#rj city if you see this…. put in a good word for me buddy

[vvniceday]

tony khan please fucking hire me bro i can’t just write down all the storyline ideas i have every other night

[just-another-wasteland-merc]

Can You Pass the Butter?

@fluffyfebruary, these are some good prompts! I was really excited to write this one, and found something Mac would most definitely question once he saw it. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it!

Thud. Thud. Thud. Mac's head snapped up towards the door, and Ghost's hair stood up as he growled. 

"RJ!" came Em's yell. "Can you open the door? My hands are full!"

Mac sighed in relief, letting his jaw unclench as he stood to quickly cross the room and open the door to let Em inside. He barely caught the top of her head as she barrelled in, arms full with stacked packaged goods, bags hanging off of her arms, and her backpack almost ready to burst. How did she knock? 

She must have kicked the door to.. knock, he thought, fighting back a chuckle at the image in his mind.

"God, girl," he commented, chuckling as he helped corral the rolling things to keep them on the table when she dumped her arms. "Did you get the whole damn store?"

"Damn near. We were out of a lot of things, honey, plus I splurged a little. Got us a good dinner tonight, and I want you to help me make it."

Mac rubbed the back of his neck, heat creeping up on his cheeks. "I uh… you know of the last time I was in the kitchen, right?"

She didn't look at him as she freed her arms and then her back from the bags, but he caught her smiling as she remembered. "I'll be right there with you. You aren't gonna be alone this time." She eventually met his eyes and sent him a wink before she turned to put things away. Cans of dog food, fresh-grown vegetables, an abundance of mutfruit, and-

"Whoa, wait." Mac snapped up a particular piece of produce. "Since when did potatoes get all the way up here?"

"RJ, I swear, you have the memory of a goldfish some days. We traded for them a long time ago, remember? The seeds?"

He thought back, and rolled his eyes at himself. Of course he remembered. He made the vertibird pilot land at Rivet City to trade for a few things, and Em traded more than he had liked for the small seeds. It sparked some heated words between them, but seeing the grown potato in his hands made him regret what he said all those months ago. 

"I remember," he finally confessed. "So, uh.. what's your plan with them?"

"I'm glad you asked!"

---

"Okay, now take this and smush them." Mac eyed the strange tool she held out to him, but took it. He wasn't about to ask, so he pushed the masher into the boiled, chunked potatoes and was a little surprised when the potatoes seemed to mash. He kept going, stirring them at regular intervals. The smell of meat cooking had peaked his interest, and he glanced over to see her spooning the Brahmin butter over the ribeyes she had purchased. There was a sprig of something in there that Mac didn't know, but it smelled pleasant. 

"Babe, these are, uh.. smushed," he fought a grin that crept at his mouth. 

"Great, now add a bit of butter, and then add some of this." She set down a small container. "The vendor told me it was Brahmin sour cream, and I tried it. It's pretty close, so it will help make the potatoes creamy."

"Wait. Sour cream?"

"Yes, honey. I promise it won't make you sick."

He grunted, but added butter and a small scoop of the cream before stirring. He heard her move around, then a wave of heat as he heard the oven door open and close. The smell of something else took over, something sweeter? 

"Okay, this is creamier. Do I need to add anything?"

The pepper crank appeared in front of him, along with a pair of scissors and…

"Babe. What is this?"

"What is what?"

"This is grass. I'm not eating grass."

She stopped stirring the glazed carrots to laugh. "Those are chives. It's an herb. It's not… it's.." she dissolved into more giggles, needing to catch her breath before she finally continued. "It's not grass."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

What is happening, he thought. These poor potatoes. Now she's got me adding friggin' grass. Chives. Total bullsh-crap. Ngh. 

A while later, the table was set, the family was gathered, and the food was served to everyone. Em cut up the smaller ribeye for Katherine, letting the small girl pick up bite-sized pieces with her fork as Mac stared hard at the mashed potatoes he had made. 

"RJ. Seriously. It's not grass," Em's giggles had gone away, and a tiny bit of exasperation crept into the corners of her eyes. 

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Just try them."

He took a spoonful, and shoved it into his mouth, glaring at her the whole time. 

Oh. This really isn't grass, he thought. He took another, rolling his eyes. 

"So?" Em was watching expectedly, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Fine. It's pretty good."

"I knew you'd like it. It's even better cause you made them."

"Well, yeah, but you were right there to make sure I didn't burn anything."

"Good thing there really wasn't anything for you to burn, sweetheart." 

"Wait a second," Duncan piped up. "Dad made the potatoes?"

"Is that a problem, buddy?" Em watched him, her tone curious.

Duncan stared at the spoonful of mashed potatoes in his hand. "Nope!"

Mac chuckled, mainly out of relief. He wouldn't mind helping make this particular meal again, now that he knew he could at least make mashed potatoes. 

Who am I kidding? he thought. I suppose I could help her with other things. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two.

[horowitzbekker5-blog]

Release Anything

My story is that an author that 'd done online composing for such dot gones as Themestream, Created By Me, and also The Vines, someone striving to have fiction, poetry and also nonfiction in print for real, suggested PublishAmerica. She claimed it was a conventional publication author. I was struck with their slogan, "We deal with authors the old fashioned method-- we pay them." Had not been that what authors were intended to do? However considering that my novel was simply resting on the DiskUs Posting site and doing nothing but providing me with sufficient loan to acquire a pair of skate laces every three months, I believed maybe it would have a better chance over at PublishAmerica where it would be readily available as a profession dimension book both on and also off-line. So this author, Ellen Du Bois, had a big thing on her Geocities website about publications being available in brick & mortar bookstores & they would certainly have ISBN numbers and also be online and all that things. Additionally had her full dimension publication hide so I rested there for 5 minutes waiting for the damn thing to show up. Not impressive, however she liked it. Ellen was a supporter for her book as well as sent out reviews from a weekly neighborhood cloth and also she bulk e-mailed numerous pieces of correspondence throughout those spirituous days when her book was in prerelease, after that launch phase in the summer of '03. I damaged down and got a copy from Amazon.com-- took virtually 3 weeks to get. And I battled to read all 176 web pages. Tripe. Clichés abounded. Spelling/grammatical errors weren't there at the very least. But the writing was slim. The tale relocated also swiftly. The primary personality was one of the most reasonable as it was probably based on the writer. The discussion was okay. The descriptions were marginal. Had there been an actual editor, the book could've been very good. I wrote to Ellen and told her the positive things about the story, preventing the negatives thoughts. She would certainly been an on-line correspondent for almost two years, yet after I didn't assess her book on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble she didn't contact me. Practically a year later she sent me one more e-mail-- to advertise a publication of her poetry. I was simply somebody to market a book to as well as she was just thinking about the sale and with any luck a radiant write up. A Future PublishAmerica Author Since I 'd currently authorized the agreement with PublishAmerica, I wished to cancel it after reading that trash. Currently my publication would be affiliated with a business that produced almost any piece of creating that came its way. I wasn't expecting a lot what with my dealings with the extinct eNovel and also RJ's digital books, along with a tiny digital book author named Crafts Throughout America where I had not been paid monthly as promised. And my unique as well as narrative collection suffered at DiskUs, residence of the alleged Number One Best selling digital book writer of perpetuity, Leta Nolan Childers. PublishAmerica sent me an author's questionnaire where they requested for basic biographical details; cover art tips, and a lengthy checklist of individuals who could intend to review my upcoming story. " Please prepare a listing (names, and addresses,) of individuals that know you all right to be curious about your success as a writer: personal friends, colleagues, loved ones, etc., to receive a publication announcement ... Please limit your listing and your tags to an optimum of 100 get in touches with. Likewise, please do not consist of companies or companies of any type of kind, consisting of book shops, media contacts, or government companies. Consist of buddies and affiliates just." The editing process of my manuscript took two weeks over the Christmas vacations. LA restaurants had the ability to determine that the very first few pages had actually been read as some minor modifications had been made, yet no adjustments adhered to for another 50 or so web pages. Among the mistakes that happened was plainly the outcome of a spellchecker on the part of PublishAmerica as an enigma appeared after the end of a declaration. I 'd check out of real authors obtaining guidelines to alter phases, change endings, erase various web pages, in other words, really struggle to rewrite a book. Why so much initiative? Names. Track record. The publisher intended to put their name on the most effective high quality book that they had purchased. The writer desired a publication that was salable but additionally well composed as well as something they took pride in. PublishAmerica's editing consisted of neither perfect as all they did was put the computer program's spelling/grammar mosaic right into action. My 2 complimentary writer's copies showed up in very early March as well as it behaved to see my trade paperback publication in print sans a cheesy cover and stapled spinal column. 'North of Sunset' really had good looking stock cover art of a couple of silhouetted palm trees, a noticeable font, and also a spine where the book title, publisher and also writer's name appeared. It would look excellent on book shop racks, I thought of. Testimonials-- What Examines? What was Publish America doing to make sure my book was evaluated? Nothing. I made a decision to get in touch with local everyday and regular papers by e-mailing a press release. The only responses I obtained were two e-mail autoresponders introducing the editors were on holiday. I invested $40 on copies of my book's galley and mailed them to 3 national papers as well as the Collection Journal magazine. Then I phoned a book reviewer at the 'San Diego Union-Tribune' and also asked if he would certainly want evaluating my publication yet prior to I can even describe what it had to do with, he asked who my author was. I told him. "We don't evaluate publications by that author," he mentioned. I called all the regional bookstores and also talked to the managers as well as/ or area relations individuals concerning my book, consisting of a number of shops that were literally situated on the road I 'd blogged about. An independent book shop proprietor told me that because PA really did not have a return policy she was incapable to equip my book. Another said that I can sell my book on consignment. The chain stores of Borders and Barnes & Noble said my publication would certainly be offered with Ingram if any individual selected to order it. Tried getting PublishAmerica to send out testimonial duplicates out and it took them weeks to do so. Had to call as well as make certain on 2 events that guides had actually been sent by mail. Maybe estimating one of their passionate marketers on the message board, an individual with a natural wizard for advertising and the budget plan to back it up, got 3 publications sent out to reviewers. After that I sent my book to Piers Anthony, kept in mind sci-fi as well as dream writer of greater than 100 books. I would certainly been in touch with him considering that 2000 when I notified him to the truth that eNovel was a rip-off. Although the action in his books usually occurred in alternate time periods/universes, he really did not mind checking out a mainstream Hollywood novel. He did so. "North of Sundown by Lisa Maliga. She's the one noted in my Study as I'm a Released Author Ha Ha! Ha!, a pertinent caution for starry-eyed aspiring authors. Her web site www.lisamaliga.com deserves checking similarly; she informs it as it is. If you took a couple of years off my age and altered my sex, the result might appear like Lisa. North of Sunset is fun, regarding a Hollywood manufacturer as well as his temporary secretary, revealing a bargain of what I assume is fact. It is written with the omniscient perspective, which I dislike, however it held my rate of interest no matter. " I would certainly found with a distressed author on the messageboards, which I keep reading occasion, that a person was whining concerning PublishAmerica. Uncovering the Absolute Write History Inspect area I invested several hrs reading, at the time, greater than 40 web pages of problems regarding PublishAmerica. Authors not obtaining books in time for booksignings that they set up themselves. Bookstore owners/managers rejecting to stock their shelves with unedited PublishAmerica titles. Writers not able to obtain their publications assessed. Doing a search on LexisNexis, the respectable on-line legal research study system, for all PublishAmerica publications receiving paper testimonials, I saw that from July 2002 to June 2004, only 24 books had been assessed across the country. Papers in Syracuse NY, Tulsa, OK, Fort Pierce, FL, Wilmington, NC and Lakeland, FL were stood for. Just Salt Lake City's 'Deseret Morning News', the 'Tulsa Globe', 'Pittsburgh Post-Gazette' as well as the suburban paper, the 'Chicago Daily Herald' were in fact major papers. Seemingly, the 'New York Times' or the 'Los Angeles Times' were not evaluating anything by PublishAmerica's authors. According to the PublishAmerica website in the Realities and Figures area, "Fact # 3: Once more, exceptional among all standard publication posting business, each day an ordinary 15 times a PublishAmerica author shows up in the news media, in newspapers, publications, radio or TV." Yet also mathematically tested folks can identify that by using the LexisNexis search stats, we find out that the standard is a puny when a month that a PublishAmerica book gets discussed in a paper somewhere in the United States. Editing-- What's That? Below's a treasure of a post on the PublishAmerica message board: "When it appeared in book develop a month back, my friends discussed the editing and enhancing issues in it, so a buddy of mine with a masters in education and learning went through it for me. It had close to a thousand editing and enhancing errors in a 182-page book. So, have some who really recognizes what literary web content should remain in a book, go through your publication for you before you send the final draft back to PublishAmerica. Due to the fact that the last draft, IS!, just how guide will be when it appears." I discovered that via the misspellings, grammatical mistakes, as well as basic poor writing that practically any person was publishable via the 'standard' author located in Frederick, Maryland. Such posts as: "I also am not the very best editor LOL! I did get my finished books. And when I consulted with a woman that is significant in the advertising and marketing area, she informed me that my publication at it's length of 132 web pages needs to have phases." A couple of PublishAmerica writers reviewed editing and enhancing. "I felt like you did when I found mistakes, yet after that I recognized, hey individuals read it for the tale, not seeking blunders in typo land! LOL Now I just keep a keepin on!" Sales Figures Question: I 'd actually like to recognize the amount of copies I've offered. Solution: Purchase all of guides on your own and afterwards count them. No matter how naïve PublishAmerica authors showed up, they will eventually concern the realization that PublishAmerica isn't really a traditional author, specifically when those twice-yearly aristocracy checks arrived. Every few months or two PublishAmerica sent them an e-mail proclaiming their success, extoling a heavyweight author they're discussing with, or, more just recently, doing a take care of the New York Times. On August 17th, an e-mail bearing the pleased subject heading 'Marketing Our Topsellers in the New York Times' appeared in author's online mailboxes. PublishAmerica was well named because they intend to publish any individual in The United States and Canada who has churned out a manuscript, despite quality. They declare to have anywhere from 9,000 to 12,000 "pleased" writers and also they want more and more of them as that undoubtedly suggests more money for the hoggish owners, specifically Willem Meiner and also Larry Clopper. The PublishAmerica name and logo is seen as a joke to those in the media, bookstores and also collections. Publications can not be returned. All PublishAmerica titles do not have the essential CIP [Cataloging-in-Publication] information, which is essential for collections to buy titles, and also who wishes to check out unedited and overpriced tomes besides the writer's cronies? Oh yep, and also while PublishAmerica asserts that they're a 'typical publisher' why on earth do they have in their major page keyword phrases note the term 'self publishing' three times? As well as in their website's summary, they boast: "PublishAmerica, Inc., a traditional publisher, approving and also publishing manuscripts and books at ON THE HOUSE to the author. Aristocracies paid to authors, books sold in shops. Manuscript submissions by mail and online" In the beginning of September I got a royalty check. To my shock, I was not only able to manage to acquire a set of shoelaces for my skates, I forked over the $12 it set you back to develop my blades. That recognized that this company would offer extra earnings allowing me to continue participating in my recreational skating hobby? Yet it cost me more than the $160 in author-bought publications, the $40 for galleys, which were possibly plunged into a recycling bin, the $87 shade calling card, $20 press release-- as well as the many hrs building and also reconstructing my website so people would take place throughout it and also buy a book that was only available online-- like any various other book. PublishAmerica enables the misconception of being a 'typical' publisher, a term not utilized before the development of the Web, to fester. The lie is perpetrated in those HTML resource codes that search engine spider robots deliver; the future writers led to the guaranteed realm of posting, a net web of woven myths fanning across the online world. PublishAmerica resembles most various other ePublishing companies guaranteeing tales of bestselling publications and authors. PublishAmerica is just another scam, just another future dot gone. If you are a PublishAmerica author, or know of one, that is sadly released and also will certainly tell your story, please get in touch with: Federal Profession Commission attn: CRC - 240 Washington, DC 20580 FTC Consumer Problem Form Frederick County Board of Region Commissioners Winchester Hall 12 E. Church Road, Frederick, MD 21701 Telephone: 301-694-1100 Fax: 301-694-1849 www.co.frederick.md.us/BOCC/ John L. Thompson, Jr., President Winchester Hall 12 E. Church Street Frederick, MD 21701 Telephone: 301-694-1028

Fax: 301-631-23 Discuss the following factors: Your publication is not offered in traditional bookstores and collections Your book is not returnable if a bookstore owner/manager must stock it 7-year-long contract is considered in inappropriate amount of time Your book is released by a vanity press You had to pay for your own copyright PublishAmerica will not look for the CIP, which allows it to be acquired by collections PublishAmerica overprices guides PublishAmerica offers a nonstandard price cut PublishAmerica's service version is to offer to their own authors PublishAmerica's books are NOT modified-- absolutely not line-by-line as they claim on their internet site but have actually since admitted that they only edit for grammar as well as spelling PublishAmerica approves about 80% of submitted manuscripts [most authors decline 99% of their submissions] PublishAmerica will just accept charge card orders over the phone when booking for one of their workshops or to purchase your own titles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7pJcweygAg

[edaworks]

@theartofblossoming Thank you! I’ve gotten hours of joy out of reading the adventures of your Vincent, Robert Mac and company so of course you can have a transcript, here it is below the cut - the letters are in chronological order.

FYI - Ben J. is my Lone Wanderer. He currently has Duncan (I’m very unoriginal, I’m afraid), and unbeknownst to RJ is also a mucky-muck Railroad agent who has gone dark on the rest of the organization with about zero warning because he’s got Duncan. He’s also an ass who has maxed Luck and Charisma and knowingly over-relies on both to BS his way through just about everything and dodge the consequences.

The painting is circa early February of 2088. The letters span a couple of months prior to this point but most are from the month before (I messed up a couple and they say “12-‘88″ in the drawing when they’re supposed to say “12-‘87″). It’s a while still - probably a few more months - before RJ does take Ben’s advice.

Letter Text:

[undated]              

[unreasonably large handwriting denoting displeasure]

RJ??

What in the actual loving FUCK???!!!!! were you thinking signing up with them?? DON’T MAKE ME COME UP THERE - BEN

12-‘87

[no greeting]

RJ, where the hell are you! We heard that Maxson was headed North – watch your back – you still working for that General? If so you might want to give her a heads up!

Stay safe out there, and good luck –

Moira

[undated, included with Moira’s letter above]

 I Love you Daddy! <3

<3 Duncan

P.S. I Met Mr. Fawkes!

(a/n: all the fun people hang out at Moira’s house)

12-’87 says 12-’88 in the drawing whoops

Dear Dad,

[shaky drawing of stick figure with giant dog]

I miss you!

XOXO

[undated, included with Duncan’s letter above]

My Most Esteemed Mayor MacPottymouth –

Yeah, we saw their ri-fucking-diculous dirigible when they headed out of Andrews. Thus far by all intel they’re gunning for the Institute but you know just as well as I do that they will run over every- [line break] thing/one in their path.

God, I miss Sarah so much.

Anyway keep your ass out of (more) trouble. Your last letter was funny as hell – I owe Three Dog a visit anyway – I’ll see what I can do.

- Ben J., your fave Mungo

(a/n: herp derp I live near the actual base where they got scrap to construct the Prydwen so my brain supplied Joint Base Andrews/Andrews AFB instead of the in-universe name Adams AFB)

[undated]

[Page 1 missing]

P. 2

[…] cannot believe the radio could possibly be so bad that you wrote Ben Jamison asking him to send word to Three Dog , just to see if he had any spare holos he could send North. That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in the past three weeks. I have no idea how it could be bad enough to be worth THAT much effort, but just for that story we’ll send one of our spare Chuck Berry albums along with this letter.

Hang in there,

Joshua

P.S. – For shit’s sake, Mac, keep your current boss. The Gunners?! You’re damn lucky you got out of that alive. Like you that way for a while longer.

1-‘88

[shaky letters] Hi Daddy I drew you this [sic] Grognok!

[kid’s drawing that vaguely looks like it has long hair, loincloth & club in one…hand? Attached to arm? Unclear]

Love duncan XOXO

[undated, included with Duncan’s letter above]

[missing page 1]

[…] Next time you see our mutual acquaintance, please tell him that our buddy in Rivet City got a kick out of his new squad name – the Death Bunnies, really?...

- Ben J

[ally railsign has been doodled]

(a/n: headcanon warning

-        Ben is REALLY not being subtle at this point about Railroad business - he needs to get Nora’s attention and can only do so safely via these letters atm because of Headcanon Reasons

-        RJ met Deacon years ago in the Wasteland before he went by that name (also unoriginal, but it’s a small world, right?). Ben’s trying to get him to put the pieces together without outright saying “dude you already knew Deacon before you went North, wise up” in writing, but I headcanon all these people are HORRIBLE communicators

-        “our buddy in Rivet City” – either Butch DeLoria (who is well aware of Ben’s RR involvement), Harkness, or Father Clifford if he’s still alive

-        Missed message syndrome: RJ didn’t really read this letter closely and also doesn’t recognize the railsign at this point in time. Nora hasn’t taken him on any RR business yet because he’s made some asinine comments about synths and she’s like “ehhhhh I bet I can fix him” but she hasn’t pressed the issue yet. The issue gets pressed VERY shortly after this point

/end headcanon)

[undated letter fragment]

[…] nothing new to report that I can tell re: BoS after my last letter. We will keep “looking up” up here as well.

TALK TO NORA!

- Ben J.

1-‘88

LoVe You daddy! <3 (a/n: Duncan has learned to draw hearts)

[undated, included with Duncan’s letter above]

[parts missing]

…to ASK NORA, RJ!! Seriously!

- Ben J., your favorite Mungo (besides Nora)

1-‘88

[no greeting]

MAC JUST FREAKING ASK NORA FOR CRAP’S SAKE THE LADY IS CLEARLY A FORCE OF NATURE AND CARES ABOUT YOU!

For the love of radroach surprise. (a/n: shameless reference to Tyrrlin’s Fallout 4 fanfics)

- Ben J., Best Mungo

[undated, included with Ben’s letter above]

Daddy I love you will you be home soon? I love you! (a/n we are still too young to have grasped that a closing to a letter shouldn’t be exactly what you said in the letter)

1-‘88

P. 1

RJ –

[enormous letters] ASK NORA, DAMMIT!

 - Ben J

P. 2

Please.

 - Ben J.

Envelope:

[no return address, as per usual, not that it’s needed]

MacCready, in Goodneighbor, The Commonwealth

[undated, included with Ben’s letter above]

Hi Daddy I drew you a picture of us <3

[two vague stick figures, one large & one small, the larger of which has a green blob on its head]

[various undated letter scraps]

[…] to see you sometime soon. [this is from Princess and Knick-Knack]

[…] also Nick says hi. Stay safe, Princess] [also from Princess and Knick-Knack]

Still doing my new/VR playthrough of Fallout 4 so we are drawing #SadDads with letters from home this evening. There is, like, nothing my SoSu would not do for this kiddo and his precious child, GANGWAY Y’ALL

I’m going to assume his duster is in the laundry. Sorry Mac 😂

[aion-rsa]

David Arquette Considers Why He ‘Nearly Killed Himself’ for Wrestling

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

If you’re a fan of pro-wrestling, you’re probably familiar with the time actor David Arquette (Scream) was part of the 2000 WCW season. During the Slamboree pay-per-view event, he even became the world heavyweight champion. The entire scenario was created to promote his new film at the time, Ready to Rumble, which saw two diehard wrestling fans help their long time hero return to glory after he’s unceremoniously ousted from their beloved wrestling franchise. Much like his character of Gordie Boggs in that 20-year-old film, wrestling fans can be overly passionate, and Arquette’s claim to the championship belt was met with hatred and disgust by the public.

And yet since childhood, Arquette himself has been a passionate pro-wrestling fan, and spent 18 years shrouded in shame from what was meant to be a simple promotional tool. He knew what went wrong, and he wanted to fix it. So, for the past two years, David Arquette has been slumming his way through the rank and file of the wrestling world, cutting his teeth in the indie circuit, even coming close to a brutal end when his neck was cut open during a rough and unapologetic deathmatch.

The new documentary You Cannot Kill David Arquette follows the actor’s journey as he seeks redemption in the eyes of his critics. From the initial talks with his family and doctors, to the moment a broken fluorescent light bulb heats into his flesh, you’re sitting front and center for it all. We spoke with the actor-turned-wrestler about what this journey meant to him and how the results may have exceeded his expectations. 

For wrestling fans who have followed this journey, what you’ve accomplished is no surprise. But were you worried at all that people outside that bubble might think of this as just a publicity stunt?

I don’t know, I really didn’t think of it that way… I think it worked the way it did because it’s a real story. I wanted to clear my name. I wanted to honor wrestling. I wanted to make a film that let people know what wrestling’s about. I mean, why would they get so mad at me if it’s all choreographed in the first place? Through the process though, I really did find out–and found out the hard way. This is the only way to do it. To really get in there and pay your dues. 

You just said it right there; since these events are so scripted and are meant to be very colorful and outrageous, that initial backlash to the WCW event must have been shocking. 

It was. I didn’t think it would be. When I first heard about the idea I thought, “This is terrible, we can’t do this, it’s the belt.” They explained about the publicity and that it would be good for the film, and that if I didn’t do it… that would be it. There would be no more promotion for Ready to Rumble, I wouldn’t go on the show anymore, I’d be no part of it. So I would go all the way to the pay-per-view event, I’d get to be the champ, but I’d also get to travel with those guys. I’d get to be part of the team, and that’s what I really wanted to do.

I got to travel with Hulk Hogan and Sting, and all those guys. For me, it was like being a kid. I got to go to a bar with Rick Flair and hear all their old stories. It was just mind-boggling for me. That was my favorite part of it, and I don’t regret any of it. I didn’t even think if people would see that as a publicity stunt. I knew I’d give it my all, and I would train really hard. I was more afraid of not doing it all and still not being accepted or seen as an outcast.

Of course the film also shows a lot of your private life, not just the wrestling aspect. I’m sure it feels strange to let people in to see all of that.

Yeah, it’s hard. I know that good art comes from being open and honest, and vulnerable, and revealing parts of yourself. I also wanted to do a lot of it in case anyone out there is going through some similar stuff.

One of my things is that I just beat myself up so much, and that’s pretty much what led to that deathmatch without me even being conscious of it, [is], “Why do you put yourself in these sort of situations? Why do you nearly kill yourself?” I had to answer that and come to terms with that. It’s a rough road, and a lot of it you don’t see on camera. Arguments with my wife, just the pain of hearing her say, “Do you want to die?” That heavy kind of stuff… I’m just glad I made it out, through to the other side.

You’re also putting yourself in situations, like when you join in with the backyard wrestlers. You might know what to expect, but you end up in an even more ridiculous situation than you’re expecting.

That was definitely more ridiculous than I was expecting [Laughs]. I actually wasn’t even expecting anything. I kinda knew, I had a feeling it was going to be some shotty little event, but I didn’t know it was going to be backyard wrestling. Even when it came to the street wrestling, I didn’t know I was going to be doing anything.

So when I first got out there, I did some old school wrestling move where I hurt the other guys knee and I felt so horrible about it. That’s the last thing you want to do, and that’s one of the main things I was always concerned about, “I just don’t want to hurt you.” That would just be the worst. 

When it comes to the wrestling fans seeing you as an outsider, who didn’t deserve the belt, do you feel there’s an inverse of that? Where some of the biggest box office pulls are Dwayne Johnson or Dave Bautista, or John Cena.

Well, those guys are great, and I love the work that they’re doing. But the fact that Rick Flair is not on a CBS cop show is more the problem. I don’t get Hollywood. The fact that Stone Cold isn’t in a buddy cop movie is beyond my comprehension. They’re so great at what they do they would be incredible in that world. Part of it was wanting to expose Hollywood to the wrestling world and that kind of thing. We’ve since put Mick Foley in a film, Erick Rowan (Joseph Ruud)  in a film. So I’ll just do my little part to get some of them involved. 

I spoke to my friend who is big into wrestling and who also wrestles and asked him his thoughts on David Arquette as a wrestler. His words were, “WCW… joke. Now, bad-ass!” You really did accomplish what you set out to do. 

It’s exciting, yeah. I understood what I was hated for before. I get it. I was hated because I didn’t pay my dues and do all the work and all that stuff. Now that I have, I’m getting that respect that I guess I was seeking. More so, I needed to find it in myself though. Because, I’m the one that took it all so personally. Ultimately, it’s really what you think about yourself that’s important… not what other people think. 

This was meant to premiere at SXSW, but of course, COVID changed that. But were there events set-up that we didn’t get to see? Was there going to be a match or some announcement at SXSW?

Yeah, there was going to be a match with Effy at SXSW. I was so excited for that, I’m such a huge fan of Effy’s. But yeah, it all got cancelled and this is the new world. I’m just glad that there are still things for people to watch while they’re having to social distance. That’s my job. All we really want to do is entertain people. We want to put on a good show, we want them to have fun.

That’s literally why I’m in this business. It’s not really for any of the accolades. It might have been in the past with some things, but now it’s really just to put on a good show, and to enjoy myself in the process and work with the people I enjoy working with. 

But you’re keeping up the practice during the pandemic, right?

I have been [Laughs]. I’ve rolled around a little. If there is any future to it, I’m not opposed to it. I love wrestling with RJ City, when we tag team, it’s really a fun time.

You Cannot Kill David Arquette is now playing at select drive-in movie theaters and will premiere on premium VOD on Friday, Aug. 28.

The post David Arquette Considers Why He ‘Nearly Killed Himself’ for Wrestling appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2YnQZWA

[just-another-wasteland-merc]

It’s a Kiss! #25 (As a Yes)

It’s heeeere. :D I hope you love reading it as much as I did when I wrote it.

RJ gave a shaky exhale, trying to keep himself calm as he led a blindfolded Em down a small set of stairs from the boardwalk, his thumb brushing over her knuckles as she held onto his hand. The Charles lazily flowed under the broken overpass, eventually joining the Atlantic. As he cast a look to the scene in front of him, he smirked before turning back to Em as she slowly descended the stairs.

“Almost there,” he assured. “One more step, then you’ll be on sand. Watch your feet.”

“Sand?” she asked. “RJ, where in the world are we? You put on this blindfold almost as soon as we left Diamond City.”

He chuckled. “I did. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, if it helps, I have no idea where we are.”

“Excellent.”

He fell quiet as he led her towards a clearer patch of sand with a better view, as his mind wandered off to the day before, his stare in no particular direction.

“You’ll be back, right?” Duncan had asked as he pouted at RJ.

“Absolutely, buddy,” he immediately replied. “We won’t be gone long. Just a couple of days. Think you can handle it for that long, with your sister?”

The small boy nodded, his green eyes wide as he watched his father. “Can I see it again, please?”

“It’ll look better when we come back, then you can ask Mama anytime you want.”

“Is it in your pocket? Did you check?”

RJ patted his pocket. “It’s in there, buddy, I promise. I’ll be checking a lot.”

“Is it ‘cause you’re really nervous?”

“Absolutely. Watch over your sister with Deacon, alright?”

“Everything alright, RJ?” Em asked. “You’re…”

Her voice brought him back, and he blinked a few times. His grip on her hand was tighter, and he shook. He flushed, clearing his throat. Reaching out to untie her blindfold, he gave a small smile when his eyes met hers, already feeling calmer. She grew worried, her eyes steady on his.

“You’re blushing kinda hard,” she remarked. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, quiet for a moment, trying to find the words. “I… I have a thing.”

“A thing?” Does he mean a speech like the one I gave him at Christmas? she thought. She hoped so. She watched as he nodded, then sighed, his breath shaky again. His eyes flicked away.

“Look, at….at the beginning of all this, I was pretty sure my life was over. Nothing was going right. The Gunners were on my as-butt, my kid was getting sicker and sicker, and I felt like less than nothing.” He sighed again, his eyes returning to hers.

“And then… you came crashing in.” He smiled, watching her eyes sparkle a little as she smiled back. “You didn’t judge me, you didn’t ask questions. When I told you about my issues, you just dropped everything and helped. I realized how much you cared. Maybe not about me at first, but about everyone. Watching you take care of others, whether in the clinic or at other settlements, it’s like a breath of fresh air. 

“The night before you went into that relay thing… it made me really realize you… loved me. I couldn’t believe it, Em. Things only got better between us. We have two wonderful kids, and I’m so happy to be a parent with you.”

His smile grew as she shook her head a little, beaming, her eyes glittering wetly as she sniffed. He quirked his brow at her a little.

“So…I… I was hoping, you’d want to… make this more permanent.”

Her eyes widened as he sunk to one knee, pulling out a ring from his pocket. Tears freely fell from her eyes, a hand covering her mouth. RJ chuckled a little, despite seeing her openly cry.

“I love you so much, sweetheart,” he told her, beaming. “So, please, Emily Schanda, will you marry me?”

She couldn’t talk. Her brain wouldn’t let her form the one response she wanted, and the one he needed to hear. Her mouth opened and closed several times as she tried so hard, nodding when she finally gave up, then closed the distance between them as she kissed him. RJ relaxed, his arms tight around her as his mouth moved with hers. A hard blush took hold of both of them as they pulled away. She rested her forehead against his, still smiling. 

The pair eventually went back to Diamond City to celebrate at the Dugout Inn. Sipping on beers, Em tried to think back when they travelled together. She never saw him sneak away, or pick anything up, at least, not that she was aware of.

“I have to ask,” she eventually said, picking at the faded label of her beer. “How long did you search for it?”

“The ring?” he asked. He itched at his jaw when she nodded. “Oh. A while.”

“How long is ‘a while’?”

He smirked. “Don’t worry about it.”

“That tells me right there that you were searching for a long time.”

“Well, Katherine’s what, four months old now?” He watched as she nodded. “Almost a year, then.”

She gasped. “RJ!” she cried. “What!?”

“Nothing around here was good enough.” He shrugged. “I wanted it to be as beautiful as you are.”

A blush returned to her cheeks as she looked away. She giggled as she felt him pull her closer and softly kiss her hair. 

“I love you,” he murmured. 

She giggled again, turning back to him and kissed him. She didn’t care if anyone saw anymore, but her cheeks burned more all the same.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.