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tothedarkdarkseas · 3 years ago

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The way Vampire AU has taken off has really warmed my heart! So many great thoughts all round. I sent you some elaborations on my own personal headcanons for it as a submission, just for the fun of it. Enjoy!

Hi! I got your submission last night and read over it-- it's very elaborate, you've clearly put a lot of thought into fleshing this AU out and it sounds like a ton of fun. I know you mentioned at the end that you had no intentions of writing it because you're busy with other fandom projects, but I'm sure there are many who'd be interested in reading your ideas if you ever decided to make a sideblog for it. I'll post your submission for others to read below a cut here so that the post won't be too long on the dashboard, and I'll reply to some of the specifics underneath!

Yes! I have so many more thoughts on a vampire AU, I figured it would be easier to put them in a submission. Hope you don't mind.

The concept is just so fascinating to me, because so much of it lines up perfectly with the character dynamics we're given in the canon, and what doesn't has the potential to expand on and explore those dynamics in a really interesting way.

I agree 100 percent about the tone it would have to be written in. An actual brooding, dark prince Murdoc type of thing wouldn't work for me. (Murdoc would try to play up that persona, but in reality, he'd be far from it.) In my mind, the tone would be half What We Do In The Shadows and half Being Human UK. Four misfits living in a mouldering mansion somewhere, getting on each other's tits - but deep down they've got each other's backs. There's a bond, even if they can't quite explain what it is.

In my mind the bloodlust would function as an addiction. Murdoc is no Mother Theresa but he's not comfortable with indiscriminate murder either. (Guilt and self-loathing is not a good combination in Murdoc.) Knowing there is no in between for vampires - you can't have a sip here and there, it's abstinence or nightly slaughter - he stays teetotal from blood and tries to channel his desires into other addictions instead. Any and every addiction, really. Drugs, booze, sex, theft, you name it. Which is how he comes to be doing donuts in a stolen car in a Tesco car park, at the exact same time Stuart Pot is making a midnight run for condoms and Tango.

I picture Murdoc's turning of Stu would be this confusing moment that even he can't fully explain, so he's always switching his story about it. One day he'll say he didn't want to deal with the police, another day it'll be vampire enforcers he was afraid of - "total killjoys, they'll bung you in a blood-filled coffin for a hundred years over the TINIEST infraction". Other days he comes close to admitting he felt guilty, that he flipped out over the idea of killing someone after all, when he's dedicating all his energy to avoiding doing just that. Sometimes he just calls it a moment of madness.

But in every vampire movie, there's that moment. The moment where the newly-turned vamp rises from the grave as this beautiful unearthly creature of the night, and I mean . . . this absolutely would be Murdoc's experience of it. He's almost convinced himself there aren't real vampires like that, that it's all Hollywood bollocks, and then Stu rises up in front of him like some black-eyed, blue-haired god, and the part of Murdoc that isn't utterly gobsmacked by it can't help resenting the little sod for making it look so easy. Murdoc likes to take the piss out of him and claim he's like one of those Lost Boys California pretty boy vampires, but he's jealous really.

I imagine Murdoc would be similarly mercurial about how he was turned. There's always some hyperbolic story about it, designed to paint Murdoc in the best light. Sometimes he was the premier occultist of his day. Sometimes he sold his soul to the devil for immortality. Sometimes he was turned by a beautiful vampire seductress, who was bitter he broke her heart. It's all bollocks. The truth is definitely something less glamorous, and I would imagine actually much sadder as well? I'm not sure what, but I'm picturing something like Murdoc's father being some small-time occultist who sold his son to vampires, or maybe Murdoc was working some menial job and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe he was turned by some vampire who would have drunk him dry, if Murdoc hadn't fought him off. Or maybe it's a bit of mystery, like the mystery of his mother in canon. Someone did this to Murdoc, someone made him what he is, but he has no memory of it. And all the different stories are actually partly a coping mechanism for that, as he tries on different explanations for size. (It would also explain why he would refuse to abandon Stu after turning him. Because navigating this new reality alone is something he wouldn't wish on anyone, even some dumb kid.)

I think the supernatural element would also be a great way to expand on and deepen Murdoc's relationships with Russell and Noodle. In supernatural fiction there are always two types of beings that hate each other. Usually vampires and werewolves, but often vampires and ghosts too. As, obviously, vamps can't drain ghosts, and they spend their lives running from the guilt of all the people they've killed. Ghosts are a constant reminder of that - and of the afterlife they both fear, and resent that they were denied. I can picture Russell maybe helping Murdoc exorcise the ghost of Hannibal or Jacob, and that's how they meet. (And why he has more patience with Murdoc than most. He's seen him at his most vulnerable.) Noodle would be great as a vampire hunter too. Her dynamic with Murdoc would be fraught as on the one hand, she respects Russell and venerates him for his connection to the spirit world, so to a certain extent anything he says she'll try to respect. And Murdoc is supposedly reformed, and she has moments where she even almost quite likes him. But her instinct is not to trust him. Her instinct is to put him down, and they both know it. As much as he battles his bloodlust around her, she battles her urge to put a stake through his heart, Van Helsing style.

Finding out he turned someone would be a MAJOR ruck in their relationship. But I think Murdoc would use 2-D to convince her and Russell to stick around - because he turned him, but it wasn't like he was chowing down on the lad, it was practically an act of charity, really. Practically an act of atonement. And if they both leave now, Stu is only left with Mr Bad Influence Murdoc Niccals, to teach him how to be a vampire, and restrain his urges and whatnot. And Murdoc has never been much good at all that AA, 12 step stuff, so unless they WANT poor sweet Stuart Pot to wind up spending eternity as some kind of crackhead . . . it would be a kindness to him, really, to stick around.

I could not agree more about how Murdoc turning Stu would mirror their Phase Two dynamic, with Stu literally having become "the thing Murdoc turned him into", and resenting that. But also, having moments of perverse gratitude for it? Stu is vain, and vampire Stu would be gorgeous, which I reckon he'd love. And though I think he'd hate that his normal life of footy with the boys and Sunday dinner at his mum's was over, I can also imagine him feeling this whole new world has opened up in front of him, something most people aren't special enough to gain entry to. And he likes that.

I can even see the fame thing and the band happening. Music would be a great, healthier way to channel the urges he can't act on. And I can see Murdoc agreeing. Admitting that he's been playing in bands for years, because it's actually a great cover for a vampire lifestyle. Being nocturnal is practically a prerequisite, when you're a rock star, and you can get away with looking all kinds of weird when you're in a band, because people just chalk it up to the aesthetic. Still, until he met 2-D, none of the bands he'd been in were actually any GOOD. 2-D reawakens his love of music, the same way he is the turning point for Murdoc's career in the canon.

Vampirism would also be a great way to explore Stuart's flaws. His vanity is an obvious one, but I can also see him avoiding his family and not letting them know why he'd disappeared for years. Just too self-absorbed to appreciate the harm it's caused. I can also see the pill problem happening as he imitates Murdoc's habit of abusing substances to try and blunt his bloodlust. I can imagine him saying stupid stuff like "you never even took me to the hospital!" and convincing himself he experiences phantom headaches, because he doesn't want to admit he's becoming just like Murdoc, actually. He tells himself the pills are medicine and he really needs them, and it's not the same at all.

And I can see him getting too carried away with his lusts, and having several near misses or disastrous incidents where he brings girls home and loses control of himself. Where Murdoc jumps in and saves it from getting too out of hand, but at the same time exposes how he's basically been stalking Stu "for your own protection", with a side of decidedly voyeuristic intentions. Stu has . . . strong (and somewhat confused) feelings about this.

I think Murdoc would be the same trouble magnet in the vampire underworld that he was in the criminal one. Feelings about Murdoc range from "this unwashed oik should NEVER have been allowed to become one of us" to "I WILL STAKE MURDOC FAUST NICCALS IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO". Murdoc would definitely continue his streak of petty crime any time he entered the hallowed halls of the vampire hoi poloi. He'd be pilfering left and right. And I can't imagine he'd ever kowtow to the aristocracy, which, in a subculture as obsessed with class as vampires . . . yeah, he's insolent, to say the least. And they hate it. They just hate Murdoc, generally. I imagine 2-D might consider crossing over to the dark side to join them, to spite Murdoc, before eventually he realizes that - amazing as it sounds - even Murdoc has higher moral standards than these people. Maybe he's better off with the devil he knows.

I love what you said about Murdoc and Stuart being hung by the same rope, for all eternity. That's exactly the dynamic I think a vampire AU would bring about. I also think Murdoc being Stu's vampire sire would be interesting in the romantic sense, as part of them would always second guess if that was the reason for the bond they feel. Are they developing feelings, or is all of this just the blood bond? I can imagine Stuart hating his own inability to judge why he feels so drawn to Murdoc, and I can see Murdoc trying to convince himself any possessiveness or pride or protectiveness he feels over Stu is just what all vampires feel when they turn someone. (Even though it's not.) It would be a potent brew.

Anyway, this was long but I will never have the time to actually write this (I have five WIPs in other fandoms already) so I thought I'd let it out somehow. Thanks for giving me the space to talk this over!

(If anyone wants to run with this and make something of it, by the way, have at it! Just credit me somewhere for the idea. That'd be good.)

This was quite a ride! I love the idea of Stuart Pot's mortal life ending when he's mowed down in a Tesco car park buying condoms and Tango. It's cruel to say it's what he deserves and frankly the complete antithesis of the whole conflict I'm begging for, but... it's what he deserves. I'm also very intrigued by the angle of treating bloodlust as an addiction: it could theoretically be overcome, but practically speaking, rarely is. This makes it easy to see how Murdoc spins off into such a cartoonishly extreme life of debauchery. I love the bit about Murdoc changing his story of what happened, both the night he hit Stuart and his own origin-- the difference being that Stu does know what happened to him, whether he ever chooses to believe Murdoc's ever-shifting justifications for it or not, but no one can ever really know where Murdoc came from except himself. I definitely agree that the truth has to be less glamorous, less thrilling, less worthy of tales and legends. I like Stuart and Murdoc best when they are not men born into greatness nor men born for greatness, not inherently, and I love the private grappling with the belief that they are special and the fear that they probably aren't. Your explanation of the foil-like dynamic between vampires and spirits/ghosts is interesting, I don't know if that's an established piece of vampire lore or if that's your own invention, but I think it's a really solid one. I don't know if I've truly seen those two creatures explored in a world together with such a direct emphasis on that ghoulish ecosystem, so to speak.

And, well, I'm quite predictable but I'm ready to invest $5k in a full novel exploring Stu's estrangement from his family and friends following the transformation, the psychological toll it takes to choose-- though he may feel he has no other choice at all-- to abandon those relationships, how his own descent may mirror Murdoc's as he shelters himself in chalk-tablet excess and a vibrant, at times frightful carnal life to distract himself from the guilt. I'm dying to see how he could approach mending those fences again after years away. It isn't something one sweeps under the rug, isn't something that he can make amends for. This sort of thing shatters a family, and in my imagining of Rachel and David, it certainly shattered his. This kind of permanently-marred family drama really captivates me and is something I don't think we should shy away from in stories about addiction, and it would be fascinating to explore the human element of that against the metaphorical monstrous one.

I love what you mentioned about the "blood bond" and how it factors into the pull between them they're too unsettled to really name. This adds an extra layer of confusion, as you say, and better justifies why they find themselves orbiting each other, pretending there's a blood-coloured chain tethering them and ignoring the heavy weighted padlock in the middle that pulls them down, down, down. I've spoken a lot on this blog about why Stu is participatory in the relationship when he dislikes Murdoc in such a profound way, and while I absolutely never tire of the messy, bleak human weakness and ego of that, it would be quite special to explore that with something that almost feels like an excuse for Stu, a macabre justification entirely out of his hands; it gives him permission to be part of this broken spiral and absolves him of the responsibility of acknowledging his choice. I'd like to think he still lives with it, as Murdoc does too, but they may appreciate the safety of the smokescreen as much as they struggle to see through it.

Thanks for sending me your ideas, I hope other readers will enjoy seeing your elaborations, and if you're having fun thinking about these two goons I'd encourage you to consider making a blog. Sometimes you get lucky and draw in people who are incredibly kind!

(Lastly, unrelated fun fact about vampirism in my life: my first job was playing a vampire at a haunted amusement park. Our "Scare Zone" was designed as a junkyard taken over by a vampire gang, and I was the "queen" with a throne made of old tires. It was... a fun job and also not a fun job, haha.)

#anon au #thank you!

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mimymomo · 5 years ago

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Okay so I’m an idiot and accidentally deleted this ask so here I go redoing it...

Eurydice gets pregnant a few years after the events of Hadestown. It took the couple some time to really get “intimate on that level” but they worked up to it and regained their trust to even higher/deeper than it was pre-Hadestown

It was early Fall and there was Eurydice, in bathroom, dizzy and throwing up for the 3rd time that week. She had been feeling bloated and nauseous for over a week at this point and it was effect her daily life, Hermes and Orpheus had sent her home due to nearly falling over at the bar. Eurydice had thought it was only a bad bug and that she would be fine but as weeks passed, the nausea had only gotten worse and other symptoms began to pop up: she was constantly tired and her mood would swing like on a pendulum and she would have to pee like crazy

Then she realized...period was late

Eurydice had always been hesitant about getting pregnant- the world was too uncertain for her to even dream about it yet here she was...

She didn’t tell Orpheus right away, she wasn’t 100% sure and her mind there was no need to tell him unless she completely and totally sure, saves him the concern (aka Eurydice was terrified of what his reaction would be. She knows he would most likely be over the moon but that didn’t stop her anxiety)

Orpheus on the other hand is freaking out. He sees his wife vomiting and exhausted and then there was an incident where he wrapped his arms around her chest after she got out of the shower and Eurydice had yelled in pain that scared the bejebus out of him. But she was not telling him anything,sticking to her “having a bug” story! The poor musician had been worried sick about his lover for weeks at this point but he tries not to pry and invade Eurydice’s privacy

It takes Eurydice nearly another month and a half to tell Orpheus. She waits until she starts the tiniest bit showing to confirm her suspicions. She can’t deny the truth any longer: she’s most definitely pregnant

Telling Orpheus isn’t has hard as she expected: she waits until she gets a day off and spends it preparing a nice meal (well nice by their cheap standards). She changes into one of Orpheus’ old shirts that won’t accentuate her new slight belly bulge. When Orpheus gets home the two eat dinner as normal but Orpheus can tell something is off, Eurydice is oddly quiet and dazed. At this point, Orpheus has had enough and asks Eurydice what’s truly going on

Eurydice doesn’t respond verbally and instead walks over to Orpheus and places his hand on her stomach. Orpheus doesn’t get it for a full minute until Eurydice quietly whispers, “I’m pregnant.” Cue the boy being stunned

Orpheus, like Eurydice was expecting/hoping, is over the moon and immediatelystarts crying and laughing in pure joy. Eurydice smiles and cries too, ‘why was I ever worried?’

Orpheus and Eurydice tells Mister Hermes the next day. Orpheus is speaking so fast it takes Eurydice to clearly tell the god the news

The rest of the pregnancy is full of it’s own challenges, as fall and winter drag on , the couple has to worry about food and firewood and now carrying for a pregnant Eurydice and soon a new baby

Eurydice is tried and reckless all at the same time. Her small frame doesn’t make carrying a kid easy but she learns more about her body in these months than she has in years shed been alive. Plus, there’s small moments that she truly enjoys (feeling her baby kick for the first time, rubbing her hands on her protruding stomach as a reminder that it was her and her husband’s love that got her here, waking up from naps to hear Orpheus whispering songs, stories and promises to their unborn child)

Persephone comes back up top around the 6th month range and is shocked beyond belief at the state of the couple. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t extremely happy, she had been not so subtly trying to get the youngsters to birth a child for years (she may or may not have had an ongoing bet with Hermes and hades on when it would inevitably happen...she won)

A new bet is made all throughout the bar on what the baby is gonna be. Persephone and Eurydice bet boy while Hermes bets girl. Orpheus doesn’t care what gender the baby is/isn’t, he’s just happy that they’re gonna be here and his. The total in the bar is boy: 7 girl: 11

Seph teaches Eurydice to knit/crochet and together: Eurydice makes baby blanket and Seph crochets a hat, mittens, footies and even a bunny wearing suspenders and white shirt with red flowers by one ear...(Seph has been doing this for much longer than Eurydice)

Eurydice’s water breaks a month early which gets the socks off of Orpheus. Eurydice tried to be the calm one but she’s nervous too (and in an immense amount of pain)

Persephone and some townsfolk help Eurydice in labor while Hermes keeps Orpheus grounded. During the actual delivery, Eurydice nearly breaks Orpheus’ hand and slings multiple threats/curses at her husband which at first he took to heart but Persephone tells him it’s just the pain talking

After a few hours and 4 big pushes, Eurydice gives birth to a small, silent infant. The quiet sends the new parents into a panic until a few seconds that felt like hours later, the piercing cry breaks out into the room

It’s a little girl

The town helpers clean the baby off and place the wailing child on Eurydice’s chest: her skin smooth, wrinkly and redish-tan, head covered in a thick tuff of dark black hair (when the baby does open her eyes they’re a beautiful hazel just like her fathers)

Orpheus and Eurydice are sobbing messes. Orpheus doesn’t let his wife or his daughter go

The two name their daughter Hyacinth (Cici for short) and she’s the happiest, most giggly baby, always smiling and giving a gurgle or a giggle and rarely ever crying (which is a relief on the young parents)

She is music bug just like her dad. The quickest way to to calm her when she’s in one of her infrequent tantrums is to sing to her (Orpheus wrote a “no more tantrum” song that the parents as well as Persephone and Hermes, uses for these specific situations)

Hyacinth is always being held. The poor baby doesn’t learn to crawl/walk until late because she was held so much

Her first word is “la” but her first actual word is “mama” and Eurydice definitely “doesn’t” she does cry. Orpheus openly cries

Remember that bunny that Persephone made? Hyacinth names them Poppy, not after the flower but her Papa since it looks like him

Hyacinth hair grows extremely fast and Eurydice often braids it back and weaves flowers into her hair. You know those Barbie doll heads that let you practice hair? Yeah, that’s basically Hyacinth at this point but she loves having her hair done so she never minds

Hyacinth’s favorite color is orange and she begs for an orange scarf/bandana. Her reasoning: orange is the color between red (Orpheus’ bandana) and yellow (the color of Eurydice’s scarf)

I debated heavily if I wanted this to take place in the MCU (Miko Centered Universe) or not, but I decided that more people would probably appreciate it if I stopped injecting Miko into everything I write. But you do want this in the same universe, the list would virtually be the same thing except Miko would be there as well and instead of being worried about being a mom, Eurydice is worried about the size of her family growing and how Orpheus and Miko would react. Miko is hesitant and thinks that Orpheus and Eurydice are trying to replace him with a blood related child because they no longer want him anymore and even tries to run at one point. But Orpheus and Eurydice quickly tell him that that’s not the case.

#man i love writing baby hcs #hadestown #orphydice #orpheus x eurydice #orphydice parents #sorry this is really long

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surveys-at-your-service · 6 years ago

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Survey #193

“i’m stronger than i ever knew; i’m strong because of you.”

What’s one item the dollar store is good for? Candy. What’s the last thing you made out of construction paper? A "cover" for Sara's first V-Day present. What’s the last thing that inspired you? I'm not sure, really. Probably some video. Are you a daredevil? No. What’s one thing you are lazy about? Cleaning. Do you prefer tea to be cold or hot? Tea is a no from me. Do you ever get annoyed by the stupid decisions characters make in books? Not really annoyed, seeing as making mistakes is sometimes a necessity to the plot, but I'm more like, "no one would ever do that irl," especially in the horror genre. What’s one thing that’s annoying you about the book you’re reading now? N/A What’s the most boring thing about your life right now? You would almost assume I'm under house arrest because I can never leave my fucking house. What could make your life more interesting? Being in school, have a job, or have Sara live here. Name someone you know who is truly happy. My nephew. He's only two, but. I have never seen a happier human being. Do you have trouble letting friends go when you need to? It depends. Do you have trouble letting things go? Depends as well. How cluttered is your apartment/house/room? My room's decent, but the majority of the house is kinda messy or just unorganized. Do you have any antique furniture? No. What’s the most you’ve ever spent on a purse? Idk, certainly not much. Where would be the most fun place to do a 24 hour challenge in, do you think? Probably an amusement park. Would be creepy as fuck at night too, and I'd liiive for it. What’s something you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t got around to yet? A lot... like resume studying German. I haven't decided to yet because I question the real usefulness of it; I want to go to Germany, but that may never happen, and I could probably manage just enough with what I know. It may end up just being wasted time and effort. What was the best class trip you have ever been on? 5th grade visit to the zoo. Did you have your own room as a child? No, I shared it with Nicole. Maybe Ashley was with us for a while before being given her own room? Idr. Have you ever shared a room? See above, then with Jason in the old apartment. If so, was having a roommate hard for you? As a young kid, Nicole and I liked sharing a room, but as I especially got older, I really wanted my own. With Jason, no. Do you own a lot of clothes that don’t fit you anymore? Yes, some I hope to shrink back into or are just stored for nostalgia. Where do you donate old clothes? Goodwill and some other place idr. Do you enjoy antique stores? Oh. My. God. Yes. What are five things you inherited from your mom? Somewhat slower metabolism I think, depression, are seasonal allergies genetic?, height, and hair thickness. What are five things you inherited from your dad? PACING, this little short huff-ish laugh thing he does at the end of some sentences, no common sense whatsofuckingever, and enjoying games. Do you enjoy grocery shopping? Noooo. Do you enjoy clothes shopping? Only at stores I like, and if I don't have to try things on. Do you own footie pajamas? Omg nooooo, haven't since I was a kid. They had to be so uncomfortable. Which America’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer performance was your favorite? I haven't seen/remember enough. Do you watch America’s Got Talent? I did religiously until Sharon left. If you were to host a '90s party, which 3 shows would you like to run? That '70s Show, Full House, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. What was your favorite thing you collected as a child? Webkinz. I was that one kid who had dozens. Whose house was your first sleepover at? My first best friend, Brianna's. If you had a daughter, would you allow sleepovers? Of course with girls, but I probably wouldn't allow a boy to stay overnight until she was at least 16 due to the risk of her getting pregnant. Which do you like better, your first name or your middle name? My first. What are some ways that pop culture has helped you learn historic or scientific facts? Oh, video games and TV shows definitely have. There must be plenty of other things, but. Blanking. Have you ever had a job in which you felt that you had nothing to do? What was the protocol in that situation (e.g., surfing the web, taking on the job of co-workers, or pretending to work)? If you have not, do you think it would be lucky or unlucky to have such a job? N/A; I wouldn't enjoy an extreme lack of work, but definitely some time to like wander around the Internet and such. Having too little would be super boring, and I'd feel very unproductive. Have you ever intimidated or made another person feel legitimately threatened? If not, do you think that you could ever be seen as scary? I felt horrible when I found out Mom's been legitimately uneased before because of how loudly I can scream at Bentley and/or Teddy when I'm really pissed. I've been working on it since then. In what ways do you or would you need to be validated by a partner? (For example, liking your posts/talking about you on social media, or perhaps by doting on you with gifts.) Above all, I need to be reminded that you love me, that you're not leaving (unless of course there's good reason to), AND THAT MY ILLNESSES AREN'T BECOMING TOO OVERWHELMING. As well, with how I physically am now, I need to know that my weight doesn't bother you. That's all I can think of atm. When you are having a hard time emotionally, what are some of the telltale ways that you act out or that your personality reflects your struggles? I admit I speak before I think and can be very snappy and sarcastic. I become extremely pessimistic and cry easier than I already do. My stability in general is very fragile when I'm struggling. Do you tend to succeed by weaning yourself off of something or by quitting cold turkey? WEANING. I never would've survived dropping soda (for the time I did) if I hadn't weaned down. Well, quitting meat cold turkey during my vegetarian phase was easy, but most things, I'd still say weaning. Is there a specific type of pet breed/size/etc. that you don’t want? Why not? I wouldn't want huge dogs due to so much energy, nor would I want arachnids or insects. Or fish because they bore me so it just feels like a total chore to clean the tank. I wouldn't want most birds due to all the noise. Also not interested in blood pythons, as they're notorious for being aggressive. Have you ever lived in a notoriously dangerous area? If not, would it bother you to do so? Yup. Has a friend’s significant other ever interfered with or damaged your friendship? What about a significant other of yours damaging a friendship? I don't think so for either. What, if anything, is something that you put pressure on yourself about? What do you imagine would happen if you did not live up to this expectation? Achieve complete financial comfort. If I don't, after how I've grown up, I will be borderline (if not seriously) devastated and disappointed in myself. I also put immense pressure, an amount I know is unhealthy, on myself about losing weight, and if I don't achieve that, I don't know what I'd do. I've worked and still work so hard to. If you have been in a serious relationship, have you and your partner ever discussed lifetime plans that clashed? Did you reconcile them or did you break up? If you have not been in a relationship, what are some issues that would be deal-breakers? In the beginning of mine and Jason's relationship, it was casually mentioned I didn't want children while he did, but we didn't worry about that at the time as we had a long time to figure that out. I later decided I wanted kids together, anyway... Would you ever believe I wanted three back then???? If you have favorite names or names picked out for your children, where did you learn of the names or when did you fall in love with them? I can't remember where I heard Alessandra, but I immediately thought it was gorgeous. I fell in love with Damien because of fucking Mayor Damien from Who Killed Markiplier? Yes, I would absolutely name my son after a Markiplier character, fight me about it. What is one item that you have recently been coveting? Do you think that you will actually get it? Why/why not? A new laptop more than anything... and soon. Dad's working on it as a Christmas + birthday present. Do you still have both of your parents? They're alive, but divorced. Do you like being sensually bitten? UGGGHHHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS. If you wear eyeliner, what color do you use? Only ever black. How many colors are in your hair right now? One, but with natural highlights and undertones. Do you have your full license yet? No. Working on it. Are you into gory movies? If the gore is a realistic amount. Have you ever been locked in a room forcefully without anyone knowing? No. Do you have the same color eyes as your mother? No. Does your significant other boss you around a lot? No. Have you ever been drunk? If so, do you get drunk regularly? No. Do you consider yourself a loner or a social butterfly? A loner, but I'm sincerely trying to branch out at least some. Have you ever been put to sleep for surgery? Yes. What is your favorite online smiley face to you? I like ;v; but rarely use it because people can't seem to decide if it's an extremely happy and teary face (what I see) or a sad one???? What is something that freaks you out no matter what? OH GOD thought of this because I passed a video of a pregnant sphynx on FB today. I. Cannot. See a fetus moving from the outside of its mother's stomach. It absolutely, thoroughly horrifies me to the point I may scream. It's one of the million reasons, if not the main reason, I never want to be pregnant and why I say pregnancy would likely traumatize me, especially feeling it. Are the lights in your room more dim or bright? I'd say my ceiling lamp is a tad dimmer? Do you take a lot of photos? No. I'd take far more "photography" pictures if I actually had things to and a way to get around... When you were little, did you think band-aids healed everything? Maybe? Have you ever had a pregnancy scare? A completely unrealistic one. I just missed my period one month, I guess out of stress, a change in meds, something like that, and I was panicking that it was a pre-cum pregnancy, even with protection (aka, thin underwear, which sperm can't travel through). I was an anxious mess until my period did come around. Anxiety is fun. Do you have freckles? If so, do you enjoy them or hate them? I don't. Where do you download music from? YouTube. Do you have a laptop, desktop or both? A laptop. If you have a job, do you work with any of your friends? Do you like that job? N/A When did you last look in a mirror? Last time I was in the bathroom. What are you most known for? Probably that I'm very reserved and anxious. What was the last movie you bought for yourself to watch? I don't think I've ever bought a movie myself. If you have any animals, do any of them live in the house with you? They all do. Would you rather have curly or straight hair? Straight. What is one thing you think is gross about the human body? Sweating. Ever make a friendship bracelet for someone? As a kid. Would you say you have extreme morals? "Extreme" seems a bit far, but I have rather strict ones. What have you been made fun of for the most? I've been teased by so many people, family especially, about how I stay on the laptop or am on my phone, and I fucking hate it. Seriously, don't bring it up. I have reasons. Do you watch any television shows from other countries? I don't watch any TV shows currently. Who is your most favorite television/movie villain? Television... probably a character I can't say as their position of being a villain is a massive spoiler of the show. Or Fullmetal Alchemist's Envy, especially in Brotherhood. Movie, Dark Alessa from the first Silent Hill. Have you ever been stabbed by something? A pencil. Maybe other things. Well, do piercings, tattoos, or shots count? How many pillows do you normally sleep with? Two. When you have chocolate, do you eat it room temperature? Or are you like me and stick the bar into the fridge first? I like it room temperature. Chilled doesn't sound all that appealing. What’s the most shocking thing that’s happened in your part of town? Idk, maybe a murder or something? Are there any constellations you recognize just by looking at them? The Little or Big Dipper, idk which is which. Which insect do you find the most beautiful? Butterflies! Do you like gardening? If so, what do you grow? No. Do you enjoy puzzle games? If so, which one’s your favorite? Yeah, probs Sudoku. What is a job you would never in a million years want to do? Teaching, to name just one. What’s the weirdest building in your city? *shrugs* Do you recognize friends’/family’s vehicles by sound? No. Which Disney villain is your favorite? Probably Scar. Or Hades, I loved his character. Which possession would you not want to inherit from a relative? I dunno. Fancy china or some shit I'll never use or break. Is there an ex you think about every day? You know... maybe Jason. Tiny things will trigger quick memories/thoughts about him a lot of days, maybe actually most, I guess as a PTSD thing. He played such a huge part of my life and drastically changed it, so it's hard not to. I don't give him deep thought or anything and they're typically emotionless; just for example, if I heard Motionless In White, my head would immediately connect them to him as his favorite band, then the thought's over. AND I JUST WANNA SHARE BECAUSE I'M PROUD AS FUCK that today was our anniversary date, and this is the first year I feel zero pain or attachment to it. Would you ever go back to any of your past relationships? No. What's the worst thing you have ever said to anyone? Probably some evil shit I said in that letter to Dad. Who was the last person to text you before you went to bed last night? Sara. When was the last time you had a conversation with an ex? I talked briefly with Girt a few days back. Is there a guy who knows everything or almost everything about you? Jason did. Who was the last person to annoy you? My stepmother with the stupid political shit she shares on Facebook. I love her a whole lot, but oh my god. I regret even adding her. Do you have any text messages that you don’t want other people to read? I wouldn't be mortified or anything, but there's some I want private nevertheless. Which room in your house tends to be the coldest in the winter time? The laundry room, the first room of the house from the backdoor. There's no AC in there, and because there's a draft with the door, it gets cooooold. What is something that you fear will happen to you in the future? (Also Why) I won't be financially stable. That's all I've known so far, and the stress of it is unbelievable. What criminal (dead or alive) would you like to sit down and talk to and why? None. What is the most interesting documentary have you watched? Meerkat Manor. :') Where is your brother? In Tennessee. Last person you cussed at? At? Not in the presence of? Uh, I think I playfully called a friend/family member a bitch at some point? When did a parent last tell you, you couldn’t do something you wanted to? I was craving a Sonic shake a couple days ago, but Mom didn't wanna drive out that far with low gas. Last time you took a picture? A few days back. Our camellia bush is blooming now, and some of the flowers are falling, and I visualized a beautiful shot looking down at one, but no matter what I did, the damn camera wouldn't focus just enough. This is such a frequent problem that I think something may be wrong with the lens. I cannot wait for new ones. Next time you will see the last person that made you cry? Who was it? Myself, so, lol. Next person that will call you? Likely my dad about our laptop hunt. Last person that was at your house besides family? A delivery guy. How many friends do you have? I don't know who are really my old friends, friends, and true friends nowadays. Few. When were you born? 11:20 or 11:30 A.M., I forget. Who are you closest to in your family? Mom. What program on your computer do you use the most? Chrome. Would you ever consider getting plastic surgery? Not unless I was in some sort of freak accident. What is your favorite breed of dog? Akita inus or Saint Bernards. Are you a fan of anime? Yeah. What is your favorite kind of cookie? Soft chocolate chunks. Ahhh. Where is your favorite city? I don't have one. Do you get bored easily? Very. What grosses you out the most? The most? Oh man, idk. Probably seeing bones clearly broken and at gnarly angles, or strange bodily shit like botflies being pulled out (I physically refuse to watch things like that), and giant pimple/cyst popping is fucking disgusting. I do NOT understand how some find it satisfying. Or, as mentioned earlier, seeing fetuses move from the outside. Have you ever been to the circus? In elementary school. I don't remember it. What’s the longest word you know? Uhhh, "brobdingnagian?" Do you use teeth whitener? No, but God knows I want to. Do you think war is an acceptable way of solving problems? NO. NO. NO. NO. Were you a bad child when you were younger? No. What is your favorite type of exercise? Swimming. Do you live near any volcanoes? No. Name one word that you always have trouble pronouncing. Almost everyone points out how I put a "d" in "breakfast" after the "k." I have to consciously think in order to not. Tell me something about yourself that you don’t normally tell people. The fact I enjoy RP. Do you have any songs that seem to fit your life perfectly? Perfectly, idk. Have you ever tried “planking”? Oh wow, I forgot about that fad. The exercise form of planking, yes. Do you trust yourself with big responsibilities? Usually not. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? So there's this local dessert place I go to exclusively for their ice cream called "campfire delight" that surpasses any ice cream I've ever had. Out of basic flavors, vanilla. How many people have you truly fallen IN love with? Two. Where was your mom born? Somewhere in New York. Have you ever seen your siblings naked? Well duh as kids. As teens/adults, I think I've seen Ashley like once. Now Nicole, she has no shame and used to walk without a care into the living room to grab clean clothes lmao, and she never cared if I needed to come into the bathroom for whatever if she was in there after she got out of the shower. What can always make you feel better no matter what? Show me that video of Mark witnessing for the first time that "nasa peepo" shit lmao. I will at LEAST smile. What did you last order from a restaurant? A double cheeseburger and fries. And what restaurant was that from? McDonald's. Did you ever really believe in the tooth fairy? Yes. Would you ever get your legs waxed? Likely not. Are you listening to music right now? "Roots" by In This Moment. When was the last time somebody hit on you? lul Sara yesterday, I think. Was the last person you met a male or female? Uhhh who was the last person I met. I really don't know. Which one of your friends do you feel most comfortable around? Sara. Do you own a map of the world? No. Who did you last spoon with? Sara. Does your family eat dinner together? No. When eating string cheese, do you dive right in or just peel it? I don't like string cheese. How do you get rid of your hiccups? Nothing works for me. Do you know how to take screen shots on your computer? Yeah. Do you have a blister anywhere on your body? No. Do you remember what your last fortune cookie said? No, but I think I recall thinking it was stupid. Do you like Chinese food, Mexican food, or American food better? American. What do you think of off-brand soda? Doesn't bother me. Do you like hot, cold, or lukewarm showers? Usually hot. Do you grit your teeth a lot? No. Do you like to swing? Ye. How about jumping on a trampoline? Haven't done that in years, and it would probably wreck my knees. Do you have long arm hair? No. Is your hair healthy? Very. How often do you wash your hair? I have to every time I shower unless I want it greasy, so every other day or sometimes one more. Do you love Family Guy, or hate it? It doesn't bother me. Do you like kids? I don't hate them, but being around them long enough tests me. How often do you like to have sex? Sara and I aren't at that point yet, so I can't really say. If I'm still the same, Jason and I did so every few days, and if I didn't see him in like, almost a week, I'd definitely want it. Do you throw shit under your bed? No. Do you like Dairy Queen? Sure. Have you ever actually drank warm milk? Ew, no. Do you prefer to have milk when you eat cakes/cookies? Every once in a while for cookies. What is your preferred brand of chocolate? Ohhhhhh I can't remember its name. It's one of the "fancier" kinds. Do you like white chocolate? No, too sweet. Are there any movies/shows you’ve seen so many times you’re sick of them? I don't think so. What about songs you’ve heard so many times you hate them? Not hate. Have you ever eaten snow? Yeah, as a kid, and here in the South, there's also this tasty treat called snow cream that you make with fresh snow. Are there any metals that turn your skin green? Silver. Do you know anybody who gets feminism confused with misandry? BOY DO I Do you talk to your pets? Seriously curious, does anyone not? When you do, is your tone different from when you talk to humans? Usually. Do you like using terms of endearment? Yes. Describe yourself with 3 fictional characters. Okay so I'mma actually think here... HA FIRST I am the Actual Eric Derekson, Max Caulfield (tho I give myself just enough credit that I am not that cringey), and Katniss Everdeen, if I remember her well enough (and I only read the first book/saw the first movie). Are there any numbers you dislike for any reason? No. Do you own/wear any jumpsuits? No. Have you ever adopted a stray? (Cat or dog) Cats, plenty. What’s a movie you think more people should see? Idk. Do you read about any mythology? (Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, etc) Haven't since high school, but I'm very interested in it. If you do, do you have any favorite gods/goddesses? Maybe Artemis. Do you think it’s prettier when the moon is full, or a crescent? Full. Have you ever been to a planetarium? Does the Kennedy Space Center qualify? Have you grown to dislike your first email address? Lol, I'll admit it's embarrassing when I have to give it out. Have you ever gotten angry at an employee and complained to the manager? No. What songs bring back happy memories for you? "Closer" by The Chainsmokers, "Leavin'" by Jesse McCartney, "Pretty Woman" by Van Halen, "All Time Low" by Jon Bellion, "Caroline" by Aminé, "I'm Not A Vampire" by Falling In Reverse, a few Billy Joel songs, a lot of old Train songs, "Let Me Hear You Scream" by Ozzy... a lot. Are there any smells that bring back happy memories? Probably? Oh, pancakes and sausage or bacon cooking, for one. I just remember the occasional times as a kid Mom would make breakfast.

#survey #quiz #questions #random

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morfinwen · 7 years ago

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#2, 5, 7, 10, 16, 25, 32, 40, 45, 52, and 60, please! :)

You didn’t specify characters, so i guess i’ll just have to answer each question for all most of them!

Since i have so many, i’ll be grouping them.

The quartet (Christopher “Chris” Hardie, Reagan Travers, Angela “Angie” McKendrick, Neal Fairchild) are my usual go-to characters when playing a game with some kind of role-playing element, but also have versions of themselves in a more ordinary world, which is typically the one i’m thinking of when i answer questions about them.

“Heaven and Earth” is a story i’m working on with my sister. Characters from this work include Lanzo Ramsey, Ashley “Ash” Jackson, Conri “Connie” Lowell, Aidan Michaels, Nate Vasquez, Niner, Q Free, and Amanda Wheeler.

Next group are video game specific characters - Leah Tolkien from Fallout 4, Elarin Is-Ha'Arel from Knights of the Old Republic, Meaghan Caoilfhionn from Knights of the Old Republic 2, and Avery Hawke from Dragon Age 2.

Lastly, my other original fiction characters, the Raines siblings (Kira, Darcy, and Susanna) and Ian Grayson and Lauren Winston.

In case it isn’t already obvious, this is going to be a long post, so the actual asks and answers are going under a read more.

2: Where does your OC work?

Christopher is an theater actor/musician. He’s not tied to any huge corporations, so work can occasionally be a bit thin, but he’s dedicated and talented enough that it hasn’t caused him many problems.

Reagan has an uninspiring office job of some type. It’s not her passion, but it pays the bills.

Angie and Neal, no idea yet.-Lanzo’s worked a lot of odd jobs. Currently working as a bartender at a magical people-only bar.

Ash does enchanting work on a freelance basis.

Connie … haven’t nailed down his career yet. Something in the sciences.

Q is a bike messenger/courier, also for an occult-only company. At this point in his story, he has not realized this yet.

Niner and Nate are unemployed.

Amanda is a reporter for the local newspaper. -While Leah, Elarin, Meaghan and Avery have a lot to keep them busy, they don’t have specific careers; unless you count keeping their respective homelands/worlds safe as a career.-Kira, Darcy, and Susanna are too young for jobs, unless you count school.

Ian and Lauren work for a blues musician’s crew in some capacity, also not nailed down yet.

5: How old is your OC?

Chris: Early 30sReagan: Late 20sAngie: Mid 20sNeal: Mid 20s-Lanzo: Over 600 (vampire)Ash: Early 30sConnie: Early 20sAidan: Little over 100 (phoenix)Q: Late 20sNate: Early 20sNiner: Mid 20sAmanda: Early 30s-Leah: Mid 20sElarin: In her own game, 27; five years later when KotOR 2 rolls around, 32Meaghan: 30Avery: Mid to late 20s -Kira: 15Darcy: 13Susanna: 11

Ian: Early 20sLauren: Early 20s

7: Is your OC in a relationship?

Most of them are not, because most of them haven’t had their stories completed.

Chris had a couple girlfriends in high school and college, none of which lasted very long. He wishes he’d taken them a bit more seriously, but he parted with all of them on good terms, so it’s not a deep-seated regret.

Neal had his heart broken once. He’s not eager for that to happen again.-Lanzo’s present-day relationships rarely last long enough to deserve the term. In the past, he has been married four times. He has no desire to make it five.

Ash met a very nice young lady named Danae in his junior year of high school. They became fast friends, studied together often, and had long, interesting discussions on a wide variety of topics. Under different circumstances, they probably would have dated each other, but both of them had plans for after-graduation that would take them to very different parts of the world, so they decided to just remain friends instead. They still exchange letters, though since Danae travels so much and in rural locations, Ash has to send his letters to her mother to pass on to her.

Q was in one long-term relationship that ended badly: he tried too hard to be who she wanted rather than who he was, and she cared more about getting what she wanted out of it than making a relationship that could last. It probably hasn’t turned him off relationships in general, but it’s going to take time for him to be willing to consider dating again.-Leah is in her second relationship. She married her high school sweetheart, Nate, and losing him was devastating. It’s strange how different her second partner is from Nate, but he has a lot in common with her – he married young, has a son, and lost his wife. Sometimes she thinks it’s because he’s so different from Nate that their relationship works – when she looks at him, she sees him, not Nate.

For most of her life, Elarin had no real interest in romance; so she’s told, at least, but what memories she still has support that. Then she had to spend several weeks on a planet occupied by enemy forces, and the only person she could count on was a widowed pilot with a hideous orange coat and raging trust issues. Love is weird.

Meaghan’s story is pretty similar to Elarin’s, except instead of weeks it was days, instead of an occupied planet it was a mining station where almost everyone else had been murdered followed by an apartment they had to stay in for a couple days under police surveillance, and instead of a decorated war hero and straight-arrow pilot it was a snarky two-time deserter who never gave a straight answer about his past because he used to work for her worst enemies. So basically the same thing.

As a teenager, Avery had a brief romance with a young man in her hometown that probably wouldn’t have lasted even if he hadn’t fallen in battle and her family hadn’t fled as refugees to another country. Unlike her current relationship, which might even survive the end of the world. Don’t get between Avery and the people she loves.-Kira, Darcy, and Susanna are all too young for love yet.

Ian broke up with his high school girlfriend when they had different plans for college, and broke up with his college girlfriend when she fell in love with his rich roommate’s gardener. Since then he’s decided to focus more on music than relationships.

Lauren has had a couple short relationships, none of which ended well.

10: What is your OCs favorite outfit?

Chris - for every day wear, his pair of good quality blue jeans and red t-shirt. For formal occasions, he has a tailored black suit, a white shirt, and a brilliant blue tie that matches his eyes.

Reagan - black jeans, one of her t-shirts with a funny image or text on it, and her black-with-blue-highlights jacket.

Angie - a pastel-colored blouse, white or khaki capri pants, and sandals.

Neal - long-sleeved button-up patterned shirt, black slacks.-Lanzo - doesn’t pay that much attention to clothes anymore, so whatever is comfiest.

Ash - flannel shirt, brown carpenter’s jeans, suspenders.

Connie - his entire wardrobe is t-shirts (solid color, mostly black but also subdued reds, greens, and blues) and shorts (black or tan).

Aidan - the 1920s were the height of fashion, and nothing will convince him otherwise. He only wears clothes in that style on special occasions, though, so as not to attract (more) attention.

Nate - video game t-shirt, black jeans, jacket with a hood he can pull over his head.

Q - jeans, band t-shirt (all his shirts are band t-shirts, whether he’s listened to or even heard of the band in question), his jacket.

Amanda - black slacks, solid bright color shirt.

Niner - why are humans so obsessed with clothes of all things?-Leah - never used to be that fond of dresses, but having the opportunity to wear one now reminds her of pre-War days, in a good way.

Elarin - whatever helps her blend in her current environment.

Meaghan - Jedi robes, honestly. They’re not flattering but they remind her of happier times.

Avery - there are a couple outfits she has that remind her of absent friends; friends who were more fashion-minded than she ever would be, and insisted on taking her (over her slightly exasperated objections) clothes-shopping for said outfits.-Kira - jeans and a t-shirt, probably.

Darcy - jeans, thick sweater.

Susanna - she has a floral dress she loves, but it’s too nice to wear on ordinary occasions.

Ian - he loves his red flannel footie pajamas, and would never take them off if that was a reasonable option.

Lauren - skirt, floral blouse.

16/25: When is your OCs favorite time of year? What time of year does your OC prefer?

(These two questions seemed like basically the same thing, so i combined them.)

Spring - Angie, for early mornings and warm rains. - Meaghan and Leah, it represents new beginnings. - Nate, associated with his mother’s flower and herb gardens planted on the windowsills and tiny balcony outside their apartment. - Ian, it’s the one season his allergies don’t flare up! As much.

Summer - Neal, loves the heat - stepping outside when it’s warm feels like being wrapped in a blanket- Susanna, NO SCHOOL! :D- Elarin, warm evenings and swimming.- Avery, stays light out later.- Kira, no school, also swimming.- Niner, less trouble finding warm sleeping spots.- Reagan, thunderstorms are awesome, and it doesn’t get dark stupidly early.

Fall - Ash, cooler but things aren’t quite as dead or bleak yet- Darcy, likes being bundled up and drinking cocoa and tea, but without having to deal with ice.- Connie, more comfortable running around outside, and the changing leaves are pretty.- Q, it’s socially acceptable to wear a jacket again, but not freezing cold or too snowy/icy for biking.

Winter - Chris, loves the feeling of dry cold, and some of his favorite outdoor activities require snow.- Lauren, the snow is pretty, and she has more excuses to stay home and away from people (the roads are bad, the flu is running rampant, holiday season).- Lanzo, it gets darker earlier, and snow is just plain beautiful to watch fall.- Aidan, finally doesn’t feel like he’s running too hot all the time! Also has a lot of fond memories of Christmas and New Years’.- Amanda, enjoys skating and cross-country skiing. Also certain members of her family act like they get along for a while.

32: Did your OC go to college? What did they major in?

Chris was a double-major in theater and music – he has a Masters in both, contemplating going for a doctorate in music. He’s also taking night classes in advanced math and physics, which will probably be enough to net him an engineering degree before too long.

Reagan went for a four-year English degree. Being a normal, sane person (unlike some people), she has not gone back for another one.

Angie and Neal, not sure yet. Angie might have gone for a degree, but probably not – she’s brilliant and as driven as Chris in her own way, which is not a way that’s conducive to a college education.

If Neal doesn’t have a degree, it’s something he’s contemplating. Contrary to Angie, the validation of an external organization is something that would appeal to him.-Lanzo - not unless you count the school of hard knocks. According to him, he’s the star pupil of that particular school.

Ash - not formally. He received extensive education in enchanting things from his great-aunt, probably equivalent to a Masters.

Connie - his decision to go to college was a definitive one for him in several ways, not all of them good. He originally just went for some Bachelor of Science degree, but wound up graduating a few years later with two or three after all the credits he’d accumulated (details on what types of degrees to be determined).

Aidan - didn’t even graduate high school. He’s considered getting a GED, but honestly it doesn’t really appeal to him, and there’s not really a compelling reason to try.

Q - no.

Nate - was in his senior year, on his way to a degree in audio engineering, when he died. He has not made any progress since then.

Niner - what’s college?

Amanda - yep, graduated magna cum laude with a journalism degree.-Leah - law degree.

Elarin - no.

Meaghan - no.

Avery - no.- The Raines siblings are of course too young, but college is probably on the horizon for them.

Ian - yes, music.

Lauren - yes, music.

40: What is the craziest thing your OC has done?

There may or may not have been a time when Christopher got drunk during college and woke up the next morning in a strange place with a hangover and a bag full of things he didn’t remember acquiring, half of which were illegal and/or something he had no idea how he would ever have gotten his hands on it. If that ever happened, and if he ever happened to remember what had transpired that night, it would probably be an incredible story that he will not be telling anyone, at least not until he’s sure the statute of limitations has run out.

Reagan isn’t generally into crazy stuff. There’s probably some story where she stepped outside her usual bounds, but even that probably wasn’t terribly exciting.

Angie and Neal, not sure yet.-Lanzo has a long list of things he’s claimed to have done over the years. Given his character, it is … difficult to tell what is exaggeration and what has actually happened.

When Ash was college-aged, he and some friends got a bit … passionate in their attempts to convince their state senator to sign a particular environmental bill. All you need to know is that the giant papier-mâché horse wasn’t his idea, and while he isn’t exactly sure who the guy in the newspaper photo is, he has never gone out naked in public, so it wasn’t him.

Connie once signed up for a night class (Ancient Greek) and an 8 am class (Calculus) in college. During midterms and finals he subsisted almost entirely on coffee and protein bars. It’s mostly a blur now, but there was a period in there where he almost thought he could taste colors, and attempted to verify it with experimentation. Eggs still taste green to him.

Around the age of ten, Aidan and his sister were really starting to get a grip on their powers, and wondered if they could fly. They decided to test it by jumping off the roof of the burned-down barn they lived in. Fortunately, the answer turned out to be “kind of”.

There’s a lot of risky stuff kids can get up to in New York City, especially when they’re with their friends thinking about what would be cool and not thinking about the consequences. Nate spent one summer doing those kinds of things. Then his mother remarried, and suddenly had time to keep tabs on her son and what he and his friends were doing when they weren’t in school.

Q once rode his bike – a regular bicycle, not a motorized one – on a highway. It was late at night, so there were almost no cars, and there was a full moon so he could see well, but the heart attack he nearly had seeing the headlights of a car suddenly appearing ahead of him helped him determine never to do that again.

On multiple occasions, Niner has first gone to a place where it would be unlikely or impossible for a cat to go, then turned into her cat form.

Amanda has interviewed a drug kingpin, and investigated a death that might have been an assassination by a mega corporation. -Leah tends to think of herself as two different people, pre- and post-The War. Given that Pre-War Leah’s craziest stunt involved toilet-papering a racist teacher’s house with friends in her sophomore year of high school, and Post-War Leah’s craziest stunts are things like facing down a ten-foot-tall deathclaw alone, traveling through an area so irradiated it’s called the Glowing Sea, and teleporting directly into the base of villainous scientists with technology beyond the capabilities of any other organization in existence with very little idea of what to expect, that is perhaps an understandable distinction to make.

While Elarin has been involved in a lot of dangerous stuff, she’s not really one for the “it’s just crazy enough to work!” type of plans. Even if it seems crazy, it’s honestly the best option available at the time.

Meaghan regularly walks into deadly, dangerous scenarios with no clear plan of escape. Whether that’s just her duty as a Jedi or craziness depends on who you ask.

For several years, Avery’s closest companions included an apostate mage, a Dalish elf willing to make deals with demons, an ex-Gray Warden apostate mage running an underground clinic for refugees and helping other apostate mages escape the Chantry, a member of the City Guard and the widow of a Chantry Templar, a dwarven merchant, a magically-enhanced elf slave from the Tevinter Imperium who hates magic, and a pirate captain. It’s questionable if one could think they could have such people interact regularly without ending in murder and not be at least a little crazy.-Whatever the craziest thing the Raines siblings have done is, it probably wasn’t all that crazy, especially compared to the other stuff on this list.

When Ian gets started on a long-term joke or prank, like using a fake name or always arriving somewhere in some wild and slightly dangerous way, he feels obligated to keep doing it longer than most people would. It’s a minor miracle he hasn’t been hurt or fired yet over something like that.

Lauren does not do crazy stuff, except maybe her friendship with Ian.

45: Does your OC like reading?

Chris enjoys a good action-y book, usually with the writing quality of a McDonald’s hamburger but fun to read nonetheless. He doesn’t care much for non-fiction, as he learns best by doing.

Reagan has mild dyslexia, and finds it hard to visualize stuff happening in a written medium. She does enjoy books once she gets into them, though that doesn’t happen terribly often. She keeps meaning to try audio books.

Angie reads so much asking if she likes reading is like asking if she likes breathing. About the only genre she doesn’t read is erotica.

Neal likes dense, complex stories with deep symbolism and philosophical themes. He can only read one of those at a time, and then has to take a little while to think through it all, so he sometimes breaks it up with books of poetry - particularly nature or romance.-Lanzo buys pretty much anything on the bestseller lists, wanting to keep up with what’s popular. Most don’t stick in his memory very long, so if he makes a book recommendation, it’s definitely worth looking into – if he still remembers it, it’s either fantastically good or hilariously terrible.

Like Angie, for Ash reading is roughly the same as breathing, though he’s less varied than she is in topic: he prefers non-fiction, or fiction with a handful of characters who interact mostly with nature. He also tends to re-read a lot, since it can be hard for him to find new books he likes.

Connie is not as voracious a reader as Ash, but he tries to read one or two books a month. He also reads all kinds of genres, but has a slight preference for non-fiction.

Aidan is very picky about what he’ll read, and if he ever puts a book down out of disinterest he won’t be picking it up again any time soon (if ever), but what books he likes he really likes.

Nate reads exclusively fantasy and science fiction, more of the latter than the former. Considering recent events, some parts of fantasy hit too close to home.

Q is continually reading new stuff, usually stuff recommended by “if you liked x you’ll love y” lists. He usually only likes half of what he finds that way, but the ones he doesn’t like tend to fade from his memory pretty quickly. He’s a very fast reader as well.

Niner never learned to read, and has no interest in learning.

Amanda loves mysteries, historical fiction, and true crime novels. Outside of that she tries to keep up with journalism-related things.-Elarin likes reading well enough, but only obscure texts, rare books, etc. Fortunately she’s had a lot of chances to find those kinds of things.

Meaghan is not a big reader, but she finds certain kinds of poetry soothing.

Avery never has time to read.

Leah enjoyed reading when she was younger, with a particular fondness for pulpy comic books, but there aren’t many books in the Wasteland, comic or otherwise. She makes sure to collect any she finds in readable condition.- Kira’s just started getting into light horror/suspense, now that she’s old enough that her grandmother lets her. She’s also a fan of mysteries, having been able to read Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes and the like since middle school.

Darcy reads a lot. Sometimes he picks a particular non-fiction topic to focus on, other times he reads more broadly. For fiction, he prefers to re-read his favorites, but if given encouragement will try something new. He’s also been known to read university textbooks for fun.

Susanna isn’t a big fan of fiction, but she likes history books, particularly ones that cover what life was like for ordinary people back in the day, with lots of pictures.

Ian likes to pretend he doesn’t read anything deeper than some cheap superhero comic, so unless you know him well or recognize a joking allusion to a more obscure Shakespearean play, you would never know he read anything else. In reality, his reading material is about half comic books/graphic novels (some Marvel and DC, but he prefers less common ones) and half classical literature, particularly the older stuff. He never paid more attention in English class than the year they read The Odyssey and The Iliad, and never confused a teacher more than poor Mrs. Mitchell.

Lauren read a lot when she was younger, but not so much anymore. On the occasions she does read something, however, she really gets into it.

52: How does your OC feel about insects?(Technically some of the mentioned critters are not insects but whatever.)

Chris: They do an important job, so as long as they stay off of him to do it, you go, little bug buddy.

Reagan: She loathes flies and mosquitoes, is terrified of centipedes, and likes butterflies, moths, and spiders (certain kinds). Other than that, so long as they keep their distance from her, they’re okay.

Angie: Finds certain kinds interesting, but like Chris and Reagan, prefers if they keep their distance from her.

Neal: Not welcome anywhere in his vicinity, not even spiders. Any insect he finds inside his home is dead.-Lanzo: He’s more used to bugs than some. Not a huge fan of them, but is definitely more “live and let live” than most people.

Ash: He has supported various endeavors to save endangered bugs, and is more knowledgeable on the kinds found in the Pacific Northwest than most non-entomologists. That said, he has a pacifist zero-tolerance policy on insects in his house (except for certain species of spider).

Connie: Apart from a special hatred of fleas, most bugs would have to tap-dance on his nose to get him to notice them, let alone do anything about it.

Aidan: Live and let live, with one exception. If he ever finds an ant in his general vicinity, he will carefully use a very precise amount of fire magic to incinerate it instantly. Don’t tell Ash.

Nate: Spiders are cool. Cockroaches are disgusting, but don’t affect him much anymore. Both receive the same indifference he gives most things these days.

Q: Prefers to ignore them as much as possible, and more likely to run or move away from one that’s pestering him than squish it.

Niner: If questioned, she has disturbingly (according to Q) thorough and well-researched opinions on which ones are the most fun to chase, and which ones are the tastiest to eat.

Amanda: They are an undeniably important and fascinating part of nature, and she can stand them when she’s out in the wild, but if she finds one in her house it makes her skin crawl and distracts her until she’s sure it’s dead. If it’s mostly benign (like a spider) and hasn’t made a pest of itself, she might be willing to let it outside, but her instinctive response is “kill it! kill it! kill it!” The only thing worse than insects is *shudder* rats.-Leah: In the past, insects generally grossed her out, but she mostly left them alone. After facing down mutated bugs the size of her dog (or bigger), the little ones no longer trouble her so much. The big ones, though – she hopes they’re all burning in hell.

Elarin: Depends on their size, general danger level, appearance, etc.

Meaghan: If they leave her alone, she leaves them alone.

Avery: Spiders are evil, and they’ll stay far away from her if they know what’s good for them. -Kira: Ew, yuck, gross, kill them.

Darcy: Bees make him nervous, since he got stung by one when he was younger, but for the most part he doesn’t notice them unless they’re crawling on his face.

Susanna: Used to hate them, until she did a report on the insects common to her area in grade school. Now she has a long list of insect trivia to creep out her sister when she’s being annoying.

Ian: Tolerates them, which is good because his general living habits mean he always has a minor infestation of one sort or another going on. So long as it’s not termites, he lets it run its course.

Lauren: The best part of winter is most bugs are now burning in hell where they belong.

60: Does your OC enjoy nature?

Chris’ default location, so to speak, is urban, but he likes the occasional venture into “extreme” nature – mountain climbing, scuba diving, downhill skiing, etc. He’ll enjoy nature while he’s out in it, but once the event is over he returns to the urban jungle.

Reagan likes “organized” nature - parks, gardens, beaches, etc. Beyond that, she prefers to experience it through photos or documentaries. Sure, it’s not the same as actually being there – actually being there often involves exposure to the elements, biting insects, outhouses or disgusting gas station bathrooms, labor-intensive hiking or climbing, treacherous ledges, money spent on entry fees or equipment or tour guides, and risking the whole business being ruined by bad weather, sudden illness, or tourists. Photos and documentaries involve none of that, and so are unarguably superior.

Neal also likes “organized” nature, though he has more of a need for it than Reagan. It relaxes him in a way that few other things can. If he goes too long just in cities, he starts to feel drained. That said, he’d be lost if he ever wound up more than, say, fifty miles from civilization.

Angie tries to blend nature and the city – terrariums and potted plants in the house, vegetable and flower gardens in the yard, roads lined with trees, etc. She likes the occasional trip out into “just wilderness”, but prefers having nature more easily, commonly accessible.-Lanzo and the sun are no longer on speaking terms, but even before becoming a vampire he was of the opinion that anything worth doing was something that could be done inside.

Ash lives and breathes nature. If it weren’t for the handful of things tying him to a more ‘civilized’ existence, like his friends and family, he would happily move out into the wilderness and live the rest of his life there. He has a tremendous respect for nature as well, and knows full-well how dangerous it can be if you don’t respect it.

Connie is always a little more at home outdoors than he is indoors, though he usually winds up indoors more often. While not quite as willing to go live in the wild as Ash (despite being better suited to it), he gets a lot out of extended camping trips or hikes in remote nature areas.

Aidan has a particular fondness for the countryside where he grew up, but apart from that, doesn’t really care if he’s indoors or outdoors, so long as he isn’t getting too hot.

If liking house plants and herbs counts as enjoying nature, then yes, Nate enjoys nature. Otherwise, no.

Given the number of bug bites, sunburns, sudden downpours, black ice, and other things he’s endured, Q has a slight suspicion nature has it in for him. Still, it’s more honest about it than some humans have been, and he’s seen some breathtaking sunrises and meteor showers, so it evens out.

Amanda likes to go out into nature on occasion, like hiking in national parks or on scenic bike trails.

Niner has pretty much always lived in “nature”, albeit usually close to human habitation. It’s all right, she supposes. Not the worst, usually. She can even tolerate rain, so long as it’s gradual or predictable, and doesn’t involve thunder and lightning.-Kira loves the rain, and wants desperately to visit the mountains someday. Other than that, she likes suburban living, provided there’s sufficient trees and shrubbery around.

Darcy has, on occasion, enjoyed outdoor activities, like ice skating. He can count them on one hand.

Susanna was already inclined to prefer being outside to in, and then she discovered she was far less likely to be yelled at for being loud or energetic if she was outdoors. The hardest part of moving from the suburbs to the city is the lack of trees to climb and fields to run around in.

Thanks to his terrible navigational skills, Ian has seen more of the countryside in Tennessee than he ever planned on. He’s developed the fondness that comes from repeated, unintentional exposure, like learning to like that dumb pop song that’s always on the radio.

Lauren likes the beach, and seeing mountains or forests from a distance. That’s it.

Okay, that’s probably more information than you were expecting. Hope it was interesting and not too painfully self-indulgent of me. It was fun trying to answer for everyone, though!

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evolutiosportsphysioblog · 5 years ago

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Top 4 Tips for Preventing Hamstring Strains

What’s your favourite muscle group within the body? It might be the one that you think looks the best or the one that you like to train the most. Boys, I can hear you all screaming from the top of your lungs the biceps – but unless you look like Arnie they aren’t that impressive.

What about the hamstrings? Probably didn’t get too many people throwing up their hands for that one but the hamstrings are a very interesting muscle group. They consist of three individual muscles that spans across both the hip and knee joints. That means the exercise options for these muscles are plentiful – hip-based, knee-based, eccentric, concentric, heavy & slow, plyometric – you name it and there are parameters that you can manipulate to train this muscle differently, and specific to the chosen sport.

The hamstrings are also the most commonly injured muscle group in sports that involve high speed running. Every local footy club has an old stalwart with tissue paper hamstrings but the issue is not limited to the amateurs. Hamstring strains account for up to 26% of the total injuries in the AFL each year and there are 4.9 new incidences of hamstring injuries per club each season. This is a pretty considerable statistic and it highlights the need for high speed athletes to train smarter, not harder.

Now I have never strained a hamstring in my life, mostly because my top speed rivals that of your geriatric grandmother (anyone who has watched me on a footy field will attest to this), but I also like to think that I do the right things to prevent injury from occurring as well.

Two rules for avoiding injury – be strong, be long. Maybe you have been told before that size and length doesn’t matter, but it does when it comes to the hamstrings.

So here are some tips for preventing hamstring strain injuries:

1 Throw your stretching exercises in the bin

I don’t really mean this, but I am sure there are many of you out there who have been stretching your hamstrings for years and years but they still feel tight, am I right? Stretching does not increase the length of your muscles. You will gain more range of motion but this is due to becoming more tolerant of the uncomfortable stretch sensation, not actual muscle lengthening. Your muscle will still reach its yield point (the point it goes twang) all the same if enough load is placed on it under tension. So stretch if you like it and it feels good, but there is better bang for your buck elsewhere.

2 Add some eccentric hamstring loading into your program

it is quite obvious to preach that strength is important to prevent injury but just sitting on a hamstring curl machine smashing concentric contractions is not necessarily helping. Performing only concentric muscle contractions of the hamstrings has been shown to shorten muscle fibre length – the inverse is true for eccentric contractions. Focusing on eccentric contractions of the hamstrings in the gym will both lengthen your muscle and improve your strength. Tick, tick for strength and length.

3 Maintain eccentric load in season

when you stop loading your hamstrings eccentrically the muscle will eventually revert back to its previous length. Don’t neglect the gym in season, you just have to be smarter about how you do it!

4 Not every session needs to be at 100%

if you’re training a lot, not every session needs to be bull at a gate. Having a regular sprinting load is important for injury prevention but it does not need to be everyday or every session. Olympic level 100m sprinters might be lucky to hit top speed 1x per week in training.

So have a crack at implementing some of these things to bulletproof your hamstrings for the upcoming winter sports season. Or if you want more specifics about an individualised program for yourself or just to come in and hear about my detailed football career (peaked in under 14s) then give us a call to book an appointment.

Scott is one of our newest members in the team. Coming from a wealth of experience in ACL Rehabilitation, and AFL playing in the VAFA. He’s a jet and is a back to back winner of the anatomy quiz winner here at Evolutio in Richmond. You can book in with him for a Physio session here

#sports physio melbourne #rehab #AFL injuries #crossfit melbourne #crossfit injury #strength training #strength & conditioning #hamstrings

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getseriouser · 5 years ago

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20 THOUGHTS: Crows Dive with Pyke

NO-ONE likes waiting around

Here we are, after a cracking crescendo to the end of the home and away season, where permutations and calculations saw an enthralling final eight set, and now we’ve got a week off.

The end of season bye came in not just because the AFLPA wanted more rest in-season for its union, but too the AFL saw an integrity issue with the final round and stars being rested.

Yet last Friday Essendon rested some of their players still, and from all appearances, with no disrespect to Hawthorn, West Coast rested all their team too, so what’s the point Gil?

Ah well, get in the garden, Father’s Day as well, it’ll be Thursday night in Perth before you know it. We hope.

1. Bit of a mixed bag this week, no footy for the last weekend in August, we’re a bit lost, but let’s start with West Coast. Last three games against good teams they’ve lost now. And two of those games were at home, the narrow loss to a then spluttering Collingwood and then one out of the box to a Hawthorn team who finished ninth. Not the kind of form you’d want in attempting to defend your title, especially when it now requires four wins to do it.

2. So some still pick West Coast to go all the way, based on what we know about their best footy. But we must realise it’s less about the talent and some about the path there. To win the whole thing, weeks two through four would mean either three wins in Melbourne against Geelong or Collingwood, then Richmond, then Geelong or Collingwood, or, week three might be in Brisbane followed up by Richmond the week after. For a team that served that up against the Hawks, when top four was on the line, they ain’t doing any of that.

3. Brisbane has a tough assignment too. One point win over Geelong at home and then Richmond was always comfy despite the stats and the margin. So first week is no gimme, but do that they’d earn a home prelim against Geelong or Collingwood, maybe West Coast, before copping Richmond at the MCG again most likely. Somewhat plausible but I don’t see three wins in them. If they lose first week they’re done and dusted, especially if the Tigers can beat them up there, they’d be cactus if they come down and play them again, or a hot Cats or Pies, down here.

4. Just a random one, you know you’re talking to a Victorian, South Australian or Western Australian when they speak about the speed of the wind prevailing in a measurement of goals. “Hey, go put some washing on, it’s about a four-goal breeze out there”. Love it.

5. The Pies looked really nice against the Crows, but it was the Crows and we’ll get to them. Aside from that, awful when it mattered against the Giants, not on the Tigers’ level and the Bombers win was unconvincing. If you back them in it’s on potential but the evidence on form is still a massive question mark.

6. Mind you, overall, the Maggies are 7-4 against fellow top eight teams, which ranks first, the Cats are 5-3, Tigers are 5-4. Both the Eagles and Lions are only 4-4.

7. I know this might not be the best version of the Giants we’ve seen the last four or so years, but geez they’ve been stiff. Could argue in 2017 and 2018 they were the second best team in it, only narrowly beaten by the eventual premier in the prelim. Too, they lost Cal Ward in the Dogs prelim early and Dylan Shiel in the Tigers prelim as well, so bit of sliding doors then who knows? Last year, narrow loss to the Pies in a semi-final. So in reality, whilst Cameron cops it for his record, the GWS really have been mighty close.

8. Gee Chris Scott keeps banging on about venues. Let’s be clear. Last five years Geelong has had 11 home games at the MCG, outside of finals. You’d think going by his rhetoric they’re an 11-home games a year team down the highway. If it’s good to host home games there during the year, I don’t think you can labour the specific.

9. Further, oh, it’s the Pies home ground, well yes that’s true. But in terms of home ground advantage, 100% of Geelong home games at GHMBA are home games, they are its only tenant, whereas only 57% of Collingwood home games at the MCG are true home games, the other 43% are against fellow-MCG tenants, neutral games in essence. For Victorian teams, there’s hardly any home ground these days anywhere, no advantage to be captured during the home and away, unless you’re Geelong of course.

10. Don Pyke might be in the gun. Two schools of thought. First, it’s not yet two years since they played in a Grand Final. Furthermore, he has two years to run on a contract. But. Second school of thought, which I starting to subscribe to, is that despite all of that in his favour, has he ever regained the players properly since the 2018 pre-season? Have they looked any good since the 2017 granny? Think about the last two weeks, with finals implications on the line, they’ve looked putrid. The last Showdown is telling too, Port hammered them by ten goals no less. We may let him go into 2020 but then see more of the same and the decision makes itself. So if that looms, might as well act now and get the restart that playing group obviously needs.

11. And also, Adelaide, by far the oldest list in the comp as well, so when you’re finishing 11th with that hanging over your head, lots needs to happen. Lots.

12. If the Suns get handed pick two as a concession that’s a farce. It would firstly not be an objective reaction to assessing their situation, but secondly it would be not only incredibly overs for a club that doesn’t deserve, nor do well with drafting and development of players anyway, but it would be a contrived result based on a specific regards the upcoming draft pool. The top two standouts this year are two best mates from Melbourne, Noah Anderson and Matty Rowell. Both go to school at Carey, both in the Oakleigh Chargers program, both elite midfielders with different skillsets that as a package deal, as best mates, look immense. So for the AFL to deliberately land, potentially, on a concession to hand them pick 2, so they can grab both boys in the hope they are more likely to stay up there because they’re with each other, just stinks. Would hate it.

13. Speaking of the Suns, they say they got over 7,000 to the Suns-Giants game on the weekend. No chance. No more than 3,000 paying attended, tops, with a couple thousand freebies chucked in for good measure. Poor Stuey Dew, will likely be 1-10 or 2-9 by the bye next year, and we’ll still have no strong answer to the question ‘is he a good coach?’ or not. For all we know he is Van Gogh without any access to paint.

14. Steve Coniglio re-signs for seven years. That wouldn’t happen at the Suns. If he was on the Gold Coast he could be lured elsewhere for a can of Sprite and a Curly Wurly. But taken unders to stay in Sydney, speaks volumes of getting that franchise right, and embedded. Big difference to the Gold Coast where Jack Martin was so eager to tell the club he was leaving he almost told the runner Saturday night.

15. And with all this trade stuff heating up, my Lord, how many numpties now throw darts at anything or have five bucks each way on every horse in the race, then letting us all know about it when a couple of the tickets in their pocket are winning ones? Its bad journalism. You know what we should demand in footy media? You know what proper trade-breaking, player movement coverage looks like? One word. “Woj”.

16. Like this one – a leading psychologist (as opposed to those back of the peloton, off the street psychologists that are never quoted) has said that “not keeping score in junior sport is part of the ‘wuss-fication’ of an entire generation, with young kids not learning how to be resilient”. Knock me down with a feather, halle-bloody-lujah!

17. All-Australian tonight, my team will be somewhere, but also the Rising Star is soon as well. Could google when it is but I’m not bothered, and we know Sam Walsh just wins, will be a gem for that club. My 5-4-3-2-1 if I was voting, if I’m honest: 5-Connor Rozee, 4-Sam Walsh, 3-Sydney Stack, 2-Cameron Zurhaar, 1-Mitchell Lewis. No judge will do anything like that, but that doesn’t make them right. I think Walsh is a gun but I just think Rozee is a special, special talent Victorians don’t appreciate enough. Zurhaar is a beast and helped win North two or three games by himself, and Lewis is the Hawks’ Roughy replacement, as a 20-year-old – yeah I’d be happy with that.

18. Why are we naming an All-Australian squad of 40 the week of the final 22 being announced? Makes no sense at all. Why stop there? Why not name a 60-man shortlist then, last week? A top 100 after Round 16. Or, maybe after each Round, Hunger Games-style, tell us five blokes definitely not making the All-Australian. Or, maybe just maybe, we don’t worry about all of that and just tell us the team on the night? Don’t know. Maybe too radical.

19. Legends game this Friday night, and its AFLX which caused a massive stink. Hate to say it though, it might, might, actually be better. Think about it, all AFLX really is, is on a smaller ground, doesn’t need tackling and the ball moves around quicker. Sounds like the perfect ingredients for older blokes who aren’t keen on amassing big GPS numbers on a standard-sized oval. Don’t like AFLX at all for normal players, but for the legends, made for TV, for charity, I think it maybe works out for the best?

20. In this bye week I’m allowed – want to give a shout out to Roy Laird. Who? Last weekend he coached his 357th and final game for Central District in the SANFL after 17 seasons. He coached the Doggies to seven premierships and two runners up, the only success for Centrals in their history, won 22 of the 30 finals he coached and finishes with a 66% winning record. Freak. It’s been too long to get Centrals into this column so this week, we say well done and good luck to one of the greatest coaches the SANFL, and footy in general, has seen.

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