#whew book 6 has been a RIDE so far

[traumxrei-archive]

【 book 6 thoughts ! 】

i said i'd share my thoughts, so here they are so far >:DD

part: one, two, three, four / ??

[ warning: spoilers for book 6 up until 6-16 under the cut !! ]

[ about : overblot lore drop ]

it took yuu long enough to actually TELL CROWLEY that grim was eating those rocks :')))) makes 110% sense that grim would lash out if he's been ingesting 5-overblot's-worth of purified blot

but also, i...can't believe it took twst this long to actually explain what was going on when we were fighting the overblots jsfksdfk like this whole time i've been assuming that people just. get knocked out or tired, but what they explained made so much more sense.

crowley has said that overblotting is rare. but then how come at nrc ?? there's been 5 consecutive overblots in less than a school year ?? (the twst timeline so far is from sept till around feb, bc book 5 was set during a "spring festival" iirc) the reason they don't know enough about overblots is bc they don't have enough subjects who have overblotted to research, so... i do wonder if there's something else at play here, maybe something has changed in NRC since yuu came ?

[ about : ortho lowkey scares me ]

ortho honey....wdym do we need bring back the target alive.....ofc we need grim alive sobs (the juxtaposition between his youthful n polite way of talking + the way he literally knows everything bc his brain is the internet kinda scares me a lot.)

[ about : vil's apology ]

i made a separate post to talk about this bc i started writing n it really got too long, so yes. but also. vil whipping out 50k madol like it's nothing. his acting career has really done him well.

and kalim donating it to ramshackle, my beloved. he's so nice. even while he's saying "it was sO RUN DOWN !!" as kalim was listing out the bad stuff abt ramshackle, i wonder how yuu was able to LIVE in this dump for 6 months.

[ about : ROBOTS ???? ]

HELLO ?? INTRUDERS ????? ROBOTS ?? WHAT ????? they're ignihyde blue....also the boat ? logo ? on their arms ??? what the heck does that mean ??? ok wait i can vaguely read out letters on their arm,,,styx ?? like the river styx in the greek underworld ? having a headache, are we gonna see the underworld somehow in this book ? wait, if the facility or whatever is called styx, are these robots the "charons" ? they're carrying oar-like staffs + they're trying to capture targets D and E and bring them in,,,,kinda like how charon brought souls in a boat to cross the styx river in myth. (also i was right, leona called them ferrymen >:DD)

(n they have grim. interesting that they'd ignore yuu tho, considering it was them who is the string that connects all the overblots.)

(also don't you just hate it when you win the battle, but then in canon the chars actually lost the battle. so you're just sitting there like -_-)

[ about: ob gang's capture ]

it was. very in character how each of them got captured.

vil and jamil were protecting other people (aka the freshmen, and in jamil's case, kalim) vil is really big on his responsibilities, so even though he authorized the use of magic, he still told the freshmen to stand back bc he knew they were unskilled in combat magic n that they'd get hurt bc they don't know hot to properly defend. meanwhile, jamil was probably covering any of kalim's blindspots + making sure he doesn't get hurt while looking for places where he could attack.

riddle went out with a bang, they hit him with a paralyzing beam, and he still had enough magic power to set everything on fire before they could hit him again. he also authorized everyone to fight, bc he probably believed that a group effort could take them down. as always, his sheer firepower is very impressive, the amount of magic he has and his attacking prowess is...wow.

leona....protected ruggie from harm first, saving him from glass and telling him to back off. and then he immediately scanned them to identify who they are. and of course, leona of all people, would know who they are. i think people forget, but a large reason why leona's so smart and why he skips class is bc he quite literally learned all that material when he was younger. the fact that he was the only one to recognize anti-magic plates meaning that resistance was futile and the logo from his time at the palace. (and that moment between ruggie and leona,,,,leona knows that he can trust ruggie w/ the wellbeing of savanaclaw until he returns T^T)

meanwhile azul was with idia, even though he didn't know what was happening, he got extra info from idia n ortho,,, the way azul was about to fight and idia went don't bother (bc he actually likes azul as a friend bro), and ortho went "the chances of you sustaining an injury drops by 87% if you don't struggle ^^" also. idia being concerned ? kind of ? by the ferrymen's forcefulness while coming in and taking the students is nice to see (and i KNEW it. i bet that idia's parents, or the shroud family in general, runs this Styx facility)

and they took crowley ?? crowley seems to know exactly what's going on, so i wonder why they didn't coordinate their...pick up with him beforehand (they legit destroyed so much public property + trespassed for no reason)

[ about : the plane ride ]

it's scary how they're all in a cramped dark space flying to who knows where. like how inhumane ?? they're about to take these people to do research w/ them, but clearly they don't care that they're humans, and they treat them more like convenient test subjects that have converged coincidentally in one school.

RIDDLE SLEEPING ON LEONA'S LAP IS SO FUNNY SJFDKSJFKS I CANTTTTT the way his leg was probably cramping,,,,three hours w/o moving and someone sleeping on you, he has so much patience onggg

[ about : styx ]

so...styx is an organization that does research on blot. it makes perfect sense why crowley would know they'd come knocking, since they have had 5 overblots that one school year. and the shroud family are "the watchman of the isle of woe". leona explains that they take overblotted mages there. what i don't understand is why countries can't interfere with them ?? or is it that they won't interfere with their research bc...styx' research benefits them too perhaps...?

from what leona said, they handled extreme overblot cases that regular magic marshals couldn't handle aka ones that can't un-blot anymore, so why are they coming after the ob gang ? not only were some of their overblots months ago, they've also all safely un-blotted, and transitioned back to normal life... ig my question is why them, and why now.

(it's a cool detail that the ob gang actually got help after their overblots. like it wasn't like everyone just picked up where they left off, vil mentioned medical mages and proper counseling, and that means that they were able to talk to someone about the things that troubled them.)

[ about : idia's family ]

not only do they run the jupiter conglomerate, aka the google of twisted wonderland, they might also run styx ? idia did ask the charon dudes if his mom and dad were away, ig this is what the shroud family ACTUALLY does behind the scenes of their big tech and energy business.

it also explains why idia deleted all those prospective work emails in the end of book 5,,,,bc he just knows that he won't be able to work or pursue any of his other dreams. his fate has been sealed since day 1 bc he was born a shroud, so he's probably going to end up having to take over Styx and its research in the future.

(and azul. being as on-brand as ever and saying he should've made idia in debt to him....sir, his family legit just kidnapped you, chill)

[ about : iDIA SHROUD ?? ]

HELLO. IDIA SHROUD ACTING DIRECTOR OF STYX ???? that means that his parents DO own styx, and that they're letting him run it for now while they're doing other things.... also i really hope that the ob gang don't get hurt hhhh

aaaannd i'm stopping here bc it's late, i did not realize that so much time had passed...i'm tempted to keep playing but i must sleep. n e ways yea this was just me rambling about what was happening as it happened, so i hope you...enjoyed ?? (if you did read this far)

[judediangelo75]

We’re Just Friends

A/N: This is an idea that me and @that-scouse-wizard have chatted about while ago. Now that I thought about it, it wouldn’t leave me alone. So here it is.

I hope you guys enjoy this silly one-shot. I would make it super concrete and specific but I don’t have the energy for that.

Just know nobody is truly dating anyone (Judith and Talbott aren’t together yet, neither is David and Merula)

MC friend: David Willows ( @that-scouse-wizard )

------------------

Anybody who’s been at Hogwarts long enough has heard about David Willows and Judith Harris.

Siblings of the missing Jacob Hall and Jamal Harris.

Hufflepuff’s feared Beaters, known as Hound and Tigress.

The proclaimed Heroes of Hogwarts.

What started off as a simple teammate relationship on the Quidditch pitch turned into an unbreakable bond. The two were thick as thieves, making sure to have each other’s backs through everything. 

You want to talk smack about one of them? Be ready to be grilled within an inch of your life by the other.

You want to try to engage in argument with the pair? Be prepared to walk away in shambles. 

You want to try to gang up on one of them? The other usually not too far away to act as backup.

Cursed Vaults? Psh, the two will be on the front lines, ready to take on whatever danger there is.

Many people have often wondered if the two were more than just friends. 

It’s a common thing to see Judith fussing over David after a rough training session or after he got into fight. Or to see David giving the sleeping Judith a piggyback ride back to their Common Room.

David grew up to be a handsome young lad. Pale skin, dark brown hair with warm dark brown eyes to match. With the help of his growth spurt, he grew up to be a solid 5′11. Thanks to his constant training and his position as a Beater, he maintain an athletic, muscular figure. It was no secret he had his fair share of admirers, girls often giggling or blushing at the sight of the Hufflepuff wizard.

Judith grew up as well. Upon entering Hogwarts, she was a small, slim girl. An easy target to those who didn’t know her and someone often overlooked. As the years passed, she grew to be a beauty. Dark skin, brown-black hair, with pale gold eyes. She didn’t grow past 5′6 (and a half as she normally stresses), making her one of the shorter members of their group of friends. But it suited her, especially with her body build. While she was still on the slim side, her body fill out and reveal womanly curves. Her training with David and Quidditch helped her maintain this figure. While guys still fear her due to her strength and fighting skills, that didn’t stop them from staring at the Hufflepuff witch when she came into view.

Two good looking people with a bond like theirs? They had to be together. There’s no way they would be just friends.

At least that’s what everyone who wasn’t friends with them thought.

--------------------

“David.” The Hufflepuff wizard in questioned turned to his head to his friend.

“Yeah? what’s up, Judith,” he asked. The young witch’s brows were furrowed, as if she was trying to figure something out.

“Have you head the latest rumor going on,” she questioned him. David shook his head, curious to what the students at Hogwarts have came up with this time.

“Someone started a rumor saying that we were dating...” David blinked once before letting out a unattractive snort.

“Us? Dating? Merlin’s beard, people must’ve gone mad,” he laughed. Judith let a soft chuckle.

“You’re not wrong. Especially when we’re in own respective crushes,” she smirked. David took a deep breath to help calm down.

“So, what do you want to do about it? You wanna mess with some peoples’ heads or shut down the rumor,” David asked. Judith’s expression turned into thoughtful one. Very rarely would she tolerate tomfoolery, let alone entertain it.

This was a pretty stupid rumor.

David and her have been friends ever since second year. Never once has she looked at him that way.

Especially not when a loner Ravenclaw caught her eye during the beginning of their third year...

As stupid as the rumor is, it was kind of funny. In a way she can kind of see how people would think that they were dating.

Very rarely would she mess around and entertain something for her own amusement...

But she’ll make the exception this time,

“I’m down to have a laugh,” she finally said. David cracked a smile and laughed.

“I agree.”

-----------------------

Judith and David were cackling in their empty Common Room.

It’s been two days since they decided to have fun with this rumor and the reactions were well worth it.

The wide eyes, jaw dropped and jealous looks they received when they were being ��affectionate” never failed to make them smirk.

They made sure to hold hands where everyone could see.

Casually flirt with one another when people where in earshot.

David would sometimes play with her hair. 

Judith would occasionally feel up on David’s biceps.

Hell, just earlier that day, Judith was sitting on David’s lap in the Courtyard. They were revising for Charms class as they did this, quizzing each other as they remain close. Guys were glaring at David as he had his arm wrapped around his friend’s waist. Girls turned red out of jealous rage as Judith occasionally nuzzled him.

They definitely looked like the “perfect” couple everyone thought them to be.

“Whew, that was the best laugh I’ve had in awhile,” Judith gasped, leaning on David for support. David rested a hand over his heaving chest, trying to compose himself.

“Honestly! You would think our House mates would know better. They’ve never seen us that close,” he snorted.

Judith let out a soft chuckle.

“You’re not wrong, Hound. Ahhh, I think it;s time to put this rumor to rest.” David nodded with a smile.

Little did they know, their little stunt soon reached a certain Ravenclaw and Slytherin...

-----------------------

Talbott growled, ready to rip David a new one. 

Normally he would ignore rumors and such, but when he heard his crush’s name being mentioned, he couldn’t help but to tune into the whispers around him.

He didn’t like what he heard.

‘David is lucky bloke to score a girl like Judith.’

‘David and Judith make such a cute couple, don’t you think?’

‘Ugh! I can’t believe Judith is with him! Now I’ll never get a chance to be with David.’

‘David is such a smug bastard. He’s basically showing off that he managed to lock down one of the prettiest witches at Hogwarts.’

‘Did you see how they were all cuddled up in the Courtyard?’

“If I hear one more time how perfect David and Judith are, I will puke.”

Talbott felt angry towards both of them. He was angry at David for stealing Judith and he was angry at Judith messing with his feelings.

He liked her for quite some time. And it looked like that she returned his feelings. Until he’s heard that she was dating David Willows.

Talbott was hurt and pissed off. He was a bit insecure about himself and the idea of her and David made that insecurity rear its ugly head.

He wasn’t as outgoing as David. 

He didn’t have David’s strength or fighting prowess.

He was no Quidditch player (while he believe that he could make a decent Seeker or Keeper, he couldn’t compare to a Beater. Players who could strike fear into the hearts of others).

He didn’t even have David’s looks. While he felt like he looked decent, he didn’t really have girls openly fawning over him or blushing and giggling after him.

He was a loner who preferred the company of a good book or birds. Hell, there were people who said he looked like their long lost cousin.

David looked like he had everything. Including the girl he’s been pining over for Gods know how long. Talbott just reached outside of the Hufflepuff Common Room where he met a Slytherin witch with a similar murderous expression on her face.

----------------

Merula’s blood was boiling. 

All day she’s been hearing about how cute Willows and Harris was and she’s at her wits end.

Out of all the witches David could’ve picked, he picked Harris? That bloody disgrace Jamal Harris’s sister?!

What the hell did she have that Merula didn’t?!

Merula is the Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts!

‘Have you won a duel against Harris since you got here?’ Well no, but-

‘Did you forget that she can easily defend herself? Or did you forget the bruises and broken nose she gave you back in third year?’ No, but I-

‘Have you bested her at Flying class? Have you ever won a race against her on your new broom?’ Not yet-

‘Can you conjure a powerful corporeal Patronus?’ I haven’t-

‘Do you have a position on the Quidditch team?’ No, but who wants to play that stupid game anyways?!

‘Easy, David does. And Harris can.’

Merula internally growled at her thoughts. She was angry at Harris for walking around Hogwarts as if she was better than everyone else. As if she was better than her.

She was strong, powerful and apparently beautiful. Merula has even heard Slytherin wizards who picked on her when they were in their earlier years talk about how “pretty” and “beautiful” she was.

Now she stolen Willows’s attention from her!

She stood outside the Hufflepuff Common Room, waiting for the two to emerge when a Ravenclaw wizard stormed up.

“What you doing here,” she questioned with narrowed eyes. Talbott rolled his eyes, not in the mood to deal with the “Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts��.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he snarked. Merula glared and was about to retort something when the door swung open.

David and Judith were surprised to find their respective crushes in front of their Common Room, suddenly glaring at them.

“You have some explaining to do, Willows,” Merula hissed.

“We need to have a talk, Judith,” Talbott said coldly. 

The two Hufflepuff glanced at each other before back at the Ravenclaw and Slytherin trying to murder them with their eyes.

“Yeah...”

“What the hell is going on between you two?!” Both Hufflepuff winced at the loud yell coming from the enraged pair.

“Whoa, easy with the hostility. We’re just friends,” Judith said. David nodded.

“Yeah, there’s nothing going on between us,” David added. Talbott and Merula narrowed their eyes.

“’Just friends’? That’s sure as hell not what I heard, Judith,” Talbott huffed.

“Friends don’t cuddle up in public together, Willows. Don’t bullshit me,” Merula growled. 

Judith tilted her head to the side and David rose a brow.

“Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell us, you believe those rumors,” the Hufflepuff witch asked.

“Who the hell are we suppose to believe,” Merula snorted.

“Us, of course,” David said coolly.

“How do would we know you’re not lying,” Talbott asked. David and Judith looked at each other and back at them.

“Maybe because we don’t like each other like that,” Judith offered.

“Maybe because we could’ve gotten together a long time ago if that was the case,” David added.

“Maybe because we never started flirting with each other until a rumor started?”

Maybe because our friends, especially in Hufflepuff, would’ve saw this coming a long time ago?”

“Or maybe because we wouldn’t lie to you because we care about you,” they finished together. Talbott and Merula looked at them shocked before they’ve started blushing.

Judith and David shared eerily similar smirks that made the Ravenclaw wizard and Slytherin witch take a step back.

“Is there something you want to tell us,” Judith asked in a sing-a-long voice. Talbott shook his head.

“W-what?! N-no,” Talbott denied, though his voice didn’t come out as forceful as he hoped.

“Is it possible you were jealous,” David teased. Merula blushed harder.

“M-me? Jealous of H-Harris?! Get real, Willows! The Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts doesn’t get j...jealous,” Merula snapped weakly. 

“Are you sure,” Judith continued, thoroughly enjoying seeing the two squirm.

“I-I... I have no reason to be jealous of David,” Talbott retorted.

“Are you sure you don’t like us? Even a little bit,” David chuckled, enjoying the rare sight as well.

Talbott and Merula didn’t even answer and they took off in separate directions, seeking the relief from the unexpected interrogation from the Hufflepuff duo.

David and Judith laughed as they headed upstairs. 

With the fact that Merula and Talbott may feel the same way about them, they had more of a reason to disband the rumor of them being together.

After all, they had to be single of they wanted to get with their crush...

[boyneriver-fraser]

A Tale of Four Bookends: Love & Loyalty in The Fiery Cross, Violence & Vileness in Between Two Fires

I will never joke about tarring and feathering again.

The Angel of Migraine is rapping* at my window, begging to be granted entrance, and weakening my grasp on S5E2 Between Two Fires, despite the episode’s obvious plot movement and character development – not to mention its showing off some of Claire’s and Jamie’s beautiful new clothes. (Trish Biggar has already made a big impact on Season 5 and I can’t wait to see what else she has hanging in her New Country closet.) I do know the episode’s overall mood is certainly dimmer than last week’s.

Random Thoughts & Observations

Jamie rides a white horse. Lt. Knox rides a black one. Light and dark. Hero and villain. And Jamie is able to see both sides of the Crown-Regulator argument. A couple of times Knox seemed capable of empathizing with the other side, but he never quite got there. He is the King’s man.

Once their initial shock dissipated, their reactions to Mr. Farrish’s autopsy clearly showed which of Marsali and Brianna is surgery lieutenant material. I really like this elevation of Marsali’s role in the story. Lauren Lyle is so good, and Marsali is as funny as she is intelligent.

Do you suppose the same butcher that coached Sam in S3E2 Surrender coached Lauren?

We now know which tongue-twisting wedding guest is Ronnie Sinclair: the man who delivered the news about the Hillsborough unrest to Jamie and Lt. Knox.

I realize Jamie is walking a tightrope between two fires in his effort to appear loyal to the Crown, but his covering for Lt. Knox after Knox killed Ethan Mackinnon made my skin crawl.

Tufty Fluffytail: Only you can prevent crosswalk collisions.

Jemmy has hair ticks! We’re growing in numbers.

Despite her gut reaction, pun intended, to Mr. Farrish’s autopsy, you could see Marsali’s growing interest in Claire’s work, both in her face and in her slowly walking closer to the body while Claire delivered her sales pitch. Marsali’s being sold on, “Stitch him up? Like a seamstress?” reminded me of Father Gow’s being sold on his church’s receiving new windows in S1E7 The Wedding.

It breaks my heart to see Highlanders’ regarding Jamie as the enemy.

And the dichotomy of diction of Highlanders’ speech amuses me. Sometimes they enunciate each syllable so precisely, words sound like they’re coming from a metronome. Sometimes they string together a series of missed vowels and rolled Rs so quickly, words sound like they’re delivered by a growling dog.

Sigh… the king was being poisoned, and learned physician Dr. Miller is a quack.

I don’t know if Claire’s sitting at the table, separated from the other women, was because her task, or if it was designed to show Claire as Herself and the other women as tenants, but… I wonder if Claire’s fine-healer knowledge and advice would be better received if she were standing or sitting among the other women?

Maybe not, but I remember how she sat with the women at the outdoor table in S1E12 Lallybroch, swapping recipes, and how the Lady seemed more relatable to those women. Chatting vs. lecturing. “Dr. Rawlings’ Recommendations” was a great save, though.

I really like how the show is maintaining the books’ Claire-Roger relationship. They have been confidantes since Reverend Wakefield’s death, and I don’t perceive any ick factor like some readers do. Roger definitely admires Claire’s intelligence and appreciates her beauty, but on the romance front he is 100% Team Brianna. He was so young when he lost his own mother. Mrs. Graham helped to raise him, bless her, but she was no Claire Fraser. Claire is both trusted friend and surrogate mother. (Spoiler alert: James Fraser might be Roger’s colonel today, but he becomes the father Roger will dearly miss someday, albeit temporarily. Whew!)

Speaking of relationships, in last week’s episode Roger called Jocasta “Brianna’s” aunt, and in this episode he laments Reverend Wakefield’s being the last of his family. Wake up and smell the bloodline, Thrush! It’s true your “some times great-grandparents” Claire mentions are somewhere in America, but… Jocasta is your aunt. Jamie and Brianna are your cousins. You’re surrounded by family. Don’t forget, you’re a direct descendent of war chief Dougal MacKenzie.

In case you missed it, the Regulators’ watchword is Clan Fraser’s war cry: Caisteal Dhuni.

The Quakers of The Revolution are herrrrrrrre. I got concerned about “Mr. Hunter’s” being with Hermon Husband at Murtagh’s camp, mistaking him for Dr. Denzell, and thinking his presence does not make sense, but that Hunter is James. Carry on.

I admit my brain is strained right now and I’m not doing my best thinking, but how does this make sense? Claire: “Jamie, even though he’s not a time traveller, his very presence here has affected the future of a lot of people who are not breathing anymore.” O… kay…

Spirituality aside, what kind of future do people who are not breathing anymore have?

Is this an awkwardly expressed statement? Has Claire over imbibed? Do I need to medicate and/or lie down? What am I missing?

Joy to the World. Mary-Jane, Andrea, and I could have used Roger’s guitar accompaniment when we performed a wee Jeremiah-was-a-bullfrog song and dance number at our Grade 6 class Christmas party. I remember Glen got my name and gave me a box of Black Magic chocolates. But I digress…

Brianna’s first word was “dog.” Is Jemmy’s “hey?” So cute!

I know something very barbaric happened after Bonnet felled his duel opponent, but I might never see it if I manage to avert my eyes each time that part of the episode arrives. Two viewings, two misses, so far...

He’s a father now? F*&k you, Bonnet.  To quote your purported son,

“I want to see the wallygator eat the pirate.”

*noise, not music

__________

Photo: Starz Gifs: @whiteraven-s​ @stewartandclarke​ @scotsmanandsassenach​  @tzaharasykes​

#Outlander #Personal #Review #Written while stunned #The Fiery Cross #S5E2 Between Two Fires #Claire Fraser #Jamie Fraser #Murtagh FitzGibbons Fraser ⚔️ #Brianna MacKenzie #Roger MacKenzie #Jemmy MacKenzie #Marsali Fraser #Isaiah Morton #Ronnie Sinclair #Lieutenant Hamilton Knox #Hermon Husband #James Hunter #191 #022420

[birbofathena]

twitter has a character limit, which is why we’re here

hi there. it's been a lil while, huh.

scrolling through my twitter, i found this (seen below) and i'm in the mood for rambling on and on so woo here we go.

Have you ever

1. skipped class

never with the intent of skipping class. i've missed quite a lot of class in my time, but my brain gets awful sick in the winter, which really inhibits my ability to do "normal human" things. i see a therapist every two weeks.

2. done drugs

nah. addiction plagues my paternal family line, and we're seeing glimpses of it in my brother as well. will i try drugs? maybe weed. anything that can be a one-and-done thing, just to try it. never nicotine. never alcohol.

3. self harmed

nope. i have an irrational fear of the consequences that might come of that specifically, and frankly i'm better off for it. heaven knows i've spent enough time thinking about that for one lifetime.

4. drank

see question two. it's funny that a differentiation between alcohol and everything else exists, imo.

5. shoplifted

i don't think so. i'm really starting to wonder about the demographic that this question set was originally made for.

6. gotten a tattoo

nope! maybe one day. probably a nice little flower, with an inkling of color peeking at the edges of its petals. probably on my back somewhere, so that i'm always a bit surprised when someone points it out. "oh yeah, i have that. cool, huh?"

7. broken up with someone

once. even then, we weren't official. my reasoning was that i wasn't ready, though frankly i think we both weren't. i didn't even know what i wanted. perhaps what i do want is something that maybe not a lot of high-schoolers want - something pragmatic, honest, somewhat more private. or that could be what most people do want. i really don't get out that much.

What's your favorite

8. show

my gut response is over the garden wall. i love, love, love fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood too, though i'm waiting until i have the chance to watch it with a friend of mine to finish it. it's sooooooo intense. don't spoil me, please!

9. movie

i'm not a real movie type of person, so i always default to the movies that i grew up watching whenever this question is asked - the incredibles, the lion king, monsters inc. ...

10. song

you might as well ask, "who's you're favorite child?" there are simply too many. here, if you want to feel out my taste for music, this is my main playlist. feel free to follow that (and me) for more! i get a kick out of having followers on spotify, for some reason. (sidenote: i created a whole new account so that i could change the username, so that account really needs some love again. curse the constant state of toil for consistency i'm in. everywhere the world must know me as birbofathena.)

11. artist

i read a lot of webcomics, so while i can't speak of any historic artists, i do think you should definitely check out ari (and his comic here), owen (and the comic she writes and colors for here), toby (and his comic here), and vi (and her comic here).

12. singer / band

this is an easier question, because i can just take a look at whom i listen to the most. now, i listen to a lot of ambient music, so right off the bat, i can recommend moby, ulrich schnauss, balmorhea, and chihei hatakeyama. speaking about the more "mainstream" artists, i like marina, mgmt, elton john, the 1975, patti page, and tessa violet.

13. memory

lately i've been thinking a lot about how i, as a kid, spent my time laid on the cement by the yard of my first house, watching the bees work on the clover. from one small flower to the next. watching them dig through the petals in search of nectar. it may not be my favorite, but it's what comes to mind.

14. book

i'm reading the poisonwood bible right now, which has been so fantastic. seriously, read it if you haven't yet. aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe is another excellent book.

This or that

15. invisibility or the ability to fly

invisibility, because violet is my favorite character from the incredibles. she's so cool. also worth noting: you start flying everywhere, and soon enough you'll find that you've become a living carnival ride.

16. cookies or cake

when done right, cake every time. cookies produce more consistent results though - as far as pleasing me goes - so long as there's chocolate somewhere within. ~~cookies without chocolate are an atrocity.~~ EDIT (10TH MAY '19) - jamie, u ignorant slut. i completely forgot about sugar cookies, in their entirety. forgive me. cookies can live their lives as they please. i know nothing.

17. twitter or facebook

twitter. hell, anything that isn't facebook. facebook's the place that moms go to to eat each other alive. having a facebook account is plain unhealthy.

18. movies or books

depends, really. there're awful movies who have awesome book counterparts, and vice versa. and to be fair, each medium offers things that the other one can't. if you were to ask me though, i'd say books. the feeling that you get when you reach the end of a book is like no other.

19. coke or sprite

this is a lame question, and everyone knows it. the real question on everyone's mind is: coke or pepsi? and i am a pepsi drinker. though the flavored cokes that've been coming out lately are pretty tasty as well. f me up with that strawberry guava, yes please.

20. blind or deaf

anxiety or depresson? brain cancer or pancreatic cancer? alzheimer's or parkinson's? need i say more?

21. tea or coffee

i haven't actually ever tried coffee, though i've been told that i'd like it (due to my liking dark chocolate so much)! i don't really like most teas though; i'll only drink this one herbal tea called bengal spice which is a pseudo-chai tea.

What's your

22. age

i'm 18. i was born 18th february, 2001, at 18:18. whew.

23. sign

pisces sun, capricorn moon, virgo rising

24. height

5′8″ or 173 cm

25. sexual orientation

gay

26. shoe size

9.5 in US mens

27. religion

i don't associate myself with any one religion. i think it's one of those things that's good for some and terrible for others. just do what makes you happy.

28. longest relationship

tbd. the non-relationship described in question 7 went for nearly three weeks.

Opinion on

29. gay rights

i always hear that a lot of homophobic people are lgbt themselves, which is strange to me. though i suppose it's in my nature to be unforgivably confrontational when it comes to inner turmoil, so i'll never really be able to understand homophobic lgbt folk. it goes without saying, then: i support "gay rights," if that's even a differentiation we want to make. i also support "women's rights," "homeowners' rights," and "dogs' rights."

30. second chances

i think for the most part i can empathize with those whom have struggles and missteps i haven't personally experienced. i am a very feeling person. there is an exception to this, but only when one's done something so blatantly wrong - decisions driven by greed or malice.

31. long-distance relationships

tough and complicated. having a relationship through messaging allows both parties to understand how the other thinks - their opinions, their emotions. essentially how their brain functions, because there are few things more idiosyncratic than language, and writing allows one to take full advantage of that. however, having a relationship in-person grants this knowledge, and so much more. (no one said that in-person relationships can't include any messaging, anyway.) we don't speak with just our tongue. what about the silent conversations? what about physical compatibility? like i say, it's tricky, but i think it's more-or-less doable.

32. abortion

i'm pretty pro-choice. if one'd like to offer up their child for adoption, that'd be cool, but no one should feel obligated to do so. whatever you're comfortable with is what i'll support you doing.

33. the death penalty

absolutely not, not ever. it costs more to pull that trigger than it is to sentence someone to life in prison. they must be absolutely sure that they have the guilty before killing them, which takes a long time to decide, and attorneys' time is expensive. and if a mistake is made and an innocent person is killed, boy, do you have one hell of a lawsuit on your hands. not only that, but it is so hypocritical of us to be killing someone... for killing someone. the whole thing doesn't make sense, and i'll tell you why it's still around: people want to kill, kill, kill anything that is bad, bad, bad. dog bites your child? kill that monster. say goodbye to the family pet. people feel so strongly that they've triumphed over evil when they see this drastic result - a carcass underneath their feet. to hell with that.

34. marijuana

i keep saying this: do what you want. marijuana doesn't hurt anything. humans have been doing it ever since we discovered fire. it's absurd that we regulate it now.

35. love

love. it's different for everyone, but for me, it's an enhancement of life. not something necessary, but something that's nice to have. to have someone to bounce ideas off of 24/7. to have someone to turn to in a crisis. to have someone who mourns with you after a loss. indeed, one can face these alone with relative ease, but it's just easier to have someone by your side along the way.

Do you

36. believe in ghosts

yes. old houses might just as well have a mouth, they have so much to say. brand-spanking-new houses are barren, lifeless. i know you know this feeling. ghosts aren't necessarily the malicious, turbulent spirits everyone wants you to believe. they're the vestiges of life, left behind by anyone who's ever felt strong enough to leave them.

37. shower facing the shower head or away from it

away from it, always. who faces the shower head? do they shower with their eyes closed the whole time? just... what?

38. sleep with the door open or closed

i sleep with it closed, though i need to start leaving it open more. it's been getting awfully stuffy.

39. love someone

no. it's not something i'm currently looking for, though my therapist did ask in my last session... i don't know. will it be something i will ever truly look for? i hate the idea of online dating, though that's just my first impression. i just don't know.

40. still watch cartoons

of course. i watch plenty of anime, but if that doesn't count as "cartoons," i also watch and rewatch steven universe, over the garden wall (as mentioned above), and gravity falls.

41. have a boyfriend / girlfriend

nope.

42. like yourself

hell yeah.

[devichilinfo]

Red Book - Part 4

“Shin Megami Tensei Devil Children: Red Book” Game Summary / English Translation (Gameboy Color, 2000)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8

This is a (mostly-complete) translation of the story portions of the game as well as a summary of story-related text in chronological order. Names and dialogue have been edited for easier reading. Scene locations are labeled using square brackets. I will be using default names for characters who can be renamed.

Part 4 - Sand Land:

[ Sand Land – Ghost Town ]

Mirai will learn the following information from the demons in town:

 Lord Isis is expecting to meet with a human child in her Pyramid.

Another human child is on their way to visit Isis.

Isis is renowned for her wisdom, and well liked by the demons of Sand Land.

There is a dangerous graveyard east of the Pyramid.

A rumor says that a human was buried in the graveyard.

A runaway Deva is staying in the hotel.

Additional movement actions are available when Mirai rides Veil; she can move over quicksand hazards.

A portable phone item exists in Makai.

The Casino has several mini-games that can be played for cash prizes and rare demons.

 Demons can now be enhanced and learn skills at the Training Center.

Mirai talks to the Deva in the hotel:

Deva: “I came here to escape the conflict in Marble Land. My parents are probably worried sick! …eh? There’s peace in Marble Land? Now I can return home safely! Please come visit me if you ever return to Marble Land.”

If you return to Marble Land and speak with the Deva family, they will give Mirai a “Giggle Bag” quest item as a thank-you present. The Giggle Bag can be given to NitaNita, who will join Mirai.

Mirai talks to Zett by the north entrance to the town:

Zett: “Hey Mirai! I’ve been waiting for you.”

Mirai: “What’s up?”

Zett: “I have a present for you! This is a Makai smartphone called a ‘DeviPhone’! It connects you to the VineCenter, so you can manage your demons from anywhere. …as long as you’ve got a signal.”

Zett: “When you find out more about your dad, call and give me an update, okay? Now go to the Pyramid and search for him.”

Zett leaves. Veil speaks with Mirai:

Veil: “Oh, Mirai! I was born in this land. My sister Hippogriff and I lived here until Hresvelgr attacked and sealed us away. It happened not far from this town. I think she’s still sealed…can we look for her?”

If Mirai speaks to Zett again:

Zett: “You should go to the Pyramid.”

[ Sand Land – Graveyard Area ]

Mirai will learn the following information from the demons in this area:

The Pyramid has many traps and some demons have not returned from visiting it.

Veil and Hippogriff were last seen together near the largest grave in the graveyard.

Near the graves, Veil will speak to Mirai:

Veil: “Wait, Mirai! Those two graves weren’t here when I was sealed away. Something’s strange about them; let’s take a look.”

When Mirai investigates the grave, a ghostly woman with long hair appears:

Woman: “…Mirai…”

Mirai: “Who… are you?”

Woman: “……”

Woman: “…perhaps it’s better that you’ve forgotten; don’t worry about me.”

Woman: “You know now, don’t you? You wouldn’t have come this far into Makai if you thought you were a normal human.”

Mirai: “My father is a devil, apparently. I’ve inherited his blood, which makes me a half-devil. I’m searching Makai for him… I’m still not sure what to think of him!”

Woman: “…Mirai…”

Woman: “Continue your search, and find him. Humans may believe that demons are evil, but that’s not true. Your father is the kindest man I ever met, and he has the most beautiful eyes…”

Woman: “…I’ve used up all my power to speak with you. Please meet with Isis in the Pyramid; she will be able to help you.”

The ghost disappears.

Mirai: “…who was she? I’m sure I met her before, but… I can’t recall her face. For some reason I feel like crying…”

Mirai can make a detour on the way to the Pyramid to find Hippogriff sealed away.

Veil: “I remember this place! This is where Hippogriff and I were sealed away by Hresvelgr!”

Stone: “ … help me …”

Veil breaks the stone to free Hippogriff.

Hippogriff: “…Whew! I’m finally free!”

Veil: “Hippogriff! Are you alright?”

Hippogriff: “My sister! You saved me! Yay! I’m going to join you and your friends!”

Hippogriff joins Mirai.

 [ Sand Land – Pyramid ]

In this dungeon, Mirai needs to visit three Stamp checkpoints in order to be granted an audience with Isis. Souta is also hanging around the Pyramid.

Souta: “Well, well… if it isn’t Veil?”

Souta: “Hresvelgr is looking for you, on behalf of the Demon King! And I’m still salty about what happened between us on Earth. Get lost, or I’ll take my revenge!”

Mirai will learn the following information from the demons in this area:

Paimon was banished by the Demon King; rumors say she’s been seen in the Pyramid.

The Demon King has commanded all the demons to destroy all humans, and Earth is quickly falling into chaos.

 There is a Harpy in Forest Land who sings songs with special effects.

Skull Clown is trapped in a treasure chest; he joins Mirai when found.

When Mirai encounters Paimon:

Mirai: “Paimon…!?”

Paimon: “Ah, so we meet again, little girl!”

Mirai: “Are you here to fight me again?”

Paimon: “No… it’s not worth the effort. Since you defeated me, the Demon King has dismissed me from his service. Fighting you now would be pointless!”

Mirai: “Is that so? Then what are you planning on doing from now on?”

Paimon: “As much as it hurts my pride……”

Paimon: “I plan on joining you as an ally so the great Paimon may once again be on the winning team!!!”

Mirai can recruit Paimon.

 When all the checkpoint stamps have been collected, Mirai is allowed access to Isis. Souta and Hresvelgr are encountered:

Veil: “Souta and Hresvelgr? What’s going on?”

Hresvelgr: “Devil Child Mirai; I am here to defeat you.”

Mirai: “What the hell? Why!?”

Hresvelgr: “You were in direct violation of the Demon King’s orders when you allowed the other Devil Child to escape. His protection over you has ended and now he has called for your execution. How appropriate that it will happen here, in the Land of the Dead. Now, Souta—let’s get her!”

Setsuna enters.

Setsuna: “Oh—hello Mirai. What brings you here? What’s going on?”

Souta: “Get out of the way, kid! I’m gonna throw this bitch into the Abyss!”

Setsuna: “Mirai! Look out!”

Setsuna blocks Mirai from the attack.

Hresvelgr: “Our battle begins, Devil Child!”

Mirai battle with Souta and Hresvelgr. When Mirai wins:

Hresvelgr: “Is this… truly her power…? Demon King, I…”

Souta and Hresvelgr disappear.

Mirai: “Are you okay? Didn’t he hurt you…?”

Setsuna: “I’m fine. It’s nothing serious.”

Setsuna: “Hey… have you seen Nagahisa anywhere in the Pyramid?”

Mirai: “You’re looking for him here? No, I haven’t seen him.”

Setsuna: “I’ll keep looking, then. Hmm… my wounds have already healed.”

Setsuna exits.

[ Sand Land – Pyramid; Isis Room ]

As Mirai arrives, Isis is speaking with a human boy.

Isis: “…you understand? That is why you’re not a Devil Child, but he is.”

Mirai: “Nagahisa!?”

Nagahisa: “…Mirai. You’re a Devil Child.”

Mirai: “Setsuna was just outside! He’ll be so happy to find you here!”

Nagahisa: “……”

Nagahisa exits.

Mirai: “What was that? His eyes were so cold…”

Isis: “Another little one is here. You must be the girl Devil Child, Mirai. Have you come to seek an audience with me?

Mirai: “Lord Isis …what was wrong with Nagahisa…?”

Isis: “I told him he is the brother of a Devil Child.”

Mirai: “…I don’t remember him ever looking so gloomy…”

Isis: “It seems the revelation regarding his brother was upsetting. Now, what can I help you with, Mirai?”

Mirai: “Well, my—“

Isis: “Oh! I’ve heard so much about the power of Devil Children; would you entertain my curiosity with a battle, first?”

Mirai battles Isis. When Mirai wins:

Isis: “How delightful! Well done, Mirai!”

Isis: “Ah, yes… what is it you wish to ask me?”

Mirai: “I’m searching Makai for my father. I’ve been told you’re very wise; I was hoping you would know where I could find him!”

Isis: “That is a question I cannot answer.”

Mirai: “……”

Mirai: “What should I do…? How can I find him?”

Isis: “You must continue your journey, as foretold by the ancient writings.”

Mirai: “What do you mean? There are stories about me?”

Isis: “There are stories of Devil Children, and prophecies still unfulfilled. There is one that fits your current journey through Makai.”

Isis: “…When the apocalypse draws near, two children born with blood of both human and devil will decide its fate. One child will gather the Horns. One child will gather the Eyes. In the Goddess Chamber, they hold the keys of fate, joined in their hands.”

Mirai: “…Horns and Eyes…”

Mirai: “The Demon King said the other Devil Child, Setsuna, was gathering Messiah Horns to destroy the world.”

Isis: “He said that…?”

Isis: “… so, Devil Child Mirai is gathering the Messiah Eyes, and Devil Child Setsuna is gathering the Messiah Horns…”

Mirai: “Yeah, but neither of us is collecting keys, so…”

Isis: “Ha ha ha! Oh, Mirai—let me show you!”

Isis: “See this Messiah Eye… and this matching Messiah Horn…”

The two items combine to make a key.

Isis: “Together, they create a Key of Norn! These are the Keys of Fate the legends speak of. But, you must gather all the Keys if you wish to change the fate of the world.”

Isis: “Good luck, Mirai!”

With the Pyramid completed, Mirai can return to Ghost Town.

 [ Sand Land – Ghost Town ]

Mirai encounters Zett on the road to the Circle Gate.

Zett: “Hey, Mirai!”

Zett: “Isis didn’t know where your father is? Hmm. That’s—no, nevermind!”

Zett: “Here; take this Green Messiah Eye. Go to Forest Land. We’re almost at the end of all this, Mirai!”

Zett disappears.

Setsuna calls Mirai’s DeviPhone and transfers his Death Cerberus data to Mirai.

At the Circle Gate, Mirai uses the Green Messiah Eye and gets another dream sequence:

[ Dream ]

Mirai: “I can hear that voice again…”

???: “Gather the... ...Keys, my... this world is on the... We must... to meet our... and awaken a sleeping... we bring the...!”

End of Part 4

[luwucas04]

About 4000 (I am so sorry) Words Concerning Films that Helped Define My Existence

Ah, movies. So much in one package. Story, music, visuals, what’s not to love? Today I shall be elaborating on the most noteworthy films in the thrilling ever-changing saga that continues to be my life. Screenplay alongside a screenplay, if you will (please take this statement as modestly as you can).

The first ever thing in my entire life that I remember being an avid and enthusiastic fan about was the original Star Wars saga, written and directed by George Lucas, spanning May 1977 (A New Hope) – May 2005 (Revenge of the Sith).

As mentioned in the podcast and as you may be able to tell from said podcast, I can’t really pinpoint an exact point in my life where I was introduced to it as it was kinda integrated into my upbringing from the get-go—and due to this it’s a very near and dear franchise to me. And oh boy fun fact my first ever childhood crush was Luke Skywalker (I vividly recall my uncle asking why I had his page bookmarked haha). I remember it was something that I would always watch with my dad and or grandpa, and then when I couldn’t find the VCR set that we had for it, I officially commenced my illicit streaming career (not really though, I didn’t get very far. Only crappy 20-minute clips on YouTube). Star Wars for me was the first thing that I actively sought out stuff for or showed genuine interest in pursuing if that makes sense. Like, you’d watch whatever movies or shows were thrown at you and you never thought much of them. Ohoho not Star Wars, though, that one lasted years. My cousin and I would always bring our little action figures to play with whenever we visited—or we’d find long-ish sticks in the backyard and have lightsaber fights, I got the video games, posters, Lego sets of ships (X-wing and Y-wing to be exact), an entire encyclopedia that I still own to this day (I just checked and there’s a date written inside, April 9th 2010 (which is my 7th birthday)), and of course inspiration for my own art and such. I remember I made this magazine that was essentially just me redrawing pages from the guidebook I had. I still have it, too! Sitting at the bottom of a drawer right now. Also, later on for some reason I absolutely loved drawing Ashoka Tano. Over and over again man. I drew her taking up my cousin’s entire driveway in chalk once.

Not only are the Star Wars films a nostalgic and comforting series, but it held onto its marvel throughout the. Wow well over 10 whole years, I’m getting old. Additionally, because at the time we didn’t have as much access to the things we can achieve with modern technology, I was basically all on my own with it. I fueled my own fascination. And shockingly, not a lot of people in my elementary school (up until maybe grade 6-7) showed much interest in it either. So it was pretty much just me myself and I, and occasionally my cousin whenever he visited, and I think that made it all the more special to me. Also, at the time I think it was geared way more toward kids. There weren’t series like The Mandalorian or active internet communities that were obsessed with the series as far as I was aware, so there wasn’t the same quantity of content nor overall enthusiasm around it. Nonetheless, it was and still is a very personal series due to how engrained it is into basically every aspect of my childhood. I’ll try not to be too repetitive with what I said in the podcast, but ultimately the clear nature of the franchise (attractive character designs, colours, setting in general (it’s an action-packed space adventure what’s not to love)) is what really made me latch onto it, and it kickstarted my interest in the very essence of media and understanding the film medium and what it has to offer. I remember asking how they got Jar Jar to exist on screen and he told me they made him out of CGI, and I interpreted that as they somehow made a real-life computer model out of him and that they were actually interacting with like a physical, solid hologram. Anyway, revisiting the franchise and diving into more of its intricacies now (like the production diaries) is like an absolute goldmine. There are so many aspects of it that 100% contributed to and nurtured my goals, passions, and ultimately who I am as a person. Here is some of my very recent art for good measure:

Up next up we got Lord of the Rings (dir. Peter Jackson, December 2001 – December 2003) or I guess a better way to put it would be those plus The Hobbit (December 2012 – December 2014) trilogy. I think it was earlier than the Marvel phase (which follows this section) because like Star Wars I can’t really remember my first viewing of it, but I definitely watched it all. It might’ve been around grade 3 so 2011-ish? Quick anecdote, one time I had a sleepover I was really excited for, and as we all know when you’re excited for something as a kid and it’s later on in the day, time doesn’t actually pass at all, and so my genius ass decided to flip on The Fellowship of the Ring and boom it was 5 pm and time to leave. Also my grandparents from my mom’s side of the family (they’re German so we call them oma and opa) were visiting once and my opa (grandpa equivalent) wanted to watch something so I was like “omg Lord of the Rings is perfect there are so many characters he can feel empowered by (Gandalf and Saruman because they’re old)”. Phenomenal logic—now thinking back it was probably much too violent for his tastes but yknow.

I love Lord of the Rings so much because it’s the true embodiment of an ideal fantasy story; there’s such pure character dynamics and personalities and Tolkien created such an incredibly solid world in which these stories take place. Man knew his stuff, and in turn provided a charming and utterly wonderful scape for young minds to roam free within. I was going to talk about this if I did my other culminating idea regarding masculinity within the media, but I have the perfect opportunity to do so here: something so great about said world is how sincere and genuine a lot of the male characters are (yknow minus people like Denethor and Alfred). Namely the fellowship, they all openly care for and are affectionate towards one another, something we rarely see between men both in modern media and in real life. Aragorn is a perfect example of someone owning and being comfortable in his masculinity. He is kind to and uplifts others, and communicates openly with them. He isn’t afraid of being intimate and vulnerable towards them, either. We see this in Boromir’s death scene. Aragorn doesn’t patronize him for trying to take the Ring, he consoles Boromir in his last moments and they treat each other with the utmost tenderness and respect—not callously or stiffly. Right after decapitating an orc, Aragorn is still able to run to his side, hold him, and kiss him on the forehead following his passing. Aragorn also isn’t afraid to share fame or glory, in fact he never seeks it out in the first place despite his lineage. It was at the battle of Helm’s Deep that he embraced that destine to be king, not out of lust for power, but because these people needed guidance and leadership and he could provide it for them. He elevates others in an incredibly positive and empowering way, especially Frodo and Éowyn, and is content with the fact that the story is not about him. Even at his own coronation, he directs every single person’s attention to the literal earth-saving feat that the hobbits have achieved in light of his own massive accomplishment. He is such a great role model to have been able to look up and aspire to be like, and I wish there were more characters and people like him.

I was a fan of those original films at an earlier point in my life, but the thing that brought that interest back a little stronger was undoubtedly the release of the Hobbit prequels. Like the Star Wars prequels, everyone can say what they want but they are very gorgeous to me. I skipped out on seeing Frozen with my class to go see The Desolation of Smaug with my dad and that was SUCH a good decision. Although, I’m rewatching them all now and Battle of the Five Armies kinda sucks at the beginning. They kill Smaug in like the first five minutes and like it wasn’t bad but it was very anticlimactic. I also don’t like how they shoved Legolas in there, his personality is really jaded and he’s kind of a big prick in those films. But it’s fine I love Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage and the rest of the dwarves the most. They were obviously the most significant and I like them a lot, and there are three movies as opposed to the one book so there’s even more content!

WHEW sorry about that anyway The Hobbit really was the revival/rekindling of that past love for Tolkien’s world. I also had a good close friend who was also along for the ride as well—being able to be into these things alongside someone is always fun and I’m grateful she was there and shared my same energy. She had the Lego game for that one, very similar free-roam concept as my Marvel one (coming up next), so we had lots of fun with that too. To reiterate, I am rewatching these movies again now as an older person with like an actual conscience, and my takeaway from them is vastly different on more of like… a philosophical level, I suppose. I appreciate the process of things more and the backstory behind Tolkien’s lore and the timeless characters and deeper meanings that he’s conceived. But that wouldn’t be very chronological of me to go into it here so moving on.

Proceeding next, around grade four at the most (so just after it came out), I watched The Avengers (dir. Joss Whedon, 2012). Not only did this single-handedly make my art convictions explode (in a good way), it also instigated my love for soundtracks (and also the entire Marvel universe but we’ll obviously be covering that very soon).

The Avengers was like an epiphany for me. Literally ground-breaking and earth-shattering. Changed my entire 10-year-old life. It was all that I ever wanted and more, and since it was around 2012-13 that I became aware of its existence, the internet community was blossoming with possibilities and content. That same friend liked it as well! My Avengers/Marvel phase definitely rivals my Star Wars phase; I think I watched The Avengers first, and then my dad was like “yeah ok you need to watch everything else now” and so henceforth Captain America and Iron Man and Thor. Those were very good times, and I actually remember experiencing all of them for the first time ever. The Christmas of 2013 was absolutely wild. I only got Marvel related gifts which was incredible at the time. My first ever ‘art of’ book was for the Avengers film, too! I also got an arc reactor shirt that actually lit up and I thought that was the absolute coolest thing ever, and then I remember I cut my tongue on this candy I was eating and my mouth bled profusely for a while. However the most iconic gift of all was my copy of Lego Marvel Superheroes for the PS3. I finished it in about 2 days, and it’s the only Lego game that I’ve gotten 100% completed progress on. I love that game dearly and still play it sometimes. The thing that I love specifically about it was the ability to free-roam the entirety of New York City as any character you wanted, me and that friend would do that exclusively for hours on end and make up our own stories with all the characters. Here is Galactus perusing the streets

Speaking of characters, this was the first thing that really got me making up and drawing a shit ton (apologies for lack of a better phrase) of original characters. I’d make superhero characters for me and my friend (ok I guess I should give her a name huh), Mackenzie, and even for random people in my class cause we needed to fill in some blanks in the stories we’d make. I’d create comics, write little stories, make variation after variation of these people we came up with, and of course like normal children me and Mackenzie would go to the park near my old house and pretend we were said characters. Man it was so fun. Then we’d do all those personality quizzes to find out which member you were most like. Mackenzie and I would do these quizzes on none other than our state-of-the-art BlackBerry playbooks. For me it was usually either Iron Man or Thor, and Mackenzie had this weird curse where she’d only ever get Loki as a result for anything at all which was very hilarious to me. Circling back to soundtracks, The Avengers OST was one of my first full album purchases. The main theme was my favourite track out of all of them for obvious reasons, but I still paid respects to all of them and listened to it often. Since I bought it with my dad’s Apple ID, it’d show up on the communal iPad that we used for music in the kitchen and I have full recollection of my grandpa playing it on blast in the morning to wake us up one time. I was aggravated at first but then when I realized what it was I was like ah yes of course. After the Avengers soundtrack, I got the Wolverine (2013) OST and that was fun but I didn’t like all the tracks in the same way, but THEN I got the Days of Future Past soundtrack. THAT is a good soundtrack AND a phenomenal film.

Anyway, after that I was a Marvel connoisseur for a little while. Like Star Wars I got an entire character encyclopedia, a bunch of comics, posters, you name it. My parents and sister also enjoyed dabbling in stuff too; we’d watch the animated series together on Netflix and eventually ended up seeing all the new movies together when they came out in theatres (except not my mom though cause she gets motion sickness from action films). Marvel was a staple in the adolescence stage of my life before I was introduced to anime (then it was all downhill from there (I am kidding anime was a part of my life that I look back at with great fondness)). It was reason for so much of what I explored with my art and my own imagination, and was one of my first experiences in what it was like to be a part of a fandom-esque community. There were also memes ripe for the picking when it came to Marvel; as one can assume I had no access to memes in kindergarten to grade 1 in the late 2000s. It was such a lovely and warm point in my life, something that established what kind of passion I really poured into something when I really liked it. And akin to Star Wars, there’s just so much to like about it. There’s so much to offer, an array of colourful characters and storylines—and of course, creative liberty when it came to superpowers and that whole narrative. The sky was literally the limit. Here is some of my ancient 2014 portraiture that I dug up for the sake of this assignment

Ok heads up we are now veering AWAY from childhood content and touching on a film that played a more personal part, namely during a very pivotal point, in my life. I picked up The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky, 1999) at a bookstore and read it at the speed of light; I was crying in my room on my bed by the time I finished it. I love how we see Charlie’s character change over the course of the novel, not only through what he describes or how he perceives things but his style of writing in general. Anyway, I wanted to read the novel first before I watched the movie (dir. Stephen Chbosky 2012), and I was pleasantly surprised by how accurate the movie is to the book (well duh the author directed it). I read/watched this right before I started high school, so I was kind of (but not really considering the built-up childhood trauma he has yikes) in the same position as the protagonist, Charlie, as he was starting out (minus a lot of the major aspects of his character and what he went/goes through (like drugs)). A lot of the things that he learns were really important takeaways for me before heading into that new chapter of life like he did.

Contrary to the title of the (I know it started out as a novel but I’m just gonna say film) film, you need to put yourself out there and advocate for yourself in life. It’s great to be a trustworthy individual whom everyone is vaguely aware of and likes, but you need to approach things with reason and make yourself known somehow. At the time, both before and during grade 9, and even still sometimes in the present (though I do it more deliberately now), I found myself just standing on the sidelines as life happened before me and I let it sweep me away without having any feet planted on the ground. It was like I wasn’t in control of it, and in turn I might’ve struggled in some areas more than I should have. I didn’t own anything, like I wasn’t totally present. Similar to Charlie, I was a person who’d always be there for others, someone people could talk to and confide in, and ultimately someone people truly enjoyed having around—which is pretty great. But I didn’t fully know my position or what I ultimately wanted in any of those situations. Don’t get me wrong, I am incredibly grateful for my entire freshman experience and I absolutely wouldn’t have wanted it any other way considering all personal circumstances, but with that foreknowledge of the importance of making a name for yourself, especially in high school, I think I was able to branch out with ease a bit more than I would have without it. I at least was aware of what was going on in that sense. That movie is really special to me because it ended up being a pseudo-mirror of my own experiences. Charlie’s English teacher, Bill, embraced his writing abilities and urged him to participate more, share his own thoughts, and express more of his personality by giving him books for extra reading. My first ever semester of Laurier did the exact same for me as Bill did for Charlie. It fostered my interests and intellectual abilities, and you guys constantly urged me and everyone else to go above and beyond what we were used to because you knew we could do it (even though I feel like I could’ve done a lot better on some things as my marks in grade 9 are a bit lower than I’d like them to be, but hey it was a time of adjustment and I did my best and that’s what matters). As a direct result of Laurier, I’m really lucky to have been surrounded by an amazing group of passionate students, a handful of which became my closest friends throughout high school, and that my very first teachers of the day were people who uplifted me and genuinely cared not only about furthering my academic work, but about my growth as a person.

Whew let’s wade out of the sap and get into some more energetic stuff!!! To tie off this recollection of my life through film the most recent and notable movie that impacted my life was, the one and only, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (dir. Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, Rodney Rothman, 2018). Similar to The Desolation of Smaug and Frozen, I went with my dad to the cinema but parted ways with him to watch this movie by my lonesome (he went to the Aquaman theatre instead smh). Again, phenomenal choice. I talked about this in my grade 11 blog, but Spider-Verse is an absolute masterpiece in every way shape and form.

At the point I watched it, I knew what I wanted to generally do with my life (be part of the art industry) and the visuals of this movie alone were enough to make me want to elope with it and never see or talk to anyone ever again. It is such a gorgeous film. The way they strayed from the yucky 3D conventions norm—and there is literally no way they could’ve done the majority of what they did in that movie effectively if they did it live action. Or, they could definitely try and make an attempt, but it’d look like garbage. For example, a lot of the action scenes in general and also when they become abstracted like with the particle collider. 40-60 fps would not do that sense of movement justice at all. Too smooth. Not enough grit and personality.

Anyway, they also pioneered new animation techniques in mixing 2D and 3D, and explored a newer superhero trope where the main character’s own mundane life struggles are equally as important as him trying to sort things out with these new powers. It’s more of a battle between what Miles wants with his own personal life—new school, the friends he won’t be able to see because of said new school, owning his own abilities and adjusting to change. Then on top of that he’s met with all these alternate-dimension people that he has to work and be on par with. Aside from the art, I thought the overall message was every special: Miles learns through trial and tribulations, unsureness—and most importantly, failure. Confidence and optimism, in regard to what he thinks he can and can’t do, is vital. Amidst everything he is faced with, he starts out as just another kid who wants to be just another kid. But we all have something special inside us that we must choose to embrace if we want to truly flourish. We see him come to terms with the fact that he really is capable of greatness if he sets his mind to it—and that’s the main message: anyone can wear the mask. And can we talk about that soundtrack??? Not only the instrumentals, but the actual songs were great too! “Sunflower” and “What’s Up Danger”? Lovely and fitting. And back to the OST, the Prowler’s theme??? Shivers.

There is such a unique and beautiful vibe to this movie, and it’s inspired me in more ways than one. Aside from that nice motivational stuff, it also has recently played a tremendous part in developing my own art. All of the artists who worked on the film are people I immediately tried to find on social media so I could see more of their work. I purchased the art book, and even bought a 2D sequence illustration course provided by one of the art directors, Patrick O’Keefe. That course also came with the (digital) brushes he uses, and I’ve used them in pretty much every single one of my pieces since downloading them. This movie really showed me the possibilities of what could be achieved in the art industry, and it made me want to be a part of it so much more than I was before. I want to be involved in revolutionary visual achievements, and I want to develop characters and stories and worlds that are as interesting and loveable as the ones in Spider-Verse. (my stuff featured below)

So there you have it folks, 5 (five) of the most significant movies in my life relayed in a whopping just over 4000 words. I hope this has been enlightening for all you readers out there, perhaps you now have a better understanding of how I came to be personality/interest-wise, and I hope you can catch a glimpse of that same importance these pieces of media have in regard to me and my values.

[jakiphyr]

Jak (re)plays FE2  [Part 01]

Awright!  It’s been a good four years since I’ve last touched Gaiden fully (late Dec 2013 - Feb 2014), so I’ll be doing a challenge this time around.

This LP is brought here today by HistoryoftheEmblem’s Gaiden event Kickstarter. So feel free to join the ride, or follow along!  Now, without further ado...

Introduction

I will be doing a Gaiden Novels Canon Playthrough challenge.  I will explain what this is, then lay out the rules that are styled similar to a draft now that I look at this back over.

My Motives (a.k.a. why am I doing this) 

This run is based on Fire Emblem: Gaiden’s two-parter novels that were released back in 1993.  Scans of illustrations can be found starting here, the rest are linked from there for those interested.

After @azebraslife ‘s discovery posts about the craziness that is Silque+Kliff subplot being half-siblings, Kamui dying to a necrodragon, possessed!Delthea killing Luthier and snapping out from that…

I meant to record my in-depth findings/summaries from what I read so far off my twitter live log in June but forgot to write them down as more than just quick blurbs.  This liveplay event will help me on being continuously motivated to read these books, from start to finish.  So I’ll be using my posts to record these summary translations, so expect those inserted throughout my LP entries.

Which is OK, the novels are easy enough to read as a beginner for the most part and makes for a fun experience.

It’s time to dig whatever hidden gems there are (and there’s plenty, I’m sure).

Rules, to keep myself organized and for followers to know what I’m doing:

(1)  Whoever dies in the novels dies, and stays dead.  No exceptions.  If you know exactly who dies from the scan posts I’ve made... a~yup, those will be dying at the same story/battle points whenever possible.

(2)  To branch off from 1, if revival springs are used, I will use them for that character to be revived from the dead.  AFAIK, the author didn’t use any, but I’m hoping for a pleasant surprise.

(3)  I’m allowing myself the old-fashion method of the Mila Turnwheel — save states.  Someone dies when they aren’t supposed to?  Reset.  There’re likely other scenarios I’ll keep a mind for when replicating novel events in my play.

(4)  Whatever the novel does — give certain classes to villagers, equip certain items to units, kill a boss with a certain strategy, choice recruitments, lionhead statboost uses — I must replicate those events and actions in my run, thus making it a challenge.  If something’s almost or actually impossible, well... I’ll figure a way around it by having the next closest thing to it.  If nothing’s specified, I’ll use my own discretion (and hope it doesn’t conflict later).

That’s the basis, for now.  I don’t want to restrict myself too tightly so I’ll be a little more flexible — unless, of course, the novels dictates otherwise

The Game

Okay!  Now with that out of the way, let’s begin.

I’ll be going Easy Mode for the ease of training female mages to level 20 to not be hellish again like on my first blind run.

And now... we get to Act 1.

But wait!  The novels have a couple of things to say before I can truly start.

It has a backstory and some pre-game exposition with our favourite Deliverance gang—their own Rise of the Deliverance DLC in novel form.  Let’s have a look.

—

[Novel]

Prologue:

Greek mythology-esque poetic literature that dragons are gods and how their actions affect weather/nature.  A roar brings the rain and lightning storms, humanity questioning why the heavens are always angry.  As the two dragons have always fought as if they were born to, and birthed Valencia to be a reflection of their souls (North vs South fighting mirrors the Duma vs Mila conflict).

It gives a history lesson of how Rigel and Zofia came to be, describing Duma and Mila like oil and water put in a single vase, eventually growing murky and bad as it mixes from being stabilized prior. And now Valencia faces the worst war in its history.

—

Chapter 1 - Liberation Army Part 1-1: 6 Fake Death Pills

[ This entire part is pre-game, contains graphic depictions of events. Warnings for characters contemplating suicide, gritty themes, blood, and graphic descriptions of murders. ]

Starts off with a visible blood splatter on the polished stone floors of Zofia Castle, the military fill the halls leading to the throne room.  An old man with pale skin, has long, hairy legs, and a long white beard, sits on the tall golden throne with a sword lodged in his bleeding chest.  King Lima IV stabbed by none other than Desaix.

Lima IV still draws breath, barely living as he’s groaning painfully and flailing an arm searching for support (but gets none).  His last words condemn Desaix for being ambitious, having stolen the sword of the royal family which he had taken out at the scene as his second sword.  (The royal sword is apparently forged with steel.)  Desaix mocks the king, and his army begins to chant as he takes the next course of action.

The royal sword was then swung to behead Lima IV, the bloodied head rolls to the stone floor, his half-opened eyes looking up at Desaix with resentment.  The usurper declares the rest of the living royal family to be thrown into dungeons or killed.  The defense rebellion broke out immediately after and utterly failed, their numbers whittled down brutally.  Desaix’s reformed royal army heed all responsibility on throwing rebels and other captives in the dungeon (which hasn’t been used for many years in the peaceful kingdom of Zofia).

The anti-Desaix faction’s numbers continue to decline until six (named) knights remained with very few others who were still fighting vigorously.  It is revealed that the six are Clive, Mathilda, Clair, Lukas, Python, and Forsyth.  Eventually, they were captured and got locked up in the cold dungeons.  Frustrated by their circumstances, Clive grieves that death is preferable for the sake of their knightly pride over being tortured by the usurpers.  An old(ish) soldier with graying hair starts talking to Clive (he is the generic looking man in the first illustration).

The six really want to die, as they’re depressed, but the generic soldier makes a deal with them: drink the 6 “death” medicine pills he had made (and calls them lucky he has that many), which will put them in heavy sleep for four hours.  He’ll disguise himself in the enemy’s uniform, cart their “dead” bodies to the graveyard catacombs full of Terrors (the Deliverance Hideout), and buy them time to rebuild forces to liberate Zofia.

He calls six names, the novel describes each one as the following: Clive, the young chief knight, Clair, the Pegasus Knight who was rewarded good luck by the gods for riding a temna, Lukas, a hot-blooded soldier whose spear strikes like a lightning bolt, Forsyth, his character is different from Lukas, whose calm judgment is true, Python, a genius archer whose bow technique is clear [and shoots] with anger, and Mathilda, the female knight who has a brave soul, as beautiful as the night sky, and is as good as Clive.

Clive rejects the offer, shouting it won’t fly with them as knights, still insistent on preferring death.  Mathilda and Clair nod in agreement with them.  A tearful Forsyth insists on all of them dying together as was their knightly vow if it came down to it, the gray-haired man calls them foolish.

The soldier persuades Clive and the others a little more, until finally, Clive makes the first move on reaching for the “death” pill, which then the other five immediately follow suit.  The man tells the knights about Mycen, a holy knight who was banished by Desaix ages past and currently living in Ram, a village located at the cape of the southernmost tip of Zofia.  He tells them to form the liberation army together with Mycen and free Zofia from the hands of Desaix.  The six proceed to swallow their pills and “died” on the spot.

The consumed medicine causes a foul odor to fill the prisons, signaling some had died to the unaware.  The guards drag their six bodies out of the dungeons, sending them to the caves on the far coast from the castle. 

Upon waking, they salvage the caves for weapons, arrows, armour, and garments.  They also attempt to cover up the cave’s entrance with rocks and leaves to keep Desaix’s men from finding the location again.  Lukas was chosen as the messenger because he can hide himself the best from being captured, he is given a map of Zofia that was found and the journey would take three nights.  Lukas and Forsyth hug it out before patting each other’s backs with fists, then Lukas departs.  Clair follows Lukas out of the cave and mentions she is going to find her pegasus.

Forsyth and Clive have strategy talks while waiting for Clair for return and talking about accommodating Mycen.  Python’s polishing his arrows.  Mathilda returns with urgent grim news that the royal army has found their hideout, rushing them to go deeper into the thin, narrow caves.  Meanwhile, Clair did not hear the loud distant yells from Desaix’s army descending upon the caves, chasing her fellow soldiers.

—

[Game]

Whew, apologies for the length so far.  It was to set up the atmosphere of how the chaos will unfold in the future.

If Gaiden’s character endings weren’t potentially depressing enough on their own, we get them from the very beginning...  

So I suppose from that cliffhanger, that was how Clair and Mathilda get captured, which is different from Shadows of Valentia’s depiction where Mathilda was taken hostage before Lukas left, and Clair got kidnapped after his departure for Ram.

These fills in the fe2′s story gaps are interesting to note (as well as the author’s portrayals of the RGB trio’s personalities).

Okay, back to the game...

Act 1 will begin in the next post.  (This one is already long enough, and the next part’s 6 pages long.  In comparison, part 1-1′s was ten pages long.)

To be continued...

—

→ Next installment: Yo, Alm! Listen to this guy! (3x)

[nclexexamination]

Nurses Share 13 NCLEX Exam Tips That Helped Them on Exam Day

You’re at the point in your quest to become a nurse when passing the NCLEX is becoming a source of some anxiety. You’ve taken this long, intense journey to reach your nursing career and you definitely don’t want the NCLEX exam to throw a wrench into your plans.

So you’re researching everything you can on how to study for the NCLEX, gleaning advice from teachers and other students—and you’re going to bring your A-game when the exam arrives.

It’s a safe bet that most nurses have lost some sleep over how to pass the NCLEX. But those exact professionals have been there, conquered and are the perfect sources to give you the advice you need. We compiled NCLEX tips from seasoned nurses to help you pass the test with flying colors. Keep reading to hear their advice.

How to study for the NCLEX: Before exam day

As you know, passing the NCLEX has more to do with how you prepare before the exam itself. Our experts offer an array of ideas and habits that can help you gear up.

1. Study in a group

This may not be an option for everyone, but studying with other nursing students can do wonders for your discipline and retention. “A group of us studied together and asked one another questions which was the biggest help,” says registered nurse Penelope Carlevato.

Everyone’s mind works a little differently. If you study with other people, they might help you work through information in ways you never would have tried alone.

“As nervous as I was, I intentionally planned to take the NCLEX with several classmates so we could be together and encourage one another before we started the test,” says Lauren Mochizuki, RN and founder of Casa Mochi. Studying like this is also great practice for building and maintaining a supportive network of nursing friends—a valuable skill for your career.

2. Study while walking

“If there's an NCLEX podcast you like, listen to it while taking a walk,” says James Cobb, RN, MSN and blogger at the Dream Recovery System. Cobb goes on to say that walking is an underrated exercise, offering you fresh air, moderate activity and a chance to tie your mental focus to a simple activity.

“Just be sure to walk in a safe area with not too much traffic,” Cobb says. “That will enable you to listen to the podcast more clearly. Exercise is part of taking care of the NCLEX study machine.”

3. Set a sustainable schedule

After working through a nursing program for years, it’s understandable if test-focused studying for weeks or months beforehand doesn’t sound particularly appealing. But if you’re considering cramming for the NCLEX a few days before it goes down, think again.

Our experts explain that even the wording of the test questions requires some adjustment—you shouldn’t try to fly by without intentional study.“Set a studying schedule and stick to it,” Mochizuki says. “Whatever your schedule looks like, I would try to commit some time every day to studying.”

4. Study the exam itself

Check out the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website to learn more about the NCLEX. You might be surprised by some of the information you gather. Knowing what to expect for the testing process and how questions will be formatted will help you utilize your nursing knowledge without extra barriers.

For instance, the NCLEX uses a method called computerized adaptive testing (CAT). With this method, every time you answer an item, the computer re-estimates your ability based on all the previous answers and the difficulty of those items. This means the sequence of questions will be different for everyone.

5. Take plenty of practice tests

While reading up on formats is a great idea, a practice test takes that principle to the next level.

“One of the most important things is to learn and understand how to take the test,” Mochizuki says. Standardized test formatting isn’t exactly intuitive. For example, questions might offer multiple answers that could be correct in a given scenario but penalize you unless you choose the most correct option.

Running practice questions can help you adjust to this. “The more questions I did, the more confident I became with the style of the test and how to interpret the questions appropriately,” Mochizuki says.

6. Cater toward your own learning style

Huge exams tend to make test-takers think rote memorization is the only way to succeed. But maybe you’ve learned a few things about your own learning style and habits through nursing school.

“Be aware of how you learn best,” Cobb says. “I had a book with a lot of bullet points that I’d visualize. Whatever your learning style is, incorporate some of your preparation using that learning style.”

7. Take care of your body

You might be thinking this is the NCLEX, not a marathon. But taking care to eat well, exercise and get enough sleep has an impact on your ability to learn, retain and recall information.

“Take care of yourself,” Cobb says. “Get plenty of rest. Eat healthfully. Until the exam is over, you’re an NCLEX study machine. Maintain the machine!”

8. Follow through on anything you’re hazy about

Maybe you’re studying with a friend or taking a practice test. Something pops up that you can’t quite remember or don’t really understand. Make a note somewhere so you can look it up later.

“At the end of every round of questions, I would go back and look up every single disease, medication, intervention, or anything else that I was unfamiliar with, and study it until I had a good handle on it,” Mochizuki says.

Passing the NCLEX: Tips for exam day

Whew! So you did the preparatory work, and now it’s time to face the music. Feeling nervous is probably inevitable. But here’s some advice on how to pass the NCLEX now that the day has arrived.

9. Carpool

If you are taking the NCLEX with friends, consider riding together to keep the camaraderie high and the panicking at a minimum. “We carpooled to the facility where we took the test and listened to uplifting music to get into a positive, mental headspace,” Carlevato says.

If you’ve been sharing this journey with other nursing students, going to the exam together can give you an extra boost of energy and good vibes—right when you need it most.

10. Come prepared

Plan to arrive early and dress comfortably. Bring an acceptable form of ID, such as a driver’s license. Don’t bother wearing any jingly jewelry and expect to leave your bag and electronics in a different room.

Make sure you’ve eaten, and drink plenty of water beforehand. It’s easy to reach for the largest coffee you can carry, but Carlevato says staying hydrated should also be a priority. You’ll feel much more alert and focused.

11. Don’t freak out

Everything has been going fine, but your brain is starting to feel frazzled. You keep checking the time. “I was near the end of the exam with minutes to go,” Cobb says. “I got nervous. It shouldn’t have taken as long as it was taking if I was going to pass, right?”

Cobb admits nerves got the best of him as he started picking random answers to hurry toward the end of the exam. “Somehow I ended up passing, but selecting answers at random is never the right approach.”

If you start to feel panicky, take a deep breath and ask yourself what’s the worst thing that could happen? Cobb suggests. “It’s that you fail, right? If you fail, you get to take it again.” You’ve likely mastered a few promising stress-reducing techniques during your time in nursing school. Employ those same methods while preparing for and taking the NCLEX exam.

There’s a lot riding on the NCLEX, but a failure isn’t the necessarily the end of the line for your nursing career. “Believe in yourself and believe in the quality of your preparation,” Cobb says.

12. Try to visualize each situation

Keep in mind that the NCLEX is testing your skills as a new nurse and not as a seasoned one. Envision each scenario in your head and think about what you’d do based on what you’ve learned.

“I had worked as a nurse’s aide for several years,” Carlevato says. “When I took the test, I used my experiences with real patients to work through problems.”

13. Trust yourself

You’ve come this far, and that’s no small achievement. Mochizuki says dwelling on positive thoughts makes it easier to think clearly. “When in doubt, go with your first instincts! This is what you went to school for, for the last several years. Go out and show the world what you were made to do!”

[makeup-wonder-woman]

A Soulmate to Remember chap 9

A/N- Hey guys! Just wanted you to know that my request box is open and empty

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8

Tags: @welcometothecity, @miss-nerdalots,@marvelsimaginess, @naturalnation123 , @suavehayes @nervouswastelandvoid (let me know if I missed you/you want to be tagged) so I can add you to the list! Hope you enjoyed!

TW: Churches? Otherwise, none

Y/N- Your name

L/N- Last Name

Word count: 1,848

Jason was standing outside of the Sanctuary, still speaking with Pastor Howard when you returned, dressed now your favorite sundress. Jason smiled at You and you blushed, Pastor Howard cleared his throat, “Why don’t the two of you enter, the service will begin in a few minutes.”

Jason offered me his arm, and You took it and we walked into the Sanctuary, your first thought was that Jason would lead you to one of the back rows, but to your surprise he took the two of you right up to the front and sat down right by your old Sunday School teacher. She smiled and waved to you before she and Jason made small talk. The small praise band started playing a few songs, having everyone quiet down and either sing or clap along. You may have mumbled along, feeling a bit too embarrassed to sing with Jason by your side.

  The songs ended and Pastor Howard stood up to speak,"Brothers! Sisters! It's is a find morning to see you all and your smiling faces. I'd like to speak about a closely guarded topic- Soulmates." Everyone seemed to hone in on him, not wanting to miss him speak on a topic that not a lot of preachers talked on, as Soulmates could match and still be the same sex, resulting in conflict within the church.

"I remember it just like it was yesterday. My family was new to Gotham, I was just a sixteen year old hooligan, my soul mark just appearing a week before. When we came to this church for the first time, the pastor greeted us with his daughter and the first words from her mouth were,"Welcome! We're glad you're here." The words that were scrawled beautifully on my left thigh."

  "To be honest, my mind went blank, I could not think of a single thing to say," everyone laughed at his sheepish tone,"So I prayed right then and there 'Lord, please let the next words out of my mouth be understandable!'"

   Pastor Howard laughed,"Unfortunately for me, they weren't quite the best with, 'Thank you, glad to be here, I am."

Everyone busted up laughing,"Thankfully, she was a big Star Wars fan, but more importantly, my future wife laughed and laughed, but gave me a big hug anyway. We had lunch with our very happy families that evening and the rest is history. Now we have two beautiful kids and three adorable grandkids."

  "I can't tell you why God decided to allow us Soul Mates. But I know that he wanted them to serve a purpose. Wether it's to give us the better half to really give us the best life, or a scientific reason that allows us the have the best kids or live longer. Either would work. It always makes my heart very happy when Soul Mates find each other, because I know that they each have someone who will listen and march through this life with them no matter what. Those of you that have found yours, you know this to be true."

"If you haven't found your soul mate yet, I just want you to know that it's okay. Wether you're sixteen or eighty-eight, your soul mate is just as anxious to meet you, and God won't let his sheep travel alone, for he is with you and is always working for your good."

 Everyone either Amen-ed or clapped and you shifted in your seat, they would be winding down now. You'd get the benediction and be able to run away. It'd been a good forty-five minutes, and You were a bit surprised that Pastor Howard's Sherman was so short. Until he turned to Jason and You with a smile, and dread settled in your stomach.

"Luckily, and I didn't know this until about an hour ago, a young member of our congregation has found her soulmate! If you two would come forward, please?"

Reluctantly, You stood and dragged Jason to the front with Pastor Howard, he motioned to us,"You all know Miss. Y/N L/N, one of our nursery workers who has grown up with us, and her soul mate Mr. Jason Wayne!"

 Everyone either cheered, or clapped and there were a few Woo-Hoos from the Youth section from the kids that you have know since you graduated from the program a few years ago. You blushed and Jason ducked his head in discomfort, but had that famous Wayne fake smile anyway.

"Alright, Alright," Pastor Howard waved them off and everyone quieted," I think we have embarrassed Asha enough, now receive this benediction...."

   You scurried to your seat, but Jason just sauntered over. Right after the benediction, and a few more songs, those around the two of you swarmed you to give their congratulations. You and Jason stood there for what felt like thirty minutes, but soon, everyone who had come up had said their piece and welcomed Jason.

  You pulled a stand of hair away from my face and turned to him,"Whew! That was a ride..."

"Shall we?" Jason asked offering me his arm, which you took.

"Where are we going?"

"My secret."

   You grinned, and found that instead of his bike, Jason had opted to drive a fairly nice car, he opened the door for me and you thanked him, and the two of you were off to lunch. He had chosen a fairly well known local restaurant that made everything from scratch, and it was very hard to get a reservation. As you were taken to our seat and handed menus, I peeked over mine at him,"How'd you do this? It takes weeks for people to get a table..."

  Jason smirked,"Oh, you know, names have power. That and Dad gave the owner money to start up after they'd catered a few business meeting and he like the food so much. After it started he, Ma and I came and had lunch or dinner here everyday for a week, and the press caught him here every time. So it's popularity sky-rocketed. So now, the whole family has at least one table available at all times."

  You smiled,"That's a sweet story."

Jason nodded,"Yeah, those were the good old days."

  "Since you've been here so much, what do you recommend?"

 Jason's smile slid from a some-what fake one to a genuine one and he flattened my menu and started pointing at different food and why he liked it. By the end of his recommendations, we had basically gone through the entire menu. And when the waiter came back with our drinks we were debating about ordering almost everything on it. But I shot the idea down saying,"It's just the two of us, we couldn't possibly eat all of it. I say we just close our eyes and point and leave it to chance."

 Jason smirked,"I like it!"

 So you did, and Jason ended up getting a Mac and cheese grilled cheese and you got a French dip sandwich. You took one bit of the sandwich and looked at Jason with wide eyes,"You weren't kidding! This is delicious!"

  Jason beamed,"I'm glad you like it. Here wanna try mine?"

"Only if you get some of mine too,"and the two of you swapped half of your sandwiches for the other and you took a bite from his and giggled after you swallowed,"Geez, Now I can't pick which is better."

 Jason talked with you over your meal, mainly about what we did, you told him you didn't know what you wanted to do with your life just yet so you were going through the community college program for Gotham and that you'd lived here your whole life. Your dad had been apart of the military and your mom was a teacher at Gotham Academy, which you had attended, but not with any of the Wayne children as they had with graduated way before you or had not been eligible due to age.

    You mentioned that you had been apart of the theatre program, Jason got excited and asked you which shows you had been in,"Not a lot. The teacher didn't like me, so she only used me when she needed me. I did get one lead character my last year though. That was nice. My main focus was the more modern pieces, I struggled a little with Shakespeare and the really old plays like Antigone, but I liked them."

 Jason nodded,"I'm a big literature and Theatre buff if I do say myself."

"Really? That's nice, what's your favorite?"

"MacBeth is my favorite play, but I do like a good book now and again. Like Pride and Prejudice."

   You smiled,"Didn't think of you as a bookworm."

   Jason shrugged,"Ma wanted me to have some passion, it just ended up being that."

 The Owner walked up to us with a check, he was still wearing chef uniform as he still like to work back in the kitchen on occasion. He passed us the check and gave us his best smile,"It's been a pleasure Mister Wayne, however, there are far more people with cameras outside waiting to pounce on you to lovely young people."

 Jason eyed the door and did in fact see a bunch of people loitering, many more than considered to be normal. You looked back at Jason who placed enough money of the tab and left a tip for your waiter,"It's been a pleasure as always Mr. Hark, however my lovely lady and I may have to escape the back way."

  Mr. Hark nodded,"I see. Have a lovely day then!"

 Jason took your hand and motioned with his head to the back and we both raced through the kitchen and barged out of the back. The were pounding footfalls headed your way and Jason scooped you up in his arms and raced around the corner. You squealed in protest but hung into him regardless, and Jason managed to circle around the press and got us back to the car unnoticed. He set me down and opened my door again,"Thank you."

 Jason leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek,"No problem, doll."

  You blushed again but then Jason drove you home. He parked the car at the curb and glanced over at you,"Can I call you later?"

  You nodded,"Sure! I'd like that," You leaned over and kissed his cheek before opening the door and climbing out,"Thanks for lunch and the ride!"

  You waved and turned, Jason pressed a hand to his cheek in shock.

Jason arrived back to the manor in a happy mood. Something that is rare for him, but when he walked into the kitchen he was supposed to see his brothers, Tim and Damian, dressed in suits, Tim looked off-put and Damian looked like he wanted to kill Jason, which was actually normal...

 Damian growled,"This is all your fault Todd!"

  Tim shot Jason a sympathetic look,"Dude. Run."

  With that, pounding footsteps of heels were heard and all three boys turned to the door in terror. Mrs. Wayne entered the kitchen, her eyes blazing,"Jason Peter Todd Wayne I have been trying for years to get you to go to church with me. Years!"

Please give me some feedback or some reblogs! I’d love to interact with you guys!

[fourteenacross]

H’OKAY. SO. Last night we saw Dave Malloy as Pierre!! :D

We’d been planning this trip since they announced he was doing a series of shows--we knew we had to see him but we needed to make it work with timing and vacation days and stuff like that, so we ended up tagging this trip onto the front of my trip to Charlotte later this week, which inadvertently made it the first show after the Tonys, which we won’t talk about because I think I’ve made my saltiness on that front PRETTY CLEAR so far. With things working out the way they did, we decided that we should get a gift for Malloy to acknowledge how much this show has meant to us and that he won all the Tonys in our hearts. Initially I thought a plant was a good idea because flowers die and are also awkward to carry around. From there, my brain thought: well, we should put it in a box so he can just throw it in his bag. We should decorate the box. We should decorate the box to look like the theatre.

(At queer speed dating the other night, someone asked me which Parks and Rec character I most identify with. I said, “I feel like Ben Wyatt, but if you ask any of my friends, they’d say I’m Leslie Knope.”)

So, we decided all this on Monday night? So Tuesday was spent running around getting fabric and glue guns and putting all of this together. All of the little frames have pictures of members of the creative team. It’s PRETTY DARN CUTE, I’ve gotta say.

The entire day was a wild ride--we got the thing done just in time, then realized that my dad had taken my car keys with him so we were gonna miss the bus. Then he managed to get them to us in time for us to make the bus. Then the bus was stuck in traffic TWICE AS LONG AS USUAL. The florist was out of succulents and I had to run all over to find one. Literally run. I ran. With my legs and my lungs and stuff. It was the worst. But I managed to get to the theatre at 6:55 and use the rest room and get into my seat and chug a smoothie.

AND THEN THE SHOW STARTED!

First off, as you can see from the top picture that I wasn’t supposed to take, we were sitting in the rear mezz. We’ve only ever sat on stage before, so it was fascinating to watch the show from this angle. It made the lighting and set and choreography really come alive. I love sitting on stage--I love being at the center of the action and watching the show unfold around you--but I felt like I got a clearer picture of how the whole thing works as a cohesive unit from sitting in the mezz.

Still, the Imperial isn’t that big! Even sitting like, four rows from the back, I felt like we were right in the middle of things. And, bless that ensemble, the hardest working folks on Broadway, they were up and down the aisles even as far back as we were, dancing and singing and handing out shakers and playing instruments and who knows what else. At one point, Erica Dorfler was right in my face and she’s so pretty that I literally forgot how to shake my shaker, jesus christ. We had a great view of “Coachella Sonya” in the “Balaga”/”The Abduction” dance break, which I was into XD Also, Nick Gaswirth’s excellent dancing was only a few rows away from us.

There were a lot of tiny things I noticed from up high, too--Or and Nick Belton buddying around during “The Duel” and “Balaga”/”The Abduction,” the way Pierre reacts to things happening in the show as he sits in his little hole during the numbers he isn’t in, Anatole admiring himself in L I T E R A L L Y every mirror he walks by, though that might just be a Blaine Krauss thing XD “The Duel” in general was a really fun experience from up high--it was neat to see EVERYTHING instead of just being overwhelmed and in the middle of things. I was removed enough from the action that my brain had time to remember the first time we saw the show at ART when “The Duel” started and I was just like, “.....what the hell IS this show?” 

I know I already talked about how good the lighting is, but the lighting is just so fucking good, you guys. The tiniest, most subtle little changes, the way that all the lights slowly go out during “Sonya Alone” until it’s just the spot on her, the lights coming down from the ceiling one by one in “No One Else” like snow falling, the use of the bright lights behind the doors, THE COMET, all of these wonderful, tiny little touches. It was beautiful.

In addition to Malloy, we had two other understudies! Blaine Krauss as Anatole was A M A Z I N G. Some understudies have a problem with trying to emulate the performance of the person they’re subbing for, but that was NOT THE CASE here. Blaine totally made the role his own--his Anatole was delightful and outrageous and over the top and full of himself and vain and hilarious. He definitely had a funnier spin on it than Lucas does, and almost more immature? Like, Lucas’ Anatole isn’t exactly a paragon of maturity, but he wants to THINK he’s mature. Blaine’s Anatole is just a brat and knows it and owns it. His comic timing was AMAZING and he hit the high C sharp and he was overdramatic and fun.

We saw Azudi Onyejekwe as Dolokhov, too! I’ve been wanting to see him as Anatole, but his Dolokhov was great. Much like Blaine, he didn’t try to emulate Nick, just went his own way with it. His Dolokhov was cocky, but not as mean as Nick’s (not a complaint--both are great interpretations) and more laid back and fun-loving. Dolokhov is a character without too much to do (as mentioned directly in the Prologue XD) and it would be easy for him to fade into the background, but much like Choksi, Azudi really kept him front and center in the scenes he was in.

The rest of the cast was phenomenal as usual--Grace had her everything dialed up to eleven, Amber got some of the loudest cheers of the night, Denee is a literal angel upon this earth and “No One Else” was more heartbreakingly beautiful than I’ve ever seen it, Gelsey was amazing, Paul Pinto is insane, Nick’s Andrey continues to be SO angry, and I would TAKE A BULLET for Brittain I love her so fucking much. The ensemble killed it, I do not understand how a person can run up the stairs while playing the clarinet, but there’s Cathryn Wake doing it like it’s no big thing.

And Malloy. MALLOY.

I feel so blessed to have seen him do this on Broadway. He was incredible. I mean, obviously he was going to be incredible, but his Pierre is SO different from Scott’s and Groban’s. He’s just tired and hunched and distant and awkward and it works so, so well. He pours so much of himself into this character and it’s so obvious, even from all the way in the mezzanine. His “Dust and Ashes” made me cry and feel a hundred feelings--the resounding applause and cheers he got afterwards was so heartening. It kept going on and on and on and that made me get all teary too. He was hilarious in “The Duel,” both in the actual dueling and the lead-up song. Watching him watch the other characters was like getting a whole additional show for the price of my ticket--his emotional journey makes even more sense if you factor in what he’s seeing from the people around him as the story plays out. He and Denee and Gelsey doing “I see nothing but the candle in the mirror” gave me chills and I loved the way he did “Nothing matters--or everything matters, it’s all the same.” It was a really cool take on the line. He was great during the toast part of “The Abduction,” with a funny little pause before he started that was either because he was genuinely out of breath or entirely for comedic effect. Either way, it worked XD 

And, of course, the end of the show was beautiful. From his “whaaaat”s to Marya and his angry threatening of Anatole and desperate need to understand first Andrey and then Natasha...my heart. His spoken lines were so perfect and I started bawling in “The Great Comet of 1812″ and basically didn’t stop until the show was over. 

God, the end of this show WRECKS ME in a totally different way than something like Hamilton wrecks me. My feelings in Hamilton are all about the story, about Eliza and AHam’s legacy and all of that. My feelings at the end of this show are all internal--it’s how this moment is making me feel and the connection I’m having with Pierre and with the ensemble and the music at this particular point in time. It’s so hard to explain, but it’s like...cleansing. That sounds ridiculous, BUT THERE YOU HAVE IT.

ANYWAY, after the show we went out to the stage door. It was about nine hundred degrees outside STILL and it took me about two minutes to turn into a gross sweat monster. We were surrounded by all these sweet teen girls who looked perfect and refreshed and it was mildly hilarious. We chatted with people as they came out, including Scott who was smiling vaguely as he walked by until we said, “We saw you at ART and you were great!” and he did a double take and ran back over to talk to us. 

Malloy finally came out and got down to us around 10:30 and we talked to him and told him how much we adore this show and how great he was and gave him his dumb gift and I made him sign my Great Comet book and take a selfie. I do not remember most of this conversation, but I am pretty sure I didn’t entirely embarrass myself.

And then we left and got frappachinos because I was dying for a milkshake and technically can’t have them. And we went back to Port Authority and took the bus home and went to bed and THAT WAS THE END OF THE NIGHT. Whew.

[elizabethcariasa]

6 top tax issues of 2018 and what to expect in 2019

Whew! We made it through 2018, the first full year that the latest major tax law changes were in effect.

Now we're about to see, depending on when Congress and the White House can agree to get the government (including the Internal Revenue Service) fully operational, if we can deal with the first tax filing season under those laws.

But before we get lost in the intricacies of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), I'm taking this one early day in 2019 to look at the six tax stories that turned out to be big deals last year.

These are not the most popular posts in 2018 from the ol' blog, although you'll find some of those links below. Instead, this list covers tax matters that I believe had the most tax impact last year.

And because we all want some warning of what's coming, I'll also pull my crystal ball out of storage for some predictions of what we're likely to see in 2019 on these tax topics that will, for the most part, have continuing implications in 2019. My predictions as to what might happen in these tax areas are posted right after last year's reviews.

That consolidation of these half dozen cross-year tax topics also earns this post my weekly By the Numbers featured post designation.

Here goes!

1. Tax reform takes effect. No surprise that this tops the list. The TCJA was the first bill to make major changes to the Internal Revenue Code, not just tweak tax rates, since the historic Tax Reform Act of 1986. The problem with the TCJA, though, is how it came to be. Republicans rammed it through late in 2017, without the usual array of hearings on the many changes or any substantive input from their Democratic colleagues. In fact, some of the legislative language was scribbled on printed pages, sometimes at the behest of lobbyists, during the bill's final debate.

This has led to some — OK, a lot of — confusion about just what some provisions mean. I'm looking at you section 199A small business deduction.

2019 Prediction: Look for a messy tax filing season, even if House Democrats, with the Republican Senate along for a ride, and Donald J. Trump can reach a deal relatively soon to get the 2019 filing season on track. Tax software, which most folks use, will help. Tax professionals, which more people are using nowadays, will help even more. But there are bound to be problems as individual taxpayers discover how their individual situations are finally, fully affected by the new tax laws (and those that are now gone). Things also could worse for folks who didn't adjust their payroll withholding to reflect the TCJA's changes.

2. Tax Reform 2.0 languishes. Not satisfied with getting the TCJA in the books, Republicans looked to make even more tax law changes as 2018 wound down. The Party also was acutely aware that its time in the House — and in in charge of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee — was rapidly running out. Ways and Means Chair Rep. Kevin Brady was able to get three measures, dubbed Tax Reform 2.0, through his committee and ultimately passed by the GOP House. The bills would have expanded retirement and other savings incentives and offered tax breaks for startup businesses, but were never considered by the Senate.

2019 Prediction: Tax Reform 2.0 is dead in the water. So is most other tax reform. The reason is divided government. If the GOP couldn't get one more round of taxes through when it controlled both the House and Senate, there's no way any tax bills will be able to satisfy the warring political parties now that the House is back in Democratic control. That said, it is possible that some technical corrections, those fixes to unintended tax law glitches, could be made to the TCJA. This is something everyone has known needs to be done for more than a year; it topped my 2018 tax prediction list. But knowing and doing are two different things. Brady released a technical corrections discussion draft on Jan. 2, the day before the Democrats took control. He's hopeful Neal and the Democrats will consider his proposal. Politically, there's strong opposition among Democrats to any TCJA technical corrections. That's understandable given that the GOP refused to help Democrats fix problems in the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) after it passed on a party-line vote. But it's possible that some of the tax errors could get past the political issues. 

3. Extenders weren't extended. One tax package the GOP couldn't get through was the extenders. This is a collection of tax laws that are temporary and must be periodically renewed or extended. In December 2015, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act made many, but not all, extenders permanent. Some of those that weren't taken care of under path were renewed in February 2018 retroactively for the 2017 tax year. But other tax breaks and those who relied on them weren't so fortunate.

We went through all of 2018 without those tax breaks, including the tuition and fees above-the-line tax deduction, the ability to count private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums as deductible home loan interest, the tax credit for some energy efficient home improvements. Unless Congress extends these, again retroactively for the 2018 tax year and the 2019 and/or future tax years, they won't be available to taxpayers who want(ed) to claim this this filing season

2019 Prediction: The extenders will be passed for 2018. Congress tends to do this when they have to back into the laws' renewal to accommodate folks who operated on the presumption that, once again, the tax breaks would be renewed. Yeah, that's a dangerous tax strategy, but Congressional history has lulled many taxpayers into the presumption that tax breaks are hard to kill. Fingers are crossed for affected filers that the retroactive extensions are granted before the April filing deadline (which has to be met even if we're still in government shutdown then). But extenders' future beyond retro reactivations for 2018 is cloudy. There is a growing sentiment on Capitol Hill and among trade and activist groups that temporary tax laws are bad tax, fiscal, and economic policy. Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are arguing for an end to the extenders, at least those specifically those are targeted to a very small segment of the taxpaying world.

4. New IRS commissioner inherits same old IRS problems. Almost 11 months after beleaguered John Koskinen served out his full term as IRS Commissioner, the agency finally got a new leader. Charles Rettig, a California tax litigator, took over as the IRS' 49th commissioner on Oct. 1, 2018. Rettig inherited not only the office in northwest D.C., but also the same problems, primarily agency personnel attrition and a perpetually reduced budget.

2019 Prediction: Most in the tax world, both the private sector and on Capitol Hill, are pleased with Rettig's credentials. Lawmakers also realize that they need the IRS to not only implement the new tax laws, but also to collect as much money as possible. While purse strings are tight due to the still-growing (due in large part to the TCJA changes) and the IRS has been has been bringing in more tax money even with lower budgets, I expect Congress to try to give the IRS a bit more money in the coming fiscal year (once they get it its due cash for this one!).

Charles Rettig sworn in as new IRS commissioner by Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin.

However, the potential politicization of the IRS is still a worry. Throughout Koskinen's term, Republicans accused him of, among other things, hiding what they saw as IRS tendencies to unfairly treat conservative nonprofits when it came to enforcing tax rules. Now it's Democrats who are concerned. A Trump administration policy revision now lets nonprofits that are involved in politics be more secretive about their donors. They argue that this limited disclosure is a thinly veiled attempt to weaponize the tax code to punish political adversaries and benefit so-called dark money groups on the far-right that seek to buy elections. Dems were not satisfied with answers from Rettig on this issue during his confirmation hearing. Now that they have House control, look for them to call the new commish to the Hill for further discussions. But the conflict between Rettig and Capitol Hill Democrats will not get to the operatic overdrive that characterized Koskinen's interactions with GOP tax-writers, who tried repeatedly to impeach him.

5. Online sales tax collection is OK'ed. This was one of the least dramatic Supreme Court decisions in recent memory. As expected, the High Court's 5-to-4 ruling last June in South Dakota v. Wayfair struck down the prior Quill nexus requirement and opened the door for states to devise systems to collect sales tax from all remote sellers.

A handful of states had sales tax collection efforts underway or in place. Others are working on it, including the nation's largest states. But essentially, the ruling has added a lot of uncertainty to the online marketplace. Retailers and consumer advocates want Congress to step in and create a national standard to clear up the confusion created by the multiple state methods of collecting remote sales taxes.

2019 Prediction: Congress will continue to talk about national sales tax legislation, as lawmakers have done for years, but they aren't likely to hammer out a bill that can pass a Democratic House and Republican Senate. Soon after the Wayfair decision, the House Judiciary Committee met to discuss the federal role in states' remote sales tax collection. Then-Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) again offered his seven internet sales tax principles, first set out in 2013, that he believes Congress should address. After that hearing, nothing. Same Congressional nothing on the three bills newer online sales tax bills that were introduced in the last Congress. With the arrival of the 116th Congress, it's back to square one legislatively and politically when it comes to federal involvement in state online sales taxes. With all the other matters that House Democrats want to address, this topic isn't likely to get much traction.

6. Sports betting legalized nationwide. In another landmark 2018 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) essentially legalized nationwide sports betting at the discretion of each states.

Bettors in a Las Vegas casino watch the odds and payoffs alongside the sporting events on which they've placed bets. (Kay Bell photo)

Some states, including New Jersey which brought the lawsuit setting up the SCOTUS decision, have taken advantage of the new gambling revenue stream. Around two dozen more are considering it.

2019 Prediction: This one's easy. States still are desperate for money. So the states that are looking into adding sports betting opportunities for residents and visitors will continue these revenue-raising efforts. Most will succeed. And there's no need for Congress to be involved, since the SCOTUS ruling invalidating the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA) not only made in-state betting OK, but also cleared the path for fantasy sports wagers and online betting, the two areas where Capitol Hill had been trying to intervene.

This 2018 review and 2019 preview list isn't as long as it's been in some years. That's an indicator of how jammed up Congress was even when the GOP controlled both Congressional chambers and the White House.

Now that Congress is divided, I look for even less to happen on the tax front. And maybe that's the best news for all of us right now!

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[christophergill8]

6 top tax issues of 2018 and what to expect in 2019

Whew! We made it through 2018, the first full year that the latest major tax law changes were in effect.

Now we're about to see, depending on when Congress and the White House can agree to get the government (including the Internal Revenue Service) fully operational, if we can deal with the first tax filing season under those laws.

But before we get lost in the intricacies of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), I'm taking this one early day in 2019 to look at the six tax stories that turned out to be big deals last year.

These are not the most popular posts in 2018 from the ol' blog, although you'll find some of those links below. Instead, this list covers tax matters that I believe had the most tax impact last year.

And because we all want some warning of what's coming, I'll also pull my crystal ball out of storage for some predictions of what we're likely to see in 2019 on these tax topics that will, for the most part, have continuing implications in 2019. My predictions as to what might happen in these tax areas are posted right after last year's reviews.

That consolidation of these half dozen cross-year tax topics also earns this post my weekly By the Numbers featured post designation.

Here goes!

1. Tax reform takes effect. No surprise that this tops the list. The TCJA was the first bill to make major changes to the Internal Revenue Code, not just tweak tax rates, since the historic Tax Reform Act of 1986. The problem with the TCJA, though, is how it came to be. Republicans rammed it through late in 2017, without the usual array of hearings on the many changes or any substantive input from their Democratic colleagues. In fact, some of the legislative language was scribbled on printed pages, sometimes at the behest of lobbyists, during the bill's final debate.

This has led to some — OK, a lot of — confusion about just what some provisions mean. I'm looking at you section 199A small business deduction.

2019 Prediction: Look for a messy tax filing season, even if House Democrats, with the Republican Senate along for a ride, and Donald J. Trump can reach a deal relatively soon to get the 2019 filing season on track. Tax software, which most folks use, will help. Tax professionals, which more people are using nowadays, will help even more. But there are bound to be problems as individual taxpayers discover how their individual situations are finally, fully affected by the new tax laws (and those that are now gone). Things also could worse for folks who didn't adjust their payroll withholding to reflect the TCJA's changes.

2. Tax Reform 2.0 languishes. Not satisfied with getting the TCJA in the books, Republicans looked to make even more tax law changes as 2018 wound down. The Party also was acutely aware that its time in the House — and in in charge of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee — was rapidly running out. Ways and Means Chair Rep. Kevin Brady was able to get three measures, dubbed Tax Reform 2.0, through his committee and ultimately passed by the GOP House. The bills would have expanded retirement and other savings incentives and offered tax breaks for startup businesses, but were never considered by the Senate.

2019 Prediction: Tax Reform 2.0 is dead in the water. So is most other tax reform. The reason is divided government. If the GOP couldn't get one more round of taxes through when it controlled both the House and Senate, there's no way any tax bills will be able to satisfy the warring political parties now that the House is back in Democratic control. That said, it is possible that some technical corrections, those fixes to unintended tax law glitches, could be made to the TCJA. This is something everyone has known needs to be done for more than a year; it topped my 2018 tax prediction list. But knowing and doing are two different things. Brady released a technical corrections discussion draft on Jan. 2, the day before the Democrats took control. He's hopeful Neal and the Democrats will consider his proposal. Politically, there's strong opposition among Democrats to any TCJA technical corrections. That's understandable given that the GOP refused to help Democrats fix problems in the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) after it passed on a party-line vote. But it's possible that some of the tax errors could get past the political issues. 

3. Extenders weren't extended. One tax package the GOP couldn't get through was the extenders. This is a collection of tax laws that are temporary and must be periodically renewed or extended. In December 2015, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act made many, but not all, extenders permanent. Some of those that weren't taken care of under path were renewed in February 2018 retroactively for the 2017 tax year. But other tax breaks and those who relied on them weren't so fortunate.

We went through all of 2018 without those tax breaks, including the tuition and fees above-the-line tax deduction, the ability to count private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums as deductible home loan interest, the tax credit for some energy efficient home improvements. Unless Congress extends these, again retroactively for the 2018 tax year and the 2019 and/or future tax years, they won't be available to taxpayers who want(ed) to claim this this filing season

2019 Prediction: The extenders will be passed for 2018. Congress tends to do this when they have to back into the laws' renewal to accommodate folks who operated on the presumption that, once again, the tax breaks would be renewed. Yeah, that's a dangerous tax strategy, but Congressional history has lulled many taxpayers into the presumption that tax breaks are hard to kill. Fingers are crossed for affected filers that the retroactive extensions are granted before the April filing deadline (which has to be met even if we're still in government shutdown then). But extenders' future beyond retro reactivations for 2018 is cloudy. There is a growing sentiment on Capitol Hill and among trade and activist groups that temporary tax laws are bad tax, fiscal, and economic policy. Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are arguing for an end to the extenders, at least those specifically those are targeted to a very small segment of the taxpaying world.

4. New IRS commissioner inherits same old IRS problems. Almost 11 months after beleaguered John Koskinen served out his full term as IRS Commissioner, the agency finally got a new leader. Charles Rettig, a California tax litigator, took over as the IRS' 49th commissioner on Oct. 1, 2018. Rettig inherited not only the office in northwest D.C., but also the same problems, primarily agency personnel attrition and a perpetually reduced budget.

2019 Prediction: Most in the tax world, both the private sector and on Capitol Hill, are pleased with Rettig's credentials. Lawmakers also realize that they need the IRS to not only implement the new tax laws, but also to collect as much money as possible. While purse strings are tight due to the still-growing (due in large part to the TCJA changes) and the IRS has been has been bringing in more tax money even with lower budgets, I expect Congress to try to give the IRS a bit more money in the coming fiscal year (once they get it its due cash for this one!).

Charles Rettig sworn in as new IRS commissioner by Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin.

However, the potential politicization of the IRS is still a worry. Throughout Koskinen's term, Republicans accused him of, among other things, hiding what they saw as IRS tendencies to unfairly treat conservative nonprofits when it came to enforcing tax rules. Now it's Democrats who are concerned. A Trump administration policy revision now lets nonprofits that are involved in politics be more secretive about their donors. They argue that this limited disclosure is a thinly veiled attempt to weaponize the tax code to punish political adversaries and benefit so-called dark money groups on the far-right that seek to buy elections. Dems were not satisfied with answers from Rettig on this issue during his confirmation hearing. Now that they have House control, look for them to call the new commish to the Hill for further discussions. But the conflict between Rettig and Capitol Hill Democrats will not get to the operatic overdrive that characterized Koskinen's interactions with GOP tax-writers, who tried repeatedly to impeach him.

5. Online sales tax collection is OK'ed. This was one of the least dramatic Supreme Court decisions in recent memory. As expected, the High Court's 5-to-4 ruling last June in South Dakota v. Wayfair struck down the prior Quill nexus requirement and opened the door for states to devise systems to collect sales tax from all remote sellers.

A handful of states had sales tax collection efforts underway or in place. Others are working on it, including the nation's largest states. But essentially, the ruling has added a lot of uncertainty to the online marketplace. Retailers and consumer advocates want Congress to step in and create a national standard to clear up the confusion created by the multiple state methods of collecting remote sales taxes.

2019 Prediction: Congress will continue to talk about national sales tax legislation, as lawmakers have done for years, but they aren't likely to hammer out a bill that can pass a Democratic House and Republican Senate. Soon after the Wayfair decision, the House Judiciary Committee met to discuss the federal role in states' remote sales tax collection. Then-Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) again offered his seven internet sales tax principles, first set out in 2013, that he believes Congress should address. After that hearing, nothing. Same Congressional nothing on the three bills newer online sales tax bills that were introduced in the last Congress. With the arrival of the 116th Congress, it's back to square one legislatively and politically when it comes to federal involvement in state online sales taxes. With all the other matters that House Democrats want to address, this topic isn't likely to get much traction.

6. Sports betting legalized nationwide. In another landmark 2018 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) essentially legalized nationwide sports betting at the discretion of each states.

Bettors in a Las Vegas casino watch the odds and payoffs alongside the sporting events on which they've placed bets. (Kay Bell photo)

Some states, including New Jersey which brought the lawsuit setting up the SCOTUS decision, have taken advantage of the new gambling revenue stream. Around two dozen more are considering it.

2019 Prediction: This one's easy. States still are desperate for money. So the states that are looking into adding sports betting opportunities for residents and visitors will continue these revenue-raising efforts. Most will succeed. And there's no need for Congress to be involved, since the SCOTUS ruling invalidating the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PAPSA) not only made in-state betting OK, but also cleared the path for fantasy sports wagers and online betting, the two areas where Capitol Hill had been trying to intervene.

This 2018 review and 2019 preview list isn't as long as it's been in some years. That's an indicator of how jammed up Congress was even when the GOP controlled both Congressional chambers and the White House.

Now that Congress is divided, I look for even less to happen on the tax front. And maybe that's the best news for all of us right now!

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  from Tax News By Christopher https://www.dontmesswithtaxes.com/2019/01/2018-tax-review-2019-tax-preview.html

[quietstormpoetry]

Mama’s Big Surprise: He rocked my world! (Embracing The Journey)

As a single mother of 3 pursuing a career as as spoken word artist, author, and inspirational speaker while working full-time at a high end photography studio as a merchandise consultant life has become a bit hectic. in August of 2016 my career as a spoken word artist hit one of its highest marks when I won the National Civil Rights Museum’s Drop The Mic Poetry slam, in September 2016 I released a book of poetry titled “Eye of the Storm” a collection of writings to guide one through the storms of life. In January 2017, I launched a program called The Writerz Bloc’ Creative Writing Collective for youth ages 9-13 to help improve literacy through creative writing. 

***MY BABES (Below) 

(NCRM August 2016) 

(Eye of the Storm Book Release September 2016) 

(Dabbing with students of #TheWRITERZBLOC) 

While enjoying the new thrills of being a National Slam Poetry Winner, New Author, and Teaching Artist, I also fell in love. Beautiful BLISS, to be acquainted with someone who shared the same loves and passion as I. We all know love takes us on a ride we are never prepared for. Now add the that to the list of life tasks I’ve previously named, crazy right? I enjoyed every moment of it! As women we have the ability to juggle and balance several different things at once gracefully. All the while feeling like HELP ME!!! 

Let’s fast forward to March 2017, when I got the biggest surprise of my life to date… For weeks I’d been sick experiencing flu like symptoms, so intense I took a leave of absence from work and a break from my “superwoman” duties to finally go see my doctor. Something just felt off and I needed to know why I wasn’t getting better but worse. After many tests and patiently waiting my doctor walks in with a huge smile and says “KEEP CALM, YOU’RE NOT DYING! YOU’RE PREGNANT! … 4 months pregnant to be exact!” 

*FACE HITS FLOOR* 

*TEARS WELL UP* 

*PINCHES SELF* 

“WHAAAAAAAT???” 

For many women this is a joyous experience but for me it meant something different. i was at a highlight in my career and although I loved my partner I wasn’t sure a baby was the right move for us at the moment. I was depressed. A feeling so overwhelming I went home and sulked for days, abandoning my craft, my loved ones, my social life. i had a play I auditioned for and got the role but i gave that up, I canceled shows, I declined calls, didn’t answer texts, I was MIA. I needed a break from everything to pull myself together. That was easier said than done when I realized I needed to tell two of the most important people in my life, my mom and my partner. YIKES! 

Telling Mom was the easiest, she had been my support for my 3 previous children and always made sure I knew that no matter what, she’d always be there. This time when I told her, she was so excited for me. It was kind of scary, I was bracing for disappointment because of the many leaps I had taken in my life personally and professionally. I thought she’d feel as I did when i first found out, but her words were “Children are blessings from God, and he wouldn’t give you anything you’re not prepared for” … “God is waiting on you to praise him”. 

Telling my partner was harder. Like myself he has a promising future and career. I felt as though a baby would halt his rise to greatness. That was the hardest phone call I’ve ever had to make in my life, i was met with the same fear and uncertainty as I had. When bringing a new life into the world one must look out for the better interest of the child opposed to themselves. There were many talks, many weighing of options, and a ton of silent moments of internalizing. We chose to be parents. WHEW! 

Being that I was so far along, a few weeks after finding out I was able to get an ultrasound and find out the sex of the baby. CRAZY RIGHT?! 

BABY BOY!!!! 

Imagine my excitement to hear those words because my oldest three children are 2 girls and 1 boy. I needed another boy, girls are EXPENSIVE! HAHA! Speaking of my oldest three, I told them a few days after finding out the sex of the baby and they were extremely EXCITED to be big sisters and big brother! 

After not holding the secret any longer, I felt the depression ease up and a joyous feeling take over me… I knew this was the time i’d need to break the news to my extended family, friends, my job, and my social acquaintances because soon MAMA WOULD BE SHOWING A LITTLE BABY BUMP! I had to figure out a great way to let everyone know, and I chose a surprise announcement via social media could touch all those areas at once. 

MAMA’S BIG SURPRISE 

Becoming a mother for the first time was extremely new and scary for me, then a second time, then a third….now a fourth! i have faced so many trials and tribulations in my life that I honestly shouldn’t have been surprised when God blessed me again. I WAS MADE FOR This JOURNEY, it was written for me before i was placed here. That realization opened up a door to my soul that I had been waiting to unlock for 27 years, now that I have its been a path worth journeying and being happy about. I faced my fears, i soul searched, I embraced the journey and I am excited to share this voyage with you. I pray my transparency opens the doors to your souls for your journeys as well. This is a timeline from before conception to 5 months, next Friday come back and journey with me from 6 months to 8 months… there’s a lot more to this trip! 

PEACE & LIGHT 

—– Yolanda and Baby L.

[jmkieper13]

Time is FLYING!

Wow…it’s been a while since I’ve updated! Life has been an insane merry-go-round ride lately. Work has been crazy busy, I had my wisdom teeth yanked, it’s already somehow almost Easter, and our niece just had her 15 month checkup…Whew! Where did the time go!? The last time I filled you in on where we were, we were told that things were moving in the right direction as far as my hyperstimulation resolving, but that it was going to take a couple of cycles for it to fully go back down, so we had to just give it time. I was to take post-ovulation/peak progesterone, 200mg orally, daily for 10 days starting at peak+3. Knowing my cycles from the last several months, when we’ve been testing hormone levels to see when I ovulate, I tweaked this a bit cycle 1 of this protocol, and started progesterone at peak+4, as with that I was confident that we’d caught ovulation properly. Unfortunately, I only made it to around 10 days post ovulation before I started spotting, and ultimately my cycle started. I was pretty bummed, as I was hopeful that it had worked for us, but moved on and was ready for the next cycle. Cycle 2/2 before revisiting and hopefully starting our new protocol! I looked forward and was ready to proceed, and a few days later I started noticing some funky symptoms. I was having some GI issues, I was having headaches, I was having some pretty sharp left abdominal pain, sour stomach, insomnia…things that typically, a week earlier, I would have gotten excited about and hopeful that that test would have a second line…this time, however, I was more afraid than excited. I had already started a new cycle. I was still unsure, so I took a home test, which was still negative. So I called the doctor’s office and asked what they thought. The doctor agreed that there was enough going on that it was worthwhile to go have an HcG blood level and progesterone level drawn to make sure I wasn’t having an ectopic pregnancy. I wasn’t able to get blood drawn until the afternoon, so I wouldn’t get results until the following day. It was the longest 24 hours I’ve experienced in a long time. Ultimately, everything was okay. My HcG was “less than 2,” and my progesterone was effectively 0. It was a fraction less than 0.5, so levels did not indicate any sort of ectopic. It was just a strange cycle, likely due to the progesterone I had taken at the end of the cycle before. Thank goodness! It was a huge relief. I then looked forward to the cycle that I was in, waiting for ovulation so I could start my progesterone for this cycle. I didn’t have to wait long, around CD12 I started seeing signs of ovulation, and I’m on day 5/10 of my progesterone for this cycle currently. I’ve noticed a couple of things this month that I don’t remember in any recent months, so I’m hopeful that maybe this month is the month. If not, then I will start my cycle sometime in the next week or so, I expect, and will immediately call the doctor to send him my chart, in hopes that next month we’ll be given the all clear to start Letrozole and that maybe, just maybe, that will bring us our miracle! I’ve heard so many people that have tried a combination of Letrozole and HcG post peak and have had quick success and healthy pregnancies. I want so badly for that to be our story! I would love for us to be pregnant this month, of course, but if not, I’m ready to try something new! I’m so ready for that finish line…to sprint past mile marker rainbow #1 with a finally whole heart and arms filled with our miracle. We’ll never forget the angels we have lost, but I am so ready for a baby to be able to tell about them, someday. I’m having another wave of wanting to prepare. Call it confidence, wishful thinking, faith or whatever you’d like…but my latest draw is books. I’ve found myself wanting to build a library of books for the baby that we haven’t had yet. My heart craves so badly for a baby that we can read to…both before and after it’s born…and I can’t wait to see a personality come out of that. I watch our niece and how much she loves her books, and out of all of her toys, more times than not that is what she picks as how she wants to spend her time. I would LOVE for that to be our child. I would love for our Saturday outing to be a trip to the library. I would love a reward for a good report card to be a new book. I would love to watch them dive into a world of imagination so deep that they feel what the characters feel and can’t put it down. I just can’t wait to play a part in a little life, thirsty to learn and explore. I can’t wait to look at my husband someday, old and gray, smiling at the amazing adult that we get to take responsibility for raising into such a wonderful person. Hopefully, that amazing adult that we’ll be so proud of will be one of a few that we get to claim, but we’ll take one step at a time. Last weekend was Palm Sunday, and it was so interesting. My husband and I were at mass, and the gospel for Palm Sunday is the story of the Passion. This is definitely not new to me, as I’ve heard/participated in the Passion every year on Palm Sunday for as long as I can remember, but this year something was different. I have admittedly found my relationship with God has become much stronger. Communication is now more like a conversation with a friend than a formal, forced prayer. I get a lot more out of mass, I get the most inspiration and hope from scripture passages…just generally in a much better place regarding my faith life. With that, I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was, but I was a bit caught off guard by the fact that I found myself very emotionally affected by having to say things like, “Crucify him!” in playing the part of the crowd in the Passion story, and it was really hard for me to do. I got choked up, and really struggled with having to say it out loud. I mentioned it to my husband later that day, and his response was, “I am pretty sure that’s the point,” which is, of course, true, but whether it’s what was supposed to happen or not, it never had before now. God was really speaking to me. I have become really protective of the God that we believe in, and with that, I’ve found my faith in our journey renewed. As we all know, going through this is so, so incredibly hard. It’s torture. Emotionally, physically, mentally…relationships get strained, it brings out anger, sadness, jealousy…so many things. There are going to be bad days, but like I’ve seen on so many inspirational memes, “Life isn’t about never having storms, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Nearly all of every situation is how you handle what’s happening to you. Yes, we have lost three sweet babies. Babies too perfect for earth, that didn’t get to be born…and I miss them. There are holes in my heart, distinct gaps where each of them will live forever. I imagine what they would look like, if they were boys or girls, who they would grow to be…what their names would have been. The dreams continue…dreams of a baby shower, and a nursery, and newborn photos, that I now have a special image in my head of. I have our pregnancy announcement planned down to the color of one specific detail that will tell the gender of the sweet babe we’re announcing. A dear friend of mine struggled for a couple of years with secondary infertility. They got pregnant easily with their first baby, and she’ll be 6 this summer, and their second is only a few months old at this point. In that time of trying to conceive their second child, they did suffer a loss, and I remember when they were going into their IVF cycle, which ultimately helped them conceive their perfect and precious little rainbow, we were talking about how she asked her husband if he was going to want to make a big social media announcement of their pregnancy, and his reaction was that he didn’t want to, that there are so many people that are going through such a hard time, and he wouldn’t want to rub it in their face or make them feel badly…and immediately, my response was, “I totally get that…but when we get there, I’m doing an announcement.” And we both laughed and she agreed that we’ve absolutely earned that moment. We’ve earned that time to shine and be excited and proud for the world to see. We’ve earned the right to celebrate with the whole lot of people that have prayed for and with us for that particular miracle. So, I’m going to do something new…something that I do as a way of staying hopeful and giving myself a reminder that we will get the dream of our hearts…I keep motivational quotes or scripture passages as the screen saver on my phone. When I’m having a bad day, and I see that screen, and it makes me more annoyed than uplifted, that’s how I know it’s time to switch to a new one…so, I’m going to start sharing my quote of the moment! Right now…my screen says the following: “May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. – Psalm 20:4” And with that, I’ll end this update. As always, thank you for the continued prayers, and keep ‘em coming! Let’s absolutely storm heaven, and make this time time that we get there! Make this be the time that God says it’s time for our dream to come true! Prayers can really work miracles…so let’s move some mountains! We thank you. We love you. God bless. ❤🙏🏻😘

[our21stcenturyodyssey]

Our Icelandic Saga - pt 1

I wrote about our holiday vacation to Iceland as it unfolded in my journal, and have decided to post these entries in the format I wrote them. So we’ll start at the beginning ...

Tuesday, December 27 - Reykjavik, Iceland

Well we've been in Iceland for about 18 hours and I'll be honest- this is not exactly a winter wonderland. 

When we landed at 5am this morning on our WOW airlines flight from Baltimore to Keflavik International Airport, I started to realize the weather may not be our friend this week. It was incredibly windy and rainy, and, while not particularly cold (30s F), the wind had an unpleasant bite. 

My research had suggested that we can do all the same things people do in the summer in Iceland in a winter trip, with the addition of ice caving and northern lights. Sounded like a winning deal to me! But now I realize the gamble you take with a winter visit to Iceland. 

Frankly, our weather is shit. The cloud coverage means we probably won't get to see northern lights (though keeping fingers crossed...), and our trip to lava caves and to snorkel between the tectonic plates for Wednesday has been canceled due to severe weather. 

View on day 1 from our hostel bedroom.

Vacation is still better than work, and I love doing anything with Tim, but I'll admit this one hasn't been easy so far. 

The flight itself on WOW left Baltimore at 6pm and then flew 6 hours to Iceland. Because it was early and relatively short, we only were able to sleep briefly. Also, being a budget airline, WOW's seats were pretty uncomfortable and there were no complimentary snacks or beverages. It's very no-frills. 

When we arrived we made our way to the bus that would transfer us to our hostel. It was a 40 minute ride on a cramped bus from the airport to Reykjavik, and then we also had to transfer from that bus to another with a 20 minute wait at the bus station in between. Being so sleepy and cold, I personally felt pretty grumpy about how difficult it was to get to our hostel, especially since we thought we were only taking one bus. The company, Fly Bus, didn't exactly say at the time of booking that there would be so many steps to the process. 

When we finally got to our hostel, Kex, it was only 7am and still too early to check in. We made ourselves comfortable on a couch and slept until a little before noon. 

We were scheduled to take a city tour in the afternoon, but our guide never showed up. I was pretty disappointed and anxious about getting a refund (the company hadn't responded to our repeated attempts to contact them), but Tim, in his ever cheerful spirits, got us excited for our own self-guided adventure through downtown. 

At 2pm we were able to check into our room, so we settled in and bundled up for our windy walk through town. Before heading outside, we stopped by the tour booking desk in the hostel to see if the representative there could help us both with a map and with our missed tour. She called the company and was able to get to a person! We explained the situation and they agreed to refund us. Whew! 

From our hostel we then set out to explore downtown Reykjavik, starting with a walk to its most iconic landmark, the Hallgrimskirkja church. It is the largest church in Iceland and the country's sixth tallest building. Named for Icelandic poet Hallgrímur Pétursson, the church was built between 1945 and 1986 and designed to resemble the lava flows of Iceland's landscape. 

Hallgrimskirkja

We then walked to some other notable sites, including the main square, where we saw charming Reykjavik Cathedral and parliament. We also went down to water and saw lovely swans and ducks braving the Icelandic winter. 

We then stumbled upon a hotdog stand. Believe it or not, Reykjavik is known for its street hotdogs, so of course we had to try it. The secret? In addition to pork and beef, there is also lamb meat in their hotdogs. They were delicious!

We then saw a cute pub across the street and decided to pop in to try some Icelandic brews. We split three local beers (a lager, a stout and an amber) and chatted with our bar neighbors, a couple from London. After our beers we all went to another taproom next door where Tim and I split a flight of beer (including my first taste of barley wine and the most sour Porter I've ever had). Since I hadn't drank in nearly a month, I felt rather tipsy from these small portions!

Reykjavik Cathedral looking cute for the holidays

On our walk home we grabbed dinner to go from an Indian place and once in our room back at the hostel, enjoyed some of the best garlic naan and chicken tikka marsala I've ever had. 

We also found out that, unfortunately, our tour for tomorrow, to snorkel between the European and North American tectonic plates and to explore a lava cave, had to be canceled due to the weather.

While we had a fantastic and spontaneous day, missing two of the three tours we booked for our entire trip made me worry my decision to go to Iceland in December may have been a silly one. After all, it's dark, cold, windy and snowy. And we live in Wisconsin so it's not like we're getting any exciting novelty. 

Tim and I both agreed that as long as our third tour doesn't get canceled (scheduled to depart Thursday and return Saturday night, visiting sites on the Golden Circle, ice caving and glacier hiking), we wouldn't worry. For tomorrow we decided we'd take advantage of the free day to sleep in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and then venture out to the National Museum of Iceland to learn about the history and culture. 

And with our first, rather impromptu, day in Reykjavik behind us, and another equally unplanned day ahead of us, we turned in for bed. 

Om nom nom

[jesusvasser]

Quick Take: 2018 Lexus IS 300

Since its initial launch in 1998, the Lexus IS has been a sport sedan for people who want something a little different than the 3 series, C-Class, and A4 lines that nip at each other’s tires for space in the entry-level luxury sport sedan segment. In fact, when the first-generation car hit U.S. soil, many pundits asked why even bother chasing the Germans in a segment they practically owned (if not invented) in most markets.

Then the reviews started coming in. Here are a few comments from our long-term IS 300’s log book way back in 2001: “It’s not as complete a car as a 3 series, but it’s edgier and perhaps more interesting.” “After driving the IS 300, the [BMW] 328i feels almost large. The IS is far more nimble.” “I gained a lot of admiration for this car. I’d take one over a 325i any day.”

Today, the Lexus IS is five years into its third generation and when a 2018 IS 300 was dropped on our door step for review, we wondered if the car would still hold the same magic of the original version all those years ago. The answer? Well, it’s complicated.

First of all, you can no longer get an IS 300 with a manual gearbox. In fact, the manual was slow to come on the original model (our 2001 tester was a pre-manual automatic) and the second generation IS offered a manual only with the entry level IS 250 trim which made do with a 2.5-liter V-6, rather than the 3.0-liter V-6 available on the hotter IS 350. In a sign of the times, today’s IS 300 pairs a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine (with a healthy 241 hp/258 lb-ft output) to an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. A 311-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 is still available on the current IS 350, but we’d venture the turbo-four is quick enough for most drivers.

Then, there’s a little issue of size and weight. The current IS 300 is nearly a foot longer than the original was all those years ago, while also being several inches wider and nearly an inch taller. It’s also a few-hundred pounds heavier than the original IS 300’s relatively svelte 3,300-lb curb weight. While it’s more powerful to compensate (and today’s buyers find many of the whizz-bang features they’re looking for in this segment like optional navigation, a host of safety features, seats that ventilate their bottoms, and so forth).

In fact, our tester boasts 10 airbags standard, along with a standard back-up camera, Safety System + (which includes pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, and lane departure alert with steering assist), Bluetooth, satellite radio and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, among other niceties.

Optional equipment includes the $1,220 Comfort Package with memory driver’s seat, blind-spot and cross-traffic monitoring, and rain sensing windshield wipers; a $300 adaptive front lighting system, a $290 Premium Plus Package with heated and ventilated seats, a $334 trunk mat/cargo net/wheel locks package and the $2,835 Navigation/Mark Levinson Audio System package which bundles 17 speakers, an 835-watt stereo and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Whew.

Certainly a lot of progress has been made in nearly two decades. Consumers get an IS 300 that more closely resembles their ideal living room, while being nearly as safe. But how is the car to drive as a result? Answer: pretty good.

In our time behind the wheel, we used the IS 300 for daily tasks including grocery schlepping and assorted errand running, as well as a bit of back roads duty. Through it all, we were impressed with the little 2.0-liter turbo-four’s giddy-up, with little lag and max torque arriving at just 1,650 rpm. This made for easy bursts of acceleration, though in Normal driving mode, the eight-speed’s penchant for super-low-rpm cruising meant dropping several gears to get into peak horsepower.

In Sport mode, the transmission keeps the car in its powerband better, and manual shifts were acceptably quick. Steering feel from the electric-assisted rack was the chief let down in terms of sporty driving characteristics and it’s a negative shared with even the RC and LC model ranges. Ride quality is very good, with a nicely balanced tune between sport and comfort. We achieved 23.5 mpg in mixed driving, versus the EPA’s 26 mpg combined average.

We also think the IS 300’s LFA-derived interior design has held up well through the years, still feeling modern and upscale. That said, Lexus’ mouse-like display controller is perhaps the worst in the industry. The system’s poor control and requirement for full attention is challenging when parked, but even worse when driving, mandating far too much time be spent with the driver’s eyes off the road. Rear seat room is also a bit cramped and the door aperture is small, requiring a little contortion for larger or taller adults to get in and out.

With an as-tested price of $44,184, our Lexus IS 300 tester is competitively priced in its segment and we’d question the need for the IS 350’s V-6 with a turbo-four this potent under the hood. Most people simply won’t need the extra oomph. While the IS 300 may not be quite as interesting or as sporty as the IS that started it all some 20 years ago, it has morphed into the car that the dwindling sedan market has required of it. It also remains an alternative choice to the myriad German sedans in this space. And the fact that it isn’t another compact sport-utility vehicle is reason enough for many to take a closer look.

2018 Lexus IS 300 Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $39,205/$44,184 (base/as tested) ENGINE  2.0L turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4/241 hp @ 5,800 rpm, 258 lb-ft @ 1,650-4,400 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic LAYOUT  4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, RWD sedan EPA MILEAGE 22/32 (city/highway) L x W x H 184.3 x 71.3 x 56.3 in in WHEELBASE 110.2 in in WEIGHT 3,583 lb 0-60 MPH  6.9 sec TOP SPEED  143 mph (est)

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