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george-fabian-weasley · 4 years ago

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George Weasley — 5th December

Summary: You read him a poem as he laid on your chest, loving the sound of your voice.

Words: 1,870 words

Warnings: Major Fluff, I Blushed So Hard so You Shall Too, George Weasley Supremacy 2.0, Makes You Wish You Can Shift Sooner So You Could Have This Moment With Him, So Floofy It Hurts Physically

Disclaimer: S i g h. I am just so in love with this man. The way I blushed so hard through this entire thing is obvious enough I will never love someone as much as I love this 6′3 ginger dork. Ooh, also the poem is mine, I wrote it thinking of George fdhfhjks I’m actually so so nervous to show you guys my poem so I really hope you enjoy it!

“Hey, flower,” George greeted you as soon as he walked in your dorm, seeing you leaning against your headboard, scribbling onto your notebook. He hadn’t seen you at all today, and your friends had told him you had called in sick, so right after dinner, he snuck some leftover food and went straight to your dorm.

“Hello, mysterious handsome man,” You teased and laughed at him narrowing his eyes playfully at you. “How’s your fever, love?” He asked as he walked closer, giving you a sweet forehead kiss. You closed your eyes at the feeling of his lips on your skin, sighing in content, “Much better since Madam Pomfrey gave me some potions to drink. They were ghastly, to be honest.”

George chuckled at your fake vomiting, slightly relieved that you were still his same, silly flower.

He sat at the edge of the bed, right beside you as he held a tray of leftover food he had picked out, there were cauldron cakes, chocolate frogs, gummy worms, and a bowl of mushroom soup, which when you saw the thick creamy food you gasped, “They had mushroom soup today?!”

The next couple of hours were spent with you and him eating together in bed, you listening to his day today, Fred and Lee had tried to convince him to put some explosive powder into your mushroom soup earlier—you gasped in mock offense—luckily he said no, not wanting to be accidentally murdered in his bed at midnight—you nodded in agreement, he laughed—and the two friends wished you well.

You instantly snatched the bowl and groaned at the taste of the soup on your tongue. George chuckled, “Yeah, reckon you would like a bowl of ‘em in bed.”

“You’re kidding? I would love to have it in bed, blimey you’re the best boyfriend ever, thank you, Georgie.” You gushed as you gave him a big wet kiss on his cheek, which he laughed loudly at.

And you told him about yours, about how ghastly this morning was that you had woken up in cold sweats and practically had to crawl out of your bed to call your friend for help—he was frowning so hard—and Madam Pomfrey had visited you twice during the day, giving you some potions and brought you some food to regain your energy—George planned to surprise Madam Pomfrey with sweets the next day as a thank you—and you spent the rest of your day writing.

“What were you writing? Another poem?” George asked, he had known you had a passion for writing ever since you were little. It doesn’t matter what kind of writing it was, you do everything. From poetry to short stories to even some of Hogwart’s news articles, you love everything there is about writing. Even songwriting, George had to close his mouth manually when he found out you could actually compose songs and sing, he thought he’s had enough reasons to love you as it is when turns out there are more and he’s more pleased to discover all of them over time with you.

“You’re right, actually. I missed you a lot today, so I wrote it for you,” You said with a small smile, eyes tearing away from George shyly.

George had sworn his heart stopped beating for like 5 seconds.

“For me? Really?” He whispered in awe, his smile widening at your blushing cheeks. George was absolutely sure his face was the same hue as his hair at the moment, but his heart was leaping in too much joy to actually care. Seeing you before him trying to hide your heavy blush and trying so hard to contain a big grin with your teeth on your bottom lip had his whole knees weak. You looked mad adorable and all George wished to do at the moment was shrink you into pocket-sized and keep you in his pocket forever.

“I-I mean, no one has written me poems before…” He trailed off, his hand brushing the nape of his neck, feeling extremely giddy and extremely happy. He was usually the one who made you this way, blushing and stuttering, but when it’s your turn, he almost died out of heart attack each time.

“Well, you’re going to be surprised when I tell you that every love poem I’ve written, I thought of you.” You said, rolling your eyes playfully at his widened eyes, flushed cheeks, with a giddy grin on his lips.

There it is; the heart attack.

“Well I would love to hear you read it for me—excuse me, madam, coming through,” He said, shuffling on the bed closer to you, laying between your legs, his back on your chest and his head on your shoulder perfectly; as if your body was molded solely to hold him this way, and George wouldn’t agree more. You laughed as he finally leaned onto you, sighing in content as he did. You pulled the blanket so it could drape the both of you perfectly, and you leaned your cheek to his forehead.

“Alright, but warning, it’s very very mushy,” You warned, and he smiled a bit wider, “All the more reasons to read it then.”

You reached the leather brown notebook at your other side, flipping the page easily to where you want it due to the lilac feather quill resting between the tea-colored pages, acting as a bookmark.

Your arm beside George rested on his head, massaging his scalp gently as he liked it. George hummed in content as he leaned onto your neck, feeling very comfortable. The warmth from your body behind him and the heavy blanket draped across you both felt so comfortable that he didn’t want to move, ever.

“This is the first poem, I call it 5th December,” You said, and George opened his eyes, “Why 5th December? Isn’t that like, 10 days ago?” You chuckled, “Yeah, I first wrote it then, but I finished it today.” George hummed in understanding, “Go on then.”

“I’m not very good at reciting poems, so excuse me if it doesn’t sound right.” You said and George dramatically sighed, “You’re stalling, love. And even if you say it most horribly, I’ll still love it because you wrote it.”

“Aww, Georgie,” You cooed, kissing his forehead causing him to crack a smile. “Okay, okay, here it goes.” You said and George had his eyes on the notebook you’re holding, scribbles of black lines and paragraphs filled every page.

“Awh, darling.” George cooed and kissed your cheek, causing you to stifle a giggle before going back into reciting mode.

“If you ask what my birthday wish was,

I simply could not tell you because

I don’t wanna say it’s wanting you with me laying down the grass

Together at night with the company of the stars.”

As you read the words, George found himself getting flutters in his stomach. He was so focused now, wanting to hear more of your voice and this poem combined, because to him, there is no such beauty that could compare. All that matters to him as of that moment, was you.

“If you ask what my falling star wish was

I shall simply shake my head just because

It’s hard to describe wanting you by my side each and every night

Taking your hand in mine and waking up with you next in line.”

You looked at him, and George was already looking at you with full adoration. He looked so mesmerized and amazed, you smiled at this; how adorable. You closed the notebook, you had already memorized every line as you had read it over and over for the past day, getting butterflies in your heart as you thought of George every time. With your eyes on him, your soft voice recited the poem again.

“If you ask what my new year’s wishlist was

I would simply put my lips together because

I couldn’t tell you it’s wanting to travel the world with you

And just try together everything new and spend time with you.”

George was in a trance. The beautiful words you crafted together were meant just for him. The poem you shared with him was because of you thinking about him. At that moment, George had thought of something he never would’ve thought during his past relationships.

“If you ask what my clover wish was

I would just laugh and tell you no because

I wish to touch every inch of you every second with all my will

For your lips against mine, I shall need no happy pill.”

He wanted to spend his entire life with you, and no one else but you. He wanted to live with you, to be with you during thick and thin. Because… Because he loves you.

As you finished it, you gave him a gentle smile. There was a silent moment from the both of you, the only sound was the raindrops outside the window, the rhythmic splatter of water was therapeutic, to say the least.

“And if you ask, why won’t you tell me anything of you wished for

Let’s talk about it over a nice cup of tea just brewed

I shall say with the love in my eyes a secret till forevermore

That if I simply say it to you, then none of them would come true.”

You took your time to look at George’s face. Sometimes you had marveled at the fact that you could get this ridiculously beautiful man to be yours, to like you for who you are, to accept each and every quirk you have without any feeling of annoyance or disgust by them.

This ridiculously beautiful man, with lush and soft ginger hair, light colored long eyelashes, the stunning color of brown for eyes, and peach-hued freckles decorating his face like footsteps of an elegant ballerina on stage.

“I am so lucky,” Was all George could breathe out as he leaned upwards, engulfing you into a passionate kiss. George loved every single moment when he kisses you, your lips are nicotine at its best, and he would drop everything to be an addict, an slave for you; for thousands of eternities if he could.

His hands had found the back of your neck, pulling it closer to his direction, deepening the kiss. You closed your eyes to relish the moment, your hands already found their place at each side of his jawline, hungrily pulling him closer to you.

When you pulled away, your lips were ghosting each other, his hard breaths hit your swollen lips softly. “What exactly are you lucky for, Weasley?” You breathed out, still panting softly, the smile on your lips grew as it mirrored the lovestruck smile on his lips.

He kissed your nose, and the rosy cheeks returned, “For you, for the poem, for you reading the poem, for you writing the poem while thinking of me,” You giggled and he joined with a chuckle, a soft smile on his face, “For everything. I love you, my flower.”

“I love you too,” you bit your lips, trying your hardest to contain a smile, “If this is what I get after reading you a poem then do you wanna hear the second one?” George laughed loudly; happy and content just being there with you.

TAGLIST:

“Oh, absolutely.”

@multifandom-but @sirenswhispers @hybridfamily @armageddon-riots @lilac-skies-xd @obsessedunicorn24 @foggyturtleknightangel @evewithluv @softlyqoos @fandoms-pizza-wifi-ym13 @lilypad-55449 @sarcasticallywitty15 @fiantomartell @hopemalfoyweasley @imcedricdiggorys @bucketandpotato @klausdatprettyboi @adoregin @tummyfullofcummies @littlechillies @islmnlyswrthatushuturpieholeben @phuvioqhile @sweetnspicysimp @sosaysmendez @wand3ringr0s3 @harrypotter289 @emptyporsche @tallyovie @the-unmanaged-mischief @missmulti

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austennerdita2533 · 3 years ago

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Yes! I had heard about the spin off about their kids it’s on my tbr! Not sure when I’ll get around to it but I’ll get there eventually. But ooh their other series sounds interesting too I’ll put it on my tbr too!! But that’s exactly why I loved Coballoway too (plus I’m also similar to Rose so their love story felt more personal that way)

Yay!! I’m glad the atlas six interested you, I hope you like it when you get to it I’m really loving it so far! I can already tell there is at least one ship I’m going to love it just hits all of my favorite tropes/things I enjoy. But the magic system is so cool and they are all so powerful.

Also glad you want to know about my reading too! I will keep you updated I have some books/series I really want to read but I try to be good and not read more than 2/3 at a time (and not buy anymore till I’m finished). Right now I’m also working through the throne of glass series which might take me awhile but I’m enjoying that too! Right now the books up next on my list are: Ugly Love, The Ravenhood Series, The Hating Game, Zodiac Academy, and Twisted Games (it’s the second book in a series that come out this month I loved Twisted Love by Ana Huang-highly recommend it if you love grumpy/sunshine and brother’s best friend tropes plus the twists were amazing-this one is a different couple but I’m excited!!)

Also! Don’t think I mentioned it yet maybe I did but I also read the Folk Air Series that you recommended! It took me a little while to get into but I ended up really loving it and Jurdan. I loved loved loved Jude and how power hungry she was and how Cardan was just obsessed with her. Their relationship build up was so good too.

All the best!!

-ACOTAR Anon

I keep meaning to get around to the Like Us series myself but I haven't managed it yet. It's been sitting on my tbr (and my Kindle) for a good couple of years now. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I know I'll read it eventually...but when eventually will be is anybody's guess.

(This is a good commentary on my reading life in general, I think. It's impossible to keep up with everything!)

The Atlas Six is pretty fascinating so far! I'm only about 25% into it but the magical world building is unique and I like how the narrative switches between the different POV's. Usually I don't care for more than 3 or 4 alternating perspectives in books because it makes it harder for me to invest in the characters, since I don't have as much time with them, but it works exceedingly well in this one. Helps to preserve the mystery of Atlas early on. And also allows readers to see how different all of the characters are in magical skill, background, personality, etc. I can't wait to see what unfolds!

I'm also currently reading Anxious People by Frederik Backman. I don't know if you've read anything by him before but he's such a good storyteller. Grabs you by the hearstrings. He's funny as hell, too. I've loved everything I've picked up from him so far. He has a knack for crafting beautifully flawed relatable complex characters. And this book is no exception. It might end up being a 5-star read for me, which is rare.

The next books on your to-read list sound fantastic, btw! Some I have read already or have them snuggled on one of my many wishlists. Like the Zodiac Academy and the Ravenhood series. And The Hating Game is one of my contemporary romance obsessions. It's just so enemies-to-lovers charged and fun. That book is packed full of a bunch tropes I adore. I've already read it twice and will likely revisit it again in the future. Thanks for mentioning Ugly Love (I need to get off my butt and read Colleen Hoover) and Twisted Love because those are definitely right up my alley. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite romance tropes. I live for it!

And yayyy! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed The Folk of the Air! It does take a bit to settle into the world of that story, as well as to become engrossed in the characters, but once you do, it's full speed ahead. Jude is such a badass. I love that she's ambitious to the point she's willing to take people out/down to get what she wants. Her fraught relationship with Madoc is fascinating to me as well. And Jurdan is just such a delicious ship. I love it so much. It's true enemies-to-lovers excellence. They have so many quotable lines!

I'm excited because Holly Black has a new adult fantasy series coming out next year, in 2022. It's called Book of Night and the premise sounds cool as hell. I've already been stalking NetGalley in the hopes that I have a chance at first dibs on an ARC lolol.

Also, if you can find self-restraint enough not to buy any more books until you've read most of the ones you have then I salute you! I try oh, so hard to enact this rule upon myself...but it never works. Like ever. 😂

It's my own fault, really. I get daily emails/alerts from Kindle, BookBubs, etc. letting me know about titles that are on sale for less than $5, and when they're that cheap, I can't seem to justify NOT buying a whole hoard of them even though I know they're more than likely to remain unread for a long, loooong time to come. Better than paying full price, though. Right?

If you haven't email subscribed to any of these sites, and you're looking to save some cash on audio or e-books specifically, you should. I'd spend a whole ass fortune on books if I didn't use them. (I check out a lot of books from the library, too.) I dropped the links to some of the ones I use in case you or anyone else who reads this is interested and doesn't know about them:

Book Bubs (you can set preferences/alerts based on your favorite books, genres, authors; you can rate stuff and curate your own wishlist too)

Early Bird Books (I use this one a lot to find classics that are on sale/free)

Book Riot (this site has a lot of book sweepstakes you can enter for a chance to win gift cards to Barnes & Noble, Book Depository etc.)

Kindle Book Deals (there are tons of deals offered daily, weekly monthly; I'm not a Kindle Unlimited member but there's that option, too)

NewInBooks (new releases; has links for Kindle, Apple, Audio, and hardcover)

Anyway take care, sweets, and happy reading! 💜

#anonymous #darling acotar anon #replies #the loveliest of lovely people #ashlee bree talks books

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aguestinourhome · 5 years ago

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Then the next step is to send a warranty claim and they warn in big bold letters: If you send two claims, we will deny your warranty request!!

I almost feel like i'm causing them a serious inconvenience with my warranty claim. mastitis, engorgement, baby feeding, not having a pump for two weeks are all problems that they seem very unconcerned about.

Buy this pump. Seriously, stop looking, buy it. This review is long but will hopefully answer any questions you have. Or post one and I'll try to answer it.

Earlier this year I had twins born at 34 weeks. They were doing well, but did spend some time in the NICU. When babies are in the NICU, you become super obsessed with how much milk they are getting. They can't go home until they take their "minimums" and gain weight. As a result, I've pretty much been exclusively pumping since they were born. My girl would latch, but I couldn't tell how much she was getting and she would get tired after a few minutes and wouldn't take the rest of her bottle. My boy had breathing problems at first and was being fed with a tube for the first 10 days. After that he had to learn how to eat and would get tired, so I didn't try to nurse him. Since I had to feed two and wanted to share my supply, pumping was the way to go.

Since I had preemies, my insurance paid for me to use a Medela Lactina pump. This is the big blue thing that is "hospital grade" and retails for a boatload ($1500 for the love!). I used the Lactina for the first two months but wanted something more portable (I bought a car adapter so I could plug it in and pump in the car on long days out). And, the Lactina is loud as all get out, which was annoying and I actually covered it with a blanket to muffle the sound so I could pump in the same room my husband and 3 year old daughter were watching TV in so I could be part of the family. I contemplated getting a Medela Freestyle, but read mixed reviews about being able to maintain supply. Having twins I did not want to risk my supply going down.

I took a leap of faith and bought this pump using gift cards for about half the cost. I figured if it didn't work at least I wasn't out all the money. Best. Decision. Ever.

youtube

Awesomeness: -It is SUPER quiet compared to the Lactina. I have no idea how it compares to other pumps, but it is going to be nice to have at work and be able to answer the phone while pumping. -It is pretty portable. I wanted something I could clip to my belt and walk around the house, but that is the Freestyle and I couldn't risk it. This is pretty lightweight, and I'm actually contemplating putting a ribbon through the handle and putting it over my neck. It never fails that when I'm pumping my husband is out of the house and my older daughter needs something. At the very least, I've put it on with my hands-free pumping bra (Simple Wishes brand- buy that too) and been able to put it on the kitchen counter to make bottles or lunch or whatever. Haven't tried cooking dinner yet, but that may happen. -Nightlight is pretty neat, and has two levels. -Timer is a cool feature. Most folks don't need to pump for more than 15-20 minutes, but most folks don't have twins. The timer shuts the pump off after 30 minutes which is how long I pump for. I used to set a timer on my phone, but don't need to do that so much anymore. -Massage feature is pretty nifty. This pump almost pulses when creating suction. It was kind of weird at first since the other pump didn't do it, but it actually makes pumping pretty comfortable. The "massage" feature speeds up the pump and is designed to stimulate letdown. Once you have letdown, you are supposed to turn off the massage feature. (I don't, I like the fastest speed for my pumping. But again, twins.) -Memory feature- the pump remembers what your last "normal" and "massage" settings were and goes back to them. -Vacuum control- I use the pump on either level 2 or 3. It has 12 levels. Wow. As a nurse I'm really wondering who would need level 12. Maybe for someone with inverted nipples. Maybe if the battery ever gets weak I'll need to go up.

Quirks: -It took a LONG time (probably 12 hours) to fully charge the battery when I first got the pump. It also says it can run plugged in, which is true, but so far as I can tell actually uses the battery regardless of whether or not it is plugged in. I could be wrong. -If you use the nightlight feature while pumping it will drain your battery faster, and you will likely not get a full three hours of pump time. Probably not a problem for most people but worth noting. -The bottles and pump kit are pretty cheap. That would probably be my biggest gripe about the whole thing. If we are spending this much money on a pump, the kit should be stellar. (Most pump kits are pretty terrible, so this is about par for the course.) But all is not lost. The ends of the tubing actually fit into my kit I had been using with my Medela. Also, and this is a problem with most pump kits, most women would need to lean forward to get the milk to drop down when sitting upright. So, my Lactina kit had removable flanges which I promptly tossed and used the angled ones from Pumpin' Pal. (Buy those too.) Also, I bought a pump adapter kit that worked with the Playtex bottles I was using so I could pump directly into the drop-in liners. (Cleaner that way, eventually the bottles will get gross no matter what you do.) -If you are not using their backflow valves, you need to pay attention to your tubing. I am not, and have gotten some moisture into one of the tubes on the end. I just blow it out with a hair dryer in a couple of seconds. The tubing is nothing special and you could easily replace it with something from the hardware store if you needed to. It would also be pretty easy to jerryrig the tubing from another pump kit, which I may do so I can attach the backflow valves.

The "cons" I listed here may seem like a lot, but to me it wasn't enough that I would take away a star. I've had it for two weeks and I love it, and haven't noticed a drop in supply. I'll update this review if anything changes, but I don't see that happening.

So go buy this pump. Or put it on your registry or wishlist. You won't be sorry.

Links for the products I mentioned: Pumpin' Pal Super Shields, Angled Pumping Flanges, the Best Flanges By Far in a Complete Set of All Sizes Mom Will Need Simple Wishes Hands-Free Breastpump Bra, Pink, XS-L Playtex Drop-Ins System Breast Milk Storage Kit

Updated 10/16/13 -A couple more product links for all the parts I'm using with my cobbled-together homemade kit. You really don't NEED anything but the angled flanges and hands-free pumping bra, but if you wanted to piece something together that's a bit more user-friendly, here are the links: Medela Personal Fit Breastsheild Connectors - Medela 87071 Medela Valves & Membranes (Set of 1)

UPDATE 10/28/13- I've gone back to work and am taking this pump back and forth. I just put it in a small tote bag I had at home. I made two pump kits so I can leave one at home and one in my office at work and all I take back and forth is the pump. That probably wasn't necessary, but I probably would have ended up forgetting something one day so this was my way to make sure that didn't happen. Pump is awesome, and nobody can hear it when I answer the phone. The doctor in the office next to me is pumping as well, and you can hear her pump down the hall... -Also, I finally attached the backflow valves. I basically just cut the tubing and attached one piece to either side of the valve. It's a small challenge to get the tubing on the large side, but it does fit. Now I can still stick the end of the tubing into my homemade Medela kit and it works great and I don't need to worry about moisture getting into my pump.

If you've got questions, post 'em and I'll do my best to answer! (I should probably just make a video...)

Best pump ever (only pump I've used but only one I will ever need!) I am a full time working mom. I was lucky to get 13 weeks of maternity leave. I was concerned when I had my baby because I have breast implants (below muscle). But after birth (via csection), my baby latched and we were in business.

I breastfed only for first 3 weeks. Then I introduced 1-2 pumps a day. I didn't get much-but that was expected. Around the 5-6week mark I began pumping and stashing more frequently. By the time I went back to work at 13 weeks pp I had 800oz in my deep freezer.

My baby is now 23 weeks old and I have 1750oz in my deep freezer and she still nurses. This pump is AMAZING! It's nice to have the mobility of a rechargeable battery Bc I can pump and do chores and even pump in the backseat of a car while someone else is driving.

I have been separated from my baby for up to 20 hours and this pump is amazing! I would highly recommend to anyone over any of the other brands. I have even convinced some of my second time moms to switch to this pump (since it is free w insurance) and they have loved it and thanked me a 100times over.

The attached pictures are of my frozen milk stash and the other is a picture of my morning pump (after breastfeeding my baby girl).

Cheers and happy baby feeding!

I purchased this pump out of pocket and then mailed receipt and reimbursement application to tricare and they returned my money 100%. So worth it because if you go through a retailer they will only give you the S2 (which is not rechargeable).

Wow. Just wow. Why did I not hear of this pump sooner? Comfortable, portable, lightweight, oh- and more than double the milk!! Seriously, it is almost a crime that the insurance companies just give out inferior pumps when this is available. I was concerned when returning to work with my second baby that I would not be able to produce enough milk. With my first, I pumped like 6 times a day at work to make enough with my Medela PISA. Now, those worries are gone. Totally gone! The proof is in the pictures. 10 mins of total comfort and quiet on the Spectra vs 20 mins of loud wrenching and pulling on the PISA.

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popwasabi · 5 years ago

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My MCU Phase 4 Wishlist

So, over a decade and 23 fucking films later an era of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe has finally concluded with “Spider-man: Far From Home” premiering last week.

It’s still staggering just how robust this franchise is considering in just eleven years’ time it already has amassed nearly as many films as the James Bond franchise and is arguably a more bankable series at this point than “Star Wars.” Though it’s not a perfect series by any stretch its success is nonetheless tied to its consistent, often magnetic charm and grand action set pieces and Phase 3 showed that it was even capable of some complex and nuanced growth. The third phase tackled deeper more emotional issues for our favorite super heroes while also giving many of its directors more free reign to do as they please with their scripts. Not always perfectly but it was more often than not hugely successful at reaching audiences on a personal level.

(Sometimes with mixed results...)

But as much as “Endgame” was a near perfect sendoff for this franchise, The Mouse isn’t done by any stretch with churning these films out seemingly until the end of time, so with that mind where should Disney go from here since it looks like the franchise will continue on indefinitely?

There’s a lot of ways to envision success for the MCU, and some wheels are already in motion between next year’s “Eternals” and Disney+’s streaming MCU shows but what would it really take for this series to get to the next level? Well this writer has some ideas and is more than happy to share a few of them.

Make the Villains More Prominent (and stop killing them off!)

Less so in Phase 3 but consistently throughout most of the series has been a total lack in quality villain performances and story-telling. Whether they are generic mustache-twirlers, essentially dark mirrors of the hero or just plain half-baked characters, the MCU has really done a disservice to its robust catalogue of rogues by often wasting the talents of great actors and actresses all to just check a box in a super hero script.

And on top of that they are consistently dead by the end of each film giving them no chance for growth in a sequel. I mean it’s not like we haven’t seen that work before right?

(Case in point)

For phase 4, especially in the wake of two thirds of the Marvel’s Holy Trinity out of the picture, villains should take center stage now more than ever. The heroes of this newer, younger and developing Avengers are probably not ready for the responsibility of protecting the world and the universe as evidenced by the near catastrophic mess Spider-man commits in “Far From Home” and to have the villains of this next phase take advantage of that would be a smart move.

These villains need to be prominent, larger than life and command a nuance to them that much of the older films did not have. A character like Norman Osborn for instance could step in to fill the power vacuum left behind by Stark’s shadow as the new tech futurist of Earth but of course without the responsibility and good intentions of Iron Man. Doctor Doom could be a counter to Black Panther’s Wakanda as a polar opposite of nations in Latveria. And bringing on a character like Mephisto could further expand the mystical side of the MCU that started to be explored in “Dr. Strange.”

(But seriously, Marvel Studios, if I don’t get Toby Stephens as Norman Osborn I will riot...)

Either way, these villains need to carry on for more than one film for a change. Only Thanos, Vulture and Loki have managed to get past their first movies but if Phase 4 is going to be more distinctive it needs to have these villains come together in some way, perhaps even a *gasp* team-up! Having the villains form a super team to fight a younger more inexperienced Avengers could provide for some great drama and welcome change to the usual “fight an army of nameless goons, aliens and/or robots” of the previous era.

In any case, Kevin Feige and The Mouse need to have their sights set on truly developing these villains beyond just simple one-offs and into fully fleshed out characters that can continue to be trouble for our heroes across the series.

Expand the Cosmic Spectrum of the MCU

The MCU is a science fiction series, if that didn’t already occur to you before, what with it’s iron-suited heroes, super soldiers and in these last two phases space aliens. With the latter the next phase really needs to lean into this and all its possibilities.

There’s a wealth of characters and worlds to explore on the cosmic level of Marvel Comics that not just the Guardians of the Galaxy can be a part of and Disney would be smart to bring even more properties into this real estate of the MCU.

It should namely start with Adam Warlock who was teased in the mid-credits scene of “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2.” Warlock has long been a favorite character of mind, dating back to reading my dad’s old copies of the Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity Watch. He’s a charismatic character who effectively blends both the cosmic and mystical side of the Marvel Universe together that can lead to a wealth of possibilities across the new MCU. Who should play him is purely subjective at this point but I can tell you right now Zach Efron isn’t even my fourth choice on that particular ladder.

(Maaaaaybe?)

With the Fox deal, Disney also has the option to bring Silver Surfer and Galactus into the mix which they absolutely should at some point. Beta Ray Bill is also said to be making his debut in “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” who can take over for Thor as Chris Hemsworth will eventually move on from the franchise at some point. Guardians will eventually need to retire too of course which opens up the possibility for the Infinity Watch with characters like Moon Dragon, Maxam and Pip the Troll and don’t tell me any of them wouldn’t work on the big screen. If Rocket Racoon can be a fan favorite Moon Dragon, Pip and Maxam can definitely make it too.

Either way the Marvel Universe is big fucking place and Disney would be dumb to not explore more of it for future franchises.

Make better Original Scores

Johan Goransson’s Oscar win for Best Original Score for his work on “Black Panther” was a watershed moment for this franchise because it showed how super hero music can still be relevant. Imagine Christopher Reeve’s “Superman” without John Williams theme music or Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” without Hans Zimmer’s prominent percussion echoing the legend of Batman. Its not nearly as memorable and I feel the MCU has largely short-changed itself by not putting a higher emphasis on original scores during its decade-long run.

(*Bwaaaaaam BWAAAAAAAAAMMMM* I can hear this gif)

Phase 3 has definitely done a better job with this of course, Michael Giacchino’s work on Spider-man is solid, Alan Silvestri’s return to Avengers especially the “Portals” scene is epic as hell and again Goransson’s score is part of the reason we knew exactly what was coming next when Cap said “I know somewhere” before we even saw an image of Wakanda. But Phase 4, in my opinion, needs to make this more important as we introduce new characters.

Music has a way of echoing memories and ideas that we’ll immediately associate with an event or in this case a character and with the MCU heading into uncharted territory with what’s looks like even more unique characters, adding memorable music will help audiences identify with them. A catchy tune can go a long way to making a good scene greater just ask the binary sunset in “A New Hope” and it can make a character truly standout.

Imagine the next Avenger’s films if you will as all these new heroes come together on screen all their theme music coming together to culminate in one epic version of the Avengers suite. It will be glorious if done right and the MCU needs to make this happen with inventive composers and film scores in Phase 4.

Save the X-Men for Phase 5

I know with the Fox deal and the whimpering flameout of “Dark Phoenix” fans are clamoring to see what Disney and Marvel Studios can do to bring in everyone’s favorite team of mutants but I say “hold up.”

As much as I would love to see a (hopefully) more faithful rendition of the X-Men I think we need a breather from Professor X, Cyclops, Beast and especially Wolverine. The X-Men franchise has been going on for over two decades and as much as we would all like to see these mutants get some much needed redemption after “Apocalypse” and “Dark Phoenix” I think general audiences need a breather. Yes, The MCU brought in Spider-man barely two years after the “Amazing” franchise which flamed out badly as well but Spider-man, even by its franchise standards, had a considerably smaller catalogue left behind when he made his debut in “Civil War.”

I think teasing the reappearance of the X-Men in Phase 4 is probably fine. Maybe dropping clues on the existence of mutants, maybe mentioning an alternate universe they come from because chances are their backstory will be retconned but either way the X-Men should be left on the backburner for Phase 4.

(Deadpool though? Keep’em coming.)

Make Phase 5 all about the emergence of mutants, build them up as a great new team for the MCU and perhaps even pit them against the Avengers down the road. Either way, let the X-Men have a break for now. They need it after what Fox did to them.

Bring in Diverse New Heroes

Oh, here comes that dreaded word that makes the slimiest denizens of the internet overreact and proclaim they’re not the “oversensitive” ones (in all CAPs of course).

The MCU had its fun with its main cast of primarily white Marvel staples over the past decade and if they’re going to show that they have new ideas and new stories to tell it should begin by bringing in browner heroes.

“Black Panther” was largely a breath of fresh air for the franchise because it told a very personal and relatable story to the society we live, primarily on the struggles of being a minority. The story wasn’t a simple good vs evil tale or nonspecific theme about family and love but of something deeply wrong in the world and it’s the reason it resonated as much it did.

The MCU is already making way for its first Asian American hero in Shang Chi, which is a good start but it shouldn’t end there either. Diverse heroes should be its next flagship for the new era of the MCU. Bring in Amadeus Cho, Ms. Marvel, and hell start teasing Miles Morales.

(And don’t give me that bullshit that black Spider-man can’t appeal to mass audiences...)

I can already hear the idiots shouting at the screen right now about “white erasure” or some other bull shit about reverse racism and/or forced diversity. First of all, these people would bitch about diversity no matter what way it was brought in. If a hero is turned from white to brown it’s “Why can’t they bring in a new brown hero?” If they bring in a new brown hero it’s “Why are they bringing in a new brown hero? No one cares.” And if people do care it’s “Forced diversity.” All I have to say to you people is you keep shifting around the goal posts so much to the point that it makes me wonder what you are actually angry about?

The MCU needs brand new blood and given that it again made a talking Raccoon a fan favorite there’s nothing that tells me this is a bad time to bring in more brown heroes from Marvel’s lesser known catalog. It isn’t that I or even other minority fans hate white heroes (I wrote an entire article on how much I love the MCU’s Captain America afterall) but for the sake of showing that these diverse heroes matter and giving them a chance to shine on the big screen this is needed. It wasn’t long ago that barely anybody knew who Black Panther was, now you have folks throwing up “Wakanda Forever” signs on their Instagram and social media and reading his graphic novels. So, open your mind up a bit and stop being a child about “forced diversity.” Thor was still epic as hell when he brought down Storm Breaker in “Infinity War,” Captain America still inspires patriotism in even the most cynical of souls and Iron Man saved the universe with a snap of his fingers. Your white heroes (and fragility) stories will survive a little spice in this franchise.

How the MCU truly proceeds from here will be interesting. There are already projects in motion of course and fans should probably be excited for it regardless of what I have written here but I do truly hope a lot of these happen in Phase 4. Marvel needs better more consistent villains going forward, the cosmic side of the comics deserves more exploration, better soundtracks will make these movies better, the X-Men need a break, and after 23 movies we could stand add a few more brown people to the mix.

Hopefully The Mouse is listening…

“Huhah! I own all future box office revenue regardless anyways, you peasants. Huhah!”

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trash64 · 3 years ago

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N64 Switch Online Wishlist

I wrote a N64 Switch Online Wishlist some time ago on a personal blog. Since I’m sorta fitting this as my N64 fan blog. I feel the listicle translates here even if N64 Switch Online has since been announced. Check out how right or wrong I was.

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I see enough of these online; it’s the laziest engagement grabbing commentary possible. What’s your hypothetical “hit list” for a N64 mini or Switch Online. For the insatiable gamers it’s heroin to talk down a Nintendo Switch Online release like Jelly Boy and then immediately turn around and say “Why release this when there are countless other titles under Nintendo’s ownership given the shaft?!” Namely, Super Mario RPG or Earthbound.

Fandom is a vast complexity and presently my entire mood is to not engage and just move on. As sure as the sky is blue, passionate fans will log-on and complain or barrack behind a company in an ongoing war where nobody really wins in the end.

Anyways, lest I digress here’s my list based on previous releases on Virtual Consoles and just whatever I think fits based on current trends.

Super Mario 64 – Goes without saying. Mario’s first foray into 3D brought the imagination out in players, modelling the N64 controller on the breadth of movement the aerobatic plumber can produce is an incredible feature. It’s just as bright and enjoyable to play through today – and its inclusion on the Super Mario 3D All Stars says it is possible.

F-Zero X – A fully 3D interpretation of F-Zero without the Mode 7 trickery of yore. A lightning speed racer built to handle a whopping 60 fps. People have been clamouring for an F-Zero continuation for years, whilst Fast Racing Neo has been unofficially handed the mantle F-Zero X is still impressive today.

Mario Kart 64 – The emergence of Mario Kart it its finalised form, filled with expressive tracks, items and being 4-player multiplayer. Mario Kart 64 is a title I played most of all racers. 4 player online would be a very sweet treat, however as good as I think an online time trials leadership would be… it’s not a real possibility.

Yoshi’s Story – What the original Yoshi Island did, Yoshi’s Story handled differently to say the least. Away with the typical level progression, players are placed in a 6 world storybook where dependant on how many hearts players collected (0, 1, 2 or 3) determines what levels will be available to players on the next world. Levels are completed when a number of fruit is eaten, rather than reaching the conclusion or end to a level. Unfortunately it was perceived as too easy and simple – missing some of the magic Yoshi’s Island on the SNES had.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards – All Kirby titles have this whimsical quality and while many other titles jumped to 3D, Kirby stuck to the 2.5D side-scroller format, I’ll say it’s fun in small bursts and includes Kirby abilities you can merge together for some additional experimentation and fun.

Star Fox 64 – Upgraded the wireframe form of the SNES title to full 3D models of the N64. Full branching paths that followed the trend of “fully realised” titles in 3D space. It’s an awesome 3D shooter that I haven’t spent enough time with.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Basically set the mould for all future 3D Zelda titles, immaculate storytelling with the return of some set-pieces of A Link to the Past in an expressive 3D world. Included amazing dungeons and lively townships as well as introduced the Z-Targeting system. Short of being one of Nintendo’s greatest, it is a sure inclusion.

Sin and Punishment – An arcade on-rails shooter that doesn’t get the given praise of earlier Treasure titles that appeared on the Mega Drive. The game uses almost a twin-stick design on an N64 controller, handling player movement and the shooting cursor simultaneously to take out enemies – both through shooting and through close combat physical fighting. Stylistically awesome and honestly the more people with access to this the better!

Super Smash Bros – Choose your Nintendo favourite and fight it out with your friends! The first in a huge series, everything can be tracked back to the original – the base characters here perform similarly in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and of course all the stages feature in Ultimate too.

Paper Mario – Spiritual successor to Super Mario RPG on the SNES. This falls into the “unsure” category, we are yet to see Super Mario RPG on Switch so far. But we have seen Paper Mario Origami King – and this is very similar. Learning the weaknesses of each character and the timing of moves is key to winning encounters handily. Definitely a fun game with ounces of charm. At a time when the Mario characters weren’t super expressive Paper Mario really rounded out the edges of series personalities.

Pokemon Snap – Get snap happy with your friends, a cult classic release which has since spanned its own “New” sequel. It’s an on rails shooter meets Pokemon photography, you’re scored based on Pokemon’s activity and placement in frame. This game encourages replaying levels to find hidden secrets. I feel this is a good nostalgia grab that encourages fans to check out the new title.

1080(degrees sign) Snowboarding – Nintendo pulled back a little to their classic “Black Box” style of sporting games from NES with a little more 90’s flare. What I mean to say is, this is a realistic take on Snowboarding showcasing great snow textures that set the formula for the genre on N64.

Wave Race 64 – Much like 1080 Snowboarding, Wave Race showcases the realistic water rippling effects of the N64 and demonstrates a more arcade inspired realistic take. There are passionate fans of the series.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – This I place on a “later down the line” release, not a launch N64 Switch Online title. It’s the oddball sequel to Ocarina of Time, explore the land of Termina to retrieve a lost friend in a harrowing dooms day scenario where within 3 days the moon will destroy the world. The game has its own 3 day clock with events occurring in real time, rote memorisation of time is necessary to progression and in terms of supporting cast this houses some of the best. If I could wipe any game from my memory it would be this just so I could play it again blind.

Mario Tennis – It’s Mario, it’s Tennis. Introduction of the great Waluigi! Plays like an action tennis game with many zany power-ups and antics. Great fun.

Mario Golf – It’s Mario, it’s Golf. Game developers Camelot of Shining series and Golden Sun games were involved, I hear it’s fairly RPG orientated… But who knows it could be the more action orientated counterpart to the Game Boy Colours RPG leanings.

Donkey Kong 64 – This is debatable but people love the Saturday Morning antics of the DK Crew. Possibly taking the formula set by Super Mario 64 a step too far. With 5 characters to change between to use in many situational circumstances and too many collectables to even count. It’s hit and miss.

Ogre Battle 64: Persons of Lordly Calibre – A real-time strategy RPG which in part is almost a parallel to Final Fantasy Tactics. I can honestly say I haven’t given this series the time. While these have in past been readily available on Virtual Console, the first title Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen is yet to be available on the Super Nintendo service.

Mario Party 2 – It’s Mario, it’s a party. Arguably the best of the series. This is a 4-player board game/mini-game extravaganza. Which introduced themed costumes and a set of items for each character in each map – which is the stand-out feature honestly. Screw your friends over in the ongoing quest to beat a series of Bowsers.

Please note: I wrote this “listicle” back in 2020; since then some things have changed. Such as Mario Party Superstars being a remaster of previous maps and games means Mario Party 2 becomes a less likely candidate. Nintendo has generally been good with keeping the N64 spirit alive with Stages from Super Smash Bros. in Ultimate and new releases for basically every franchise. 5/10/21: The N64 doesn’t have a huge library but I managed to guess... 13 of the 16 coming to the Western service. I would not have ever guessed Banjo-Kazooie would ever arrive being a Rare property (even if it is on Smash Bros.) - I listed Donkey Kong 64 as an aspirational choice. Didn’t really know about Dr. Mario 64 (and neither did Japan). Operation WinBack is an odd third party option and I’m looking forward to the potential for more obscure options like Hybrid Heaven or Body Harvest and further Japanese titles. The first addendum discounts Mario Party 2 and Super Smash Bros. somewhat. Whereas Wave Racer 64, 1080 Snowboarding and Pilotwings 64 may be later additions.

#n64

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britesparc · 4 years ago

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Weekend Top Ten #465

Top Ten Games I’d Like to See on Game Pass in 2021

After a few weeks of earnest thinking and tyring to be creative, I’ve lapsed back into a wishlist this week. I used to do a lot more of these – films I’d like to come to Prime Video, games I’d like to see on Windows Phone, that sort of thing – so regular readers should be thankful that I’ve branched out more as time’s gone on.

In a way today’s list is another chance to review my big Christmas purchase, the Xbox Series X. Through a combination of presents and canny offers I was able to get, alongside the console, a year’s subscription to Game Pass Ultimate. Game Pass has been called Microsoft’s “real next-gen console”, in that they are very clearly positioning the future of their games business around it. And it is a very, very tantalising offer: dozens if not hundreds of games available at the touch of a button, playable on console, PC, and – via streaming – mobile phones. I had Game Pass once before, last year, and it was great; I chose not to keep up the sub because £11 a month (or even £8 for the most basic service) is still quite expensive when you’ve got large games that you own outright sitting there unplayed or uncompleted. But last time around the “xCloud” streaming service was still in closed beta, so it’s nice to see it rolled out more officially now. The interface is better and it seems to run a bit better, and games that support touch controls on a phone certainly perform better. I’ve found it a great way to play Slay the Spire, for instance; a turn-based card game is quite forgiving if you momentarily lose connection or the visuals start artifacting or something. Anyway, it’s great; the whole service is great. I love the fact that you get frequent (if very slight) rewards just for using it. It’s a great incentive to come back regularly or try new games. I wouldn’t have played something like The Medium or Ori and the Will of the Wisps without Game Pass; and allows me to play something like Planet Coaster or Crackdown 3, that I enjoy dipping in and out of, but probably wouldn’t buy at the moment. And for the kids, it’s great; Disneyland Adventure is a really fun game for the nippers. Although they mostly just play Minecraft.

But of course like Alexander Hamilton I’ve never been satisfied, and in that grand old tradition of doing wish lists, this week’s list is just the games that I’d like to see on the service. That’s it! Nothing complicated about it. just ten (or, well, kinda more actually) games that I think should be on Game Pass. Now, I’ve tried to be realistic about this; so I’ve not added games that aren’t actually out on the Xbox yet, such as Fall Guys (which I really hope will be on Game Pass). Ditto games that have just come out; you’ll see Assassin’s Creed down there somewhere, but not Valhalla, as that’s, I dunno, less likely right now? Same with Hitman 3; I really want to play that, it looks excellent, but I’m not expecting it to turn up on Game Pass anytime soon, coz it’s just come out and been a really big hit. There’s a slight exception to this rule though, as you’ll see.

So there we go: if anyone from Xbox is listening, here are the ten games I’d most like to see on Game Pass, if you please. Oh, and everything is meant to be on the Xbox unless otherwise stated.

Civilization VI (2019): and its assorted expansions please! Civ is my absolute must-play always-on go-to game on PC, and from what I’ve played of the console conversion, it’s a very good adaptation. Last year I was on the xCloud beta and Civ VI was one of the games you could stream; but oddly it’s never, to my knowledge, appeared on Game Pass proper. With Quick Resume, dipping in and out of a session would be even easier (and good god damn it takes a long time to load on my PC). Bonus: this works pretty well on mobile, although it can be hard to read the text on a phone screen.

Assassin’s Creed Origins and/or Odyssey (2017/2018): I’ve never really gotten into an Ass Creed game, so it’d be nice to experience one of the newer ones, but that’s not the real reason I want these on the service (besides, the one I really want to play is Valhalla, coz Vikings innit). Last year Ubisoft offered the “Discovery Tour” modes of both these games up for free on PC; my kids ate them up. They loved exploring ancient Egypt and Greece, and it tied into their studies at school. To free up my PC and because they’d look a lot nicer, I’d love them to be on the Xbox, too.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 (2020): I guess Skate or something is on Game Pass through EA Play, so I could scratch my board itch if I wanted, but it’s not quite the same. I want that nostalgia blast of Tony Hawk action. We used to play this on my girlfriend’s (now wife’s) computer, although I must confess I’ve utterly forgotten all the controls. Regardless, it’s a good fun party game and feels perfect for the service. This update in particular looks really worthwhile, with nice graphics but – hopefully – the same excellent gameplay. Dunno if Spider-Man is still in it, mind.

Minecraft (2011): now, yeah, I’m pretty sure Minecraft is actually on Game Pass on the Xbox; and, indeed, we own it. Whilst I feel that Minecraft is now so ubiquitous and has its own ecosystem that maybe it could become free-to-play, I definitely think that the PC version of Minecraft should fall under Game Pass for PC. Although I’m not sure that would really help my kids, as they’d need to be signed into my Game Pass account to play, wouldn’t they? See, MS needs some kind of family account thing going on.

Hades (2020): another PC games! Yeah, I quite fancy Hades. I remember playing the first Diablo, sometime very shortly after the actual fall of Satan, and liking it. Hades has got a lot of good reviews and all the nice people seem to be saying all the nice things about it. So I’d like to try it out, but I know, deep down inside, that I’ll just keep going back to playing Fallen Order and Gears 5 (or Civ on PC), so it’s not really worth buying. But if they added it to Game Pass on PC? Yes please.

Control Ultimate Edition (2021): ah, is this adding a brand new game? Depends on your definition. I really like the look of Control (2019). It looks like the sort of game I’d enjoy playing. And, yes, Control is technically on Game Pass. But with the super-shiny next-gen version imminent (with sexy ray-tracing!) then that’s the version I want to play. Not the filthy old degenerated version that can run on my old Xbox One. There’s a lot of justifiable controversy about the release structure of Control on next-gen, but given how pretty much all Xbox One games on Game Pass automatically give you their Series X/S versions through Smart Delivery, Control really stands out. As Ultimate Edition is on PlayStation Plus, I feel like a Game Pass version should come through sharpish.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes (2013): this is arguably the first of my “just being lazy” picks, and really it could stand in for a few different titles. We love the Lego games in this house, and our favourites (that is, mine and my kids’) probably remains Marvel Super Heroes and its 2017 sequel. Seeing as quite a lot of Xbox 360-era Lego games are on the service, it’d be really cool to add some of the newer ones, what with the excellent-sounding Skywalker Saga imminent. I mean, the first Marvel Super Heroes was an Xbox One launch title; they’re not exactly “new”. We own these, along with several more, but it’d be so nice to be able to hop in and out quickly without having to root around for a disc. And y’know, if they wanted to add the Lego Movie adaptations, or DC Super Villains, then why the heck not?

Cuphead (2017): I really want to play this! It looks amazing. I just want to experience that, y’know? Except here’s the problem: I know I would utterly suck at this. I’m pretty rubbish at platform games in general, and 2D shooters I’m even worse at. I’ve heard this game is quite hard. I am not good at hard games. And especially nowadays, when I only have time to breeze through stuff on super-easy (I have come to terms with playing games in “Story Mode”). So I just don’t think there’s any point in my buying it. But on Game Pass? Instant download.

Marvel’s Avengers (2020): is this “new”? I dunno anymore. Regardless, it feels like it’s had its moment, so coming to Game Pass wouldn’t be too outrageous. I’m gonna be honest, I’ve never felt like this looked particularly good, but then I hear people say how it’s a decent third-person action game where you play as Ms Marvel, and that sounds pretty cool. Maybe divorced of the hype and the unrealistic expectations there’s a fun no-frills game to be found. I’d love to discover it on Game Pass.

Star Wars: Squadrons (2020) or Cyberpunk 2077 (2020): now this is where we really get into lazy territory. I got both of these games for Christmas (and, obviously, they’re both new), and I really like them both (Cyberpunk runs really well on Series X). However, I got them both on disc; Cyberpunk specifically I wanted on disc to get the gubbins such as a map of Night City (I’m a sucker for stuff like that). And I think – yeah this sounds terrible – having to get up and get the box out and put the disc in is actually an impediment to my playing them. Sometimes I’m sat there and I think, shall I play Cyberpunk? And I realise I’d have to move, and I think, nah, I’ll just play Red Dead or Fallen Order or Witcher or Gears Tactics or Forza or Halo or Planet Coaster or Ori or Medium or Slay the Spire or Full Throttle or Crackdown or Two Point Hospital or Minecraft Dungeons or Perfect Dark or Doom or… you get the picture. I know I’m going to hell, don’t worry.

Anyway, there we are! Good games? Good games. Cheers in advance, Microsoft.

#top ten #xbox #games #game pass #ea play #microwave #retro gaming

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crazylittlethoughts · 7 years ago

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CLT Finds: Week One

Another New Segment You Need to Watch Out For!

I know you are thinking that I have another segment. Well, hunny I have tons stored for you but I will be revealing them one by one. These segments, they will help my blog be more organized and will help you find whatever you are looking for easily. I can’t wait until I finally able to settle all of them but before that let’s focus on this shall we?

What is CLT Finds?

Previously, you were introduced to a new segment of mine entitled CLT Mini-series in which I try to challenge myself in doing something or using something for seven days straight and as you all know the first Mini-series I did was trying out Miniso skincare products for seven days which I luckily was able to finish and pull off.

Now, we have CLT Finds! Yey! Basically, CLT Finds are things may it be clothing, food, makeup, shoes and everything in between that I just recently discovered. Note that CLT Finds are not necessarily items that I owned or purchase. Oh, how I wish but you will know soon why on earth I wouldn’t own them and I wish to own them.

Okay, let’s not make this any longer! So here are my recent finds that I know will peak your interests as well for all these items are just amazing and that’s an understatement.

1. Puma Thunder Spectra

The moment I saw these, I literally screamed Dan’s name because I know for sure that he will love these as much as I love them! I was casually watching IG Stories when I came upon @alexbeckmans’ story about these fresh babies sent to her by Highsnobiety

So these darlings are the latest runners flagship of Puma. And when I say latest it is not yet officially released thus it doesn’t have a price yet but I am praying and hoping that Puma is going to be a little kind to us and make it affordable cause come on, that could be a dupe for Balenciaga Triple S although Dan will disagree with me.

I do think that it’s a good dupe because for one, Triple S is like over 50K and I don’t have that kind of money, besides Triple S is a little wilder and this one is a little tamed down. And by looking at it I am sure it is not as heavy as Triple S which weighs if I remember it correctly, it’s around 4 pounds. Geez, imagine walking on those.

Damn, you’ll look awesome.

But going back to Thunder Spectra, me and Dan have been waiting for the official release which hopefully will give us a good price.

More Reads:

preview.ph

Watch:

MERONG COCA-COLA MAKEUP?! Coke Makeup First Impression Review | The Face Shop | Mae Layug 2018

Images From:

bancohay.com

preview.ph

therebelsweetheart.com

4. Clothing and Accessories

Here are some of the clothing and accessories that I found this week.

Zara Semi-Sheer Bodysuit

Retail Price: 1,145 PHP

Since it’s the Summer Spring collections right now expect bright colors and flower prints and as the year goes by the huge brands are getting good with their color and pattern combination. I have never tried wearing a bodysuit for casual wear but with this one, I feel like this is such a good piece to start with. I love yellow and I love flowers! What more can I ask? You had me at this Zara. Well played.

Source: Zara.com

H&M Captain's cap

Retail Price: 899 PHP

Sweetie, it’s time that we give baseball caps some rest and berets a little break because it’s time for this beauty to shine. Just look at how classy and unique captain’s caps are! I would definitely want this in my closet. I have it already on my to buy list because it needs to be there! Just imagine all the good coords it will go with.

And in case you are wondering it is available in two variations a black one and a dark blue velvet one.

Source: Hm.com

Forever 21 Leaf Print Tie-Back Crop Top & Leaf Print Tulip Hem Pants

Retail Price: Crop Top: 12.90 USD / Hem Pants: 19.90 USD

Okay, I am not a big fan of sets and also slacks because I feel like they make me look shorter or is it just me and my insecurities? But that’s not the point because just look at this beauty! Hunny, I am ready to jump on the sets bandwagon. Count me in because this is a masterpiece. Just look at that print and that pants with that gorgeous slit.

Ah, why do I have to be so broke?

Source: Crop Top: forever21.com | Bottom: forever21.com

That’s it for this week’s CLT Finds! I enjoyed finding these items however I am saddened at the same time because you know I most likely wouldn’t be able to purchase them but we’ll see right? Right now, we may not be able to afford them and we are being beaten by capitalism but as long as we work hard we would be able to turn the tables around.

What do you think of our finds? And do you like this new segment of our blog? If you do then leave a comment below I would love to hear your thoughts, loves!

I’ll see you on the next CLT Finds!

Cheers

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babygirl06301 · 7 years ago

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13 Wishes for Season 13

So, I did this last year when I made a wishlist for Mary’s character in season 12 (find it here), and I thought it’d be fun to do the same for this season and see what I come up with!

P.S. There aren’t really any spoilers, so I didn’t tag it, but if you want to wait and read this after you’ve gotten the chance to watch 13x01, you can do so!

1. Jody to finally see the bunker and finally meet Castiel.

Y’all, I have been waiting so long for this to happen, you don’t realize. From the chatter I’ve been hearing, the Wayward Daughters backdoor pilot is coming after Castiel returns from The Empty. I figured that the backdoor pilot would focus mainly on the ladies with Sam and Dean there mostly as background pieces to sort of pass the torch. But since Castiel is apparently counted as a lead character now, maybe he could be there too? How awesome would it be for Cas to meet Jody and the rest of that cast, huh? They already have a connection through Claire, so why not?

2. A season-long arc between Sam and Jack

It’s about damn time we got a new dynamic on the show. I’m confident that this will come to pass, but I really would like to see Sam acting as a sort of mentor and friend to Jack. After all, both of these two were/are object of Lucifer’s desire, they both have powers they can’t always control, and they seem to be innately good. Sam could definitely offer advice or even comfort to Jack since he can easily empathize with his situation.

3. An Evil!Jack arc

(This is another one that I’m sure will happen in some form.) Of course I prefer the cinnamon roll of a character that we were introduced to in 13x01, but I feel like his character development would be severely lacking if he didn’t go dark side at some point. I don’t really care how it happens: he feels betrayed by Cas and/or the Winchesters, Lucifer somehow influences him to his side, he thinks he’s doing the right thing when really he’s not (just like his daddy). I don’t care. But I think seeing an evil Jack would be really awesome.

4. Bobby, Bobby, Bobby

I mean, right? You cannot give us a glimpse of Earth 2 Bobby Singer in 12x23 and not give us more in S13. I know he isn’t the same Bobby that we’ve known this whole time, but honestly, I’m just jazzed to have some of him back. I’m just a little fearful that he’ll be in maybe three episodes tops? And that doesn’t suit me at all. Bring me all the Bobby, please.

5. Returning characters

We’ve all been talking about the possibilities that this other Earth could bring up. A parallel world that’s basically the same as the one we know but without Sam and Dean. So, that means you could bring back... well, anybody. I heard a rumor that Osric was set to come back this season, so maybe we’ll get to see Kevin? Or Charlie? Benny? All I’m saying is if they don’t bring somebody back, I’m gonna be mad. Earth 2 is a total loophole to revisit some fan favorites. And listen, it doesn’t all have to be the good guys. Bring back fuckin’ Abaddon or Azazel or Ruby. Take full advantage of the situation you’ve written yourselves into, writers. Don’t let me down.

6. A real, lasting solution to Castiel’s burdened soul

For the past six fucking seasons Castiel has been on a fucking journey of self-loathing and self-hatred. It’s been exceptionally highlighted in the past two seasons, and not enough has been done to fix it. I’m not trying to downsize all the goodness that came from the Winchesters in S12, but there was also a fair amount of belittling, especially from Dean. Shit, that’s all Cas’s arc has been for the past two seasons. This season, I’d like to see a change. I’d like to see a real, extended conversation with Castiel and Dean (because, let’s be honest, Dean’s opinion means the most to Cas) where Dean sits him down and says something to the effect of “You’ve got to stop trying to prove yourself, Cas. You don’t need to. You have always been the strongest player on the bench, and I need you to believe that. I do.” You know? I just need for someone to put their damn foot down and make Cas see how amazing he is so he stops getting stabbed in the damn chest trying to prove himself.

7. A Sam-centric storyline

I’m gathering that this season is going to be Cas-centric at its forefront, which is beautiful. He deserves that, he’s never had that, it’s his time to shine. However, Sam has been sidelined for too long. I don’t care if it’s a subplot, but I need for Sam to be a part of the actual plot for the first time in forever beyond him fighting alongside Dean. I get it; Sam’s the one who’s got his shit together, so why would he get into the kind of trouble that would warrant a solo story arc? Maybe he doesn’t have to get into any kind of trouble. Maybe he could just become a leader of some sort (like we saw in 12x22). Maybe something with his psychic abilities could be touched on again (which I heard might actually happen). Maybe you could stop painting him as a character to be sidelined and actually give him his own stories again. How ‘bout that, SPN?

8. Explosions

I don’t really know why, maybe because of the grenade launcher last season, but I really wanna see something blow up. I mean, Jack can do so much, right? So, let’s blow some shit up!

9. Weird demonstrations of Jack’s powers

Like I said, Jack can do a ton of stuff with his powers, so I’d love to see an episode (which is probably the Scooby-Doo episode) where Jack’s powers just fuck something up so badly. He could accidentally turn the Impala pink. He could replace Sam’s fancy shampoo with toothpaste. He could be the reason Cas has highlights this season (but for real, have you noticed Misha’s hair lately?). I just want some funny shit to happen because there’s a juiced up spawn of Satan living in their house.

10. Chuck

I know he’s not going to bring Castiel back. Hell, I’m guessing Cas--and maybe Mary--are gonna save their own damn selves. But, even if it’s just for five minutes, it’d be cool for Chuck to come in like, “Dean, I heard your prayer, but there’s nothing I can do.” And then Dean would 100% try to kill God himself before Chuck poofs away.

11. Teleportation station

Honestly, if Cas is going to be back at full power, I want him to get lit about it. I just want to see him so damn happy to be back, ya know? He’d say, “I’ll drive” before a hunt and then boop Sam, Dean, and Jack to wherever they were going. He could flash his wings at random intervals. Shit, he could break Sam’s friggin’ leg and go, “Wait, watch!” and then heal him. Then Sam would go, “You could already do that, you marble!” And Cas wouldn’t even care because he’s so happy. Tell me that wouldn’t be cute.

12. Crowley appreciation

Sadly, we all know Mark isn’t coming back to SPN, at least not any time soon. However, we can still give Crowley the respect he deserves this season. I understand that Crowley wasn’t TFW or family or anything, but he was something to Sam and Dean (as we saw in 13x01). I’d just like to see more comments made about wishing Crowley was there to help them with something or absentmindedly saying the kinda miss him. Ya know, just something to show everybody that they haven’t forgotten about him and that he meant something to the Winchesters.

13. A new grieving process for Dean

I just made a post about this today, but I really want to see Dean grieve differently this season. For one, he’s lost so much at this point that I think it warrants more than the moody, drink the pain away, ignore the crushing feeling of loss, fight through it response that Dean normally has. For two, he made so many steps last season toward a more open and vulnerable expression of his feelings, and brooding doesn’t line up with that. Also, there’s a big difference this time around: Cas. He’s never lost Cas like this before. Not this completely, not for this long, not this far into their relationship. Say what you want, but Dean’s relationships are all different. From Sam to Mary to Crowley to whoever, Dean has a unique relationship with all of them. And losing Cas should result in a different kind of grieving. Especially considering the shit they’ve been through, especially because of all the shit Cas gave up for him. Dean’s lost plenty, but this time needs to be different.

Well, that’s all I got! Let me know if you agree or disagree or think some of these will happen. I’m excited for the season, for sure. Hopefully, it’s everything I’m wishing for!

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asterinjapan · 7 years ago

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Good - morning, evening?

First full day in Tokyo!

I think I went to sleep at 9:30 last night, which is to say, I have some vague recollection of doing that and waking up at 10:30 with my phone in my hand and the message I’d posted something… oops? This jetlag feels more like a hangover, haha.

Anyway, it’s not so bad today, just feels like I got 4 to 5 hours of sleep (read: too little). I can deal with that, so I decided to take the Yamanote line today and ride the full circle. Okay, so I mostly went shopping, but hey, I also visited some shrines, so it’s not totally culturally irresponsible!

Actually I’d planned on going to Ôji, but since I’m not totally awake yet, I opted out of going somewhere new for today and instead revisited old favourites. I started where I ended yesterday: Shibuya. I went to the wolf shrine (Miyamasu Mitake) like I’d planned, and once again, the place was deserted. Two tourists left the place just as I went around the corner, and that was it. Sadly, this also meant the store was closed, so I couldn’t get a protective charm once again. Boo. I said my prayers and left, but I really like this little shrine. It’s so quiet and nice in the middle of the bustling city.

Back into said city, I tried to check off my wishlist, but I wasn’t very lucky today (let’s just say I’m saving all my luck for tomorrow at the concert, haha). I did score KOKIA’s recent single, although it took me a while to find it. It’s for a game, so I had to look at the game section and not the KOKIA shelf… oops. Power of habit.

I next went to Akihabara, where I was even less lucky and found the products I saw last time and didn’t get all out of production. Meh. I’ll live, but it was a bit of a shame.

However, there was one place in Akihabara I hadn’t gone to before: the Kanda Myôjin shrine! It’s kind of a nerdy shrine, actually, because it’s in the middle of a district famous for animated series and game merchandise (as well as electronics in general – one of the exits of the station is literally called Electric Town). The shrine itself is very fancy, and I think one of the older ones in Tokyo. Once you get to the ema (wooden plaques you can write a wish or prayer on and then hang on one of the displays), you’ll see they’re almost all covered in characters from animated series, haha. They’re very nice! But it’s just funny to see a serious shrine with those happy faces plastered all over. Speaking of serious shrines, there was a wedding going on, Shinto style! I quickly stole some pictures, although I won’t post them here. (Maybe don’t get married on a Saturday afternoon at one of the most famous shrines in Tokyo if you don’t want strangers to take your picture… Anyway, it looks lovely, so I took the pictures just to preserve the memory.)

My lunch in Shibuya was rather fancy, so I wasn’t yet hungry in Akihabara. I took the Yamanote line a little further to Nippori, where I secured a ticket for the skyliner train for next week, lest I forget how short this visit is, haha. It’s the 7:25 train this time, which is an hour later than last year. Hallelujah! (Japan doesn’t have daylight savings, so in summer, the time difference is 7 hours while in winter it’s 8. The plane is scheduled for the Dutch time zone, so I’ll still arrive at the same time I did last year, except I leave an hour later. Uh. It makes sense, I swear!)

After that, back to Ikebukuro! I had a super cute plushy I wanted to get, and also a couple of books. I also had a DVD on my wishlist, but alas, out of store at the usual places. Weh. (I can always order it online, but buying in stores has its charms.) Like I said, I’m saving my luck for tomorrow I guess!

My dinner consisted of a literal pan cake, since they served it in a pan, haha. It was yummy and very filling, I sure won’t go hungry any time soon. I’m happy to say my appetite is almost back to normal levels already, which is great, because it took quite a while last time.

And actually – I forgot to mention it yesterday I think, and I jumped right into my day report here, but… Ikebukuro and Tokyo in general kind of feel like a second home. There’s something very familiar and soothing to walking through those streets, the station roads that I know so well now (although I still got lost last night trying to find a particular restaurant – Ikebukuro has at least 4 warehouses with 7 to 8 floors inside the station, never mind out of it, so it’s a lot easier to get lost there than you’d think). Hearing Japanese around me, the train rides, the ads – all the small, simple things. I really missed it. I know I’ve always been here as a tourist, so obviously my vision is kinda skewed, but… I just really, really like it here. Obviously, I went for the concert this time, but I wouldn’t have considered going to the other side of the world for just a week if I didn’t really like the destination.

I wish I could have enjoyed the first two days even more, because I’m definitely still a bit jetlagged, but on the other hand, I’m glad I went on a Thursday with the concert on Sunday. I hope to be more well-rested tomorrow so I can enjoy the concert to the fullest, and then I still have almost a week left.

On Monday, I’ll probably go to nearby Kawagoe (a samurai village). I have a ticket for Disneyland on Tuesday, and for Wednesday, I’d planned to go to the Hama Rikyu gardens and go to the Odaiba bay area (if only to see the rainbow bridge at night time). For Thursday, I’m meeting up with the friend who arranged the concert ticket to go to Sengakuji temple (of 47 Ronin fame) and the Tokyo Sky Tree. For Friday… eh, we’ll see. I still have some souvenir shopping to do ;)

But first, the reason I came to Japan again for the second time in a year – KOKIA’s ‘The Christmas Season with the Orchestra’ concert! Which is, eh, exactly as it says on the tin, haha. I’ve been a KOKIA fan for a decade now, and although I’ve seen her live before, it’s my first time seeing her live with a full orchestra backing her up (which is amazing judging by the DVDs). And she’s promised to do a autograph session afterwards, so who knows…

Well, time to go to bed and rest up, see you tomorrow!

#report #report: tokyo 2017 #tokyo 2017

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astralcaw-blog · 7 years ago

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Witchy Wishlist 2k17

Wow first year. Discord server I'm on has started this beautiful thing. May as well participate! I don't necessarily identify as a witch but I do participate in magics. Let's see...

1. Necromicon: it fascinates me. Honestly this and/or any books on death magics sound amazing. Even recommendations.

2. Rocks: my faves are bloodstone and obsidian. I can never get enough of them ♡

3. Spice Jars: Jars. Spices. One or the other. Or both.

4. Shelves: like to hang on walls. Gosh I need shelves lol

5. Pendulum: I lost mine last time I moved. I had 2 really nice ones and I miss them.

6. Tarot: Rider Waite or Ostara or that death one... honestly any will do. I also lost my deck in the move and I'm #bummed.

7. Witchsona: omg if you drew me?! That would be the tightest shit.

8. Dog toys: my pups abuse them.

9. Dead stuff: Bones, taxidermy, pelts... literally anything. I love it all ♡

10. A hanging plant: likely one that doesn't need a lot of sun and is super beginner friendly. I love plants but every one I touch dies. But I still like to try.

11. A favorite: My dudes. If you send me a favorite thing of yours, recommendation or otherwise, snack, song, book, rock, I will write a review about how awesome this thing is. I love learning about what makes people happy. ♡

12. Art

13. Energy reading: gosh I love hearing people's interpretations of my energies. Have at it! (Just let me know and consent b4 you do).

And that's it! Gosh it's hard trying to come up with 13 things. But this was fun!

.3.~♡

#witchy wishlist

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ambitioncunningpridemieczyslaw · 5 years ago

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I think we think alike cause I was halfway through writing this ask when yours showed up. Also, if you want to, 1. Harry Potter, 2.Tyrus and 3. Stiles for the fandom ask game :)) Also, no need to answer this at ALL, but favorite song?

001 | Harry Potter

Favorite character: Bellatrix Lestrange

Least Favorite character: Lucius Malfoy

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

Neville Longbottom & Luna Lovegood

Remus Lupin & Nymphadora Tonks

Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley

Hermione Granger & Viktor Krum

Cedric Diggory & Cho Chang

Character I find most attractive:

Viktor Krum

Character I would marry: Fred Weasley

Character I would be best friends with:

Minerva McGonagall

a random thought: Fred and I are very happy in our marriage.

An unpopular opinion: Ha! Um... Hermione and Ron don't belong together sorry not sorry

My Canon OTP: Luna Lovegood & Neville Longbottom

My Non-canon OTP: Luna Lovegood & Pansy Parkinson

Most Badass Character: Molly Weasley

Most Epic Villain: Bellatrix Lestrange

Pairing I am not a fan of: Already said this, but Ron x Hermione

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Dobby.

Favourite Friendship: Hermione Granger & Harry Potter

Character I most identify with: Um... Fred Weasley?

Character I wish I could be: Hermione Granger

002 | Tyrus

When I started shipping them: January 19, 2018 (The day there's a mack in the shack aired)

My thoughts: They deserve all the happiness lol

What makes me happy about them: Anything and Everything

What makes me sad about them: Kira. TJ. Swingset. Angsty Cyrus. You bet I bawl like a baby anytime I see that scene.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Um... Nothing. No if someone killed them that would hurt lol

Things I look for in fanfic: I love jealous!TJ or jealous!Cyrus

My wishlist: Tyrus, Muffy, Wonah, & Ambi all enjoy their daily groupdates

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: NO ONE

My happily ever after for them: Just them happy together and alive

003 | Mieczysław "Stiles" Stilinski

How I feel about this character:

When the first season of Teen Wolf came out it was the summer before 7th grade. That school year 2011-2012 was... Interesting lol When I saw someone like Stiles ADHD & probably bi I just went that's me. I was this skinny little gay boy who really struggled with my identity. I was in therapy because I found my grandmother's dead body it really messed me up she was literally my best friend. A lot of the boys on the sports teams I was in started filling out they had muscles they were tall and dating girls I was lean, short, and had a very healthy sexual relationship with my hand. Stiles was just someone I could relate to I even came out to my friends that year because of him. He's EVERYTHING to me.

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Fuck okay I'm trying to think off all the fics I read with him. Okay Derek Hale obviously, Clark Kent, Peter Hale, Jackson Whittermore, Jordan Parrish, Danny Mahealani, Theo Raeken Archie Andrews, Edward Cullen, Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis, Damon Salvatore, Klaus Mikaelson, Tyler Lockwood, Mason Lockwood, Jeremy Gilbert, Matt Donovan, & Katherine Pierce

Yeah that's all the Fanfic I read with him being romantically involved with someone. Don't feel bad I would judge me to

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Allison Argent

My unpopular opinion about this character: Just to piss off all the Scott McCall fans out there who fill my inbox with hate. Stiles is a better character

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

Emissary! Stiles

Favorite friendship for this character:

If not Allison than Catwoman a.k.a. Erica Reyes

My crossover ship: Stiles Stilinski x Superman

Bonus: Favorite Song

Currently my most played song is Moral of the Story by Ashe, And I have a tattoo with the initials A. T. W. In honor of my ex boyfriend who took his life 3 years ago, but when people ask about it I'm like All Too Well by Taylor Swift is an AMAZING song, Mine (Glee Cast Version) is total fire Love Santana Lopez!!!, but ok one song UK what You Don't Own Me by Lesley Gore I fucking love that song IDC how old it is. Like how does anyone hear that song and not belt it out

#asks #answered #fandom asks

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thebookrat · 6 years ago

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This post contains affiliate links, which help support this blog. Thanks!

We've hit our final week of Austen in August 2018! I know, I can't believe it either. And I also can't believe that next year will be the 10th Anniversary of All Things Austen every summer right here on The Book Rat! *mind blown* So I know we're all sad to see it go, but let's start the week with your special Austenish paper, hot off the presses! This might be a busy week... so much Austen, so little time!

A giveaway of hand-painted & lettered watercolor bookmarks, to coordinate with the printables from earlier this month!

And speaking of, more printables!

The final sneak peek at Maria Grace's A Proper Introduction to Dragons

And a peek at her recently released book, How Jane Austen Kept Her Cool — as well as a chance to win a copy!

I'll finally get around to sharing my thoughts on this year's group read-along, Longbourn (promise!)

And I'll take a look at some recently released and upcoming Austenesque books on my radar

We'll finally (hopefully) take a look at part of my Jane Austen collection

and maybe, just maybe, hear the story of how I became a tried-and-true Janeite

A Janeite Convo on re-setting Austen in unusual times and circumstances, that has me REALLY, REALLY WANTING some of these books to happen. Pronto.

and one final Janeite Convo, of sorts, to send you off with some Austen read-alikes to while away the time until next AIA!

You may have missed:

A think piece on isolation in Austen's leading ladies, from Lona Manning, along with a giveaway!

Not one but TWO! Janeite Conversations with this year's crop of Austenesque authors, this time on the transition to full-fledged "Janeite," and on dream-casting Austen for this week's Dinner & Movie night!

Speaking of our weekly Dinner & Movie night, it'll be a double feature this Friday, to make up for last Friday's lack of Janedate night, with recipes from Beth for shrub (a weirdly named but delicious sounding drink) and Scotch eggs!

We'll get our 3rd peek at Maria Grace's A Proper Introduction to Dragons, as part of this month's ongoing series (don't forget, you can enter to win both it and another book from the series here and here!)

A guest post from Melanie Rachel on Austen canon and "fanon," along with a giveaway!

Michi does that thing we all do, and judges Austen's books by their covers

Sometimes Twitter is a funny place...

A brief guest post & excerpt of Being Mrs Bennet from Alexa Adams, again, with giveaway!

In need of some Austenesque reads to get you in the mood for AIA? Here are some personal faves and current bargains to feed your reader -- and fill that Jane Austen shaped hole in your heart -- with! Some of these are even free on Kindle Unlimited, but some of these are just flat-out free! If you've read any of them, let me know your thoughts or recommendations in the comments!

Not enough Janery going on for you in this first week of AIA? Don’t worry, we’ve got 8 previous years to plunder for awesome Austen posts, In Case You Missed It! Take a stroll through and discover (or rediscover!) things like:

I reviewed (yet another?) book billed as 'Jane Austen meets Friday Night Lights' (who knew this was such a desirable pairing?) -- and this time, I liked it!

Kai talked about the poetry of Austen

and Beth showed us how to make Ratafia cakes

Alexa talked about the perfections of Pemberley

I read some Austen beach reads, like this one, and this one

I gave a longish list of Austenesque books I need to get my hands on, back when I did Wishlist Wednesday -- some of them have made it to my shelves, and even been read!

Deborah Yaffe asked 'What's wrong with Mansfield Park?' to which the screaming answers can still be heard echoing...

We talked about Austen's "doomed ships"

and Danya shared the lessons she learned from Jane

* a selection on newsy bits and bits and bobs for the truly discerning Janeite *

I have a whole post coming for you on some amazing Jane Austen wearables you might want to add to your wardrobe, so keep an eye out for that!

What are some new or upcoming Austenesque books on your TBR or wishlist? Let me know in the comments so I can add them to an upcoming post!

Click here to return to the master list of Austen in August posts!

via The Book Rat

#IFTTT #The Book Rat

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theprettiestshit · 7 years ago

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#blackexcellence IRL At The In Her Shoes Black Women-Owned Holiday Bazaar

@bufferingbetty

The Black Girl Magic Event Of The Season

This past Saturday, Dec. 2nd, I had the pleasure of attending the In Her Shoes Black Women-Owned Holiday Bazaar in New York City. I got to meet dozens of black, female, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and people ready to support one another. They each came from a different background. Each woman had her own unique, "Why I started this business" story. All of them empowered one another.

Renae Bluitt was the mastermind behind this event that showcased the power of black female entrepreneurs. She is the founder and creator of the In Her Shoes Blog and Crush Media. She writes,

“I’ve always been intrigued by other women’s stories: their “a-ha” moments, successes, struggles, and most importantly, what inspires them to fight the good fight when times get tough” (source).

This passion for story sharing inspired her to create her documentary film She Did That. The film tells the stories of 5 black female businesswomen that are shattering their industries. She Did That centers on Luvvie Ajayi: best selling author of I’m Judging You, Lisa Price: the creator of the brand, Carol’s Daughter, Melissa Butler: the creator of The Lip Bar, Tonya Rapley: the creator of My Fab Finance, and finally on Renae Bluitt's In Her Shoes Blog story.

Renae is really out here fighting for women! She is an entrepreneur who is not just focused on her own success. Renae Bluitt is creating pathways that allow the grossly neglected population of black women to be seen, to be heard, and supported as business women!

Read more about how, in her own words, in Renae’s blog post, Walmart Supports “She Did That.” & Ramps Up Supplier Inclusion Initiatives (a must read!).

Watching the sneak peek of She Did That was exhilarating. The preview included part of the story of the creator of Carol’s Daughter, Lisa Price. It resonated with me. She shared about her experience of struggling in her undergraduate career. Price talked about her battle with depression; needing help but not having the courage to ask. From a vulnerable stage of her life, she found the strength to rise and eventually build a company whose products are easy to find.

The full documentary is set to release in 2018 and based on the short glimpse I saw, it is something that all goal setters must watch and study! These 5 driven women are an inspiration!

After the documentary preview and panel discussion, the Holiday Bazaar was open for business. Here are just a few of the things I found.

First, we have our very own Pepper B. doing demonstrations of how you can blend your skincare with your makeup for the ultimate healthy glow. She teamed up with Bloomsbury Square, a vegan skincare company, to give shoppers skin to envy.

Bloomsbury Square was founded by Niambi. “I delight in making products that let nature do what it does best: nurture the body and mind” (source). Using their Featherlight Cucumber SkinNectar with Clary Sage + Geranium, Pepper blended the lightweight oil with a loose pigment to give me the melted peachy highlight of my dreams. I was already wearing makeup and thought that applying an oil could disrupt my “I ain’t woke up like dis, I worked for dis” makeup. Girl. When she finished blending my highlight, I was ready to do some serious exploring at the In Her Shoes Black Women Owned Holiday Bazaar. And off I went!

"Vegan, pure, affordable products inspired by indigenous herbalism and healing." Bloomsbury sq

Find more of Bloomsbury Square here!

Very early in the day, I found myself being pulled in by the force of a sheet mask. A black lace sheet mask to be exact! Eve Milan is a skincare company founded by an esthetician who has 10 years of experience to draw from (source). Eden Gilliam designed these sheet masks to be hydrating without the use of oils. Most sheet masks make you look pretty creepy. Eve Milan’s The Lacial Masque will make you look mysterious.

"A 5-free skincare line designed to restore confidence back into your skin and give it a healthy glow without the use of harsh chemicals." Eve Milan NY

Find more of Eve Milan NY here!

Next, I headed to our friends over at The Lip Bar. This company is the brainchild of Melissa Butler, one of the 5 featured entrepreneurs in the She Did That film. While there, I met a blogger who loves this company as much as I do. She asked me why I liked The Lip Bar so much. I pointed to this poster and said, “That image right there.” Loyal meetpepperb.com readers must remember back when I reviewed their signature shade, Bawse Lady. I basically fangirled. The imagery used by The Lip Bar is untethered.

On a wall covered in beauty campaigns, The Lip Bar’s vision is striking and magnetic. I was thrilled to see that their table was swarming all day with shoppers ready to drop coin on their lipsticks!

Read Pepper’s interview of Melissa Butler here.

Read my review of the liquid matte lipstick in Bawse Lady here. And Amanda’s review of liquid matte lipstick in Man Eater here.

“I am passionate about creating an inclusive narrative on what beauty is and reminding women that we don't have to settle for anything.” Melissa Butler

Find more from The Lip Bar here!

There was another friend of meetpepperb.com who was a vendor at the In Her Shoes Black Women Owned Holiday Bazaar. LIT Brooklyn is a homemade candle company founded by Denequa Williams. These soy candles are a favorite of our website. The scents Joy and Home were quickly added to my mental wishlist. Citrus scents give me life!

Read Pepper’s Interveiw of Denequa Williams here.

“Made from our homes to be enjoyed in yours.” - Denequa Williams

More on Eden Bodyworks here!

FInally, we come to Limegreen. This skincare line prides itself on products that are multifunctional. Multi Oil, Multi Wash, Multi Spray, and even a Multi Candle - it’s bomb, too. Aromatherapy that melts into a massage oil so you can calm your nerves and soothe your muscles.

While speaking with one of it’s founders, I learned that this company was born from wanting to help a friend in need. Her friend was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer patients are restricted to what products they can use on their skin based on the treatment they could be receiving. She told me that one day after work, she decided to pop into Whole Foods to see what she can blend together to help her friend.

From there, giving relief to a friend, bloomed into a passion project that flourished into a business.

I took home with me a bottle of Limegreen’s Multi Oil scented with lotus. How great is this packaging! There is prideful showmanship in the way the box opens up like a door revealing what’s behind curtain number 1. While at the event, I tested the oil on my dry-growing out-bleached blonde hair focusing on my ends. Did this oil not make my hair look and feel like silk! I was impressed!

I have since tried it on my face, just once, though. You will get a full review in the future. It’s basically Winter, so my skin concern, along with the fading of my golden summer glow, is dry, flaky skin. Mostly on my forehead. When I applied the oil, I expected to have to add an extra drop to my forehead because it usually needs extra TLC. Not the case! My forehead did not feel tight or itchy and the best part is that my skin did not feel sticky or greasy from the oil! While the oil is marketed as a makeup remover, I don’t really see myself using it that way because the oil is kind of thick. Which is great for hydration, but I don’t love that for cleansing. I will test it out and write about it for a full review.

"Through natural, multi-use products, Limegreen aims to promote a lifestyle that is healthy for the body, sustainable for the environment, and unifying for people of all backgrounds." Limegreen

Find more Limegreen here!

There were so many more brands at the In Her Shoes Black Women Owned Holiday Bazaar. This event was an exhibit of the entrepreneurship of black women. Renae Bluitt shared a statistic that black women-owned businesses “generate $52.6 billion” (source). There was music, wine, artists, and there was even a proposal at the end! Congrats! Make sure you check out In Her Shoe Blog and keep your eyes open for the release of She Did That. Thank you for having us!

Full list of vendors here

It's holiday time! If you want to support more black women owned business, check out Renae's shopping guide. In Her Shoes Shopping Guide: 75 Black Women-Owned Brands to Know, Love & Support here

vimeo

Special shout out to my Kiss & Recharge Powerbank Luxe! Kept me charged and connected all day! Link to shop below!

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elitesportsny · 7 years ago

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Elite Sports NY

https://elitesportsny.com/2017/11/27/new-york-jets-ranking-best-quarterback-options-2018-beyond/

New York Jets: Ranking the best quarterback options for 2018 and beyond

SAN DIEGO, CA – DECEMBER 21: Wyoming (17) Josh Allen (QB) drops back to pass during the San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl game between the BYU Cougars and the Wyoming Cowboys on December 21, 2016, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

With seven losses on the season, it’s time to start the New York Jets quarterback investigation for the season of 2018 and beyond.

Hey, at least they didn’t finish 0-16. Right, Colin Cowherd, you brilliant football man?

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Or hey, at least they didn’t fulfill that powerful message from an “unnamed” NFL exec naming the summer New York Jets personnel the worst in a decade. Right, Daniel Jeremiah?

From an NFL exec- "I think the Jets might have the worst roster I've seen in a decade."

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) June 7, 2017

I’m guessing both of those fellas didn’t read Elite Sports NY over the summer. Exhibit A came in when we immediately debunked the silly “worst roster in a decade” notion by comparing the roster to the winless Detroit Lions nine years ago. Exhibit B came when we announced to the world that this Jets personnel group is much improved from a season ago. (Don’t pay attention to the over-the-hill veteran names that were cut. Production simply wasn’t there.)

But let’s move on. Forget the past. Forget our feelings in terms of so-called “NFL experts” not paying attention to us and going on to make fools of themselves. In fact, I believe this group is underachieving a tad. Look at the roster. Look at the games. Todd Bowles — who Cowherd proclaimed as the runner-up as coach of the year in early November — is underachieving with this young talented group.

ESNY 2017 New York Jets Expert Picks. #NYJ #NYJets #Jets #NewYorkJets #NFL

A post shared by EliteSportsNY (@elitesportsny) on Sep 10, 2017 at 10:07am PDT

Like previously mentioned, we must move on. It’s now time to commence the real fun — the New York Jets quarterback fun.

A veteran free agent signing? A drafted phenom in the top 10? A middle-round gem? Or how about somebody who’s actually on the roster? With seven losses on the season, it’s now officially time to dig in and look ahead — even though so much can still happen between now and the draft.

We now rank the best quarterback situations for the New York Jets in 2018 and beyond.

NEXT: Notables

Notables

Christian Hackenberg (New York Jets)

Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State)

Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)

Lamar Jackson (Louisville)

Clayton Thorson (Northwestern)

Luke Falk (Washington State)

Christian Hackenberg lands on the notables section for one serious reason: we don’t believe he can get the job done.

In fact, if the Penn State product receives a start late this season and runs with it to a degree in which comforts the organization beyond its wildest dreams, it’d be the greatest situation in the world. The No. 2 pick from a couple years ago would be validated. No more picks would be wasted and assets used in the pursuit of a franchise QB. Having that guy in-house would be the ideal situation.

We just don’t think he has the goods. Something’s missing in-between the ears.

Mason Rudolph, Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson and Luke Falk all land on the notables as serious quarterback prospects via the NFL Draft. It’s just too early to project where most of these guys will land in terms of draft positioning.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 18: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins pitches the ball during the second quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on October 18, 2015 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Don’t Touch Notables

Kirk Cousins

Alex Smith

It’s not that I’m against signing a veteran free agent quarterback. It makes sense in many situations.

But these two guys, Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith, make very little sense at this stage of the game for this specific organization.

With Cousins, the money will be outrageous. Somebody will give it to him. There’s no question about that. The deal with paying him the money, however, means that he’s the bonafide franchise guy with no doubts. This means there’s very little wiggle-room. There’s no backup option and all of your hopes and dreams hinge on that guy as the salary cap gets squeezed tremendously.

In terms of Alex Smith, no, the money won’t be a concern, but by signing Smith, the QB position will be “halfwayed.” He’d be the starter while another guy is the future.

Smith makes more sense, but is probably a waste of valuable cap space.

NEXT: Number 5 Option

No. 5 Option: Bryce Petty

New York Jets, Baylor, Age 26

6-foot-3, 230 pounds, right-handed

2015 NFL Draft: Round 4, Pick 4

The No. 5 option is simple, yet another in-house option nobody believes in (similarly to Christian Hackenberg).

As it stands right now, Petty’s the guy who’ll get the call once the suits in the front office force Todd Bowles to make a change. It’s not Josh McCown‘s fault. In fact, he’s been everything (and more) in terms of what the organization and fans expected heading into August.

It’s simply the nature of the business.

CHECK OUT the New York Jets Team Center: News, Stats, Standings

If the fanbase had its way, Petty or Hackenberg would be touching the center’s ass this coming Sunday when New York plays host to the Kansas City Chiefs. Although it probably won’t go down like that, Petty could do some serious damage when he does get that call.

Think about it. Should Petty impress to the degree that it leaves “franchise quarterback” notions in Mikey Mac’s head, future draft picks and assets could be saved.

Should Petty play as well as possible in the coming weeks, a drafted would certainly still be on the wishlist. But perhaps they decide to go second-round QB instead of first.

The in-house guy is always the best option when talent and potential are even across the board.

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NEXT: Number 4 Option

PASADENA, CA – SEPTEMBER 30: Josh Rosen #3 of the UCLA Bruins looks to pass during the second half of a game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Rose Bowl on September 30, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

No. 4 Option: Josh Rosen

UCLA, Junior, Age 20

6-foot-3, 220 pounds, right-handed

2018 NFL Draft Projection: Top 5 selection

What most scouts love about the kid is his smoothness. He plays and acts like he belongs to the elite class at any level. He’s not a tremendous athlete, but does move around the pocket extremely well. His release his quick and does move through progressions and manipulate safeties at an elite collegiate level.

It’s amazing the difference a year makes.

At the end of last college football season, it was Sam Darnold and everybody else. Darnold was hyped up as the “generational talent” while the rest followed.

Now, it’s Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold and everybody else. Actually, it’s more than that. There is a myriad of projections involving five or more signal-callers.

It does seem like Josh Rosen is atop the leaderboard at this very moment. Throwing for 3,727 yards and 26 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions, Rosen’s eclipsed Darnold on many draft boards.

And now that he fully declared himself for the draft by running out with the seniors on senior night, all the kid’s doing now is waiting for his top-five selection.

#UCLA junior QB Josh Rosen ran out of the tunnel with the seniors tonight. Your move, #Browns pic.twitter.com/jJRZN1oA9P

— Ƒunhouse (@BackAftaThis) November 25, 2017

Maccagnan is doing the appropriate thing by keeping tabs on the kid, but we have him at No 4 purely due to head-to-head competition with Darnold. Both will probably fall as top three picks and the Jets will most likely fall outside of that area in the first round.

Extra assets would have to be relented to land Rosen.

New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan is listed on the attendance sheet at tonight's Cal-UCLA game at the… https://t.co/7nSajx2CGq

— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) November 25, 2017

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NEXT: Number 3 Option

No. 3 Option: Andrew Luck

Indianapolis Colts, Stanford, Age 28

6-foot-4, 240 pounds, right-handed

2012 NFL Draft: Round 1, Pick 1

Speaking of generational quarterback talents, let’s discuss Andrew Luck.

Yes, the shoulder is scary. The kid who twice put his talentless Indianapolis Colts on his shoulder and marched them through the NFL Playoffs is the greatest mystery in the NFL at the moment.

First of all, how bad is the shoulder? The man is traveling across the globe for answers. Owner Jim Irsay is rumbling about the injury as less than genuine, as it’s only in his head.

In terms of damaged goods or injury prone, I just don’t see it with Luck. The man never missed a game during the first three years in Indy:

Pro Football Reference

It wasn’t until he fearlessly continued to play hard behind that horrid offensive line that the injuries finally came.

Although reports have surfaced that Luck isn’t going anywhere, perhaps he is secretly taking this thing slowly while knowing he’ll never play for the organization ever again. I know I wouldn’t after hearing what my owner had to say about me.

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Luck is the second best QB option for the Jets under one condition … the price must be right.

Under normal circumstances, At least two first rounders (possibly three) would be needed for a talent like Luck. In this case, who knows? Maybe the Jets could snag the guy on the cheap and remain off-the-hook for a big number of that guaranteed money he has coming to him.

It’s risky, no doubt. But Andrew Luck is, by far, the best NFL quarterback on this list and it’s not even close.

NEXT: Number 2 Option

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 09: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans claps during the first half of a game against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

No. 2 Option: Sam Darnold

USC, Redshirt Sophomore, Age 20

6-foot-4, 220 pounds, right-handed

2018 NFL Draft Projection: Top 3 selection

The first issue scouts yell at the moon about concerning Sam Darnold is his long delivery. His release isn’t quick like Rosen or Allen. In fact, he matches up very well with Andrew Luck (while at Stanford). What I love and what separates him from Rosen is the intangibles from the pocket. His pocket awareness is elite and his clutch composure is sublime. He possesses that extra it factor that does it for me.

Don’t overthink it. Sam Darnold is the best quarterback talent in this draft. He’s perhaps the best QB talent since Luck (aside from a few Carson Wentz fans).

The reason he falls to No. 2 on this list is purely due to the fact New York would have to pay mightily to acquire his services. The cost of moving into the top two of the draft is ridiculous.

A slightly down year in 2017 shouldn’t sway the thought of the 2018 draft as owned by Darnold. What the kid showed in the Rose Bowl last January is just the beginning.

He’s a pure playmaker from the QB spot. Although he’s not a pure athlete, his mobility is absolutely top-notch at the NFL level and when he throws on the run, NFL scouts go wild.

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His frame, his age, his arm — it’s everything an NFL scout drools over this time of year.

While, yes, he would cost the Jets significant assets (as they’d have to trade up to the No. 1 or 2 spot, much easier if the San Francisco 49ers are present), it’d be worth every penny.

Don’t overthink it. The kid has everything you want in an NFL quarterback.

NEXT: Number 1 Option

No. 1 Option: Josh Allen

Wyoming, Junior, Age 21

6-foot-5, 233 pounds, right-handed

2018 NFL Draft Projection: First Round selection

He’s a bigger quarterback and has a golden arm. In fact, his arm is so strong that touch on certain passes needs to be a working point. He’s not Ben Roethlisberger big, but does mirror the man in certain pocket situations. Many scouts beleive he has the highest ceiling of all the 2018 signal-callers.

The news is already out. The New York Jets reportedly love Josh Allen. Although, they also reportedly loved Mitchell Trubisky a draft ago. So, who the hell knows.

What’s intriguing about Allen is that in a loaded QB class such as this (whether it turns out that way or not), he won’t cost you a top-five selection (most likely). Instead, he may go around the No. 10 through 15 range.

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And, obviously, this is exactly where the Jets may land in the first round making the match all-too-perfect.

He’s listed as the best option not only because he’s a talented franchise quarterback prospect who possesses the greatest arm in the draft, but because he is the most realistic option at the moment.

The Jets can come away with their new face of the franchise with a sheer first round pick. No extra assets, trades or funny business needed. A clean call to Josh Allen in the first round while moving on in plugging other holes.

NEXT: At 4-7, the Jets fascinating quarterback discussion officially begins

#Jets

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garynsmith · 7 years ago

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Inside Hurricane Harvey relief: 5 aid workers swap stories

http://ift.tt/2eIss7b

Roofs of homes dotting the water’s surface like glaciers in the arctic, families being rescued from second-story apartments, harrowing stories of families being separated and losing everything, including family members — watching the devastation in Houston on the news last week was heartbreaking.

And we were only seeing glimpses of the destruction that is a reality for Houstonians.

Amidst the Hurricane Harvey chaos, I was hearing many stories, second-hand, of volunteers from our real estate community doing amazing work and helping in dire situations.

I reached out to the Inman Coast to Coast Facebook page and asked for names of agents who were helping. I received hundreds names.

Below you’ll find five interviews with professionals in our real estate community who are aiding the Hurricane Harvey efforts in a variety of ways.

Interviews with Ryan Bokros on boat rescues, Enid Cleland working with the Red Cross in the city’s largest shelter, Caroline Pinal and GiveBack Homes organizing fundraiser relief, Joseph Diosana assisting in the warehouses of incoming donations and Mark Maniha helping people gather their belongings.

Tears were shed in practically every one of these interviews; no one would don the title of hero willingly, but I believe you’ll agree that the work they are doing is nothing but heroic.

Ryan Bokros

Ryan Bokros, managing partner with JLA Realty with eight offices across the Houston area, is a first responder who has been busy rescuing stranded citizens by the boatload, but not just in Houston — in Port Arthur, Beaumont, Orange and Orton as well.

His group of about 600 with 200 boats has been using a church in the Woodlands as one of about four or five command centers. But Bokros says they’re “just a bunch of regular dudes.”

Are there any road vehicles available to used, or is it pretty much still boats?

We’ve seen large jacked-up trucks that are able to be used in certain areas, but we’re more of a command center for one of those desperate situations that will require a lot of rescue.

We had a crew yesterday that left our staging area probably at about 9:30 in the morning, and they didn’t get back until about 11:30 last night.

They went to Port Arthur, and then as they were coming back home to Houston, they had another call for an apartment complex downtown and a crew of two or three boats with two to three men per boat rescued about 80 people.

Volunteers preparing for evacuations.

Is there one image or one situation you’ve seen that stands out to you?

There are two of them. I carried a pregnant woman about 300 yards yesterday. She had a medical condition, high blood pressure, and just the look in her eyes, it really struck me.

And then I also carried a five or six-year-old little girl to safety. She just wrapped her arms around my neck as tight as she could. I had her and her little puppy in my arms. Those are the things — just the looks in people’s eyes.

How can the Inman community help out?

Just because of what my mission has been, it’s really hard for me to even answer that question. My focus has been here on this with the boats and rescues and all.

My wife Maggie created an Amazon wishlist, which I know a lot of people have purchased things from because she has been in direct contact with the local shelters and the community of people that are running the shelters.

And money for gas to keep all of these boats running. People have been sending me PalPal payments to use to buy gas cards and distribute to the boat drivers.

Bokros’s PayPal.

Maggie’s Amazon wishlist.

Enid Cleland

Enid Cleland is the CEO at The RE Luxury Team/ReMax Collection Luxe Portfolio in Houston.

Cleland has spent every day since the flooding started volunteering in the George Brown Center, Houston’s largest shelter, holding over 9,000 evacuees.

She was reluctant to be interviewed because she didn’t want to be dubbed a hero.

What’s the largest shelter in Texas like?

A lot of the people displaced have been transported there. That is true. It’s really sad. I’m just very emotional about this. I needed to do something. It’s very traumatic … outside the George Brown Center, the line of volunteers was almost wrapped around the building.

It was incredible. So, to be a volunteer these people have to go there and stand in line. And so many did.

There are several stations where we could register with the Red Cross or different departments of the Houston government that are working there.

And then there’s FEMA. There is legal. There is medical. There is mental health. It’s all very organized.

What it’s like for the new residents of the center?

Once the evacuees get registered they are sent to one of the many halls. It’s gigantic here. So they divided the halls, like A, B, C, D, E. There is a hall for families. A hall for single women, a hall for people with pets so people did not have to leave their dogs behind.

Then there’s another area for single women, and there’s another area for families. It is very organized.

They’re all in one area also at the beginning, and what they do is that they evaluate people to see if they’re OK. You know, if they need anything and then to check on their mental health as well.

Is there anything you have seen that stands out to you?

I met a lady that I had to help right away. She was rescued by a helicopter [and] was separated from her kids … she was there, and the kids were somewhere else.

Two days later, they were reunited.

We had another lady come in, and she was so traumatized that she was on suicide watch. So we [had] to move her to the hospital.

How are you doing as a Houston resident through all of this yourself?

So I have been here for days, but I will probably have to check on my building this afternoon. I just opened a huge new office. I don’t know what’s going on there.

It’s a luxury building on the first floor though so who knows. But that is nothing compared to what all of these people are living through.

You have set up a Red Cross site, correct?

Yes. I’ve been so impressed by the Red Cross. I’ve set up a website for donations. The Red Cross is organized. It is a big, big part on the effort here.

Donations can be made to the Cleland’s Red Cross website.

Diaper donations at the George Brown Center, Houston’s largest shelter, holding over 9,000 evacuees.

Caroline Pinal

GiveBack Homes is based in California and has been in fundraising mode since the flooding in Houston started.

Caroline Pinal, a co-founder of GiveBack Homes is organizing relief efforts through fundraising.

What has Give Back Homes been able to do from California?

Well, the quickest thing we could do was set up a fundraising page.

When I first heard about everything that was going on in Houston, I immediately started reaching out to our members, our Houston GiveBack Homes members, to see if they were safe and to ask them what can we do immediately. And they were sending me texts and photos and videos.

Pretty unimaginable what they were going through — and continue to go through. So, we put up a fundraising page right away, and we got it out to all of our members across the country … people all across the country are watching it on TV, but don’t necessarily know how to help and make a direct impact.

What kind of support have you received?

We’ve had real estate companies stepping forward and donating, and companies like Referral Exchange and Adwerx have donated.

I woke up this morning to an email from Seth Price at Placester, saying he wanted to match every donation up to $10,000, which is pretty incredible.

And then that was followed up by a text from Concierge Auctions saying they want to jump on a call and figure out how they can get involved.

So, it’s really just been about organizing efforts, and giving people someone to contact and say, “What can we do,” and brainstorming with them on that.

How can the average person help out?

Well, we have worked with Habitat for Humanity in Houston for years.

All the homes that we helped build last year are now flooded. So, we’re going to be working with Habitat to see where we can send volunteers [and] how we can help coordinate efforts there because it will be at first cleaning up and then rebuilding.

Once the water recedes it just kind of reveals more disaster and more devastation that it was hiding these past few days. So, we do plan on continuing to fundraise and to also mobilize volunteers and clean-up efforts as well.

How about three months from now? How would a reader get involved in that process?

Anyone can email me directly at [email protected], and I’d be happy to help either direct them in the right place depending on what they’re looking to do or get them involved with Give Back Homes.

We’re letting first responders, they’re there on the ground, [do] what they need to do right now. Our focus right now is fundraising, and then … figuring out what the greatest needs are and how we can best leverage what we’re good at.

How can readers assist you in your fundraising efforts?

The Inman reader could donate towards our fundraising efforts. They could share our fundraising page. They could encourage others and inspire others to donate as well.

You know, social media is great. So, every single person that posts — it helps. I think that’s the easiest way to help.

I want to remind people, people who aren’t familiar with Give Back Homes, it’s really important for us to check every donated dollar to a specific family and see exactly where the dollars are going.

Donate to the relief effort in Houston through GiveBack Homes.

Joseph Diosana

Joseph Diosana is an agent with Keller Williams Memorial in Houston, and since the hurricane, he has helped out by doing a little bit of everything because simply donating didn’t seem like it was enough.

Tell me about what you’ve been doing in the Houston area.

When the flooding first started I was like, “Gosh, I’ve got to do something.” So it was more of a grassroots effort where I went to buy some stuff and take it down to the George Brown Center.

That was my initial start.

But it felt like, I wasn’t really helping at that moment. I was helping, but it didn’t really feel like I was helping. And it didn’t feel real.

It’s sort of like you watching on TV. You see all this struggle, but you don’t really. I was just so disconnected from it.

Then one of the teams, who had a relationship with a guy who had a warehouse, got us this space. They said, “Look, we just got this warehouse, and we’re not actually ready to start our business, so you guys can use it.”

I have no idea how big this thing is, but it’s large. Two 18-wheel trucks came in, and we were able to unload it, and we have tons of space.

Tomorrow, we have about 600 [Keller Williams] agents, and KW Cares Fund, that are coming in, and they’re going to work shifts all through the weekend and all through the next couple weeks, which will be the big challenge, right after the initial shock.

People have to go back to work, are we going to have enough crews to go out and do the [follow-up] on work that needs to happen?

What else concerns you?

It’s going to be really hard for real estate agents once this part of the crisis is over. All the closings that they were counting on, they’ve all fell out of contract pretty much. They’re flooded. They will need to be repaired, reinspected and resold.

How long is all that going to take? So their income now has completely gone away. Then, there is the personal side for all the agents.

Last night, one of the agents in my office starts texting me asking about the process for relief. Her texts to me were kind of weird, I didn’t know what she was getting at.

She ended up saying, “Joe, I need to be with my daughter because she has two kids, a three-month-old and a three-year-old, and they were rescued and staying at a hotel.”

Their family is devastated. You know what I mean? It’s really challenging.

Is there anything from the past 24 hours that stands out?

I was on this conference call yesterday with the planning committee to organize the relief effort. They were doing all kinds of operational stuff, and at the end of the call, we wrap up with, “Are there any needs right now?”

At that point, we started sharing three or four immediate needs that really got me. I got off the phone, and I started sobbing because when I think about it, it’s tough.

One girl had cancer, had her surgery on Friday before they evacuated before the storm. Her house gets flooded, and how is she going to rest and recover?

In your opinion, what’s the biggest need?

That’s easy, money.

At this point it is not going to be supplies, I don’t think, but it’s going to be money.

We’ll need money to buy the sheet rock. We’ll need money to buy the carpeting.

Just think about it: you know if you have to make a mortgage payment, that’s a thousand dollars, a few thousand dollars. That’s a lot of money on a house that’s busted. And it will be busted.

Then it’s going to be volunteers who can come in. Not now, but months from now. We have volunteers here that also went out to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and went out to Katrina that were working six months after the fact.

They are here today, and they say, “Yeah this process takes a long time.” It takes a long time to rebuild people’s lives.

Donate for the Houston relief effort through Keller Williams.

A Houston home destroyed by the flood.

Mark Maniha

Mark Maniha, of Mark Maniha Real Estate Expert, and his wife have been organizing and providing help in the field both rescuing and taking people back to their homes to gather what belongings they could. He believes that the key to helping victims is to think long term.

You’ve been tough to track down. What have your days been like?

I’ve been all over the place. We’ve been helping a lot [of] folks. You know, we were at the Addicks Reservoir area yesterday.

Most of the folks have gotten evacuated. Now, it’s family and friends and just regular individuals helping to take folks back out … to get in and get their stuff back out.

So we are just helping these folks get in because they’re realizing that they’re not going to be able to go back for several weeks.

Everybody is pretty safe, but now its just trying to figure out how to move on from here.

From your perspective, what do you think the biggest need is going to be?

Honestly, I think maybe cleaning supplies. I mean that’s probably one of the biggest things. We had some folks who were coming in from Austin yesterday, and we had them stop at Walmart and buy hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of Clorox, spray bottles and wipes, and they’re just going to need cleaning supplies.

And school supplies.

My wife was a teacher for a long time, and she’s putting together school supplies. A lot of kiddos, it’s heartbreaking because school was supposed to start this last week.

Families literally just finished getting school supplies, and for a lot of families, those school supplies are a sacrifice. It’s money that they don’t really have to give up, but they do it because they love their kiddos and want the best for them — and then they all got flooded out.

So [my wife is] working with getting school supplies, and we’re getting cleaning supplies and clothing.

What do you think the future looks like for the area after everything starts to dry out?

Well, a lot of kids are being relocated to different schools. So that’s going to be different from the norm.

And the rental market will probably go nuts, it already has. I mean, we’re getting 10-15 phone calls on every rental property that we have.

I think you’ll see investors going crazy for a while.

But people are resilient, and the area as well as market will bounce back. It just may some months.

Is there a moment from all of this that sticks out in your mind?

I’m a native Houstonian. Seeing it on the news, and then seeing it live in person is completely different.

It really sets in when you’re here, and you’re seeing water go into the second story windows of people’s houses and watching Suburbans float by.

But I’m extremely proud of Houston, extremely proud. And I think that people across the country can see us come together, and hopefully, it’ll do the country and the entire world good to be able to see that … we can really help each other.

What else would you like to tell readers?

This is going to be a long-term deal … but we’re going to be slugging through this now for the next three to six months. There’s a lot of families that didn’t have money to take care of their kiddos that are going to need help.

So, I would say not to disappear, not to forget, and if you can’t really help here locally, just sending $10 – $20 to be able to buy Clorox and disinfectants and stuff like that is a lifesaver.

Ryan Bokros’s kids helped out by walking the dogs of neighborhood volunteers who didn’t have as much time for their pets.

Last thoughts

Since the storm hit, we’ve read about members of the real estate community all helping in the relief efforts of Hurricane Harvey in the general Houston area.

The perspectives these agents have brought to us through their interviews have been tear-jerking accounts of not only tragedy and loss but also fortitude and strength.

These five will be the first to tell you they are doing nothing special; they are simply five people in a sea of thousands of volunteers who have come together to support their city and fellow human beings in this time of need.

These are just a few examples of the work being done by many thousands in our real estate community. For all of those who remain not mentioned and unnamed, the rest of us thank you as well for all you have done and continue to do.

Dan Smith is an author, speaker, strategist and team leader in Mission Viejo, California. Follow him on Facebook.

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