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danzinora-switch · 5 years ago

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Typing the Turtles (ROTTMNT) Part 1 - Raphael

This started out as an investigation into the turtles’ insecurities, because one thing the show does so well is demonstrate that they are still teenagers. And being a teenager is a confusing experience - there’s angst, drama, exploring one’s identity, a lot of growth, and overall figuring out who you are. That’s a messy process, too! And we see this mess in our turtles: they mess up, they’re learning, they self-doubt, they have fears and insecurities, but they’re also discovering their strengths and how to overcome their inner obstacles.

So after thinking about all this way too long, here’s my psychological breakdown of each turtle (I’ll be referencing MBTI and the Enneagram, but will include links for more general information on those if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

Raph: ISFJ, 6w5

The Defender, The Loyalist, The Big Brother, did I mention The Defender?

Raph is always helping out the little guy, whether that little guy is Mikey, Donnie, Leo, April or someone else. In the first episode, Mystic Mayhem, Raph is the one who notices poor Mayhem alone and scared, and suggests they should help him. He just met the little furball, and even after Mayhem attacks his face he’s still ready to fight some dog-jogger Yokai to protect him. He’s there when April’s school is attacked by Hypno (Hypno! Part Deux) and when she just needs her fan fixed (Repairin’ the Baron). He’s also there for a myriad of underdogs, such as Guy Flambe (Pizza Puffs). Interestingly enough, that episode also indicates that Raph has taken to moonlighting as the hero Red Angel of Preventing Harm.

Raph at his Worst: What is Raph afraid of? Beyond Mrs. Cuddles. Raph is afraid of being alone. But he also feels strongly empathetic when others are alone: Mikey on a solo mission in Hot Soup: The Game, Mayhem in the pilot, Frankenfoot when he runs away. But why?

If we look through the lens of the Enneagram, Raph wants security and support. The system/structure he is most committed to is their inner circle of family/friends. So nothing must happen to those he loves!

Raph has also demonstrated Worst-Case Scenario thinking when he’s stressed. Alone for 5 minutes in Man vs Sewer? Expect the worst. In Nothing but Truffles, Mikey even flashes back to a Raph lecture about what to do in the event of a: shark attack, vampire attack, werewolf attack, and puppy attack.

That said, when someone does hurt someone he loves, or sufficiently threatens/scares him and/or his support system, all his disaster-planning goes out the window in an effort to SMASH IT LIKE A BOSS! (Counterphobic 6).

He puts a lot of pressure on himself, but it’s not really about failing in big moments (as Leo describes it in Mystic Mayhem and Down with the Sickness, but that says more about Leo than Raph), but more about letting the others down. He needs to open the gateway to the Mystic City or else they’ll lose April forever. He needs to think of something to ask for in the Must Say Yes stage that will please all his brothers and not leave anyone out. And, in Insane in the Mama Train, Raph is the one most affected when Splinter says he’s disappointed. The others were willing to brush it off and apologize, but Raph is aware that they let Splinter down. It’s something worse, and he feels that hurt, deeply.

Raph is also sensitive enough that he sometimes takes things too personally. When Mikey and Donnie have a good idea in One Man’s Junk, he internalizes it as ‘Raph never has a good idea’. Mikey sorts that out the best: “We’re not saying you don’t have good ideas, Raph. We’re just saying we do, too.” It seems to snap him out of self-deprecating funk.

Average Raph: Raph wants to protect those he loves from physical threats, but also emotional ones. That’s why he’s so bad at handling interpersonal conflict. He can’t yell at Donnie in Donnie’s Gifts. He can’t yell at (Mike? Lou? Tony?) in the Pizza Pit because “it’ll destroy him”. He’s super conflict-averse when it comes to those he cares about. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings (ISFJ). Mostly this is a kind, caring, compassionate trait, but sometimes the situation needs Dr. Delicate Touch.

He’s the supportive friend and brother. He’s always ready to help out, whether it’s fixing April’s fan (Repairin’ the Baron), rescuing Guy Flambe from Meatsweats (Pizza Puffs) or saving Mayhem from the mirror. He’s encouraging… but sometimes to the point of enabling. In Pizza Puffs he recognizes this the most and literally wrestles with himself over trying to let his brothers fix problems on their own without him there to protect them. Sometimes he can’t help but support his friends even when he doesn’t want to: when he’s volun-told by Mikey to help warm Draxum up to humans, he doesn’t ditch, and when April invokes the Birthday Card to help Warren Stone he honors it. He can be dedicated and loyal to a fault.

He can be a little short-sighted, at times. His team-building exercise in Stuck On You was meant to be a positive, brotherly, bonding experience, but suffered from serious drawbacks. His tenacity in smashing foes is admirable, but doesn’t always get the best results, something Donnie tries to get him to see and think through. But they’re also what makes him a force to be reckoned with. You do NOT mess with Raph’s inner circle and expect NOT to get smashed, hoss! And the fact that his brothers know that he has their backs like this is probably its own form of support and security.

Raph at his Best: He believes in the Mad Dogs the most, that they can be and are heroes. “We’re do-gooders! And what do do-gooders do? They do good! And they do good well.” (The Mutant Menace) His compassion and commitment to protecting the underdog keep the others on track and in line with their goals. He is the rock in the middle of the chaos.

Raph actually has good practical skills: he has the mission calendar that only he seems to consistently stick to, and clearly enough self-discipline to responsibly and reliably sleep with his retainer on every night (Flushed, But Not Forgotten)

He also has the most grounded sense of duty. When they’re watching the skateboarding livestream in Gilbert’s Department store in The Longest Fight, Raph is the one who first investigates what sounds like a robbery, and is the one who cajoles his brothers into fighting the Foot. It’s a ‘look, guys, we have to do the right thing here and prevent them from stealing!’ moment. Pizza Puffs: look, guys, you’re going to have to learn to solve problems without me, it’s for your own good! (He knows that’s what needs to happen, even though he’s at war inside over it).

Raph says: what’s the responsible thing to do? And he’s trying to get his brothers to understand this as well (Pizza Puffs).

Raph Relationships:

Donnie: despite the lack of a full Donnie & Raph episode, they have a few surprising things in common. They each have an episode where they want their brothers to learn something. Donnie, in Mind Meld, wants his brothers to be smarter and plan ahead. Raph, in Pizza Puffs, wants his brothers to use some common sense and be a little more responsible. They both like finding solutions to problems, just one focuses on technical and one focuses on interpersonal problems. Mostly (for right now, though) Raph can be blunt with Donnie. He’ll slap the genius in the face with reality. “Donnie! The mech is REAL!” (The Purple Game). “Donnie, I know you know how to say it. We’re all on to you.” (Air Turtle). This is one turtle with whom he can put his foot down and say ‘hey! Back to Earth, now!’ (I can also see them collectively sharing facepalm moments in the future).

Leo: there are times when Leo’s need to be the best and stand-out attitude clash with Raph’s focus on teamwork (Air Turtle, for example ��take your win-at-all-costs attitude somewhere else, Leo, we need to work as a team!”) but they do get to a point where both of their strengths in the group strengthen each other, like how iron sharpens iron. Raph wants everyone to work together as a team, but Leo sees their individual strengths. Without that, we get Raph’s glueball disaster in Stuck On You, but together, we have their greatest moment in Many Unhappy Returns. Leo points out the parts each member have to play, and Raph puts it all together in one big plan to defeat the Shredder. “Trust me, bro.” “I do.” (I’m really excited to see where the show goes with this).

Mikey: the main Mikey & Raph episode right now actually seems to be Repairin’ the Baron, and there’s an interesting clash going on here. Raph believes and supports his system, his family. Draxum has been the mortal enemy of the Mad Dogs and deserves to be smashed. However, Mikey is adopting him into the family. Raph is not immediately okay with this, he has a hard time trying to change his inner world. But he cares about Mikey. As he tells Draxum “I’m still trying to get used to this, but Mikey thinks you’re part of the family. And the number rule of the Mad Dogs is: you always take care of family!” They’re actually very complementary, as Mikey can step in in emotionally charged situations where Raph can’t, and how his adaptability gets through Raph’s need for stability. (It will be interesting to see what Raph does as Mikey grows up).

Ultimately, I’m excited to see Raph grow as he figures out the best way to guide this team and save the world. Home is where the heart is, and he’s got a big enough heart to be the home for a lot of people.

So that’s my (unbelievably cut-down) analysis of Rottmnt Raph! I’m going to save the relationships with April and Splinter for later, since this is already too long. Here are the links to learn more about the ISFJ and counterphobic 6w5 if you’re interested:

https://www.16personalities.com/isfj-personality

https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-6

https://enneagrampaths.com/2018/04/09/im-afraid-im-going-to-punch-you-discussions-about-the-phobic-and-counter-phobic-enneagram-type-six/

https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/type-6-wing-5

https://thoughtcatalog.com/heidi-priebe/2016/01/mbti-and-the-enneagram-2/10/

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skimblyshanks · 4 years ago

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CATS Pokemon AU

Made with help from @roxycake and @whitmerule

This is. Definitely not set within any proper game continuity. I’m picking and choosing my favorite aspects from the mainline games regardless of region. Technically, this is located in Galar, but it uses traditional gym challenge-Elite 4 format, and trainer classes that don’t appear in gen VIII, along with a different set of gym leader types. Also, contests and battle subways are here bc those were the shit.

**While I had help w/ categorizing characters and their types, I have headcanons that differ from those of the ppl who helped give input. I’m gonna try and not define relationships in this post, but if I do more with this, then I’m working with my own headcanons/ships/etc. If anyone wants to do anything with this that differs, go ahead!

Main 3 trainers+their partner pokemon:

Jemima-Fletchling

A cyclist-class trainer

Electra-Toxel

A dancer-class trainer

George-Tyrogue

A young, hiker-class trainer

Gym Leaders:

Etcetera-Bug

A friend of the main 3; she invites them to her gym as their first challenge. She was probably holding back during the gym battles with the 3, but don’t tell anyone.

Jennyanydots-Normal

A matronly but stern, disciplined trainer who has held her title for decades. She runs the gym next door to the pokemon school, and offers the students free time to practice and train with their pokemon.

Plato-Ground

A talented trainer who all the same doesn’t like his position as a trainer of ground types. He takes his loss as an excuse to begin training in Etcetera’s gym.

Pouncival-Flying

Another young gym leader. the trio first met him while taking a flying taxi between towns, as he’s also a cabbie. He’s got an unsinkable personality, and appears deceptively oblivious. He knows his way around flying-type pokemon, and he’s not one to overlook.

Rum Tum Tugger-Electric

A dazzling and maybe slightly overconfident leader who’s one of the newest to his title. He’s also well known in the Contest World, as he got his real start as a wildly successful coordinator. There’s his pikachu, too. People are obsessed with his pikachu.

Victoria-Ice

A figure skater as well as a gym leader. Her gym is sleek and elegant; balance and dexterity are musts to even reach her spot. Don’t be fooled by her gym’s cold presentation, though; if there were ever a trainer more excited than Pouncival to experience a wide variety of challengers, it’s her.

Coricopat and Tantomile-Psychic

Better be ready to see double. Sometimes they move in sync, mirroring each other’s attacks perfectly; other times, they’ll wipe you off your feet by acting beyond prediction. Can they really see your next move? Have they simply been doing this too long to be surprised? Yes.

Mistoffelees-Fairy

Are you put off by people who simultaneously view you as inferior while also lacking proper self confidence of their own? Good luck making it through a battle against Mistoffelees. A highly capable trainer, he’s still a bit uncomfortable with his position as gym leader. Most people wouldn’t pick up on this though, as he makes quick work of them.

Elite 4:

Bombalurina-Fire

A passionate and ruthless trainer, Bomba has dedicated her life to cultivating a team that’s always ready to win.

Alonzo- Water

A laid-back, casual, young researcher more interested in swimming and surfing than paperwork. He’ll disarm you with his sweet-talk and inviting demeanour, then hit you like a tidal wave.

Cassandra-Dragon

An elegant, intimidating force to be reckoned with, her battle style mixes beauty with ferocity. Don’t worry about being tricked into security, if you feel at all on her level, you’re likely over-confident.

Demeter-Poison

A former member of Team Enigma and a steadfast ally to the main trio. She gave Electra her Toxel when it was just an egg, and has an Amped Toxtricity as her own partner. Demeter is a genuinely kind soul. Her drive to empower young trainers has kept her in The Elite 4 for some time, and she doesn’t plan on giving that up any time soon. She won’t hold back in battle, but she does, notably, avoid status-changing attacks.

Champion

Munkustrap

Smart, kind, powerful, and stressed, Munkustrap has been a familiar face to the trio, much like Demeter. He’s honestly eager to be usurped, ready to step back and re-evaluate his goals in life.

Former Elites/Champion:

Director Gus-Dragon/Rock

Former member of the Elite Four, he has returned to his true passion of theatre, owning and maintaining a space in Wyndon. He’s also a frequent judge at contests.

Grizabella-Steel

A former league champion, she has since retired to The Crown Tundra. In her time away from the league she has journeyed to multiple regions, and has many pokemon foreign to the Galar region.

Professor Deuteronomy-Grass

Former member of the Elite Four, he left the league after a few years, drawn instead to pokemon research. Understanding the root cause of type distinctions has become his life’s work. Of his recent experiments, he has been testing type determination in-egg through gene splicing and nesting conditions.

OTHERS

Skimbleshanks-Battle Metro Boss

Currently overseeing the Battle Metro, Skimble is under pressure to keep attendance up as people have begun migrating to other battle spots. Unlike other rail workers, he does not specialize in steel or ground types, instead holding a roster of largely Normal and flying pokemon.

Jellylorum-Pokemon breeder

You can find her in a quiet corner of Wyndon, nearby Director Gus’ theatre. She runs a daycare and a breeding center.

Tumblebrutus-Research Assisstant.

A friend of the main 3 and frequent conduit to Professor Deut. He checks in at irregular intervals.

Bustopher Jones-Gentleman

A jolly, round man who likes to frequent cafes, and take picnics on the countryside.

Team Enigma

Macavity-Dark/ghost

The leader of Team Enigma, Macavity is a criminal mastermind hellbent on stealing Deuteronomy’s research on type distinctions, and exploiting it for his own benefit. He has no particular worldwide aspirations beyond expanding his realm of influence, but while he’s no mere thug, that doesn’t mean he isn’t a brutal fighter.

Henchcats-Poison/Dark

The Henchcats are Enigma grunts. They’re easy enough to best once you’ve figured out their routine, but they always fight in pairs. Macavity expects many of his grunts to use poison types for their status-changing attacks.

Jerrie and Teazer-Poison

Notable grunts who seem to have reservations about their job. The two appear to genuinely enjoy battling the trio, and, unlike many grunts, seem to have connections beyond Team Enigma.

Other Notes

Jellylorum, Jennyanydots, Skimbleshanks, and Bustopher Jones are all childhood friends, and are still in touch. They are currently raising 4 Skwovet siblings between them all.

Many gym leaders also work with Professor Deuteronomy to study type distinctions.

Personally, I see the main 3 (+Etcetera and Pounce) as middle/older teens; 15 at the youngest. If the player character in the games can wait until age 12 to even get a pokemon when there are preschoolers battling pokemon, these three can be older teens who decided one day that they wanna go on a journey across the region.

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things2mustdo · 4 years ago

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If you’ve stared at a blank document and the words weren’t flowing, you’re not alone. Mark Twain sometimes had that experience in front of a typewriter, and Geoffrey Chaucer with an empty parchment and a quill pen. So then, what do you do if you’re blocked while up against a deadline, trying to get that business presentation done, finish the doctoral dissertation about vegetable symbolism in Hamlet, or complete your Jezebel article about how chewing gum contributes to toxic masculinity?

The creative process

It’s important to understand a writing project’s phases:

Planning

Writing

Editing

Planning is where you develop a general outline. This may be the essentials of a plot, or the points you’re trying to make in a monograph. This phase also includes research. If it’s a story, you might also detail the characters, to sketch out their personality and history enough that they’ll come to life. It doesn’t need to be too extensive, though ideally, you’ll have enough information about them that you can imagine a conversation with them or know how they’d react to any given situation.

Editing is pretty self-explanatory. This involves checking the spelling and grammar; no word processor will catch every mistake. Also, that’s where you sharpen up the style, and fix any problems in logic and consistency. Editing is vital to perfecting the quality, but make it whatever you’re doing when you’re not in writing mode.

Writing is the most important part. This is what produces all those words. When a project starts, you have nothing written down, and this is where many people get blocked. Although planning is the first on the list, most likely you already have at least a basic idea of where you’re going with it. Also, it’s sometimes difficult to get into writing mode, which is another reason to prioritize it.

Creative flow

Most writing happens during creative flow. It’s not exactly a trance, but it’s somewhat a different state of consciousness. This takes place in any artistic endeavor. If you’re out on the town and vibing effortlessly, that’s essentially similar. Being blocked in that scenario is the all-too-common experience of wanting to be social or chat up someone but having no idea what to say. Creative flow is necessary even when writing software.

If you’ve got the inspiration fully in gear, then you’re putting ideas down as fast as you can type. I’ve had the experience where stories basically write themselves. Not being able to enter creative flow causes the dreaded writer’s block. Until your first draft is done, or nearly so, then always try to catch the inspiration where ideas coalesce into words almost magically.

What planning and editing have in common is that they’re fairly analytical and detail-oriented. Thus, for the most part, the left hemisphere of the brain is engaged. On the other hand, the writing phase is mainly a right-brained activity. That’s where the artistic functions of the mind happen. So this is a very different process from planning and especially editing.

Note well, it’s pretty hard to get both hemispheres of the brain fully engaged at the same time, unless you’re good enough at meditation to levitate or whatevs.

Get in the right mindset

You must shift gears mentally, so to speak, to enter creative flow for the writing phase. Again, this is what gets your first draft finished, so catch the inspiration whenever possible. This is the trickiest part. This doesn’t just happen on command, any more than you go to sleep at will.

The right mood music may help, something suitable for the task. (With my latest novel, listening to Espirpe Imperial, Division 250, and Celtica really put me in the right state of mind.) If the lyrics get distracting, find something instrumental or in a language you don’t understand well. The ancients invoked the Muses to get into the spirit of things; do that if it works for you.

When you’re in creative flow, it’s easy to get distracted. Set aside some time when you won’t be disturbed. Grab some munchies and your favorite beverage, so you won’t have to get up for it. Set aside extraneous worries or other thoughts, and focus on the project at hand. If necessary, tell anyone else nearby to let you finish your task. If they won’t leave you alone, persuade them to enroll in STFU.

Since most writing these days is done on computers, it’s difficult to avoid distractions. Therefore, you’ll have to discipline yourself. Keep off of the email, video games, stock charts, tentacle porn, and all that when you’ve set aside some time. Turn the ringer off on the phone, or put it in another room if you’re still tempted to check it.

Editing must be done with a clear head, or else you’ll make mistakes. On the other hand, creative flow can happen even when you’re tired. Some writers even prefer to get drunk. (Back in the day, many favored absinthe, though it’s hard to get it quite like they used to make it. The scare stories about it were fairly overblown.) All that is up to your personal discretion. However, it’s advisable not to overdo the bug juice or rely on it as a crutch.

Igniting the spark

So you’re staring at a blank manuscript, and the words aren’t coming off of your fingertips—what then? Rack your brains and write down a sentence or two. Surely you can think of something—anything. Then see if you can get something else down. Take it as far as it will go. This is what shifts the gears. Soon you’ll get a paragraph or two. With luck, words will start flying off your fingers. Run with it as fast as possible!

Note that it doesn’t have to be in any particular order. Speed is what counts. Don’t dwell too much on fixing mistakes, or that will knock you back into edit mode. If the ideas start coming faster than you can get them into sentences, jot down the ideas elsewhere so you can pick up the thread later.

It’s not possible to knock out a novel in one sitting. (With my latest, fourteen chapters and 88K words certainly didn’t happen overnight!) So eventually you’ll have to stop and pick it up later. Reigniting the spark is a little easier when you have something in writing already. You can begin in editing mode, putting things in order, making transitions from one block of finished paragraphs to the next, and otherwise polishing up what you already wrote. When you start getting thoughts on where else you want to go with it, then kick into writing mode and start creating new paragraphs.

Sometimes you’ll have to step back to planning mode, if you need to work out something with logic or direction. That’s fine, but as soon as you come up with some ideas you can write down, then hit it. If necessary, you can go to another writing project, returning to the first later. If all else fails, then start doing some boring, repetitive task that you’ve been putting off for a while. Mull over your ideas while you paint the living room or whatever.

Most importantly, have fun with it!

Don’t miss Beau’s book catalog. Good stuff!

https://www.returnofkings.com/1499/the-art-of-learning

An accomplished chess player and push hand (martial arts) champion shares how the bulk of his success has been due to being a good learner. I was expecting more of a technical guide, but this book actually had many exciting stories in excellent prose that added a lot of heart to his methods, a great example of showing instead of telling.

“Successful people shoot for the stars, put their hearts on the line in every battle, and ultimately discover that the lessons learned from the pursuit of excellence mean much more than the immediate trophies and glory.”

Many people will scoff at this but consistently getting laid on the international level is not unlike competitions that the author faced, especially when it comes to maintaining your concentration in order to perform at peak levels. Are bad nights out due to the girls not liking you or because you were off? How can you ensure that you’ll have a good night every night? The author talks primarily about chess and martial arts, but there’s a lot of anecdotes that players will be able to identify with.

For example, during his chess matches, he started getting annoyed at noises in the auditorium. Sometimes a song he heard earlier would loop in his head. He’d fail at removing them and then would end up losing the match. What he learned to do was to incorporate the noises into his head and use that to adjust his tempo.

Compare noise in a chess match to a cockblocker in a club. We get mad at them, wanting to remove them for the equation, but how about understanding the nature of the cockblocker to successfully pull you girl anyway? Maybe you could approach smaller groups, go for the kiss faster to neutralize the cockblockers effects, or inoculate your target against the potential cockblocker. Harness and adapt to what the environment is giving you to succeed in spite of the difficulties.

What I liked most about the book is how analytical the author is, examining every facet of not only his behavior but how he thinks. In other words, he thinks about how he thinks, meditates on how he meditates. It has put his game on an entirely different level, telling me I may not be reflecting on my experiences enough. This will be especially true for people who seem to repeat mistakes.

“A competitor needs to be process-oriented, always looking for stronger opponents to spur growth but it is also important to keep on winning enough to maintain confidence.”

This isn’t one of those books where some nerd reviews psychological studies—it’s a motivational tour de force written by a man who deliberately put himself through tough situations in order to become a champion. While there were some sluggish parts, particularly in the second half, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that makes me want to go out there and achieve. Work hard and learn hard—I can’t think of a better winning formula.

Read More: “The Art Of Learning” on Amazon

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rika-kihira · 5 years ago

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Rika Kihira x Gutto sports

A while ago Rika appeared in a Japanese tv program. The program was pretty long and unfortunately a full video of it isn’t available at the moment. However the program, cut in 6 parts, was uploaded on drive and translated by @juronom on twitter.

Parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Translation of the most interesting parts, done by Juro, please do not repost without credit. Part 1: Gutto Sport presenters commented that Rika is smaller in height than what her aura gives off. They ask Takeshi Honda and Akiko Suzuki about their shared skating experience with Rika.

T: We skated together at Kandai rink, so I meet her almost every day. I just met her yesterday too.

R: I lost count how many times I greet you already *laugh*

TH: She’s like *comes up to me* “Konnichiwa” (Hello), then skate away, then come back and “Konnichiwa” again.

A questionnaire with Rika on what she thought was her best weapon?

Upper left: Maintain positivity Lower left: No edge error Right: 3A (no 1)

The secret of her 3A:

- “The type that hasn’t been seen until now”-Takeshi Honda

- Comparison with legendary 3A by Japanese ladies:

o Midori Ito: height that can be comparable to men’s 3A

o Mao Asada: beautiful air position (vertical jumping posture)

o Rika Kihira: quick rotation, clear-cut (neat, sharp) 3A => allows her landing to be relaxed&free

On what she used as reference for her jumps:

“In the past, I used to refer to male skaters’ method of jumping quads, etc, carefully observe them. Then I always looked at Mao-chan’s amazing 3A as well. Recently, I rely on observation of) my own best condition, how much of the intensity of (practice) it can handle. Something like “When my muscles are at this condition, I should practice increase the intensity of my practice (practice many times).” On the other hand, if on that day, my jumps are off, I’d stop and let my body return (to its good condition) properly.”

Physical check: the secret why Rika can rotate so fast?

According to Prof Sakurai Tomono- researching on the mechanism of athletes’ muscles: her hip and thigh muscles can contract quickly.

Experiment for Rika: measuring the distance of one’s bunny hop from a kneeling position.

Average for boys: 41cm; girls: 20cm

Rika’s distance was 65cm

Part 2

Another secret: Rika is very “obsessed” with her skates (including blades)

She brought the pair she was using at the moment to the set.

Each of Her skating boots, (like other skaters’), is meticulously customized. When the skates first arrived, she had to adjust the blades’ position and angle, how much they lean forward or backward, towards one side or another etc, by herself carefully. She couldn’t say she could adjust them to their perfect condition, but she tried her best to tune them to as convenient a position as possible for her skating, millimeter by millimeter. Not only the position, but the gap between boots and blades are also controlled. Even if the gap is one 1mm wider or narrower, her skating can be affected greatly, to the extent that she could either do 30 3As in one day or none with the boots.

It takes more than 2 weeks to get used to a new pair.

Presenter asked why she couldn’t keep using the same pair.

It’s because the leather will soften, especially at the area around laces. Rika said when there’re some leather materials coming off around that area, she can’t jump at all. She changed boots around every 3 months, and since the boots take 3 weeks to be produced, she couldn’t change to a new pair immediately, and must notice when the pair in use shows some signs of softening.

The presenters need to stop Rika before she talks forever about her skating boots-her obsession.

Rika: “And then, recently, this part…” Everyone laughs: “She honestly can stop”

Questionnaire with Rika:

What does Rika have on her mind: 100% figure skating.

Takeshi Honda’s question: “Rika, is that really ok?”

It’s about her socks.

Skaters generally stick certain types of specially made socks produced by 1 brand when competing, but Rika is ok with any types of socks and doesn’t mind if her socks are ankle-length or longer. She just grabbed a random pair if she forgot her socks. (t/n: she’s actually using the kind of cute socks sold at tutu-ana (1000yen for 3 pairs) or gift shops lollll)

Akiko Suzuki’s question:

Akiko noticed that at ice shows, before eating, Rika always quickly takes photo before eating, but not in the manner suitable for posting food photos on SNS. Akiko thinks she did it to calculate nutrition value.

Rika: “After a day, I calculate my total calories intake. Combini food has calories value on them, but I don’t know the values for every separate item, so I took photos of everything, then calculate the amount later”.

Presenter: Is it hard to maintain (athletic) body form?

Rika: “Yes, I try as hard as I can. Even if I lose weight (or gain weight). If I lose too much weight, I can’t jump.”

Presenter: As a 17-year-old girl, you may want to eat things like sweets, drink tapioca tea etc…?

Rika: “Well technically I can, but when I eat things like cake or tapioca, which still adds to the amount of calories intake, meat, or such is still important, so I need to eat food that can be converted into energy correctly. If I eat cake or tapioca, my diet’s efficiency will be tampered with.”

Presenter: You can’t even after winning?

Rika: “But still, I still eat the food that can be converted to energy…”

Presenter: “Pizza and cola?”

Rika: *shake her head vigorously*

“If I sleep with an unfilled stomach, I feel like my muscles aren’t there. There are times when I was thinking about whether to get dinner or not, or just only eat the meat properly (not carbs), and then I felt like my muscles decrease, so I concluded that I must properly eat dinner anyways.”

Part 3

Coach Hamada rating Rika:

“She is very disciplined. Her practice ability is very good, and she always has the drive to improve herself. Not in a reckless but proper way.” Scoring (from upper left going right)

- Comprehensiveness (4)

- Linguistic ability (2): “I wish she could handle English questions in interview sessions or press-conferences. Since she is competing internationally, it’d be nice if her linguistic ability could be improved. Also, she may have more and more international friends, and international fans.”

- Performing ability (4)

- Decisiveness (4)

- Athleticism (5)

- Narcissist power(3) (t/n: lol what =)) but sorry it wasn’t mentioned at all)

- Talkativeness (2): “She doesn’t talk much. I’ve never heard her jokes”

- Humor (2)

- Girliness(4): “She has good sense of fashion, how to coordinate clothes.”

- Considerateness (4): “At ice shows, she always immediately wears and takes photos with all the presents from fans. She wants to send her gratitude to fans, and tell everyone she is really happy with the gifts, which she can’t do often.”

Rika: “Yes, I’m bad (at English). There are many times I want to tell (international fans) “I’m very happy that you support me”, but I don’t know how to. So I just *raise both hands and wave nervously while saying “hai (yes)” and nodding*”

Figure skating’s This and That – presented by Satoko Miyahara.

Top 3 Figure skating truths by Satoko

1. I’m very embarrassed when messing up the stsq.

2. I fight time difference (jet lag) every day.

3. I only forget important things. (Satoko’s story about losing her Olympics ID)

On practicing with Satoko:

Rika: “I practice with her almost every day.”

Presenter: So do you talk?

Rika: “Yes, but for things irrelevant to skating. Satoko normally said things like “I forgot my CD >_<”. Satoko-chan is really interesting”

Figure skating truths by Rika

1. What does she think throughout a 4-min performance?

“There’re many things I think about. For instance: “The axel is coming up next”; “It’s bad if I overdo this part”; “I can’t miss this axel”; “If I made mistake on this jump, all the jumps I landed until now will become meaningless”.

Asked about whether she had entered a “zone”, where she wasn’t thinking anything but everything went well.

“In the past, that happened to me a lot too, but recently, sometimes I don’t think when performing, and there’s excitement too. However, when looking at and understand the real event happening, and thinking that “I don’t want to repeat the mistakes I’ve made until now” …then (that thought) appears in front of me, and in my head, then I’d think that “I don’t want to this (repeat the mistake)” and reconfirm the jumps. When I jump, it’s unconscious reflex, but I think about my surrounding, my own conditions or even my nervousness.”

Presenter: It’s the positive feelings of being able to see everything.

Rika: “Yes, it’s like that”.

Part 4

Choreography challenge with Ryouga Haruhi (t/n: Ryouga is known for playing male role in Takarazuka Revenue, a Japanese all-female musical theater troupe)

The program discussed the role of expression.

Presenter asked Rika what she does as supplement to her expression in figure skating.

Rika: “I do classical ballet around 2-3 hours/week, and I also go to dance school”

Presenter: Dance school? Like rock dance and hiphop?

Rika: “Yes, things like hiphop.”

*show vid of her practicing dance in the US *

Rika: “This is the dance lesson I had in the US, but normally, I have dance lessons that use more hip-hop-like music and more strong movements.”

Everyone complimented on her (and Satoko’s) beautiful movement.

Rika wanted to ask Ryoga about the way she and Takarazuka actresses use their expression, how they pose, and the angle of their faces.

Ryoga explained that expressions showed of male and female roles are opposite: soft and flexible vs cool, then she proceeded to give “posing” lesson. She showed the movement patterns of: female role, lower-class male role and upper-class male role.

Rika was asked to do the movement of “lower-class man” then “upper-class man” (the one with hand on her face) and she managed very well, receiving compliments from the presenters. Part 5

About the Nobeyama Kougen training camp, known as the place where “Golden-eggs” of Japan figure skating are assembled. Notable alumni: Mao Asada, Yuzuru Hanyu, Takeshi Honda, Shizuka Arakawa, Rika Kihira.

The training camp is 4 days long, with various training sessions from 8am-9.30pm. The camp’s purpose is to evaluate and search for skaters with potential and to check their living attitude as well, like how they conform to curfews, etc. Rika went to the camp 3 years ago, and she said it was very tough.

Rika: “(Being there), you have to worry about whether you will be seeded or if you will be assigned to any competition, and then there’ll be new comers…so in every aspect, you have no way but show you are the best one. Even off-ice physical checking is so tough, squatting/ running around etc, that on the next day, I can’t even move my legs or climb the stairs, but still have to perform programs.”

Presenter: Do you want to go back?

Rika: “Maybe”

Akiko said being there makes you realize she was hand-picked from among all skating children in Japan. That really changes her working attitude and elevates her determination.

Video about legendary 3A by Midori Ito, done 1 minute before the end of her program at 1992 Olympics. The 3A has become the trail-blazer for future generations.

Rika: “I don’t think I can do 3A in the latter half at all. It’s already so tough to have it as the 2nd or 3rd jump but I don’t think I’ve ever tried jumping it 1 minute before the end of the program.”

Part 6

Rika’s impression of Midori Ito: “I experienced challenging 3A but failing in competitions. The first time I met her, she comforted me: “Ahh 3A is very difficult. Though it’s difficult, I really support you”, such kind actions.”

Presenter: But you haven’t got any chance to talk to her leisurely

Rika: “No, I haven’t”

Presenter: Let’s do it now ^^

Rika: “Heeehhh”

Midori Ito appeared: “You’ve worked hard” (to Rika)

“I’m so happy. You even remember the 1st time we met. That makes me so happy.”

Rika: “I do remember”

Midori: “Really?”

“It’s amazing. You can jump it (3A) stably now” to Rika.

Midori said she contemplated whether to do 3Lz or 3A when she was spinning in that program, then decided to do 3A. She asked Rika: “If you made mistake on the 1st 3A, do you think about the 2nd time?”

Rika: ”Well, but I’ve not thought about it in the latter half, really, (3A) in the latter half it’s sugoii…”

Midori’s secret for her super high 3A is to “skate with all her power at top speed”. Because she entered 3A at a very high speed, she can get to that height. She described that method of jumping 3A is like: “Doing long jump (a athletic sport) but rotating at the same time” (t/n: Rika’s face loll)

Rika said she didn’t jump 3A at top speed because she can’t control her axis.

Midori: “However, in my generation, we just focus on doing our jumps at high speed, but in Kihira-san’s generation, the programs have to be beautiful as whole, and in such programs, there is 3A. It’s a generation that (3A) isn’t effective if the programs aren’t beautiful itself. It’s amazing that there are beautiful programs but at the same time allow to do 3A efficiently.” *looks at Rika* Rika is very happy to receive advice from Midori. Rika: “With this experience, I will try harder and harder every day in order to create a sense of stability. Then, I must perform quads cleanly too.”

Midori’s advice to Rika: “She’s very serious. She is already going forward while staying fixated to her goal. So, *looks at Rika* try to keep yourself in good health. You can’t suddenly jump triples or quads. You can’t say you’ll be free of injury at all, but you have to make compromises with injury and your body conditions. When you’re injured, there’re things you can’t do, so..but then, it’s vital to harmonize things you haven’t done and your techniques. It’ll be nice if you can try to balance those things. I hope that you’ll try your best.”

Rika’s aims: “This season, my first goal is to aim for the podium at the World championship, which I couldn’t do last season. Then, I will make my best effort every day towards my biggest dream of winning the Beijing Olympics.”

#rika kihira #midori ito #Akiko Suzuki #translations #Interviews #interview #gutto sports

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asfeedin · 5 years ago

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Mbappe, Sancho, Alexander-Arnold lead soccer’s 36 best players age 21 or under

Editor’s note: With the past four Ballon d’Or winners — Lionel Messi, Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo (twice) — all over the age of 30 at the time of their victory, and other would-be winners such as Antoine Griezmann, Neymar and Eden Hazard well on the way to veteran status, there has never been a better time for the next generation to take over. So step forward, Kylian Mbappe, Jadon Sancho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and others!

For the second straight year (read the 2019 edition here), ESPN brings you the game’s next generation. Some of tomorrow’s stars have already made their mark on the big stage — you might remember what Mbappe did to help France win the World Cup two years ago — but all of them have one thing in common: They are the top talents aged 21 or under. So who makes the grade, what are their particular qualities and how can they get even better?

Compiling this year’s list is Tor-Kristian Karlsen, who has worked as a scout and executive for clubs across Europe, including Monaco, Zenit and Watford. He explains his methodology, before revealing the list.

Why 36?

From an initial “long list” of 75 players, those remaining are the ones who satisfied my two main criteria: appearances at the highest level and confirmed performance level over a sustained period. Chelsea’s Reece James, for example, was a contender, but the 20-year-old has made only 12 Premier League starts.

Meanwhile, only the absolute top players born in 2002, such as Ansu Fati and Eduardo Camavinga, were considered, whereas exceptional 2003-born talents — Rayan Cherki and Jude Bellingham among them — were noted for future reference.

What types of research were undertaken?

I used a sounding board consisting of professional scouts and sporting directors from several top European clubs before compiling the final ranking, as well as online scouting platforms such as WyScout and InStat. Personal preference also played a significant role.

Is there a reason that attacking players dominate the list?

In general, forwards get more playing time at a younger age than, say, central defenders, who tend to need more time to develop tactical awareness, positioning and understanding of the game. Beyond those who did make it, other defenders considered included Dan-Axel Zagadou, Boubacar Kamara, Jules Kounde, Ozan Kabak and Ibrahima Konate.

Notes: – Players included must be age 21 or under on May 1. The top 10 have been ranked, with the rest listed in alphabetical order. – With uncertainty about the coronavirus‘ effect on the transfer market, valuations are based on the writer’s pre-COVID-19 estimations.

– ESPN FC on YouTube: Tor-Kristian Karlsen talks to Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens – Stream ESPN FC TV, 30 for 30 soccer stories on ESPN+ (U.S.)

Presenting the best players on planet football, age 21 or under ESPN

The top 10

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Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains why Joao Felix is amongst the top ten players under 21.

10. Joao Felix (FW; Atletico Madrid / Portugal) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €95m

In terms of culture changes, going from a free-flowing Benfica side to the tactical discipline instilled by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid is about as stark as it gets in European football. So it is no surprise that Felix got off to a slow start after arriving in Spain last year, with four goals and one assist in La Liga. However, the talent that saw him cost €126m has not gone away, and he remains a top prospect.

Strengths: As a second striker, he erupts in creativity when on the ball, and when dropping deeper, he is an inventive playmaker. Although Cristiano Ronaldo comparisons are premature and imprecise, it would be a surprise if Felix did not establish himself as a leading performer at the top level. His refined touch excites fans, who also appreciate his fluid, intelligent movements, as well as his dangerous shot and finishing abilities.

How he can improve: Even though his undisputed talent is on show in patches during every game, as with many young talents the search for consistency is his main challenge.

– Kundert: Meet ‘new Ronaldo’ Joao Felix

Federico Valverde won the Silver Ball at the 2017 Under-20 World Cup. Xaume Olleros/Getty Images

9. Federico Valverde (MF; Real Madrid / Uruguay) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €75m

Valverde arrived in Madrid at age 18 and played for the club’s B-team before going on loan to Deportivo for a season that ended in relegation. More disappointment followed when he missed Uruguay’s 2018 World Cup squad, but since then he has established himself for club and country. With Luka Modric in the twilight of his career and Toni Kroos very much a veteran himself, Valverde is set to run Madrid’s midfield for the foreseeable future.

Strengths: Not only does Valverde possess the technical ability and passing skills to seamlessly slot into one of the world’s best midfield units, but he also has the pace and agility to escape crowds and the determination to pose a goal threat. In addition, a tenacity and whatever-it-takes attitude — as shown by his sending off in the Spanish Supercopa final — gives his game an edge. Potentially one of the world’s top box-to-box midfielders.

How he can improve: Poor decision-making and youthful enthusiasm can tempt him to try audacious attacking runs with the ball, when a more experienced player would keep possession and build from the back.

– Marsden: Valverde decisive as Madrid hold off Atletico

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Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains why Erling Haaland still has room for improvement despite his fine form.

8. Erling Haaland (FW; Borussia Dortmund / Norway) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €90m

This time last year, Haaland was known best as the son of former Premier League midfielder Alfie and had barely featured for Red Bull Salzburg. Many goals later — he scored nine in one game at the Under-20 World Cup — he is a star striker for Borussia Dortmund, who signed him in January after activating his €20m buyout clause, and is already being linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and a host of other guests every day as football plots a path through the coronavirus crisis. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only).

Strengths: Haaland plays the centre-forward role with intensity, chasing every ball and showing great speed over medium and long distances. He is very strong and possesses a powerful shot with his left foot. His finishing skills are impressive, too, and give him an end product in front of goal that belies his age.

How he can improve: At 6-foot-4 and over 190 pounds, Haaland should pose a greater aerial threat — in 11 games for Dortmund, he has not scored a header — while there is also room for improvement in his hold-up game. If he progresses in those areas and can deal with mounting expectation and non-scoring spells, he could become the most dominant centre-forward of the next decade.

– Karlsen: How Haaland became soccer’s most-wanted teenager

Gianluigi Donnarumma was just 17 years and 189 days old when he made his Italy debut in 2017. Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images

7. Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK; Milan / Italy) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €60m

While outfield players might expect to get chances to play in their late teens, the specialized nature of their position means opportunities can be harder to come by for goalkeepers. As such, the fact that Donnarumma debuted for Milan at 16 and has since played more than 200 times for club and country, where he inherited icon Gigi Buffon’s position, shows just how good he is.

Strengths: Whereas the physical aspect has never been an issue for a goalkeeper who stands 6-foot-4, Donnarumma has also developed technically; quick to get down and make saves, his distribution is precise and, without being extravagant, he takes an extra touch, when under pressure in possession, to make the right pass. He has also stood out during a period for Milan that has featured on-pitch underachievement and off-field controversy.

How he can improve: His aggressive style works to his advantage most of the time, but he can be prone to overestimating his own reach when dealing with crosses.

– Miller: Donnarumma among the best homegrown stars

Matthijs de Ligt was 17 on his international debut in March 2017, the youngest Netherlands debutant since 1931. Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

6. Matthijs de Ligt (DF; Juventus / Netherlands) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €85m

After playing so well in Ajax’s impressive Champions League semifinal run last season, De Ligt had his pick of Europe’s top clubs and chose to join Juventus. Life in Italy has not been smooth sailing for the centre-back and his early games featured several errors, but he has started 17 of 26 Serie A matches and will benefit from the guidance of central defensive legends Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.

Strengths: At his best, De Ligt displays presence and leadership qualities beyond his years. His distribution is excellent, and he is able to dominate both boxes; scoring the derby winner against Torino showed his prowess. He has worked to win doubters over after moving from Netherlands to Italy, and an assured display in the 2-0 win against Inter further showed his progress.

How he can improve: Perhaps too keen to impress at his new club, De Ligt has been uncharacteristically rash in tackles and committed himself too early. When he is composed, though, he is the same defender who made such an impression in the Champions League last season.

– Kuper: Why ambitious De Ligt chose Juventus

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Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains what makes Kai Havertz so exciting and discusses where his future lies.

5. Kai Havertz (MF; Bayer Leverkusen / Germany) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €95m

Among Havertz’s claims to fame is missing a Champions League game in 2017 because of a school exam, but he has done plenty before and since on the pitch — including becoming the youngest player to make 100 Bundesliga appearances — to show the talent that will surely see him move to one of Europe’s top clubs soon. He has 10 goals and eight assists in all competitions this season.

Strengths: An elegant attacking midfielder, capable of touches that wrong-foot opponents and creating space to play a penetrating pass, Havertz plays with an ease and confidence that almost borders on arrogance. Left-footed, but very comfortable with his right, he never seems hurried and has vision and ability to pick a pass, combined with the stamina to make well-timed runs into the box.

How he can improve: To fulfill his enormous potential, you could argue that Havertz needs to add aggression to his game, especially in terms of winning challenges and recovering balls in midfield.

– Schoenfeld: Everyone knows Havertz is destined for the top

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Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains why Vinicius Jr. has impressed him enough to secure a top 5 ranking.

4. Vinicius Junior (FW; Real Madrid / Brazil) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €80m

Given he signed for one of the biggest clubs in the world as a 16-year-old and cost almost $50m in May 2017, Vinicius Junior has been known as a promising youngster for several years and made his Brazil debut in September. He has not yet reached double figures for league starts in a season, but scored the opening goal in El Clasico against Barcelona in early March.

• When does the transfer window reopen? • Karlsen: Possible coronavirus impact • Best ever transfers: 100-51 | 50-1 • This summer’s top free agents • January transfer grades • Latest completed major transfers

Strengths: His change of pace, balance and rapid movements make him next to impossible to read and stop; many right-backs look silly when they allow too much space. Although Vinicius is not a regular in the Real Madrid starting lineup, his playing time has increased and his display against Barcelona proved he can handle the grandest of occasions. The fact that he is starting to understand that back-heels and trickery are often of little use is another sign of maturity.

How he can improve: Decision-making still remains an issue, as the opening goal against Barcelona showed. Whereas he should have cut the ball back for a better-placed teammate, he instead went for the near-post finish that — fortunately for him — was deflected in.

– Hunter: How Vinicius turned the title race in Madrid’s favour

Trent Alexander-Arnold made his international debut in June 2018 and was included in England’s squad for the World Cup. John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

3. Trent Alexander-Arnold (DF; Liverpool / England) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €100m

Alexander-Arnold combines effective defending with an ability to set up goals that is unmatched by any other Premier League full-back. He has assisted on 24 goals in the Premier League since the start of 2018-19, and only Kevin De Bruyne has created more chances than his 75 this season, although Alexander-Arnold’s most famous assist was surely a quickly taken corner against Barcelona in last season’s Champions League.

Strengths: Alexander-Arnold is a gifted all-around footballer, to the extent that he could do an excellent job as a box-to-box midfielder. Not only does he have a good touch on the ball, he can also pass, strike set pieces, cross and shoot with a range and variety of techniques normally reserved for players further up the pitch; his precisely executed switch-of-play ball to Andy Robertson on the opposite flank is a fine example of what he can do.

How he can improve: While full-backs are often singled out for having lost the fine art of defending in one-on-one situations, Alexander-Arnold has made steady progress in this area over the past year.

– Reddy: Why Alexander-Arnold will not stop

Jadon Sancho came through the youth ranks at Watford and Manchester City before moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2017. Getty

2. Jadon Sancho (FW; Borussia Dortmund / England) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €125m

Over the past 12 months, Sancho’s form and progress have been so impressive that he is being linked with a $125 million move away from Dortmund, with Manchester United the reported favourites for his signature. He has scored 26 times and assisted 29 other goals in the Bundesliga alone since the start of 2018-19, and the winger’s outstanding form has made him a regular in the England team.

Strengths: From mainly playing in bursts, Sancho has grown close to the finished article and capable of influencing throughout a game. Quick, technically proficient and able to score and create goals, he can play on either flank but is even more of a threat when he moves centrally. The ease with which he lays off passes to overlapping full-backs and dinks weighted through balls behind opposing defences make him a joy to watch. Sancho loves playing football, and it shows.

How he can improve: Previously criticised for a lack of tactical discipline, Sancho is becoming more diligent in his defensive work.

– Schoenfeld: Sancho will be a star, on his own terms

Before joining PSG in 2017, Kylian Mbappe scored 27 goals in 60 games for Monaco. Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

1. Kylian Mbappe (FW; Paris Saint-Germain / France) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €175m

That last year’s No. 1 retains the top spot shows that Mbappe has been so good for so long at such a young age. In the two years since helping France win the World Cup at 19, he has scored more than 70 goals for club and country and arguably usurped Neymar as PSG’s main man. But with Real Madrid rumours ongoing, how much longer will he remain in Paris?

Strengths: Is there anything he cannot do? Every bit the complete forward — Mbappe tends to play wide on the right for France and in a more central role for PSG — he is exceptionally strong and quick. He can finish with power or with skill, he can head the ball, he is tactically disciplined and he reads the game better than most. His movements are smooth, smart and incisive.

How he can improve: There are no sides of his game worth trading, at the risk of ending up with a lesser player.

– Laurens: PSG is Mbappe’s team, not Neymar’s

The next 26 (in alphabetical order)

Houssem Aouar has nine goals and seven assists in all competitions this season. Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Houssem Aouar (MF; Lyon / France) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €55m

Inheriting the No. 8 shirt at Lyon might be considered daunting enough, given the distinction with which Juninho Pernambucano wore it for almost a decade, but to take it as a teenager is even more noteworthy. But the jersey has not proven too heavy for Aouar. He has played more than 130 games for the club in all competitions and, in the Champions League, has assisted six goals in 12 matches.

Strengths: Most of Lyon’s attacking flow goes through Aouar, who plays with the panache of someone five years his senior and links everything together once he gets on the ball. Though not overly physical, his solid frame makes him hard to knock off the ball. He has an excellent first touch, is never in a hurry, is hard to dispossess and hardly ever gives possession away. He is also adept at finding space in and around the opposing penalty area.

How he can improve: He’s 5-foot-9, which is average height for an attacking midfielder and playmaker, and the development of his heading ability has never been a top priority.

Eduardo Camavinga’s first senior goal came in December 2019 when he scored for Rennes at Lyon. Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

Eduardo Camavinga (MF; Stade Rennes / France) Age: 17 Estimated transfer value: €55m

Born in Angola before moving to France as an infant, Camavinga has burst onto the scene in the past year with a string of impressive displays that has earned him admiring looks from big clubs, not to mention a France Under-21 call-up. Rennes’ fine season — they are third in Ligue 1 — has been due in no small part to their teenage sensation, who has started 24 of his side’s 28 league games.

Strengths: A once-in-a-generation talent who could easily have found a place among the Top 10 despite not turning 18 until November, Camavinga plays with ease and can fill every role in the centre of midfield, though he is mainly used in a defensive role. Never in a rush, he plays mainly with one or two touches and sets off on ball-carrying duties only when necessary. The attention has not gone to Camavinga’s head, either, because he remains hardworking and disciplined.

How he can improve: The left-footed teenager is ahead of the normal curve of development even for a top talent; until now, he has done more than can be expected of him.

– Laurens: Camavinga’s form has top scouts circling

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Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains why Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David have impressed him.

Jonathan David (FW, Gent / Canada) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €35m

David was born in New York, grew up in Ottawa and has played all his professional club football in Belgium since signing for Gent in 2018. He starred for Canada at last summer’s Gold Cup, leading all scorers with six goals and being named in the tournament best XI, and has since netted 18 goals in 27 games in the Belgian first division.

Strengths: Initially seen as a threat on counterattacks for his pace and direct style, David has developed his game over the past six months and boasts impressive finishing ability. While he is liveliest with smart movements when the ball enters the last third — in which he often finds pockets of space — he has also improved his ability to hold the ball up and bring teammates into play.

How he can improve: While David has hardly put a foot wrong and has impressed in the Europa League, his next logical step is a move to a higher competitive level.

Alphonso Davies became the third-youngest player in MLS history when he made his Vancouver debut in July 2016. Getty

Alphonso Davies (DF; Bayern Munich / Canada) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €45m

The former Vancouver Whitecap moved to Germany only in January 2019 and did not make his first Bundesliga start until the end of October, two weeks after he opened the scoring for Canada in a shock win against the United States. Davies’ rise as a dynamic left-back for Bayern has been meteoric and a fine performance at Chelsea in the Champions League announced him on the big stage.

2 Related

Strengths: Converting the onetime winger into a left-back has been a huge success for Bayern, for whom Davies is no less of a threat when he begins offensive surges from a deeper position. Thanks to his pace and athleticism, it is easy to forget that he is also a fine footballer, who comfortably fits into Bayern’s possession game with neat close control and quick feet to get out of tight corners.

How he can improve: Davies is learning fast and shows no lack of willingness adapting to the ins and outs of his new role. That said, he is very much reliant on pace to resolve defensive situations, rather than conventional defending.

– Marshall, Bell: Is Davies the best player in CONCACAF?

Ansu Fati scored his first Barcelona goal against Osasuna in August 2019. Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Ansu Fati (FW; Barcelona / Spain) Age: 17 Estimated transfer value: €50m

Fati was the second-youngest player in Barcelona history when he made his debut at age 16 years and 298 days last August, and just 23 days later, he became the third-youngest in competition history to make a Champions League appearance. Spanish Under-21 honours followed, while no less a judge than Lionel Messi has said that Fati “is a fantastic player and has what it takes to succeed.”

Strengths: Equipped with exceptional pace and close control, he is almost impossible to stop when there’s space to take on defenders in one-on-one situations. Though mostly recognised for his qualities on the ball, he has already scored a headed goal, and his movement when not in possession is remarkably developed for a player of his age. He does not seem fazed by expectation or the attention he has attracted.

How he can improve: Because he has such faith in his quick feet and ability to take on opponents, he can be caught in possession and give away the ball unnecessarily.

– Lowe: Is Fati the answer for Barcelona, post-Messi?

In December 2017, 17-year-old Phil Foden became the youngest Englishman to start a Champions League game. Matt McNulty – Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images

Phil Foden (MF; Manchester City / England) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €30m

Foden has been a future star since he was named best player at the 2017 Under-17 World Cup and broke into Man City’s first-team squad. He has been used sparingly by Pep Guardiola but has Premier League and cup winners’ medals. With David Silva leaving the club, Foden should be set for an integral role at the Etihad Stadium. He might come to be equally important for England.

Strengths: Blessed with a highly advanced footballing brain and wonderful abilities on the ball, Foden is perfectly suited to the patient, sophisticated possession game favoured by Guardiola and most other top European clubs. He might have featured more regularly, but starting at Manchester United in the Premier League was a sign of the regard in which he is held.

How he can improve: Foden’s next challenge is to make the permanent transition from an outstanding talent to a fully fledged senior player who can make a 90-minute impact on games.

Mason Greenwood scored his first Manchester United goal 12 days before his 18th birthday. OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images

Mason Greenwood (FW; Manchester United / England) Age: 18 Estimated transfer value: €30m

When Man United’s incredible Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain is recalled, it might be most significant as Greenwood’s debut. In the year since, he has hit double digits for goals, made his England under-21 debut and been called a more natural finisher than Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial by United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who compared the teenager to Robin van Persie.

Strengths: In a short sample size, Greenwood, who can play as a central striker or on the right wing, has demonstrated the force and venom of his left foot by scoring some outstanding efforts in the Premier League and in Europe. He is a natural, instinctive footballer, not just for his nonchalant finishing skills but also for his remarkable balance and sublime ball skills.

How he can improve: He has hardly put a foot wrong, but when being played as a centre-forward — and especially considering his size and athleticism — he will be expected to pose a greater threat in the air.

Matteo Guendouzi was eligible to represent Morocco, but has pledged his future to France. Photo by James Baylis – AMA/Getty Images

Matteo Guendouzi (MF; Arsenal / France) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €30m

It was a baptism of fire for Guendouzi at the Emirates Stadium, where he made his Arsenal debut against Manchester City a month after arriving at the club. Since then, the former Lorient player has featured in 55 of 66 Premier League games for the Gunners, scored his first senior goal in a Europa League tie and been called into the full France squad, although he has yet to debut.

Strengths: Guendouzi has found things challenging under Mikel Arteta’s management, but his potential is still evident. Good at recovering balls from defensive midfield, he takes up smart positions and has a relatively high pass-completion rate: 88% overall in the Premier League, and 81% in the opposition defensive third. At his best, he is an efficient player who is physically strong and covers a lot of midfield ground.

How he can improve: He could benefit from breaking forward from midfield more often and being even more assertive in his pressing game.

At age 19, Achraf Hakimi started all three of Morocco’s games at the 2018 World Cup. Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images

Achraf Hakimi (DF; Borussia Dortmund, on loan from Real Madrid / Morocco) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €50m

He came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid and remains on the Bernabeu books, but it has been in Dortmund that Hakimi established himself over the past two seasons. A regular creator of chances from his position at right-back, the Moroccan international has 10 assists in 25 Bundesliga games this season, while his four Champions League goals have shown his finishing prowess.

Strengths: His forward runs are full of pace, timing and conviction; indeed, there are few more productive right-backs in European football. During a season in which he has established himself as one of the most exciting players in his position, plenty of top clubs are monitoring Hakimi and wondering whether he will get playing time at Real Madrid.

How he can improve: His tremendous attacking potential means he can leave too much space when charging forward and get caught high up the pitch against teams playing on the break.

At 18 years and 135 days, Callum Hudson-Odoi set a record as the youngest Englishman to play a competitive international. Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Callum Hudson-Odoi (FW; Chelsea / England) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €45m

Not 20 until November, Hudson-Odoi has packed plenty in to his career. He was part of England’s Under-17 World Cup-winning squad in 2017 and has since risen through the ranks to represent the senior side. At Chelsea, meanwhile, he impressed to the extent that Bayern Munich tried to sign him, only for him to suffer an Achilles injury before committing his future to the Stamford Bridge club.

Top players under 21: Nationality

England 8 France 6 Brazil 3 Italy 3 Canada 2 Netherlands 2 Norway 2 Spain 2 Sweden 2 Six countries 1

Strengths: The unpredictable winger, who loves setting off down the left before cutting inside on his favoured right foot, is one of the game’s most exciting wide players. Beyond striking characteristics that include a change of pace, quick footwork and being hard to mark in one-on-one situations, he also understands and reads the game, often working out opposing defenders as games develop.

How he can improve: Hudson-Odoi must learn to be more consistent, rather than showing his undeniable ability in patches. He should also add more goals, assists and chances created to his game.

– Williams: Hudson-Odoi repays Chelsea’s faith

In a January Copa del Rey win against Real Madrid, Alexander Isak scored two goals and assisted another. Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Alexander Isak (FW; Real Sociedad / Sweden) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €20m

Isak’s story is an example of a next big thing who bounced back after overcoming challenges early in his professional career. Success in Sweden led to a high-profile move to Borussia Dortmund in 2017, but Isak struggled to make an impact. After a goal-laden loan spell at Willem II, he joined Real Sociedad, where he has impressed, often as a substitute.

Strengths: Standing at almost 6-foot-3, the powerful centre-forward is deceptively quick, can finish with both feet and is hard to stop in one-on-one situations. Only 20, he is fast becoming indispensable for Sweden and is finally beginning to realise the undoubted potential that was evident when he emerged several years ago.

How he can improve: Isak tends to score in streaks, and his great runs of form are often followed by lean spells. Though not uncommon for a young forward, it might be a sign that he needs to develop more confidence in his abilities.

Dejan Kulusevski made his Sweden debut in a European Championship qualifier against Faroe Islands in November. Andrea Staccioli/LightRocket via Getty Images

Dejan Kulusevski (MF; Parma, on loan from Juventus / Sweden) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €35m

On loan at Parma from Atalanta during the first half of this season, Kulusevski’s form was so impressive that Juventus signed him in January, less than a year after his Serie A debut. He has since been sent back to Parma, where he has five goals and seven assists in 22 league games. That form also saw him earn his first cap for Sweden, against the Faroe Islands in November.

Strengths: A strong-running wide midfielder or forward with power, an intense pressing game and pace to match an excellent left foot, Kulusevski has been compared to Arjen Robben. However, in contrast to the Dutchman, who was initially more of an out-and-out winger with the ability to turn opposing full-backs inside out, the Swede is more about work ethic and strength than finesse, though he does enjoy a touch off his heel and a perfectly weighted through ball.

How he can improve: Not unlike other supremely talented left-footed players, developing his right foot is on his to-do list. Kulusevski also needs to work on how to keep possession in tight spaces.

Last September, Donyell Malen scored all of PSV’s goals in a 5-0 win against Vitesse. Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images

Donyell Malen (FW; PSV Eindhoven / Netherlands) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €35m

One that got away for Arsenal? Malen was on the Gunners’ books as a teenager, but moved to PSV in 2017 and has been a prolific scorer ever since; he hit double figures last season and has 17 goals in 25 games in 2019-20. He has also broken into Ronald Koeman’s promising Netherlands squad, marking his international debut with the winning goal against Germany.

Strengths: Malen’s development over the past year has made many scouts believe he is in the process of outgrowing the Eredivisie. His profile certainly fits the bill for a top European club: He is direct, always looking for the shortest way to goal and quick off the mark. Additionally, he has a sharp finishing technique, possesses excellent dribbling skills and makes incisive runs.

How he can improve: As a confident and goal-fixated striker, he often looks for a hopeful finish rather than showing more selflessness and passing to a better-placed teammate.

As well as Brazil, Gabriel Martinelli is eligible to play for Italy. Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

Gabriel Martinelli (FW; Arsenal / Brazil) Age: 18 Estimated transfer value: €20m

The past year has been a whirlwind for Martinelli, who has gone from the lower tiers in Brazil with Ituano to starting for Arsenal in the Premier League. He was a regular in squads under Unai Emery before the Spaniard was sacked, and has continued to feature for Mikel Arteta. Playing mainly as a left-sided forward, Martinelli has scored 10 goals in 26 games in all competitions.

Strengths: Martinelli’s improbable jump from Ituano to Arsenal is credit to him and the English club’s scouting department. His pace, unpredictability and intensity have seen him make a real impression, but you wonder whether the energetic forward, who doesn’t mind doing a shift defensively, can maintain this speed of development.

How he can improve: Still rough around the edges, he must improve his passing to reach the next level. His ability in the air also leaves a lot to be desired.

Mason Mount has six goals and four assists in the Premier League this season. Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Mason Mount (MF; Chelsea / England) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €35m

After a year on loan at Dutch club Vitesse, Mount impressed last season at Derby under Frank Lampard and has since made the breakthrough at Chelsea — he first joined the club as a 6-year-old — after Lampard took over at Stamford Bridge. Mount has also become a regular in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, scoring his first international goal against Kosovo in November.

Strengths: The busy, mobile central midfielder is never afraid to ask for the ball and thinks ahead for his next move before receiving it. Mount is creative, plays with intuition and can spot an early switch of play. He has repaid Lampard’s confidence with some stunning performances and is one of the most impressive Premier League newcomers this season.

How he can improve: While he does appear very bright and full of spark early on in games, his impact can drop toward the end of the 90 minutes.

– Marcotti: Mount among Chelsea’s impressive kids

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1:35

Tor-Kristian Karlsen explains why Martin Odegaard nearly didn’t make it into the top 30 players under 21.

Martin Odegaard (FW; Real Sociedad, on loan from Real Madrid / Norway) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €50m

It looked as if the promise that led Odegaard to earn his professional debut at 15 might go unfulfilled, but while he has not done enough to feature regularly for Real Madrid, loans in Netherlands brought valuable playing time and this season has seen him play a key role in La Real’s quest for Champions League qualification. He also scored against his parent club in a surprise Copa del Rey win.

Top players under 21: League

Premier League (England) 10 La Liga (Spain) 8 Bundesliga (Germany) 6 Ligue 1 (France) 5 Serie A (Italy) 5 Eredivisie (Netherlands) 1 First Division A (Belgium) 1

Strengths: The silky touch, the high football intelligence, the brilliant left foot, the ability to weight a defence-splitting pass and the elegant turns have always been in Odegaard’s toolkit, but this season he has added greater consistency, end product in front of goal and maturity. Though sometimes fielded on the right wing, he is arguably more efficient as a typical No. 10.

How he can improve: To make it in Madrid, Odegaard must demonstrate more presence on the pitch and ensure the breaks between his constructive involvements become even shorter. He still appears slightly less concerned about the nuts and bolts of the game than its art and beauty.

– Hamilton, Fernandez-Abascal: Odegaard is more than a trivia answer

Victor Osimhen’s club career began with Wolfsburg in Germany, before he moved to Charleroi in Belgium, then Lille in France. Getty

Victor Osimhen (FW; Lille / Nigeria) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €30m

Osimhen was one of the stars of Nigeria’s Under-17 World Cup triumph in 2015, when he was top scorer with 10 goals — including the winner against Mali in the final — and won the tournament’s Silver Ball. His subsequent club form was inconsistent, but a move last year to Lille proved a catalyst; only three players have scored more than his 13 goals in Ligue 1 this season.

Strengths: Osimhen is a no-frills centre-forward, who will run and chase a lost cause knowing that his impressive pace, intense pressing and alert mind often give him the chance to make something out of nothing. At a time when many strikers want the ball to their feet, he prefers running behind defences. He is direct, sharp and clinical in his finishing.

How he can improve: At times, he is so eager to make runs behind opposing defenders that he does not even consider the option of retaining possession to allow his team to move higher up the pitch.

Christian Pulisic is one of only two Americans to score a Premier League hat trick. Getty

Christian Pulisic (FW; Chelsea / U.S.) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €55m

Pulisic has been a U.S. international for four years and made more than 120 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, but in the past year has taken the next step in his career with a $70 million move to Chelsea. Early returns included a hat trick at Burnley before injury slowed his progress. The face of his national team, the Pennsylvania native remains a top prospect.

Strengths: Though he tends to look most comfortable as an inverted winger on the left, Pulisic can comfortably slot into any position behind a striker. An intelligent, modern player with excellent close control and a magnificent first touch, his low centre of gravity and ability to turn either way with the ball mean one thing: He is a nightmare to mark.

How he can improve: Very similar to other young, creative players, he mainly comes to life when he gets on the ball, giving room for improvement when he is not in possession.

– Burley: Pulisic has shown Lampard he is good enough

Declan Rice scored his first West Ham goal in a January 2019 win against Arsenal. Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images

Declan Rice (MF; West Ham / England) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €65m

After being released by Chelsea at 14, Rice broke through across London at West Ham, where he has played in central defence but predominantly as a midfielder. He earned international honours initially for the Republic of Ireland before switching allegiance to England in 2019, a year in which he was also nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Strengths: In modern football, there are few disciplined, tidy defensive midfielders who enjoy mopping up loose balls and keeping things simple in possession. Rice, though, does just that, and very well; he is the kind of reliable linchpin that most teams could use. He is a dependable, efficient performer who can play with both feet and has a range of passing that keeps improving.

How he can improve: The beauty of Rice is that he just does his job. You do not necessarily want him to be more adventurous going forward or to try stuff he has not yet mastered; his role is to keep things solid, so more creative teammates can benefit.

Rodrygo made his debut for Brazil against Argentina in November 2019. Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Rodrygo (FW; Real Madrid / Brazil) Age: 19 Estimated transfer value: €50m

Six months younger than his fellow countryman and Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo is another young player to have followed the well-trodden path from Brazil to the Bernabeu. His early impressions have been positive for Los Blancos: Rodrygo scored within a minute after coming on for his debut in September, and then notched a Champions League hat trick six weeks later.

Strengths: If solely down to natural talent and potential, Rodrygo would be near the top of the ranked section. However, he remains a work in progress, and despite flashes of brilliance, his Real Madrid career has yet to properly take off. At his best, this is an incredibly talented forward who is probably most efficient when cutting in from the left — he does it pretty well from the right, too — utilising close control, technical skills and speed on the break.

How he can improve: After a promising spell in the first team at the end of 2019, he was demoted to Real Madrid Castilla. That leads to the question of whether manager Zinedine Zidane has been unimpressed with his attitude in training. Rodrygo also needs to build his upper-body strength to cope better with the European game’s physicality.

Bukayo Saka was a substitute for the 2019 Europa League final at the age of 17. David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Bukayo Saka (DF; Arsenal / England) Age: 18 Estimated transfer value: €50m

Since debuting in November 2018 for Arsenal, Saka has made a meteoric rise and this season has seen him established as a regular in the Gunners’ starting lineup under Mikel Arteta. He has begun to chip in with goals, but his most consistent threat comes with the quality and precision of his crosses from the left side, which have led to nine assists in all competitions in the 2019-20 campaign.

Strengths: Already a hit at the youth level for England, Saka has become one of Arteta’s most trusted performers. Reinvented as a left-back from an out-and-out winger, the pacy and tricky Saka is Arsenal’s main outlet on the left, offering width and a constant option to switch play. Never short of effort, he catches the eyes with his eagerness to run at defenders and wholehearted application to defending and attacking.

How he can improve: Saka is still a learner when it comes to direct defending against an opponent and taking up the right positions. There is also work to be done on his upper-body strength — he can get brushed off the ball too easily — while his crossing game also needs to improve.

Boubakary Soumare’s first professional club game was for Lille against Metz in November 2017. David Aliaga/MB Media/Getty Images

Boubakary Soumare (MF; Lille / France) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €30m

After coming through the youth ranks at Paris Saint-Germain, Soumare opted to leave the Ligue 1 giants at 18 in order to find more playing opportunities with Lille. The move worked out for the 6-foot-2 midfielder, whose displays this season at home and in the Champions League have earned him France under-21 honours and drawn attention from clubs across Europe.

Strengths: Through his outstanding physique, agility and work ethic, Soumare has developed spatial understanding and, matched with fine tactical sense, is often well positioned to pick up second balls. He also features two good feet, from which he is able to execute a wide variety of passing.

How he can improve: Given his strength and excellent progression in possession, he could become more of a goal-scoring threat if given the license to roam.

Sandro Tonali was part of the Italy squad that reached the 2018 European Under-19 Championship final. Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

Sandro Tonali (MF; Brescia / Italy) Age: Estimated transfer value: €40m

When Andrea Pirlo says a 19-year-old is the best player in Serie A, you know you are watching a serious talent. Tonali has been a key player for Brescia for several years, but after helping his club win promotion last season he has taken his game to a new level in Italy’s top flight. He is a full Italian international and will surely be snapped up by one of the big clubs very soon.

Read all of the columns written by former scout and sporting director Tor-Kristian Karlsen.

Strengths: He combines playmaking abilities with an energetic, all-action style of play; one minute he can be organising from a deep regista role, while the next he is rolling up his sleeves to do some dirty work. Because of his club allegiance, comparisons have been drawn to Pirlo, but while there are similarities, Tonali is more of a grinder. What they have in common, however, is an excellent right foot, with which they can pick a pinpoint forward pass, almost without looking.

How he can improve: One criticism is that he sometimes tries too hard and, instead of letting the game settle, is prone to forcing the forward pass when more caution is needed. And though not fundamental to his position, there is room for improvement in his aerial game.

Ferran Torres collected his first winners’ medal in club football when Valencia won the 2019 Copa del Rey. Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Ferran Torres (FW; Valencia / Spain) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €55m

Previous Valencia youth players to reach the highest level include David Silva and Isco, and Torres might also have what it takes. He was the first player born in the 2000s to play in La Liga, and among the club records he owns is youngest Champions League goal scorer. He was part of Spain’s Under-17 and Under-19 European Championship-winning teams in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

Strengths: Extraordinarily these days, Torres is a right-footed forward who prefers playing on the right wing. He is one of the best crossers in Europe, and when being doubled up by defenders, his favourite move involves evading two markers by going right between them while nutmegging one! Atypically for an easy-on-the-eye wide forward, he has the physique and size to go with delightful skills. His superb technique also means he brings first-class playmaking abilities when moving infield.

How he can improve: One scout I spoke to recently, who is a big fan, pointed out that he would like to see Torres be a bit more “aggressive” and “cynical” in his style of play.

Dayot Upamecano was named to the team of the tournament at the 2015 European Under-17 Championship. Oliver Hardt/Bongarts/Getty Images

Dayot Upamecano (DF; RB Leipzig / France) Age: 21 Estimated transfer value: €40m

A key part of Leipzig’s impressive form in the Bundesliga and Champions League, Upamecano has logged consistent displays in central defence and been linked with Europe’s biggest clubs. He has played at every age group level since under-16 for France and, with the European Championship delayed by 12 months, has extra time to force his way into Didier Deschamps’ plans for next summer.

Strengths: Few players stir up more debate within the scouting community than Upamecano, who emerged at Leipzig after Ibrahima Konate — another candidate for this list — was injured. Those defending him point to presence beyond his age, willingness to sacrifice in duels and eye-catching physical attributes, whereas those unconvinced refer to a catalogue of costly errors, a tendency to play aimless long balls and his propensity to give away unnecessary fouls.

How he can improve: With understanding of the game such an important component of the role, centre-backs peak later than those in other positions, so Upamecano has time on his side to become more consistent and less reckless.

Nicolo Zaniolo was included in a senior Italy squad before he had played in Serie A. Andrea Staccioli/LightRocket via Getty Images

Nicolo Zaniolo (MF; Roma / Italy) Age: 20 Estimated transfer value: €50m

After moving to Roma from Inter in the summer of 2018, Zaniolo was thrust into the limelight when he made his Giallorossi debut at Real Madrid in the Champions League. His Serie A bow followed and consistently good performances resulted in a call-up to the Italian national team. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in January, slowing his progress.

Strengths: He can seem deceptively uncoordinated and gangly at first glance, but behind the lanky appearance hides a near-complete, modern footballer. The versatile attacking midfielder with a sweet left foot has the intelligence and playmaking brain to be fielded as a trequartista — linking midfield or attack — as well as the smooth one-on-one skills to drive opposing full-backs dizzy from a wide-right position.

How he can improve: The immediate priority is for Zaniolo to completely recover from injury, then it is a matter of fine-tuning his physical attributes to become more explosive and resistant to heavy challenges.

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douchebagbrainwaves · 5 years ago

Text

HERE'S WHAT I JUST REALIZED ABOUT PRODUCTIVITY

Ditto for PayPal. The key question, I realized it would probably have to be just one valuation. The founders all learned to do every job in the company. Instead he can ask What would make the painting more interesting to people? I only thought of when I sat down to write them.1 It does not, for example. With Socrates, Plato, and particularly Aristotle, this tradition turned a corner.

Among them was Frederick's of Hollywood, which gave us valuable experience dealing with heavy loads on our servers. Few were sufficiently correct that people have forgotten who discovered what they discovered.2 It means these ideas are invisible to most people your age, others that will appeal to most people because it only recently became feasible. Economist J.3 2, because that also seems to be to start with good people, to make something customers want. It's often mistakenly believed that medieval universities were mostly seminaries. Technical tweaks may also help them to grasp what's special about your technology.

It was impressive even to ask the questions they asked were new to them, or cut them off.4 Will I ever read it?5 There is room for a new search engine, when there were already about 10, and they did it. Popular magazines made the period between the spread of literacy and the arrival of TV the golden age of the essay. It's not for the discovery that most previous philosophy was a waste of time?6 Those hours after the phone stops ringing are by far the best for getting work done. If you're curious about something, trust your instincts. Meaning everyone within this world was expected to seem more or less the same.

When they appeared it seemed as if search was a mature market, dominated by big players who'd spent millions to build their brands: Yahoo, Lycos, Excite, Infoseek, Altavista, Inktomi. Instead of trying to discover them because they're useful.7 Whatever you make will have to be disciplined about not letting your hypotheses harden into anything more. In the humanities you can either avoid drawing any definite conclusions e. Those whose jobs require them to judge art, like curators, mostly resort to euphemisms like significant or important or getting dangerously close realized. At this stage, all most investors expect is a brief description of what you plan to do and how you're going to replace email.8 I answered twenty, I could see at the time, a lot of valuable advice about business, and also did all the legal work of getting us set up as a company. When people sit down to watch a show, they want to live in the suburbs.

If you go to see Silicon Valley, what you'll see are buildings.9 Design by committee is a synonym for bad design. Will I ever read it?10 Customers loved us. And they each have.11 That may seem a frivolous reason to choose one language over another. Restaurants with great food seem to prosper no matter what you do. Like most startups, we changed our plan on the fly.

When you're just typing expressions into the toplevel, you want to invest in them.12 Writing was one of the founders we funded asked me why we started Y Combinator is neither selfish nor virtuous. If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything, and that's likely to be done with levers and cams and gears are now done with loops and trees and closures.13 The only place to look was in the tradition of skateboards or bicycles rather than medical devices. They've applied for a lot of investors hated the idea, but the overall experience is much better than the soul-crushing suburban sprawl. If a nonprofit or government organization had started a project to index the web, Google at year 1 is the limit of what they'd have produced. Among them were Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce, who went on to found Intel, and Eugene Kleiner, who founded the VC firm Kleiner Perkins. Aristotle's goal was to find one angel to act as the lead investor.

Partly because, as components of oligopolies themselves, the corporations knew they could safely pass the cost on to their customers, because their competitors would have to as well.14 So it is with design.15 The real problem is that you look smug. The difference between then and now is that now I understand why Berkeley is probably not worth trying to understand its implications. It would have been better off; not only wouldn't these guys have broken anything, they'd have gotten a lot more done. It would be a curious state of affairs if you could get to the same spot. So if you're developing technology for money, you're probably not going to use TCP/IP just because everyone else does. In the old days, you could create a situation indistinguishable from you being that manufacturer, at least working on problems of minor importance.

That will tend to produce results that annoy people: there's no use in telling people things they already believe, and people answering it often aren't clear in their own mind how much is deliberate.16 Curiously enough, what got Segway into this problem was that customers didn't want the product. At the time it seemed the future.17 There's nothing more valuable than the advice of someone whose judgement you trust. It didn't shake itself free till a couple decades ago, geography was destiny for cities.18 Arguably it's an interesting failed experiment. The American way is to make money by creating wealth, you're always going to be fighting a losing battle against increasing variation in productivity.19 So there could be other ways to attract them, but they were only a little more out of their sales channels. The result was that I wrote it. Not any more.

Notes

I remember are famous flops like the intrusive ads popular on Delicious, but explain that's what they campaign for. But you're not allowed to ask, what you call the market. These two regions were the case. It will seem more interesting than random marks would be very promising, because the proportion of the Web was closely tied to the Pall Mall Gazette.

I'm not saying it's impossible to write your dissertation in the time 1992 the entire West Coast that still requires jackets: The Duty of Genius, Penguin, 1991, p. As Secretary of Labor Statistics, the big winners are all about hitting outliers, are better college candidates. Bad math is merely an upper bound on a weekend and sit alone and think.

Gary and I don't know of one investor who for some students to get elected with a company. That way most reach the stage where they're sufficiently convincing well before Demo Day. I was not just the local builders built everything in exactly the opposite: when we were quite sore from VCs attempting to probe our nonexistent database orifice.

And it would not know his name. It's conceivable that a skilled vine-dresser was worth about 125 to 150 drachmae.

So 80 years sounds to me like someone adding a few that are only doing angel deals to generate everything else in the next round is high, so it may have been seen mentioning the site was about bands.

This phenomenon may account for a long thread are rarely seen, when we created pets. This point is that the highest returns, it's implicit that this was hard to avoid using it, whether you have to be spread out geographically.

So where do we draw the line that philosophy is nonsense. You also have to resort to raising money. Most of the reasons angels like to invest at a public company CEOs were J.

Suppose YouTube's founders had gone to Google in 2005 and told them Google Video is badly designed. I replace the url with that of whatever they copied. Even as late as Newton's time it takes forever.

Digg is notorious for its lack of results achieved by alchemy and saying its value was as much as people in any case, because they are to be a quiet contentment.

An investor who invested earlier had been trained that anything hung on a hard technical problem. One sign of a handful of lame investors first, and b not allow them to tell them everything. Algorithms that use it are called naive Bayesian. Xxvii.

You're investing your own morale, you need a higher growth rate to impress are not mutually exclusive. This essay was written before Firefox. Google's site.

Founders also worry that taking time to come up with elaborate rationalizations. Words we use for good and bad technological progress is accelerating, so they made more that year from stock options, of course. The two 10 minuteses have 3 weeks between them.

A more accurate or at least once for that reason. This is one of a handful of consulting firms that rent out big pools of foreign programmers they bring in on H1-B visas.

Confucius claimed proudly that he transformed the field they describe. There is archaeological evidence for large settlements earlier, but one by one they die and their hands.

If you wanted to go to work with founders create a great idea as something you need to be actively curious.

The facts about Apple's early history are from an angel-round board, consisting of two founders and one of the biggest discoveries in any case, because you couldn't do the opposite: when we got to the World Bank, Doing Business in 2006, http://doingbusiness. Acquisitions fall into in the room, and the super-angels hate to match.

Is what we need to go to grad school you always see when restrictive laws are removed. It would be unfortunate.

People were more dependent on banks for capital for expansion.

What they forget is that the web and enables a new Lisp dialect called Arc that is not so much control, and the exercise of stock the VCs I encountered when we were working on what you have to be about 200 to send a million dollars out of the canonical could you build for them, if you get stock as if you'd invested at a 3 million cap, but they seem like a month might to an adult. But Goldin and Margo think market forces in the 1960s, leaving less room for startups that are or feel weak. Sometimes a competitor will deliberately affect more interest than they expected and they hope will be the fact by someone who doesn't understand what you're working on your thesis. Even in Confucius's time it filters down to you.

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catholicartistsnyc · 5 years ago

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Meet Ontario-Based Artist Laurie-Lynn McGlynn

LAURIE-LYNN MCGLYNN is a painter (oils and acrylics) living in Caledon, Ontario, Canada. (http://g1313.org/portfolio/laurie-lynn-mcglynn/)

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): Where are you from originally, and what brought you to your current city?

LAURIE-LYNN MCGLYNN (LM): I was born in the city of Toronto - have lived all over Canada and parts of the United States when growing up, and later traveled abroad to Scotland, England and France. Both parents are from the Maritime provinces (Nova Scotia and Newfoundland), so I was fortunate to have spent many summers by the sea.

CAC: How do understand your vocation as a Catholic artist? Do you call yourself a Catholic artist?

LM: Although I do not claim to be a Catholic Artist per see, I do not hide it either. However, my practice of art making is not confined to being a reflection of my faith. In my opinion, the two go hand in hand, and cannot be separated. This gift I have, to express myself and to communicate my thoughts about the world around me in a visual way, is completely from God. No argument there. But how I choose to use this tool of communication has been left up to me. I can hone this ability in any way I choose.

Some artists will deny the origin of their gift and continue to make work that pleases the world. Others may choose to build their practice upon the premise of their faith and will advertise it in such a way. Personally, I feel that as long as the work I create is true to who I am and conveys what I want to say, then I have been sincere to my craft and to my Lord for giving me this gift in the first place.

I am in awe of artists who can successfully depict a Christian experience. I say successfully because there are artists who can create religious art with technical proficiency that is reminiscent of early Christian art. However, does this reflect the true nature of the artist and their innermost desire to communicate the sacred? Or is it an imitation of religious art from the past?

What excites me the most as a Catholic artist are those moments when I am creating something with my own hands and an inconceivable joy fills my heart, nudging me to continue. To me that is a true expression of faith.

CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

LM: Our parish priest, although now retired, has always been a supporter of visual art, especially that which inspires people to open their hearts and be brave...perhaps to share their own talents and gifts with others. There are many people in our communities who have not had the privilege of attending an art school, or any post-secondary institution for that matter. Whenever I am asked to discuss my work or share it for a fundraising activity, I am honored to do so.

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

LM: Now, this can be a tricky question but I am glad you asked! As a Canadian emerging visual artist, I can honestly say that many of my peers have decided to keep their faith separate from their practice. The reason is mostly due to the nature of the public gallery and how the curator or director feel it will be perceived. It really depends on what the context is, and how the artist chose to frame their faith within that context. For example, when Chris Ofili exhibited The Holy Virgin Mary (1996), there was a huge uproar within the gallery scene, with the public and with the Mayor of NYC threatening to cut funding to the gallery. Many considered this work to be blasphemous and saw it as a purposeful stab at the Catholic church. Yet, the artist himself claimed that the work was not meant to be taken that way ... perhaps not to be taken so seriously. Either way, it certainly brought a lot of attention to the artist and his practice, which is fine if you can handle that type of publicity. I feel this is why many emerging artists stay clear of that kind of attention, especially in the early stages of their careers.

CAC: How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

LM: There was a time when the Church was a patron of the arts, just as the rich and powerful were and still are. In 1999 when Saint Pope John Paul II wrote his Letter to Artists, he brought a lot of attention to the arts and encouraged the faithful to embrace their gifts and talents with the world, for the sake of beauty but also for the glory of God. I feel there is a gap somewhere in how we perceive artists, their status in the Church and what impact the arts can still have on the faithful. Perhaps this needs to begin in the parish, where the simple act of commissioning an artist to create a piece for the Church. The parishioners will all see the work, some will like it, others may not. But the artist will have contributed to parish life, to worship etc. There are plenty of other ways in which the Church could embrace the arts as a vital link in the community, but I fear it will take over the interview!

So far, I have come across a great deal of support from the Orthodox Church in our area. Unfortunately, I have yet to find the same support for the arts in our local parishes.

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

LM: Another brilliant question! It depends on how important this is to the artist and how they perceive their practice. As stated earlier, I do not include my faith as part of the description of my practice. The process of creating is what is sacred to me, and forms a bond between my soul and my God. However, if I were creating work that was meant to be taken in a religious or faith based context (iconography for example), I would most likely work within that paradigm and hope that my parish could help promote my work to other parishes. I would not expect public galleries to be open to accepting my work unless it was within the theme of an exhibition. But that is just my experience, and it could be quite different for others depending on where their art is exhibited and how it is promoted.

CAC: Where do you go to get inspired?

LM: Having formed my own collective, may be an answer here! I was weary of not being able to share my faith with my cohort in art school, so I decided to put a small group together. Our goal is bring together talented artists from a variety of disciplines, and perform together. We are called MOTUS and we are dance, music, choral vocals, libretto, and digital technology...and we all have faith. We come together in a welcoming environment which allows each of us to relax in the knowledge that we are all there because of God. Now where do we go from here?

MOTUS is a great example of how my visual and written tools of communication are also expressions of my love for God, for Christ and for God’s people. The prose I write is sacred and honours our Lord in every way imaginable ... from the tiniest breath of spring to the turmoil we humans face each day. The only way I could do this, or find an audience for it, was just to get a few people together with similar ideals and it went from there. If it is Gods will, nothing will stop it.

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice? And if you have a spiritual director, how did you find that person? If you go on retreats, where do you like to go?

LM: My retreat experience has been group-based, but I am currently preparing for a monastic contemplative retreat in another province. The abbey is located outside of Montreal, Quebec, and follows the Benedictine rule of monastic life. My spiritual director is a retired parish priest and long time friend of the family. I look forward to engaging in a solo retreat, and speaking with one of the cloistered sisters about a call to be an Oblate. This is something I have been discerning for many years, and I feel now is the time to be proactive.

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice? And what are your recommendations to other artists for practicing their craft daily?

LM: Researching an idea or concept. Writing out my thoughts and feelings. Sketches may or may not come as part of this process. Then the rest will either manifest in the studio or it will phase into something else. Either way, it’s never a lost cause, as everything means something to an artist.

CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist. What happened, and what brought you the most joy?

Right now! Sitting here writing these thoughts out for you is a reminder of my vocation and how important my contributions are to the world around me. It’s the smallest things that help build the foundation for the big things. There was a time years ago when I was so uncertain about my future as an artist. I worried that unless I studied medicine, became a doctor or nurse, or worked with the marginalized, the poor, children, elderly etc...then how could I possibly be giving back something to God...to His people? But a very good friend reminded me that one does not need to lead a life of service to serve. My gift from God is in many ways a mirror that reflects back the beauty He creates for us. And that is good enough for me.

CAC: How do you afford housing and support yourself as an artist?

LM: My husband is very supportive of my work and we work together to be able to afford what we need in life, and my practice. I receive grants, bursaries, and artist fees from exhibitions. I also work freelance on the side as a content writer.

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in your city? LM: Any way to network is a great way to get started! Joining a local gallery and volunteering a few hours...social media...websites. Attending exhibitions, talking to other artists, entering calls for entry, submitting proposals.

CAC: What are your top pieces of advice for Catholic artists post-graduation?

LM: Know your audience, which means you first must know what type of work you are creating. I dabbled in printmaking while in art school and I will often combine a few lino-block prints in an exhibition. But my medium is paint and I do not enter printmaking calls for entry.

Know what you are good at, and work on that. If you feel called to create work that is meant to enlighten your viewers within a religious context, then make sure you source out your market. Otherwise, you could become disappointed fast. I find that in the very early stages of building an art practice, it is best to take some time to work on your portfolio...make the stuff you love, now that the assignments are over!

Take time to utilize your new skills and apply them to what feels truly you. If you are honest with yourself, and let the work be a true reflection of what you are called to create, not what the art world insists is the next hottest item, then you cannot go wrong! Praying always helps by the way!

A huge thank you to Catholic Artist Connection for opening up this ongoing discussion for artists. I pray that every artist reading this interview will at least take one small thing from it and apply it to their own practice. God Bless.

#laurie-lynn mcglynn #ontario #canada #caledon #catholic #catholic art #catholic artists #catholic artist #catholic artist connection #visual art #interview #letter to artists #st. john paul ii #MOTUS #benedictine #benedictine oblate

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nicoleknows-nothing · 6 years ago

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PUCKS DEEP - CHAPTER 4 (Mark Scheifele Fan Fiction)

WORDS: 3641

That night after my lunch date with Mark, the team was on a plane heading to the west coast. The Jets’ first game of the season was in San Jose the next day. I decided to stay up late to watch the game, illegally streaming it on my laptop because it’s pointless to have basic cable in this house. All we ever watch is Netflix or Youtube, and if we’re extremely bored we bus over to Polo Park and spend our banked Scene points on movie tickets and popcorn.

It was halfway through the first period; the score was already 2-0 for the Sharks. Me being an idiot, I originally thought hockey was played in quarters, like football and basketball. Upon further review--and by that I mean I Googled ‘Hockey for Dummies’ and found a cheat sheet--I discovered that hockey was played in three twenty-minute periods.

Heather walked into my room to find me sitting on my bed, concentrated on my laptop, eyes darting back and forth watching the movement of the puck on the ice.

“Hey.” I glanced up to acknowledge her existence for a second and promptly got back to watching the game. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” She leaned against the door frame, her voice was still raspy. “Actually, I was coming in here to check up on you.”

“Why?” I slightly raised my voice, irritated over the fact that the puck got overturned and the Sharks gained possession, again.

“Because you haven’t stopped yelling for the last ten minutes. What are you watching anyway?” She came over and laid down beside me.

“I’m trying to follow and understand how the heck this freaking game works!” My voice got louder when seeing #9 of the Sharks take a shot at our goal. Fortunately, the puck flew over the net and bounced off the glass before landing back on the ice. #27 on the Jets took control of the puck and shot it to the other end of the rink. The play was stopped by one of the referees, the commentators mentioning something about icing.

“What the heck is icing?!” I cried, quickly skimming through my cheat sheet. The stupid term wasn’t included in the stupid article; back to Google!

“Well, they’re not skating on a cake, that’s for sure…” Heather cheekily remarked, covering her mouth to cough. I intensely glared at her; If my eyes had the ability to produce laser beams, she would have been dead.

“Funny…” Finally, I found the definition on the internet. “Icing in hockey occurs when a player shoots from behind the red centre line across to the opposing goal line and the puck stays untouched.”

...What? The words were crystal clear coming out of my mouth, but they mushed together in my mind. Heather's grimaced look on her face made me realize I wasn't the only one confused.

“That didn't register in my head at all,” She blinked.

“Uggggh, why is this so confusing?!” I groaned in frustration, softly hitting my head on the screen. “Sports are supposed to be easy to follow!”

“I think you’re focusing too much on the technicality of the game rather than, you know… enjoying it?” Heather analyzed, I could hear the difference between her regular voice and her ‘I-studied-Psychology’ professional voice; it was a lower tone, and she enunciated more than usual.

“It's hard to enjoy when they haven't scored yet…” I anxiously played with the drawstrings of my grey hoodie. “I guess you're right. I figured if I was able to follow the game better and know the ins and outs that I would have something else to talk to Mark about.”

“Newsflash, Nina! You already talk to him about stuff! You were glued to your phone for a good two hours when you got home from work today! Plus, he already knows that you’re not a hockey expert so I don’t think he expects you to spit out stats or remember all the mumbo jumbo right away!”

Even though Ruby wasn’t home, I could hear her voice at the back of my head. Once again, I’m overthinking everything. I needed to stop stressing about learning everything right away and let it come naturally. Just enjoy the game.

All of a sudden the commentator’s voice got loud and full of energy. I looked up to see Mark with the puck, speeding down the ice past the Sharks’ defence and advancing towards the goal. He took a shot, the puck ricocheted off of the goalie’s padding and flew up in the air. In a swift and effortless motion, Mark lifted his stick and tapped the rebounding puck past the goalie and into the net.

SCORE!! Mark Scheifele bats the puck mid-air into the net for his first goal of the season! The Jets are now on the board; it's 2-1 with the Sharks still in the lead!

“He got a goal...” It took a moment to sink in, then the astonishment turned into excitement at full force. “Oh my God! He got a goal!”

My cheeks hurt so much from smiling, I couldn't stop clapping or squealing or bouncing on the bed. They replayed the goal from multiple camera angles, and each time the puck flew into the net I felt more and more elated, cheering each time even though I knew it was a replay. I could feel Heather's eyes on me, watching Mark celebrate his goal with his teammates; I was admiring the screen so closely that I could have gone cross-eyed.

“Look at you! You are smitten!” Heather chuckled.

“What! I can't admire a good goal?” I began to babble, trying to justify my behaviour. “It was a really good one! I KNOW I wouldn't be able to do what he just did! I can't handle a stick or hit a puck so fast like that! And yeah, maybe it did attract me to him more knowing that he's disciplined in a sport he plays professionally but it's mostly because of the goal! It looked awesome! I'm in awe! That's all it is…”

Heather rolled her eyes at my sad excuse of an explanation. “Neens, just admit it! You’re falling for him, he’s basically your boyfriend already!”

“Yes, I like him. A lot.” I sighed. “But he's not my boyfriend. We don't have an official label, not to mention we just met less than a week ago. Right now, we’re friends that are still getting to know each other and that have also kissed once or twice. I don't plan on rushing into a relationship anytime soon.”

“But you definitely wanna get into his pants…” Heather’s eyebrows wiggled up and down, a sly smirk spreading on her face. The thought of being intimate with Mark quickly processed through my mind and instantly my cheeks felt flush. I threw a pillow at her in retaliation.

“NO! Shut up! I have a hockey game to watch!” I faltered, trying to be serious but the muscles in my face betrayed me, forcing me to smile and giggle like a big dork.

Has the thought of being intimate with Mark run through my head before? Kind of, but not really. They’ve been innocent thoughts; very tamed, nothing remotely close to being pornographic. Like I’ve mentioned before, I have flaws; I’m insecure when it comes to my body and I’m scared that If I get too close too soon, I’m going to end up hurt. It’s happened before, and it’s messed with my self-esteem ever since. Therefore, I don’t want to put myself in that situation until the time is right and we’re both ready. Thankfully, Mark doesn’t seem like the ‘hit-it-and-quit-it’ type. His heart seems to be as gooey as a marshmallow, however, people can change as time goes by.

Heather left my room after the first period and I watched the rest of the game by myself, or at least I tried to. As much as I wanted to tape my eyelids open, I succumbed to my drowsiness at the beginning of the third period. All of my energy was sucked away during the second when the Jets came back in a big way from the deficit. Ruby came home from work and thought I was being murdered because of how loud I was freaking out over #13's goal. Heather had to reassure her that I had been acting like that all night. When I passed out, the score was 4-3; the Jets had the lead. I was optimistic about a win.

I woke up to my alarm on my cell the next morning. One of the girls must have been in my room; my laptop was set on the side table and my blanket was tucked tightly around me like a burrito. I unlocked my phone and saw that I received a text message at 2:30 AM. It was from Mark:

Hey, beautiful :) I know you're sleeping but I just wanted to tell you that we won! Got tied up in the 3rd and were about to go into OT but we got the game-winner just before the horn. I'm heading to bed now. I'll text you when I'm back in the Peg.

I miss you.

Although I felt restless, seeing that text from Mark revitalized me in an instant. Not only was I thrilled that they won their first game of the season, but reading that he missed me had me walking on air. And he called me beautiful again! If only this exhilarating, floating feeling could last all day (but it won't because I have to go to a job that I hate with every fibre of my being!) If only he was here, lying next to me in bed…

Remember, take it slow.

I replied back, telling him that I saw the game and congratulating him on his impressive goal. Also…

I miss you too.

It’s Wednesday. It’s the day of the home opener, and I’m freaking out.

“Nina? Simon is on his way. Are you ready?” Ruby asked as she walked into my bedroom to see me, wrapped in my housecoat and staring at the mountain of clothing I accumulated on my bed.

“No…” I huffed, lost in contemplation. “What does one even wear to a hockey game? I’ve gone through everything in my dresser!”

I couldn't believe this was happening. When it comes to plans made in advance, I'm usually the one that's punctual. I'm always ready before everyone else; my outfit is coordinated the day before, my hair and makeup are done hours prior to leaving, and I'm the one helping others and rushing them out the door to show up an hour early.

Right now, I'm all over the place; nothing in my wardrobe seems like it's fitting, my hair is half done and my makeup looks like, for lack of a better word, ass. At this rate, I'm not leaving my room. My chest was feeling tight, I felt nauseous and short of breath. This isn’t like me; I am always prepared!

I flopped onto my bed, burying my head under the pile of clothes like an ostrich. “I need help! I need an adult!” I whined loudly.

“It’s okay, I will help! Don’t worry!” Ruby reassured. I pulled my head out to observe her looking over the many options I had laid out. Surely, she would be able to find something. She dresses better than Heather and I combined. However, the expression on her face turned sour, her head shaking in disapproval as she threw clothing off the bed piece by piece.

“No, this won’t do...” She muttered under her breath. “Not this… Definitely not this… Gross… Plaid? Seriously? That’s a no!”

Deep breaths, close your eyes and take long deep breaths. Everything is going to be fine… I hope.

Finally, a saving grace. Ruby picked up a white turtleneck and a light bulb flickered on in her head.

“Good. This is good, We can work with this…” Ruby searched through the rest of my clothes and in no time, she was throwing an outfit at me. “Get dressed.”

She paired the turtleneck with a pair of high waisted denim jeans and a black belt. She ran out of my room and came back shortly with my black Chucks and the leather jacket I wore the night I met Mark. Once everything was on, I looked in the mirror at my makeup. I had no time to start over, All I could do was fix the smudged eyeliner that turned into eyeshadow and dab my face with the leftover foundation on my blending sponge. My hair was half straight, half wavy; no use in trying to salvage it at this point so I threw it into a ponytail.

“How do I look?” I looked towards Ruby, letting out a loud exasperated sigh and my shrugging arms falling to my side. On a scale from one to ten, my self-confidence was at a negative two.

“You look great! Very stylish!” Ruby complimented, trying to get my spirits up. It wasn’t working; I could feel my hands getting clammy, my mouth drying up.

“I am so nervous...” My voice croaked while fidgeting around with my sweaty palms. My head was overwhelmed with worse case scenarios. “What if Mark gets hurt tonight or if their team loses or both? What if I become some sort of jinx and he performs badly?”

Ruby cupped my cheeks in her hands and lifted my head up to look at her. “Tonight is going to be fun! There is no need to be nervous! It's as simple as going to a hockey game with your friends. You look fantastic and when Mark sees you cheering in the stands, he is going to feel so lucky! And if we're being honest, if you weren’t like a sister to me, I would bang. One hundred percent!”

I rolled my eyes while trying to stifle a chuckle, my frown breaking down into a straight, awkward grin. “You and your words of encouragement.” Weird enough, her idea of a pep talk did help a little bit.

Ruby’s phone buzzed. “Simon’s here!” She asked me one more time. “Are you ready?”

I took one more look in the mirror. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

“This. Is. Nuts.” Simon's mouth dropped, his eyes about to pop out of his head as we were escorted down to the Jets’ locker room at Bell MTS Place. “I can't believe we're down here!”

“Whatever you do, don't go wandering off like you did at the Iceplex,” Ruby warned, her eyes following Simon's every move. “We don't need you getting banned and making Nina look bad. We're her guests and we should be thankful that she can bring us along.”

“Right! By the way, have I said 'thank you’ yet?” Simon put his hands on my shoulders, he was so excited I could feel him vibrating.

“Yes, about fifty times on the way here.” I let out a chuckle. Seeing Simon hyped up and Ruby discipline him helped calm my nerves. He was like a little kid at a toy store, wanting to touch and play with everything. We passed by a rack of hockey sticks and Ruby had to grab on the hood of his jacket to pry him away.

“Don't!” She scolded him in a deep, motherly tone. I bit down on my lip trying not to laugh but the staff member with us couldn't help but crack a smile.

“We do have a cleaning closet nearby if you need to put him in a time out,” They joked.

“Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.” Ruby pulled Simon away from touching a photo on the wall. “Apparently, leaving his harness and leash at home was a bad idea…”

We turned a corner and my stomach fluttered. There was Mark at the end of the hall, leaning against the wall waiting, hands tucked into his pant pockets and looking down at his shiny black dress shoes. He was wearing a dark navy suit, paired with a white dress shirt and grey tie. He looked like a different person compared to when I saw him on TV a few nights ago; his hair was freshly cut and styled to the side, and his face cleanly shaved. He glanced up and saw me, his crystal blue eyes and smile looking brighter than ever. My heart went rapid as we approached and Mark went in for a hug. His cologne was sweet smelling, like a flower garden after a spring shower.

“Hi,” We greeted in unison, both of us giggling at the coincidence afterwards.

“I like the suit. Blue is your colour!” I complimented.

“Thank you. What do you think of the baby face?” He asked. I gently touched his right cheek, his skin was so soft I was envious.

“I miss the scruff, but you look much more handsome.” Our eyes connected for a moment before I broke contact to look at him licking his lips. The urge of wanting to kiss him grew exponentially. However, the moment was quickly ruined by Simon, whose arm was frantically waving to the extent of producing a light breeze behind me.

“HI MARK!” He shouted in my ear, I winced.

“Hey, Simon. Hey Ruby,” He laughed. With her fast reflexes, Ruby grabbed Simon's arm in mid-wave and linked her arm with his.

“By any chance, you wouldn't happen to have duct tape lying around, do you?” Ruby inquired.

Mark shook his head.“No, just grip tape. I don't think it will help in restraining him.”

“That's okay. I'll just keep a close eye on him.” Ruby pulled Simon close to her. It was like watching someone trying to keep a hyper Cocker Spaniel puppy under control.

“Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys.” Mark grabbed my hand, his fingers interlocking with mine, and led me to the locker room.

Of course, the first thing I do when I walk in is almost break the most sacred rule in a hockey locker room.

“Careful!” Mark politely placed his arm in front of me, pointing at the carpet. “It’s a thing not to step on the logo.”

I look down to see my feet an inch away from the gigantic Jets logo on the locker room floor. I immediately distanced myself from it. “Oh, crap-- I am so sorry!”

“Scheifs! Did your girl step on the logo?” One of Mark’s teammates playfully chided, walking up and messing up his hair. I could hear Simon squealing like a girl behind me. Ruby covered his mouth to mute the sound.

“Nina, Blake. Blake is the captain of the team.” Mark introduced, I shook Blake’s hand.

“I didn’t do it, I swear.” I nervously smiled.

Blake laughed. “It’s all good, no worries! I heard it’s your first game tonight. Have fun!”

We continued around the locker room and I met more of the team. I couldn’t remember all of their names because there were so many people and they were all really tall. I felt like the only gnome on a lawn covered with garden flamingos. The only people I do remember were Andrew (because he’s Mark’s roommate), Tyler (because he was the tallest out of everyone I met), Patrik (because I couldn’t stop staring at his beard), and Dustin (because he recognized Simon as the guy who snuck into the locker room at the Iceplex and threatened to kick his ass if he didn’t leave).

“I’ll get him out of here,” Ruby agreed, pushing Simon towards the door.

“I’ll come with.” I took one last look around the locker room. “Everyone seems to be getting their stuff on, anyways.”

“Before you leave…” Mark walked over to his gear and came back with a light blue jersey, different from the typical dark blue and white ones I usually see around the city. “This is the new alternate jersey. I figured you would need something to show your newly found team spirit.”

I turned the jersey around to see his name and number on the back. “This Scheifele guy, is he a good player?” I teased.

“The best! Even better than me!” He quipped back. I took off my jacket and Mark helped me put the jersey on over my turtleneck.

“How do I look?” I modeled the oversized sweater in front of him. He gave me two thumbs up.

“Blue is your colour!” He praised. I looked down to admire the jersey. Compared to what I felt like earlier, my self-confidence was now at an eleven.

“It’s really nice. Thank you,” I hugged him one more time, I didn’t want to let go but he needed to get ready. “Good luck out there tonight.”

I stepped back to leave the locker room when I felt Mark’s hand squeeze mine. “Hey...”

I looked back at him and he pulled me close again, our noses brushing against each other. “Don’t I get a ‘good luck’ kiss?”

“Maybe…” I smirked, my hands resting on his chest. Mark lifted my chin with his finger and leaned in, his soft lips touching mine in a gentle, sensual kiss. Once again, our moment was ruined. This time by Mark’s teammates jeering at us to get a room, throwing their towels at our heads.

“Hey! Those better be clean!” Mark shouted. I gave him one more peck on the cheek.

“Get ready, please. Before they start throwing jock straps.” I ordered, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll see you out there.”

I left the locker room and made my way upstairs to my seat, which happened to be a few rows behind the Jets bench. Ruby and Simon were sitting down, beers and Jets Dogs in hand. Ruby handed me a beer as I sat down beside her.

“Feeling better?” She asked.

“Yeah, definitely.”

#mark scheifele #mark scheifele fan fic #mark scheifele fan fiction #winnipeg jets #winnipeg jets fan fiction #winnipeg fan fic #pucks deep #creative writing #nhl fan fiction #hockey fan fiction #chapter four #mark scheifele imagine

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iamliberalartsgt · 6 years ago

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Why ‘worthless’ humanity degrees may set you up for life

Original Article by Amanda Ruggeri

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20190401-why-worthless-humanities-degrees-may-set-you-up-for-life

At university, when I told people I was studying for a history degree, the response was almost always the same: “You want to be a teacher?”. No, a journalist. “Oh. But you’re not majoring in communications?”

In the days when a university education was the purview of a privileged few, perhaps there wasn’t the assumption that a degree had to be a springboard directly into a career. Those days are long gone.

Today, a degree is all but a necessity for the job market, one that more than halves your chances of being unemployed. Still, that alone is no guarantee of a job – and yet we’re paying more and more for one. In the US, room, board and tuition at a private university costs an average of $48,510 a year; in the UK, tuition fees alone are £9,250 ($12,000) per year for home students; in Singapore, four years at a private university can cost up to SGD$69,336 (US$51,000).

Learning for the sake of learning is a beautiful thing. But given those costs, it’s no wonder that most of us need our degrees to pay off in a more concrete way. Broadly, they already do: in the US, for example, a bachelor’s degree holder earns $461 more each week than someone who never attended a university.

But most of us want to maximise that investment – and that can lead to a plug-and-play type of approach to higher education. Want to be a journalist? Study journalism, we’re told. A lawyer? Pursue pre-law. Not totally sure? Go into Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) – that way, you can become an engineer or IT specialist. And no matter what you do, forget the liberal arts – non-vocational degrees that include natural and social sciences, mathematics and the humanities, such as history, philosophy and languages.

This has been echoed by statements and policies around the world. In the US, politicians from Senator Marco Rubio to former President Barack Obama have made the humanities a punch line. (Obama later apologised). In China, the government has unveiled plans to turn 42 universities into “world class” institutions of science and technology. In the UK, government focus on Stem has led to a nearly 20% drop in students taking A-levels in English and a 15% decline in the arts.

But there’s a problem with this approach. And it’s not just that we’re losing out on crucial ways to understand and improve both the world and ourselves – including enhancing personal wellbeing, sparking innovation and helping create tolerance, among other values.

It’s also that our assumptions about the market value of certain degrees – and the “worthlessness” of others – might be off. At best, that could be making some students unnecessarily stressed. At worst? Pushing people onto paths that set them up for less fulfilling lives. It also perpetuates the stereotype of liberal arts graduates, in particular, as an elite caste – something that can discourage underprivileged students, and anyone else who needs an immediate return on their university investment, from pursuing potentially rewarding disciplines. (Though, of course, this is hardly the only diversity problemsuch disciplines have).

Soft skills, critical thinking

George Anders is convinced we have the humanities in particular all wrong. When he was a technology reporter for Forbes from 2012 to 2016, he says Silicon Valley “was consumed with this idea that there was no education but Stem education”.

But when he talked to hiring managers at the biggest tech companies, he found a different reality. “Uber was picking up psychology majors to deal with unhappy riders and drivers. Opentable was hiring English majors to bring data to restauranteurs to get them excited about what data could do for their restaurants,” he says.

“I realised that the ability to communicate and get along with people, and understand what’s on other people’s minds, and do full-strength critical thinking – all of these things were valued and appreciated by everyone as important job skills, except the media.” This realisation led him to write his appropriately-titled book You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a “Useless” Liberal Arts Education.

Take a look at the skills employers say they’re after. LinkedIn’s research on the most sought-after job skills by employers for 2019 found that the three most-wanted “soft skills” were creativity, persuasion and collaboration, while one of the five top “hard skills” was people management. A full 56% of UK employers surveyed said their staff lacked essential teamwork skills and 46% thought it was a problem that their employees struggled with handling feelings, whether theirs or others’. It’s not just UK employers: one 2017 study found that the fastest-growing jobs in the US in the last 30 years have almost all specifically required a high level of social skills.

Or take it directly from two top executives at tech giant Microsoft who wrote recently: "As computers behave more like humans, the social sciences and humanities will become even more important. Languages, art, history, economics, ethics, philosophy, psychology and human development courses can teach critical, philosophical and ethics-based skills that will be instrumental in the development and management of AI solutions.

Of course, it goes without saying that you can be an excellent communicator and critical thinker without a liberal arts degree. And any good university education, not just one in English or psychology, should sharpen these abilities further. “Any degree will give you very important generic skills like being able to write, being able to present an argument, research, problem-solve, teamwork, becoming familiar with technology,” says Dublin-based educational consultant and career coach Anne Mangan.

But few courses of study are quite as heavy on reading, writing, speaking and critical thinking as the liberal arts, in particular the humanities – whether that’s by debating other students in a seminar, writing a thesis paper or analysing poetry.

When asked to drill the most job market-ready skills of a humanities graduate down to three, Anders doesn’t hesitate. “Creativity, curiosity and empathy,” he says. “Empathy is usually the biggest one. That doesn’t just mean feeling sorry for people with problems. It means an ability to understand the needs and wants of a diverse group of people.

“Think of people who oversee clinical drug tests. You need to get doctors, nurses, regulators all on the same page. You have to have the ability to think about what’s going to get this 72-year-old woman to feel comfortable being tracked long term, what do we have to do so this researcher takes this study seriously. That’s an empathy job.”

But in general, say Anders and others, the benefit of a humanities degree is the emphasis it puts on teaching students to think, critique and persuade – often in the grey areas where there isn’t much data available or you need to work out what to believe.

It’s small wonder, therefore, that humanities graduates go on to a variety of fields. The biggest group of US humanities graduates, 15%, go on to management positions. That’s followed by 14% who are in in office and administrative positions, 13% who are in sales and another 12% who are in education, mostly teaching. Another 10% are in business and finance.

And while there’s often an assumption that the careers humanities graduates pursue just aren’t as good as the jobs snapped up by, say, engineers or medics, that isn’t the case. In Australia, for example, three of the 10 fastest-growing occupations are sales assistants, clerks, and advertising, public relations and sales managers – all of which might look familiar as fields that humanities graduates tend to pursue.

Meanwhile, Glassdoor’s 2019 research found that eight of the top 10 best jobs in the UK were managerial positions – people-oriented roles that require communication skills and emotional intelligence. (It defined "best" by combining earning potential, overall job satisfaction rating and number of job openings.) And many of them were outside Stem-based industries. The third best job was marketing manager; fourth, product manager; fifth, sales manager. An engineering role doesn’t appear on the list until the 18th slot – below positions in communications, HR and project management.

One recent study of 1,700 people from 30 countries, meanwhile, found that the majority of those in leadership positions had either a social sciences or humanities degree. That was especially true of leaders under 45 years of age; leaders over 45 were more likely to have studied Stem.

This isn’t to say that a liberal arts degree is the easy road. “A lot of the people I talked to were five or 10 years into their career, and there was a sense that the first year was bumpy, and it took a while to find their footing,” Anders says. “But as things played out, it did tend to work.”

For some graduates, the initial challenge was not knowing what they wanted to do with their lives. For others, it was not having acquired as many technical skills with their degree as, say, their IT trainee peers and having to play catch-up after.

But pursuing a more vocational degree can come with its own risks too. Not every teenager knows exactly what they want to do with their lives, and our career aspirations often change over time. One UK report found that more than one-third of Brits have changed careers in their lifetime. LinkedIn found that 40% of professionals are interested in making a “career pivot” – and younger people are interested most of all. Focusing on broadly applicable skills like critical thinking no longer seems like such a moon shot when you consider how many different jobs and industries they can be applied to (though for a young person figuring out their career path, it’s true that flexibility also can feel overwhelming).

Specialized technical skills are important in the job market too. But there are a number of ways to acquire them. “I’m very pro-internships and apprenticeships. We’ve seen that that can directly correlate to you having a more grounded skill base in the workplace,” says career development coach Christina Georgalla.

“I even advocate that post-university, if you’re not sure, take a year out and instead of going travelling, actually trial doing different internships. Even if it’s the same field but in TV, say, broadcasting versus producing versus presenting, so you can see the difference.”

But what about the other perceived pitfalls – like a higher unemployment rate and lower salaries?

Why broader matters

It’s true that the humanities come with a higher risk of unemployment. But it’s worth noting that the risk is slighter than you’d imagine. For young people (aged 25-34) in the US, the unemployment rate of those with a humanities degree is 4%. An engineering or business degree comes with an unemployment rate of a little more than 3%. That single additional percentage point is one extra person per 100, such a small amount it’s often within the margin of error of many surveys.

Salaries aren’t so straightforward either. Yes, in the UK, the top earnings are pulled in by those who study medicine or dentistry, economics or maths; in the US, engineering, physical sciences or business. Some of the most popular humanities, such as history or English, are in the bottom half of the group.

But there’s more to the story – including that for some jobs, it seems that it’s actually better to start with a broader degree, rather than a professional one.

Take law. In the US, an undergraduate student who took the seemingly most direct route to becoming a lawyer, judge or magistrate – majoring in a pre-law or legal studies degree – can expect to earn an average of $94,000 a year. But those who majored in philosophy or religious studies make an average of $110,000. Graduates who studied area, ethnic and civilisations studies earn $124,000, US history majors earn $143,000 and those who studied foreign languages earn $148,000, a stunning $54,000 a year above their pre-law counterparts.

There are similar examples in other industries too. Take managers in the marketing, advertising and PR industries: those who majored in advertising and PR earn about $64,000 a year – but those who studied liberal arts make $84,000.

And even while overall salary disparities do remain, it may not be the degree itself. Humanities graduates in particular are more likely to be female. We all know about the gender pay gap, and notable wage disparities persist in the humanities: US men who major in the humanities have median earnings of $60,000, for example, while women make $48,000. Since more than six in 10 humanities majors are women, the gender pay gap, not the degree, may be to blame.

We also know that as more women move into a field, the field’s overall earnings go down. Given that, is it any wonder that English majors, seven in 10 of whom are women, tend to make less than engineers, eight in 10 of whom are men?

Do what you love

This is a big part of why there is one major takeaway, says Mangan. Whatever a student pursues in university, it must be something that they aren’t just good at, but they really enjoy.

“In most areas that I can see, the employer just wants to know that you’ve been to college and you’ve done well. That’s why I think doing something that really interests you is essential – because that’s when you’re going to do well,” she says.

No matter what, making a degree or career path decision based on average salaries isn’t a good move. “Financial success is not a good reason. It tends to be a very poor reason,” Mangan says. “Be successful at something and money will follow, as opposed to the other way around. Focus on doing the stuff that you love that you’ll be so enthusiastic about, people will want to give you a job. Then go and develop within that job.”

This speaks to a broader point: the whole question of whether a student should choose Stem versus the humanities, or a vocational course versus a liberal arts degree, might be misguided to begin with. It’s not as if most of us have an equal amount of passion and aptitude for, say, accounting and art history. Plenty of people know what they love most. They just don’t know if they should pursue it. And the headlines most of us see don’t help.

This is part of why parents and teachers often need to take a step back, Mangan says. “There is only one expert. I’m the expert on me, you’re the expert on you, they’re the expert on themselves,” she says. “And nobody, I really mean nobody, can tell them how to do what they should be doing.”

Even, it seems, if that means pursuing a “useless” degree – like one in liberal arts.

#liberal arts #Articles #BBC #History #Humanities #Ivan Allen College

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blake-wukong · 7 years ago

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Rwby Zodiac Headcanon

Ruby-Scorpio

Weiss-Virgo (Possibly on the Leo-Virgo cusp, but still mainly Virgo)

Blake-Aquarius (Also possibly on the Capricorn-Aquarius cusp, but mainly an Aquarius)

Yang-Sagittarius

Now I haven’t decided on the others what their signs may be, I’ll decide later. For now let’s forcus on these girls.

Ruby Rose, Scorpio

Now you’re probably “What Ruby a Scorpio? She’s too nice & happy to be a Scorpio. Scorpios are emos. That’s Blake.” Well a Scorpio being gloomy & emo is actually a huge stearotype. People assume this because a Scorpio likes to keep their secrets which is true. But that’s the thing. They can hide their emotions & secrets SO WELL that you probably are gonna assume they have no secrets to hide. Scorpios are actually very nice & usually very energetic people. Ruby has shown to display this while helping Jaune with his issues in volume one & through the series. She clearly enjoys fighting monsters & gets very excited when meeting hunters/huntress. She is also resourceful, since multiple time when it comes to fights. Protective of course, she tried to save Penny & Pyrrha. Powerful both physically & mentally. By being mentally powerful means that you can stand strong through a lot of shit. Passionate about all the things she does; hunting monsters, planning parties, etc. One of her negatives is that she, like a Scorpio, is snobbish, stubborn, & lowkey HIGH key seeks revenge. When she first met Weiss they refuse to listen to each other & Ruby was in fact acting quite snobbish in a brat kind of way. Although not seen in the show, the manga definitely shows Ruby wanting to get revenge on Cardin. That’s a thing about Scorpios, those who did them wrong are always on their mind & Scorpios seek revenge against them. They may not show it, but they’re sure as hell thinking about it. Never underestimate a Scorpio. (& a lot of people underestimate her.) As for the emotions. Ruby never talks about how she’s feeling. EVER. She only did it once & that was in front of Oscar & even then it just so little information. It takes a long time for them to open up & when they do, they make it seem like you know exactly what their going through. Surprise bitch. You don’t. Especially since Scorpios can be optimistic as hell so you can never tell what they really thinking or feeling.

Weiss Schnee, Virgo

“Wow so typical. Why is it cause she seeks perfection?” Well yes & no. That is not the only reason why Weiss is a Virgo. It’s funny how people think Virgo seeks perfection & that’s it. But there is so much more to Weiss & Virgos. It’s true at first glance Weiss may seek perfection, but it’s more. When meeting a Virgo/Weiss they may seem boring due to the fact they are everything “good.” Weiss is punctual, she wants to be on time. She is hard working, at home she practices her summoning skills & at school she does her studies, practices with dust & her semblance, etc. She is shown to be responsible, & self disciplined. When making mistakes she owns up to them & apologizes. Organized, check. Analytical? Yup. She analyzes people very well. Blake is an example. Yes Weiss is well aware that Blake is quite & moody but when she was stress, Weiss was the one that called out her behavior. When she was talking with Yang, she admits that she knew what her father really wanted from her mother, she even called out everybody at the party because she knew nobody cared about the other kingdoms. Weiss, like Virgos, is also very wise & very sensitive. This sensitiveity is actually a strength since they can feel, they can understand how others feel & it helps them become wiser & help others with their problems. It’s true that at first Weiss, like Virgos, is indifferent towards others & their feelings. But as she opens up, she is actually quite sympathetic. This example would be with Yang when they were talking about Blake running away & how it hurt Yang. They can also be anxious, Weiss feeling anxious about her dad & how her sister feels. They can be selective, Weiss wondering which napkin to pick. Indifferent, Weiss is known to be cold. Weiss is also logical, choosing facts over emotions. Now over the past. This is shown when she said she doesn’t care if Blake was part of the WF as long as she isn’t anymore. As for her probably being a Leo? Well I believe she is on the Cusp, but mainly on the Virgo said. The only reasons why she might be a Leo is because she wanted to be the leader & how she was referenced to being a daddy’s girl when she really wasn’t.

Blake Belladonna, Aquarius

Ok so here’s why Blake is an Aquarius & possibly a Capricorn-Aquarius cusp. So the only thing that I can think of that is Capricorn about her is how she acts in the beginning. Earth signs, (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) can be so rude, mean & quiet. So yea Blake was like that with Weiss, but after a while usually a week an Aquarius is super open & friendly. Capricorns aren’t though, it takes them a while. So the opening up part, especially since it took Blake three volumes to finally show some facial expressions. But she mostly shows signs of being Aquarius. Out of all the zodiac, Aquarius is known for being the most rebellious. They go against the flow. A lot of people see Blake as the rebel since half of the faunus fight for superiority & the other half chose not to fight at all. Blake seems like to be the only to fight for equality & peace in the most peaceful way. Speaking of which, Aquarius are also known for being the “one of a kind, limited edition, one in a million,” type of person. She is the only Faunus that we know who chose to hid who she is, is the only Faunus in her team, & is the main one who wants to fight for equality in the peaceful way. Sure there’s her dad, but before him it was just Blake. She’s also very faithful about her cause & Ilia. She believes her cause & her way of protest will help the Faunus & when it came to Ilia she believe she could changed her & she did. According to the zodiac, Aquarius are very creative. I can’t think of moment were she created something. I guess when she created the fire to see that was smart. But that was more resourceful than creative. She’s definitely idealistic, believing in peace & all that. A negative is that Aquarius are detached. “Detached from what?” From their emotions. Most air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) are very detached. We don’t ever see Blake mention emotions. She’s felt scared, she mentions that she loves her friends, but that’s it. Yes Aquarius are detached but that doesn’t mean they don’t know what emotions they have every once in a while. She didn’t know how to talk to her dad, she describes Adam as passion not love, describes RWY as words not emotions. So it’s not an easy topic for Blake to talk about when it comes to emotions. I should also mention thag Aquarius due know how to keep their cool & appear emotionless upon first meeting. They are also very intelligent; she knew who Weiss was, very political, etc. Can be capricious which is seen all over in volume 4 & 5. She can be difficult to manage sometimes, at least trying to understand. Also very independent considering she was able to take care of herself away from home, with Adam, & at the Beacon.

Yang Xaio Long, Sagittarius

Ok I can talk about this for hours. Let’s start off with the basics. First off she’s a fire sign. Which means she has a hot temper, confident, full of action & fun. Yang is actually very honest, Blake had to smack her to remind her she needs a fliter. “It’s not a shirt & tie kind of place.” “Yea, we notice.” Athletic. Technically speaking, she does work out to become a better fighter. She is straight-forward & like Virgo, Sagittarius can be very wise. This is seen when Yang helps Blake get herself together im volume 2. Laid back. Although Yang does have a temper, she’s also very relaxed & is a very much cool person. Logical. She knows when to focus on mission & when Weiss & Ruby were having issues the best logical thing to do is to start over maybe. Confidence. She knows she’s not the best, but she knows she’s good enough to pass her classes with flying colors. Good humored. Personally I dislike puns, but some people like them. It’s a good trait to have really. She is also optimistic, always looking into the good. This isn’t always present. But in Weiss-Xiao-Long’s FreezerBurn post, Yang does wqnt to be mad at Blake but her open-mindedness is telling her to understand her. I’m pretty Weiss did slightly help Yang be optimistic again. Sagittarius people love to travel & explore. Yang’s goal was to explore the world & wants to go with the flow, becoming a huntress to defend herself & help people along the way. Commitment issues. Sagittarius don’t like being in a relationship cause they don’t want to be held back & they also fear being hurt & tend fl built walls around themselves. This is shown when Yang doesn’t like getting close to people because of her abandonment issues. At certain times she can tactless & reckless; such as blindly going up against Adam & almost getting to a fight with Raven & her whole damn tribe. She’s not impassive although sometimes it is hard to tell what emotions she feelings towards certain things. When she was speaking with Raven in the tent with Weiss, Yang was acting arrogant, but in reality she really was listening. I just don’t see any other sign that suits her. There is Leo, but I guess that would only make sense with her basic stuff (hot headed, confident, action & fun) & Leos care about how they look. Yang cares about her hair. So that’s the only reason why she could be a Leo, but I mostly see her as a Sagittarius.

Well that’s pretty much what I have for now. I’m open for discussion & excuse the bad grammar. I was too lazy to pre check. Also keep in mind I only looked into their Sun Sign not their Moon, Rising, Venus, or Mars Sign. I might check later.

#rwby #rwby fandom #ruby rose #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiao long

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mysticseasons · 7 years ago

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THE INTERVIEW: Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

Olympic flag-bearers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir talk about putting down their beers, returning to competition, and Canada's chances in Pyeongchang.

Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are Canada’s flag bearers at the upcoming Olympics in Pyeongchang. Sportsnet recently caught up with the duo, who thought they were calling it a career after winning silver in Sochi four years ago. Virtue, 28, and Moir, 30, talk about their change of heart, the comeback, and Canada’s chances in South Korea.

SPORTSNET: You’re back. MOIR: We’re back.

That was the expectation, maybe? M: [Laughs.]

VIRTUE: No, actually.

Really? You weren’t planning to compete in Pyeongchang? Not even in the back of your minds? V: No, I think in Sochi we truly believed that was it — and we were comfortable with that. We were happy with our performances; we were content with our experience.

M: Absolutely.

V: We thought… [Both start laughing.]

V: We thought that we felt good about wrapping up our careers there. It didn’t take long for us to figure out we missed having that purpose, that we missed having a goal to be striving towards. And also, just imagining the 2018 Olympics and not being there was a struggle. It didn’t feel right.

The idea of watching and not skating. M: Yeah. Not marching in the opening ceremony, not being a part of this really great and close Canadian team — it really is a family. We couldn’t imagine not being a family.

There was a lot of talk that you should’ve won gold in Sochi, that you got ripped off. Did that have anything to do with your decision to come back? M: You know what’s funny? Not really.

Seriously? V: Our coaches asked us [the same question] when we wanted to come back. They were, I think, worried that there was some bitterness or resentment, and there really, truly is not.

M: I don’t think revenge is enough to fuel the fire it takes to go to an Olympic Games and be successful. What we want out of these Games is very different than in both of our previous Games. We talk about how special our Sochi Olympics were — it’s really honest and it’s true. In many ways those Games mean a lot more to us than the Vancouver ones did. The colour of the medal is one thing but we’re super proud of our performances. And that silver for us is something that we’re extremely proud of in our careers. I don’t feel like there’s any bitterness, or we want to come back to get that gold back. It’s more just like, there’s another chance at gold and we want to be there, and we’re going to go and give our all again.

V: It’s more about seeing what we’re capable of. That’s what’s driving us at this point: seeing where we can take our skating and how we can approach things differently.

Once you decided you were going to come back, did you celebrate? M: No it was like, ‘Oh shit, we have a lot of work to do.’ It was exciting and daunting at the same time.

V: I put my beer down. [Laughs.]

M: We were quite nervous to make a comeback and we knew that ice dancing was taking a couple steps forward. We were excited by the challenge and it was also a little bit terrifying. I think we really felt that pressure, especially last fall when we first came back and started competing again. We wanted to prove to everybody that we weren’t the same old Tessa and Scott, trying to do the same tricks again. We wanted to be different. That challenge is what we really came back for.

How has your skating style changed since Sochi? M: We spent a lot of time trying to rework some technical things on the ice. Our passion still shows through in a similar way, I think. We’re trying to push ourselves and grow. We knew the athletes we were in 2010 and the athletes that we were in 2014 are just not good enough anymore.

Since the last Games, you moved to Montreal to train with a new coach. M: Yes. It’s working out great. We love our team in Montreal. Patrice [Lauzon] and Marie-France [Dubreuil] were a team we looked up to when we were growing up, and we developed this friendship, and now they’re in kind of this mentor-coaching role, which is so motivating. What we have off the ice in Montreal is our B2ten team, and I think that’s our biggest advantage. [B2ten is an organization that supports many of Canada’s top amateur athletes through donations from the private sector]. They take care of all of our off-ice needs. We have an off-ice mental coach, we have a trainer, we have an osteopath, and they all talk to each other and that is such a big tool for us.

You two have been skating together for… M: 40 years!

Most relationships don’t last that long. What’s your secret? M: [Laughs.]

V: When we were really young, one of first coaches did a lot of work with us to build the foundation of our partnership. And now we can reflect on that time and we’re so grateful for that because we really built our partnership on a lot of respect and trust. We’re still working on it, we still do a lot of work to improve our communication, our efficiency together, to understand one another’s different preferences. It’s evolved over the course of two decades, for sure. Having spent so much time together, we realize it’s a unique dynamic but we’re so appreciative of what we have. It’s a special partnership. We still really enjoy skating together and I think that’s why we still are.

A lot of people think you’re married. M: Yeah. Maybe that means we’re doing our job? We’re always telling stories, we’re supposed to be reacting, a man and woman on the ice, it’s romantic. What we have is such a cool relationship. It’s more about a friendship, our working relationship is so strong. We take so much pride in that.

V: It comes with the territory and that’s part of the storytelling we do on the ice. If that’s the by-product of having a great longstanding partnership, then we can deal with it.

When you first met, how quickly did the on-ice chemistry develop? V: I mean, I was seven, so probably not that quick.

M: Yeah, took about 10 years. It’s funny to look back—Tessa was seven and I was nine. I remember there wasn’t a lot of talking at the beginning. We were terrified to hold hands for quite a while.

V: I’m not sure that anyone saw any potential in us really, they just thought it was cute that we were the same height.

M: I think they were laughing at us more than anything.

V: We couldn’t see over the boards and we’d do our little dances.

M: It was more entertaining for them than it was for us. And then eventually we fell in love with the sport and skating with each other and that grew. It was very organic. It wasn’t a lightning in a bottle situation. Boom, they’re great! Not quite. We were pretty bad.

When did you realize you were good? V: It was about a month before the Vancouver Games when I thought, “Oh we could do this! We could really do this.” I was a little late to the party.

M: [Laughs.] Just a little.

V: We moved away from home when I was 13 and Scott was 15, so obviously that was to pursue something. And we thought maybe we wanted to strive for more.

Scott, let’s hear your scouting report on Tessa. M: Top of the list would have a little star and it would say, “Brilliant.” She’s creative, from the beginning of time. She can move like nobody I’ve ever seen. She’s very, very selfless; she’s a people pleaser. But my favourite things I think have really just gotten even better in the last couple of years and that’s her drive, that’s her commitment to being an athlete. I mean, this is gonna be a long scouting report, we’re going to have to type through a lot of pages.

V: [Laughs.]

M: I’m motivated every single day to go to the rink because of what she brings. I know that she brings her best every day. With brilliant people, with being so creative, it’s hard to imagine you’d just be so steady. That last thing, that’s the consistency.

That’s a tough act to follow. Tessa, let’s hear your report on Scott. V: It is a tough act to follow, for sure. As I’m hearing him talk through some of the things I’m realizing why our partnership works, because we both think the world of one another. Scott is the most disciplined, driven athlete I’ve ever met. There’s a fierce competitor deep within and the passion and the raw talent that is there — the ability to move and hear music and interpret it — is unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen on the ice. And I think because he wears his heart on his sleeve people feel so drawn in and captivated by his performances. He’s generous, thoughtful and extremely insightful. He’s able to understand the glide of the blade differently.

Those were really good. You two have managed to really capture this country’s imagination. How have you done that? M: That’s a big compliment.

V: I think that’s the beauty of the Olympics. There’s always a story. There’s always someone you’re invested in. There are so many Olympic moments that resonate with people all across Canada, and I think that’s the beauty of it. We’re just one of those stories and we’re grateful for the support we’ve received.

M: Oh yeah.

V: But we know that as soon as our competition is done there’s another Canadian taking their place at the starting line or waiting to race. I think that’s what’s so powerful is that we’re just part of something bigger than us.

And this is a strong Canadian team. M: Very strong.

V: Very strong team.

Who are some of teammates you’re excited about? M: In figure skating, especially?

You can talk about luge if you want… M: I’m going to know a bit more about figure skating. [Laughs.] It’s so much fun for us to be kind of veterans on this team because the talent, especially the young talent, is so promising. We’ve seen a lot of these young skaters kind of grow up and mature and we’re just so proud of them. Especially with what’s happening in women’s skating with Kaetlyn [Osmond] and Gabby [Daleman] and Alaine [Chartrand].

V: It’s true, yeah.

M: I’m getting goosebumps to know what they did [in 2017] and how special [2018] is going to be for them. I think that’s one of the coolest stories about our team and I can’t wait to see — I think we’ve only scratched the surface of what these young ladies are capable of. I really can’t wait to see what happens in 2018.

How about for you two: Will this be your last Olympics? M: I’d say there’s a pretty good chance that this is the end.

V: There’s a pretty good chance, yes. Imagine I was like, “What? No!” [Fake cries.]

M: [Laughs.] It’s done, it’s over. No, that’s a decision that we’ll make after the Olympics. That’s one thing that our experience has taught us is that you don’t really know, and it’s a feeling. Right now, we’re just excited and focused on this experience ahead. Being so fortunate to have another opportunity, we just can’t wait.

- Kristina Rutherford, Sportsnet

#Tessa and Scott #2018 #Team Canada Flag Bearer 2018 #Flag Bearer Announcement 2018 #So Proud of them #pyeongchang2018

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