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monkeydluffy19920 · 1 year ago

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Reasons to love Mugiwaras: Usopp

It’s been ages but here we are again, back with the series where I share thoughts about why I think a certain (main) character is popular in One Piece.

This series is mainly focused on the canon material but there might be bit about fillers/movies as well to make references on and since it’s impossible to include every single detail here, I try to pinpoint certain things but feel free to add stuff if something is missing :)

The very first time talked about Sanji and then I wrote about Nami. This part is inspired by Luffy vs Usopp amv (when I realized I haven’t pondered Luffy vs Usopp much in past). Now let’s continue the journey and talk about what makes Usopp popular and lovable character (in my opinion).

This long post might include some unorganized thoughts, repeat and perhaps spoilers, so you’ve been warned!:D

So first thing first about Usopp, in general. He is a great storyteller, a little cowardish but a great friend. Main reason I like in his character is that Usopp is very human. He isn’t the strongest one in the crew, has lots of things he is afraid of but he has a big heart and isn’t afraid to show his emotions.

Like other Straw Hats, he has a sad past too. There isn’t much told but we learnt that Yasopp has been in Shanks’ crew for a long time and Usopp’s mother died of a illness when he was a kid. Hard to imagine this poor guy had to grow up all alone (basically) and he started lying at a early age.

It’s very heartbreaking to realize that reasons behind his "Pirates are coming”-thing was that deep down the little boy just wanted that his father could return back and he just tried to cheer his sick mom. He could’ve stopped after his mom passed away but maybe it was his way to handle the loss of both parents.

But I think it was really adorable that even though the villagers did seem annoyed by Usopp’s “prank”, then eventually when he didn’t do his daily basis (after beating Kuro) the villagers kept wondering where the sniper was, so this became sort of a “tradition” in his village. It’s great though that his friends a.k.a other members from the Usopp Pirate group decided to keep the traditions alive.

Oda’s way to write characters is amazing and Usopp isn’t an exception. It is clear that Usopp has had a very steady development. Whereas lying and cowardness is partly used as comical reliefs and “running gags” of his, at the same there is much deeper meaning behind his behavior. Lying and storytelling is important part of what makes Usopp who he is and someone would say it’s not healthy but it’s probably where how tends to mask his flaws. We learn later in that deep down Usopp has lack of self-worth and fear of getting abandoned which results that especially before Time Skip he was afraid of unknown and saw himself as a burden due to his physical weakness

Further thoughts are written in “More thoughts about Luffy vs. Usopp-post” but his pride was one of the reason why things escalated with Luffy so badly back then but also the constant fear of not being enough fed all these decisions and he in burst of emotions decided the crew will be better without him.

Another reason for Luffy vs Usopp fight was his dream. When entering the Grand Line Usopp told that his dream is to become a brave sea warrior since he idolizes his father Yasopp a lot. However, after his real journey on the seas begins so begins his inner crises because what stands on his way are the limits. So, before the Time Skip he wanted to be something he wasn’t.

Usopp knows that brave warriors are incredibly strong and fearless (like Dorry and Brogy, the giants from Little Garden who greatly inspire him) and back then he was well aware of the reality (that he isn’t yet ready to be one) and that hurt him and fed his fears and self-esteem problems even more.

This theme has been going along with Usopp throughout the story. So, although Usopp had learnt slowly to push back his fear and stand up for his nakama in tight situations (for example in Alabasta he was beaten to pulp and still refused to give up and stayed with Nami in Skypiea although Enel was a threat), at the same time they were adventuring, the inner doubts kept stacking, until it exploded badly in Water 7 arc. It’s because he tends to compare himself to the others, especially the Monster Trio (who literally have the monstrous powers).

The robbery of the Skypiea money and the suggestion of replacing Going Merry were definitely the final straws for Usopp and things escalated. Luffy apologized in middle of the bickering but Usopp wasn’t ready to give up on the argument and then challenged him to a 1 vs 1 (perhaps partly to test his strength but mostly because he really wanted to fight for Merry’s future).

Despite being already heavily wounded Usopp didn’t fled from the duel although he could’ve easily trolled them and escape. He still stood up for his policies. Deep down, he didn’t want to back off although he probably knew that Luffy would win eventually. The loss put his remains of self worth into zero point but then on the other hand, later he wanted to help to get Robin back (but was too ashamed to face his captain after the loss and the arguments) so he became an ally as Sogeking

This disguise made him braver but again he was put face to face with his fears and limits when he got almost killed by Jabra. Sanji comes to save him but instead of scolding, the cook motivated him to realize that they need Usopp to trust himself instead of hiding behind the alter ego he created and this is the moment when Usopp started to realize he has unique strengths too.

So, it’s after Enies Lobby that opened Usopp’s eyes for good. After it he starts to see also his strengths (of course sometimes he still gets surprised by his skills but now he is even more skilled). He already proved to be very fast as a battler, very intelligent (good with gadgets, Nami’s weapon is great example of this) and a very talented sniper. Then after Time Skip Usopp became a source of inspiration in Dressrosa and on top of that he has always been admired by Chopper (who believes his stories). These are some positive influences that has made good for Usopp’s self-esteem.

That’s not the only character growth though, Usopp has had in my opinion quite steady development throughout the series. First one is in his very own arc. There are more thoughts about it in Emotional slaps in One Piece-post but shortly said Usopp tries to tell Kaya the truth about her butler but gets an emotional slap instead. Lying has been a silly entertainment for him but now backfired him, after all it’s hard to be taken seriously if you tell stories all the time and suddenly burst out “the truth”.

Well the slap may have been a “wake up call” so after Syrup Village he gathered his bravery to stand up against Kuro in order to protect his loved ones but then later Usopp’s next big step was in Arlong Park when fools Chuu with his ketchup trick and plans a story how he barely survived and then realizes (when comparing himself to others) that no, he is now a pirate and he needs to do something, literally since his nakamas fight in the frontline too. So he faces his fears, challenges Chuu and wins and this is the first fight he survived all alone! (a great achievement especially when coming to the fact that his equipments were at that time still “rookie level”)¨

Perhaps his interest in building gadgets roots partly from his poor self-esteem. He wants to become stronger too and knows how to build things so why not using the skills for it (let’s not forget that he offered to help Nami to build her a better weapon).

Another of Usopp’s time was to shine in Thriller Bark when he turned out to be immune to Perona’s ghosts whereas even the Monster Trio (whom he idolizes and compares himself to) couldn’t. Then when they were separated by Kuma and after Ace died, Usopp became very determined to find a way to help his captain and rejoin and did show lack of fear when meeting scary obstacles.

After the Time Skip he has changed a lot in a good way. He is now stronger and more confident. He still likes to lie every once in a while but it’s not always to feed his self-esteem, more like force of habit and to entertain (and for comical reliefs). In other words the matured Usopp doesn’t lie just to feel good about himself (now he knows he is a important piece of the Strawhat crew and knows he has abilities to fight off even scary enemies) like he used to.

As a crewmember point of view, Usopp has always been a good handyman in the ship but not only that, he has also been good with mechanics and therefore has had potential even before Enies Lobby. He can be the responsible adult but also there is this kid-hearted side of his where Usopp puts up with shenanigans.

Luffy and Usopp are definitely best buddies and and sometimes they have these moments when they share one same braincell *laughs* They also share one common goal: to reunite with Red Hair Pirates crew. Despite the good and close bond, Usopp took a long time before he started to see Luffy more as his actual captain than a close friend.

It is mostly because in some ways they are complete opposite: Luffy is physically strong and has an impulsive and carefree nature whereas Usopp tends to hesitate more and has more knowledge and agility instead of muscles. Like written earlier, Usopp had difficulties to keep up with Luffy’s spontaneous and carefree nature.

One of my favorite panels from the whole series is when Usopp takes off his mask and reveals himself to Luffy. He tries to act cool and denies he didn’t come for Luffy’s sake (although he partly did, because he wanted to help too with Robin’s retrieval and didn’t want his captain to give up, since they were so close to their goal). What probably made this whole scenario more powerful was that Usopp knew how to get Luffy back to the fight and he didn’t hesitate with the motivating, even though they were separated and even offered himself to face Lucci to spare Luffy although he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance. That’s loyalty and bravery, just like when Usopp was beaten into pulp in Alabasta and still stood against Baroque Works once they mocked Luffy.

What probably makes their nakamaship even more unique is that their arguments lead to the breaking point but they later both understood what to do in order to fix it.

Zoro and Usopp, when it comes down to this duo, Usopp admires Zoro’s strength and skills (and at the beginning probably is a bit scared of him) and usually seeks protection from the swordsman who seems sometimes to get a little annoyed by this. However, Zoro already showed his loyalty to Usopp in Arlong Park arc where he was ready to slice Nami after hearing she killed Usopp.

Zoro constantly keeps encouraging Usopp to face his fears and for example doesn’t let him off the hook when they decide by random who is joining Luffy’s shenanigans and also in general probably Usopp sees Zoro as the big brother and the voice of reason too.

Zoro is almost like a mentor to Usopp. Even though the swordsman isn’t that kind of guy who’d show outside the feelings but one can see that he was concerned when Usopp left. Obviously he also wanted the sniper to rejoin but first he demanded a proper apology from the Usopp because of disrespecting their captain (so Usopp could undersrand the consequences of their duel). It sounded ridiculous for some of their crewmates first and even Luffy was ready to welcome Usopp back without bigger fuss but it was very important moment for Usopp to realize this is now the real deal and made him set his pride aside.

Interesting detail between these two was that Oda made this “role swap” in Sabaody Archipelago. There Usopp (who usually seeks protection from Zoro) is now the one who protects the swordsman and even tried to reason him not to go on the battle (when Zoro was badly wounded), basically it could’ve been anyone who carries Zoro but Oda chose Usopp which is great in my opinion.

Nami and Usopp get well along together although sometimes the sniper is afraid when the navigator gets angry but aside of the comical reliefs, Nami is like a big sister to Usopp and they share lot in common: both lost their moms, both are easily afraid of the unknown and both use gadgets in combat. On the other hand they both have been great peer support to each other and determined to quit being so dependent on other crewmates and become stronger.

It is clear that Nami greatly respects Usopp’s skills with mechanics otherwise she wouldn’t have trusted him to build her a weapon so she could battle for Vivi’s sake in Alabasta. They are often showed as together they are preventing Luffy from doing stupid things by beating him up but on the other hand they are also an efficient duo ending up into various problems in the field (like fighting Enel or when they ended up to explore Thriller Bark with Chopper, “the coward trio” and the latest, when they fought together in Wano against that headbutt-character).

More importantly, both are very human in their nature (for example when Ace died both were very concerned about how Luffy will cope with an emotional trauma) and for example understand how hard it is to keep up with the rest of the crew. Both of them also show openly emotions in good and bad.

Usopp also is aware of Nami’s past (since he and Sanji were the only ones who listened to Nojiko’s story) so for example he got upset to Brook in Mermaid Island arc where Brook dropped unknowingly an insensitive joke about Arlong

So, they do share a special bond and therefore if someone then it’s Nami who understands Usopp’s struggles especially when it comes down to keeping up with the other stronger crewmates and that’s probably why she felt so emotional because of Luffy vs Usopp events (she could definitely feel his pain when he felt the guilt of not being able to protect the money that got robbed by Franky Family but there she proved that money isn’t her priority number 1 and showed much more concern in Usopp’s wellbeing).

Sanji and Usopp, when they first met they ended up arguing (because Usopp didn’t think Sanji treated them equally) but things change in time and they too start to see each others’ good sides.

Oda makes an interesting way to portray their nakamaship: Usually Sanji acts like he cares only a little for Usopp, but then on the other hand the cook has sacrificed himself in Skypiea for the sniper’s and Nami’s sake and back in Enies Lobby Sanji saved Usopp from Jabra. Sanji was even willing to stand up for his captain and kicked Luffy and told him not to say anything reckless.

Maybe is another running gag it’s seen often that the cook will fearlessly rush into battle while dragging a terrified Usopp with him. Eventually, in Enies Lobby Sanji was the one to ultimately inspire Usopp to see the value inside himself saying that while he (Sanji) was physically stronger and could do what Usopp could not do, Usopp possessed skill to save Robin and could do what he "couldn't do".

Re-reading Water 7 and Enies Lobby after WCI arc made me understand that Sanji and Usopp have actually much more in common that we thought: both had very isolated childhood without parents, both have had difficulties to keep up with others’ pace (Sanji in past, Usopp in the present).

Who knows maybe seeing Usopp fighting with his insecurities and especially using in the mask reminded Sanji of his own “iron mask” and the pain behind wearing it. Perhaps this was the reason Oda first made Sanji to convince the others to not to reveal Sogeking’s real identiity (although probably most of them knew who he was) and later choose presicely Sanji to be the one with the speech in Enies Lobby.

Interesting detail in this setting was that this became a parallel to Arlong Park where Luffy told that he can’t do all things, and now there is Sanji who openly admitted he wasn’t able to win Kalifa (and got bailed out by Nami), only for her and Usopp to be bailed out by Sanji in turn when the wolf man was way too strong for them. It’s just still amazing the way Sanji puts all his trust in Usopp to help them free Robin by telling the sniper: strength comes in many different forms and that even the strongest crewmembers are depending on one another to survive.

Chopper and Usopp also have their special bond and they too adore each other’s skills. Chopper keeps buying Usopp’s tales but also sees him as his hero. Both of them are openly showing their emotions and are human in that side.

Because Chopper idolizes Usopp, it was hard to him to get rejected by the sniper when Usopp left the crew and Chopper later caught up and tried to talk him back there without good results. After the Luffy vs Usopp fight Chopper had really hard time because he was forced to choose between his job and friends (when Sanji told him not show pity on a fallen man but later Chopper decided to go with his heart leave Usopp some first aid kit so he eventually chose friendship kindness and what he thought was right at that moment.

Sogeking was basically the embodiment of Usopp’s tales and probably he didn’t realize who was behind the mask. Chopper loved Usopp’s alter-ego too though.

Usopp and Chopper are easily terrified (along with Nami) but even though they are usually scared, the sniper and the doctor make a great fighting team. A great example was that They defeated Miss Merry Christmas and Mr. 4 in Alabasta.

Usopp and Chopper form the “Coward Trio” with Nami and although it’s partly a running gag, there again is some things that combine them and it’s their human nature and (outside chopper) their pretty human strength.

Usopp and Robin needed a little time for their nakamaship to develope. Probably because of Alabasta he was a bit afraid of her and her devil fruit powers (especially when she joked about her speciality to be assasinations). So Enies Lobby arc did also good for their nakamaship.

Usopp was always willing to help Robin in Water 7 but since the circumstances were a bit difficult he had to do it in a disguise and didn’t even hesitate although he was facing Blueno who is powerful. By that time Robin wasn’t aware of the crew being split up but despite that Usopp still told her to “have faith in Luffy”.

Just like written earlier, I think it was crucial for Usopp’s character development that Oda made him to be the final piece to the puzzle to help Robin escape from Spandam. This strengthened their bond for good and it’s not the only time, also in Dressrosa Usopp saved her from being a toy.

What I like the most in their nakamaship is that although Robin loves to tease Usopp with her dark jokes, she also treats him with a big heart, like motherly. It’s headcanonish but I think for example that Robin helps Usopp and the rest of the “Dork Trio” collecting bugs and stuff.

Usopp and Franky had a very rocky start since the cyborg’s family stole Strawhat Pirates’ money and beat the sniper’s butt. Then Luffy, Zoro, Sanji and Chopper caused a ruckus on Franky House so Franky decided to return the favor by kidnapping Usopp (who at that point had left the group.

Suddenly they started to bond, mostly because they started to talk about ships and it was Franky who managed to make Usopp realize that Going Merry was way beyond repair despite the sniper tried to repair the ship. Despite they didn’t know each other for a long time, Franky was definitely impressed by Usopp’s skills since the cyborg later asked him to join the Franky family.

After Franky joined the Strawhats these two began to bond even more. They both love mechanic stuff (i.e both love to build stuff and Usopp is usually the tester when it comes down to Franky’s inventions) and they enjoy maintaining the Thousand Sunny together and Franky for sure has taught Usopp a lot about shipwrighting since he heard Usopp took mainly care about Going Merry.

It’s probably just another running gag but Franky compares his bounty towards Usopp’s a lot and frankly spoken he should have at least a bit better bounty in general compared to the fact that he has loads of knowledge (previously held Pluton blueprints) but that’s another story to tell later.

Brook and Usopp didn’t have it easy too since Usopp was terrified of Brook when they first met. He was openly against the musician to join the crew but once he heard that Brook and Laboon had a connection and after events in Thriller Bark in general, Brook gain Usopp’s trust.

Although they get well along, a couple of times Usopp has become annoyed by Brook’s careless behavior: in Punk Hazard when he was eyeing Nami’s body (when Sanji was swapped into her) and when Brook accidentally made that joke about Arlong in Mermaid Island.

Jinbe and Usopp, the sniper was understandably hesistant about Jinbe at the first time since Jinbe is not only a former warlord but also was part of Arlong’s Pirate crew. Despite all that the sniper ended up supporting his captain's decision about Jinbe joining their crew and after they’ve known for more, Usopp has admired Jinbe's attitude and strength and eventually encouraged him to join the crew while calling him Boss Jinbe.

I think from after the Syrup Village and Enies Lobby, one of the most crucial arc for Usopp’s development has been Dressrosa because there he managed to unleash his Kenbunshoku Haki. It was literally a crucial shot because Luffy and Law were in edge of becoming toys.

Let’s not forget that chapters ago he shot one of the Merry's cannons and perfectly hit his target and the crew managed to escape from Alabasta because he landed a shot on a marine ship which made it crash into another giving them an escape route. So as said earlier, Usopp has always been very skillful with gadgets and incredible speed. At the first glance slingshot as a weapon doesn’t sound powerful but now to think about it: to land a shot perfectly you needs to be able to lock the position of your target, calculate the exact angle and force and usually you are also put into pressure. So, Usopp is one of the best examples of underestimated power and indeed deserved all the praise in Dressrosa.

His character history still has room for questions that could have answers such as what disease did Usopp’s mom have? (like could it be cured in future if Chopper’s dream about being able to cure all diseases became true?) or how it will be when Usopp meets his Yasopp for the very first time after a long break? It seems like his dad left when he was very young so probably he mostly knows him based on what his mother Banchina told about him.

Aside from sharpshooting, lying skills and being good at engineering (especially with handheld weapons) Usopp has other talents too such as being a skilled artist and according to sbs he has also is good with hairdressing. He is also good with gardening because he learnt in that island to cultivate pop greens.

I think one of the funniest running gag is that Usopp is a scaredy cat but one thing he is not afraid is bugs especially spiders. When Nami and Sanji screamed their lungs out because of the tarantellas (while they were looking for South Bird) Usopp casually took that 8 legged thingy to his hands. Hard to say whether his skills in arachnology has come in handy in general but I do like the headcanon that him and Luffy (and Chopper) love to collect bugs together and play with them when they have some spare time.

All in all, if one should sum up this huge post (that again got carried away *laughs*) it’s that Usopp has made a long journey to the point where he is now standing. He started as a hesistant youngster and has grown now to a strong and (almost) fearless pirate and one day he’ll definitely become the brave warrior of the seas (although he already is one).

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a-dotrivenitupontop · 3 years ago

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🎶 *anthony-riven’s pinned post* 🎶

hi my fellow bitches supervillians and influencers :D gonna be honest i lowkey don’t know what to put here lol

well my name is anthony-riven but feel free to shorten it in any way you like (anthony, riv, ant etc.). and no i have no preference if you pronounce as an-FO-ny or an-TO-ny. yes im trans so if you compliment my name there’s a 99.9% chance ill say ‘thanks i chose it myself’ in response. plus my pronouns are hè/they if you’re wondering though im not against anyone using neopronouns for me.

i am a minor!! so yeah no im not gonna hesitate to block your ass if you’re creepy to me. i fact probably don’t interact if you’re over 35.

i mainly reblog osemanverse content here. plus some social justice stuff, theatre stuff and shitposts. i also reblog a bit of phineas and ferb content. honestly this blog is just whatever i like at that moment. in also trying to write a novel (or at least a novella lol) so i may post sometimes about that under the tag ‘carl and jeremiah’.

im angled aroace. specifically multi-alterous and arospec/acespec. though i do value my aro identity a bit more so you’ll probably hear more if that. and i also identity as a lovepunk aro. im also trans, as stated before. specifically a demiboy though i may add more labels in the future.

it’s also important to note that im autistic though not diagnosed yet. i may tell you why im self diagnosed later but not this second so like bug me with intrusive ableist questions thanks. and i probably have a bunch of other mental illnesses as well yay.

dni:

•bigots (homophobes, racists, ableists, fatphobes etc.)

•terfs/transmeds/truscum

•proshippers/anti-antis

•maps/pears/pedos whatever you call yourselves

•people over 35

•basically if you feel like you shouldn’t interact, don’t.

(this list may get a few additions over time)

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theguardianangel-fanfiction · 5 years ago

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⭐️

Fanfic Writers: Director’s Cut

Reblog this if you want readers to come into your ask box and ask for the “director’s commentary” on a particular story, section of a story, or set of lines.

Or, send in a ⭐star⭐ to have the author select a section they’ve been dying to talk about!

Thank you so much for submitting this! There’s one section of chapter 26 (We Hope For Better Things) that had me stumped for literal months, and I wanted to kind of discuss my thoughts and concerns behind it, its canon counterpart, and the ways that I intended it to be interpreted; however, any way that you interpret it is fine.

Fun fact: Chapter 26 takes place during episode 2, A House Divided, which actually came out on my 13th birthday (March 4th, 2014).

This will contain spoilers for Once Bitten, Twice Dead chapter 26, We Hope For Better Things.

First off, let me talk about my grief with season 2’s treatment of Christa. Now, I don’t absolutely hate that she was, presumably, killed off; I dislike the way that they, in fast succession, killed her and Omid off, never mentioning the baby except for a very brief hint in episode 4 (Clementine closes her eyes and says, “Not again…” when AJ doesn’t immediately move after he’s born). Because of the fact that Clementine is literally around Rebecca for almost the entirety of season 2, I found her lack of reaction to Rebecca’s pregnancy a bit strange.

Like I said, my dislike of the handling of Christa’s pregnancy and Clementine’s thoughts about it have a lot to do with the following paragraphs. I’m all for Clem being able to actually stop and deal with her thoughts and somewhat deal with her emotions (I mean, shit, read my other series posted on AO3 and you’ll see what I mean).

In chapter 26, we get a discussion between Rebecca and Clementine about the baby, Alvin, and the circumstances surrounding this, something that leaves Clem feeling ill, anxious, and somewhat guilty about what she knows that Alvin doesn’t. But the discussion also leaves Clem thinking of Christa, and of her thoughts about Christa’s pregnancy. She is also very prone to comparing Christa and Rebecca, as seen below:

Clementine grasped her left wrist, leaning against the railing as she spoke, watching Rebecca’s mannerisms. She looked nauseous, though Clementine found it hard to tell, as she hadn’t exactly known Rebecca very long; Christa used to get sick, something Clementine could easily remember, when she smelled Omid cooking meat of any kind over the fire. At least until she started showing. In the later stages of her pregnancy, Christa didn’t have any sickness or dizziness. But maybe Rebecca was different.

This only adds to the way that Clem adjusts to and interprets Rebecca’s pregnancy, something that I intend to tackle in another chapter (somewhat in chapter 29, and likely a lot further than that).

Crossing her arms, Clementine spoke in a low voice. “I don’t know.” She hesitated, but then sighed as she thought of herself. She was still alive. But she thought of Duck – the only other child that she spent longer than a few hours with after the beginning of the outbreak – and she thought of his end, and how Kenny couldn’t protect him.

How Kenny couldn’t protect Katjaa, either.

She thought of Christa and Omid. She thought of their child.

This brings up the subject of Christa and Omid’s child, and why Clem is so uneasy about Rebecca’s pregnancy is also brought up. This leads into Rebecca asking Clementine if she wants to listen to the baby kicking. Now, in the game, I said yes, and the scene was absolutely adorable. I love the relationship between Rebecca and Clementine. But with Clem’s past with Christa, I found it to be a little bit unrealistic. Clem obviously has feelings about the baby, and because it was never explored, we as players don’t know whether or not the subject was traumatic to her.

Now, I have almost the exact same age difference with my younger sister that Clementine and AJ have. I’m 18, and my sister just turned 7, if that gives you an idea. Therefore, I remember what my mother’s pregnancy was like, and I remember the kicking and listening to her kicking – it’s a very surreal thing, and for someone like Clem, who for all we know could have witnessed the baby’s death, it can be downright triggering.

That brings me to Clem’s actual apprehension.

“She’s kicking.” Rebecca suddenly spoke, removing both hands from her stomach. She used one to push herself forward, and the other to reach out to Clementine. “Wanna listen?”

Clementine froze in her spot, still staring Rebecca in the face. Rebecca’s expression didn’t change, and she instead reached for Clementine’s hand, but Clementine’s mind was elsewhere.

Can you feel her kicking, Christa?

I don’t think she has feet yet, Clem.

Blinking, Clementine retracted her hand from Rebecca’s grasp and slowly shook her head.

“Can I… just… feel?”

Rebecca’s lowered smile was subtle, but she nodded anyway as Clementine reached out again, her fingertips barely close enough to feel the fabric of Rebecca’s shirt. Carefully, she placed her palm flat against the area that Rebecca guided her to; immediately, Clementine felt her heart racing.

The smallest thump against Clementine’s hand made her slowly pull it away again.

I believe there was a developer or writer for season 2 that claimed that Christa miscarried, but after the amount of misinformation and, might I say it, somewhat lazy writing that came from season 2 (don’t get me wrong, I love season 2), I don’t like this reason.

Why? Well, in All That Remains, Christa appears to be about 7-9 months pregnant. My own mother was about that size when she was 8 months along with my sister, though my mom is 5’2 and Christa looks to be closer to 5’10-6’0. But I digress. Anyway, since Christa was probably about 8ish months along, a miscarriage would probably have killed her. The baby would be nearly fully formed by then. But in OBTD, my idea was a little bit more realistic – not every baby survives birth, and some die before labor.

Clem’s canon reaction, as she looks at a barely conscious newborn AJ, kind of gave me an idea. Stillbirth is a much more likely reason for Christa to lose that baby, as sad as it is. Either that, or SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

Therefore:

Clementine crossed her arms, but only to hide the sudden lack of feeling in her fingers as they trembled. Slowly, she asked, “Do you think she’ll be okay?” Just as soon as she spoke them, Clementine regretted it.

And just as soon as Clementine spoke and regretted speaking, Rebecca’s eyes became wide, her eyebrows scrunched. Clementine crossed her arms tighter, her shoulders arched as she did so, and mentally scolded herself. She shouldn’t have said that. She should not have said that.

Just because what happened with… Clementine’s thoughts were cut off when Rebecca spoke in a hushed voice.

And a little bit later, we have:

“I’m… I’m not trying to be weird.” Clementine turned back to Rebecca, “I just… I don’t know.” Once again, she crossed her arms and peered over the railing. Both Sarah and Sarita had abandoned the Christmas tree. “I was just… thinking.”

“About what?”

“Christa.”

“Your friend.” Rebecca placed her hand on her bump and looked into the same direction that she had before, as if expecting Alvin to walk back into the room at any moment. “Why?”

“She was pregnant for a while.” Clementine paused, biting the inside of her mouth and her tongue. She avoided Rebecca’s face. “And I don’t like thinking about it.”

Even later than this, we get a bit more confirmation and insight into Christa’s baby:

Clementine’s gaze focused on Rebecca’s bump just as much as she focused on the words that Rebecca spoke earlier – It’s not his. As in, it wasn’t Alvin’s. Rebecca wasn’t carrying a baby that was her husband’s. If Clementine’s very limited education on the art of where babies came from was any less, then she wouldn’t have even believed Rebecca. Yet, here Rebecca was, pretending that nothing was wrong. Flirting back to her husband.

Her stomach hurt, and Clementine locked her hand onto her opposite arm as she weeded through the other possibilities. Clementine knew that Christa’s baby girl (as much as it pained her to think of that cold, dead face) was Omid’s. She had looked just like Omid, after all, with very little of Christa.

There was, I think, a 5 month difference in this update from the one before this one. Now, I suck at updating as it is, but I will fully admit that this scene stumped me for quite a while. I had a conversation with my dad, and I recall saying to him, “I need a realistic reaction to seeing a pregnant woman in the apocalypse. [Clem] is supposed to have PTSD and her last interaction with a pregnant woman resulted in the death of the baby. You got any advice?”

My dad actually did help a little bit with a reaction; he suggested avoidance, and I was like, “Holy shit, that’s true.” And that’s how I wrote Clem. I have written Clem with implied PTSD and mild anxiety before, but I felt that this was a different situation, because this is meant to be a form of establishing her character in OBTD. She’s similar to one of the ways that I played her in season 2, which is someone who only really talked a lot to certain people (like Walter or Sarah) and was silent in certain situations (like at the dinner at the lodge or after Sarita’s bitten death in episode 4 when Kenny goes off on her).

I’m doing my best to be the best writer that I can, especially while writing from the POV of an 11 year old who has experienced violence, kidnapping, emotional manipulation, and has now seen both childbirth and infant death. Part of the reason that some of more recent chapters have taken so long is this reason, and the surrounding circumstances.

Because of how long OBTD is meant to go for (trust me, we are barely even started), I have to establish both Clem’s actual, legitimate fears and her more childish fears and quirks. I’m trying to do this without her being that mature for her age; yes, she is mature for her age in OBTD and canon, but she is not an adult and I absolutely cannot stand when people write her as so.

It’s different when we’re talking about season 4, where she’s literally been raising a child on her own for quite a while, but in season 2? No, she’s still going to have some childish thoughts, fears, and quirks.Her connecting Rebecca and Christa is, in my opinion, something that realistically would happen if the events of TWDG were real and she were an actual person going through this. The establishment of her issues in not connecting a trauma and a similar act are something that I think was somewhat touched upon in season 2, but I wanted to look a more realistic angle.

In summary, I’m looking to get further into her psyche and how a child in her situation would actually react, but in a more consistent way. Stories need consequence, and I think the small changes in the way that characters feel about each other should actually impact their actions. She feels uneasy Rebecca’s pregnancy, and later what she believes is an affair, and she feels guilty from keeping this from Alvin. Hopefully, I can do this justice as time goes on.

Thank you for your ask, and thank you to anyone who made it to the end. ��

#obtd fanfiction #twdg fanfiction #obtd meta #meta #twdg clemetine #twdg christa #tw: infant death #obtd announcements #asks #carmypen

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alsolfu · 4 years ago

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untitled quarantine Lorenz/Byleth fic

So I began a Byleth/Lorenz fic last year to cope with quarantine. I don't know if I'll post all of it, but I wanted to share the first part.

The basic premise: Lorenz and Byleth break up around the time quarantining becomes necessary and are stuck living together until their lease ends, forced to face their issues. Will they reconcile by the time they're vaccinated or will it not work out?

There's angst, drama, romance, and a little bit of dumb humor throughout. As well as bits of smut, but you won't be finding any of that in this part.

Anyway! Please enjoy. :)

Lorenz hadn’t wanted to do it. But her face. Byleth’s beautiful face when they’d eaten breakfast together that morning-- it had sealed his fate. Being the third time they’d signed this particular lease agreement, he hadn’t read through each page or paid attention to the new stipulations.

He hadn’t read it because he hadn’t wanted to sign it. He hadn’t wanted to sign it because he’d found the perfect place. A brownstone in downtown Fhirdiad. Twice as big as their current house for triple the rent. With a spectacular view.

Just not one so spectacular he couldn’t be immediately and wholly dissuaded by a sleepy morning smile from the love of his life. So he’d signed the renewal and dismissed the brownstone. It wasn’t going to mend the fractures, but he’d felt it was a start in the right direction. He felt hopeful.

That turned out to be another issue. Feeling. Lorenz felt everything. The pleasant pinch in his chest at her laughter, the almost-jaded shock during her vulgar moments, the delight when she looked at him-- the way she looked at him sometimes.

But even the act of feeling was another fracture he couldn’t fix. It was impossible. While Lorenz felt everything, Byleth felt nothing. He could never influence that; he couldn’t believe he’d ever tried.

His wardrobe was a spectrum of purple hues, and his suitcase was an ugly clashing shade of yellow. Byleth had bought it for him the single time they’d visited the Alliance together. Unprecedented, both the trip itself and the way he and his father had so enormously disappointed each other. His father, normally a reasonable fellow, thought Byleth unworthy. Lorenz, offended but unsurprised, thought his father a short-sighted buffoon.

The idea of returning home, broken hearted and wearied, made Lorenz feel absolutely ill. His father will undoubtedly congratulate him. Dreadful. He couldn’t bear it.

“As my mind clings to desperate thoughts,” he murmured, catching himself before saying more. Emotional as he was, this wasn’t the time for poetry.

Making one last quick, cursory round of their--no, just hers now--bedroom, he picked up the last piece of himself and put it in the suitcase. The rest of his clothes and belongings he’d return for later. When he wasn’t so furious. When Byleth wasn’t standing in the doorway watching him.

“Do you need a ride?” she asked.

Lorenz closed up the ugly yellow suitcase, long fingers lingering over the sticker Byleth had slapped onto its hard, tacky surface.

“Applying a garish decal to an already unsightly piece of luggage?” He pursed his lips at the sight, his eyes tracing the Alliance’s crest, surrounded by the words ‘Leicester Alliance Founding Day’ with distaste. “I see no point.”

Byleth laughed. “I like yellow. Besides…” She lifted onto the tips of her toes, one hand gently meeting his jaw. “It’ll remind you of today.”

That didn’t satisfy Lorenz. “Being escorted out of the Gloucester estate for insulting my father isn’t a memory I wish to hold close.”

She kissed him rather than attempt to placate further, and Lorenz melted with the same ferocity he’d had the first time she’d let him this close. It was punctuation, marking the best moments in his life. It worked to settle him more than any platitude. He’d been brutally honest with his father on Founding Day that year, and she was marking it down for him.

He wouldn’t need a silly little sticker to remember this. Not when her warmth overpowered all else. Not when she’d kissed him for so long outside their gate, they nearly missed their flight back to Fhirdiad.

Lorenz steeled himself, one hand taking the handle of his suitcase while the other lifted to brush away loose strands of hair getting into his face. “Claude is on his way now.”

Byleth nodded.

Lorenz felt the usual push, the inclination to explain why Claude was in town, but Byleth didn’t ask. She nodded and left him alone in their--hers now, it’s just her--bedroom. She left him standing there as readily as she’d accepted it when he’d announced he was leaving her.

“To find warmth where there’s none,” he spoke quietly, sending one last look around what had once been his safest, most intimate space. “I’m left adrift--” He caught himself again, gritting his teeth.

To hell with it.

Lorenz H. Gloucester: I’ll be on the stoop. Hurry up.

Claude: she really kickin you out?

Lorenz H. Gloucester: Leaving was my decision.

Claude: lmao omw bb We’ll get ice cream Talk about our feelings

Lorenz H. Gloucester: I don’t have the patience for this, Claude.

Claude: Ouch ok we’ll get a drink instead

Lorenz H. Gloucester: The only thing I want to get right now is as far away from this nightmare as possible.

Claude: Ya just let it out buddy

In that moment, standing on the stoop in the crisp, wintry air, Lorenz realized it was Hilda he should’ve called for support.

---

Byleth didn’t want to move out. She loved this place. She’d seen the look on Lorenz’s face that morning two months prior and suggested they sign the renewal before he could announce anything idiotic. She knew that look. They weren’t ready to settle down somewhere. Not yet. He had to understand it wouldn’t fix anything.

He’d found a new place--likely something they couldn’t afford while maintaining his expensive taste in clothing--and she’d been briefly taken by the look on his face as he’d itched to announce it. She hadn’t let him. She’d gotten him to sign the agreement instead. Despite the tense air, arguments, and avoidance, they’d silently agreed to give it another year.

Another shot.

He’d kissed her that morning, and she’d thought about it for days afterward, fingertips tracing her lips and pressing them against the front of her teeth. She was in love with this guy, and she was a fool for it.

The only person Lorenz loved was himself, but he’d truly gotten her to believe she was, for a time, the exception.

The second the front door closed behind Lorenz, Byleth felt the weight of everything slump heavily onto her shoulders. She stared at the door, thought about going after him, then thought to lock the bolt mechanism for good measure.

Instead, she sank, lowering herself onto the out-of-place chaise lounge she’d bought Lorenz two birthdays ago. To add class, he’d said. Byleth thought he just needed a cute place for his personal drama. A place to faint attractively. She scanned the deep purple upholstery, recalling his soft sighs against her temple as she’d worked him into a weak, overstimulated mess to break in the new lounge the day she’d surprised him with it.

Coming to an abrupt stand, she covered her face with her hands and sighed. The weight grew heavier, tighter in her chest. It constricted at her throat. She forced down the feeling with a hard swallow. She couldn’t cry. Lorenz had made this decision for himself. He was selfish and self-centered and saw nothing else.

She wouldn’t let it affect her.

Fingers peeling over her cheeks, she sighed again. A honk from a car outside held her in place. Claude already? Was Lorenz giving him a cutting remark for the noise? Was he loading that yellow suitcase into the back now?

Byleth’s stomach lurched.

She bypassed the window--if she checked, she’d go after him--and trailed down the hallway to the home office. Best to fend off the longing. She knew the feeling. It crept up, increasing the pace of her heart. It held her tighter than the discomfort. She was suddenly suffocating.

The window in the office was obfuscated by a weeping fig that shed leaves at a speed Byleth found almost sinister. Dried leaves crunched under her slippers. More fell when she pushed aside some of the brush to look down onto the street.

The lean, lavender shades of her former boyfriend climbed into a car she didn’t recognize. She couldn’t see Claude. She didn’t care.

Her breath fogged the glass. Her vision blurred. Everything suddenly felt hot and wet and heavy. Unpleasantly so. She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. She had to do it two more times before it actually worked to quell her emotions. No tears came. She was going to make sure they never did.

There were less students in the club today than Byleth had ever seen. Or rather, not seen? She’d considered the possibility of losing a few. Outbreaks of an unknown disease in the Empire killed many and frightened even more. When the news of it had first reached her three weeks prior, her mind had been… elsewhere.

The toughest decisions are the right ones you never wish you have to make.

Byleth winced at the thought. Just as Felix Fraldarious leaned into her open doorway.

He brushed hair out of his face. “Bad time?”

Her expression slowly eased. “What do you need?”

Felix stared at her.

She stared back.

“If you start crying, I’m calling Bernadetta.”

Byleth sighed. “I won’t.”

He pushed off the doorway and stepped into the room. “You said that last time.”

Last time, her boyfriend of the last decade had announced he didn’t want to be with her anymore. Byleth was stuck in a game of phone call tag with someone from the bank to disentangle her finances from Lorenz’s, and the one person she usually relied on to always keep her on track was hung up on a woman he brought up at any given chance. It was almost enough to make Byleth angry, but she couldn’t dredge up much of anything.

“Don’t use me as an excuse to call Bernie.” Byleth rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. She was going to have a migraine in record time.

Felix rested his forearms on the back of her guest chair, sending a pointed look her way over the cluttered desk. “Only two students today.”

Byleth shrugged, blinking through her spotty vision as it cleared. “Specialized attention, then?”

“Odd number. They fought, I watched.”

“I don’t believe you.”

There was no way Felix Fraldarious stood in a training space without participating in at least one fight. He probably fought them both. She’d bet the entire club--don’t jinx yourself, By--that one or both of the students were lingering by the entrance now, waiting to catch Felix on his way out.

He made himself comfortable, adjusting an arm to rest his chin on a palm. Yep. He was hiding.

Byleth shuffled through a few papers on her desk, focusing on nothing. “We need to buy another camera.”

Felix grimaced but got over it quickly. “Going online?”

“Completely, for now.” She couldn’t tell him today would be the last day he’d teach anyone in person until further notice. She’d save that bit for last. Give him something to chew over on his way home.

“Heard anything from Garreg Mach?” he asked, extending the linger.

Both students were waiting, then.

Byleth let her thoughts stay there, amused at his hidden discomfort, rather than process the question. She couldn’t deal with Garreg Mach or its inhabitants when she was already overwhelmed. She had to fully convert her contact-sport-based business online. Somehow. A pandemic encroached, the future of their club was a hazy question mark in her mind, and her unbelievably selfish ex-boyfriend was out of her house.

Another realization struck her, eliciting the nth sigh of the day. The rent was too much for her to cover alone. How had that escaped her?

Felix cleared his throat when she began to furiously type at her computer. She paused, remembered herself, and looked at her business partner carefully.

“Are you busy this weekend?”

#lorenz hellman gloucester #lorenz/byleth #byleth eisner #lorenz/byleth fanfiction #fe3h lorenz #i'm relatively new to this fandom so idk what tags to use really

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ktrxs · 5 years ago

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9.25.19

Do I really want to add volunteering on top of my other responsibilities?

Not to mention I’m about to start a large project soon and I need to work on earning my degree. Ugh I should've quit. I’m too much of a pussy fo real lol

But It’s fine. I’m going to keep going at it and filling my life with shit I just want to do. and slowly push away all the crap I don’t want to do.

but it’s going to be a slow transition and i cant do it overnight.

---

my zero waste challenge is going well. i have 11 days posted so far. it’s insane. but im on day 25.

I didnt start posting until two weeks later because i cannot do everything everyday. i cant make the change and then take pictures and make blog posts AND instagram posts all in one day. I’ll burn out and quit.

So I gave myself two weeks to be able to make materials and possibily have a day off in the future when my metal illness decides to fuck me over.

So yay

---

i went to a green meetup last night and the people are cool and care about the same things i do. so im going to start volunteering there.

----

I decorated for fall today. Literally minimalist style. I hammered a thumbtack in my door and hung one sign.

Boom. done. decorations.

----

I am excited to continue working on my business. Although I want to procrastinate on the boring content editing part.

Not all things are rays of sunshine and rainbows. But I rather do this than be inside a fucking cube.

----

I cut my hair yesterday. I tried to do it myself but my hair is just too fucking long and too fucking thick. all the DIY tutorials look so fucking easy because these girls have medium length and literally no hair on their head.

Thin hair.

Oh that’s cool just hold the tip of your pony, extend your arm back above your head and make sure the hair is kept straight and doesn’t sag.

Oh thats fun. What if your hair is so fucking long, you literally cannot keep it taut?

Oh you're holding all your hair in one hand and cutting with the other?

Oh that’s genius! But what just if your hair is so fucking thick, you can’t keep it all in your hand?!?

uggghhh

So I fucked up a little and had to call Abbey because my hair is a two-person job. She trims it and makes sure its looks good from behind. I make it look good from the front and add layers and bangs.

So we good now.

And i feel better. like my split ends had split ends. It was bad! I saw one strand with 5 splits.

I need to start doing a dusting every month or so.

----

I’m using this blog to procrastinate. I really need to get these blog posts published.

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wordcreatr · 5 years ago

Text

As I’d mentioned in an earlier post, redoing some of the floors in the house has kept me busy (and my friends concerned about the integrity of my limbs). It was a task that was a long time coming.

Ever since I bought my dad’s old house, I’ve been meaning to remove the dull brown carpets from the bedrooms and my Man Cave (Nerd Cave according to the Houseguest) and replace them with laminate flooring similar to what’s in the living room (the rest of the house is tiled). I mean, these things were ancient. And by ancient, I mean disgusting. I’m not sure if they were the original carpets from 1980 when I was in junior high, but at a minimum, they’d been on duty at least 20 years and were a far duller brown than when they started out. They were so bad, I wouldn’t invite people over for fear they’d catch a glimpse of them and pass judgment on me.

These carpets had seen their better days sometime in the early 90s. Two decades of tramping feet had ground dirt into them. Vacuuming didn’t help — instead, it produced weird smells from the vacuum cleaner. When the carpets got wet, it resurrected faint scents of accidents by pets long gone. I occasionally borrowed a carpet shampooer from my friend The Todd (not to be confused with Stoner Todd from my post, Ridin’ Dirty) but still the carpets looked only marginally better. The carpets simply had to go.

Trouble Pulling the Trigger

Over the last few years, there have been numerous times I’ve haunted flooring stores or departments looking wistfully at the laminate flooring. However, I always left with nothing more than samples and a vague determination to do something — eventually.

However, as much as I despised the carpets, I never got around to replacing them. Things kept coming up, like my lack of will to undertake the project myself or not wanting to spend the money. When I did have enough money, I’d use it on something else. I thought about hiring someone, but that would be way more expensive — plus, they’d see my disgusting carpets and silently judge me. And, my Man Cave had so much stuff jammed into it it would be an arduous undertaking to clear it all out. If you’ve ever seen the Room of Requirement from the Harry Potter movies, you get the idea.

My Man Caves resembled this only slightly more crowded.

I could do the job myself but then that meant relying on me and, in my book, that’s never a good idea — especially since my handyman skills are rudimentary at best. I haven’t posted many of my home project follies here, but one time, I got stuck on my roof. And everyone I know cringes when they think of me renting a saw — and they aren’t the only ones. There was the chainsaw incident where I rented one to cut up a tree that fell over during a storm. I came this close to being in a tragic news report and, shaken, I ended up hiring a professional to finish the job.

Mortal enemies

As much as I hated the carpets, the Houseguest hated them more. She’s a Zoroastrian, so she takes the whole cleanliness concept seriously. (Well, compared to me she does — the rest of the Zoroastrians might kick her out of the fire temple if they saw her messy workspace.)

She has been renting a room from me for 3 years, and well before she moved in, I told her I intended to rip up the carpets. Lately, she had been complaining more often about their grodiness and blamed all her ills on them. Shortly after my employment ended, at her behest, I pulled up the carpet in her room. She reasoned that even a bare concrete floor had to be better than the hated carpet. Once I’d removed it, she looked at the exposed concrete with a critical eye, and I could sense her excitement ebb.

“Don’t like it?” I asked.

“I thought it would look — different. More…” her voice trailed off.

Her brow wrinkled as we stared at the stained, dull grey floor.

“It’s kind of — ugly,” she said.

Yes, yes it was.

It was not an attractive looking floor; the construction guys had slopped paint and other things onto the concrete and it looked quite unappealing. The Houseguest consoled herself that at least the carpet was gone and she could at least sweep. That sentiment lasted about two weeks and she began making more and more negative comments about the concrete.

What the Houseguest envisioned…

The reality.

A decision gets made

During that time, I began contemplating paying for new flooring with a credit card. I didn’t really want to add debt while I was unemployed and trying to get some freelance work going, but this ongoing floor situation had been festering far too long. The Houseguest told me not to be silly, she could deal with it.

A week later, the concrete floor finally wore her resolve down and she offered to fund the flooring project and I would pay her back when I had the money. Though I appreciated the offer, I declined because I hate borrowing money from (or loaning it to) friends because a financial obligation is an easy way to poison a relationship. But the Houseguest was persistent; she did not want to look at the concrete floor anymore. Plus, as she pointed out — now was the perfect time to jump into a project because I had a lot of free time. So, finally, I agreed to the loan and she wrote me a check for $1,900.

Gathering supplies

We drove to a couple of spots to check out flooring options. I had been set on installing laminate, but several people had mentioned that Vinyl Luxury Planks was the way to go these days. ‘Vinyl?’ I thought. No way I was putting vinyl on my floors. Oh, but this isn’t your father’s thin vinyl flooring. No, this stuff is created to mimic the look of wood and comes in textured planks. Nucore, the brand I settled on has a cork backing to soften footfalls and deaden sound. It’s not as hard as laminate, but it’s waterproof (I’ve had a broken water line before — no fun) and fairly easy to work with — you can even score it with a boxcutter and then bend it to snap it in two.

I almost went with a nice-looking brand sold through Lowes, but the online reviews were either glowing or scathing. Turns out the product was originally made in China, but after the trade war started, apparently they brought production back to the U.S. and the quality was terrible. People were scrambling looking for boxes of the stuff made in China and some people had got stuck with American stuff halfway through their project. I quickly scratched that one off my list and ended up going with Floor and Decor’s Spalted Maple NuCore.

Before I got the project rolling, I borrowed my friend Carlos’s miter saw to cut the vinyl quarter round molding that would cover the expansion gaps at the baseboards. I’m glad I did because I ended up actually using it to cut the vinyl planking as well. Even though they tout you can use a boxcutter, the first two planks I tried to cut, I kept screwing up and veering offline while scoring the boards and cutting scatches into the surface. No way was I going to end up with jacked up floors from the get-go, so I used Carlos’s power saw (as well a regular hand saw for lengthwise cuts and a hobby saw for small, delicate cuts). That miter saw totally sped things up.

Getting started

Once I had everything I needed, I sat around for a couple of days watching Youtube videos, nervous to start. I’d calculated the number of boxes of planking I needed and added an extra 10% for mistakes, but I wasn’t absolutely sure I had enough. I didn’t want to screw things up to the point where I’d have to scrap the project. Hence the obsessive video watching.

Finally, I decided to stop overthinking it and jump into the deep end and do the Houseguest’s room. I just needed a friend to help me move furniture out. The Todd agreed to stop by late Saturday afternoon and help, but as I had nothing else to do that morning, I thought I’d get a head start by removing all the drawers from the two dressers to lighten them and move the nightstands out, which went smoothly. But why stop there? I decided to see if I could move some of the furniture by myself. See, I don’t like inconveniencing other people (and in turn, don’t like to be inconvenienced). The dressers were solid maple but had small casters hidden underneath which made it easier. Then I decided to tackle the Houseguest’s queen-sized bed (she’d already agreed to stay at a friend’s over the weekend). Like a determined ant, I got the moving done by the time The Todd called. (Over the course of the project, I ended up moving everything out of all three rooms by myself — dressers, beds, bookcases, desks, etc.)

That’s my bedroom door to the left. I really hoped I didn’t have to escape the house in a hurry.

Hitting my stride — or so I thought

The first room took me longer than I thought it would. A professional could have prepped the floor and laid the interlocking planking down in a few hours, but it took me 3 days (not working straight through, mind you).

Making progress on the Houseguest’s room

Nearly done

Once I finished the first room and moved everything back in, I figured my room would go more quickly now that I had a better idea of what I was doing. I continued to learn new techniques as I went along, like how to cut trim properly and make proper endcaps when the molding ends at an open space to make it look attractive.

After pulling up the carpet in my room, I began prying up the wooden strips of carpet tack that’s nailed into the concrete to keep the edge of the carpet from moving. However, I ran into an immediate setback. Most of the concrete nails holding the carpet tack in place were short, but on one 8-foot section, whoever had nailed the carpet tack down had used gigantic spikes — they looked like the nails the Romans used when they crucified Jesus. These spikes had demolished the concrete underneath, which I pulled it up in big chunks. They’d also caused an eight-foot long crack in the concrete stretching toward the center of the room.

Normal nail and the nail from hell.

I bet some dude ran out of regular nails and used the spikes figuring no one would discover it for decades that he’d half-assed it. Luckily, I had a lot of quick-setting concrete leftover from my plumbing project and I used that to fill in the huge ragged gap along the wall — of course, I had to let it dry and that delayed me.

A pox upon your lazy ass!

Other than that, the main problem I ran into was my decision to go minimalist — I wasn’t going to move a lot of the furniture and extra bullshit back into my room and Man Cave. It was time to purge. But now that furniture and other stuff sat there clogging up my hallway, front room, and living room. As my mom would have said, it looked like a bomb had gone off in my house.

I ended up sleeping out here

Stuff everywhere

This is my bedroom

Spilling out to the front of the house

Computer in the bathroom

Printer in the hall

Sweet dreams

While I was working on my room, I ended up sleeping on my couch, which (luckily) consists of two day beds and is super comfy. I actually slept more soundly on it than my regular bed. The Houseguest was a bit bummed because she likes to watch CNN in the morning on the living room TV before going to work. I ended up sleeping out there for a week because when I started in on the Man Cave, I had so much crap to lug out I had to store a lot of it in my bedroom and some stuff ended up piled on top of my bed. The Man Cave floor I completed pretty quickly, even though the crucifier had been at engaged in his destructive ways again and I had to put new cement down once more.

Yep, I have my knee pads on upside down.

Once the floors were down, I still wasn’t quite done because I needed Carlos’ nail gun and compressor to secure the quarter rounds. It was about a week before I got them, however, I decided to move some of my furniture and stuff back in and work around it once I got the nailgun because routines were too disrupted. Plus, furniture was blocking access to my washing machine and I was running out of clean clothes.

Let’s do this!

Not a good look for me

I have to admit, the project stretched out longer than I wanted it to and people kept asking when it would be done. Joe, the owner of Bigfish, my last place of employment, texted me after one of my umpteen updates.

“Rivers! (my nickname) What are you doing over there? Building the Taj Mahal?”

Using a packing blanket to drag my heavy-ass bedframe without damaging the floor.

But I eventually got everything I wanted in the rooms dragged back in. My Man Cave looks like a minimalist’s haven — well, compared to what it looked like before. The front rooms are still a bit messy, but I’m going through stuff and putting it into the garage, throwing it out, or donating it.

I was happy with my work. The Houseguest stood admiring the floor of the Man Cave.

“You know, you got so much better at it as you went along,” she said. I looked at her.

“Are you saying you’re unhappy with your floor?”

She wasn’t. But she was right; my early work wasn’t my best. You could see a few seams in her room that could have been tighter. I’d made a couple of minor mistakes, but I wasn’t sure I’d have enough material at the time, so I worked around them. Once I’d finished everything, I ended up with a left over box of planks. I’d already decided I would fix the Houseguest’s floor, so I recut the problematic boards and have them stored away. When she goes out of town in November, I’m going to redo her floor. It won’t be hard. I’ll simply pull it up and relay it and insert the new boards. The hardest part will be dragging her furniture out, but it should take me no time at all. Honestly, it doesn’t look bad now, but I would know it could be better, so I have to redo it.

Lessons learned

So, I learned a few things during this project.

Getting up and down repeatedly sucks. I ended up bruising my left knuckles and knee against the concrete until I started wearing work gloves and bought some knee pads.

If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. My knee pads sucked and kept falling down. Worst design ever. Just as I was finishing up the row in the last room I realized I’d had them on upside down the whole time. Oops. I put them on the right way for that last row and they fit well and were super comfy. Better late than never — I guess.

After much pain and tears, you’ll discover a super-easy way to do a pain-in-the-ass task, right as you’re finishing up.

Having the right tools is super helpful. Not having them is really frustrating, though you can improvise.

I suck at trying to cut vinyl planking with a boxcutter. Mitre saw for the win! My friend Jason’s brother saw me post on Facebook about using a miter saw and asked him if I realized I didn’t need a miter saw for vinyl planking. Au contraire, my friend. Bro, did I ever need it.

Never take the easy way out. You won’t be happy. I was just using a straight cut on the end of my quarter rounds even though the flooring experts said it looked unprofessional. I’d tried to make a neatly curved end cap but failed and settled for a simple 90-degree cut. But the experts were right — it looked like shit, so I went back to YouTube and found a better how-to video and learned how to do end caps right. Then I redid all the ones I’d done so farl. They looked 100 times better.

Take a gander at that awesome looking end cap I made. Involved two 45-degree outside cuts and a regular cut and then some glue.

Anyway, so, the flooring is down, it looks good, and I love the new and improved Man Cave. It no longer looks like an orc den. Oh, and I just repaid the Houseguest her money after getting paid on some freelancing gigs. And there were no trips to the ER. I’m calling this a win for the Land Manatee.

The new and improved Man Cave.

DIY Success? Luxury Vinyl Planks As I'd mentioned in an earlier post, redoing some of the floors in the house has kept me busy…

#flooring #handyman #vinyl luxury planking

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lailasilverwolf · 5 years ago

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How to have soft Hair Fo-ti Root Nature's Way https://amzn.to/2VTINxZ Horsetail Nature's Way https://amzn.to/2VQReKF Have a testimony about my YouTube helping you? Email it to me and I will make it into a slide for the slide show. Or email other health related photos, comics, or any beautiful pics you may have taken. [email protected] Want to see the guy behind the videos? I plan to do a video reveal at 100k subs. Thanks for subscribing! "For the rest of my life?" Shocked by his Doctor. He couldn't shake how absolutely wrong it sounded to him. Why? Is this what health care is all about, taking their pharmaceuticals for my quality and duration of life? There has to be a natural way. It just didn't add up. This was the beginning of Chuck's search into natural health. Many years later and much healthier through his own progressive health journey, he is currently a Certified Natural Health Professional. Chuck is currently working to complete his Naturopathic Doctor program through Trinity School of Natural Health and is motivated to share his knowledge with the world through his YouTube channel: SocoNaturalHealth. Schedule a personal consultation Calendly.com/SOCONATURALHEALTH For educational purposes only First see your health care provider before any new health supplement implemented. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or illness. Content is not from a Medical Doctor, nothing contained within should be considered as anything more than educational. Content is not advice, claim of cure, legal warranty, or gurantee of results to be achieved. If you have emailed me a health related question please browse my YouTube channel to see if I have a video posted discussing it. Also if after interacting with my Social Media accounts you have found the information useful and know someone who may also benefit from the info provided please it would help a lot if you shared the video or instagram post with them. make a donation you can do so through PayPal. My PayPal email is: [email protected] Or my PayPal link is: PayPal.me/[email protected] My biz line Leave a VM(719)749-6794 #naturalhealth #soconaturalhealth #StayHealthy #coloradonaturopath #herbs #supplements #vitamins My salt lamp https://amzn.to/2LMIhZH What I shoot with https://amzn.to/2D3B5qq My stand I use for shooting https://amzn.to/2D5RKKb Save 15% site wide on #CBD with Promo code: Socohealth at phytologica.com

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rolandfontana · 6 years ago

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Are Pain Doctors Wrongly Taking the Blame for the Opioid Crisis?

Dr. Masoud Bamdad and his wife, Shabnam Datalchian, emigrated from Iran to California in 1987, in pursuit of a better life for themselves and their two then-young children.

Four decades later, Dr. Bamdad is serving a 25-year sentence on a federal charge of distributing and dispensing Oxycodone, an opiate pain reliever, in Federal Medical Center (FMC) Fort Worth, a Texas prison.

Dr. Bamdad, believing he was innocent, had refused to take the plea deal he was offered, or to admit guilt, which is why the judge gave him such a high sentence.

The journey he took from clinic to jail is one of hundreds of similar, but little-known, footnotes to America’s struggle with the opioid epidemic.

Dr. Masoud’ Bamdad’s clinic in San Fernando, Ca., was raided by DEA agents in 2008.

Dr. Bamdad is a certified pain management specialist and a physician licensed to practice family medicine. After completing a four-year pathology residency at Rutgers University Medical School, a two-year fellowship at the University of California-Los Angeles Medical Center, and qualifying for a certificate in pain management at USC Holy Cross, he and his wife, a dentist, opened the “Americare Medical and Dental Clinic” in San Fernando, Ca., in 1999.

They did well, following the classic path of immigrants starting from nothing in a new land. Their clinic provided pain reliever medication, including Oxcycodone, and advice to patients suffering acute or chronic pain. The government argues that the clinic was in fact a “pill mill,” dispensing massive amounts of opiates to patients without bothering to check whether they needed them.

But as far as Dr. Bamdad was concerned, he never broke the law.

He believes, in fact, that he is a “scapegoat”–along with other convicted pain doctors like himself–for the nation’s failure to address the opioid crisis.

In an interview via email from prison, he told The Crime Report:

At the time that I was practicing medicine, there was no concern and information about the opioid epidemic, and we were all in [the] dark. The government had not prosecuted all doctors who were prescribing opioids, they just selected some doctors and used them as scapegoats to teach a lesson to others.

Patient advocates and medical experts interviewed by The Crime Report suggest he has a point.

Although they didn’t comment on the specifics of the Bamdad case, they argued that federal efforts to combat the opioid epidemic by cracking down on pain medication prescriptions are an example of government overreach that has unfairly targeted some of the most vulnerable providers.

Worse, they add, the practice has caused grievous harm to many Americans who depend on pain relievers for their chronic illnesses.

”Without access to legal prescriptions, they are forced to go to street dealers for their pills,” said Dr. Nancy Nielsen, the Senior Associate Dean for Health Policy at The University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

“As we reduced the number of opioids out there, chronic pain patients become medical refugees,” she added. “People are dying.”

In the most tragic cases, according to an investigation published earlier this week by FoxNews, it has driven some desperate pain sufferers to suicide.

Leo Beletsky

Leo Beletsky, an associate professor of law and health at Northeastern University, called the government crackdown on prescribers an example of picking on “the lowest hanging fruit.”

Noting that most measurements of DEA success are based on the numbers of arrests and prosecutions, he argued that federal actions have largely ended up “ensnaring a lot of vulnerable people” who, if anything, represented minor players in a crisis that was fueled in part by the activities of major pharmaceutical firms.

The number of doctors and pain specialists imprisoned for violations of the Controlled Substances Act is still relatively small.

A Crime Report investigation identified 263 registered physicians, convicted and imprisoned on charges brought by the DEA Diversion Unit—the unit that handles controlled substances—between 2003 and 2017.

In nearly all the cases, the charges related to opioid over-prescription.

The total number of doctors affected, however, is probably much larger. While only a few hundred doctors have been incarcerated under the crackdown on over-prescribers, over 3,000 doctors have been forced by the DEA to surrender their licenses between 2011 to 2015 alone, according to figures obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette under a Freedom of Information Act request.

The “Pill Mill” Argument

Like many of the other physicians hit by the crackdown, Dr. Bamdad might have avoided a jail term by simply admitting his guilt, and giving up his license.

But when agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raided his clinic, he was confident that the government would discover its error. The amount of Oxycodone he prescribed to his patients, he claims, was based on guidelines set by the Medical Board of California.

The government charges, however, that he was running a “pill mill,” dispensing large amounts of opioids to his patients without thoroughly examining them.

After declining the plea deal, Dr. Bamdad was convicted on ten counts of illegally prescribing Oxycodone and three counts of illegally prescribing Oxycodone to persons under 21.

His lengthy sentence, according to U.S. District Court Judge George Wu, was justified by the scope of Masoud Bamdad’s “pill mill,” the seriousness of his illicit prescribing, and his apparent lack of remorse.

According to media reports at the time, Wu cited the prosecution’s report that for three years running — including 2008, the year of his arrest —Bamdad ranked among the state’s highest prescribers of Oxycodone, a powerful narcotic popularly known as “synthetic heroin.” The volume of his prescriptions exceeded that of many hospitals and pain management clinics, Wu said.

Dr. Bamdad counters that he never prescribed more than he was permitted under his license, and he also denies prescribing to anyone under the age of 18. He also maintains that he operated a relatively small office with three medical assistants, and rebuts government charges that he was among California’s “highest prescribers of Oxycodone.”

He said in his email:

All my prescriptions were for a legitimate quantity of painkillers for a legitimate time span, as even my defective indictment reveals. 2-3 pills per day as my indictment illuminates, only for controlling pain based on the guidelines of Medical Board of California for treating pain with narcotics at the time of my practice.

The key weapon used by the government to prosecute Dr. Bamdad and other alleged “pill mills” is the Controlled Substances Act. Advocates say the Act, which was most typically used to combat activities of drug kingpins by prosecuting them for the “manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances,” is being wrongly used against many legitimate medical professionals.

Dr. Linda Cheek, a pain specialist who was incarcerated herself for over-prescribing painkillers and now leads a nonprofit , Doctors of Courage, which champions “innocent doctors” caught up in the opioid crackdown, charges the DEA has based its actions against doctors on a misinterpretation of a key section of the Controlled Substances Act,

Section 802 (56) of the Act allows the individual practitioner to determine what is “legitimate medical purpose for the issuance of [a] prescriptions;” but, Dr. Cheek argues, U.S. Attorneys and DEA agents with little or no medical training have taken it upon themselves to determine what is a “legitimate” medical purpose.

The DEA disputes such arguments, maintaining that there is nothing ambiguous about a “pill mill,” even if it calls itself a pain management clinic.

“In a typical pill mill case, you’d see hundreds of patients in a small amount of time frequenting that facility,” said Melvin Patterson, a special agent who is an official spokesperson for the DEA. “Just like you would see pills in a pill mill— they go in and out. That’s how we came up with the term.”

The charges and countercharges in Dr. Bamdad’s case reflect a much larger and more troubling issue, according to critics of the government’s anti-opioid policies.

While there have been well-publicized examples of profiteering doctors who have operated clinics as a kind of assembly-line where pain medications are dispensed freely with few questions asked, experts say the government is using the blunt weapon of prosecution to hold pain-management physicians responsible for an epidemic that had little to do with their activities.

That begs the question: Are the wrong people taking the fall for the opioid epidemic?

Who’s to Blame for the Opioid Epidemic?

The opioid crisis continues to shake America.

According to figures released by the National Institutes of Health, as of March 2018, more than 115 Americans die every day from overdosing on opiates, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

Many critics have singled out the activities of pharmaceutical firms for blame.

So-called Big Pharma is now the target of multiple lawsuits brought by state attorneys general around the country, as well as by native Americans who contend that tribal populations were especially victimized by the opiates that flooded Indian Country.

The lawsuits contend that the production and distribution of massive amounts of pain medications over the past decades were fueled, in the words of one filing, by “a massive deceptive marketing campaign [aimed at] convincing doctors and the public that their drugs are effective for treating chronic pain and have a low risk of addiction, contrary to overwhelming evidence.”

“It’s the…pharmaceutical executives who should be in jail,” said Dr. Nielsen. “They cost lives and terrible, terrible misery.”

Joe Rannazzisi

Joe Rannazzisi, former head of the Office of Diversion Control for the Drug Enforcement Administration, agrees.

“Should some of these companies have been more heavily fined or criminally prosecuted?” he told The Crime Report. “Yes.”

Rannazzisi, who leaked details of what he said were the federal government’s efforts to deflect prosecutions against pharmaceutical companies to The Washington Post and CBS 60 Minutes in a celebrated “whistleblowing” expose, has charged that the opioid crisis was allowed to spread by “Congress, lobbyists, and the drug distribution industry that shipped almost unchecked, hundreds of millions of pills to rogue pharmacies and pain clinics—providing the rocket fuel for the opioid crisis.”

Advocates say government crackdowns on prescription providers don’t address the real roots of the epidemic, including the question of how opiates like Oxycodone came to be seen as a solution for many symptoms aside from chronic pain.

“We were told that the drugs prescribed for pain were safe, and that it was extremely rare that people became addicted,” said Dr. Nielsen. “And [we now know] that is simply not true.”

But senior management at the companies has received little more than slaps on the wrist. In 2007, three executives at Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges that they misled regulators, doctors and patients about the drug’s risk of addiction and its potential to be abused.

Opiates and Bias

One other aspect of the DEA crackdown on physicians raises additional concerns.

Dr. Cheek, who spent 24 months in prison for prescribing painkillers, believes that racial bias is a factor in many of the cases that resulted in doctors’ imprisonment. She noted that many of her fellow medical incarcerees were minorities, and were therefore considered vulnerable by authorities.

“Once the government sees these people won’t have much support…they think ‘we’ll get a plea out of them, take their money, and on to the next target,’ ” she said.

While such claims are difficult to prove, The Crime Report investigation found that of the 263 doctors incarcerated from 2003 to 2017, 26 percent were persons of color. A majority of them were immigrants to the U.S. from the Middle East or Iran. The research included checking each doctor on the DEA’s list and looking at their home countries and medical schools.

According to statistics, more than one-quarter of the 247,000 doctors licensed to practice in the U.S. have foreign medical degrees.

But while the proportion of convicted foreign-born medics matches the general proportion of foreign-born doctors in the U.S., some argue that the pain management field attracts large numbers of immigrant physicians because there are fewer barriers to entry, and is often considered to have less status by U.S. doctors.

That makes them especially vulnerable, said Leo Beletsky.

“They’ve stepped into those opportunities—some of them probably because they were discriminated against in other areas of medicine,” he said. “Not unlike men of color who don’t have other job opportunities.”

Which is why Beletsky believes that economics as well as racial bias plays a part in the prosecutions.

“Minorities are probably less likely to have the right lawyers, institutional support or someone who can address the charges brought against them,” he said.

“So they bear the brunt of these criminal investigations (while) other doctors who have the resources might be able to get out.”

Shabnam Datalchian believes her husband faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars because of their naivete about the U.S. justice system.

“It’s much easier for [the government] to go after [immigrants] because they think we don’t have the proper knowledge of the legal system… Which we honestly don’t.” she said.

DEA agents contacted by The Crime Report strongly dispute charges of bias.

“[These are] people who have violated the Controlled Substances Act,” said Melvin Patterson, a special agent and an official spokesperson for the DEA. “We go where the evidence leads us. We could care less what the person looks like or where they are from.”

Patterson said undercover DEA agents make their cases when they go into a suspected clinic and receive opioids without a medical examination.

Dr. Bamdad described the same scenario, but in a different light.

DEA agents came to his office in 2008, posing as patients, and complaining of pain.

Since pain is subjective and there is no real way to prove just how much pain a patient is experiencing, doctors are left with limited options.

They usually chose to believe their patients, Dr. Bamdad said.

The Pain Dilemma

Richard A Lawhern, director of research at the Alliance for the Treatment of Intractable Pain, who leads a nationwide effort to end the targeting of prescription opioids, argues that the prosecution of individual doctors has no medical justification.

Lawhern has contended, in a series of columns for The Crime Report, that most opioid overdose deaths are not the results of opioids prescribed for chronic pain users.

Richard A. Lawhern

The U.S. is now chasing the “wrong epidemic” in its efforts to reduce the death toll from narcotic drugs, he wrote.

According to Lawhern, the demographic analysis that supposedly connects chronic pain to addiction doesn’t bear up under careful scrutiny.

“The typical new addict is an adolescent or early-20s male with a history of family trauma, mental-health issues and prolonged unemployment,” he said in an interview. “Young men from economically depressed areas are rarely treated long-term for pain severe enough to justify use of opioids.”

In contrast, a majority of chronic pain patients (by a ratio of 60/40 or higher) are women in their 40s or older with a history of accident trauma, failed back surgery, fibromyalgia, or facial neuropathy, he said.

“And women of this age whose lives are stable enough to allow them to see a doctor don’t often become addicts.”

Other research supports Lawhern’s claim.

A recent study published in Addiction, the official journal of the Society for Addiction Studies, found that reducing opioid prescriptions has had little effect on reducing overall opioid deaths,

The study, entitled A Crisis of Opioids and the Limits of Prescription Control: United States, argues that the amount of opioids prescribed is not the sole factor leading to the rise in opioid deaths, nor even necessarily the most prominent one.

“No data supports forced opioid reductions as safe or effective,” wrote the study’s authors, Stefan Kertesz of the Birmingham School of Medicine at the University of Alabama; and Adam Gordon, of the University of Utah School of Medicine and Informatics.

The amount of overdose deaths involving prescribed opioids has remained constant since 2010, despite a reduction in the amount of opioids being prescribed. This “lack of return” is grounds for developing a new approach to the crisis, according to the study.

But so far there is little evidence that such an approach is on the drawing boards in Washington.

As the public continues to clamor for action against the opioid epidemic, the government appears to continue using the playbook from the much-criticized “War on Drugs” of the 1980s.

Hardball Tactics

One hardball tactic frequently used in cases against physicians resembles the “flip” tactics used to get suspected co-conspirators to testify against their former comrades in order to receive lighter sentences or get away with no jail time at all. Similar tactics are being used this month in the prosecution of the notorious reputed Mexican narco-boss El Chapo in his trial in Brooklyn, N.Y.

In an opioid prescription case, prosecutors may warn a doctor’s personal assistants or nurses that they will be co-defendants unless they testify against him or her.

That’s what happened to Dr. Bamdad.

He came to the DEA’s attention when a patient overdosed and died from drugs he prescribed. Members of his staff, including secretaries and nurses, were pressured into giving misleading testimony about his activities to avoid prosecution themselves, he claimed.

Dr. Bamdad believes that if the prosecutors had not introduced the evidence of his patient’s death (his patient committed suicide), no rational jury would have convicted him for prescribing what was a legal quantity of Oxycodone for controlling pain.

Shabnam Datalchian, his wife, told TCR that during the trial, one woman admitted the government threatened her with prosecution unless she testified. After Dr. Bamdad’s attorney told the prosecutor, she was released and never testified.

“It’s insane [that he was given a long sentence for helping patients, for prescribing patients with chronic pain,” Shabnam said.

“The doctors don’t know what to do. If they don’t prescribe pills they get in trouble for not treating a patient’s pain problem. But if they do…they might end up like my husband.”

Advocates suggest that a key problem is DEA investigators’ lack of training which would enable them to distinguish a doctor who is overprescribing or diverting drugs from one who has just taken on a lot of patients who take opioids.

“The DEA assumes any patient who is prescribed more than 90 milligrams of morphine daily has been over-prescribed,” Lawhern said. “[But] if you ever have the chance to talk to pain management doctors in practice, you might learn the normal range of a daily dose for pain patients is between 50 and 1,000 milligrams.”

The DEA counters that the law is clear in distinguishing legitimate doctors from those who operate the so-called “pill mills.”

“You can prescribe large amounts of opioids, but the question is, are (you) doing it within the law?” said former DEA agent Jeffrey Higgins.

“There are certain requirements when you’re licensed by DEA to prescribe drugs and part of that is seeing the patient and evaluating the needs of the patient.

“If you are prescribing without examining patients, that is a violation of the license.”

The legal requirements, he noted, include being seen by a doctor, and being evaluated on their need for pain medication.

What is ‘Legitimate Medical Purpose’?

The difficulty lies in defining the phrase legitimate medical purpose, according to Dr. Cheek.

She gave the example of the trial of Dr. John Patrick Couch in Mobile, Ala., a doctor who was sentenced to 240 months in prison for running a “massive pill mill.”

When the DEA agent was asked during the trial to define “legitimate medical practice” in pain management, he said he couldn’t answer that question because “he wasn’t a doctor,” Dr Cheek said in an interview.

That captures the principal problem connected with prosecution of pain doctors, she explained, arguing the government is trying to define “legitimate medical purpose” without any expertise.

Similarly, under questioning during Dr. Bamdad’s trial, the lead DEA investigator admitted she only had one hour of training on painkillers and medications.

“That was all her and her associates’ knowledge of medicine! Isn’t it interesting?!” Dr. Bamdad wrote in his email.

In fact, for most pain management doctors, prescribing large amounts of opioids to chronic pain patients is a legitimate medical practice Dr. Nielsen said. Sometimes, the dosages are high, depending upon the amount of patients each doctor sees, she added.

Today, at 64, Dr. Bamdad remains confused and angry, hoping his case will eventually come before the Supreme Court. His lawyer has petitioned for a review on the grounds that his constitutional rights were violated by the DEA sting.

He argued in his petition that a physician who “was practicing legitimate pain management based on his licensing agency guidelines” could not be held liable for a violation of the Controlled Substances Act that involved the distribution of controlled substances.

Appeals of his case in California have so far been unsuccessful.

Megan Hadley

Dr. Bamdad’s lawyers hold out slim hope that his petition will get anywhere. Nevertheless, he believes that the country he came to as an ambitious young man will live up to the ideals that drew him here.

“You were damned if you did and damned if you didn’t,” Dr. Bamdad wrote in his email.

“I wish I knew about the Department of Justice and DEA criminalizing treating patients with pain; if so, I never would have done it.”

Megan Hadley is senior staff writer and associate editor of The Crime Report. She welcomes comments from readers.

Are Pain Doctors Wrongly Taking the Blame for the Opioid Crisis? syndicated from https://immigrationattorneyto.wordpress.com/

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dangerouscrusadefire-blog · 6 years ago

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My insurance rates are ridiculous, because progressive holds ur points against you for 35 months. So tickets that i have that are over 2 years old are still effecting me. Does anyone know which insurance companies hold your driving record shorter than that?""

Does State Farm charge higher auto rates for older drivers?

Does a low deductible plus an older driver result in higher charges for auto insurance coverage for liability and collision rates? The driver also has a clean driving record.Thank you for your response.This is for North Carolina.

Who pays for the rental in a car accident. your insurance or theirs? Can you re-negotiate a check?

What is the best way to find cheap auto insurance in california?

Insurance then registration? or Registration and then insurance?

Buying a used car privately, Gonna work on it for a bit to get it up and running, Wanna know if you buy insurance and then get it registered or get it registered and then buy insurance. Oh by the way, do I get it saftied and e-tested after I get it registered? or what's the order plaese help.""

How to obtain depreciation from insurance company?

I had a roof claim at the end of the year for $45K. Ultimately the roof failed and damaged the interior of the home as well. The insurance company sent an initial check for $38K, and there is $7K in depreciation as a hold back. Once the work was completed I sent the insurance company a final invoice from the contractor for $44K. The invoice listed all of the work done and a grand total. The adjust is asking for line item detail around the charges. My contractor is telling me this is a ridiculous request and won't provide. So now I am sitting here with an adjuster who won't budge on their stance and a contractor who won't help. Are there any hard and fast rules on how to obtain the depreciation funds. In the couple of claims prior to this over the years, all I had to turn in was a generic invoice. I am at a loss and need to get those funds to close this deal out. I have full replacement value.""

Roughly how much is car insurance for a peugeot??

please help, i only want roughly""

Address on insurance and car registartion is different?

One of my relative has the car insurance with his Buffalo, NY address and his car registration and license address at Brooklyn, NY. Most of the time he lives in Brooklyn. Is there any big problem if addresses are different? He changed the address on his insurance to save money on insurance premium.""

Is it worth it to take a life insurance?

Help me find a good auto insurance company for pizza delivery?

I live in Brisbane QLD. Can you guys help me find the best insurance company that offers commercial insurance with the smallest excess at the least premium. I'm going to be using my car for delivering pizza. Obviously I'm not expecting anything cheap because most insurance companies are in it for the money, not the customer. I've looked at RACQ and some other more well known companies, is there anyone else I should check?""

Does a retired teamster get life insurance?

My dad died, my step mom says he has no life insurance. he has been a teamster for over 25 years.""

Car insurance?

lets say a 21 year old person goes to a car insurance company and is quoted $2000 for full coverage auto insurance. how much do you think this person will be charged at the same company at 25 years old?

Car insurance policy in new York?

When you get into a vehicle accident even though only one driver is at fault does both drivers insurance policy rate goes up?

NYC car insurance question?

I'm moving to nyc soon and there is no way I can afford the car insurance but. If I sell my car how will I get around the country to see family? I have family everywhere, california, idaho, florida, oregon, washington, south carolina, illinois, arkansas, and new jersey""

What is the best life insurance company that dont require medical exams?

im trying to buy life insurance for me and my 49 yr old mother. what is the best company that doesnt raise premiuims and dont require exams....but stil lprovide full life insurance?

I'm trying to convince a priest to buy car insurance?

I went to the church for the first time since passover a week ago and, being a car insurance salesman, I turned a conversation about sacred divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ into a conversation about low, low premiums on your car insurance. The Priest nodded respectively but kept trying to turn the conversation back to that long-dead carpenter. He was all like You know what's the best hell insurance? Jesus. and I was trying so damn hard, but he wouldn't budge. I converted to catholicism just to try to sell him insurance, I confessed my deepest darkest sins just so I could get him the lowest, fairest rates. I don't know if I can stomach another communiun cracker or resist making another molestation joke. I'm always like, What about your wife Father Connely, does she need car insurance? and he says Priests aren't allowed to have wives, sir. This f**king guy is impossible! I would rather be crucified than deal with this tough-as-nails-in-Jesus' hands customer for another second! I hope Heaven doesn't exist so I don't have to deal with this prick for an eternity! I've called him four times a day for the last week, but he always coerces me into talking about my sins, my trials and tribulations and i'm like, F**K! What do I do?""

Motorcycle insurance for 18yr old first vehicle(sportbike)?

I am considering purchasing a 2007 Kawasaki ninja 250r. I was wondering how much insurance would be for me(18) if it was my first vehicle . I have no prior car insurance history. And I just got a motor license.

Does anyone know how to find someone who wants to have their car driven somewhere for them for a fee?

I am interested in making extra money and would be willing to drive someone's car for them. Does anyone know how to get started in this as a side business--how to find clients, how much fee to charge, insurance issues etc.""

What insurance group is a 1965 FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK?

What happens if you get pulled over and get a ticket for no insurance?

OK so I just got pulled over this morning for not having any insurance and I had no idea I did not have it. For one the car is not mine its my boyfriends and for two his mom was the one that had insurance on it and dropped it without telling me, so I had no idea. I just went and got insurance on it like an hour after I got the ticket, so will the ticket be dismissed, if not what will happen and how much will this all cost?""

How much do most people pay per month for life insurance?

What is a good place to get insurance for my Dell laptop?

I am studying abroad for 5 weeks and would like an affordable insurance plan for my laptop.

""Im a co-signer on a car loan, do I need to be on the insurance??""

I co-signed a car loan for a friend of mine, he went to get the registration and all that but he couldnt register it unless I am on the insurance, and the registration. The dealer is threatening to take the car back from him if he doesnt come to the dealer proving that I am on all the necessary documents. Registration, and insurance. I am not driving this car at all and we also live in two seperate cities, and only did this to help him establish some sort of credit rating again, but this has ended up being a huge pain in the ***. One Idea I had was to write a bill of sale up saying that I have sold him the car and he is now the owner of the car, not me. I live in Calgary Alberta, in case insurance rules differ from province to province.""

Car insurance help (UK ONLY)?

my mums car insurance company is tryin to screw her over... i need opinions please! the car got wrote off due to something smashing it from the back as it was parked therefore perpitrator was never found! the car was worth 500 which was 100 deducted for policy... then the insurance compony took the whole wak of 12 months insurance aswell when we only had the car for a month! is that fair? deucting that for 500 leaving us with 154.77... IS THIS LEGAL????

Checking Insurance Quotes?

May be a stupid question but can you check different insurance quotes even if you haven't passed your test yet, just to get an idea of how much it will be ?""

Free car insurance offers?

Does anybody know of any car companies that are currently offering one years free car insurance when you buy a new car in the UK?

Who has the cheapest car insurance in maryland?

Divorce and custody questions in California?

My soon to be ex husband and I have a 3 month old son. I know we can work out the custody agreement but if either of us get married again, can the step parent adopt the child as their own even though both biological parents have custody? Also if not, is there a way to give the step parents rights to the child like authorizing medical care, to be on the step parents insurance, ect...""

Who pays for the rental in a car accident. your insurance or theirs? Can you re-negotiate a check?

Auto insurance cost for teen?

I am 16 years old and have a 2002 vw jetta. I was wondering how much it would cost for insurance?

Health insurance .?

hello...i am 33 year old and going to school full-time. anyone out there know any cheap health insurance that i can apply for? i am mostly healthy but just in case. plus does the government support full-time students with at least health insurance? i am from memphis tn are. thank you!!!

Am I eligible for the good student discount for auto insurance if I'm a part-time student?

I have the grades (3.0+), but I'm not a part-time student. I live in California, am I still eligible for the good student discount?""

Any recommendations for health insurance for international travel?

I will be traveling around the world for 4 months and need health insurance as I'm currently unemployed

Does late payment on car insurance affect credit?

just wondering if a late payment of a bill....say my telephone bill, or car insurance affect my credit?""

Can you have have insurance on 2 different cars with two different companies?

My car is in my mother in laws name, she lives in NC I live in SC. The car is being bought through a bank in NC, so it is also redgistered and insured in NC. Both of our names are covered on the insurance, but it is way too high for me to afford right now. She uses one insurance company and I usually use a different one because it is cheaper, so my question is, can she insure my car (thats in her name) through a different insurance company, and still keep her other cars on insured through her company?""

How much would maintenance cost on a BMW 325i?

a 2000 ish-2003 bmw 325i (same series)...how much would maintenance cost? I like the BMW in that it has EVERYTHING that I want, it's (2001) version is in my price range to buy, except I'm a student and I work part time. I can at an uncomfortable MAX 100$ a month for maintenance (not including gas and insurance). I am a DIY person (I can do moderately difficult car repairs) so I won't go to the dealer much. But I heard that this BMW needs synthetic oil and premium gas, and a couple of my friends said that BMW's NEED maintenance or else they suck. I will do NEEDED maintenance (such as if I need oil change, or my brakes are bad) but I won't do stuff that aren't needed (like idk...coolant flush etc.).""

Do i need insurance to buy a car?

I have been put in a crisis and am being forced to buy my first car tommorrow. My dad has bought cars for me, but I've never owned one. I am buying my friends truck, which is past due on registration. Basically, I pay the late fees and the truck is mine. I however do not have insurance right now. I will get it ASAP but don't as of right now. I've been reading online and they all say, No dealer will let you drive off the lot without insurance. But none of them say if you're buying the car from a person, not a dealer. What do i do??""

Do your insurance rates go up as soon as you get a driver's license?

I'm about to turn 16. I want to get my driver's license, but my parent's are wondering if the insurance rate's are going to go up right away as soon as I get my driver's license or do I have to tell my insurance company? Can someone give me a little more information about this? Thank you.""

Is my car insurance to high for a new driver(28years old)?

My fiancee added me under his car insurance, and iam being charged $145 a month. Iam a new driver, i just got my liscence last April. Is this Expensive for a new driver? How long will it take for the price to go down?""

Good car and renters insurance companies?

I'm in the process of getting a car and plan on moving to the Berlin area of New Hampshire this summer so i'm looking for a car insurance company that also offers renters insurance so that, when i move, i can bundle the two and try and get a bit of a discount. I'm just wondering if anyone knows any good companies (hoping to stay reasonably priced but it's my first car and i'm a newer driver) with offices in the Berlin area and offices in the Cape Ann area of Mass (where I am currently) that offer a car and renters bundle and have treated treated you well. I'd prefer fist hand opinions and experiences with companies.""

AAA auto Insurance policy ?

I'm currently having auto insurance with AAA and my bro is going to get his car soon. If I can get both of our cars insured under 1 plan, would that be cheaper ? thanks""

How would you haggle the best car insurance in this situation?

cheapest quote on comparison website:Admiral quotes, 919 apr 8.9% access of 750 Key Info: Car Vw Polo 1.4 1yrs no claims i do not want to pay no more than 500 accesss what I would like to know is the difference ways in how you would approach this matter, how would you haggle the insurance company to go cheaper and to how much would you be targeting from the price stated above.""

Do pcv holders get cheaper car insurance?

How much would motorcycle insurance cost for a 23 yr old?

Impeccable driving record, no tickets, felonies etc... Have a car and I've been driving for 6 1/2 years. My premium with Geico is only $80/mo. I just need a general figure for something with over 600ccs. Thanks.""

Does planned parent hood accept health insurance?

does Planned parent hood accept health insurance ? if they do does anyone know if they will accept aetna health insurance?

How much would insurance be for a driving school ?

I'm doing a business plan for a school project, I need to have a cash flow for a year and I would like to know how much comprehensive car insurance would be per month. the car I've planned to use is a 2005 TOYOTA CAMRY MCV36R ALTISE""

How to get off an auto insurance policy?

about 2 years ago, my mom signed me up in the same insurance as her car...i do not drive her car and never did, however, we still pay 80 bucks extra a month, i want to get off of that insurance but i hear its much trickier than it seems. The car i drive is already insured, but not under my name. Is that legal or not? I live in illinois if that helps. how should i go about removiving my name from this insurance company?""

""Where is best for cheap car insurance for a new driver, curfew insurance?""

I am just turning 17 and want to know the cheapest insurance companies out there. I know Quinn direct is good, but are there any better ones. I also know that there are curfew insurance companies that stop you going out after 11 and before 5 in the morning, but what are the companies called? Thanks""

Liability Car Insurance?

What exactly is it? And can anybody drive my car with it? Like, if I had my name on the insurance, can my younger sister drive it still and she'll be okay as long as she doesnt get into an accident?""

Auto insurance involuntarily cancelled?

I got a new auto insurance begining June. And I had an hail damage and hit and run case towards the end of June. On July 30 there was an accident, other person involved was at fault as he rear-ended my car. I reported all these occurances. I get a involuntary cancellation of the auto insurance policy after a couple of days. They sent me this notice and also made me aware of the right to dispute this with the State commisoner for Insurance. Now, when I go shopping for new insurance, I get an increased premium quote. None of the reported claims are my fault and I do not know if I have to dispute this case with the commisioner for insurance or not and not sure how much money I have to spend towards it. Please advice what to do in this situation, thank you in advance.""

USAA vs Navy Fed for banking & car insurance?

i actually have a few questions. Being new in the Marine Corps, im trying to find the best deals. So far ive heard that USAA and Navy Fed are the best for both banking (loans, general banking), and also car insurance. So which one is better in your opinion? Have you dealt with both or know the ups and downs of both? Should i go to USAA/Navy Fed for both, or do a mix of the two for my needs?""

""Why do all of my car insurance quotes start at 5,000?! (20 years old)?""

Hey, hopefully you can help me. I have been looking at car insurance online (moneysupermarket.com) and I had 16 quotes come back to me from different providers, ranging from 5,550 - 9,860!? I have no health or sight problems, no convictions etc... I'm just a simple standard applicant. I am 21 years old in August, female and looking to insure a Ford KA 2000 1,3 living in west midlands. I really expected insurance to be around 1,500 maximum, am I filling in the application wrong?!""

When selling your car without insurance and tax?

just bought a new car and want to sell my old one, but is it ok for someone(buyer) to have a test drive if the car has no insurance and no tax? and then drive it home as well""

19 new car questions carloan insurance etc !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? !?

19 new car questions carloan insurance etc !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? 19 new car questions carloan insurance etc !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!P? okay im 19 have job and all that i want to get a new car ford 18,0000 i have no credit and natha! but my parents would give me insurance so all i need is a loan i was reading some girl went in a lot and they said they would instantly give her one if she had a job and was 18 so i could get a loan ofcourse after hearing that so whats next how much a month etc etc etc !""

Who pays for the rental in a car accident. your insurance or theirs? Can you re-negotiate a check?

Why do I have to be added on the car insurance?

Im 17 and I got my license yesterday. I do not own a car, but I will be using moms car occasionally. My question is if she has car insurance, why do we have to pay extra just for me to drive it? Wouldn't the insurance she already has cover me? Dose that mean that every car I drive (that I dont own) I will have to pay for extra insurance? I just dont under stand it. If any one could explain it to me I would be great-full. Thanks""

""Im 16 and i want to get a R6, i want to know how much it would cost for insurance?""

I live in the U.S, Florida and i am taking the MSF course.""

How to get insurance in california for a used car?

I bought a car in auction in california, I filled up forms for registration and paid the fee there, But the car is not insured, What should i do to get the car insured, Is it legal to drive in california without insurance ?""

How much does it cost to insure a landrover defender at 17?

im 17 soon and am looking to learn to drive, i was considering a landrover defender for my first car, any ideas as to how much it would cost to insure? i would by an oldish model. the reason i am considering this car is because we have land and live stock etc so it would be practical. i live in the UK also. and can it be insured cheaper if im a member of the NFU or anything. Thanks for your help in advance :)""

Planning ahead for car insurance ADVICE.?

OK, So I have recently passed my driving test and am now currently trying to sort out a car for myself. As a young driver I know insurance is high. All I want to do is find out how much the insurance is on each small car, so I can find the cheapest. E.G KA ETC. I have looked online such as confused.com and they ask you for the number plate and ask questions about the specific car. Obviously I can't fill it in because I haven't got one. Is there a website that will show all insurance companies and their prices????? Many thanks.""

What is the best life insurance for seniors?

age 53, will retire in 2010 - federal employee""

Where can i check to see if my medical insurance is active?

I have Medicaid. Someone I know checked online before to see if my medical was still active, I didn't get to ask where she went to look that up.. does anybody know""

Car insurance question! CRAP...?

i got my first speeding ticket today. i was going 41 in a 30 and a conniving cop was at the bottom of this hill i was driving on and pulled me over right as i was slowing down for a stop sign. will this first ticket effect my car insurance rate? i have had my license for 2 years and have had a perfect record so far.

Renters insurance question

ok, i have renters insurance, and have and had it for about a year from the same company we get our car insurance from. maybe this is a stupid question, but i am asking so please be polite and honest. i am looking into renting (moving) and i was just curious as to if this is something we would want to bring our potetential new landlord (s) and if this will influence his/her decision. also our renters insurance is paid up for another year already.""

Is AAA a car insurance?

is AAA a car insurance? and how much a year?

Do you think $250/person premium for supplemental insurance for seniors too high?

If so, could you recommend a cheaper one that you may have?""

""On average, how much does it cost to purchase and maintain a car? (insurance, car note, gas, tags, etc).?

i am 17 years old and a senior in high school and i would like to own and drive a car as soon as possible. please help!

Where can a marijuana smoker get affordable life assurance?

it depends on if your a heavy smoker or just smoke a few times. if they ask for health records then you will be in a higher quote, but also when they ask you question on health and ...show more""

Insurance with US license. Loophole or stupidity?

I am an 18 year old british citizen. I lived in the US for 6-7 years and got a license at the age of 16. I am now in the process of getting car insurance. and am wondering if this 'loophole' is technically legal. I can drive on my US license for up to 12 months, during that 12 months I can get a UK prov. license. take the driving lessons and do the theory/test to get my full UK license. while shopping around last night I noticed a website saying 'provisional insurance is cheap, but expect it to go up once you pass your test.' Now, I understand the reason why it's cheaper is due to the fact that you probably wouldn't be driving as much, and you need a 'known' driver with you in the car while you're driving. However, couldn't I be considered my own driver? If I have a provisional license would I not be eligable for provisional license insurance? is this legal? or am I just being a hopeful idiot?""

What Is The Best Insurance Agency?

Like any insurance agency. Such as Progressive, State Farm, Geico, or anything that you think saves the most of your cash.""

Does how many times your license suspended affect your insurance rates?

Toronto

Mitsubishi evo 8 or mr car payments and insurance info?

if you have any of these two cars, how much is your monthly car payment? how much you pay for insurance. I'm planning to ge one but these two payments may not let me get it. I'd like to see if i can afford it. please give me some good answers. Thankyou""

Do I have to insure my son when he turns 16?

My auto insurance company called me yesterday asking for the names and birthdays of my children. I refused to tell them anything. My oldest son will turn 16 in November, and I was not planning on adding him as a driver, because we have full coverage insurance and I thought that would cover anyone.""

Best and cheap major health insurance?

Home insurance cost in auburndale ny zip code 11358?

I am in the process of purchasing a new house in auburndale, queens ny. i wonder how much is the average home insurance cost in this area? it is a tudor building, 2 and half floors.""

Anyone have advice on what affordable health insurance company I should choose?

I don't want a deductable. And I want it to cover everything if I'm hospitalized.

Question about insurance liabilty when driving a drunk friend home in his car?

My friend asked me to drive his car for him to pick him up because he was drinking. I picked him up and on the way home got into a fender bender at my fault. His insurance paid for the damages done to the other vehicle, but he does not have complete coverage for his car and wants me to cover 800 dollars in damages done to his vehicle. I do not feel responsible for this. I have minimum coverage. Will he be able to take me to claims court? Am I liable for his damages?""

""What is the definition of junk insurance and did all insurance companies, even Blue Cross, once offer them ?""

it is a good thing you did not get seriously ill because you would have lost everything and still be dying a miserable death. BTW, Insurance companies did not call their product junk insurance. It was easy takings from suckers though.""

How much will my insurance go up after an accident?

Ballpark estimate. My rates right now are about 2000 a year... I just totaled a car. My fault, speeding wasn't a factor... just bad luck/inexperience. I'm 18 and have no prior accidents or points on my liscence.""

Do you have to have health insurance to....?

do you have to have health insurance to go to planned parenthood and have like a pap test or any other tests like that?

Who pays for the rental in a car accident. your insurance or theirs? Can you re-negotiate a check?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/la-insurance-7-day-policy-christopher-lawman/"

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