#someone finance me so I can make the football movie of my dreams

[thiagodasilva]

FINALLY got my BFA in photo + filmmaking! thesis screening tomorrow! adult life is real! 😀

[custardcove]

Here’s a fifteen-questions meme I stole from my splat-blog! 

I’m not tagging fifteen people, but if you’re a mutual of mine that wants to take part, consider yourself tagged. 

1. Are you named after anyone? 

Pansy: A flower, if that counts! It’s a family tradition for the firstborn.

Ivan: Not exactly. I share a name with some video game character Alice liked the sound of.

Queenie: Sadly not. While I appreciate that my name stands out, sharing a name with one of my ancestors would’ve been a mark of pride.  

Taylor: Mmmnope. I like ‘Taylor’ enough because it starts with a T like Tomiichi, but I wasn’t named after anybody—though you know, as a point of interest, it was meant to rhyme with my brother’s name!

Neo: I was named after my grandmother.

-

2. When was the last time you cried? 

Pansy: Aw, man… I try to stay positive around Prim, but I do cry about silly stuff sometimes. Maybe a week ago? Sometimes the past just catches up to you.

Ivan: Longer than I can remember.

Queenie: What an invasive question! I don’t think that’s any of your business. I do not cry frequently.

Taylor: Now why’d you want to know a thing like that? I think I’ll keep it to myself!

Neo: Mind your own business.

-

3. Do you have kids?

Pansy: Have you met Primrose? That’s my daughter. She’s really sweet, but she’s also quite shy, so please keep that in mind.

Ivan: This is a difficult question to answer. I’d say no. I don’t think granting someone’s wish makes me a father.

Queenie: Not yet. I intend to.

Taylor: Woah, no! Do I look responsible enough to be a dad? Ahah…

Neo: No. I would rather not.

-

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot? 

Pansy: I try not to, er, I’m not so great at it. And it’s kinda mean.

Ivan: I get reprimanded for being sarcastic. It happens regularly.

Queenie: What do you think?

Taylor: There’s always room for some well-placed sarcasm!

Neo: Any time I make a joke.

-

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people? 

Pansy: I try to get a good read on folks—so, I guess their whole profile? That’s before I start looking at their individual features. If something sticks out to me from there, I’ll focus on that—but not in a mean way! Like, seeing someone’s smile, or if they’re carrying something, or their size, or claws. That’s what I mean.

Ivan: Their aura. It’s not difficult for me to discern a person’s moral alignment, and that’s important for my role.

Queenie: Their posture, how they walk, how they talk. It’s important for a first impression and can often be an indication of status. Or, perhaps more importantly, an indication of their intent…

Taylor: Their mood! I don’t want to step on the toes of anyone that’s angry, and happier people are more likely to give you the time of day, you know? Improving someone’s low mood is great too, but I have to gauge my limits.

Neo: I’m not known for noticing people. How social they are, I suppose.

-

6. What’s your eye colour? 

Pansy: Psychic pink! They do that thing where they get more vivid when I use my powers—just the psychic ones, though. And I don’t use those too much ‘cause I risk a headache… still, I like my eyes.

Ivan: Brown, orange.

Queenie: Smoky Quartz.

Taylor: Brown. You know, like coffee? If I were a coffee, I think I’d be a Caffe Latte. … But, yeah they’re darker than that.

Neo: …I don’t mind my eyes being green as much as my hair.

-

7. Scary movie or happy ending? 

Pansy: Don’t mind either one, but I’d prefer a happy ending, even in a scary movie. That said, there are scary movies I just won’t watch, so I guess happy endings win out.

Ivan: I don’t waste much time watching films unless I’m asked to, but I prefer a happy ending. A good story is the most important, though.

Queenie: Happy endings are far too sappy and saccharine, but I can’t say I receive much thrill from horror either. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy watching them … my favourite part of a movie is criticizing it.

Taylor: Happy endings, please! I can’t understand why anyone would want to scare themselves – unless it’s silly fun, but that’s different. Y’know, not that I scare easy or anything…

Neo: Scary movies tend to be more interesting, but… I don’t have anything against happy endings. Horror isn’t my genre, either, unless it’s psychological.

-

8. Any special talents? 

Pansy: I have a bit of a green thumb!

Ivan: That all depends on your perspective.

Queenie: I’m an excellent piano player.

Taylor: People tell me I’ve got a lot of charisma, and I consider that a talent!

Neo: I suppose converting myself into digital matter could be considered a talent.

-

9. Where were you born? 

Pansy: A town not so different from Erryton, actually! It’s not far.

Ivan: Great question.

Queenie: Enigma Island, not far from Thorn’s Peak.

Taylor: Would you believe me if I told you I couldn’t remember? Aha. I know we moved when I was really young.

Neo: Doesn’t matter.

-

10. What are your hobbies? 

Pansy: Well, like I mentioned, I quite like doing plant stuff. I used to sketch ‘em and make notes about ‘em too, but I stick more to the practical side these days. I also like to bake! Mainly pies, cakes and cookies.

Ivan: I play the flute and cithara. Next question.

Queenie: I have a wide array of hobbies. I enjoy painting, reading, and  playing the piano—as I have already mentioned. While I’m not … particularly adept at sewing, I practice cross-stitch on occasion. I also like to write poetry, and take a bit of interest in botany…

Taylor: Most of my hobbies have some aspect of music tied to them—I like playing the guitar, mixing tracks, and just listening to albums. But I also like playing videogames and taking apart machinery for fun. I can even help people fix things! Er, sometimes.

Neo: I read comics and watch movies, like most people. You wouldn’t be interested.

-

11. Do you have any pets?

Pansy: Not anymore, but I’ve had two cats – Mr Ravioli in my childhood home, and then Kiki later on. I’ve considered getting another, but I think I should wait until Primmy is a little older…

Ivan: No.

Queenie: Estelle! She’s a darling little kitty-cat and I love her so. <3

Taylor: One dog, a shibe—my father bred his, and I got a puppy. Tadashi!

Neo: My brother makes robots, and we have one of those roving floor cleaners. I would consider that a pet. We call him V.I.N.CENT.

-

12. What sports do you/have you played?

Pansy: I’m not really big on sports – I like magic fights? But I don’t do that a lot now.

Ivan: I may have taken part in some sport or another, but if I did, I did not commit it to memory.

Queenie: I like to swim, though I have not played any sports as such. I have also been horse riding—oh, and I’ve played badminton once or twice.

Taylor: Alice likes table tennis, and we play together sometimes. Apart from that, um… I’ve been asked to play football and baseball before?

Neo: I like to run. Parkour is fun too.

-

13. How tall are you? 

Pansy: Five foot seven, and I’m the shortest in my family…

Ivan: Depends.

Queenie: A reasonable five feet and ten inches without heels.

Taylor: Ahaha … let’s just skip this one, shall we? You don’t need to know that.

Neo: Taller than you.

-

14. Dream job? 

Pansy: I’ve pretty much got my dream job, all things considered! I guess I’d like it if I could get paid to do plant study, but I never really had the grades to do that as a job.

Ivan: I’m working on my rank.

Queenie: I have entertained the possibility of having a career before. Hotel management seems like an interesting prospect … or a jeweller, perhaps? Oho, I don’t know if I could be trusted to sell anything. Either way, I’m comfortable enough managing my home and finances.

Taylor: I’ve always wanted to be a big-name tv presenter—hell, even a small-name gameshow host! I’ve not given up on my dream yet, but being a radio show host is close enough. I can use it as a stepping stone. Yeah, a music quiz show would be great…

Neo: I don’t know. Even when it comes to things I like doing, I’m not sure I’d want to make a job out of it. Coding is just convenient.

-

15. Favourite subject in school? 

Pansy: Science! I also liked geography, ‘cause I was pretty decent at it.

Ivan: I have never attended school.

Queenie: I’ve both been to school and had private tutors, but my favourite subjects were history and literature. They rely on eachother, so were easy to write papers on.

Taylor: Apart from the obvious ‘music’, it was mathematics—and yes, I’m serious! I also liked science and IT.

Neo: From what I remember of school, I liked science and computing classes. The rest of what I learned was from online courses.

 That’s… that’s it? It just ends? Alright then.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #280

“this is the place in our mind with a crooked crown / we came to execute its own perfect shutdown”

Do you have a strong local accent? No. Do you prefer green or red grapes? Red, but either is fine so long as they’re crisp. Can you stand on your hands unassisted? pffff Who was the last person to knock/ring at your door? Pizza guy. How old were you when you last went trick or treating? No idea. Have you ever been bobbing for apples? ”No. That’s a gross game lol you’re dipping your head and mouth into water other people are dipping their head and mouth into.” <<<< This. What’s your most expensive piece of clothing? No clue. What’s the last thing you took a picture of? Guys I actually took a selfie bc for once in my goddamn life, I felt really pretty with the makeup Summer did on me. She's working towards a degree in cosmetology and is so talented with it. What’s the last thing you drew a picture of? A meerkat pup. Have you ever been on a pogo stick? Omg, yes. I got one for I think Christmas one year as a kid and I got SO into it. I learned how to do it really well. Can you down a pint (of anything) in one? Probably not without throwing up. Have you ever been banned from a public place? No. Have you ever been in a newspaper? A couple times, I think. I know once in elementary school for when I was in chorus; we went somewhere for a small Christmas show. Then I believe I was in it for another school thing? Idr. What football team do you support? I don’t care for football or sports in general. What did you want to be when you grew up? My phases included paleontologist, vet, movie director, author, game designer, aaaand I know I’m forgetting one. But my current and long-term goal has been to become a photographer. Being an artist as a free time “job” has always been an aspiration, too. Have you ever tie-dyed your own clothes? In school, yeah. How often do you buy new clothes? Very rarely. Usually just around Christmas or my birthday from gift cards I get. Are you reliable? In some ways yes, in other ways no. Are you proud of yourself? No. If you could ask your future self one question what would it be? If she’s ended up happy. Do you hold grudges? Nah. Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas? Mom does pretty much last minute, but only sometimes when looking at the past few years. Can you solve sudoku puzzles? Sure, they’re fun. What’s the most unusual conversation you've ever had? Who knows. Are you much of a gambler? Not at all. I don’t fuck around with money, especially when just $5 makes you feel great. Have you ever been to Disneyland? I’ve been to Disney World. Do you sing in the shower? Very rarely. Almost never now that I don’t play music while I’m in there. As a child did you ever suck your thumb or fingers? I mean probably? I do know I loved my pacifier and was SO upset when Mom’s doctor or someone playfully told me I was gonna have to give it up because my upcoming baby sister would want to steal it, and guess what? Nicole never fucking used a pacifier so I was tilted lmao. What time do you usually go to bed? Lol BRO it can be as early as 7 PM on bad depression days to as late as like, 2-3 AM. I’d say the average time is like… 9:30. What's your favorite animal? MEERKATS hngggggggggggggggg Have you ever been in marching band? No. Do you have any enemies? No? At least I don’t consider anyone to be. Have you ever been a cheerleader? As a kid, Mom wanted me to so I could do something with my sisters, who were actually interested in cheerleading. She certainly didn’t force me to or anything, I just agreed to it despite not being into it. We were with this Christian sports group for a long time doing various sports all the while being taught lessons in Christlikeness. I’ve actually got warm memories of it Did you ever date anyone on the football team? No. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? No, not that I’m against the idea tho. The plushy would just have to be very special to me and also comfortable to hold. How many consecutive days have you ever missed of school? I missed an entire week when I learned about Mom’s cancer. I could barely function. With how much school stressed me, I would NOT have managed. Have you ever been pregnant? No, not in my to-do list. When was the last time you wanted to speak out, but couldn’t? I’m sure it was recently over Facebook; most times, I keep my mouth shut over political things on there that might get me fired up because I’m afraid of confrontation. Are fingerless gloves awesome? I love them. Wore them daily in high school. I still have some of my favorites, though I’m doubtful they still fit my hands… Would you rather be cannibalistic or die in the wilderness? Okay so I’m gonna actually go kinda in-detail, so the squeamish be warned. Realistically, I think I’d choose to die. ESPECIALLY if I was the one expected to kill another person; then, there’s no question. I wouldn’t be able to do it either if I knew the person. If it was some stranger someone else killed and cooked, I don’t know with absolute certainty; starvation really can make animals out of people. I do know for sure I’d vomit. I far more heavily lean into still preferring to die, because I just believe some things aren’t worth living after they’ve been committed. I’d hate myself. I’d rather die feeling clean of conscience. Would you survive on a deserted island? Hell no. Have you dyed your hair eccentric colors in the past? Yeah, I want to do it far more often… What size drink do you usually get at fast food restaurants? Medium, sometimes small. What do you think is the best thing in life? Love, both platonic and romantic. Have you ever sold anything online either on Craigslist, eBay, Amazon, etc.? If not, what is your website of choice like any of the above for buying things? We sold our previous dog over Craigslist, and I sold my iguana there as well. I know Mom has used eBay and Amazon, but idk for what. Have you ever seen an animal give birth? Have you ever had a pet give birth before? I’ve seen old pet cats give birth many times. What is something you want to try to accomplish within the next year? I want a job that I’m content with and can mentally handle. Oh, and I REALLY want to make strong progress on recovering from the muscle atrophy in my legs. What’s the most unusual kind of pizza you’ve ever tried? I have no clue; I’m not that adventurous with pizza or food in general. If you were given the chance to decorate an entire house the way you wanted, with no limit to cost, how would you decorate it? GOTHIC AS A MOTHERFUCKER WELCOME TO THE GOTDAMN ADDAMS FAMILY. What’s one of your favorite things to touch/feel? My cat. :’) How often do you wear tights? Ew, never. Has there ever been anything you’ve become interested in much later than other people? I guess Instagram, but only as a viewer. I don’t have a personal one, just for my photography that I only rarely post. Have you ever had a veggie burger? Yeah, during my vegetarian streak. Burger King’s really aren’t that bad so long as the patty is made well. Do you like candles? Yeah, sure. When was the last time you wore a sports bra? Forever ago when I was doing Wii Fit. Where did you get the shirt you’re currently wearing? I think Hot Topic? It’s an oversized Umbreon shirt. Who last messaged you on Facebook? My friend Summer when we were planning our lil witch photoshoot w/ friends. Who last walked you home? lol you don’t just have someone “walk you home” here. Bundles of homes are way too far and in-between for reasonable walking distance. Did you make any new friends lately? If so, what are their names and how did you meet them? Not really recently, no. Would you rather see your favorite band/artist in concert with 2 other people or have a free $20,000 shopping spree to Walmart? Seeing Ozzy with my mom would be a DREAM, but to be realistic, I’d take the shopping spree pretty damn quickly. $20k? That would do WONDERS for us, especially as we’re about to move into a new place. When was the last time you threw up and why did you? A long time ago when I started a new medication. Do you want revenge on the person who has hurt you the most? … I’m gonna be REAL honest. For the most part, no. But ngl there are times I’m like “I’m gonna work on getting back in shape and become H O T” like a petty bitch lmao this is embarrassing to admit. Has anyone ever claimed that you saved their life? Yes. Did you ever have that near-drowning experience? No. Have you ever performed on stage? For dance, yes, but I never did a solo. Are you a jealous person? Not jealous (usually), but I’ve come to realize I’m a pretty envious piece of shit. Morning person or night person? I’m in my best mood in the morning because I have the “it’s a fresh start” ideology. Then I repeat exactly what I did the day before. :^) Have you ever written a poem for someone? Numerous times. Do you meditate? No, but I wish I could without it only causing more stress. Do you like cranberries that they serve for Thanksgiving? EW I hate cranberries. What don't you understand that frustrates you? Finances. Do you plan on going to college? I’ve tried college three times and dropped out each time. I’m done trying with school. Do you believe the governments hide technology and information from the public? AbsoFUCKINGlutely. Which is your favorite Pokemon? Ninetales! What horror fiction character scares you the most? What’s the name of the villain in the Scream series? Ghostface? I don’t feel like looking it up, but he TERRIFIED me as a kid, and I still think he’s mega creepy. Were you part of the Brownies/Cubs/Scouts/Guides etc? I was in Girl Scouts. Have you ever invented a fairly unique meal or drink? No. Do you have any family secrets? Don’t think so. Do you often read your horoscope? Never. They’re bullshit. Have you ever had a proper Tarot reading? No; also bullshit. Have you ever milked a cow? No. Do you love or hate rollercoasters? They’ve always scared me because I’m afraid of throwing up. Now with how dizzy I get, I absolutely refuse to try one because I WILL faint with all the movement. What’s your favorite sportswear brand? idc Who’s your favorite superhero? Does Deadpool count? Who’s your favorite villain/baddie? If we’re still in the comics/superhero universe, the Joker. Have you ever won a giant-sized cuddly toy from a fair? No. What would you say is your favorite album of all time? Black Rain by Ozzy Osbourne. I fucking adore it; it was my introduction to metal, and still after all this time, every track S L A P S. I deadass played that CD so much that it scratches at a few points. Do you dislike hairy people? lol fuck this question. I’m guessing you’re asking if I find them attractive and not as if people I “dislike” them, but in both cases, it’s no. We’re mammals, who the fuck cares how hairy you are. Do you like your own name? I actually do really like my name. My first one, anyway. Would you ever sign a Prenuptial agreement? NOPE. Want one? You’re gonna have to find someone else willing to, my man. How long has your longest ever phone call been? No less than two hours, but I know more. I have three instances in particular where I talked with either friends or Jason for SO long. Could you ever have an affair with a married person? Hell no. What is your family Christmas like? Nicole comes here so she and I open presents with Mom, then we spend the day at my older sister’s to be with the kids. We also try to squeeze visiting Dad in there the same day, but sometimes it has to be a different one. If you met a genie who offered you three wishes, what would you wish for? (more wishes does not count) Just three is hard… but #1 is indisputably world peace, and then uhhhh the end of poverty and maybe the cure for cancer. I’d have a super hard time picking a third; so many things matter to me. Have you ever had your national flag painted on your face? No, not in my plans. Do you have any strange body things? Well, define “strange,” I guess? Nothing like, really strange. What fairy tale character would you most associate with? Can I be Snow White and attract cute critters like moths to a flame? Also I would 100% take a Good apple. If a loved one was to serenade you, what song would you most like them to sing? It would depend on the person and our bond, really. Is there a cherished song between us? What is our relationship like? There’s no umbrella song I can think of. Is your dad an embarrassing dancer? GUYS!!!!!!!!!!! My sister’s wedding, okay? Father/daughter dance? He actually has MOVES and it was incredible man, never gonna forget that. What if any unusual objects have you swallowed? Nothing, I think. If you were stinking rich, would you only go to places other rich people went? Hell naw, man. There are plenty of great, affordable places in all categories. I could be a millionaire and you’d still see my ass in McDonald’s ordering a burger and fries lmao. Have you ever owned a slinky? My sisters and I had multiple as kids; those were d o p e. Teenage parents, good, bad, or indifferent? An AWFUL idea. A teenager is physically, most likely financially, and mentally unprepared to raise a child properly. It can seriously affect the kid, and of course the parent. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever broken? I’m unsure. Pirate downloads, good or bad? It’s bad… yet plenty (myself included) have/do do it. Democracy, good or bad? Good. It’s very important to me that rule should come from the people’s majority versus a small coalition of rich guys. While the majority is not always right, it seems like the best option to me. Communism, good or bad? Okay so to be totally honest I actually don’t entirely understand what communism outlines. Like I just read multiple definitions and small articles and I’m still kinda like “????”, though judging by the countries listed as those governed by communism, I would guess it’s bad? Have you ever been electrocuted? On an electric fence, but it wasn’t too bad. Have you ever been hit on by someone of the same gender? Yeah. The war in Iraq, good or bad? Get the fuck out of it. To start with, I’m a pretty fierce pacifist, and just… killing and killing and killing for YEARS is so goddamn pointless and is just a massacre. The war in Afganistan, good or bad? jfc ^ Have you ever appeared on YouTube? LET’S NEVER TALK ABOUT THIS lmfao Have you ever eaten anything prepared by a celebrity chef? No,, but that’d be dope. Have you ever been on radio? No. Do you prefer male or female singers voices? ”Their gender doesn’t matter, but their talent does.” <<<< Do you have a list of things to do before your ‘x’ years old? Goals should not be judged by age. I’m bad at this and have to remind myself of it a lot. A goal is a goal regardless of a number. Celebrate for *you*. Are you proud, comfortable or ashamed of your body? Very very much ashamed. Do you know html? Super poorly. Have you ever flown first class? lol hunny What are better, violins or pianos? Violins. How old is your oldest blanket? As old as me. My baby blanket is stored somewhere. Do you take enough vacations? lol hell no. I’ve maybe gone on three vacations in my entire life. Have you ever been sick on your birthday? Yup. Then one time I was recovering from a wicked stomach virus but went to Olive Garden anyway lol. I was fine though, and it’s actually a sweet memory because Jason (he worked there at the time) got the staff to do the whole “happy birthday” thing. I got a bombin’ brownie. Who is your favorite person? Sara and my mom. What do you do to stay healthy? lol you assume I’m healthy. What is your favorite form of exercise? Swimming. Do you like going to church? I never did. As a kid, I would cry when/if Mom decided we were going to mass after Sunday school lmao. It’s always been boring and too long to me, even when I was religious. Have you ever fallen asleep during a sermon? Probably as a kid. Do you like to pray for others? No. I don’t believe anyone hears them or will intervene somehow if I ask anyway. Have you ever witnessed a miracle? No. I don’t think I believe in those anyway. Have you ever been the recipient of a miracle? Definitely not. How did you or whoever come up with the name(s) for your pet(s)? I thought “Roman” was a majestic name for a male cat, and Venus has the coloration that the planet does. Who did you last walk a dog with? Sara and I walked Buster the last time I was there. It was windy as SHIT so we didn’t get far because my ass was absolutely freezing, all the while Sara was used to it. Ride bikes with? Wow, good question. I haven’t ridden a bike in many, many years. Hold hands with? My friend Summer did yesterday when she was trying to reassure me of something. For what reason did you last high five someone? Ryder and Aubree each caught Pokemon in Pokemon GO. :’’’’) I was watching them in the car while my sister/their mom was doing something at work, and they wanted to play it; they’ve come to learn that between my phone and DS, I’m the Pokemon provider, lol. I was the proudest fucking aunt ever bc they did SO GOOD after getting the hang of throwing the ball like Y’ALL. When Ash came back to the car, I gave ‘em each high fives before getting back in. What color and type is your vehicle? Don’t have my own car. Looking to upgrade or add any time soon? I doubt I’ll have my own soon. What animal do you have the most possessions *of*, or featuring? Like, décor or stuffed animals, things like that? Not the actual living creature? Easily meerkats, holy shit do I have a collection. What do you use to wash your dishes? Gain soap. Last thing you measured? Uhhh idk. Last thing you weighed? Myself. Last song you danced to? *shrug* What do you remember from your dream last night? I just remember it was a nightmare about Dad being angry. How old were you when you got your first credit card? Lol I don’t have one. Do you talk to your parent(s) [almost] every day? Mom, yes. Dad, no, because we don’t live together. What does your shampoo and conditioner smell like? I just started using a Dove brand shampoo targeting dandruff, so I don’t think it has a specific smell. I don’t use conditioner, just adds grease to your hair, plus mine is short anyway. Last person to tell you that you smell good? Idk. Last person you told that they smell good? I also don’t know. If you smoke marijuana, what is your preferred or typical method? I’ve never touched it. Last person you ran into unexpectedly? Ummm idr. How many plants can you see right now? There’re none in my room. Last compliment you received on your appearance? HA On your character/personality? That I was a loving sister. Do you remain friends with anyone you met at your first job? N/A Who have you hugged in the past month? My mom, Summer, sisters, niece and nephew, Dad… Newest musical discovery? 3TEETH is great. Like, I'm obsessed. Their cover of “Pumped Up Kicks” snagged my attention, despite actually being iffy about it at first. Guess what I’m listening to this minute lmao. Last thing you cleaned? A cup. What exactly do you carry around all your stuff in? A purse. What do you carry around, typically? Phone, keys, wallet, hand sanitizer, and my iPod are items of note. Where is your newest scar? It’s on the palm of my left hand from Roman playing with me. Where is your oldest scar? Idk. Last thing you disposed of? The milk carton. What was the last picture someone sent you? Mom sent me a gif from Hocus Pocus to fit the witch photoshoot Summer, her friend, and I did. Did you hear a siren today? No. What do you typically drink? I would rather not pretend I tend to drink soda lmao Last bad news you heard? My aunt’s brother committed suicide a couple days ago. Last good news you heard? I don’t really know. How far away is the closest cinema from your house? It’s like, 15-ish minutes away. Have you ever been to the emergency room? Many times. Are you one of those people who can’t go without their morning coffee? Y’all know me and coffee. But in place, I have my morning Mountain Dew, rip in fucking pieces. Have you ever worn fake eyelashes? No, though I’m honestly curious what I’d look like. Do you know the story of how your parents met? If so, tell me? They were coworkers; that’s all I know. What is your favorite Chinese food? I love pork fried rice. Do you live far from your parents? I live with my Mom. I live around 20 minutes or so away from Dad. What was the last hot food you ate? I’m assuming you mean spicy as opposed to just hot as in temperature. In that case, probably hot wings. Have you ever seen a meteor shower? No. Describe your current position: I’m lying down in bed, just kinda perked up by my two pillows. Have you used a microwave today? Yes; I had a Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl. Do you prefer going out for coffee or brewing your own? N/A Have you consumed caffeine today? If so, in what form? yikes- Do you know anyone who follows a raw vegan diet and lifestyle? Not that I know of. Have you killed a bug this week? Yes; we’re dealing with a lovely mix of gnats and fleas. What was the first food you learned how to cook? Scrambled eggs. Or maybe pancakes with Mom’s assistance. Idr. Do you have a Bachelor’s degree? If so, what in? No. How many email accounts do you have? Two. Can you go see a doctor alone or do you like to take someone with you? I like my mom to be with me. How long is your average shower? 15 minutes, maybe? It depends on the routine I feel like doing. When’s the last time you had a headache? Yesterday. What woke you up this morning? I think I woke up naturally? A rare occasion nowadays. Who was the last person you cried in front of? Summer, yesterday.

[handlingthis-megara-blog]

Megara Tilusi Gonzalez Egan – Character Sheet

i'm bad at love / but you can't blame me for tryin' /you know i'd be lyin' sayin' / you were the one / that could finally fix me / lookin' at my history / i'm bad at love / oh, you know, you know, you know, you know / i'm bad at love / i'm bad at love

i know that you're afraid / i’m gonna walk away / each time the feeling fades / each time the feeling fades / i know that you're afraid / i'm gonna walk away / each time the feeling fades

Archetype — The Adventurer Birthday — November 1, 1985 Zodiac Sign — Scorpio sun, Sagittarius rising, Gemini moon MBTI — ENTP Enneagram — 5: the Investigator Temperament — Melancholic Hogwarts House — Ravendor Moral Alignment — Chaotic Neutral Primary Vice — Greed Primary Virtue — Diligence Element — Earth

Overview:

Mother — Margaret Gonzalez Egan Father — Ahsan Egan (nee Haroun) Mother’s Occupation — Abandoned Meg, so who gives a fuck, right? (She’s a police officer, ex-military, random hc: she works with Copper, bc I always make everyone from Cork.) Father’s Occupation — Writer/stay at home dad. Family Finances — Not great, not terrible. Birth Order — Only child. Brothers —  None. Sisters — None. Other Close Family — None, her father doesn’t talk to his family in India and her mother’s family was never in the picture. Best Friend — None. Other Friends — None. Enemies — Ninsun, but she also sorta likes her? It’s fucked up. Her ex--Canis Greenleaf. Pets — None, though Ninsun takes the form of a sandy colored Persian cat. Home Life During Childhood — It started out pretty good, when she was five, they moved to Iraq because of her mom’s work. (She was a technician for the military, high ranking, she wasn’t out in the field.) They moved back to Ireland when Meg was ten. Her mom left abruptly when she was thirteen. She found out later that her parents had been fighting for a while and it wasn’t as abrupt as she thought. Still, her mom didn’t even say goodbye to her or anything, so that sucked. She rebelled as a young teen, smoked, did (minor) drugs, etc, etc. Had a boyfriend at the age 13. Once she got into secondary, she settled down a bit because she was actually being challenged in school and really enjoyed herself. Town or City Name(s) — Cork, Ireland -- Baghdad, Iraq -- Cork, Ireland What Did His or Her Bedroom Look Like — Posters everywhere, always looked like a tornado had blown through. Oscillated between girly and punk. Any Sports or Clubs — Book club, chess club, football Favorite Toy or Game — Crosswords. Also Clue. Schooling — Went to public schools and military schools, got her undergrad at Dublin, masters at Oxford, PhD at Cambridge and then La Sorbonne. Favorite Subject — History Popular or Loner — Loner, but had a loyal group. Important Experiences or Events — Her mother leaving/getting accepted to school/living in Saudi/her experience with her ex Nationality — Irish Culture — an Irish/Indian/Middle Eastern hybrid Religion and beliefs — Spiritual, but doesn’t exactly have a religion, much to her father’s dismay.

Physical Appearance:

Face Claim —  Summer Bishil Complexion — Golden/brown Hair Colour — Dark brown   Eye Colour — Brown Height — 5’3 Build — short but kind of sporty/curvy Tattoos — probably one or two Piercings — ears, had a septum when she was younger, has a nose piercing. Common Hairstyle — usually down or in a high pony, occasionally a braid. Clothing Style — a little femme punk is probably the best way to describe it. Leather jacket, dark wash jeans, boots. Mannerisms — purses her lips a lot, can talk animatedly with her hands and body when she gets passionate about something, but tends to be rather still otherwise.   Usual Expression —

Health:

Overall (do they get sick easily)? — not really? Travel always makes her a little sick though. Physical Ailments — well sometimes her eye sees into the underworld which can give her mad vertigo lol Neurological Conditions — none Allergies —  none Grooming Habits — loves a good groom; treats herself to baths n face masks n such all the time Sleeping Habits — not so great these days, underworld nightmares, am I right? Eating Habits — good, she doesn’t eat beef, loves a good salad, a good curry, lots of protein and good for you food. Exercise Habits —  tries to exercise regularly in a lowkey way, though she has gotten a little worse in the last few months. Emotional Stability — hot temper but tries to control it behind an air of indifference. Body Temperature — runs a little cold, especially these days Sociability — used to be much more extroverted than she is now. Extroversion is her natural setting. Addictions — knowledge. Drug Use — in secondary Alcohol Use — frequent

Your Character’s Character:

Bad Habits — abrasive, snarky, untrusting Good Habits — loyal af, self care af Best Characteristic — loyalty and being like a dog w a bone when faced with a problem. Worst Characteristic — not letting anyone in Worst Memory — finding Canis cheating Best Memory — going on her first dig! Proud of — her degree Embarrassed by — her feelings lol Driving Style — a lil reckless Strong Points — fierce, loyal, smart, a bad bitch Temperament — easy and quick to anger, always bitter Attitude — needs an adjustment Weakness — her heart and thirst for knowledge Fears — becoming invisible (not successful in her career, with no friends.) Phobias — none Secrets — so many Regrets — Canis. Feels Vulnerable When — she feels emotions for someone Pet Peeves — so many things but mansplaining is the original sin Conflicts — trust v preservation Motivation — being successful af Short Term Goals and Hopes — publish a book Long Term Goals and Hopes — be the best known in her field Sexuality — bisexual Day or Night Person — night Introvert or Extrovert — introverted extrovert Optimist or Pessimist — pessimist af

Likes and Styles:

Movies — Indiana Jones, The Mummy Movies--the classic archaeological films, of course. Also into horror movies and slashers, to the concern of her parents. Though, she also had a soft spot for certain romances: Titanic and Moulin Rouge. Her absolute favorite is Big Fish. Good luck prying that out of her. Books — loves books. Prefers nonfiction but can get into a good fiction. Magazines — none Foods — Indian food. The thing she always missed being away from home was her dad’s cooking. Drinks — Big water drinker. A water with a little lemon is her go to. Also, vodka with a little lemon. She’s not picky. Especially these days. What? She can hold her alcohol. Animals — Owls, or púcaí, which is an Irish creature that was always benevolent to Meg, since she was born on Puca day. Sports — loves a good game of football  Social Issues — women’s rights, anything discriminatory she’s fiercely against Favorite Saying — some old middle eastern proverb probably Color — purples and pinks, they’re soft, lovely colors. She doesn’t wear them very often, but they’re definitely her favorites. She has like purple binders and a purple phone case, stuff like that, where you can definitely pick up on her favorite. Though, her favorite shade is probably a magenta kind of color, as that is what the “purple” of the ancient world would look like. She also is a big fan of turquoise and owns a lot of turquoise jewelry, both because she likes it and also because it has protective powers. Clothing — loves her leather jacket, wears lots of boots and darker colors. Jewelry — usually can be seen wearing a decent amount of jewelry. Games — clue is her fave, also likes word games and puzzle games, etc. Music — Dad rock. Loves KISS, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, The National, Counting Crows. Classics like Queen and the Beatles, etc. She also loves some good girl groups and artists. Definitely a fan of Florence and Beyonce, Elle King, Ginny Wigmore, Aretha Franklin, Christina Aguilera--I could keep going. She’s an avid music-consumer. Definitely that person that hung posters on their wall and was obsessed with certain band members and groups.  Greatest Want — to be the very best, like no one ever was Greatest Need — to learn to trust in her heart

Where and How Does Your Character Live Now:

Home — Castle Suites Household furnishings — modern n chic, tho also lots of books Favorite Possession — probably her books Most Cherished Possession — the recipe book her dad gave her when she moved out the first time. Married Before — nope, was secretly engaged though Significant Other Before — a few dates here or there but she was always focused on her studies Children — god no Relationship with Family — she’s a daddy’s girl for sure, but they’ve been distant since the Ifrit. Car — none, she can drive tho Career — archaeologist/professor Dream Career — exactly what she’s doing Dream Life — exactly her life minus the huge betrayal and the Ifrit. Though, the Ifrit has its perks. Love Life — no. Talents or Skills — has access to pretty unlimited knowledge thanks to the Ifrit, but she’s hella smart on her own. Knows several languages, also really sharp reflexes. Intelligence Level — high Finances — stable

[thexjames]

Something About December

Chloe loved Christmas. It was her second favourite holiday, losing slightly to New Years. As she awoke on the Eve of Yule, she hopped up from the couch to glance out the window, hoping this year she’d be gifted with a white Christmas. She wasn’t lucky enough for that apparently, as the sun was shining brightly on the courtyard of below her. Sighing, Chloe thought to herself, maybe next year.

This was her second Christmas in New York City. It was a vast difference to Christmases growing up - the weather being the smallest change. Usually her holidays were spent surrounded by a large family, kids running through the house and adults gathered in the living room fondly catching up on their years, the smell of gingerbread cookies filling her grandparents’ home. Last year was the first time she hadn’t been able to make it home for Christmas, school, work, and finances not allowing the trip back to Florida. Her mother had offered to pay for a flight down of course, but Chloe had to work the 23rd and the 26th, making the trip too difficult. It was a hard Christmas for her, the culmination of a tough year of vet school and living on her own.

It was her first Christmas away from Beca in many years as well.

The brunette had accompanied her to her family’s home the four years prior, always complaining on the way that there were too many people and you shouldn’t be in Florida on Christmas as you’d never get to see snow. The second they would arrive at Chloe’s grandparents’ house though, all sign of indignation would disappear from the brunette. Chloe had fallen a little more in love with the best friend every holiday season, watching Beca chase her niece and nephews through the house, squeals of delight coming from the kids as they hid behind doorways. She would look on fondly as Beca helped her grandmother with the trays of gingerbread cookies, insisting she could climb on the counter to reach the nutmeg and didn’t need the help of an “abnormally tall person.”

Last year, Beca had tried to clear her schedule to come to New York for the season, but her label wouldn’t let her off the hook - they had a big album release on the 30th and couldn’t have a producer gone the week before the release. Chloe understood, she really did, and she and Beca skyped while watching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, keeping at least some of their traditions alive. It had been sweet of Beca, making gingerbread cookies at her apartment in LA and eating them whilst watching the movie with Chloe.

This year Beca was in Europe, being sent to promote the newest album she was working on. The artist, a young singer-songwriter, had connected with Beca and the label decided to use the friendship of the two young ladies, artist and producer, as a way to build publicity for the album. It worked, radio stations across the country had already picked up three singles from the new release. Beca was looking at her first grammy if things panned out. Chloe was so proud, if not tinged with sadness at the idea that even a skype date was probably out of the question.

Chloe turned off her television and began getting dressed, bundling up for the chilly winter weather despite the lack of snow. She’d decided to go for a walk in Central Park, needing to get out of her apartment at least for a while. The sun was beginning to settle below the trees and the light in the park would hopefully put her in more of a Christmas spirit.

Walking through Central Park was a favourite part of living in the city. The lights had been delicately placed throughout the tree branches on the main walkway of the park, causing a lovely soft glow throughout. As Chloe walked, she thought about the brunette, wondering what she was doing right now. If her time adjustment was correct it was just after midnight in London, where Beca was meant to be for the next few days, meaning it was officially Christmas. She pulled her phone out, forcing herself to smile brightly as she took a selfie and sent it to Beca, adding “Happy Christmas” to the bottom of it. She wished for nothing more than to be able to spend the holiday with her best friend, preferably not being just friends anymore. She knew neither of those things were feasible at the time, however.

Three months ago Beca had confessed her feelings. Beca had flown Chloe out to LA to spend fall break with her, the brunette having some downtime between albums, and a night out drinking had turned into the conversation Chloe had longed to hear for years. The breath had left Chloe as she listened to her best friend nervously admit that she was in love with her, had been for longer than even she realized. Chloe was in a dream, she never thought the brunette returned her feelings, and knowing now that she did was everything she ever wanted.The elation Chloe felt had been dampened though by the idea of trying to work with the distance between them, and Beca’s crazy schedule. After an emotional conversation, the two had decided to keep their friendship in tact, as opposed to trying a long-distance relationship that they knew had a very real possibility of ending in heartbreak.

The difference between them after that conversation was palpable though. Chloe felt as if she and Beca were dating, even if it was unsaid. They spoke on the phone more often than before, skype dates became a regular occurrence - even just for a few minutes on Beca’s break. Their conversations flirted between friendly and more. She knew Beca wasn’t seeing anyone, and she certainly had no intention of dating. So although technically they were still best friends, Chloe felt the underlying current of ‘wait for me’ in every interaction she had with the brunette. She would wait for her, she always had, and Beca knew as much - though the younger girl would never ask for that. She’d said it wouldn’t be fair for Chloe, that she needed to focus on school and not worry about having a girlfriend across the country. Words and actions seemed to differ though, as even Chloe’s school and work friends assumed they were together at this point, regardless of her denials.

Chloe had decided she was okay with whatever deferred state they were in currently; the conversations that turned borderline and the late night calls, the skype chats just because Beca wanted to see her face, the drastic increase in pictures - selfies in particular - she received from the brunette. She had no problem maintaining whatever they were doing until distance wasn’t an issue. She planned to tell Beca just that once she returned from the European tour mid-January, not to put any pressure on the younger girl, just so she would know that Chloe didn’t intend on finding someone else anytime soon.

Chloe walked through the wrought iron gates of the park and turned to head back to her apartment. She noticed her corner coffee shop was still open - things in New York didn’t close the way she was used to for the holidays. Stopping in, the decided to grab a peppermint mocha before going to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, telling herself Beca had more than likely watched it earlier in her evening as well.

******************************************************************************************************************

    The flight from London to New York had been long, and miserable with a packed plane due to the holidays. She’d been stuck in a middle seat, between a scrooge-like businessman (Beca felt the sentiment) and a jovial older woman who Beca now knew had three grandchildren, one in college on a football scholarship, one who was about to graduate high school, and one starting seventh grade (she hadn’t wanted to be rude so waited to put her headphones on until two hours into the flight.)

By some miracle, after a long conversation with her label manager, Beca had managed to book the last flight out that would put her home before Christmas.

Home. Beca wasn’t thinking about New York when she used that word. Her home was with Chloe, a fact she had known for years. As she waited for her luggage to reach the claim belt, Beca thought back on the last two days. It had been a hectic race to get everything worked out, contracts drawn up and signed, and finally - luckily - securing a flight back in time for Christmas. She was too excited to be nervous at the time, but the eight hour transAtlantic flight had given her a chance to start second-guessing her decision. Beca shook her head to clear her thoughts, there was nothing to be hesitant about, she wanted this more than anything.

Baggage claim took forever, not surprising to Beca, and after thirty minutes she had managed to secure a cab from the airport to midtown, to Chloe’s apartment. Just before her flight left Beca had called Chloe’s mom to make sure the redhead was going to be in New York, not particularly wanting to show up to an empty place, and was treated to a Chloe-like squeal as Anne realized that Beca was in an airport. She smiled to herself as she remembered the conversation.

“Rebecca Mitchell are you flying to home surprise my daughter on Christmas?!?” Beca had to pull the phone away from her ear slightly so she wouldn’t temporarily lose her hearing.

“Um…” Beca paused. “Yes. Please don’t say anything to her though. If something happens and the flight gets delayed or anything-”

“My lips are sealed honey. Oh, I’m so happy right now. I didn’t want my baby spending Christmas alone.” Beca was pretty sure Anne was crying.

“You’re sure she’ll be there though, and I’m not going to be interrupting anything? I can get a hotel room-” Again she was cut off.

“Don’t you even think about getting a hotel, yes she will be there and yes she will be ecstatic to see you so don’t try and psyche yourself out now.” The mothering tone Anne took caused Beca’s heart to warm.

“Yes ma’am.” She said.

“Beca?” The brunette heard Roger come over the line, realizing she’d been put on speakerphone.

“Yes Mr. Beale?” Beca responded. She’d been told many times to call him Roger but the tone in which Chloe’s father said her name had her nervous once more.

“Are you going to marry our daughter?”

Beca choked on the Starbucks she was currently drinking, sputtering slightly. Her heart started racing momentarily, before she happened to glance up and see an older couple sitting across from her waiting for their flight. She answered before realizing she’d spoken.

“I’d very much like to, sir.” Her eyes went wide as she realized she’d just said that to Chloe’s parents, and probably the rest of her family.

“Good. Because we’d like that too. Now have a safe flight and let me or Mama know when you’ve landed.” Beca thought she heard emotion in his voice, but luckily didn’t have time to think on it as her gate was called to board.

“I will, sir. Happy Christmas.” She said, still slightly in shock, as she stood and grabbed her carry-on.

“Happy Christmas Beca!” Her face flushed as she heard multiple voices respond, confirming that she was in fact on speakerphone.

Realizing she hadn’t texted Mrs. Beale yet, she pulled her phone out to let her know she had made it safely. She saw she had a text from Chloe, smiling as she opened it and saw her best friend beaming at her, Christmas lights in the background. Quickly, she shot off a text to Anne, as well as one to her boss letting both of them know she’d landed safely, before putting her phone away and looking out the window. She was only twenty minutes or so from Chloe’s apartment now, she thought to herself, as she noticed snowflakes beginning to fall outside.

******************************************************************************************************************

    Chloe nursed her peppermint mocha as she walked the three blocks back to her apartment. As she took a sip, something wet hit her hand, and she looked up, smiling as she saw the snow falling down toward her. Maybe she would get a white Christmas after all.

    As she turned the corner, she noticed a cab pull up in front of her building. She glanced at her watch, noting that it was just after nine, and thought to herself that she would hate having to be driving a cab right now. When she looked back up though, she stopped walking. A petite brunette got out of the cab, shrugging a beanie on before turning back to grab something. Chloe’s breath caught in her throat, but she told herself it was a coincidence. The girl just looked like Beca, that was all. There was no way - but the brunette set a suitcase down on the sidewalk and adjusted her beanie, running slender fingers through the hair that was sticking out of it. Chloe knew that motion, she’d seen it dozens of times. She began walking toward her building again, and the girl, quickening her pace. She was about five feet away when Beca, her Beca, that was supposed to be in London right now, turned toward her. She had a deer in headlights look for a moment before a soft smile played on her lips.

    “Becs?” Chloe said softly, still not believing what she was seeing.

    “Hey Chlo.” And suddenly Chloe was closing the distance in two steps, wrapping her best friend in her arms. Beca hugged her back fervently, before pulling away and looking at her with that soft smile still.

    “I don’t understand, you’re supposed to be in London?” Chloe questioned.

    “Well yeah...but we have a tradition to uphold don’t we?” Beca responded, shoving her hands in her jacket pockets.

    Chloe smiled brightly before scooping Beca up in another hug. She had so many questions but right now she was just so happy that the brunette was here.

    “Chlo. Chloe, I can’t breathe.” Beca said, laughing, and Chloe let her go once more.

    “How are you here?” Chloe questioned.

    “Well, I took a plane, then a cab, and -” Beca began.

    Chloe smacked her lightly on the arm. “No, you know what I mean Becs.”

    “I’ll explain that, but first, here.” Beca pulled an envelope out of her back pocket. “I know it’s not quite Christmas, but here’s part of your present.”

    Chloe took the envelope and opened it, noticing her hands were trembling slightly. She pulled out a stack of papers, flipping them open to see what looked like a contract. She looked up to Beca, who just smiled and nodded at her to read. Skimming the page, her eyes caught on the third sentence, and she gasped as she looked back at Beca.

    “The label wants me to open their newest studio, here, in New York.” Beca was smiling as she said the words, looking up at Chloe through emotion filled eyes. “I move back after the first of the year.”

    Chloe felt tears well up, she couldn’t even process the amount of happiness she felt. “So, you’re back?” She whispered.

    “I’m back.” Beca echoed, grabbing the envelope from her trembling hands and setting it on top of the suitcase still sitting beside them. Her hands then moved to Chloe’s face, wiping a tear from her cheek before moving her hair behind her ear. “I’m back.” She said again.

Chloe stared at the girl before her, steel eyes warm as they moved from her eyes to glance at her lips, then back up. She couldn’t stop herself, feeling the draw Beca had on her as she moved her hands to the brunettes jacket, pulling her closer. Beca’s breath hitched slightly before she swept forward, closing the rest of the distance between them. Chloe felt soft lips on hers, a new but familiar feeling coursing through her as she kissed her best friend, pulling back slowly as a snowflake landed on her cheek. She laughed, looking up at the flakes catching the streetlight as they fell silently all around them. Looking back at Beca, she felt the brunette take her hand, tightening her grip as she pulled her back in. Beca brought her other hand to Chloe’s cheek as lips moved as softly as the falling snow.

    Beca pulled back slightly, resting their foreheads together as Chloe’s smile overtook her face once more. The hand still on her face gently ran a thumb over her cheekbone, before the brunette spoke once more, this time a near whisper.

    “Happy Christmas, Chlo.”

[shitloadsofwrestling]

Shitloads Of Wrestling Interview: Anthony Toatele [June 12th, 2018]

Straight out of Salt Lake City, Utah, “The Flowin’ Samoan” Anthony Toatele is one of Indiana’s best kept secrets. Trained by Kongo Kong at Bodyslam University, Toatele’s popularity has risen astronomically since his debut five years ago. Along the way, the high-flying technician met his now-wife Kenzi Alexander, and with her by his side, Toatele has proven that he’s a mainstay and will be for years to come. We at SOW got this very cool interview with one of wrestling’s hottest rising stars!

SOW: Every wrestler has their Marvel Origins story on what made them go from being a common man to becoming a professional athlete. Do you remember the moment that you were struck with the idea to buy yourself some boots and tights and become a wrestler?

TOATELE: I was hooked on wrestling as a little kid. Big Hogan and Sting fan, but it was nothing more than a real life cartoon. Fast forward to the age of 12. Summer after 6th grade I’m spending it in SLC with my brother visiting my family. On a Monday night I sat down and came across WWE well F then, RAW. It was the episode where Vince McMahon asked and invited The Rock to come back to television to save the WWF from the WCW/ECW rebellion. I was intrigued, so I decided to tune in the following Monday. Then, he showed up. The Rock graced the little 16 inch TV in my grandparents bedroom and I was hooked! I wanted to be that guy and knew it. I wanted his confidence, his athletic ability, and his swagger. After that, I was all in on everything that I could do to be like The Rock. It was because of him I started playing football. Not well, but I would get better later. I did everything in my middle school years to groom myself to be a pro wrestler. I only did amateur wrestling back then because of guys like Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar. Alas, once I got to high school I figured it was just a silly dream. I watched it, but never considered it. Post-graduation in the year 2007, I had an idea to look into it. I reached out to a school who told me it would cost thousands of dollars for school. I was a broke freshman that couldn’t even make it to my classes so my answer was a quick “Thanks but no thanks”.

Eventually I got back into playing football and decided I wanted to be a professional athlete. I worked my butt off to be the best quarterback I could be. Hard to do for a kid with barely any high school experience and sitting on the couch for 2 years. I did it though getting onto semi-pro teams and indoor football teams throughout the Midwest. Couple years of that though and I realized that I was not getting younger and other players were. I decided to find something better, something more satisfying. My friend and I had been watching wrestling together when we hung out before lifting weights or going to football practice by then. He asked me if I ever considered it as a real thing. I told him not really but I would be willing to. Thanks to Google, I found Bodyslam University and Kongo Kong, with the rest being history.

SOW: When crafting your style, did you have an idea of the kind of wrestler you wanted to become? Perhaps someone you looked up to?

TOATELE: Is it over the top if I say The Rock? When I first started that was the one wrestler I leaned on as far as I style. Eventually though my pallet expanded for more styles and guys to watch and study. CM Punk, Shawn Michaels, Prince Devitt, Dolph Ziggler, and etc were guys I started to really pay attention to. SOW: You've had some very good matches against top quality talent. Are there any matches in particular that stand out as career highlights?

TOATELE: Easy. Billy Gunn and Joey Ryan. Billy was a family friend of my wife’s family. Not to mention, only of the biggest names from the Attitude Era. I wanted to prove to him that I could perform with someone of his caliber. It was the first “big name” I wrestled in front my family and friends in my city.

Joey Ryan is the other one. Joey has this great following and has done wonders to bring eyes to the independent wrestling scene. Similar to Billy, I wanted to show him and the world that I could hang with one of the top guys in wrestling at the time. Still is too!

SOW: As someone who very clearly spends a lot of time in the gym, what kind of music is on your playlist to keep you motivated? Any particular artists or genres?

TOATELE: Ahh man, I hate this question when people ask me…Haha! I’m a big loser when it comes to music in the gym. Most of the time it’s wrestling theme songs. I would say the breakdown is as follows: 55% wrestling themes; 15% Hip-Hop; 15% Hardcore/ Screamo Rock; 10% EDM; 5% sweet movie soundtracks. Artists-wise though, I’ve got Drake, Lil’ Wayne, Limp Bizkit, Public Enemy, Kanye, Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, DJ Khaled, Lil Jon, Outkast, and Imagine Dragons. Yeah that pretty much covers it. Oh wait, and my guys Downstait!

SOW: Correct me if I'm wrong, but professional wrestling introduced you to your wife, Kenzi. How did the two of you meet, and how did it feel to finally pop the question at Indy Pop Con?

TOATELE: You are not! We happened to be training at the same wrestling school. She was already a year in and managing her brother Kharn Alexander. One day in the hot summer of 2013, she happened to show up to a training session. There she was young, innocent, and arm in a sling due to an injury (a torn AC joint and separated collarbone). There I was looking tan, sweaty, and looking I was sculpted out of granite! HAHA! Don’t ask her about that part though, she will disagree. We ended up getting to know each other over the next year or so, and when Kharn decided to leave professional wrestling we decided to partner up. When the stars-aligned and our lives were ready for it, we decided to give dating a try.

Indy Pop Con was an experience! I was a nervous wreck going into that weekend, mainly because I knew what was on the menu Saturday. My flair for the dramatic led me to set up the proposal while we were on stage for a panel. So when it came time, I was sweating bullets. Once I popped the questions though and the waterworks started, I was ecstatic. We were married on August 12, 2017 and we haven’t looked back

SOW: You've had a lot of great matches against talent both local to the area and national. What have been some of your favorite feuds, and what matches do you think were defining in those feuds?

TOATELE: The first feud that really started my career was me and Alexander S. Kirk. He wanted my girl and she didn’t want him…Classic story of a guy just not know when to quit. We had some great matches that ended with an “I Quit” match at the now defunct Strong Style Wrestling.

After that I would have to say the ongoing rivalry/ feud with Jason Saint. It, literally, has been going on for years! It started at World’s Finest Wrestling when he managed Cliff Compton vs myself with Kenzi. Then, it went to NWA – Circle City Wrestling where he managed the monster known as Zodiak. On to FWF, where I took on Adam Bueller. Finally most recently, at Wrestling Theology where I beat his man, Jeremy Hadley, to advance to the semi-finals for the heavyweight championship. Every match, every opponent Jason has put against me really has made me up my game and I think the crowd has always gotten their money’s worth with those matches.

SOW: Say you won $10 million and you were given the opportunity to sign any professional wrestlers to a startup company. What matches would Anthony Toatele book himself in, featuring current stars of today's product?

TOATELE: Ahh…I see what we did here. You want me to do a list ala Cody Rhodes. Ok, let’s do this. Matches I would use my finances to put myself in (talk about heat with some of the boys if I say it like that…):

Adam Cole, Cody Rhodes, Sami Callihan, Shane Mercer, Zachary Wentz, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, The Miz, EC3, The Young Bucks, Adam Page, Jay Lethal, Myron Reed, Okada, Jake Something…

I think that is plenty of options! I would want to face guys from all over the world and from different styles and backgrounds. You don’t become the best in the world by staying on your couch.

SOW: Over the course of the next 5 years, ideally, where would you like to see Anthony Toatele and Kenzi? Do you see yourselves becoming prominent features in professional wrestling?

TOATELE: Ideally, I want to be wrestling all over the world. I think that traveling the world and meeting fans from different corners of the planet would be amazing. Depending on how small or big our family will be in 5 years will really dictate Kenzi’s schedule but I can’t imagine having some of the biggest matches in my career without her by my side. So if we have to load up all the kids, by golly we will! Our goal has always been to see how far we can take our careers in the business of professional wrestling. Wrestling is changing and fans want to get to know those involved. I think hopefully in the near future, we will have some projects that will help our fans do that.

SOW: What do you think the number one draw of professional is? What do you think the biggest allure of the sport is that keeps people watching?

TOATELE: I honestly think that draw comes from the story we tell. The same themes that make successful dramas, comedies, romantic stories all of it can be found in professional wrestling under the guise of a physical competition. People can find their own favorites and connect with them.

The biggest allure of the sport is the wrestlers! Where else can you find real-life superheroes or villains combined with movie and TV stars? We as wrestlers are out there to entertain the people, and if we can do that, they will always come back. Not too many other sports give you the ability to see such well-known human themes played out in front of them involving their favorite athletes. You don’t see Tom Brady punching someone in the face for mistakenly thinking he’s coming after Gisselle. SOW: How can your fans keep up with your work on social media?

TOATELE: Easy enough! Twitter is just @anthonytoatele and the same for Instagram. Find me on Facebook and friend me, as well as give my fan page a “like”.

[n0ttinghamshad0w]

It's not like I'm falling in love, I just want you to do me no good And you look like you could

ROBIN OLIVER HUNT (Name at birth: Robin Huang; Alias: Robert Oliver Gardner)

Birthday: March 12 1990 (Pisces) Hogwarts House (Primary):  Gryffindor Hogwarts House (Secondary): Slytherin Myers-Briggs: ENFP Enneagram: Type 8 Height:  5’9

Overview:

Mother:

1.       Unknown—Linda Huang, still alive, forced to give up her child by her conservative parents who did not want her raising a child out of wedlock, has not tried to make contact with her son.

2.       Mother Florence—the head nun at Nottingham Orphanage, firm, but kind; strict, but genuinely wanted the best for the children; had a soft spot for Robin, since he’d been there for like all his life.

3.       Barbara Economides—Robin’s first foster mom, had six kids of her own, but room in her heart for a dozen more

Father:

1.       Unknown—Ernesto Rosetti

2.       George Economides—Robin’s first foster dad, loving and hard-working man, who unfortunately did not have a very hard-working cardiovascular system. Died of a heart attack when Robin was ~12

Mother’s Occupation: he doesn’t care about his birth mom, but Barbara owned a bakery

Father’s Occupation: he doesn’t care about his birth dad, but George owned a bakery

Family Finances: well, none of the homes he was in were great financially

Birth Order: only child as far as he’s concerned

Siblings: N/A--(Stefan, Petros, Elek, Idola, Eileen, Karena...the Economides kids)

Other Close Family: None

Best Friend: Joan Woode (28)

Other Friends: Tuck Frere (26), Martin Maddon (18), Fakhir Azhar (27)

Enemies: all those who neglect/abuse their children

Pets: none, would love a bird or a fox tho

Home Life During Childhood: He was in an orphanage till he was nine, and it was not a bad orphanage at all, just massively under-funded. At nine, he was placed in a foster home, a large Greek family, and he was very well-loved and well-taken care of, but the father dropped dead of a heart attack when Robin was 12 and the Economides family had to move and they couldn’t take care of Robin. He shuffled through like four other foster homes, at least one of which he was badly abused in, till at seventeen, he just didn’t come home one day and the family never reported it and that was that.

Town or City Name(s): Nottingham, England

What Did His Bedroom Look Like: Never had a steady room, or one of his own. Always shared with someone else, always a small bed.

Any Sports or Clubs: Nah, he was the type of kid who hung out under bridges and threw stuff.

Favorite Toy or Game: Had a toy archery kit back at the Economides house

Schooling: left school at seventeen

Favorite Subject: History and English, loved old stories of Robin Hood

Popular or Loner: loner---’cept he was real popular with the “troubled” kids, the freak in freaks and geeks

Important Experiences or Events: When George died, the abuse at the other foster homes

Health Problems: None

Culture: English?? He’s actually Italian and Chinese, but wouldn’t know at all. Considers himself Greek, if anything

Religion and beliefs: The only time in his life when he was religious was when he lived with the Economides family and went to church on the reg, since then, he’s convinced that if a God does exist, he’s a shitty God and only people can really help each other

Your Character’s Character:

Bad Habits: smoking, drinking, commitment issues, def has ghosted girls before...oh yeah, uh, stealing things??? He’s also a pickpocket

Good Habits: very good with children, when he wants to be he’s very kindhearted, very charismatic, very charming, good sweet-talker

Best Characteristic: intense--has his set of beliefs and morals and will stick by them

Worst Characteristic: intense--to the point where he isolates himself

Worst Memory: The moment the Economides family left him at the social services office (also George’s death lbr)

Best Memory: His first Christmas with the Economides family

Proud of: the money he’s been able to give back to the orphanage

Embarrassed by: his lack of formal education

Driving Style: erratically, I don’t think he has a license but he definitely knows how to drive--does not get into accidents, but is hella reckless

Strong Points: passionate, believes in a cause, dedicated friend, charming, charismatic, quick-learner, good with his hands

Temperament: sanguine

Attitude: passionate, intense

Weakness: has a very specific mission, keeps people at a distance unless you’ve proved yourself to him, you can know him but never really know him

Fears: man, uh, not being able to make a difference

Phobias: abandonment issues~~~

Secrets: the fact that he’s a master thief

Regrets: not finishing secondary, not being like a better person or whatever

Feels Vulnerable When: talking about his past

Pet Peeves: tourists (but they make good bait), people who hate on people who use subtitles, americans, mac copmputers

Conflicts: his very idealistic moral code vs reality, his very idealistic moral code and mission vs caring about his own life/needs

Motivation: justice for children

Short Term Goals and Hopes: find Tuck’s family, steal from Tuck’s family, find Martin, find enough money to get Fakhir a good lawyer

Long Term Goals and Hopes: well shit, making a difference in the lives of people somehow

Sexuality: heterosexual, but could be convinced to fuck a bloke

Exercise Routine: just generally active, runs a fair bit, likes to play sports with friends

Day or Night Person — Night

Introvert or Extrovert — Extrovert

Optimist or Pessimist — Optimist

Likes and Styles:

Music: alt-rock, classic rock, rock in general, also some punk

Books: he likes old stories and folktales (ie; Robin Hood whom he modeled himself after), but does have a soft spot for some high fantasy books (he’s a big fan of Lloyd Alexander’s work--wait, I guess that doesn’t exist since The Black Cauldron is disney but IM SURE HE HAD SOME SORTA EQUIVALENT...The Beige Cauldron) and adventure novels

Magazines: GQ probs let’s be real. Never bought one, always knicked ‘em out of newstands. ALso probably playboy……...Recently has been into tech mags.

Foods: Greek food---reminds him of his time with the Economides family. Loves him a good lamb gyro with a big side of chips.

Drinks: Whiskey--straight up. Not a huge tea drinker, but likes a strong Turkish coffee. Also Gin and Tonics

Animals: Foxes and birds of prey. Tbh, kinda hates that the name the orphanage gave him is ROBIN for crying out loud it sounds so fuckin’ wimpy

Sports: big football fan, also into rugby, probably out of all my characters the one who follows sports the most jeez

Social Issues: def def a huge proponent for children’s rights, especially within the foster system; that’s his biggest thing, but he’s also really for Magick-Rights and against the pressing xenophobia and nationalism that’s rising in a lot of Western European nations

Favorite Saying: Faint heart never won fair lady; As you wish

Color: Dark forest green

Clothing: enough to maintain his image as a #rebel, but def does not invest toooo much in fashion. Lots of cool jackets, mostly darker colors

Jewelry: nah, mate that’s excessive (has this pendent that Barbara gave him that used to be George’s but that’s it)

Games: loves dominoes a lot actually

Websites: uhh reddit probably

TV Shows: probs into Game of Thrones and #epic period dramas

Movies: his absolute favorite movie is The Princess Bride, he loves good action flicks with a dash of epic romance--something with a real hero. Also probs a Star Wars fan. V for Vendetta

Greatest Want: to make a difference in the world, to make sure no child is ever hurt

Greatest Need: to let people in

Where and How Does Your Character Live Now:

Home: small studio apartment in Benbow

Household furnishings: sparse, probs just sleeps on a mattress let’s be real, has a hot plate and a mini fridge, uses a crate for a coffee table

Favorite Possession: his trusty pocket knife, one of the first things he bought with his own money

Most Cherished Possession: necklace that Barbara Economides gave to him that used to belong to George, it is a Greek Cross

Married Before: Nope.

Significant Other Before: the only serious one was this rather posh girl when he was 21. She ended up getting pregnant, but got an abortion and the relationship sorta derailed after that.

Children: nah

Relationship with Family: lol

Car: n/a

Career: no “career”--has worked service jobs and manual labor, was a bartender for a bit but quit bc of the Fakhir thing

Dream Career: god, he doesn’t know--maybe a social worker, tbh, or owning some sort of afterschool program for kids

Dream Life: he wouldn’t tell you, but being married to a beautiful girl, having a buncha kids, adopting a bunch too

Love Life: a string of one-night stands and brief dramatic love affairs that ended like smoke in the night

Hobbies : knife-throwing, wood-carving

Guilty Pleasure : women?

Sports or Clubs: not at the moment

Talents or Skills : wood-carving, bartending, bit of an amateur hacker, decent dancer and football player, decent at like climbing things lol, lock-picking, stealth talents

Intelligence Level: Never did well in school, but is quite very streetsmart and can read people very well, knowledgable on random things, courtsey of Tuck 

Finances: not as bad as you’d think, but still def the poorest out of my characters. He’s the type of dude who gives everything he gets back--always drops in coins for street musicians, always

[intlcoordination]

LIMITED  EDITION

Atin Bhutani – CEO In Corp Global Pte Ltd

Rare is always limited. Atin is the true Guy. He is Numero Uno but is not fixated on the numbers game. It is more important for him to successfully do the right thing all the time. Breaking free of traditions, type cast , brackets imposed by Society here is a pure soul who emerges as a shining example of exceptional, inspirational role model.

What takes people a lifetime to learn Atin has already in a short span grasped the discerning factor that role models or leaders fail when expectations are not met. When it really matters and they are not there they turn out to be mere ordinary individuals.  “And  I realised that you do your own thing and be your self made man as everyone looks after their interests in the end“

The succesful evolution of a character is not determined by the accolades, gold medals received or the numbers /high scores ranking in the professional world of which Atin has an impressive collection.

Although Atin is on the top its his finer and sensitive traits which wins him staunch friends, loyal customers and employees who leave and come back to work with him. His clients vouch that –“Atin does not give stress”

Atin Bhutani’s entrepreneurial spirit was born from his childhood experience. Atin’s father was expected to become a doctor. Bhutani’s father rebelled. Bhutani says,” My dad was supposed to become a doctor, in fact he got admitted into a college but did not pursue it because he wanted to become an entrepreneur.” Initially his father joined his grandfather in the family business.

As the saying goes in business partnerships you need to be on the same wavelength and the alliance didn’t last long as apart from the generation gap, Bhutani’s father wanted to carve his own niche.

Relocating to Surat with a few thousand Rs(INR) and his family to start a business of Automobile spare parts  Bhutani vividly remembers his fathers struggles and hard work. They lived in a one-bedroom house and packing cases from the store became the sofa and bed. He says simply, “dad worked very, very hard”

His father shaped young Atin’s character leading with examples of qualities of leadership, generosity and making a difference in other peoples lives. While growing his own business  his father undertook the responsibility of  siblings  of his own by bringing them in, settled them with businesses of their own

Both his parents were academically strong, his mother was a double MA plus a gold medalist and always told the kids that while their dad was doing what he was doing their primary focus was to excel in studies and the result was that Atin was a topper at school level, a Gold medalist in Mechanical Engineering, scoring 2220 out of 2400 in GRE getting into top 10 MBA universities in India or being one of the few directors in HSBC

Atin is the eldest of two brothers. Both his parents were the eldest on either side and Atin by default is the eldest in the family. His entire schooling of 15 years was in one school which was very strong in discipline “Martay thhe” (they used to beat) as he says in Hindi with refreshing candor…but that is fine. That’s how we grew up in my age”

This time both father and son shared the same dream that Atin should be a Pilot. Bhutani details his ascension from aspiring Pilot to a revered finance executive. Finishing school and without prior advice enrolled in flying school. During his Pilot training he discovered the lack of promising career opportunities in the field,

“Becoming a private pilot  during the late 90s when there were no airlines in India. No private airlines, like Jet. So jobs that the pilots could get was VIP pilots. “This I didn’t know growing up and only once I entered that field realized why there were only 10 students and 4 instructors and 60,000 jobless pilots. So I knew I had to do something else also.”

Following in his fathers footsteps of being a self-made man - I was always quite independent, didnt want to become an instructor and I didntt want to live off my dad. He is a self made man and I would be a self made man as well”.- “Never really took a lot from my parents.” Although his dad could support him for overseas MBA program he chose to pursue it from the top  Universities in India. Once you are in top 10 it hardly matters whether its one acronym or another.”  Its not as if I look back at it and think every decision I took was right. If I could I would not do my engineering, I would do BBA then do my MBA because engineering didn’t help me so much. Other than building a bit of character, building to live independently and stuff I would have saved 1 year.”

From here he made a career changing choice that eventually landed him in HSBC and reaching a management level Director role.

During those years, he harks back to the outsize role his son held in his life. Bhutani notes he is vulnerable to quickly tear even at emotional junctions within a movie. Therefore, he suffered a great deal of pain during his son’s infancy and early childhood.

His son, who had a premature delivery, suffered from lactogen intolerance. This placed great limits on his early nutrition and diet, “First 3 years of his life he couldn’t have milk so for a child who couldn’t have milk he couldn’t also have mashed potato because his food pipe was so small. So the only thing he could have was soya milk and because soya milk has no taste we used to buy this flavored Godrej brand called sofit. Now popular but during those days old packaging you used to get in select few places in bangalore so all the mall walaas (hindi word for mall owners) had my number and used to say “Saab aa gaya aa jao” in Hindi(Sir its  arrived you come over). So he grew up the first 2 and a half years even if cake used to touch his face he would develop blisters and he would struggle.” Bhutani recollects.

This adversity was overcome by character building and provided Bhutani with great pride and inspiration as he noted “Nowadays I look up to my son a lot. He has a phenomenal attitude.” He continues, “We feel he has grown up to be very respectful and very good child. There are times even when hes not wrong he will just keep quiet. And brilliant football player, good in studies so we’re very happy. Flip side is now he cant eat fruits because for the first 3 years he kept drinking fruit fruit. So I learnt a lot from him the spirit of perseverance against all odds. When he’s playing football he is the smallest in the team but competes the hardest. In aggressive play when someone tackles him he just gets up and keeps going.”

The struggle brought him and his wife Chetna even closer and her words of faith –“ if god takes something away he gives something else” saw him through. It was also her faith and importantly, sacrifices, that put the family on the path of Entrepreneurship eventually and he believes whatever little success they have had has come in on the back of that friendship, love and partnership. “From being sweepers to the sales people to owners, we did it all together during the formative years of the business. I also know it would not have been easy to let go of her own, very successful business in India and walk the path with me instead. So – as far as influence goes – she has been the one person who has been holding my hand through more than half of my life”.

Atin also has a young daughter who has practically grown up in Singapore. “She keeps me grounded and she is one who brought about so many positive changes in our life. Chetna calls her an ‘Angel’ because of this as well as because of her unbelievably selfless nature and the laughter she carries with her. While I missed a large part of her growing up, she is the one person in our household who is just happy to spend time with us, give us an honest opinion on everything under the sun and is probably the smartest one”

An Exceptional Mother. Solid Foundations.

“To be a mother of a son is one of the most important things you can do to change the world. Raise them to respect women, raise them to stand up for others, raise them to be kind.” Shannon L. Alder

Atin was blessed to have a remarkable mother. She instilled in her two sons attribute/virtues of respect, sensitivity and moral uprightness. Mindful that they didn’t have any sister she raised them with emphasis on how to respect women , people.and being independent. “She always used to tell me that there are no sisters so you have to be very careful especially when you are dealing with women.  If people came as part of being good hosts the boys were taught to serve the guests . As it pertains to influencing his career moves, Bhutani claims his mother who he was closest to and from whom he inherited his mannerisms was the driving force behind his move to Singapore saying “She was very fiercely protective that you go. So, because she saw my dad and her brothers, she said no to getting into family business at every stage through education and early career and she pushed me to get out of India. And Punjabis have this thing that you are successful if you are outside India.” And even as he made the move within a few months of his arrival, Bhutani’s mother was diagnosed with cancer but did not allow her son to forego the hard work and persevered by fighting strong during her battle with the disease.

It was his brother whom Bhutani credits with those hard times, saying “He’s the nicest person. He’s the nicest person anybody can know. He took care of mother that period and he was always there and he never lost his temper he never lost any anything.” Atin and his brother share a very close bond, one that is not lost on Bhutani, “And we are very close to each other and that to me is not very common.”

As part of his time at the helm of InCorp Group of Companies, Atin is grateful of the friendship and trust shown by his co-founder towards him. Bhutani has learnt to value trust in those you invest in, “After being a CEO making his money and having invested the money in me since 2015 till today he has not questioned me. That kind of trust and I have learnt that, if I make that kind of money and if I were to invest in someone, I will back them. Even if you make 2-3 mistakes I don’t care.”

And he keeps the relationship very, very, formal at work but informal and as a friend. When he talks you learn a lot from him, you talk to him he thinks a lot, he talks about things that are going to happen few years down the line. Has the ability to take the people along despite not talking a lot. So he’s been a great influence in professional life.

Bhutani’s leadership style is greatly focused at providing the best environment for his staff to thrive in. He takes annual employee surveys with great diligence and places emphasis in providing as many requests that come his way even while being aware that as the leader he can’t please everybody all the time. Still, he takes great pride in trying to address most of the feedback points whether it is through providing one of the better f&b spaces in a corporate space, or working on technology upgrade, software, hardware sanctions all are taken in right earnest even though there will be 20 percent attrition.Whether it is people management or talent retention, mergers or acquisitions Atin when necessary is capable of drawing the line and taking a hard call.

“It's a rare person who wants to hear what he doesn't want to hear. “-Dick Cavett

But his single greatest leadership quality is winning over clients, especially the most demanding ones. A case in point is of an irate client who he turned round to a relationship based on mutual trust and respect that grew after the person took all the criticism to his door and he patiently addressed every single challenge laid at his door. Bhutani says he always excelled in pressure environments as he recounts an example from his time at HSBC, “In general I have realized that I do very well if there is some sort of adversity. In banking when there is some sort of event or transaction happening

“Men of routine or men who can do what they are told are not hard to find; but men who can think and plan and tell the routine men what to do are very rare.”-  William Graham Sumner

This extends to people/colleague relationships. Its rare to see people letting go of insecurity/ego, jealousy and becoming friends in a professional working atmosphere. “When I was given a larger role in Singapore HSBC, I was a individual transactor, I did very well so corporate banking head decided to elevate me. Make me head of the team so guys who were part of the team ended up reporting to me. So I lost two of the best RMs that had quit within two months of my taking over. So that is when I sat down with the rest of my team, see it is what it is. A year down the line, I want to stand in front of all of you and still deliver results and that will be huge success and 1 out of those two came back and worked for me and is now one of the closest friends. So that challenge I am always ready to take on.”

Atin is down to earth, not materialistic. “So beyond a point in time money will just be a number. There is a certain bare minimum I want to get to. It is not to buy great shoes or great watches. For me if it means I can retire by the time I am 50-55 that’s what I want to make.”

Given Bhutani’s achievements and success to-date he is not emotionally attached to his role as boss and has a cool perspective in being aware that should a takeover lay in the future and given he fulfilled the 5-year plan set out during the launch in 2015, Bhutani would be very comfortable in taking time off should that be the direction any future ownership might consider. He is after all a family man who enjoys the simple pleasures of watching movies on his sofa and going out for meals with his family and a keenness to travel the world

Outside of all the humdrum of money matters his passion lies in sports apart from travel. During his college and HSBC time he used to play cricket, volleyball, badminton table tennis teams. “In general adventure, adrenaline, I have done bungee jumping, any type of adventure ride I will be there. So those are the things I would love to do.”

Interesting traits of Atin- While watching the Movie – “As good as it Gets” starring Jack Nicholson he discovered that the character and he shared a similar trait of not stepping on cracked tiles on pavements/roads etc.

Leaving unfinished work is unsettling for him as he suffers from Monday morning blues, since he is unable to sleep on Sunday nights easily.

What puts him off – “People belittling or blaming despite me trying to make genuine attempt towards outcome that is beneficial for them. So it feels waste of energy, efforts etc. And secondly lack of ownership especially among senior guys.”

[ascbh13]

Genesis 41 Joseph The Dream Interpreter: an example of a bold prophet who is both prudent and a planner

We are coming to the end of our sermon series on Joseph and this is the penultimate one, next week Paul is giving us the final sermon, today it is all about dreams.

Dreams … But this week it has all been about dreams certainly in the news and in a couple of newspapers specifically the word dreams.

At the beginning of the week we had in the daily Telegraph Boris Johnson’s dream of Brexit … Being shattered…

Certainly we are at a turning point in our relationship with our European partners, our politicians could certainly do with some of Joseph’s prophetic wisdom.

Then following the disappointment of the defeat by England football team to Croatia, the dream of getting to the finals of the World Cup, were shattered. Interestingly only three of the players were even born by 1990, which is when England were last in the World Cup semi-finals.

Now we all have dreams, whether we remember them or not after sleeping. Or longer term conceptual dreams, which may or may not be fulfilled. Today’s passage highlights the dreams of Pharaoh, interpreted by Joseph, who this time is a bold, brave prophet who also turns out to be a prudent, strategic planner.

Joseph is trusted, this time he is not subject to temptation but instead turns immediately to God. Joseph has no hesitation in saying “God will give you Pharaoh the answer he desires”. Joseph has no problem putting his trust in God, he nails his colours to the mast. He is bold in, even before he gives his interpretation, saying where the interpretation and wisdom will come from. He is happy and proud to point to God. Do we? When asked for our wisdom, our advice point people to the ultimate source of all wisdom. We should make sure we do the same. To take honour for ourselves is a form of stealing from God. So let us not be silent when we know we should be giving glory and credit to God. The success of the Fete and the turnaround in our finances, for example, is not down to one person but a team effort but ultimately it is to God’s glory and for God’s purposes.

Joseph tells Pharaoh that both his dreams, of the fat cows being eaten by the thin cows, and the seven ears of good corn will be swallowed up by the thin ears of corn, are one and the same.

Joseph lets him know that the abundance will be forgotten because the famine will be so severe. God has determined the matter. It is interesting to note that although Pharaoh is given quite gloomy news and the interpretation of his dream is not exactly something you would like to hear. It does not stop Pharaoh seeing good in Joseph. Perhaps there is a lesson here for us. That sometimes we should not shy away from telling the truth, even if we fear the consequences of that truth being told, as long as we do it in love. As it says in Proverbs 27:17 as iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another.

Yet we see that God was with Joseph both when Potiphar’s wife was throwing herself at him and also in the interpretation of the dreams, as well as the consequences.

In Joseph not only do we have someone who interprets dreams and prophesies but we also have the first Chancellor of the Exchequer! Someone who is not afraid of telling his boss what should be done. He suggests an instant 20% tax on the harvest during the years of abundance. A bureaucrat that even Brussels would be proud of! He is strategic because he knows and trusts God and Pharaoh in turn does the same.

We see in Joseph both the prophet, prepared to give an unpalatable message but also someone who is a prudent person. I’m sure many of you remember the 2008 recession, which many people in the city said I deliberately avoided by turning my collar back to front by going to study theology at Ridley in Cambridge. The recession however came about in large part as a result of our living beyond our means, the drivers agreed and a lack of prudence over secured loans. Some of which as a lawyer I helped orchestrate but at the time like many I didn’t really know what was going on nor the longer-term consequences. But basically loans were being financed on the basis of unsecured lending, which in turn was based on the American housing market, with loans that people could not afford to pay back. 

It what Joseph indicates in the final part of this chapter is saved first, and then when the crisis comes you will manage better. I’m sure many of you have heard me say this before but I try to give away 10% each year of my stipend to the church but they also save 10% for my retirement and put a bit aside for my children. It is good to set aside for retirement… For the children… For the grandchildren… But we should also encourage them to save the things and not have in everything instantly on a plate. Amazon is great but don’t give your children everything on a plate. 

We should as Carolyn said last week look after the environment, not be wasteful but instead be prudent. As it says in Proverbs 19:14“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents but a prudent wife is from the Lord…” It does not mean, being stingy and mean but it does mean not being wasteful. 

Still be generous and compassionate and forgiving, as we later see Joseph was to his brothers when they came begging for food. But it does mean recognising that when we are blessed with abundance, we should put something aside for the future stop Joseph didn’t have to be a genius to formulate a plan to handle what was to fold over the periods of surplus, followed by shortage. 

Yet Joseph did have to put into action wise decisions. The word of God however given is meant to be understood and acted upon. Many of us have heard sermons and said oh yes I must do that. But actually do we do it when we leave this place? Act on something God said to you today like Joseph did. Of course with hindsight one can say that similarly the world doesn’t have to get into the economic messes it gets into from time to time. And yet we should always plan for the future. 

As I’ve said before there are two certainties in life, death and taxes. We know there coming have be planned for them as far as we can. Joseph shows us how to take the long view. To stay calm to ride out the storm. Often what seems like a setback is often set up for come back. The greatest spiritual victory in history was won on the heels of its seemingly greatest defeat, Jesus being crucified. Jesus being let down and deserted by his friends. Led to the great reunion after his resurrection. Yes we will experience setbacks but remember this without crucifixion there can be no resurrection. 

So when we have a setback, don’t take a step back because God is preparing you for a comeback. Jesus longs to accompany each one of us on the journey of life. Whether we’ve been given a cancer diagnosis, are having marital problems, or facing divorce, bereavement or being single or not wanting to be lonely or having mental health issues. Jesus wants to accompany us on our journey and through our struggles. He knows like the cupbearer did, that we all have shortcomings. And yet in today’s story we see qualities of wisdom, endurance and patience that Pharaoh saw in Joseph.

Pharaoh cannot think of a better person to appoint as his number two. It is a story of restoration, of redemption which echoes the story of Jesus. Remember Joseph was betrayed by his brothers. He is far away from his family in a foreign land and is struggling to make his way in an unfriendly country. Perhaps not unlike some migrants might be viewed in this country, which no doubt the Mexican who was beaten up last week would agree with.

If you recall Joseph was once in Potiphar’s favour only to be cast aside as a result of untrue and unfair accusations of adultery by Potiphar’s wife. He then found favour with the prison guards, whilst he was in jail and interpreted dreams for the cupbearer and the baker, only to again be forgotten. But this time as they say is third time lucky. That is like life it has ups and downs. We should remember that however bad life seems, sometimes it through our failures that we learn more. As Winston Churchill said…success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

For this time he is restored, becoming second in command over all Egypt. God is with him, as he is with us, through the bad times as well as the good. One minute Joseph is a forgotten imprisoned slave the young Hebrew in jail… The next is on his way to the top of Egyptian society.

It’s a bit like the transformation that happens one of my favourite Eddy Murphy movies “Trading Places”. Here as an experiment, for a one dollar bet, a black beggar, played by Eddy Murphy trades places with a white Harvard graduate, who runs a major stock trading brokerage account for the founders Duke and Duke. Eventually the roles are totally reversed and the founders of the company Duke and Duke exchange the dollar, having transformed the fortunes of both parties.

When we go through times of despair let us not forget that God is there, as well as give thanks to those, who have helped us get out of that place and onto the road to recovery.

Wisdom is something this country and our nation needs in these turbulent times. Wisdom is a gift that God wishes to give us, so let us remember Joseph’s example both in being a bold prophet who is prepared to deliver a difficult message but also someone who is wise, prudent and eventually appreciated the being so.

So let us pray both for that wisdom as well as patients and endurance when life’s problems come upon us.

Let us pray Lord we see in Joseph a bold prophet prepared to give it difficult message. We see someone who is patient, full or endurance and prudent but above all trusted, we pray that you give us the gift of prudence and wisdom. 

[astudyinthink-blog1]

The Trump Era: We're In This Together

That's it folks, the dreaded date of January 20th, 2017 has come and is just about gone. It is 10 pm and the excitement (or outrage) that has been building for the last few months has finally begun to wind down. The original plan, when I sat down to begin writing, was to continue my thoughts on college education. After a few minutes of scrolling through my Facebook feed, it seemed to be a little more appropriate to put that idea on hold for the moment and turn my attention to the events of today.

Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States. The phrase rolls awkwardly off my tongue and sort of just hangs in the air, suspended in disbelief. I'll be the first to admit that never in my wildest dreams did I see this coming. My first real memories of Donald Trump were from when I was in high school, watching him scream "You're fired!" from across the table to a contestant on his reality television show. I knew nothing about him, nor did I care, really (as a teenager, I can't say I cared about much...but I digress). Fast forward to the summer of 2015 when Trump announced his candidacy, I was one of the millions who thought it was some sort of elaborate joke. Scenes from 'The Apprentice' ran through my head and I thought it was a matter of time before he was quickly overtaken by his more experienced and more qualified peers. As the Trump Campaign started gaining steam, as he started winning, and as he eventually claimed the presidency this past November, I didn't know how to react. Even today, after the inauguration has ceased and all the oaths have been taken, I'm still in a state of relative shock. That just happened. Donald Trump: businessman, reality TV star, and now President of the United States. Whoa.

I have many different types of people with whom I associate, with an even more diverse group of 'friends' on Facebook. They are from all around the world and come from all walks of life. I enjoy this diversity because it means a healthy exposure to other values, beliefs, and opinions for me. Throughout the last year or so, I've been able to observe the impact that Trump's presidency run has had on others. This election has been so polarizing, every other post on my Facebook feed is either wildly progressive or staunchly conservative. I've nearly gotten whiplash from how jarring it's been to just scroll down a few pages. If my own personal feed is any indication of how ideologically divided the country is (which, spoiler alert, it is) then I think we have more to worry about than just who is sitting in the Oval Office.

A House Divided

"A house divided against itself cannot stand," are (only some) of the famous words shared by President Abraham Lincoln. He uttered these words in a speech at the Republican State Convention in 1858 during turbulent times--much like today. I have heard this quoted many times, most recently in 2014's "The Lego Movie." Albeit, it was more of a parody, but the point is that this quote has become somewhat of a regular in modern American culture. Most people, including me, would safely assume that this is in reference to political beliefs. With the use of the two-party political system here in the U.S., it's only logical that there would be a wide division in political beliefs. Republican vs. democrat, conservative vs. progressive, left vs. right, etc. With American values being framed this way, it's not hard to see why there is such strong opposition coming from either side. It's reminiscent of the "Star Wars" approach to morality, with the dark side vs. the light side of the force. This duality causes each side to believe that they are right and, by default, the other side is wrong. This concept works in a movie where there are two opposing forces battling each other for control of the galaxy, but it can't work if the two opposing forces are actually on the same team. It can't work because the team would implode. This was Lincoln's warning to the nation: if this division doesn't stop, the country would be destined for inevitable ruin. But, the way I see it, he wasn't talking about a division in political beliefs, that always has and always will be there. He was talking about something a little different: deviation from the common goal of unity. Lincoln faced this issue as President in the 1860's, and it has reared it's ugly head once again.

We Put the 'Us' in 'Trust'

Differences in opinion are human nature and therefore a part of life. Building a family, a team, a community, or a nation requires individuals to come together and cooperate. This is important because cooperation doesn't mean complete conformation. Differing talents, beliefs, and ideas among members actually strengthens a team. In reality, a team can function well and succeed even if every single member has differing personal beliefs. In short, not every member of a football team needs to be the same religion in order to be successful, and that goes for a nation too. However, the one characteristic that is absolutely necessary is the discipline to place a common goal before personal desires. 

The big problem that I see with our country is that people are more concerned with being right than they are with working toward a common goal. There are many times in my marriage where I disagree with my wife--from something important as finances to something trivial like what the definition of "do the dishes" is (for the record, she includes cleaning the cupboards, counters, and kitchen table as part of "the dishes." Pure madness). We each have very specific ways of doing things that are, at times, at odds with one another. If we valued being right above our common goal of building a family together, I would be at home alone, happily washing JUST the dishes. My wife and I don't have to conform to one another on every little thing and I'm happy because that would be incredibly boring. But, what we do need to agree on is that no matter how we feel at a particular moment in time, building a family together in unity is the highest priority. In this same way, our common goal as a nation should be establishing a UNIFIED land of freedom that protects an individuals rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This practice has nothing to do with your faith, your race, your sexual orientation, or your political affiliation. It has everything to do with our nation's future. Andrew Carnegie once said: 

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."

In one way or another, this entire election process has taken a toll on EVERYONE. It was a knock-down, drag out ordeal that had us all at each other's throats. How about we each take a step back and breathe for a second. This is a great country with so much opportunity and so much freedom. (Hell, Donald Trump is President--if that's not a testament to the enormous amounts of opportunity available in this country then I don't know what is!) But in all the hate, name-calling, and finger-pointing I think we forgot that we're really all on the same side. We're all licking our own metaphorical wounds. We're in this together and we always have been. So, in our own little way, let us be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. If you want to see less hatred in this country, be kind to a stranger instead of making fun of their mama through the comment section.  If you want to see less corruption, be honest with yourself and others. If you want to see less violence, give someone a hug that needs it or show a little patience to your spouse or children. Whether you voted for Trump or not, we still need ALL of us to keep America great.