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xlady-saya · 4 years ago

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i’ve had a love of my own [ch 1]

Relationships: andrew/neil

Summary: Despite everything Neil could’ve imagined for his life, he never thought he’d be here, finally giving the world the interview they’ve always wanted.

It’s been decades, but even with his numerous accolades and sports wins, he finds that they’re the least important thing about his life.

Neil can’t help but laugh. Andrew would be so annoyed if he were here.

Of course, Neil only wants to talk about him, and the life they spent together.

Tags: interviews, post canon, major character death but not how u think I swear lol, neil is an old man retelling his memories about andrew, cheesy romance, post retirement, see more tags on ao3

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Neil pricks himself on the old Palmetto pin as he fixes it to his collar, jabbing the same spot on his thumb he hit just a week before.

He hardly winces at the feeling these days, and for a long time, Matt joked about how he really couldn't go a day without attracting some form of violence. Neil smiles at the thought, because it's far from the truth. He stands by the claim he never asked for fights, simply had no problem finishing them.

"You mean letting me finish them," Andrew would quip, and they'd go back and forth all over again in a never-ending argument. It's so never-ending, Neil goes through the motions of it even now, however many decades later.

This pin tends to start it, since it's the only remotely dangerous thing he owns now. The orange is still bright and obnoxious, with criss crossing Exy racquets in a bright white. He's memorized the raised edges, tilted from old age. The once silver backing has rust spots, but no one ever sees that part. It has its reputation intact, and Neil smiles sardonically.

It's not the only thing that's been worn down, but he likes to think he doesn't look as bad as he could too. Laughing at his own joke, he taps the pin lightly. It's apparently vintage now, according to Allison, since the new Palmetto merch has drifted into neon territory.

Neil is glad he kept his own. It's especially important today, he thinks, that he shows as much fondness for the past as possible. Though, it's not for his sake. His room is nothing but littered with the tokens of the past.

Sighing, he stares fondly out across the living room, the walls haphazardly decorated with old, signed jerseys his friends used to wear. He has one from each of their old teams, but picked his favorites to go up on the wall. The rest sit in storage, ready to be auctioned off whenever he decides living is too much of a chore. Above the mantle, Andrew's racquet from his last team hangs in a shadow box. Then below it, framed pictures which Neil tries to rotate as best he can, some of them shitty ones converted from his phone camera. Mostly, they're of his Foxes at various points in their lives. The only two photos which stay the same are the one he took with Andrew and Kevin at the Olympics, and the snapshot of him and Andrew at the airport in his first year at Palmetto.

If he had to catalog the room, that would barely scratch the surface. He's pages away from mentioning Nicky's terribly made mugs, Betsy's first editions, and cookie tins filled with postcards Katelyn and Aaron sent twenty years ago.

Most of the time, the untidy collection of junk surrounding him is a comfort. It makes the small apartment feel like home, or as close as he can get when he's by himself. He swears some of the items still carry the unique scents of grass stains and floor polish, or Allison's perfume and the glitter glue from Dan and Matt's kids.

When that fails him, the candle he has in every room does the trick to fill in the blanks. Andrew used the same scent for over half their life together: breakfast pancakes. It's sickly sweet and stains the furniture, and Neil loves nothing more than to bury his face in the cushions after a day of having them lit.

These are the things that ground him, that keep him in place, but today he feels fidgety for the first time in years. He shouldn't be, he thinks, laughing to himself. He planned this after all, it's just...

Well, he's never been the best at talking to people.

There's a knock at his door, and the cuckoo clock on the wall (shockingly, that one is his fault) tells him it's right on schedule. Neil sighs, slipping his feet into the white slippers beneath him. "Come in, Sydney."

The nurse on his floor opens the door to his apartment with a smile, too fresh faced and early for this time of day. She’s young, and she's always been a bit cheery for his taste, but she reminds him of Katelyn and he allows it. In the last few years, when Andrew's migraines prevented him from reading, she'd bring him audiobook gift cards.

She smiles bright, and he gives her that look for her to cut it out. At this point, she's less put off by it and more amused. He only tells her to save the smiles because if she doesn't she'll have wrinkles like him years from now. He hates how much he sounds like Allison.

Neil hardly looks in the mirror anymore, but this morning he put in some effort. He looks as perpetually tired as he always looked back in the day, except now his eye bags are accompanied by wrinkles that form their own topographical map on his face.

At least he didn't lose all his hair.

The only thing is his blue eyes are as piercing as ever, so coupled with the grandpa look, he's quite intimidating. Not that he needs to be, but it's nice to feel a little capable when he can barely walk by himself anymore.

"Morning, Mr. Josten," Sydney greets, untucking the wheelchair from behind the door and pushing it over to him. He makes sure to grab Andrew's favorite crochet blanket. He hates messing with it, but he thinks the smell of nicotine it carries will help him today. Refresh his memory.

Neil grumbles, but lets her help him into the chair. He has on his good lounge pants, without holes, and his old Palmetto sweater. "I told you years ago I hate being called that."

"Because it makes you feel old," she jabs, teasing lightly. Even still, she's gentle when she places the blanket over his lap and hands him his glasses. "I have to keep you in line somehow."

"Ha-ha."

As she wheels him out of his room, he starts fidgeting again. He's used to exploring the luxury nursing home on his own time, not because he has somewhere to be. He hasn't had somewhere to be since...well, he hates thinking about that, lest he run into a memory that hurts more than helps.

Today isn't the day for that.

Some other, more able-bodied residents pass by him on foot, waving amicably and knowing better than to expect a wave back. Shockingly, he's well liked here, probably because he doesn't have rowdy grandkids who break the peace. Plus, he's pretty sure some of them are old fans.

Sydney leans down as they pass through the common area and into one of the meeting rooms, the spotless linoleum floor throwing him off as usual. He never would've picked a place so expensive and fancy for himself, but Andrew was always someone with classy tastes. "Ready for today?"

At the reminder, Neil wrings his fingers together. Not advised by his doctor, but fuck that guy. "As ready as I'll ever be," he says, glaring at the glass doors ahead. Sydney laughs, placing him at the end of a large table. The meeting room creeps him out, since it's mostly used for family meetings or will planning appointments. Sound proof, silent.

"Oh hush, you're a famous athlete, I'm sure you've faced worse," she chides, pouring him a glass of water without any ice. Because he's a fiend. Neil rolls his eyes; she has no idea. He's threatened countless reporters before for stepping even a toe out of line, but some recent college grads from an indie publication are making him sweat more than an Exy game. Sydney makes a show of whispering behind her hand. "Besides, I heard from Gabe at the front desk they look terrified, so go easy on them, yes? Can't have another cafeteria incident."

Ugh, not that again.

"You have no witnesses," he waves off, leaning back in his seat while Sydney sets the break in place. Only then is he hit with a wave of calm, fondness even. His quivering hands curl as best they can in the blanket, the ghost of a grip, and he smiles out across the room. Ah, he can't be doing this already, but it's hard to help. He itches for the smell of a cigarette, a press on the back of his neck. Closing his eyes, he tries his best to feel it. "Besides, once they know why they're really here they won't be nearly so stressed. Hell, they might even be disappointed."

He tries not to grimace at that, but for the time he's giving them and the paperwork he made them sign, they're going to sit and listen to his old man ravings all day or so help him--

He feels a hand brush against his, and when he looks Sydney is there. She squeezes his fingers in hers, smile fond and weighed down with a sadness so foreign, he nearly regrets telling her to cut it out. But no, he understands. He's the one who understands the most. She grazes the fabric of the blanket as she pulls away, breathing in the same smoke he can for just a moment. "No, I don't think that's possible."

She doesn't give Neil time to doubt himself, not that he could. He can never doubt anything when it comes to Andrew, no matter how much the blond secretly doubted about himself. Neil always teased him for that, and his living oxymoron ways.

Neil's biggest goal of the day is to piss off Andrew's ghost as much as humanly possible, and his grin is nearly splitting at the thought. Fine, mission active.

"Good luck!" Sydney calls as she leaves the meeting room, and he watches her gesture to his guests once they arrive through the glass doors.

Oh shit, they really do look terrified.

The two interviewers see him through the door and Neil can only assume they shit a brick. They're young, can't be more than a few years out of university, dressed way too professionally for someone as uncaring as Neil. They could've shown up in clown costumes for all he cared, at least he would've gotten a good laugh.

The young man fumbles with the door and his companion rushes forward a little too fast before correcting herself. Jeez.

Neil does his best to hide his laugh, not that he's ever been polite. It's more...

Their terror is Neil's fault. He started declining interviews soon after he retired, letting his name and lifestyle fade into mystery and speculation with the public. Kevin had not been happy about it, since to this day he and Thea are in the public eye, commentating on Exy games, doing talk shows, helping curate museums, blah, blah, blah...

Neil didn't have time for that.

He never thought he'd be okay with slipping back into unknown status after so many years of being seen, being cheered for, but when the time came it was an easy choice. Andrew made it so. Neil had his time to be free, to do whatever he wanted and play the sport he loved. But ultimately, when he no longer could, fucking off to do whatever he wanted with Andrew sounded way better than dealing with reporters and overzealous fans.

Just because he became an unknown though, doesn't mean he faded into obscurity. According to Allison, his life has been quite a hot button issue in the community for over a decade. People want to know where he's been, what he did during those years, how he looks back on the past, everything. It's been obnoxious.

Popular sports magazines and large publications have practically been clawing for a piece of him for years, and he's never given in no matter how many fruit bouquets they sent or how many checks they tried to write him. Though, one almost got him purely because they kept sending gourmet chocolates, and if Andrew was a glutton before, old age only made it worse.

So, Neil Josten is back to being a subject of interest for some reason, someone people want to know everything about. For him to randomly call up a dying indie magazine and offer them full rights to an interview under his specific terms surely threw the sports world into a fucking whirl.

Whatever.

He's going to share what he wants to share. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Mr. Jo--" The first reporter clears his throat, passing his notepad and phone over to his other hand before outstretching one to Neil. "Mr. Josten. It's such an honor to meet you, um, wow. I'm Blake, and this is Rayah. We're so grateful for being granted the opportunity to interview you. You're a legend!"

Neil stares at the outstretched hand like he doesn't know what to do with it, and as much as he does know what's expected of him, part of his hesitation is equal parts his disinterest and the fact he doesn't talk to anyone but his remaining family these days. Well, and Sydney.

Blake swallows and drops his hand, surely admonishing himself for his own stupidity.

Rayah saves him. "Um, we really are appreciative, sir," she says, laying out some notepads and setting up her recorder. Old school, Neil appreciates it. It's better than cameras and microphones. "We're still in shock honestly. We were theorizing on why you picked us the entire drive up here!"

"Neil is fine, and don't bother with small talk I know it's not why you're here," he says then, smiling at her words. They both flinch, taken aback. He's not sure why they'd be expecting a Kevin Day type. He has a record for being too blunt and argumentative for his own good. He's right though; they're here for answers, not discussions on how he's doing or what he does for fun in his not so humble nursing home. In much the same vein, he promised honesty, so he'll give it from the start. "I picked you precisely because you're unknown and failing."

They freeze, but they're clearly not Foxes. If they were, they'd immediately get indignant and glare, hold themselves back from punching a helpless old man. Oh, those were the good ol' days.

When Rayah fumbles for a response, a logic, Neil simply shrugs. "I like the underdogs."

He doesn't intend it to be, but it's a tension breaker. The stiffness in the reporters' shoulders deflate with a laugh, and they finally get back to organizing themselves without looking like they want to run for the hills and beg ESPN to take over.

"As your history suggests," Blake jokes, and Neil rewards him with a grin, tapping his Foxes pin.

He doesn't mention the fact Andrew would've never spoken to him had he gone to some trashy magazine, and that Andrew was always a bit of a rebel himself, though he hated to admit to any kind of urge that didn't involve Neil, sweets, or fancy cars.

Neil takes the free moment to wrap his blanket around his shoulders, letting the ingrained smell of ash permeate around him. Much better, he can think so much clearer like this.

As they finish setting up and take their seats across from him, Blake taps his pencil against the rim of his notepad. It looks like he almost wants to launch back into small talk, but thinks better of it when he remembers Neil's words. Considerate, a good listener. Just what Neil needs today.

Blake clears his throat, cutting through the bullshit. "Now, we know you have specific terms for how you want to lead this interview, which we're completely fine with. Wherever you want to start, we'll follow."

And with that, they sit back, unsure but ready to catch whatever morsel of information might fall from Neil's lips. Again, he finds himself fighting a smirk.

Of course, he led these people astray a bit, but he doesn't see the problem with having a little fun before revealing his true intentions.

He nods, pushing down the giddy feeling that always comes with talking about Andrew. Not yet, but soon.

"Hm, I assume you prepared some questions just in case," Neil asks, taking a sip of his water.

Rayah blinks, exchanging a look with Blake. She rifles through her notepad to a page in the middle, scribbled and stained with ink. There are so many questions on it, some of them curve over the others in a painful word twister. "Uh yes but, we didn't think you'd want to answer them," she guesses.

She's correct.

Neil loathes interview questions, because they're predictable. But in this case, he'll let the first one lead him down the road.

Neil relents, leaning back in his wheelchair. "Well you're mostly right, but why don't you ask me your first one?" He offers, and they look positively ecstatic. "That'll get me started."

And once he starts, he doubts he'll be able to stop.

"Sure." Blake clears his throat, making sure his recorder is functioning properly. When he's satisfied, he leans back, mirroring Neil's posture, though the rigidity is still there. If he doesn't lighten up, he's going to have back pains for days. "Now, there have been a lot of milestones in your career as a pro athlete. No one would dream of disputing your skill in the sport, or how you earned any of your countless awards--"

"Flattery," Neil warns, raising a single finger. That's not what he's here for either. In fact, as much as this is his interview, it's not about him at all.

"Right," Blake says with a huff of a laugh. "But surely one of your brightest moments was your historic win at the Olympics. It was talked about for months within the community. Of course, any true Exy fan knows the details of the game, it was only covered by every major publication. So, I guess our question is, what do you most remember about that moment? Was it as monumental for you as it was for Exy fans?"

Ah, a predictable question, but also not a bad place to begin. Neil doesn't fight the edge of the smirk that appears, though he does raise his thumb to swipe at it. It's been a while since he's felt so mischievous, it's so difficult to be, well, difficult when you're being wheeled around all day.

It was a monumental moment for him, though maybe not for the reasons everyone else would think.

"You certainly did your research," he comments, humming as he sits back in thought. He already knows his answer, but he's weak, and the feelings the memory evokes barely need to push him to send him careening off balance. Swept up. "Not sure what I was expecting from people so young, but my apologies for making assumptions."

He's glad they didn't ask the question in the stereotypical format, fishing for ways to brag and make it all about him. When he thinks of that time, as proud as he was, it's not his own praise that comes to mind.

With that in mind, Neil sighs.

"I don't think it was an exaggeration to say that was one of the best days of my life," he admits, and it's the truth. He's not here to lie. Come to think of it, he hasn't lied once since Andrew ran on ahead of him. Smiling, Neil lets the words flow.

"It was important to me, but not all because of the Olympics themselves..."

Neil rarely has time to pay attention in Exy games, as horrible and inefficient as that sounds.

His feet move on their own accord like a well-oiled machine, cogs and steam rushing through him to propel him across the court at record speeds. And they are record speeds.

That's why he's here isn't it? To run, to score.

It had been overwhelming when he first arrived, the sheer size of the Exy court at the Olympics. It's surrounded by flags from all over the world, bright neon signs and sponsorships. The lights at the entrance had been so vibrant, he made the mistake of looking up at them.

Blinding.

All aspects about it are, because as much as Neil knows this is his life, it can't possibly be reality.

The crowd makes the one at the Ravens' stadium seem minuscule, out of its league with seats and aisles that almost climb up to the heavens. The crowd roars and Neil feels every cheer and stomp echo against his bones.

He never thought he'd be here, but despite the gravity of it, he no longer has the time nor want to dwell on it. All that matters is his team, and getting them the gold.

Being with Andrew afterwards...getting to see Wymack smile proudly at Kevin.

Letting Kevin be proud of himself.

And Neil is an Olympic-qualified player, so with all that in mind, he delivers the second best game of his life. Even in the final seconds of the second half, even when he's been body checked so many times the nuts and bolts he imagines inside him must surely be worn and off-kilter, he doesn't stop moving. Everything is instinct, from the force of his steps to the last minute shifts he needs to intercept the ball.

It's not Kevin's perfect strategy, it's not a map or an out of body experience where he can see where every player on the court is.

He has no idea what's going on outside of what's in front of him, no awareness of anything but the immediate threats and a certain beacon, standing in the goal.

And that's the hardest part of it all, not being able to look over at Andrew for even a moment after he scores, because the game is fast and ruthless, and he has twice the energy of anyone on this court.

It's a stupid way to play, if he's really supposed to be Kevin's double. But they all long since established he is far from it. He has his own passion, his own drive, and Kevin trusts Neil with his life on the court.

Probably through anything.

So when he sees the perfect opportunity for a final interception, a chance to get them the last winning goal of the game, he's surprised that it's the one moment where it all comes to a stop. He's never had the experience before; normally his body snaps into action. He's not used to comprehending things until they're said and done.

He thinks his body is still following through though, turning in just the right way, making sure he's lined up.

But Neil is aware of so much more, his eyes train like a predator's on the goal, and he understands. He has a choice.

Choices are a weird luxury now, but he's gotten so used to having the freedom of them, he's forgotten the sheer magnitude they can carry.

His eyes snap to the goal, and then to Kevin. Kevin, who is so much closer, and already looking right at Neil.

And Neil never describes himself as fond towards most people, but he can say it proudly in that moment. This is the Kevin Day he likes to see.

Green eyes stare back, blown wide with a fire that can't be matched by anyone, probably not even his own mother, maybe not even Neil. A true, unadulterated love for this violent, freeing sport. Kevin catches Neil's eyes through his face guard, forehead drenched in sweat but his entire being rings with energy, ready and unwilling to quit until the buzzer sounds.

A Fox, at heart. Neil knows Andrew can see from where he's standing in goal, and Neil knows he's just as satisfied, deep down. It might give him some peace of mind too, to know Kevin kept his spine.

Neil puts all of those emotions into his last movement of the game.

He inclines his head just so, and that's it.

Kevin moves.

As Neil's racquet intercepts the ball from the other team's striker, he can't help but be a bit smug as he takes a powerful step forward. He can hear the painful slide of his shoes against the court floor, the heat of being too close, too exposed.

His legs will surely be shot after this, but no matter.

Kevin Day was always meant to be the greatest player in the history of Exy, the reigning queen, despite the arrogance they'll surely have to hear non-stop about. Fine. It's only fair that Neil help him achieve that goal here, at the biggest stadium in the world.

(By no means the best one, but still).

The clock gets down to five seconds, the beats resounding off the walls of his skull. Neil swings his racquet with such force the strings whistle, and the ball moves in a straight line directly into Kevin's. The other striker has zero time to react, the force of Neil's brutal cut off sending him stumbling. The ball hits Kevin's strings hard, Kevin's grip tightening around his racquet to keep it close to him.

Kevin doesn't hesitate longer than that.

He shoots at the goal in one fluid arch, and scores.

As confident as Neil is in Kevin's aim and skill, he'll admit his stomach swoops. It's a feeling that never truly goes away, much like the instincts that keep him moving. He wouldn't trade it for anything, that millisecond exhilaration before it comes together.

Because well, at one point nothing ever fell into place for him.

In the flash where the ball hits the net, Neil feels the ghost of a key in his palm, reminding him when that changed. The buzzer of the countdown blares, and all that anticipation meets a well-deserved end.

The stadium erupts until not even the buzzer can be heard. There's a swish of plexiglass doors, the sounds of their coach yelling in triumph, but Neil's body is too spent to react.

Neil's heart constricts in his chest as he tries to get air in, but it's impossible. Satisfied doesn't even begin to cover it, though he's sure he looks just as breathless as Kevin does, staring at the goal as it lights up. The world moves around him, respecting his moment of privacy when they should be hoisting him up and not allowing him a minute of disbelief. Neil's glad they don't; Kevin deserves to look surprised once in a while.

His teammates pile on each other, clapping him as they pass. A lot of them are still in shock, a few fall to their knees right away, but Neil feels nothing but fulfilled.

He made the right call.

His body sags, stinging, and he feels Andrew's gaze pinning him upright from across the court. It's the only thing that gets him walking, but he wills himself not to look in his boyfriend's direction.

If he does well...nothing else will matter, and there's one thing he has to do.

In a haze, he goes over to Kevin, who turns, sensing him. Neil shakes his head at Kevin's arrogance to this day, because even though Kevin is the one who made this possible for him, who came to him first...

Well, he still lets Neil do all the work. Neil laughs and hugs Kevin fiercely, barely keeping himself upright, and they trade the trembling in their bodies. Kevin drops his racquet, their height difference making them look all the more pathetic. He can hear Andrew's voice already, telling them they're too emotional about a damn sport.

Somehow, that makes Neil even happier, and he leans back as Kevin pries his helmet off, eyes wild and smiling.

Yes, the right choice. Absolutely.

"We did it," Kevin says, but not in disbelief. He had to have known they'd always make it here. "We did it."

Neil squeezes his friend's shoulder and grins, uncaring of what camera catches it. He's too damn happy to care. "Guess we did."

The crowd cheers so loud Neil can't hear more than a faint buzz in his ears, and the sticky scent of gatorade and sweat is an unfortunate addition. The cameras flash and shine obnoxiously through the double plexiglass to bathe them in light and attention.

Yet, with his legs feeling like jelly and his muscles stretched to the limits, there's only one thing he really wants. What he always wants.

Warmth, safety, something to lean on and keep him sheltered from the world before facing it alongside him. Neil hates that before, the only thing he yearned for was to play Exy. He thought that was bad.

This is so much worse.

Biting his lip, Neil turns to where Andrew is standing in the goal, already looking at him from across the court. And Andrew, with all his control, keeps himself planted there. Neil's breathing hiccups loudly, and Kevin's probably the only one who hears it over the cacophony.

Neil doesn't think he can cry anymore, but his eyes tighten up, he has to blink the pain away.

Neil wonders if Andrew's gripping his racquet hard enough to damage it, if he's digging his heels into the ground like Neil is.

Neil swallows down the lump in his throat. Suddenly, he hates the cameras more than usual; he's torn between wanting them to vanish completely, or wishing they paid as much attention to Andrew, because god, he's earned it.

Neil digs his heels in harder.

I want to be with you.

It's such a simple string of thought; it has crossed his mind so many times before, but never has the urge hurt so much. It has nothing to do with all he's worked for, with the fame and recognition this win will bring him. It's just Andrew.

He hasn't had a knife to his skin in years, but this reminds him of the piercing of flesh, lighting his nerves on end and sending him towards the source of his relief, his contentment.

Andrew played so well, so well, not just here. He worked his way through the pros until he got to Neil, worked his ass off for his reputation. He qualified with the rest of them to be here.

And tonight, he blocked almost every shot at his goal.

Neil closes his eyes, willing himself to calm down but he can't. This is one of the best moments of his life. If he can't share it with Andrew to the fullest, what was the point of everything in his past?

They're not out. That's the problem, he knows, as much as he doesn't give a single fuck. No one outside their family and management knows anything about them, apart from some tabloid rumors about their intense dislike of one another. If that doesn't prove how clueless the media is, Neil doesn't know what does.

And as much as they value privacy, as much as their peaceful bubble is enough, it's moments like these where Neil wants to take and show no matter the consequences.

He looks to Kevin, unsure. It's always been him, the one who warned them about the backlash they'd face despite his acceptance of their relationship years ago.

Neil expects the same thing here: the subtle shake of Kevin's head, the concern in his eyes for their careers and future. It used to piss Neil off to no end, but Kevin communicates all emotion through Exy, even concern. Neil's learned to read between those infuriating lines. The importance of career translates to 'without your career, there is no you.' Sometimes he forgets he's not entirely free.

And if he weren't around, then Andrew...

'You can't leave him.'

And so, knowing Kevin's language, Neil stayed in line, and he expects that same advice today. To his surprise though, it never comes. Kevin is looking at him, tired smile firmly in place as he nudges a shoulder in Andrew's direction. Neil's mouth falls open, and yes, he's convinced now. It's a dream, it's all one big dream. Except--

Kevin shakes his head. It's not resigned, or worried. He's just happy for them both. He pushes Neil away, straightening his back in preparation for his fans. Royal snob. "Go on already. You guys are gross."

And despite the laugh that falls from his mouth, Neil's breathing stutters, and he hadn't realized how wound up he truly was until it happens. His lungs fill with air and he throws his racquet to the ground. His self-control is poor, they all know that. Encouragement is all he needs to break him and send him where he belongs.

He takes off in a full sprint towards Andrew as the rest of his teammates crowd Kevin, looking after Neil in confusion.

Huh, so his muscles still work after all. The tendons are on fire, but it's the least of his concerns. He runs like his life depends on it again, faster than he ran during that whole game.

And to Neil's absolute delight, Andrew's body language screams 'finally.'

The blond takes a step forward, throwing his racquet to the side like it's worthless. Oh. Andrew's bracing to catch him, and Neil laughs at the realization as he throws off his helmet. One day he'll actually make Andrew fall over, but for now he enjoys the strength.

He jumps into Andrew's arms effortlessly, feels calloused hands wrap around his waist as Neil reaches for the clips of Andrew's helmet. Despite knowing the barrier is there as he fumbles with it, he leans forward, lips grazing the metal guard. Andrew huffs, and Neil claws until the helmet clatters to the floor. He throws it a bit far, and it hits the goal post with a clang, but he doesn't care in the moment. If all eyes are on them now, he can't feel them. They're in a vacuum, a side effect of being so taken with Andrew at times. Unaware, vulnerable. The rush of sound from before goes dead around them. His fingertips can feel overheated skin, can trace the barely-there freckles on Andrew's face.

Andrew isn't in the mood to let Neil admire today.

Neil barely gets to see the color in Andrew's eyes before the goalie's hand grips in between Neil's shoulder blades, pulling him down.

It reminds him of their first kiss; Neil catches Andrew's lips and, as if not believing they're real, that something could feel so wonderful, he pulls back. His eyes widen, the first hit of a drug. He breaks the kiss only to dive right back in, uncoordinated but so sure of himself. And he doesn't get how, but Andrew smells the same as back then. Less like cigarettes, but the same smell of leather and earthiness. Neil doesn't read nearly as much as Andrew does to have the capability of describing it, but it's refreshing, like soil after the rain. Through the sweat and exhaustion, Neil would know him anywhere.

Andrew opens his mouth for him first, breath hot but movements predictable. Neil will tease him later for that. You're getting old. Because the dance is so familiar, the way Andrew pushes Neil's tongue back first. 'Come and get me.'

Neil obliges every single time, because he can't back down from a challenge, and maybe he's getting old too.

Neil knows the kiss can't last forever, especially not here, but he allows himself to pretend it's not the case. Andrew hums into him, and Neil's hands feel all the vibrations from where his hand slips down to Andrew's throat. It's bared completely for him, and Neil gives a little squeeze.

He sighs into Andrew's mouth when his boyfriend's eyes open to glare at him, pulling back before kissing Neil again, and then one more time, and maybe just once...

One more, Neil thinks, brushing his lips against Andrew's so lightly they stick for a moment, and he licks his own slowly when he pulls back for the final time. His heart beats in his ribcage, or maybe that's the pounding of the reporters' feet as they rush through the stadium, he's not sure.

Again, it's always best for him to not look at Andrew if he's supposed to be doing something else, because in that moment, the blond has all Neil's attention.

They're already pressed chest to chest, but Andrew squeezes tighter, almost painful, keeping Neil there through the flashing of cameras and shocked cheers.

And while Andrew's expression gives nothing away for the public, it speaks volumes to Neil.

Neil didn't know what old meant back then, now that his legs give out after a good walk or his spine aches under the weight of nothing.

But they were predictable, that much was true.

Neil isn't looking at the reporters anymore, too focused on trying to weave the fraying threads of the blanket back into place. From their silence, he can guess they're as shocked as he expected them to be.

Unaffected, Neil reaches over for his water, taking a sip as he confronts their slack jaws and wide eyes.

Now, that might have been a bit unfair of him as well, to jump into such a blatant romantic recollection about Andrew. Again, Neil never took interviews, rarely took questions, but the subject of his relationship with Andrew was especially off limits for decades. What they had was theirs, and only theirs, even after outing themselves that day.

People naturally tried to pry, tried to dig up their past in hopes of justifying what they saw as a nonsensical relationship or gossip fuel.

Neil made them fear for their lives after that.

He eviscerated publications, reporters, top sports officials, talk shows hosts, pretty much whoever he needed to. Anything to keep Andrew's name out of their mouths. A lot of them sealed their place in the land of irrelevancy, media outlets were slammed by a combination of their fans, and Kevin's too, once he stood up in support.

Andrew always hated it, Neil's desperate need to protect him from words that no longer phased him, but Neil didn't care. It was one of the only things they fought about in their adult years.

It worked though; soon, all the major outlets aside from the tabloids stopped talking about it, knowing mentioning it in any way that wasn't positive or neutral would land them in a ton of hot water.

Even those online sources who refused to let up eventually fizzed out from lack of material; they tried their best to be nosy, but pretty much got nothing but some rare paparazzi photos a few times a year of them kissing in the park or on a date.

In short, it's a bit of an unspoken rule that you don't talk to Neil Josten about Andrew Minyard unless you have nothing but good things to say, and a lot of people are too chicken shit to take the risk and potentially insult him. That's the only disappointing thing, none of them have a shred of courage. Neil really would talk all day about Andrew if people just approached it correctly.

Not that Andrew would've allowed it when he was alive.

Take that.

Despite all the fear Neil instilled in the media, it never stopped the other famous Foxes from talking about how gooey and devoted he and Andrew were, but Neil let that slide.

The things he does for family.

So it makes sense that these reporters seemed to have forgotten Andrew's importance at all, another offense. Not just because he was the best goalie in Exy history, but because Neil was first and foremost, Andrew's.

Blake's mouth opens and closes, pen dangling precariously from his hand. "Are...are we allowed to ask about Andrew?"

Blake even flinches after he asks it, afraid that perhaps it's only okay for Neil to bring up.

If you only knew.

Neil laughs, too relaxed to hold back anymore. The reporters stare, exchanging nervous glances with excitement tingling below the surface.

Yes, he supposes details about his relationship with Andrew are more secretive and sought after than even Neil's opinions. The reporters weren't even going to try.

But now, there's morsels of information dangling in front of them, and Neil need only give them permission. It's their lucky day.

Neil's smile fades into something gentler, wistful. It's the closest he gets now, to how he looked at Andrew. But it's still different, because that expression...

Well, Andrew is gone. What more is there to say?

Neil leans back, wringing his hands softly. "I guess it's only fair that I tell you the real reason I accepted this interview."

The reporters lean forward, holding their breath, but Neil doesn't feel like making them wait. It's all about Andrew now, like he wanted it to be. "I want to talk about Andrew, plain and simple."

Except when it's not.

Their relationship was anything but simple but Neil cherished each memory, and he wants to speak them aloud so no one forgets. He wants everyone to know how important this person was to him, so when he's gone and can't defend them, people can't speculate or taint it with their unasked for opinions.

"I've never had the opportunity to really reminisce about Andrew, not even with my family," Neil admits. He and Aaron and Katelyn would sit around the fireplace at their home sometimes, telling stories, or Kevin would send him old pictures or clips of Andrew playing. But never the intimate details, never the raw, and at times complicated feelings. "It never felt right, even after he was gone. I wanted to keep it close still, so I wouldn't betray Andrew's trust."

Neil takes a deep breath, and it shakes his small frame, a cough escaping his lungs. His voice is rough, but no less sure when he continues. "But I know now what he'd say to that. That I couldn't, even if my dumb Exy brain tried really hard."

But he'd never.

He smiles, wiping his eyes when they aren't even wet. That's another thing he misunderstood back then. Neil thought he couldn't cry, but he's sure today he'll prove his younger self wrong.

Rayah and Blake stay silent through all of Neil's pauses, and the respect means more than he can say. Andrew would approve, he'd be okay with Neil's choice. That's what matters most, he thinks.

"For once I just want everyone to know how I felt, I want to tell you everything as I saw and felt it, so you can tell everyone else," Neil says, and hopes they can read between the lines for the rest. Ultimately, when he's dead he'll be nothing but bones in the dirt, his legacy won't mean much in the long run. But...if nothing else, he wants this to remain, for as long as it can.

He never cared before about it, but he guesses age really can put a new perspective on things. Neil sighs, and taps the table with his finger for lack of anything better to do. When he looks back up, he has their undivided attention, Rayah's brown eyes shining with unshed emotion. None of that, not yet. "Anyways, now that you know I misled you, I hope you're still alright with listening to me ramble for the next few hours."

If not, they can kindly fuck off, but Neil has his suspicions at this point that they'll stick around. As much as Neil prides himself on reading people's intentions well, he's quite horrible at reading people's feelings. But maybe he's improved in that arena too.

A price for everything, he thinks ruefully, reminding himself there's a break in between this session for him to take his pain pills.

Eventually, it's Rayah who stutters a response. "Of course it's alright! We're so honored! And not just in the...bullshit way."

She closes her mouth immediately after at the unprofessionalism of it, but it only makes Neil feel more at ease. He smirks, satisfied. "Noted."

"Mr. Jo--Neil, we really are happy to write about you and Andrew but I have to admit," Blake says, flipping through his notepad with a tight look on his face. "The questions we did prepare as backup don't exactly lend themselves to anything about your life with Andrew."

It's precisely why Neil stated he'd mostly be doing the talking initially, but their first test question actually did end up helping move him along, so...

Neil shrugs, gesturing to the notebook with fierce determination.

These people are about to learn...

He can make anything about Andrew.

When he smiles at the two of them again, they must feel it deep down. They return it tenfold, and then Rayah clicks her pen.

And with the pleasantries out of the way, Neil opens up to everything he's been keeping locked away.

"Try me."

#andreil #all for the game #aftg #andrew minyard #neil josten

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aftgficlibrary · 7 years ago

Note

give me the FLUFFIEST shit u got mate

I gotchu (check out our fluff tag here too!)-Rachel

The Sweetest Leaves by moonix (G | 3,134 | 1/1)

In which Neil makes tea, Matt tries to ask Dan out on a date, Allison loves gossip, Andrew is known as the grumpy record store guy, and Aaron isn’t getting married.

Say I Do by gluupor (G | 1,297 | 1/1)

Neil’s not sure how this happened.

Well, okay, that’s blatantly false. This happened because he’s a competitive asshole and so is Andrew, although he hides it behind his general apathy. They wouldn’t both be professional athletes if they didn’t have healthy competitive streaks. But what that means is that sometimes neither of them will back down when issued a challenge. Like right now.

When they’re locked in a game of engagement chicken.

out & proud by kayxpc (G | 1,417 | 1/1)

Same sex marriage is finally legalized in Germany and the foxes come to support Nicky and Erik! Lots of love and happiness in this fic, angst who?

The Ballad of Renee and Allison by arguedontfight (Not Rated | 2,034 | 1/1)

On when Allison and Renee started loving each other.

sunflowers by cryptidkidprem (G | 1,205 | 1/1)

Jean hadn’t felt truly relaxed in over ten years; it wasn’t something he’d ever managed in the Nest. But he’d been slowly relearning the feeling since coming to California. He felt relaxed enough at the moment that he could have drifted off to sleep, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to stretch this moment out for as long as he could.

Jean had completely lost track of how long they’d been laying like that, but some time later Jeremy broke the silence. “You,” he started, murmuring gently against Jean’s hair, “Are like a sunflower.”

happy holidays from the foxes by artemis_west (G | 5,446 | 1/1)

This is my gift exchange for Jules, who wanted Fox family bonding during the holiday/post-grad! A fic set in the future after the books, when all the Foxes have their kids. They have a yearly reunion during the holidays! Soft andreil living their happy life, Andrew healing and having a better relationship with Aaron and Nicky, everyone is happy and sappy. Merry Christmas!

Ends of the World by jostenminyard (onceuponahundred) (G | 1,014 | 1/1)

more more more more please if u want idk please i love this what are the tattoes does andrew know how to do it before maybe kevin also gives neil a little tattoo please i’m trash for this

211 notes · View notes

closetofanxiety · 8 years ago

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Show Review: Beyond Wrestling, “Feeling Minnesota”

Third wrestling show in two days! What was I thinking? Tell you what: after I got home from this show I watched the WWE Payback ppv. I gotta fever, and the only cure is more wrestling! Let’s get to it:

Where: Aurora Nightclub, downtown (actually they say “downcity,” whatta buncha fancypantses) Providence, Rogues Island

When: Sunday, April 30, 2017, 2 p.m. belltime

What: Yesterday’s show was “Looking California” and today’s is “Feeling Minnesota,” and this is a Soundgarden reference, specifically to their first big hit, “Outshined.” But also, does anyone remember the moody Keanu Reeves/Cameron Diaz mid-90s film “Feeling Minnesota”? God, it sucked. It was from an era of lousy movies that attempted to be Tarantino-esque but only came off as smarmy and incoherent. Reeves’ character in the film is named “Jjaks Clayton.” Seriously: “Jjaks.” What kind of bullshit are you trying to put over on us with that? The soundtrack also had that shitty, post-grunge vibe to it; I remember there was a lackluster Helmet song. God, what a bad movie. I hope this show is better.

Bonus Match: Some guy defeats Jay Freddie

Another “bonus” match! We came in just as this one was ending. I didn’t catch the winner’s name, but from the two or three minutes we saw, it looked fun. I’ll have to pay more attention to this Jay Freddie fellow! He’s going to Japan for a few months, though.

Janelope (Joey Janela and Penelope Ford) def. XXXL (Brian “Kingpin” Milonas and Ace Romero) via pinfall

This was a great way to start the show. It was like watching a live action cartoon, because Milonas and Romero combined are like 750 pounds. The whole creative thrust of the match was waiting to see whether these two giants would completely squash tiny Penelope Ford, who stayed alive by flirting with the easily smitten Romero, much to the consternation of Milonas, who kept slapping his partner in the face and barking, “Focus!” Eventually Janela rallied, Penelope turned on heartbroken Ace, and Janelope triumphed. Then “Cold Steel” Chuck O’Neill ran in, knocked Penelope over, and put Joey in a triangle choke on behalf of Matt Riddle, who has accepted Janela’s challenge at Americanrana. I want to see this match so bad, but more: I want to see Janela’s promos leading up to the match. Yesterday the crowd chanted “Spring break!” for Janela, today they chanted “Grapplefuck!” in a nod to his delightful contempt of that ethos. Rating: Three and a half Keanus.

David Starr def. “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams via submission

Buddy, did I mention grapplefuck? This was a fuckaganza, a grappletacular, a veritable clinic in the fucking of grapple. Lots of chain wrestling here, so much so that the ghost of Lou Thesz hovered over the first five minutes of the match, nodding paternally. After that they started smacking the shit out of each other, which I enjoyed. David Starr is a huge talent, they just need to find a program for him. He had a budding feud with Nick Gage which ended when the Nickster went back to the hoosegow, and then the Starr-Janela feud kind of fizzled out. He’s spinning his wheels in Beyond right now, but he’s always entertaining. Rating: Three Keanus.

Deonna Purrazzo def. Karen Q and Tasha Steelz via pinfall

I like all three of these wrestlers a lot, but this suffered from the standard problem of triple threat matches (i.e. for much of the match, at least one person has nothing to do), and there were a couple of seriously blown moments, although I think both might have been the referee’s fault. He missed a near fall, like to the point where the crowd started yelling at him to count the pin, and then he didn’t indicate that Tasha Steelz was tapping out (it was an elimination match) so the ring announcer had to do that. Kind of messy! Not terrible, though, and I’d like to see more of Karen Q in particular. Rating: Two Keanus.

Dan Barry def. Swoggle, Johnny Cockstrong, “Supercop” Dick Justice, Stan Stylez, and Jarek 1:20 via pinfall

I think this is one of the legacies of the Spring Break show: a match that can only really be billed as a clusterfuck. You had Stan Stylez, who was new to me, whose thing was that he used a Shake Weight like he was jerking off, and then sprayed whipped cream all over himself, like ejaculate; you had Johnny Cockstrong, with a light-up codpiece; you had Swoggle, who attracted the ire of three virulent haters in the crowd who kept holding up a “Swoggle Swallows” sign for some reason; and you had Dan Barry, who is the make-believe wrestling cop. Except! Dan Barry wants to be taken seriously as a serious wrestler now, disavowing his comedy gimmick and grimacing through this match in which he is pitted against five goofballs. I actually think this is a neat storyline and hope to see them run with it some more, presumably building to a match with Bill Carr. A fair number of little kids were in attendance, which made all the dick jokes and ass-biting seem even more grotesque than they would have been. If you aren’t a fan of comedy wrestling, this is Extremely Not Your Thing. Rating: Two and a half Keanus.

EYFBO (Mike Draztik and Angel Ortiz) def. The American Destroyers (Donovan Dijak and Mikey Webb) via pinfall

This was a hoot. Pure chaos, with none of the comedy that both teams can do, just a full-on sprint from start to finish. EYFBO had the Impact tag team titles with them (the titles still say TNA, DOES NO ONE CARE ABOUT BRANDING) and the Destroyers came out full of cocky swagger. Mikey Webb has really grown on me as Dijak’s shit-talking sidekick, and Mike Draztik should be a huge singles star one day, the dude just has so much ability and charisma. This has been the best Destroyers match I’ve seen so far, and one of the best EYFBO matches. Rating: Four Keanus.

INTERMISSION!

The editor at Spectacle of Excess wants to do more interviews, and she asked if I wanted to interview Janela (she is interviewing Su Yung, and I am jealous). I do, although I really don’t know what to ask. I feel like wrestlers are more guarded about stuff that you’d really want to know, and as a result most interviews tend to be things like “How did you get into wrestling/what are some of your favorite matches/who do you want to wrestle next.” I don’t know, man. I’m a weird awkward fuck at the best of times, and never liked cold-calling interviews when I was a journalist. We’ll see. If you have any questions for Joey Janela, send them my way.

Team PAWG (LuFisto and Jordynne Grace) def. Alpha Sigma Sigma (Anthony Greene and Brick Mastone) via pinfall

Team PAWG (That’s “Phat Ass White Girls,” your holiness) were introduced by ring announcer Rich Palladino as having a combined weight of 325 pounds, “25 of which are athletic ass meat,” and I thought, Boy, I come from a family of college professors. Which is true. I, however, dropped out of grad school to become a newspaper reporter, and now here I am, in a bar in Providence, Rhode Island on a Sunday afternoon, listening to a guy in a tuxedo describe the “ass meat” of two women in front of an audience that includes preteens. Say what you want about me, but you can’t deny that I am a total disappointment. Anyway, this match was pretty lukewarm. Greene and Mastone are talented young dudes, but trapped in this fuck boy (fuckboi?) gimmick that, in fairness, does get a fair amount of heat. I kind of thought this would be a knockdown dragout, as all four wrestlers can really go, but it was mostly a comedy match focused on the ass power of LuFisto and Jordynne Grace. A little disappointing! Rating: Two Keanus.

Keith Lee def. Michael Elgin via pinfall

If this were Wrestling Twitter, I would just write HOSS FIGHT and be done with it. Two gigantic men who are both skilled wrestlers colliding in a hard-fought battle with lots of spots showing off Elgin’s incredible strength and Lee’s amazing athleticism. This went a little long, which is something you can say for like 75 percent of indie matches, but in this case that was especially noticeable, since the awe of this matchup starts to wear off after 10 minutes or so. Still a lot of fun and may come across better on video. Rating: Three Keanus.

AR Fox def. John Silver via pinfall

Silver was originally scheduled to wrestle the absent Davey Richards, who had a family situation he had to be present for. Silver came out to the ring and said there was only one man he wanted to face in Richards’ absence: Dave Bautista. His “I Walk Alone” theme music started playing, but instead of the “Guardians of the Galaxy 2″ star, Ansonia, Connecticut’s favorite son, AR Fox, emerged from the back. Delightfully, Fox kept up Batista-esque mannerisms throughout the match, including the machine gun pose. This was, like all AR Fox matches, completely bonkers, with the man seemingly determined to prove his neck is made of rubber. Lots of back and forth on the offense, with Fox winning via rollup after Silver tried to go for the Batista Bomb. Rating: Three and a half Keanus.

Doom Patrol (Chris Dickinson and Jaka) def. Jonathan Gresham and Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall

I loved this match. The back story is that since Dickinson attacked Jordynne Grace, Gresham’s real-life girlfriend, the Octopus has been out for revenge on the Dirty Daddy. This had a lot of rawness to it, with Dickinson and Gresham getting in each other’s faces before the bell and getting pulled apart by their tag team partners and the ref. Very few people do nasty as well as Chris Dickinson. (Side note: Doom Patrol came out with the EVOLVE tag team championship belts, and it was neat to realize Team Pazuzu has the team gold in two separate promotions right now) The match itself was a gritty classic, with Gresham and ZSJ being pushed out of their customary technical wizardry into brutal striking contests with Jaka and Dickinson. Chaos started to reign down the stretch, and when the Doom Patrol got Gresham up for the Doomsday Device, Jordynne Grace ran in, ostensibly to help her man but in reality causing confusion that allowed Dickinson to get the win via rollup. Afterwards, she and Gresham bickered, with Grace saying she should have been his partner for this match instead of Zacky Three Belts. They decided to settle this in the only way possible: INSIDE THE SQUARED CIRCLE, at Beyond’s show in May. Fun! Rating: Four Keanus.

Final verdict: Not quite the start-to-finish classic as yesterday’s show, but well worth your time and dollars.

#show reviews #Beyond Wrestling #indie wrestling

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duaneodavila · 6 years ago

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The Lawyer Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Attorney In Your Life

The holiday season is upon us, and yet again, you have no idea what to get for the fickle lawyer or law student in your life. We’re here to help.

We’ve got an eclectic selection of fantastic legally themed holiday gifts for you to choose from, so settle in by that stack of documents yet to be reviewed and dig in.

We have so many offerings this year that we’ve categorized everything so you can either peruse the whole post or click on the link below to jump directly to the category that you think best suits your shopping mission:

Books Apparel & Accessories Games Food & Drink Desk Toys & Office Decor Movies & Television Luggage

(Disclosure: When available, we have used affiliate links.)

Books

Do you have a reader on your hands? Of course you do, you’re buying for an attorney! Grab a nice book to curl up with this holiday season — or to read on their next flight to some far-flung deposition.

Dan Abrams and David Fisher put out a book this year examining the titular Lincoln’s Last Trial. The book walks through scribe Robert Hitt’s transcript of the murder trial Lincoln worked on right before his election to the presidency, a case where Lincoln knew both the defendant and the victim.

Meanwhile, you may have heard a little something about James Comey’s memoir, A Higher Loyalty. Apparently, he got involved in some interesting events toward the end of his FBI tenure.

Perhaps not a gift for a loved one — unless, hey, that’s your kink — but practice texts can be invaluable for a practitioner and if you can get a good deal on one, it’s like giving your practice a gift this season. We recently wrote about a sale Wolters Kluwer is running on some of their top titles.

We would be remiss if��we didn’t remind you of ATL founder David Lat’s first novel, Supreme Ambitions, is still a terrific gift. According to Judge Richard Posner, “This fine novel by a leading Internet commentator and analyst of the courts provides disquieting insight into the secretive world of federal judges and their brilliant anxious young law clerks.”

David A. Kaplan’s The Most Dangerous Branch offers a journalistic take on how the abject failure of the legislative branch has empowered the Supreme Court far beyond its intended role. Think of this as the empirical study every Critical Legal Studies seminar always needed. And speaking of seminars, law students and pre-law students should check out How To Be Sort Of Happy In Law School, by Kathryne M. Young, a book we discussed with the author here.

Justice Sotomayor wrote not one, but two books this year with both Turning Pages and The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor. Both books target younger readers if you’re looking for an inspiring gift for a youngster out there.

We also have a whole selection of the year’s best at the ATL Book Club.

apparel & accessories

ESK Esq.

ESK Esq. has a whole line of apparel for the lawyer out there including a stylized view of glorious Blackacre of Property Law fame and an International Shoe logo for Civ Pro nerds.

Here’s a shirt for every good Sunny fan who knows the benefit of a solid education in Bird Law. And here’s a Nelson & Murdock shirt.

There’s even a shirt for the office holiday party.

While not technically apparel, there’s not really another category to fit this one into — here are some personalizable fun lawyer Christmas tree ornaments for the lawyer in your life.

For the resistance-minded out there, Dissent Pins sells a line of pins and necklaces in the form of Justice Ginsburg’s famous dissent jabot.

Here’s a Legal Pad Bow Tie. Is the lawyer in your life a nerd or a complete nerd? Because if it’s the latter, then you absolutely have to buy this legal pad bow tie, the perfect sartorial statement against the kids and their damn computer note-taking.

What better stocking stuffer than… stockings.

Games

Looking for a diversion from billable hours?

The LAWSUIT! board game makes a fantastic holiday gift for clients, lawyers, friends, and family. The game’s setting is the day-to-day operation of a law firm where players bring fictitious lawsuits with whimsical premises, and can elect to settle or appeal cases.

Makers of the official chess set of the Supreme Court Historical Society! Approach the Bench makes great gifts for attorneys, law students, or anyone in the legal profession. They offer courtroom-themed chess sets, Judge, Blind Justice, and Attorney bottle stoppers and lawyer, Judge, and Blind Justice chocolate bars!

FOOD & DRINK

This wine bottle holder is so delightfully weird that it comes all the way back around into awesome. There’s some serious detail work on this thing.

Or for the more honest out there, we have this World’s Okayest Lawyer Mug

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to enjoy some holiday spirits? Caskers, founded by Harvard Law grads, curates all varieties of the best craft spirits from around the world and offers discounts of up to 40% of retail prices.

Do we have puns? Sure we do! Was that not enough? Oh, we have more. And another one. Seemingly an unlimited supply actually. Even this stretch of one.

Chocolate Text lets you send chocolate messages to anyone you desire. Personally, I’d go for “You’ve Been Served.” You can also order a “Selfie Tin.” Simply upload a picture and Chocolate Text places it on a tin of your choice of sweet treats. The perfect place for that photo of your favorite lawyer shaking hands with a Supreme Court justice or walking up to get their degree.

Is a lawyer having a good day or a bad day? This wine glass will let everyone know. Meanwhile this wine glass explains why the lawyer is drinking today.

Finally, a Zazzle user has a take on the ubiquitous “Keep Calm” motif, with these “Keep Calm and Call A Lawyer” candy jars.

Desk Toys & Office Decor

Lawyers spend most of their lives behind their desks, so why not spice them up a little? Sure they might appreciate a framed picture of their loved ones, but these thoughtful trinkets might make for better conversation pieces.

For Counsel has a number of lawyer gifts available, but let’s be honest, it’s all about this “explosive” paperweight. That’ll make an impression.

If you think a dummy grenade is a bit much, then perhaps some business card holders? This is a cute one of a female lawyer sitting at her desk — making it very meta. This glass card holder can be personalized.

And then there are Funko Pops. You know, those big head toys that seem to be everywhere these days. They even make Golden Girls Funko Pops now, which seems like the border of market saturation. But there are some legal Pops out there like this one of Matt Murdock in his lawyer garb or the Citadel-dwelling Lawyer Morty from Rick and Morty. And, obviously, there’s Saul Goodman and Jimmy McGill.

It’s not exactly meant for the desk, but this is a nice decorative touch for the office. It’s a framed copy of the patent artwork for the gavel. Specifically, U.S. Patent 2,755,833 — also known as the Hollow-Headed Gavel With Telescopic Handle Section.

Someone at CafePress has a billable hours clock available to mix decor with some wit.

movies & Television

Lawyers may not have a lot of free time, but when they have a chance to catch up with the world, they can thank you for providing them something fantastic for their viewing pleasure.

Like the complete series of Law & Order. If you wanted to know what twenty season bundle of disks looks like, well there you go.

Speaking of series, the complete runs of Perry Mason, Matlock, and Ally McBeal are all available. Personally, I’d take the various seasons of Harvey Bridman or Better Call Saul though.

There was a stellar RBG documentary this year that you can pick up. We reviewed the film here.

Classical movie buffs might appreciate this 50th Anniversary Edition of 12 Angry Men or an opportunity to revisit Atticus Finch before he became a racist in Go Set A Watchman. On the ridiculous side, perhaps they’d enjoy Al Pacino’s turn as Satan in Devil’s Advocate. Then there’s the greatest courtroom film of all time, My Cousin Vinny.

And do you remember 90s television? This shirt does.

Luggage

The essential gift for a traveling lawyer! The ScanFast Briefcase from Mobile Edge is a TSA-compliant laptop bag that allows the traveler to keep their laptop inside their bag while passing through TSA security checkpoints. This makes traveling with your laptop simple while keeping your laptop secure.

For a less standard design, check out this option (which also comes in three other color combinations). The bag is still TSA-compliant and boasts rich pink suede and brown faux-leather exterior highlighted by a bright color-accented satin lining. A matching shoulder strap, separate zippered workstation for files, and a trolley strap for rolling luggage included. Carries a Lifetime Warranty!

Seriously, peruse all of the MobileEdge offerings while shopping.

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jasonheart1 · 6 years ago

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Kick in the gut! Broncos fall 19-17 on Mac miss

DENVER -- Well, that was a kick in the gut. And the face. And in the pants.

With a chance to keep their season relevant, the Broncos found a new way to churn their heart in a blender. Brandon McManus missed wide right on a 51-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Broncos to an excruciating 19-17 defeat at chilly Mile High Stadium.

"Bad kicks. Terrible kicks. The guys gave me a chance to win the game, and I was terrible," said McManus, who offered no excuses for the snap or the wind. "It sucks because you come into the game kicking pretty well, and I didn't give us a chance. I let these guys down."

Trailing on the final drive, quarterback Case Keenum converted a pair of fourth downs on completions to Emmanuel Sanders and Jeff Heuerman. However, with 20 second remaining, the Broncos ran the ball up the middle, leaving a serious degree of difficulty for McManus. The Texans iced him, and he hustled over to the sideline and kicked into the net. He entered the field to a loud roar, known for his clutch kicks, dating to the Super Bowl 50 season.

This one wasn't close. He hit it right, and it never moved, sending the Texans, including Demaryius Thomas, into jubilation. The Broncos felt resignation, their playoff hopes all but dashed with a 3-6 record as they enter the bye week.

"It's gut-wrenching," said coach Vance Joseph, whose employment status will be subject to question with his 8-17 overall record, though he's expected to survive. "I know how hard the guys work. I want to win for them."

Entering Sunday, the Broncos needed to deliver on a mandate: Own Your Job. It plastered the TV screens in the locker room on Thursday and Friday in block blue letters on a white backdrop.

With the defense smothering Houston like a python -- Von Miller and Bradley Chubb added to their sack totals -- the Broncos responded with a 12-play, 81-yard drive to secure a 17-16 advantage. It represented the second longest drive of the season, six shy of a first-half march Sunday.

"My knee felt better as the game wore on. Rushing the passer is like being a prize fighter. You have to be ready to go 12 rounds," Miller told me in the tunnel after the game as he hung out with former teammate Demaryius Thomas. "I will be fine after the bye. It's just tough to lose."

Keenum's dime to Heuerman shoved the Broncos ahead by a point, but it felt uneasy. The Broncos' inability to finish has been an issue since winning Super Bowl 50. They have shown they can compete, but crossing the line with the lead remains a difficult skill to recapture.

The Texans pulled ahead 19-17 on Ka'imi Fairbairn's 37-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. And they made it stand.

"The margin for error is so small for our team. We can't mess up and win," said veteran cornerback Chris Harris Jr., frustrated that the Texans didn't challenge him more in the passing game. "We have to find a way to eliminate those little mistakes that kill us every game."

It didn't start well for the Broncos because it started with a bubble screen, as it so often does with Thomas. It was his signature play for eight-plus seasons. OK, not so much the past two years as Thomas leaned out, going vegan, and playing roughly 10 pounds lighter, leading to his yards after contact to vanish. But Sunday, after a Jumbotron tribute, he went to work. He broke inside, slipped a missed tackle by Tramaine Brock, and skated 31 yards. He followed with an 18-yard reception -- it was impressive he was running entire route tree after three practices -- setting up an easy score.

"I loved my time here. It was just a different bond. You had guys you would think would never shed a tear that were shedding tears. I had a great time. We won a Super Bowl," said Thomas, who finished with three catches for 61 yards. "But it's up and done, and on to the next.

DeShaun Watson, clearly a player who has Thomas feeling young again, connected with tight end Jordan Thomas for a a 7-yard touchdown, who beat Josey Jewell in coverage. He became the third quarterback in NFL history with at least 35 touchdowns in first 16 games, joining Hall of Famers Kurt Warner and Dan Marino.

"It was good for Demaryius," Watson said. "He did a great job of making catches when we needed him, and he had a leadership role on the sideline. I just kept the faith."

The Broncos responded with his replacement Courtland Sutton. He delivered a critical 21-yard reception, breaking a tackle. Then, it went wrong. He was called for a block in the back and dropped a touchdown in the end zone. Brandon McManus salvaged the drive with a 44-yard field goal, shaving the deficit to 7-3 with 4:42 remaining in the first.

A fourth down stop ignited the crowd moments later. This was the type of play to change a Sunday. Instead, it altered nothing. Devontae Booker fumbled as Justin Reid pawed out the ball and recovered it on Denver's 22-yard line. Watson made the Broncos pay with a 16-yard score to DeAndre Hopkins on a communication breakdown. It brought a sobering reality that players not guarded by Harris would be open too often.

The game, if not the season, sat a crossroads. Embattled Keenum, who has been only marginally better than last season's carousel at the halfway point, engineered his best and longest drive of the season. In four plays, the Broncos raced 87 yards.

Who knew the Broncos had a tight end passing weapon? Matt LaCosse caught a ball in the flat and broke down the sidelines like a kid running from class to recess. His 44 yards on the play led the Broncos in receiving in the first half. Jeff Heuerman, who delivered his best game as a pro with 10 receptions for 83 yards, followed with a 14-yard reception, and Booker found redemption with a 14-yard scamper for a score, his first since Oct. 30 last season.

An encouraging half turned dark in the waning minutes. Center Matt Paradis left the field on a cart after fracturing his right fibula. He said he will be fine, believing the break will heal. He had played every snap since 2014 -- 3,850 entering the game -- before exiting for Connor McGovern. Brandon McManus followed with a missed 62-yard field goal, leading to Houston's final score. Paradis is expected to miss the remainder of the season as he enters free agency, joining left guard Ron Leary (Achilles).

"I am gonna be fine after some time," Paradis told Denver7.

Added Keenum, who completed 26 of 42 passes for 290 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, "He's top notch, as solid as they come. It's a tough deal."

At the end of the first half, Denver's field goal decision backfired. Watson completed two quick strikes, setting up Fairbairn's 46-yard field goal. It swelled in importance as the game inched toward a conclusion, and was made worse by the fact that he missed his first attempt. Joseph, it turns out, de-iced the kicker.

It captured the season. The Broncos found a way to do just enough to lose.

"If I could put my finger on it, we'd be winning," Miller lamented. "It's a tough league. We give teams hell each and every week. We just have to find ways to come out on top."

Footnotes

The Broncos honored Demaryius Thomas before the game with a 1-minute long video tribute. Thomas thanked the fans, who gave him a warm welcome. The Broncos also added "Thank You" to the banner of Thomas hanging outside the south end of the stadium. ... Von Miller looked limited because of a brace on his left knee. But he entered the sack column for the four consecutive game, corralling Watson in the third quarter. ... Shane Ray limped off late in the third quarter, favoring his right ankle. ... The Broncos' inactive list included five injured players and two healthy scratches, linemen Sam Jones and Nico Falah. ... Bradley Chubb's eight sacks represent the most by an NFL rookie at this point of the season since Von in 2011.

Enjoy this content? Follow Denver7 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and download the Denver7 app on iOS and Android devices for continual access to breaking news, weather and sports.

Want Broncos news? Denver7 Broncos insider Troy E. Renck is your source. He talks to the players, covers the games and reports scoops on Denver7 and the Denver7 app. He is a CU grad who has covered pro sports in Colorado since 1996, including 14 years at The Denver Post. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and TheDenverChannel.com’s Broncos page. Troy welcomes most of your emails at [email protected].

from Local News https://www.thedenverchannel.com/sports/broncos-face-texans-in-critical-must-win-game

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instapicsil1 · 6 years ago

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Next up in our #seniorspotlight series is Chase Harrison! // At the IOP, Chase has been a Fellows Ambassador for Joe Trippi, a Fellows Team Leader for Dan Isom, and a Fellows Team Leader for Matt Bai, Jackie Calmes and Robert Costa. Chase also completed an IOP funded summer internship at the Council of the Americas in D.C. His favorite IOP memory is either seeing Chris Christie speak or the summer career panels in D.C. during the Summer in Washington program.// Beyond the IOP, Chase is the Vice President of Student Government, has been a part of Off-Off Campus for three years, and work at Hillel. Chase spent his summers interning for Senator Cory Booker, and for Josh Gottheimer. // Chase is a Latin American Studies major. His favorite ice cream is chocolate peanut butter. He was born in Australia and had a strong Australian accent until he was four, at which point he moved to New Jersey. In the future, Chase would love to live in Rio or Sao Paulo. Post grad, he'll be moving to Mexico City for an internship at EMPRA. After that, Chase will be off to Oxford University for a two-year MPhil in Comparative Politics. https://ift.tt/2xAnXYV

#Insta New #Insta All

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hottytoddynews · 7 years ago

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Ole Miss Head Coach Matt Luke. Photo by Steven Gagliano

If I could offer Matt Luke just one piece of advice for his upcoming job interview with Ross Bjork, I would strongly suggest showing up with the Egg Bowl Trophy in his hands. When Bjork gets around to asking about Luke’s qualifications for the position, the coach could reply, “You’re looking at the most recent one.”

Thursday night’s Egg Bowl win was possibly the greatest upset by an Ole Miss team ever in Stark Vegas. Very few people, if any (including this writer), gave the Rebels a chance. Except Matt Luke and his band of Rebel warriors. On a night that Ole Miss would not be denied, the big finale to a turbulent season (on the playing field, at least) could not have been better.

Making the case to retain Matt Luke is an easy one. The case to send him packing is far more complex and treacherous. Let’s play the “what if” game for a second.

What if Ole Miss dismisses Luke and then the NCAA declares that any Rebel player can transfer without sitting out the 2018 season? Talk about gutting a program. With Luke at the helm, the risk of losing important players would be reduced. No one is better prepared to hold this band of Reb players together than Matt Luke. They love playing for their coach, as was clearly evident Thursday night.

The smart move is to bring Luke back for the 2018 season and give him a full year with his staff. The cloud of uncertainty from the NCAA investigation will have lifted—the team will know what it’s facing at last and can move forward from there.

Way back in August, I predicted this team would go 9-3. While they came up three wins short, anyone who follows the Rebels knows how close they actually came to that 9-3 tally. And going 2-2 on the road in the SEC—with the two losses coming to top six nationally ranked teams—was not an easy feat.

While others are making a case for South Carolina’s Will Muschamp for SEC Coach of the Year, I’m no attorney, but I believe I could make a compelling case for bringing Luke back as Ole Miss’ head coach. With the problems he inherited, and the challenge of operating under the Katrina cloud that consumed the 2017 Ole Miss season, Luke did the impossible. Just ask Dan Mullen.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at [email protected] or call him at 985-852-7745.

The post Vassallo: Ross Bjork’s Decision Just Got Easier – Hire Matt Luke appeared first on HottyToddy.com.

#hottytoddy #olemiss #oxfordms #oxford ms #mississippi #university of mississippi #the grove

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swimmingkoalakitty-blog · 7 years ago

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miamibeerscene · 8 years ago

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My Lucky Break: How I Got a Job in Craft Beer

Craftbeer.com

March 17, 2017

How do you get a job in craft beer? Hard work, talent and education go a long way, but a little luck doesn’t hurt.

We asked people in the beer industry to tell us how luck played a role in landing their dream job. From being in the right place at the right time to a chance meeting on Twitter, here are nine stories from people who work in beer.

(MORE: 8 Women in Craft Beer Who are Making a Mark Right Now)

Dean Priebe at Icicle Brewing. (Credit: Dean Priebe)

My Lucky Break: From Homebrewer to Head Brewer

Dean Priebe, Brewmaster at Icicle Brewing: In 2008, I was a humble homebrewer who won 1st place with my Robust Porter in a Seattle homebrew competition. In July, Pike Brewing Company offered to brew my Robust Porter and enter it as a Pro-Am entry in the Great American Beer Festival. I was able to attend the festival and pour my beer for the crowd.

However, the best part happened when a restaurant in my hometown of Leavenworth, Washington, purchased some kegs of my porter from Pike. The restaurant had a release party and I was pouring pints. At the event, a couple looking to open a brewery tried my porter and we started talking. They hired me as their head brewer. Icicle Brewing Company has been open six years and things are awesome!

My Lucky Break: Politeness Pays Off

Kurt Randall, Head Brewer at Ska: I had just moved to Denver and the only job I could find was mowing lawns in the southwest corner of the city.

Kurt Randall is Ska’s head brewer. (Photo: Kurt Randall)

I saw an ad in the Denver Post basically stating entry level position at Flying Dog Brewery. I called in sick to my lawn mowing job so I could go to the brewery and apply.

After waiting in line, I finally made it inside and spoke with Kelly Bearden, their office manager at the time, and was sent into the office to speak with Ryan Fox and Paul Marczyk. They went through the normal interview process asking me if I had ever brewed before, if I had any experience driving a forklift and a few other things. I thanked them and Kelly for their time and went to enjoy the rest of my day off.

Ryan and Paul ended up interviewing somewhere between 150 and 200 people that day. They were overwhelmed and asked Kelly her thoughts. I still remember what she told me she had told them: “Hire Kurt. He was polite and will fit in well with the guys in back.”

Luck was on my side! I was polite and it paid off. I spent five years working at Flying Dog before they moved to Maryland. I started on packaging and worked my way up to Head Brewer. I was the last Flying Dog Head Brewer in Denver. That was over 13 years ago and I still love what I do, and I still thank Kelly for getting me my first brewery job.

(MORE: Understanding the Three-Tier System in Beer)

My Lucky Break: Extra Credit Points

Danielle Schuler is quality manager at Fargo Brewing. (Credit: Danielle Schuler)

Danielle Schuler, Quality Manager at Fargo Brewing: I feel like some pretty serious luck got me to where I am in the brewing industry.

I was studying food science at North Dakota State University and was accepted into a research fellowship program during the summer of 2014. What I didn’t know was that one of the professors in the program had recently been contacted by the Fargo Brewing Company (FBC) asking for assistance to set up their quality lab. As someone who was just getting into the craft beer scene, I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about the science of making beer.

After the fellowship ended, I was hired on part-time until I finished my degree. It’s now three years later and I’m running the quality lab full-time, and couldn’t imagine a more satisfying way to make a living.

Colin Presby is the brewmaster on Carnival Vista. (Credit: Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Line)

My Lucky Break: From Llamas to Luxury Cruise Line

Colin Presby, Brewmaster on Carnival Vista: In 2009 I was working as a large animal veterinary technician treating horses, sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas. The practice was growing and one of our new clients was Dan Weirback, owner of Weyerbacher Brewing Company in Easton, Pennsylvania.

On a routine farm call, Dan and I started talking beer. I was an avid homebrewer and very interested in the beer scene. Weyerbacher was growing rapidly and Dan needed help with festivals from time to time. It was a great fit!

Before too long that turned into part time work on the bottling line and then a full-time job as a cellarman. Now, I’m the brewmaster for Carnival’s Vista.

(MORE: CraftBeer.com’s Great American Beer Bars 2017)

My Lucky Break: Timing is Everything

Jason Randles started at Deschuutes. He’s now at Crux Fermentation Project. (Credit: Jason Randles)

Jason Randles, Branding and Marketing Manager at Crux Fermentation Project: When I moved to Bend, Oregon, in 1999 the only thing I knew about the town was it was the home of Deschutes Brewery. When I turned 21 in Seattle a few years before that, a friend gave me a six-pack of Black Butte Porter and I was hooked.

Three months after moving to Bend and trying to find a job I said, “Wouldn’t it be cool to work for Deschutes?” I turned in an application and they just happened to be hiring. I started answering phones at the front desk and ordering branded shirts. I worked my way up to digital marketing manager and had a fun 17-year run.

Now I’m leading the marketing efforts at Crux Fermentation Project and still having a blast.

My Lucky Break: A Phone Call at the Right Time

Chris Davison is the head brewer at Wolf’s Ridge in Ohio. (Credit: Wolf’s Ridge)

Chris Davison, Head Brewer at Wolf’s Ridge: I am from Columbus, Ohio. Before I was a professional brewer I spent roughly two to three years applying to various breweries. At the time my wife and I were open to moving and I was unhappy with my current job.

I figured that if I was going to get into a brewery I needed to be part of a larger beer scene. Knowing that Colorado was not only a beautiful state but one of the most saturated beer states, I applied for a transfer with my company to get closer to the beer. Little did I know that they only accepted transfer requests for educational reasons. I had already been looking into grad school to try and firm up a true skill set (my undergrad was in Philosophy – like so many other brewers of course!). I settled on an MBA at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. I went through all the testing for grad school and months later applied to CSU. I was accepted and began planning the move.

Two weeks later I got a call from Tony Corder at Columbus Brewing Company. He knew I was looking to break into the industry and said that there would be a job opening washing kegs.

I was torn — I was geared up for a major life change but the whole point of going back to school and moving was to become a brewer. I decided to take that job washing kegs in pursuit of a sure thing. I got really lucky and was brewing most days within a year.

Five years later I’m an award-winning head brewer for Wolf’s Ridge Brewing and still in Columbus. I’m happier than ever and doing exactly what I wanted all those years ago.

Chris Shields works at Ohio’s Rhinegeist. (Credit: Rhinegeist Brewery)

My Lucky Break: Chance Meeting on Twitter

Chris Shields, Brewer at Rhinegeist: My whole career is lucky breaks! Not to say that I haven’t put in lots of hours and worked hard, but I seem to continually find myself in fortunate situations.

My start in the industry came after meeting someone on Twitter. I was a homebrewer and major fan of craft beer and always found myself tweeting to another beer fan (@topfermented) in the area. One day we ended up at the same event and met in person. We hit it off and became close friends. We brewed a bunch of beer together and fell in love with the North Carolina craft beer scene and talk about going pro.

Fast forward a couple years and Erik starts up Mystery Brewing Company and asks me if I want to quit my day job and join him in making the brewery a reality. I did.

As fate would have it, two years ago I left Mystery to follow my amazing wife for an opportunity in Cincinnati, Ohio (where we knew exactly zero people). So of course, I used the amazing community of craft brewers and put the word out to everyone I knew that I was looking for somewhere to land in Cincinnati.

I made two particularly lucky connections. First, a former cellerperson at Mystery along with another North Carolina brewer nearby had worked with the lead brewer at Rhinegeist when all three of them lived in Michigan. Second, I managed a connection through the BA Safety Subcommittee which put me in touch with Jim Matt, the head brewer. With those connections, Rhinegeist was willing to bring me in (despite not having an open position), and as luck would have it, the new expansion brewhouse had just arrived. I joined Rhinegeist and could not be happier to be a part of such an amazing team.

My Lucky Break: Talking My Way Into a Job

Shaun O’Sullivan is a co-founder of 21st Amendment. (Credit: 21st Amendment)

Shaun O’Sullivan, 21st Amendment Co-Founder: I had several careers in my 20s, as a photographer for a weekly, working at CNN as a producer and a legal assistant at a large corporate law firm. I thought I was headed to a career in law/business and was applying to law and business schools when around that time I took up homebrewing. I was exposed to craft beer and enjoyed the likes of Redhook ESB, Pete’s Wicked Ale and Anchor Steam as well as Sierra Nevada’s beers in the parking lot while checking out Grateful Dead shows in the Bay Area and really fell in love with craft beer.

I decided to pull up stakes and move to the Bay Area with hopes of becoming a brewer. I moved to Berkeley, California, just over the bridge from San Francisco and frequented Triple Rock Brewery which was just down the street from my home. I managed to talk my way into coming in and brewing. I met Sandy Savage, the head brewer, and Sean Donnelley, the assistant brewer, that day. Sean would then invite me in, essentially interning, to help out with whatever he was doing in the brewery.

When a position opened up I approached the two owners of Triple Rock, Reed and John Martin and asked if they’d hire me for the assistant brewing position. I got the job, and that was the break that set the stage for everything that came after that.

I met my 21st Amendment Brewery business partner Nico Freccia there soon after I started at Triple Rock. It was the launch pad for my other brewery positions in San Francisco and sealing my fate in opening a craft brewery in San Francisco. As Sean Donnelly said after he left Triple Rock and I took over as assistant brewer, “People know Triple Rock. You will do fine and go far in this industry.”

I never knew back then that he was indeed right. Now that is one lucky break.

My Lucky Break: Got the Attention of a Beer Editor

Nico Freccia is a co-founder of California’s 21st Amendment Brewing. (Credit: 21st Amendment)

Nico Freccia, 21st Amendment Co-Founder: I moved from LA to San Francisco in the fall of 1994 because I wanted to be closer to the craft brewing business. I had been waiting tables and managing restaurants in LA and had become an avid homebrewer. I wanted to break into the craft beer world and San Francisco was the epicenter.

A few months after I arrived, I attended a blues and brews beerfest and wrote an article about my experience. I mailed the article (we didn’t use email in those days) to Tom Dalldorf, the editor and publisher of the Celebrator Beer News, the West Coast’s oldest and largest beer newspaper. I told him I was a writer, homebrewer and craft beer fan that had just moved to the Bay Area and I wanted to write about beer. (I even offered to send him some short stories I had written to prove my chops. He begged me not to.)

Tom called me and said he enjoyed the article and was actually looking for someone to be the Bay Area correspondent for the Celebrator so he could spend more time working on other facets of the paper — and would I like the job? I calmly offered that I would love to and thanked him and hung up the phone. Then I started dancing around the room and fist pumping. I felt like a cub reporter fresh out of journalism school that had just gotten offered a job at the New York Times. This was my big break and for the next several years I traveled around the bay area and beyond, meeting the people in the craft beer world, seeing their breweries, talking about their beers, eating their food. It drove me to want to start working on opening my own brewery someday.

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Jess Baker

Jess Baker is the editor in chief of CraftBeer.com. Enamored by the personalities, dedication and entrepreneurial spirit of America’s small and independent brewers, she brings their stories to life. She’s a runner, an aunt, a die-hard Springsteen fan, and suffers from a bit of social media obsession. Read more by this author

The post My Lucky Break: How I Got a Job in Craft Beer appeared first on Miami Beer Scene.

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duaneodavila · 6 years ago

Text

The Lawyer Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Attorney In Your Life

The holiday season is upon us, and yet again, you have no idea what to get for the fickle lawyer or law student in your life. We’re here to help.

We’ve got an eclectic selection of fantastic legally themed holiday gifts for you to choose from, so settle in by that stack of documents yet to be reviewed and dig in.

Books Apparel & Accessories Games Food & Drink Desk Toys & Office Decor Movies & Television Luggage

(Disclosure: When available, we have used affiliate links.)

Books

Meanwhile, you may have heard a little something about James Comey’s memoir, A Higher Loyalty. Apparently, he got involved in some interesting events toward the end of his FBI tenure.

We would be remiss if we didn’t remind you of ATL founder David Lat’s first novel, Supreme Ambitions, is still a terrific gift. According to Judge Richard Posner, “This fine novel by a leading Internet commentator and analyst of the courts provides disquieting insight into the secretive world of federal judges and their brilliant anxious young law clerks.”

We also have a whole selection of the year’s best at the ATL Book Club.

apparel & accessories

ESK Esq.

ESK Esq. has a whole line of apparel for the lawyer out there including a stylized view of glorious Blackacre of Property Law fame and an International Shoe logo for Civ Pro nerds.

Here’s a shirt for every good Sunny fan who knows the benefit of a solid education in Bird Law. And here’s a Nelson & Murdock shirt.

There’s even a shirt for the office holiday party.

While not technically apparel, there’s not really another category to fit this one into — here are some personalizable fun lawyer Christmas tree ornaments for the lawyer in your life.

For the resistance-minded out there, Dissent Pins sells a line of pins and necklaces in the form of Justice Ginsburg’s famous dissent jabot.

What better stocking stuffer than… stockings.

Games

Looking for a diversion from billable hours?

FOOD & DRINK

This wine bottle holder is so delightfully weird that it comes all the way back around into awesome. There’s some serious detail work on this thing.

Or for the more honest out there, we have this World’s Okayest Lawyer Mug.

Do we have puns? Sure we do! Was that not enough? Oh, we have more. And another one. Seemingly an unlimited supply actually. Even this stretch of one.

Is a lawyer having a good day or a bad day? This wine glass will let everyone know. Meanwhile this wine glass explains why the lawyer is drinking today.

Finally, a Zazzle user has a take on the ubiquitous “Keep Calm” motif, with these “Keep Calm and Call A Lawyer” candy jars.

Desk Toys & Office Decor

For Counsel has a number of lawyer gifts available, but let’s be honest, it’s all about this “explosive” paperweight. That’ll make an impression.

Someone at CafePress has a billable hours clock available to mix decor with some wit.

movies & Television

Lawyers may not have a lot of free time, but when they have a chance to catch up with the world, they can thank you for providing them something fantastic for their viewing pleasure.

Like the complete series of Law & Order. If you wanted to know what twenty season bundle of disks looks like, well there you go.

Speaking of series, the complete runs of Perry Mason, Matlock, and Ally McBeal are all available. Personally, I’d take the various seasons of Harvey Bridman or Better Call Saul though.

There was a stellar RBG documentary this year that you can pick up. We reviewed the film here.

And do you remember 90s television? This shirt does.

Luggage

Seriously, peruse all of the MobileEdge offerings while shopping.

The Lawyer Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Attorney In Your Life republished via Above the Law

0 notes

duaneodavila · 6 years ago

Text

The 2018 Lawyer Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Attorney In Your Life

The holiday season is upon us, and yet again, you have no idea what to get for the fickle lawyer or law student in your life. We’re here to help.

We’ve got an eclectic selection of fantastic legally themed holiday gifts for you to choose from, so settle in by that stack of documents yet to be reviewed and dig in.

Books Apparel & Accessories Games Food & Drink Desk Toys & Office Decor Movies & Television Luggage

(Disclosure: When available, we have used affiliate links.)

Books

Meanwhile, you may have heard a little something about James Comey’s memoir, A Higher Loyalty. Apparently, he got involved in some interesting events toward the end of his FBI tenure.

We also have a whole selection of the year’s best at the ATL Book Club.

apparel & accessories

ESK Esq.

ESK Esq. has a whole line of apparel for the lawyer out there including a stylized view of glorious Blackacre of Property Law fame and an International Shoe logo for Civ Pro nerds.

Here’s a shirt for every good Sunny fan who knows the benefit of a solid education in Bird Law. Or a Better Call Saul t-shirt. And here’s a Nelson & Murdock shirt.

There’s even a shirt for the office holiday party.

While not technically apparel, there’s not really another category to fit this one into — here are some personalizable fun lawyer Christmas tree ornaments for the lawyer in your life.

For the resistance-minded out there, Dissent Pins sells a line of pins and necklaces in the form of Justice Ginsburg’s famous dissent jabot.

What better stocking stuffer than… stockings.

Games

Looking for a diversion from billable hours?

FOOD & DRINK

This wine bottle holder is so delightfully weird that it comes all the way back around into awesome. There’s some serious detail work on this thing.

Or for the more honest out there, we have this World’s Okayest Lawyer Mug.

Do we have puns? Sure we do! Was that not enough? Oh, we have more. And another one. Seemingly an unlimited supply actually. Even this stretch of one.

Is a lawyer having a good day or a bad day? This wine glass will let everyone know. Meanwhile this wine glass explains why the lawyer is drinking today.

Finally, a Zazzle user has a take on the ubiquitous “Keep Calm” motif, with these “Keep Calm and Call A Lawyer” candy jars.

Desk Toys & Office Decor

For Counsel has a number of lawyer gifts available, but let’s be honest, it’s all about this “explosive” paperweight. That’ll make an impression.

Someone at CafePress has a billable hours clock available to mix decor with some wit.

movies & Television

Lawyers may not have a lot of free time, but when they have a chance to catch up with the world, they can thank you for providing them something fantastic for their viewing pleasure.

Like the complete series of Law & Order. If you wanted to know what twenty season bundle of disks looks like, well there you go.

Speaking of series, the complete runs of Perry Mason, Matlock, and Ally McBeal are all available. Personally, I’d take the various seasons of Harvey Bridman or Better Call Saul though.

There was a stellar RBG documentary this year that you can pick up. We reviewed the film here.

And do you remember 90s television? This shirt does.

Luggage

Seriously, peruse all of the MobileEdge offerings while shopping.

The 2018 Lawyer Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts For The Attorney In Your Life republished via Above the Law

0 notes