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inkweaver22-blr · 4 years ago

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Four for four baby! This is perhaps the last of my daily updates as I’ll be busy the next few days. Here’s another little filler chapter but it’s a good one as it’s the first one where we directly see references to other creators’ Monkie Kid works! There’s three references here, two subtle and one explicit. I’ll make sure to have links to each work in the notes at the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoy!

AO3 Link

Scattered Cicadas - Chapter Four: Childish Behavior

Tang often feels like the only adult surrounded by children. Literally sometimes.

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If there was one thing Tang had learned about these timelines he kept jumping between was that they were consistently inconsistent.

The minor details that changed randomly but never really affected the outcome of the events from his original time were still abundant and rarely phased him much anymore.

(Although that one time he had platinum blonde hair had been interesting.)

It was when entirely unique situations arose that the scholar was caught off guard.

New events sprung up every now and then and inserted themselves between the original ones. As with the smaller changes, these new scenarios were unpredictable and varied wildly in scope.

A surprisingly durable MK clone that somehow managed to escape being dispelled, gaining independence, and becoming Macaque’s apprentice.

An ocean demon sinking ships just outside the bay and Sandy getting to go on that water adventure he wanted.

MK’s birth parents trying to reinsert themselves back into his life after seeing his achievements on the news.

(Tang was so incredibly proud of his kid for standing up for himself and refusing their empty platitudes. The pranks that he, Mei, and the Monkey King had pulled on them in retaliation were great stress relievers.)

Since Tang could still do his best to help out in each new event without horrible consequences, it seemed the rule of “No Interference” did not apply to them. He supposed that made sense as he had no way to predict when or if they might occur and thus couldn’t change an outcome he didn’t know about.

He was grateful for that small mercy at least.

Still, with how these cycles seemed to be endless so far, a few of these events would happen over multiple timelines.

Getting de-aged by a mischievous trickster demon or spirit was a strangely common occurrence.

MK seemed to be the most popular target for this particular curse. The brightness of his personality seemed to shine even stronger whenever he was reverted into a child, which simply made Tang love the kid even more.

(He wished he could have helped the Monkey King tear Macaque apart for kidnapping their precious little one in that cycle.)

They all had their own turns of having their biological clocks reversed of course. Mei was a little trouble maker, Pigsy was a shy and timid toddler, and Sandy liked to have things he could break apart. Tang couldn’t clearly remember the times he had been de-aged but was pleased when an exhausted Mei and Mk had said he was the easiest of the adults-turned-kids to take care of.

Then there was the Monkey King.

Having to corral a rambunctious young monkey with the strength to crush boulders and the ability to duplicate or shapeshift was not easy.

(He still had no idea how MK had managed to do it alone once.)

With the amount of times they had all been subjected to this specific curse, Tang only really had himself to blame for not seeing it coming.

Tang poured over the scroll in front of him, trying to find the counter for this timeline’s version of the curse. Behind him, Mei distracted a de-aged Red Son, or Red Boy as that’s what the small fire demon was calling himself.

Getting kidnapped by a somewhat feral child with the ability to freely toss around the True Fire of Samadhi hadn’t been the most pleasant start to his day. While being mistaken as the monk Tang Sanzang was a little flattering, the threat of being roasted over the sacred blume flames and eaten had quickly dampened those feelings.

Luckily the young demon had fallen asleep, the fires dissipating as he lost consciousness. If only Tang knew how to cast the Monkey King’s fire ward...

“Ahem.”

Tang glanced up and paled at the sight of a displeased looking Demon Bull King.

“Little thief,” the demon addressed an equally freaked-out MK. “I believe you have something of mine.”

“Father! You’re here,” Red Boy called out as he jumped from Mei’s arms. “I have wonderful news! I’ve found a husband!” He quickly ran over to a petrified MK and leaned against him like he was presenting some great treasure. “Look! Look! Isn’t he pretty?”

Tang had almost forgotten about that particular detail. If they got out of this alive he was never going to let MK live this down for the rest of the cycle. Prerogative of being a dad and all.

“What do you think father,” Red Boy continued, ignoring MK’s desperate plea for him to stop. “I can marry him, right?”

DBK’s expression was frankly unimpressed as he stared down into the hopeful one Red Boy wore. Tang had a bad feeling about what was going to happen and slowly made his way around the room to hide behind MK and Mei who were also backing away.

“No.”

Tang winced a bit at the bluntness of the answer and braced himself for the explosion that was sure to follow.

“What? But… why? WHY NOT?!”

The genuine hurt and confusion in the young demon’s voice would have made Tang feel a bit sympathetic, if Red Boy hadn’t tried to eat him of course.

“Because I said so,” DBK growled as he knelt to be closer to his de-aged son. “Now, enough of this. Time to stop being a child.”

Tang frowned. That was... not how to calmly explain to one’s child about why you were refusing their request. Not if you wanted to avoid a full-on meltdown. He should know, having to take care of a young MK multiple times.

Looking into the Demon Bull King’s scowling visage, he wasn’t sure if the older demon simply didn’t know how, or just didn’t care.

“That’s… NOT FAIR!” Red Boy’s disbelief predictably turned into anger as his hair once again burst into blue flames.

“THAT’S NOT FAIR! I am not a child!” The True Fire of Samadhi burst out around the boy, seeming to startle DBK who took a step back. Tang was just thankful that it wasn’t aimed at him this time.

“I… I’m not-” Red Boy’s anger quickly melted away, as did the fire around him. The young demon sniffed a few times before dropping onto the ground and beginning to cry.

Loudly.

“You’re recording this, right?” MK whispered to Mei.

“Obviously.”

Tang sighed at their antics and looked over at DBK. The demon still looked angry but the scholar could see the uncertainty in his eyes. He seemed completely out of his depth and unsure on what to do.

Tang took a steadying breath before mustering his courage and stepping out from behind MK. If Demon Bull King didn’t know how to act like a good father then perhaps he could show him.

If he survived this he was going to need a vacation to fight back against the grey hairs this was going to give him.

The other adults all looked at him as if he had sprouted another head as he approached the sobbing child and knelt next to him.

“Red Boy?”

“H-huh?” The young demon looked up in confusion at being addressed.

“I know that right now everything seems pretty unfair and that can be upsetting,” Tang soothed, keeping his voice steady and reassuring. “But I promise you that your father has a good reason for not letting you marry MK. Would it help if he were to calmly explain that reason without getting angry at you?” He aimed that last sentence more at DBK than Red Boy, who’s sobs had slowed.

“M-maybe…” the young demon finally admitted.

Tang turned to stare expectantly at the Demon Bull King. The demon glared down at the scholar.

“Why are you treating him like a child?”

The harshness of his tone made Red Boy start to tear up again. Tang glared right back at DBK.

“Because right now, until we can reverse this, he is a child,” the scholar snapped, his fear replaced with righteous anger. “And like every child, he deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. He deserves to be comforted by a parent whom he obviously adores and be told that it’s okay to cry. He deserves to feel safe and loved.”

The room was silent save for the hiccups and sniffles from Red Boy as they all stared at Tang. DBK’s mouth hung open as he gazed incredulously down at the human, seemingly struck speechless.

“F-father?”

The small and unsure voice of Red Boy snapped the Demon Bull King out of his thoughts, and something seemed to loosen within him.

Tang stood and retreated back to MK and Mei to give the demon some privacy as he knelt next to his son and began speaking in a hushed tone with him.

“What the hell Mr. Tang,” MK hissed into his ear as he stared wide eyed at the pair of demons on the ground.

“Language MK,” Tang hissed right back before leaning over to Mei. “I know you aren’t recording two incredibly powerful demons having a moment of vulnerability who would stop at nothing to destroy us if they discovered the existence of such a video, right?”

“Eep!” Mei nearly dropped her phone as she rushed to stop her recording and then delete the last few minutes of the resulting video.

There were a few minutes of tense silence as the three humans did their best to pretend that there weren’t two demons having an emotional moment together just a few feet away. They gave a sigh of relief when Red Boy launched himself at his father, wrapping his arms around his neck. DBK seemed panicked at first before slowly wrapping his own arms around the young demon.

Tang adjusted his glasses and gave a nervous smile to the Demon Bull King who was scrutinizing him like a particularly confusing puzzle.

At least he didn’t seem angry any more.

Perhaps they would escape this fiasco unscathed after all.

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I was not expecting this chapter to turn into another Dad Tang story. It just kind of happened that way. So onto the references!

First is Durability by TaintTheUnstoppable which is beginning to shape up into something really interesting.

Second is Little One by @its-kall-the-clown which is just a huge fluff fest capped off with some nice angst. Highly recommended.

Finally we have the Red Boy comic by @purble-turble! Now obviously the Tang in their comic probably won’t do what this one did, by this Tang is too much of a Dad to let a little kid cry for too long.

Next chapter won’t be up until sometime next week! See ya then!

#Ink Writes #Monkie Kid #Scattered Cicadas #Tang #Tang Monkie Kid #MK #Mei #Red Son #Red Boy #Demon Bull King #DBK #Lego Monkie Kid #Durability #TaintTheUnstoppable #Little One #KALL #purble-turble #its-kall-the-clown

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batmanisagatewaydrug · 4 years ago

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reading update

[prev]

I put this off by a day so I could include another book on the "finished" list, and oh my GOD it was so good and I'm so excited to gush about it, so let's gooooo:

what have I been reading?

Starsoul (C.L. Polk) - what a DELIGHTFUL end to a series!! like Witchmark and Stormsong, it filled me with warm fuzzy feelings AND socialist rage! and I'm only a little miffed that [spoilers] we never got to see a certain promised wedding. C.L. Polk is tremendous, go read all their shit immediately.

The Body Is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love [Second Edition] (Sonya Renee Taylor) - glad I read it! been on the list for a LONG time! do not actually remember a TON of things about it now that it's been a few weeks! but I'm sure it's doing a lot of really positive work for a lot of people, yeehaw!

Kink (edited by R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell) - okay, so. I made a point of reading this pretty quickly after it came out because so many people were harassing Kwon and Greenwell about it on twitter and I HAD to know what the hype was about, and it's... an impeccably well-curated collection of short stories, I'll give it that. the tone is pretty dang consistent throughout, and there are some real standouts - Brandon Taylor and Vanessa Clark's contributions come to mind. overall, though? man, these are some stories about sex that manage to never actually get very sexy. I don't want your literary prose, man, I want to intellectually nut.

Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights (Molly Smith and Juno Mac) - this is hands down one of my FAVORITE books I've read this year. absolutely rock solid work, a great breakdown of various models of criminalization and legalization of sex work around the world and how it impacts the workers - written by actual sex workers. I feel like I really LEARNED reading this book, and I'm delighted. if you only read one nonfiction book this year make it this one.

Skin Folk (Nalo Hopkinson) - this collection didn't quite capture the delight I felt reading Falling In Love With Hominids, but the bright spots are absolutely radiant. special mention goes to "Fisherman," which offered up more tasteful smut in a single short story than the entirety of Kink.

The City of Brass (S.A. Chakraborty) - oh holy shit holy fuck you guys this was SO FUN, I love big sweeping fantasies so much!! I'm so excited to read the sequels!! Nahri and Ali are both delightful, the world is DECADENT, and the political intrigue is sumptuous. this is exactly the kind of shit I want in a doorstopper fantasy. can't believe Nahri and Dara managed to over 500 pages without boning but there's always hope for the sequel.

what am I reading now?

Book of Hours (Kevin Young) - okay, listen, we've established that I'm not good at reading poetry. but this one has a narrative so clear and coherent that even a dummy like me can pick up on it, and that's helping a lot!

what did I grab from the library to read while I hang out with my mom for two weeks?

Red at the Bone (Jacqueline Woodson) - Woodson is one of my favorite children's/middle readers authors in the entire world, and I'm super jazzed to read more of her adult fiction!

Children of Vengeance and Virtue (Tomi Adeyemi) - yes it's been more than two years since I read Children of Blood and Bone but I'm sure that it'll be fine!

Living a Feminist Life (Sara Ahmed) - this is another one that's been on my to-read list FOREVER, largely because of Ahmed's Feminist Killjoy work. can't go home without something academic to read so I can pretend my brain isn't in full vacation rot, etc.

#bookblr #reading updates

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mikeconphoto · 5 years ago

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"FIT FEATURE: ALEX PAINE" - BY MIKECON PHOTOGRAPHY

First and foremost, I want to thank you all for reading this blog. I’m writing this one primarily because it’s been a long time coming since this came out. This blog is actually supposed to be in a magazine. I won’t say which one however, the magazine did say years ago that they’d use the images, but then when they had a change of staff, they then changed their tune and stated that they made no written promise that they’d publish the photos of Alex. Thus, was my reason for making my own, “Fit Feature(s)” on my own website for the world to see. I added more images from other shoots inside of the blog just to make up for lost time. Our initial shoot that was on 14 November 2016, so almost 4 years later, I’m going to post this. Alex has since updated the information on all of her accomplishments, so sit back and take a ride with me.

HERE WE GO! …Oh man, there’s a lot to say about this amazing athlete. Alex Paine is something awesome. I literally have met only a handful of people that are energetic and fun to work with in my career. No matter how many times I’ve worked with Alex, she has always brought me her best. On 17 May 2017, I received an email from her Mother Rhonda that read, “Thank you so much for helping my daughter, Alex, with her dream.” To me that was awesome because not a lot of parents take interest, or support their children’s dreams when they’re older. I’m always proud of Alex, and I’ll always support her because she’s just awesome people! Once you get to know her, you will know exactly why she’s awesome!

Describe your life before you started training.

Before I started training, health was never really anything that crossed my mind. I was not active, although a played a few sports in school, and I never cared about diet. I was fortunate enough when I was younger to have parents that understood the importance of diet and nutrition so I never had issues with weight until later in life. When I went to college I ate whatever I wanted and did not participate in any kind of active lifestyle. I quickly began putting on weight and indulging in a very unhealthy lifestyle.

How different do you feel now compared to then?

I feel stronger, more confident, and empowered by my accomplishments. I am a happier and healthier person because of the hard work and dedication that I have put into myself. By pushing the boundaries of my physical limits through training I have not only become a more successful athlete but these traits have crossed over into other aspects of my life and I have found that I work harder on my education and relationships. It is amazing how when one aspect of your life is in order the rest of it seems to fall into place. Be happy, be healthy!

Was there is pivotal moment that motivated you to start training? If so, what was it?

I was a junior in college when I started noticing that my life decisions had led to quite a bit of weight gain and I realized I was no longer happy with how I looked or how I felt. I knew that something needed to change. I was not active, I did not eat well, and I was starting to become very unhappy with my physical appearance. Although all of these were large factors the biggest turning point was when I went on a hiking trip with my friends. I have always loved the outdoors and hiking has always been a passion of mine; however, this time was different. I found myself struggling to keep up with my friends and feeling completely unprepared for the trip. I had stopped taking care of myself and because of this I was no longer able to do the things I loved and I knew then that I needed to make a change.

Do you remember your first training session? How different is your training today?

My first training sessions were all about cardio. I would spend hours everyday on the elliptical doing steady state cardio while I read or studied for exams. I figured as long as I was moving I was burning calories and that was all that mattered for losing the weight. This worked slowly but I realized I was not getting the results I wanted. I changed from cardio to doing some popular workout videos that incorporated lightweight training mixed with HIIT cardio and I started noticing that not only was I losing weight but I was also getting stronger. This is when I got addicted to weight training and strength development. I stopped doing cardio and focused on weight training, on lifting heavy, and just getting stronger. After two years of heavyweight training I decided that I wanted to compete in a bodybuilding show. Today my focus is on competing so I train differently. I still primarily weight train but focus more on certain body parts and concentrate on symmetry when deciding what and how to train.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of training for you? Why?

Seeing results! These may have been slow and gradual at times but when I take the time to look back and see how far I have come, the reward that I feel makes everything I have done to reach my fitness goals worth it. I am always growing, always changing, and always reaching new goals. Fitness is progress and this progress is what makes this lifestyle so rewarding.

What has continued to motivate you throughout your training? Why?

The fitness community associated with Musclemania and Fitness Universe have been a huge part of what has motivated me throughout my training. There are many different organizations out there and every competitor must find the one that fits them best. For me that has been Fitness Universe. The support they give their athletes is completely remarkable. They promote their athletes on social media and on their websites and are always checking in on their athlete’s progress. The production of their shows is also above and beyond that of any organization that I have ever seen. Each athlete gets his or her moment in the spotlight on the stage and each person is made to feel like a star. The community of athletes is like no other, I have made many lifetime friends in this organization – from competitors to promoters – and would not be were I am today in this industry if it was not for their support!

What are your qualifications - why did you set out to achieve these?

I attended Buena Vista University for my undergraduate degree from which I graduated summa cum ladde with a bachelor in biology. Currently, I am a full time graduate student conducting research on science education at the University of Colorado-Boulder. I have already earned her Masters in Molecular, Cellular, ad Developmental biology, studying Fat metabolism and Glucose homeostasis in Type II diabetes. I am currently pursuing my PhD in the same field studying Scientific Teaching.

Teaching is my passion. Whether that is fitness or science, I love it all. In the future I aim to become a teaching professor at a university where I can inspire and prepare young adults for careers in science.

In my free time I work as a personal trainer, posing coach, and I even run my own business - Xela’s Customs, for which I design and competition suits and theme wear. I make my own theme wear, bikinis, and have even been the sponsored suit provider for multiple local Musclemania shows. Recently I have expanded this business to be more encompassing to better serve my clients by adding hair, makeup, and tanning packages for athletes.

What have you had to overcome to get to where you are today? Did that change you in any way? If so, describe how.

One struggle that I have had to overcome is one that is actually quiet common among people in the bodybuilding/fitness industry, which is body dysmorphia. This is a disorder in which people constantly think about and obsess over their real or perceived flaws. The reason this is so common for those who focus a lot of effort into competing is because we are trained to analyse our bodies for symmetry, fat percentage, as well as muscle size and shape. This can be overwhelming and start to consume you. Body dysmorphia is something that consumed me after my first show and is something that I have and continue to struggle with on a daily basis. I work every day to not focus on my flaws and I consistently work towards reflecting on the positive aspects of myself. I push myself to promote my own self-love. It is important for competitors and everyone alike to be realistic and honest with themselves, not to put pressure on being perfect, and to love themselves and be proud of all the hard work they are putting into their health and fitness.

What is the number one lesson you have learned about health and fitness through your training?

Nutritional decisions are the number one component of fitness that will give you results; whether this is weight loss or muscular development, nutrition is key. Finding a nutritional portfolio that fits both your body type and goals is probably one of the hardest parts of fitness but once you have found what works it is easy to live a healthy lifestyle that promotes working towards your fitness goals.

What do you wish you had known when you were 16?

You only have one body so take care of it and don’t be afraid to chase your dreams!

Describe how training makes you feel.

I love training and spending time in the gym; the gym is truly my happy place. I can escape from everything when I train and just focus on the reps. Its freeing and invigorating all at the same time. There is no feeling like training hard in the gym. The release of endorphins I get when I train and escape from the world that I feel really makes training my favorite part of the day.

Do you have a quote that you live by? If so, why this one?

“Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” Fear of failure is what prevents many of us from chasing our dreams. You may have to face your fears in order to accomplish the things that mean the most to you, but once you have the reward is worth every part of your struggle. So face your fears head on and take control of your future!

What was your reason for taking health and fitness to the level you have? Why is it so important to you?

Competing is fun, but honestly my favorite part of fitness is helping others. I love being a motivator and helping others see their potential when it comes to fitness, I want to motivate and encourage, specifically women, to push the boundaries of what they believe their bodies are capable of. I want to be a role model to women. I want to motivate and encourage girls too see that being strong is amazing, that living a healthy lifestyle is rewarding, and seeing your body change is worth more than anything you can buy.

What advice would you give to women wanting to get into the best shape of their life?

Think about the other 23 hours in your day. Its’ not the 1 hour in the gym that will get you fit, it is the other 23 hours of the day. In other words, going to the gym is great for your health but if you neglect to provide your body with the correct nutrients, neglect to provide your body with the rest it needs, or give your body substances that are harmful in this time, you will not see the progress that you are working for in that hour at the gym.

What is the most important thing women need to remember when training? Why?

Progress is slow; it does not and will not happen overnight. You have to stay persistent and consistent in your training and nutrition if you want to see results.

Fitness is not a crash diet or a few weeks of weight training in the gym; fitness is a lifestyle. Fitness is a journey of self -discovery and change.

We all have days where motivation is low – how do you overcome these? Have you always been able to do this?

When my motivation is low I reflect on my goals. I think about what I want now in comparison to what I want most and then make a decision about what I can do today to get me one step closer to that goal. By having a goal and reflecting on that goal you keep yourself accountable as well as provide yourself with the perspective you need to keep moving toward that goal.

What would you like to see change in the health and fitness industry?

Honesty. This is especially important for women. When women see pictures of competitors, models, and girls on their favorite magazines they think “I want to look like that!” and in many cases what these girls look in these images is neither healthy nor maintainable. As a competitor I play with my foods, water, and even salt intake to look the way I do on show day and by the next day I will look completely different. Unfortunately, this information is not what is shared with these images, instead slogans like “lose 5 pounds in 10 days” or “get abs like these” are featured next to these women giving those reading these messages the hope to someday look like the model on the magazine. By bringing in honesty about what that model had to do to look like that or even just producing images of women who live a healthy and maintainable lifestyle, women will have a better understanding and more realistic goals of the body that fitness can give them.

What would a perfect Sunday involve for you?

Sunday is my rest day. I love spending my Sunday’s with family and of course my two little dogs. Sleeping in is a must, followed by a small brunch and a day at the dog park with my pups.

Contest history - Do you have a highlight? Why?

Musclemania Colorado Natural Tour

Ms. Bikini Mile High 2015

Mile High Model Champion 2015

Top 5 Finalist at Ms. Bikini Colorado 2015

Top 5 Finalist at Ms. Fitness Colorado 2015

Colorado Model Champion 2016

First Runner-up Ms. Bikini Colorado 2016

Colorado Model Champion 2017

Overall Colorado Bikini (Pro Card Earned) 2017

Colorado Model Champion 2019

First Runner-up Rocky Mountain Figure 2019

First Runner-up Rocky Mountain Women’s Physique 2019

Colorado Figure Champion 2019

First Runner-up Colorado Championship Women’s Physique 2019

Fitness America Weekend

Top 25 Finalist at Ms. Bikini America 2015

Top 10 Model America 2016

FirstRunner-up Ms. Bikini America 2016

First-Runner up Commercial Model America 2017

Top 10 Ms. Bikini Professional America 2017

First Runner-up Figure America 2019

Top 5 Women’s Physique America 2019

Top 5 Sports Model America 2019

Top 10 Ms. Bikini Professional America 2019

Diet

I eat 5 to 6 small-portioned meals throughout the day that are high in proteins and healthy fats and lower in carbs. I always stick to clean and whole foods. Some of my favorite clean proteins are chicken and tilapia and my favorite healthy fats come from nuts and avocados. Detailed information about my nutrition is copyrighted by my trainer and coach Allen (Watty) Watkins from Team Tried and True.

I highly recommend spending the time and money to find and hire a coach as they provide a scientific approach to weight loss and muscular development. I know some people do not always want to spend the money on this aspect of fitness but you have to look at it from the point of view of your health. You are spending money on your health, your well being, your confidence. You are only given one body and, in my opinion, there is no amount of money that would prevent me from taking care of my body.

Workout week

Monday – Legs (hamstring focus)

Tuesday - Shoulders and Triceps

Wednesday – Back and Biceps

Thursday – Legs (Quad focus)

Friday – Back and Arms

Saturday – Shoulders and Abs

Sunday - Rest day

QUICK QUESTIONS:

What is your favorite food to indulge on? How often do you treat yourself?

Halo top Ice cream is by far my favorite indulgence. Its low calorie ice cream that is high in protein, low and carbs, and best of all, tastes like real ice cream!

What is your best beauty secret?

As a makeup artist, I can not stress enough the importance of taking a break from makeup – I try to only wear coverage products, like foundations, when I absolutely have to, otherwise I just put on some light moisturizer with SPF and call it a day. This keeps my skin clear and breakouts to the minimum.

Who inspires you? Why?

Without the help of my parents and my boyfriend I do not know if I would be where I am today. Both of my parents were active bodybuilders when I was younger and have maintained a healthy lifestyle to this day. Having them there for me to push me to live a life of fitness and always being there to help me along the way has been truly amazing. My friends have been supportive as well. They are always there for me when I need help with my diet, workouts, cardio routine, or when I just need someone to listen. My coach, Allen Watkins of Team Tried and True has also been a huge inspiration for me. He has pushed me to be the best athlete I can be through intense training regiments and science based nutrition. Without him I would not be the accomplished athlete that I am today. My friends, family, and supporters have all inspired me every day to get up, to push myself to the limit, and to become the best me I can be.

Who is your fitness and body role model? Why?

Jen Heward - Youtube Personality

This woman is inspirational! She is open and honest about the fitness lifestyle, loves herself and encourages all women to do the same, and motivates women to simply be the best they can be. Her positive attitude and outlook on life puts a smile on my face and always leaves me feeling like “I can do this.”

Dana Linn Bailey and Dani Scho - IFBB Women’s Physique

These ladies are the original women of what is now known as women’s physique. Their hard work and dedication to the sport is what inspired me to start bodybuilding in the first place and they have been the real driver for my transition into Figure and Women’s Physique.

What do you have in store for the future? What do you want to improve on?

Fitness related: I want to train harder and put on more size and muscle before my next competition. I also want to become more involved in the Musclemania/Fitness Universe organization. I currently help to organize and produce the local shows in the Colorado area and I hope to continue to pursue this passion for both the local shows in the 2020 season. I am also working on growing my bikini/theme wear business to provide competitors with unique customized suits that simply make them feel like stars on stage. Finally, I am working on becoming a certified personal trainer so that I can help other women reach their fitness goals and find the same happiness that I have found through fitness.

I'm currently preparing for:

Currently I am in my off-season training for my next Fitness Universe competition – either at Fitness Universe Weekend in Miami or Fitness America Weekend in Las Vegas. My goal for the 2020 season is to acquire another pro-card in the Fitness Universe organization as a Figure Pro.

Website and/or social media:

Xelas Customs Bikinis Facebook: Paine4Gains Fitness and Xela’s Customs Instagram:@paine4gains and @xelas_customs

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lifesizehysteria · 6 years ago

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Journey to You - Chapter 15 | An AdamsFoster Fic

A/N: I haven’t been adding the links to this story on other sites since I started updating again because of that change tumblr made where external links keep posts from showing up in the tags. But I thought it would probably be good to link back to the original chapter in case anyone wants to start at the beginning who may not have read the whole fic already. Check that out here. That post also has a link to the whole story on ff.net so follow that link to read the story as a whole. I’m also going to update all of the tumblr posts so all of them have a single tag that doesn’t have all the other posts about the story that aren’t actual updates.

If you’re looking for somewhere else to read it where it’s a little easier than tumblr, it’s available on AO3 and ff dot net under the same username. I won’t link to those for the same reason as above. Sorry - you can thank tumblr for that.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Mike asked as he and Stef walked out of the school.

“I’m fine, Mike.”

“Really? Because you seem off.”

“I’m just a little emotional, alright? I just dropped my kid off for his first day of school.”

“I know. I did, too. But this seems like more than just that.”

“Yeah, well, not all of us drink until we don’t feel anything,“ Stef muttered under her breath.

“Well now I know something’s wrong. That was a low blow even for you.” There was a bite to his words and Stef immediately regretted her snide comment.

“Mike, I’m sorry. That was a shitty thing to say. I know you’re going to AA and you’re really working on it and… I’m really glad.” She sighed and rubbed her hand across the back of her neck. “I don’t know… I guess I am in kind of a weird mood.”

Mike stopped them, putting his hand on her arm. Genuine concern shone in his dark eyes.

“What’s going on, Stef?”

Stef shrugged and looked down at her shuffling feet. Guilt crept up her spine. Lately, he was so much more the man she remembered. He was so different when he was sober and she recognized this person. The one who was kind and funny. The one she had built a family and a life with, who she had tried so hard to convince herself she could love.

“I don’t– it’s… it’s nothing. Just one of those days, y'know?”

“Sure.” Mike looked at his watch. “Look, Stef, I’ve got some time before my shift starts. We could go get a cup of coffee, talk about it if you want.”

Stef licked her lips and swallowed as her guilt grew stronger. She tried to smile but it just pulled tight at the corners, uncomfortable and awkward.

“Thanks, Mike. Not today but uh, maybe a raincheck?”

“Sure, okay.” Mike nodded. He searched her face and Stef was reminded that, even with all that had gone on between them, Mike still knew her better than almost anyone. “Take care of yourself, Stef.”

A small smile tilted her mouth to the side.

“You, too, Mike.”

Mike kissed her cheek for the second time that morning and she walked to her car wondering how she could bring herself to hurt this man who, after everything, still loved her.

The hours at home alone dragged on and Stef was grateful kindergarteners only went for half days. How many times since her son was born had she wished for him to be in school so she could have some peace and quiet and some time to feel like herself? Of course, that was before the separation. She had more than enough time to herself now that Brandon was regularly at Mike’s. Now she cherished all of their time together and didn’t want to lose even a second of it. Just like when he was at Mike’s, the house was too quiet without him and all it did was give her mind time to run in endless circles.

She was wracked with guilt about Mike and the hurt she was going to cause him. And Brandon. She hated that no matter what problems she and Mike had, she was always going to be the reason her son’s family was broken up. But spending the morning together like the happy little family she wanted them to be hadn’t been enough to convince her. In fact, it had done just the opposite. Seeing Lena for just a moment had made her feel more than she had ever felt in all her years with Mike. Now that she understood why, she knew that Lena was right. She couldn’t go back. No matter the consequences, with Lena or without, forward was her only choice.

Stef left the house to pick up Brandon as early as she reasonably could and was waiting with a dozen other eager parents outside the classroom. When he walked through the door with his backpack hooked over his shoulders and a smile plastered on his face, she bent down and caught him as he flung himself into her arms. The smile on her face was as big and full of joy as his.

“Ooh, my baby!” She squeezed him until he grunted then released him only to kiss his cheek over and over. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you, too, Mommy.”

Stef gave him one more quick hug before standing back up and offering her hand to him.

“Are you ready to go home?”

“Do I get to come back tomorrow?”

“You do!” she said with a chuckle. “In fact, you get to come back every day until Saturday!”

“Okay! I’m ready!” Brandon beamed up at her.

“Alright then. Let’s head out to the car and you can tell me all about your first day of school.” Brandon took hold of her hand and they headed down the hall.

Brandon chattered non-stop about his day all the way to the car. He was deep into a story about a boy who got hurt during recess as Stef got him buckled into his booster seat and she listened with intent. She wasn’t sure she had ever heard him talk this much for this long before. Her heart was soaring by the time she got in the car and they were on their way home.

“It sounds like you had a really great first day of school! What was your very favorite part?”

Without hesitation Brandon said, “When I saw Lena.”

Stef’s head snapped up toward the rearview mirror.

“What did you say?” Just the mention of Lena’s name had her heart beating faster.

“Sorry, I mean, um, Miss Adams?” he said, his face scrunching with confusion.

“No, baby, I didn’t mean…” Stef shook her head, impatient to get more out of her son. “You saw Lena at school today?”

“Uh huh,” Brandon confirmed, nodding his head and grinning.

“What, uh… When did you see her?”

“At recess! I asked if she was having recess, too, but she said no. She said she just came to say hi to me.”

“Oh. That was very nice of her,” Stef said, trying to keep her tone neutral despite the pounding in her chest. “Did she, um, say anything else?”

“She wanted to know if I was having fun at school. I said yes because I got to do art. She said she loves art.”

“Art certainly is a lot of fun. Anything else?” she prompted again.

“She said if I ever need help at school to tell her. Do you think she will help me write my ABCs? Mrs. Atkins had us do five letters and it was so hard!”

“I think she probably means if you get lost in the hall or something happens that upsets you,” Stef said, a hint of laughter coloring her words. “That was a very nice thing for her to offer.” She felt a twinge in her chest, grateful that Lena would look out for her son that way. “Was that it? Was that all she said?” Stef felt a little uncomfortable grilling her five-year-old for info but she was desperate to get everything about Lena she could out of him.

Brandon looked down at his lap, a crease forming between his eyebrows.

“What is it, love?”

“Um…” Brandon picked at the hem of his shorts. “She said another thing but…” he trailed off and glanced up toward the front seat.

“Brandon?”

“Well, um, she told me not to tell you… But you said if a grown up ever tells me to keep a secret that I should tell you, right?” His face was contorted with confusion and Stef felt just as conflicted. She knew just as well as Brandon’s intuition did that Lena’s secret wasn’t one he needed to tell so making him tell her felt like an invasion of privacy. But she also knew consistency was important and she would rather Brandon overshare now than under-share in different circumstances. Never mind that she was desperate to know what Lena had said.

“That’s right,” she said after a moment, ignoring the inkling of guilt already nagging at her. Brandon stayed quiet, his eyes drifting up toward the rearview mirror. Stef smiled at him. “It’s okay, love. Lena’s not gonna be mad at you for telling me. I promise.”

When Brandon spoke again, his words came slowly.

“Um… First I said, ’When are you gonna come over again?’ and she said, ‘I’m not sure.’”

“Mhmm,” Stef encouraged when he paused.

“Then I said, ‘I miss you,’ and she said, ‘I miss you, too.’” Brandon stopped and looked down again.

Stef looked back at him, confused.

“Was that… Was that it?”

Brandon shook his head.

“What, baby?”

Brandon took a deep breath, then continued. “Then I said, ‘Mommy misses you, too’ and she said, ‘I miss her, too,’ and that’s the part I wasn’t s’posed to tell you.”

“It’s okay, bud. You did the right thing, okay?” Even as she soothed her son’s worries, Stef couldn’t ignore the way her in stomach danced. Lena missed her!

“How come she said not to tell you?”

“Uh, well, sweetie, I think she just probably, y’know, didn’t want me to feel bad.”

“Are you guys in a fight?”

“Wh– uh, what? No, we’re not– Why would you ask that?”

“Because Lena doesn’t come over anymore. You and Daddy used to be in fights a lot and now Daddy doesn’t live with us anymore.”

Stef sighed to herself. How had her little boy ended up with so many grown-up worries? She wanted nothing more than to uncomplicate his life but it seemed the adults in his world, herself most of all, were making that impossible. Part of her wanted to be angry at Lena for putting Brandon in the middle. It seemed so unlike her. She had always been so good with Brandon, so conscious of what she said and how she said it. It was so unlike her to tell him something like that and expect him to keep it a secret. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more Stef started to wonder… Was it possible that Lena had wanted him to tell her? Was she banking on his honest nature to make sure Stef knew? It seemed impossible and yet… Her heart started to skip.

“No, baby, Lena and I aren’t in a fight.” She didn’t make it a habit of lying outright to her son but maybe… Maybe it didn’t have to be a lie. Not if…

“Then how come she never comes over anymore?”

“We’ve just… Well, we’ve been busy, I guess.” Stef glanced back at him in the mirror. “You miss her a lot, huh, bud?”

“Uh huh.” He nodded for emphasis.

“Me, too.” She tapped her thumb against the steering wheel, her mind racing. “How would you feel about seeing her more often?”

“That would be awesome! Lena’s the best!”

A slow grin spread across Stef’s face.

“Yes, she is,” she said quietly.

There was a voice telling her to shut up, that she shouldn’t even be entertaining any ideas right now because Lena had told her it was over. But she couldn’t hear that voice over the chorus of possibilities that were running through her mind. Now she was convinced that Lena had been watching her that morning. What if it didn’t have to be over? What if that wasn’t what Lena wanted? If Lena really wanted the clean break she said she did, why would she seek Brandon out to check on him at school, to make sure he was okay on his first day? Why would she tell him that she misses not just him but Stef, too. Obviously, she still cared about him. About them. And they both loved her.

Adrenaline surged through Stef as she pushed away any nagging doubts and grabbed back on to the last shred of hope she had thought was long gone.

“I have a couple of things I have to do first and I have to talk to Lena but… I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we get to see Lena a lot more.”

When Brandon whooped from the backseat, Stef laughed, not even trying to contain the brilliant smile spreading across her face. She was planning. There was no guarantee that it would work. Lena had already given her the opportunity, more than once, to do what she needed to do and Stef hadn’t taken it. There was a good chance she and Brandon could both still end up broken-hearted. But Stef’s heart was already broken and now… Maybe she had a shot at mending it. It was a long shot. She knew that. But she wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, even when the odds weren’t in her favor, and if better late than never was all she had, she was going to run with it.

#otp: adamsfoster #adamsfosterfic #jty #the fosters #fanfiction #written by lifesizehysteria

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deltaengineering · 7 years ago

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Summer Anime 2018 Part 1: Nurupo

I feel bad for calling last season weak now, since that turned out okay, what with Megalobox, Hinamatsuri and Rokuhoudou (the best show you didn’t watch). Maybe this is a lesson to not be so negative, but all the positivity in the world can’t make this season look good. To balance it out, I’ll be bringing along some hot opinions from people getting paid to see the bright side this time.

P.S. Part 2 is here.

Island

What: A very Frontwing version of When They Cry, apparently. Awesome McCooldude wakes up on an island full of pliant girls and/or dark secrets.

✅ looks alright

❌ story is tryhard mystery nonsense based on convenient amnesia, very unlikely to deliver

❌❌ an absolutely terrible cast of generic VN characters, enjoy your common route hijinks with them

❌❌ Frontwing being Frontwing, please see picture.

ANN sez: “This episode accomplishes the two things that it absolutely must for the series to have a chance of succeeding: it makes the main trio of girls endearing enough and layers on some intriguing mysteries.”

Hanebad!

What: Some girls take badminton very seriously. Somewhere between genocide and extinction level event seriously.

✅ well animated and directed

✅ there appears to be more to the characters than nothing at all, so the overbearing presence of the drama llama might actually pay off

❌ has a tendency to wallow in ostentatious KyoAni-style presentational kitsch

❌ speaking of which, making the cast of Euphonium look like a bunch of carefree slackers by comparison is not a good thing

ANN sez: “From the lush colors of their school's flowers to the alienating saturation and long shots of their gym hallways, every mood HANEBADO strives for is captured perfectly through its visual storytelling, and solidified through fundamentally sturdy dialogue and plotting.”

Senjuushi

What: Touken Ranbu with firearms.

❌ This is a cute boys doing cute things anime set against a backdrop of global thermonuclear war and combining the ultra seriousness of ufotable TR with the slice of life tone of Doga Kobo TR makes for a very, let’s say, “uneven” experience.

❌ Unsurprisingly, it has the production values of neither of the above and looks like crap instead.

❌❌ The localized title is “The Thousand Musketeers” and given the reckless pace in which it introduces pointless characters, it might actually hit that number in 12 episodes.

❌❌ Mobile game character designs must be stopped, for fuck’s sake

ANN sez: “The story itself has some promise, especially if you're a fan of antique guns.“

Shichisei no Subaru

What: VRMMO light novel garbage about MMO newtypes.

❌ High tier light novel tropes like “u die in the game u die 4 real”, grade schooler magical girlfriends and demigod abilities

❌ Yes, the characters start as grade schoolers and then there’s a timeskip where they become high schoolers. They don’t change at all, which is either cutting commentary on arrested development or an indication of how good this show’s writing is.

❌ Ideas like permadeath in an MMO and giving good players a stake in the game company are hilariously stupid even by this genre’s standards.

❌ You’ve seen this exact cast of characters before, likely in better shows.

❌❌ There’s really no single egregiously bad aspect, but the stank of mediocrity is so overwhelming as to deserve a double minus all of its own.

ANN sez: “This episode banks heavily on the appeal of its mysteries, but those mysteries actually are pretty appealing, and I ultimately respect this episode's choice to introduce so much of its world and characters before getting to the real conceit.”

Banana Fish

What: A well regarded classic manga about New York’s seedy gang underbelly of drugs and violence. And BL.

✅ ✅ Looks good. Like actually, legitimately good. Animation, character design, directing, this show is quality.

❌ Updating the setting to contemporary times seems like a not so great idea since everything about this is deeply steeped in the mid-80s gang violence and drugs panic, no matter how many smartphones get used.

♎ The pacing is ultra fast. While I will admit that I’ll take that over a snoozefest (especially in a seasonal rundown), if this wants to be a legitimate high tier anime it needs to let the atmosphere breathe more. 24 episodes isn’t much for a 19-volume manga.

❌ I’ve praised MAPPA for promising first episodes before, and then I got the likes of Yuri on Ice and Virgin Soul out of it. This is not an anime original so it will be harder to fuck up, but life finds a way - especially given the need for condensing the story as noted above.

❌ Ultimately, just being a classy production with proven writing isn’t the be-all-end-all; quality aside, I still have to like what it does, and I’m not sure what amounts to a homoerotic 80s crime B-thriller is exactly in my wheelhouse.

✅ What else are you gonna watch this season?

ANN sez: “The one negative I can foresee is that one character is portrayed as a fairly stereotypical gay sexual predator, and this story pitches itself consistently as a seedier exploration of its boys' love subject matter, so it's reasonable to expect these kinds of details going forward.”

Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100-nin no Ouji-sama

What: Girls get their wish-fulfilment isekai nonsense too, it’s just a pretty pointless definition when you can just say “basic otome harem” instead. But sure, nondescript girl wakes up in fantasy dream universe where she has a magical trait that makes a large number of princes desire her. Call it what you like.

♎ Successfully avoids the most obnoxious otome harem and isekai tropes, but that just makes it even more bland

❌ lots of exposition about an universe that is hardly complicated and transparently an excuse anyway

❌ Main character is agreeable but exceptionally boring

❌ The princes are all generically princely and very little else

❌❌ combine that with sluggish pacing and this might be the most boring show so far, which is not an easy feat

ANN sez: “There were also some neat details here and there that I particularly appreciated, like the fact that our heroine is actually a working adult, as well as the idea that rather than being “trapped in a new world” she's in truth been returned to her home.”

Back Street Girls

What: A trio of yakuza thugs get a forced sex change because their boss wants to be an idol producer. It’s funny, laugh.

❌ This is not the warm, fuzzy trans acceptance anime you’ve been looking for, to put it mildly. I am not easily offended, but it would have to be pretty darn good to outrun this premise. Yeah, about that...

❌❌ runs its one joke (idols are not supposed to be thugs, like, at all!) into the ground before it exceeds a 3-minute short runtime; is actually 24 minutes long anyway. Hope you really like that joke.

❌❌ the execution of said joke is the pits of anime comedy, nothing but reaction faces and shouting

❌❌ production values are basically non-existent, at most you can say that they took the time to color in those manga panels

❌ learning that Chiaki Kon is directing this pile is just sad, put THAT in your auteur pipe and smoke it.

ANN sez: Nothing, since western licensors mysteriously chose to skip this one. Really a shame because I was looking forward to the outrage.

Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu

What: It has “Isekai” and “Maou” in the title so what do you fucking think. What it doesn’t tell you is that it’s also about an MMO, for the full LN shitter nuclear triad.

❌❌ It’s about a loser otaku who gets trapped in his MMO wherein he has the mostest hax, complete with complementary slave pettan catgirl and slave oppai elf

❌❌ This is meant to be funny because he’s too much of a dweeb to put his penis where his mouth is.

❌ Technically better executed than Death March or Isekai Smartphone, so it gets one single minus for effort.

ANN sez: “The idea that Takuma is so insecure about talking to other people that he can only comfortably speak in the voice of his demon lord character is ingenious in a dramatic sense and endearing in a personal one, while Takuma's clear understanding of his personal failings makes him far more sympathetic than the genre's usual snarky protagonists.”

Satsuriku no Tenshi

What: Early teen girl checks herself into Silent Hill General Hospital for grief counselling.

✅ Atmosphere works reasonably well; it’s creepy where it needs to be, which is everywhere and all the time.

❌ The girl is a nonfactor blob and the tough guy she gets paired up with is an annoying chuuni edgelord (it is called 𝔄𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔩𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 after all), which is not promising for the long run

❌ So obviously based on a run-of-the-mill spoopy RPGmaker freeware game you can practically see the floor tiles.

❌❌ 24 solid minutes of Getting Cornered By A Rape Metaphor quickly goes from unsettling to incredibly tedious.

❌❌ There’s really nowhere for this to go, given how unoriginal everything is; at best it’s going to be “it was all a dream”, at worst “everyone was dead all along, please feel sad now”.

ANN sez: “The design of the facility is one of those fanciful every-level-is-a-different-setting worlds, but the artistic effort strongly pushes the creepiness factor with a design aesthetic that suggests age, decay, and neglect.“

Harukana Receive

What: Girls play beach volleyball in scenic Okinawa, some light sports drama seems to be on the horizon.

✅ Looks just good enough

✅ Girls are just cute and likeable enough

❌ the sports aspect is weak; maybe I’m just spoiled on Emiya-san’s incredible beach volleyball scene right now, but even when not compared to a top tier studio ostentatiously flaunting the budget of their fucking cooking short the match here isn’t very compelling.

♎ where Hanebad has a bad case of the cereals, this may have the opposite problem of being too cotton candy to be worth it

✅ “good enough” is not a ringing endorsement, but counts for something when being just okay will net you a third or possibly second place of the season.

ANN sez: “This is, of course, all just conjecture right now. ”

Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro

What: We took Nichijou and replaced the surrealism with video game references and the production values with donkey dung. Let’s see if delta notices!

❌❌ Production values are not optional when you want to be Nichijou; it being astoundingly over the top and imbued with impeccable timing is a (or even the) main part of Nichijou’s appeal. Without them you’re left with basic reactionface manzai over awkward situations, the king of comedy.

❌❌ Suffice it to say, this show is 100% trying to be funny, while also 100% not succeeding at being funny.

❌Asscreed is a more original tentpole to rotate your first episode around than the usual Dragon Quest, but not by much.

♎ neurotic nerd main character that is little more than a bundle of social anxieties will be #relatable to anime professionals, observe:

ANN sez: “Chio's overthinking in this situation is both hilarious and painfully true-to-life, with her furious strategizing coming across as both absurd and very familiar to anyone who's not comfortable in conversation.”

Planet With

Wat: Appears to be a tokusatsu/crypto-mecha show aimed at the younger set, with the gimmick being that our protagonist is (initially?) on the side of the villains(?).

✅ Pretty wacky, actually. It definitely doesn’t neatly fit in your square notions of what an anime is, man (unless you’ve watched FLCL).

❌ It seems very uncertain whether the wackiness is in service of anything. It might be To Be Heroine, or it might just be Heybot with fewer fart jokes.

♎ Furthermore, it wants to be intriguing and sort of is, but merely being intriguing is not that hard - you just make no sense and hope for the best. This has the not making sense part down, do you feel lucky?

❌ tries to build up characters by immediately going for the sad flashbacks, which I never like, especially if the rest of the show is eIDLIVE-level nonsense.

❌ Looks mostly fiiiiiine, but is also full of subpar CG

ANN sez: “So if the heroes are fighting against someone who just wants peace, then what does that make them? And more importantly, if they find out that the bears aren't evil, will they stop?”

Hataraku Saibou

What: A cutesy educational comedy about the workings of a human body.

✅ Well made, characters are cute, topic is interesting.

❌ Educational aspect can get in the way; I’m not suddenly giving heavy exposition a pass just because it’s trying to teach me something, especially if it’s things I basically already know.

♎ Will have to show if it can keep coming up with good scenarios. The lung infection in episode 1 was alright and so will probably be the skin cut in the preview, but beyond that I’m not sure what’s left for red and white blood cells to do. I’m not expecting a show with this tone to tackle things like retroviruses, if you know what I mean.

♎ An actual storyline seems like too much to expect, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but not a positive either.

✅ Doesn’t rock my socks off but is an easily watchable show with a fine idea and high production values, which again is hard to say no to right now.

ANN sez: “But since it culminates in one of my favorite scenes from the manga, visualizing sneezing as shooting a torpedo out your nose, I can forgive the random gendering of cells.”

Ongaku Shoujo

What: DEEN are getting in on the idol mobile game anime biz too.

✅ The main character’s gimmick is that apart from being A Honk, she can’t sing for shit; this is moderately funny.

❌ It might have counted for more if that hadn’t come out seconds before the episode ended. Even if it isn’t a momentous twist, it was more of a point of interest than the incredibly bland leadup to it had.

❌ Yeah, “Ongaku Shoujo” is an entirely indicative name of how generic this show is: Music + girls, indeed. I assume “Idols” was taken.

❌ I’m still not sure what the ideal cast size of a show like this is, but 12 idols is Idolmaster turf and as such too many. They have personalities? I think?

❌ a very small handful of cuts aside, woeful production quality; I know picking on DEEN is 2ez but this is not their finest work. Animation snobs can feel proud that there’s no CG dancing here, for the rest of us it’s an object lesson on why CG is the lesser of two evils.

✅ Tumbling SR cards in the ED (which is probably actually the OP) made me laugh; this show can’t even afford URs.

❌❌ Overall, just another idol show. Large cast plus presence of a P-san marks it as Im@s-type – but if you're in the market for an Idolmaster clone with bad looks, I would recommend Wake Up Girls instead because that’s at least pretty real at points.

ANN sez: They’re out for the weekend, ask again later. I suspect it’s nothing funny.

#anime #impressions #summer2018 #banana fish #island #senjuushi #hanebad #shichisei no subaru #yume oukoku to nemureru 100 nin no ouji sama #Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu #back street girls #satsuriko no tenshi #harukana receive #chio-chan no tsuugakuro #planet with #hataraku saibou #ongaku shoujo

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radishfictiononlinecheat · 5 years ago

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Radish Fiction Online Cheats

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This replace includes consumer interface upgrades and minor trojan horse fixes to decorate your radish enjoy. Jordan murphy and aubrey rinehart walk you via how those apps operate and how they allow you to start your day with nowadays, discover indie music the use of appgrooves' 3 top apps! You could find the hottest new tracks from indie tune artists and how you may aid impartial artists. We're going to display you a way to discover new on this video, appgrooves capabilities 3 of the first-class apps that assist you to take a few healthy hikes or walks. Jordan murphy suggests you ways these apps work and the way they are able to make your stroll a little greater in this video, appgrooves capabilities 3 of the fine apps that assist you to create your very own podcast. Charles expects little more than to just like the girl he to start with unearths as doll-like, but her love for his dogs (he's obsessed with the spaniels; his mistress hates them) and her innocent goals start to interrupt thru his resolve to hold her at a distance. In flip, charles fears the interference of his spouse inside the way his mother almost ruined his father-and all of england-along with her desires. And inside the midst of this, the married barbara, female castlemaine, is bearing charles's 2d toddler, whilst her husband stews, his delight unwilling to meekly take delivery of the title charles has bestowed in change for his spouse. It truly is around 126 Coins which is about $15.00 (with a % of Coins that has a reduction no much less). Yet if you visit amazon wherein that writer has published the equal book, you could get the exact identical aspect for everywhere among $zero.ninety nine-$4.ninety nine ethical of the tale, be smart with your money and test if they have it on the market on kindle/someplace else. But also this is quite messed up onradish's part. Thanks for reading, bye. The concept is good—providing hard working authors with money for their time and effort. Narrative is a key component of the human experience that can be traced back to pre-literate societies that relied on oral communication. It is therefore acutely susceptible to social, cultural and technological changes. The industrial revolution, which gave rise to serialization the first time around, drastically altered patterns of human behavior just as the digital revolution is doing today. The rise of the printing press facilitated broad new methods of distribution, which allowed the serialized novel to flourish, as first evidenced by the success of charles dickens's the pickwick papers. The bookburners writing team is full of pros from across the industry: max gladstone (who we talked to about season five and his other writing projects), margaret dunlap, brian francis slattery, mur lafferty, andrea phillips and amal el-mohtar. If you're familiar with ellen kushner's riverside fantasy series, beginning with swordpoint, you've already got a great hook to start this concluded serial: tremontaine is a prequel to the adventures in the novels. It also serves as a great introduction to kushner's world for those unfamiliar with her work-or any of the other excellent writers on the team, including alaya dawn johnson, malinda lo, joel derfner, racheline maltese, patty bryant, and paul witcover. But the cast doesn't stop with familiar faces: new characters include a korean tiger-goddess, frost giant mercenaries, and a charismatic, gender-fluid space pirate.this is the first prose serial collaboration between serial box and one of the big comic publishers, featuring the writing team of aaron stewart-ahn, jay edidin, brian keene, and yoon ha lee. If you love it (or prefer a different hero), keep an eye out for the forthcoming marvel titles black widow, black panther, and jessica jones, or the upcoming dc serials the flash: rogues. I hope this can be fixed! I love the app and the stories. But if i'm gonna spend real money on Coins to pay for books, i'd really like those Coins to be usable when i want to use them. It's obvious you're trying to get us to blow more money on this. They had this reading contest wherein you had to read 150 chapters to get 50 Coins. I had only 1 coin so i decided to wait for other chapters to become free. "you're just going to convert to phones. "reading as a vertical isn't going to go away," he goes on. "it's competing with vr, video games . . . But reading is an everlasting format. So how do you reinvent it on the phone?" Wattpad has had the most success so far in adapting novels for the mobile age. A toronto-based site and app that allows its mostly young, female fans to directly engage with authors and even comment on specific paragraphs, wattpad has accrued over 45 million users. As the best android emulator for gaming, memu offers you the best gaming experience. Fortnite mobile is confirmed not to be avaliable on google play, this post is about how to play fortnite mobile android version on pc with memu. All radish — free fiction & chat stories materials are copyrights of radish media inc.. our software is not developed by or affiliated with radish media inc.. Your blog is extremely a https://www.assignmenthelper.com.au/ decent stage to get enlightening posts. It is extremely an accommodating stage. I foe the whole hour but can't find a way to access radish live and missed trivia for my favorite novel... When i first got the app, i really enjoyed how different it was from others that i have had. However, it recently became more of a frustration than anything. They haven't had an event where you can earn Coins recently. For a full time grad school student, i can't afford to pay for Coins every month and valued the free events. Genres and categories included on the site are romance, ya/teen, fantasy/sci-fi, general, mystery/thriller, lgbtq+, late night, and paranormal. I have found radish's ya content to be particularly robust. Although i haven't explored the community chat rooms, the app does contain that feature if you like the ability to connect directly with authors. For voracious readers, romance and ya in particular, i really can't think of a better app that allows you to utilize your smartphone for reading. The free content within radish makes it comfortable to explore the app, and there are new and exclusive books by really exceptional authors. They'll put you out there to publishing companies and other people interested in your writing. Maybe you get an advertising contract, things like that. But i weighed the pros and cons and decided radish was the better way to go." And so in february 2016, thier began to also post his stories on radish, where the latest in his series of historical romance novels, silence is golden, has been read over 650,000 times. Thier wouldn't disclose how much money he is earning, but lee says it's a five-figure monthly income. Their latest move is the release, on march 29, of omnibus versions of several of their collected serials (all featured below). Keep an eye out at your favorite third-party digital bookseller (amazon, ibooks, etc.) For text-only collected episodes from: told over the course of four novellas, all published in 2016, this mythical medieval japanese epic features a disinherited lord, courtly intrigue with the heirs of the lotus throne, and a sorcerer who creates a mask for a young man, capturing within it the spirit of a great stag.

#radishfictiononline #radishfictiononlinecheats #radishfictiononlinecoins #radishfictiononlinecheatscoins

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megamikethomson · 5 years ago

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dancesontheedge · 8 years ago

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An age and a half ago, @tavsancuk tagged me in a 10 characters in 10 fandoms meme. I am finally filling it. I have laid myself some ground rules. I will choose and present to you, in no particular order, my ten favorite male characters. I will also include explanations for my picks. I am strongly considering doing a mirror post with my ten favorite female characters with explanations. Also, some of them are coming with fic recs. Sorry not sorry. Most of those recs will route you to FFN. That, I am a little sorry about. Since this is explanation heavy, I’ll put it under a read more.

Finn (Star Wars) This fabulous man turns his back on everything he has ever been taught because he realized it was wrong. He broke more than a decade’s worth of programming to free Poe Dameron, and then he went back for Rey despite his fear of the First Order. That takes serious guts, and I have so much respect for his character.

have you heard by peradi Finn sparks a stormtrooper revolution.

Jess Mariano (Gilmore Girls) Jess grew so much over the course of the series. We did not get to see most of it happening, but he went from a really messed up, angry at the world teenager to a well-adjusted and very successful adult (based on what we’ve seen). Also, though he and Rory had their issues as a couple, he was the only one of her boyfriends who she did not feel the need to change for.

Of Books and Music by once-was-serendipity. Instead of cutting off all contact with Rory when he left in season 3, Jess sent books with his margin-notes to Rory. We see him deal with all of his shit. Pay the Piper by Iscah McKrae. Immediately after Rory’s disastrous visit to Philadelphia, Shane contacts Jess to tell him they have a daughter who she wants not part of. Jess winds up taking full custody. Incomplete. Truths Universally Acknowledged by 12cubed. A Jane Austen report assigned by Mr. Medina spirals out of control as Taylor announces a Jane Austen festival. Season 2 style Rory/Jess pining. Tide and Moon by once-was-serendipity. Jess and Rory’s relationship over seasons 2 and 3 plays out a bit differently. Mostly, Jess get’s his shit together earlier. Incomplete.

Zuko (Avatar the Last Airbender) Over the course of the series, Zuko realized that his father was evil and everything he had been taught (by someone not-Uncle-Iroh) was either a lie or immoral. Once he finished being in denial about it, he took action, ultimately changing sides and working to atone for the wrong he had done when he still believed in his father.

Embers by Vathara. At the beginning of season 2, Zuko discovers the secret of healing fire, and then things get super AU, super fast. Lots of worldbuilding, and I swear to god this author’s a goddess. Has been described as “Atla in the style of Game of Thrones, minus the sex” Mismatched by Kimberly T. In season 1, Zuko discovers an Earth Kingdom baby with mismatched eyes. Because local superstition claims the baby is a witch-child and bad luck because of it, Zuko adopts him. This speeds his realization that everything he knows is wrong by quite a bit. Incomplete. Second Nature by lazyartisan. At the end of season 1, Zuko is captured at the North Pole. Angst ensues. Essentially, the author upped the stakes and ignored the “kids show” genre. Incomplete-ish. The author told the story she wanted to tell, but ends the story at the end of season 2 rather than resolving everything. She may eventually update again, she may not. Another Brother by AvocadoLove. Zuko was scarred much younger than in canon and is found by Chief Hakoda almost dead on a Fire Navy ship. Hakoda takes him in, and he is raised in the Southern Water Tribe alongside Sokka and Katara.

Steve Rogers (MCU) Steve Rogers’ moral compass is so on point it’s honestly terrifying. His entire morality basically boils down to “I don’t like bullies or trust the people in power not to be bullies,” and honestly that’s the kind of role model we all could use. He is uncompromising, but he’s right with an alarming consistency. And he’s genuine, which warms the cockles of my own way-too-honest heart. (It should, perhaps, be noted that this is why Benjamin Tallmadge is my favorite Turn character and that these traits are reflected in one of my most formative female characters, Keladry of Mindelen.)

Serenade by CSI Clue. Happy fic. Steve gets a girlfriend and everything is adorable. Choice is Not a Word a Bullet Knows series by bomberqueen17. Winter Soldier followup, so much poly capfam, at least one really awesome OC. A Pretty Boy with a Bird Tattoo by Kryptaria and rayvanfox. Steve/Bucky/Nat OT3, punk college AU. My favorite of their collaborative works (because Nat), but their other stuff (stucky, all of it) is super awesome too. Source Code by Closer. Steve is tired of everyone thinking he’s a robot clone or whatever the conspiracy theory of the week is. Freezer Burn series by Domenika Marzione. Comics/MCU mashup that follows a different Avenger in each of the major stories. Freezer Burn follows Steve, Thaw follows Clint, Revenant follows Nat.

Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds) Spencer Reid gets put through such shit by the Criminal Minds writers (and the fandom, honestly. We love to watch him suffer), but he continues to be dedicated to justice and peaceful solutions. In addition, he is one of the biggest nerds and genius’ on TV, and is generally way less obnoxious and improbable about it than others of his type. It should be noted that I am not up to date on this show, having missed almost every episode that aired while I was at University, and that I am refusing to watch the current Reid-in-prison-without-his-memory arc. Because that was a bridge too far.

Foxtrot Whiskey Bravo by Kuria Dalmatia. Reid and Elle have a friends with benefits relationship. Very unangsty for my possible Reid picks. The Comstock King’s Daughter by TheKnittingLady. Reid/OC. Reid and his date get kidnapped by an Unsub, things go better than they could. The least depressing/angsty story by this author, the story by this author requiring the fewest content/trigger warnings. This author is *very* good, but her work is pretty messed up. Writes almost exclusively Reid-centrics, usually Reid/OC. Liar by Addicted Archangel. Reid is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Somehow not as angsty/whumpy as the current canon storyline. Begins with his conviction, ends with his release.

Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables) Honestly, who doesn’t love Gilbert? Pining away for Anne and being generally adorable. No long winded explanation here, but can we all just take a second, think of Gilbert Blythe, and smile?

Blythe Spirit and Unromantic Ideal by Morte Rouge. The first three books of the Anne of Green Gables Series from Gilbert’s POV. I promise it’s not repetitive. Some grammar issues.

Christopher Perry/Halliwell (Charmed) This tortured soul happens to fall right in the middle of one of my favorite tropes: Time Travel. Chris travels back in time to prevent his older brother, the most powerful witch to ever live, from turning evil and taking over the world. He lost literally everyone, led the resistance, watched his brother kill his fiance, and when he went back in time was hated by the younger versions of his family for being so driven and not letting them have a life and also for breaking up his mother and father (they, of course, did not know who he was). Also, he’s a sarcastic little shit. It’s like he’s the definition of my preferred angst-button.

A Pair of Ragged Claws by cunneware. Wyatt’s most deadly assassin arrives from the future. It is revealed that she has been magically enslaved by Wyatt, and when that magic is lifted, she decides to aid Chris in his mission to prevent Wyatt from turning evil. Ultimately, it is revealed that Chris is the sisters’ son/nephew. The Last Horcrux by Stonage Woman. Crossover with Harry Potter, AU from book 6. Taking place in the original future where Wyatt is evil, with all the accompanying super-depressing things that come along with that. Harry is in his 40s, still fighting Voldemort, and essentially adopts Chris. If you would like to know where my angst-o-meter sits, this one registers at like an 8 of 10.

Edmund Pevensie (Chronicles of Narnia) Edmund is generally a shit in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Nobody will argue that point with you. What’s important to me is how he grows. He decides to become worthy of Aslan’s sacrifice. He decides to live up to his sobriquet “The Just.” He acts to atone for his selfishness and live a life of service.

Harold and Morgan: Not a Romance by rthstewart. This is super a romance. Edmund got married in Narnia to a banker from the Lone Islands. It’s adorable, and I’m quite convinced she’s on the autism spectrum. The Stone Gryphon ‘verse by rthstewart. The Pevensies deal with being back in WWII England, mostly by being ridiculously badass. Not a whole ton of Edmund yet, but it’s awesome, I love everything about it, and could hardly write Narnia recs and not include it. Letting Go by Lirenel. Prince Caspian AU in which Edmund arrives separately from and substantially before his siblings because he wasn’t holding their hands at the train station. The Ledbury Run by Maddy Carr. Back in England, Edmund and Peter participate in a cross-country race and find in their path a downed German paratrooper.

Simon Tam (Firefly) Simon had it all. He had money, he had his dream career, he had parents who were pleased as punch to have him as their son. He gave it all up to rescue his sister from government experimentation and subsequently became a fugitive. He has some trouble adjusting, as you can imagine, from golden child to desperate man on the edges of society, but he never considers going back. Not once. Because his sister was more important to him than all the accolades he could earn.

Alec Hardison (Leverage) Hardison is a hardened criminal. Ish. He takes immense pride in his hacking ability and would be offended if I said he was one of the best in the business. Because he’s the best. But really, Hardison’s a soft touch. He was the one most easily convinced to join the Leverage team and use his crime powers for good. His first heist? Hacking into the Bank of Iceland to pay his Nana’s medical bills. He decided that the Leverage crew was his family, and promptly adopted them all. He’s the team-builder, the block they all built on. He provided the space, he provided the nurturing eye, he paid attention to what his team members wanted and gave it to them. Though he’s a criminal, he’s the moral center of the Leverage crew. Also he’s a giant nerd and completely hilarious.

The Justice League Job by Eatsscissors. Casefic about a stolen comic book. Hardison/Parker.

#i was tagged in a thing #favorite male characters #honorable mentions include #briar moss (tamora pierce)#ben wyatt (parks and rec)#and #benton fraser (due south)

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