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wheremytwinwatches · 5 years ago

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[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 20

Last time Roy was a badass, Lust bit the dust, and Ed ran into a familiar face. Onwards!

Hey, they show Ed and Papa Elric in a graveyard during the intro! I’d just written that off as a symbolic thing or something. So does that mean we’re gonna have Ed going through the Gate again and the Xing contingent fighting Wrath? I will also take little May Chang zapping some werewolves, please and thank you. We open with Papa Elric and Ed staring at eachother (and a gravestone for a Michael Cusbert, random name or someone connected to the show?). [Papa Elric]: “Hello, Edward… You appear to have grown some.” 1-Will the short jokes never cease? 2-Really, dude? You haven’t seen your son since you ran off who knows how many years ago, and your first words are essentially “Huh, turns out kids grow up over time.” Ah, and he’s spoken with Granny Rockbell, knows that Ed tried Human Transmutation. Ed responds by asking why the heck he’s come back when there’s nothing left for him there. PE just asks why Ed burned down “his” home. So, am I supposed to have any sympathy for this guy? Like, at all? Disregarding my belief that Papa Elric and Father are the same person (seriously, beard), just in terms of being a dad I am finding him sorely lacking. Ed states that they burned it down as a symbol of their reso- [PE]: “No you didn’t. You were hiding the memory. You didn’t want to be reminded of what you’ve done… And thought you could erase the memory by destroying the evidence.” Step off, buddy. [PE]: “You ran away… And you know it.” WOW. Ok, you can just fuck right off, dude. You’re gonna stand on your dead wife’s grave and say that kind of shit to your son? I agree with Ed, you make me sick. [PE]: “He’s exactly like I was when I was his age.” Hahaha NO. You don’t get to compare yourself to the Protagonist, dude. Just… just go. Episode 20 - “Father Before the Grave” That night, Ed’s sleeping at the Rockbell’s when the door opens. So we’ll get Granny’s response to- YOU. Nope nope nope stop looking in on Ed just go away and Flashback to Kid!Ed clutching at PE’s leg with a smile and Baby!Al gazing up. Oh, so NOW you feel remorse for running out on your family. Whoop de friggin doo. PE reaches out to touch the son he ABANDONED before chickening out and leaving. And whadya know, Ed who has been through numerous deathly struggles over the past years was awake the entire time. Downstairs, good dog! The Rockbell’s automailed hound is sitting in a corner and growling at PE as he gives a wry grin, before turning back to Granny and numerous wine bottles. Seems she’s going over photo albums, remarking on how PE looks like he hasn’t aged a day (hmmmmm) and asking why he was gone for so long. PE… asks about the results of the HT the boys attempted. Dude. You know that Ed’s listening in, and you’re gonna make him think that the event that destroyed their lives was even more of a failure? The worst part is that we know he’s right, since Al’s flashback to the Gate ended with him looking at Ed from inside the TC. Still, dude. Dick move. Ok, let’s go away from this awfulness for a bit. Back in Central, Al’s holding up his end of the bargain and telling Ling about his Soul Armor status, who is very impressed. No need to eat or sleep or breathe, as long as his sigil’s kept intact he’s functionally immortal! Except for what Barry mentioned last time, about how a body can’t maintain a foreign soul, and Al thinks that he’s a ticking time bomb. Well ok, hold up. That’s based on an offhand comment by a homicidal maniac, regarding a corpse that had an animal’s soul stuffed in it. I don’t think that’s really comparable to you, Al. At the very least, why don’t we get a more scientific look into the subject than a murderer? And Ling does bring up a good point, if the body can only hold a soul for so long, why not transfer it to a new body periodically? Problem solved, right? Still, as much as I like the transhuman immortality robot idea, I don’t think the guy we’ve seen bumming for free food is really comprehending the isolation of the form, which Winry calls him out on before storming away. Winry’s moping on her bed when Al comes in, and tries lightening the mood by complaining that Ed and Winry are always the ones to lose their tempers, he never gets a chance. Then we get a flashback to Al's first night in his Soul Armor, realising that he can’t (not doesn’t have to, can’t) fall asleep and mentioning that to a younger Winry. Current!Winry cries into a pillow and demands a promise that Al will get his body back. On his own end, looks like Ed’s dreaming, running towards a distant light and demanding that they give Al his body back. Suddenly Truth! [Truth]: “Take it? Do you even know what you’re saying? You’re the one who tossed his body aside and put him in that armor… Aren’t you, alchemist?” And then That Bastard Tucker shows up saying that he and Ed are the saNOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE. And then it gets WORSE when a hand reaches out and Ok good Ed’s awake now. Suddenly I’m seeing advantages to Al not having to dream. Meanwhile, Granny’s yelling that Ed needs to wake up, his father’s about to head out. Wait, head out? Where’s PE off to now? Oh hey, it’s the photo wall with PE’s face blocked off. Which PE asks for and takes as it’s the only picture of the entire family. Then he’s already heading to the door (not surprised he’s not even waiting for Ed), but pauses to tell Granny something. [PE]: “Something terrible is going to happen in this country soon… You should escape while you can.” [Granny]: “*shrug* This country’s lousy with terrible things. And I can’t leave. I’ve got other people who need me here in case they want to come home.” [Heartless!PE Who Completely Ignores The Wall Of Cute Kid Pictures]: “I’ve given you my warning.” And like that, Hohenheim is gone, with a comment that he won’t be able to enjoy her cooking anymore… ok, that is either implying that Granny is going to die (NOPE) or Hohenheim is (?). Ed just looks out the window as his father leaves yet again. Now weather’s rolling in as Ed and Granny are walking up a hill, Ed has a shovel… oh no. No no no please tell me you aren’t going to dig it up. This knowledge will not help you, Ed. The rain starts falling and Ed is vomiting from exertion and stress, refuses to go home (as opposed to this pile of burnt rubble) as he won’t be able to move forward until he knows for sure. And because he refuses to let Hohenheim be right about his running away. Please. Please, just stop Ed. You’re constantly heaving, and as tough as Granny is it can’t be good for her either to be out in this rain. Let it go, please. But they keep digging through the rain, and as it finally slows Ed stops digging. Grabs a tuft of hair. Rushes to the bucket to wash it off. And turns to Granny with a stricken face, saying that Mama Elric had chestnut hair. But this hair is blond- wait, black? ...wait, what? It’s not blonde? I mean, maybe it’s burnt black. But I thought it was… They dig up the rest of the remains, Granny declares a femur too long and the pelvis for a male… ok, hold up. You’re basing this off of bone lengths and hair color? Ed, did you not see how deformed and broken that Thing was? That was not an example of a functioning human body, so why would you base this off of damaged parts? Aaargh, but as Granny declares that all the parts from the HT aren’t his mother, Ed laughs brokenly before declaring that it really is impossible to bring the dead back to life. But as Granny tells him to get ahold of himself, Ed says that it’s alright? That this has been a symbol of despair for so long… ok, how is this a symbol of hope, then? [Ed]: “Al can be returned to normal.” …? Um, I am not seeing the logic connection here. The HT remains are reburied, and Ed gives a call to Teacher. Oh dear. That subject. I’m sorry Ed, but that is really something you should not talk about over the phone. Back to the graveyard, Ed and Granny are looking over the Rockbell gravestones as she thanks Ed for telling her about how they helped people. Then they head out, Ed asking if Hohenheim said where he was going and Granny saying she didn’t even bother asking. But then she says she forgot something? A message for Hohenheim from Mama Elric? [Mama Elric]: “I’ll be gone when he returns… Can you tell him something? I need him to know… I couldn’t keep my promise. I died before he did, and I’m so sorry.” A promise to not die before him? Whatever the details, Granny doesn’t know, and asks Ed to pass it on if he runs into Hohenheim again. Ed grumps at being a messenger boy, but agrees. Now, back to Central! Where Ed’s sure that Al is just waiting, annoyed at being cut out of the loop… [Ed]: *eyetwitch* “What the hell?!” Al, rather worse for wear, apologizes to Ed for being so damaged, who then starts freaking out over Xing and the Lady Ninja mooching off room service before he kicks them out. Now, story time! After Ed’s brought up to speed on the Goths and Barry and the speculation that Al’s armor is gonna reject his soul (again, solely based on something Barry said), Al’s patched up. Winry is of course worried and asks if Al can get his old body back, Ed insists he can. Now, Ed’s turn to tell a story. Al is of course shocked at Ed saying he dug up the Resembool body, and more so at the claim that it wasn’t their mother. But this convinces Ed that they can return Al to normal? Explanation, please! But Ed insists before that he needs to know… if Winry remembers them fighting as kids about who’d marry her. Pfft! Winry confirms that she turned them both down ([Ed]: “W-whatever.”), so Ed asks for the reasoning. [Al/Winry]: “I just don’t like men who are shorter than me.” Aw, chin up Ed! It’s the only way you can try to be taller than her! Oh! OH! Confirmation that it really is Al, not just a copy from Ed’s memories! Al remembered something that Ed didn’t know! Thank Leto, this show may be playing fast and loose with dental records and hair remains, but this is sound reasoning! And if we have proof positive that Ed could pull Al’s soul out, then Ed believes that Al’s body is still in the Gate and he can pull it out. Like Barry’s body, separate from… ok, now you’re losing me again. As I understand Armor!Barry was made when his body was killed for murder, not lost in the Gate of Truth. That body did exist separate from the soul, but it wasn’t lost in another dimension or whatever, just stuck in the ground here. Ed asks Al to think back to the Gate, what he saw, and Al says that he grabbed his own hand (that creepy grinning version of Al from the flashback). So Ed’s determined to confront Truth again, and pull Ed’s body out!... but then there’s that last part of the memory. Al looking at Ed from inside the Thing. But while that Thing was Al, his soul didn’t bind. Huh. So good news is that they didn’t harm anyone else’s soul that time. Bad news is that this supports the “foreign body rejects soul” idea. Ergh. Oh, Teacher’s calling back. She and Sig did some research, and confirmed that the Thing that they summoned didn’t share any traits with them. So that’s it, then. Death is permanent. But at least they have closure. And the Elric Brothers have closure too, knowing that their attempt wasn’t a second death for Mama Elric, both of them blaming themselves. But with that closure behind them, they still have their mission: Get Al his body back. We get Al demanding that he share the burden with Ed, saying that he’s gotten by through being treated like a normal person from his friends… and crying that he can’t take the lonely nights anymore. But that’s going to change. The Elric Brothers have a target, and they’re gonna tear right through the Gate and punch Truth until they get that body back! And the Brothers are back at it, that eagerness that they had when first searching for the Philosopher’s Stone. Even Winry is taken back at how broad Ed’s shoulders are in his confidence. Brace yourself, Truth. The Elric Brothers are gunning for you.

#wmtw #where my twin watches #full metal alchemist #full metal alchemist brotherhood #fmab #fmab 20

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pedallingthroughlife · 5 years ago

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2020 First Entry

Intro:

Here is my blog entry for 2020! It has gone fast with my season starting next Saturday. In terms of training, I have been quite lucky with getting my fitness back up to where it was. Up until a few weeks ago, the weather has been fairly bearable with relatively good weather, ie the relentless storms of the UK were not raging on and we had to result to Zwift. Regarding illness I have suffered a little, I had some much needed time off over the Christmas period where I did not touch a bike for a month, this was due to being away in New Zealand back home with my mum and partner, when I got back I had to start base building again, I struggled at the start but it came back really quickly, I'm not really sure why this is, I guess it's because I have improved my nutrition, actually thought about the amount of sleep I need and taking time to recover from training sessions. This year I am also super happy that I will not only be riding for Gorilla Coffee but also be representing The Fry Group Unfound Racing who are a race team based out of Asia which is something im passionate about supporting and what the team and unfound.cc stand for.

Getting Back Into It:

As I mentioned I had some time off, when I came back it started to struggle, id essentially detrained but its something I needed to do after 2019 as it was a tough year. I feel rejuvenated and I've got a structured training plan in place with an awesome coach. not to mention I need to drop 7kg to get back to race weight because I repeatedly ate too many pies whilst in New Zealand. Im happy to say I am now back at the weight I want to be and my stamina has improved massively.

Nutrition:

I had to take a deep look at to how I was eating and I’ve managed to switch things up a bit, I wasn't getting enough Iron or was low in other vitamins that my body needed to cope with to recover and also maintain my lifestyle choice. I've cut dairy out on the Milk side and swapped to oat milk and although it's not for everyone, I myself really like it. I've also just moved from USN Ultralean to Strong Supplies Supplements, one reason is they are tailored for athletes, you ask questions about what sport you do, when you train, the levels you train and what you would like to improve on, ie; Joint pain, recuperation, mental health or inflammation. They also give you a call. So far so good and I get both pills(natural vitamins) and shakes, this has helped me see a big improvement in my overall mood too.

What's Next:

My season starts next Saturday the 7th with Milton Keynes Spring series Round 1 - JCA-Equipe Velo, I am also racing every week in March, with some big races on the table later in the year. I will be heading to Mallorca at the start of May for a week to get some serious training in and ready for summer.

#blog

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deborahdeshoftim5779 · 8 years ago

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The Marvel of Trelsi (Part VI)

I have resorted to the crude methodology of using screenshots as I’ve wasted over an hour trying to find pictures of Troy and Kelsi on Google Images, amongst other such procrastinating habits. Apparently, the Internet does not believe in the power of Trelsi. Google Play and Dropbox are beautiful things, people. :D

In this instalment, I continue with the following question:

Question: What makes the Trelsi friendship and dynamic so friggin’ special? Why does it make me want to weep and write poetry?

I am using the following website link: 11 Signs of A True Friendship to demonstrate the worth of Troy and Kelsi’s friendship throughout their lamentably short scenes together in the HSM franchise. As I’m coming to the end of that list, I will also discuss the overall disadvantage of having Troy spend so little screentime and off-screen time with Kelsi.

9- “They don’t talk about you behind your back.”

As I have repeatedly demonstrated when answering this question, the Wildcats ostensible displays of friendship are heralded by the franchise script as being emblematic of true friendship.

This includes the notable examples where the Wildcats are implied to have talked about Troy, negatively, behind his back. Returning to my example from yesterday, where Chad owns up to his part in the HSM I Wi-Fi/camera stunt, the lead-up to this rare moment of humility for the Wildcats could only have been possible if the Wildcats had been muttering about Troy behind his back. After Coach Bolton tries to pressure Troy into focusing for the upcoming game, and Troy storms out of the gym in a terrible mood, the rest of the Wildcats (none of them coming to comfort Troy, of course) are headed in a different direction to plan their next move. Which would include, of course, muttering about Troy’s alleged insanity in trying out a new interest so close to the game.

Their decision to meet with the brainiacs to put their plan into action counts as talking about Troy (and Gabriella) behind his back, for the purpose of destroying a potential relationship based on selfish interest. In HSM II, I have already stated that their decision to shun Troy appears heavily pre-planned and I’m sure that Chad had been muttering about Troy behind his back prior to his personal decision not to speak with the latter. After all, he told Taylor and Gabriella, “there’s a guy out there that looks just like Troy Bolton, but I have no idea who he really is.” Not only is this patently absurd, but the melodramatic glum faces of Taylor and Gabriella give one the implication that their lunchtime was spent slanging Troy.

Oh, and speaking of HSM II, let’s not forget Taylor’s instigation of Troy-bashing; telling Gabriella that Troy “forgot” his date without waiting to hear his side of the story (to Gabriella’s credit, she defended Troy!), encouraging Gabriella to hold Troy to ridiculous standards in a relationship (”ALL dates are official. Whether the boy knows it or not.”), planting suspicion in Gabriella’s head that Troy might be straying from her to get in good with Sharpay and the Evans despite there being NO evidence for this, implying that Troy’s motivations are completely unethical throughout despite Sharpay blatantly chasing him and harassing him throughout. Taylor is an excellent friend to Gabriella, and a rotten friend to Troy.*

All of the above scenes are supposed to be glossed over, because hey! We’re all in this together! Indeed, when it comes to stabbing Troy in the back, they are all in this together. However, the ONE scene where Kelsi stands by Troy in the silent Lava Springs kitchen and communicates with him UPFRONT the reason for this undeserved silent treatment once again pours scorn on the alleged Wildcat unity and friendship. Once again, one small gesture in a Trelsi scene outshining everything else. This makes me certain that Kelsi was not involved in the mutinous mutterings against Troy that most probably accompanied Chad’s shouting match earlier on, let alone the plan to ignore him.

10- “They allow you to have other friendships without getting jealous and possessive.”

Consider the value of being friends with Troy Bolton. You have earned instant status points, you’re considered cool, you have direct access to East High’s Primo Boy, you get to hang on his every word and make sacrifices at the altar of eternal worship. Being friends with Troy Bolton is like being elected Cardinal to the Vatican. You have entered an elite circle. It is my firm belief that Troy was Kelsi’s first real friend, at least in high school. She is never shown with anyone else with whom she shares the same level of familiarity, comfort and affection as she does with Troy. This makes their friendship doubly fortunate. Beforehand, she was sitting with the Drama Club students, working on her music. Now, she is well-liked amongst the Wildcat gang and has graduated to sitting at the Cool Girls table, made up of Taylor (who appears to be the head), Gabriella and Martha. People actually notice her now, they know her name and they appreciate her talent as a composer. Mega status points for Kelsi.

But throughout the entire movie franchise, she never seeks to impose her own presence upon Troy’s life. In fact, I may have noted before that they rarely ever hang out outside of musical-related activities; Troy still spends the vast majority of his time with the Wildcats and with Gabriella. Kelsi is respectful to all of Troy’s other friends, is pleased when the Wildcats display unity and support Troy’s ambitions and goals, and does everything she can to maintain this harmony. In such benevolence, during HSM II, she appeared shocked when Chad and Troy had a row in the Lava Springs kitchen (TINY scene)-- later on, she persuaded Chad to forgive Troy. Now the BASIS upon which Chad was to forgive Troy is completely bogus and nonsensical in my view; Chad agrees to the following comment: [T] “I was a jerk.”, which as I have stated time and time again, is categorically untrue.

However, Kelsi certainly never considered Troy to be a jerk throughout this film, and clearly saw that Troy (unjustly) renouncing his privileges in a show of solidarity with his team would appease Chad’s anger. So, either before or after finding Ryan, she runs to Chad, the very same person who called her “small person” in HSM I and with whom she has only shared a little dialogue** previous to plead Troy’s case.*** She doesn’t want to see Troy and Chad’s friendship ruined for anything and seems happy when they get along. This is evidenced by yet another TINY scene where Kelsi is smiling as Troy and Chad do that skipping routine in the kitchen. Scenes like that restore my hope in Troy and Chad’s friendship.

Due the fact that Troy is one of the friendliest, most open and likeable characters in the entire cast, almost everyone is clamouring to be his friend. Those who get there first consider themselves to be the rightful owners. Cue Chad Danforth, whose has turned possessiveness into an art form. Remember, these two have been friends since pre-school, and although Chad was written as the sidekick, he is clearly the more dominant of the two. “For the record? I was a much better superhero than you were.” I know, I know I criticize Chad a lot, but I do REALLY LIKE Troy and Chad’s friendship. It IS a true brotherhood. They have great banter, their friendship is resilient as hell (secretly filming your BEST friend to destroy his relationship? Wow, Troy forgives like there’s no tomorrow), they make great partners in sport, they clearly bonded quite quickly as kids have great complementary qualities. BUT out of the two, it is Chad who feels that his blueprint must be followed. Troy NEVER imposes any idea upon Chad-- not in their professional spheres or in their social spheres. Rather, it is Chad who decides what Troy should think, what he should like, who he should hang out with, what he should decide and what he should do. And that presents a stark difference between how Chad treats Troy and how Kelsi treats him:

(What Troy should think)-- “The music in those shows isn’t hiphop... or rock. Or anything essential to culture. It’s... showtunes. Costumes and makeup. It’s frightening!”

(What Troy should like)-- “You’re a Hoops Dude. Not a musical singer person!”

(Who he should hang out with)-- (This one is indirect) “...the Drama Geeks and the Brainiacs think that they can... talk to us! Suddenly everyone wants to do other stuff, okay: stuff that’s not their stuff!”

(What he should decide)-- (Upon hearing that Troy is undecided about Juilliard) “That’s not what I wanted to hear!”

(What he should do)-- “You and me... we’re goin’ to U of A.”

Now, perhaps it is worth reiterating that despite all this, I still like their friendship! :D But with no such dialogue coming from Kelsi, who rather encourages his decisions and treats his ambitions with respect and is thoroughly devoted to his success, the glaring problem in Troy and Chad’s dynamic becomes clear. And yet they tell me that Troy is the jerk...

I will discuss Gabriella’s controlling tendencies later on, but the Wildcats’ possessiveness of Troy becomes clear when he’s becoming popular with the Redhawks. After all, they invite him to scrimmage within moments of meeting him, give him a jacket and a ride in their (cool!) car. They talk and joke with him like he’s their best buddy, and he gets lunch with them and Mr. Evans. Of course, Troy is cultivating friendships with them for good reasons (and don’t let anyone deceive you otherwise), but to the Wildcats, this appears as though Troy thinks he is too good for his friends. (Their interpretation, not mine). As a result, they shun and insult him. According to Zeke, who has no reason to be so insulting, “...Troy bailed on us, so whatever!” In other words, the Wildcats act like a spurned lover when Troy doesn’t lavish them with the attention they feel entitled to. This gives the impression that they friendship with him is at least partially motivated by the status boost they receive, and if Troy’s attention is on other people, that threatens their own popularity. Interestingly, they do not apply this theory to Kelsi, who is quickly absorbed into their group despite her high uncool points. But maybe this is because Troy likes her, so they see this as a sign of approval.

Long story short: the Trelsi friendship NEVER has these problems.

11- “You have so many inside jokes and funny memories with them that you’ve lost count.”

I have to use speculation here, since there are no scenes to give an appropriate insight into what Troy and Kelsi hanging out what look like. But there are several canonical points worth remembering: 1)- their friendship is uniquely esoteric, 2)- it is built upon unspoken understanding, 3)- they both have a great sense of humour, and are fond of sarcasm, 4)- they share many great friendship moments together. In light of this, I can see them having inside jokes and funny/great memories were they allowed more scenes together, particularly scenes that didn’t involve preparation for the musicals. Perhaps there are some canonical funny memories though: (Kelsi, from HSM II about the Ladies Luncheon) “Won’t exactly be rocking out!”. My screenshot way up above shows Troy’s amusement and somewhat affectionate indulging in Kelsi’s sarcasm. And Kelsi certainly finds his decision to steal Jimmie’s clothes in HSM III hilarious. (Don’t ask me). In the same film, we get a glimpse of the potential teasing, sarcastic sense of humour that could characterize their off-screen conversations: “Hoops Man! Over here! You look like you’re having the time of your life!” To add to the esoteric nature of their relationship, the use of nicknames seems likely.

On the topic of nicknames, Troy and Kelsi are the only ones who use nicknames in a reciprocal fashion. Gabriella calls Troy “Wildcat” (in an often patronizing fashion), but Troy just calls her “Gabriella”. Chad calls Troy “Hoops”, but Troy just calls him “Chad”. With his and Kelsi’s friendship, such is the equal nature of it that even the nicknames are shared. He confers on her the status of Playmaker, she calls him Hoops Man. Interestingly, Troy does not mind this coming from Kelsi-- most likely because she has never viewed him entirely through the prism of being a basketball player. Even MORE interestingly, she uses a basketball-related nickname during THEATRE rehearsals. The very side of Troy that he still struggles to reveal thanks to how his basketball career overshadows his past, present and future. Why does Kelsi do this? At first glance, this might appear counter-productive. But consider this in context; they have had a disastrous rehearsal, everyone is pissed with Troy, the energy is down. Kelsi calling him Hoops Man snaps him right back to attention. He’s focused. It’s like the Coach during practice, and Troy knows this like the back of his hand. Instantly, he turns around, his attention drawn away from the disastrous rehearsal. So Kelsi is once again bringing him back from the brink of self-doubt and endless blame. Also, the nickname “Hoops Man” is a definite compliment. Chad calls him “Hoops”, which makes him sound like an inanimate object. Kelsi calls him “Hoops Man”, showing there’s a human being behind the skill. This is coming from someone who doesn’t know what a Game Ball is and wanders around twirling it in her hands, looking extremely awkward, not to mention “basketball class”, and “Playmaker...??” And by referring to Troy’s skill in basketball, she is basically telling him that he can kill it on stage just like he does on the basketball court. The results of this pep talk (minus the odious Gabriella worship!) are to calm Troy considerably so that by the next scene, when he is preparing for prom, he is showing happiness and excitement for the first time in a while. (Of course, this is cruelly crushed just moments later, but... *sigh*)

I will expand on why Troy and Kelsi NEEDED more scenes together in the next instalment and provide some areas where this might have helped.

TO BE CONTINUED

(*FOOTNOTE-- I like Taylor McKessie. She’s fierce and fun and bubbly and smart. But her prejudice and subsequent behaviour towards Troy is inexcusable. What is interesting is that prior to Gabriella taking an interest in Troy, Taylor was quite happy for the world to hear about her disdain for Primo Boys/Sports Stars. During the detention scene in HSM I, she barely uses a whisper when she mocks Chad, who is sitting right in front of her: “That’ll be tough for Chad since he probably can’t count that high!” And later, she has a derogatory poster of Troy made with no shame whatsoever. (Again, I give Gabriella credit for not finding this amusing or persuasive). It’s hilarious and completely uncalled for. But she’s openly disdainful. By the time we get to HSM II, she’s smiling to Troy’s face and denigrating him behind his back. Why the change? I think it’s because she can’t bring herself to admit that Troy DOESN’T represent any of the stereotypes that she attaches to Primo Boys; her apparent vendetta against him is based on his status more than it is on him. In HSM I, she called him a lunkhead twice. In HSM II and HSM III, she no longer does this. Sadly, based on her behaviour in HSM II, it’s not because she had some moral epiphany, but she’s found another way to criticize him. You can see the rationale in her head: based on HSM I, she now concludes “Troy’s a nice guy”, and then BUT... Cue the new round of criticism. This is astonishing, as out of the two it is CHAD who is more of a douche throughout the movies, but she’s willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because of her feelings towards him. As she has no feelings for Troy, it is easier to maintain her prejudices against Primo Boy status. And Chad, who is supposed to be Troy’s best friend, allows her to talk smack about his buddy in front of him with no comment whatsoever. ([C] “Troy would never do that!”/[T] “You’ve got eyes: use them!”) Insane hypocrisy, but I’ve come to expect this from the Wildcats by now).

(**FOOTNOTE-- Despite Chad’s dismissive way of addressing Kelsi in HSM I, it appears by HSM II that he quite likes her. I am intrigued by what they were discussing prior to the Silent Treatment scene. [K] “It’s okay, Ryan can help!” Help what? By this time, they know that they will not be able to participate in the Lava Springs Talent Show, and yet I am always led to assume that Kelsi meant something dance-related. Maybe I am wrong. And the recipient of this help appears to be Chad, who says, [C] “I don’t know...” But Kelsi remains optimistic: [K] “He’ll get it, eventually!” I have no idea what they are referring to, much less when Chad and Kelsi were on friendly chatting terms over breakfast. Not that I object to this, as Kelsi would no doubt be a good influence on Chad! But the show never shows the transition from calling someone “small person” to discussing something like one might discuss the weather. However, I will draw the viewer’s attention back to early HSM II, where Kelsi babbles on about her beloved Talent Show, claiming “I’ve got ideas for EVERYONE; you guys can sing the lead, and maybe CHAD and ZEKE can do backup and everyone can dance!” (Capital emphasis my own). How did Kelsi come upon the information that Chad was capable of doing backup vocals? Did Chad suddenly show an interest in music in between the Winter Musical and the Summer Holidays? Did Kelsi do a survey? It would have been nice to have these details. Anyway, this apparent knowledge that Kelsi has of Chad’s musical skills further undermine his silly pantomime of braggadocio in that glorious waste of time called “I Don’t Dance”.)

(***FOOTNOTE-- It apparently never occurs to Troy that his “forgiveness” from Chad in HSM II was entirely engineered by Kelsi. Indeed, that’s the first thing that Chad says is “Kelsi told us what went down between you and Sharpay”. It appears not to affect Troy that Kelsi is responsible for this, nor that Chad, who had previously been ignoring him outright, was now making eye contact and walking over to him. Given Troy’s attempt to muster up the courage for his “apology”, I assume he had expected a struggle to get Chad’s attention. (Perhaps one of his pre-prepared speeches). The “apology” scene went off without a hitch, and that’s all due to Kelsi. And yet Troy is never shown to have taken note of this fact, let alone thanked Kelsi for helping him repair his friendships. Neither does Kelsi hang around to take the credit. There are two possible reasons for this: the first, that Troy has been so worn down by the Wildcats’ spitefulness and is desperate to get back into their good books. The fact that Chad is willing to lend him an ear engenders sheer relief. In the resulting friendships that are fixed, he has no time to consider how this was possible. His only objective was to stop the Wildcats giving him dirty looks, avoiding his path and refusing to speak with him. Remember, the beginning of the Silent Treatment was at breakfast time, but Troy appears to speak with Sharpay during the afternoon. That’s six or more hours work-time with no one speaking to him. He leaves his omelette untouched, but what about lunchtime? What about when he crosses someone’s path from the kitchens? After going through the humiliation and upset, the only thing on Troy’s mind is putting an end to it; he cracks like glass. The second reason is that the screenwriters don’t care enough about Troy and Kelsi’s friendship or basic continuity, even though they took the care to demonstrate this friendship as being superior to the main romantic couple in almost every way!)

#Trelsi #OTP #TroyBolton #KelsiNielsen #Playmakers #LiterallyTroyandKelsiForever #HowCanYouNotLoveTheseTwo #WritingSoMuch #Deb'sAnalysis #WhyWon'tPeopleAppreciateThem #WildcatHypocrisy #WildcatsSuck #ChadDanforth #ChadSoPossessiveLike #ToBeContinued

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douglassmiith · 5 years ago

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How To Feel More Energized Even When Youre Stuck At A Desk All Day

About The Author

Suzanne Scacca is a former WordPress implementer, trainer and agency manager who now works as a freelance copywriter. She specializes in crafting marketing agency, web … More about Suzanne Scacca …

A desk is an essential piece of equipment for a web designer. Without it, you’d end up working from wobbly tables at cafes or staring down at your lap all day — uncomfortable options, to say the least. Then again, your desk could also cause you discomfort if you sit in it the wrong way or for too long. Rather than feeling like your desk is a torture device, Suzanne Scacca shares some pointers for enjoying the time you spend there.

Let me tell you a little story.

I used to work for a translation agency. It was my job to copy-and-paste translations from one document into another and then to review the writing for errors. I worked between 10 and 12 hours every day, usually taking lunch at my desk (if I remembered to do so) and physically repeated the same thing over and over: mousing back and forth between my two giant computer screens and staring at too-small type.

Two years later, I found myself in physical therapy because I’d worn away the tissue beneath my right shoulder cap and had developed tennis elbow. Despite the months of therapy to repair my arm, I primarily use my left arm to work today. And although it feels a heck of a lot better than trying to power through the pain that happens when working with my right…

It makes me much slower than I used to be…

Which can lead to longer hours in front of the computer…

And I experience higher levels of stress, frustration and fatigue as a result.

I feel like if you’ve had a desk job for long enough, you have a similar story to tell. Maybe yours isn’t due to bad posture or technique. Maybe it has to do with the fact that you forget to eat lunch most days and don’t remember what it’s like to be outside when the sun is at its brightest. Or you move from your desk to the couch to the bed and back again, never giving your body or mind the physical activity it needs to stay energized.

Rather than let this be our collective fate because of the nature of our work, let’s try and change the narrative. Today, we’re going to look at some things you can do to feel more alert and energized even if you’re stuck at your desk for most of the day.

Fix Your Desk Setup and Alignment

Even if it feels more comfortable to work from your couch or bed or to slouch down in your work chair, the long-term benefits of not sitting properly will haunt you. Trust me.

I don’t know how old most of you are, but you may or may not have had to go through typing classes in school as I did. We didn’t just learn to type in them. We learned the right posture for sitting before a computer. This graphic from wikiHow sums it up:

An illustration that depicts the right and wrong posture when sitting at a desk. (Image source: wikiHow) (Large preview)

Basically, you want to aim for the following:

Body folded at 90-degree angles,

Back straight against the chair,

Feet flat on the floor,

Arms bent at the elbows,

Fingers hover above the keyboard or mouse without bending or resting the wrists,

Eyes level with the computer screen.

This is a good place to start, regardless if you sit in a chair, on a stool or a stability ball. That said, it’s not the only thing you can do to fix your body at your workstation.

Another thing to think about is using a standing desk.

According to Dr. Edward R. Laskowski and the Mayo Clinic, sitting can be really bad for your health. People who sit for long periods of time are more prone to increased blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.

Even if you switch to a standing desk for just a few hours a day, you can increase the number of calories burned and stave off some of those health issues. In a study conducted back in 2011, researchers found additional health benefits when using a standing desk:

“The Take-a-Stand Project reduced time spent sitting by 224% (66 minutes per day), reduced upper back and neck pain by 54% and improved mood states.”

You don’t need to go investing in a standing desk to make this change. They can be expensive, especially when you already have a setup you’re comfortable with. However, what you can do is invest in a riser.

A modified desk turns into a standing desk with an adjustable riser. (Image source: Suzanne Scacca) (Large preview)

Not only can I adjust the height of the riser, but I can tilt it, too. This is useful not just for turning my desk into a standing desk setup, but I can take this with me when I work in hotels to make sure I’m always maintaining proper alignment.

Use Time-Blocking To Schedule Your Day

Usually when people recommend the Pomodoro Technique — developed by Francesco Cirillo — they’re going to tell you to break your day into 25-minute intervals. That’s not really what the goal of this time management method is though.

The reason you break your workday into blocks is because it’s easier to focus when you have a clear and reasonable end-time in sight. It’s also useful for structuring your day.

For someone like a salesperson who has to get on call after call with leads or to sit in an endless string of meetings, half-hour blocks make a whole lot of sense. That’s naturally how their day breaks apart. Web designers would benefit from much longer blocks. Here’s why:

A study from the University of California and Humboldt University looked at what happens after work is disrupted. These were their findings and interpretations:

“When people are constantly interrupted, they develop a model of working faster (and writing less) to compensate for the time they know they will lose by being interrupted. Yet working faster with interruptions has its cost: people in the interrupted conditions experienced a higher workload, more stress, higher frustration, more time pressure and effort. So interrupted work may be done faster, but at a price.”

You have to be careful about managing the “cost” of taking a break. 25-minute blocks are just too costly for a web designer. I’d recommend looking at how your tasks naturally break apart.

Would prototyping a landing page take an hour or two? How about research and planning? Take a close look at the tasks you commonly perform and how long they take, on average, to complete.

I’d also look at where you naturally start to “fail” and lose focus. It’s the same thing that happens in workouts — when you reach your breaking point, your body just gives up. Unfortunately, some people try to push through it when it’s the brain screaming, “Stop!”

Another thing to look at is where your peak energy hours are. We all have them. For me, it’s between 2 PM and 5 PM every day. I always schedule my hardest projects then.

Use those as benchmarks for your blocks. On top of creating blocks and breaks throughout the workday, also be sure to set dedicated hours and limits for yourself. It’s a lot harder to get fatigued if you know you only have to put in a specific number of hours of work that day.

As for building this out, use a tool that makes it easy to set recurring breaks and stick to the same schedule every day. It could be as simple as using your Google Calendar:

An example of how a web designer might schedule their work and breaks in blocks. (Image source: Google Calendar) (Large preview)

Whatever you choose, make sure you can slot in each task by time and color-code tasks based on things like client, priority, type, design stage, etc.

Get Outside During The Workday

Okay, so let’s talk about what you should be doing with your scheduled breaks.

Unless there’s a dangerous storm outside, you should make an effort to get outside at least once a day. There are a ton of health benefits associated with sunlight, including an increase in vitamin D and serotonin.

Vitamin D is useful as it helps increase our immune systems and fight off disease. If you’ve ever tried to work while battling a cold or the flu, you know how difficult that can be — especially when your bed is just a matter of steps away.

Serotonin is also useful for work. Serotonin is what gives us the energy and good mood to power through longer days. Melatonin, on the other hand, is what puts us soundly to sleep at night. If we don’t get the right balance of it — which can happen if you’re stuck inside with artificial lighting all day — you could end up with sleepless nights and exhausting days.

Despite the extra coverings, I was enjoying the boost of sunshine on my lunch break as I walked around the Providence waterfront. (Image source: Suzanne Scacca) (Large preview)

According to Russel J. Reiter, a melatonin researcher:

“The light we get from being outside on a summer day can be a thousand times brighter than we’re ever likely to experience indoors. For this reason, it’s important that people who work indoors get outside periodically and moreover that we all try to sleep in total darkness. This can have a major impact on melatonin rhythms and can result in improvements in mood, energy and sleep quality.”

But it’s not just sunlight and fresh air that help with energy and productivity. Exercise is important, too. And what better way to fit in fitness than when you’re already outside and on a break from work?

For some people, taking a long walk is their preferred mode of outdoor exercise. It’s also a great option if you’re a dog owner and want to give them a big dose of exercise at the same time.

Ann Green, a fitness studio owner, yoga teacher and heptathlon world athlete, explains the benefits of walking:

“There are many reasons to walk for exercise. Walking improves fitness, cardiac health, alleviates depression and fatigue, improves mood, creates less stress on joints and reduces pain, can prevent weight gain, reduce the risk for cancer and chronic disease, improve endurance, circulation and posture and the list goes on.”

If you want something a little more exhilarating without breaking a major sweat in the middle of the workday, why not take an electric bike out?

There are many great things about this option. For starters, because e-bikes (like the ones you get from Rad Power Bikes) take some of the work out of pedaling for you, you can ride for a lot longer and go further.

Researchers at the University of Colorado conducted a study with 20 volunteers to see what would happen when they traded their car for an e-bike when commuting to work. Their objective was to ride for at least 40 minutes, three times a week, for a full month.

They found that electric bikes had improved their:

Cardiovascular health,

Aerobic capacity,

Blood sugar control.

Rad Power Bikes e-bikes aren’t just healthier for you, they’re healthier for the environment. (Image source: Rad Power Bikes)

Another reason an e-bike is an attractive option is because you can use it for a variety of purposes.

You can use it for commuting, if you have an office you work out of. You can use it for general exercise whenever you feel like it. You can also use it to get more done during your breaks. If you ever feel stressed out about when you’re going to have time to pick up groceries, for instance, an e-bike would be a great way to knock out your exercise and chores all at once.

Bottom line:

You’re carving time out of your workday to get away from your computer and give your brain and body a rest so it can recharge. Don’t waste it by putting yourself in front of another screen. If you can get outside, not only will you improve your overall health, but you’ll give yourself an instant boost of energy and mood, too.

Wrapping Up

Just because working indoors, at a desk, in front of a computer screen has been known to cause issues, that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to lessen or remove those negative side effects from your workday.

Focus and energy are both very important in your line of work. By making just a few small adjustments, you can ensure that both remain high while you’re desk-side.

(ra, il)

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riichardwilson · 5 years ago

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How To Feel More Energized Even When You’re Stuck At A Desk All Day