#but my motivation jar only has one cent in it

[theasterous09]

Alright, so I've been off the internet for a few days because I was reading a fanfic (unsurprisingly), and it's a popular Boboiboy x Boku No Hero Academia fanfic (Elemental Hero), and it's so good but I'm so sad that it's still a WIP and it's been a year since it had a new chapter.

Anyway, I'm not that sad about it (kidding, I'm depressed), but I can't help but think of other crossovers for Boboiboy after reading it.

Obviously, I've thought about a crossover between BBB and RC9GN. It's an interesting concept actually, and it works well in my head. But recently, I've been thinking of a different series other than RC9GN that would be a cool x-over for BBB.

Miraculous Ladybug

Listen, I already said before that I don't really like MLB (I used to be a fan, but ehh-), but that's because of how it is written. It is so poorly executed that I just gave up on it, I like to look at the fandom's works more than the canon series at this point. I like the concept and potential the story that Miraculous has, and I think it's being wasted on.

That is one of the reasons why I love imagining a crossover between BBB and MLB. Like, seriously, I know that BBB is a pretty obscure show, and isn't as well-known as MLB, but I really thought there'd be more crossovers of them??? Wouldn't it be an awesome idea for Marinette, Adrien, and co. to enter the BBB universe? Or even the Kokotiam gang to enter the MLB universe? With plenty of villains on both universes, there'd be plenty of writing potential for these two shows together.

Personally, since I'm in the BBB fandom atm, I've been daydreaming thinking of a story where it's the Koko gang that somehow ends up in the MLB universe (thanks to the many amounts of crossover fics and that Elemental Hero fic I've read, I've thought of a way how they got there + it's easier to think of how they got there than how MLB characters would in the BBB universe). They have to find out how to get back to their world, while trying to fit in in Paris so they don't attract too much attention. The latter obviously fails when villains appear and, like the heroes they are, tries to save the day, but they bump into the local heroes of this world: Ladybug and Chat Noir (with additional other heroes depending on the timeline of MLB). Weird shenanigans ensues and the gang escapes from being questioned by the two heroes.

Now, Ladybug and Chat Noir are on the hunt to find the 5 weird people who had powers (just like them, but somehow more different), the gang tries to find someone who can help them find a way back home, and ofc, Hawkmoth (or Shadowmoth or Monarch, idk when this takes place in MLB honestly) takes a liking to these weird, new comers and tries to take advantage of them. And a new (or old?) threat appears from Boboiboy's world (somehow, idk) and tries to form an alliance with Gabriel so that they can both get what they want.

How will the Kokotiam Gang get home? What will Marinette and Adrien do to find those weird people with powers? Once they find them, what then? Will Gabriel be able to get the Miraculouses now that he has a bigger threat? Who would the mysterious villain from BBB's universe be? And will Marinette still be pining over Adrien like in the original series?

That last question, if I were to write this, then I wouldn't do that. I seriously hate writing romance, and Marinette pining over Adrien in almost every episode is boring. So, romance wouldn't be the main focus of the story.

But for the rest of those questions? Honestly, idk. I don't have the motivation to make this into an actual story. I still plan on writing RC9GN: Ninja Watchception once I get the motivation to write again.

Though, it is nice to dream.

#boboiboy #miraculous ladybug #bbb #bbbg #mlb #crossover #x over #WHY ISNT THIS KIND OF CROSSOVER MORE POPULAR?? #LIKE IT IS SO INTERESTING TO ME #I wan a writr abt it #but my motivation jar only has one cent in it #oh well #back to daydreaming

[backburnerdio]

Fictober – Day 21

Original Fiction: Time Borrowed Prompt #02: You Have No Proof Word Count: 1348 Words Warnings: Language, abduction

"Enhance doesn't work like that, Midland—"

“I came straight over,” Garnet barked, plowing the discussion right over as he shoved through the door. “What happened?”

“Congrats, you’re the last one here.” Lora was the only one who spoke up, seated on the edge of Beau’s desk. Everyone was at a station, buried in a desktop or tablet, everything giving off a teal glow with more projection light than lamplight.

“Probably because I live on the other side of town. Can someone give me some info instead of lecturing me?”

“Ryker’s been taken hostage.” Midland lifted his head just enough to peer over his hologram, “No one’s talked to him since last shift, and the last image we have of him was a traffic cam from 23:00.”

“I figured that, pipsqueak, I saw the live stream. Anyone know who’s behind it? Do we have any suspects?”

“One.” Ives said, sending the room into complete silence.

No one moved, even Beau’s typing going still. Ives wasn’t seated at a desk, instead at one of the processing seats near the back of the office. He didn’t look himself. The usual stick-straight posture was gone, slouched in the seat, arms crossed, eyes fixed on Garnet from beneath his dark brows.

A few of the others glanced up at him and quickly away.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” Garnet chuckled, holding Ives’ glare. “Me? You fuckin’ think it was me?”

“You were the last one seen with him at 12th and Boulevard on security footage at 23:14. That makes you a suspect.”

“We picked up some noodles. Getting dinner with my friend of 22 years makes me a suspect?”

“You had a disagreement with Ryker two weeks ago over your pay scale and a more severe falling out on your last assignment where you failed to follow Ryker’s orders—”

“I argue with everyone!”

“Which jeopardized the mission and nearly got officer Morton killed!!” Ives shoved himself to his feet, finger stabbed at Garnet. “For years you have constantly pushed your boundaries with Ryker, making decisions on your own without proper protocol or permission.”

“It’s called being Human, you piece of shit!” Garnet started across the room, Stefan jumping up to hold him back. Everyone got to their feet. “Adjusting to the situation. Because we aren’t built to run on a single track like some of us! I do my damn job!”

“You repeatedly endanger your comrades! You overstep your command! If anyone had reason to get Ryker out of the picture, it’s you!”

“You have no proof!!” Garnet shouted over Stefan’s shoulder.

“You have a motive!”

“It wasn’t Garnet,” Beau’s whisper jarred their shouting match to a halt. Everyone turned to look at him. “I know it wasn’t him, Ives, he left 12th and went straight back to his apartment. He did so, and couldn’t contact anyone because his phone was dead. And, well, he only has twenty-four cents in his bank account and couldn’t afford to go out anywhere else.”

“What the fuck, Beau?” Garnet hissed.

“How do you know this? We’ve checked every traffic cam we have and didn’t get a glimpse of him after that.” Ives challenged.

“Garnet let me borrow a shirt and I was returning it to him. I found him a block away from where he left Ryker and knew better than to approach Garnet at night, so I followed him to his apartment and left the shirt on his doorstep. We don’t have traffic footage because Garnet left his bike parked on 12th. He does that fairly often because he’s good friends with the owner, and didn’t have enough fuel or funds to make it back home. That’s why he was the last one to arrive tonight. He had to walk to the station.”

“Garnet, do you need me to cover you till Friday?” Midland whispered.

“Oh, shut up!” Garnet snapped, “And you, Shitbox, should watch your fucking mouth! I would never put Ryker in danger and I sure as hell wouldn’t sell him out to some cyber-jack-offs for a raise!” There was surprisingly little heat to his words, his breathing more rapid as if he didn’t have enough air to make the words. “You don’t have the capability to understand what friendship even is. So, if you’re going to come at me, have some better proof besides the fact I’m broke.”

No one made a sound.

“Let’s regroup,” Beau finally spoke up. “This side of the room, let’s focus on the analysis of the live-stream. On this side, let’s keep working to see if we can find something from any time after the last time anyone saw Ryker. Phone signals, chip readings, see if any of the detectives have heard anything.” Noise returned from the office as everyone got back to work.

#amwriting #writing #writeblr #science fiction #fictober21 #original fiction #wip: tb

[mira--mira]

Question from an aspiring writer:

How do you stay motivated on one project for such a long time?

I personally have the attention span of a goldfish, and whenever I have an idea I either have to write down everything my brain can spew immediately or have it be lost in the void for eternity.

Never mind going back and turning my outline into a fic or gasp editing.

Do you have any tips and/or tricks you use?

Ok, I got completely carried away with this just fyi, but hopefully I ended up answering your actual question 😂 tl;dr at the bottom.

To be honest, staying motivated is a tricky thing, one that I feel I'm still learning how to do even now and varies a bit between shortfics/oneshots and multi-chaptered fics/longfics. For a bit of background, I've been writing fanfic for about a year and a half, but I've been writing original fiction since I was seven, over a decade and a half, and I still wrestle with it. It's definitely a learning process.

One thing I wish someone would have told me when I was starting out was the power of ~scenes~ in either multi-chapters or one-shots. All writing is ultimately made up of scenes, but if you're struggling to put things together, focusing on an individual scene, or multiple short scenes, might help you focus on getting something completed, and it's something that eventually can be applied to longer works as well. Writing has been a snowball process for me and once I started getting anything completed, I felt more secure in knowing what I could write comfortably and what was out of my comfort zone, eventually getting to the point where I felt comfortable tackling bigger and longer projects and knowing I could stay with them.

OoT's interlude chapters and the snippet series are both good examples of scenes because I wrote them with that intention...even if most of them are actually two or three scenes combined. "Gai meets Hashirama and Madara", "Hashirama gets revenge on Kakashi", "Tatsuki and Hashirama pick flowers for Madara, then give them to him" etc. were all my starting points.

If you're first starting out and feel comfortable with outlines of some sort before you start writing I would encourage you to try and write down a bullet point list of your scene(s) and what you know you want to happen in it.

"Gai meets Hashirama and Madara"

* Hashirama meets Gai first, mistakes him for Lee.

* Madara is shopping for a gift for Hashirama

* Madara finds Gai and Hashirama, they spar, Gai kicks his ass, both of them love him.

This is how my initial outline looked for the first interlude chapter, technically each one of these "points" are their own scenes stuck together. Outlining is different for everyone, some people like super specific points, others even less detail than this. For me this is a nice middle that gives me a roadmap for the chapter, but allows plenty of room to naturally diverge and add detail. Play around with outlines and see what you're comfortable with/what gives you the best results.

I'm not sure of your individual situation, but if you're struggling to put together fics in general something like this might help. Doing this process again and again personally helps me stay on track and gives me a sense of progress.

This sense of progress is ultimately key and why I think motivation differs slightly between one-shots/short fics and longfics. If you confine the individual scene to a one-shot, that might give you the motivation to complete it. Even if you start writing and you get interrupted/can't finish having in one setting, bullet points sometimes help inspire me to finish because I'm not starting from scratch when I return to writing. The whole "eat an elephant one piece at a time" thing was difficult for me to learn, but ultimately proved true. Learning to chip away at something bit by bit is going to be the only (healthy) way to write longer projects you can't complete in one sitting.

For longer projects, it's a similar beast just on bigger levels and with an added dimension. I would actually suggest something similar to OoT for a starting project because it is ultimately broken up into arcs that you know and can reference, instead of making a lot of og content for a fan setting. Maybe not go into it thinking, 'I'll do a complete rewrite' but once you feel like you're ready for a longer project 30K+ or so, the rough outline method and the ability to follow arcs was what got me started when I eventually decided to make the fic multi-chaptered. Try writing one arc and keep yourself contained in that. Now the added dimension aspect in general for longfics is that you eventually want to plot individual chapters in a multi-chaptered longfic and individual arcs (character, plot, etc). This comes with practice. I honestly don't think there's a way to get around that. It's something that I'm still trying to work on and I can look back at my early work and see how I've improved, how I can recognize where things didn't go well in certain places, and how I would change them if I was writing today. That's a good thing to be able to do, it means you've grown! The other thing I find that helps with staying motivated week after week for longer projects is to roughly know where you're going and to try to be excited about a plot point/scene/chapter/etc that you're going to write. Really try to hype yourself up. For me, it's a moment that comes at the very end of the chunin arc and I start grinning even thinking about it because I know it's going to be awesome. It's always what gets me through the rough days, imagining the moment I'll get to actually write that scene in its entirety (it's definitely already outlined and I mentally play it out at least twice a week lol) and is a big motivating drive.

So far I think this is pretty standard stuff if you're an outliner and you've been writing for a few years, but the other thing motivational-wise for me is having a schedule. From reading this message alone, I would not suggest it for you right away. Get comfortable finishing small things and feeling confident that if you let an idea sit for a week or two, you can pick it back up and continue. But if you eventually dip your toes into longfics (and don't plan to pre-write everything before you publish) that routine and rhythm really helps keep me going. I've made a commitment, I've posted it online, I'm going to stick to it. No one is going to jump down my throat if I fail to keep it (this is still a hobby and having fun is the most important thing) but in my mind I should commit to it unless something irl prevents me from doing so. Don't put a tight deadline on yourself, I'd start with once a month or if you write shorter chapters every three weeks. This also would help you build up and get a readership, interaction being another big motivational key.

Also, it's important to accept that sometimes you bite off more than you can chew, and when you feel completely demotivated from a fanfic project...it's okay to drop it. It's okay to take a step back and work on something else. Maybe you'll come back to it, maybe you won't. If you can, try to pinpoint what it was about that project that made you demotivated, were you pushing yourself too much and you got burnt out, was it an ongoing series and your interest for canon lagged and so did the fic, was it just too stressful to keep juggling plotpoints, etc. and keep that in mind moving forward. Every experience can be a learning one and eventually make you a better writer that can eventually tackle those bigger projects. Don't be afraid to take on big aspirational projects, but don't walk into them blind either. Above all, and this is repeated a lot because it's true, enjoy what you write. Some days you might not. That's true with anything, but any project you take on the good should outweigh the bad.

This is my wrap up of the motivational section but I also wanted to throw my two-cents in about editing because "oh no editing" is a perspective I've seen from a lot of writers, and used to have myself, but I think is going to stifle your progress in the long run.

Here's the thing: you need to look forward to editing.

You don't have to be jumping for joy, but editing, imo, should be a positive thing. You have all these great ideas, you made it into a fic, something you wrote, and now you get to go back and make it even better! This is a tough attitude to adopt. I'm not going to pretend otherwise. It took me a long time to unlearn the negative attitude and even then sometimes I still wish the editing was already done once I type in the last period. But I've learned to at least appreciate what editing does and I try to think to myself as I'm going through and making changes things like "wow, this suddenly became so much better. X plot point that I thought of ten pages from now is suddenly being hinted at and doesn't come out of left field. The transition points are a lot cleaner, it's not so jarring anymore. I bet the readers are going to love this little detail. Here's some foreshadowing that I hope someone picks up bc it's going to come back in like 5 chapters from now" it's hard, especially when you start, but this is something you made, and now are actively making better and that's something to celebrate.

I hope this helps anon! I know it's a lot and I'm by no means an expert but I've been doing this for more than a decade because I love it and I want to help others get into writing to! I have no problem answering any writing questions you may have if you find this helpful!

tl;dr

-motivation is slightly different between short/long fics.

-starting out, learn to outline by scenes and focus on finishing small projects and getting to a point where you feel like you can put something down and come back and pick it up again in a week. Completion is key and will help you feel satisfied/know your limits.

-long projects also can work on the scene-to-scene outline but now with individual chapters and individual arcs. It's tough to balance both but comes with practice. Bit-by-bit is key, as is having 'one moment you can't wait to write', possibly a schedule if it works for you, and reader feedback are all huge long-term motivational points.

-editing is tough but learn to look forward to it instead of dreading it.

edited: added a bit more/few typos fixed

#asks #anon #writing advice #god i hope this is understandable #long post

[imtoobiforyou]

What’s in a name? (Virgil and Deceit Theory)

These two lines in Selfishness vs. Selflessness got a lot of people thinking....

And I’d like to give my own two cents.

I think a side’s actual name signifies that it has functions other than its main function.

If you think about it, this makes a lot of sense: calling a side by its function reduces it to only that function, and we all know this is far from true. Giving a side a name gives birth to a three-dimensional, complex facet of Thomas’ personality.

It was pretty obvious from the beginning that Logan, Roman and Patton had functions other than Logic, Morality, and Creativity. But to be more specific,

Logan got his name reveal in the episode where it was highlighted that he is also the planning, keeping schedule function- a function considered as important as logical thought especially in more recent videos. (Losing My Motivation)

In fact, Logan used his main function- logical thought- for deduction throughout the whole episode. Only at the conclusion part did he realize that his other function, planning, was being neglected. Logan obviously has multiple functions.

Roman got his name reveal in the episode where it was highlighted that he is also Thomas’ ego and confidence. (Am I Original?)

Roman used his main function of creativity throughout the whole video, but at the end Roman’s uncertainty of himself and the dejection he feels because of how the others treat him turns out the be part of the problem. Roman also has multiple functions.

Patton’s name reveal episode doesn’t even have anything to do with morality- again, he has a LOT of functions. (Growing Up)

What about Virgil? Well, as far as we know his only function is Anxiety.

(Or is it? I’m tending to lead towards this brilliant theory.... but I digress.)

We do know, however, that he was very defensive of his name for a while.

We learn that the reason for this is that, apart from being reserved in general, he was afraid the others will laugh at his name. I thought that was all there is to it until....

This scene came around.

D: Oh, so you’ve never been reluctant to share anything with the group, then?

V: Don’t.

D: What? I just meant your name.

V: Don’t!

It is obvious that Virgil is hiding something, something that Deceit knows but the others don’t. And judging by his reaction, this is a secret he desperately wants to keep. What could that be?

When Deceit mockingly says that he just meant his name, Virgil reacts even more defensively. Maybe he is just fed up and afraid of Deceit’s comments bordering on threats, but what if... there is actually something more to Virgil’s name? Maybe Virgil’s secret actually is his name. Not what his name is, but what it signifies.

If Virgil has other, probably “darker” functions that he wants to hide, his reaction here makes a lot of sense. When Virgil first revealed his name, he indirectly admitted that he is not “Anxiety”- he is “Virgil”, and this name suggests functions other than anxiety. (cough cough) And if you think about it it just makes sense. All our main sides have a wide range of functions, and only Virgil is just....anxiety. Why the drastic imbalance?

Now, I wouldn’t have come up with this theory if it hadn’t been for Deceit.

D: I don’t want Thomas to be disadvantaged in a world where you can die for not following the rules made in the name of a lie.

The more I rewatch the episode the more I’m convinced that Deceit’s function is not just lies/deception. In fact, Deceit’s whole goal in the most recent ep is making Thomas be honest to himself, and that is not something you’d expect a side named solely deceit would do.

If I had to guess, he is also self-preservation. 

(or maybe it’s more than a guess.)

Virgil even says that,

V: You literally know him as Deceit!

Emphasis on know him. Why didn’t Virgil say “He is literally called Deceit” or “His name is literally Deceit”?

The wording.... sounds as if Virgil knows that Deceit’s name isn’t Deceit. As if he knows that Deceit is more than just deceit.

We already knew at this point that Deceit is a liar. Then why this line? What does Deceit mean by “what he is”? This whole interaction between Deceit and Virgil makes perfect sense if they know each other’s 1)real name, and 2)actual range of functions.

Other bits of evidence that could be read with this theory:

CLBG- D: Who’s she? Never heard of her. (This may be Deceit being Deceit, but what if he’s hinting at the fact that it’s not entirely accurate to call him deceit?)

CLBG- Virgil is the only one who never calls Deceit “Deceit” in this episode. Go check.

CLBG- Deceit knows Virgil’s real name.

SvS- Virgil avoids answering when asked by Deceit if he is in control of Thomas’ fears.

SVS- The only time in the entire episode where Virgil calls Deceit “Deceit” is “Are you seriously siding with Deceit?” said to Roman. This line necessitates him to say “Deceit” because he’s emphasizing that Deceit is a liar and should not be trusted. He means less the actual side Deceit and more the act of lying.

Apart from this and the one time in the Phases video endcard, Virgil never calls Deceit “Deceit”. This is actually pretty jarring because the the others call Deceit Deceit multiple times, and Deceit calls Virgil by name multiple times as well.

SVS- V: Do not allow him, or any of....his friends, to stick around that long ever again. (He’s saying “him” very pointedly. Deceit is not in the room, why call him “him”?)

TLDR:

1. Actual names symbolize a side having a wide range of functions, not just its main one.

2. Virgil didn’t want to reveal his name because it suggests that he has functions other than anxiety- this is the secret Deceit mocked him for.

3. Deceit also has a wide range of functions, and it is my guess that once the other sides finally realize that he isn’t just a big fat liar with no valuable input, his actual name will be revealed, finalizing him as an actual multi-faceted side.

4. Virgil and Deceit knew each other’s real names and functions from the beginning.

#sanders sides #i2b4uanalysis #tw deceit #sanders sides theory #depression mention #virgil sanders #deceit sanders #what's in a name #long post

[fandom-smut-shots]

Hitoshi Shinso - Long Distance

Long Distance – Hitoshi Shinso

AceOfClubs1719

A/N: Trans!male!reader. I actually know about transgender things now so this will be more accurate than the last one I tried to write.

So, to clear it up in case I didn’t explain it properly, because it was thrown in as an after thought when I was trying to logicalize the plot.

The reader has a healing quirk. It’s not all powerful – wounds don’t heal in an instant. But it expedites the process, so an injury that would normally take several months to heal might only take one month instead.

Words: 1,444

          The bathroom was flooded with steam pouring from over the top of the shower door, behind which you were letting nearly too-hot water cascade down your back and sides. A contented hum sounded in your throat as you tipped your head back, rinsing the last of the conditioner from your hair. After a few moments of scrubbing your body down with your favorite body wash, you turned around to twist the water tap, shutting off the flow. You then gently pushed open the shower door and reached for your favorite towel- the fluffy purple one that reminded you of a special someone- that you’d hung on the rack. Wrapping it around yourself, you plucked a washcloth from the counter and used it to wipe away the condensation on the mirror, bringing your reflection into focus.

          For the first time in, honestly, forever, you let your towel drop to the floor. Water droplets slid down your body, evaporating into the rug beneath your feet. Your wet hair clung to your head and the back of your neck, only adding to the onslaught of dribbles pouring down your back, but you weren’t paying them any attention.

          Your eyes zeroed in on your chest – your freshly healed, surgically altered, finally flat chest. You’d been saving money for years to be able to afford chest surgery, to finally remove the sagging bags of tissue from your body forever. You couldn’t recall a time in your life where you hadn’t been dreaming of top surgery, and when the jar in which you’d been storing spare change and extra cash finally filled, you shrieked and nearly burst into tears.

          It had been a long process, and the healing was no walk in the park. Everything hurt. Everything was sensitive. Everything was sore. But it was worth it. Looking at your reflection, fully naked, and not absolutely despising the view of your torso was absolutely worth every penny you’d plucked from the parking lot, and every second you spent high on prescription medications to numb the pain. Your quirk expedited the healing of wounds, but only by so much, and it did nothing for the ache and discomfort. Plus, stitches took a long time to heal on their own, so your quirk could only skip so many days of restoration.

          The best part? Your fiancé of one year (boyfriend of six) had no idea. He knew you’d always wanted it, of course. You’d gotten together shortly before you finally understood what transgender meant, and how perfectly it described your self-image. Hitoshi Shinso had been surprisingly supportive, encouraging even, considering how little emotion he displayed to everyone who wasn’t you. Only you had access to his true feelings, desires, and concerns.

          It had begun with testosterone therapy. You’d done a ton of research, and Shinso had held your hand every step of the way. Plenty of people expected him to leave, including you. Society was quick to judge both of you, demanding to know why Shinso would waste his time with a fake man, insisting that he deserved better and that you should leave him alone. At home, at night, in bed, the depression would kick in, and your walls would crumble. You’d sob and whimper and question why Shinso had stuck with you through everything, been as supportive as he was. The purple-haired man would simply hold you, explain that he loved you, and whisper sweet nothings into your ear until the crying subsided.

          He knew you’d been saving up. He offered repeatedly to donate to the cause, but you refused to let him. He worked hard as a hero, and you didn’t want his earnings to all go to your personal journey. You insisted on saving every cent on your own, and Shinso reluctantly obliged. He knew he couldn’t even sneak in a dollar here and there – you counted your savings on a regular basis, partly to motivate yourself to keep going and partly to ensure that none had gone missing or been previously miscounted.

          Shinso was currently several towns over on a lengthy assistance mission. Normally, he wouldn’t be out of town more than a few days, but he’d been sent to a nearby town that had been subject to intense villain activity, and it seemed as though every other day shoved a new battle in his face. He kept regular contact with you – nightly phone calls and text messages any time he got a break, so you could each ensure that the other was alright. You worried desperately over him. You knew that he was an accomplished, competent hero, but he was in an unfamiliar town with unfamiliar villains being thrown at him left and right. You would never not worry.

          He’d been gone for a month, and all you could do was hope and pray that he would be home soon.

          With newfound confidence, you opted to skip wearing a shirt, only pulling on a new pair of purple plaid boxers that Shinso had bought for you before he left. You scrubbed the towel across your head to dry the strands before returning it to its rack and exiting the bathroom. As you headed into the kitchen to fix some coffee, your ringtone echoed through the apartment, alerting you to an incoming phone call. Instead of padding into the kitchen, you spun on your heel and headed back to the bedroom to retrieve your phone.

          Your heart pounded in your chest and a grin split your lips when you read Shinso’s contact name across the screen. You barely tapped “accept” before holding the device to your ear. “Hey, babe.”

          “Morning, handsome.”

          Your chest fluttered. “How’s work going?”

          “Actually, I’m done.”

          “What?!” You nearly dropped your phone on the way to the kitchen. Securing it between your ear and your shoulder, you went back to your original plan of brewing coffee. “What do you mean?”

          “I mean that I’m on my way home.”

          “Really?” You couldn’t stifle the squeal that ripped its way out of your throat. Coffee grounds definitely didn’t fly out of the bag in your hands and spill all over the counter. You definitely didn’t continue the process like the mess didn’t exist.

          “Really.” He chuckled, and you melted at the sound.

          “When will you be home?”

          A knock sounded on the door, and you paused midway through filling the carafe with water to answer it, first setting the carafe on the counter. You stood on your toes to peer through the peephole, gasping loudly at the sight of gravity-defying violet locks on the other side.

          You threw the door open with a grin on your face. “Babe!”

          He crossed the threshold in one step, wrapping you in his arms and lifting you into the air. His face burrowed in your neck, humming at the familiar scent of your shower products. His hands roamed your back as he set you on your feet, purple brows raising in surprise and confusion at your lack of a shirt. He stepped back, indigo eyes scanning your form before widening noticeably.

          “Babe…?”

          Your lips stretched in a grin, and you planted your hands on your hips. “What do you think?”

          “You look amazing,” Shinso admitted, a soft smile on his lips. He stepped forward again, resting his hands on your hips. “When did you get it done?”

          “A couple of days after you left,” you answered, your arms winding around his neck. “I was hoping I would be all healed by the time you got home. Once the aftercare medications kicked in, so did my quirk. It’s still a little tender, but the incisions are fully closed and the scars will fade soon.”

          “I’m so happy for you,” he murmured, dipping his head to capture your lips in a passionate kiss. You hummed against his mouth, melting against his chest. Your hands tangled in his wild hair as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss and groaning softly into your mouth.

          “So you like it?” you questioned, looking down at your chest with the slightest hint of insecurity in your voice.

          Shinso’s hand grasped your jaw, lifting your gaze back up to meet his. “I love it. You look amazing, and I’m proud of you.”

          He kissed you again before you wiggled out of his grasp in order to finish making coffee. The promise of caffeine released his hold on you, and he instead followed along, assisting you wherever he could and cleaning the mess you’d made on the counter. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, drinking more coffee than was probably healthy, and cuddling in bed, wrapped up in the arms of your eternally supportive fiancé.

#My hero academia #Hitoshi Shinso #Male reader #Reader insert #Trans reader #Ftm trans #Shinso x reader

[roseate7]

the ol’ two cents from me fwiw:

While I absolutely agree with this article about GMJR, the one thing GMJR got right in this rant was that team is relying almost solely at this point on the Cup-winning veterans to provide opportunities. It’s why the win over the Yotes broke the streak only in name and did nothing to bolster the flagging areas of the team. It was simply a case of making the unnecessary point that Sid (like a lot of the top guys around 30 on this team) can carry an entire game if needed.

The fact that this was needed so early in the season should have resulted in a stronger effort from the younger and newer teammates tonight against the Devils, absolutely! No denying that. Something should have clicked within the team to make them not just spooked about the playoffs but also a jolt of reality about their own place on the team. What Rutherford failed to realize in this part about his rant was that he - and Sully - haven’t faced the jolts of reality about their own respective places with this team. They haven’t spotted the mistakes they keep making which are instability and choices that lack outside confidence. That the absolute last thing they need to boost confidence and work ethic for this team is yet more drastic change. You don’t need to hold the sword over this particular team’s necks to make them want to get up and move.

I think this is the point where the dramatic move needs to be examining the positions of Rutherford and Sully. I think that’s the shot in the arm - and the galvanizing bond for the younger and newer guys - that the Pens need now. The irony of anyone calling Sid a ‘coach killer’ has always been that, the second a coach decides to kick back and rely on Sid too heavily, it’s time for said coach to heave-ho. These guys foist themselves on their own petard when they assume they’ve struck championship gold simply by being in Pittsburgh. Sully has some kind of flop version of Goldilocks motivation when it comes to goalies and his musical chairs line changes at this point are just working against the fact that he has Cup winning talent on his roster. Meanwhile Rutherford has lost the team so much confidence with his defensive choices, the last of which resulted in losing Knuckles who but for a crossbar would have kept the Pens in the playoffs last season and I cannot believe was asking for an insane amount of money. 

But they’re both making the crucial mistake with this team’s particular dynamic of not letting the team settle in and just be. Now, I am fully aware that changing it up and keeping all but the most drift compatible of lineys on their toes is hugely advantageous on most teams: having lines form into little cliques results in a lot of complacency and the coaching often can’t penetrate the routine as well as they should. Captains normally need to keep a relative subordination to coaches and management because their role is typically of older sibling who the adults sometimes put in charge. That’s the usual way of things with teams and I get why in any other case a GM would react the way Rutherford has.

Normally that kind of settled-in feeling for a successful team is what results in this kind of scenario:

“‘It’s almost like the guys come to the game and say, “Let’s just let the top guys do it. Let Sid and Geno and Phil and Letang carry us and well just get through the game and move on to the next game,” and forget about the work ethic it takes or forget about the role they play,’ Rutherford said.”

But Rutherford seems to be praising only one half of what Sid and Geno do on this team. (And this isn’t me diminishing what Tanger, Phil, Horny, Hags etc are bringing, just that each of them backs up the fact that the system they’ve been working in since 2009 has been Sid and Geno’s.) He’s missing the fact that Sid and Geno are a huge motivation and guidance for taking any new recruit and making them into the best version of themselves. 

Because of the unique nature of leadership on this team, what everyone needs is for Rutherford and Sullivan to settle the fuck down and let that leadership have stability to work.

Sid and Geno lead their team with equal use of carrot and stick respectively. Even forgetting the coaching, the Pens have guidance within the team where Sid shows them what they can be and Geno very bluntly tells them how it is (especially if it ain’t pretty). I’m not blowing smoke up their asses when I say that either one of them on their own would be sufficiently acting as captain and coach all at once when called upon, and the lucky ducky Penguins get two shots of that in one generation. It’s a perfect complimentary pairing that leaves them both room to still be the major superstars on their team in their thirties.

The trip-up with the Pens seems to have always been when the leadership outside the team proper tries to meddle with that existing leadership, or try to reinvent the wheel.

“‘Has this team been together too long? It’s something I always have to watch for,’ Rutherford said. ‘When do you have to make those changes? The players are doing everything they can to tell me now’s the time.’”

No Jim, that’s not the problem. The problem is Rutherford carrying out trades and Sully making line changes that honestly face very little support or corroboration from fans*, sports media and ultimately the standings. This isn’t the first time that both Geno and Sid have been present and healthy but the team around them is juddering away from the playoffs as the season progresses.

Also, the fact that we all know damn well the Pens could easily weather yet another major shake up in coaching and management is precisely why those shake ups needs to happen. If Sid could get ahold of a Time Turner (but also somehow sleep enough) then you could basically ditch the Pens having a head coach entirely.

I genuinely think all the younger guys and the newer guys are capable of being Crosby-Malkin’d into far better than they currently are if the atmosphere were allowed to stabilise and lines kept consistent. Look at the Banff honeymoon and what it did for the team for an entire road trip! The emotions and closeness and trust nurtured in a house that’s got two perfect parent figures has always produced playoff spots and trophies for this team. The Pens’ step-dads either work for that system or they eventually work against it.

No one will really miss them when they go.

______________________

*The bizarre amount of fan support for DeShit is proof that Muzz needs to stay in net more and keep these “you killed Flower!” people shut the hell up. He’s exactly the age when he should be playing a LOT. But while I would love for DeShit to fucking disappear from the NHL entirely (I don’t even want him bagging my groceries let alone in a pro sports league) if the Pens are currently stuck with him - thanks to Rutherford and Sully - then stop giving him Muzz’ starts and games. Keep him in reserve for when Muzz needs to be rested or is injured, but also keep Jars close because DeShit is showing some clear weaknesses that are turning iffy games into outright losses. He’s shown nothing that says he’s the reason why the Pens wins are down to him. Put his ass in his corner.

#pittsburg penguins #original posts #but that's just my opiiiNNIOOOOOON

[officialmichaels]

Ok y’all I’m about to start my second year of college so I made a list of things that I’ve learned and other miscellaneous things that have been super helpful to me!! (Note: this is a little bit longer than I intended it to be, but hopefully it will be helpful and beneficial to you guys!! Message me if you have any questions about this or any of your own questions!!) 

Before Classes Start: 

Before each semester starts, send each your professors a brief email just introducing yourself and telling them one or two reasons why you’re looking forward to their class (even if you’re not). It’s always good when the professor know who you are, or even recognize your name because they often have hundreds or thousands of students.  If you can get your name on their good side, it’s a huge bonus, especially if you need an extension or an exception on an assignment in the future. (It’s okay to kiss ass sometimes tbh)  

Walk around campus, get to know the campus before classes start. Walk through your schedule a few times so you can get a feel for your time slots. It’s important to know how much time you have between classes and how long it takes to get to each one before hand so you aren’t crazy stressed and confused on the first day. 

DO NOT BUY TEXTBOOKS please please please do not do that to yourself you are already spending so much on tuition/rent/etc. Amazon is awesome because you can rent and it’s super easy to return. If you really do have to buy the book though, I suggest these websites:

thriftbooks is awesome

valorebooks is amazing I needed “The Help  for my women and gender studies class and I bought it used for literally 32 cents I swear to you I’m not joking. 

During the Semester:

I know in high school a lot of people can get away with not studying for tests and being fine. Not anymore. Literally start studying for tests and exams DAYS ahead of time, not the night before. Even a quick 5-10 minute review everyday will be so beneficial. That’s 5-10 minutes of more information saved in your brain. I can’t even express how important this is. 

How to email your professor  

Sleeping is hard in college, I’m not going to lie. There’s always going to be stuff going on late at night and parties and activities. Go to them! Enjoy them! Remember everything in moderation though. Don’t wear yourself down and lose motivation because you aren’t getting enough sleep and you aren’t taking care of your brain and your body. I do have a few tips for late nights and all nighters because they will happen, there is no avoiding them. 

Whether it was a late night, or you just never went to sleep, getting ready for the next day is super difficult. The first thing I do is take a shower. (Sometimes i’m so exhausted I have to take a cold shower to wake my self up). 

Don’t try to stay awake by eating sugar, or caffeine because you will crash. Try drinking tea instead of coffee or soda. Or even just having a water bottle with you in class to keep you a little more alert. 

Good foods are things like fruit, (especially apples, oranges, and bananas), granola bars and protein (protein bars, wheat toast and peanut butter, smoothies, yogurt, etc.) 

If you have time in between classes or before work, or whatever you have going on the rest of your day, it’s totally okay to take a power nap if you need it. The best time for a power nap is 15-20 minute long. I always set my timer for 17 minute and it’s perfect. Anything longer than 20 minutes can leave you a little bit droopy and not feeling very well. Even if you don’t sleep, just closing your eyes for that time will give you a real energy boost. 

One of my biggest struggles in school so far is eating healthy and eating cheap. I always try to find where the cheap (sometimes free) food is on campus. 

I don’t know about other schools but mine has a really active greek life and they are always promoting with food. Go on your schools website and look at the activities calendar and see what’s going on and if any of them will have food. 

Also use coupons. I know they seem overrated sometimes but saving like 5 cents each time you buy milk adds up. 

Download the “Hooked” app because there are always deals on free and discounted food it’s amazing. 

Just a side thought, if you’re like me and don’t use a whole loaf of bread before it goes bad, freeze half of it. I know it’s a super simple solution but I didn’t ever do that until recently and I think it’s genius.

I’m actually a terrible cook and I don’t always have time to make myself a great meal anyway, but I’ve got my list of easy go-to meals and snacks.

But actually, the best thing I ever did was make a whole batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, rolled it up into balls, put 12 balls in a few sandwich bags and put them in my freezer. I had like 4 dozen cookie dough balls on hand for emergency cookie dough cravings it was amazing. 10/10 would recommend. 

Bring a water bottle to class. Always. 

Also a light jacket. The temperature in the buildings fluctuate and it’s hard to stay focused if your shivering. 

I have a few important backpack things: 

Make sure you have 2-3 phone chargers. (One to keep at home, one to keep in your school bag, and one to keep in your car if you have one.) 

Same with headphones!!! Make sure you have a pair in your backpack AT ALL TIMES

Have a pencil bag that you keep in your backpack and then a separate stash of pens/pencils/highlighters/etc at home so you never have to take your in class writing utensils out of your backpack and accidentally forget to put them back. It’s awful getting to class and realizing you have nothing to write with. I hate being unprepared and I have to ask someone to borrow a pencil I feel like I’m in middle school. 

Make sure you have like $5-10 in your backpack (and in your car) at all times because you never know when you’re gonna need a little emergency cash. 

Other backpack essentials

hairties

gum/mints (not only to they keep your breath minty fresh, they also help me stay awake if I’m feeling a little drowsy in class)

extra cash

tampons/pads

chapstick

extra pair of contacts, contacts are bound to malfunction sometimes. 

nail clippers

travel pack of tissues

Studying/Staying Organized 

Keep up with a planner. For the love of all that is good keep a freaking planner. And use it!!!!! Even though most professors keep their assignments and stuff online, it’s so much better to have all your assignments in one place and when you write it down, you’re more likely to remember to do it. 

Here is my studying playlist :)

Index your written notes on the first page of your notebook. It’s crazy useful. 

If you can find the time, once a week type up your notes in a word document or google doc so it’s easy to search your notes by key words. 

To-do lists save my life. Every time I think of something that I need to do the next day or during the week I write it down. Then I make a mental note of what needs priority. A lot of the times I tape these lists to my wall in my room. I’m a lot more productive that way. 

Go to study sessions/SI’s. They are so helpful and a lot of times whoever is leading the session will literally give you questions and answers directly form the up coming exam. 

Please study and the library. There are no distractions it’s amazing. 

Also it’s 100% okay to take a nap at the library. I had 7 roommates my first year and I have 9 roommates this year the library is the only place I can get a little peace and quiet during the day. 

Smart Saving/Spending

Keep an empty jar in your room to put loose change in. Last time I filled my jar there was like $80 in it. Loose change adds up. 

Buy a hammock. If the weather is nice most of the time where you are, a hammock is the best investment I promise. It’s awesome when you have some reading to do for a class or you just want to chill, or go camping. (Pro-tip: it’s also a really cute date idea) 

Planner. 

Keep track of your income and output. It’s great to see what you spend money on an how much dough you have coming in vs. going out. 

You can get anything from thrift stores. And they have super cute and unique things. Half my wardrobe is from a thrift store and also I got some really cute dishes too. 

I bought a bookshelf at a thrift store for $8 and 3 paint samples from Home Depot for $11 and had a super cute bookshelf for less than $20 it was super awesome

You probably need a raincoat or umbrella or both because it sucks walking 10 minutes to class in the rain.

You can get spotify premium for $5/month as a student. I don’t remember exactly how you do it but all I know is I pay $5/mo. 

Social Life:

Say “Hi” to people and ask them how their day is. If you recognize someone or if you don’t. I don’t know why but it gives me confidence? And I really love it when strangers on campus are smiling and being super nice, it’s the best. 

Date ideas :) 

Take tons of pictures of you and your friends and don’t be afraid to ask people to take pictures of you guys!! People are almost always willing to do it and it’s so fun to look back through the school year and see all the fun stuff you did. 

Do things outside of your comfort zone!! Hang out with new people, go to parties!!  (in moderation though. Be safe and don’t go too crazy. Don’t let your school work suffer!! 

Other:

When I was having some troubles with my mental health, I kept a health tracker. In a journal or notebook, I would write down everyday what food I ate, how much sleep I got the night before, that days activities, and who I spent time with. It was really helpful because a lot of the times I was able to pin point what triggered some mental problems for me. The App Daylio is good for that too if you would prefer it be digitally documented. 

Other back to school/studying master posts

feel free to add anything of your own that you found useful!! 

#honestly I have so many college stories like my freshman year was lowkey wild and imma take all these a lot more seriously this year lol #college #college ref #college tips #school tips #school #freshman #senior #summer #personal #my post

[mbtizone]

Jason Dean (Heathers): INTJ

Dominant Introverted Intuition [Ni]: JD has a singular vision, which he spends the majority of his time trying to make a reality. He believes that the only place for people who come from different cliques can truly get along is in Heaven, and strongly feels that killing the entire school is the only way to achieve this. To him, this way of seeing society is an indisputable, universal truth, and it is his primary motivation. JD has a rich understanding of symbolism and metaphor. “Moby Dick is dunked. The white whale drank some bad plankton and splashed through a coffee table, and now it’s your turn to take the helm.” When writing Heather Chandler’s suicide note, Veronica argues that Heather would never use a word like “myriad,” especially because she missed that one on a vocabulary exam, but JD argues that gives them more of a reason to use the word, referring to it as a “badge for her failures at school.” He could have called them anything, but instead chooses to refer to the “tranquilizer” bullets as “ich luge” bullets, which translates to “I’m lying” in German. Everything he does has meaning and significance. He gives Heather Duke the red scrunchie because it’s symbolic. Heather Chandler wore it, so it is a symbol of strength and power. He might as well be handing her a crown. When JD explains his master plan to what he thinks is Veronica’s corpse, he tells her exactly how he believes the world will receive the mass suicide at Westerburg High. It will “infect a generation!” It’ll be a “Woodstock for the ’80s!” JD knows exactly what he needs to do to carry out his schemes. When it looks as though Heather Chandler won’t drink the “hangover cure,” JD remarks that he knew it would be “too intense for her,” which gets her to take the cup. He even finds “homosexual artifacts” to plant at the scene in order to support and strengthen the narrative he’s created. When Heather Duke gives him her copy of Moby Dick, he immediately begins underlining meaningful passages in order to stage her suicide. He blackmails her because he knows her weakness. She needs to be popular, and so, he digs up photos that could ruin her reputation and uses them as leverage to get her to take Heather Chandler’s place. JD has strong hunches about things and people. He fully believes something unless it’s proven to him that he is incorrect, in which case he will revise his approach. He is certain that Veronica will be back after she breaks up with him, but when she makes it clear that it’s over, he decides that he needs to kill her. Immediately after their encounter in the hallway, JD goes straight to Veronica’s parents to warn them that she might try to commit suicide, laying in the groundwork for his plan to murder her.

Auxiliary Extroverted Thinking [Te]: When it comes to plans, JD has it covered. He’s methodical and focused on getting the job done and implementing his vision. JD is extremely intelligent and knows what he must do in order to accomplish his goals. He’s the one who comes up with the idea to make Heather’s death look like a suicide. He fully intends to kill Kurt and Ram, but he knows that Veronica would never agree to that, so he invents an entire fictional plan to get her to go through with it. When Veronica asks why she would need to write a suicide note for them if they’re not actually killing them, he explains an entire fake plan to her. We’ll shoot them with the “ich luge” bullets, they’ll look like they’e dead, when really they’re just unconscious. They’ll stage it to look as though they shot each other, and when they come to, the entire school will know what they did, and they’ll be a joke. The note, as JD points out, is the punchline. Although he cares for Veronica, he sees her as a part of his plans and uses her to his advantage, and he has no qualms about killing her once he realizes he can no longer control her. When he loses Veronica, he turns to Heather Duke, using her to do his bidding instead. Through her, he gets his fellow classmates to unwittingly agree to mass suicide by creating a petition, which Heather goes around the school getting everyone to sign.

Tertiary Introverted Feeling [Fi]: It’s not right that the popular kids pick on everyone else, and they need to be taught a lesson and pay for their crimes. However, JD takes his punishments to the extreme. He wants justice for those who have been wronged, but he’s extremely unhealthy, and his sentences don’t necessarily fit the crimes. His values and sense of right and wrong are entirely internally based, and he genuinely believes what he is doing is justified. In his mind, Heather was a bitch and she deserved to die. Kurt and Ram had nothing going for them and the world wouldn’t suffer without them. Different social types will only be able to live in harmony in the afterlife! JD genuinely believes that offing her classmates is what Veronica wants deep down, and accuses her of not being able to face those ugly feelings she has. He insists that she wanted Kurt and Ram dead. It is likely that he has repressed his feelings from his mother’s suicide, as well as what he went through moving from state to state and school to school, and saw his actions as the only way to deal with the pain he felt. When he is struggling with Veronica in the boiler room as he attempts to blow up the school, he indicates that part of the reason he has done everything he’s done is because he doesn’t feel loved. While he loves Veronica in his own way, he believes that she must die once he accepts that she won’t come back to him (Ni-Fi). He had completely unreasonable expectations of Veronica, but when she could no longer be coerced and opposed his belief system, he couldn’t stand it. When he insists that their way is the way, she responds that it’s not her way. Because he was so certain of his convictions, he genuinely doesn’t understand why Veronica doesn’t acknowledge that and return to him. ” I don’t get it! I mean, you were wrong! I was right. Strength, damn it! Come on, come back!”

Inferior Extroverted Sensing [Se]: Everything JD does is in service of his ultimate vision. He doesn’t spend any time living in the moment because he’s always thinking about what he’s going to do next. For JD, everything needs to have a deeper significance and he assigns meaning to everything. Many of his actions stem from a desire to create a sort of symbolic resonance and rarely takes things for what they appear to be on the surface. At times, JD can become impulsive, violent, and physical. He shoots Kurt and Ram with blanks in the school cafeteria because “The extremely always seems to make an impression.” JD uses what he notices in his external environment to help him form his plans. When he and Veronica are trying to decide what to do after killing Heather, he spots a magazine in her bedroom that says “The Fall of the American Teen” on it, with a copy of the Cliffs Notes for The Bell Jar on top of it. After noticing these things, he decides to stage the murder to look like a suicide. He decides to set a bomb off in the school after watching a video of a building his dad blew up. JD pays attention to his surroundings and uses his observations in his schemes – he reminds Veronica that Kurt is left-handed, so she knows where to place the gun. When JD knocks Veronica out in the boiler room as tries to thwart his plans, he doesn’t restrain her. He leaves her where she is and continues to go about his business, which ultimately leads to his downfall.

Enneagram: 5w4 4w5 8w9 Sx/Sp

Quotes:

JD: The extreme always seems to make an impression.

JD: Well, everybody’s life has got static. Is your life perfect?

JD: Heather Chandler is one bitch that deserves to die. Veronica Sawyer: Killing her won’t solve anything. I say we just grow up, be adults, and die. But before that, I’d like to see Heather Chandler puke her guts out.

JD: What are we gonna tell the cops? Fuck it if she can’t take a joke, Sarge? Veronica Sawyer: Oh, the cops. I can’t believe this is my life. Oh my god. I’m gonna have to send my SAT scores to San Quentin instead of Stanford. JD: All right, just a little freaked here. At least you got what you wanted, you know? Veronica Sawyer: Got what I wanted? It is one thing to want somebody out of your life. It is another thing to serve them a wakeup cup full of liquid drainer. [JD sees a magazine with “The Fall of the American Teen” on the cover and a copy of the Cliff’s Notes for The Bell Jar.] JD: All right, we did a murder. Now that’s a crime. But if this were like a suicide thing, you know? Veronica Sawyer: Like a suicide thing? JD: Yeah. I mean, you can do Heather’s handwriting as well as your own, right? Right? Veronica Sawyer: You might think what I’ve done is shocking. JD: Um, to me, though, suicide is the natural answer to the myriad of problems life has given me. Veronica Sawyer: That’s good, but Heather would never use the word myriad. JD: This is the last thing she’ll ever write, she’s gonna wanna cash in on as many 50-cent words as possible. Veronica Sawyer: Yeah, but she missed myriad on the vocab test two weeks ago. JD: That only proves my point more. The word is a badge for her failures at school. Veronica Sawyer: Oh. Ok, you’re probably right. People think just because you’re beautiful ad popular life is easy and fun. No one understood, I had feelings too. JD: I die knowing no one knew the real me. Veronica Sawyer: That’s good. Have you done this before?

JD: What is this shit? Veronica Sawyer: Doing a favor for Heather. Double date. I tried to tell you at the funeral, but you rode off. JD: Another fucking Heather. I’m sorry, I’m just feeling a little superior tonight. Seven schools in seven states and the only thing different is my locker combination. Our love is God. Let’s go get a slushie.

Veronica Sawyer: I don’t get the point of me writing a suicide note when we’re just going to be shooting them with blanks. JD: Well we’re not going to be using blanks this time. Veronica Sawyer: You can’t be serious. JD: I am. Veronica Sawyer: Listen, my Bonnie and Clyde days are over. JD: Wait a second, wait a second. Do you take German? Veronica Sawyer: French. JD: All right. These are ich luge bullets. My grandfather snared a shitload of them back in WWII. They’re like tranquilizers. Only they break the surface of the skin enough to cause a little blood, but no real damage. Veronica Sawyer: So it looks like the person’s been shot and killed and really they’re just lying there unconscious and bleeding? JD: Right. See, we shoot Kurt and Ram, make it look like they shot each other, and by the time they regain consciousness they’ll be the laughingstock of the whole school. The note’s the punchline. How’d that turn out?

JD: Let’s take a look at some of the homosexual artifacts I dug up to plant at the scene. All right, I’ve got an issue of Stud Puppy. Veronica Sawyer: That’s great. JD: A candy dish. Joan Crawford postcard. Let’s see, some mascara. All right, now here’s the one perfecto thing I picked up – mineral water. Veronica Sawyer: Oh, come on. A lot of people drink mineral water. It’s come a long way. JD: Yeah, but this is Ohio. I mean, if you don’t have a brewski in your hand, you might as well be wearing a dress. Veronica Sawyer: Oh, you’re so smart.

Veronica Sawyer: Kurt doesn’t look too good. JD: Just remember he’s left-handed.

JD: Look, you believed it because you wanted to believe it. Your true feelings were too gross and icky for you to face.

JD: Football season is over, Veronica. Kurt and Ram had nothing to offer this school but date rapes and AIDS jokes.

Veronica Sawyer: That thing this afternoon. I’m so angry! It was chaos, fucking chaos. JD: What are you talking about, huh? I mean, today was great! Chaos is great! Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs, darling. Face it, our way is the way! We scare people into not being assholes! Veronica Sawyer: Our way is not our way! JD: Oh yeah, tell that to the judge, all right? Tell it to Kurt Kelly! ‘Oh, God, Veronica!’ Veronica Sawyer: I’m telling it to you! God, you can be so immature!

Heather Duke: Me and Martha Dumptruck? Where did you get this? JD: I just had the nicest little chat with Miss Dumptruck. Got along famously. It’s kinda scary how everyone’s got a little story to tell. Do you wanna see the canoeing shots? Heather Duke: What is this, blackmail?… I’ll give you a week’s lunch money. JD: I don’t want your money. I want your strength. I mean, Westerburg does not need mushy togetherness, it needs a strong leader. Heather Chandler was that leader, but- Heather Duke: But she couldn’t handle it. JD: I think you can. Moby Dick is dunked. The white whale drank some bad plankton and splashed through a coffee table, and now it’s your turn to take the helm. Heather Duke: What about the photographs? JD: Oh, don’t worry. I’ll ask you to do me a favor, and it’ll be one you’ll enjoy. Then you’ll get the negatives and everything back then. But in the meantime, strength. Here’s a little gift. [He hands her the red scrunchie]

Veronica Sawyer: I was thinking more along the lines of slitting Heather Duke’s wrists open, making it look like a suicide. JD: Heh, now you’re talking. I could be up for that. I’ve already started underlining meaningful passages in her copy of Moby Dick, if you know what I mean. Veronica Sawyer: I knew you’d be back, Veronica. I knew it. I was positive, I was sure. Veronica Sawyer: It’s over, JD. Over. Grow up! JD: I don’t get it! I mean, you were wrong! I was right. Strength, damn it! Come on, come back!

Mrs. Sawyer: Your friend Jason Dean stopped by. He seemed very concerned about you. He said that he thought you might try to kill yourself. Mr. Sawyer: You have been depressed lately. Oh, he left this for you. [He hands Veronica an envelope. She takes out a piece of paper that says ‘Recognize the handwriting?’ in her own handwriting.] Veronica Sawyer: Oh my God. Mrs. Sawyer: He said that we should keep you away from sharp objects, closed garage doors, chemical substances, prescription drugs.

JD: I can’t believe you did it! I was teasing. I loved you! Sure, I was coming up here to kill ya. First I was going to try and get you back with my amazing petition. It’s a shame you can’t see what our fellow students really signed. All right, listen. ‘We students of Westerburg High will die. Today. Our burning bodies will be the ultimate protest to a society that degrades is. Fuck you all.’ It’s not very subtle, but neither’s blowing up a whole school, now is it? Talk about your suicide pacts, eh? When our school blows up tomorrow, it’s going to be the kind of thing to infect a generation. A Woodstock for the 80s! Damn it, Veronica. We coulda toasted marshmallows together.

JD: You think just because you started this thing, you can end it? Veronica Sawyer: I’ll kill you. I’ll fucking kill you, I swear to God. How do I turn off the goddamn bomb, asshole? [JD flips Veronica the middle finger; she shoots it off] Veronica Sawyer: It’s all over, JD. Help me stop it. JD: You want to clean the slate as much as I do. All right, so maybe I am killing everyone in the school, because nobody loves me! Let’s face it, all right! The only place different social types can genuinely get along with each other is in heaven. Veronica Sawyer: Which button do I press to turn it off? JD: Try the red one, all right? [Veronica looks at the bomb; all of the buttons are red] Seriously, people are going to look at the ashes of Westerburg and say there is a school that self-destructed, not because society didn’t care, but because the school was society! That’s pretty deep, huh? Veronica Sawyer: Which red button? JD: Press the middle one to turn it off it that’s what you really want. Veronica Sawyer: You know what I want, babe? JD: What? [He lunges towards her and she shoots him.] Veronica Sawyer: Cool guys like you out of my life.

JD: Color me impressed. You, uh. You really fucked me up bad, Veronica. You, um, you got power. Power I didn’t think you had. The slate is clean. Pretend I did blow up the school. All the schools. Now that you’re dead, what are you gonna do with your life?

Jason Dean (Heathers): INTJ was originally published on MBTI Zone

#5w4 4w5 8w9 #Heathers #Jason Dean #JD #Sx/Sp #INTJ #Type 5 #enneagram 5 #mbti #mbti types #mbti personality types #fictionalcharactermbti #fictionmbti #enneagram #enneatypes #enneagram type #movie mbti

[thenicedolphin]

Oscars Analysis With Biting Commentary: 2018 Edition!

We are BACK. And earlier than ever (I don’t know if that’s true, but compared to last year) with the 6th annual Oscars post from The Nice Dolphin (see links here for 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013), where Matt provides eye-opening, awe-inspiring commentary while Alex stumbles in, rambling about how Deadpool deserves all the Oscars even though it came out two years ago. As always, Matt is in regular font, and Alex comes in with the BOLD.

 Best Picture: “Call Me by Your Name” “Darkest Hour” “Dunkirk” “Get Out” “Lady Bird” “Phantom Thread” “The Post” “The Shape of Water” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

 It’s been an unconventional year for nominees. The Shape of Water and Three Billboards are surprising leading contenders, as both are divisive. A lot of my friends loved one and disliked the other. I’m pro-Shape and anti-Billboards.

 So unconventional. For me, the movies fall into two distinct tiers: Get Out and Not Get Out. We need more nuance than that? Okay, here’s how it breaks down:

Simply the best: Get Out Some level of greatness: Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, Phantom Thread Good, but not great: Call Me by Your Name, Dunkirk Shitty, yet inoffensive: The Post Makes Crash look like Do the Right Thing: Three Billboards (I’m not typing out the whole title)

I didn’t see Darkest Hour. In fact, I just learned that it’s not called “The Darkest Hours.” Faithful TND readers will know that I appreciate some economy when it comes to naming shit, but if I wanted to see a great Churchill impression, I’d just watch old YouTube clips of Jay Pharoah.

 The Shape of Water is a really beautiful film. The lead characters are all really memorable, and the look of the film had me in awe at different moments. The filmmaking and storytelling took a premise that was almost predictable and majorly elevated it. I preferred Shape of Water to Del Toro’s previous major-nominated film, Pan’s Labyrinth. Shape of Water is probably my third favorite film of the nominees, behind Get Out and Lady Bird.

 Yooooooo she fucked a fish! More than once! I loved how everyone was so nonchalant about it too. Like, when she first sees the fish, she IMMEDIATELY starts seducing it. When Octavia Spencer hears about it, instead of being horrified, she’s all “ayo, how’s his dick work?” I’m not even exaggerating.

The movie was a bit off-putting at first, but once you realize it’s more of a fairy tale than a grounded, sci-fi film, the wacky elements really come together to tell a nice little story. Watching this, I was like “damn, why does Matt love this movie so much?” Then I saw the fish doin a little Broadway shuffle in black and white. “All. The pieces. Fit.” - Lester Freamon

Also, those pies looked disgusting. I’m glad it turned out they were supposed to be gross, because I was seriously doubting my ability to judge a pie for a minute there.

 Get Out is basically a perfect story. I’ve seen it twice and the second time helped to reinforce that. The story is so clever, the references and nuances so plentiful, the genre-bending and mix of humor and horror so well-played. The race elements are incredible - every element of a black boyfriend meeting his white girlfriend’s family are played perfectly. Every line that hints at the underlying horror of this super-white community play as both funny and horrifying satire. There are so many layers included in the lines about black male stereotypes of virility and athletic ability.

 Get Out is super fun too. Lil Rel Howery has an amazing role - that dude cracked me up. Daniel Kaluuya handles his role really well, and Allison Williams does a good job leaning into her Girls role. And Bradley Whitford… nothing like TWO obnoxious white guy performances (douchey board member in The Post) to offset his West Wing persona.

 It won’t win (the Academy hates ball-jiggling), but Get Out is the best film of 2017, assuming Deadpool really came out in 2016. Like Matt said, it’s equal parts hilarious and horrifying, while still getting its point across in a way that feels natural and never forced. Get Out holds up on a re-watch as well. If anything, it’s a totally different experience, as so much of what you see/what is said takes on a new meaning.

 Lady Bird is near perfect too. While I love Moonlight, Get Out and Lady Bird are both films that are a lot more enjoyable for me to rewatch and enjoy the depths of. They are also both not Oscar-conventional films, which unfortunately leads them not to have much of a shot at winning Best Picture. A shame, considering both were basically the best reviewed of 2017.

 Lady Bird is a great film. I loathe coming-of-age movies, but Lady Bird manages to keep things realistic and for the most part avoids caricatures, tropes, and plot beats common to the genre. As someone who went to Catholic high school, I was prepared for the hackiest of jokes, but aside from the awful “abortion assembly” scene (which was still necessary to move the plot forward), I wasn’t even mad.

HAVING SAID THAT, it’s no Get Out and it’s certainly no Moonlight. No shit it’s easier to re-watch. Let’s Be Cops is easier to re-watch than Moonlight too, but does that mean it’s better? No! Lady Bird tells a small story and tells it well, but it’s not a life-spanning epic where a boy, a teen, and a man who looks like 50 Cent discover truths about themselves, the people in their lives, and their environments in a beautiful, heart-rending way.

 You’d think Lady Bird would be another Juno (and I love Juno!), but it is less cute and better written. And better acted too… Saiorse Ronan’s acting goes way beyond Ellen Page’s. Lady Bird, like Get Out, has no wasted scenes. Callback lines at a plethora. A perfect grasp of its era (2002-2003 school year) that definitely connected for a 2005 high school graduate like myself. The brilliance of Lady Bird is that it takes all its characters seriously while being a really funny movie, such as the nun/Lady Bird’s advisor who isn’t played for a stereotype. Lady Bird’s various love interests and friends are well-acted, full personalities. I think about the cool girl she gets to know, who could have just been treated as a bimbo, but definitely isn’t treated as such.

 I did think this was going to be another Juno. Not that I’ve seen Juno, but man that movie looked awful.

 Lady Bird is a confident story. It’ll make you laugh, knowing that in like 10 seconds you’ll want to cry and feel emotional.

 Matt cried several times.

 The acting is all great… Saiorse is a star, and Laurie Metcalf is awesome as her mom. Supporting characters all crush it, whether her brother, brother’s girlfriend, her lovable dad, or her classmates.

 Let’s contrast that with Three Billboards. Three Billboards is the third film of longtime playwright Martin McDonagh. I love his first film, In Bruges. McDonagh makes films that are dark, dark comedies. While this worked well with In Bruges, I found that Billboards was far too jarring tonally and too ambitious for its own good.

 Let’s call Three Billboards what it is: a steaming pile of crap. This was the worst movie I’ve seen in a long time -- and I’ve seen All the Money in the World! And La La Land!

The movie Matt lovingly referred to as “Three Shitstains” was starting to get some backlash for the tone-deaf way it took on race in America, but that was only like, the fifth worst thing about it. The tone was terrible. It wasn’t a “dark comedy,” but a bunch of dark shit with some awful slapstick thrown in the mix. At least the Three Stooges have DIGNITY.

 The acting is great, and Billboards has gotten many acting nominations as a result.

 This movie was so poorly written, I can’t even tell if the acting was good. It wasn’t enough for Rockwell to be a typical racist, angry, small town momma’s boy; he had to be Forrest Gump on top of that. McDormand was written as this tough-as-nails badass, but that’s not who she was at all. The billboards were pathetic, not some masterstroke. Woody lets the air out of that shit five minutes into the movie when he reveals that they legit worked on the case and nothing turned up. The rest of the characters were so 2-D they wouldn’t have passed muster in The Lego Movie (more on that later).

 The movie is far too uneven. It’s possibly the least rewatchable Best Picture movie as a result, though I do wonder if a second viewing will go better.

 It won’t.

 Billboards is about a mother whose daughter was raped and murdered, angry that the local police haven’t found the killer yet, leading her to call out the police chief in the titular billboards. Within the story, we have a temperamental, racist cop played by Rockwell, who the police chief thinks can become a better person. We have themes of race and violence. We have an abusive ex-husband. And we have clashing tones that don’t work, almost saved by excellent acting. Almost.

 (It wasn’t that close.)

 In Bruges had themes about depression and acts of violence that were really well thought out, where the character’s darkness was respected while there were still hilarious scenes throughout. Three Billboards bites off more than it can chew with the racist, violent cop (who, before the movie’s story takes place, was infamous for torturing a black guy in the jail), attempting a redemption arc that fails to satisfy. In the end, I felt like I just had to accept that the movie was treating his arc as redemption and ignoring several unforgivable things he did that weren’t given the full  attention they deserved. It gave me flashbacks to the racist white cop story in Crash. Can redemption work? Yes. Can it work if you write your story poorly? Nah dawg.

 Billboards gets too cute with its humor clashing with violence… I think of a scene of spousal abuse cutting to a joke mid-scene. It is also unclear and lacking in confidence on how much we’re supposed to like or dislike the main characters - I could not tell if McDonagh wanted us to like or dislike Frances McDormand’s motives or tell-off speeches in various scenes. And the movie is worse for it.

 This is the ultimate “fake deep” movie. It’s got bullshit posing as poignancy with enough stupidity thrown in (McDormand kicking kids in the crotch, midget jokes) so dumbasses can latch onto it to feel smart.

 Lastly, a common note I’ve seen is how McDonagh, who has lived in Ireland/England most of his life, wrote this script in 2010, prior to the Black Lives Matter movement, prior to Ferguson/Trayvon Martin. And.. it definitely shows in the script.

 Beyond that, McDonagh wants to show us “real” America, but nothing about the movie is remotely realistic or has even the faintest whiff of consequence.

 One more gripe: Woody Harrelson’s character’s wife is played by an Australian actress who seems just to be a casting favorite of McDonagh’s. And she keeps her Australian accent… despite being the wife of a police chief in rural Missouri. What? How does that make sense?

 It doesn’t.

They should’ve gotten the bear from Paddington 2 to play Chief Willoughby, if only because we’d get the line “You got a real nice cock, Mr. Paddington.”

 After my top tier of Get Out, Lady Bird, and The Shape of Water, I dug Phantom Thread, Dunkirk, and Call Me By Your Name next.

 I’d bump Phantom Thread up into that top tier, but I ain’t mad. (I’m a little mad).

 Phantom Thread surprised me. It didn’t have much buzz because it was released late, and the trailer didn’t really intrigue me. I shouldn’t have second-guessed Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Thomas Anderson. Phantom Thread is well-acted (anchored by three great performances), and PTA is a master of filmmaking. This film is darkly comical at times (and in that weird PTA way where most of the audience I was with did not get that aspect), and it is delightful. DDL… what a legend.

 Every time I think about Phantom Thread I like it more. Shit is HILARIOUS. Once you realize it’s a rom-com with some fancy trappings, it gets a lot more enjoyable. Some of the most biting insults of the year are in here, and if you’ve never seen someone use asparagus to humiliate their significant other, you owe it to yourself to watch Phantom Thread.

I was in a theater with two other people, one of whom looked borderline homeless, so he might’ve just been there to chill. Still, I was the only one cracking up, which made me feel alone, but smart.

Personal note: When I saw Phantom Thread, I was initially at the theater to see The Post, but the projector broke. Now my MoviePass history has The Post listed twice and Phantom Thread not at all, which is completely inaccurate. I just want this known, so if I die or something and my MoviePass app gets made public, please don’t think I liked The Post that much (or at all). PLEASE BELIEVE ME

 Dunkirk was breathtaking in IMAX and a “big” film marvel. It looks incredible, and the action is spectacular, intense, and visceral. Of course, Nolan puts a twist on the storytelling with his structure, and it makes the plot super dramatic and unique. I thought it was a really fun, intense movie, but it loses points for being less memorable afterward. The characters aren’t as impactful (though well-acted), and this is lower in my Nolan films (TDK, Inception, Memento, Batman Begins, Interstellar, and then let’s start considering Dunkirk).

After sifting through indie flicks like Call Me Maybe by Your Name, Lady Bird, and Three Billboards, you really start to appreciate Hollywood production values. Dunkirk looks fantastic. The wide shots, the desolation of the beach, the aerial shots with the ocean in the background -- all beautiful.

 Beyond the visuals, each individual scene contains great tension, as the soldiers are put into scenario after scenario of terror. However, when you start to stack those scenes up, the larger story never really comes together.

 Spoilers

 The story of Dunkirk is basically “We can’t get out! Oh wait...we can get out now.” The actual rescue scenes are so easily done that it kind of undercuts much of the drama preceding it. Also, my man Georgie...what are you even doing??? His is the most pathetic on-screen death in recent memory. Even the soldiers are mocking him! Had to re-watch The Killing of a Sacred Deer just to get the taste of laughter out of my mouth.

 Spoilers over

 Call Me By Your Name was anchored by a great romance story and a beautiful atmosphere. I wanted to live in that Italian town and eat dinners and read by the lake. The Sufjan songs are typically excellent, and really fit the tone of the movie. Timothée Chalamet as Elio anchors the film, and he nails it as an adolescent teen trying to sort out his sexuality. Armie Hammer is good too, and Michael Stuhlbarg is wonderful as Elio’s compassionate father.

 Big year for people fucking fruit in the movies! When dude starts fingering that peach I’m like “this is kinda sexual…” Little did I know, right? Decent crowd in the theater and only one other person laughed at this and when Elio puts Oliver’s stanky-ass swimming trunks on his head like a horny Dumbo.

Disappointed in myself because I enjoyed a Sufjan Stevens song. “Visions of Gideon” is a certified banger. I was jamming out over the ending credits when it slowly dawned on me that I was listening to Sufjan. Cried myself to sleep that night.

Feels weird to say, but this movie needed to show pipe. How you gonna have a movie about a dude discovering his sexuality with another dude and cut away to a tree branch when they finally do the dew? What a cop-out! Matt helpfully reminded me that they can’t show hard D without getting an NC-17 rating, but still. There were enough shots of them peeing, etc to where we could’ve gotten a peek. The hypocrisy was on full display during the one male/female sex scene when of course they show the tittays.

 Last we have The Post and Darkest Hour, which are in my last tier with Three Billboards. Both are solid flicks that I’m cool with getting Best Picture nominations, though I would have preferred seeing Mudbound or The Florida Project get some love here (I, Tonya was also good, but I’m fine with it not making it).

 I, Tonya was far better than The Post and Three Billboards (I avoided seeing Dankest Hour in favor of getting a head start on the 2019 Oscar post). Also, I wanna give some love to Detroit! It came out forever ago to no fanfare, but it’s a great flick that everyone should see. Brutal, heartbreaking, poignant, and sadly all-too-relevant in today’s times.

 The Post has two main stories, and I much preferred the story of these reporters looking for the Pentagon Papers and researching/writing things vs the Kay Graham story. While I think that Kay Graham was a legend who held a great influence throughout her career, I’m not sure how deftly her story was handled. The Post feels like if someone chose to do a movie telling the story of SNL in the mid-2000s and the movie focused on 1. The cast working to satirize George W. Bush and other political figures and 2. A subplot where women kept approaching Tina Fey to tell her how brave she was for becoming the first female headwriter of the show. Throwing two separate stories like that together? Not a great combo.

 You might say it’s “the Cyclops of white movies.”

 Also, The Post chooses to play up Kay’s story in ways that I didn’t enjoy. Spielberg made this film quickly and wanted it out by the end of 2017 because of the current political atmosphere, and the script overplays it. I didn’t need the movie emphasizing her influence on women as much as it did. (Spoilers: scenes like the government counsel’s staffer recognizing her and commending her at SCOTUS, or her being ignored by the press while leaving, as a crowd of women fawn over her walking by).

 The Post takes some fascinating source material and tells it in the boringest way possible. Kay Graham’s involvement in this seriously the least interesting thing about it. Literally anything else would’ve made a better movie: them writing the Pentagon Papers, them acquiring the papers, the Post vs. the Times, writing the stories, the ensuing legal battle/victory. Who gives a shit about some wrinkly old white woman suddenly deciding to grow a spine?

Unfortunately, this was the ONLY thing Spielberg cared about. The rest of the film was embarrassingly low-quality. That war scene in the beginning? Shit looked like something out of a sitcom flashback. Tom Hanks’ character was insufferable and his Tim-Allen-as-Batman accent did not help. I think they got the protest rally shots from an old That 70s Show B-roll. The trifecta of Tom Hanks’ wife literally having to state the thesis of the movie (“It’s hard being a woman!”), a young woman of color getting chewed out by her old, white boss (like we didn’t just spend two hours watching Hanks say way worse things to his staff), and Meryl’s “angel from Heaven” descent down the courthouse steps was awful. Also Carrie Coon announcing the court decision only to get interrupted by some fat white guy we’ve never seen before was the final bizarre decision in a movie full of them.

 The Post felt like a pretty safe Oscar film that had some good parts and some mixed parts. It had some on-the-nose scenes and some inexplicable scenes. It also had one of the cornier last scenes that I’ve seen in recent years…

 Darkest Hour is similar. Solid, safe film with flaws. Oldman is awesome as Winston Churchill, and the political behind-the-scenes leading up to and during Dunkirk are really intriguing. And that’s most of the film, so it works really well. The film fails to have many good supporting characters, such as Lily James in a thankless role as Churchill’s assistant, being given plot/backstory whenever it’s relevant to Churchill’s storyline. The movie also suffers from some meandering towards the end.

 Darkest Hour? Gary Old Man? Yeah, I’m good.

 I really enjoyed Mudbound, which may have lost some buzz by being a Netflix film. Netflix has gotta work on that. It’s still not a pitch-perfect film with some boring parts in the first half, but man, that last quarter of the film really hits hard. Meanwhile, The Florida Project aimed higher and had higher highs (how many times can I write high (CAN WE GET MUCH HIGHER)). Though it struggles when there were too many scenes of the kids playing around, the themes and its unique subject matter are so, so good. Its creativity and boldness were refreshing too. I gotta check out Tangerine by the same director, Sean Baker.

 Tangerine is great! Donut Time is closed down though :(

 Director: “Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan “Get Out,” Jordan Peele “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig “Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro

 It looks like del Toro should win it, and he would be worthy. His vision and execution were marvelous. It’s such a visual treat, from the design of the monster, to the fashion and decor, to the feel of the scenes.

 What a visual treat it was to see a fish gettin it in! I wouldn’t be mad at a GDT win here. Solid economy of storytelling, and the overall vision, themes, and motifs all worked together to create a great sense of feeling and wonderment, which you need when you’re making a movie about fish love.

 Nolan was awesome per usual, with some amazing action and jaw-dropping uses of real stunts and IMAX cameras. I’m glad he got his first directing nod.

 Typical Nolan: dope visuals and a lot of overwrought music drowning out boring characters and a weak story.

 Gerwig and Peele are both amazing talents who made brilliant first feature films. I guess Best Director doesn’t usually go to simpler films (see: Inarritu’s dumb back-to-back wins for spectacle films). But man they were good at their craft.

 If I had my druthers, I’d give it to my man Jordan Peele. His was a truly singular vision helped along by deft world-building and a perfect tonal balance. The exact opposite of Martin McDonagh’s work on Three Billboards. Greta Gerwig did a nice job, but she’s no Peele.

 PTA is awesome too. He apparently also worked on the cinematography with the rest of his crew, which is cool.

 PTA did his thing on ‘em, bringing his unique flavor of dark humor mixed with some heavy emotional content.

 Mainly, I’m just glad Martin McDonagh didn’t get a nod here.

 Lead Actor: Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me by Your Name” Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread” Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out” Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” Denzel Washington, “Roman J. Israel, Esq.”

 Oldman is the favorite, both for a notable impersonation and his entire body of work. Oldman is a great actor, and I can’t fault him getting the award. I did enjoy his performance and the movie’s flaws are not because of it. One note: I haven't seen The Queen yet to see if he’s that much better as Churchill than John Lithgow, but cmon, how impressive is it when a bunch of dudes are able to play Churchill?

 Oldman is just that -- an old man. Maybe die already and let some youngbloods get their shine??? Just kidding, I have nothing against Commissioner Gordon. I’m sure he did great here and now has a go-to Halloween costume for later this year to boot.

 I prefer Chalamet’s detailed and nuanced in his portrayal of Elio. Chalamet just nails all the facial tics and body language, along with crushing scenes when asked (the film literally relies on his facial reactions during portions of the film).

 Chalamet was great! Him crying into the camera as the credits rolled could’ve nuked the entire movie, but it didn’t. So much of the context and depth in “Call Me by Your Name, Daddy” is internal, and the fact that Chalamet was able to get that across to the audience is a real testament to his performance. Also, he banged a peach in real life! That was some method acting!

 I love me some Daniel Day, and if this is his actual last role, then bravo. He is brilliant as a fashion designer who is super picky and unique. He’s such a prick at times, he’s such a baby at times, and he’s so funny all the way through. I get that they want to reward someone else. But man… DDL is the best.

 If they ever cross paths, I hope DDL and Chalamet compare notes. DDL: “I learned how to create 1950s-style women’s dresses by hand and actually made a few dozen which I then sold to wealthy aristocrats.” Chalamet: “I put my thing in some fresh fruit and sniffed a guy’s butthole!”

Also, shoutout to the casting director who tapped DDL to play Reynolds Woodcock. How fuggin easy was her job? “Ya know, we really should get DDL to play this part.” “Great job! He fit the role perfectly!”

 Kaluuya is really good in Get Out, though I prefer Chalamet/DDL over him. I’m glad that he got a nod for what might normally just be viewed as a horror movie role. Kaluuya’s emotional backstory is key to the film, and he does a great job showing the pain of his past and how it helps form his character’s decisions. Otherwise, Get Out is less an acting showcase than the other films, so less of a ceiling.

 It really is great to see a horror movie get this level of love and legitimization. Between Get Out and It, I hope Hollywood production companies realize that actually investing in the horror genre is a profitable move and as a consequence, we continue to see more (and better) horror flicks.

 I didn’t see Denzel’s performance. But I think it’s funny that he got this random nod sorta like how Meryl Streep gets nods for just about any role. People just love Denzel at this point. Franco might have deserved the nod for The Disaster Artist, where he was both hilariously weird yet held gravitas as the crazy Tommy Wiseau.

 *nods*

No Hugh Jackman (Logan)??? No anyone from Detroit??? Yuck.

 Lead Actress: Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water” Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya” Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird” Meryl Streep, “The Post”

 First, I think it’s a shame that Vicky Krieps didn’t get nominated for anchoring Phantom Thread with her role as tortured love interest, Alma. Krieps fills Alma’s personality with timidity, daring, ambition, and man, she’s good. She’s more of a main character than DDL at times, and she holds her own. Krieps went from an unknown to American audiences to having to spar with one of the greatest actors of all time. And she crushed it! I wonder if she was hurt by the film being released late. More people should be talking about this performance.

 Vicky Krieps is fantastic. Like Matt said, she went toe-to-toe with DDL and matched him in every scene, never getting lost in the shuffle. She’s gotta be amused with everyone treating her like a no-name newcomer though, since she’s apparently already a star in Poland or wherever the fuck she’s from.

 McDormand appears to be the frontrunner, and I thought she was really good. I prefer Saoirse Ronan and Sally Hawkins though. McDormand has a super showy role, and I’m guessing her win was clinched by her various speeches and rants throughout the film. She’s really good. I just don’t like the character due to the writing.

 Ugh, McDormand. I guess she was fine. Like I mentioned earlier, her character was so poorly constructed and written, I have no idea if the acting’s any good. Besides Meryl Streep, she’s definitely the worst on here. Streep actually suffered from some of the same issues as McDormand. Her character’s arc is such a drag that the movie came to a screeching halt every time she popped up on screen. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Streep and Hanks filmed that breakfast convo on separate coasts.

 Ronan is a huge talent, and she’s perfect as Lady Bird. She’s funny, emotional, and a fully-realized teenager. Lady Bird will go down as one of the most famous heroines - I have no doubt.

 Since my girl Vicky Krieps didn’t even get a nom, I’ll be pulling for Ronan.

 Hawkins is magnetic as Elisa. She was limited as a mute character, but presented herself so well with body language, sign language, and charm. Hawkins imbues her character with such optimism and hope. She treats her friends with such warmth. And she has to portray her interest opposite an actor inside a costume, who also can’t speak. I mean, that’s carrying a lot, and she is brilliant.

 To Hawkins’ credit, you really do believe she wants to fuck that fish. Like, there is NO DOUBT. She must’ve been channeling her inner-Chalamet between takes.

 Margot Robbie is really good as Tonya Harding and the best part of the movie for me, moreso than Allison Janney (more on that below), though it’s laughable when she has to play a teenager. One scene of note is her preparing for a performance in front of a mirror. It’s one of those acting showcases that really impresses, and she does it well.

 Margot Robbie was great as Tonya Harding. I didn’t realize not only how hated Harding was back then, but how hated she is now! I brought this movie up to several people and each was like “UGH! Why would I want to see a movie about Tonya Harding -- she’s the devil! I hate her!” Why would anyone still be mad about this? First of all, it’s figure skating. Second of all, it happened twenty-five years ago, and third of all, Nancy Kerrigan was fine! Get over it, sheeple! Just don’t get me started on the tragedy of Michelle Kwan -- now THAT’S something to still be upset over.

 I would replace Streep with Krieps in a heartbeat. Yes, Streep is good as Kay Graham, but Krieps is better, and Streep is the worst of these 5. Honestly, if Kay Graham had been played by Frances McDormand, she would not have been nominated. Streep got the nomination because she’s Meryl Streep.

 This might be Matt’s hottest take and it’s 100% correct. /shocked emoji

 Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project” Woody Harrelson, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water” Christopher Plummer, “All the Money in the World” Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

 Rockwell is expected to win, and he’s pretty good. I can’t get over his character arc though. This character is just… it’s weird! It doesn’t make any sense. Rockwell is a great actor though, and he does the best he can. He’s awesome.

 /copy-and-pastes paragraph about Frances McDormand

 I love Dafoe’s performance more. The Florida Project’s cast was filled with new actors, and that was mostly good, but Dafoe was amazing. He’s got his scenes here and there, and he makes the screen pop whenever he shows up. Just a genuine good, imperfect dude, managing a hotel.

 This movie looked awful. I don’t know if I’m just bitter or I’m suffering from trailer fatigue, but with the exception of Mission Impossible: Fallout and Black Panther, I haven’t seen a single trailer where I didn’t think “this movie looks like trash.” Even for good movies! Step ya trailer game up, Hollywood.

 Woody Harrelson was good, but it’s a little silly that his role got in over Hammer or Stuhlbarg in Call Me By Your Name or Michael Shannon in Shape of Water. I didn’t catch Plummer in his role.

 I’m serious: replace Woody with Paddington and the movie is immediately 25% better. Woody was fine, but yeah what the shit. Also, Armie Hammer was...not great. Dude was two seconds away from doing a Tiger Woods fistpump after suckin’ Elio’s cannoli. Get it together, man.

 Plummer was good considering he’s like 90 (a true Old Man) and did all his shit in like a week in front of a green screen. You’d think him being a last-second replacement for Kevin Spacey would be distracting, but the movie’s so bad you don’t really care. Actually, we should go back and replace Spacey with Christopher Plummer in everything! Imagine Plummer bringing his elder statesman gravitas to American Beauty or Horrible Bosses.

 Jenkins was great in The Shape of Water. Really good supporting character and friend to Elisa. The supporting cast in Shape of Water was generally awesome.

 Supporting Actress: Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound” Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” Lesley Manville, “Phantom Thread” Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird” Octavia Spencer, “The Shape of Water”

 Janney seems to be the frontrunner, though this seems like the only one of 4 categories where people think there may be an upset. Metcalf is so good in Lady Bird, varying from tough mom to loving mom.

 Truly great range.

 Janney got a lot of hype, and I ended up feeling underwhelmed by her performance. She disappears for a lot of the film after a showy start, and I ended up being much more into the performances of Robbie and Sebastian Stan.

 Man, GTFOOHWTMFBS. She “disappears” for a lot of the film because the story goes elsewhere; it’s not like she’s turning in a half-forgettable performance. Plus, that criticism is meaningless when Queen Elizabeth can win one for like 8 minutes of screen time. Janney is great in this film, giving a performance that’s far from one-note, more nuanced than she’s getting credit for, and 100% real.

 I preferred Manville’s role as the DDL’s sharp sister in Phantom Thread. She’s really good without ever being too showy.

 This is the one nominee I won’t be mad at for beating Janney (well, her and Mary J, because how could I ever be mad at Mary J?). Manville crushes it as Woodcock’s sister and business manager. She delivers scathing insults with that Woodcockian gumption and provides some humanity in the face of DDL’s artistic vanity without falling into the Jekyll/Hyde dichotomy. She keeps it as real as Reynolds, but is just wired a bit differently.

 Spencer is another key supporting role in The Shape of Water, and she’s another terrific friend to Elisa. I also enjoyed her calling out her husband - he needs to get his act together!

 Yeah, dude has to turn in his sack after that FBI agent ran roughshod over his household.

 Mary J is really solid in Mudbound, though I was much more into the roles of Jason Mitchell (Eazy-E!) and Garrett Hedlund, the main relationship of the film.

 Original Screenplay: “The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani “Get Out,” Jordan Peele “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh

 It’s so cool to see The Big Sick get a nomination here. My main gripe about the movie is that it gets a little long. But it’s a really good adaptation of a real-life story, filled with funny scenes mixed with good emotion. Big Sick is such a lovely film. It’s got great performances too by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter. And the cultural stuff is really neat to see on-screen.

 The Big Sick is the one movie I really regret not getting to. If only there was a way I could still watch it...

 Get Out’s script is amazing. I hope it wins. It seems like it’s between it and Billboards, which definitely doesn’t deserve a win.

 Get Out should get TWO wins here. One for Lil Rel’s dialogue and one for the rest of it. You aren’t getting this kind of quality anywhere else. A true original. If Three Billboards somehow wins this I’m gonna rent three billboards to talk about how shitty that movie is. “How Come Chief Paddington?”

 I’m bummed Lady Bird seems like it won’t get any wins (fingers crossed on Metcalf), and it’s second here for me after Get Out. Shape of Water is great, but the script isn’t what gets me the most.

 I don’t think I need to tell you what about The Shape of Water gets Matt the most.

 Adapted Screenplay: “Call Me by Your Name,” James Ivory “The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber “Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green “Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin “Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

 Shoutout to LOGAN! First major nod for a comic book movie I think. Awesome. It was a great sendoff for a famous pairing (Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart as Logan and Xavier). Here’s hoping we get some more nods next year for Black Panther (and hopefully if Infinity War is good).

 LOGAN! We made it, fam! Logan was a great flick. So happy to see Wolverine finally done right on the big screen. If they’d have tightened up the post-X23 battle portion of the movie, I’d be clamoring for it to get a Best Picture nom.

 Call Me by Your Name was really well-done. A cool tidbit is that Sufjan Stevens convinced the director to take out the narration from the book (though I guess that would be a knock on the screenplay, probably?).

 After Matt hit me with some details from the Call Me by Your Name and I Will Call You by My Name book, I’m even more thankful to Sufjan. Really didn’t need to see these guys taking massive dumps in front of each other while the camera pans to Elio’s dad crying, with his shirt pulled over his nose.

 Disaster Artist was a really fun movie about a really wacky story. It managed to get the right amount of comedy and emotion into it. From what I’ve read, Mudbound seems to have done some good work changing aspects of the book, including adding more viewpoints for the black family members. It’s still a bit shaky in the first half.

 Molly’s Game was a mixed bag. Sorkin seemed to have his usual strengths and minuses… and the minuses were big. I don’t get why he shoehorns a father-child relationship into all of his scripts. This one was particularly unnecessary and detracted from the storyline.

 I didn’t get to Disaster Artist or Molly’s Game. Sorkin’s scripts are more bloated than Bridge of Spies’ runtime.

 Film Editing: “Baby Driver,” Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss “Dunkirk,” Lee Smith “I, Tonya,” Tatiana S. Riegel “The Shape of Water,” Sidney Wolinsky “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Jon Gregory

 Baby Driver! That’s a cool nomination right there. The film’s weakest part is the story, so I’m all for any movie-making nominations it gets, and the editing was crisp.

 Props to Baby Driver for being really cool and really dumb at the same time. That’s hard to do!

 Dunkirk is the win for me here. A lot of the movie relies on the jumping around of timelines, and the movie really nails it there.

 Does it though? There were three timelines/points of action, but Nolan did a slopfest of a job tying them together. Should’ve given Billy Walsh a truckload of fresh fruit and let him get a crack at the dailies.

 Cinematography: “Blade Runner 2049,” Roger Deakins “Darkest Hour,” Bruno Delbonnel “Dunkirk,” Hoyte van Hoytema “Mudbound,” Rachel Morrison “The Shape of Water,” Dan Laustsen

 Oh snap, that’s DEAKINS’ music. People think Deakins will finally win here after being nominated 14 times. Here’s some great footage of his best work. I still don’t completely understand cinematography, but it does seem like he lost a few times for movies that were more visual effects than cinematography (e.g. Life of Pi).

 Deak tha Freak! Didn’t see Blade Runner 2049 because I’m not a nerd, but I got love for Deakins, so sure, give it up for him. Don’t even talk to me about Life of Pi. Fuck Pissing Patel and fuck you too!

 As for this specific film, Blade Runner 2049 is beautiful, and he appears to have done some incredible work himself on the film (as opposed to other visual effects people). It looks amazing in some scenes, the lighting is great, and the world is fully-realized.

 Shape of Water and Dunkirk are my next favorites. Both look really good.

 Of the two I’ve seen, Dunkirk probably deserves this over The Shape of Water. Its visuals were the best thing it had going on. At least The Shape of Water has fish peen to fall back on.

 Animated Feature: “The Boss Baby,” Tom McGrath, Ramsey Ann Naito “The Breadwinner,” Nora Twomey, Anthony Leo “Coco,” Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson “Ferdinand,” Carlos Saldanha “Loving Vincent,” Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart, Hugh Welchman

 BOSS BABY. But nah I’ve only seen Coco. Coco is so good. It reminds me of Inside Out for how mature and emotional it is. Its themes of family and death and memory are on point. It’s also really fun and colorful, AND it’s got awesome culture with Dia de Las Muertas.

 Haven’t seen any of this shit. Maybe I’m racist, but Coco looks boring as hell. Just Moana but Mexican instead of Polynesian.

Also, how did The Lego Batman Movie not get ANY love? That was probably the third best Batman movie of all-time (Batman and Batman Begins being the top two)! I’m STILL mad at The Lego Movie not getting nominated for Best Animated Feature when it was a dark horse for Best Picture! The Lego Movie is the Michelle Kwan of animated movies.

Original Song: “Mighty River” from “Mudbound,” Mary J. Blige “Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name,” Sufjan Stevens “Remember Me” from “Coco,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez “Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall,” Diane Warren, Common “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman,” Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

 SUFJANNNNNNNNNN. When I first wrote this, I was bummed because I thought he wasn’t performing. You can imagine my joy when it was announced that he WAS.

 Can’t wait for Suf to walk onstage with a big butterfly outfit while a bunch of violinists run around him in heart-shaped outfits, while Chalamet and Hammer are biking around stage while eating gelato. Mystery of Love is amazing and very key to the movie (Visions of Gideon may be even better, but I’m cool with MoL getting the nod here).

 Visions of Gideon IS better, though that’s not saying much. IS IT A VIDEO SUFJAN????????

 Remember Me seems like the favorite, and it’s a really great song. I would be pretty happy with it getting the win. It’s cool that Gael Garcia Bernal is performing (unlike Gosling/Stone flaking last year for La La Land, smh).

 Remember Me has the issue of trying to live up to the standard set by Z-Ro for songs titled “Remember Me.”

Original Score: “Dunkirk,” Hans Zimmer “Phantom Thread,” Jonny Greenwood “The Shape of Water,” Alexandre Desplat “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” John Williams “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Carter Burwell

 I need to re-listen to Last Jedi’s score, but it’s hard for me to say that it had anything unique compared to the previous Star Wars movies… just feels like a nod for Johnny W.

 Not a big “score” guy, but let’s go ahead and crown Sicario 2 the winner in this category next year.

 Shape of Water was really lovely. I also think it’d be cool to see Greenwood get a win (Radiohead whaaa). Dunkirk is super intense. Billboards...nah.

 The Shape of Water was scored by a Radiohead guy? Makes sense because that fish was a CREEP.

Sound Editing: “Baby Driver,” Julian Slater “Blade Runner 2049,” Mark Mangini, Theo Green “Dunkirk,” Alex Gibson, Richard King “The Shape of Water,” Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Ren Klyce, Matthew Wood

Sound Mixing: “Baby Driver,” Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin “Blade Runner 2049,” Mac Ruth, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hephill “Dunkirk,” Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo “The Shape of Water,” Glen Gauthier, Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Stuart Wilson, Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick

 Baby Driver’s sound was critical to it, as was Dunkirk’s. I have trouble understanding the two (here’s one of many explainers) but based on what I read, I’d want Baby Driver for Sound Mixing (Edgar Wright had the actors listening to the same song simultaneously, so they could imagine how it would play on screen… which is awesome) and Dunkirk for Sound Editing.

 Can’t speak to the legitimacy of these nominees, but it’s a relief seeing the same five in both categories. Can you imagine the humiliation otherwise? “Oh this was MIXED really well, but the editing was TRASH.”

Visual Effects:

“Blade Runner 2049,” John Nelson, Paul Lambert, Richard R. Hoover, Gerd Nefzer “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner, Dan Sudick “Kong: Skull Island,” Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, Mike Meinardus “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,”  Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Chris Corbould, Neal Scanlan “War for the Planet of the Apes,” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, Joel Whist

Matt didn’t offer any analysis here, so I can only assume he worked on the visual effects for Kong or whatever and it’s a conflict of interest.

Production Design: “Beauty and the Beast,” Sarah Greenwood; Katie Spencer “Blade Runner 2049,” Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola “Darkest Hour,” Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer “Dunkirk,” Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis “The Shape of Water,” Paul D. Austerberry, Jeffrey A. Melvin, Shane Vieau

The Shape of Water looks cool? So does Blade Runner. So I want one of those.

Was Beauty and the Beast the most unnecessary movie of 2017? Probably. Really stoked for the human version of Song of the South. I wanna know who designed the pies in The Shape of Water. Damn those shits were ugly.

Makeup and Hair: “Darkest Hour,” Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, Lucy Sibbick “Victoria and Abdul,” Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard “Wonder,” Arjen Tuiten

 I do think it’s random that this only has 3 nominees. That’s all I got. Oldman for Churchill, I imagine, should win.

 Doesn’t this category usually only have 3 noms? If only I was typing this on a machine that would let me look up the answer. Folks better get these famous-people roles while they can; another 5 years and biopics will be 50% holographic.

Costume Design: “Beauty and the Beast,” Jacqueline Durran “Darkest Hour,” Jacqueline Durran “Phantom Thread,” Mark Bridges “The Shape of Water,” Luis Sequeira “Victoria and Abdul,” Consolata Boyle

Phantom Thread should win, right? Shape looks cool too. The outfits for the monster were wild.

Ayo, that fish was buck naked! They really just subbed in my man Abe Sapien. If Phantom Thread doesn’t win this...it’s like, Mark Bridges, what the hell are you even doing?

Best Documentary Feature: “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Steve James, Mark Mitten, Julie Goldman “Faces Places,” JR, Agnès Varda, Rosalie Varda “Icarus,” Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan “Last Men in Aleppo,” Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed, Soren Steen Jepersen “Strong Island,” Yance Ford, Joslyn Barnes

 My friend Donna says Abacus is awesome, and it seems like a cool story. Jane didn’t get nominated here and that’s the only one I saw (good film).

 Didn’t see any of these. I watch movies to ESCAPE from real life, not wallow in it.

 Best Foreign Language Film: “A Fantastic Woman” (Chile) “The Insult” (Lebanon) “Loveless” (Russia) “On Body and Soul (Hungary) “The Square” (Sweden)

 I have seen the trailer for Loveless, and it looked intense. Otherwise, I gotta get to these… it’s tough when they aren’t really available in theaters.

Matt, you gotta move out of BFE. Loveless and “L’Insult” been in theaters here. Not that I’ve seen them, whoops.

 Animated Short: “Dear Basketball,” Glen Keane, Kobe Bryant “Garden Party,” Victor Caire, Gabriel Grapperon “Lou,” Dave Mullins, Dana Murray “Negative Space,” Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata “Revolting Rhymes,” Jakob Schuh, Jan Lachauer

 KOBE

 *ahem*

#KOBE

 Best Documentary Short Subject: “Edith+Eddie,” Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee Wright “Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” Frank Stiefel “Heroin(e),” Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin Sheldon “Knife Skills,” Thomas Lennon “Traffic Stop,” Kate Davis, David Heilbroner

 Let me put my homie Matt on blast here. I told him I was going to check out a showing of these five shorts and he’s all like “Why? I’m not including them in the Oscar pool, loser.” I was STUNNED. I’m in it for the ART, meanwhile Matt only cares about nursing his gambling problem. Anyhow.

Traffic Stop is apparently the front-runner, but was probably the worst one. I’m totally on board with its message about cops being violent racists, but the situation here probably wasn’t the best one to exemplify that idea.

Edith+Eddie had some charming moments, but not much of a story. People treat old people like shit. Wow.

Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 was the most poignant and touching of the five. The story of Mindy Alper, an artist who suffers from truly debilitating mental illness/depression, is both heartbreaking and uplifting. It’s amazing what she’s been able to accomplish while simultaneously waging a constant battle with herself.

Heroin(e) tells a gripping story of the heroin epidemic of Huntington, WV and what three strong women are doing to battle it. Nothing super-groundbreaking, but a very well-told story about a part of the country that often goes overlooked.

Knife Skills was my second-favorite behind Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405. At times hilarious, but always inspiring, we get a look at ex-cons getting a second chance by attending culinary school/working at an upscale French restaurant in Cleveland. The willingness to show some light-hearted moments made this doc feel a bit slighter than the other four, but that’s hardly a fair criticism. Great stuff, and it definitely left me wanting to see more. And hungry.

 Best Live Action Short Film: “DeKalb Elementary,” Reed Van Dyk “The Eleven O’Clock,” Derin Seale, Josh Lawson “My Nephew Emmett,” Kevin Wilson, Jr. “The Silent Child,” Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton “Watu Wote/All of Us,” Katja Benrath, Tobias Rosen

 DeKalb Elementary is about a local incident in Atlanta so I’ma be pulling for it.

 That’s all I got.

#by Alex and Matt #movies #Oscars #Get Out #Lady Bird #The Shape of Water #Phantom Thread #Fuck You Billboards #NOLAN like LOST

[goldeagleprice]

Community Voice Responses (Jan. 2, 2018)

From the Dec. 8 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Is the U.S. cent under serious threat of abolition?

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

  Perhaps the penny coin should be in jeopardy, but every time that subject comes up, the Mint is inundated with protests and the idea falls silent yet again …

Thank you for the interesting insights in your column. Wally Newton Pittsburgh, Pa.

  Many world countries have long ago done away with their lowest value coin, mostly to save production and material costs to produce them. Another reason this has happened in some countries is simple world devaluation of their money, one example being the Philippines. One time the Philippine piso held an exchange rate of 8 P to 1 U.S. dollar. They had all coinage from the 1 sentimo, 5 sentimo, 10 sentimo, 25 sentimo, 50 sentimo, 1 piso , 5 piso. These were part of the daily money/coin usage. Not so true now.

Over the years there were metal changes, downsizing of the coins and then they started to delete from production due to cost of the item relating to the face value of the coin.

Back in the late 1970s to the early 1980s, the piso had a value of 12.5 cents. Today it has a value just under 2 cents.

Yes it is time the “penny” was deleted as a form of exchange, but I would still love to see it remain part of Mint production sets, mint sets and proof sets.

Johnny Trigg Mary Esther, Fla.

  Strike 1-cent planchets as a retro 2-cent piece with Jefferson’s portrait/Monticello; redesign the 5-cent nickel with Lincoln/Gettysburg reverse (also time for a $5 Lincoln coin using half dollar planchets; retire the J.F.K. half.)

Fed should cease $1 and $5 notes. Nelson K. Clifton Shamong, N.J.

  It costs more than face value to mint, it has no purchasing power anymore and there are over five billion minted yet few have them in their pockets or purses. Time to go. Wesley Ellis Portland, Ore.

  As for your question about the elimination of the cent, I sure hope it will be eliminated. I do pick up the occasional one that I run across. One of the best places to find cents is a local car wash. I think when people are cleaning the junk out of their cars, they consider loose cents as just more junk to be thrown away. The nickel is also worth eliminating along with the $1 and $2 bills. If that happened, then $1 and $2 coins would circulate, and I might start carrying change again. Mike Thorne Starkville, Miss.

  Not time yet! Since 1857 it’s the only denomination that can’t be created by adding together two other coins.

Iric Fox Pasadena, Texas

  The Lincoln cent was one of my first loves in collecting. Like most of us, as a kid, I could find lots of interesting cents in my Father’s change or searching through his jars of pennies. Enough to fill most of a Lincoln Cent album at any rate. (And yes, I use those terms interchangeably…cents – pennies, get over it!)

Over the years, my collecting tastes have changed, but there is always that nostalgia for the Lincoln cent. However, if you look hard at the arguments for and against, you might have a hard time holding onto the Lincoln cent as required coinage.

We need the cent for commerce: Not really…I spent six years in Germany during the 1980s (US Army) without the cent. The Post Exchange and Commissary system over there did not use cents; they would round up or down to the nearest nickel on your total purchase, and this worked out just fine. No one (or very few, at any rate) really wants a bunch of pennies in change, and if we can save a few million dollars a year by not minting them, so much the better. Bonus: If we eliminate the cent, we can also eliminate the One Dollar Bill, as the merchants can use the “cents” space in their tills for dollar coins!

We need the cent to keep coin collecting alive: Just like Silver Dollars, right? I don’t think we should demonetize the cent, but we certainly don’t need to keep them in production to make them collectible. In fact, once word got out that the cent is going away, there would likely be quite a bit of hoarding, which might turn into active collecting down the road.

Bottom line: yes, I love the old Lincoln cent, but no, I don’t think we as a nation need to keep pumping them out by the billions per year at considerable cost to the government.

Final test of your resolve: do you bend down to pick up a penny you see in a parking lot or on the sidewalk? Personally, I worry more about throwing my back out than gaining a whole cent (although I will still pick up a nickel or a dime!).

Just something to think about.

Steven Strukel Lansing, Kan.

  Yes, soon it will be gone, and that is okay for collectors. Those cents we are holding will be worth more when they are no longer minted.

Next it will be the nickel, unless they find a cheaper way to produce it.

Mary Madis Address withheld

  Yes, I am in favor of this, to a point. I had lived in The Netherlands for almost 5 years. The 1 and 2 euro cent doesn’t circulate here. In other European countries, it does. Personally, I grew accustomed to not using these denominations. Yes, the round up and down did apply in prices, but only if cash were paid. Debit and credit cards obviously were left alone.

On this side of the pond, I do believe the same can apply. Think of the tax dollars saved in shipping and minting costs. A bi-metal $2 coin can circulate easily, like in Canada. Eliminating the $1 bill can also be done since we also have a $1 coin. Savings on both of these denominations can be going elsewhere.

Lastly, the one cent coin can still be minted for proof and mint sets only. Since a “fee” is paid by the person ordering sets, no shipping to taxpayers! Just my view on this (again).

Gary Kess Sherman, Texas

  Yes, I am in favor of this, to a point. Mintage of the cent should have been terminated in 1982, instead of changing the composition. There is nothing you can buy for one cent. In California, about the only object you can buy even for a dime is a paper bag in a supermarket.

The arguments against termination are all bogus and seem to be politically motivated.

Tom Miller Santa Rosa, Calif.

  Not only is the cent under threat, but all coins and currency are under threat of abolition as the banks push for all electronic transactions.

The main reason to get rid of the cent is to save the cost of production and distribution of a low-value coin. With electronic transactions, the cost to maintain the cent is nil. If physical money is eliminated, the cent need not be abolished.

The problem with abolishing coin and currency, of course, centers around convenience and loss of privacy.

As Puerto Rico has learned, without electricity, electronic commerce is impossible. Coins and currency enable commerce to continue without interruption.

With all electronic transactions, banks save money by not having to handle cash and also get a percentage of each transaction. But the consumer loses in paying the fees and the loss of privacy as every transaction can be scrutinized by a probing government. How does someone survive a government asset seizure in an all electronic environment?

Identity theft can wipe out all of one’s electronic assets. Without any cash, how does one regain liquidity?

Bruce R Frohman Modesto Calif.

  The present cent coins will not withstand circulation because they are susceptible to chemicals and because of the poor coining in the dies. Just my opinion. Nothing was better than our copper style.

Bob DuBe Address withheld

  It should be. As taxpayers, it is costing us millions of dollars annually to subsidize its production.

Why, since almost every merchant has either a penny jar, or rounds to the nickel?

It has no purchasing power. We are wasting millions for the sake of nostalgia.

Lorne La Vertu Address withheld

  It’s done. Dominic Carri Address withheld

  I am sure they will quit making the cent because of the cost. Roger Anderson Address withheld

  This article was originally printed in Numismatic News. >> Subscribe today.

  More Collecting Resources

• Start becoming a coin collector today with this popular course, Coin Collecting 101.

• Order the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, General Issues to learn about circulating paper money from 14th century China to the mid 20th century.

The post Community Voice Responses (Jan. 2, 2018) appeared first on Numismatic News.

#Precious Metals

[aqlyrics-blog]

I’m On 3.0

New Post has been published on http://purelyrics.net/lyrics/trae-tha-truth-im-3-0/

I’m On 3.0

–Intro: Trae tha Truth– They say three times the charm, huh? I got ya

–Verse 1: Trae tha Truth– Yeah, all gas, fast, livin’ like somethin’ was speedin’ Ashy to classy, now I bless ’em like someone who sneezin’ I’m only here to give ’em pressure, bitch, picture me squeezin’ Against the world like I was Pac, wasn’t nobody believin’ Nothin’ deceivin’, know the truth, what the fuck you was needin’? Gather this evenin’ for the one, reputation was steamin’ Vision me gleamin’ from the mud, ain’t no point in you cleanin’ I’m motivation for the ones who nobody was feedin’ Automatic still give ‘e the same kick Started the sideline, now I’m starrin’ in game 6 Spit and make ’em replay it like they’re stuck on the same disk Work, I give ’em new, never stretchin’ the same brick Never the same chick, yeah I’m still on that same shit Cop me a new spot, tryna see where the plane fits Picture me with a crown, next to that where my name sits Galaxy in the ceilin’ just to show ’em what fame gets

–Verse 2: T.I.– In the heart of the jungle walkin’ through the fire You beat the charge if you show up with an alibi Runnin’ wild in the city, no direction All we know is get that dough, run up the checks and I’m self-made, wasn’t made for the military Get paid, dodge jail and the cemetery You better reach for the stars, take your best shot You let them haters kill your dream, your ass be assed out, forreal

–Verse 3: Dave East– Fill a Backwood with three nicks V6, cut the coke, remix Squeeze clips if ever we hear that he snitched I’m allergic to broke niggas in the precinct Found out my man was hatin’ and we ain’t speak since Barney’s, Nord’s can’t add up the paper we spent Tryna get drunk, I’m tokin’, I got a P bent I touched a million, ain’t sleep since, on defense

–Verse 4: Tee Grizzley– Freedom got me feelin’ like I flown up Out of prison, I ain’t think that I was blowin’ up Bunch of young rich niggas home, Rollies up Run up on us, watch how quick I’ll lift the toaster up Money got me feelin’ like you can’t control us Servin’, watchin’ out for the patrollers We used to play the game, play on your controllers Seen niggas get killed, heart froze up Picked up them choppas, got to go and duck Shootin’ everything up, it ain’t no ho in us Shit ain’t even last, free bro and them In Chicago I’m home, that’s on 4 and them Now I’m thinkin’ right ’cause I see I can make it Started, fam strugglin’, I couldn’t take it You got it out the mud, I got it out the pavement I used to miss payments, got the title, dare you try to take it

–Verse 5: Royce da 5’9″– Triple OG Never without vision or livin’ goal-free Never writ it though I’ve been out gettin’ this since ’03 Every little red cent and every dividend Has been counted and acquired Been legit, legal and been with the code I’m colder than December in the winter cold Look, I’ve been out givin’ canned goods and clothes To the children on 34th, real nigga, ugh

–Verse 6: Curren$y– I could put you on like socks Put you on like my watch Put you on the block, you can get that off Put you on the right lot, you can get that car Put you on like a fitted Put you on in my city Got the stars in the ceilin’, that’s the Wraith Got the top in the trunk, that’s a don I could give it to a nigga either way ’cause I’m on, L

–Chorus: D.R.A.M., Gary Clark, Jr., & Mark Morrison– I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, yeah

–Verse 7: Snoop Dogg– Wakin’ up, feelin’ good, rollin’ through the neighborhood Do or die, every day, I lead ’em in a different way I don’t take no mess, get it off of my chest I’ma be dressed to impress, no stress, fresh Off the east side, Trae called me up and said “Unc I’ma need you on the b-side” So I came through, ah, mic checked, one-two, uh Gettin’ real funky, kinda smell like manure Eight cars, eight stars Return of the mack with these hot eight bars Flip through it, dip through it This is the shit that’ll make you get to it Break down, give it up, pour it up Now drink it up, roll it up Light it up, how you feel, y’all? See you in high definition with a mothafuckin’ real Dogg

–Verse 8: Fabolous– And every day I’m on And if I wasn’t, then why would I say I’m on? Get an Em and get low, that’s the Dre I’m on Get a B in blue, that’s the Jay I’m on They on sidelines watchin’ what play I’m on I call a audible, that’s what a baller do They keep askin’ me, is there more to do? Well ain’t water wet? Well then it’s more to get To my shorty’s set, and his shorty’s set This game ain’t over, it’s more quarters left I gotta rep my city, do it for the set I gotta talk my shit until I’m short of breath ‘Cause the world is full of niggas tryna off your on switch Tryna find a place that your coffin gon’ fit Me and my niggas on some confidente shit And we ain’t really feelin’ that off and on shit, I’m on

–Verse 9: Rick Ross– Maybach Music Chasin’ paper, starin’ out the casket Was a stunna ’til they froze all the assets Killers at your neck ’til you cut a check You talkin’ ’bout the money, nigga, where it’s at? Cars for my dogs, do it for the cause Right back here tomorrow, nigga, inshallah Prayin’ on my knees, do it for the keep Do it for the team, or I’ma let it be

–Verse 10: Chamillionaire– Chamilitary mane They thought I was done, but really I ain’t even stress it Just look at all the dough I got invested Two years and two billion dollar exits And now your relevance ain’t lookin’ that impressive (it ain’t) So glad we ain’t gotta chase relevance And I would like to thank the dead presidents For not livin’ forever-ever, forever-ever For all of them that passed, I’ve been gettin’ paid ever since Be okay, still paid, still stackin’ it We gon’ stay, courtside, that’s accurate We gon’ take the White House and get back in it They tried to turn us in to the villains like Colin Kaepernick But it’s okay, Gotham City needs savin’ You’ll fight back but I’ma shock ’em like Raiden I don’t fold, I don’t quit and don’t cave in Your worst nightmare, Freddy Krueger, Wes Craven

–Chorus: D.R.A.M., Gary Clark, Jr., & Mark Morrison– I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, yeah

–Verse 11: G-Eazy– And I don’t think he really needs any coachin’ The weather’s gettin’ hot, Eazy Season approachin’ Came up and everybody sees the devotion I put the work in, I cause a commotion Whenever I’m in public, modern-day Elvis Hoes at my shows wanted selfies Made it here and ain’t nobody helped us Now I’m on a path to be great So they say, that’s what everybody tells us

–Verse 12: Styles P– Raised knee-deep in the dope game If I had two guns up then they was both aimed Saturday mornin’, I’m watchin’ Soul Train Eatin’ leftover food, lo-mein Now I’m plant-based, couple juice bars I’m on now, I don’t care if the stamp straight Told Trae I’m the truth like his name is Can show you what pain is, I’ll tell you what game is, ghost

–Chorus: D.R.A.M., Gary Clark, Jr., & Mark Morrison– I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on

–Verse 13: E-40– Ayy Trae, let the councilor speak E-40! The best that ever did it and got away with it Let the councilor speak Not a septic tank, but I’m with the shit On my coast, I’m the topic and the subject Where I’m from it’s hella squeeze and heathens’ guns bust I wish that TD Jakes would come and pray for us They pimpin’, they flockin’, they like to steal and rob Backdoor their loved ones, inside job That’s why I stay with a stapler, a baby tomahawk Life or death situations in case I gotta pop I made a promise to the lord that I’ma keep it funky Never switched, never sell my soul for money I always been for right, maybe that’s what’s wrong Now I’m on like the most requested song Since a teen, I was doin’ my thing, magazine On the 1300 block, we had a machine I had a quarter mil’ at the age of 19 In the kitchin’ cookin’ birdies with no wings The best rappers come from the gravel, the slums Empty rack with spaghetti sauce jars rockin’ up crumbs It ain’t easy bein’ on for 30 years to see the glitter and glamour But not the blood, sweat and tears I’m an old ass youngsta, bruh, I’m a vet Sick Wid It Records, sellin’ cassettes before the internet I never made a mixtape in my life But one day I’ma do it for my fans, the people that saved my life I’m on

–Chorus: D.R.A.M., Gary Clark, Jr., & Mark Morrison– I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, I’m on I’m on, yeah

[fandom-smut-shots]

Hitoshi Shinso - Long Distance

Long Distance – Hitoshi Shinso

AceOfClubs1719

A/N: Trans!male!reader. I actually know about transgender things now so this will be more accurate than the last one I tried to write.

So, to clear it up in case I didn’t explain it properly, because it was thrown in as an after thought when I was trying to logicalize the plot.

The reader has a healing quirk. It’s not all powerful – wounds don’t heal in an instant. But it expedites the process, so an injury that would normally take several months to heal might only take one month instead.

 Words: 1,444

           The bathroom was flooded with steam pouring from over the top of the shower door, behind which you were letting nearly too-hot water cascade down your back and sides. A contented hum sounded in your throat as you tipped your head back, rinsing the last of the conditioner from your hair. After a few moments of scrubbing your body down with your favorite body wash, you turned around to twist the water tap, shutting off the flow. You then gently pushed open the shower door and reached for your favorite towel- the fluffy purple one that reminded you of a special someone- that you’d hung on the rack. Wrapping it around yourself, you plucked a washcloth from the counter and used it to wipe away the condensation on the mirror, bringing your reflection into focus.

         For the first time in, honestly, forever, you let your towel drop to the floor. Water droplets slid down your body, evaporating into the rug beneath your feet. Your wet hair clung to your head and the back of your neck, only adding to the onslaught of dribbles pouring down your back, but you weren’t paying them any attention.

         Your eyes zeroed in on your chest – your freshly healed, surgically altered, finally flat chest. You’d been saving money for years to be able to afford chest surgery, to finally remove the sagging bags of tissue from your body forever. You couldn’t recall a time in your life where you hadn’t been dreaming of top surgery, and when the jar in which you’d been storing spare change and extra cash finally filled, you shrieked and nearly burst into tears.

         It had been a long process, and the healing was no walk in the park. Everything hurt. Everything was sensitive. Everything was sore. But it was worth it. Looking at your reflection, fully naked, and not absolutely despising the view of your torso was absolutely worth every penny you’d plucked from the parking lot, and every second you spent high on prescription medications to numb the pain. Your quirk expedited the healing of wounds, but only by so much, and it did nothing for the ache and discomfort. Plus, stitches took a long time to heal on their own, so your quirk could only skip so many days of restoration.

         The best part? Your fiancé of one year (boyfriend of six) had no idea. He knew you’d always wanted it, of course. You’d gotten together shortly before you finally understood what transgender meant, and how perfectly it described your self-image. Hitoshi Shinso had been surprisingly supportive, encouraging even, considering how little emotion he displayed to everyone who wasn’t you. Only you had access to his true feelings, desires, and concerns.

         It had begun with testosterone therapy. You’d done a ton of research, and Shinso had held your hand every step of the way. Plenty of people expected him to leave, including you. Society was quick to judge both of you, demanding to know why Shinso would waste his time with a fake man, insisting that he deserved better and that you should leave him alone. At home, at night, in bed, the depression would kick in, and your walls would crumble. You’d sob and whimper and question why Shinso had stuck with you through everything, been as supportive as he was. The purple-haired man would simply hold you, explain that he loved you, and whisper sweet nothings into your ear until the crying subsided.

         He knew you’d been saving up. He offered repeatedly to donate to the cause, but you refused to let him. He worked hard as a hero, and you didn’t want his earnings to all go to your personal journey. You insisted on saving every cent on your own, and Shinso reluctantly obliged. He knew he couldn’t even sneak in a dollar here and there – you counted your savings on a regular basis, partly to motivate yourself to keep going and partly to ensure that none had gone missing or been previously miscounted.

         Shinso was currently several towns over on a lengthy assistance mission. Normally, he wouldn’t be out of town more than a few days, but he’d been sent to a nearby town that had been subject to intense villain activity, and it seemed as though every other day shoved a new battle in his face. He kept regular contact with you – nightly phone calls and text messages any time he got a break, so you could each ensure that the other was alright. You worried desperately over him. You knew that he was an accomplished, competent hero, but he was in an unfamiliar town with unfamiliar villains being thrown at him left and right. You would never not worry.

         He’d been gone for a month, and all you could do was hope and pray that he would be home soon.

         With newfound confidence, you opted to skip wearing a shirt, only pulling on a new pair of purple plaid boxers that Shinso had bought for you before he left. You scrubbed the towel across your head to dry the strands before returning it to its rack and exiting the bathroom. As you headed into the kitchen to fix some coffee, your ringtone echoed through the apartment, alerting you to an incoming phone call. Instead of padding into the kitchen, you spun on your heel and headed back to the bedroom to retrieve your phone.

         Your heart pounded in your chest and a grin split your lips when you read Shinso’s contact name across the screen. You barely tapped “accept” before holding the device to your ear. “Hey, babe.”

         “Morning, handsome.”

         Your chest fluttered. “How’s work going?”

         “Actually, I’m done.”

         “What?!” You nearly dropped your phone on the way to the kitchen. Securing it between your ear and your shoulder, you went back to your original plan of brewing coffee. “What do you mean?”

         “I mean that I’m on my way home.”

         “Really?” You couldn’t stifle the squeal that ripped its way out of your throat. Coffee grounds definitely didn’t fly out of the bag in your hands and spill all over the counter. You definitely didn’t continue the process like the mess didn’t exist.

         “Really.” He chuckled, and you melted at the sound.

         “When will you be home?”

         A knock sounded on the door, and you paused midway through filling the carafe with water to answer it, first setting the carafe on the counter. You stood on your toes to peer through the peephole, gasping loudly at the sight of gravity-defying violet locks on the other side.

         You threw the door open with a grin on your face. “Babe!”

         He crossed the threshold in one step, wrapping you in his arms and lifting you into the air. His face burrowed in your neck, humming at the familiar scent of your shower products. His hands roamed your back as he set you on your feet, purple brows raising in surprise and confusion at your lack of a shirt. He stepped back, indigo eyes scanning your form before widening noticeably.

         “Babe…?”

         Your lips stretched in a grin, and you planted your hands on your hips. “What do you think?”

         “You look amazing,” Shinso admitted, a soft smile on his lips. He stepped forward again, resting his hands on your hips. “When did you get it done?”

         “A couple of days after you left,” you answered, your arms winding around his neck. “I was hoping I would be all healed by the time you got home. Once the aftercare medications kicked in, so did my quirk. It’s still a little tender, but the incisions are fully closed and the scars will fade soon.”

         “I’m so happy for you,” he murmured, dipping his head to capture your lips in a passionate kiss. You hummed against his mouth, melting against his chest. Your hands tangled in his wild hair as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss and groaning softly into your mouth.

         “So you like it?” you questioned, looking down at your chest with the slightest hint of insecurity in your voice.

         Shinso’s hand grasped your jaw, lifting your gaze back up to meet his. “I love it. You look amazing, and I’m proud of you.”

         He kissed you again before you wiggled out of his grasp in order to finish making coffee. The promise of caffeine released his hold on you, and he instead followed along, assisting you wherever he could and cleaning the mess you’d made on the counter. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, drinking more coffee than was probably healthy, and cuddling in bed, wrapped up in the arms of your eternally supportive fiancé.

#hitoshi shinso #shinso x reader #reader insert #male reader #trans reader #ftm trans #my hero academia

[letswelcomethenewme]

Ok so this is my plan for the next 11 days! My 5k #training has been non existent. My hip rehab exercises have been the same lol. I NEED to do this NOW. So I'll be doing a money jar. Each day will get me .75 cents except when I lift. It'll be an extra .25 cents. On days I don't do one of the things, I lose 2$. Harsh but I need the accountability. Feel free to get on me about it too! Since I started it today I'm allowing only the run and the hip stuff. Yoga and lifting starts tomorrow! #personal #weightloss #journey #motivation #girlswholift #lifting #cantstop #wontstop #tryandstopme #imafuckinganimal #flagnorfailfamily #beastmode #workout #stillinit #transformforlife #running #girlswhorun #london #ontario #ldndot #fitfam @dymatize @bodybuildingcom

#personal #ontario #wontstop #journey #girlswhorun #motivation #beastmode #ldndot #girlswholift #fitfam #imafuckinganimal #workout #transformforlife #stillinit #weightloss #training #lifting #tryandstopme #flagnorfailfamily #cantstop #running #london

[flyrtreynolds]

The Fader: Even At His Peak, Lil Wayne Was Never Invincible

(Courtesy of Ethan Miller/Getty)

Between the years 2006 and 2009, do you remember anyone who didn’t fuck with Lil Wayne?

The question is pretty ridiculous in nature, but seriously, think about it. Maybe you had a friend who was a hip-hop snob and stuck to underground shit, like Sean Price or Madvillain. Or maybe your country-blaring neighbor, still bitter at rap’s dominance on the charts and in pop culture, chose to ignore him. And yeah, that verse on the remix of T-Pain’s “Can’t Believe It,” which sounded like it was gargled out of a throat full of mouthwash, probably drew some hate. But damn, how untouchable was Wayne back then?

When I think of that time period, I think of Weezy performing with Kid Rock at the Country Music Awards, playing a guitar that probably wasn’t even plugged in. I think of then-presidential hopeful Barack Obama warning kids on his campaign trail that not everyone can be as God-gifted at rapping as Wayne — that they should focus on more tangible things, like school, instead. And of course, I think back to my friends and I, drunk to the core at parties in college, enthusiastically dissecting the lyrics off Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3. In my lifetime, only one other artist — a pre-Get Rich or Die Tryin’ 50 Cent — had such a massive hype leading up to an album drop. When Wayne finally released Tha Carter III, it was a mammoth event: The repeating vocal sample of “Let The Beat Build” was seemingly coming out of every dorm window, while the cheesy intro on “Lollipop,” the album’s first single about letting “her lick the rapper,” was awkwardly stuck on the tip of everyone’s tongues. We loved to say he wasn’t from this planet. This was partly because of his skill, which made other rappers seem mere mortal in comparison, but also because dude was a straight-up weird, giggling like a Muppet character on songs and rapping in a croak that’d eventually be intimated by a slew of generic wannabes. We fully believed it when he declared himself a Martian on “Phone Home” off TCIII. He seemed invincible.

I like to harken back to that era when I think about Wayne today, who’s viewed in a much more human light. I’m not using it as evidence to demonstrate how his star has fallen necessarily; despite the lukewarm responses to his most recent projects, his impact on the genre is undeniable, influencing a notable shift in its sound (Harlem rapper A$AP Rocky once explained it by saying, “Wayne made everybody switch their flow up”), look, and style. Rather, I’m painting a picture of how connected the world felt for a time to a former kid rapper from New Orleans whose first stage name was Shrimp Daddy. “I always said my whole life, ‘I’mma be like Lil Wayne,’” said an 18-year-old Chief Keef back in 2013, when the Chicago phenom was on the brink of stardom. Like Keef, a generation of hip-hop fans saw themselves in Wayne and wanted to emulate him. Looking back, it was probably unfair to put so much relatability in Lil Wayne, the persona, when none of us really knew much about Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, the actual person, a polarizing and very private figure.

A contrast to his isolation can be found in Kid Cudi, an artist who cites Wayne as an influence and has deemed him a “legend” in the past. Cudi recently entered rehab after years of struggle with anxiety and depression. Upon putting his music career on hold, he posted on Facebook an emotional and revealing letter to his fans, admitting that he’s suffering from suicidal urges. The letter was met with a flooding of moral support, which ranged from celebrities opening up about how his music saved their lives to fans angrily coming to his aid when a certain Canadian MC questioned the letter’s motive. He completely opened himself to his supporters.

Wayne, meanwhile, has done the opposite; as he’s suffered through multiple health scares over the years, including a string of seizures, he’s given little insight to what their cause is. Following a six-day stint in the hospital in March of 2013, brought on by three seizures in a row, Wayne stated in a vlog that he actually has seizures all the time and that we “just never hear about them.” He added that he now felt “more than good” and, in a radio interview a week later, said his condition was actually a result of not taking his epilepsy medication. Fans reacted warily, wondering out loud if his condition was in fact caused by his infatuation with codeine cough syrup — a prescription drug that’s taken the lives of numerous beloved rappers. Erratic behavior over the years, including him tweeting a vague message earlier this fall that he was “mentally DEFEATED,” has added to the concern that something more serious is at play.

Wayne doesn’t necessarily owe us answers. Privacy, especially when it comes to health matters, should be respected. But combined with his unawareness toward seemingly everything that young rap fans care about, including next-generation upstarts like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and Kodak Black, his unwillingness to speak on his brushes with death have created a divide. Even his peers from the late aughts, when he was unquestionably king, are scratching their heads. “You have to get outta that bubble that you’ve been living in,” rapper T.I., who’s collaborated with Wayne many times, recently said on Instagram in reaction to his Nightline comments surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement.

Still, every once in awhile, Wayne drops his guard and lets us in. His recent book, Gone Till November, which is a memoir of his time at Riker’s Island in 2010, is an example of this, pulling back the curtain at times to show what it was like for a multi-millionaire to have everything stripped from away for eight months. And then there’s his verse on Solange’s “Mad,” a highlight off her recent A Seat At The Table record. It’s perhaps his best in years, both for its technicality — Wayne can still effortlessly glide over a beat when he wants to — and its honesty. The line about his failed suicide attempt of course caught our ears first, coinciding with what we’ve feared. Over the track’s fluttery piano, it comes off especially jarring: “And when I attempted suicide, I didn’t die/I remember how mad I was on that day/Man you gotta let it go before it up in the way/Let it go, let it go,” he rhymes. It’s tempting to take the verse at face value, but it’s also important to remember that it’s an admission — not only of the attempt, but also that the aura of invincibility that followed him for years wasn’t real. The Martian, he’s saying, is actually like the rest of us, flaws and all.

http://www.thefader.com/2017/01/13/lil-wayne-health-scares-legacy

#lil wayne #the fader #cash money records #tha carter iii