#spin lesson

[coachkathy]

Here is a pretty good sit spin, the change to the back sit however should have started with the right foot stepping onto the toe-pick more and then to the back outside edge. Here it changes to the forward inside edge which slows the spin down and the skater has a difficult time getting into the the back spin as a result.

[blood-orange-juice]

I am still not over the "I hope you won't be tainted by fate" line.

It's just...

The way in most stories I know fate is something that proves the existence of a higher power and gives life meaning. Even if it's tragic. That very human paradox of wanting to fight against the very same thing that gives life meaning.

And in genshin it's all upside down. Fate as something fake, devoid of any real meaning, a cage made by a false god.

[vulcanette]

I really loved Nope. I can’t stop thinking about the scene when Emerald is talking about how she was supposed to train Jean Jacket and Pops never looked up at her at the window but OJ did. OJ acknowledged her and saw her. He named the Creature “Jean Jacket” as a way of saying, here’s the chance you wanted. The chance you never got. And she is the one who finally solved the puzzle and killed it/got it to leave. And she got her picture. I’m so proud of them, best siblings ever

[umbrellacam]

Batman (1940) #526

TIMMY IS STILL 14 YEARS OLD. FOOOOURTEEEEEN. Like Tim's my blorbo, my baby boy, but on god I know Dick Grayson's head just started Exorcist spinning while he was out for groceries. Et tu Alfred?!

[batsplat]

A sentence in Casey’s book impressed me, even though he didn't name anyone explicitly

“Maybe someone who could put on the charm when they need it regardless of sincerity could have turned the situation around but I don’t have that skill.”

He totally gets that Valentino has endless charm, lol. I’m sure he felt it too when they hung out

yes!! this was about casey and his relationship to the fans wasn't it, and in a section of the book where he was talking about his rivalry with valentino, so hardly a stretch to say it was deliberately alluding to him. and of course casey talking about valentino's charm is not unrelated to how casey did seem to like valentino perfectly fine back in the day... how he said back in 2007 that he liked talking to valentino, that they generally talked about stuff other than racing, how valentino gets on with most guys in the paddock... though it's interesting (if not particularly surprising) how by the time the autobiography is written, casey portrays the early dynamic between the pair of them pretty dispassionately. just from the book you'd get the sense of someone who was coolly respectful of valentino until valentino started pissing him off, rather than someone who was... y'know, also a bit of a fan. somebody who got the valentino rossi appeal, shall we say. we all have our crosses to bear

which, I don't even think it was just about the racing. I doubt he ever wanted to emulate valentino in the same way jorge or marc might have wanted to do off the track, but stuff like calling him a "great competitor and a great sportsman"... that for years he'd been "dreaming to be like him"... that valentino and doohan were "the sort of people I wanted to become like"... I reckon that's a little more than simply respect for him as a rider, and I don't think casey back then would have said that stuff just because he knew it'll play well with the public. he found valentino exciting, like so many before and since have done - and still did so for the entirety of 2006 (he said more recently that he was even more impressed by valentino after that season, which is kinda noteworthy given that's the year valentino did, you know, lose the title). but then they became direct rivals, and. well

of course the "regardless of sincerity" in the quote is pretty pointed lol, like he does clearly see valentino as very two-faced and willing to spin a line regardless of whether it's true or not and also as someone happy to deceive others for his own gains. and his rhetoric has also changed just a wee bit since he published the autobiography on that count, where he more recently does stress how... well, he did learn from how valentino played the media! he learned how to get friendly with journalists! he learned how to play that game, of trying to win the public discourse! he might never have liked it, and he still probably would say like in the autobiography that this "charm" "regardless of sincerity" isn't something that he'll ever be as good at as valentino was. but he did dabble in the dark arts just a touch... I think one of the most interesting tensions of that rivalry is to what extent valentino forced casey out of his comfort zone both on- and off-track and ended up making casey adopt behaviours and attitudes he continued to find reprehensible. casey considers valentino 'selfish' both on- and off-track but to fight him both on- and off-track he became more selfish in turn... very dramatically compelling

anyway, here's casey chatting to fellow aussie jb when he's come to watch the podium celebrations after one of valentino's 2005 wins:

[alexis-royce]

Day three quarantine update:

[mxtxfanatic]

Ming Guang spat hatefully, “Do you still remember what excuse you used to kill all those subordinates who followed you for years? ‘Some people can be killed, some can’t; some things can be done, some can’t.’-- Sounding like you possessed the heart of Buddha forgiving of all! And now? Did you think no one knows what despicable deeds your Little Pei has done? WORDS HAVE ALREADY SPREAD! And here you are trying to wipe his ass and help him hide his past? So the brothers who followed you to battles from north to south deserved to die, but when it came to your descendent, he didn’t? SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO TOSSES USED CLOTHES AND DITCHES USED LIMBS, IS YOUR LITTLE PEI A GEM AND THE REST OF US WEEDS?!”

—Chapt. 148: Ambivalent Regrets; General Ming Snaps the Hateful Sword (Part Three)

This all sounds fine and dandy and like Pei Ming is prioritizing his loved ones over the lives of everyone else, as we have seen other characters and Pei Ming, himself, do in the past. However, then this gets revealed:

The worst offender was Rong Guang. Since he built close ties with the soldiers, he could easily fan their hearts, and planted many ideas in the minds of veteran subordinates like “General Pei deserves more than the status he’s been given”, “General Pei and us are oppressed”, “The Kingdom of XuLi needed General Pei and us to save it”. They plotted and planned to invade the Imperial Palace of XuLi to name Pei Ming king, have him lead the veteran troops to great achievement and bring them to stand at the summit as the strongest kingdom. They even concocted the grand scheme of flattening all four seas with their steeds of steel and unify the world.

Unfortunately, Pei Ming himself had no interest in becoming king whatsoever.

Rong Guang actually wanted to start a civil war to install Pei Ming as king when Pei Ming was still a mortal general, and Pei Ming’s words of “Some people can be killed, some can’t; some things can be done, some can’t” was him resolutely putting the lives of the people above the greed of his own men, even his longterm best friend.

So yeah, the mxtx lesson of the day is to stop taking the words of her antagonists and villains at face value when, usually, they are twisting facts to make themselves appear as the victims. They are not victims nor have they been wronged by their sworn enemies. They are their own downfalls, and their  schemes are simply coming home to roost.

[abi-cosmos]

SPNVAN 2022. Jensen & Misha. I’m happy to be edited out, but please do not remove my crappy watermarks.

[lexicals]

I fuckin. Accidentally S spun this second bobbin when the first one was Z spun and had to put the whole thing back through the wheel in the other direction to fix it which took a whole hour and doesn't look as good as it did before honestly but it's FIXED I GUESS

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

For some reason, I thought about the cuteness that might be Jamie "I know how to feed myself according to the team nutritionist, but I don't actually know how to cook" Tartt post retirement learning to cook from Simon.

Oh it would be so sweet! Simon would be so patient and so excited to share with Jamie and spend time together in his “laboratory.” And Georgie would be watching with pride and happily eating anything they cooked for her and cooing things about “her boys” working together.

I also imagine Jamie would be the type to just make a fucking mess in the kitchen. Like flour everywhere if he’s baking, on him, the counter, in his hair, etc.

[dreamtigress]

Headcanon for the Southern Colonies

One of my quibbles with the Grishaverse world building is the lack of information about the Southern Colonies. And since I've been working on a story with a Southern Colonies character, Omar Garza, as one of the main two leads, I kind of went whole hog into creating some headcanon, culture, and language names. Here's the info I have written up so far, which is also now in my wiki.

Southern Colonies Areas & Indigenous Peoples/Languages:

The eastern coastal region is generally composed of the Laztollan people. They speak Laztolla, and often, Kerch. There is a far greater mix of people here, because of Kerch colonization, and the depositing of ships of prisoners. Many of the former prisoners have picked up speaking Laztolla.

The northwestern rain forest area is populated by the Mizcloña people. They speak Mizclon, and some speak Kerch. While there is a Kerch presence in the upper rain forests, it is far less than that on the coast.

The far south rain forest area, almost completely untouched by Kerch colonizers, is inhabited by the Azragrula. The Azragrula are openly hostile to any Kerch who come into their territory. Not much is known about the Azragrula in Kerch.

The Laztollans and Mizcloña have a grudging respect for their southern Azragrula neighbors in the current time, for their ability to keep the Kerch at bay. In the past, there were frequent border and territory disputes between the three tribes. When the Kerch first came, the Laztollans thought that the trade opportunities would be worth welcoming them. They swiftly found out the Kerch had no interest in being equal partners. The Laztollans still have some lingering anger with the Mizcloña for not uniting with them against the colonization effort by the Kerch. The Mizcloña, meanwhile, wanted nothing more than to protect their rain forest territory. The Kerch encouraged disputes between the two tribes in order to take advantage.

Collectively, the three tribes refer to their continent as Añaterra. The Kerch discourage this name being used, as they want to assert their ownership.

Laztolla: One of the languages spoken in the Southern Colonies by the indigenous people, specifically those on the eastern coast. (Roughly based on Spanish/Latin languages.)

‘Santos’, Laztolla for ‘Saints’. (Some people from the eastern region of the Southern Colonies practice faith in the Saints, like Bonita Garza, Omar’s mother. Nowadays, Omar tends to use it as a curse word more than something he believes in.)

‘Mi sol’, Laztolla for ‘my sun’, ‘my sunshine’.

‘Magnífico’, Laztolla for ‘magnificent’.

‘Tesoro’, Laztolla for ‘treasure’.

‘Cariño’, Laztolla for ‘honey’.

‘Corazón’, Laztolla for ‘heart’.

‘Sanchinchi’, an oil and/or cream derived from a plant that grows in the forests of the Southern Colonies, used for medicinal and recreational purposes. Slight floral scent.

Mizclon: One of the languages spoken in the Southern Colonies by the indigenous people, specifically those in the northwestern rain forests. (Roughly based on Nahuatl.)

Azragrula: One of the languages spoken in the Southern Colonies by the indigenous people, specifically those in the far southern rain forests. (Roughly based on Venezuelan and Argentinian.)

I also went and created/translated a bunch of Shu for this story as well, so that Ryo Jun-Ogawa can express himself properly. The story, Een Taal Aanleren (Language Lessons), has turned into a tri-lingual adventure and I adored exploring these two OCs. Spin off coming soon to my A03!

My wiki link, chock full of my headcanons and inventions:

[the-rogue-mockingjay]

mods are asleep time to post o'ravmeric

also, bonus close up of o'ravi because she's adorable 💕:

[layton-heritage-posts]

Good news : one of Hershel's students was nice enough to offer Des driving lessons

Bad news : it's Carmine Accidenti

Carmine: alright you see these three lights up ahead? This is called a traffic light and-

*Des drives straight over the red light without slowing down*

Carmine: -normally we would wait until it turns green…

[tutuandscoot]

POV: lying in bed tearing up about Scott going to the store specifically to by a bucket and several bags of rice to fill it to the brim to take to Tessa’s door, ring the bell then leave in time before she answers it so she can see it and read the note he left because he knew this would mean everything to her and then T saying several times in the proceeding years that it is the best present she could possibly receive.

It’s not things like kisses or pda that make you know they love each other more than anything- it’s shit like this; like calling her a terrifying athlete to her face when he knows not feeling like the standard of athlete he was or loving the sport as much as he did was her biggest insecurity. It’s her saying she loves how passionate he is and she thrives off that when he feared he was too much to put up with or how he’s the best ice dancer ever and moves in such an honest, pure way that makes her want to move with him when he was so self conscious about dancing and being compared to her. Fuck literally everything else because they actually saw and do see each other for everything they are and love unconditionally because they kept showing up for each other and seeing all of each other for so freakin long. The simplest act of caring for another human being was essentially the essence of their career and I think that’s why we are so drawn to them and some go crazy over it bc sometimes the simplest things are so inconceivable to understand..

Fuck sometimes I’m fine then I’m like man a love this pure actually is possible 😰

[sueske]

If Makino's baby is really Shanks' kid they should do a cash grab sequel with him.

if they go down the sequel route, rather than continuing the story in the future with makino's kid, I think it'd be better to showcase what happened during the void century for example, to add lore to the story, since no adventure will be greater than that of becoming pirate king and discovering the one piece.

[lilirot]

I'm gonna fist fight Lucifer on top of a train while it's on fire and thunder and rain pours dramatically in the background. Also, we're both topless.