#legal advice regina

[miichaelbelll]

How do you define a lawyer for personal injuries?

Personal injury lawyers are a form of attorney that provides legal assistance to those who are injured physically or emotionally because of the negligence or misconduct of a person, business government agency, another company, government agency, or other. They usually handle cases that involve automobile accidents as well as slip and fall accidents medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, and other kinds of accidents and circumstances that cause injuries. Personal injury lawyers aid their clients seek the compensation they deserve for their injuries as well as other losses like the cost of medical bills, wages lost as well as injuries and pain.

7 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Experience Lawyers who specialize in personal injury have the knowledge and experience to deal with the legal complexity of your case. They are aware of the rules and laws that apply to your particular situation and utilize their expertise in your favor.

Resources Lawyers for personal injury can access a broad array of resources, which includes experts in areas like rehabilitation and medicine, that can assist in strengthening your case.

Skills in negotiation Attorneys for personal injury are adept negotiators, and often are capable of negotiating an agreement that is more favorable to those they serve than their clients tried to bargain by themselves.

Experience in courtrooms If your case goes to trial and your personal injury attorney will have the expertise to argue your case in a persuasive and convincing way.

Professional objectivity Legal professionals who specialize in personal injury can offer impartial guidance and assist you in making choices that will be in your best interests.

Time-saving hiring an attorney who handles personal injury cases will save you time and effort, since they can handle every aspect that are involved in your claim, like dealing with insurance companies, and submitting paperwork.

Maximize the amount of compensation you receive Increase your compensation. Personal lawyer for injuries have the experience and expertise to assist you to maximize the amount you are paid for your losses and injuries. They can assist in ensuring that you get an equitable amount for your medical bills as well as lost wages and the pain and suffering.

1. Objectivity And Legal Knowledge

The ability to be objective and knowledgeable about the law are two essential elements in negotiations, as they help to ensure that the agreements are legally valid and fair.

Objective means approaching the negotiations in a neutral , objective approach, taking into consideration all of the information and perspectives that are involved. This will help to prevent emotional or personal motives from clouding your judgement, and also ensure that the arrangement reached is reasonable and fair for all the parties that are.

Legal knowledge Legal knowledge, however is a knowledge of the law and regulations applicable to negotiations. This knowledge will help ensure that the contract is legal and the rights of the parties are secured. It also helps identify possible legal issues that could be arising and assist parties to deal with them effectively.

Being objective and having legal expertise when negotiating will help reduce the possibility of legal issues or disputes that may arise later, and will help make sure that the agreements are fair, legally sound and legally binding.

2. Negotiation Skills

Negotiation skills are an ability to efficiently communicate convince and negotiate with others to come to an agreement that is mutually beneficial. These skills can be improved through training, practice, and mastering effective negotiation skills. The most important elements of successful negotiation are active listening, assertive and clear communication, the capacity of compromise and a clear awareness of the other's needs and desires. In addition, research and preparation are also an essential part in a successful negotiation.

3. Prevention Of Critical Mistakes

The best way to avoid critical mistakes in negotiations can be accomplished by careful preparation, efficient communication, and a clear understanding of the other's goals and needs. Certain strategies that can aid in avoiding critical errors include:

Define and communicate your personal goals and objectives prior to negotiations.

Investigating the other side and the subject matter to be able to anticipate possible obstacles and issues.

Open to compromise and other options.

Being aware of nonverbal cues as well as the tone used in your communication and adapting your behaviour accordingly.

Be aware of and controlling your emotions throughout the negotiation.

Keep an open mind, and adapting your methods as required.

Re-examining and assessing the agreement following the negotiations to make sure it is fair, reasonable , and is in line with your requirements.

Continuously monitoring the progress made in the agreement, and making adjustments whenever required.

By following these guidelines You can reduce the possibility of making costly mistakes, and increase the chance of coming to mutually beneficial agreements.

4. Evening The Playing Field

Making sure that the playing field is level in negotiations is about creating an atmosphere of equilibrium and fairness among the participants. This can be achieved through diverse strategies like:

Studying the other party as well as the topic on hand, in order to anticipate their needs and issues, as well as to identify your strengths as well as their weaknesses.

Communicating your personal desires and issues clearly and with conviction, and emphasising your strengths and strengths.

Be open to compromise and other options.

Be aware of and controlling your own emotions during discussion and not allowing other party to profit of your emotions.

Maintaining an open mind and being willing to adjust your method as needed.

Be prepared to withdraw from negotiations if needed and also having an "BATNA"(Best Alternative to an Agreement Negotiated) in your mind.

Utilizing objective criteria, for example, industry standards or market prices in support of your decision.

If you follow these tips by following these strategies, you can have an equitable and fair negotiations, which will increase the chances of reaching positive and mutually beneficial agreements.

5. Help To Expedite Your Claim

Extending a claim is accomplished through a variety of strategies, like:

Collecting all relevant documents and proof in advance including invoices, receipts, contracts, and other pertinent documentation to back up your claim.

In a clear and concise manner, you must communicate your claim clearly and concisely to the other party, and giving all the necessary details and proof.

Intentionally organizing and maintaining a log for all correspondence as well as communications in connection with the claim.

Being prompt and responsive in giving the additional data or documents requested by the other side.

Contacting the other parties on a regular basis in order to ask about the progress of your claim as well as any improvements made.

Being open to other solutions or settlement options and being prepared to compromise when necessary.

Being able to comprehend the regulatory or legal framework that is applicable to your case and being able argue strongly to support the claim.

By following these steps by following these strategies, you will be able to make sure that your claim is completed as swiftly and efficiently as is possible, as well as increase the chance of a favorable result.

6. Help With Accessing Medical Care

The process of accessing medical treatment isn't easy, but there are many methods that can facilitate the process:

It is important to research and identify possible health care providers in your community such as hospitals clinics, specialists, and hospitals.

Knowing your insurance benefits and coverage and benefits, such as what kinds of services are covered and what your out-of-pocket expenses could be.

Be prepared with all details about your insurance and personal information prior to seeking treatment.

Effectively and clearly communicating with your healthcare professionals, and providing complete information about your health history and current symptoms.

Be open to alternatives or referrals to specialists when needed.

Understanding what your legal rights are as a person, and knowing how to advocate for yourself whenever necessary.

Be aware of resources in the community like Free clinics and hospitals and medical centers that could assist with medical treatment.

Becoming knowledgeable about the healthcare system and the way it operates, as well as understanding the procedures and processes related to accessing medical treatment.

By following these steps to follow these tips, you can improve your odds of receiving the medical attention you require quickly and efficiently method.

7. Providing Peace Of Mind

Giving peace of mind involves giving a sense of safety and comfort for the person. It can be accomplished by different strategies like:

Effectively and clearly communicating and being responsive to individual's concerns and queries.

Being attentive and understanding being attentive and empathetic, and listening actively to the individual's feelings and needs.

Giving accurate and reliable information as well as making clear any risks or uncertainties.

Offering support and encouragement as well as helping the person to feel more in control of the circumstances.

Being accessible and easy to reach and ready to help in the event of need.

Being reliable and consistent as well as delivering on any commitments or promises made.

Honesty and trustworthiness as well as being considerate of the confidentiality of the individual's privacy.

Being aware of someone's emotional state and reacting to the person's emotional state and responding accordingly.

With these methods using these methods, you can give a sense of security and calmness for the person you are talking to and assist them feel relaxed and less stressed about the circumstances.

8. Talk To An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

Consultation with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer is beneficial in the resolution of the personal injury case. A personal injury lawyer is able to provide many important services, including:

Analyzing the strength of your case and determining whether you have a valid claim.

We will guide you through your rights and options under the law as well as helping you comprehend the legal procedure.

Collecting and analyzing evidence to back your assertion, including medical records, police reports or witness declarations.

Assisting you in negotiating settlements with the other party , or your insurance firm.

In court, if the case goes to trial.

We will inform you of how much compensation that you can anticipate to get.

Assisting you in dealing with insurance companies and other parties in the settlement.

You can rest in the knowing that your case being handled by an expert who has experience with personal injury laws.

A skilled personal injury attorney can offer valuable guidance and support in the process of settling your personal injury claim which will improve your odds of a favorable resolution and offer peace of peace of.

[erikahenningsen]

regina as a lawyer is something i didn't know i needed. also, give us headcanons, pls! (with prof cady)

Regina is a criminal defense attorney with a private firm. She did start as a public defender but she got poached pretty quickly.

People always underestimate Regina based on her looks and then she just. eviscerates them. Her insults are legendary. People fear her.

Regina has an entire closet just for suits. Suits in every color. Suits in a variety of patterns. And racks and racks of heels. During a trial she never wears the same suit twice.

Regina always wears red lipstick during closing arguments

Regina practices opening/closing arguments with Cady and Cady doesn't really ever have any useful feedback but she finds it very hot

Regina has a TikTok where she gives legal advice/reacts to things in the news

Cady is a math professor and she has a photo of her and Regina in her office and a student sees it and connects the dots that that's the hot lawyer from TikTok and it spreads like wildfire around the school

I'm not saying Cady and Regina do courtroom roleplay in the bedroom a lot but I'm not saying it never happens

Regina's coworkers take bets on how many times she'll object over the course of a trial

Cady's favorite nights are the ones where she's grading papers and Regina is prepping for a hearing in their living room in their pajamas with some candles lit and mugs of tea although there is the risk of Regina suddenly going "HA" when she finds exculpatory evidence and scaring the shit out of Cady

Sometimes if she has a light day Cady will bring coffee to Regina at the office and Regina's coworkers are fascinated by how like. normal and chill Cady is because they know Regina as this incredibly intense and aggressive and successful litigator and then Cady shows up in a flannel and is like yeah I teach math (and Regina is so uncharacteristically soft with her)

Edit: (I just thought of it) Regina listens to 5-4

[sexycornenthusiast]

Do you have any thoughts on what post cannon Regina would be like?

Hmmm... I'm gonna choose to interpret this one as "what are your headcanons for Regina post-graduation" because I've mixed a lot of my senior year Regina headcanons into my other posts already.

This is a tricky one because in my mind there are multiple universes with many Reginas but I'll do my best.

Has chronic pain for the rest of her life, which is sensitive to both the heat and the cold so she has serious beef with the weather.

Drinks too much coffee bc she believes she is above matters of the flesh.

Works out a lot but also begrudgingly takes up yoga for the health benefits.

In universes where she's single in college then she has a string of casual flings that go nowhere because she's too emotionally unavailable (chronically single Regina, if you will)

Business casual Regina my beloved... I think she owns like 30 slightly different blazers and she just wears them in public like they're normal clothes.

She's a lawyer and whenever anyone makes a Legally Blonde reference to her she pretends to be offended.

Willingly works in family court which everyone she knows regards as masochistic at best and insane at worst. She has a bit of a reputation among her colleagues for being completely numb to the cases that make "good" people want to quit their job forever.

(when they aren't looking she hands out candy to the kids who have to sit through custody hearings. if she ever got caught doing this she would change her name and leave the country)

Actually enjoys filling out paperwork because she's a psychopath.

Draws up meticulous five year plans + gets really annoyed if/when they don't work out

Gives really good advice about stuff she's been through when she was younger. Gives really shitty advice about anything she hasn't been through.

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Season 3 Rewatch Drabbles: 3x9 Save Henry

Summary:  A series of 100-500 word drabbles to accompany my    rewatch of season 3 of Once Upon a Time.  There will be a drabble–either a deleted scene, a “fix it” fic or a character musing for each episode of the season.  Focus will be on Emma, Henry, the Charmings and Killian–with an emphasis on Captain Swan’s epic love story.

Word Count: 843

Other Chapters: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26) (27) (28)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Note: It had been my plan to keep at least 3a thoroughly CS focused in these drabbles, with the POV changing from episode to episode between Killian and Emma (this episode was meant to be a Killian episode), but after watching this episode, the big sister/aunt/godmother in me, who has been around and helped care for babies all my life, absolutely had to step in and have someone give first-time mom Regina a little advice about how to handle a crying newborn. (disclaimer: I’m not a mother, so I’m well aware I can’t possibly know the full extent of what it means to be a parent, and I’m not in any way trying to lecture or Monday morning quarterback anyone about parenting, but I am affectionately known as “the baby whisperer” among my family, so I’ve got to be doing something right, right?)

Regina was at her wits end.  Everyone said parenting a newborn was hard.  Everyone said the lack of sleep would be difficult.

No one told her it would be like this.  She was so tired she felt like she was perpetually walking around in a fog.  She did everything she could for Henry–fed him, changed him, held him, rocked him, even tried singing lullabies to him, but nothing worked.  Nothing stopped the relentless crying.

Finally, desperately clawing for something, anything, that could help her, she’d brought her baby to Dr. Whale, sure that there had to be a physical reason for it all.

But he told her Henry was perfectly healthy (before scaring her to death by mentioning the possibility of genetic issues that she had no (legal) way of determining.)

Clutching at that last straw, she’d decided to call Sidney and have him dig into Henry’s sealed adoption records, and to get a moment of peace to do so, she’d handed her baby off to Mary Margaret.

The last thing she’d expected when she turned back around was to find her baby quiet and peacefully cooing up at the school teacher.

Regina’s heart dropped even lower.  What if it wasn’t a physical or genetic problem? What if it was…

”How did you do that?” she asked, walking over to her erstwhile nemesis.

”Do what?” Mary Margaret asked absently as she smiled and cooed down at Henry.

“Make him stop crying.” 

Mary Margaret shrugged.  “I didn’t do anything. He’s so sweet.”

Now was not the time to analyze the ins and outs of why this miracle had occurred.  Now was simply the time to enjoy it.  Regina took Henry from Mary Margaret.

And he immediately started wailing again.

 “Oh no!  No, no, NO!”

Mary Margaret fluttered her hands looking distressed. “I’m so sorry!  Did I do something?”

A cold, stinging sensation settled deep inside Regina.  It wasn’t anything Snow White did.  It was her.  All her. ”No.  No, you didn’t.  It’s me.”

“Well, that’s just nonsense,” came the no-nonsense voice of Granny Lucas as she breezed onto the scene.  “Here, hand him over.  I’ll show you a thing of two.”

While Regina’s first inclination was to stand to her full height and tell the woman she was fully capable of caring for her own son, she realized she really had nothing more to lose.  She deflated and passed Henry over to Granny.

The older woman took him, smiled down at him, and then placed him up against her chest, her hand gently but firmly holding his head to her with her other hand under his little bottom.  She began to bounce and sway, making little shushing noises.

Henry’s wails faded, and then came to a stop.

“But…how?” Regina asked.

“You don’t raise a daughter and then a granddaughter without picking up a few tricks along the way,” Granny said.  “First off, you’ve gotta relax.  You’re wound as tight as Leroy when I run out of bacon.  Babies…they can feel your tension, so you feel yourself tensing up?  Take a couple deep breaths.  Let ‘em out.  Set him in his crib where he’s safe and step away for a few seconds if you need to.  I’m telling you, it’s the key.  You relax; he’ll relax.”

“So…just breathe?  That’s your solution?” Regina asked, with a sardonic raise of the brow.

“Of course not.  That’s just step one,” Granny said.  “Next, look at how I’m holding him.  Ruby refers to it as the ‘Granny choke hold.’  Don’t look at me like that; I’m not choking your baby!  I’m just holding him tight.  Babies like to feel secure, and they like to nestle on your chest where they can hear your heart.”

“Breathe and hold securely.  Got it,” Regina said, “anything else?”

“Last step,” Granny said, “I like to affectionately call the ‘baby jig’.  Just kind of bounce and sway.  It’s soothing.  Gets tiring after a while, but then usually once you get ‘em calmed down you can generally move to a rocking chair.  You wanna try it?”

Did she?  Well, she quite literally had nothing left to lose.  Regina nodded.

“Good,” Granny said with a nod, “now take that deep breath.  That’s it.  Now let it out.  Feeling relaxed?”

Regina nodded.  Granny nodded again and handed Henry over.  He began to fuss, annoyed at being moved from his comfortable position, but remembering the steps Granny gave her, Regina carefully maneuvered him up onto her chest.

And then a miracle happened.  

Henry not only stopped crying; he actually burrowed into her, sighing contentedly.  A warm rush of maternal love washed over her, and she knew she would do anything for this little boy.

Parenting may be the hardest thing she’d ever done, but they would be okay.  They were a family.

Note: I learned how to hold babies from watching my own grandmother who liked to walk around holding babies exactly as Granny does here.  We always used to jokingly call it the “grandma choke hold”, but never fear.  Like Granny said, there is no choking involved.

NEXT CHAPTER->

[thewriting-corner]

Tropes I Wish I Could Beat With A Stick

If there is one thing I love, it’s uselessly analysing and picking apart stories. However, there is one moment in many stories wheree I simply cannot keep reading or watching because there is that One Trope™️ I despise with my entire being. Today I will be sharing a list of tropes that fall under that category, because I have not formally written in about a month and no longer feel qualified to give advice lol. I am also procrastinating taking out the trash, if anyone is interested lol.

Age Gap in YA

Will I ever shut up about this? No, I will not.

There comes a point in life where you are mature in life and can engage in a romantic relationship with someone 5+ years older than you, yes. I agree. But this matureness(?) does not happen at 18. It has become grossly normalised in YA, ESPECIALLY in fantasy, to have these huge age gaps between the barely legal MC and an emotionally immature immortal. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t strike me right. It’s disgusting. If you find a 17 year old dating a 30 year old gross, what makes you think a 17 year old and a 500 year old with the face of teenager is better? There are so many implications to immortality that ya fantasy books just refuse to acknowledge, not just in regards to romance, and I hate it. Please stop.

Pretty Privilege

This may just be my Ugly Girl In High School trauma coming out, but there is no trope that gets on my nerves more than this. I get why we write pretty MCs. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if the plot wouldn’t work if the MC were not conventionally attractive, that makes me want to slap someone.

There is this Christmas movie starring the Mean Girls actress (not Regina George or Amanda Seyfried, the one with brown hair) where Santa gives her the power to stand up for herself. Now, I recognise this as a very powerful message and am all for it. But throughout the entire movie, she says really honest (and by honest, I mean she calls people out for being mean and such) things that, while, again, I recognise as a good message, would’ve gotten her fired the first time she spoke if she wasn’t hot. And that makes me SO angry. Sure, pretty privilege can be used to your advantage irl too, and anyone is free to write it. But as someone who did not have a “glow up” until 18 and a half, and had guys actually skip me while saying hello to every. single. girl. in the room, that trope has always rubbed me the wrong way.

Miscommunication

Can we please normalise talking about our feelings and saying when things bother us? Because I am so done with that being used as an excuse for the climax or important plot point. If you cannot have one tiny conversation about your feelings, what makes it logical that this relationship will last in the long run? Sorry doesn’t fix not being honest, and when it happens in books, it is usually SO clear that the characters wouldn’t change if they were real people.

On-and-off relationships

Okay this may just be from me watching Teen Beach 2 the other day, and as enjoyable as that film is, the script was 100% written while the creator was high. I have zero doubts about this. BUT IT BOTHERS ME SO MUCH when the couple just break up and get back together, especially over a short period of time. First of all, what kind of message does that send to viewers and readers? “Yes, if you’re constantly having to break up because your boundaries are being stepped over and your needs not being met they can STILL be the love of your life even without absolutely ANY character development!” And second, if a relationship can’t go three months without a breakup, then maybe it’s not a great fit. Just a thought.

Bare Minimum Being The Standard

There’s no other way to say this, but it applies to both friendships and relationships. I’m so tired of sucky friends who barely interact and then “omg their friendship is goals”. Is it? Or is the narrative of the story just making you believe they’re good friends so they don’t have to write compelling friendships and character growth?

This is mostly geared towards the Heroes of Olympus and TLC series. We are constantly TOLD that the seven are friends, but when you really get into the scenes, there really don’t have much friendship-ery interactions outside of what is needed for the plot. In The Lunar Chronicles I need no convincing that Thorne and Cinder are best friends forever, but Scarlet inviting her and Kai to her wedding in Stars Above? Seems like a stretch, tbh. And obviously, they were at war and Scarlet was kidnapped for about 800 pages, and they could have become friends later, but in the actual series there really isn’t much to be said about them being friends.

[lincolnbelanger]

Legal Advice Regina

Legal Advice Regina is an online legal directory where you can find lawyers in Regina. The website provides information about Legal Advice Regina, including their contact details, areas of practice, and fees charged. You can search for Legal Advice Regina by keyword or location.

[reginarchive]

Hello, there.

Regina Stella is the name, but I go by Nana for short.

A little about me, I identify myself as a female (she/her) and I'm of legal age (26+). So please, if you're under the age of 20, I'd advise you to not follow me, as my account perhaps could not be a safe place for you at times. I'm also an ally, my account is a save place for my LGBT+ friends. So shall you harbor any hate to the marginalized group, I'd advice you to not follow me as well.

I consider my account as a cyber account, and I used to be a quite active roleplayer writer on general RP, and currently I only around for the closed RP.

I love listening to different kind of music genres (some notable artists are: Red Velvet, EXO, practically 2nd to 3rd gen kpop, Taylor Swift, and Indonesia's 2000s pop songs). I also enjoy watching several TV shows or movies (notable show: Criminal Minds, Modern Family, The Bigbang Theory, Gossip Girl), so you might see me tweeting about those from time to time.

Beside pop culture, I also have interest in social & political issue. So you could anticipate me being a tad loud about the recent issue.

But my account is not all that serious, fret not. I also often tweet about random stuff and memes. I love memes. And I consider myself pretty funny... lmao.

Well anyway! That being said, I hope I have painted quite a picture about my account. Feel free to greet me on timeline or direct message, or to block-unblock me shall my tweet(s) is making you feel discomfort in any way.

Best Regards,

Regina.

[accordattorneys]

Navigating Civil Litigation: Your Partner in Legal Matters - Accord Attorneys & Solicitors

Introduction:

When legal conflicts arise, a dependable legal team is essential to guide you through the complexities of civil litigation. At Accord Attorneys & Solicitors, we offer expert legal guidance and representation across all aspects of civil litigation. Our team of proficient attorneys is committed to safeguarding your rights, speaking on your behalf, and securing the optimal outcome for your case.

Understanding Civil Litigation:

Civil litigation encompasses diverse legal scenarios involving disputes among individuals, businesses, or organizations that seek financial restitution or specific actions instead of criminal penalties. With the support of adept attorneys such as those at Accord Attorneys & Solicitors, maneuvering through this legal process becomes more manageable.

The Civil Litigation Process:

Case Evaluation: The initial step in any civil litigation matter is assessing the strength of your case. Our team at Accord Attorneys & Solicitors meticulously analyzes your situation to determine the best course of action.

Pleadings: This phase entails preparing and filing legal documents like complaints, answers, and counterclaims. Our attorneys excel in crafting these documents to effectively present your case.

Discovery: The fact-finding stage involves methods like depositions, interrogatories, and document requests to gather evidence. We collect supporting evidence for your case.

Negotiation and Settlement: Accord Attorneys & Solicitors are adept negotiators, aiming to settle cases outside of court whenever possible, saving you time, money, and stress.

Trial: If settlement isn't achievable, our attorneys vigorously represent your interests in court, backed by a track record of successful cases.

The Role of Accord Attorneys & Solicitors:

Devoted to upholding your rights during civil litigation, Accord Attorneys & Solicitors understands each case's uniqueness and tailors an approach accordingly. Our assistance includes:

Legal Expertise: Our attorneys are well-versed in civil litigation, spanning personal injury, contract disputes, employment matters, and more.

Strategic Advocacy: We devise customized strategies, leveraging legal expertise and negotiation skills to achieve the best possible outcome.

Client-Centered Approach: Your needs take precedence. We keep you informed and engaged throughout, ensuring clarity about the process and your options.

Cost-Effective Solutions: We strive to provide affordable solutions, whether through negotiation or alternative dispute resolution methods.

Accord Attorneys & Solicitors: Your Reliable Legal Ally Facing civil litigation requires a trustworthy legal team. Accord Attorneys & Solicitors offer the guidance and representation you can rely on. With dedication and experience, we aim to resolve your legal disputes efficiently and effectively.

Conclusion:

Civil lawsuits may seem complex, but with the right legal support, successful navigation is possible. Accord Attorneys & Solicitors, found on our website accordattorneys.com, stands as your dependable partner for achieving optimal outcomes. Whether it's a personal injury claim, business dispute, or any civil matter, we advocate for your rights and provide expert legal counsel. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward resolving your legal challenges.

For more info :-

Civil litigation representation in Canada

Qualified Immigration law advice in Regina

[ainews]

Regina Bhattacharya, a local entrepreneur based in Calcutta, has become the public face of a movement to exact revenge on those who have taken advantage of the vulnerable in the city.

Her mission began with a series of incidents that happened to her during the course of her business-related activities. Ms. Bhattacharya believes that she was at the receiving end of unfair treatment due to her gender and minority status. Her experiences and observations of other women and minorities facing similar injustices prompted her to form a group called 'Vengeance is Ours.'

Vengeance is Ours focuses on shining a light on such cases of injustice, and bringing those responsible to the limelight. Ms. Bhattacharya has been leading the charge, speaking out and taking action to ensure that those who wrong others are held accountable. She has helped to facilitate justice in numerous cases by offering her legal advice and counsel.

Ms. Bhattacharya's advocacy for justice has earned her countless admirers - and numerous detractors. She stands undeterred in her convictions, continuing to fearlessly fight for justice and for all those who have been wronged and taken advantage of. As Ms. Bhattacharya points out, almost 3/4 of India's population is comprised of women and minorities, and they should not be second-class citizens.

Her message is clear: there will be no impunity for those who violate justice. Ms. Bhattacharya and her band of passionate individuals will continue their mission to ensure justice is served.

[gndsregina]

Is Guru Nanak Driving School Best SGI Approved Driving School Regina for 6 & 6 Driving Course?

6&6 Driving Training is mandatory driver training in Saskatchewan consisting of 6 hours in the classroom and 6 hours in the car. The required driver training program can only be offered by SGI-certified Grade 5 driver trainers in Saskatchewan. You must have driver training if: 

You have never been a legal driver; 

You have not had a Saskatchewan driver's license in the last five years; 

You never took driver's education in high school in Saskatchewan. 

 At Guru Nanak Driving School, our driver training program provides students with a mandatory 6 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of driving instruction to obtain their Class 5 driver's license. The 6 & 6 Driving course provides all beginning drivers with the necessary information that helps them create better driving habits and skills to better assess risks and prevent collisions. 

You are a new resident and your driver's license from another province, state or country is not honored or recognized in Saskatchewan.  6 and 6 is our most comprehensive course package covering all aspects of driving. Certified instructors provide individualized advice on each student's strengths and weaknesses to help them pass their Class 5 driving test and drive safely for the rest of their lives.

What is the SGI Approved Driving School?

SGI Approved Driving School refers to driving schools authorized and approved by SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. SGI is a government-owned insurance company in Saskatchewan responsible for driver's licenses and vehicle registration. 

If you are looking for an SGI Approved Driving School Regina, you can visit the SGI website or contact their customer service for a list of approved schools in your area. It is important to choose an approved school to ensure that you receive the appropriate training and meet the requirements set by SGI.

 At Guru Nanak Driving School, SGI Approved Driving School Regina meets the criteria and standards set by SGI to ensure that quality driver education programs are offered. Our driving schools offer driver training courses for both new drivers and experienced drivers who want to improve their skills.

What is special in our Sgi Certified Class 5 Driving Schools in Regina?

At Guru Nanak Driving School, we are ready to provide you with Class 5 driving lessons in Regina and defensive driving lessons in Regina and throughout Saskatchewan. Courses usually include classroom and practical driving lessons. By enrolling in our SGI approved driving school, students can gain the necessary skills and knowledge to become a safe and responsible driver. 

Completing approved driver training may also offer benefits such as reduced insurance premiums or speeding up the process of obtaining a driver's license. So if you're looking for the best place for SGI Certified Class 5 Driving Schools in Regina, you've come to the right place. Our driving school offers you the best driving training service at the best price.

[cansofttechnologies-blog]

Deveraux Homes - The Best in Regina Rental Property Management

Regina rental property management can be daunting for those unfamiliar with the process. Fortunately, Deveraux Homes is here to provide a comprehensive solution for investing in residential apartments in Regina, Canada. With their experienced staff, innovative strategies, and comprehensive services, Deveraux Homes is the go-to choice for those looking for the best in Regina rental property management. 

In this blog post, we will discuss why Deveraux Homes is the top choice for rental property management in Regina.

Deveraux Homes - A reputable property management company in Regina

Deveraux Homes is a leading property management company located in Regina, Canada. Their goal is to provide a solution for investments in the development and ownership of residential apartments. With an experienced team of professionals and a commitment to customer service, they offer clients a full range of rental property management services in Regina.

At Deveraux Homes, they understand that rental property management requires a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the market. With their expertise, they provide their clients with the most reliable rental property management services in Regina. They help their clients navigate the complex regulations and paperwork involved in managing rental properties in the city, ensuring that all legal and regulatory compliance is met. In addition, Deveraux Homes provides regular inspections and maintenance of all rental properties to ensure that tenants are safe and comfortable. They also work hard to keep properties up to date with the latest building codes.

In addition to helping clients manage their rental properties, Deveraux Homes also offers a wide range of other services. These include investment opportunities, budgeting and forecasting, tenant screening, and more. With their wealth of experience and knowledge, they can provide clients with the best advice on how to maximize their return on investment in rental property management in Regina.

The services they offer

Property Management - This includes leasing, collecting rent, conducting inspections, and providing general tenant services. 

Maintenance and Repair Services - Deveraux Homes provides ongoing maintenance and repair services for rental properties. This includes HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical, and other major repairs.

Lease Administration - They ensure that all leases comply with relevant laws and regulations in the Regina area. 

Financial Management - They help landlords keep track of their financials, including budgeting, expenses, and taxes. 

Risk Management - Deveraux Homes help manage the risks associated with rental property management in Regina by ensuring proper documentation, compliance with local laws and regulations, and implementing preventative measures to protect the property. 

Marketing and Advertising - They can provide targeted marketing campaigns to reach potential tenants, as well as advertising services such as social media management and website design. 

Tenant Screening and Selection - Deveraux Homes ensures that all tenants are suitable for the rental property through background checks and credit reviews.

Why they are the best in Regina

Deveraux Homes is the best in rental property management in Regina because they understand the intricacies of the rental market and have been providing solutions to rental property owners since 1990. They specialize in residential apartments, but they also offer solutions for vacation rentals and other commercial buildings. 

They are dedicated to helping their clients maximize their investment and get the most out of their rental properties. With their experienced and knowledgeable staff, they provide personalized solutions that take into account the current rental market conditions, the local real estate market, and their clients’ individual needs. 

Deveraux Homes is a leader in the industry, as evidenced by their strong reputation in the community and their commitment to continuing education. They attend seminars and conferences to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies in the rental property management industry. Furthermore, they are members of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM). 

With their wide range of services, including tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance and repair coordination, and legal compliance services, Deveraux Homes is the ideal choice for anyone looking to maximize the return on their rental property investments in Regina.

Final Thoughts

When looking for rental property management in Regina, Deveraux Homes is the go-to solution. Not only do they offer a wide range of services, but their experienced staff and proven track record make them one of the best in the business. 

They understand the importance of protecting your investments and will work tirelessly to ensure you get the most out of your rental property. With their help, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands when it comes to managing your investments in the Regina area.

[psycholojosh]

Road to RPsy: A master's student's guide for Filipino psychology graduates in making a career headway in the Philippines - Part 1

Let's paint this picture for a moment...

You get into your psychology program (or any other program) in a Filipino college or university. You study hard. And then, you achieve your well-deserved bachelor's degree. While you shake hands and celebrate for about a month (just as you should), you sooner realize and ask, "Now what?" Then, you ponder on how to get your career in clinical psychology started. Possibly, you got anxious, confused, or maybe even determined.

If this is (or was) you, don't worry! You're perfectly okay. Trust me, I've been there before... and we shouldn't feel ashamed for this.

Which is why I'd like to take this time to write about my personal and professional experiences as a college graduate of psychology in the Philippines, and how I managed to craft my own headway into getting clinical training and graduate studies for clinical psychology. I sincerely hope that this little article would help a fellow psychology graduate craft their own headway into clinical psychology (or any other field of the sort). I'd also like to share some tips from my past and present mentors, colleagues, coworkers, and professors that I find useful to take note of.

I separated this into a series of articles to keep reading concise and organized. For this part, I start off with discussing...

What psychology careers in the Philippines looks like

How goals can be set in order to get an RPsy; and

Selecting the postgraduate school or program for you

Keep reading to find out more!

Key Points (TL;DR)

There are many myths and misconceptions that narrow one's view about psychology and its careers; but there are actually a lot of opportunities.

Keep yourself open to opportunities, be it for training or career, that will help propel you to snatching an RPsy license.

Clinical experience is key. But, do not discount non-clinical experiences as well.

Practice 'SMART' (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound) goal setting for your career.

Choosing a school is dependent on your preferred training, scholastic interests, career goals, personal motivations, and (financial) resources.

Before I begin...

I'd like to first disclose what my biases and limits are, and what potentially could be a matter that you, dear reader, should consider before taking any advice from me. So, here's a little bit about myself...

Firstly, I am a young adult and pretty much novice to the field of psychology. I have gone through two years (and counting) of clinical experience as a licensed psychometrician. I do not declare myself an expert yet, nor do I pride myself as the most reliable person in the field of psychology. This article is written purely in my personal perspective and experiences. That said, I will do my best to offer you up-to-date information and objectivity that may support or criticize my views.

Secondly, I come from a very middle-class family. My parents made just about enough for us to pay the bills, to feed, clothe, and shelter us, and to give us a decent education. I firmly think this disclosure is very important since not everyone has the same privileges in terms of education, opportunity, and resources. There are some career decisions that I have made or experienced because I had the capacity to make them so despite certain critical tradeoffs (like, getting less pay). As of writing, I would say that our status is still the same, even if I make my own profit with my college degree. I will do my best to be considerate about the differing backgrounds among people, especially when it comes to privilege offered by social class.

Lastly, I'd like to emphasize that my word is not gospel and should not be taken easily by those who seek importance or utility to what I will share. The tone I will use will be very personal - as this is my personal blog. Plus, I will be largely biased towards clinical psychology, as it is the field I am in. You may find that some pieces of advice will resonate more with you than others. Conversely, you might find that some pieces of advice may be unhelpful for you. Hence, I welcome any criticism to my personal views and open myself to a healthy discussion. (Feel free to reach me through my Ask page here on my blog.) I highly encourage you, dear reader, to look for more opinions from more seasoned professionals in the field.

Now, on to the article...

The current scene of psychology careers in the Philippines

As I was graduating, it was important for me to look for information about careers in psychology in the country. After all, as you will see later, getting an idea of psychology's zeitgiest (a term used by historians to refer to the salient "mood" or "spirit" of ideas or beliefs of, say, an academic field) this country will inform you in your career goal setting and considering options that will lead you to where you want to be.

Psychology in the Philippines has a lot of stereotypes, myths, and misconceptions brought about by pop psychology spread across the masses. Here are some of the popular ones (and my personal favorites) which you may have already heard from people around you:

"Sa HR mapupunta ang isang Psych grad." ("Psych grads end up in HR [work].")

"Psych ka? Magme-med/Maglo-law ka ba?" ("You study Psych? Are you pursuing med/law?")

"Wala naman masyadong pera/future sa Psych." ("There's no money/future in Psych.")

"Psych? So yung mga baliw yung trabaho mo?" ("Psych? So you work on crazy people?")

And there's plenty more where that came from. Funnily enough, my college friends and I used to do a game where we take a shot of liquor for each myth said to us. (Drink responsibly, kids!) But, as psychology graduates, we know that these aren't completely true.

Now, let's take a look at how we can argue in psychology's defense and dignity and accept what the common person has gotten correctly.

Psychology practice in the Philippines

It's important to note that the term 'psychologist' or 'psychology practitioner' has different meanings in various contexts. Often, we think about psychologists as those who does therapy and plays around with psychological instruments. While this is somewhat true, a more academic language would refer to a 'psychologist' or 'practitioner' as someone who earned their degree in psychology - regardless of specialty - and has built their career in praxis of psychology. As I go along in this section, I'll refer to the 'psychologist' as the latter definition.

Clinical and counselling. In a 2004 article by Cristina Montiel and Lota Teh published in the International Handbook of Psychology, the authors enumerated on and expounded the most popular fields and specializations that psychology practitioners work in. Clinical or counselling practitioners lead in this list, often delving into psychotherapy, interventions, and assessment in various settings -- of which I have had experience on. I think this appears to be only partially true today, which I'll explain in a bit. You would find most practitioners doing their clinical practice in private clinics, hospitals, and schools. It's important to note, however, that most practitioners of this subfield have postgraduate degrees, and - since the year 2014, when Republic Act No. 10029 was enacted - a board license from Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). These licensed professionals have the names: 'RPsy' for psychologists.

However, bachelor's degree holders were also permitted to practice with their own little license: an 'RPm' or 'registered psychometrician' - which I have. These licensed professionals, get to practice assessment and several other supportive clinical functions - but not psychotherapy. The catch? You legally and ethically need to be supervised by a licensed psychologist. I'd like to get into the nitty-gritty differences and nuances of these two licenses, but I'll save that for another article. In the meantime, you must understand that these two have disparities in terms of their education attainment, clinical skills, and professional autonomy.

During my oath-taking ceremony as a psychometrician in 2018, Dr. Regina Hechanova-Alampay, a known Filipina in the fields of industrial-organizational and community psychology (and the mom of one of my dear friends), stated in her keynote address that the approximate ratio of each RPsy to each Filipino citizen is 1 to 100,000. A 2018 study has pointed this approximation to be accurate. Similarly, my former clinical supervisor approximated that the ratio of RPsy supervisors to RPm supervisees is 1 to 2,000. These numbers are quite a lot! Needless to say, there is a shortage of supply of clinical practitioners for the demand and a large influx of RPm's that have less clinical autonomy. And with an ever-growing relevance and awareness to the field of mental health in the country, these numbers are concerning. But -- hold on. If there are a lot of RPm's being produced yearly, where do they go?

Industrial-organizational and human resources. Montiel and Teh accounted that the second most abundant field in the country is in industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology or human resources (HR). This is where I think most psychology graduates usually end up in after college these days. Daresay, this is the fastest way to earn money as a fresh college graduate. But does that mean that the stereotype is necessarily true? It really depends on the way an employer values the employee and how much one is capable of doing a job. Sometimes, you get paid more, just right, or less.

I/O psychologists or HR practitioners often deal in corporate or organizational settings, often concerned with their person-related matters. They have skills like recruiting talent or labor, assessing worker needs, evaluating individual performances, or developing workers of a company - just to name a few. Do they need a license like an RPsy or RPm? Not necessarily.

You would often find job postings for HR positions that would often "prefer" a psychology graduate with a license, but sometimes "require" it. Therein lies some grey areas about how the professional licenses' stipulations are interpreted. But, let's not get into that just yet. But in my opinion, if people saw the utility of getting a license (which has its own financial costs of acquiring) as a way to improve compensation or marketability in the workforce, then they should get it.

Not all industrial-organizational psychologists, however, delve into the office hours and paper works. Some others go into research - particularly on topics like employee behaviors, group dynamics, and so on. It's important to think that these types of practitioners are just as versatile as other subfields in psychology.

Academia and other niches of psychology. As per Montiel and Teh, another large chunk of practitioners often end up in the academe. They become educators in various levels, researchers, or expert consultants depending on their interest, skill, and reputation. For example, developmental psychologists (or those who specialize in child psychology) get hired in preschools or alternative modes of learning. It was also mentioned briefly that social psychologists often find themselves in the social development sector, like the National Economic Development Agency (NEDA) or the Department for Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Other common settings for psychology graduates to work in includes government facilities and the military, where their knowledge about human behavior are often found useful.

Research skills are also found useful in areas like market research and analytics. Because psychology graduates have knowledge about fundamentals of statistics and psychological measurement, a lot of these businesses employ their help in order to understand their target market's consumer behaviors and make informed decisions to increase profit. Other information about making a career in business can come be read in a lot of psychoeducational websites, like in Verywell Mind.

Overall, there is a plethora of careers a psychology graduate can delve into, especially for a fresh graduate like yourself. Over time, you would find that certain subfields would resonate more with you than others. You may often wonder which one - or a combination of more - would lead you to your career or personal ambitions. Now that you know how vast a career in psychology can be, it's a matter of choice and planning ahead, which leads me to the next section.

Goal-setting: Which road to take and what to expect

Eyeing the precious RPsy license won't be an easy task. Then again, would the hardships matter if it's worth it anyway? It's important for you, dear reader, to think about how you want to get to that goal.

Should one want to take a straightforward path, she or he would have taken their master's or doctorate studies in clinical or counselling psychology for the following three to five years (with coursework, practicum, and perhaps thesis or dissertation), then take the board exam from the PRC. I have a couple of friends who have done so, and it works for them.

However, for the likes of many of us - myself included - we may not have the same luxury of time or resources to afford us this direct route. Because of many personal needs (ahem-- financial), we may need to find a way to secure these as we go along our road to the RPsy. And how could I forget the costs of postgraduate studies alone? Which is why we'll need to earn or find income.

The best job or experience that can afford you a good head start in clinical psychology is the one closest to it. As my former supervisor, Paula, once said, "Clinical experience is key." For example, you can find psychometricians assisting with psychological assessments in various settings. Others delved into social or community work -- sometimes as a volunteer. The likelihood for one to get accepted in clinical or counselling training programs, like a postgraduate degree or certification training, is increased when one has had a hand on a similar line of work. But this is not to say that any other job is unimportant -- no. There's growing research on the various applications of mental health practice on non-clinical settings, like schools, offices, and even micro-communities. The possibilities are actually numerous. That said, I cannot guarantee how abundant these opportunities are.

There are a few things to consider when looking for a job or a source of income:

In terms of career, what are your yes's, maybe's, and no's? Make individual lists of the occupations you can say these three answers to.

How soon are you planning to achieve an RPsy license? As soon as the next four years? Or, maybe you want to take it slow and say ten?

What job and/or study opportunities are available to you at the moment? How comfortable will the setup be for you?

How much resources and time are available to you for work, study, and personal matters? Which of these do you prioritize more?

How much are you willing or do you need to be compensated to afford such a lifestyle?

As you formulate answers to these questions (especially, the last two), keep in mind that a more effective goal setting follows a 'SMART' process. That is: it is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. (More info about this process right here.) Patterning our goals to these dimensions helps us look at ourselves objectively and find an integrated way to live our lives productively.

In my personal experience, after graduating college, I took a two month break to enjoy the fruits of my hard-earned college degree with a "vacation" (which mostly staying home, if I'm being honest). In my mind, I knew that getting a master's degree is a must for me; a ladderized doctorate program was also amenable but I wanted to get that training abroad. But, I wanted to make myself more immersed in the field before I can enter a graduate program. I applied to different jobs - a psychological services consultant (which I primarily wanted), a personal development teacher in senior high, and a research analyst. Luckily, I got the job that I wanted and reaped clinical experience. (I'll write more about my first experiences in the clinic in another post.) A year later, I applied and got into the clinical program of the University of the Philippines. And now, I've been taking coursework on clinical psychology while working as a research associate of a particular office in the same university.

I understand, however, that not everybody could find the "perfect" balance or ideal solution to all of these concerns. In fact, I don't think anyone can -- unless you were blessed with such a life. Why? This is where I reflectively talk about my privilege (as I did at the beginning). Awareness of your own opportunities makes us think fully or subconsciously about our own status in the social system. Whether we like it or not, it affects many of the career - and more broadly, life - decisions depending on where we stand in our lives. Which is why I advocate for practicality. We may not always select the ideal -- but the principle of survival is important, especially in an underdeveloped country like the Philippines. As Montiel and Teh pointed out, poverty and economics have affected psychology practice and it opportunities in the country.

Can goals or plans change? Short answer is 'yes'. There are many reasons why our plans change. It may be because we find ourselves being presented by new or better opportunities. Or perhaps, we discover more personal insights and realizations about the career we want and how to get it. Life can be complex to influence our decisions within or without our control. Whatever the reason is, it is important for one to be able to evaluate one's strengths and weaknesses, limits and boundaries, and our emotions and motivation to keep us going.

Choosing your school: Which one should I go to?

It's very common for a psychology graduate to ask: Where should I get my clinical training? Again, this is dependent on your resources, time, and preferences. Coupled with these is the opportunities (or as Bandura would put it - chance encounters and fortuitous events).

Locally, there are about 60% of schools that offer master's degrees in clinical or counselling psychology as per Commission of Higher Education (CHED). A fewer percentage offers Ph.D. or doctorate equivalent degrees in clinical or counselling psychology, the three most famous being (as per Montiel and Teh): the Ateneo de Manila University, the University of the Philippines, and University of Santo Tomas. However, there is a growing number of urban and rural schools that offer postgraduate studies and attract local aspirants to enroll in their programs. At the top of my mind, St. Louis' University in Baguio City has been regarded as one of the best in developmental psychology (currently considered as a viable alternative to clinical psychology). Likewise, the De La Salle University in Manila, a member of the colloquially regarded "Big Four Universities," is gaining traction for their clinical program very recently.

Focusing on a school's reputation is not enough, however. What, us, clinical psychology hopefuls often look over is the training itself. Circling back to my guide questions on goal setting, preferences often come into play when deciding your training. For most, who prefer a general track in clinical psychology, many schools offer a flexible education to ensure you get the wide knowledge of the field, without undermining the core or essentials. Others may teach clinical psychology in a more specific way, favoring practical experiences like internships over theorizing in the classroom. Factors like faculty composition and expertise, paradigm, and school culture often influence how these training programs are developed. What I find helpful to attain this information is to ask these departments and institutions directly. Another approach is asking a friend taking up a program in that school. No harm in inquiry! Ask away.

Of course, like what I have also emphasized in this article, is the sensitive yet important issue of money. To be specific, your tuition. Clinical training in the Philippines ranges from ₱10,000 to ₱50,000.00 a year. The trend (as I've observed from applying in different schools) is that the more privatized and more "complex" the education, the higher the cost. Public schools often come cheaper than private schools. Consider your capacities for funding your education (including where it comes from) and weigh it with your preferences to make an optimal choice of school or program.

A popular notion among graduate students, or those heading into graduate school, is that public schools, like where I study, often take longer to finish a master's degree than others. Well, there are many factors to this. One is faculty size, for example. How many qualified teachers does the school have that supplies a smooth progression for a graduate student to complete their degrees? Another factor - which many often forget to attribute as well - is the student's motivation. It is not uncommon for a graduate student to fluctuate in wanting to accomplish their degrees. It really depends on how determined one is to see things through (which takes a lot of doing, if I do say so myself).

Overall, choosing a school is much less of an issue when it comes to time, but more so when it comes to practicality. In my opinion, any school that gives you basic competencies, regardless of reputation, is enough. In fact, most of my supervisors did not even settle for their graduate training alone. The field of clinical psychology (much like the other fields) is ever changing and adapting to the times. You often find a lot of trainings, seminars, and specialization programs that practitioners study or enroll in order to keep their practice up to date and ethical. Learning and personal growth, especially as clinicians, should not stop after we receive our degrees and licenses. Again, this calls back to the point of keeping an open eye and open mind on the opportunities that come our way.

--

Now that we discussed the first three tips, I plan to take a break here and let you, dear reader, reflect on things that will help you make your headway to that RPsy license. Do more reading. Ask questions. Seek answers. And explore yourself and the world to get a better sense of the pathway ahead.

I do hope that this discussion helps! See you on the next one.

[treatian]

The Chronicles of the Dark One: Breaking the Curse

Chapter 48: Reconnaissance Work

If it weren't for Baelfire, he'd have called Dove to do this for him. Getting information, digging around and snooping…those things weren't really his job. And in this world, with his ankle injury, it wasn't something he was often physically prepared, or sometimes, even able, to do. If this were any other job not related to potentially finding a link to his son, he'd have sent Dove in a heartbeat. But since it was Baelfire, he'd opted not to summon his bird and simply do it himself.

Of course…the fact that he'd sent Dove on a nice little vacation didn't help.

After checking Granny's records in the office, carelessly left out for anyone to find really, and learning which room Booth was staying in, he'd taken to the stairs. That was the first time that he started to think he would have rather liked to have Dove with him in this case. He wouldn't have trusted the bird to come alone lest he find something too damning, but having a second pair of eyes might have been incredibly helpful given the fact that he was giving himself such a short amount of time to get this done. On the stairs, he'd set the alarm on his cell phone for seven minutes. That gave him time to get up the stairs, pick the lock, look around for five minutes, and leave. It wasn't a lot, but anything more than that would be risky. Booth could leave Mary Margaret's party and return here, he could come back with Emma, he could catch him and call Emma, Granny or even Ruby could come back to change for work, and he had no doubt they wouldn't keep silent. No, more than five minutes was just too risky.

He wore gloves, just on the off chance that he couldn't get the door locked again or he made a mess of something and Emma was called after. He wished he had one of Regina's skeleton keys, but the best part of being Mr. Gold meant that he didn't need it. Would it have been helpful? Sure. But necessary? Not at all. He picked the lock with some tools from the shop. Dove was good with locks, but he'd wager that he could do better. Being a pawnbroker meant dealing with locks of all types. He had hazy false memories over the years of people bringing him objects of value that had locks but keys that had "long ago" gone missing. Picking a lock was second nature; it was just another day at the office for him. Now, if he had two healthy legs, then he could dismiss Dove for good. But as it was right now…

Suddenly he felt the tumblers fall into place and heard the snick of the lock opening. He swung the door open, limped inside, and closed the door to give himself a few minutes of privacy. A few minutes…he had to make those minutes count.

There were a few lights that have been left on, which helped. His first priority was doing this quickly, but his second was to keep things tidy so that no one knew he'd been here. The lights on meant he didn't have to turn any on or remember to turn them off. He noted that the room looked well lived in, but wasn't terribly shocked at that considering how long Booth had been in Storybrooke by now. Bed, nightstands, desk, all common items one might find in a B&B room. But the desk would probably yield the most information. It was the most cluttered.

There was a hat of some kind, sitting next to a typewriter. It was old, older than Storybrooke. It didn't belong here in the B&B, and Emma had mentioned something about a typewriter when he'd spoken to her a bit ago. It was probably August's. It was an antique but…nothing more. Probably worth about one hundred dollars in a shop like his. There was no meaning to it except perhaps sentimental. If it was sentimental, he wasn't going to discover its sentiment without August. So he kept looking. He checked the paper in the typewriter, but it was blank. No words. No letters. However, there was more paper stacked next to it, under a wooden paperweight—a donkey of all things. Beautiful craftsmanship, it appeared to be handmade, but…also meaningless in addition to being worthless. He doubted the donkey was standard at Granny's either. But it, like the typewriter, was an odd thing to travel with. More sentiment?

He moved the donkey aside and looked to the small stack of paper it guarded. The top page held a simple typewritten paragraph, probably a continuation of whatever was on the page-

His heart stopped for a moment before thudding painfully back to life. He felt cold. As if all the blood had drained from his body.

He'd turned that page, expecting to find another page of text. Instead, he'd discovered a drawing, a sketch of something deadly, something he couldn't have prepared himself for.

It was a drawing of his dagger.

His name was spelled correctly.

"L" before "E". And every other detail aside from that was perfect as well. The way it waved, the etchings on it, the handle's design, the point of it, everything right down to his fucking name was perfect!

It was disturbing. Of all the things he'd expected to find, that certainly hadn't been in. It changed everything. Everything! He couldn't just leave August Booth to his own plans, not when he had a drawing like that. And he sure as hell couldn't call in one of the birds to watch him. No. He had to get to the bottom of this. And he had to do it himself. He had to do it quickly. He knew Baelfire and knew about the dagger…this didn't end when his cell phone alarm went off. It couldn't.

For once, he closed the shop the next day without warning or reason and spent the day trailing after August Wayne Booth. It wasn't terribly difficult. Where his motorcycle as he was usually never far. He'd gone to see Emma early that morning, but it had been a short visit. He still had two workers watching Emma and Regina, the two last remaining players in the Mary Margaret Scandal. He knew what they were doing. Emma was trying to figure out a way to take down Regina; Regina was trying to figure out how to cover her ass. They'd be too busy for Booth.

That was probably why he'd had lunch alone at Granny's that day. Hungry as he was, he didn't allow himself to go inside or eat anything. If he did that, he might get held up and miss August on the way out. He was a man on a mission—a mission to get information. Having a picture of that dagger was a threat to his existence. A threat to his existence was a threat to seeing his son.

He didn't take threats well.

Finally, August emerged from the diner, mounted his motorcycle, and sped off. He followed at a distance as he sped through the streets of Storybrooke, up into the woods, and arrived at, of all places, the convent. He parked his car in a spot that he knew would give him a good visual once Booth parked his bike and then watched as he strode up the stairs. He waited outside, pacing until Mother Superior appeared, they exchanged a few words, and then the pair of them went inside. It was curious. Very curious. What would Booth want with an Old Bug like her?

Fortunately, after an hour of sitting in his car, waiting for him to come out, he knew how to find out. Mother Superior…finally he'd talked to someone that he could have sway over! Fairy or nun, in this land, she was nothing but a tenant, and that meant he could ask her about him, threaten her if need be. In fact…this was great. Either Mother Superior would tell him what Booth wanted, or he'd find some legal reason to kick them out of the convent. One way or another, he'd be leaving here with a problem solved. The only question was which one.

One hour later, August emerged from the convent with the Bug. They chatted amiably on the porch for a few moments before walking down some steps and finally parting. That was his chance. And yes, the moment he got out of his car and made his way to the nun while August sat back on his bike, he was aware that he risked losing the man. But if he could learn anything substantial, then it might be worth the risk. For Baelfire…anything was worth the risk.

"Mother Superior. Good afternoon," he muttered without bothering to hide his disdain for her. She knew he didn't like them. No need to hide it. After all, the way she glanced up at him and then sighed didn't hide her own disdain.

"Our rent is paid in full," he explained simply. Yes, he knew that. Rent had been due the day Kathryn was freed…he'd had Dove collect it like usual so they could talk over the Kathryn situation. Then, once he'd given him his cut, he'd disappeared up to one of the cabins he owned by the lake for his well-deserved vacation while he'd done the books. He'd been irritated to see the convent had paid in full but not surprised after the events that had taken place over Miner's Day.

"I'm not here about the rent."

Mother Superior smiled one of her falsely sweet but innocent smiles. "Well, good day to you, then," she sassed before attempting to walk away from him. Honestly, the Curse had a sense of humor. This woman…a nun…innocent?! That was utterly ridiculous when talking about any fairy, least of all their leader.

"Tell me, that man who just left here…who did he say he was? What did he want?" he called before she could get too far.

She turned, her smile still in place as she whispered, "I don't have to tell you that."

The thing was, ever since he'd decided to ask her, he'd been expecting an answer like that. And he was more than happy to give her the answer that he'd prepared.

"And I don't have to not double your rent," he snapped, wiping the smile off of her face and putting it on his own instead. Their rental agreement was indeed specific. And Mr. Gold had longed for years to tear it up, which meant he practically had the damn thing memorized. He couldn't kick them out unless they failed to make rent. There was nothing in it that mentioned the rent had to stay the same year to year or even month to month. And by the look on her face, the Blue Bug knew it too.

"What did he want?" he pushed.

"Advice and counsel," she answered. "He came to town looking for his father after a long separation and he recently found him."

"Ah," he managed to let out a choked noise but only because his heart had suddenly leaped up into his throat as his body went cold and then numb all over again. It was identical to the feeling he'd had last night when he'd seen the drawing of the dagger only...different. This was different.

A son who had found his father after a long separation. A man who knew Baelfire.

It wasn't possible…

"And a happy reunion has already taken place?" he asked, trying not to put too much emotion into it. That was a difficult task. He was nothing but emotion right now. Emotion after emotion…fear, hope, love, joy, pain, sorrow, panic…lots of panic.

Why panic? All the others he understood but panic…

"No. He hasn't spoken to him yet."

No. It couldn't be Baelfire. If it was, they'd spoken just the other morning. Not that he would call that a happy reunion, exactly. But nuances…

He swallowed. "And why not?"

"Mm, it was a difficult parting. There are many issues to be resolved between them."

"I see…" he whispered, looking out across the property without actually seeing it. He felt a shiver creep up his spine and just barely managed to mutter "Good day, Mother Superior" before turning and leaving.

When he fell back into his car, he felt like he couldn't breathe.

August Wayne Booth…here to reunite with a father he'd parted badly from…it couldn't be…

Could he?

[cultofonion]

Summary (Regina’s pronouns are they/them)

- Regina met Kai through Instagram where Kai posted about Regina’s fav band at the time, Mumford and Sons. Her birthday is oct 21, 1997. She was 14/15.

- Kai cries very easily and goes to Olive Garden.

- Kai mostly talked about himself in conversation. Regina last talked to Kai when they sent Kai the goodbye letter, approx 1st week of Sept. Then Regina blocked Kai on Messenger. Regina has all of Kai’s convo saved.

- Reason why regina stopped Kai was bc they didn’t know about Onision and Sarah’s relationship and they were horrified that Kai let it happen to his best friend.

- Kai and Regina often talked about running away together away from Onision. Very seriously at one time, at least Regina thought it was serious. Kai talked about Onision calling him names and Greg ignoring him.

- Kai is only staying with Onision bc Kai is a doormat and doesnt know how to provide for himself and doesn’t have enough adult experience.

- Teemo McFly was there with Onision and Kai for a while but doesn’t know anything further. Teemo is a patron of Onision who has visited their home frequently. There is a rumor that Teemo and Greg are together but not 100% sure. Regina doesnt know enough about the SavvyCandyGirl.

- Onision is using Kai’s gender to get a gf. Kai is a doormat and lets him do it.

- Regina and Kai started talking in 2012 and stopped in 2019. There was multiple times of regina visiting but when regina wanted to, Kai wasn’t interested.

- Greg is with Kai  bc of the repercussions of the divorce.

- Greg only gives Kai attention in videos. Greg doesnt seem to be attracted to Kai. Kai found a loophole in the prenups but Kai snitched on him. Kai is digging his own grave, and if they divorce, Kai would be fucked.

- Kai’s main problems with Greg were Greg doesn’t like Kai but acts like he acts Kai. Greg likes sex and attention. Kai talked a lot about Greg’s mom, and he doesn’t like her at all. Regina has never heard of someone talk about someone’s mother. Kai doesn’t like Tammy’s parenting advice.

- Kai has specific rules regarding seeing his family from Onision.

- Greg is very insecure abut his body. The more he complains about something, the more upset he is. And Greg is insecure about everything.

- Anyone apart from Ryan doesn’t visit Kai. Kai and Ryan dated once. Ryan is seemingly a good person.

- Regina doesn’t think its a good idea to approach local PTA. Let the legal authorities handle legal shit.

- The best way to support Regina and all the survivors is to help with the #DeplatformPredators hashtag and support  them and DONT STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. Educate fans, don’t attack them. DO NOT PLEDGE TO GREG AND KAI. NOT EVEN FOR TEA. Do not visit his channel. Do not watch his videos. Watch reuploads.

- Kai never mentioned anything about the sarah situation to Regina.

- Kai would not function outside of YouTube, esp with a real job. Greg has held a job before. Regina doesnt see Kai holding a job ever, maybe at McDonald’s. Regina thinks Kai wouldn’t be like this if it wasn’t for Greg. Kai uses anxiety as a crutch in every bad situation.

- Regina would drift off but then would get sucked back in again and again. Kai was talking to multiple people to when he was supposedly dating Regina. Kai was also talking romantically with Billie at the same time.

- Kai apologized to Regina in 2014-2015 about being paranoid that Regina might have been giving lolcow info. Kai also brainwashed Reginas best friend block them. And then later simply shrugged off with a non-apology apology. Regina’s mom hates Kai. Regina’s cousins used to like Kai but caught on earlier.

- Regina was 16 when Kai wanted Regina to visit. Their mom didn’t allow Kai. Regina’s mom was semi-okay with Kai visiting.

[eadanga]

A Summer Romance Part 7

Summary: Liam is a crowned prince bored with his life at the palace but what happens when he falls for an American tourist?

Pairing: LiamxMC

MC sat in the car watching the scenery as they arrived at Applewood Manor. Her eyes lit up as she step out “Wow this place is nice

Maxwell spread his arms out wide “Applewood Manor home to the famous apple orchard”

“There’s an apple orchard?”

“Yeah wait till you see it it’s huge!”

MC laughs then smiles “Will we have time to go there?”

“We’re going there today the apple blossom festival starts today”

“Awesome can’t wait”

“That’s the spirit to the boutique!”

Maxwell races off as MC laughs and follows after him.

MC arrives at the boutique and puts on a ruffled summer dress. Then she heads out to the orchard her eyes marveled at the sight of the orchard Wow this place is awesome

Regina gathers everyone’s attention “Welcome to the apple blossom festival ladies if you will all try the Cordonian Ruby.”

MC takes a bite and almost spits it out but notices the reporters watching and swallows it quickly “That was delicious”

Hana whispers “Really? How did you say that with a straight face?”

“Don’t know I really hope I don’t vomit later”

Hana giggles as Regina addresses everyone “Glad you ladies all enjoyed it and Happy Apple Blossom Festival” The ladies walk away to enjoy the orchard.

****

Liam sighs and starts walking away from the crowd Glad that’s over.

“Liam! Oh Liam!”

Liam rolls his eyes and turns around “What Olivia?”

“The festival is nice isn’t?” She gives him a flirtatious smile “Good for a nice romantic-”

“Olivia I’m not in the mood today goodbye!” Liam walks away and disappears into the crowd

****

MC and Hana watch as Olivia storms off Hana turns to MC “What do you think happened?”

“I know he’s annoyed by Olivia’s antics but I never saw him that mad”

“You should go after him”

“I don’t know he looks like he wants to be alone”

“But I’m sure whatever’s bothering him he will talk to you about it he loves spending time with you”

MC thinks for a moment then smiles “Ok but if he doesn’t I’m telling him it was your idea”

Hana giggles “You’ll thank me later”

MC runs into the orchard seeing no sign of Liam Where did he go?” She looks around till she spots a no entry sign on a gazebo. She walks under it and spots Liam looking down into the water sighing

“Liam?”

****

Liam turns around “Oh hi MC”

She walks up to him “Are you alright?”

He sighs “Yeah just fine”

“Liam…”

He looks into her eyes they looked so sincere and concerned “You see right through me”

MC takes a seat “Talk to me Liam I’m a great listener and I’m told I give great advice”

He sits down next to her “My father just told me that he’s abdicating so that means I’ll be the new king by the end of the year”

“And you don’t want to?”

“Of course I do I’ve always wanted to lead my people” He sighs “I just thought I’ll have more time I don’t feel ready to become king yet”

“Liam anyone who knows you knows how much you care about Cordonia and it’s people I know you can do this”

“Just wish I could prepare more”

MC places her hand on his “I know how you feel”

“You do?”

MC nods and takes out her wallet and shows him a picture. Liam smiles “Who’s this cutie?”

“That’s my niece her name is Grace I’m her legal guardian”

“You are?”

“Yeah her mother my sister Lauren and her husband Josh were killed by a drunk driver when Grace was 1”

Liam pulls her into his arms “Oh I’m so sorry”

“Yeah she was not just my sister but my best friend. Before she died my sister named me her guardian. I legally adopted her last year. I didn’t feel ready either I mean I didn’t know anything about raising kids but I couldn’t turn my back on my niece”

“How did you get through it?”

MC smiles “I had a lot of support my mom taught me everything. My friends helped me with getting everything I needed I wasn’t alone” Liam smiles “And you’re not alone in this either you’ve got a lot of people supporting you you’re gonna be a great king”

“Thanks MC”

“You’re welcome now stop moping and get out and enjoy the festival”

Liam chuckles “Ok I will” He takes her hand and smiles You always know how to make me feel better”

“I try”

Liam grins and takes her hand and they walk into the orchard then he turns to her “I would very much like to meet this niece of yours”

“Really? I do video call with my mom every night you could join me for that”

“Wonderful I’ll be in your room tonight” He kisses her on the cheek as they continue their walk.

****

MC sat in her room waiting for Liam to show up. A moment later she hears a knock on the door she goes to open and find Liam smiling “Good evening my lady”

“Evening I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it”

“Apologies it was difficult to sneak out”

“I’m glad you’re here” MC leads him into the room and he sits on her bed just as her laptop pings with a video call “And right on time too” Liam chuckles as the call connects “Hi mom”

“Hi sweetie” She smirks “And who’s this?”

“This is Liam the prince I told you about”

“A pleasure to meet you ma’am”

“That’s the prince?! Oh he’s very good looking when are you gonna marry my daughter?”

“Mom!”

Liam laughs as he watches MC’s cheeks turn red “I can’t say anything yet it will have to wait until coronation” He smiles and wraps his arm around MC pulling her closer “But let me tell you your daughter is an amazing woman and I enjoy spending time with her. You raised a wonderful woman”

MC blushes as her mother grins “Oh thank you you’re a fine young man”

“Thank you ma’am”

“Call me Lydia”

“Then you can call me Liam”

MC smiles “Glad you love him mom but where’s Grace?”

“Hold on a sec…Grace honey come here!”

“Oooh is Aunty MC on?”

“Yes dear”

“Yay!” Grace runs into the picture “Aunty MC!”

“Hi bunny rabbit”

Liam turns to her “Why do you call her bunny rabbit?”

“Because that’s her favorite animal not to mention she hops around like a rabbit”

Liam chuckles as Grace smiles at him “Who’s that Aunty MC?”

“This is Liam he’s a prince”

“Oh you a pwince?”

“Yes that’s right”

“Cool! Do you live in castle? With towers and flags?!”

“Not a castle a palace there’s no towers or flags”

Grace jumps up and down “Are there pwincesses there? I wanna meet them!”

Liam chuckles “Sorry no princesses but I’m gonna become king soon”

“Really? Is Aunty MC gonna become queen? Does that make me a pwincess?”

Both Liam and MC burst out laughing then Liam smiles “You know when I look at you I already see a princess”

“But I don’t have a cwown”

“You don’t need one as long as you believe you are do you?” Grace nods “Then you are already a princess”

“Yay! Andma I pwincess”

“That you are”

Liam grins “What do you decree your highness?”

“That everyone give me cookies!”

“Not before bed I don’t want you bouncing off the walls”

“But I pwincess”

“The princess still has to listen to grandma”

“Ok”

Liam smiles “Tell you what how about I fly the two of you out here for the festival”

“Really? Oh wow can we go andma?!”

“Sounds like fun”

MC turns to Liam “Thanks but you don’t have to do that”

“It know trouble at all I know you miss them and don’t worry I’ll make sure nobody gives them problems here”

“Well…” MC grins “What do you say mom?”

“Let me go pack my bags!”

MC laughs “See you when you get here”

“Ok bye sweetie”

“Bye mommy!”

MC smiles “Bye bunny rabbit”

MC ends the call and Liam turns to her “Grace calls you mommy?”

“Yeah she just started calling me that then she goes back to Aunty MC” MC laughs “But you know how kids are soon she’ll be calling me mom permanently”

Liam chuckles then smiles “You’ve done a great job raising her”

“Thanks I know my sister is proud too”

“She is and so am I” Liam stares at her intensely and cups her cheek

“Liam…”

He kisses her deeply and wraps his arms around her. He pulls her down on the bed as he trails kisses down her neck as she sighs with pleasure. He pulls back smiling “I don’t know what you are doing to me MC but every time I look at you I just wanna kiss you” MC blushes as he takes her hand and kisses the back of it then he cups her cheek “I wanna do so many things to you right now”

“So why don’t you do them?”

“Not tonight don’t wanna cause a panic if I’m not back”

MC giggles “Or make national news”

Liam chuckles “Don’t mistake my intentions I want it to perfect for us and then oh I’ll give you a night you won’t forget”

“I look forward to that Liam”

“Me too” He sits up and MC walks him to the door he turns and faces her “See you soon?”

“Absolutely”

He kisses her softly and heads back to his room

****

Liam enters his room and sees Drake waiting for him “Hi Drake why are you here so late?”

“I should be asking you that I went to the bathroom and saw you sneaking through the halls. Where were you going?”

“Well…” Liam smirks

“It was MC’s room wasn’t it?” Liam nods “You’re falling in love with her aren’t you?”

“I’m not falling in love with her” Liam smiles “I am in love with her”

Tags: @indiacater @annekebbphotography @cora-nova @hopefulmoonobject @romanticatheart-posts @lodberg @mfackenthal @the-soot-sprite @drakesensworld @custaroonie

[stahlop]

Once Upon a Time 1x20 “The Stranger” Review

Reviews 1x01 1x02 1x03 1x04 1x05 1x06 1x07 1x08 1x09 1x10 1x11 1x12 1x13 1x14 1x15 1x16 1x17 1x18 1x19

We have finally found out who August is! He is Pinocchio! And also the 7-year-old boy that ‘found’ Emma on the side of the road when she was just a baby! Who also abandoned her later on. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge August fan. Technically, he’s only back to get Emma to break the curse because he knows he’s a huge screw up and he doesn’t want to turn back into wood. If the wood thing wasn’t happening would he even be there to help her? Would he even care? But onto the review.

Summary: August takes Emma to the place she was found as a baby to get her to see the bigger picture in her fight against Regina and makes some startling revelations to Emma. In the EF we see that two people could go through the enchanted wardrobe and Geppetto negotiates with the Blue Fairy that Pinocchio be the one to go.

Opening: Jiminy Cricket

Character Observations: 

August/Pinocchio: So if the viewers haven’t ascertained who August was back in the EF, this first scene pretty much tells you. August, the writer, has just finished installing a new lock on Mary Margaret and Emma’s apartment door. August claims he learned how to build locks in woodshop. Ok then.  They discuss Emma fighting for custody of Henry until Henry walkie-talkies a code red.  August follows Emma and tells her she needs to look at the big picture to beat Regina and wants to take her somewhere. August wants her to take a leap of faith. She says Henry needs her, she doesn’t have time for faith. August looks like he doesn’t know what to do next. Next we see August fondling the hat we’ve seen Pinocchio wear in flashbacks, in case you still weren’t sure. He calls Gold and says they need to talk. Pretty bold way to talk to someone who had a knife to your throat a few days ago. His leg starts hurting again and now we finally see why. His leg has started turning into wood!! August goes to Gold’s shop where Marco is looking at a cuckoo clock Gold wants fixed. August’s face when looking at Marco is so full of angst and guilt. Some great acting here from Eion Bailey. If Gold wasn’t sure who August was before, August’s face and stuttering when seeing Marco definitely clinches it. Gold wants to know why August isn’t getting Emma to believe since he seems to be under a time crunch with his ‘dying’ and all. August says she’s too busy trying to fight for Henry and will be coming to Gold for legal advice. Gold says he’ll steer her toward August. August says he’ll get Emma there, trust him. Gold finds that very funny knowing who August is, but he’ll give her a nudge in the right direction. Emma comes to August so he can show her the big picture. They take his motorcycle outside of Storybrooke to learn August’s story. They go to a diner. Emma is pissed because she recognizes it as the diner she was brought to when she was found as a baby. August explains he was the boy that found her. They walk toward the tree they came through. Emma is arguing that she was found near the highway, not a magic tree. He says he had to lie about where he found her. Tells her about her baby blanket and that he’s Pinocchio. She figures out he added the story to Henry’s book. August says he needs her to know the truth. Everything will end once she believes. Emma, predictably, runs off, but, of course, that’s when August’s wooden leg starts giving him pain. He’s upset because he failed with her. He tells her it doesn’t matter if she believes or not because it’s still real. He’s sick. He was in Phuket when Emma decided to stay in Storybrooke and he woke up to a shooting pain in his leg at exactly 8:15 pm Storybrooke time. August shows Emma his leg, she only sees a leg, she doesn’t see that it’s turned into wood. He tells her she is in denial. He tells her everyone needs her. Emma doesn’t want that responsibility.  August says that doesn’t change the truth. Emma says they’re all screwed then. August goes to visit Marco who is having trouble fixing the clock Gold gave him to fix. August gives him the same advice he once had given him. They have a heart to heart where Marco basically tells him that he did his best, he made a mistake and he tried to fix it, and if he had a son that would be enough for him. August offers to be his assistant.

Pinocchio: We all know the story of Pinocchio. A wooden puppet brought to life who learns a series of life lessons because he can’t listen to his father. He has a nose that grows when he lies. And eventually he saves his father when he gets eaten by a whale and for that bravery, he is granted the wish of becoming a real boy by the Blue Fairy, the latter part we see here in this episode. The Blue Fairy says he must be brave, truthful, and unselfish, and as long as he does so, he will stay a real boy. Way to put pressure on a 7-year-old. I know very few kids that age that are brave, truthful, and unselfish. That’s something they have to learn and grow into. Not basically threaten them that they won’t be real anymore. Geez! Next we see Pinocchio helping Geppetto fix a cuckoo clock and when it opens, Jiminy Cricket tied up inside. Geppetto reminds him about what the Blue Fairy said. And speaking of the Blue Fairy, she arrives to let Geppetto know that the curse is coming and about the enchanted tree. They all go see it and the Blue Fairy lets them know it will protect two people. What? Geppetto wants Pinocchio to go through with a pregnant Snow. We see Pinocchio in the War Council sanding his wooden whale, then we see the curse coming. The Blue Fairy tells them that Snow’s baby came early so Pinocchio can’t go through anymore. Pinocchio wants to tell Snow that two can go through so she and the baby can go over together. Geppetto makes him get in the wardrobe and tells him to watch over the princess. Pinocchio tells Geppetto he told him not to lie. He says sometimes you have to lie to protect people. He tells Pinocchio to be the baby’s protector. Pinocchio doesn’t want to leave. Geppetto makes him promise to get the princess to believe and closes the wardrobe door. Pinocchio blasts out of a tree in the Land without Magic. He freaks out when he sees a plane flying overhead. He’s then knocked out by a rainbow shockwave and baby Emma is now in the tree. We see that he and Emma were put into a foster home. Pinocchio is trying to be helpful by fixing Emma’s crib, but the foster father yells at him and threatens him about touching his tools. Another kid has stolen some money and wants Pinocchio to runaway with him and the other kids. He hesitates because of Emma, but ends up leaving. Ok, that is a lot of pressure to put on a kid. I’m sorry. I don’t blame Pinocchio for leaving Emma. He has no idea what kind of life she���ll have, but he’s seven. And he hasn’t even been a real boy for that long. He didn’t even want to leave his father in the first place.

Geppetto/Marco: We see the ending of the Pinocchio story that we know. Geppetto has just been rescued by Pinocchio from the whale and the whale isn’t happy and they end up washed up on shore. Geppetto wishes he could save Pinocchio and the Blue Fairy appears and grants his wish by turning Pinocchio into a real boy for being so brave. Now it’s time for the curse. The Blue Fairy comes to Geppetto before the Charmings to ask him about building the wardrobe. She tells him that two people can go through it, obviously pregnant Snow and Charming, but Geppetto is afraid Pinocchio will be turned back into wood when the curse hits. The Blue Fairy says she doesn’t know what will happen. Geppetto says he wants Pinocchio to take the second spot and that Snow can raise the baby without her husband. Jiminy argues with him about this, but he says that after what he did to his parents his debt can never be fulfilled to him, and to butt out. The Blue Fairy agrees to his terms. I don’t understand Geppetto’s negotiation tactics. The curse is coming, and he is asked to build a wardrobe out of a magical tree to whisk the Charmings away to a land without magic, so their baby can eventually break the curse. Geppetto is worried that Pinocchio will get turned back into wood when the curse comes, so he negotiates with the Blue Fairy that he won’t build it unless Pinocchio gets to go through the wardrobe as well. But if he doesn’t build the wardrobe, Pinocchio will still get turned into wood. Then we see the War Council scene and looks like Geppetto is being asked for the first time from the Blue Fairy to build a wardrobe, but now we know better. We go to the curse coming. The Blue Fairy tells Geppetto that Snow gave birth to the baby early and has to go in the wardrobe with her. Geppetto says they made a deal. The Blue Fairy doesn’t want to argue. She has other things to do and tasks Geppetto with telling Snow the truth about how many the wardrobe can hold. Seriously? Geppetto tells Pinocchio to get in the wardrobe and tells him he needs to protect the baby and makes him promise to get her to believe. I get that Geppetto was scared for Pinocchio, but what parent in their right mind sends their 7-year-old off with a newborn? A 7-year-old who has the worst track record when it comes to responsibility? Worst plan ever.

We don’t really see much of Marco. Gold wants him to fix a cuckoo clock for him, but it’s really just a ploy to see August’s reaction to him since he suspects August in Pinocchio. Then August goes and has a talk with him, in which Marco says he would forgive a son for whatever it is August did since he did try and fix his mistake. 

Emma: She is in full mama bear mode. Mary Margaret asks Emma if she’s sure she is ready to be a mother. Emma says yes. Then they are interrupted by Henry calling a Code Red for Operation Cobra over the walkie-talkie. She meets him at Granny’s. Henry noticed there is new, unfinished story in the book. It’s Pinocchio. Emma goes to Gold and asks him to help her take Henry away from Regina. He won’t help her. They can’t prove any of the accusations Emma has against her and he knows how to pick his battles. She goes to August so he can show her the big picture. They go off on August’s motorcycle and leave Storybrooke. They go to a roadside diner and Emma is pissed. She thinks August is screwing with her because it’s the diner she was brought to when she was discovered as a baby. August tells her it’s his story too. He’s the 7-year-old who found her. Not what Emma was expecting. August brings her into the woods. He tells her he is showing her where she was found. She says it couldn’t be him because she was found on the side of the highway. He asks her if it ever occurred to her that the boy lied about where he found her. She says it occurs to her that he’s been lying to her about everything and she’s done listening to him. He says he knows about her baby blanket. That gets her to listen. He reminds her about Henry’s book and how she came into this world, that they both came to this world through the tree. He tells her he’s Pinocchio. She says that explains all the lying. Emma realizes August added the story to the book. He needed her to know the truth. She thinks he’s crazy; why didn’t he write the ending. He says the ending is her believing. Emma has had enough. She runs off, but August’s leg starts hurting him. She wants to know what’s wrong with his leg. He says he failed, tells her the story of Phuket, and shows her his wooden leg. Emma still thinks Henry’s curse talk is pure fantasy, so she doesn’t see a wooden leg, she sees a normal leg. Just like when Graham thought he didn’t have a heart Emma could hear a heartbeat. August tells her she needs to believe, everyone needs her to believe. Emma doesn’t want that responsibility. August throws out that she didn’t want Henry either and now she’s fighting for him. She says that’s all she can handle. And if everyone is relying on her then they’re all screwed. Back in Storybrooke, Emma wakes up Henry over the walkie-talkie. He gets in her car and she tells him to buckle up because they’re leaving town! Honestly, by this point, I’d think Emma might start believing. Henry’s been trying to get her to believe, she was kidnapped by Jefferson who talked about believing, and now August. Can she really think that all these people are just crazy?

Blue Fairy: Um, she put the most insane restrictions on a puppet turned boy that had done nothing but be bad up to this point. She made a bullshit deal with Geppetto to get the magical tree turned into a wardrobe. She then lied to Snow and Charming about how many people could go through the wardrobe. Then she left when she knew Geppetto wasn’t going to abandon having Pinocchio go through that wardrobe. So far the Blue Fairy hasn’t done anything to make me like her. She just makes bad decisions and choices all the time.

Regina: She talks to Mary Margaret at school because Henry has forgotten his lunch. Mary Margaret calmly informs her that Henry is with his mother. Regina wants to know if something is wrong. Mary Margaret says that someone went to an awful lot of trouble to set her up. Regina reminds her that was Sidney. Mary Margaret says she knows it wasn’t, but she forgives her anyway. Why is Regina acting like she didn’t tell Mary Margaret she knew she was innocent but she was going to pay for what she did anyway? Henry arrives and Regina tells him she thinks he should transfer to another class. He wants to know if it’s because she tried to frame Mary Margaret. Regina actually looks hurt that Henry could believe that of her. He says of course he believes it, she’s the Evil Queen. She says she’s lucky she doesn’t get Mary Margaret fired for giving him the story book. Um, on what grounds? If she’s been reinstated after false murder charges, I doubt anything Regina says will get her fired otherwise. Henry yells about Snow White and Prince Charming getting their happy ending and ending the curse. We next see Regina trying to fix her car. The engine won’t start. David just happens to be leaving work. He offers to take her and her car full of groceries (since when does 2 bags constitute a car full) home. She invites him in for dinner. He says no, but then she reads a (blank) note from Henry saying he won’t be home tonight, so David feels bad and stays. So they eat dinner and David offers to do the dishes. He asks Regina about how she found him. She makes up a story about forgetting her phone and going back for it and finding him on the way back. David says it was like the universe wanted her to find him. So of course she tries to kiss him. Ew! He backs away before any actual lip touching can occur, thank goodness. He says they’re good the way they are. Come on Regina, you’re supposed to be good friends with his ex-wife. Girl code much? Now, I’m not sure if Regina has tears in her eyes because she’s supposed to be playing the victim or if she is actually upset that she really can’t seduce David, but either way, after he leaves she takes a good look at herself in the mirror, does not like what she sees, and throws her wine glass at it.

Mary Margaret: She’s making sure that Emma truly wants Henry and isn’t just trying to get custody of him because of her grudge against Regina. Emma says she’s truly ready. Mary Margaret is back at the school and really happy about it. Regina comes by to give Henry his lunch and Mary Margaret gives Regina the calmest beat down I’ve ever seen. Mary Margaret should be yelling obscenities at Regina for all the hell she put her through (even though Regina tries to convince her that it was all Sidney, Mary Margaret ain’t buying what Regina is selling), but instead, she is calm. She forgives Regina, which you can tell infuriates her. Mary Margaret continues by saying that Regina must be real lonely if the only way she can be happy is to destroy everyone else’s happiness. Ding! Ding! Ding! You are correct Mary Margaret.

Henry: He has finally discovered the new pages in the book. Took him long enough. We’ve seen both him and Emma look at the book several times since August put the pages in. Henry also beats down Regina later when she wants Henry to be transferred out of Mary Margaret’s class. Henry, don’t antagonize her, it just makes her do stupid things like try to seduce David. We last see Henry getting into Emma’s car and she’s trying to take him out of Storybrooke. We’ll see how this ends up in the next episode.

Questions:

It took Henry, what, a few weeks to finally discover Pinocchio’s story had been added to the book?

Regina said Sidney is incarcerated. When did he have a trial? Did he leave Storybrooke? Is he in prison somewhere outside of Storybrooke? I thought no one could leave.

What happened to the rest of the enchanted trees?

Why did they have to build a wardrobe out of the tree? Why couldn’t they just put a hole in the tree to go through?

How would Geppetto not building the wardrobe benefit him in anyway? And are there no other wood carvers out there that could build it?

Why wasn’t Pinocchio’s story in the book in the first place? Henry knew Marco was Geppetto, so something had to be in there for Henry to know.

What preparations did the Blue Fairy have to go make before the curse? Nothing is supposed to be left afterward. Or was that just a test for Geppetto that he failed spectacularly?

Did August write the book somehow? How did he know there was a book and how did he know to add his story to it?

How was Pinocchio’s story not finished? We see an illustration of the whale after Geppetto and Pinocchio escaped from it, was that all it went to? Did it not show Pinocchio turning into a real boy? If it did, what else does there need to be?

How does Emma get back to Storybrooke? Did she ride back with August?

When did Pinocchio start going by August Wayne Booth? Did he randomly make it up, or did he go by something else as a kid? What name did he tell the social worker when they brought him and Emma to the foster home?

Where does August get money from? Did he really make that much as a writer that he doesn’t need to work anymore?

Observations:

Mary Margaret comments to Regina that ruining people’s happiness is only going to leave a giant hole in her heart. Maleficent said the same thing to Regina in 1x02 The Thing You Love Most.

Henry has a Tron lunchbox.

The clock Gold wants Marco to repair is the same one Geppetto teaches Pinocchio to repair.

Pinocchio as a puppet has blue eyes like August’s. Pinocchio as a real boy has hazel eyes.

Emma stops right in front of the unicorn mobile in Gold’s shop when talking to him.

Geppetto knows that Jiminy is responsible for his parents being turned into puppets.

The Blue Fairy lied!

Emma and August can leave Storybrooke.

The diner August brought baby Emma to is called Chantey’s Lobster House.

Emma and Pinocchio were brought to a forest not too far from where Storybrooke ended up.

Phuket is in Thailand.

August says his leg started turning back to wood when Emma made the decision to stay in Storybrooke. He says this was at 8:15 Storybrooke time, but it wasn’t. The clock was stuck at 8:15. That doesn’t mean that was the time she made the decision.

Marco has the wooden whale that Pinocchio made in the EF.

This was a good episode, but many people made bad choices here. Geppetto made a bad choice to let Pinocchio go through the wardrobe and take care of a newborn instead of informing Snow and Charming about it. The Blue Fairy made a bad choice in first, lying to Snow and Charming, and then to not tell them herself about the wardrobe after Snow had Emma early. Pinocchio made a bad choice in leaving Emma, but he was seven, so he didn’t have the best judgement. August seems to have made a lot of bad choices that he’s now trying to make up for by getting Emma to believe so he can save his own skin (literally). Emma is making a bad choice by trying to leave Storybrooke with Henry. Two more episodes until the end of season one!

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