#god bless eric winter for looking like that

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[ryanguzmansource]

Full Audio Transcript (6.17.24)

The following episode contains potentially disturbing content and we want to alert trauma survivors. It contains material that for some may be difficult to discuss or listen to.

This is He Said, Ella Dijo with Eric Winter (EW) and Rosalind Sanchez (RS).

RS: Como estas, Eric?

EW: Oh, bien bien, and you?

RS: Hoy tenemos una persona muy especial, mi gente. Guys, we are, I know you don't, but you're learning. We are excited about our guest today. He's an actor currently on ABC's 911, which is a huge show.

EW: In the ABC family.

RS: Yes, you may know him from Step Up dance films or from playing the sexy boy next door opposite Jennifer Lopez.

EW: That's right, we have Ryan Guzman. He's here with us today to talk about his new film, The Present, out tomorrow. We're excited not only to dive into his career, but so many other personal things he's opened up about—mental health, his career, so many other things he's been talking about. So let's bring him in.

RS: Yeah, looking forward to Ryan Guzman.

Ryan Guzman (RG): How you guys doing? You guys sweating in that room?

EW: Yeah, man, it's been hot in here. We don't want that air running because you're gonna hear it in the background. So we're just like, this is all for you, Ryan. We're just gonna be sweating the whole podcast.

RS: My armpits almost stink, I hate it!

EW: Yeah, that's great. Great way to open up the podcast.

RS: It’s terrible. Anyways, we're so happy that you are joining us. Thank you so much for doing this.

EW: Yeah, fellow ABC star now. I know you guys jumped over from Fox. You're now on the network where I'm at.

RG: Yeah.

EW: How's that transition been? Has it been weird? I've never been a part of a show that jumped networks. Did it feel totally seamless to you?

RG: Honestly, I've never been a part of something like this either. I mean, I've been on four other TV shows and this one—it felt like a revamp for our show. So it's just like, as soon as we went from Fox to ABC, all of this promotional that we've never even seen in six seasons happened.

EW: Yeah, like a relaunch almost.

RG: Yeah, it was a relaunch. So it was, you know, a blessing. We're all grateful for it.

EW: Which is great. You guys came out with a bang. The ratings were great. You guys were sitting pretty in a good position.

RS: How many seasons now?

RG: Now we're gonna be going on our eighth.

RS: And you've been part of it since the very beginning?

RG: Since the second season.

RS: Since the second, wow, long gig. That's awesome. Good for you!

RG: It happened perfect timing right before I was about to have my first born.

EW: Really?

RS: Oh my God, perfect.

EW: Congrats. So your first born is how old then right now?

RG: Five.

EW: Five. And you have just one right now? You have a second?

RG: No, two. Yeah, I have two. I have a three year old. Little boy, Mateo and my baby girl, Genevieve.

RS: Oh, that's beautiful.

EW: Changes your perspective on everything, right?

RG: Amplified everything. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm also losing hair quicker than I'd like, but.

RS: Yeah. We just did a podcast and we were talking about parenthood, you know, and generational trauma and how I understand my mom now that I'm fifty-one more than ever. You know? My whole life, it was all about, I don't get her. I don't get it. I don't get her. Why, why, why? And now as a mom of a twelve-year-old girl, I just go, okay, now I get my mom.

EW: Yeah, you're not there yet. You're getting some challenges, I'm sure. You know that they say with the terrible twos, the terrible threes, the fucking fours, the fucking fives. That's it! It'll beep those curse words out. But I mean, there's challenges at every level, but there's also so many blessings and so much fun.

RG: Yeah, I'm sure right now as a twelve-year-old girl in this day and age—I'm sure it's insane.

RS: It is work. It's a little work. It's beautiful, listen, it's delicious, it's amazing. She's awesome. We have a little star. She's a tennis player. She's a good girl. But she is so fierce. She's fiercely independent, and she's at the age that I know everything and you don't know anything and just leave me alone because I am finding who I am. And sometimes you want to slap her and be like, you don't know, you don't know shit. So it's interesting.

EW: Let me ask you this, Ryan, because we were just having a conversation about our son is very, very passive. And I mean, he's coming out of his shell more and more, but we have some good friends that started their kids at a very young age in jujitsu and all these things that are just great training grounds to learn for self-esteem, for self-defense, for all these things, right? You grew up doing taekwondo, correct? Got your black belt in taekwondo. Started where you were like around eight, am I right? In that range?

RG: Yeah, it was my seventh year old birthday I started, yeah.

EW: What was the reason that, was that just, why not, I'm gonna try something new? Or was there something that prompted you to go, ah, taekwondo, I wanna jump in?

RG: Way too many Bruce Lee films.

EW: Yeah, I was gonna say, because I used to love watching movies like that too and get excited. So that—it just became a cool thing. You're like, I wanna do it.

RG: It was, honestly, it was everything. Bruce Lee was my idol, he still is my idol. From the philosophical to the physical, it was just a key component in my own evolution. So as I got to read more books, I mean, I was a young kid reading Bruce Lee books and Richard Marchenko books, which are Navy Seal books. I don't know why my interest led me there, but I feel like I needed that kind of structure. And that structure has been such an incredible foundation for, I mean, all of the success that I've been able to be grateful to get. So I highly advise every parent to put their kids into Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling at least, if not some Taekwondo or karate or some kind of martial arts, especially if you're a boy.

RS: I told you.

EW: I'm open to it. I have no problem with it.

RS: We just talked about this.

EW: I have no problem with that. I just know my kid's not gonna do it yet. He's six. I just know like his personality. He did a version of like a Taekwondo for a bit. He lasted, it was like, you know, little kids running around.”

RS: No he never—he did karate.

EW: Well karate. I think it was Taekwondo.

RS: No, it was karate.

EW: It was for sure a blend.

RS: Really?

EW: For sure a blend, it wasn't just straight cut. But he did it for a few years and then kind of got bored, right? And like with any discipline, it takes a lot of work, a lot of patience. I think the age you started feels like a pretty solid age to dive into something that takes that much focus and patience as well to learn.

RS: Did they get hurt though? At six and at seven, when you see them fighting and doing Jiu Jitsu, that is such a physical and a contact sport, do they get hurt?

RG: Yeah, I mean, they can get hurt, but they can also heal really quick. They're young. So I mean, when I was doing Taekwondo, I ended up sparring guys that were like actually twenty-years old to even my master and actually got taken out of—what was it?—a tournament because I broke my hand trying to break, I'm trying to block one of his kicks.

EW: Oh wow.

RS: Oh no.

RG: Yeah. I would say there's different, you know, personality types. I think from one to six, it's less about the structure and less about the discipline. It's more about play.

EW: Yeah.

RG: How can you allow them to feel comfortable in their own bodies and know their movement and then play with this now new martial art? And then after that, then yeah, you start to develop more structure and discipline and say, this is, you know, we got to tame the mind before we tame the body. And you start to understand a little bit more of why it's called an art, martial art.

EW: And when you first started competing, what age were you when you jumped in and then you started fighting, taking shots?

RG: I think it was right away. I was like, I'm around maybe eight, nine. Yeah, around that time.

EW: You learn life lessons quick, right? Like Mike Tyson says, everybody's got a plan till you get punched in the face. Then you have to figure it out.

RG: Yeah, yeah, I wanted to be quick. I wanted to be powerful. And I think another reason why I liked Bruce Lee so much is he was a tiny man. He wasn't a massive, like Michael Jai White kind of guy. So he was able to demand respect just off of his own technique. And I thought, you know, okay, I need to copy that. Technique can beat power and strength or technique can beat strength. So I ended up doing that and proving to myself like, oh, even at eight years old, I can be a force. And as soon as I started doing actual sparring, I just kind of fell in love with it, with the competition of it.”

RS: So Taekwondo and then MMA, right? Because you did a little bit of MMA. So all this is just fighting. When did acting came to the table? Like, and how?

RG: The acting was something I never even thought of coming from Sacramento, I mean, that's not even something that we talk about out there. And it's either martial arts or working for the state or an automotive job. But none of that called me. I was doing modeling in San Francisco. I got offered to do a photo shoot in LA, and I just asked my modeling agency from San Fran to hook me up with an agency in LA, not knowing the racket that modeling is. And I stayed in a one bedroom with five guys creating a massive amount of debt before I learned there was commercials and there was acting available. And I think the competitive streak just kind of clicked. And I was like, well, I want to get out of this situation. That seems to be making a lot more money. And this is the time and day where commercials—the nationals were actually bringing in some money. I don't know if the landscape's the same anymore.”

EW: It's very different for sure.

RG: Yeah, so I was very fortunate at the time to catch the tail end of that. And then I remember being a new twenty-three year old in LA. I'm going to clubs, I'm enjoying, I'm having a great time. And I'm seeing some of the guys that are being successful as actors. And they're kind of like, they were idiots, to be honest. So I was like, how are these guys, you know, so successful? Like I got to try this acting thing out. And I remember I didn't have enough money to download scripts. So I would just take the same page or pages that I had in my place and I'd write my own scripts off of the internet. And I would invite two or three, maybe even five guys over to the house, and I'd just start doing those scenes in front of them. And that was kind of my acting class. And then I went and auditioned for a manager, didn't get that manager, got another one who is my manager today. Three months after that, I booked the lead in Step Up and my life forever changed.

RS: Oh my God. So it was fast.

RG: Within nine months. So yeah.

RS: That's incredible. Good for you. That's incredible.”

EW: I can relate to your journey in a lot of ways. I had a similar—I went from sports to modeling to the same thing, curiosity with acting, reading different books about acting, seeing people do commercials. And like you said, back in the day, you could do one national commercial and if it was a good one, you could actually make your living for the year off of just one commercial. And little by little, just very, very similar path. I didn't get one big movie out the gate that changed my career. It took a lot of grinding. That's an amazing blessing to have something like that happen. And then you have to balance the ebbs and flows of this business at that point, right?

RS: The dancing was just organic to you? Or you were a dancer? A lot of people have that question. Does he really dance?

RG: It was something, I think it's—culturally, I don't know, just being Mexican-American, I was literally raised with my family going to do, like Quinces' [Quinceañeras], or like just parties in general, we'd always dance. And it was less about the one, two, three, ba, one, two, like doing any kind of structured kind of stuff, more of the feel. And I've always loved dancing, but never on that level.

RS: How was it having to follow choreography?

RG: It was kind of like fighting. I put it next to it because the amount of hours we did—we did eight hours every single day for about two, three months. I remember seeing the guy that, and I feel bad because I gave him such a hard time. He was supposed to be my dance double, but my competitive streak was just like, no, no, no. I gotta be that guy. So I would do the eight hours with everybody and then I'd videotape our session and I'd go home and I'd do another two, three hours by myself. And just go over and over, and then I ended up being in every scene.

RS: That's awesome.

EW: Good for you.

RS: Have you done a movie playing a fighter, like an MMA, a boxer or something like that? Have you done that already?

RG: I've not. I've wanted to for the longest time. And I don't know if—I think it'll come. Everything's happening for a reason. I believe in... to, actually what you were saying earlier, getting that job right out the gate, it was overwhelming. It was too much for me at the time. I wasn't ready to be catapulted in the way I was. And I wasn't an actor really. I wasn't really a dancer. I had kind of just been fooling everybody.

RS: How old were you?

RG: I was twenty-three.

RS: Oh baby, okay.

RG: Yeah, so I'm brand new with all this.

EW: Months in, like you said, months in.

RG: Yeah, and everybody's thinking that I'm this thing and I'm kind of taking it. My ego was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe I am. And then reality kind of checked me and the next movie I did and two movies after that were bombs and I realized I don't know anything about this business. So I would say up until maybe three years ago, I didn't really call myself an actor and I was just lucky to count my stars that I was amongst other actors that were like a Jennifer Lopez or working with the Richard Linklater and now Glenn Powell being who he is now. So just super grateful that I got the time and maybe the hustle that I had, those combined allowed me to stay and have some longevity in this career.

RS: Did you get caught up in the whole business—the ugly dark side of Hollywood because you were so young and it came so fast?

RG: I didn't get caught up, but I definitely got put onto it, and it quickly showed me I want no part of it. That's why I kind of say to myself, I stay with my kids. I rarely do any press, but that was just like, the fame game was never something... I don't want to be seen too much and then have to speak in front of thousands of people as if I'm speaking for them. I can only speak for myself and my experience and hopefully people connect to it. But I saw a lot of people that were not necessarily skilled in any asset becoming really famous and rich. And it kind of just wasn't feeding anything other than a hole in the soul. So it kind of made me go a different direction.

RS: That's amazing.

EW: Do you remember on your climb at any point—maybe an older actor you came across that maybe, maybe not a full mentor—but somebody who guided you or gave you some words of wisdom early on that might have helped you navigate this business or any of that even failed you and just set you back going, oh, that was a horrible example of somebody on set? You don't have to name names if you don't want, but I'm just curious if you had people that hit those marks.

RG: I've definitely been blessed to be, I mean, I've worked with some of the greats, Edward James Olmos, Jennifer Lopez, I mean, Juliette Lewis. I've worked [with] some amazing actors and actresses. I could, yeah, I would never name names, but I have gotten some really good advice and some really like [makes a noise] advice. And... so grateful for the good advice. Eddie Olmos has given me some incredible advice. He's just a sound individual.

EW: He's a great human.

RG: Yeah, and his son, Michael Olmos, another sound individual. But I think it was just on all aspects—just stay true to you. I think that's the general narrative that I've gotten from plenty of other individuals. It's just, no one can do you. And your uniqueness is meant to kind of shine in its own unique way. So if you're trying to be—I can't be Antonio Banderas I can't be, even though I'm a Latin actor, I can't be somebody else that's already had that role. I need to just kind of explore myself and allow that to shine, and that's what I feel like I'm just starting to tap into these past couple of years. So I'm really excited to see where it goes.”

RS: Before we talk about your movie coming out tomorrow—and listen, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, because we want to be very respectful—but we read that and you came out openly saying that you had to deal with some mental situations, and you battle a little bit of depression at some point in your life. Only if you want to talk about it, otherwise we don't have to. I was just very curious, where did depression come from? If you even know.

RG: Yeah, I've spent many, many years dissecting where the depression has come from, and it's essentially from people pleasing. It's a trauma coping mechanism that I started a long time ago when I was a child, and I didn't even realize it. And it's kind of these things that I'm aware of now raising my own children to give them less to work on later on in life and give them a better foundation. But yeah, as I got older, I started to realize that I was people pleasing so much to a detriment that I had nothing left for myself. And I've even watched old interviews and where I'm smiling the whole time and trying to say the right thing and do the right thing and be the perfect individual, be the all-American boy, and that's not who I really am. I'm flawed and I have my own issues, and I think being raised a Mexican-American man who's not supposed to tap into his feelings or understand them, let alone, that set me back a lot. So I came to a point about seven years ago where I reached my limit, and I had just seen my parents' divorce. I had just gone through a horrible relationship, and I was looking around for some kind of aid, somebody to be there, and no one was there.

And I realized that I had been leaning on the wrong people. So feeling that lonely, feeling like you wake up and you just know what's gonna happen every single day is just kind of a time suck and it's quicksand, and that's how the depression kind of starts. And luckily, I got a second chance, and from that moment forward, it kind of just awoken—I awoke into something new, something better and a path towards a purpose. So. Yeah.

RS: The second chance came from within, from a person, from a book?

RG: The second chance came from my attempt at not working. So I'm a very extremist person type, and right after my attempt did not work, I just started crying like crazy. And I was in a horrible environment. Somebody was yelling at the other side of the door. You know, just horrible things were happening at the time. And then after I stopped crying, I remember sitting on my bed and just having this moment of like this epiphany. You can't ever be the same. You got to be something different because you've already reached the absolute limit with this type of person you are. You got to deconstruct, break everything down because the foundation you've been building on is so fractured and cracked. And for the last six, seven years now, I've broken myself down and try to stay as humble as I possibly can and look at all the horrible things about me and then kind of start from there and rebuild and heal and allow myself to be a different individual and actually show and implore people to change via changing myself.

RS: That's amazing.

EW: Yeah, thank you for sharing that. I think a lot of our listeners will gain a lot just hearing. Maybe they don't go through something to the extent you went through, but everybody deals with some sort of down moment, whether it gets as far as a deep depression or not, and a lot of people don't know how to even pull out of the simplest thing. And you, like you said, hit a level of rock bottom and had that epiphany. Thank God. Now, I mean, you're a dad and you have so much to offer your children and let alone your own— yourself and your life. You have so much more to do—so thank you for sharing that. That's powerful.

RS: I'm assuming spirituality is very important in your life at the moment.

RG: Yes. Yes. Yeah. That's part of my purpose as well. I was raised a Catholic. I was an altar boy at one point in time. I went into the seminary for a little bit. And then I kind of disassociated with the church and religion in general. I saw the underbelly of it. But yeah, my spirituality is—I started to reread the Bible and tap back into my spirituality and just be open to Eastern and Western, allowing all forms to kind of really like be permeable. So I think there's so much to this life that to say that you know it all is kind of cutting yourself off of so much opportunity and abundance. Yeah, so that's kind of where I'm at right now. Just—I'm exploring that with like-minded individuals, and propelling love rather than fear, so.

EW: It's great that you're putting all this into perspective in your life now because especially—I know every business has challenges, but I think in a business like ours, where so many people—their happiness hinges on the ups and the false belief that people around you have all the time—and the moment you don't deliver, the moment people's attitudes or perceptions of you change, or the moments—it's such a roller coaster emotionally, the business that we're in, that a lot of people, I think, aspire or want—they want it so bad because they see fame, they see that meaning, the all-encompassing success. You must be happy because people know who you are. It's like nobody has to know who you are to be happy.

I like what you said—just staying out of press unless you want to do something or maybe you have a social media presence when you want. But it's not because you feel the need to feed the ego to be seen by everybody else. It's something that speaks to you, so I'll do it. But it's not to please people. And that's what this business has become for so many others. I need to constantly please. And when I'm not pleasing, I failed. And when you fail, you feel like, what have you accomplished? You could have accomplished—you could be an Oscar winner and it still wouldn't be enough. Because you're gonna fail at some point again. Like it's very rare that someone just rides high all the way through in this business. And so I think our business is such a tough one to navigate the waters you've been through. But thankfully you're putting those pieces in perspective now, which I think is perfect timing because your career is just gonna continue to go and go and go and go and go like that, because that's just what the business does. But you've got the tools now.

RS: It's brutal, to be honest. So it's good when we find spirituality and when we have all the things going for us that are so much more important, like parenthood. Because for me, I decided to be a mom late in life because it was all about career, career, I need to make it. And I wasn't searching fame. My problem with the business—and the lows were low. Not because, oh, I'm not where I wanna be because I wanna be famous. It was more about why do I have to constantly prove myself? I've done big movies, I've done huge TV shows and then why is there, what I call in the meantime, this moment of nothing that all the stuff that you have accomplished basically becomes nothing and you have to do it all over again. And it's the constant, I'm swimming against the current. It's not about being famous. It's about why, like it's been almost 30 years. Why do I still have to prove to you that I can do this when just look at my body of work? I've done it many times before. And it is very frustrating.

RG: Both of you guys have great points. I mean, and both of you guys' careers speak for themselves. I would say that I've been blessed now again with this new chance at life that I've come to understand it's more about connectivity. Connectivity to like minded individuals and loved ones and connectivity to a purpose, which for me is creativity. So to your point, I always felt that same way where I was like trying to outdo my last thing and that was so fleeting—or get some type of money, some type of recognition, and it was all fleeting because at the end of the day, after you pass away, that's all gone.

But if you create something, you connect with somebody, that remains even after you pass. So that's what truly matters. So I find myself having deep conversations with individuals. I find myself getting lost in my art or my poetry or writing screenplays and just kind of just creating, allowing my own storytelling to come in and flourish. But it can be very defeating in the time and age that we're in right now. So many people are trying to be social media stars and do the next TikTok dance and say the next absurd thing to get all the views.

And I think they're gonna find what I ended up finding a long time ago, which—one example sticks out in my mind. I'd always wanted to throw a first pitch in a baseball game or at least be a part of a baseball game, and I luckily got invited to the LA Dodgers game. And I remember getting that experience and the people that I wanted there weren't there. So it felt meaningless. And it felt like I had no true connection. I'm like, my mom, my dad, my brother, somebody should be here. Why are they not here? I've lost all contact because I've been so busy working. I've been so focused on creating this brand of Guzman. And now I understand. It's like, none of this means anything without the people that you care about right next to you.

EW: 100%. Talk to us about your movie. This is exciting. The Present.

RG: Yeah, The Present is an awesome film. It's a good wholesome family film. Nice little comedy in there. Cause you know, Isla Fisher, Greg Kinnear, they're incredible individuals. The kids kill it in this. I mean, they're the star pupils in this film. And then it was new for me. It was a little fun role to play. You know, comedic timing, trying to master that still. But I had fun with it playing opposite of Isla. And essentially the movie is about a family who's on their way to separation going on divorce and their kids get gifted this grandfather clock and this grandfather clock can turn back time. So the kids try and use this to try and save their family's relationship. And everything that ensues is really nice.

EW: You know, when I saw the premise, I was thinking to myself, cause I come from divorced parents and I remember as a kid always going like, how can I just change this? How can I take that back? And so to put that into a movie, I think is a fun concept that anybody coming from a divorced family could probably relate to in that sense. Cause you always want to turn back time and go, is there something I could have done? And even though, you know, kids take that blame, but it's a great premise. That sounds like a lot of fun.

And comedic timing, like doing comedy and stretching, even though you've done it before and you continue to do it, it's like, it's always its own art form. It is so tricky. People don't understand how difficult great comedy is. Like, I always think some of the best actors in our business, period, are comedians, because to make someone genuinely laugh, like crying laughter, to me is way harder than making someone feel like cry with tears of sadness. I think people can tap into that as a viewer much easier than like someone genuinely making you die laughing. So just doing comedy as an actor is such a fun art form to continue to explore, I'm sure.

RG: 100%. I mean, Robin Williams is the, I would say my go for that. He shows—”

EW: Do it all.

RG: The comedy that he does is so based in truth.

EW: Yeah.

RG: It's so grounded. That's why it works. And obviously it helps that he can play like 12 million personalities, but—

EW: Totally, but then he'll crush the drama at the same time. Like he'll do drama, no problem. Then to do comedy, you don't see a lot of dramatic actors come over and knock out comedy like you see comedians go over and knock out drama.

RG: Yeah.

EW: So I think like it's awesome that you got to explore that as well.

RS: Is there one thing that you see yourself in five years doing? You have a successful show, and now you're a dad, you know, you're pretty accomplished. But if you can look at your future and be like, there's this thing that is my north is the next, is what is gonna make everything make sense and be full circle.

RG: Yeah, being my own director. Right now I'm working on a film that I've written. I'm working with an incredible director, Mo McCray, mentoring under him and taking ownership of my own career and allowing myself to kind of open the space and open the door for not even just more Latinos, but just in general for newer voices and more creative voices and human experiences. But I mean, there's always that one big thing to be like a Marvel superhero at some point in time.

RS: You will.

EW: You can have more than one North for sure, but that's a great one. That's a great one.

RS: You know, it's interesting. I'm going through the process. I'm leaving to go to Puerto Rico to do this thing that I wrote that I'm gonna direct. It's my first feature that I'm directing, and it's like, I want it to be like the second stage of my career. And it's so hard, Ryan, to—it's an independent film and to be able to raise finance, you know, it's years, you know, like we had Ricky Martin a couple of podcasts back and he was saying that he learned that in this business, everything takes five years from beginning to end is five years. And now that I think about it, I'm like, you know what? Absolutely right. It's gonna be five years, you know, once I'm done, I edit, you know, locked picture, boom, it's gonna be five years.

And it's been brutal. The process, it's been brutal because it's a lot of letdowns and people offering you all kinds of things and at the end of the day, it's all BS, you know, it's all smoke and mirrors. And the only thing that keeps me going is the love of the art and the love of what we do because I wrote it and it's so special to me. It's like my third baby. And even though I'm going through logistical nightmares and finance, is it gonna fall apart? Is it here? Is it not? When I sit down to do my shot list and when I'm actually doing the creative work of it all, I can do that all day long. All day long, because it's amazing if you love it.

RG: Yeah. Yeah, the business part of it is just—it's defeating. The creativity part of it is incredible. And I'm sure this is just gonna be, you know, an abundance of opportunity and knowledge, you know, for the next thing. And like anything you do in life, as soon as you begin something new, you probably suck at it, unless you're one of those rare few individuals that can do everything. But there is a learning process, a learning curve. And this was gonna probably be one film that spurs on so many other films now.”

RS: Amen.

RG: Watch and enjoy.

RS: Yeah, amen. Anyways, thank you.

EW: Well, Ryan, thanks for hanging with us today. This was awesome, man. Thanks for sharing everything. Wish you the very best. Obviously you're crushing it and you have a lot of great aspirations still to come. So we truly wish you the best.

RS: Thank you.

RG: Alright, guys, you guys have a great day.

RS: You too, bye bye.

EW: That was great.

RS: Oh my God, he's so wonderful.

EW: Yeah, such an awesome guy. And truly wish him the best with the trajectory and everything he has planned for his career beyond 911. I love that he's writing and wants to direct. Check out The Present movie coming out tomorrow.

RS: Tomorrow. On demand.

EW: On demand. Till next time.

RS: Bye, love you.

[burningblake]

i'm officially fully caught up with this show and i have thoughts

first of all, GOD, chenford kissed and i thought it would be enough to satisfy me because hey at least it's canon and not just a bunch of writers trying to bait their audience, but at the same time, i have tricked myself into endless pain because they are NOT TOGETHER YET 😭 and i have to watch their kiss scenes again and again and dream up scenarios and I'm telling you it's been a full-time job today at least and it's exhausting 😭 on second note, how PERFECT are they for each other?! I CAN'T! just the looks they give to one another, the deep care 😭 i mean he looked at her across the bullpen and my heartrate went up. we were blessed by eric winter and melissa o'neil portraying these wonderful characters.

ANGELA LOPEZ OWNS ME.

S5 is so good so far honestly. They picked up on the momentum they had in seasons 1 to 3.

Also, the Chenford moments are so good, the angst is of the sweetest brand.

ASHLEY IS OFFICIALLY IN TIM'S PAST BAHAHAHAHAHA

I read many opinions on the break-up and I agree with all of them. Yes, if Tim had done it, it would have been more meaningful, and yes, if Ashley had at least named Lucy as the reason, it would at least have made sense. But at the same time, maybe it wouldn't fit the subtle tone they have chosen for chenford so far. Hear me out, right now chenford is happening quietly in meaningful looks and acts of service. If Lucy was brought up as a reason for tim breaking up with ashley, Chenford would suddenly become loud and lose some of their slowburn quality. Tim would have to face his feelings head-on and it's obvious the guy isn't even at the point where he fully recognizes what those feelings are. So yeah, as much as I would have liked a more meaningful break-up, I think I understand why they chose this scenario.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

[karihighman]

That one time Lucy’s slightly more intimidating than Tim is 😠😡

[luna-rainbow]

Welp, Bucky confirmed for Thunderbolts… This is troubling lol. I feel like there might be ways to make it work but I really just have no faith in these people so I guess I’ll watch it, hate it and die mad about it. Excellent!

I was avoiding all MCU news in the hopes this wouldn't eventuate =/

I'm going to attempt to look at this as objectively as I can. Firstly, neither Zemo nor Sharon were announced. This doesn't necessarily mean Zemo won't appear, but if he does this probably means it's a smaller role, which is good.

Secondly, it's a decent team of actors. I mean, in general the MCU has been blessed with fantastic actors, but I'm sure Seb will enjoy playing off people like Florence Pugh and Wyatt Russell, who are both capable of such nuance and pathos. Before anyone jumps down my throat - because fandom has a propensity to do this - I'm not saying Seb's previous co-stars were not capable of them, but Seb has talked a lot recently about how much he enjoys working with new people and learning things through that experience.

Third, the main writer announced is Eric Pearson, so let's look at his track record. On the positive side, he was one of the head writers for Black Widow, which managed to acknowledge that the Widows were victims of brainwashing and could not be blamed for what they did under that brainwashing. The script also alluded to the fact that the Winter Soldier program was working on removing the subject's voluntary control over even basic motor functions such as breathing, and drawing a parallel between that and the Widows. If I looked purely at Black Widow's script, I would be cautiously hopeful that the Thunderbolts would do justice not just to Bucky, but to Yelena and Ava as well, who were both also victims of having their autonomy taken away from them.

What worries me, though, is that Pearson was also on the team for Thor Ragnarok, which didn't deal too well with nuance and grief. He was also the writer for at least 8 episodes on Agent Carter, and I haven't seen any good neutral writing (particularly where Bucky is involved) recently from Carter fans in the MCU writers room. And finally, it's unclear just how much his Black Widow script was polished up by other writers - after all, wasn't he the one that came up with the god-awful "are you on your period" joke, and ScarJo talked about how she, Florence and Cate Shortland were all horrified when they did their first reading and felt compelled to turn it into a statement?

What really grinds my gears about the concept of the Thunderbolts is that for the last few years the MCU has gone by protagonist-centered morality. Neither Yelena nor Bucky had a say in what they chose to do, Ava was indoctrinated in a similar way to Wanda was, and you could even argue Walker was too by military propaganda and Alexei by Russian propaganda. These are not people who made a moral decision to be grey, and I don't see why they get to be called a bunch of reluctant antiheros who have to be conscripted to do something good when many of them have been wanting to do good...when rage-driven mass murderers like Clint still gets the hero treatment. Thunderbolts would be a fantastic way for people like Bucky and Yelena to address their tormentors, and for people like Ava and Walker to make a statement against large military/para-military organisations indoctrinating their people by dehumanising both them and their enemies.

But let's be real, Disney won't do that.

(Tumblr glitching again D=)

[blossom-hwa]

Blessings - Jacob

Here we start the first of nine prompts for the @starryktown Unbeleafable Bingo collaboration :) enjoy my first tbz work!!! Dedicated to @banhmi07​ because your ask about Jacob playing guitar helped inspire this :D

Unbeleafable prompt: seasonal coffee

Pairing: Jacob x fem!reader

Genre: fluff, barista!au

Triggers: some cursing

Word Count: 1k

An angel’s voice soothes your work-worn mind.

Unbeleafable Masterlist | The Boyz Drabbles Masterlist

As much as you love the café with its warm, cozy atmosphere, hot drinks, and pleasant customers, there are still days where you either want to throw yourself out of the window or sink behind the counter and lie on the ground for several hours. There’s no in-between.

Today is one of those days, where there are too few workers, too many rude customers, and to top it off, it’s the start of the holiday season and all anyone wants to order are the stupid seasonal drinks you put out to increase business during the winter months.

The words “pumpkin spice” and “peppermint” and “marshmallows” practically send you into apoplectic shock at this point. You don’t think those words have the right to exist anymore.

One thing keeps you sane, though. In the last few hours of the rush, you become aware of the strumming of a guitar floating through the open door as people come in and out. It isn’t just the instrument, either – someone’s voice, a voice as smooth as the coffee you’re pouring and as sweet as the sugar sprinkled in, flows through the air.

It’s the sound of an angel, you’re sure. One of the powers above saw you dying behind the counter and blessed you with an angel’s voice to keep you alive. So even though you feel like crying behind the plastic smile you present to each customer, handing off cups of coffee and plates of pastries, you don’t collapse and melt into the ground. You stay standing.

And, well, you have to find some way to thank the angel. It’s only proper, isn’t it, to thank the heavenly being who kept you from leaping into the void?

So when there’s finally a lull in the rush and you have the opportunity to collapse in a chair and close your eyes for a few minutes, you stay behind the counter instead. Your eyes are drooping but you force yourself to focus, fingers flying as you pour coffee, add sugar and syrup and a bit of chocolate, and pick out one of Felix’s best-selling pastries fresh out of the oven to put in a small bag.

It’s one of the stupid seasonal coffee drinks. If you were thinking properly, you might have made something different because you’re tired of peppermint-chocolate-whatever-the-fuck-this-is, but it’s one of the café’s best sellers and your hands are operating on muscle memory at this point, so whatever. Felix’s pastry will make up for the indignity of a holiday drink.

You can still hear the angel singing when you step out of the café, leaving Eric to man the counter in your absence. It doesn’t take long to pinpoint the direction the voice is coming from – someone’s sitting on one of the benches a few feet away, strumming a guitar.

Suddenly, you feel very shy, standing there with a cup of coffee in one hand and a pastry in the other. What if the person thinks you’re weird, coming over to give them food because you liked their singing? What if they don’t like the pastry? What if they don’t even like coffee?

Well, fuck it, you tell yourself. You’re already out here. You also don’t want to drink the coffee or eat the pastry, so you may as well give it a shot. And people who don’t appreciate Felix’s baking are people you don’t want to associate with.

The angel doesn’t look up at first, just keeps singing as you walk a bit closer. For a few moments, you just stand nearby, waiting awkwardly for him to finish the music.

Eventually, though, he looks up. And though you sorely miss the sound of his voice in your ears, the smile on his face is more than enough to make up for it.

With light brown hair and dark eyes, the singing angel looks unreal. He looks up at you with the sweetest smile, like the embodiment of peace and calm sent down from the sky. “Hi,” he greets quietly.

God really sent a fucking angel. He really did that.

It takes a second to find your voice, but eventually, you do. “Hi. Um, I’m Y/N. I work at the café just a few doors down. Listen, uh, this might sound really weird and awkward, but I was having a really bad day and your singing really helped me out. Your voice is beautiful.” You cough, embarrassed. “So I just wanted to bring you something as a sort of thanks for helping me get through it. It’s just coffee and a pastry.” You put them down on the seat next to him. “I hope you like it.”

You really didn’t think it was possible for his smile to get even wider but it does, a pink tint rising on his cheeks as he dips his head in thanks. “Thank you,” he says, eyes sparkling. “I’ll be sure to enjoy it.” He bites his lip as though unsure of what to say next, then smiles again. “My name is Jacob.”

He’s beautiful. He’s fucking beautiful and you don’t know what to do with this new information and your brain is short-circuiting but you finally manage to reply. “It was really nice to meet you, Jacob.” You bow slightly. “You seriously have a beautiful voice.”

He grins. “Thank you.”

As you walk back into the café, you think that’s the end of it. You’ve met an angel, he’ll return to the heavens, you won’t see him again. The heavens above sent him to you for several hours, and you’re more than thankful for that.

Which is why you nearly have a heart attack the next afternoon when Jacob walks into the café, guitar slung against his back, and shyly asks for “the drink you made yesterday, it was really good.”

(Eric and Felix snicker behind the counter as you trip your way through a response. They outright snort with laughter when Jacob dawdles at the counter for a moment longer than he has to, then slips a piece of paper over to you with pink cheeks and dashes out of the café.

The paper has his fucking phone number on it, along with a very sweet note. And if you stay up all night texting the brown-haired boy with the angelic voice, what of it, Felix? Eric? What fucking of it?)

[nosferatyou]

Double Indemnity: Ch.1 (Josh Kiszka x Reader)

Summary: After an incident their freshman year they could barely stand to look at each other. Now it’s their senior year and are grouped together for their final project. What could go wrong?

Warnings: Cursing

WC: 2.3k

Authors note: Well. I flipped into Josh’s lane and thought of this sucker and couldn’t get it out of my head. After I heard the story behind the writers of “Double Indemnity” I just had to make this. Heres to me hopefully finishing a series! Enjoy!

Let’s go back to the day when I “met” Josh Kiszka and when I actually met Josh.

It was the summer before my freshman year of college, and at that point, film sets weren’t a stranger to me. But I sure didn’t have the experience that most of the already film majors around me had. I was roped in by my long time friend Jack who I hadn’t spoken to since graduation, but due to the circumstances, he needed as many crew members as possible. He had 2 days to write, shoot, and cut together a short film. I was a PA (production assistant) and was frantically running around helping in any way I could. I was smart enough to stay out of the way and speak up when needed.

 I met most of the crew except one, the cinematographer/camera op, who was the busiest on set. The exception being Jack, who was the director. I heard the camera OP was only there because he had the nicest camera, but my mind may have tainted what I heard about him that day.

With only an hour to spare we had finished the film. All of us dehydrated and starving, sleep-deprived too. I was cradling a horrendous migraine from the lack of water and was ready to leave before someone suggested we go to Cookout. Which is arguably the best food at 3 am. 

Against my will, I was dragged to the fast-food restaurant with the rest of the crew. At that point, I was barely conscious and sat in the back seat of Jack’s car. The stranger cinematographer who I hadn’t noticed was next to me until he tapped my shoulder. With a concerned look, asked me if I was okay and needed anything. Which was nice of him considering we’d never spoken. 

After the short exchange of words, he never seemed to fully leave my side. May it be his glances from across the table with the same concerned look, or him bring me cups of water, which I still don’t remember him getting up for. 

After that night it would be months until I see him again. 

I didn’t expect him to be in my Post Production class, but I was definitely happy to see him. It was my first day of classes and to see a familiar face was a nice change of pace compared to whirlwind of a day. Though it wasn’t too long after that that my feelings for him changed.

If you’re a film student you’re going to edit a Gunsmoke fight scene, it is basically a right of passage. Anyways I was an experienced editor and of course, was going to cut the fight scene to the beat of an Ennio Morricone song. If we were going to work on a western scene then Ennio was a must. 

 I was damn proud of my work, I seemed to be one of the best editors in the class, josh being right there with me. We didn’t exchange many words, but we kept each other company by simply sitting next to each other. 

Then came the critique day, when everyone watches your video and gives you notes. Usually its never good notes.

 After our class watched it everyone had a lot to say, mostly over small slip-ups I didn’t notice, that’s normal. Josh’s video was next and the moment the music played I was livid, he had used the same exact song, even cut it the same way I did. The worst part was that no one had anything bad to say about it, all good comments. I kept it contained, for the most part. I didn’t verbally say anything, but my constant tapping and dirty looks in his direction said otherwise. I don’t think he’d noticed.

I waited until everyone left and simply gave him a piece of my mind. Maybe I snapped at him… either way, it led to us getting into our first screaming match. Josh saying he “didn’t” copy my video and me disagreeing. I honestly don’t remember how it ended, but I do remember us getting kicked out of the building for it. 

Anyways that was three years ago, and we still hate each other. Yet here we are still in all the same classes, but the difference is we have silent warfares. Constantly competing with each other, showing each other our higher grades, and besting each other’s videos. I can barely stand to hear him talk anymore, but I do have to say. He knows how to make a good line. 

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

Even with the cold chill of the November air prickling my skin and the wind whipping my hair, my mood couldn’t be damped. Maybe “chill” is an understatement. Living in “The City by the Lake” aka Chicago brings on the harshest of winters, and as crazy as it seems, I always weirdly miss it when I go back to Michigan. Sure it has it’s many feet of snow, but Chicago makes the wind weirdly dazzling. 

This is my last coffee, I’ll switch to tea. Is something I say every morning when I get up before classes, but here I am again, with an out of place cold brew in hand and a raging caffeine addiction. In hindsight, it is better than my previous vice, cigarettes, but the headaches it brings on is just as bad as missing a cig. My one hand shoved in my pocket and the other is clutching the same cold brew as before. I may have said that I couldn’t be bothered by the weather, but I’m not immune. 

As soon as I enter Columbia’s Media Production building everything becomes flush with warmth. Its a bit uncomfortable really. I remove my gloves and quickly checked my phone, affirming that I’m right on time as always. As I stroll through the halls I tune more into the music, enjoying my free time. There is just something about Chet Baker and Chicago that just mixes so well. 

Todays a good day though, it marks my one year of quitting cigs. Did I mention that I quit? Because I quit. Anyways my roommate made a big deal out of it, I also figured out the coolest riff, I’m kind of shit at making music out of thin air so it’s a big day. 

After taking the long way to my Directing class (Cinema Directing III if you want to get technical) I finally made it to the small class. Most of the class was there, luckily for me my two-year seat partner, Gwen, was already there, waiting where she always does. We met in our Single Cam 1 class and have been inseparable since, well actually Gwen, Cora (the previously mentioned roommate), and I have been inseparable ever since. 

I made my way to my usual seat and peeled my overworn leather bomber jacket off, already feeling more comfortable. Slumping back in my chair I lazily grabbed my sketchbook and pencil out of my bag. Its become a kind of habit to draw my professors and classmates every day, something is just so fascinating about their compositions. I got to work on Gwen who was hunched over, focusing on her book in front of her. I got to work and as soon as I finished up on the basic shapes she quickly sat up, focusing on me. 

“You ready for the final project?” She questioned, stealing my coffee in the process.

“I’ve been working on a few ideas already, but then again I don’t know the assignment yet. I do know I will be grabbing the usual 4 of you the moment he says “groups.”

“Heres to hoping we can pick- Oh!” She almost spilled my coffee when she interrupted herself. 

“I forgot to text you! Happy one year of being ciggy free!” She exclaimed, handing me back the bottle.

I took a swig from the bottle when she gave it back. “Well thank you, darling. I feel like having clean lungs shouldn’t be such an achievement, but I guess here we are.”

“Be proud! Besides gives us a reason to head to Jerry’s.”

“We’d celebrate over anything if it meant going to Jerry’s and getting pissed.” I smirked at her.

“Well. You got me there. Anyways you are right, we will be getting drunk out of our minds tonight. Bless the man who decided to open a bar directly next to your apartment building.” She said, with a playful smile on her lips.

“Bless him indeed.” I laughed. 

At that moment I locked eyes with none other than the aforementioned, Josh Kiszka. It’s oddly enough what we do every time we see each other. Which is more often than I think both of us care for. But seeing him roll his eyes every time I glare at him is kind of fun. 

I followed him with my eyes as he sat down in his seat, instantly sticking his nose in- wait what is he reading? I focused and realized he was reading the screenplay for Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs.” Where the hell did he even get that? 

My eyes snapped up to the professor when I realized he started class.

“Alright, I’m just going to jump into this. Today we start on your final projects, and I think it’ll be very fun. A challenge for sure, but fun nonetheless.”

I slipped a sly smile to Gwen, already thinking of the best ideas in my arsenal to use.

“In groups, you all will be recreating a favorite film, but it should max be 20 minutes long. Now that’ll be your job to rewrite and format it so you can fit in the timeframe. Oh, and I swear to god if another person does Pulp Fiction I will actually scream. You can hold me to that.”

Oh Jesus okay this will be hard as hell, I guess something with a simpler plot will be easy. Ooh, or something that’s so overcomplicated I can rewrite it so it’s simpler. What’s something that’d be good for Gwen, she’s a good actress, but she can only play so much-

“I already have your groups picked out let me just put them up on the board.” My professor said, searching for the list on his computer.

Oh god. He’s never done this. We always pick groups. If Gwen and I aren’t grouped together I may just riot. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him drag the document over to the screen, so I quickly directed my attention to it.

I searched all of the lists, finally finding my name at the top of group four. Rob, Eric, and- Oh shit Gwen! Wait. There’s one more. The moment I saw the J I knew exactly who it was. My eyes darted over to Josh’s seat and had the same look I could only guess that was on my face. We both glared at each other, if we stared any harder we’d burn holes in each other.

“Motherfucker!” I whispered to Gwen, trying not to raise my voice.

“What? We are in the same group.” she looked back over to me with confusion on her face. She followed my eyes to the equally angry man across the room from me.

“Oh, shit..”

“Oh shit is right! I can’t work with that guy, I swear to god… Damn it, I can’t think of an insult! Quick help me!” I stammered out, you could practically see the steam coming out of my ears.

“Um... You can’t work with that Frodo look alike?” She suggested, both of us whispering to each other now,

“I’ll take it. I can’t work with that Frodo look alike! He’s just gonna take all of my good ideas and throw them into the lava like that fucking ring. Wait is it Frodo or sam who throws it? Know what, I don’t care. Look at what he’s making me forget important plot points in movies. I can’t work with someone who hinders my thinking process.” 

“First off, Gollum falls in with the ring in hand. Secondly, drink your coffee and focus on what movie we should do. Suggest something so good so fast that it’ll make his head spin.”

She put the almost empty coffee in my hands and I took a swig, still glancing back at josh, making the same face. 

Gwen started to ramble on, her words in the back of my mind. All I could focus on was wanting to be in any other group than his, even Leonard. He refuses to watch a Tarantino film, and simply because he thinks he’s beyond that. Leonard is someone I talk to if only necessary.

 I tuned back in to hear. “I mean if you think about it, as much as you and Josh are to Frodo and the Ring. You’re more like Billy Wilder and Ray Chandler. I mean they hated each other, but damn if they weren’t good writers. Plus, they respect a good line-”

Inspiration was swept over me. I knew exactly what we had to do. Before I knew what was happening my feet carried themself over to Josh’s seat. Same as before, we both had the same expression, except this time it was one of surprise. 

“Double Indemnity!” I blurted out a bit too loudly.

He seemed even more confused. “Double insurance money?” He questioned.

“Fuck. No. It’s the film we are going to make. It’s a fantastic idea, and it’s happening. Not even you can argue with me!” I sped out.

He sat for a moment in thought, his brows furrowed together and a cliche hand positioned on his chin. 

“Fine.” Is all he said, his arms were crossed. He seemed defeated.

I simply turned on my heel and headed back to my seat. An overexcited grin plastered to my face. 

[dailyaudiobible]

10/07/2020 DAB Transcript

Jeremiah 8:8-9:26, Colossians 3:1-17, Psalms 78:32-55, Proverbs 24:27

Today is the 7th day of October welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I'm Brian it is wonderful to be here with you today, hump day, another center of the week that we move through…well…once a week, but here we are in the middle of the first full week of this month. And yeah, the Bible is speaking to us. And, so, let's move into that. We’re reading from the New Living Translation this week. Jeremiah chapter 8 verse 8 through 9:26.

Commentary:

Okay. Let's think about cooking. Let’s think about recipe books. Like some of you are like extravagant cooks. My wife would be one in that category. I would be much less in that category, but above just making Ramen noodles. But we’re all over the map. But the thing that we usually need until we become extremely advanced cooking is a recipe. How much of this, how much of that makes this particular dish that I'm going to eat. And, so, just think about some dishes that we might cook up. Let’s say we grab a leaf of sexual immorality and throw it in the pot and then stir in a couple of impurity and then a handful of lust and then a generous dash of greed and idolatry, and then a cup of anger and a half a cup of rage and three quarters of a cup of malicious behavior and then a dash of slander and some dirty language for taste and then a cup of lying and bake that 350 after we whip it up and pour it into some sort of container. How yummy does that sound? And why do we keep eating that dish when there's another recipe found in Colossians today? And the recipe…well…I…I…I mean I made up the amounts, but Paul told us the ingredients. But what if…what if we made need a different dish? What is we took a cup of tenderhearted mercy and poured that over a nice base of kindness with several leafs of humility, a cup of gentleness, a cup of patience, two cups of forgiveness, right, some sprigs of peace and a garnish of love. That sounds delicious. Which dish would you rather have for dinner tonight? Like, they are completely different dishes that will have a completely different taste and outcome, which is basically what Paul’s talking about in Colossians. Paul was saying essentially that Jesus transforms us into a completely different person with completely different tastes and the old stuff that we used to munch on that were…were leading us down the pathway of destruction should be basically abhorrent to us now because it's the food of the dead. Let that roll around in your mind for a minute. But it does bring us to a point where we can think about what it is we’re munching on. I mean, I know that's a metaphor but it's a metaphor the stands. We all understand what we’re talking about here. What are we consuming? What are we putting in ourselves? Because that's what's coming out of us. That's the aroma of our lives. Like, that’s what we look like. That's how it is with us. We could say in this spiritual analogy “we are what we eat”. Ironically what we’re mostly trying to do is have like maybe a cup of impurity, with a pinch of humility, several tablespoons of greed with several tablespoons of patience. Anger mixed with forgiveness. Like these things do not go together. When I was a kid…I can’t remember if it was like Sesame Street or one of the children's programs back then, like, I can still remember all these years later this little, you know, little children's songs - one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong. Can you guess which things not like the other be…I don’t know…before we get to the end of this song. Something like that. Things that don't go together don't go together and the things of this world do not go with the kingdom of God. And if we just do some self-examination, especially about the…the points inside of us that have so much unrest, if we look at how that got made it might make sense at why it's turned out the way that it is. Maybe we’re trying to make something that can't work. It’s never gonna taste good ever no matter how we try to keep modifying it. Paul’s saying like, “you got a whole new pallet brothers and sisters, a much more refined one, a much better one. You don't have to eat garbage anymore. You are a son and a daughter of the most-high. Come and feast on the goodness of the Lord. And as we concluded our reading today, Paul's like, “whatever you do or say”...in other words…“whatever you're mixing up, whatever the recipe’s gonna be, whatever you do or say, do it representing Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. That is a great little garnish on the top of the dish but it's actually saying a lot because it gives us a barometer and gives us the opportunity to say can I…can I do this? Could I put this in my recipe for the day in the name of Jesus? Right? I mean we've discussed this before at a different point in the Scriptures, but we look at these things and say okay, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, idolatry…idolatry, anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, dirty language and lying, which of those can we do in the name of Jesus as a representative of the most-high? So, we just have to ask ourselves, can I do this in the name of Jesus? Maybe I'm free to do whatever I want as Paul has told us so many times, but not everything is good. Can I do this in the name of Jesus or is this going to ruin my whole dish?

Prayer:

Father we invite You into that. We have ruined plenty of dishes, plenty of days, plenty of encounters, plenty of meetings, plenty of circumstances. We’ve ruined plenty of stuff by trying to mix ingredients that do not and will not ever go together. And yet You are calling us higher, You are inviting us forward, You are ever patient and You don't hate us because we've made bad dishes, because we’ve made masses of things. You’re just calling us forward. You’re just saying You can do better than that because You are better than that in me. May we recognize that. May we recognize what we are making of our lives we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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And that is it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hello Daily Audio Bible family this Shelby from Pittsburgh and Brian just want to congratulate you and your family on China’s announcement for this spring occasion of the brand-new life. Your excitement and…and happiness really came through and it just brightened up my day and I think all of us at this time could use some more really happy joyful news. And it really touched my heart. I feel like, you know, I’m going to be another auntie. It’s awesome. Really happy for you guys. God bless you God bless the process and everything. God bless the baby and, yeah, it’s a wonderful thing. Thank you for sharing that with us Brian and I’m very happy to be a part of this Daily Audio Bible family. It is a welcome reprieve from the days, whatever, and I like it because it also helps keep me on track and…and staying in the word of God. So, thank you very much and God bless you and again, congratulations. Goodbye.

Hello, everyone this is Rebecca’s heart from Michigan I’m a first-time caller and been listening to the DAB with my husband Skye since January and we love you guys and appreciate you all. Just wanted to ask for prayers today. I fell a few weeks ago and hit my jaw on a piece of hard metal and whiplashed my neck and spine and that’s…that was right before we went on a 9 ½ hour mission trip road trip to deliver a hand cycle that we fundraised for a new paraplegic friend up in Copper Harbor Michigan. We were able to witness God’s love and care towards Eric and need prayers for his spirit to be opened to be receiving the gift of Jesus love and salvation. We also shared our testimony of our trip with a young couple at a remote campsite named Scarlet and Dave and another young man on a hike named John and we’d like to ask prayers for them that they will come to know Jesus and maybe even read the Bible’s we gave them or listen in to the DAB with us. So, hopefully we’ll hear from them. Besides my own need for prayer and physical healing, Skye and I need prayer for our marriage to be covered by the blood of Jesus and to pray against any attacks the enemy would come at us with. We’ve had three years similar to Job’s story in the Bible with incredible losses but we’re trusting Jesus and need prayers to find us new means of income since Covid and to lead us to where He wants us to be this winter as our landlord is selling our house. We’re asking that when we travel again also in our funky van that God provided He would open the door for us to share Jesus to those we meet along the way.

Hello this is Wonderfully Made Amber from Albuquerque this is my first time calling in a been a listener for a few months now and Daily Audio Bible has been such a blessing in my life and today is the 2nd of October and I’m specifically calling to pray for Lacey from Massachusetts who asked for prayer for her sick dog. That prayer request really resonated with me because I…I have a dog and he is my buddy and companion and I…I couldn’t imagine being isolated and alone without such a companion. And, so, first I want to pray. Heavenly Father thank You for the blessing of this dog in Lacey’s life and Lord You created this little…this little dog and…and…and You…everything is possible with You. So, I asked that You’ll show mercy Lord and favor on this woman and that You’ll extend this dog’s life. He’ll her precious dog in Jesus’ name. And I also pray Father that You will bring more friends, companionship into her life beyond what she has with her dog Lord. This is a hard time of people being isolated and lonely yet there’s still a way for people to reach out to others. And, so, I pray that in Jesus’ name You’ll stir somebody’s heart to reach out to this…to Lacey and to be a friend to her. And lastly Lord I want to pray for healing over her health as well, that You will heal whatever successes, diseases she has and that You’ll comfort her, comfort her and thank You Lord. Thank You for Your mercy and Your grace and Your love and that You never leave us and that You give us good things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hello this is the Anthony I’m calling from __ I just did hear my fellow New Englander and she called in from Cape Cod, Lacey I believe she said her name was, who’s calling about her sick dog whose her only companion. Just wanted to pray Lord for…for healing for Lacey’s companion…for Lacey’s dog and more importantly Lord that You use this as an opportunity to just help people, help friends, help the community reach out to her so that she’s assured that she’s not alone Lord because no one…no one needs to be alone especially in these…in these times. We just pray Lord for that community and that she through this, finds companionship in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.

Good day Duncan the Piano Man it’s October 22nd and I’m remembering you because this is the anniversary of your wife’s death. And I know what it is to go through loss. You know, as I’m in right now mourning the loss of my mom, so I understand and I want you to know that I’m thinking about you, I’m praying for you and I pray that you would have a good day with the friends that you are taking out to that special place to eat and those memories that you will encounter in your mind, instead of bringing you sadness will bring you joy. And here is something I want to read to you it says, “do not weep long. You will weep today for sure I know but don’t weep long. Lift your eyes to heaven and see her in the Father’s arms. She will always be a part of you and remember that where there is love death is never the conqueror because God’s love makes it triumphant.” So, be triumphant today in the midst of your memories. And this is Soaring On Eagles Wings from Canada. I love you and I’m praying for you today. Bye now.

Hello this is Howard from Northern California sitting in the parking lot at Kaiser here just dropped by wife off going in for a biopsy. Need some prayers for the women in my life. Obviously, my wife got lucky getting this biopsy because of the great help from the lady that worked the desk yesterday when she went in for a simple mammogram. And then I also need prayers for my mom, she’s 83. She’s had some stroke issues and she’s struggling and Covid thing isn’t helping, no interactions with friends, she feels alone, scared. I try to get up to see her as much as I can. Her sisters are helping her. It’s a burden on them. So, probably prayers for them for patience prayers, for my three daughters. They all struggle from…a few of them struggle from some serious health issues and my oldest struggles with just trying to make it now that Covid took her job and she’s got two kids and her boyfriend, who he’s not the greatest guy that you want for your daughter but hopefully he’ll step up. So, probably prayers for him too. Thank you. God bless

[timelordthirteen]

In All Things 2/?

Mr. Gold/BelleFrench, Explicit (eventually)

Summary: A Rumbelle arranged marriage AU.

Chapter Summary:  Belle's wedding and new husband are both nothing like she expects.

Notes: WOW. The response to that first chapter was absolutely overwhelming. You are all amazing and your comments fuel me so much. Don't expect too many updates on this before I finish some other things like Killing Time, but my plan is to wrap other projects up and poke at this fic as I have time. I am thinking of doing the 31 Days in December again, but focusing solely on this fic. IDK, we'll see. For the Writer's Month prompt #27: celebration.

[AO3] 

Previous: [1]

Belle awoke early, just as the first light was spilling in between the curtains.

She stretched and sat up, surprised that she had slept so soundly the night before what she thought would be the worst day of her life. Lord Gold’s letter had given her hope, and now she was she was determined to go into the ceremony with a more positive outlook. It might all be for naught in the end, but for now, she didn’t want to think about anything except getting off on the right foot with her new husband.

Husband.

The world still felt strange even in her head. Now more than ever she wished her mother was alive. A girl needed her mother in these moments, but instead she would have Astrid and her dear friend Ariel. Perhaps Gold would allow her to bring Astrid along. Such things were not unheard of, and he seemed to want her to be happy, if the tone of his words could be assumed.

Sighing, she climbed out of bed to use the chamber pot and wash her face before Astrid knocked on her door with breakfast.

“Did you sleep well, my Lady?” Astrid asked, closing the door with her hip as she precariously balanced a silver tray with the other.

Belle nodded. “I did, actually, thank you.”

Astrid smiled and set the tray down on the table. There was bread and jams, oats with honey, and a small bowl of fruit. It was far more than Belle thought she’d be able to eat, but at least there was a variety for her to pick at. Her eyes drifted to the book sitting on her trunk, the one she’d tucked Gold’s letter in, and she licked some jam from her lips. She was beginning to feel nervous, and wondered if perhaps rereading it would settle her stomach.

After Astrid left to fetch two more maids to assist with getting her into her wedding gown, Belle hurried over to the book and snatched it up. She pressed it to her chest and went to sit in a chair by the window, letting the morning sun warm her face. Once again, his words felt reassuring and honest, and she was glad that nothing had changed overnight in that regard.

Maybe he was fond of letter writing and she could expect more. Soon, she’d know the sound of his voice to go with it, and she hoped that it would be pleasant to imagine in her mind.

A few hours later, the sinking feeling in Belle’s stomach was back.

She stared down the stone path and exhaled slowly. There hadn’t been time to schedule much for the ceremony itself, but most of the garden was still in bloom and the weather was favorable enough to be outside. The hedges at the front shielded her from view, but allowed her a glimpse of Lord Gold as he stood at the end of the path, just on the edge of the pavilion.

She couldn’t tell much from here, but he was shorter than both the priest and her father. Sir Gaston had been a full head taller than her father, and when he stood next to her she felt like a child. It didn’t seem that it would be as much of a disparity with Gold, and she was grateful even for that small favor.

“Ready?”

Belle turned to see Ariel, and shook her head. “No, but I don’t have much say in the matter do I?”

Ariel gave her a sympathetic look and squeezed her shoulder. “Please don’t be this way, Belle. It - it could be a good match.”

Belle raised her eyebrows at her friend, but said nothing. Gold’s letter might have eased her mind, but her heart was still breaking for the fact that she would never find the kind of love she’d always longed for. Ariel wouldn’t understand that; she and Eric had chosen each other. They were both the youngest children in two families adjacent to the royal house. They had all the privilege and freedom they desired, and had never shouldered the burden of expectation, knowing that the ruin of your family and all those who depended on your lands was laid at your feet.

Belle blew out a breath and squared her shoulders before she stepped into the archway between the hedges. There was some quiet murmuring among the few that were assembled, and then she stepped forward. Gold’s head pivoted towards her, and she held her breath as Ariel assumed her duties as maid of the bride and scattered a handful of rose petals in front of her. The attendees rose to their feet just as her shoe touched the first stone, and her view of Gold was blocked. She found she was actually sad for that, having wanted to see his reaction to seeing her for the first time.

She came to the end of the path, her eyes fixed on the step of the pavilion. There was a tiny gasp next to her and her gaze flicked to the side to see the cuffs of Lord Gold’s coat and his hands crossed in front of him. After a long moment, she drew her head up and turned to take her place, finally letting her eyes meet those of her very soon to be husband.

Lord Gold’s eyes were wide and dark, a deep brown in the center and lighter at the edges like the swirls in a mug of cocoa in the winter. His hair was also brown, but flecked with silver, and long enough to fall over the edges of his high collared coat. It looked soft and just a little disheveled, in an endearing way, like that of a young boy after a day outside. Her eyes darted down, briefly, taking in the blue and gold swirls across his waistcoat, before moving back to his face.

The priest was saying something to the small audience, but Belle hadn’t caught more than two words. Gold’s face was soft and open, with little lines at the edges of his eyes that she could picture creasing when he smiled. His gaze settled on her, his lips parted slightly, and she felt a rather warm and pleasant feeling wash over her. The corner of his mouth twitched and then curved, and she pressed her lips together.

He reached for her hand, and she gave it freely as they both turned to face the priest. His palm and fingertips were just a little rough, giving her the feeling that he had worked with them more than most nobles, but comfortably warm and soft as well. Standing next to him, she was happy to confirm that he wasn’t much taller than she was, even in his boots. She didn’t feel insignificant next to him, not physically anyway. What she had seen of his attire spoke of wealth and station, and her simple, cream colored dress seemed mismatched in comparison.

His hand moved, and she blinked, not knowing where in the proceedings they were. He turned, and a second later she did as well, handing her bouquet to Ariel to hold so she could give him her other hand. Her mind was spinning, and she let her eyes fix themselves to the jeweled pin in the middle of his ascot.

The priest spoke again, and Gold squeezed her hands gently. She met his eyes, and he raised his eyebrows. For a second she was confused and then it dawned on her that everyone was waiting for her to speak.

“Sorry,” she whispered, thankful that she had already attended so many weddings that she knew most of the phrases by heart.

The words felt hollower than she would have liked, rote and cold as she spoke words of devotion and love and duty. Gold did the same, and she couldn’t help the small smile she gave him at the sound of his Frontlands brogue. It was a pleasing voice after all, so different from her own and the accents she was used to. The next time she would reread his letter she knew it would be fresh in her mind.

The vows finished, they exchanged rings, and the feeling of the slim gold band sliding onto her finger, his hand holding hers gently, was far less suffocating than she’d thought it would be. She stared at it for a long moment, the simplicity of it better than the gaudy gem encrusted ring that had been selected by Sir Gaston. Her nerves settled further, and she looked up to meet Gold’s eyes again.

His face looked almost pained now, and his lips pressed together as he gave her a brief nod. She wasn’t sure what that meant, but then the priest was declaring them man and wife, Lord and Lady, and giving them the blessing of the King.

“You may kiss your bride.”

Oh.

Belle’s throat went tight. That explained the strange look on Gold’s face, and suddenly she was terrified of what would happen next, of being claimed in such a physical way in front of everyone, leaving them with only one possible impression of what would happen after the celebration to follow. As if he could read her mind, Gold lifted her left hand, drawing it to his mouth, and pressed his lips to her new wedding band with such a delicateness that it stole her breath away.

A shiver went down her spine as he let her hand go, and before she could get her bearings, they were turning to face the assembled. She caught her father’s eyes, and gave him the best smile she could muster, but his face remained sad and impassive. It was as if he’d abruptly realized what had to be traded in order for their family to survive. Gold squeezed her hand and then raised her arm, laying it over his as they stepped forward together, joined forever in the eyes of the new church, the old gods, and the King.

“Are you all right?”

Belle startled and turned to see Lord Gold - her husband - standing the archway of the garden entrance. It was exactly where she had stood at the start of their wedding just a few hours ago.

“I’m fine,” she said, forcing a small smile.

After the ceremony there had been little time to say anything to each other before there were additional formalities to tended to. Gold had signed the contracts assuming her father’s debts to the King and assuring payment, and then they had been ushered off to as lavish a dinner as her father could manage. It was only five courses, but still respectable, and welcome after her meager breakfast. She’d only managed one piece of toast and some tea then, but her belly was full of roast beef, butter potatoes, and a bit too much chocolate cake. It strained the laces of her dress, and she couldn't wait to get back to her room and change into something more comfortable.

“You’ll forgive me,” he said, moving closer, “if I don’t believe that.”

She frowned and straightened. “Yes, well, my apologies for -” He shook his head, smiling, and she stopped. “What?”

“If you had read my letter, I would have hoped you’d understand that there was no need to apologize. I am well aware of the sacrifice you are making.”

He stopped in front of her, his hands folded over a gold handled cane. She hadn’t seen it during the ceremony, but as soon as he got out of the garden, he’d been handed it by one of the staff. His limp wasn’t very noticeable at the time, but now she could see how heavily he was leaning on the cane, and she wondered about the origins of his injury.

“Are you?” she said, immediately catching herself and pressing her lips together. “Sorry, that was inappropriate.”

Gold laughed lightly, and she had to hold back a smile. It was an unexpectedly lovely sound, and she noted that she’d been correct about the lines by his eyes. The were crinkled quite flatteringly.

“There is one thing I would make absolutely clear, if I may?” he asked.

She swallowed and nodded, ready for things to change, for something of his true colors to show, for it to have all been a facade. Her hands pressed against her skirt and then curled as he came closer. There was even less space between them now than when they said their vows, and her heart started to pound.

He bent his head and reached for her left hand, taking it in his as he had done earlier. “I would have you always speak your mind.” She looked up, surprised, and he mouth curved. “Especially to me.”

Belle nodded, unsure of what to say.

“Everything I said in my letter was the truth,” he continued. “I will make no demands of you, save one.”

Here it comes, she thought, and her hand tensed in his. He must have noticed because he frowned and rubbed his thumb back and forth over the smooth ring that would adorn her hand for the rest of her life. It was oddly soothing and she relaxed slightly.

His jaw worked, his lips flattening before he swallowed, throat bobbing against the silk at his neck. “I would only ask that when the time comes, you will do what is honorable and just for my son.”

She opened and closed her mouth, her brow ceasing in confusion. His words didn’t make sense to her, and she had so many questions about what time and what he meant by what was honorable and just, but his expression seemed so desperate that all she could do was agree.

“Of - of course,” she said, her voice cracking. The affirmative seemed insufficient for the way in which he was all but begging her to concede, so she added, “I will always do what I feel is honorable and just, by your child, or anyone’s.”

That seemed to placate him enough, and he nodded, letting out a soft, slow breath. “Thank you.” She nodded and he let go of her hand. “Would you be opposed to departing this evening?”

Belle bit her lip. “So soon?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “It is several hours to my estate, and I don’t like to leave my son for too long when he has no one else. I would have brought him, but...well, I was just as unsure of what to expect as I imagine you were.”

She smiled at that, and let her head drop for a moment before she looked up at him again. “I don’t know what I imagined, to be honest.” Then she sighed. “But, yes, I understand. We should leave soon.”

Gold turned to go, but she called out to him, her curiosity getting the better of her. “You didn’t kiss me, during the ceremony. Why?”

He turned, pivoting on his cane and letting the tails of his coat flutter out behind him. “I believe I did.”

His expression was teasing, and she could see the slight twitch of his lips, and laughed. “You jest, my Lord, but you know what I meant.”

“Cameron,” he said. “We are married; you should call me by my name.”

Belle swallowed hard. It was something she thought they might grow into, but it also felt right to do so now. “Cameron,” she repeated. Then she tilted her head, giving him a coy look. “You are avoiding the question.”

Gold licked at his bottom lip, his tongue resting there for a brief moment before he spoke. “I made a promise,” he explained, his expression was soft and his free hand flexed at his side as though he wanted to take hers again. “No more than you are willing to give. In all things.”

With that he turned and left, his cane and his boots thumping lightly against the stone walkway that lead back to the house. Belle pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart thump hard against her palm, and shook her head. Her world felt like it had been turned on end, yet she was less afraid today than she had been yesterday.

Perhaps marriage would not be as terrible as she had imagined.

[goldenboughs]

Themes - E’salih Goldenbough

((Music is my SHIT get ready for me to go way overboard on this.))

[General Theme] Joy - Sleeping at Last - ‘so i let go, and in this moment, i can breathe.’ • The most fundamentally Salih song of them all. Every single line of this fits him to a T - the anxiety, the beauty in the world and the people around him that calms it, and his desire to see the wonder, the best in things. How Far I’ll Go - Auli’i Cravalho - ‘i’ll be satisfied if i play along - but the voice inside sings a different song. what is wrong with me?’ • I really tried to avoid Disney for a majority of this, but pieces of Moana wormed their way irrevocably into my ideas of Salih so I couldn’t not go with this one. Wants to cross the sea to explore and see the world for themselves? Shackled to important family roles with parents not exactly supportive of the lifestyle they want to lead? Female mentor figure whose passing marks a major turning point for them? Check, check aaaand check. Dreamers - K. Flay - ‘i used to knock on wood, i used to never curse. i used to think i could control the universe - with my obsessive thoughts, and what felt like a prayer. i shouted to the sky, ‘don’t let my family disappear.’’ • A more solemn one - I was linked this by a good friend, and the more I listened to it the more I realized how well it captures Salih’s longing, the rut he’s currently stuck in.

[Travel Theme] Tarir, the Forgotten City - Lena Chappelle Road of Trials - Austin Wintory Secunda - Jeremy Soule Exploration and excitement abound - the essence of where Salih wants to be - but sometimes the road is long and requires a bit of quiet introspection, especially during moonrise.

[Happy Theme] Taste - Sleeping at Last - ‘i wanna feel tectonic shifts - i wanna be, i wanna be astonished.’ • An incredible toast to the world Salih longs to see. Alone Together - Aivi & Surasshu - Steven Universe was another big inspiration for Salih, and Stevonnie especially. Fitting that Alone Together (the song) is such an incredibly sweet, upbeat tune for him.

[Love Theme]  Stray Italian Greyhound - Vienna Teng - ‘i just stopped believing in happy endings - harbors of my own. but you had to come along, didn’t you? tear down the doors, throw open windows- oh, if you knew just what a fool you have made me.’ • He’s trying so hard not to let feelings happen, but feelings happen so easily for him and he doesn’t know where to put them all, how to bottle it all up so instead it overflows and he’s a stuttering mess around those he has a crush on, but who might not necessarily know that yet. The End of All Things - Panic! at the Disco - ‘in these coming years, many things will change. but the way i feel will remain the same.’ • The world will change, people change - this is inevitable, especially so when you have dreams like Salih’s. But when Salih loves, he loves for better or worse, and there is little that can be done to change that. Eric’s Song - Vienna Teng - ‘ambitions like ribbons worn bright on my sleeve’ / ‘so we just hold on fast, acknowledge the past as lessons exquisitely crafted, painstakingly drafted to carve us as instruments that play the music of life.’ • Those who Salih loves best are those he will endlessly forgive, and who will forgive him his shortcomings. No one is perfect. But falling into that mutual, loving understanding of one another is the key to long-lasting relationships with Salih. It’s Love, Isn’t It? - Joe Hisaishi - Should be self-explanatory, if you’ve seen half the things I’ve queued for him. A theme specifically for his relationship with Rhos. Yuri on ICE - Umebayashi Tarou - :3c

[Sad Theme] Friends - Yoko Kanno Sakura Nagashi - Utada Hikaru - ‘however great the fear, i won’t look away if at the end of it all, love still remains.’ • I’ve no words for this, other than the sense of loss communicated is profound and the constant thread of hope that strings through - that lovers will see one another again, even at the end of everything, is a powerful motif. Whispers - Dave Baxter - ‘in whispers, in whispers - you say ‘let it go, let it go home.’’ • Despite the years, he still misses Khoya. Most of the time, he’s fine. On the rarest occasions, though, and more commonly in the past - he needs to be told to set his grief down.

[Anger/Frustration Theme] Hardest of Hearts - Florence + The Machine - ‘there is love in your body, but you can’t get it out - it gets stuck in your mind, won’t come out of your mouth.’ Headlock - Imogen Heap - ‘afraid to start, got your heart in a headlock - you know you’re better than this.’ Often it’s Salih’s inability to act or make concrete decisions in situations where immediate action is not strictly necessary - citing paralyzing anxiety or worry as the cause - that stresses him the most, and what has the most potential to cause friction with others or with himself.

[Lust Theme] Unfold - Alina Baraz & Galimatias - ‘he says that i’m glowing / the kind of love we can’t control.’ Ok Go - I Want You So Bad I Can’t Breathe - ‘i want you, yeah i want you - so bad i can’t think straight, so bad all my bones shake, so bad i can’t breathe.’ Make Me Feel - Janelle Monae - ‘you know i love it, so please don’t stop it - you got me right here in your jean pocket.’ Lust and love usually go hand in hand for Salih, but when he wants he wants. It’s all or nothing and if you’ve got him interested, he’s down anytime, (almost) anywhere.

[Villianism Theme] Fear Not This Night - Maclaine Deimer ver. - ‘who needs the light? fear not this night.’ • AU - For the boy who never left O’ghomoro, and grew much, much darker at the edges for it. The Dread Wolf - Trevor Morris • AU - For the boy who left home much, much too early on his own - and found a world he could not convince himself was worth saving. Glitter and Gold - Barns Coulter - ‘do you ponder the nature of things? in the dark - the dark, the dark, the dark.’ • AU - For the boy who exchanged one abuse for another. Piracy pays, but carries a price tag of its own.

[Fight Theme]  Laura Palmer - Bastille - ‘the night was all you had - you ran into the night from all you had. found yourself a path upon the ground, you ran into the night, you can’t be found.’ • Once he’s found his strength, he’ll go places. It’s just a matter of believing it first. Blitz - Iwasaki Taku You Say Run - Yuki Hayashi (Cloudjumper ver.) • I really don’t have an excuse for this, I just wanted to shove a My Hero Academia song in here somewhere and this absolutely works thematically as a Salih battle theme.

[Death Theme] Stoick’s Ship - John Powell - ‘my dearest one, my darling dear - my might one has fallen. the children weep for their protector; the loved ones will be praying. so we part again, my love, my darling one - so the gods above will bless you.’ Sad Moon - Yoko Kanno Passage - Vienna Teng - ‘now i am nothing, everywhere - several breaths of strangers’ air, and all thoughts ever written in my hand. they plant my tree out in the yard - it grows, but takes the winter hard.’ • The world would recover, given time.

[Bonus Theme] |  Super Blue Blood Moon - Sleeping at Last • ‘Are you trying to make me fall in love with you?’ / ‘I wouldn’t mind that. It’s only fair.’ Geminid Meteor Shower (December 13, 2017) - Sleeping at Last • For the boy with stars on his face and in his eyes, who so carefully planned his first proper date in years to coincide with a meteor shower. Light in the Hallway - Pentatonix • ‘for we all have our nightmares - even me, my dear.’ • A lullaby.

tagged by: @captaingiddyblack - lovingly stolen! I’ve been vibrating to do this prompt since I first saw it.

tagging: This is a time intensive prompt, so it’s cool if I tag you and you don’t want to do it (and ESPECIALLY not to the level of detail I went, I am just weak for music themes) - however, I’d love to see the choices @elegant-etienne​ (YOU ESPECIALLY I LOVE YOUR MUSIC TASTE), @actualkomodo, @mrhos-xiv, @campcatte​, @moonlifter​ (for Khena or Aedwen, esp.) and @mveerah​ would make! If you’ve been eyeing this prompt like I have, and I didn’t expressly tag you, feel free to steal anyway! I LOVE seeing the music people associate with their characters.

[sonofadeanwinchester]

You, Me & Evanstan (12)

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven

Summary: First snow fall of the Winter

Words: 1,563

Sebastian Stan x Reader ; Chris Evans x Reader

Warnings: Swearing ; FLUFF ; mentions of jealousy?

A/N: I think I can pull out like 9 or 10 more chapters out of this bad boy

Tags: @221bshrlocked @pawallday @shellymaesworld @titty-teetee @chameerah @potterhead1265 @sarahp879 @i-should-probably-be-asleep-rn

*gif not mine

We sat on the couch, munching down on Thai food and watching classic Disney films. Chris is a die hard Disney fan, as am I, which made this moment so much better. Chris swallowed, "I fucking love Disney so much. Like for real, when I get married, pretty sure I want my honeymoon at Disney World."

I chuckled, "Really? I've always said the same thing!"

He nodded, "Great minds think a like." He patted my thigh but left his hand there.

Now that I was sort of kinda with Seb, this action made me a little bit uncomfortable but Chris was my best friend, he should be able to touch me and sit close to me. Besides, he doesn't know that there is something going on between Sebastian and I, to be honest, I don't even know what going on. Just thinking of Sebastian made my face turn a shade of red and Chris laughed, not suspecting anything. "Foods a bit spicy, right?" I gave him a strange look. "You're face. It's flustered, from the spicy food?"

I nodded, "a mixture of things probably. Spice, lady things, my love for Disney. You know, I've always said that if they turn The Little Mermaid into live action, Sebastian could easily play Prince Eric."

Chris nodded, "Or like, Prince Charming from Cinderella. That boy has got facial structure to boot. God bless Romania for those genes."

I laughed so hard, I choked a little bit on my food, causing me to cough hysterically. My eyes watering, throat burning, spicy sauce dripping from my nose. "Ah, shit. That hurts."

Chris stood, jogged to the kitchen and grabbed some paper towel. "Sweetie, you gotta be more careful! Last time this happened, it took forty-five minutes for the spicy sauce to stop dripping from your nose."

I took the towel from him, blowing my nose forcefully. "Yeah, I remember. Just, you caught me of guard with the facial structure thing."

The corners of his mouth turned up, he was smirking. "It's true, Romania has blessed that boy is good looks for sure." He plopped back down beside me, putting one arm around the back of the couch, barely touching me and was texting with the other hand. I glanced over to his phone, being nosy. Rachael. Hmm, lady friend? I paid no mind to him for the rest of the film, trying to get the sauce out of my nose. It took the last half hour of Aladdin for him to stop texting and finally turn to face me.

My phone jingled, 'Hey sweetie, gonna be later than I thought. Mom and stepdad want to hang out a bit longer. Miss you <3'. It was from Sebastian and I grinned. Chris noticed the change in my mood. I shrugged, trying to rub it off as casual, "That was Seb. His parents want him to hang out a bit longer. He says hey." I stood to my feet and trotted off to the kitchen.

I heard Chris's bare feet pad across the floor behind me, "I think Sebastian has a new woman."

I almost dropped my Thai dish, "What makes you say that?"

He shrugged, "Sebastian is usually a very happy person, but for the past week, he's more happy, like in love happy." He chuckled, "Wonder if we'll ever meet her. You know how he is about his girlfriends, very secretive at first."

I scoffed, my stomach turning a bit. The pain from my period was hitting me again, my knees pounding. I grabbed onto the island for support, Chris ran to my aid. "Hey, doll, you okay?"

I nodded, tears filling my eyes. "I'm okay, promise. I just got hit with another wave of cramps, that's all. They'll pass." I had tears mostly from my pain but a tiny bit was from the fact that I was hiding a relationship, or whatever it was, from my best friend. He leaned me into him, rubbing my back and kissing my hair. I stood close to him, breathing in his aroma. He smelt like Thai, laundry detergent and warmth. "You're such a good friend, Chris."

He smiled against my hair, "That's what I'm here for." He held me a bit longer than released me. "You wanna go out on the town or just relax here?"

My cramps had subsided, "We can go out if you'd like." He kissed my cheek and nodded.

We gathered our coats, scarfs, and I slid my tall boots over my legs. He grabbed my elbow, directing me to the elevator. When we stepped outside, it was like winter wonderland. We had reached the last week of November, the week that Thanksgiving was happening, the week that we usual got our first snow fall. I sniffed the air, snow was falling, drifting onto my cheeks. Chris was in awe of the beauty, flakes falling onto his long lashes and attaching themselves to his beard. He smiled wide and went for my elbow, wrapping his hand through the crook.

We walked downtown for a bit, just admiring the scenery of the first snowfall, glancing around at the bustling people. We ended up at Central Park, grabbing a coffee and sitting on the bench. I let my head fall onto his shoulder, "I'm so happy that we got close Chris."

He nodded, "Me too, sweetheart."

My phone started to ring, Sebastian. "It's Seb." I clicked answer. "Hello?"

He purred through the phone, "Hey beautiful, you alone?"

I laughed, "Chris is with me, where are you?"

He sounded disappointed, "Oh. I am just leaving the restaurant to head back to the apartment. You guys still at home?"

I shook my head, "Nah. We are in Central Park, on a bench, drinking terrible cart coffee, and admiring the snow."

Sebastian was quiet for a second, "Sounds like you're on a hot date." He chuckled nervously.

"Seb, Chris and I are not on a hot date." Chris chuckled. "Want to meet us here? I'm in my bright pink winter coat so it's not hard to miss me." I said the words but noticed a familiar face already walking towards us. I waved manically and he nodded his chin to us. He was close enough to hear, "Sebby! How was dinner with the rents?"

He shrugged, "Hey." He kissed my cheek. "It was good as always, I love spending time with my parents so. First snowfall! Pretty romantic." He wiggled his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes, "Yea, maybe for those couples out there. We're just single, lonely people."

Chris smirked, "I don't know if Seb is single. You seem a little happier than usual, reason? Perhaps a woman?"

His face flushed, "I don't know yet. Still working on things."

Chris snapped his fingers, "Ah! So there is a woman involved! Do we know her?"

He nodded, "Pretty sure."

Chris looked around, trying to figure out who it was. I shot Seb a look and he recoiled. "I don't know. (Y/N), you have any idea?"

I shrugged, "No clue. You know how secretive Sebby is with his women."

Seb ducked his eyes, looking directly at me, "Woman. Not women."

I flushed, "right."

Seb winked at me, "So, Chris, how did you're callback go the other day?"

He smiled wide, "Good! I got the job."

I clapped my hands, "Oh my god, that's great!!"

He smiled, "Yeah! I am set to fly back out to LA in two weeks."

"Oh." I got suddenly sad, realizing I was losing one of my boys.

Chris patted my knee, leaving his hand there again. I could basically see the smoke coming from Seb's ears. "Yeah, but we can Face Time and I'll call. Seb will be here for a bit longer than me though. When do you leave again, Seb?"

He shrugged, "Don't think I have to. Some of the scenes we are shooting actually take place here in New York."

My face lifted, and darkened a couple shades of red. "Oh good!"

He winked at me and stood, "Shall we go home? I'm freezing my ass off on this bench."

We stood but Chris shook his head, "You guys go home without me. My agent wants a meeting. I'll see you in a few hours." He kissed my cheek and sauntered off.

Sebastian took my hand once he was out of view and kissed my cheek. "You look very nice in that pink jacket."

I scoffed, "I fucking hate this jacket."

He laughed, "Why?"

"Cause I hate pink plus it makes me look 500 pounds."

He winked, "Maybe we could strip the coat."

My face reddened, "Maybe." We walked hand in hand in silence. "You're jealous of Chris's affection to me, aren't you?"

He shook his head, "Am not."

I chuckled, "Really? Well, maybe I'll just sit on his lap and let him hold me close."

He shot me a look, "Don't do that .. please."

I stood my tiptoes and kissed his lips. He kissed me back, pulling me close. I broke away first, "someone is going to see us."

He shrugged, "You're in enough layers that no one could see your face."

"Stupid, fucking pink coat." I chuckled and kissed him again.

He kissed my forehead and laced our fingers again. "Let's go home, baby. I want hot chocolate and kisses."

I chuckled, shaking my head playfully, "Okay, anything for my jealous man."

[karihighman]

That’s Sergeant Tim Bradford to you

[ericngo-blog]

Life update Hello friends and family,

Many seasons have past since I left California to start a new life in Paris.  What started as a one year teaching assistant program turned into an adventure that has now lasted 6 years.  At the age of 23, not knowing what to do with my life, I packed my bags to return to my birth country hoping to find answers to my cultural identity.  Over the years, I’ve encountered many challenges, met amazing people, fought my way through adversity, and discovered new passions in life.

2011 was exciting and the start of something new. The idea of starting over in the city Paris was full of possibilities.  With the hopeful innocence of my 23 year old self and a small amount of money, I took on a small studio apartment and taught English in a French public high school.  To my surprise, the students listened to my teaching style and I was able to develop a passion for teaching. At the end of the teaching contract, I knew I wasn’t ready to go back home in California.  Part of me had always wondered what it was like to be a waiter, so I took on a waiter job in a Japanese restaurant.  

In the summer of 2012, I waited tables night and day, 6 days a week.  It was brutal, but I absolutely would do it again because I met an my un-official god parents.  Mr and Mrs Tan are also French/American/Chinese, like me, which made our relationship that much easier, and are the owners of the restaurant “Wrap N Roll” Sushi in Paris.  They taught me how to be hard working and more responsible through their strict expectations as managers.  One day, Mrs Tan treated me to a French pastry, and while I was savoring it’s delicious flavor, I said out loud, “You know, I’d like to learn how to make these”, and Mrs Tan replied, “Well, why don’t you?”.  This was the defining moment when I realized that the dream of becoming a pastry chef was within reach.  During my last months in college, I had described my ideal life to be “Live out my faith as a Christian somewhere in the world, serve in a church as a drummer and a leader for the younger generation, and to make a living, work as a baker/pastry chef”.  After doing some research, I decided to apply to the most prestigious pastry school Paris had to offer, Ferrandi Paris.  By the end of summer, I was hired to work as a salesman in the world famous pastry shop, “Pierre Hermé Paris”.  It was there that I took my first steps towards becoming a pastry chef.  Though this experience, I learned the values of customer service and how to sell a product.  

My Career as a salesman last until the end of 2013.  During this year, I went through many trials such as work drama, having my heart broken, and dealing with the feeling of loneliness.  Don’t be fooled by the pictures that only show the happy moments, it’s the difficult moments that define who we truly are.  Over the years, I had learned how to eat by myself, even at a restaurant, and just be by myself in general.  But every once in a while, this feeling of homesickness just took over and I felt giving up.  I was able to survive these moments because of the healthy community I was blessed to have here in Paris.  I was also blessed to have a female companion by my side that made me feel loved.  2013 was probably the hardest year of my life.  I felt like I was stuck as a salesman and that I would never get into pastry school.  But I saw the light at the end of the tunnel by the end of the year.  After refueling back in California I came back to Paris, and in the winter of 2013 I was admitted to pastry school.  On top of that, I was able to move into a new place  a lot closer to my school.  (I live with an older woman, it’s just that she’s 80 years old, She’s like my French grandmother =P) God’s timing was perfect, all of this happened in the same week.  

2014 was the start of my pastry career.  The program in which I participated was an intensive one.  Instead of a regular 2 year training, it would be over 5 months only because I already had a BA.  Pastry school was amazing, I loved every moment.  Starting at 6am and ending around 2pm, we learned and practiced the art of making French pastries.  Even though I had little experience in baking, I was able to learn quickly and was blessed to have good instructors.  Our classes were small, consisting of only 12 per class.  At night, I would go back to waiting tables for the first couple of weeks of my semester to earn a living.  However, Mrs Tan wanted me to focus on my studies and loaned me money for me to use until the rest of my school year.  My initial reason for going to pastry school was to eventually open up shop in LA, but it changed as the months went by.  My new vision was to get my pastry degree, train under big chefs for a couple of years, and eventually either open up my own shop or go back to teaching, this time, pastry.  After earning my degree, I interned at my local bakery and started looking for work.  At that time, my bank account was pretty dry and I had to wait tables once again full time in order to survive.  There came a time where I had 10 euros in my bank account… The struggle was real.  But, I was oddly at peace.  I had experienced God’s grace so many times, that I knew something would come up.  By the end of the summer, that opportunity came up.  After being discouraged my not getting replies or getting rejected for work, a company reached out to me.  It was the only company who was interested.  That company was the cooking school “La Cuisine Paris”.  We got to know each other and I was given the opportunity to teach pastry classes to an English speaking people.  I will forever remember the day when the owner of the school told me, “Look Eric, I know you just got out of school, and that you have little work experience, but, I like you, and I’m willing to invest in you”.  This was a defining moment in my life that I will forever cherish.  On top of that, the teaching gig only involved a 20 hour work week with a good hourly rate that allowed me to live comfortably.  Talk about a dream job.  

2015 was all about looking for ways to honor God through my time and resources.  Because of my 20 hour or less work weeks, I found myself with a lot of free time.  I was able to be well rested all the time, see friends during their lunch breaks, read books I’ve been wanting to read, and just have a lot of “me” time in general.  All that was great, but I didn’t feel fulfilled.  I became aware that, my church had a women’s group, but no men’s group.  After a couple of weeks of brainstorming and counseling, I decided to launch “E.P.I.C men’s group”.  This acronym stood for “Edification.Perseverance.Integrity.Courage”, these were the four pillars and values of our group.  Our vision was based on the Bible verse found in 2 Timothy 1:6-7

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline”

Our vision was to become men equipped to live out a Christ centered life, and to one day become men worth following.  This concept was important to me because growing up, there were seasons where my age group did not have a mentor figure to whom we could look up to, and I didn’t want the younger generation to go through the same thing.  Our vision as men was to accurately reflect the image of Jesus through our lifestyle. NOT EASY. But I had met people in life whom I thought were leaders worth following, and leader not worth following.  What made the difference? I went on an adventure to find out.   2015 also came with the opportunity to go on missions.  My home church in Paris organized its first overseas mission to Senegal, located on the coast of west Africa.  This mission trip opened my eyes to Christianity that I was used to, and made me experience my faith in a different way.  Till this day, my church in France sends out a missionary team each year to Senegal where we preach the gospel through children’s ministry, teacher training programs, medical consultations, and for me personally, sharing different baking recipes with the local bakers.  These mission trips have touched me in a profound way through the relationship I’ve developed over the years.  The thought that children from the “Lac Rose” village (the village we’ve worked with) welcoming me year after year by name, after my first visit brings me chills.  

2016 was more of a routine type of year.  I started getting comfortable with my lifestyle and time flew by at an incredible rate.  I kept on teaching pastry classes, serving in a church through playing drums and leading the men’s ministry, going on the Senegal mission trip, and enjoying life in Paris.  Friends and family kept on coming to Paris over the years, and it brought me joy to show them around! One of the highlights of the year came in September when my sister Diana flew to Paris to run the Disney Paris half marathon.  I’ve never considered myself a long distance runner, but the idea of developing grit became that much more real when you experience a long distance race.  It disciplined me during the year to increase my endurance to eventually run a half marathon.  My sister Diana, a seasoned marathon runner, ran at my pace and encouraged me throughout the entire race which helped me persevere through the fatigue and guided me to the finish line.  

So here we are in 2017.  This is was by far the most I’ve ever traveled in my life.  It started with a trip back from California in January, Lyon, road tripping from Italy to Switzerland, Senegal, and Hong Kong.  It’s been great seeing so many friends from home in other parts of the world.  And here I am writing this update letter while sitting in a plane on my way back to California.  I needed to refuel.  I was discouraged by the men’s group because of the lack of attendance and motivation, and I was struggling with my worship coordinating responsibilities.  This is year has been especially hard for me ever since my 4 year relationship ended.  I realized that over the years, my feeling of “home” rested on my girlfriend’s shoulders at that time, and now with that figure gone, I suddenly felt so alone. The Sunday before I flew to California, I ate diner by myself in a restaurant and watched a movie by myself in the movie theaters.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I actually don’t mind at all, and over the years I’ve done that plenty of times, that is, when it’s by choice.  That lonely night, wasn’t by choice.  I let it sink in deep and really felt like I was by myself and that one cared about me.  I longed for this feeling of home, and I felt really alienated from the rest of the world.  The timing of coming back to California was perfect.  

This trip was exactly what I needed. My initial plan was to come back and surprise my mom for her birthday, surprise one of my best friends for his 30th, and attend a childhood friend’s wedding.  Time flew by so quickly but I was able to see family and friends and surely enough, my “love tank” was full, I was refueled.  I felt surrounded by a nurturing environment and felt appreciated through this time in California.  I was able to reconnect with friendships that have lasted over decades and I felt so loved when people made the time to see me despite the long distance.  My whole life has been about answering the question “Where is home?”, and the answer has always been “Home is where your loved ones are”.  And to be more accurate, home is where there is a nurturing environment, because “If you want to go fast, go alone.  But if you want to go far, go together”.  These past 6 years in Paris have been absolutely amazing and will cherish these memories forever.  I initially came back to my birth country to figure out where I wanted to settle down, and today I have an answer.  I’ll be coming back to California in the near future.  I’ve made myself a 2 year plan before officially departing, but there are still things I need to learn and do in Paris.  Notably, acquire more experience as a pastry chef, to one day open up my own bakery in California.  I’m also open to the idea of missionary work in other parts of the world such as west Africa, so who know’s where I’ll end up next.  

Paris remains one of my favorite places on earth.  It’s not the beauty that this charming city has, nor the amazing food it has to offer, but the friends I’ve made here that will make me miss this place.  I’m determined to savor every minute I have here for the next years to come. Part of me is nervous to leave Paris because it’s my comfort zone, at the same time I’m confident that my family and friends will make moving back to LA a smooth transition.  American friends see me as the “French guy”, French friends see me as the “American guy”, and to the rest of the world I’m just the “dark looking asian guy”.  People with my background live with chronic homesickness, and I’m determined to build a place for them to feel at home in LA.  That’s the new dream.  

Thank you so much for your friendship and prayers of over the years.  It’s been a delight catching up across the world, I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am without your counsel.  I strongly encourage you to come to Paris before I make my move back to LA.  You know it’s on your destination list and I would love to show you around the city have you see Paris through my eyes.  (Preview* it involves eating the best the city has to offer for all budgets, picture memories, cooking/ baking classes, playing board games in cafés, meeting French people, strolling in tiny charming streets, having hilarious/ meaningful conversations).  

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the end of this long update :)

Miss you guys, Eric Ngo

[savetopnow]

2018-03-21 22 FUNNY now

FUNNY

Awkward Family Photos

Ceiling Swap

Sea Minus

Major Laser

Double The Fun

Shoes To Fill

Babylon Bee

Report: Guy Who Says He Hates To Be ‘That Guy’ Actually Loves To Be ‘That Guy’

All-Seeing Eye Of Sauron Unveiled At Facebook Headquarters

Facebook Reminds Users Its Terms Of Service Specifically Allow For Orwellian Social Engineering

Man Arriving At Holy Land Tour Confused To Not Find Himself In United States Of America

Local Man’s Friends Hear That He’s A Jesus Freak, Treat Him The Same

McSweenys

Oh, the Shit You’ll Do After You’re Tenured!

Actually, There Are Many Ways You Can “Actually” Me

List: What Your Favorite Website Says About You

A Generic First Day of Spring/ Summer/ Autumn/ Winter Conversation

I’m Going to Close This Deal Using Business Words I’ve Heard Men Yell in Airports

Passive Aggressive Notes

Coming soon, from Pixar…

Donna, bring a sweater

You can’t spare three squares?

Happy Birthday, and see you soon! xoxo, Cancer

Namaste, asshole.

Reddit Funny

A trick for a treat.

Easter for the North East this year...

Ringo Starr executed today for treasonous use of a British submarine.

My brother sent this to me and said he bought a “hipster drone”

Football players found out their coach used to dance for M.C. Hammer, made him do the dance at practice.

Reddit Humor

Funny Indian Food Review in UK

Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead) is the Tom Cruise of horror...

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‘My God, I’ve Discovered The Missing Link In The Russia Investigation,’ Think 379,000 Reddit Users Simultaneously

Sad and Useless

Orthodox Priests Blessing Weapons

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This Month’s Funniest Internet Finds

I Wish Someone Would Look At Me The Way Dogs Look At Food

15 Ridiculous Paintings That Sold For Millions of Dollars

The Blogess

I see a big box of knives in my future. And possibly a tetanus shot. Maybe both.

I need a lot of pills.

Amazon knows me too well and it’s insulting and also costing me money.

I don’t know how things work, part eleventy thousand

I think I found what I want on my tombstone.

The Hard Times

Top 5 Things Thrift Store Workers Think Are Records

Aging Punk Willing to Give New Music From 2004 a Listen

Second Person Shooter Game Raises Many Philosophical Questions

Bullshit: We Dug up Charlton Heston and That Fucker Wasn’t Even Holding a Gun

End of a Dynasty? Green Day Trades Mike Dirnt to NoFX for Eric Melvin, El Hefe, Bag of Weed

The Onion

Mark Zuckerberg: ‘You Should Be Grateful All Your Incessant Oversharing Online Is Actually Worth Something’

Uber Self-Driving Car Strikes And Kills Pedestrian In Arizona

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Your Horoscopes — Week Of March 20, 2018

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Whiskey Leaks

Science Explains Why Tide Pods Taste Like Cilantro To Some, Soap To Others

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Redskins’ Owner Unveils Newly Acquired Team Logo

Self-Driving Uber Suspended After Touching Self In Front of Female Passenger

OP-ED: A Man Can’t Even Hug A Female Now Without Her Noticing That He’s Raping Her

[itsworn]

Salt Swept – CAL Auto’s 250 MPH ’34 Chevy Streamliner

In the balance of form and function, we can usually place ground-pounding race cars and show-stopping customs at the opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s not that motorsports fabricators and engineers can’t create incidental masterpieces in machinery, it’s just that it’s a distant concern over the immediate goal: to go fast as hell. Part of this no-nonsense approach to building honestly just comes down to weight in many instances. Sure, a carefully machined, one-off wheel may seal the deal on the look of a custom build, but it also weighs a couple times over that of a flyweight forged piece. And typical pro-builder touches, like billet trim, is like stacking on lead weights.

That’s where building a land speed car has its advantages: weight isn’t a sin, it’s a blessing! So when Ron Cizek wanted to chase the salt, it was the right opportunity for builder Andy Leach to blend everything he’d learned from CAL Automotive Creation’s obsessive builds — like the Art Deco-infected ’30 Model A we featured in our January 2018 issue and the Ridler-winning “Checkered Past” ’40 Ford coupe from February 2014 – and bury those subtle styling touches deep into a 250mph land speed racer.

The front fenders were hammered under the roof of CAL Auto’s Bennington, NE shop out of aluminum. At 186 inches, the wheelbase was stretched just over six feet to give the ’34 Chevy its 300mph bones.

One of the first touches that caught our attention was the machined centers of the slip-streamed, flat-faced wheel covers by EVOD. Tinted acrylic was fastened over the milled Chevrolet bowtie, giving the practical aero aid depth and detail not usually found on a race car.

With a 66-percent stretch in wheelbase over the original coupe at 186 inches, a few acres of hand-formed aluminum had to be shaped to extend the nose of the 1934 Chevy. CAL Auto handled all of the sheet metal work as if someone took the nose of the early Chevy and stretched it like taffy, with the factory body lines and flow retained with the lengthened proportions. In fact, Andy and his team admitted that it’s the factory lines which ultimately set the wheelbase of the streamliner. “We took the lines of the cowl and pulled them out to their ultimate end points to place the nose where it felt natural,” he said. It’s where CAL Auto’s years of top-shelf custom work pays off, saving the coupe from the proportional woes that can affect a radical reinterpretation of a stock body.

The roof was chopped approximately six inches, set by the rule book’s maximum body and windshield height, before being stitched back together.

The roof has been chopped approximately six inches, with the windshield frame laid back in an effort to further reduce the frontal area. “One thing that people don’t mention is how little frontal area these older coupes have,” mentions CAL Auto’s Eric Hanson. “It’s a big advantage over something from the 60s or later.” The trailing end of this pre-war lawn dart is all business, with mounts for the parachutes, push bar, and diffuser. What’s slick here is that the integrated diffuser isn’t a part of the coupe body, it’s instead molded into the chassis itself. Just above the trailing edge of the trunk, you can see a part line that splits the body along the rocker. It allows for the upper half of the body to be quickly removed for service or clean-up, and the integrated diffuser produces a wealth of downforce with minimal drag. In combination with the rear spoiler, the coupe produces 1,000 pounds of downforce. The team worked with ThinkFast Engineering’s Neil Roberts to craft the aero package in CFD simulations, leading to such trick ideas as the windshield vents that pipe pressure built up inside the hood scoop to the rear windshield in an effort to reduce the lift (vacuum) that’s created on the back-side of the roofline.

There’s a lot going on back here, aerodynamically: The oval hole in the rear windshield is an outlet vent that reduces the vacuum behind the roof line, which reduces drag. The rails that stretch over the roof are there to guide air straight back. Additionally, the rear wing and integrated diffuser work together to produce a half-ton of downforce. With engineer Neil Robert looking over their shoulder, CAL Auto’s Andy Leach, Eric Hanson, and Jim Karls managed to meld design dreams with reality.

The interior is predictably all-business, but CAL Auto’s attention to detail is shown with no loose ends to be seen. The complicated array of fuel, hydraulic, coolant, and air lines are neatly and sensibly routed through the tight confines of the chopped Chevy. Vital switches and levers are kept within inches of the driver’s right hand, including the billet-handled air-shifter. If the shape of the gauge cluster feels like you’re diving down the uncanny valley, it’s because you’re staring at a big-block Chevy valve cover – a subtle touch that maintains the industrial mood.

While CAL Auto had built a handful of its own custom street rod chassis, stepping up to the fortification necessary in land speed racing meant over-building every detail. “When I was at Rad Rods by Troy, I did a lot of work on [George Poteet’s] Blowfish. So there’s a lot of inspiration that transferred from there, but this is the most purposefully-built chassis we’ve done to date,” Andy says. “It makes all the street chassis look simple!” Overkill was the name of the game to build up the chassis weight while also making it as stiff as a steel girder. This maintains rigidity over the bumpy salt crust while also providing the weight necessary to keep the coupe planted above 200 mph. Ultimately, this cocoon of tubular steel brings the total weight of the coupe up to approximately 5,700 pounds in race trim.

A big-block Chevy valve cover was modified to accept a pack of Classic Instruments gauges, while a digital tach tells driver Ron when it’s time to click the air shifter of his Liberty five-speed. CAL Auto’s Brad Ragel handled the mammoth task of wiring up the coupe’s, including the safety systems, engine controls, and data logging.

The coupe was originally built with the Atlas/Vortec 4200 inline-six in mind, but as the CAL Auto crew put it, Ron simply wanted to go faster once they began down the rabbit hole. Mast Motorsports served up 427 cubic inches of Precision-boosted goodness thanks to an engine program that leans on a Callies Magnum LS9 crank and billet I-beam rods, with Mast’s own heads (2.20/1.60” Titanium/Inconel valves) directing airflow from the Holley Hi-Ram. The single 108mm turbo is responsible for more than 1,200 hp at a lazy 8psi (while Ron and the CAL Auto team fine-tune and sort the new chassis), and is fed by a top-mounted air filter that sucks air through a hood scoop before being intercooled by an air-to-water intercooler. A 7.5-inch Tilton 6-disc clutch separates power from the air-shifted Jerico five-speed, which splits the gears ahead of the four-linked Winters quick-change rear axle. A unique four-link front axle was designed (due to the narrow nose) to ride along a vertical “track” of sorts, that keeps it centered in lieu of a panhard bar.

Last year, the Chevy streamliner made its debut with a stout 227.661mph blast on low-boost, even with the fractured, rough salt crust. The simulations had proven accurate, and the coupe was stable at speed. After some routine maintenance (including wiring, where salt water had leached into the insulator), the team was looking to break into the 250-300 mph range during Speed Week 2018, but the God of Speed threw the CAL Auto team some curveballs, which ate up their opportunities for runs. First, a miscalculation in the quick-change rear end meant that they were geared too short initially. After sorting through that debacle, a front-end “shimmy” began to develop at 150mph. “It was odd because we knew the car had been to 227 before,” said Andy.

Mounted ahead of the iron-block Mast Motorsports LS is a Precision 108mm turbo. “It’s like taking a five-stage nitrous system and hitting all the kits at once,” jokes Eric. The oval hole at the base of the windshield takes positive pressure from under the hood scoop (air that the engine isn’t consuming) and vents it through the aforementioned rear windshield vent.

These little issues stacked up throughout the week, with their first 207.538mph pass being their best. What they later found was that wet salt had built up on the back-side of a front wheel, essentially creating a one-pound wheel weight. “That’s one of those things about the great white dyno out there,” said Eric. “You can do all the preparation you want for 11 months of the year while putting the best car in the world together and get your ass handed to you with something as simple as that!” With high hopes for a return of 2018’s clean salt and excellent racing surface, CAL Auto will return for that 300 barrier.

Gary Ragel penned the scallops and art direction for the classy matte gold and blue paint job laid by Randy Lofquist of Dynamic Rides. The blue and gold pop during the day, but settle into a sinister silhouette as racing went well into twilight hours.

The post Salt Swept – CAL Auto’s 250 MPH ’34 Chevy Streamliner appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/salt-swept-cal-autos-250-mph-34-chevy-streamliner/ via IFTTT

[junker-town]

What’s the 1 thing you’d change about every NFL team’s 2017 season?

In the spirit of the holiday season, let’s imagine what each team would pick if Santa existed (WINK) and granted them all a do-over.

When the holiday season rolls around, it’s fun to pretend you live in the fairy-tale comfort of a Hallmark Christmas movie. (This isn’t just us, right?) It’s Christmas Eve, you’re thinking about that one big regret from this past year as you gaze out your frosted window into a perfect-looking winter wonderland that somehow exists in a world without global warming. Suddenly, a guardian angel or a loved one’s ghost or your future self appears, ready to help you change the past.

Now imagine instead of airing on your grandma’s favorite cable channel, it’s on NFL Network. What would be the one thing each team would change about this season?

Unfortunately, this film doesn’t exist, as far as we know (there are an Avogadro's number of streaming services out there now, so we’re only about 99.9 percent certain here.) But we do have our friends at the SB Nation NFL team sites, who were willing to look back and write about at what was, for most, a painful memory from 2017.

For some teams, this season has been one giant blow to the solar plexus after another, so narrowing the list to just one was difficult. For way too many of them, a major injury was the moment when everything changed.

Others thought that a certain position, player, or one specific game altered the course of the entire season. And sort of surprisingly, one shared regret was not signing 38-year-old Josh McCown.

In the spirit Tiny Tim, a few sites counted their blessings and had to reach to come up with something they’d want their teams to redo.

Here’s the one change our team sites would make if the Ghost of Christmas Past gave them a chance to do this season over again:

The cruel fate of injuries

This was an unfortunate theme of the 2017 season.

Baltimore Ravens: CB Jimmy Smith’s career season getting cut short

I’ve been a huge Jimmy Smith believer since day one. Wrote many articles about him over the past four years, and to watch his best season yet be lost to an Achilles tear is disheartening. He was in line for All-Pro recognition, awards and respect among the league, but it was taken from him due to a torn Achilles.

For more, check out the entire entry at Baltimore Beatdown.

Chicago Bears: How they handled guard Kyle Long’s injury

The one thing I would change about the Bears’ season is they should have allowed Kyle Long to get his body right before letting him play.

Long had offseason surgery on his ankle, but his labrum was also ailing after his 2016 season. He had some complications during his ankle rehab that slowed his readiness for training camp, and that also led to him deciding to put off the labrum surgery.

For more, check out the entire entry at Windy City Gridiron.

Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson tearing his ACL is the obvious (and right) answer

If DW4 hadn’t gotten hurt, he would have surely built upon the electric seven-game sample he tantalized NFL fans with. It’s also entirely possible, perhaps even probable, that he would have led the Texans back to the playoffs. In any event, Watson would have made Texans games appointment viewing again instead of the grim trudge to the finish line they’ve become since he went down.

For more, check out the entire entry at Battle Red Blog.

Indianapolis Colts: If only rookie safety Malik Hooker hadn’t gotten hurt

Hooker is a very young player who only started for a year in his final season at Ohio State. His rookie year was supposed to be all about him growing and developing into a star, all while making opposing quarterbacks pay for errant passes. This defense is being built around young players like Henry Anderson, Johnathan Hankins, Wilson, Melvin and Hooker. The more they can play together, the better it will be for 2018 when they can hit the ground running and be a really good defense. That will have to be put on hold, at least as far as Hooker is concerned.

For more, check out the entire entry at Stampede Blue.

Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Berry’s Achilles injury in the season opener

I can’t help but think what this season would be like if Berry were here. Do the Chiefs go on that losing streak? Does the defense give up 38 points to Josh “Tom Brady” McCown?

I know there’s no point in wondering about all that. It’s not going to change anything. Berry isn’t coming back his injury this year (although I have thought about what an amazing surprise entrance that would be if he did — like Sting returning to WCW in 1997).

For more, check out the entire entry at Arrowhead Pride.

Minnesota Vikings: Star rookie running back Dalvin Cook’s ACL injury

The Minnesota offense is doing well without Cook thus far, certainly. But having #33 in the lineup would make this offense even more dynamic than it already is. There aren’t very many things that I would change about this season thus far for the purple and gold, but if I got the chance to change one thing, we’d still have a healthy Dalvin Cook on the field.

For more, check out the entire entry at Daily Norseman.

New Orleans Saints: They got infected with the dreaded injury bug

The injury to Alex Okafor would be the top thing many would love to take back. Injuries in general are horrible, as the Saints have lost the likes of Nick Fairley, Alex Anzalone, Delvin Breaux, Coby Fleener, A.J. Klein, Nate Stupar, and Zach Strief - to name a few. Fairley’s heart diagnosis was practically a godsend, because the alternative would have been much worse. Klein’s absence is going to be felt, and at this point of the season, there’s not much the Saints can do to to compensate for his loss. Okafor out of the mix has been noticeable on the opposite end of Cam Jordan.

For more, check out the entire entry at Canal Street Chronicles.

If only this one game had gone differently ...

These teams are all still feeling the effects of the outcome or a decision in one game.

Carolina Panthers: Losing to the Bears (wait, that really happened?!)

I’m talking about the stink job the Panthers laid in Chicago back in Week 7. If the Panthers would have won that game (like they should have), they would be 11-3 right now instead of 10-4, would have a playoff spot guaranteed, and would be ahead of the Saints in the NFC South race. This season would be much more fun to talk about had the Panthers not lost that no-good, stupid, rotten, cursed game.

And worst of all - we lost to John Fox, y’all.

For more, check out the entire entry at Cat Scratch Reader.

Dallas Cowboys: Hanging Chaz Green out to dry against the Falcons

The Cowboys insistence on playing Chaz Green at left tackle for the injured Tyron Smith in the game against the Falcons, then giving him absolutely no help, even after it was obvious he was getting destroyed. Not only did this decision lose that game, but the Cowboys were not the same team for the next few games. Only now do they seem to have recovered from that calamity.

For more, check out the entire entry at Blogging the Boys.

New York Giants: Early loss to the Eagles sucked the life out of them

For me, though, the biggest thing I would change is the Week 3 loss to the Eagles.

Desperate for a win at 0-2, the Giants played the first three quarters as though the season was already over, trailing, 14-0, entering the final quarter. Then, a 24-point outburst that saw them take a pair of fourth-quarter leads.

This felt like the kind of sudden turnaround that can change a season. Until it fell apart, with the Giants getting a crushing defeat instead of an uplifting victory.

For more, check out the entire entry at Big Blue View.

Washington: A QB sneak against the Saints could’ve saved their season

When inches are all that you need, why not the keeper? Put a different guy back there for that one play if you are that afraid of getting Kirk [Cousins] hurt. I don’t believe that is the issue, because I don’t believe Kirk would ever make that an issue. If you are worried about signaling to the other team what your intentions are based on personnel, that is ridiculous. The other team knows you need a few inches. It is about to be a fight for those inches. Put your best fighters in, but for God’s sake...get those inches.

For more, check out the entire entry at Hogs Haven.

It all comes back to this position

These teams should’ve made better choices this offseason.

Arizona Cardinals: How they built their OL

The Cardinals had one season of what you could call success along the offensive line, 2015, and changed out 3/5 of that group. Then in 2017, they changed out 3/5 of the group again moving D.J. Humphries to left tackle and Jared Veldheer to right tackle with only Shipley and Iupati remaining intact.

The most important part of offensive line play is continuity… Something the Cardinals have chosen to change to start every year in the Bruce Arians era.

For more, check out the entire entry at Revenge of the Birds.

Detroit Lions: Not addressing the running game (again)

With Matthew Stafford having one of his most efficient seasons of his career, and a pair of receivers nearly hitting 1,000 yards, it’s tragic to watch the season unfold where your quarterback is left carrying a poor defense with no help from his running game. If the Lions had paid more attention to their pass rush, they’d probably be a lot better off, but if they had paid more attention to their run game they could potentially be much better set up not only in 2017, but for the future.

For more, check out the entire entry at Pride of Detroit.

Green Bay Packers: Being unprepared for secondary injuries

Aaron Rodgers getting hurt is the easy answer — too easy. So the Acme Packing Company crew weighed in on something else they wish they had a mulligan on.

Perhaps no area of the team is as affected as the secondary. Green Bay figured to improve its cornerback depth with the additions of Kevin King and Davon House, but both starters have missed extensive time this season with injuries. After playing in 16 games both seasons in Jacksonville, House was notably hit with the injury bug once again while in Green Bay. It’s almost a curse. Without House and King, the Packers have been exposed for their lack of depth at cornerback behind Damarious Randall. Josh Hawkins has struggled in his sophomore campaign, while Green Bay has shied away from giving reps to undrafted rookies Donatello Brown and Lenzy Pipkins. Early season injuries to Quinten Rollins and the developmental Herb Waters didn’t help the situation, but it’s apparent that talent and veteran experience is needed in this unit and should’ve been addressed heading into the regular season.

For more, check out the entire entry at Acme Packing Company.

Los Angeles Chargers: Not choosing wisely at kicker

Deciding to go with Younghoe Koo over Josh Lambo. That decision alone would have given them at least possibly two extra wins. With a competent kicker, they'd have been a playoff team this year.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bolts from the Blue.

New England Patriots: The new faces at RB haven’t worked out like they hoped

This is an evaluation in hindsight because I absolutely loved what the Patriots did at running back. I loved the signings of Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee and thought that they would be able to form one of the best duos in the NFL. Burkhead has battled injuries all season and Gillislee has been a healthy scratch since the bye week. It hasn’t gone according to plan.

If the Patriots could do it again, perhaps they would have retained LeGarrette Blount instead of signing Mike Gillislee. The Patriots have used both players in the same fashion- they’ve been grinders between the tackles, but the coaches refused to throw them the ball to soften the run defense in the box- but Blount was a better fit just based on Gillislee’s inactivity.

For more, check out the entire entry at Pats Pulpit.

What a difference one player makes

No one could have predicted these, but still ...

San Francisco 49ers: Imagine if they had traded for Jimmy Garoppolo in the offseason

It would be mostly guess work to suggest how the 49ers would stand right now if Garoppolo had been starting from Week 1. Of the ten losses, the five single-digit games are clearly toss-ups. The second losses to the Seahawks and Cardinals were by 11 and 10 points, respectively. They are not toss-ups, but they would have been more interesting with Garoppolo in the saddle. That’s seven games right there that could have swung differently, so you’re looking at a team that could at the very least have found themselves at .500, if not better.

It’s all just speculation, but it is interesting to consider as we head toward the offseason. Barring anything unexpected, the 49ers are going to be a popular playoff pick next summer. It will be hard to really qualify them as a sleeper if Garoppolo is starting when training camp arrives.

For more, check out the entire entry at Niners Nation.

Seattle Seahawks: Malik McDowell’s ATV accident set off a chain reaction

The injury to McDowell reportedly while riding an all-terrain vehicle before the season set in motion the eventual trade for Sheldon Richardson. Not trading for Richardson again allows the Seahawks to retain a higher round pick, and in addition keeps Jermaine Kearse in Seattle. While fans and writers alike made a pariah of Kearse after struggling in 2016, he has since performed like his old clutch self for the New York Jets. Preventing the injury to McDowell, like all of these changes, has cascading effects throughout the franchise. With more cap space, better 2018 draft capital, and a receiver we know works well with Russell Wilson, perhaps the 2017 Seahawks end up better off.

For more, check out the entire entry at Field Gulls.

Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota taking a step back

Ultimately, I decided that the one thing I would change about the Titans season is the regression we have seen in Marcus Mariota. It has been a brutal year for him, and it has us all wondering what he will look like going forward- especially if there are no changes to the coaching staff. He needs to be running and up-tempo, spread-type offense. Mike Mularkey wants to run a slow, tight offense. Those two things haven’t gelled this season.

For more, check out the entire entry at Music City Miracles.

Can’t complain much, honestly

Oh, the season isn’t going well? Couldn’t be these teams.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles getting bit by that radioactive spider or whatever earlier

Maybe the one thing I’d change is flipping whatever switch went off in Blake Bortles’ head a few months earlier. If he had been playing all season as well as he has the last three weeks, we’d be undefeated. Easily. The early losses to the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets do not happen. The Los Angeles Rams don’t have enough fluke special teams plays in the world to overcome it. And the Arizona Cardinals don’t win on a last-second kick.

For more, check out the entire entry at Big Cat Country.

Philadelphia Eagles: Outside of Carson Wentz’s injury, not much

This Eagles season has been special. It’s simply not every year you start out 12-2 with a real good chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in Week 16.

Even with Wentz out, this team still have a legitimate chance to make a Super Bowl run. Their chances are obviously significant worse without Wentz, but hey, who knows.

For more, check out the entire entry at Bleeding Green Nation.

Los Angeles Rams: The waiting was the hardest part

We had to see a 10-win Cleveland Browns team and an 11-win Jacksonville Jaguars team in 2007. We had to see the Oakland Raiders turn things around last year. We had to constantly look upward at the San Francisco 49ers during their three-year run to the NFC Championship or the Arizona Cardinals who had periods of success under former HC Ken Whisenhunt and current HC Bruce Arians or the Seattle Seahawks who have consistently been a thorn in our sides since 2010.

Year after year after year, we waited. And hoped. And something worth celebrating has finally arrived.

I wouldn’t change anything except for how long we had to wait for it to get here.

For more, check out the entire entry at Turf Show Times.

Josh McCown, the one who got away

Maybe McCown has a future career as the love interest in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Cleveland Browns: Besides everything? Letting McCown walk

McCown was still under contract with the Browns for 2018, but the Browns opted to let him go. He went on to have a great season by his standards for the New York Jets before succumbing to his annual injury bug. McCown had it rough last year after his injury, but the team could’ve kept him in camp this year to evaluate his health. If they had, there’s no doubt that he would’ve out-shined Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan, and DeShone Kizer in the quarterback room. Brock Osweiler would’ve been cut right away instead of dragging that mess out for so long. I’d venture to guess that Cleveland would have a handful of wins right now too.

For more, check out the entire entry at Dawgs by Nature.

Denver Broncos: They should have signed an established journeyman QB like Josh McCown

Brock Osweiler - a journeyman quarterback now - was the only quarterback who looked like a functional NFL player out there, but the team never really seemed interested in keeping him as the starter. If they had brought in some other journeyman before training camp, maybe they would have liked that guy more.

Who knows. It’s a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda, but a functional journeyman guy like a Josh McCown or something, probably would have guided this team into a playoff hunt instead of an eight-game losing streak.

For more, check out the entire entry at Mile High Report.

And all the rest

Like stocking stuffers, here are the ones that don’t fit neatly into a box.

Atlanta Falcons: All the little mistakes that cost them games

I’d erase the penalties which erased the interceptions which might have made a difference in the outcome of multiple games this year. I’d delete the interceptions that came off receivers bobbling and bumbling what should have been obvious catches. I’d terminate Julio Jones’ drops, especially the wide open one in the end zone against the Panthers that might have won that game. And I’d definitely send Steve Sarkisian’s decision to run a jet sweep on 4th and goal against the Patriots into the void.

For more, check out the entire entry at The Falcoholic.

Buffalo Bills: Rick Dennison was the wrong choice for offensive coordinator

Buffalo had Cordy Glenn, Richie Incognito, Eric Wood, John Miller, Jordan Mills and LeSean McCoy in 2016 and 2017 along with Tyrod Taylor. But out goes Anthony Lynn and in comes Dennison and the Bills offense drops to 23rd in scoring (down six points a game) and touchdowns. Instead of 5.3 yards per carry and 164.4 yards per game on the ground, Buffalo is averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 129.1 yards per game on the ground. So why are the same Bills players gaining a yard less on every carry and 35 rushing yards less every game?

Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison came in and changed everything about the offense, but especially changing the blocking assignments and the running game. He turned a successful offense into a bad one.

For more, check out the entire entry at Buffalo Rumblings.

Cincinnati Bengals: The youth movement should have started earlier

The Bengals started the season using none of their new young players. They relied on essentially a hollowed out version of last year’s squad to try and win. It did not go well. If I could change one thing it would be to infuse the youth of this roster into the starting lineup sooner and have prepared them better to succeed.

For more, check out the entire entry at Cincy Jungle.

Miami Dolphins: They didn’t start their season in Week 1 like they were supposed to

According to multiple reports back before Week 1, the Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers both asked the league to allow the teams to play their season opening game in a neutral field, rather than postpone it until the shared bye week in Week 11, to avoid the dangers of Hurricane Irma. The league decided that moving the game to the bye week was the best option. That should not have been the answer.

The Dolphins (and Buccaneers) had to play 16 straight weeks this season because of that decision. Miami had to move out to California and spend a week there before playing their Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Dolphins did not have a true home game until Week 5, having to play in London in Week 4, a game which counted as a home game.

For more, check out the entire entry at The Phinsider.

New York Jets: Relying too much on veteran players to help win games

I don’t mind winning 5 to 6 games, but if I could change one thing about this Jets season it would be the wins resulting more from young players developing into foundational pieces than veterans having career years.

For more, check out the entire entry at Gang Green Nation.

Oakland Raiders: John Pagano should’ve been the defensive coordinator all along

John Pagano has pressed all the right buttons since taking Ken Norton Jr.’s place after week 11.

Under Norton, the Raiders gave up 368.2 yards and 24.8 points per game. Since Pagano has taken over, the Raiders have given up 304.75 yards and 19.25 points per game. Right now, that 368.2 yards per game would be good enough for No. 28 in the NFL.

If the Raiders had given up 304.75 yards per game all year, they would be No. 4 in the league. Their points per game under Norton would have them at No. 27 right now and if Pagano had the defense from the beginning of the season, they would be at No. 5.

For more, check out the entire entry at Silver and Black Pride.

Pittsburgh Steelers: They wish they could’ve toned down the drama

While I would love to change the amount of drama this team has experienced both on and off the field, it has done a tremendous job proving the mental toughness of this football team. Kudos to Mike Tomlin and company for keeping the team focused on the task at hand, especially when the outside distractions would have ripped apart an average team.

For more, check out the entire entry at Behind the Steel Curtain.