#please come back in season 8b

[echowithpain]

Alrighty!!! Here we go! ✨✨✨

First, -1/2 point for the old dude who beat up the "cart cop"

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with the fact that he beat him up. I think it was a decent twist cause I was originally expecting the security guard or someone else who got him from behind. My problem was "Why the heck did he turn out to be an escaped convict in hiding or whatever?"

Literally why??? He could've just been an old dude who was pissed at the kid for causing trouble and "stealing his job". I was so on board with everything until they revealed that the old guy wasn't actually the old guy. And Athena said she figured it out because he was "too camera shy"??? Lots of people are camera shy?? Yes he was hiding his face but I figured that was just because he was used to the kid being there so he was more annoyed than angry, or he just really didn't like being recorded. I know people like that and they aren't criminals (at least I hope not lmao 😂)

I get that 911 wants to do the "bet you didn't see this coming!" thing all the time, but why do the stakes have to be so high? I get it's a drama but I literally said in my last Echos Essays that I wanted Athena to get a bad feeling about someone but they DON'T turn out to be a serial killer or anything like that, they're just a regular person who maybe needs to talk a couple things out in therapy

They didn't need to go to the extreme or come up with a reason for why the old guy was capable of such violence, just having the small twist that it was him who beat up the kid instead of the security guy was enough.

So yeah... -1/2 point cause it took me out of the episode (even though it was at the end)

...

Umm... Is there anything else that I have problems with?? 🤔🤔🤔 I can't think of anything off the top of my head so I'll just list the things I loved until I remember something ✨

THINGS I LOVED: 💖Brad💖

Brad was freaking incredible this episode 😂💖😂 From watching his own show with the entire fire station (and repeating his lines), to being overdramatic and thinking everyone hated it and blaming the things they criticized on the network 😂, to being at the accident with them and seeing someone was passed out in a car and trying to help (yes he didn't know about the c-brace and gurney, but he was learning and genuinely wanted to help someone 💖), to the way I couldn't tell if he was angry or turned on when Bobby yelled at him 😭😭😭, to his serious heartfelt talk with Eddie about their kids 🥺-

F U U U U U C K !!!!!!!!!!!

I just remembered that Maddie's PREGNANT!!!!! AND SHE GETS KIDNAPPED NEXT EPISODE IN MARCH!!!!!!

Holy shit holy shit holy shit!!!!! HOLY FUCK IT DIDNT EVEN OCCUR TO ME THAT THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT!!! I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT HER GETTING KIDNAPPED AGAIN AMD HOW LAST TIME SHE WAS IT WAS HER ABUSIVE EX HUSBAND WHO SHE ENDED UP HAVING TO KILL!!!! THE FACT THAT SHE IS PREGNANT DIDNT EVEN CROSS MY MIND HOLY FUCK!!!! WHAT THE SHIT!!!!! OH GOD WHAT IF THIS HURTS THE BABY 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Shit fuck wait but that's the promo not this episode I gotta focus, holy shit, fuck.... FUCK!!!! Okay ummm... Shit my fucking train of thought... fuck... Brad was great and dramatic and I still love him. Also loved the fact that he helped(?) the guy who was trying to kill himself to not want to kill himself anymore while also contemplating jumping himself and having to be talked down by the guy who was going to jump in the first place??? This dude is so dramatic and emotional ❤️‍🩹 Brad's back on his show but I hope we still get to see more of him 💖

Plus the fire fam guest starring in the episode he wakes up from the coma but being horrible actors? 😂😂😂 Do you think Christopher is gonna see the episode his dad is in? 🥺❤️‍🩹 (Also real quick, idk how much skill it takes for an actor to act as a character who's bad at acting but props to them because I just know it's always hilarious 😂 First thing that comes to mind is that one Supernatural episode where Sam and Dean were transported to "the real world" and replaced their actors 😂)

Hen and Bobby not being in the scene, probably by choice, was a mood and a half 😂 ALSO HEN USING THAT MED SCHOOL DOCTOR KNOWLEDGE LETS GOOO??? They remembered she went through that arc???? You could write it off as paramedic stuff, but paramedics know the stuff that'll get you to the doctors alive, and the doctors deal with the rest of the stuff (usually, this show is pretty lenient on what the paramedics are supposed to do. ie, when Eddie had to extract a bomb from a dude's thigh, Hen sticking her hand in a patient to keep them stable, Eddie doing the whatever he did to the kid who was ass backwards so he wouldn't die, etc.) I'm chosing to believe they remembered she studied to be a doctor 🥰

EDDIE!!!! EDDIE CALLED CHRISTOPHER AND HAD AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH HIM 🤩💖🤩💖🤩💖🤩 AND IT HURT MY FEELINGS 😭💔😭💔😭💔😭😭💔😭💔

"I can get an autograph and you can put it up in your room!" "So you'll send it to me? 😃"

Like, damn dude I really wasn't expecting that 😭😭😭 Why did the show have to hurt me like that? What did I ever do to you except love you and criticize you when needed? 😭😭😭 That doesn't give you an excuse hurt me like that 😭💔😭💔😭 Ow geez. Not funny. Cried. Bitch.

Okay um, sewer water rescue was nice. I love how I made a joke about kissing under the sewer water rainbow, and then a couple kissed under the sewer water rainbow 😂😂😂😂😂 I swear you can't write this shit

...Do I really not have any complaints besides the old dude being a secret criminal?

Oh, no, wait

-1/2 point for the brief mention of Temu. Still gotta be petty 🤭💅✨

Buuuut it did give us the scene of Eddie enjoying Bucks baking and Buck (and the audience) finding out that he's looking to move back to El Paso 🥺🥺🥺

Nah, I'm still gonna be petty 😘

But also EDDIEEEE 😭😭😭😭😭 anD THE COUCH MENTIONED AGAIN?!?!?!? They were so domestic holy shit I've missed them hanging out 😭💖

...I'm trying to remember anything else but that's genuinely all I've got. To be fair, I had a bunch of fun this episode and was laughing a LOT 😂😂😂

So yeah! I think that's it 😁

FINAL SCORE: 🌈9/10🌈

-1/2 point for the old dude being a secret criminal, and -1/2 point for the brief Temu mention ✨

I legit had so much fun this episode, I was laughing so much I was interrupting the people I was watching the episode with 😂😂😂😂😂 When Brad said he finally felt like a real hero and then immediately banged his head on the firetruck mirror, I cackled so loud and my grandmother was confused/upset with me because it was so fast that she missed it and wanted to know why I suddenly burst out laughing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ah man, I love this show 🥰

...damn, it's not gonna be back until M A R C H 😭

Welp, see you then babes! I'll be lurking in the walls until it comes back 🙃

TCHAU!!!! 😘✌️✨

[buddiebeginz]

I get that some of you are nervous of Eddie leaving and Buddie not happening but trust me when I tell you Ryan isn’t going anywhere. There are zero signs that he wants to leave the show.

All of the main cast seem very happy and like a family and like they want to be working together for as long as possible. They’re also working in roles that you can’t do in just any other acting job, doing these crazy emergencies regularly. You don’t just leave a work environment like that for no reason. It’s also not like Ryan can’t do other projects while working on 911, he just worked on a movie not too long ago. So no he’s not leaving.

When it comes to Buddie I think some of you have gotten so used to storylines that play out instantly on streaming you’re not used to a network slow burn where you have to wait.

I get being scared of being let down by the show. I know how much we’re all hoping and waiting for Buddie to happen. But Buddie has been in the works for years. It was originally supposed to happen in s5 (Buck was supposed to come out in s4) but Fox refused to let it happen. So Tim left and then the show moved to abc and so Tim came back. When he did he started putting the wheels in motion for Buddie canon and that started with Buck coming out in s7. Buddie going canon has already started we’ve been in the storyline since last season when Buck’s coming out was heavily connected to Eddie.

If I didn’t think Buddie was going to happen or that it was a big maybe I’d say so but in all the years of watching the show I’ve never been as certain it’s happening as I am now.

The other thing is I think there would be zero doubt right now if Buddie was a straight ship. But because they’re two guys and they’re breaking new ground with being the first real slow burn queer ship on a primetime network show people will question if it’s happening the whole way.

Tim knows how a significant portion of the audience for the show loves Buddie. Tim, Oliver, and Ryan have all shown support for Buddie over the years which btw isn’t common for non canon queer ships. A lot of things are in our favor. If Tim didn’t want to make Buddie happen he would have made that clear when he came back and it’s been the total opposite. In s7 they were together more than ever and they’ve still been joined at the hip in s8 even if hey haven’t had a ton of scenes while Tim was closing up other storylines. We can see with 808 and recent interviews that the bulk of Eddie and Buddie’s s8 storylines are going to be in 8b.

I’ve seen people say why doesn’t Eddie just go get Chris and bring him home. I believe he will eventually but this storyline with Eddie contemplating moving to Texas isn’t as much about the Chris storyline as it is about the Buddie storyline. You have to have obstacles in a will they/won’t they that makes the audience think they aren’t going to end up together. There is always lots of angst leading up to the moment when they finally get together or get back together. This makes for a more emotional dramatic moment and some of the best tv.

We’re meant to think Eddie is leaving but even if he goes to Texas for a minute it won’t be permanent. I’m confident in saying we’ll have Buddie canon by the end of the season and Chris back too.

Please don’t let fandom’s tendency to catastrophize make you worry about where the story is going. Also take all the interviews with a grain of salt because they can’t and won’t tell us exactly where things are going. Like with the most recent Tim interviews and him making it sound like Eddie is moving. That makes sense because we’re right at the beginning of that storyline he can’t say what will happen.

Things with Buddie will take a little time to play out but we’ll get there. We are going into this hiatus in the best possible place we can be in right now and we should all be incredibly excited for what’s to come for Buddie in 8b.

[tevanbuckley]

If you could take Tims place for 8b how would the rest of the season play out? Would you put Tommy and Buck back together and if so, how?

oh where to begin...

tbh i think the bucktommy stuff is the easiest to fix, because the biggest problem (outside of needlessly losing an interesting new character) is it puts buck back to square one, so it could be solved by pretty much any variation of them getting back together. personally, i think the cleanest way would be to have tommy reach out after the kidnapping. would that be the most satisfying resolution? no, but it would stick with the theme of tommy showing up for buck and could be nested within the maddie storyline without taking up a ton of limited screen space. then i'd have buck actually think about his sexuality for thirty seconds (and say the word bisexual).

eddie is difficult bc his arc is dependent on how much truth there is to the speculation of ryan wanting out, but either way for the love of god PLEASE bring up shannon! my thing with that situation has always been eddie's refusal to accept that for all intents and purposes he didn't lose his wife, he lost his ex-wife, and i think having him finally grapple with that would be a good way to conclude his arc (whether he moves to texas or not).

athena is...frustrating, i think there's maybe something in her training new recruits. it would certainly give a bit more structure to her storylines than "random cop shit." i know a certain amount of copaganda is inevitable but 911 is especially bad for it (and imo has actually gotten worse over the years), partly because they refuse to take an actual stance (like why tf was the lady who got shot a sovereign citizen? the audience isn't stupid we know that's not the average victim of police violence). in theory the training stuff could help illustrate how policing is rotten all the way down the chain and potentially challenge some of athena's beliefs (i will be shocked if this happens)

for bobby i'd bring back some of the stuff that was touched on last season. he was an active suicide risk for christ's sake and are we really gonna drop all the tragic backstory about his family and then do nothing with it? perhaps his brother reaches out and causes problems or passes away.

madney and henren meanwhile i fear are a bit of lost cause this season. presumably madney is gonna be wrapped up with the kidnapping/pregnancy shit, which again forces chim into the position of "maddie's worried husband," don't get me wrong i think we'll get some stellar acting from kenny (and jlh) but "madney being sad," is not particularly interesting at this point.

similarly all the really juicy stuff with mara/ortiz/gerrard has already been pissed away — could've been especially interesting if hen and chim were still on the outs during the kidnapping but oh well — if tim's serious about wanting to "blow stuff up," one way to do that would be having hen consider a move to captain at another station. which (assuming they get s9) could even facilitate bobby taking a promotion down the line and her coming back to the 118 in his place.

[azaharinflames]

what if all of this is just part of the will they/won't they slow burn- plan, make us believe buck has moved on in ep7-8? have him being single and dating other people of screen for a few months, so when 8b starts we can see how much he still misses tommy?

not giving up hope yet(unless eddie comes out in ep 7-8 or something, that would be the end of bucktommy).

Inside me lives two wolves:

-They are setting up Buck finally deciding to fight, for once, and this is a misdirection. As in, Maddie and Chimney insist he has to move on and get back there, but Buck instead decides he wants to work on himself, see what Tommy meant, and then fight for him.

-They will end the episode with Buck packing his baking stuff up, and looking at life in a new light, ready to move on and take on the world or whatever.

Because, as much as I want to be an optimistic person, I am not, right now my bet is for the second option. I would love more than anything for the show to prove me incredibly wrong, but with how bizarre they've been writing this season...

It's like @seddair mentioned in the reblogs of my other posts - this is the show that had the famous quote 'you don't find it, son, you make it'. That was something that deeply impacted Buck, and something that for once should motivate him to make it. Yet the show somehow has forgotten this. Because why make our characters grow when they can go on endless cycles.

As for Buddie, without wanting to sound mean (please know it is never directed at you, anon):

No.

If there is one thing Ryan has made crystal clear lately, is that Eddie is straight. And his reasoning behind this is one I admire and I deeply respect. Could one argue he is bluffing to not reveal spoilers? Sure but it doesn't make sense. He's very clear in his intentions, and we know Tim won't force his actors to do something they truly don't want to do, so I honestly don't think he'd force Ryan to do Buddie if Ryan truly doesn't want to. Which, we are seeing, he doesn't.

[sugdenlovesdingle]

I'm feeling very zen this morning about bucktommy.

Maybe it's because it's been over a week since the shoddy ending to 8x06 and it feels less raw.

Maybe it's because even if Tommy never comes back at least 8x07 gave more proof/weight (can't find the right word) about how much the relationship meant to Buck by showing how much he's struggling, something he never got with any other LI except Abby.

Maybe it's because knowing how much balderdash the interviews are with dropped plots and things that never happen mean I have no more anxiety about them.

Maybe it's because from Ryan saying that Tim changes things last minute, and Tim gaslighting fans about creating plots he himself hinted at (madney/henren tension wtf?) means again ignoring what he says in interviews and that the door is wide open for a Tommy return.

Maybe it's because angst with a happy ending it's my favourite trope and the fic I've read this week has been so so achingly good it'll keep me fed throughout winter like a squirrel hoarding nuts.

Maybe it's just because it's sunny where I am today and it's put me in a good mood.

Also, I love your blog as a bucktommy (and tarlos) fan and also an old robron fan who hasn't watched since robert left but I can still get updates here 😄.

Anyway, I'm sorry for waffling in your inbox, I hope you have a great day!

Feel free to always come waffle in my inbox anon! i didn't think there was anyone out there with the same weird mix of hyper fixations as me! bucktommy x tarlos x robron ftw! 😂

But yeah I think the door is definitely open for Tommy to return in 8B. But knowing the show won't be back until March 6th after next week, I doubt Tim will even finish the scripts before March 1st!

The episode shows Buck being sad and miserable (and LONELY!! how much time were he and Tommy spending together these past 6 months??) and wanting to reach out, Tommy wanting to contact him too, Tommy constantly being on Buck's mind and if you just take everything you see at face value, that tells you those two aren't done with each other. And then tim comes and babbles in interviews almost saying the exact opposite of what's happening on screen.

Also - I only got into the fandom after the first bucktommy kiss but it seems like these post ep interviews are becoming more frequent? I don't remember seeing Tim quotes on my dash after EVERY ep - only for the big ones like season premier/season finale.

I read that it's the journalists (and I use that term loosely) that ask for these interviews and not necessarily the show sending Tim (or Oliver or Ryan or Lou or anyone) to do them and I'm just like... what is the point? Why do we need the 'boss' to run us through every episode and tell us what to think or feel? I mean the pit of despair we all plunged into after last week's ep was mostly because of the interviews. And even then, when you pull just the quotes from them (like someone has done - i forget who) it makes it so much easier to see what exactly Lou especially was saying.

Maybe we should just decide to ignore these post ep interviews as a fandom, enjoy our fics and gifs and meta - and apparently a newfound love for mpreg (lol i don't know where this came from but you do you, guys!) this winter, and see where it's at in March.

(also, please send me some of that sunshine! it's foggy and miserable and cold here!)

[kinardscake]

What do you think about the theory that this could be 911 last season and that this is why certain storylines seem rushed through or scrapped entirely? I could see it with the Madney pregnancy and Ravi being gone and now Tommy. The finale could show a montage with the new baby, Eddie reunited with Chris and closure over Shannon. Bathena in their new house, Buck well, perpetually single I guess and Henren with the kids maybe also one more

There’s a chance it could be the last season. There’s always a chance, isn’t it? With shows getting cancelled left and right. But I think 9-1-1 will have at least one more season. (Ending on s9ep11 lol )

To be completely honest, with the way thr storylines are going, I wouldn’t mind the show ending because there’s been barely any development for most of the characters for a long time. If the writers can’t come up with new ideas, maybe it’s for the best to let the show end, eh?

Personally, I think Maddie could end up being pregnant until the next season premiere airs and will give birth in the middle of the opening disaster (just so the show can traumatize Madney a bit more).

And Eddie could find some peace and reunite with Chris in 8b. But if Chris is more comfortable living in Texas, I could see Eddie struggling to make a decision in s9, whether to leave everyone behind and move with Chris to Texas or stay with Chris in LA. (Which would be a nice call back to his decision to move to LA)

We haven’t seen HenRen outside of the expanding family-foster care-adoption storylines since like s3-4, so I’d actually love it if the focus shifts to them. I am begging the writers to give them a storyline that doesn’t involve kids or losing kids for that matter. Shows us them as a couple, not as parents.

I’d watch anything that involves Bathena, so just because of them I want at least one more season.

I’m on the fence about Buck, because I want them to move him up the ranks in the FD. But… Buck being perpetually single? I can’t accept that. Even in s1 he was looking for a connection with another person, and to deny him that would be a crime, really. I want him to end up as a Captain but I also want him to be happy.

And I don’t want the writers to rush through all these storylines trying to wrap everything up in a neat bow. So one more season. Please.

(Although it all depends on the actors and their contracts too, so who knows what will happen)

[moonstone27ls]

Chucky-He Has Risen

Spoiler warning....

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Warning....

Seriously....

SPOILER WARNING.....

Though in truth.... 

Don’t feel much to talk about?...

Anyway last spoiler warning...

Sooo the ep was kinda boring. Not that I’m completely complaining. Devon and Lexy saved Andy. Soooo LOVE YOU KIDS! Both him and Kyle are alive... I mean poor Andy’s been tortured and Kyle lost an ear.... soo... ...all the more reason I want these kids to surive this season!

So Don Mancini please don’t kill off my original heroes! If Andy is dead because of Chucky or that stupid psychiatrist I’ll be pissed. I mean I’m super sad about Nadine ... explains her actress’ instagram though....again she was becoming my fav of the group... but should have saw it coming. I mean she was sweet, naive to the group and the bigger picture, .... lets be honest I think we all kinda knew their “less than a day” brainwashing wasn’t gonna work.

And if Jake falls for this I’m not gonna lie I’ll roll my eyes... mostly cause well I don’t know if Don Mancini is getting too “thought provoking” with Chucky’s character (s) ... but pft I’m sorry I don’t see Chucky as someone who was turned evil. That crazy psychiatrist helped .. I guess but like Tiff I just see that these characters just honestly chose to follow evil/murder, yada, yada.

So what I assume is an “exorcism”  or some form of demon purging? Part of me is skeptical but aslo curious... as far as I know this series has never tried you know “mixing  cultures” or religions? I dunno cause I assume Chucky’s soul jumping is due to voodooism? so... using a Catholic/Christian stuff to defeat him... uhh interesting but still skeptical becausee we got two more episodes. Plus not gonna lie be almost funny if the “excorcism” or whatever backfired and he possessed the priest. Not funny haha just I dunno.

Any thoughts.... uhh the supposed fight that happened between buff Chuck and “Colonel” Chuck was kinda disappointing... I mean arsenic? Really would had been cool to see a real fight but ahh well. Maybe Mancini couldn’t afford it.

Sooo... Glenda is either not sure what they want or maybe changing minds on following the killer family footsteps. I’m not against the idea but two more eps lets see what happens.

The psychiatrist knew Chucky as a kid... okay...still not buying she made him evil. More of wondering whats her ultimate goal? Does she have a thing for killers? Is this like a ref to that ”Cult of Chucky” where she’s some disciple? I’m just “What is your endgame?”.... Sister Ruth’s nuts 8B. But I think it was obvious when she saw the dumb doll as god. And maybe the next Tiff? I dunno the part were steroid Chuck was all “you should dye your hair blonde”. Felt like a nod to Tiff. Maybe we’re getting a new teamup (if Mancini gets another season)

Though endgames again whats gonna happen to Tiff and the twins? Glenda’s having... identity crises? or conflict of feelings... will the twins really return to their old vessel? Tiff and Tilly... are the group gonna make them switch back? I just I dunno whats gonna happen here. If by some miracle Tiff switches back, Tilly’s still in a bind cause she’d be somewhat framed for the crimes Tiff committed. Plus I really wanna see Tiff get her punishment for what she put Nica through.

Think thats about it. Sorry to see Nadine go. Hope the original kids Andy/Kyle survive this season. I admit I dunno what  Mancini has planned for them, but I’d rather have them retire instead of being killed off. Just let the kids retire if he ever plans to shelve them.

Want Nica freed too. Kinda feel if  Mancini ever retired them, she’d be the new “andy” to take on that mantle. Don’t have anything else cause we got two more eps.

[jovialyouthmusic]

Protect and Serve

Masterlist

Featuring my OC, Sophia Turner who arrives at the Royal Palace of Cordonia just before Prince Liam’s social season starts, to work on the staff. She is closely watched by the dark haired head of security, Bastien Lykel… This fic will eventually become NS*W, no under 18s please

1 Arrival - Drake

2 Settling In - Leo

3 Finding her feet - Maxwell

4 Just Routine - Liam

5 The Protector - Bastien

6 A spoke in the wheel - Riley

7 Temptation - Sophia

8a Intimate - ??

coming soon…

8b  Intimate - Sophia and Bastien (to be posted 24 hours after 8a)

9 Back to Earth

10 Feeling Special - first time

10a Feeling Special - three and maybe more

[sharpeshelen]

(1) As a Suits & Darvey fan from day one 8 years ago, I think 8.15 was the first time I was really upset with Donna and didn't agree with her actions in telling Thomas what Harvey told her, which he only did bc she begged him to and then accused him of "putter her in this position". So I was really apprehensive about how everything would go down with the firm being sued and if Darvey would finally get together in the finale. The whole of the finale I was actually on my toes and wasn't sure how

(2) it would all play out, but I had a feeling it would be Robert bc of how he had been acting the past few times we saw him about Louis’s mugging and Samantha helping him. So I was really emotional when it all happened and he took the fall, I’m really gonna miss him and Samantha together - and I adore Katherine Heigl but wasn’t sure how she’d fit into the show but I do love Samantha now. Esp after how she said “I’d never let her go” to Harvey about Donna, and Louis talking to Harvey about Donna(3) Louis talking to Harvey about Donna too - loved all that foreshadowing. I really missed Katrina in this finale. So I’m really OCD and while the ending was something I happily screamed about, something felt kinda off about it and I think it’s the way it was shot. Like the way their hands were moving on each other felt a little too staged and careful, and I wanted to see more of Harvey’s face, esp when Donna leads him to the bedroom. And also, I’m really hoping Thomas and Donna had broken up(4) up by then, and that Harvey would have known that or something, because the whole cheating thing is just no thanks. So 9.01 better start with them in Donna’s bed together!! and I was reading an interview Gabriel did with Tv Line I think, about how he’d love for some of the humor to come back and I totally agree! Strawberries and whipped cream and banter and CAN OPENER, please!!! Mike HAS to come for the final season, really sad Meghan most likely won’t be able to make, and I also saw a Korsh(5) Korsh interview where he mentioned a baby, wedding, and death - and the death is making me really anxious. anyway, sorry this got so long but I just have a lot of feelings to share with a fellow suitor - glad to have you back!

Hey there nonny! First of all thank you, I’m glad to be back as well!

As for Suits, I decided to stop watching after 8A cause the show wasn’t IT for me anymore. The season 7 finale really disappointed me and I tried to give 8A a shot but I wasn’t feeling it, and with my life being a little bit busy at the moment I thought it was the right moment to stop (especially since Darvey was going nowhere). When 8B started I wasn’t watching but I kinda followed the story through my twitter feed and saw what was happening. I knew about Thomas, I knew about the 8x13 ending, etc. But, since I wasn’t properly watching and still haven’t fully catched up on 8B yet, I can’t really judge Donna’s behavior. 

As for the show, for me, there has been a huge decrease in terms of consistency and quality of the writing and that’s what made me stop. That being said, I still love the characters with all my heart and my love for Donna and Harvey (who have always been my number one OTP) came back full time when I saw the season 8 finale. I’ve also been loving Samantha since the beginning, and I love how her character has evolved. I’m sad Katrina isn’t getting a full-time storyline considering I love Amanda Schull’s acting and I won’t comment on her storyline with Brian (KORSH WHAT THE HELL WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU WROTE THAT STORYLINE!!!!!!!)

So… overall 8x16 felt like old Suits, I won’t say it was as good as its beginning but it was better than what they’ve done in a while. I’m really excited to see where season 9 will take the show and Darvey. I’m so happy we’re getting a full season of them being together for REAL, and I’m so glad they all want their earlier banter back cause that’s what I’ve been missing for a while and I always wanted them to be like that when they’d be together. (And I really enjoyed the last scene, I thought it was staying pretty close to their true selves. The fact they didn’t have to say a single word but they just knew by looking into each other’s eyes speaks volumes. And trust me, I’ve been disappointed by ships who got together a bit too late before…) 

Here’s to my unability to stay away from Suits for more than six episodes but more importantly, here’s to DARVEY FINALLY BEING CANON!

[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne

#106: The Bond (8x09)

Michonne is pretty much the definition of “every woman” in that she is so many wonderful things in one. She has the ability to be a courageous warrior, compassionate friend, loyal wife, and wise leader. It’s all in her, y’all. 😊

And what I love is that throughout her relationship with Carl and Judith we got to see another layer to Michonne; the protective mom. 

And this episode is no exception, cuz Michonne is with Carl after the explosion goes off and then she turns around and tries to take some matters into her own hands. 

She gets up and briskly walks over to Dwight and demands for him to “Make it stop.” And then she throws him against the wall. Sis ain’t come to play with nobody. 👏🏽💯

It’s impressive to see Michonne take action despite everything, because she knows the last thing Carl needs right now is to be dealing with their community being blown up. 

It’s also sort of great to see Michonne get to have this assertive moment because, while Dwight has done his part to show he’s changed by now, he is still the one who captured her, Rosita, Daryl and Glenn in 6x15, so she deserves to throw him around a bit lol. 

She repeats for Dwight to “Make them stop” and then Dwight looks at her with what does seem like genuine remorse and says, “I can’t.” 

Michonne, with more desperation but also determination in her voice, says, “You can. You’re one of them. They’ll listen to you.” And then in more of a plea she says “Please” twice. 

And the second “please” really gets me because that’s when you really hear how vulnerable she is. 😥

We’ve seen the pain and emotional state she’s in since Carl’s bite reveal but this moment with Dwight is when it really hits home just how much she’s hurting and scared to have to lose yet another son.

So then Rosita steps in knowing that Michonne shouldn’t have to deal with this rn, which imo is the most likable thing Rosita’s done on the show.

She says they should go to Hilltop and then this becomes a whole conversation with Daryl, Tara, Rosita, and Dwight. And Michonne is still in the huddle but you can tell she’s not truly in the huddle, as it’s clear the only thing she truly can focus on right now is Carl.

They end up deciding to wait and then Michonne walks back over to Carl, where she’s meant to be.

And now we get into the heartfelt exchanges of the episode. 😭  Like from here on out this episode puts the foot on the gas in terms of emotional interactions. 

Michonne is back with Carl and lovingly tending to him as he looks up at her. Again, I’m glad Carl has Michonne as this woman who can be that maternal comfort. 

He tells her “You left. You were supposed to be resting.” and then Michonne sweetly says “I’m not tired.”

I adore this. ☺️ It’s sweet seeing Carl concerned about her and I think it’s also precious that she wants to be reassuring to Carl that she’s okay despite the fact that she probably is extremely exhausted, especially considering she just recently had to fight off that grown man Savior who grabbed her earlier.

So then Carl smiles and says, “Yeah, you look great” and it’s cute that he wants to be lighthearted with her, knowing how much she’s hurting. 

This whole situation is so heavy so I appreciate that their exchange serves as a reminder of the more playful side of their bond. Cuz we’ve seen throughout the years how Carl and Michonne were always so good at making each other smile, and I’m glad we get to see that in their final episode together.

Carl then takes this opportunity to communicate to Michonne his outlook on this whole war and their current circumstances by saying,  “It’s gotta stop, Michonne. It’s not supposed to be like this. I know it can be better.”

(Y’all I’m trying to tell TWD these exact words lol.)

It’s sweet that Carl really wants both Rick and Michonne to understand his hope for peace, cuz he wants both Rick and Michonne to be at peace once he’s gone.

And then the next part is another one of my favorite moments of the episode. Because Michonne hears Carl out and then we see Rick look over to her and then place his hand on her arm to offer comfort and y’all I am so here for this.😊

Up until this point R&M’s focus has been on Carl so I love that we get a brief moment of seeing Rick connecting with Michonne and wanting to be there for her too. She always has his attention.

And it’s just a sweet visual to see the three of them together in this moment because they are 100% family. Like it’s crystal clear that she is in their immediate family and that not only is she meant to be here with them but you can also sense how grateful Rick and Carl are to have her here with them as well. 

It takes me back to season 4 when the three of them really officially became family and now here we’re seeing how they’ve only gotten closer since.

So then Daryl and some guys head up to check out the aftermath of the Saviors attack and Daryl hands Judith to Rick while trying to offer Daryl’s form of comfort in patting Rick’s shoulder. 

It’s sweet seeing Rick take Judith, as sad as it is knowing that she’ll be his only living kid by the end of the episode. 😭

There’s then another clip of red-eyed Rick and then another dream sequence, this time including Eugene, which at the time I was like...

And then it again cuts to Rick and Michonne shoveling which hurts even more having now seen some of how Carl spent his final moments with them.

So next, Rick is sitting with Judith and Carl in the tunnel and then Michonne returns over to them after getting the update of what the group’s next move will be. 

I really appreciate that Michonne is able to be Rick’s partner in this and can be the one to get info and relay it to him so that he doesn’t have to leave Carl’s side.

Rick sees her and stands up and I just realized that Michonne is the only person that Rick was really able to talk to apart from Carl and briefly Siddiq in this episode. And it makes sense cuz for him, the only people he has on his mind right now are his kids and his wife.

So Michonne lets him know the Saviors are gone and they can get everyone to Hilltop. 

She says, “We can get Carl there.” And Rick responds saying, “Carl? No.”  Michonne suggests that Daryl can get one of the cars and then the line that punches my heart every time is Rick then saying, “Carl won’t make it.” 😥😥😥

It’s painful to see this dad have to come to terms with the fact that his son doesn’t have much time left and how it’s hard for him to even utter that sentence. 😭

Rick says, “He can’t leave here, I have to stay with him.” We hear Michonne say Rick’s name and then Rick says “He can’t. I have to stay” As tragic as it is, he’s right. 

But what I love is that as high as emotions are for the both of them, there’s still something so loving and patient in the way R&M speak to each other.

So Michonne looks at this man she loves and she understands where he’s coming from as a parent, so she reassuringly says, “We’ll both stay.” Which I love of course, because Sis is staying by his and Carl’s side no matter what.

There’s a quiet moment between them and then Rick says, “Would you take Judith? She needs to be there. If she…” and then we see Rick more fully break down. 

You can tell the idea of losing both kids is just too much for him to even think about. So he’s finally allowing himself to cry and I like that he knows he can be this vulnerable and emotional with Michonne. It’s yet another testament to the depth of their relationship.

Now y’all, at first I was like “Rick, you have to know there is no way on this earth that Michonne could just leave without you or without Car”l. But then I realized the reason he asked is because Michonne is who he trusts most, with everything in life but especially with something as important as Judith. 

So he asks because at his most vulnerable he wants Judith in the best hands, and also he wants both his girls to go and make it somewhere safe.

Daryl luckily steps in and says he’ll take her and he’s got this which is nice to see Daryl taking this initiative as a close friend of the two, and allowing Rick and Michonne to stay together. Cuz fr, if Rick and Michonne do nothing else, they need to stick together, especially at this time. 

I’m glad that in this moment the two people closest to Rick, apart from his kids, make it so clear to him that they are going to do everything they can to be there for him. 

Michonne and Daryl didn’t know Rick before the apocalypse, but it’s great to see how they’ve spent enough time with him and built a strong enough bond with him that they could be by his side and supporting him during the literal worse moment of his life, as he loses his only son. 

(Side note: I still think at some point in 8B Daryl needed to more fully acknowledge his contribution to the plan going wrong tho, but that’s another conversation lol)

So then realizing this is it, and Judith will be heading out soon Carl says “Let me say goodbye” and y’all when I heard that I was legit like...

Before it even happened I knew this next moment with Carl saying goodbye to Judith was going to be super emotional. And it absolutely was. 😭 So this next post might just be 50% break down and then 50% breakdown lol. But the moment is so beyond heartwarming too so we gotta go there. 

As far as the moments in this post go tho, I’m glad that these exchanges illustrated the bonds built between characters.

And I especially appreciate that the layers of playfulness and protectiveness between Carl and Michonne were on display, cuz those two have always had one of the most genuine bonds in TV.👌🏽

[statusquoergo]

Thanks for the answer. Very enlightening. Especially Korsh’s interview. Now I’m sure I won’t watch 8b. 8a was so boring if the rest will be the same caliber then I’m done.

The video Lawyer react : I found him sometimes ago and I was waiting for him to do a reaction to Suits. I was a little disappointed that, at the interview, he didn’t seem to understand that they weren’t law students and they weren’t there for a « summer associate » position. It through me off a little because I couldn’t understand how he could make that mistake. To me it was clearly said that Harvey was suppose to hire a full time lawyer who graduated to be his associate. It was bizarre. Other than that, he gave interesting informations, he was very enthusiastic and explain pretty well. And it was funny how many times they were facing disbarment in just one episode. And the witness tempering, awesome : they don’t even do it right. 

Thank you for the article. It was fun to read. Almost made me want to watch 8b so I could read another review like that. I went and read other Suits review from him and they were as entertaining as this one.

One thing I got from all of them is that there is basically nothing accurate in Suits. And I’m not even surprised. I knew they were exaggerating, I knew that they were solving cases to quickly and too easily and I always wonder why they were fighting each other as they’re suppose to be on the same side. But, damn, I didn’t know it was that bad. And according to him, it’s getting worse. I knew that about the writing but it’s also the case for the law. The worst is that they don’t even care : mistakes at the beginning, I can understand, but after 8 years. You’d think that they’ll try to makes things a little more accurate. No, what for ? Apparently they’re writing everything last minute, that explains why nothing is verified.

Thanks for the laugh. Strangely, it made me feel better about watching last season. Felt lot less like I was wasting my time than before I read the article.

Sure thing! Glad I could be of some assistance.

I think he understood that Harvey was looking for an associate of his own, but he used the summer associate model to describe the closest thing he could to the process that was going on in the show; especially since so much stress was put on the fact that Pearson Hardman only hires from Harvard, the implication seemed (to me at least) that they were hiring recent graduates. Also (someone please correct me if I’m mistaken) I believe that major corporate attorneys don’t generally hire “personal associates”; associates at large firms would do well to find mentors, and of course partners might favor certain associates over others, but they tend to be hired as part of a pool rather than attached to one specific partner, senior or otherwise.

Korsh has said that Suits wouldn’t be Suits without some kind of internal strife; well, he didn’t use the word “strife,” but he indicated that personal drama is a cornerstone of the show, so pardon me for dressing it up a little. Though I’m sure that real law firms encounter their fair share of infighting, I sincerely, profoundly hope that it doesn’t devolve into partners fighting against partners, jockeying for what is apparently a largely fictitious position. (Though the fact that firms rarely rebrand does make all of Pearson Hardman etc. etc.’s name changes even more ludicrous, which is actually kind of funny.)

The writers certainly do seem to think that the main character interplay is the thing drawing people in, which makes me wonder why they won’t just admit that the show is a soap opera and give up on the legal pretense entirely. They clearly don’t have the slightest clue as to what they’re talking about, so I say either learn, or shut up about it. But no, they keep stringing along the two threads side by side, hoisting up their law-adjacent plots as though they’re captivating the audience; really, though, does anyone give a damn anymore? The cases are insanely convoluted, as though the writers are trying to prove what adept legal scholars they are when in fact it’s just the opposite, but all that does is make me so confused that I completely give up trying to follow them practically as soon as they begin. (Until yet another ham-fisted parallel raises its ugly head, but that’s not even about following the case, that’s just me waking from a doze to point out that they’re recycling yet another plot from an early season and either hoping we don’t notice, or hoping we make the connection and find them just so terribly profound, even though they usually don’t make anything of the connection.)

In previous articles, Korsh has said that he plans out seasons in advance, but then they somehow get through everything he had planned in the first half and have to scramble to come up with filler for the back half. I’m not sure if that’s still their model, or if now they’re forgoing planning anything at all, but either way, it doesn’t demonstrate a whole lot of respect for their audience to be flying blind like this. I would think that at least, they’ve known since the beginning where they want to go with Samantha’s character, but apparently not! They’ve got so many plots they’re juggling now, they don’t know if they’ll even get around to her. (They sure dropped that bit about her time in the armed forces awfully quickly.)

I guess I was hoping that, with the departure of Mike and Rachel, they would’ve plotted this season out in excruciating detail to make it the best that it could be with the new dynamics… I know, I know, a foolish thought, but don’t worry, I’ve learned my lesson.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

On Beth’s Action Figure

Sent in by Nonny:

I honestly think Beth won’t return until like Season 9 but if not, then 10. I think she’ll return in season 9 because of these links:

https://mcfarlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WebReady_TWD_TV_S9_Beth_02.jpg 

https://mcfarlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WebReady_TWD_TV_S9_Beth_03.jpg 

https://mcfarlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WebReady_TWD_TV_S9_Beth_04.jpg 

https://mcfarlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WebReady_TWD_TV_S9_Beth_05.jpg 

https://mcfarlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WebReady_TWD_TV_S9_Beth_06.jpg 

I know that these are just pics of her action figure but have you ever noticed something about the link of the pic that might tells us something. I know that the toy series are completely different than the actual TV show but what if that’s not the case for the Beth figure? I mean look at the way how mcfarlane did a photo shoot of her figure. Her poses especially with her two guns is something that we’ve never seen her before do that before on TV even with her infamous yellow polo with her pale-cloud ribbed cardigan. 

What if this is Gimple’s plan to make Beth return in the next season after Season 8B finishes airing if she doesn’t return after it finishes airing? What if Gimple’s way of telling us that Season 9 is actually our season of Beth finally making a return to our TV screen and that Season 8 was just a big preparation of her big return? 

I mean look at this: https://i.imgur.com/ytnGWTo.png 

I found this at the wikia website and they’re never wrong about posting details of the TV shows after/during it airs. Honestly, I can only think of Beth being re-introduced to the series of the TV show in season 9 from what Gimple stated about Season 9. 

If once again, that’s not the case, then there’s always the “Red Machete” series ;) I mean Claimer Joe returned, so, why can’t Beth return and take over the Red Machete series? I mean it’s a good way to catch up her story to Rick’s and rest of TF’s so that it wouldn’t interfere with the main show’s story. 

Do you understand what I’m getting at here? Any thoughts, opinions? Please let me and rest of your followers, friends, peeps, and family members know! :D

 TWDMusicBoxMystery:

I’m totally with ya, Nonny. Actually, TD has suspected for a long time that the Beth action figures hint at her future arc. There’s all kinds of things that make no sense based on what we’ve seen of her so far in the show. Here are a few that I’ve written: X, X, X. But I know there are tons more. BGWP and BGIHU have both done a lot more on this subject than I have, but I don’t have their links in front of me.

And actually, the middle link above has a figurine of her in her Grady scrubs, holding up a pair of scissors. It’s really not in me to see that as a coincidence.

You say the toys are different than the show, but I disagree. I think they base the figurines on the character arcs in the show. That’s why it’s so weird that they put these things out or do photo shoots, as you said, in poses or with weapons that we never saw in the show.

Some of these were taken back in 2015, but some in the links I provided above were later than that. We always think they’re suspicious, and it’s true that she hasn’t shown up yet. It’s like they do something with the figurines each year to keep her fresh in our minds and hint that there’s more to come.

As for what Gimple said about S9, that does actually make a lot of sense. While I do think we’ll see Beth this season, if we only see her briefly, then S9 may be the season where we get a lot more explanation, flashbacks, etc. pertaining to her arc. And hey, Heath’s return being tied up with hers would just mean we were right about all those symbols around him in S7.

Can’t wait to see how it all plays out! Xoxo!

[ladystylestores]

7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (Aug 10-16)

posted August 7, 2020 by Gina

A free 7-day, flexible weight loss meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and updated WW Smart Points.

7-Day Healthy Meal Plan

I hope everyone is doing well this week! As many of you know, I live in Long Island NY, and we were hit pretty hard from tropical storm Isaias. We had some property damage and have been out of power since. I am thankful we are all OK, but I am asking for patience this week as my internet accessibility is pretty much non existent at this time. Crossing fingers that the electricity is back on soon, I know there are so many without!

Why Should Everyone Meal Plan?

Meal planning is a great way to organize your meals for the week ahead. You also save time and money in the supermarket! And of course, planning ahead helps you stick to your goals!

About The Meal Plan

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing! If you wish to get on the email list, you can subscribe here so you never miss a meal plan!

Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2020! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated WW Blue SP for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (8/10) B: Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins* (2B 4G 2P) with 1 cup strawberries (0B 0G 0P) L: Turkey Club (7B 8G 7P) D: Zucchini Rollatini (recipe x 2) (8B 8G 8P) with Vegan Caesar Salad (3B 1G 1P) Totals: WW Points 20B 21G 18P, Calories 1,003**

TUESDAY (8/11) B: Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins (2B 4G 2P) with 1 cup strawberries (0B 0G 0P) L: LEFTOVER Zucchini Rollatini (8B 8G 8P) D: Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps (0B 5G 5P) with 2 tablespoons cheddar (2B 2G 2P) and Fiesta Lime Rice (2B 4G 2P)

Totals: WW Points 14B 23G 19P, Calories 994**

WEDNESDAY (8/12) B:  Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins (2B 4G 2P) with a peach (0B 0G 0P) L: LEFTOVER Zucchini Rollatini (8B 8G 8P) D: Spaghetti with Sautéed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes (7B 9G 2P)

Totals: WW Points 17B 21G 12P, Calories 871**

THURSDAY (8/13) B: Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothie (½ recipe) (7B 7G 7P) L: Chickpea Avocado Salad (3B 8G 3P) D: Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops (6B 4G 6P) with Houston’s Couscous Salad (7B 7G 4P) Totals: WW Points 23B 26G 20P, Calories 868**

FRIDAY (8/14) B: Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothie (½ recipe) (7B 7G 7P) L: Chickpea Avocado Salad (3B 8G 3P) D: Basil-Parmesan Crusted Salmon (3B 6G 3P) with ¾ cup brown rice (5B 5G 0P) and Massaged Raw Kale Salad (2B 2G 2P)

Totals: WW 20B 28G 15P, Calories 956**

SATURDAY (8/15) B: Stuffed Bagel Balls*** (5B 6G 5P) with a peach (0B 0G 0P) L: Creamy Shrimp and Celery Salad (2B 3G 2P) D: ORDER IN!

Totals: WW Points 7B 9G 7P, Calories 391**

SUNDAY (8/16) B: Crustless Quiche Lorraine (5B 7G 5P) with 1 ½ cups mixed greens and 1 tablespoon light vinaigrette (1B 1G 1P) L: Easy Margarita Pizza (6B 7G 6P) with 8 baby carrots (0B 0G 0P) D: Grilled Bourbon Chicken (4B 8G 4P) with Cauliflower Fried “Rice” (1B 2G 1P) Totals: WW Points 17B 25G 17P, Calories 1,000**

*Freeze any leftover you/your family won’t eat. **This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. ***Double dough recipe, adjusting baking powder, for lunch Sun.

*Google doc

Print Shopping List

Shopping List

Produce

5 medium peaches

1 (1-pound) container fresh strawberries

1 (6-ounce) container fresh blueberries

1 medium banana

5 medium lemons

5 medium limes

2 medium heads garlic

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger

1 small bunch radishes

1 medium head cauliflower

4 large zucchinis

1 small and 2 medium cucumbers

1 small red bell pepper

1 medium ear of corn

1 small bunch celery

1 small bag baby carrots

1 small (5-ounce) Hass avocado

2 medium bunches scallions

1 small container/bunch fresh chives

1 large container/bunch fresh basil

1 small container/bunch fresh mint

1 small bunch fresh cilantro

1 small bunch fresh Italian parsley

1 small container/bunch fresh rosemary

1 medium head Iceberg lettuce

1 medium bunch Lacinato kale

1 small container microgreens (optional, for Vegan Caesar)

4 small heads Romaine lettuce

1 (5-ounce) container mixed greens

2 dry pints grape or cherry tomatoes

2 large vine-ripened tomatoes

2 small yellow onions

Meat, Poultry and Fish

1 package center-cut bacon

3 ounces sliced deli turkey breast (I like Boar’s Head)

1 1/3 pound 99% lean ground turkey

3 pounds (6) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 ¼ pounds (4) salmon fillets

1 pound cooked peeled and deveined shrimp (can buy raw and cook yourself, if desired)

1 ¾ pounds (8) bone-in lamb loin chops

Grains*

1 loaf whole grain sliced bread (such as Dave’s Killer)

1 small package quick oats

1 package unbleached all-purpose flour

1 package regular or whole wheat spaghetti

1 package dry long grain rice (can sub 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice, if desired)

1 package dry brown rice (or 3 cups pre-cooked)

1 package dry whole wheat couscous

Condiments and Spices

Extra virgin olive oil

Canola oil

Cooking spray

Olive oil spray (or get a Misto oil mister)

Kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal)

Pepper grinder (or fresh peppercorns)

Regular or light mayonnaise

Crushed red pepper flakes

Dijon mustard

Garlic powder

Cumin

Chili powder

Paprika

Oregano

Vanilla extract

Unfiltered apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg’s)

Bagel Ball toppings such as everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, or dried onion flakes (optional)

Old Bay seasoning

Nutmeg

Reduced sodium soy sauce*

BBQ sauce

Sesame oil

Light vinaigrette dressing (or make your own with ingredients in list)

Dairy & Misc. Refrigerated Items

2 dozen large eggs

1 medium wedge Gruyere cheese

1 (8-ounce) bag shredded cheddar cheese

1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 small wedge fresh Parmesan cheese

1 medium wedge fresh Pecorino Romano cheese

1 (8-ounce) block reduced fat cream cheese

1 (4-ounce) chunk whole milk mozzarella cheese

1 (8-ounce) part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pint half and half

1 small tub light sour cream

1 (8-ounce) bottle 2% milk

1 (8-ounce) container unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 (17.5-ounce) tub nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Frozen

1 small bag peas and carrots

1 small package chopped spinach

Canned and Jarred

1 jar marinara sauce (or ingredients to make your own)

1 small jar capers

1 (4-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (15-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes

1 small jar unsweetened apple sauce

1 (15-ounce) can black beans

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas

1 (32-ounce) carton low or reduced sodium chicken broth

Misc. Dry Goods

1 small bag sliced almonds

1 small package hemp seeds (if buying from bulk bin, you need 2 tablespoons)

1 small package raw cashews (if buying from bulk bin, you need ½ cup)

1 small package raw sugar

1 small package raisins (if buying from bulk bin, you need ½ cup)

Baking powder

1 small package brown sugar

1 small bottle bourbon

*You can buy gluten free, if desired

  Print Shopping List

posted August 7, 2020 by Gina

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[catherindonald]

Black Pepper – Herb of the Month

By Maryann Readal

Black pepper, Piper nigrum, is a ubiquitous spice that can be found on tables anywhere in the world where food is served. But what is the story behind this popular spice that is used in kitchens the world over? 

P. nigrum is native to the Malabar Coast of southern India. It is also grown in other parts of the tropical world, including Vietnam, which has taken the lead in production by exporting 287,000 tons of black pepper worth $722 million in 2019. This is about 35% of the world’s black pepper trade. 

Pepppercorn drupes. Photo credit: Missouri Botantical Garden

Black pepper is a perennial vine with heart shaped leaves and pendulous flowers. It is grown for its fruit, which is dried and then used as a seasoning. The black pepper vine grows in my Zone 8b garden; however, it has yet to produce any peppercorns, although it bloomed for the first time this year. Maybe one day I will have peppercorns.

“Pepper” comes from the Sanskrit word pippali, which means energy and spiritedness. When we say “peppy,” we are referring to the taste of black pepper that can “pep” us up.

Black, white, and green peppercorns come from the same plant. Black pepper is the dried, unripe fruit. White pepper is the seed of the dried, fully ripe fruit. Green pepper is the dried unripe fruit that is brined to preserve its flavor and color. Pink peppercorns are not a pepper at all, since they come from the Peruvian pepper tree, Schinus molle, which is in the cashew family.

Archaeological evidence shows that black pepper was used as a seasoning in India as early as 2000 BCE. Exportation brought it to Egypt, where it was used as a spice and as a medicine. Containers of peppercorns have been found in Egyptian tombs, and they were even found in the nostrils of Ramses II who was mummified in 1213 BCE. Egyptians were early users of toothpaste, which they made from rock salt, dried iris flowers, black pepper, and mint. Cleopatra is said to have had skin lotions made with black pepper.

With exploration came the spread of black pepper to the Roman Empire, where it was considered so valuable that large quantities were stored in the Roman treasury. The first century Roman cookbook, Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius, featured recipes in which 80% of them called for black pepper. Pliny the Elder (25-79 CE) could not understand the reason for pepper’s popularity. He remarked, “Whereas pepper has nothing in it that can plead as a recommendation to either fruit or berry, its only desirable quality being a certain pungency; and yet it is for this that we import it all the way from India!” Romans used black pepper as a treatment for digestive problems and gas relief. They also used it as currency. When Alaric the Visigoth laid siege to Rome around 400 CE, he demanded a ransom of three thousand pounds of black pepper, along with gold and silver. 

After the fall of Rome, the Persians and then the Arabs were in control of the spice trade. They created fantastic, frightening stories about where pepper grew in order to scare other traders away from the source of black pepper. Their trade created a new empire – the city states of Venice and Genoa. The black pepper trade was responsible, in part, for the wealth of these two cities that sold the commodity to the rest of Europe. 

Due to the high cost of trading between Europe and India, black pepper and other spices became a luxury and a symbol of wealth, as the taste for flavored foods and a belief in the medicinal qualities of spices grew.  Again, it was also used as currency: a pound of black pepper could free a serf, and many a young maiden was married with a black pepper dowry.

With the explorations of Vasco Da Gama and others in the 15th century, trade in black pepper fell to the Portuguese, then to the Dutch, and then to the British East India Company. At one time, pepper accounted for 70% of the world spice trade. As it became more available, prices dropped, and more people were able to use black pepper. As a result, many world cuisines developed special spice/herb blends that included black pepper.

Annual Peppercorn Ceremony in Bermuda. Photo credit: nothingtodoinbermuda.com

An amusing story about black pepper plays out in Bermuda, where each year, the 200 year old Annual Peppercorn Ceremony occurs. During this event, Freemasons present the Governor of Bermuda with one peppercorn on a cushioned silver platter in exchange for their rent of the Old State house. The idea of “peppercorn rent” is still practiced today in England and in other countries, where a nominal fee is charged to rent a property. This refers back to the time when peppercorns were used as currency. 

Piperine, a key constituent in black pepper, is being explored for its antioxidant properties and as a treatment for vitiligo, which is the loss of skin pigmentation (Mihăilă et al, 2019). In addition, piperine is found to fight inflammation, improve digestion, and increase absorption of some herbal and conventional drugs (Streit, 2019). A relatively recent study showed that smelling hot pepper oil helps to reduce the craving to smoke (Cordell & Buckle, 2013).

Black pepper is used extensively in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine to treat digestive tract problems. Traditionally, it was used to treat worms, coughs and colds, sinusitis, dental problems, diarrhea, etc. The oil was used to treat scalp infections and skin diseases. 

Who would have thought that this common culinary spice played such an important role in world history? It was used to pay taxes, ransoms, rent, and dowry. As a medium of exchange, it was called black gold. It was, and still is, an important medicinal ingredient. And, it was the reason sailors set sail on perilous journeys to find a passage to India. Although no longer considered a luxury spice, the world’s demand for black pepper has not abated through the years, and continues to be an important spice in most cuisines. It has a peppery hold in many of our kitchens and still reigns as the “king of spices.”

For more information and recipes using black pepper, go to The Herbs Society of America’s Herb of the Month webpage: https://www.herbsociety.org/hsa-learn/herb-of-the-month.html

Cordell, B. and Buckle, J. (2013). The effects of aromatherapy on nicotine cravings on a U.S. campus: A small comparison study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 19 (8). Accessed May 27, 2020. Available from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2012.0537

Mihăilă,B., Dinică, R.M., Tatu, A.L., and Buzia, O. D. (2019). New insights in vitilago treatments using bioactive compounds from Piper nigrum. Exp Ther Med, 17 (2): 1039-1044. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6327422/

Streit, L. (2019). Is black pepper good for you, or bad? Nutrition, uses, and more. Healthline. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-black-pepper-good-for-you

Medicinal Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not to advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any particular medical or health treatment. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatments.

Maryann Readal is the Secretary of The Herb Society of America. She is a member of the Texas Thyme Unit in Huntsville, TX and is a Master Gardener. She gardens among the pines in the Piney Woods of East Texas.

Black Pepper – Herb of the Month published first on https://marcuskeever.blogspot.com/

[sidebarwebzine]

Clockwise from top: 1.Delicious Warpigs, 2.conveniently named Skaal (cheers in Danish) has many taps to try, 3.supping some delights in Mikkeller bar #1, 4.fermented chips in Brus (read on for noms), 5.Copenhagen inlet awaiting a canal tour, 6.bikes in the snow, 7.MOMO (currently closed) in Copenhagen harbour & 8.traditional pickled herring & dill with rye bread in PIK. 

After some 22 hours in Copenhagen, a kindly waiter taught me my first Danish phrase – moy ab be om (bear with the phonetics!) which means ‘Please can I have’ (I am assured). Landing from Stanstead late on a Friday evening for a city break, we understood how to check in but not how to fit in. Staying at the Babette Guldestein (Bredgade 78, https://guldsmedenhotels.com/) is a how-to in cool. Chilled staff with better English than I could articulate after a Ryan Air delay, welcome us to the hotel. ‘Your booking is already paid for but let us know if there is anything else you need’. As a couple creeping back from the air bnb wilderness of freestyle breakfast dining hours and constant trips to Carrefour, a hotel could have been a system shock. With a leather and light filled lobby, the 24 hour bar in direct line of sight of the reception, four poster beds and a rooftop spa (with admittedly obscure opening hours), it was a very positive shock.

The Guldestein is a family run hotel with 5 substantial branches, expanding slowly since the 90s. Ecologically friendly credentials in everything from towels and toiletries to the organic spirits in the bar and locally sourced seasonal food. Even around 90% of their waste is recycled, if that’s important to you. With every effort to make luxury sustainable, in this world of single use plastic, they are surely in the frame for a stampede of non Brexit Brits and their Keepcups, surprised that they can afford to pretend to fit in there.

The kilometres With 48 hours in Copenhagen and a typically millennial attitude to research: “What is the wifi code?”, we loaded a self guided walking tour into Google, which some generous internet citizen had created and some 18,000 steps later, we were very aware of having highly underestimated the size of little Copenhagen. From The Little Mermaid on her non original rock (she’s been blasted off of it, had her head chopped off and been dressed, probably flatteringly, in underwear) to the barracks at Kastellet, the Palace at Kongens Have, and the University area Kobenhavns. Unicorn spires, university spires and spiral staircase spires. The light festival illuminating several highlights on the waterfront: suspended rubber bouncing pots across from a currently closed Momo, a lucky horseshoe glittering from across the ocean inlet and a flashing corridor of triangles lighting the way.

The consumption Of course there were many pit stops to whet our whistle during this (half) marathon of tourist intake. Friday night favourite The Black Swan (Borgergade 93, http://www.blackswanbar.dk/) had Dulwich vibes with colour blocked bookcases and piles of blankets, not to mention full to the brim with toasty locals. Saturday brought trips to the 61 tap offering in modern Skaal (Kultorvet 11, http://skaal.dk/) where we thawed for a time before offering our patronage after a snowy pilgrimage to Mikkeller #1 (Viktoriagade 8B). Typically for Mikkeller, the bar lurks in an unassuming street with completely missable signage. Reminded of our attempt to visit Mikkeller Reykjavik which we navigated to in the dark, the door of which is located on a veranda entrance above a closed restaurant, the bar was infinitely more discoverable in the land of the original Mikkeller. Off to War Pigs (Flæsketorvet 25, http://warpigs.dk/) we trooped in the snow because if you’re not traipsing to the continent to drink schooners and eat smoked meats in an industrial estate then should you even be allowed to drink craft beer? The Burnt Ends Baked Beans cannot be described, they must be experienced. The runners club loitering in there seemed in need of the justification to endure the weather by their destination, at least they had worked that Bisket off before arriving.

Later a tasting menu of much herring and other local fare was had at Restaurant Puk (Vandkunsten 8, https://www.restaurantpuk.dk/) and satisfied that the basic budget was likely blown with beer starting prices of 105kr, we indulged in nightcaps of freshly tapped beers listed on digital screens at Tap House (Lavendelstræde 15, https://taphouse.dk/). The Library Bar (Bernstorffsgade 4, https://ligula.se/da/the-library-bar) came highly recommended by the owner at PUK but dear reader, another kilometre might have killed me.

Sunday dawned bright and flipping freezing as flat cities in high pressure seem want to be. Attempting to emulate the stylish Danes in their wool coats, sensible leather apparel and excellent posture, we hopped on bikes and slowly lost finger function using the illogical maps of pedal powered rental bike mapping and headed over to Norrebro to Mikkeller (Stefansgade 35), happily local to the bike docking point and BRUS. BRUS (Guldbergsgade 29, https://tapperietbrus.dk/) is nothing short of perfect, personally. An echo of any interpretation of Scandi style but simplicity beautifully executed in a reasonably ‘up and coming’ area. Cozy up in a booth for hot bar snacks (never miss out on the fermented chips) or sit down in the open, tactile wonder of the restaurant where the open kitchen further astounds. That it is in a one story former storage block will give you some idea of scale but added hygge came in the form of optional blankets for the concrete seats and the warm feeling inevitably left by 7% beer.

The chaos The Copenhagens take traffic seriously. Crossing at a zebra, we were hauled up on offence some 300m from the crossing itself. The crime: utilising an (assumed) zebra crossing ineffectively. Their ‘Why did you do that?’ fell on confused faces (not even fresh from the pub yet) as it transpired that crime is so low in Denmark the police will roughly educate you in the rules of the road, even as a confused foreign pedestrian. Needless to say we were pedantic pedestrians for the remainder of the duration.

Outside of the mild peril with the Police, a 48 hour break in Copenhagen for us was just enough time. Seeing the city on foot was a great way to find our bearings on top of allowing us to discover the inventive kitchen creations of a very winter City and then warm up with significantly warming Belgian strength beer. You may note that the canal tour pictured is not covered. If you want somewhere cozy to go for an hour which is not a bar, that is the outing for you. In other wins however, we also covered 24.4k in our two days on the ground leaving us in no doubt that little Copenhagen, is not so.

The conclusion 48 hours in Copenhagen. I wish I’d never left. A wool coat and walking boots might not be the danish style but as it turns out, the Danes don’t need you to fit in as much as they want you to file in. Every one welcoming and beautiful, complete with a thorough grasp of English syntax and idioms, it’s easy to feel at home in a country that remains beautifully alien.

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Copenhagen Clockwise from top: 1.Delicious Warpigs, 2.conveniently named Skaal (cheers in Danish) has many taps to try, 3.supping some delights in Mikkeller bar #1, 4.fermented chips in Brus (read on for noms), 5.Copenhagen inlet awaiting a canal tour, 6.bikes in the snow, 7.MOMO (currently closed) in Copenhagen harbour & 8.traditional pickled herring & dill with rye bread in PIK. 

[moonstone27ls]

TMNT being cancelled?

Guess I’m surprised cause there’s no official word. Second... I was hoping if they were planning to “end the series” to move to a movie at least do it evenly. I mean Nick we got 26 the first season. So its only fair season 2 gets an even 26 as well.

Am I mad? Not really, cause if Big Mama was their endgame for Splinter, I’d rather not dread the worse for the boys or for that matter more stupid love drama. I’m sorry I love this version but Nick or some shows in general seem to aim for love drama and it ruins the show/or characters for me. Star was ruined with that crappy love triangle/rectangle(being rushed), (starco people don’t start, I respect you love the ship. but the writers ruined the moment for me. Hard for me to root for a couple that hurt their partners and I’ll be honest the “best friend true love” trope’s been done a MILLION times. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I’m “ughhhhh again but I liked the other dude”) Korra... was that also damn love triangle I still can not look at Mako the same. with 12k version of TMNT it was that stupid love triangle they had to put with Casey/April/Donnie. Its the only time I had quit a turtle series and was actually sick and tired of Donnie. And before a shipper gets in my face let me not I did ship him and April before this series in 2003 version I thought the idea was cute. (Was really more of a Raph/April shipper but I digress). I only shipped her and Casey in the movie version. 2003 version was kinda not interested in them(same for the animated movie version) So I as I said love drama tends to ruin a character(s) for me or the story.

What did I want for the series before it ended

I wanted to see if Raph/Casey would still have that friendship dynamic. Every version for the most part has always had their special friendship.

Casey having girls night with April and Sunita

MEET APRIL’S PARENTS XD. The show acknowledge she has them. We were told she’s know the turtles for 5 years. Actually stating that I want a meet flashback ep. Little 11 yearold April being friends with them XD her meeting Splinter. Gah I can imagine the awesomeness!

Piebald, she was only given one ep. And Mikey tends to treat everyone like family XD. So kinda wish she’d come back and be part of this colorful family.

I wanted establish if the “mutants” could be returned to normal or not. I mean I dunno this story is different from the others. Draxum’s reformed kinda wondered if they would return the ones that want to be normal back to themselves.(or at least that poor kitten Mrs. Nubbins)

I kinda wanted Huginn and Muninn back. I dunno I thought they were cute little lackeys for Draxum. Again I can see Mikey offering them a “dog bed” they wanted so badly XD.

Speaking of characters... what happened to Mayhem? you’d think for the “finale” he’d be more useful than Big Mama (nick please drop that ship8P)

We didn’t get enough interaction with Baxter Stockboy/Stockman 8B.

Tang Shen, the fact that we didn’t give her a real character makes me disappointed. As I’ve said before would have loved her to come back, as either an old flame(whether just bitter ex, or the “one that got away), old co-worker, or one of the few people that knew about Yoshi’s calling. Seeing Yoshi’s grandfather made me imagine “what if she saw them have a fight... what if she tries to get him to talk to his grandfather.” or she chastized him for being selfish.

I wanted Bishop again and this time I want him as a villain. 2012′s version made me annoyed they wasted a good opportunity for a shady government character for a “oh yayz its another good guy”. You want another scary villain, in my opinion Bishop would be a good one.

Drop the Big Mama/Splinter thing. Seriously drop it, Big Mama has no real character (as a love interest). And I’ve seen couples were they dual with good & evil or whatever or maybe a better ref would be the “bad girl/boy”.Best example of that ship is Goldie/Scrooge, Batman with Catwoman/or Talia Al Ghul, Spiderman/Black Cat, Brock/ Moltov Cocktease (Venture Bros), to a degree Buffy/Angle/Spike(only 90s people know this ref), Lupin/Fujikio (though both are bad in some moral way) & Bulma/Vegeta, even 90s Xena and Gabrielle fell for a baddie now & then that got reformed for them. As a character Mama’s done nothing to prove to me she really loves Yoshi or his kids, the show knows she doesn’t care so her last scene doesn’t prove it to me. As a villain awesome. But is she Catwoman/or even a Goldie(Ducktales ref) nope. Archer’s more redeemable than her and he’s a selfish moron. (dont take that too personal I love that show but just admitting what he is). Don’t hate me shippers and yes I know I’ve said it more than once XD. But as I said some tropes work for me... and some don’t. This was one of them

We didn’t get Usagi crossover. (maybe if the movie proceedes they’ll do it for that) but we gotta have one 8B

Characters from the series I wanted either cameo or given more of a role Leatherhead, Klunk, & Jhanna. Would say whats her name Renet and the dino aliens but they’ve been done two times already, so while I’d like them as easter eggs or whatever kinda not gonna miss them.

More of Hamato Yoshi’s family, can’t really believe that Yoshi, his mother and grandfather were all that were left. Comic wise Hamato Yoshi does have a possible niece? So I dunno maybe they could give him a distant cousin.

Lastly tell us who Big Mama’s assistant was .We never got their name or who they are.... WHO WERE THEY?!!