following for years to come, whether it be on more seasons of The Mandalorian or in an eventual spinoff. Fans could perhaps still get that opportunity off-screen were Lucasfilm to continue Cara’s story in the books or comics, as it has with many other characters for over 40 years. It might just take some waiting.

But the mere fact that many fans want to see Cara’s story continue without the toxic presence of the actor who originally brought her to life is a testament to the power of the character herself. Like the best Star Wars characters, Cara seems to have staying power, and perhaps she deserves to outlive Gina Carano’s time with the franchise.

To The Mandalorian‘s credit, there are many other great female characters to look forward to on the show, including Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff), Koska Reeves (Mercedes Varnado), and Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen), who will actually star in The Book of Boba Fett later this year. (Please bring back Frog Lady, too.) They’re fantastic characters with their own motivations and stories, and I’d love to see more of them in season 3, but not all female characters are interchangeable and the other women in The Mandalorian’s world cannot replace Cara’s unique contributions to the show. They cannot simply “fill a spot” left behind by the last female hero, a character who was one of our first introductions on the show.

There’s perhaps no obviously right answer or course of action when things are still so raw and production is moving quickly on the next year of Star Wars stories. Does keeping Cara in Star Wars also ultimately mean that Lucasfilm is acknowledging Carano’s legacy with the franchise? Maybe. But should a great character that people look up to and relate to be allowed to exist beyond the bad decisions of an actor or its creator? Probably.

We only know this for sure: if you never see Cara Dune again in Star Wars, you only really have Gina Carano to blame.

The post Gina Carano Was Fired from The Mandalorian, But Should Cara Dune Live On? appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3ahfyuC

[laceypruett]

Traveling After a Pandemic

If you knew the angst that went into simply agreeing on a title for this piece, you would laugh. This is our current world. We have a scarcity mindset, mixed with some fear over what we’ve been through this past year. I’ve had seasons of scarcity, fearfulness, and oh the worry. Worry laced everything in 2020 and tied it in a bow, so when I shared my potential title, I was met with, “but we’re still IN a pandemic.” Are we?

According to historians, pandemics typically have two types of endings: the medical, which occurs when the sicknesses or death rates plummet, and the social, when the epidemic of fear about the disease wanes.

“When people ask, ‘When will this end?’ they are asking about the social ending,” said Dr. Jeremy Greene, a historian of medicine at Johns Hopkins.

In other words, an end can occur not because a virus has been vanquished but because people grow tired of panic mode and learn to live with a virus.

I chose the title I did, because, for me, it is the truth. The cool thing is that you get to decide for yourself, your family, and your life experience what is true for you. After this way-too-long discussion with some fellow authors, there was a moment when I said, “no more.” No longer will I live in fear, and no longer will I worry myself about what may happen. Death rates have plummeted (one of the medical ends to a pandemic) and the virus strand is weakening. This is great news! Precautions I’ve taken since last March can now soften a bit. I definitely won’t worry about things out of my control. An example of something out of my control… what others think of my life decisions.

When some of the world lifted their restrictions on air travel, my husband and I booked a few flights to some of our favorite places. “You’re going to travel out of the country, right now?” It echoed for several days, but it’s just one more reminder to make your own rules for your life. Yes, the pros outweighed the cons, for us, and that is enough. I wondered what it would be like “out there,” and what the experience would really be, and curiosity squashed fear.  We considered our safety, security, and health, in this decision to fly internationally, and we booked accordingly. You see, for us, the world is vast and there’s opportunity to expand one’s life perspective with traveling and seeing the world. Staying at home doesn’t make sense to us, as a long-term decision, especially if health and vitality are the goal. We take good care of our health, and we take proper precautions, so for people in our situation, travel is an option. If you have the travel bug, I invite you to get out there again, too. I’ll explain why later in this article.

When the COVID-19 flu strand pushed us into a global pandemic, my husband and I were crushed. We had four trips we now had to cancel or that were canceled on us. Birthdays, anniversaries, France, Spain, British Virgin Islands, and Cabo San Lucas all vanished off the calendar. We were sad but worked to quickly shift mindsets. We would have different types of adventures for a while. We would make an adventurous life at home, under these new daily, safety standards. We would enjoy the Texas beach house more.  We would spend time enjoying new hobbies, activities and a slower pace. The re-wiring of adventure expectations took some ebb and flow (especially by me—I already purchased new outfits for Spain and for France), and while I look back on the memories, we made last year, I am grateful for them. More on that later… let’s get to the good stuff. Traveling internationally, after a pandemic, was different but worth it. It’s easier if you plan ahead, set some new expectations, and give just about everything and everyone some added grace. 

Here are my tips and awareness (based on separate trips to Cabo San Lucas, and Riviera Maya, Mexico, flying commercial airlines, and staying at a resort & spa property (not private residence):

1.     Clean up your diet, increase your fitness routine, and be impeccable with nutritional supplements months before traveling. Do a 7-14 day detox if possible. This is key! Don’t travel with a weak immune system.

2.     Don’t fight the masks. It’s happening, and it’s nobody’s preference. (At least, I don’t think anyone loves wearing them?) As of today, wearing a mask is required  in all airports, on all commercial aircraft, and it was required in the lobby areas and restaurant entries. You can wear a mask whenever you want, but these are the places a mask was required. I wore a separate mouth and nose covering for the flight that met the required standards. It was more comfortable than my mask and worked well.

3.     Bring your own anti-bacterial soap. At the end of each day, it felt nice to scrub away the day with an extra anti-bacterial protection. Even if you don’t usually use an anti-bacterial soap, use one now for ease of mind. One bar of Dial soap lasted 10 days.

4.     Pack a pen! In addition to the usual customs and immigration forms, there’s a new COVID disclaimer form to fill out and turn in upon arrival at the airport and again at your lodging.

5.     Bring your usual daily multi-vitamin, but add in the following every day: Zinc, an immune modulator, extra vitamin C & D. These helped me feel armed against new elements, foods, and the new environments.

6.     Expect delays at check-ins. We arrived at the airport, our hotel, and even at restaurants that each had their own added health screenings or checks. The oddest one was a device you step into (think air brush tanning days) that sprays you with an antimicrobial solution. It’s light and dries quickly, and at its worst, just slightly annoying. They spray your baggage on arrival at the hotel with this solution, too. Some take your temperature, and some offer you (and expect you to take) hand sanitizer.

7.     Make reservations! Most restaurants are requiring them to comply with the distancing needs of the tables (Mexico restaurants and bars filled up but we were spaced out really well.) Don’t expect to just show up, without a reservation, and get seated anywhere. If it happens, yay!

8.     Hire private ground transportation. This minimizes your exposure to new taxi cabs and drivers each time you need to go somewhere. Walk whenever and wherever you can. Exercising keeps everything moving, even the bad bacteria and virus strands, and these getting stuck in our body cause the problems.

9.     Tip generously, when appropriate. Hearing the stories of how this year has been for different people, really opened my eyes to the outlier issues we’re now facing, outside of the actual sickness. By traveling soon, you are helping to reverse some long-standing financial damage people and businesses are facing, due to closures and restrictions. Select local businesses, restaurants, foods, and entertainment when possible. You can immerse yourself into the culture of where you’re visiting, and meet some wonderful people at the same time.

10.  Call ahead and ask what’s new due to the pandemic. Being aware of expectations, protocols, and changes will allow you to prepare yourself accordingly and to enjoy the experience better. None of us are at our best when expectations are not met. Proactively do some research and set yourself up for success.

Go explore! My soul came alive immediately as I started roaming one of my favorite areas of Mexico. Being in the elements, the sun, especially, taking in the sights, sounds, and feelings filled me up with vitality. Don’t wait any longer! Find your next adventure spot and start booking. I am grateful for our continued health, and we remain protective of it. You are in control of how you protect yourself, and it is possible to feel safe and protected while traveling the beautiful world again. Be respectful of others’ “house rules,” as everyone is trying to help everyone feel as comfortable as possible right now, and by respecting these efforts, we all get to feel a little more freedom. 

For us, the pandemic was a temporary situation, not a permanent change to our way of life. This travel experience has been educational for us, as many things felt differently than what we’re used to, but necessary for where we currently are with pandemic concerns. While we hope even more of the restrictions lift and more countries open up to American travelers, we hope some of the new practices never leave. Airplanes, airports, hotel rooms, and bathrooms have never been cleaner! I see people giving everyone space and washing their hands longer. Que Maravilla! On that note alone, take a deep breath and go explore somewhere new. Let me know what you find!

[mattsammonsez]

Hockey’s Voice

Sometimes you meet people who embody everything you believe makes a good person. Mike “Doc” Emrick is one of those people, and I enjoyed the few times we interacted in the past 13 years.

Mike “Doc” Emrick in his second home. 

When you work in sports broadcasting, your path crosses with the paths of a lot of prominent people, including athletes, coaches, and executives. It’s all part of the job, and admittedly one of the many perks that comes with the territory. While it’s fun to cross paths with these people, there are a select few where you feel blessed that your paths crossed. Mike “Doc” Emrick is one of those people, and you always felt like you knew him and he knew you all your life even if your real life interaction was only 5 minutes. With the announcement from Emrick earlier this week that he is retiring from calling NHL games, I wanted to share a few stories about the times my path fortunately and blessedly crossed with Doc’s.

Like many people my age, we got to know Doc on a regular basis on national television. For me, it was his weekly appearances on the NHL on Fox game of the week in the mid 90’s, as well as numerous New Jersey Devils highlights earlier in the decade as that team was building into a dominant team. In 2005, Doc became the primary voice on the NHL on OLN broadcasts (later Versus, then NBC Sports Network). In 2006, I became the pregame host of Tampa Bay Lightning radio broadcasts, and as I started to settle into my role that season I started gaining new job duties. One of those duties was to pull together guest interviews for our weekly radio show Lightning Hockey Night. In the 2007 playoffs, the Lightning drew the Devils in the first round, and thus my first interaction with Doc would happen as I was trying to get a guest for the program.

We weren’t looking to get Doc on the show as a live guest, but with Doc at the time still calling Devils games I figured he’d be the perfect guest for the show as he was a well-known voice and face even to hockey fans in Florida. Before the morning skate of game 4 with the Lightning up 2-1 in the series, I introduced myself to Doc and asked him if I could get him for just a few minutes to talk about the series. He said he could, and we continued with our usual morning skate routine for the next couple of hours. I hung around the rink until the Devils were done with their skate, and after the locker rooms were closed to the media I approached Doc again to see if he was still able to do a quick interview. This was close to 1 p.m., and with a game starting at 7 or 7:30 that night Doc had plenty of prep to do. Plus his color analyst, the humorous Glenn “Chico” Resch was hungry and wanted lunch. Yet when I politely asked, Doc without hesitation obliged and we sat down in the stands for a few minutes to discuss the series. It was such a special moment, and such a fun interview, I’ve saved it 13 years and counting.

Emrick yucking it up as Jim Carr, the carpet-coiffed play-by-play announcer for the Johnstown Jets in the cult classic film Slap Shot, at Hockeyville USA, 2015.

Fast forward to September 2015. I’m now the Director of Broadcasting & Programming for the Lightning, and I’m on the team plane to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, as the Lightning and Penguins will be squaring off in the first Kraft Hockeyville USA preseason game. Game day was hectic, as the NHL and NBC rolled out the red carpet not only for both teams but for as much Slap Shot as possible since Johnstown was the location of the film shoot 40 years earlier. Along with being that night’s radio engineer for our broadcast, my mission was to pull together as many interviews as possible for a podcast on the event. Knowing the legendary Hanson Brothers would be there, I targeted an interview with them which I was able to score. 

The Cambria County War Memorial Arena was opened in 1950, when comforts such as being able to stretch your legs were not baked into many civic building blueprints. In a tiny locker room I waited for the Hansons to come in, and I did so next to Doc who agreed to also do an interview with me once I was done with the Hansons. The Hansons came in, and not only played the part of their characters well for my interview, but they too were incredibly friendly and great to talk to. While the interview went on, there was that brief fleeting moment in my head; “I’m interviewing three of the greatest hockey movie characters while one of the greatest hockey announcers is sitting in the background watching this.” Quite the moment to say the least. After my conversation with the Hansons, I sat down with Doc to talk to him about what the game meant to him, a former college teacher and newspaper writer in Western Pennsylvania 45 years earlier. You could sense in Doc’s eyes and voice this Hockeyville experience in his old backyard with all the Slap Shot fun and frivolity mixed in was quite the moment for him. The Hanson Brothers and Doc interviews were the cornerstone of my podcast, and all these years later it’s still one of my favorite podcasts of more than 100 I did.

Emrick could make any broadcast better, including a Morning Skate Show in desperate need of some good news in 2018.

Fast forward to May 2018. We’re not in the preseason, we’re in the thick of the postseason, and the Lightning are about to battle the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference Final. Prior to game one at the morning skate, Doc and I are two of seemingly 200 people gathering around Alex Ovechkin for pregame interviews. We looked on from a distance, laughing more at the spectacle then actually listening to anything Ovechkin was saying. When the scrum was done, I casually asked Doc if we could have him as a guest on our streaming video program The Morning Skate Show when the series shifted to Washington D.C. for game 3. Doc said he wanted to, we just needed to route the request through NBC public relations, which is always a coin flip on if your wish gets granted. Thankfully for us, it was.

Never before did we need a personality like Doc Emrick like we did then. The Caps humiliated the Lightning for two easy wins in Tampa before the series went to our nation’s capital. In planning for the show, we decided to talk as little as possible about the first two games, and simply turn the show into the Doc Emrick talent show. For almost 45 minutes, Doc talked about everything from the NHL playoffs to memories of AHL games in Halifax 40 years ago when birds in the rafters of the old Halifax Forum pooped on the ice during games. At the end of the show he very quietly but confidently reminded our viewers that if any team was able to get out of 0-2 hole to the Caps, it was the Lightning. It was the reassurance and the fun story telling we all needed, and low and behold the Lightning rallied for three-straight wins before the Caps pulled it together and won the series in seven games on their way to their first Stanley Cup championship. As of 2019, it was still one of the most-watched episodes of the show.

Finally, fast forward to October 2019. Two months earlier, I was informed my position was being “eliminated” at the Lightning, but I refused to be eliminated from the scene. Newly hired to provide a weekly Metro Express podcast to the Philadelphia Flyers (and later the Capitals), I arrived at Amalie Arena for a morning skate prior to a Lightning and Penguins game that was being aired nationally on NBC that night. Once I found out Doc was on the call, I knew I needed to get him for a few minutes to talk Metropolitan Division hockey. I saw Doc sitting in the first couple of rows of seats when I arrived, and I quickly slipped in next to him and asked if I could get his thoughts real quickly. Doc was there to study lines and defensive pairings of both teams, and now at the age of 74 had to double-check all players and facts before putting on another flawless broadcast that night. I was very respectful of his time, and as always he was respectful enough to grant me a few minutes of his busy day.

While there were many similarities to that first interview with Doc in 2007, this time around technology would come back to bite me. Feeling satisfied my iPhone would work as a microphone just fine, I started the interview. Midway through Doc’s first answer, my phone started ringing, cutting off the voice memo app I was using. Thankfully I silenced my phone so it merely buzzed, but in my head I was cursing while Doc was talking. There was no way I was going to ask him to start over again, I was just going to have to eat the moment as I feverishly hung up on the call and pressed record on the voice memo again. While I did this without interrupting Doc’s thoughts, I still got a good 7-8 minutes from him and used it in that week’s show. It was special to connect with Doc again, and I was reminded even as a veteran hockey broadcaster at this time to never ever again do an important interview on my iPhone.

Doc’s retirement announcement didn’t come totally as a surprise to me. I figured with COVID-19 still a factor in our lives for at least the next year or two, the last place a 75-year-old cancer survivor needs to be is in a pressurized airplane cabin or travelling from one cold city to another in the winter. And even though Doc is a pro’s pro, it’s extremely difficult to call a game from a television screen. Whoever is named his successor at NBC has some very big shoes to fill. 

As for me, my career has moved forward from my exit with the Lightning, and while potentially great things await I don’t know if I’ll be able to cover a daily beat in an NHL arena anytime soon. That’s perfectly fine with me, as I’m always looking for a new challenge and can’t wait to see what is ahead for me and my family. That also adds even more emotional value to the times my path crossed with Doc’s path. Hockey fans have been blessed to have him as a prime voice for decades, and I was blessed to interact with him several times in my career. A visit from this doctor was always welcome in the homes and hearts of hockey fans.